The Villa

Nora Roberts

The Giambellis have been making wine for 100 years, since Sophie's great-grandfather started the first vinyard in Italy. Now the Italian and the Napa Valley wines are some of the best in the world. Sophie's grandmother, Tereza MacMillan is the head of Giambelli Wine. Her husband, Eli MacMillan, owns the neighboring vinyard. His grandson, Ty, manages the vinyard for the MacMillan family. The older couple found each other after their first pouses had died. Ty and Sophie see both of them as grandparents. Sophie's mother, Pilar, is married to a faithless man. After years of separation, he finally decides to get a divorce.

Tereza and Eli call for a business meeting of the Giambelli and MacMillan families. They have decided to merge the two companies and vinyards. Sophie and Ty are named as co-managers. She must learn the day to day farming business. He must learn her day-to-day public relations work. They are hiring a new COO, David Cutter, from a competitor. After a year, they will reassessment the management of the new Giambelli-MacMillan Wineries.

It is a rough beginning. Sophie doesn't like actually working in the fields, but she appreciates what is needing to grow the grapes and make the wind. Ty hates the offices. He learns to function in Sophie's world as she learns the outside work. Her PR manager hates her, believing that she should have had Sophie's position. Things are tense as the new corporate structure is getting settled.

The annual Christmas party in the California mansion is a gala event. Business and family members are invited. Sophie's father, as an account manager, is there with his newly married wife. He and Sophie have an arguement at the party. Later that night he is murdered in Sophie's city apartment. This is only the beginning of the problems of the Giambelli family. Someone is undermining them - someone who hates the women especially. Three generations of Giambelli women have to use their core strength to weather the problems coming. Fortunately, they have men who can stand with them and give them the support they need.

The first half of Nora Roberts' The Villa tends to be a bit slow. Even so, I was pulled into Sophie and Ty's story. By the second half I was totally involved. The Villa is filled with strong women - both in the Giambelli family and against it. The men aren't any wimps, either. They are strong as well, yet able to let their women keep their sense of self and do what they need to do. Sophie moves back and forth from corporate, ungirly, to quite girly. The ungirly side is often over the top and unbelievable. Some of it detracts, but Roberts pulls it together.

Yes, this is another of Nora Roberts' good romantic suspenses. No, it's not the best one, but yes, it is a good read. Plus, it's a good way to learn some wine making basics.

Notice:  Strong sexual content