The Winemaker's Wife

By: Kristin Harmel

Narrated by: Robin Eller, Lisa Flanagan, Madeleine Maby

Length: 11 hrs and 32 mins

Publisher's summary

From the author of the “engrossing” (People) and “poignant” (Booklist) international best seller The Room on Rue Amélie comes a remarkable and moving story of love, danger, and betrayal: two women in France in the darkest days of World War II and another in present-day America on a quest to uncover the secret that connects them.

At the dawn of the Second World War, Inès is the young wife of Michel, owner of the House of Chauveau, a small champagne winery nestled among rolling vineyards near Reims, France. Marrying into a storied champagne empire was supposed to be a dream come true, but Inès feels increasingly isolated, purposely left out of the business by her husband; his chef de cave, Theo; and Theo’s wife, Sarah.

But these disappointments pale in comparison to the increasing danger from German forces pouring across the border. At first, it’s merely the Nazi weinführer coming to demand the choicest champagne for Hitler’s cronies, but soon, there are rumors of Jewish townspeople being rounded up and sent east to an unspeakable fate. The war is on their doorstep, and no one in Inès’s life is safe - least of all Sarah, whose father is Jewish, or Michel, who has recklessly begun hiding munitions for the Résistance in the champagne caves. Inès realizes she has to do something to help.

Sarah feels as lost as Inès does, but she doesn’t have much else in common with Michel’s young wife. Inès seems to have it made, not least of all because as a Catholic, she’s “safe.” Sarah, on the other hand, is terrified about the fate of her parents - and about her own future as the Germans begin to rid the Champagne region of Jews. When Sarah makes a dangerous decision to follow her heart in a desperate bid to find some meaning in the ruin, it endangers the lives of all those she cares about - and the champagne house they’ve all worked so hard to save.

In the present, Liv Kent has just lost her job - and her marriage. Her wealthy but aloof Grandma Edith, sensing that Liv needs a change of scenery before she hits rock bottom, insists that Liv accompany her on a trip to France. But the older woman has an ulterior motive - and some difficult but important information to share with her granddaughter. As Liv begins to uncover long-buried family secrets, she finds herself slowly coming back to life. When past and present intertwine at last, she may finally find a way forward, along a difficult road that leads straight to the winding caves beneath the House of Chauveau.

Perfect for fans of Kristin Hannah’s The Nightingale and Kate Quinn’s The Alice Network, The Winemaker’s Wife is an evocative and gorgeously wrought novel that examines how the choices we make in our darkest hours can profoundly change our lives - and how hope can come from the places we least expect.

©2019 Kristin Harmel (P)2019 Simon & Schuster Audio

A Satisfying Read

The story was engaging and the characters were developed enough that I could believe their emotions. That’s important, no? Story moved quick enough so I didn’t tire of it. Was the narration good? No. But don’t get caught up in that. Other reviewers have been overly dramatic over the fact that the 3 narrators sound very much alike. However, if you’ve ever read a book to a child and made up different character voices as you went along, you will understand. The author clearly weaves in who is speaking. So, ignore the negativity about the narration and enjoy a good love story set in WWII.

A wonderful intertwining of past and present.

A great piece of historic fiction told relating the experiences of WW2 France and present day characters.

Wonderful story!

I enjoyed every moment of this story. I stirred my imagination. After completing this audio book, I’m very surprised at the negative criticism. To each their own! I’m here to say, this was one of my favorites. Don’t pass it up!

love Champagne and this book

Wonderful, lots of twists and turns. Surprise ending. I really enjoyed it. The character development was fun.

Great story

Got me interested in the first chapter and kept me through the entire book. Finished quickly because I just couldn’t quit listening! Well told, beautiful story.

Five Stars across the board

What. A. Book. I can't believe how quickly I finished this - and it's because i couldn't put it down.

Story
I thought I had it all figured out. There is some great foreshadowing in this book that helps guide you into what's to come. However with 1 hour and 15 minutes left, you learn there's a twist. The moment I had it figured out everything made sense! This author is so good at evoking feelings for the characters. There are some characters you'll be fully annoyed by, some you admire, and others that make you curious.
I'm not a history buff (or even fan) but this was just enough story and just enough history to keep my attention. What an amazing story, well written, and sweet book.

The narrator
NAILED IT. The more books I listen to, the more picky I become about the narrator. A bad narrator can ruin a good book. This narrator was amazing. The voices she used to portray character, her accents, all of it. She did such a fantastic job with this book.

I recommend this book! What a great read to start off 2020.

Took a bit to get into

By the time it was getting towards the end it became very interesting. The history of WW1 can be heartbreaking.

Enjoyed the story.

EarPod listeners beware. Some chapters are in a whisper then the next is very loud! Whispered ending CHAPTER NINE almost screamed. Not sure why one of the narrator’s whispers to show tension. Listened to during a long road trip. I enjoyed the story and the narrators did a great job with the accents.

Better than I expected…

Better than I expected. Many twists which I did not expect. Finished it in three days.

Fantastic story

This was a wonderful story that intertwines the lives of 6 people. The story wonderfully unravels the story in a way that keeps you on the edge.