The True Purpose of Vines (The Winemaker’s Series Book One) by Giovanna Siniscalchi is a historical romance story set in Portugal in 1870. Griffin Maxwell is an English port wine trader looking to make a partnership with a gentleman named Croft, but the older man instead suggests marriage to his daughter to merge the businesses. When Griffin travels to Douro to take over the failing vineyard he inherited from his uncle, as a favor to Croft he agrees to check up on one of Croft’s business ventures at a neighboring vineyard. Julia Costa-Ferreira, a widow with a young son, inherited the vineyard from her late husband and does not appreciate Griffin’s interference. Julia and Griffin are both trying to improve the situation for their families, but this parallel goal sets them at cross purposes.

This is an emotionally-resonant historical romance novel that I heartily enjoyed. I liked the setting and time period of the book, with an English man living abroad in Portugal and falling in love with a local woman, it seems tried in the genre but feels so true in this story. 

When Griffin and Julia first meet, they are drawn to each other. But as soon as they learn the other’s true identity, their relationship turns antagonistic. I enjoyed reading the interactions between the two of them, both before and after they discovered the truth, as it felt authentic. I liked the way they worked together despite their initial distrust as the authors is able to infuse intrigue into their relationship right from the beginning. 

The author provides vivid descriptions of the sights, sounds, and smells of the region, which makes it easy for readers to immerse themselves in the exotic scenes. Portuguese is used throughout the story, ensuring readers never forget where they are. The words don’t seem foreign for long as the author does an excellent job of explaining the meaning of the words so that readers who do not speak the language are able to understand the terms. This, along with the historical and wine making elements, makes this both an educational book as well as an entertaining drama.

While I enjoyed this story, I felt that the first part of the book was a bit slow to start. I would have liked to have seen Julia and Griffin meet a bit sooner in the story, because they feel like the highlight of this story. There are other people that come between them and cause external conflicts for the characters and this kept me glued to the pages because I wanted to see if they would overcome those obstacles. There is a lot of details about wine making in the story as well. If you enjoy making wine, or are interested in the process, this book is filled with all manner of minutiae about the wine making process and wine vintages.

The True Purpose of Vines is an exhilarating love story exploring the clash of culture and personalities in a dramatic time in history. Readers looking for a sophisticated romance story that is colored with insightful details about wine making will find this book hard to put down.

Pages: 438 | ASIN: B09W6CL8RQ