You Had Me at Merlot: Part 4

 

The final part in this hilarious four-part digital romantic comedy, from the author of The Twelve Dates of Christmas - winner of the Novelicious Debut of the Year award.

Elle didn't plan on falling for anyone on this singles' holiday so it came as a huge surprise to her when she fell, hard, for her very own Italian stallion. But it seems he's not as perfect as he first appeared - especially now that his maybe-not-so-ex ex-girlfriend has turned up.

Elle doesn't want to believe that it was all a lie but it's hard to ignore the very real bombshell standing in front of her. Has she been taken for a fool? As the end of the holiday approaches, confusion and heartbreak threaten to ruin Elle's hard-fought peace of mind. Does Tuscany have enough magic left to fix her broken heart?

You Had Me at Merlot is the kind of love story that will have you crying with laughter one moment and nodding your head in agreement the next. Full of sultry summer nights, hilarious moments and plenty of wine, it will warm even the most cynical of hearts and have you believing in the magic of romance (and the power of a decent glass of Merlot).

 

My opinion: So this is it. The final installment. And after yet another heart stopping cliffhanger in part three, I had to know what happened next.

 

Elle had been getting in the spirit of romance at the Tuscan vineyard she had accompanied her friend Laurie to for a singles holiday. Only letting her guard down seemed to come back and hit her, hard. When Jamie's ex turns up at the vineyard and he doesn't turn her away, Elle doesn't know what to do. She turns to her new found vineyard family and confides in Laurie, Donna and George and finds herself needing to make bigger decisions than she ever thought she would need to when she left London. Can she ever return to her old life in London, and more importantly, is she over men forever?

 

Reading this last part of the story was bittersweet, as although I couldn't wait to pick it up, I knew that this meant that it was coming to an end. I think I have professed my love in all of my reviews for the location and the characters. I really want to enforce just how much I loved this book, and it was a perfect summer read to distract me from my post holiday blues over the last few weeks.

 

I really hope Lisa writes lots and lots more for us to enjoy and will create more fabulous characters to become my book friends! I had a proper book hangover when I got to the end of this final part, but felt content with how it ended. Although, I'd LOVE to read more about the outrageous Laurie!

 

Seriously, you should read this book, and if you haven't downloaded it by now I'm not sure we can be friends any longer. You will thank me when you read this hilarious yet romantic escape to Italy.

 

My rating: Five big shiny stars

 

This week I will be posting reviews of all four parts of You Had Me at Merlot, and will be culminating the week with a special interview with the author, Lisa Dickenson.

Summer at the Lake

It was a wedding invitation that changed everything for Floriana...

If she hadn't been so distracted at the thought of having to witness the one true love of her life get married, she would have seen the car coming.

If she'd seen the car coming, there would have been no need for elderly spinster Esme Silcox and local property developer Adam Strong to rush to her aid.

And if Floriana hadn't met Adam and Esme she would never have had the courage to agree to attend Seb's wedding in beautiful Lake Como.

For Esme, Lake Como awakens memories of when she stayed at the lake as a nineteen-year-old girl and fell in love for the first time. So often she's wondered what happened to the man who stole her heart all those years ago, a man who changed the course of her life.

Now it's time for both Esme and Floriana to face the past - and the future - on the shores of this most romantic and enchanting of lakes.

My opinion: This is the first book I have read by Erica James and it certainly won't be the last.

Floriana receives a wedding invitation through the post that upsets her so much that she doesn't concentrate on where she is going and ends up getting knocked down by a car. Two onlookers, elderly Esme and property developer Adam, step in to ensure that she is ok and the three of them become unlikely, but firm friends.

Esme is an elderly spinster who lives with her cat in a house full of beautiful paintings which tell the story of her life. Adam has just split up with his girlfriend and has bought the house next door to Esme with a view to renovate it. Floriana is an eccentric young lady who is a tour guide in Oxford and is trying hard to move on from the past. Each character's story unfolds throughout the book and we get a snapshot of the past, and an opportunity to see them move into a new future.

I really enjoyed this book. It was really well written and drew me in right from the beginning. I loved the characters, particularly Esme with her wonderful past at Lake Como and the downtrodden Floriana trying to deal with her awful sister Ann. The descriptions of the young Esme's trip to Italy with her father were so colourful, I could imagine myself being there with her. I have always wanted to go to Italy and this book has made me want to go even more. This book was  bit of a slowburner and quite a hefty tome so sometimes I felt that it dragged a little - my only reason for not giving it five stars.

Overall, a wonderfully descriptive and romantic book and I look forward to reading more of Erica James' books.

My rating: Four stars

I received a review copy of this book courtesy of Netgalley and Orion Publishing in return for an honest review