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dishajetly_123's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, Stalking, Murder, and Pregnancy
taleofabibliophile's review
mysterious
medium-paced
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Death, Infidelity, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Grief, Suicide attempt, Murder, and Alcohol
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Violence, Blood, and Abortion
Minor: Death of parent
liblibby's review
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Uh. Huh. Well.
I would have loved to get an editor to take a second pass at this book. Some parts are so long and drawn out and then other important parts are thrown together so quickly that it’s absolutely muddy and confusing. I’m not sure I know what happened here—but not because the author wants me to feel that way.
I would have loved to get an editor to take a second pass at this book. Some parts are so long and drawn out and then other important parts are thrown together so quickly that it’s absolutely muddy and confusing. I’m not sure I know what happened here—but not because the author wants me to feel that way.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, and Toxic relationship
morethanmylupus's review against another edition
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
The premise of this book was solid. What would you do if you saw your dead husband staring at you in the park? Plus we get wine country and wine tastings, which I love.
We get two stories here: current-day June who is looking for answers about her dead husband and Bev, the dead husband's mom, in the past. I struggled to understand why a lot of the characters made most of the choices they made.
Overall, the very slow burn didn't work for me. The flashing back and forward didn't add anything because we got so few additional details in the flashbacks that it almost felt like its own novel. Further, the mystery resolution largely relied on a lot of coincidences, assumptions that people are apparently clueless and completely unobservant, and a big reveal in the epilogue that wasn't set up in any way throughout the book.
We get two stories here: current-day June who is looking for answers about her dead husband and Bev, the dead husband's mom, in the past. I struggled to understand why a lot of the characters made most of the choices they made.
Overall, the very slow burn didn't work for me. The flashing back and forward didn't add anything because we got so few additional details in the flashbacks that it almost felt like its own novel. Further, the mystery resolution largely relied on a lot of coincidences, assumptions that people are apparently clueless and completely unobservant, and a big reveal in the epilogue that wasn't set up in any way throughout the book.
A huge thank you to the author and the publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Murder