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THE VINEYARD Atria Books,
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Audio Length: 15 minutes MARIA DUEÑAS, the New York Times bestselling author of THE TIME IN BETWEEN (now a hit series on Netflix) and THE HEART HAS ITS REASONS, returns with her third novel, THE VINEYARD, a sprawling historical family saga with strong romantic intrigue and adventure.  Maria Duenas In a conversation with Authorlink, Maria takes us into the story, explains how she developed the novel, the amount of research involved and why the book runs more than 500 pages in length, a length rarely seen in American novels. She also encourages writers trying to get their first break into publishing to try all the options available in today’s digital publishing world and to never give up. The book reached bookstore shelves in October 2017. ABOUT THE STORY: Mauro Larrea’s fortune, the result of years of hardship and toil, comes crashing down on the heels of a calamitous event. Swamped by debt and uncertainty, he gambles the last of his money in a daring play that wins him an abandoned house and a vineyard an ocean away. Mauro travels to Andalusia de Jerez in Spain with every intention of selling the property and returning to Mexico. That is, until he meets the unsettling Soledad Montalvo, the wife of a London wine merchant, who bursts into his life unannounced, determined to protect her family’s legacy. Before long, Larrea finds himself immersed in the rich culture of the sherry trade. As his feelings for Soledad ripen into a consuming passion, he seeks to restore the vineyard to its former glory. Using the same resonant voice and skillful narrative style as she did in The Time In Between and The Heart Has Its Reasons, María Dueñas pours heart and soul into THE VINEYARD and creates a vibrant canvas that immerses readers in each locale, and offers a study in contrasts, contradictions…and second chances. Library Journal recently called THE VINEYARD a “sprawling family saga filled with romance, intrigue, adventure and a bit of melodrama. An entertaining read that will appeal to lovers of Isabel Allende’s Zorro,” while BookBub included it in its 15 Books We’re Excited to Read This Fall list, and Southern Living among its “heart-pounding historical novels to read right now!” Loyal to her unique style, the acclaimed writer brings forth an array of colorful and intriguing characters including “damsels in distress, devious femme fatales, conniving gamblers” (Kirkus), in this story of ambition, heartbreak, and desire set in 1860s Mexico, Cuba, and Spain. The novel culminates in beautiful Jerez de la Frontera at the height of the sherry wine trade that turned the Andalusian city into a cosmopolitan hub. PRAISE FOR THE VINEYARD “Dueñas’ sweeping tale of fortunes made and lost abounds with dramatic characters and operatic plot twists […] this sprawling tale will charm fans of historical romance.” – Kirkus Reviews “Heart-wrenching yet uplifting, this beautifully rendered story will linger in readers’ minds” – RT Book Reviews, four stars “Dueñas capably reveals the grace of second chances, as Larrea’s hard work overcomes a cruel twist of fate. There is despair; there is betrayal; there is romance and there is triumph. Dueñas’ many fans as well as readers who appreciate well-researched historical fiction will find The Vineyard appealing.” – Booklist ABOUT THE AUTHOR María Dueñas holds a PhD in English philology. After two decades dedicated to academics, she broke onto the literary scene in 2009 with the publication of the New York Times bestselling novel The Time In Between, followed by The Heart Has Its Reasons in 2012. Both novels became international bestsellers and have been translated into 35 languages. The television adaptation of The Time in Between earned critical and international acclaim. The Vineyard is her third novel and is being simultaneously published in Spanish as La Templanza. |
Duenas Talks About Her Sprawling New Novel, The Vineyard
Authorlink Audio Interview with Maria Dueñas
