Springtime Lily

Nikki Sands, like almost every aspiring actress, waits tables between acting jobs. She meets Derek Malveaux, a golden boy in wine making, who is at the restaurant where she works. Nikki impresses him with her knowledge of wines. So far up that she gets a job offer to come working at his vineyard. Quickly after her arrival the winemaker is found dead and Nikki finds out there is much rivalry in Napa Valley. Her sleuthing quickly begins....

I started this book, but stopped because I had a few others to read first, so I paused around page 25 or so. When I was ready I picked it back up and read it in two days flat! What a great book! I had my suspicions at the beginning of the book, but during reading my thoughts went back and forth and I started to doubt my gut first feeling.

The murder of the winemaker triggers a Nancy Drew feeling in Nikki and she feels like she needs to figure this out. Next to being there for the Job offer Derek made, she also starts falling for him. He wants to make sure Nikki is alright and looks out for her or ask his dog Oliver (A Rhodesian Ridgeback, loved that detail as it isn't the typical picked dog) to watch her.

Nikki meets Derek's wacky family, Stepmom Patrice, half-brother Simon and his lover Marco and not to forget Derek's ex-wife Meredith (as a Grey's Anatomy fan I found this a bit funny!). At the fundraiser Derek organized, another murder occurs. Now in full Nancy Drew modus, her aunt being in the law enforcement and her own crappy youth, Nikki goes full speed ahead to find out who is the murderer around the Malveaux Vineyard.

I really loved this book, it was written in a way that makes you read it quickly, you get tossed around about the 'Whodunnit' and it's just a fun read. It also features recipes for those who like that!
I will certainly read the next installment, I can't wait to see what happens next for Derek and Nikki!