Entangled
Synopsis
Josephine Wilder’s torrid love affair is with Tangle Valley Vineyard, her family’s legacy. She’s grown up dreaming between the vines. She’s always had secret ideas about how to make the place shine, so when it passes to her, Joey vows to make Tangle Valley everything she knows it can be. Her biggest obstacle? That overly commercial hotel going up, and the uppity manager trying to kill the vineyard’s rustic charm.
Becca Crawford loves to unwind with a good glass of wine. An astute businesswoman who has climbed the hospitality ladder, she’s the perfect person to head up Elite Resorts’ newest property, The Jade Hotel, and give tourists all the luxury they desire. As a bonus, The Jade is not far from the cutest vineyard with the best pinot she’s ever tasted. If only the captivating owner would get on board with her plan and stop badmouthing the hotel to everyone in town.
Is it possible that a nice glass of red could help Becca and Joey see each other in a new and alluring light?
Reviewers Love Melissa Brayden
“Melissa Brayden has become one of the most popular novelists of the genre, writing hit after hit of funny, relatable, and very sexy stories for women who love women.”—Afterellen.com
Back to September
“You can’t go wrong with a Melissa Brayden romance. Seriously, you can’t. Buy all of her books. Brayden sure has a way of creating an emotional type of compatibility between her leads, making you root for them against all odds. Great settings, cute interactions, and realistic dialogue.”—Bookvark
Beautiful Dreamer
“I love this book. I want to kiss it on its face. I also want to go to Dreamer’s Bay, so I can eat the donuts, hang out on the beaches, and maybe even join in on the Saturday night cornhole game with Devyn and Elizabeth. Instead, I’m going to stick Beautiful Dreamer on my to-reread-when-everything-sucks pile, because it’s sure to make me happy again and again.”—Smart Bitches Trashy Books
“[A] perfect summer romance, the kind you want to take to the beach to enjoy as you soak up the sun and sea breeze.”—Rainbow Reflections
“Beautiful Dreamer is a sweet and sexy romance, with the bonus of interesting secondary characters and a cute small-town setting.”—Amanda Chapman, Librarian (Davisville Free Library, RI)
Love Like This
“I really have to commend Melissa Brayden in her exceptional writing and especially in the way she writes not only the romance but the friendships between the group of women.”—Les Rêveur
“Brayden upped her game. The characters are remarkably distinct from one another. The secondary characters are rich and wonderfully integrated into the story. The dialogue is crisp and witty.”—Frivolous Reviews
Sparks Like Ours
“Brayden sets up a flirtatious tit-for-tat that’s honest, relatable, and passionate. The women’s fears are real, but the loving support from the supporting cast helps them find their way to a happy future. This enjoyable romance is sure to interest readers in the other stories from Seven Shores.”—Publishers Weekly
“Sparks Like Ours is made up of myriad bits of truth that make for a cozy, lovely summer read.”—Queerly Reads
Hearts Like Hers
“Hearts Like Hers has all the ingredients that readers can expect from Ms. Brayden: witty dialogue, heartfelt relationships, hot chemistry and passionate romance.”—Lez Review Books
“Once again Melissa Brayden stands at the top. She unequivocally is the queen of romance.”—Front Porch Romance
“Hearts Like Hers has a breezy style that makes it a perfect beach read. The romance is paced well, the sex is super hot, and the conflict made perfect sense and honored Autumn and Kate’s journeys.”—The Lesbian Review
Eyes Like Those
“Brayden’s story of blossoming love behind the Hollywood scenes provides the right amount of warmth, camaraderie, and drama.”—RT Book Reviews
“Brayden’s writing is just getting better and better. The story is well done, full of well-honed wit and humour, and the characters are complex and interesting.”—Lesbian Reading Room
“Melissa Brayden knocks it out of the park once again with this fantastic and beautifully written novel.”—Les Reveur
“Pure Melissa Brayden at her best…Another great read that won’t disappoint Brayden’s fans. Can’t wait for the rest of the series.”—Lez Review Books
Strawberry Summer
“This small-town second-chance romance is full of tenderness and heart. The 10 Best Romance Books of 2017.”—Vulture
“Strawberry Summer is a tribute to first love and soulmates and growing into the person you’re meant to be. I feel like I say this each time I read a new Melissa Brayden offering, but I loved this book so much that I cannot wait to see what she delivers next.”—Smart Bitches, Trashy Books
“Strawberry Summer will suck you in, rip out your heart, and put all the pieces back together by the end, maybe even a little better than they were before.”—The Lesbian Review
“[A] sweet and charming small-town lesbian romance.”—Pretty Little Book Reviews
First Position
“Brayden aptly develops the growing relationship between Ana and Natalie, making the emotional payoff that much sweeter. This ably plotted, moving offering will earn its place deep in readers’ hearts.”—Publishers Weekly
Praise for the Soho Loft Series
“The trilogy was enjoyable and definitely worth a read if you’re looking for solid romance or interconnected stories about a group of friends.”—The Lesbrary
Kiss the Girl
“There are romances and there are romances…Melissa Brayden can be relied on to write consistently very sweet, pure romances and delivers again with her newest book Kiss the Girl…There are scenes suffused with the sweetest love, some with great sadness or even anger—a whole gamut of emotions that take readers on a gentle roller coaster with a consistent upbeat tone. And at the heart of this book is a hymn to true friendship and human decency.”—C-Spot Reviews
“Read it. Embrace it. Do yourself a favor and provide it to yourself as a reward for being awesome. There is nothing about this novel that won’t delight any reader, I can guarantee this.”—FarNerdy Book Blog
Just Three Words
“Another winner from Melissa Brayden. I really connected with Hunter and Sam, and enjoyed watching their relationship develop. The friendship between the four women was heart-warming and real. The dialogue in general was fun and contemporary. I look forward to reading the next book in the series, hope it will be about Mallory!”—Melina Bickard, Librarian, Waterloo Library (London)
“A beautiful and downright hilarious tale about two very relatable women looking for love.”—Sharing Is Caring Book Reviews
Ready or Not
“The chemistry is off the charts. The swoon factor is high. I promise you this book will make you smile. I had such high hopes for this book, and Melissa Brayden leapt right over them.”—The Romantic Reader Blog
Entangled
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Entangled
© 2020 By Melissa Brayden. All Rights Reserved.
ISBN 13: 978-1-63555-710-7
This Electronic Original Is Published By
Bold Strokes Books, Inc.
P.O. Box 249
Valley Falls, NY 12185
First Edition: July 2020
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s
imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
This book, or parts thereof, may not be reproduced in any form without permission.
Credits
Editor: Ruth Sternglantz
Production Design: Stacia Seaman
Cover Design By Jeanine Henning
eBook Design By Toni Whitaker
By the Author
Waiting in the Wings
Heart Block
How Sweet It Is
First Position
Strawberry Summer
Beautiful Dreamer
Back to September
To the Moon and Back
Soho Loft Romances:
Kiss the Girl
Just Three Words
Ready or Not
Seven Shores Romances:
Eyes Like Those
Hearts Like Hers
Sparks Like Ours
Love Like This
Tangle Valley Romances:
Entangled
Acknowledgments
On my twenty-first birthday, I was a junior in college. I didn’t throw a big party, or attend one. I also didn’t drink to excess or do shots with friends at a bar. Instead, I went to a nice restaurant with two people close to me and, to feel extra grown up, ordered “a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon, please.” I felt proud of myself, sophisticated, and what was even more exciting? I truly liked the wine. A love affair began that day. I took up wine tasting as a backburner hobby, whenever I had time or the opportunity. I traveled to Napa and Oregon and lingered on some boutique vineyards complete with farm dogs and chickens interspersed with the vines. There’s something deeply satisfying about the perfect glass of wine, and I’ve always somehow tied it in with the feelings we associate with romance. Hence I knew I had a series about wine, a vineyard, and falling in love just waiting to be told.
I hope you enjoy these three books and Joey, Gabriella, and Madison (along with the people most important to them in Whisper Wall).
Behind the scenes, there have been many humans working to make my storytelling life better (and easier). Thank you to Ruth Sternglantz for the pep talks, brainstorming sessions, and careful critiques. To Sandy and Radclyffe for working with me when the world changed and my child was home from school and practically in my lap during the workday. To the proofreaders, we all know I so desperately need. To Jeanine Henning for another stellar series of covers. Stacia Seaman for putting it all together. To all the friends who’ve shared glasses of reds and whites with me over the years, and to my family for Sunday wine nights on the back patio. Love to you all.
Readers, we’ve come a long way together. I realized it’s been ten years since I wrote my first book and there is nothing else I’d rather be doing. Thank you for all the memories we’ve shared, and characters and locations we’ve gotten lost in together. I’m looking forward to so many more romantic adventures between the pages.
Cheers!
For the Risk Takers
Prologue
It was the kind of night that just stuck with you, where everything was relaxed but important at the same time. Autumn had just kicked into gear in Whisper Wall, Oregon, and the leaves blew and tussled, bouncing along on the sidewalk. Inside the Big House on the grounds of Tangle Valley Vineyard, Josephine Wilder poured herself a glass of red and one for her father, Jack, who sat on the edge of his worn-in leather armchair, strumming his guitar like it was a part of him. He’d been playing that thing since Joey was small, but only pulled it out once or twice a month these days, as the vineyard kept him so busy. Joey had pulled her somewhat wavy blond hair into a ponytail earlier that evening before walking down the road, from her private cottage to the Big House where her father lived.
The two of them had dinner together once a week to chat about life and the vineyard operations, and to enjoy a good glass of wine from the vines just yards away. She looked forward to these dinners. The routine centered Joey. With her dad’s famous pot roast now wrapped up in the fridge, the dishes neatly rinsed in the sink, they could relax for a bit before Joey headed home and geared up for another day of work in Tangle Valley’s tasting room the next morning, when they’d open at ten a.m. sharp for visitors. They were getting closer and closer to this year’s harvest, and things were a little hectic with everyone pulling longer hours to pitch in. As the winemaker at Tangle Valley, Jack worked harder than anyone, doing everything in his power to ensure the best wine possible came out of their vineyard that year. It was just as much instinct as it was science, but he had the perfect combination of both, which made him not only successful but decorated. Recently, he’d been diligently testing the sugar levels of the grapes out on the vine to determine the right time to pick. Given, the juice wouldn’t see a bottle for a couple of years, but what they did now would heavily influence the final product.
“Hey, Jo, what do you think of this one?” her father asked with a gleam in his eye as he began to strum. She immediately recognized the opening chords of “Rainbow Connection” and smiled. He used to play the song for her when she was a kid and couldn’t fall asleep. It never failed to grab her heartstrings and give them a good nostalgic tug.
“Now if we could only get Kermit to sing along,” she said, in a nod to her favorite rendition. Her heart squeezed with a familiar pang. She had a few memories of her mother holding her in her lap as her father serenaded them. They were hazy and maybe embellished by how often she pulled them out, but they were there.
That was Jack’s cue to toss in a few wildly off-key vocals that were so cringeworthy Joey laughed instead. The best part? As he continued to play, he laughed right along with her. She loved his happy face. Round, with pink cheeks. His eyes always got so small when he smiled that they were almost slits. Jack Wilder certainly knew how to enjoy life, and Joey reminded herself that she needed to steal a page from his book and work on having more fun, which was easier said than accomplished.
“How was business today?” he asked as he played. Joey was Tangle Valley’s tasting room manager, a job she absolutely adored. She’d started off pouring wine as soon as she was eighteen and legal to do so and had slowly taken over that part of the business. Sure, she pitched in elsewhere on the vineyard wherever was needed and had some big ideas about where they could take the place next, but her dad didn’t often listen. He cared a lot less about the business side of things and preferred instead to make wine, spend time with his friends, and strum his guitar. As the official owner, having inherited the place from his parents, Jack preferred to keep things as they were. Easier that way. He wasn’t a risk taker, and that philosophy had served him well. He enjoyed his life as it was, even if that drove Joey a little crazy, imagining all that could be. She, however, came with an ambitious streak. Full of thoughts, plans, and ways to implement them.
“Slow morning,” she told him, “but we picked up once the sun finally came out. Both Loretta and I had our hands full when the tour bus stopped in at eleven thirty like clockwork.” They expected one to two buses a day minimum. More on the weekends. “But we sold a ton of bottles. One couple ordered a case of the dolcetto to be shipped to Altoona.”
He set down his guitar and sipped his wine. “Pinot noir is the star of this place, but man, when folks latch on to the dolcetto, they really latch on.”
“It has its own fan club. It’s the black cherry. Gets ’em every time.” She paused. “Speaking of which, have you given any thought to that restaurant idea I proposed, what was it…oh yes, over a month ago now?” She held up a hand before he could start in, moving toward him with purpose, ready to plead her case and have her voice heard. Joey came up with a lot of ideas for the vineyard, imagining all the great ways they could make the place shine. It didn’t have to be all about the wine, and the wine only. She wanted the experience at Tangle Valley to be a memorable one. Their vineyard, in a sea of hundreds in the area, should be the one you couldn’t miss. She took a seat
on the worn-in leather sofa. “I know a restaurant would do well here and keep people talking about this place. The more foot traffic we have, the bigger the buzz, the larger our reach. People talking about us on the internet is the best form of marketing on the planet. Just think of the Instagram photos of the food alone.”
He sighed. “Is this really something you’re serious about? An actual restaurant. We make fantastic wine.”
“True. But farming in the age of climate change is not always predictable. A restaurant can help us take in more money. You said yourself we could use a boost in that department.”
“Yeah, but a restaurant? I thought maybe you’d moved past that by now.”
“Nope. I have other ideas, too.” She fought the urge to drag her notebook out of her bag and outline them in detail. One thing at a time, she reminded herself.
He chuckled. “When is that busy brain of yours not churning is the real question.”
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