Reading The Wayward Son by the talented Yvonne Lindsay made me want to purchase the entire series. Because line the description "tangled vines, tangled lives" doesn't even describe it.
In this particular book we learn that Charles Wilson and his ex-wife Cynthia Masters when they divorced cased their children Judd and Nicole to suffer. Charles believed his son was a product of an affair with his then business partner. So Judd's mother left with him, leaving her daughter with Charles. Now Charles believes that he doesn't have much longer on this earth and so he sent his daughter best friend and daughter of his housekeeper, Anna to convince Judd to come back home. He had a personal plan to put Judd in charge of his empire, hurting his daughter who had stepped up to the plate. And poor Anna, she is torn because she owes Charles so much and hated not being able to tell her best friend about her mission Charles expected her to execute.;
Learning about all of this I knew in the end, someone was sincerely going to get hurt. Anna, when Judd's mother and his Master's family found out why Anna was visiting the family vineyard. But most of all, Nicole Wilson, who had dedicated her life to the family business and now her father was going to give it to her brother, a brother she didn't know, who left when she was a baby. I knew it would end poorly, especially when I read about Judd's mother, Cynthia, an over bearing woman, who would squash Anna like a bug!
From their first meeting in the fields, it was obvious they were both attracted to each other Judd, his cousins, uncles, mom were all involved in the vineyard. In fact, their estate had been modeled after his mother's home in New Zealand and now laid in ruins thanks to a fire. However, it was clearly a reminded of their past. They all enjoyed eating together and invited their guests to join in and that's when Anna got a clear view of the family. However, she wasn't sure how she was going to break the news to Judd, that after all of these years, his father wanted him to come home. Judd's attraction for Anna was apparent, in fact he offered to take her sightseeing. However, his mother didn't trust her and rightfully so, when she recognized Anna likeness to her mother, a woman Cynthia remembered from her stay in New Zealand. She alerted Judd and then everything exploded in their faces. Charles letter to Judd fell out of her purse and he read it; he was furious.
Explosive doesn't even begin to describe it all and the devastation it could and would bring to both families, especially Nicole and Anna for her part in it all. Not to mention learning about Charles ex-business partner and the new "rival" who threatened to ruin Wilson's firm. Such a lot of drama for both families. As for Anna, she felt she owed Charles. He had taken care of her and her mother and even went so far as to pay for Anna's boarding school. However, she also hated all of the secrets; they unsettled her plus her feelings for Judd grew by leaps and bounds by the day.
Add to this powder keg, Judd believed that Anna was his father's mistress and he vowed to destroy his father's business. However, he hated seeing his sister hurt by all of this because he knew she had worked hard to keep the business operating properly in their father's absence due to his failing health. A few twists and turns that will have you wondering if Judd would destroy everything, what would happen to his sister and how about the Master's family, how and when would they show up in this fabulous new series? Honestly, the outcome of The Wayward Son was amazing to read. I can't wait to see what happens to Anna's best friend and Judd's sister. So, bring it on!
Yvonne's inspiration came from a visit while in Australia. She was told about the countryside of Adelaide and the ruins of Marble Hill. With a fellow author, Trish Morey, they brainstormed and came up with this series and this marvelous first story of The Master Vintners.
Back of the Book
Judd Wilson finally has his chance for revenge. He will dismantle his estranged father's cherished business empire and—the icing on the cake—steal the man's ravishing mistress. Certainly the sizzling attraction Judd feels for Anna Garrick will only make his vengeance sweeter.
But as fascination becomes insatiable desire, Judd begins to question his intent. He'd believed the worst of his father, and of Anna. Now, when long-buried family deceits are uncovered, Anna's fierce loyalty to his father forces Judd to rethink his plans—because destroying the man who hurt him will mean losing Anna, too.…
