Barrel Proof
He tastes the world in instinct and memory; she measures it in molecules and data.
Desmond Barrett is the reluctant patriarch of the Ironbarrel Distillery, a man who lives by tradition and the ghosts of his past. He possesses millions in aging whiskey but lacks the liquidity to save his family's heritage, and he certainly doesn't want a polished outsider telling him how to run his copper-and-brick cathedral.
Dr. Maren Kincaid is a hyper-competent chemical engineer with a ruined reputation and a desperate need to prove her worth. Armed with data and analytical precision, she steps into the humid, oak-scented world of Kentucky whiskey, only to find herself at war with a rugged distiller who trusts his gut over her graphs.
As professional rivalry turns into a volatile chemical reaction, a massive storm and a case of corporate sabotage trap them together in a remote rickhouse. Amidst rising floodwaters and the intoxicating fumes of the 'angel’s share,' Desmond and Maren must combine instinct and science to save the distillery—before the heat between them leads to an explosion.
The Blurb
Desmond Barrett is the reluctant patriarch of the Ironbarrel Distillery, a man who lives by tradition and the ghosts of his past. He possesses millions in aging whiskey but lacks the liquidity to save his family's heritage, and he certainly doesn't want a polished outsider telling him how to run his copper-and-brick cathedral.
Dr. Maren Kincaid is a hyper-competent chemical engineer with a ruined reputation and a desperate need to prove her worth. Armed with data and analytical precision, she steps into the humid, oak-scented world of Kentucky whiskey, only to find herself at war with a rugged distiller who trusts his gut over her graphs.
As professional rivalry turns into a volatile chemical reaction, a massive storm and a case of corporate sabotage trap them together in a remote rickhouse. Amidst rising floodwaters and the intoxicating fumes of the 'angel’s share,' Desmond and Maren must combine instinct and science to save the distillery—before the heat between them leads to an explosion.
"A masterpiece of atmospheric tension! The chemistry between Dez and Maren is as potent as the whiskey they craft. I loved the blend of technical food science and raw, rugged emotion. Georgia Reed has created a world that smells like oak and feels like home."— Lydia Thorne