Why We Love It:
Between the Vines by Tricia Stringer is a deliciously romantic novel, sometimes funny, sometimes sad, and with a compelling storyline that culminates in a nail-biting, but satisfying, conclusion among the vineyards of South Australia.
Edward and Peter Starr are two troubled brothers, trying to run their family vineyard after the tragic death of their parents, but fortunes start to change for them with the unexpected arrival of a blonde stranger from Adelaide.
Taylor Rourke hasn’t had much luck where men are concerned, despite her good looks and bubbly personality. She’s always falling for the wrong types, so when she falls for Edward Starr on a hen’s weekend visit to Wriggly Creek’s cellar door, she is initially cautious.
She decides to flee the city anyway – there’s not that much going for her there after losing her job as a courier. She spends a hot summer helping out with the busy vintage period, learning all about winemaking, despite being a beer drinker and a chronic arachnophobe. But it’s not only vintage season that’s got everyone flustered. Something’s not quite right at the winery – Edward is acting shadily, arranging secret meetings with mysterious businessmen, and Pete is perturbed by his own surging feelings for Taylor, his brother’s girl. Or is she?
Tricia Stringer already has a legion of fans for her heartwarming rural romances, including Queen of the Road, which won the Romance Writer’s of Australia Romantic Book of the Year 2013. Tricia grew up on a farm on South Australia’s Eyre Peninsula and currently lives on the rural coast, where she shares a rambling old farmhouse with her husband and assorted animals.
Between the Vines is an immensely readable book, especially as it draws to its exciting conclusion and keeps you guessing until the very end. Set in a vintage year in the hot vineyards of South Australia, it’s perfect for a lazy summer read, at the beach or in the country.
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