The Vineyard Series
Overview of the Vineyard Series
Caro Feely and husband Sean gave up successful city jobs for a rundown vineyard in France. Thus began the vineyard series. The first, Grape Expectations, is one of laughter, tears, and tenacity as they took on the challenges of French bureaucracy and changing country with two children under three. The second, Saving our Skins, sees the vineyard transform from the brink of failure to thriving organic farm. The third, Vineyard Confessions, takes their journey into biodynamics, no sulphite added natural wines and the ebb and flow of love and life. The fourth, Cultivating Change, explores keeping family and farm together in the time of climate change and becoming a yoga teacher. Discover ‘Saving Sophia’ the prequel to Grape Expectations.
Follow Caro Feely
Grape Expectations (Book 1)
‘Delicious.’ I licked my lips. The wine filled me with joy. A picture of a vineyard drenched in sunlight formed in my mind. Sean drew me rudely back to the lounge of our suburban semi-detached house. ‘How can they be in liquidation if they make wine this good?’
When Caro and Sean find the perfect vineyard near Bordeaux, it seems their dreams of becoming winemakers are about to come true. But they arrive in France with their toddler and newborn to be faced with a dilapidated farmhouse and an enterprise that may never, ever make them a living. Undeterred by mouse infestations, a leaking roof, visits from the local farm ‘police’ and a nasty accident with an agricultural trimmer, Caro and Sean set about transforming their ‘beyond eccentric’ winery into a successful business as they embark on the biggest adventure of their lives – learning to make wine from the roots up.
Grape Expectations by Caro Feely. Language: English E-book ISBN: 978-2-9586304-1-6 Print Book ISBN: 978-2-9586304-0-9
First Published by: Summersdale (4 Jun 2012) ISBN-10: 1849532575 ISBN-13: 978-1849532570 (translated into Polish as ‘Winnica Marzen’). Other language rights and development rights are available from the author. Contact us.
More Grape Expectations Reviews
‘Captivating reading’ Destination France
‘In this beautifully written tale of passion, caution, guts, Caro Feely takes us on her heartfelt journey as she and her husband breathe life into an old Bergerac winery, while she and her husband Sean resuscitate their own.’ Alice Feiring, Author of Naked Wine: Letting Grapes Do What Comes Naturally and More
‘A must read for anyone who’s dreamed of owning their own vineyard, at times gritty, at times joyful, Grape Expectations is an inspiring story of how one couple changed their lives.’ Jamie Ivey, Author
‘This book is bright, passionate, inspiring, informative, and absolutely delicious. I highly recommend it.’ Breadcrumb Reads Blog
‘Filled with vivid descriptions of delicious wines, great food, and stunning views, this is a unique insight into the world of the winemaker, and a story of passion, dedication, and love.’ Bookalicious Travel Addict Blog
‘I was moved and delighted by this book, which has vast and useful amounts to say about wine and the passion of wine-making, about France and the great adventure of family life, and above all about the trials and challenges that build a marriage… splendid book.’ Martin Walker, Bestselling Author of the Bruno, Chief of Police series
‘Really liked Caro’s book; it’s not the usual fall in love with France story, it’s warts and all .. Definitely the best – and most realistic – tome coming from the “year in Provence ” genre.’‘ Joe Duffy, Irish radio personality
Discover authors that recommend this book and more at the wonderful independent book recommendation website Shepherd https://shepherd.com/book/grape-expectations
To order a gift pack of wine and signed copies of the books shipped in the EU or USA Contact us. Sign up to our newsletter to get the news about Caro’s next books and to discover more about those already available. You’ll be the first to receive the taster of what’s coming and more.
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Saving our Skins: Vineyard Series Book 2
‘Frost can be fatal to a fledgling wine business… gorgeous glitter with a high price tag. On a winter’s day it is beautiful, on a spring day after bud burst, devastation. For Caro and Sean, whose love affair with wine and France has taken them through financial and physical struggle to create an organic vineyard, it could spell the end. Until they receive an unexpected call that could save their skins…
This is a tale about life, love and taking risks, while transforming a piece of land into a flourishing vineyard and making a new life in France.
The second book in Caro Feely’s vineyard series and sequel to Grape Expectations.
E-book ISBN: 978-2-9586304-3-0
Print book ISBN: 978-2-9586304-2-3
All other language rights and development rights are available from the author Contact us.
Saving Our Skins originally published by Summersdale (7 Jul 2014). Language: English ISBN-13: 978-1849536097.
To order a gift pack of wine and signed copies of the books shipped in the EU or USA Contact us.
Saving our Skins 1 minute book trailer with Caro
Saving our Skins Reviews
‘Earnest and winning…This is life, and viniculture, on a human scale, as sincere and passionate as we wish the world of winemaking always were.’ Eric Asimov New York Times Book Review
‘A beautifully written sequel to Grape Expectations‘ Samantha Brick, journalist, and author of ‘Head over Heels in France’
‘‘Caro Feely understands that winemaking is an art, a science, and a business. Saving Our Skins entertains and informs as it tells the story of her family’s struggle to make a living making organic and biodynamic wine in the south of France. Required reading for wine lovers everywhere and anyone dreaming a vineyard dream.’Mike Veseth, author of Wine Wars and Extreme Wine and editor of The Wine Economist.
‘Required reading for anyone who loves wine! Even a teetotaler will drink up every page of Saving our Skins, for fascinating behind-the-scenes of organic farming.’ Kristin Espinasse, ‘French Word A Day’ blog
Vineyard Confessions (Book 3)
“Hand harvesting was a different process to machine harvesting. It was convivial and slow. We started at dawn and slowly proceeded across the vineyards. It was better for us and for the grapes, the human scale and pace of it more peaceful and joyful. It gave us time for confidences and confessions.”
But this rose-tinted glimpse of life is only part of the story- with it comes long hours and uncertainty. For Seán and Caro Feely, the rollercoaster ride of managing a growing business is as challenging as making natural wine in harmony with the environment. Join Caro on her search for balance in life and wine. Does yoga hold the secret? And will she make it through this growth phase with marriage, farm, and sanity intact? Vineyard Confessions is a story about the ebb and flow of life and love, of living and dying, a shout for the earth, for nature, for us and our future.
The third book in Caro Feely’s vineyard series and sequel to Saving our Skins.
Language: English . All other language rights and development rights are available from the author Contact us.
E-book ISBN: 978-2-9586304-5-4
Print book ISBN: 978-2-9586304-4-7
Originally published as ‘Glass Half Full’ by Summersdale publishers April 2017 ISBN-13: 978-1849539913. To order a gift pack of wine and signed copies of the books shipped in the EU or USA Contact us
Vineyard Confessions Reviews
“A love story poured beautifully onto the pages by Caro Feely. If you love wine or someone who loves wine, you will drink in every page of this beautiful book.” Robyn O’Brien, bestselling author, food lover
‘Caro Feely is a force of nature! Her new book Vineyard Confessions tells the story of her family’s struggle to live, love and make healthy, natural wine on their small vineyard in France. Caro draws the reader into her world with its challenges, triumphs, and heartaches. Required reading for winelovers everywhere and for anyone dreaming a vineyard dream.’‘ Mike Veseth, author Wine Wars and The Wine Economist blog
‘A brave and compelling tale about a gnarly life in the vines and the choices we frail humans make in our emotional journeys.’ Alice Feiring, author and journalist
‘Honest and touching. Caro Feely gives us the real thing, not only living the dream of making great wine in France but the stress and work required while raising a family and holding a marriage together. And at the same time, she has produced a readable, persuasive, and informative book on organic winegrowing, and why we need to heal our soil and change the way we farm.’ Martin Walker, bestselling author of Bruno Chief of Police Series
To order a gift pack of wine and signed copies of the books shipped in the EU or USA Contact us. Sign up to our newsletter to get the news about Caro’s next books and to discover more about those already available. You’ll be the first to receive the taster of what’s coming and more.
‘Cultivating Change’ (Book 4)
A powerful and inspiring memoir of winegrowing, family and climate change now available.
Discover the prequel to the vineyard series –Saving Sophia
The fourth book in Caro Feely’s vineyard series. All language rights and development rights are available from the author Contact us. To order a gift pack of wine and signed copies of the books shipped in the EU or USA Contact us
Author Caro Feely
Caro Feely is a published author, yoga teacher, wine educator and organic farmer. She is a confident and engaging speaker and an experienced virtual event facilitator. Her first four books Grape Expectations, Saving our Skins, Vineyard Confessions (was Glass Half Full), and Wine: the Essential Guide, were initially published by Summersdale. Find out about her latest books Cultivating Change and Saving Sophia.
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