Have you ever picked up a book that you just can’t put down? Dial M For Merlot by Howard K is one of those books that immediately draws you in. While you may not have a fancy chateau or be a wine collector you can easily relate to some of the characters and the situations that they are going through, whether it deals with business or matters of the heart.
A Nerd + Wine= one crazy story. Justin James is a 30 year old nerd who still attends Comic Con, is awkward around people, and is somewhat of a loner. This all immediately changes one rainy day when he is stood up by his date. Instead of going home, his attention is caught by a sign outside of a store announcing a wine tasting. This is the moment where Justin’s life is turned upside down, for the better. At this wine tasting he meets Brad Garrison, the owner of the store, who essentially takes him under his wing by inviting Justin to wine events around their town.
The Twisted Cork is the place to be and this is where you will find the Juice Brothers. The Juice Brothers consist of Frank, Mike, Steve, Brad, Barry Love, Monsieur Rene, and the latest inductee, Justin. You would think that someone like Justin would not fit in with the Juice Brothers seeing as how Frank the Tank (or Magic Murphy) is the owner of the big car dealership Magic Murphy Auto Sales, as well as the two strip bars next to his dealership; Mike is the owner of The Twisted Cork; Steve St. Clair is the owner of The Oasis Center for Serenity and Wellness; Barry Love works for a distribution company and was a Seal Team Six member; and Monsieur Rene owns a woman’s clothing store, Monsieur Rene’s House of Couture. With such an eclectic group it’s hard to believe that Justin fits in but he finds that he does through the love that they all have of wine. Justin is included in all their parties and events and soon they make plans to attend the Vin Expo in France. What none of them know is that Monsieur Rene has his own agenda as to why he’s primarily going to attend the Vin Expo this year and it’s not just for the wine.
Howard K does an excellent job in tying up the different stories at the end. By the end of the book, the stories of the nuns — Sister Ralph and Sister Agnes– Monsieur Rene, Justin, DeBussey, Bruno and Lala are all connected to one thing: revenge. While Justin and Bruno are essentially pawns in the game, everyone is out to get the evil DeBussey. You kind of feel sorry for DeBussey at the beginning, but at the end of the day he does deserve what is coming to him. DeBussey does not care about anyone; the only thing that he loves is money and he will step on anyone to get it. This includes the nuns, the orphans, and Monsieur Rene’s family. He has made so many enemies that it’s not a surprise that a few of them want to take him out.
What makes this book a great read is that you get to see the transformation of an introverted person, who is afraid of coming out of his shell, transform into a whole new person. Justin found what he needed to be the person that he truly is, and that is friendship. Guided and helped by his Juice Brothers, he embarks on a journey that completely changes his lifestyle; no more lonely nights at home or going to Comic Con alone because now Justin actually has friends.
After finishing this book all I can wonder is what is in store for Justin and the Juice Brothers? Hopefully we will hear of Justin and the Juice Brothers in the near future.
You can order copies of the book through Amazon. Make sure to check out www.dialmformerlot.com for more information about the book; the author, Howard K; and other places where you can purchase the book.
Twisted Talk: Will you be picking up a copy of Dial M For Merlot? What is your favorite type of wine? Discuss below!
