The Ripening Sun is a restful trip into the charming life of rural France.
The author's detailing of the everyday running of a vinyard is complete and gives you a good understanding of how much work is involved with this age old process of winemaking. It is a soft book to read anytime of the day and leaves you with just a little peaceful smile.

While Patricia Atkinson's writing is good, I had hoped that this book would be more glorious in the telling of of her journey and more personable. Instead it's more of wine making seasonal journal. It's not what I expected, and I should have looked to see that the 5 star rating was from only 3 readers and I was more inspired from their reviews that I am of the book. I'm only halfway though the book and I'm already growing weary, skipping pages ahead just to get to the end. I'd recommend this book only if you're looking for details on wine making and not looking for a great personal story.

Faced with a formidable challenge of single-handedly turning an overgrown vineyard into a economically viable operation, the heroine of this real-life story has the tenacity to beat the odds and go well beyond what most of us would consider an acceptable workload. Of course, the village setting and the many neighbors whose friendship shines through are the real stars of this wonderful book.

This is a "must read" for anyone dreaming of owning a vineyard or wishing for a winery! It is the story of Patricia's journey from a novice to a wine expert in 15 short years. She has an ability to tell her story in a way that won't allow you to put the book down until you have read it through. Her characters are fascinating and the best part is that they are real people. You will want to visit Patricia in France and tour her vineyard and winery after reading this book. Book 2 promises to be even better!