Laura Dave's Eight Hundred Grapes offers readers a heartfelt story set in wine country, capturing the intricate dynamics of family and relationships. Reviewers praised its engaging narrative and vivid setting. However, some found the plot predictable and character development lacking depth. Overall, it's an enjoyable read for fans of contemporary fiction.

Readers who appreciate family sagas, romance, and themes of self-discovery will enjoy Eight Hundred Grapes by Laura Dave. Fans of books like The Wedding Bees by Sarah-Kate Lynch and Major Pettigrew's Last Stand by Helen Simonson will find the blend of humor, heart, and wine-country setting appealing.

Eight Hundred Grapes, by Laura Dave, follows Georgia Ford, whose life unravels as she discovers her fiancé, Ben, has a secret daughter. Seeking solace at her family’s vineyard in Sonoma, she faces additional turmoil with her parents' separation, her twin brothers' discord, and the vineyard's impending sale. As she navigates family secrets and shifting relationships, Georgia ultimately finds renewed passion for winemaking. Discussion of miscarriage.

Emotional / Bittersweet / Romantic / Melancholic / Heartwarming

- The title Eight Hundred Grapes refers to the approximate number of grapes that go into a single bottle of wine.
- Author Laura Dave conducted extensive research on winemaking, even visiting vineyards and speaking with winemakers, to authentically portray life on a vineyard.
- Eight Hundred Grapes was optioned for film adaptation by Fox 2000, with the project being developed by actress-producer Reese Witherspoon's company, Pacific Standard.

**Georgia Ford**  
The central protagonist, she is a real estate lawyer who is often torn between her family and her city life, and she initially struggles with reconciling these two identities.

**Ben**  
Georgia's main love interest and a British architect, he finds himself divided between his commitment to his daughter and his relationship with Georgia.

**Dan and Jen Ford**  
Georgia's parents, who are a former university chemistry professor turned winemaker and a former cellist turned music teacher, respectively, dealing with the complexities of marriage.

**Bobby Ford**  
Georgia's older brother and a successful venture capitalist, he is part of a romantic subplot involving familial tensions.

**Finn Ford**  
Georgia's older brother, a photographer who manages a local bar and finds himself in complex family dynamics and romantic entanglements.

**Jacob Murray**  
Initially an antagonist in Georgia's eyes due to his business actions regarding her family’s vineyard, who later becomes a significant part of her life.

**Michelle and Maddie Carter**  
Ben's ex-girlfriend and daughter, respectively, who play pivotal roles in the personal dilemmas Ben and Georgia face.

**Margaret Ford**  
Bobby's wife, whose relationship history with Finn adds layers to the family dynamic and romantic subplot.

**Henry Morgan**  
A conductor with ties to Jen, serving as a source of tension in her marriage to Dan.

Laura Dave

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Part 1: “The Grapes”

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Part 2: “The Crush”

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Part 3: “The Union”

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Part 4: “The Last Harvest” - Part 5: “An Unnamed Vineyard”

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