The Vineyard

This review has been a long time coming, I was planning on reviewing this a few months ago but we had some problems with the NetGalley Widget and I ended up posting a guest review, but now I have finally read The Vineyard and I loved it. Lizzie Lambert, the leading lady well what I can say about her is well she is a bit selfish, she hides behind the fact she is a single mother running a business so she has no time for love, she has these over the top reactions and thoughts about people and never quite believes anyone. When she travels home after running away five years ago, she comes face to face with her mother, when her mother rightfully reacts to her running away and never contacting anyone Lizzie runs away once again but what she didn't know was that Cal, the man with warm eyes and who just so happens to be running a vineyard on her family's property, would be right around the corner and he wasn't going to let Lizzie run anymore.

I really like Cal he was warm and he reacted to Lizzie a lot more calmer than I think any man would with Lizzie's antics, but I guess thats what love is, the thing is Lizzie thinks Cal is her mothers lover and every doubt she has beats any emotion she feels. Now Lizzie is a parent she has raised her son with the help of an au pair alone as the father is the controlling, manipulative type. Anton wants his son back, Lizzie never told Anton he was the father but now he knows and his pride and ego are threatened he wants his son, and the battle begins. Lizzie pushes away the people that genuinely care about her and that offer help leading to a terrible incident.

I loved this story it creates strong vivid emotions, you don't have to like all the characters the layers of personality, flaws and issues they all have make for entertaining and moving reading and this book touches on so really sensitive subjects that affects us all, from cancer, to single mothers this book has it all. Karen Aldous' writing is beautiful, thought provoking and creates real emotions when you read it. The premise of the whole story the obstacles the characters face are real they are relatable and honest and I loved that about it.

This is a real story, with real emotions and I can't recommend it enough!

This is an author we need to keep an eye on, she can really tell you a story.

I think the blurb gives you ideas of what this is about, but from my point of view its a story not only of Lizzie returning home after five years to a Mother she hasn't spoken to for that length of time, lets not forget she now has a child of her own. I think when we become Moms ourselves our perceptions change towards our Moms and we get to appreciate them more.

However, Lizzie was in for a shock, her Mother had moved on too! Yep, straight to a toy boy!

Lizzie's inheritance is threatened by Cal [the toy boy] after all her Mother has allowed him free reign of everything, of course, this doesn't go down well with Lizzie, and understandably so, but she has been away for five years.

I could guess what would happen, but although this read is predictable it doesn't take away the enjoyment of the story.

I was given this book to read and review from Carina UK via Net Galley and also attached to a virtual tour for this book.