It’s not always easy for adult authors to capture the complex essence of teenage characters, but Deborah Hemming did just that; taking us into the mind and heart of Winnie. Her fears, her desires, her faults were laid bare. I remember clearly feeling the same possessiveness and worry that Winnie felt for her friends when I was a teenager, and it’s not an emotion regarding teen characters I have read about in a long time. I enjoyed the alternating chronology and felt it added suspense and depth to the story. There is also a big reveal within that caught me completely by surprise. ⁣
The author not only has a way with character descriptions but the scenery as well. She paints us a rich and inviting portrait of an area I have only seen on a map. There are also delectable descriptions of various wines that I wished I could sip and savor as I read along