Zoe Brennan, First Crush

Returning to Blue Ridge, Ga. (after Hannah Tate, Beyond Repair), Lee delights with a sensual sapphic rom-com as heady and complex as the wines it describes in breathless detail. For years, Zoe Brennan has worked tirelessly alongside her father to keep her late mother’s dream, Bluebell Vineyards, running smoothly. When she learns that a notable wine festival is scouting locations nearby, she hopes to pitch Bluebell as the host and beat out a competing winery run by her “best-friend-turned-enemy” Rachel Woods. Her plans are impeded, however, when her father reveals that his ill mother requires his assistance in Italy, leaving the vineyard without a vintner. To relieve her mounting anxiety, Zoe agrees to a blindfolded threesome with her friend-with-benefits and a stranger—who, she learns after the fact, turns out to be Rachel’s intimidating older sister and Zoe’s first queer crush: Laine Woods. Hoping to swiftly forget the encounter proves impossible when Zoe discovers that Laine is the temporary vintner her father hired. The pair clash, but behind Laine’s arrogance and Zoe’s stubbornness is intense chemistry. Moments of reflection, comedic episodes, and plenty of steamy encounters balance this heartfelt story about honoring loved ones’ legacies while still realizing one’s own aspirations. This demands to be savored. (Jan.)