The Vineyard
Like a glass of good pinot noir, Barbara Delinsky'sThe Vineyardis best enjoyed slowly.The Vineyardfollows the triumphs and tragedies  of the Seebrings, a wealthy family of vintners in Rhode Island. The story begins  when recently widowed, 76-year-old Natalie Seebring announces her scandalous  engagement to none other than the vineyard manager, Carl, whose social standing  is, needless to say, several notches beneath the Seebrings'. Natalie's children,  Susanne and Greg, are furious with their mother for marrying the help, and only  six months after their father's death.Besides her remarriage, Natalie is working on a family history project, one she  hopes will explain all the love and loss she has endured before reaching happiness at  long last. She recruits Olivia Jones to help with the project, and Olivia and  her daughter Tess move out to the vineyard for the summer. Tension builds with  the summer heat as the wedding approaches. To make matters worse, Carl's son  Simon, the new vineyard manager, is coldly resentful of Olivia and Tess, who  remind him of the wife and daughter he has lost. But amidst all this, Natalie  Seebring's long-buried past is slowly revealed, and like a summer storm, the  truth blows through the vineyard, leaving everything different in its wake.Barbara Delinsky says she was influenced by Tom Brokaw'sThe Greatest Generationin  writingThe Vineyard, and Natalie Seebring is a fine tribute to the strong,  silent Americans who made so many sacrifices during World War II. Keep a hankie  close by when reading this one. Family tragedy, unlikely romance, and old wrongs  finally made right will have you laughing and crying.--Francine McBride--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.