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Saturday 11 May 2013

Summer in Napa by Marina Adair


Six months ago, New York restaurant owner Alexis “Lexi” Moreau walked in on her husband, Jeff, and their sous chef mixing business with pleasure. Now, Lexi is back in her hometown of St. Helena, California, rebuilding her life and hoping to turn her grandmother’s patisserie into the bistro of her dreams. All she needs is luck, lots of hard work, and a way to avoid the thirty blind dates her matchmaking grandmother arranged. Enter Marco DeLuca — Jeff’s handsome, commitment-phobe best friend who has always had his sights set on Lexi. In high school, Marco convinced himself that Lexi was off-limits. And she still is, especially since Marco’s family’s wine business all depends on a deal with Jeff. But a fake summer romance is the perfect way for Lexi to distract the would-be suitors her grandmother has set up for her. A perfect way for Marco to realize she’s the only one that ever mattered. And a perfect way to fall deliciously in love.


Grace's Review

A perfect pairing just like great food and fine wine!

Marina Adair has done it again with book 2 of the St. Helena Vineyard series! Summer in Napa is as charming, witty, and fun as the first book, only this time Adair sets out to create the perfect romantic pairing with two long-time, good friends. 

Marco DeLuca is the DeLuca brother we get to know all about in this story. Marco has always loved women and living the single life. So when his friend, Lexi Moreau, moves back into town things are shaken up a bit. He's always considered her off-limits, and still does, even after her divorce from his best friend. However, the lines of friendship start to blur as Marco and Lexi embark on a little summer “fauxmance”. 

I adored Lexi! She's back in her hometown of St. Helena to move on with her life and build her dream bistro. It's her time to make a name for herself and shine. There's so much intricate details that go on that involve family, friends, and small-town traditions. One thing is for sure, this story is so delicious, not only in the slow build of the intense romance between Marco and Lexi, which I very much appreciated, but also, Lexi is a chef, and the food she creates just makes my mouth water! Really, try not to read this on an empty stomach.

From the food, beautiful wineries, to the local pride, Marina Adair continues to feature the distinct allure of the Napa Valley region. That is one of my favorite aspects of this series! I have gone on several day trips to Napa to fall in love with its charm. I'm pretty sure that is why I absolutely adore this series so much. I see so much of the Napa charm in this story. Another aspect I love is that Adair has a way of creating secondary characters that are as rich and lively as the main ones and puts them in many engaging situations. If you've read book 1, then you will know exactly what I mean when I say...the grandmothers are back!!!

If you're a fan of friends-to-lovers stories with slow-burning true romance, then you must check out Summer in Napa. I truly enjoy Adair's writing and her sense of humor. She even teases us with possible future couple pairings. I can't wait for the next DeLuca brother to fall in love in the next book, Autumn in the Vineyard!



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