The Twisted Vine

Welcome one and all to the Cephalopod Coffeehouse, a cozy gathering of book lovers, meeting to discuss their thoughts regarding the works they enjoyed most over the previous month.  Pull up a chair, order your cappuccino and join in the fun.  If you wish to add your own review to the conversation, please sign on to the link list by clicking this link

http://armchairsquid.blogspot.co.uk/2015/07/the-cephalopod-coffeehouse-july-2015.html

 

Here is my choice for this month:

 

 

 

Book Description from Amazon

Every journey is an adventure.
Especially one into the unknown.

The Twisted Vine is set in the heart of France and is a deeply romantic but suspenseful tale. Roxanne Rudge escapes her cheating boyfriend by going grape-picking in France. She feels vulnerable and alone in such a big country where she can't speak the language and is befriended by Armand le Clair, a handsome Frenchman. Armand is not all he seems, however, and she discovers a darker side to him before uncovering a dreadful secret. She is aided and abetted by three new friends she has made, charming posh Peter, a gifted linguist, the beautiful and vivacious Italian, Yvane, and clever Henry of the deep brown eyes and the voice to match. Together they unravel a mystery centred around a beautiful chateau and play a part in its future.
Join Roxanne on her journey of self discovery, love and tragedy in rural France. Taste the wine, feel the sun, drive through the Provencal mountains with her, as her courage and resourcefulness are tested to the limit.

MY REVIEW 5*

 This novel is set in the 1980’s in France where Roxanne journeys with a friend to help heal a broken heart.  As her friend returns to England Roxanne decides to spend the summer travelling and working in France earning money by picking grapes.  She only has a smattering of the language, her sense of direction is not very good and she is naïve and gullible, an attractive young lady alone in a foreign country.

 

Roxanne is taken in by a handsome Frenchman and things go wrong.  She is shown the kindness of strangers from an unexpected quarter. 

 We follow her escapades as she meets other people who become friends but who also have their own ‘baggage’ to cope with.  As they travel together to different vineyards their last stay is one that impacts greatly on many people’s lives.

 

This is a wonderful tale told with compassion, emotion, thrills and excitement and some unexpected turns along the way.

 Oh and there may be the smattering of a romance in there as well!  Absolutely superb.