Sumptuous.
I really didn't expect to enjoy this book as much as I did. Oh, I knew I'd like it but I didn't expect to completely get lost in it for a good three hours this afternoon. Madeline Ash has a way with words that leaves you feeling like they're wrapped around you like a warm cozy blanket.
Plus she included a cow in her introduction. Anyone who can add the presence of a cow and still create a gorgeous level of tension between two characters when the reader first meets them has my vote.
And don't even start me on the Yarra valley setting. Wine and romance? What more could you want?
Dean and Rafi were my kind of characters. They felt real and natural. Their dialogue was fantastic, their motivation didn't once feel artificial and the tension between them was simply gorgeous. They grew convincingly on the page and when they came together at the end. *sigh*
Oh and the secondary characters were fantastic.
Better yet, the dark secret was all the title promised to be. (Gotta love a good skeleton in the closet).
I've still got a fabulous case of warm fuzzies and my god am I inspired to have a glass of wine.
Loved it to pieces. Can't wait for Ms. Ash's next book. I'll be there with bells on.