The Wine Seekers [Paperback]

Linda Bilodeau (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 17, 2008

A shattered dream, a guarded family secret, and forbidden love take Nicola Romolo on a perilous quest to reclaim his family's fortune. Before dying, Nicola's father reveals a long held family secret. But Nicola's dream of claiming their family's wealth is shattered when his secret love affair with his boss' daughter is discovered. After losing his job, Nicola moves to Naples, Italy where he accidentally kills the local Don's brother-in-law. With his future at stake, he must find the truth about his family's past or forever forfeit any hope of winning the woman he loves and owning a vineyard.

Product Details

• Paperback: 284 pages
• Publisher: Highland Press (November 17, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0981557376
• ISBN-13: 978-0981557373
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,164,033 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Linda Bilodeau uses her experiences as a former teacher and hospital administrator as background for her novels. Linda has lived in New England and the Midwest and has decided there is no better place to call home than Southwest Florida.
Ms. Bilodeau has written a number of nonfiction articles in Business and medical publications. But now, she is happy pursuing her life long dream of writing novels. She has won numerous awards for her work, including an honorable mention in the Writer's Digest 74th Annual Short Story Completion.

Linda is a member of Romance Writers of America, The Southwest Chapter of Romance Writers of America, and a critique group.

When not writing, Linda enjoys visiting her children, cooking gourmet meals for family and friends, and improving her knowledge of wine.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars Bound By Honor!, February 8, 2009

By 

Viviane Crystal (New York, USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: The Wine Seekers (Paperback)

Set in the early 1900's, Linda Bilodeau crafts a bittersweet and charming tale of a young man's journey from the dreams of youth to the harsh realities of life.

Nicola Romolo's world is shattered when he and his family are evicted from the land they called home for his affair with the landowner's daughter. Bereft but bound by duty to his family, he moves to Naples where his uncle has offered a position. Through this job, he falls in with the local crime family and meets the woman who will become his wife, Maria Amato. Fate conspires against him once more when he rushes to defend Maria from ravishment by the parish priest. In the scuffle, Nicola accidentally kills the priest, who happens to be the brother-in-law of the local Don. Afraid, Nicola and Maria wed, then flee to America hoping to lose themselves in the tide of immigrants who are seeking opportunity.

Nicola finds work aboard the ocean liner and discovers his first love and her new husband are also on board. The two couples' paths continue to intersect from the crowded streets of New York to the lush vineyards of California . In the end, Nicola must choose between the love of the woman he lost and the love of the woman he found.

Reviewed by Mairead Walpole on February 8, 2009

3.0 out of 5 stars Coffee Time Romance Review, February 1, 2009

By 

Linda Bilodeau "Linda Bilodeau" (Bonita Springs, Florida) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Wine Seekers (Paperback)

Gianna Silvano is in love with Nicola Romolo, and she wishes to marry him. But the fates have other plans for Gianna. She is to marry another, Santino Callisto.

Nicola Ramolo is planning on asking for Gianna's hand in marriage, but when they are caught making love, her father sends her away and evicts Nicola's family off the Silvano Vineyard. Forced to move to a city to make money to support his family, Nicola leaves his home with a heavy heart and the memory of Gianna still rooted deeply in his mind.

With the fates pushing these two young lovers in different directions, it seems to Nicola he will never find Gianna again. But in their ultimate cruelty the young lovers do see each other again, but they will always be separated by marriage and station. Both Nicola and Gianna have to face many obstacles and hardships in their lives before they will find peace, but will that struggle be more than either can overcome?

This book really shows just how differently people's lives can turn out when all the odds are against them. Linda Bilodeau does a wonderful job of portraying the plight of immigrants, especially Italians to the United States. The Wine Seekers will pull at your heart strings with just how unfair life can be sometimes. This story for the most part was really well written