Welcome to Vino & Veritas, your new favorite LGBTQ+ friendly and inclusive bookstore and wine bar in Burlington, Vermont! Have a seat at the bar or browse the aisles. There's romance lurking behind every corner...
Two things drew me into this series from the beginning: it takes place in Burlington and it’s about an inclusive bookstore and bar. I wish Vino & Veritas really existed in the Church Street Marketplace, but sadly, it’s all fictional. With twenty-seven books, there are some good and some not so good. Each of the books is written by a different author. There are very few of them, besides the lesbian ones, that I would not recommend. Some stand out more than others.
The books by J. E. Birk are particularly good because she was raised in Vermont, and the real familiarity with Vermont makes a difference. She has also started another series “Devon Falls” which continue to take place in this fictional Vermont, though not centered around the Vino and Veritas bookstore and wine bar. Most of the other books are written by women (most m/m romance authors are women) who have probably never been to Vermont, but most have done their research. Vermont is a quirky place, and in the books where Vermont itself feels like a character in the book instead of merely a backdrop are the best in my opinion.
When I finish the book I’m currently reading, Unforgettable by Marley Valentine (I find it funny that I just happened to start this book on Valentine’s Day), I have two more books in the series. Then I’ll move on to the “In Vino Veritas” series.
13 comments:
Are these books homoerotic? For the ones you like, why?
Wikipedia :
- "In vino veritas" Pline the old , is a Latin phrase that means 'in wine, there is truth', suggesting a person under the influence of alcohol is more likely to speak their hidden thoughts and desires. The phrase is sometimes continued as, in vīnō vēritās, in aquā sānitās, 'in wine there is truth, in water there is good sense (or good health)'. Similar phrases exist across cultures and languages.
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/In_vino_veritas
RB, yes there is gay sex in these books, though not pornographic, more sensual and tasteful. The sex scenes are nice as long as they move the story along, but I like the romance most of all. I am a romantic at heart.
The phrase "in wine, there is truth" when someone sees the name Vino & Veritas is mentioned several times in the series, uvdp. In these books, sometimes a little alcohol does finally bring out the truth, but besides the books taking place in a bar/bookstore, some also include a winery, a meadery, and a cidery. In addition, cows, maple syrupy, and apples make frequent appearances. I always tell visitors to Vermont that if the menu calls an item "The Vermonter," then it almost always includes apples, Vermont cheddar cheese, and maple syrup. It's not a combination I am fond of, but it's what says Vermont.
1/ Have you read, Joe, "The worst thing" by JE Birk ? It's the only one I found in French
2/ I'm surprised a woman could properly write a book for gay men
I have not read "The Worst Bad Thing" by J.E. Birk, but reading more of her books is on my list. As far as women writing gay romance, they tend to do much better than male writers, though there are a few male writers who do pretty well. More gay fiction is written by men, and those books are often depressing, and gay mystery novels are a mix of both men and women writers, though gay mysteries by women are often also romances. Gay romance tends to be written by women, who write the vast majority of romance novels of any genre. You might be surprised at how well women write books for gay men. Also, this has been a long standing debate in writing about gay men. I used to wonder the same thing, but I don't anymore. Many female writers do exceptional jobs of writing gay romance. Most of these female writers, whether they write historical romances or modern day romances do a vast amount of research for their writing.
With the onset of Covid restrictions, I started downloading gay romances from my library system. Since then, I've read many...including much of the Vino and Veritas series. Predictably, some are better than others. But the touches of continuity between the books is nice and I do enjoy the varying styles of different authors.
I didn't even know MM romance books existed before this. And what a nice surprise to see that my library has hundreds of choices. I mainly listen to them as audiobooks, so I always have one cued up for longer drives. But sometimes I just relax on the couch and let these books take me somewhere else.
With Vino and Veritas series set in Vermont, I often wondered if you had read them. The setting reminds me of things you have referenced in your blog.
Cheers!
Adam, have you read "Fauxmance in the Falls" by JE Birk? (Kind of a dumb title but I love the "fake boyfriend" trope) It also takes place in Vermont, and I am eagerly anticipating the second book in the series "Forbidden in the Falls" by JE Birk, though I believe the release date has been postponed until May.
The Joy of Books & Libraries: A Life-Long Pleasures
Growing up in the “rust belt” northeast, by high school most families had suffered somewhat financial hardship as manufacturing jobs disappeared.
Money got real tight, and every gift was cherished especially books. Thankfully, there was a great neighborhood branch library just a few blocks away.
Obviously, library books were free & and offered an unlimited source of entertainment on cold and snowy days. I can still fondly recall borrowing the young adult classics “Lord of the Flies,” “The Scarlet Letter” and “The Diary of Ann Frank.”
My early love of reading — as a daily habit — stemmed from two things: 1.) brutal Winters in Western NY; and 2.) household TV without cable channel services. Computers & gaming systems had not reached into mass market affordability. Reading & library books were accessible, free, and pleasurable.
These these 40+ yrs later, I recognize how significant those earlier adventures in reading have shaped my academic and professional life. I see faint traces of myself when my young adult sons bring home books
B & N. Although our reading preferences are light years apart; I relish the fact they enjoy books.
Like so many others who are of my generation, having access to books during the pandemic lockdown was nothing short of therapeutic.
Yes, I’ll honestly concede: this reply derailed from the topic of Joe’s today’s post; but my middle-aged, nerdy brain couldn’t help it.
Wellness & good health to all…
Anonymous. I can remember when I lived in Hattiesburg, MS, I checked out every book go gay fiction they had. Most of them were gay mysteries, so someone must have been a fan and donated them to the library. I cannot see the Hattiesburg Public Library buying gay mystery novels. I loved those books, though I can't remember the names or authors at the moment.
Very delightful reflection about your library experiences in Hattiesburg MS. In all likelihood those books would suffer the fate of Fahrenheit 451.
I haven't seen that one, but my library only has 2 titles by JE Birk. One of them was "Booklover", part of the V&V series. I liked it.
Un portrait intime dans une boudoir d'un individu rare, le jock intellectuel.:)
Il est important de soutenir les libraires locaux, ils contribuent à maintenir l'esprit intellectuel vivant et prospère.
-Beau Mec à Deauville
Una vez mas estoy enamorado...
Ángel
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