Vines by Brynne Asher
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
In the Virginia countryside outside of Washington, DC, Addy Wentworth was on a mission to make a new life for herself. When the opportunity arose, she settled in horse and wine country. Experiencing more than her fair share of tragedy and loss, she had plans for her future, one where failure wasn’t an option. And not just because people and cows were counting on her. She’d poured everything she had into her struggling vineyard, because once she’s in, she’s all in.
Vines
After giving himself wholly to the job for ten years, Crew Vega was done. He’d fulfilled his commitment, done his duty, gone above and beyond to settle the score. And the score was high. All he had to do was train his replacements and he’d be out for good.
He had a plan, one that didn’t include getting involved with his new neighbor, a woman who not only kept cows for pets, but treasured her employees as family, and understood him better than anyone ever had before. But when he learned a high level CIA target being investigated for treason was keeping tabs on her?
No, he never planned on that.
And like everything Crew Vega did in life, when he goes in, he’s all in.
Intrigue, Cows, and Cabernet
The following ratings are out of 5:
Romance: 🖤💙❤️💚
Heat/Steam: 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Chemistry: 🧪🧪🧪🧪
Story/Plot: 📕📗📙📘📔
World building: 🌏🌍🌎🌏🌍
Character development: 🙃🙁😀😋🥰
Narration: 🎙🎙🎙🎙🎙
Narration Type: Dual Narration
🧡 The Heroine – Addy Wentworth:
Addy’s grit and grace shine through every scene. After buying a struggling winery in rural Virginia, she’s spent the past year breathing life into its vines—and her five cows, who came with the property, add rustic charm and unexpected comedic relief. Grieving her mother’s passing, she’s returned to her roots in search of healing and purpose, slowly turning heartbreak into harvest.
💪 The Hero – Crew Vega:
Former secret service and retired mercenary, Crew is the kind of man who speaks in gravel and carries decades of danger behind his steady gaze. He’s buying up land to build a training camp deep in the Virginian countryside, chasing a quieter life while making sure it’s still cloaked in tactical precision. His world is black ops and high-stakes security—until a runaway cow leads him straight into Addy’s orbit.
🍷 The Storyline – Fences Broken, Boundaries Blurred:
Their first encounter? One curious cow and one wary winemaker trespassing onto Crew’s land. The tension is instant: Addy’s warmth versus Crew’s cold calculation. When she invites him to a wine tasting at her newly revived winery, Crew agrees—but not for the chardonnay. A dangerous target, long tracked by the CIA, ends up visiting Addy’s tasting room instead. Suddenly, Crew’s mission becomes personal, and Addy is caught in the crosshairs of a threat she doesn’t even know exists.
As Crew investigates the mystery surrounding Addy’s background and the target’s strange interest in her, he finds himself increasingly drawn to the woman whose life he’s meant to monitor. The protective instinct hits fast and hard, and what started as surveillance turns into intimacy.
🔎 Highlights:
• Instant chemistry with a slow-burn twist: Crew’s transformation from aloof neighbor to fierce protector was satisfyingly swift, making the emotional arc feel earned without dragging.
• Heat meets heart: The steamy scenes are vivid, balanced with just enough emotional depth to keep the stakes high and the connection real.
• Supporting cast delight: From quirky vineyard staff to a lovable cow brigade, the secondary characters add texture and charm that soften the story’s military grit.
⚠️ What Didn’t Hit for Me:
• Mystery overload: While suspense is part of the appeal, the early narrative felt overly cryptic—Crew’s background, the target’s motives, and Addy’s secrets were all kept tightly under wraps. If you’re the type who prefers your plot twists upfront, the slow reveal might test your patience.
🎧 Audiobook Performance:
Kit Swann channels Addy’s earthy warmth and subtle strength with ease. Her narration is expressive, grounded, and surprisingly adept at male dialogue delivery. Jason Clarke? Pure velvet growl. His deep, gravelly tone embodies Crew’s commanding presence and nails every sultry line with unflinching intensity. The dual narration adds emotional contrast and momentum, enhancing the immersion beautifully.
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