4*

Melissa Brayden as once again as given us a fantastic read. She always seems to know what her readers will enjoy and so far as never disappointed me with a good novel.

Two to Tangle is a the second instalment of the 'A Tangle Valley Romance' , the first instalment is called 'Entangled'.

The story is about a renowned chef named Gabriella Russo, she lives to cook, which leave's her love life non existent, which is how she prefers it. Gabriella move's to Oregon to open Tangle, a restaurant on the grounds of Tangle Valley Vineyard.
Ryan Jacks is a skilled carpenter, who's been told more then once she's good with her hands. Ryan takes a job building a new restaurant, her world suddenly stops when she meets Gabriella Russo for the first time.

The romance between the pair is slow, the characters 'click' together in all the important places, the story' as angst and at points i found myself getting irritated with the pair. Two to Tangle is a wonderful romance, warm, funny and you have the occasional banter between the characters. I'm looking forward to the 3rd instalment.

I was given a ARC copy for a honest review.

Gabrielle Russo is a feisty chef running a successful food truck in the interim while her restaurant at the Tangle Valley Vineyard is being built. Ryan Jacks is not interested in long term relationships and has a reputation as a player around town. Ryan has been contracted to build the restaurant at Tangle Valley Vineyard. As Gabrielle and Ryan work together in the planning of the restaurant, their attraction is immediate. However they need to overcome their own fears if their relationship is to work.
Melissa Brayden has written another winner with Two to Tangle. This is the second book in the Tangle Valley series but this book can easily be read as a stand alone. Gabrielle and Ryan have great chemistry which Brayden does so well. The dialogue is clever and witty and the sub characters play a big part but don't over intrude on the main characters.  This was such an enjoyable read I can't wait for the next book in this series.

Two to Tangle starts off in typical Brayden trilogy style with friendly banter and light humour as good friends Joey, Gabriella and Madison get together for movie night and a chance to discuss Joey’s happy life with Becca. Good food, good wine and good friends continue to be a winning combination but what impressed me the most in this story were the hurdles the leading ladies have to overcome to reach their HEA.

Gabriella Russo creates mouth watering dishes out of her food truck, Jolene and loves working and living on the Tangle Valley Winery estate. She has started a culinary apprenticeship program with the local Whisper Wall highschool and even joins the local softball league hoping to meet new people. She is excited Joey has left her in charge of the renovations and design for the building destined to become the restaurant Tangled since it will be her space to work in and manage.

Ryan Jacks is her contractor. Dark hair, deep blue eyes, muscles in all the right places, attractive as hell. Also a player. Meeting the fiery, confident Gabriella puts Ryan back on her heels and has her reevaluating her (lack of) love life. The sparks are flying from the moment these two meet. I loved their scenes together facing off on opposing softball teams. We’ve come to expect terrific dialogue from this author but she outdid herself with the trash talking fun on the field and the heartfelt moments on and off the field.

As much as I was drawn to Gabriella in Entangled and the opening scenes in this book, I found myself rooting for Ryan when it seemed like Gabs was throwing out all kinds of mixed signals. I was impressed with how annoyed I became when both women listened to the little voices in their heads saying they couldn’t make a go of a lasting relationship. The old biddies who added comic relief in the first book in this series were full on meddlesome making a big impact and not in a good way on Ryan and Gabriella’s confidence and trust issues. The angst levels grew as their relationship faltered. The rock bottom hits yet Brayden pulls out all stops to make the last twenty percent of the book upbeat, funny and entertaining. I almost forgive her for Ryan's treatment at the hands of Gabriella. Almost.

You know a book is well written when you are begging characters to listen to you and not believe what they are being told. When an author can make a reader experience all the emotions her characters are feeling and not be able to resist making muskrat faces at appropriate moments you’ve done your job.

4.5 stars

ARC received with thanks from Bold Strokes Books via NetGalley for review.

wow!! I say again Wow!! A very good read. I was hooked from the start and wasn't disappointed at all. The dialogue and chemistry between Gabriella and Ryan was superb. It made me laugh. I was definitely entertained. I would recommend this book. 4.5 stars.

I received an ARC copy from the publisher through NetGalley for my honest opinion'



Thank You NetGalley, Bold Strokes Books Inc. and Melissa Brayden : Two To Tangle

This is the second offering from Ms Brayden’s series ‘A Tangle Valley Romance’ and it’s every bit as good a read as the first book ‘Entangled’ featuring the romance between Becca and Joey.
Ryan Jacks has lived in Whisper Wall all her life. An only child who grew up in a house filled with love, even when she told her mom that she was attracted to women. With an abundance of good looks she has never had a problem with the ladies. All she was looking for and everyone she met knew it, was some fun. She never saw herself as the settling down type, that was until she was hired to build the new restaurant for the owner of the Tangle Valley winery. The owner of the winery, Joey, thought having a restaurant was just what was needed to complete her business.
Joey got lucky when her old friend Madison decides to come work for Joey making some great wine. She just happens to have a good friend who was also looking for a change. At one time their relationship was more like GF's but after a while they decided that they made much better being just friends. Everything was working out fine for Joey because Gabriella Russ just happened to be a great chef.
For now running a food truck was fine but Gabriella was looking forward to the opening of the restaurant featuring not only her dishes but the wine from Tangle Valley Winery. But what she didn’t think about was the very attractive Ryan Jacks. Now when she was checking out the construction going on she found herself checking out Ryan just as much.
With a few twists and turns Ms Brayden has given us another great read dealing with three friends and their romances. Great, fun dialogue along with some very well developed characters. While focusing on the main characters Ms Brayden also allows us to catch up with the cast from the first book in this series. Something Ms Brayden does very well.
ARC via NetGalley/ Bold Stroke Books

“Keep an open mind, okay?”
Gabriella furrowed her brow. “About the restaurant?”
“Me.”

The second book in the Tangle Valley series, this time around the spotlight is on Gabrielle Russo, the executive chef of the upcoming restaurant, Tangled, in Tangle Valley vineyard.

Gabrielle, basking in her move to the small town after joining her friends Joey and Madison, was anticipating her career take off with the opening of the new restaurant. Structured, deep thinking and focused, Gabrielle did not want or need complications until she worked with Ryan Jacks, the contractor engaged for Tangled who was also a renowned player in Whisper Wall.

Ryan did not have the best reputation in small town Whisper Wall. Sexy with dimples to kill, she was a looker and had dalliances with women until she met Gabrielle. Unlike the reputation that precedes her, she had a deep yearning for validation and love. Battling with the dangers of opening her heart, could she rival the sophisticated, beautiful and assuring ex, Madison?

Those of us who have read the first book would know that Madison and Gabrielle had a past. When old love and new passions collide would Gabrielle embrace the familiarity of a past lover or take the leap with a new lover that scares yet astounds her?

Melissa Brayden is the powerhouse for f/f romance and this is one of the best she has written. She spared no expense into capturing readers again with this emotionally charged romance and the landscape was so beautifully crafted into existence I wish I was there with the lot.

I just reviewed Two to Tangle by Melissa Brayden. #NetGalley

Ryan Jacks is a carpenter/contractor hired to build, Tangled, Gabriella's dream come true, her Italian restaurant on the grounds of Tangle Valley Vineyard.

Gabriella Russo is smitten by Ryan's looks, design ideas and talent. What she doesn't go for is that Ryan constantly plays the field. That's just not Gabriella's style.

This story has its share of drama, but it's not Great America roller coaster drama. It's more like a kiddie park roller coaster drama. There are twists and turns and plenty of misunderstandings, but it's not as if with a little explanation, things couldn't be great between Ryan and Gabriella.

Gabriella has a date certain for the opening of her eatery, and for one reason or another, it begins to look like Tangled might not be ready for the opening. Why is it so hard to be attracted to her contractor and still be concerned about her dream becoming reality.

Neither Gabriella nor Ryan knows much about love except that it never works out for either of them. Who's making the mistakes and why? How can Gabriella trust Ryan and how can Ryan trust herself?

Melissa Brayden is so good at writing stories like this! The dialog is sparked with unique phrases and the characters could be real people.

Oh, and the food sounds delicious! Come for the food, stay for the wine and the wonderful writing.

A vineyard, Italian food, and a lakehouse are definitely a recipe for a good romance. Gabriella, a sassy and passionate chef were building her dream restaurant with the help of Ryan, a gorgeous contractor with a reputation of a player. They were thrown into working together on the construction and softball matches. Together, they were trying to deal with their chemistry and also their insecurities.

I read all books by Melissa Brayden and really enjoyed reading all of them. However compare to her other books, this book fell a bit flat. The formula was quite like the Soho series with all the girl gang and their rituals, but maybe because it was used too often, it doesn’t feel special anymore. I’m actually looking forward to the next book about Madison, the last girl in the group. Nonetheless, as a Brayden's book should be, it was fun, witty, and funny, and enjoyable as a light read for the weekend.

The Tangle Valley girls are back! And in this second series, we follow chef Gabriella and her quest to find "her person". When Tangle Valley Vineyards decides to open a restaurant (with Gabriella as the head chef), Ryan is hired for the remodel and the sparks between the two of them are immediate.
Gabriella knows what she wants and what she will accept in a relationship. As the relationship between Gabriella and Ryan progresses, Ryan realizes that she needs a change in how she has dealt with past relationships and is determined to do things differently with Gabriella. Unfortunately for them, things don't go too smoothly. After Ryan makes a mistake (by ignoring Gabriella during an event), Ryan realizes her mistake and is determined to make a change. But, given Ryan's perceived "irresponsibility", would rekindling a relationship with her ex be a better option for Gabby? And is the universe pushing her in that direction?
I definitely recommend this second offering the tangled series. It was great to see how passionate and opinionated Gabriella is. The punny shop names are also still a hit for me!!

Wow.

I could just leave that here with a five star rating and it would adequately explain how I felt when I finished this - but I’ll find some more words to try and do this book justice.

I loved it. I wasn’t sure Brayden could beat Joey and Becca and their story, but when I started to see reviews mentioning that this was even better, I had high hopes and Brayden definitely lived up to them.

Gabriella is the chef at Tangle Valley Vineyard, working away in Jolene her food truck, whilst the new restaurant Joey has planned is being built. She’s getting a reputation for her food throughout the town - and one of the best parts of this book is Brayden’s descriptions of Gabriella’s cooking. She’s happy with her food and her new life in Oregon and isn’t really out there looking for someone - she’s just enjoying life with her friends.

Ryan is the contractor hired by Joey to undertake converting one of the barns to the new restaurant. She has a reputation in the town for no strings attached casual relationships and has no problem finding herself company.

The relationship between the two just grabbed me from the beginning. Their passion for their respective fields plays really nicely when they have to work together. I also really enjoyed their battles on the softball field, but at the same time I also appreciated their softer quieter moments together. They have their bumps where both of their pasts drive wedges between them - but it’s clear they’re meant for each other. The inevitable break up is painful and I was really glad when it was resolved and I felt the HEA was perfect for these two.

As always, the additional characters in Brayden’s books are done really well. It was great to hear more about Joey and Becca and I thought Loretta and Bobby were really sweet. It won’t come as a surprise, but I really enjoyed how Jacks dog was written into the storyline too. Madison plays a little bit more of a part in a different way in this one and I enjoyed the sneak peek as to where her book in the series might be going.

This is going to be really hard to beat with part 3 - but I can’t wait.

I received an e-ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Food, wine, and softball games with a sexy chef and hot contractor? I’m in love.

Chef Gabriella Russo (34) moved from the East Coast to the West with her best-friend-cum-ex-girlfriend Madison LeGrange (31) after Tangle Valley Vineyard owner Joey Wilder’s (31) job offer. Soon the restaurant of her dreams is under construction, and Gabriella finds herself in the constant presence of the gorgeous contractor Ryan Jacks (28), who might also be the woman of her dreams. Too bad Ryan is a player and too young for her.

I had a lot of fun with the previous book, “Entangled,” and have been looking forward to Gabriella and Ryan’s story for months. Since the series is set in the wonderful vineyard Tangle Valley, I poured some wine to ready myself for this book and ended up laughing and crying through the whole thing. I love Ryan so much even though she does make some questionable decisions sometimes. I felt her insecurities, vulnerabilities, and earnestness. Right now, I just want to give her a hug.

I love how passionate and confident both Gabriella and Ryan are about their jobs and yet so uncertain, extensively questioning themselves, when it comes to love and their mutual feelings. Every single time Gabs and Ryan see or even think of each other, I experienced butterflies in my stomach. Maybe it’s the alcohol; maybe it’s not. While there is some misunderstanding between them throughout the story, it doesn’t feel like miscommunications. I think both parties are fairly justified for their behaviors. There is also a bit of a love triangle going on that is fully believable and heartbreaking at the same time.

The secondary characters are also amazing. The Tangle Valley Trio is as fun and wonderful as I remembered them to be but even more layered. There are support and angst within the group, and I also loved seeing more of Joey and Becca’s relationship after “Entangled.” Ryan’s friends Billy and Lana are also wonderfully understanding and her golden retriever mix rescue Dale is adorable. I feel like crying again just thinking about them all. There are also brief mentions of actress Carly Daniel, tasting room staff Loretta’s daughter featured in “To the Moon and Back” and romance novelist Parker Bristow featured in “Back to September,” two of my favorite Brayden books.

Gabriella and Ryan are so cute yet frustrating I love them. There were tensions but none contrived. I could see everything happen andI was rooting for them so hard, believing in them when they didn’t believe in themselves. Unlike other Brayden books, the intimate scenes in this one mostly fade to black, and for me, that made the story more tender with aching yearnings. I also love that apart from the scenes involving the restaurant construction site, there were also slow-pitch softball games. Who doesn’t want some sweaty, sporty, and muscly encounters?

“Two to Tangle” is another wonderful book by Brayden whose main characters I adore. A Tangle Valley Romance is now my favorite contemporary romance series, and I cannot wait for “What a Tangled Web,” where we can fall in love with both Madison and Clementine as they fall for each other.

Melissa Brayden coming in hot with the feelings! Her books always bring the tension and Two to Tangle is no exception. I laughed, I cried, I threw my phone! The level of emotion that she captures in her characters is always impressive. You are captivated and invested right from the beginning. Definitely another win for Brayden.

Two to Tangle was the first book I ever read by Mellisa Brayden. It wasn't a bad romance but did not surprised me at all.
This is a sweet love story, chemistry, some drama and angst, miscommunication between the main characters, insecurities, jealousy, emotions and a bit of a love triangle. Overall, this is a classic romance where opposites attract and even the lack of communication and insecurities can not stop a HEA.
3.5 stars is my rating!

ARC provided by Bold Strokes Books and NetGalley. Thank you!

Oh yes, Melissa Brayden has done it again! An unputdownable installment of the Tangle Valley series.

Gabriella Russo moved to Whisper Walls, Oregon 8 or so months ago to work at Tangle Valley Vineyard. She is reunited with her ex Madison, who happens to be her best friend and the one who recommended her to Joey (the owner of Tangle Valley and main from book 1). Gabriella has been cooking up a storm in Jolene, the food truck, but the time has come to start the renovation of the space that is to become the Tangle Valley restaurant. Joey hired Ryan to do the renovation of the old barn. Ryan is a skilled contractor and carpenter, and a player. Recently she has been feeling like being the player and playing fast and loose isn't fulfilling any longer, she longs for something else but doesn't know what. That is until Ryan and Gabriella start working closely together, Gabriella calls Ryan out on all her shit and they share a lot of banter. Gabriella is pulled to Ryan but doesn't want to get involved with a player, she wants more. But the heart wants what the heart wants. All their playful banter, their physical pull, is it enough, or will their insecurities and doubts stand in the way of their relationship?

I read some reviews that seemed to suggest people liked this second book better than the first. For me, that isn't the case. I think I liked Joey and Becca as a couple and individuals better than I did Gabriella and Ryan. The major drama/ angst moment in this book had me just rolling my eyes, it didn't feel like it fit somehow. The smaller doubts and insecurities seemed realistic, especially the ones coming from Ryan. The smart mouth on Gabriella and generally the banter between the two is great. The appearance of the other friends and a little update on Joey & Becca's relationship is good as well. I might have been expecting a bit more from this book because I like the first one so much, and Gabriella seemed to be the most interesting character, but it didn't live up to all I imagined. I do feel like I need to take up some more Italian cooking and I really need to learn how to appreciate wine. Although I did really enjoyed reading this book sitting on the couch with my blanky and cup of tea ;-) No wine consumption necessary to enjoy the book. But I feel like I need to learn to appreciate it before the Tangle Valley ladies will let me into their group of friends, and I really want to be part of their group. Bring on book 3, Madison's story!

This book was standard fare, but nothing spectacular for me. As someone who has read every Melissa Brayden book out there, and who is always clamoring for the next, I can safely say that I prefer her standalone offerings at this point. The Soho Loft series was magical and perfect, but the series' since then, including the Seven Shores and now this one, just don't have the same whimsy and warmth. It feels like the tight knit group of friends at the core of these series' is forced, not as genuine and well developed as the Soho Loft girls and their emergency midnight chocolate sessions. I just dont care as much about these characters, and perhaps due to criticism by other reviewers (definitely not me), it seems like Brayden has taken to writing her characters as less likable, with more of an edge, but that's not what I sign up for when I pick up her books. So I'll hold out for the next standalone, and of course I'll read the third installment of this series to see Madison find love, but my heart won't be in it because it doesn't feel like there's as much heart in these books as her previous. Still an enjoyable read by regular standards, but Melissa Brayden is held to a much higher standard thanks to her excellent prior work!

Although this is the second installment in the Tangle Valley Romance series, it is not necessary to have read the first one. This book focuses primarily on the first installment secondary character, Gabriella, the chef at Tangle Wood vineyard. A new character is in this installment. Ryan is a contractor that is hired to build Tangle Wood vineyard's restaurant, Tangled. This restaurant's executive chef will be Gabriella and she is overseeing the project. Sparks fly between Ryan and Gabriella, but Ryan's reputation with the ladies is well known. This is why Gabriella is hesitant to proceed with a relationship. When it is clear she cannot deny the feelings she has for Ryan, she throws caution to the wind. There are many ups and downs to this new relationship. There is questioning that Gabriella's friends have regarding how legitimate this relationship is. This questioning leads to Gabriella wondering the same.
Will the relationship be over before it had barely begun? Brayden fans will not be disappointed with this new installment.
I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

NetGalley:

I said to myself I would not read another Melissa Brayden book because of my disappointment over the last 3 or so, but here I am again. This was... bettter. It had a lot of drama, which was more fun than the fluffy banter the last few have been, but still, all the drama came from a miscommunication that could be resolved if the characters would just not walk away so easily. I was intrigued by the use of a love triangle, however. Why is that not more of a thing? It did not quite work here in that it seemed sort of thrown together at the last 40%. If you like Melissa Brayden's books, you will pry like this one too. 3 stars.

How does Melissa Brayden do this every time? Every single time?

I really need to have more faith in authors whose books I love. I’ll blame it on my anxiety. Melissa Brayden is one of my favourite authors and because she is, I worry with each new book that maybe this will be the one that disappoints. Sure, Brayden’s plots are pretty traditional but there’s something about the journey, the way her characters fall in love that I can’t get enough of. And Two to Tangle is no exception. It made my heart warm and achy at the same time. In the best way. As usual.

In this second book in the Tangle Valley Romance series, the focus is on Gabriella Russo, the fiery and extraordinarily talented chef of the future restaurant that will come complete the visitors’ experience of Tangle Valley Vineyard. Joey, the owner, has given her total control over the construction and Gabriella is extremely excited at the idea of having her own restaurant and having it be exactly as she imagines it. In charge of making that dream come true is Ryan Jacks, the town player, whose whole outlook on life and love will not survive meeting Gabriella. Gabriella left the east coast for a quieter and slower life and makes it very clear she is not into hookups, but she’ll have a hard time protecting her heart from everything Ryan makes her feel. And then there’s Madison, Gabriella’s ex, Joey’s winemaker and best friend, who knows all there is to know (or so she thinks) about Ryan from high school and the town’s very efficient gossip network. In her view, Gabriella deserves better and that better might be her.

From page one, this book is, once again, pure Brayden. The group of friends, the witty banter, the perkiness. So much so that I asked myself at one point whether there was such a thing as too perky. But just before it got too much, Brayden made a subtle shift and the perkiness turned bittersweet. I liked the change in atmosphere a lot. The characters are wonderful, which isn’t surprising. Even though their voices are not always as distinctive as I’d like them to be, they feel genuine and complicated and very lovable. As is often the case in romance, miscommunication and low self-esteem play a big part, but Melissa Brayden manages to make the inevitable breakup feel justified. I believed in the struggle on every side. I really really love when characters try to deny they have feelings but just can’t resist because love is simply stronger than them. That’s what romance is about.

I’ve been told off for overrating Melissa Brayden’s books before. While I can’t entirely disagree (I have definite favourites yet I’ve rated all of them the same), I’m not planning on stopping, not as long as they make my heart happy. And they so do.

I received a copy from the publisher and I am voluntarily leaving a review.

Well, Melissa Brayden is sort of a safe harbour when it comes to lesbian fiction. If you're afraid of a miss, you go with some of her books and everything is settled. Her books go from a good book to a mind blowing one.
This one, in my opinion, is going to a category of good ones. Definitely not mind blowing, nothing new and innovative in this one, and surely not the most lovable characters.
But, the woman knows how to write solid books, even if it will not take your breath away. It's very hard to give her books less than 4 stars, because her writing style and effortless dialogues are superbly performed.

It is a known fact that you can always rely on Melissa Brayden to write some of the best WLW contemporary romances around. She has continued to do this with her latest novel, Two to Tangle. This is the second book in the A Tangle Valley Romance Series. I loved Entangled, the first story in the series, but I honestly think Two to Tangle is even better.

This is the story of Chef Gabriella Russo, who we met as a secondary character in the first novel. She has moved to Oregon to open and run Tangled, a restaurant that will be located at the Tangle Valley Vineyard. In this story she meets Ryan Jacks, the building contractor who will be making Gabriella’s restaurant dreams come true. But will Ryan also be making some other more romantic dreams come true for Gabriella?
The story is set in one of the most beautiful areas around, and it is the perfect background for this tale. The characters, of course, are well developed and easy to connect with. Many of them were introduced to us in the first novel. Several of them are unforgettable, and play a major role in the romance between Gabriella and Ryan. I’m specifically thinking about the Biddies here, but you need to read the story to learn about them.

The romance is lovely, but it’s not all roses and kisses. There is quite a bit of angst that could derail their love story. One of my favorite parts of the book involves the softball games, especially the last game between the Muskrats and the Otters. It has been years since I played myself, but these games make me wish I could again.
This story is one of my favorites, and I recommend it to everyone who loves a great romance. You want to read this series in order. Both are wonderful novels and well worth reading. Don’t forget there is a third book coming in this series. I’m looking forward to reading it as well.

I received an ARC from NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for an honest review.