Sweet Escape by Meredith Wild and Jillian Liota is Book 2 in the Hawthorne Vines series.
What can you expect?
🏡 Small-town vineyard
💕 Best friend’s older brother
😠 Grumpy hero
💃 Sassy heroine
🎤 Singer FMC
🔥 No strings attached

4 ⭐ | 2.5 🌶

My thoughts:
I really enjoyed Sweet Escape! If it’s set in a small town, I’m immediately hooked. The story begins with Vivian catching her boyfriend cheating on her. Heartbroken, she heads to her best friend’s family vineyard to focus on writing music for her first album.
While there, she can’t resist teasing Memphis, her best friend’s older brother. Memphis, burdened by the family vineyard’s struggles, works long hours and has no time for distractions. Neither is looking for a relationship, so a no-strings-attached fling feels like the perfect solution. But when it’s time for Vivian to return to LA, things become more complicated.

I loved Vivian’s personality—her persistence and confidence stood out. After their first night together, she couldn’t resist wanting more. Her connection with Memphis even helped her creativity with her music. Vivian was hilarious and unapologetically herself. The spice between them? Amazing!

At first, their relationship was purely physical, but as they spent more time together, their bond deepened into an unexpected friendship. Despite this, both kept their emotional walls up. Memphis, overwhelmed by the vineyard’s demands, worked 16–18 hours a day but refused to ask for help. Vivian, shaped by her absent parents’ flawed relationship, struggled with trust and feared opening up to Memphis. Their growth as characters was well done—Memphis learned to lean on his siblings, and Vivian worked on being more open with those she cared about.

What I appreciated most was that neither interfered with the other’s dreams, even though their goals were very different. Their relationship wasn’t conventional, but it worked perfectly for them.

The small-town vibes, sizzling chemistry, and vineyard setting added so much charm. Although I haven’t read the first book in the series, this was easy to follow, and I now want to read the first for more context. The only downside was that the story dragged a bit in the middle, causing me to lose interest briefly, but it picked up again and ended on a satisfying note.

Thank you, NetGalley, Meredith Wild, and Jillian Liota, for the advance copy. This was my first book from these authors, and it certainly won’t be my last!

Finding love was the last thing Vivian had on her mind when she takes a getaway to her best friend Murphy's family vineyard. Immediately Memphis, Murphy's brother, and Vivian cannot resist and stay away from each other. With Vivian only being in town for a short time and all the problems of a struggling business, Memphis absolutely does not want to start anything that will likely only end up in broken hearts all around. The banter was perfection! You can clearly see that Vivian is attracted to Memphis, physically and as a person immediately after their first meeting. I loved the small town vibes of the vineyard and how it can make even a big city girl fall in love with the small town life. I also loved the family dynamics in this book. I did a combination eyeball read and ALC and enjoyed the narrators. Thank you to the authors for the free eARC and ALC. All opinions are my own.

Instagram review will be live approximately 31Jan25.

I didn't realize this was a second book in a series, however it didn't effect my ability to enjoy this one. It was really cute and I enjoyed it.

You have a free spirited FMC and a MMC who is a serious man (he still knows how to have fun, if you know what a mean 😉). They are a "watercolor and excel sheet" as our girl Murphy would say.

It was a cute and easy read. Great if you want something cozy!

Sweet Escape is a one-night stand romance. Situated in the heart of wine country. That quickly transforms into a whole lot more.

As singer-song writer, Vivian Walsh needs an escape from life in LA and finds it on her friend Murphy's family vineyard.

But what Viv doesn't expect is Murphy's brother, Memphis. Who is struggling to keep the family business in the black, and who has no time for a relationship, romance, or a woman like Viv. Whom he has absolutely nothing in common with.

Yet, that's the reason why they're such a perfect match.

As they may flirt and bicker constantly. But underneath there's a pull that neither can ignore and as the story unfolds the pair realise their connection is more meaningful and real than either could have ever imagined.

And with a wonderful setting, lots of lush detail, likable characters and a great blend of sweetness, spice, charm and emotion. Sweet Escape is the perfect book to read. Especially during this time of year, while curling up under a blanket and enjoying a glass of wine.

Jillian Liota and Meredith Wild have created a heartfelt, swoon-worthy story in the second book of their Hawthorne Vines series. Sweet Escape effortlessly blends instant attraction with a slow slide into something much deeper, all while capturing the thrill of a vacation fling.

Vivian Walsh is a free-spirited singer-songwriter nursing a bruised heart who finds solace and inspiration at her best friend Murphy’s family vineyard. What she doesn’t expect is her attraction to Murphy’s brother, Memphis, a workaholic with the weight of the winery’s finances on his shoulders and an infuriatingly irresistible charm.

Their chemistry is electric from the start, and watching their “no strings attached” arrangement bloom into something more is pure magic. I love how Vivian is clear about what she wants and goes after it. Memphis has no chance against her captivating allure! *I might have a slight girl crush on Vivian.

The authors skillfully balance lighthearted banter, sizzling tension, and emotional depth as Vivian and Memphis navigate their personal struggles and undeniable connection. And while their time together is fleeting, they challenge and support each other in a way that feels like they’ve been together forever. Vivian’s vacation inevitably comes to an end, and I was not prepared for how emotional I was about their “goodbye”. It all works out beautifully in the end, though. That grand gesture!

Hawthorne Vines and the small town of Rosewood are the perfect backdrop for Vivian to rediscover her muse. Errol and the Firehouse Inn are my favorite new additions. I loved seeing Murphy, Wes and Sarah again. More is revealed about Jack’s role in the financial situation of the winery, and I feel like a resolution is in place for that going forward.

I hope the next book is about Micah and a character I won’t name. Fingers crossed!

Whether you're new to this series or returning for more, I highly recommend Sweet Escape. It is a true testament to finding love in unexpected places.

I loved this book! It was a phenomenal exposure to the authors' writing. The tension with the best friend's brother trope was so good. Plus her deadline to leave the town? It was just incredible!

I look at you and I'm home. You are the other half of me.

Sweet Escape is a story of romance at it's finest. It is immediate mutual attraction for Memphis and Vivian. Memphis was stunned when he first met the feisty Vivian. He had never felt so drawn to a woman like he did with Vivian for a very long time, if ever. Their flirtatious banter back and forth started what was to be an amazing bit of fun. It turned out to be much more.

They are so different from each other. Memphis all business, no nonsense and focused. Whereas Vivian was more easy going and relaxed. This contrast seems to be the key that has them being just right for each other. There are ups and downs as they try to navigate coming to terms with how they really feel about each other. If you enjoy romance, lots of laughter and some spice, Sweet Escape is for you.

I wanted to love this because I really like both of these authors but it fell flat for me. I love the blurb and story concept but I feel like it was too slow in spots.

Sweet Escape by Meredith Wild and Jillian Liota is the 2nd book in the Hawthorne Vines series and I found it to be just as enjoyable as the 1st book, Bitter Truth. Again, it’s set in wine country and focuses this time on Memphis, Murphy’s brother that we were introduced to in the first book. The whole wine country atmosphere makes this story a truly unforgettable experience for the reader. I enjoyed revisiting Wes and Murphy, as well as several secondary characters that really bring out the emotional depth of this entire series. Memphis and Vivian both have their own set of issues they’re dealing with and together their slow, very enjoyable, romantic journey gave me tons of feels. All these characters really make this a heartwarming, heartbreaking, thought-provoking story that reminds you that "Love, like wine, takes time to grow and flourish—but when it does, it’s worth every drop." I’m really looking forward to reaching Micah’s story! I’m grateful to have been given an opportunity to read and review an advance copy of this book for NetGalley.

This is a new author for me but I’ve enjoyed this taste of her voice. Characters are solid, could use more originality or depth. Plot was promising and intriguing, could be refined a bit more. Romance was a balance of emotional and realistic! This was a beautiful book! Looking forward to more!

I am so in love with this series. I read the first book, and thought that this can not get any better. But I was wrong! I fell in love with Memphis myself! I love how much angst the authors produced. I wish that a third book in the series follows with the story of Micah!

The beginning of the book reminds me of Casablanca where the famous line, "Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world, she walks into mine". Only it is a winery and a Restaurant and wine bar. There is an attraction between Memphis and Vivian, until his younger sister arrives and they discover who each other really is. Memphis is the older brother, Vivian is his little sister's best friend. The attraction is palpable, but each feels it is in a zone where neither can cross. Vivian has sworn off meaningful relationships and Memphis is the ultimate bachelor. Will the heat each one feel for the other melt the ice walls they both put up? To complicate things, geography offers a sink hole of distance. He is tethered to the winery and her job is in L.A . as a singer/song writer causes speed bumps in their journey. How will they make it work? Is there a possible resolution where neither needs to make an ultimate choice? This is a well written book and as an avid reader of these wonderful authors, I highly recommend all to read this.

It had potential with its broody vineyard owner and sassy songwriter pairing, but it didn’t deliver for me. Memphis was one-note with his endless vineyard struggles, and Vivian’s initial rudeness felt forced before she quickly flipped to "let’s hook up for inspiration." Their chemistry was flat, and the romance leaned too heavily on lackluster physical attraction.

The small-town vineyard setting and side characters, like Murphy, added some charm, but I skimmed most of it. Predictable plot, minimal spark—overall, it wasn’t for me. Here’s hoping Murphy’s story is better!

#SweetEscapeHawthorneVines #NetGalley

If you enjoy small town settings and the enemies to lovers trope this book might be for you. However, I had to DNF it at about 45%. There was just too much unnecessary detail that made the pacing feel slow and dragged the story down. It ended up boring me rather than drawing me in. I also struggled to connect with the characters, they irritated me at times, which made it hard to care about their romance.

I really loved this romance, and can't wait to go back to the first book in this series so I can experience another romance in this world. The first thing I noticed in this book is that the physical connection between Memphis and Vivian is what drew them together before any emotional connection formed. That would usually be a red flag in a romance (unless I'm reading erotic romances), but I liked that they really acknowledged it in this book and we got to see them develop a really genuine friendship as they were exploring their sexual relationship. It made the romance truly believable because that friendship was prioritised. The other main aspect to this story is definitely family dynamics, and predominantly the issues that would've been covered in the first book between Murphy, Memphis, Micah and their father. There were definitely feelings of abandonment and neglect from their father that took precedent in Memphis' character development, and it was interesting to see him explore those feelings and slowly realise this responsibility he felt for his entire family wasn't something he needed to bare on his own. For Vivian, she had this slightly more understated storyline of not being able to let anyone past her walls, but that only really came up towards the end of the story, despite the majority of the story being from her POV. I enjoyed seeing her explore her music and her muse, and it was really great to see a strong female character prioritising herself and her career. The only thing that potentially took this book down from five stars was that I think there was something not quite right with the pacing. There were a few moments in the middle that did feel like they were dragging and my interest did wane a little, so I think it would've been helped if there was a larger plot threaded into the story to keep the pace going, outside of the issues with keeping the vineyard running. But I think that's my only criticism of a romance I really truly enjoyed. I can't wait to read Murphy and Wes' story, as well as Micah's, when the time comes!

thank you net galley for the arc.this book follows two characters who each have there own personal struggles..this story has a good balance of emotion, and steam.i do like that it set in a vineyard.memphis and vivian journey is a real emotional ride ,but a great romance over all.

When Vivian needs to escape from her normal life she finds herself at her best friends family vineyard to regroup. She never expected to love the town or the vineyard or even think she’d be attracted to her bffs brother. Yet here she is finding herself distracted in the worst way. Vivian knows she needs to finish her album, stay on track and not let the small town life suck her in.

I throughly enjoyed this read. A little bit too instant love for me, but I love the dynamic of Vivian and Memphis. Absolutely sucked me in and leaving me wanting more. Especially wanting Murphy’s story.

Singer-songwriter Vivian escapes to the family vineyard of her bff to regroup. When her mutual attraction to her best friend's brother leads to several nights of passion, they are both unsure what happens next. When it's time for Vivian then return to her life, they both must confront their feelings.

2⭐

Tropes: best friend's brother, enemies to lovers(?), one night stand

Blurb: Vivian joins her best friend back at her family vineyard after a betrayal from her boyfriend. She meets Memphis, the vineyard owner, with whom she has instant attraction, until she realizes he is her best friend's evil brother.

What I disliked about this book was that I feel like most of this book, the main characters seem to have forced chemistry. They get into a no-strings attached relationship for mutual benefit, mainly for Vivian to regain inspiration for song-writing and that's about it. It was weird how she immediately hated him after realizing he's Murphy's brother, despite that Murphy and Memphis get along well now. The hate she had for him was so strong, but it made no sense. Even less sense that she was okay to have sex with him, despite how much she hates him. So confusing.

I think I liked Bitter Truth more but this one missed the mark for me.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

You're an Excel spreadsheet, she's a watercolor painting.
This was an utterly delightful read. A perfect blend of swoon, chemistry, spice, well rounded and developed characters. Exactly what you want in a light and easy romance read. Like most people Memphis didn't have a life outside of work. Great to see that portrayed in a romance novel.
Vivian and Memphis are easy to love.