Wooo whoo! Another bookshelf keeper! Tressa was filled with excitement and expectation at her father’s summons for her and her mother to come home. He had never done it before! Upon arrival she finds it was the butler who sent the message and her father is dead. She is of course heartbroken. She had never given up hope to have a relationship with her cold and distant father. Her mother is delighted because now she can spend his vast fortune he controlled. A monkey wrench is thrown into her greedy plans because it is rumored he has hidden the wealth but no one knows where! He had promised to tell Tressa before he died! So she and her mother sit in their magnificent castle home with an unpaid staff of 65 and “shillingness”.
As you know when it rains it pours with life’s problems. Merchants are demanding unpaid bills, treasure hunters and greedy relatives descend upon the castle hoping to get part of the hidden treasure. On top of that she is met by a shadowy man that claims was hired for her father to care for the vineyards. A job he never delegated to anyone!
I found this book to have many “treasures” of the best kind. First was the spiritual analogy of the vineyard and John 15:5, “I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.”
Even though this was a fiction book, it drew the reader to the importance of Christ and their relationship with Him. The author did it so naturally! It made the story even more beautiful. Instead of just reading and enjoying it I also derived spiritual insights and thoughts. The quotes from the notebook of a viticulturist before each chapter were though provoking, making me want to them more than once.
I loved the mystery, suspense and excitement! I was guessing from moment to the next about what was going to happen. Even when I jumped to conclusions I was usually wrong! Tressa’s sweet spirit and living as a Christian in such dire situations was refreshing. Her focus was on the needs of others despite her problems. I must say her mother was a bit annoying with her shallowness and “llama llama mama drama.” The author’s detailed descriptiveness of characters, emotions and setting made it like a movie was playing in my head!
An incredible book! I will definitely want to read every book Ms. Politano writes!
I received this book from Revell Publishing in exchange for an honest review. The opinions I have stated are my own.