Kelly Douglas, the host of a new prime-time magazine show, is on the brink of achieving her life long dream of becoming a nightly news anchor.  Hers is modern-day Cinderella story:  long ago she pulled herself out of a desperately unhappy childhood in rural Napa Valley, escaped from her abusive, alcoholic father, and transformed herself from “four-eyed and fat” Lizzie Dougherty into the chic and successful Kelly Douglas.  Her lustrous auburn hair, impeccable taste and wardrobe, dedication to hard work, and uncanny talent for being in the right place at the right time have propelled her to journalistic stardom – and she has never once looked back.

     By chance, Kelly returns to Napa Valley to do a feature story.  There she becomes entangled in the lives of Katherine Rutledge, the matriarch of the famous Rutledge Estate Winery, and her grandson, the ruggedly handsome vintner Sam Rutledge, who epitomizes the family motto:  If you’re a Rutledge, wine, not blood, runs through your veins.  But the Rutledge motto also applies to Katherine’s estranged son, Gil, who owns a competing winery in the valley.  The bonds of blood and wine are put to the ultimate test, and the bitter rivalry between Katherine and Gil is further fueled by the desire of them both to form a joint venture with the illustrious Bordeaux winery of Baron Fougere in France – with both mother and son vowing to stop at nothing to attain their goal.

     Meanwhile, Kelly finds herself progressively drawn to Sam’s subtle yet sexy charm.  Up until now, Kelly’s fast track schedule has never allowed her any time for love – should she be falling for Sam Rutledge now, at the most crucial moment of her career?

     When a murder on the Rutledge Estate is linked to Kelly’s abusive father, from whom she has long been estranged, her entire world turns upside down, and she is forced to confront her hidden past and her hidden pain. Amid the turmoil, Kelly and Sam discover their extraordinary passion and poignant love for each other.  But can Kelly afford to let Sam see the battered child within?  Will she jeopardize her promising career, or risk losing the one man she loves in order to protect her secret past?