Sunday, September 30, 2012

Feature: Vintage Ladybug Farm by Donna Ball


I hope you are all having a beautiful Sunday! 

Tomorrow, Vintage Ladybug Farm, a charming story by Donna Ball, will be officially released. I was lucky enough to work with Donna on this book, and I absolutely fell in love. Donna will be by tomorrow, October 1st, for a little Q&A, so be sure to come by and learn more about her and the Ladybug Farm series.

Vintage Ladybug Farm
by Donna Ball
AISN: B009G2KABW
Published October 1, 2012 Blue Merle Publishing
Available Format: Paperback, ebook

My Rating: ★★★★★

Cici, Lindsay, and Bridget and their assorted friends are back. In Vintage Ladybug Farm, the ladies make a New Year’s resolution to work to open their very own winery. Taking advantage of the fantastic resources at their fingertips, they set to work, only to, naturally, hit many roadblocks along the way. Come along with the girls as they navigate the twists and turns of life’s road and find out if their dreams really do come true.

I don’t get a chance to read a lot of women’s fiction, but I do really enjoy it, and the same can be said for Vintage Ladybug Farm.  This is my first venture into the world of the ladies of Ladybug Farm, and I have to say I immediately wanted to pack my bags, stick my own rocking chair on that porch, and move in.  I mean, Ida Mae’s cooking is the big draw, right?

Ladybug Farm makes me think of home. The home I grew up in. No, we didn’t have a big farm or a winery, but we had the feelings of being close to our family and friends. We had fresh food straight out of the garden. We had wide-open spaces and forests to explore. It was cozy; it was comfortable. It was home. That’s what Ladybug Farm reminds me of, and I miss it.

This novel brought a couple films to mind. A Walk in the Clouds and Bottle Shock kept popping up as I went along.  I think the older, post-war movie represents the more romantic side of the whole vineyard, countryside aspect, and Bottle Shock tilts more toward the humor and real-life aspects.  Obviously, both films are about struggling wineries.  But, Ladybug Farm brings it’s own stories and unique charm that will have readers hanging on from page one and wanting more when it’s over.

I absolutely cannot wait to check out Donna’s other books, particularly in the Ladybug Farm series, and I plan to share them all with my mother, who I know will love them as well!


Don't forget to stop by tomorrow for Donna's interview!