About the Book
MacKenzie Dienes's life isn't perfect, but it's as close as she could ever hope to get. Her marriage to Rhys, her best friend's brother, is more friendship than true love. But passion is highly overrated, right? And she loves her job as the winemaker at Bel Apres, her in-laws' vineyard. So what if it's a family business and, even after decades of marriage and incredible professional success, she's still barred from the family business meetings? It's all enough...until one last night spent together leads to an incredibly honest—and painful—conversation. Rhys suggests that they divorce. They haven't had a marriage in a long time and, while he wants her to keep her job at Bel Apres, he doesn't think they should be married any longer. Shocked, MacKenzie reels at the prospect of losing the only family she's ever really known...even though she knows deep in her heart that Rhys is right.
But when MacKenzie discovers she's pregnant, walking away to begin a new life isn't so easy. She never could have anticipated the changes it would bring to the relationships she cherishes most: her relationship with Barbara, her mother-in-law and partner at Bel Apres, Stephanie, her sister-in-law and best friend, and Bel Apres, the company she's worked so hard to put on the map.
MacKenzie has always dreamed of creating a vineyard of her own, a chance to leave a legacy for her unborn child. So when the opportunity arises, she jumps at it and builds the Vineyard at Painted Moon. But following her dreams will come at a high price—one that MacKenzie isn't so sure she's willing to pay…
About the Author
#1 NYT bestselling author Susan Mallery writes heartwarming, humorous novels about the relationships that define our lives―family, friendship, romance. She's known for putting nuanced characters in emotional situations that surprise readers to laughter. Beloved by millions, her books have been translated into 28 languages. Susan lives in Washington with her husband, two cats, and a small poodle with delusions of grandeur. Visit her at SusanMallery.com.
Author Links
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Where did inspiration for the book come from?
The Vineyard at Painted Moon was really inspired by the gorgeous wine country of Washington State. My readers have told me that they love when my books have wish-you-were-there settings, like the tulip farms in Secrets of the Tulip Sisters and the monastery-turned-mansion of The Summer of Sunshine and Margot. So I knew I wanted to set my next hardcover somewhere that would give readers a beautiful, scenic escape—and this was well before I knew the book would come out during a pandemic, when we’re all trapped at home a lot more than usual.
So I started daydreaming about beautiful settings, and I landed on Washington wine country. Breathtaking. Seriously, look it up.
Every evening before dinner, Mr. Mallery and I have a glass of wine together and tell one another about our day. This daily ritual makes us feel close and connected even when life gets hectic, and it has led us to learn more about how wine is made. I thought it could be really interesting to write about a female winemaker, because this is still very much a male-dominated field. I asked myself, “What is the worst thing that could happen to a winemaker?”
“What if,” I thought, “she lost the land she loved?”
And not because of fire or natural disaster, but because of an emotional earthquake—Mackenzie Dienes is the winemaker at a family winery. But it’s her husband’s family. . . and their marriage is in trouble. She could stay if she’s willing to be nothing more than an employee for the rest of her life. But if she wants something more, something of her own, she’ll have to be brave.
The Vineyard at Painted Moon is the story
of Mackenzie’s search for happiness and self-fulfillment after divorce. With
some pretty spectacular scenery thrown in. Oh, and wine. Lots and lots of wine.
What was the hardest scene to write and why?
At the risk of repeating myself, that scene in which
Mackenzie and Rhys finally acknowledge that their marriage is over was
certainly one of the hardest to write. The emotional intricacies of the
situation were incredibly nuanced. I had to get it exactly right. Rhys is not a
point-of-view character, so the whole scene is told from Mackenzie’s
perspective, but I wanted the reader to understand and empathize with Rhys, as
well. It’s a deeply emotional scene, and I’m very curious to see how readers
will respond to it.
Who is your favorite character and why?
I love Stephanie and Four, Rhys’s sisters and Mackenzie’s
best friends. They’re the kind of friend that every woman should have—and that
every woman should be. Close female friendships are a hallmark of my books. In The Vineyard at Painted Moon, the friendships were especially complex
because they were also sisters-in-law. . . soon to be exes. But at the end of
the day, this truly is Mackenzie's story, so she would be the favorite.
My Thoughts
The Vineyard at Painted Moon by Susan Mallery has Mackenzie Dienes living and working at Bel Apres. She has been married to Rhys Barcellona for
the last sixteen years. Her family is
his family since she lost her parents when she was a child and her grandfather
right after she graduated from high school.
The one thing that she has wanted is to own a piece of the winery, but
the proves to be elusive. The matriarch
of the Barcellona clan, Barbara holds tight to the reins. She controls all aspects of the winery, and
she is determined it will only belong to those with Barcellona DNA. At a
special event at the tenth annual Solstice Party, Mackenzie realizes that her
life is lacking. Evidently, Rhys feels
the same way because he asks for a divorce.
Mackenzie must make some important decisions regarding her future. She could stay at Bel Apres as the winemaker
or she strike out on her own. What
happens when something unexpected throws a wrench in Mackenzie’s plans?
I thought The Vineyard at Painted Moon was a good escape novel. I needed a break, and this book was just what I needed. It is well-written with developed characters and it moves at a steady pace. While the story focuses on Mackenzie, we also get to see how Barbara’s other children are doing, especially Stephanie Barcellona. Stephanie is not happy with her job and she wants a change. She is not sure, though, that she has the courage to do it. The author captured the dynamics of a family and a family run business. This is an emotional novel as Mackenzie goes through the various phases after Rhys asks for a divorce. I thought it was realistic (as someone who has gone through a divorce). There is plenty of family drama in this engaging tale along with some good life lessons. The author presented the information on winemaking in an easy-to-understand manner. I found it fascinating all that goes into making wine (who knew). There is some repetition of details along with foul language and intimate situations (not explicit). The Vineyard at Painted Moon is a great book to read while relaxing in front of a fire with a glass of wine.
Excerpt
“Not
that what you’re wearing isn’t great, but the party starts in an hour.”
Mackenzie
Dienes looked up from the grapevine she’d been studying, her mind still on the
tight clusters of small, hard grapes that would, come late September, be ripe
and sweet and ready for harvest. Between now and then, she would monitor their
progress, willing them to greatness and protecting them from danger, be it
mold, weather or hungry deer.
She
blinked at the man standing in front of her, tall and familiar, with an easy
smile and broad, capable shoulders.
“Party?” she asked, letting her thoughts of
the vineyards go and remembering that, yes, indeed, it was the evening of the
annual Solstice Party, hosted by the Barcellona family. As she was a
Barcellona, by marriage if not by name, she would be expected to attend.
Wanted
to attend, she reminded herself. It was always a good time, and Stephanie, her
sister-in-law, worked hard to make it a perfect night.
“The
party,” she repeated, her voice slightly more panicked this time, then glanced
down at herself. “Crap. What time is it?”
Rhys, her husband, shook his head. “You really
don’t listen when I talk, do you? We have an hour. You’ll be fine.”
She
pulled off her gloves and shoved them into the left front pocket of her
coveralls, then stepped behind Rhys and gave him a little push toward the
flatbed truck he’d driven out to the west vineyards.
“You
say that because all you have to do is shower and get dressed. I have to do the
girl thing.”
“Which
takes you maybe ten minutes.” He put his arm around her as they hurried toward
the truck. “Happy with the grapes?”
“I think so,” she said, glancing toward the
healthy vines growing on either side of them. “We might have to do some
thinning in a couple of weeks, but so far, so good.”
As they slid onto the bench seat of the old
truck, he glanced at her. She smiled, knowing there was a fifty-fifty chance he
would call her out on her thinning statement. He was, after all, the vineyard
manager. Technically all the decisions about the vineyard were made by him with
her input, but not her instruction. As winemaker, she managed the grapes from
the moment they were picked until the wine was bottled.
But
at Bel Après, areas of responsibility often overlapped. Theirs was a large,
boisterous family in which everyone had opinions. Not that Mackenzie listened
to a lot of other ideas when it came to her wines, although as Rhys often
pointed out, she was very free offering hers when it came to his work.
He drove along the dirt path that circled the vineyard, stopping by her
truck. She slid into the cab, then followed him back to the family compound.
The main road leading into Walla Walla was thick with tourists who wanted to
enjoy the longest day of the year. She merged into the slow-moving traffic,
doing her best to keep from glancing at the clock on the truck’s dashboard as she
inched along.
Vineyards
stretched out on either side of the road, flat on the left and rising toward
the hills on the right. Bright green leaves topped sturdy trunks that had been
carefully trained to grow exactly as she wanted them to. The rows were long and
neat, and the spaces between them were filled with native grasses that held in
moisture and protected the roots from the heat.
Looking
at her healthy crop kept her mind off the fact that she and Rhys were going to
be desperately late.
Twenty minutes later, she followed him off the
highway onto a less crowded secondary road—a back way home. Five minutes after
that, they parked the trucks by the processing buildings behind the big tasting
room. Rhys had already claimed one of the golf carts the family used to get
around. She slid in next to him and they took off toward the center of the
property.
Bel
Après Winery and the surrounding land had been in the Barcellona family for
nearly sixty years. Rhys and his siblings were third-generation. The original
main house had been updated several times. When Rhys and Mackenzie had married,
Barbara, Rhys’s mother, had suggested they build themselves a house close to
hers, rather than commute from town. Eager to stay in the good graces of her
new mother-in-law, Mackenzie had agreed.
A large two-story home had been built. Barbara
and Mackenzie had decorated every room, the act of choosing everything from
light fixtures to doorknobs cementing their affection for each other.
A few years later, Stephanie, the second of
Barbara’s four children, had gotten a divorce and moved back home with her two
kids, requiring another house to be constructed. When the youngest of the three
girls had married, the last house had been added. Only Lori, the middle
daughter, still lived in the original home.
All
four houses faced a huge central courtyard. Mexican pavers were shaded by
vine-covered pergolas. The extended family used the space for big dinners and
as a kids’ play area. If one of the women baked cookies, a cookie flag was hung
out the front door, inviting anyone to stop by. At Christmas, a large tree was
brought in from Wishing Tree, and for the annual Summer Solstice Party, dozens
of long tables were brought in to seat the two hundred or so guests.
Rhys
swung the golf cart behind the large main house, circling counterclockwise.
Normally he would cut across the courtyard, but with all the party
preparations, he had to go the long way. He pulled up at the rear entrance to
their house and they dashed inside.
Mackenzie
paused to unlace her boots and left them in the mudroom. Rhys did the same.
They raced up the stairs together, separating at the landing to head to their
individual en suite bedrooms.
Once
in her bathroom, she started the shower. Thankfully, she’d already picked out
the dress she would wear. She raced through a shower. After she dried off, she
wrapped her hair in a towel and dug out the scented body lotion Rhys had given
her a couple of years ago. Why anyone would want to smell like coconut and vanilla
was beyond her, but he liked it.
She
walked into the large closet and opened her underwear drawer. To the right were
all the sensible bikini panties she usually wore—to the left were the fancier
ones for special occasions. She chose a black pair and slipped them on, then
went to the second drawer and looked for the matching push-up bra. When it and
the pads were in place and doing the best they could with her modest curves,
she pulled on a robe and returned to the bathroom.
After
plugging in her hot rollers, it took her only a few minutes to apply eyeliner
and mascara. She was flushed from the day working outside, so she didn’t bother
with any other makeup.
Her
hair took a lot longer. First she had to dry the dark red shoulder-length
waves, then she had to curl them. While the rollers were in place, she searched
for a pair of black high-heel sandals that wouldn’t leave her crippled by the
end of the night.
Those found, she opened her small jewelry box
and pulled out her wedding set, sliding both the engagement ring and the
wedding band into place on her left hand. Diamond stud earrings followed. She’d
barely stepped into her sleeveless black dress when Rhys walked into the
closet, fully dressed in black slacks and a dark gray shirt.
She
sighed when she saw him. “See. You have it so much easier than me.”
“Yes,
but in the end, you’re more beautiful. That should be worth something.”
“I’d rather have the extra time.”
She
turned, presenting him with her back. He pulled up the zipper, then bent to
collect her shoes. They retreated to her bathroom and together began removing
the curlers.
“We’re
late,” Mackenzie said, catching sight of his watch. “Your mom is going to be
all snippy.”
“She’ll
be too busy welcoming her guests.” The last of the curlers was flung onto the
counter. Mackenzie fluffed her hair, then pointed to the bedroom.
“Retreat,”
she said, reaching for the can of hair spray.
Rhys
ducked to safety. She sprayed the curls into submission before running into the
bedroom to escape the death cloud. Rhys was on the bench at the foot of the
large bed. She sat next to him and quickly put on her shoes.
“Done,”
she said, pausing to reacquaint herself with the seldom-used skill of walking
in heels.
She
grabbed her husband’s wrist. “Seven fifteen. Barbara’s going to kill us.”
“She’s
not. I’m her only son and you’re just plain her favorite.”
“We
weren’t ready exactly at seven. I can already hear the death-march music in my
head. I want to be buried on Red Mountain.”
Rhys
chuckled as he led the way downstairs. “In the vineyard? I’m not sure your
decaying body is going to be considered organic.”
“Are
you saying I’m toxic?” she asked with a laugh as they walked toward the front
door.
“I’m
saying you’re wonderful and I’d like us to have a good night.”
There
was something in his tone, she thought, meeting his gaze. She’d known this man
her entire adult life. They’d met over Christmas her freshman year of college.
Her roommate, his sister Stephanie, had dragged Mackenzie home to meet the
family. Grateful not to have to spend the holiday by herself, Mackenzie had
gone willingly and had quickly found herself falling not only for her best
friend’s hunky older brother but for the entire Barcellona family and the
vineyards they owned. Barbara had been like a surrogate mother, and the
vineyards, well, they had been just as magical as Rhys’s sexy kisses.
Now she studied her husband’s expression,
seeing the hint of sadness lurking behind his easy smile. She saw it because
she hid the same emotion deep inside herself. The days of stealing away for
sexy kisses were long gone. There were no lingering looks, no intimacy. They
had a routine and a life, but she was less sure about them still having a marriage.
“I’d like that, too,” she murmured, knowing he
wasn’t asking them not to fight. They never did. Harsh words required a level
of involvement they simply didn’t have anymore.
“Then let’s make that happen,” he said
lightly, taking her hand in his and opening the front door.
The Vineyard at Painted Moon is available from Amazon*, Barnes & Noble, Bookshop, IndieBound, Libro.fm, Books-a-Million, Target, Walmart, Kobo, iBooks, and Google Play. You can find Susan Mallery's other novels here. Thank you for stopping by today. Next time I am reviewing First Light in Morning Star by Charlotte Hubbard. It is the 2nd novel in The Maidels of Morning Star series. I was not able to review this Amish novel when it was released. I hope that you have a lively day. I am in a good mood because I once again have a washer. Mine broke over a month ago and then the saga began with the home warranty company. It was a fiasco. I finally broken down and bought a new washer (it was cheaper than going to the laundromat every week). I just love my new Insignia washer. It does not have an agitator (that thing in the middle). I also got one with an extra large drum. It is digital and I love it. I started the first load of laundry before the delivery men got in their truck. I was not a fan of using the local laundromat. The people were very nice, but I am allergic to regular detergent and softener which never seems to clear out of the machines (which had my allergies acting up from the scents and other allergic reactions). I made sure to get a good warranty with the new washer. Thank you for listening to my rant! Take care, be kind, and Happy Reading!
Kris
The Avid Reader
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