Review of 'The Italian Winemaker' by Leanne Lovegrove
Release date: Dec 7th, 2025
Publisher: Leanne Lovegrove
REVIEW
From the first page of The Italian Winemaker, I knew I was going to love it! The Dearest Daughter letter that launches the novel forward with a quest— filled me with anticipation. I wanted immediately to learn more about this man who passed on and why his daughter never got to know her father. Why had he been absent in her life? As I read his last heartfelt thoughts and regrets, the acknowledgement of his love for her mother, his desire for his daughter to remember him, to feel some emotion toward him, even if anger, lit even more questions in my mind (and in the character’s). His wish list for his daughter is intriguing and his desire to give her in his death what he could not give her in his lifetime lead’s to some amazing discoveries. This man, though not a living character, holds great presence in the story. I felt such warmth in his letter, that I knew he must have loved her. By the end of The Italian Winemaker, all is revealed. The plans he put in place before his death, will make sense. It will explain his past, as well as reveal his future hopes and dreams.
The acceptance or refusal of Marcella’s inheritance comes with a request of ten to-do items before she makes a decision either way. Of course, it involves flying to Tuscany for a month to fulfill the tasks; to experience her father’s hometown and his passions first hand. Then she can make an informed decision, decide the direction she wishes her life to take, after being delivered such a shocking surprise.
From the get go, Leanne’s words and characters wove their way into my heart and held me to the end. I really enjoyed getting to know Marcella and to watch her grow from a person who had no purpose or direction to one of self confidence and acceptance. This transpires because of a mission handed to her by her late father. She was born with a speech impediment and it made her a victim of pity and ridicule. This I am sure affected her self-image and muted her motivation. When she meets chief winemaker, Rocco, on her father’s estate, initially she clashes with him. It becomes obvious he is not happy she is there. And he has been given the task to teach her the wine business. But he obliges, though reluctantly, for it is his mentor’s dying wish. They go through some ups and downs but through it all they discover they are more alike than they had thought. It is then, their lives begin to take on a different shape and direction.
Reading this novel was such a lovely escape. (And I learned lots about winemaking!). This wasn’t just a story about someone poor and unmotivated who becomes a millionaire overnight through inheritance. The roots of this contemporary gem show how unexpected events can turn not only one but two lives around and send each in a fresh positive direction. The focus in this novel is not on money but on relationships. Families are examined and particularly tough parental choices. Marcella gets to know the father she never knew through the people that worked alongside him. Plus through his belongings and letters left behind. The home and people he loved, the wine business that fuelled his fervour, all begin to influence and awaken his daughter to a new world: one where finally she is ready to live her own life with passion. This is her father’s greatest wish and legacy.
I cheered, cried and sighed at the beauty, blessing and bounty of truth this novel offered. As always with Leanne, it is never just a love story. There are always wonderful layers of verity, wisdom and wonder to explore. I have to say this is now my favourite of the series. It offers an authentic, heart-warming down to earth experience that inspires, uplifts and transports us to a better place in our hearts and heads. I loved, loved, loved The Italian Winemaker! 5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thanks to Leanne Lovegrove for my review copy.
