Vino & Veritas Books in Order

Vino & Veritas is another branch of the wider True North universe, centred on a queer wine bar and bookstore in Burlington, Vermont. Garrett Leigh’s novel Heartscape adds her distinct brand of angsty, grounded romance to this collaborative setting.

In Heartscape, Tanner runs or manages the Vino & Veritas bar, a job he often feels ill‑suited for. He is quiet, brooding, and perpetually one step away from another downward spiral, more comfortable polishing glasses than talking tannins with customers. He is getting through his shifts one day at a time when Jax, a traveller with an ocean in his eyes and scars he is not ready to explain, stumbles into his orbit.

A mutual friend asks Tanner to offer Jax a couch for a while, and what should have been a temporary favour quickly turns into something more intimate. Sharing a small space peels back behaviour both men use as armour. Tanner has a history of mental‑health struggles that make him wary of being a burden; Jax is carrying trauma that has left literal and figurative marks. Together, they navigate panic attacks, nightmares, and the simple logistics of making room for someone else in a life that has been pared down to survival.

The bar is ever‑present: shifts behind the counter, regulars with their own stories, nights when closing duties bleed into quiet conversations on the walk home. Leigh makes good use of the shared setting without letting it overshadow the romance. Cameos from other Vino & Veritas couples will be a bonus if you have read more of the line, but are not required to follow Tanner and Jax.

At its core, the book is about two men who do not believe they deserve stability finding it in each other. If you enjoy small‑scale, emotionally intense romance where the big gestures are things like cooking for someone or sitting with them through a bad day, Heartscape is a strong entry in the Vino & Veritas world.