Luscious!
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The Winemakers by Jan Moran
Fiction
Macmillan
April 5, 2016
368
1956: When Caterina Rosetta inherits a cottage in the countryside of Italy from a grandmother she's never known, she discovers a long-buried family secret -- a secret so devastating, it threatens the future of everything her mother has worked for. Many years before, her mother's hard-won dreams of staking her family's claim in the vineyards of California came to fruition; but as an old murder comes to light, and Caterina uncovers a tragic secret that may destroy the man she loves, she realizes her happiness will depend on revealing the truth of her mother's buried past. From author Jan Moran comesThe Winemakers, a sweeping, romantic novel that will hold you in its grasp until the last delicious sip.
The plight of women in the 1950s is no laughing matter. When I think of the 50s, my mind conjures images of poodle skirts, Buddy Holly, and soda shops; glorifying them as the golden 
days of American ingenuity and progress. While there is an element of truth in those images, the plight of women (and obviously minorities) is something often overlooked. The Winemakers deals quite a bit with the realities of single mothers, especially those who were un-married. The stigmas, social ramifications, and even ostracization from family made it very difficult for most single mothers to keep their children and continue a normal life.
Caterina grew up with her widowed immigrant mother and childhood friends, working their family winery in the beautiful Napa Valley. In her last year of college, Caterina finds herself alone and pregnant. She keeps the baby a secret for a year, and makes the painful decision to keep her daughter despite facing the possibility of losing her legacy and facing ostracization in 1959 society. Though she has 
not heard from the father of her daughter since conception, the reasons are not what she thinks.
When she finds out she has inherited a house in Italy from her paternal grandmother, she makes the decision to accept it. Her decision sets off a chain of events that bring up long-buried family secrets and sheds light on a far more complicated situation with the father of her child.
Wine connoisseurs, backdrops of Napa Valley and Italy, and strong female characters help make The Winemakers an excellent read. (It had me at wine…)
The final closure point feels a bit thrown-in, but it does tie up all the loose ends nicely. Beautifully written and well-researched, The Winemakers is definitely a weekend read worth exploring.
You can find The Winemakers HERE and more about Jan Moran HERE.
Grab yourself some wine and get to reading!
