Whenever I pick up a book by Chautona Havig, I expect to fall in love with the characters and storyline. This book lived up to my expectations With a split-time storyline, it examines the life of Avelino Carrillio and Amelia. Chautona Havig masterfully weaves together the lives of two strangers into one cohesive book.

I love how Avelino seeks to recover the family home that was lost from their possessions. His determination and strength of character help bring this book to life. This book illustrates the American dream of owning landing and becoming prosperous. The characters come to life through the pages of this book. So check it out for yourself.

I received a complimentary copy of this book, but this in no way influenced my review. All opinions are my own. ( )

The author has surprised me once again with her ability to write in different genres. Not just write in different ones, but write well in each one. I would say she has a gift for taking readers into the story and make them feel as though they are part of it. I love dual time stories and this one held my interest most of the time.

One of the best lines in the story is, “When you have lost almost everything Amelia, sometimes pride is all you have left.” Amelia’s response is, “And it’s all you’ll ever have if you don’t learn to get over it.” Oh yes our hero Avelino definitely had a pride issue. He didn’t want anyone to help him and was stubborn to the point that he may loose the love of his life. I liked how the author explored racism and examined how it becomes a problem for Avelino. He seems to have faced this issue when he served in the war and it has carried into his civilian life. It is important to know that not everyone in the town feels this way though. There are a few that outright beat him, say horrible things to him all because of the color of his skin.

What I liked about Avelino is his loyalty to family. He keeps his word and family is everything to him. Trying to repay a debt due to a family member finds Avelino working long hours and dreaming of getting the vineyard back. Oh how I loved reading about vineyards and how they operate. During this time period there wasn’t fancy machinery to help, only hard labor from workers who worked til they couldn’t go on. In the story readers will find out that not everyone is truthful and try to take advantage of Avelino.

Amelia and her granddad are a delight and both bring a breath of fresh air to the story. They are intrigued by Avelino’s family history and the author does a great job of tying the two time periods together in a sweeping story that spans years where war ravaged and work was hard to come by. When we travel to the past in the story, I was excited to read how the vineyard came to be in Avelino’s family. Amelia is a very strong willed woman and is determined to wait forever if she has to in order to marry Avelino. I do want to warn readers that there is the subject of PTSD in the story. It may trigger some, so be cautious as you read those parts.

Overall I liked the story, but at times Avelino is a little too prideful and I wanted him to get over himself. He was not very fair to Amelia at times and I thought perhaps he didn’t understand how devoted she was to him. When we travel to the past I treasured the moments we spent there. There is faith in the story but it is light. I did like the story and I’m hoping the author writes more historical fiction.

I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion. ( )

Deepest Roots of the Heart by Chautona Havig is book one in the Legacy of the Vines series. This is a dual timeline novel that tells the story of Avelino following WWII and his ancestors that started the vineyard he is working so hard to regain.

This is a wonderful story that deals with different races and different religions and how they were look upon in the 1940’s. The is a well written book with not a lot of characters to keep straight. The characters are good strong characters that hold true to their faith and convictions. The things that stand out to me in this story is the strong tie Avelino has to his family heritage as well as the love between Amelia and her grandfather. I especially enjoyed Avelino’s story telling of how the vineyard came to his family.

I voluntarily read a complimentary copy of this story. This is my honest review. ( )

Sissy: This was a very sweet story and I was particularly fond of how Avelino's dream was to find a girl who had red hair, or in Spanish, "pelo como rosas", which means hair like roses.

Bubby: My favorite part of Deepest Roots of the Heart was the stories that Avelino tells about his ancestors and how they came to own the land at Casa de los Suenos, and how those stories help Amelia fall in love with Avelino.
Read full review at www.bubblebath-books.com ( )

Book Description....

"During WWII, Avelino Carrillo spent four harrowing years in the South Pacific with one thought driving his survival: to return to his beloved home in Napa Valley.
The Carrillos have a history in the valley that stretches deep, like grapevine roots in the soil. For a century, they worked the vineyard at their family home, la Casa de los Sueños, until they lost the property to a wealthy land baron. Now, Avelino is determined to reclaim the land and home he loves so much. When he meets Amelia, a young woman who lives at the vineyard with her grandfather, he finds that regaining his birthright isn’t his only struggle—he battles the longing of his heart as well.
Can Avelino overcome the local bigotry and personal demons that face him to create the life he desires?"

Title: Deepest Roots of the Heart Author: Chautona Havig Publisher: Waterfall Press
Series: Legacy of the Vines #1 Reviewed By: Arlena Dean Rating: 5
Review:

"Deepest Roots of the Heart" by Chautona Havig

What I liked about this novel....

This story was one absolutely wonderful well written historical fiction that will keep your attention all the way till the end. The hero Avelino Carrillo was a very interesting character being a WW II veteran returning home from the Philippines injured and wanting to save his family's vineyards. Only when Avelino arrived home finding there was another family occupying his family home. I loved how this author was able to deliver to the reader such a tale about the Carrillo's ancestors as the story is being told by Avelino's POV. The story will be presented quite interesting where we find Avelino is trying to pay off a debt in order to regain the ownership of his family vineyards that had been taken away due to his brother bad judgement. However, as the story goes on Avelino is able to make a deal of a lifetime and that was he would work the vineyards receiving no salary for a total of seven years. Upon arriving on the property he finds a grandfather Joe and his granddaughter Amelia. With Avelino being a great storyteller he begins to share with this family about the Carillos family. Wow, what a story that was of the first Avelino who had fought in the Mexican American war and made his way from Texas to this California area. Listening to these stories really becomes a obsession for Amelia as she seems like she couldn't get enough of Avelino's stories and then what do you think will happen between these them? At this point I will stop and say you will have to pick up this good read to see for yourself how well this author presents a well told story to her readers. Be ready for a exciting read where a little bit of it all seems to come into play...love, hate, prejudice, religious problems and in the end one fascinating told story. It is like you are getting a story told in a story. Anyway, you will have to pick this novel up. In the end I am not sure I liked the ending not knowing how she ...well again, you will have to read this one for yourself. I can only say that in the end I found "Deepest Roots of the Heart" a very good read that I would definitely recommend to you. ( )