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Cover of Once Upon a Wine

Once Upon a Wine

by Beth Kendrick

🥛clean·spoiler·Black Dog Bay #4

Why Read This?

Three women from the same family — aunt, daughter, and niece — converge on a failing Delaware vineyard and build something new from the wreckage of their old lives. The romance is secondary to the family story, which makes the love that does bloom feel earned rather than forced.

Synopsis

From the “sharp, sassy, [and] surprisingly emotional”* author of  In Dog We Trust  comes a novel set in the charming seaside town of Black Dog Bay, Delaware... Cammie Breyer needs a big glass of cabernet—her restaurant failed and her chef boyfriend left for a hotter kitchen. Just when she thinks she’s hit rock bottom, her Aunt Ginger calls with a surprise. She’s bought a vineyard—in Delaware. At Ginger’s command, Cammie returns to Black Dog Bay, the seaside town where she spent her childhood summers with her aunt and her cousin, Kat. The three women reunite, determined to succeed. There’s only one little None of them knows the first thing about wine making. And it turns out, owning a vineyard isn’t all wine and roses. It’s dirt, sweat, and desperation. Every day brings financial pitfalls, unruly tourists, romantic dilemmas, and second thoughts.  But even as they struggle, they cultivate hidden talents and new passions. While the grapes ripen under the summer sun, Cammie discovers that love, like wine, is layered, complex, delicious, and worth waiting for…

At a Glance

3.71 ★ Goodreads
Spice Level🥛clean
Endingspoiler
PairingM/F
Romance Pacingrekindled
Energylow

Top Tropes

second chance romancesmall town romancefamily dramastarting a business togetherex-boyfriend reunion

Mood

warmfamily-centeredhopefullightheartedcozy

Book Details

Goodreads Rating

3.71 ★

Page Count

300 pages

Published

2016

Primary Genre

Contemporary Romance

Pairing

M/F

POV

Third Person

Romance Pacing

Rekindled

Cliffhanger

spoiler

Audiobook

Available

Yes

Format

Unabridged

Narrator

Amy Rubinate

Tropes

RomanceMagicActionAngstWorld
Theme Constellation

Mood & Vibe

Mood

Writing Style

Warm and conversational with sharp family banter. Kendrick excels at multi-generational dynamics and gives each woman a distinct voice even in third person.

Story Pacing

medium

Emotional Weight

moderate

Energy Required

low

Vibes

vineyard sunsets on the Delaware coastthree generations of women starting overwine country charm meets beach town quirkfamily bonds stronger than romanceFrench Bulldog named Jacques

Characters

FMC Archetype

Resourceful hospitality pro rebuilding her life through wine

MMC Archetype

Local farmer ex-boyfriend with unfinished business

Relationship Dynamics

rekindled romance with complications (Cammie and Ian)mother-daughter tension and reconciliation (Kat and Ginger)cousins as chosen family
marital troublescareer loss/identity crisispast injury and recoverymild language
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World & Setting

World Type

contemporary

Primary Setting

Black Dog Bay, Delaware — a vineyard along the seaside coast of a quirky small town

Fantasy Creatures

Representation

N/A

Reading Context

Emotional Payoff

Best Time of Year

summer to fall

When & Where to Read

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