Will There Be Wine and Love – Book Tour and Giveaway
If you love European settings, wine, romance, female friendships, laughter, heartbreak, redemption, and a bit of spice, these are the books for you!
Will There Be Wine?
by Whitney Cubbison
Genre: Romantic Comedy
Austen Keller was living her dream. She landed a career-defining job which moved her and her husband to Paris. Swoon! Shortly thereafter, she was divorced. Thud. This wasn’t the plan. Yet there she was—pushing 40 and starting over.
A decade after she’d last been single, Austen enters the dating scene playing by a new set of rules in a different language, culture, and lingerie standards. She experiences every type of miserable first date imaginable and lives to tell the tales of Pierre the Mansplainer, Simon the Snoozer, Emile the Over-Sharer, Guillaume of the Gym Shorts, and many more. On most dates, she struggles to get past one glass of Bordeaux without wanting to bolt. Even worse, no one chases after her when she runs. It doesn’t take long for her to realize that whoever said French men were romantic deserves a swift kick in the pants.
A rewarding and high-powered career. Check!
Fabulous female friendships. Nailed it!
True love. Umm?
Austen continues to ask herself: Is “having it all” too much to ask?
A genuine and tragically hilarious novel about an ex-pat woman’s journey of self-discovery through a string of disastrous dates, relationships forged in a deep cultural divide, world travels, and wine. A lot of wine.
Chapter 1 – The City of Love
Paris was supposed to be the epicenter of romance where all great love stories began, but for Austen Keller, it was where her marriage died. It was a slow death dragged out over two long years, made longer by Parisians’ penchant for PDA—public displays of affection. Nothing truly puts heartbreak into focus like seeing countless couples making out in every absurdly charming café and on every cinematic street corner. In Paris, love was oxygen, and Austen was gasping for breath.
The final death knell rang as Austen and Brad emerged from the Palais de Justice courthouse on an unseasonably warm Indian summer day in September. They had just signed their divorce papers; she was officially a divorcée. They walked together silently toward a nearby bar. After ten years together and an amicable divorce, the moment needed to be marked somehow. But she didn’t plan to stay at the bar for long. There was no need to dwell. Brad was leaving Paris for good the next day, to move back to the States to rebuild his life. They ordered double shots of whiskey—the hard stuff—nothing else seemed appropriate.
“Here’s to the memories,” he offered, raising his glass.
“May we remember the good ones and learn from the rest.” Austen threw back the shot.
She returned to the apartment alone—the one she had up until four months ago shared with Brad. It was a beautiful Haussmanian apartment, the quintessential Parisian style of 19th century architecture, with herringbone wood floors and crown molding fit for royalty.
They moved to Paris when she’d landed a job as a speechwriter for François Vinet, a high-powered sales executive at a large technology company. Living in Paris had been her lifelong dream, so Brad had begrudgingly agreed to leave San Francisco, the only place he’d ever wanted to live. The day they’d moved in, she’d wondered how anyone could be unhappy in such a beautiful apartment. She’d thought it was going to be their fresh start.
And yet, here she was two years later, a divorcée.
She kicked off her heels and walked toward the large bouquet of red and purple flowers and another small package that had somehow appeared on her dining table. The concierge must have signed for them, she thought as she opened the card with the flowers.
“It’s a new dawn. It’s a new day. It’s a new life. And I’m feeling good.”
She smiled warmly, immediately recognizing Nina Simone’s lyrics.
“Here’s to new beginnings for you. Can’t wait to see you for NYE.
Love, Sam.”
Damn. That man sure has timing—and style.
Sam and Austen first met five years earlier in California while working at a boutique public relations agency. She was on the client-facing side of the business, and he was the finance director. They’d immediately become good friends and had maintained a close relationship. She (and most of their mutual friends) believed he’d always secretly pined for her. The flowers more or less confirmed it for her.
The last thing she wanted right now was a boyfriend who lived on the other side of the world. Her new Parisian life as a single woman was just beginning. She smelled the flowers somewhat guiltily. She quietly loved thinking of him wanting her from afar and was grateful the distance between them would keep things at bay, at least for a while. He and a few other friends from the States were coming to Paris for New Year’s Eve.
The package was from her college friend, Liz. Who knew divorce came with so many gifts? Flimsy lacy thongs in an array of bright colors tumbled out of the box, and she dug through them, searching for the card.
“You may now go get laid… finally!”
Austen laughed loudly at Liz’s crass message. Liz was the crazy one back in their university days. She had no filter. She always said the things others only dared to think about. It was what Austen loved the most about her.
Between their gifts, Sam and Liz had nailed it. Austen was sure there was no better way to start her new life than with a bouquet of beautiful flowers from an admirer and a set of lacy thongs from a wonderful friend.
Will There Be Love?
by Whitney Cubbison
Genre: Romantic Drama
A propulsive exploration of romantic and platonic love, commitment, shared history, betrayal and personal reckoning.
To celebrate her fortieth birthday, Ophelia and her husband Gianluca gather an unlikely group of eight friends and lovers – some old, some new, some false, some true – for a long weekend in Ibiza. However, the idyllic villa setting may be the only thing holding together a complicated tangle of friendship, love, and betrayal.
Among the guests is Ophelia’s old university flame, Matt, and his new girlfriend, Austen. While Matt finds himself falling in love, Austen is holding back, carefully protecting her heart.
Ophelia knows she loves her husband, but “love” is a word she never learned to say, a silence rooted in a childhood tragedy. What she doesn’t know is that Gianluca has been whispering it to someone else. And when his mistress crashes the party along with her own boyfriend, she brings a revelation that could unravel everything.
Across Rome, Paris and Ibiza, the party guests navigate the tangled paths that bring people together and push them apart, exploring where love begins, where it falters, and the courage it takes to hold on—or to let go.
Will There Be Love? is the sequel to Whitney Cubbison’s debut novel, Will There Be Wine?, however it can be read as a stand-alone.
PROLOGUE
Gianluca, Rome
February
Gianluca swallowed the last juicy bite of bistecca alla Fiorentina, letting his mind drift to places it shouldn’t. Across from him, his wife, Ophelia, and her colleague-turned-friend, Kristin, laughed and chatted in the peacock-blue booth of their favorite neighborhood restaurant, Al Piave. Kristin dominated the conversation in her bright, slightly too-loud American manner, but
Gianluca barely listened, distracted as he was by the pattern of the lacy bra under her pink silk blouse.
I should at least pretend to be paying attention, he thought, forcing himself back into reality.
“And I figured, better safe than sorry, right?” Kristin said, perhaps rhetorically.
Ophelia smiled warmly. “That’s one of my friend Matt’s favorite expressions. He works in private security and always plans for the worst-case scenario.”
“She means her French ex-boyfriend, Matt,” Gianluca interjected, having caught just enough of the conversation to make a comment.
Kristin raised an eyebrow. “Oh, do I detect a hint of jealousy?”
“We were at uni together in London a thousand years ago,” Ophelia explained, waving the idea off with one hand.
Gianluca returned to his mental fantasy. It was his first time meeting Kristin, the attractive and exceedingly fit blonde Ophelia had mentioned over the years, but he had been undressing her with his eyes since the appetizers. He wasn’t the cheating type—he loved Ophelia and had always been faithful, but he liked to indulge his active imagination from time to time.
He watched as Ophelia stifled a yawn, rubbing her nose in a weak attempt to hide it. They were both exhausted—Ophelia from her demanding job in event marketing at the energy company Eni, and him from long shifts as head of Emergency Services at the hospital. Juggling two full-time jobs and two kids was draining. Tomorrow was his day off, and he was ready to unwind. He eyed the half-full bottle of Barolo but hesitated—he had to drive home.
“Oh my God, am I boring you to death?” Kristin asked, noticing Ophelia’s yawn. “I’m so sorry. I haven’t shut up all night.”
Ophelia shook her head apologetically. “No, it’s not you. I’m so sorry. I’m absolutely knackered and afraid I’m terrible company tonight. But I don’t want the night to end on my account. You two should stay. Order dessert and finish the wine. The tiramisu here is heaven. I’ve been so looking forward to having you two finally meet.”
Kristin shrugged and looked to Gianluca. “I’m fine to stay for a bit longer if you are.”
Gianluca searched Ophelia’s face for any silent clue that she meant something other than what she’d said. He found it odd that his wife wanted to leave them alone, but he did want another drink. “You sure?”
“Yes, I’ll go relieve Stefania,” Ophelia said, already reaching for her coat. “You two have fun. I know how hard you’ve both been working, so you deserve it.”
“Bye, Ophelia,” Kristin replied, sliding out of the booth to hug her goodbye.
Americans are always such huggers, he observed, admiring Kristin’s ass through her snug camel-colored skirt. He looked up as they pulled apart and focused on his wife. “Ciao, tesoro. See you at home.”
As Ophelia exited the restaurant, Gianluca refilled their glasses. Kristin smiled, her fingers brushing his as she took the glass from him. That wasn’t deliberate, he thought, but he decided to let his fantasy play out. What was the risk? Kristin lived in London and flirting didn’t hurt anyone. Nurses and patients’ loved ones were always flirting with him at the hospital, which he enjoyed but never encouraged. He gave himself permission to let his fantasies run wild, but he’d never tried to bring any of them forward into real life. It was never worth risking his family or his job.
He and Ophelia had recently celebrated their eleventh anniversary, and by all accounts, he considered their marriage to be a happy one. With two kids under the age of ten, their sex life wasn’t what it had once been, but he figured that was par for the course for most couples in their situation.
“So, do you enjoy living the expat life in London?” Gianluca asked, choosing a neutral topic that would allow his mind to wander toward more risqué thoughts.
Kristin licked her pink lips. “It’s a great city, but too big sometimes. Rome always feels more reasonably sized whenever I’m here.”
“Size does matter,” Gianluca smirked, unable to resist.
Kristin’s left eyebrow rose in a pronounced arch. “It certainly does,” she laughed.
Whitney Cubbison is a dual American & French citizen living in Paris since 2009. She grew up in Texas and California and graduated from UCLA with a degree in French. She started her career in Communications working for high-tech PR agencies in San Francisco and eventually joined Microsoft where she worked for sixteen years, thirteen of which from the Paris office. During that time, she held various international roles that encompassed public relations, employee communications, executive speechwriting, and social media.
She earned her French citizenship in early 2022 and left Microsoft that summer to focus on completing her first novel, Will There Be Wine?, which came out in January 2023. The story, while fiction, was deeply inspired by Whitney’s own experiences as an ex-pat divorcée living in Paris and trying to navigate the cultural minefield of dating in a foreign country. A sequel called Will There Be Love? will be out on April 29, 2025.
When she’s not writing, Whitney can be found sitting in Parisian cafés and restaurants with her friends, drinking wine.
Website * Facebook * Instagram * Bluesky * Bookbub * Amazon * Goodreads
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Looks very exciting Do you write in a daily journal?
Thanks Heather! I don't write in a daily journal but I'm always working on something new!
Great cover
Thanks Terri! Which one do you prefer?
I can not wait to read this book it sounds great
Thanks Robin! I hope you'll love them both! 🍷🩷
I love the covers and the excerpts.
Thanks Sherry! I hope you'll check them out!
Hope we can whine for a win!
Jon, in any good story about dating (mis)adventures, there's both whining, wining and winning!
Sounds like a good read. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks Lisa! I hope you'll check them out!
Looks like a good read
Thanks Alma! I hope you'll check them out!
The book sounds really great.
Thanks Dale! I hope you'll check them out!
I like the book details.
Thanks Stephanie! I hope you'll check them (both) out!
I enjoyed the excerpt; I hope to get a chance to read it :)
Thanks Lisa! I hope you will too!
I love a good romantic comedy. This one sounds great.
Thanks Marcy! I hope you'll check it out! 🍷🩷
The book sound fun to read and the cover is eye catching.
Thanks Jenn! Which of the two covers do you prefer?
Romantic Comedy - what a great genre mix!
Thank you for sharing excerpt.
You're welcome! I hope you'll check out the rest of the book for some great romcom summer reading fun!
I am in need of a good romantic comedy and this one sounds perfect! I love reading books like these when hanging out in my hammock ;)
A hammock is the perfect place to read a great book. I hope you'll love it! Cheers! 🍷
I like these "starting over" books; sadly, some of us find ourselves in a similar situation and while it certainly wasn't part of the plan, and even though this book is fiction, it's still encouraging to see that a reset and redo could end up being the best thing that's ever happened to us!
Lauren, I'll tell you that Will There Be Wine? was "deeply inspired by real events" (ahem... my life story.) The second round can be amazing! And a little wine always helps. 🍷
This sounds like a book I would love to read.
Thanks Wendy! I hope you'll check them both out!
I liked the excerpt.
Thanks Soha! I hope you'll check them out!
I do love European settings. Looking forward to reading.
Thanks Cathy! European settings make for some fun summer reading for sure! I hope you'll love them both! 🍷🩷
very nice cover
Thanks Wendy! Which one of the two do you prefer?
I enjoyed the excerpt and prologue, Good work,
Thanks Paige! I hope you'll check them both out! 🩷🍷
Looks a good read
Thanks Valerie! I hope you'll check them both out! 🍷🩷
Sounds like a fun read.
Thanks Rita! I hope you'll check them both out! 🩷🍷
Both books sound so fun! Thank you for the excerpts! :)
Thanks Nina and you're welcome! I hope you'll check them out!
Great cover!
Thanks! Which of the two do you prefer?
Love is a complex subject to write about, that's for sure.
It sure is! But that's where all the fun is in being an author. I hope you'll check them out!
I am excited to check this book out.
Thanks Jodi! I hope you'll love whichever of the two you choose - or both! 🍷🩷
This sounds like an interesting book and I also like the cover.
I like the book details.
Thanks Nickie! I hope you'll check them both out!
Thanks Ann! Which of the two do you prefer?
I enjoyed the excerpts. Thank you for the giveaway!
Thanks Debbi! I hope you'll check them both out, even if you don't win the giveaway! 🩷🍷
This book sounds very interesting.
Thanks David! Which of the two do you prefer the sound of?
Romantic Drama is an exciting genre! I like the excerpt!
Thanks Jeanna! It's a page turner for sure! I hope you'll check it out.
fun
Thanks! I hope you'll check them both out! (They really are fun... if I do say so myself. 😉)
Love both the titles and the covers...
Thanks Michele! I hope you'll check them both out! 🍷🩷
The excerpts are interesting. Thanks for sharing them.
You're welcome, Cynthia! I hope you'll check them both out!
This sounds like a great read for the summer. I am loving the cover too. Sounds like one that will keep me reading all night for sure!
Thanks Heather! Which of the two covers do you prefer?
Awesome
Thanks Leo! 🩷🍷
I won't wine if I don't win! LOL
I hope you'll check out the books, even if you don't win, Marianna! 🍷🩷
Looks like a very interesting read! The details make me want it to be my next read. No questions for the author.
Thanks Joe! I genuinely hope you'll enjoy the book(s)!
It looks like a good read.
Thanks Leela! I hope you'll check them both out! 🩷🍷
do you get writers block?
Hi Ashleigh. Pretty sure every writer gets writer's block at some point, but I didn't really suffer from that with these first two books. I'm working on book 3 now and it's going a bit slower than I'd like but not feeling totally blocked yet. Fingers crossed!
Love and wine go so well together I look forward to reading will be adding to tbr pile.
Thanks so much Sabrina! Happy reading! I hope you'll really enjoy them both! 🍷🩷
Oh man, I hate dating. LOL I'm going to Paris next year!
Dating is the worst! But I figure... better to laugh about it than cry. Hence the romcom. And Paris is always a good idea. If you read Will There Be Wine?, you'll have lots of great Paris restaurant recommendations to check out. Many scenes take place in real restaurants and bars.😉
Looking forward to reading this
Thanks Bill! Hope you'll enjoy it!
looks like a fun one.
I'm looking forward to reading this. The last book I read was Dune and it was a little intense. I need to read something lighter and this romantic comedy would be perfect.
This sounds like awesome book!! Deff added to my tbr & can’t wait to read them! Ty for sharing!
Paris is beautyful.
Looks like a wonderful read!
I love stories that take place in Paris- so romantic
Sounds like a great book!