Grape Juice

One can almost feel the heat of the sun, smell the vegetation in the vineyards, and taste the wine in Dumais’s lovely debut destination romance. New Yorker Alice is sent to French wine country by her boss, a wine importer. In order to learn more about the vintages she sells, she’ll be working as part of a volunteer crew during the three-week harvest. A bit closed off and cautious following the end of a long-term relationship, Alice is grateful to be warmly embraced by others in the multinational group. Enticingly described communal meals help her to open up, particularly with Henri, the vineyard owner’s nephew. On a break from his own wobbly relationship, Henri makes a habit of asking Alice pointed questions as they pick grapes all day long, conversations they jokingly refer to as “therapy” sessions that foster a quick closeness—and intense chemistry. The characters are just as vivid as the setting, and the intimate conversations between the leads feels real and grounded even as they delve deep into their personal histories and motivations. The result is an addictive contemporary that will delight hopeless romantics and armchair travelers alike. (Nov.)