Friends in Napa; A Book Review #sponsored

I received a pre-release copy of Friends in Napa for review purposes.  I am not receiving any monetary compensation for this post.  All writings and opinions are strictly my own.

I was contacted by Megan Beatie of MB Communications and given a selection of books from which to choose in return for an honest review on my blog.  This is Marikar's second novel.  It is my first time reading this author. 

This is the blurb that I read when I chose this book.....

"Raj and Rachel Rajani have invited their closest friends from college for a celebratory weekend in Napa Valley.  On the agenda: three nights in the couple's opulent vineyard mansion, a lavish dinner at Napa's hottest new restaurant, exclusive tastings, and the grand opening of the Ranjanis' ultra-high-end winery.  It's a reunion of six friends who haven't seen each other in years.  What could go wrong?  To start, there's the less-than-warm welcome: a brick flung through a window and palpable tension between the hosts.  But no worries---All Raj has to do is pop a few bottles of vintage Dom, and the college vibes come rushing back.  So do old resentment, animosities, and unrequited crushes.  Soon enough, the illusion of friendship shatters like a gossamer wineglass, and one of the guests ends up dead.  Everyone has their motivations. Everyone has something to hide."

Believing this would be a mystery set in a Napa Valley winery I quickly asked for this to be one of my selections.  It promised to have all the things I loved.  Wine, Food, Travel, and Suspense enclosed within the covers of a book.

I was very disappointed.  This book was well written and held my interest, however, there is no mystery.  The food and wines were disappointing to the characters in the novel and to me.  The high-end restaurant provided an 18-course meal with wine pairings entitled "dirt" and the food was not something I would have enjoyed especially at the cost of 4 figures per plate.  Some of the group, actually left the restaurant and ordered Domino's pizza.

There was dissension among the group from the outset as the 6 friends gathered together.  These are people who live high on the hog and base their lives upon what they want to show on social media.  They are shallow, selfish, and self-centered.  I did not like any of them.  

I think I would have enjoyed this book more had I not anticipated a very different kind of novel. In the paperwork that came with the novel it says......

"And while satiric, FRIENDS IN NAPA is also an unflinchingly honest portrayal of how money, power and privilege won't fix what's broken inside these characters". 

This is a much more accurate portrayal of what you are getting when you buy this novel which is available for purchase on April 1 of this year.

You can learn more about this novel and others by following Megan Beatie Communications on Facebook.   

And while I was not inspired to make a recipe from this novel there was food and wine aplenty so I will be linking up with Foodies Read.  Stop by and see what the other foodies are reading this month