Curious Wine

There are certain books classified as classics that are important in lesfic. Forrest's name comes up a lot because she was writing lesfic before many others. At least lesbian books that weren't considered pulp, that had horrible endings. This is a classic lesbian romance, that if you changed a few things, could be written today. And considering this was published when I was 1 years-old, that's pretty good.The main characters do fall in love very quickly, but what I like about it was its sensuali [...]

“Nothing interesting can possibly happen in a cabin full of women.” So ends the first chapter of Curious Wine, Katherine Forrest’s classic novel of the early 80’s in which 6 women bring their personal issues to a beautiful Tahoe cabin for a weeks skiing in an era when encounter groups were in, padded shoulders were the norm and lesbian romance was definitely still in the closet.Diane is depressed about breaking up with her boyfriend. As she meets the group she instantly bonds with the go [...]

I liked this book because it will tell you exactly why women would choose to become lesbians and why that is so much better than the alternative! Seriously though, it may seem cheesy today, but what do you expect from lesbian fiction written in the early 80's? That's part of the fun, just the descriptions of the clothes and the party games are so weird and hilarious. But you have to see it for what it meant at the time, and consider it a part of women's history. I am sure it was a huge milestone [...]

I thought this book was an absolutely beautiful love story about two people that were meant to be together. I loved the constant references to Emily Dickenson. I thought it was an original story line and way ahead of it's time. I will definately be reading more books by Katherine V. Forrest in the very near future. This book made me laugh, smile, and almost cry. I really enjoyed how the author had such a perfect way of describing the emotions felt by the characters in the book. One of my favorit [...]

I read Curious Wine 13 years ago and it was my first time ever reading a lesbian romance. 13 years later I still read it all the time and find myself always anticipating the first time Lane and Diana come together. Some of the descriptions may be dated for younger people but this story is truly timeless.

I read this when I first came out, years ago, as I tried to read everything I could get my hands on. I thought the description of place was very vivid and lovely. I didn't even then think the book was realistic in any way. The "encounter" sessions, where you say horrible things to people you don't even know? That Lane and Diana would become lovers after one of them, I forget which is who, is very upset after such a session? I do not think that a woman who thought of herself as straight would jus [...]

I don’t recall how I came upon Curious Wine, but I seem to have had it for quite some time. Perhaps a find from the endless hours spent perusing lists of LGBT-themed books? I did take a leap of faith a few years back, so that must have been it.Reading Curious Wine made me think of both Desert Hearts and Claire of the Moon. I felt as if I was watching the narrative happening through a grain filter, which was both endearing and helpful, as it offered the distance, both in terms of time and space [...]

i'm really struggling between giving it a 3 or 4 stars. if the book had only been about diana and lane, i'd have given it 5 stars. their story was perfect. as individual characters, they were both compelling, smart and beautiful and as a couple it was just a pure firework.but then the author added the whole groupe of women, whose stories were interesting but it just kept you from focusing on diana and lane which was a shame. and there is also the absolute horrible casino night interlude which wa [...]

This was on a list of classic lesbian romance novels so I read it. Written in 1983 and set in 1978, it was very dated. Like watching Dessert Hearts now, I can understand that it was maybe groundbreaking in its day but it just doesn't hold up well. The romance happened fast which I found hard to believe. And *spoiler* there was a rape which I found disconcerting and inadequately processed. And if it was there to compare a hetero relationship with a gay one, a bit problematic.

This was a very fast read. I started it on a Wednesday and finished it on Thursday, less than 24 hours later. This was written in the early '80's and set in 1978. It is the story of a woman in her thirties who, after the breakup of a relationship with a man, suddenly finds herself drawn to another woman. It's a love at first sight for both women and while neither woman has been in a real relationship with a women, Lane, the woman the protagonist, Diana falls for, at least recognized the tendency [...]

"Nothing interesting can possibly happen in a cabin full of women."Loved that line! ;) All up I'd put this as a 3 1/2 star book. I mostly read it because I was really in need of something I *knew* I could finish in one sitting, and also I am going to be strict with my owned-but-not-read list this year! I've had this one waiting for a couple of years now, and am very glad I finally read it. The dialogue was fun and quick, and though it was a LOT racier than my tastes run, at least it wasn't too e [...]

4.5 starsThis is a love story of two women who are alike in so many ways: both are raised by and have strong bonds with their single fathers, both share similar passion for poetry and music, both are feminine yet strong-willed, independent. It is all about gentleness, tenderness, softness, sensitivity and intensity (words mentioned like a hundred time in the book), something only lesbian relationships can make you feel.

This book was short and sweet. I read it in just two days ( which is a record for me. I'm usually so slow to finish a book ) I enjoyed this. Finally a lesbian romance that is happy. I enjoyed the characters and enjoyed the quick look into such a large moment of their lives. I would have loved to know more about how things went, even would have loved to read a series about these two.

Romance written in the 70s and 80s is a hard sell for me, but a friend of mine loaned me her copy so I read book. This one was a quick read, but I had a hard time getting invested in the characters. Also, it's a matter of taste, but I needed less talking and more tension. Not angst, but sexual tension. I don't really mind a slow burn, but there was no burning, not even in the sex scenes.

I guess this is supposed to be lesbian erotica, or some sort of lesbian love novelrhaps if you're a straight white man. Seriously, this book is ridiculous.

A sweet and unusual lesbian romance. Set in 1978 it is definitely dated, quite amusingly so. Gentle all the way, and subtly gripping, it left me keen throughout to learn how events would unfold.

This book in my opinion is one of the best lesbian romances out there. I happen to be a big fan of Katherine Forrest and this is her best book by far

I haven't read this book for many years but I previously gave it five stars when I entered it as one of the books I own, just based on what I remembered of it. But now after reading it again, I have to revise my rating downward. Yes, it's a nice sweet love story, but it's so predictable and unrealistic. Of course the two formerly heterosexual women who meet in a cabin in Tahoe, fall in love and decide to become lesbians and move in together are ravishingly beautiful. Of course most of the men in [...]

Curious Wine has a reputation for being an essential part of romantic lesbian fiction, so I was keen to read it. The novel was first published in the early 80s and it must have been revolutionary at the time of release. It's a love story between two women that doesn't involve death, insanity, or the participants repenting their unnatural ways and going back to men - considering how routinely these tropes appear in classic works of lesbian fiction, Curious Wine was like a breath of fresh air. It [...]

It's funny because for some reason when I first read the summary, I didn't think Lane was a woman's name therefore it actually surprised me when I realized I was reading a woman-woman kind of romance novel. Funny but not odd, it didn't weird me out or make me uncomfortable. I'm used to reading gay romance, whether it's books or fanfiction so my understand came naturally. I liked the book. I liked how effortlessly and lightly it was written, it was like a passing warm breeze that tangles your hai [...]

This book felt very dated. Published in 1983, the story feels ten years older with its “women’s group” dialogue, feminist posturing and pseudo-psycho activities. The women in the cabin are self-absorbed and dull. Thankfully women have moved on from this sort of “navel gazing”, “group hug” style sisterhood stuff and realised that they are individuals not some sort of collective against the world. The best parts of the book are the scenes between Diana and Lane and the development of [...]

A moving, magnificent novel about love and the discovery of self. Despite how short the novel is, I felt an incredible affinity with the two lead characters and was desperately willing them on the whole time. Beautifully written, I can't remember the last time a book made me smile so much. A simple story that needed to be told, and one of those books that makes you want to flip right back to page 1 and indulge all over again. The characters I am sure will stay with me for a long time, and this i [...]

If you want interesting fiction.ghtful charactersfunny dialogengaging action.ul literatureyou'll find none of that here.I loved this book, but only because I wanted some lesbian fiction that was a little more romance and a little less raunch. heart and less sweat. Sure it was erotica, but erotica with a bit of cheese and sap. That's what I wanted, and this was it! That said, unless that's all you care about too, I don't think I'd recommend it to anyone.

This is a very dated book, and a bit in the cheesy romance novel genre. There are some things about it that feel very real, but a lot of it makes me think of bad early 90s hair and the world of the perma-closet.

Definitely lesbian chick lit from another generation. Enjoyable, but somewhat bland. And so much entrenched acceptance of sexism! An unembellished window into a different chapter of lesbian America, lacking some depth but pleasant enough for reading in the park.

A captivating novel full of sensual magic in the love story between two women. It will make you laugh, feel on edge and maybe even cry.

one of the first lesbian romances I read and one of my favorites

The writing was awful at first but got better. A very hokey story with characters that could have used more development- but I still cried at the end because I'm a sap

Apparently describing lesbian sex as "soft" and "beautiful" for 200 pages just doesn't do it for me.

I haven't read this in years but it is just the classic Naiad Romance--one of the first lesbian fiction novels I ever read.