Blush

"Terroir, loosely translated, means taste of a place." – Blush, by Jamie Brenner. To be honest, I wasn't sure what to make of the blurb for this book, which said, "Three generations of women discover the "trashy novels" of a bygone era might just hold the key to saving their family's coastal winery—and to finding the love that's eluded them." My first thought was this is a tall order fraught with pitfalls at every turn. Not knowing too much about the books in question, I wondered how the 80's romance genre could possibly inform today's feminist consciousness. In the hands of a less masterful writer, I think the premise would have failed miserably. In the capable hands of Jamie Brenner, it's a stroke of genius. Not only does she call out the sexism, violence, and male dominance in the works of Judith Krantz and Jackie Collins (among others), she mines the hidden gold within their novels. Three generations of Hollander women have chafed against the patriarchal rule of Leonard, husband, father, and grandfather, to Vivian, Leah, and Sadie, respectively. When a trove of 1980's novels is discovered, the three women draw strength from them, resonating with the courage, intellect, drive, and passion many of the female characters possess. In time, the Hollander women come to find these same attributes within themselves. It is nearly impossible to distinguish the primogeniture of a titled English family from the standard operating procedures at Hollander Estates Vineyard. The vineyard was once a trailblazer in North Fork and has achieved national recognition and an "estates" winery designation under the stewardship of Leonard and his maladroit son and heir-apparent, Asher. Leah, who has a genuine affinity for the place, is bypassed at every turn. Devastated, she goes into business for herself, becoming an expert seller of artisanal cheeses, which, of course, also have their terroirs. The vineyard is beset by the kind of unfortunate twists and turns that make for a great backstory. It is within this framework that Brenner shows true brilliance. She weaves a tale of opportunity, seduction, and vengeance worthy of the authors she extols and, without so much as a wink, adds a predatory French baron who just happens to own a vineyard in Bordeaux. Leonard's "old boy" approach to winemaking slowly corrodes the vineyard's many successes until all may be lost. By the time I reached this point in the story, I knew so much more about wine production and vineyard life that the very notion of the Hollanders losing their estate had me on the edge of my seat. Hats off to Ms. Brenner for the way she balanced past and present events with elegance, equity, and touching tenderness. The range of characters, the beautiful descriptions of the mansion, and the vineyard itself add to a timeless quality that leaps off the page to create an optimal reading experience. I read this book in one sitting. Reaching the final page, I could not help thinking how, against what I thought were heavy odds, Ms. Brenner had managed to change my perception of an entire genre. How did she do that? By pairing the past with the present and delivering a superb terroir.

Good read about family dreams and a winery .It takes you through all hardships and wonders of running a successful one

The Hollander winery has to be sold. Vivian and Leonard started it when they married 50 years earlier. Leah, their daughter, is upset about the impending sale especially because no one told her about the problems. Her daughter, Sadie, has problems of her own. She has broken up with her boyfriend. She has writer's block. The two of them along with Stephen, Leah's husband, come to the winery. Her brother, Asher, is there with his girlfriend, Bridget. Leah wants to save the winery, but her father will not listen to her. Her husband feels she is getting involved where she should not be involved. Her brother is set to leave. Her parents are trying to keep up appearances but their facades crumble in front of the family. How does it end? I had so much fun with this book! It was like a blast from the past. Sadie finds her grandmother's journals from the book club she had hidden behind the bookcase. She looks for the books and finds them in their library. She starts reading the books from book club. Her mother catches her, and she admits to finding the journals. Vivian also finds out they discovered the journals. Since Leah and Sadie have started reading the books, they decide to revive the book club with the three of them. The books were from the 1980's written by Jackie Collins and Judith Krantz. It was fun! Three generations read those books, four if you count Bridget who is eventually invited to join them. Each generation walks away with different opinions of the books. I liked how each woman looked at the books--one thought power, one thought sex, one thought taking control of their lives, and one thought sexual abuse. In the end, each uses the books to get what she wants and uses the methods from the books. I had such a good time reading this. There is a lot of humor but there is so many important things being said in the book about women, men, those "trashy" novels (I didn't read the books but I saw the mini-series,) change, going after what you want. Reading this made me relive that time. Now I want to read the books. I also would not mind the wine and cheese pairing/tasting parties that Leah taught. This is a perfect book for book clubs. There is so much to discuss. I loved this book!

I have enjoyed Jamie Brenner’s previous books, but unfortunately this book just wasn’t up to their standards. I guess the author just wanted to write a book about the North Fork and wine. However, the characters in the book are fairly unlikeable, cliched and/or underdeveloped. Unfortunately, the plot just drags throughout the book. I guess I will just have to look forward to the 2022 Jamie Brenner book. This 2021 vintage was a miss for me.

I love a book that has a surprising ending, or at least not the ending I saw coming. Three generations gather at the family estate for a time of wine, food and conversation but like all conversations before, it was one sided only. They were, a patriarchal family with all that entailed. This was 21st century, and the women of that family clearly recognized how marginalized their lives really were. It was within their own small book club that their voices found harmony, and vowed to speak their truths. Four women who truly loved their husbands more than material trappings, could stand no more second class citizenship, setting forth sweeping changes. Simultaneously, a catastrophe threatens the entire clan. Fear not, the women just might save the day!

I’m a wine drinker and love to go to different wineries doing tasting so this book hit home for me. When I first started visiting wineries I would take the tours to learn how the wine was made. This book gave you that “inside” look into how much work goes into the process. At times it was a little wordy. But the connection between women and how they can give a different perspective on business was a great example for women of today.