Tangled Vines

Janet Dailey, who passed away in 2013, was born Janet Haradon in 1944 in Storm Lake, Iowa. She attended secretarial school in Omaha, Nebraska, before meeting her husband, Bill. The two worked together in construction and land development until they “retired” to travel throughout the United States, inspiring Janet to write the Americana series of romances, setting a novel in every state of the Union. In 1974, Janet Dailey was the first American author to write for Harlequin. Her first novel was No Quarter Asked. She has gone on to write approximately ninety novels, twenty-one of which have appeared on the New York Times bestseller list. She won many awards and accolades for her work, appearing widely on radio and television. Today, there are over three hundred million Janet Dailey books in print in nineteen different languages, making her one of the most popular novelists in the world. For more information about Janet Dailey, visit www.janetdailey.com.

This time out, Dailey (Aspen Gold, etc.)--sets her dynasty- feudin' romance in the wine-growing country of California. But after the start--a TV anchorwoman in New York has a terrifying childhood flashback, and threats fly in Napa Valley--it's all on automatic pilot. On the Rutledge estate--a class winery run by a proud, cane- stumping ancient, 90-year-old Katherine Rutledge--some plans to merge with a French winery are fermenting. In the meantime, Katherine has never set much store by taciturn grandson Sam, and Gilbert, Katherine's surviving son, hates his mother so much that, along with his son Clay, he's established his own excellent winery down the road. Also growling around the vines is ne'er-do-well drunkard Len Dougherty, owner of ten acres of Rutledge vineyard that were given to him after the job-related death of his father. Len has one daughter--none other than the East coast anchorwoman now known as Kelly Douglas. Kelly won't give her dad a dime--not after a childhood of abuse--but now Len needs money and so offers his services to Gilbert, who would love to muck up the French deal for Mom. Eventually, Kelly will be forced to return to home territory to cover the merger story--but before the happy close, there'll be a murder, an old scandal uncorked, a confrontation between Kelly and Len, and (of course) romance. It's all here: the still-handsome dynasty head, sharp as a tack at 90; head-butting family rows; and just enough about that wine biz for a fleeting infusion of reality. (And, believe it or not, to fuel a pun: ``Life,'' says Sam, ``is a cabernet.'') Easy going for Dailey fans. (Literary Guild Triple Selection for October) -- Copyright ©1992, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.