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Belief in Inherent Goodness
In The Taste of Light, a woman finds herself helping to uncover a conspiracy against the owner of a neighboring vineyard. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
The Taste of Light germinated from Pedro Daun’s character arc, the antagonist in The True Purpose of Vines. Pedro’s journey from Portugal’s pinnacle of power to a fugitive status was crucial for his redemption. This drastic shift in his life, viewed through Anne’s unwavering belief in inherent goodness, facilitated his path to self-forgiveness and transformation.
What were some of the emotional and moral guidelines you followed when developing your characters?
Crafting Pedro Daun involved balancing his moral ambiguity with a deep-seated personal code and unwavering loyalty. My focus was on delicately revealing his dual nature, ensuring that his humanity resonated with readers.
What experience in your life has had the biggest impact on your writing?
My foray into writing was sparked by an enchanting journey through Portugal. The nation’s cultural richness and breathtaking landscapes captivated me, igniting a perpetual love affair with writing.
Can you give readers a glimpse inside book 3 of the Winemakers series?
In The Truth About Myths, Princess Isabel de Orleans embarks on a perilous mission to Spain, compelled by duty to her brother, the king. Her unlikely guardian, Henrique, Viscount Penafiel, a dashing rake, finds his loyalty torn between wanderlust and the task at hand. Their journey intertwines with Alfonso, a Bourbon with designs on Isabel and Portugal’s freedom. This tale, set against the 19th-century monarchy’s grandeur, is a dance of passion, patriotism, and the unforeseen. A must-read for those enthralled by an era of elegance and intrigue.
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After losing his bride to a hated Englishman, Pedro Daun shuts himself in his winemaking property. Drowning in port, he hopes to find oblivion from his military past.
A girl with dawn in her eyes…
Kind and whimsical, Anne Maxwell moves to Portugal to help her new sister-in-law. She dreams of finding the perfect suitor to give her the unconditional love she never had.
Shadows can taste light…
A twist of fate brings them together. Anne glimpses in Pedro’s eyes a yearning for love that rivals her own, but the cynical Count isn’t the perfect prince of her dreams. Pedro craves Anne’s touch more than the air he breathes, but he is unwilling to taint his angel with the sins from his past.
A conspiracy is revealed…
A false accusation turns them into fugitives. Running from a treacherous enemy, they plunge into an ocean of intrigue. As their passion grows, Anne discovers that love isn’t the perfect matter of fairy tales. But can Pedro forgive himself for his past and allow Anne into his heart?
If you love antiheroes in desperate need of redemption, this historical romance will conquer your heart. The Taste of Light received the “Highly Recommended” award of excellence by The Historical Fiction Company and is a Booklife’s Editor’s Pick.
The Taste of Light
The Taste of Light, by Giovanna Siniscalchi, is the second book in the Winemakers series, set in Portugal in 1872. Miss Anne Maxwell is a young English lady living with her brother’s family at a vineyard in the Douro Valley. When she visits a neighboring vineyard on an errand for her sister-in-law, the vineyard’s owner mistakes her identity. But before she can correct the misunderstanding with Pedro Daun, the Count of Almoster, the pair comes under attack when an evil man from Pedro’s past ambushes him in his home. They are forced to flee together and soon uncover a complicated conspiracy to frame Pedro for an attempt against the king’s life. Working together, can Anne and Pedro succeed in clearing his name?
I enjoyed reading this historical romance story. The author had a way of describing the sights, sounds, and scents of the historical scenes that allowed me to picture it vividly and imagine myself there in the main character’s place. I liked the element of adventure in this story when Anne and Pedro are running from his foe, the slave trader João Ulrich, trying to thwart the plot against Pedro and working to prove his innocence, not knowing who he can trust. They follow a trail of clues to discover the truth of what really happened when the king’s life was threatened and Pedro’s friend was killed. I liked reading about the various Portuguese locations that were visited throughout the book. I enjoyed reading the first and second books in this series and look forward to reading the next book, The Truth About Myths.
I felt a couple of things could have enhanced the reading experience. There were some things hinted at about past events at the start of the story, which were not fully revealed until near the end, but I felt these details should have been shared with the reader sooner. This book is a part of the Winemakers series; however, the vineyard location and wine-making only played a minimal role in the overall story.
The Taste of Light is an exciting historical romance story that takes readers on an adventure around Portugal. With vivid and detailed descriptions of the landscapes, readers will be transported back in time to this fantastic setting. Following the clues and solving the mystery at hand with romance building in each chapter will have readers hooked and turning the pages to see what happens to them next.
Pages: 376 | ASIN : B0BMMBJD4B
The True Purpose of Vines
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
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