Reviewed by Kat
TITLE: Discovering Home
SERIES: Coming Home (Book 3)
AUTHOR: Blake Allwood
PUBLISHER: Blake Allwood Publishing
LENGTH: 275 pages
RELEASE DATE: April 20, 2023
BLURB:
Choosing his self-respect over his inheritance leaves him adrift. Can the sexy wine grower be his foundation, or will everything be lost?
Matt’s late grandfather always supported him as an artist, but the inheritance and new vineyard he left for him came with a catch that throws everything into doubt. Life becomes even more complicated when he can’t stop thinking about Logan, the attractive wine grower his grandfather hired before he passed away.
Logan has always dreamed of making award-winning wines, so when a chance to take over and build a new winery falls into his lap, he grabs it. Unfortunately, his dreams seem to be dashed with the death of the winery owner. His life is upended, and his attraction to the late owner’s grandson just seems to make things worse.
As the two men navigate their way through family, social and legal challenges, will they be able to overcome all that’s stacked against them, or will everything they’re working for be lost?
NOTE: Discovering Home is an angsty, low-heat (no explicit sex scenes,) sweet, high drama romance.
Triggers: Religious controversy, homophobia, loss of a family member, disappointment, family drama, abandonment of adult child, ostracized family, employer/employee relationship, legal disputes
REVIEW:
Another sweet trip back home.
Matt has always had his loving grandfather. He raised him when both his parents died. Although quite wealthy the old man was extremely frugal. So having the teetotaler put a vineyard up on their Tennessee acreage baffles the young artist. But Grandpa loved Ms. Beth and she loved her glass of wine so vineyard it is. When Grandpa suddenly dies it’s up to Matt to keep it all going but he’s an artist not a vintner. Thank goodness his Grandpa had the good sense to buy quality equipment and hire a knowledgeable young man to run the place. But can Matt and Logan keep the place afloat while battling the homophobic pastor and his flock?
I loved Matt and Logan yet I wanted so badly to cuff them up side the head. I know that this series of books were written for Hallmark originally and this gives off all the Hallmarky vibes. No sex, major conflict and angst, headstrong main characters…yep it’s got that all in spades! But I needed them to resolve their concerns and at the very least sit down and talk. I get that there is the employer/employee thing going on and that is a tough one. I did love how that was eventually resolved but it took way too long and could have allowed them more of an united front together to fight against Pastor Atwell and his flock of homophobic parishioners. These two knew clear back at Christmas that they were falling hard in love with the other but decided that it was best to just shut that off and ignore the other. How does that resolve anything? Men!!!
I was thankful that Lia (and her story was so heartbreaking) came up with a solution to the vinegar situation. And a very good solution it was too! And having Matt have his cousin’s back against her parents was perfect.
I know that Tennessee is a beautiful part of our country however this story reintegrates how homophobic it really is. I have a dear friend and her wife that were persecuted and driven out of their home that was set fire by the good old boys and their homophobic religious beliefs. How this is allowed in this day and age baffles me but it is real.
I have really enjoyed this series and was pleasantly surprised by getting to see all my favorite past characters too. I should have guessed that Todd and Amos would be on site with the renovations. And that they all would lend a hand to a neighbor in need like with the harvesting of the grapes. I look forward to my next visit back home.
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