Eight Hundred Grapes by Laura Dave (A Review by Jennifer Boksman)

Rating: 4/5

This book should be read around 5pm while sitting in a lovely chair, feet up, drinking a glass of wine or two, all this before the troops (husband, kids and dog) come in from the crazy outside world. Or if you are me, you can read this while riding your stationary bike doing your morning workout! But let’s get back to the actual book.

Eight Hundred Grapes (that’s how many grapes it takes to make a bottle of wine) is a terrific tale of a young woman who comes home to the family vineyard after running away from her soon-to-be husband. Georgia is a strong, young attorney who cannot decide if she can handle the news her fiance has a little girl and the fact that for the last few months he has been lying and hiding all the details. She goes home for comfort and advice only to find out her father has sold out to a big wine producer that tramples on the little guy. Of course this conglomerate is run by the dashing, rude Jacob, but Georgia is prepared to take him on and get back what her mom and dad worked all their lives for.  

This novel was terrific reading for me, being a bit of a wine snoot; I fell into the trance of a Sonoma family run vineyard and all of it’s romance. Laura Dean even has you smelling the grapes at harvest. The story is fun, romantic and filled with good, introductory information about wine production. I highly recommend this book for a weekend read at the cottage or sitting on the porch in the late afternoon sun, but don’t forget to fill your glass before you sit down. Happy reading!

Review by Jennifer Boksman