The Orange Grove by Rosanna Ley - #BookReview

 

Holly flipped through the crumpled and stained pages of her mother's old recipe book and there it was, peeking from inside a  yellowing envelope. As if somebody (her mother?) had half wanted the recipe to be a secret one, half wanted it to be seen.

Carefully, she extracted the fragile sheet of paper from the envelope and smoothed out the folds with her fingertips. The original recipe was written in Spanish; she recognised a few of the words. Under this, the ingredients and instructions had been written much more clearly and in English, all of it in handwriting she did not recognise.

Seville orange and almond cake, she read. For an occasion. Well, she thought, if this wasn't an occasion - the day she made her big announcement...

***

An unforgettable story of past love and family secrets, set in sunny Seville

Holly loves making marmalade. Now she has a chance to leave her stressful city job and pursue her dream - of returning to the Dorset landscape of her childhood to open Bitter Orange, a shop celebrating the fruit that first inspired her.

Holly's mother Ella has always loved Seville. So why is she reluctant to go back there with Holly to source products for the shop? What is she frightened of - and does it have anything to do with the old Spanish recipe for Seville orange and almond cake that Ella keeps hidden from her family?

In Seville, where she was once forced to make the hardest decision of her life, Ella must finally face up to the past, while Holly meets someone who poses a threat to all her plans. Seville is a city full of sunshine and oranges. But it can also be bittersweet. Will love survive the secrets of the orange grove?

***

It may appear a little odd to you that I have read this book at a time when the temperature is about 3 degrees centigrade and the festivities are just around the corner. However, with the rainy days and the chill in the air, I have enjoyed spending time in the warmth and ambience of Seville. I have loved walking along it's streets, taking in the orange groves and smelling their sweet aroma.

You are just as likely to find me reading a book set at Christmas during the summer months. For me, seasonality is unimportant although I appreciate that this is not the case for all readers. 

This book made for a gorgeous read and I enjoyed every word. I particularly liked the dual timeline, being told from the perspective of mother and daughter, Ella and Holly. Seeing Ella's secretive past unfurl beside the contemporaneous experience of Holly in a city which meant so much to them both was engaging and thoroughly gripping.

Seville itself features as strongly as any of the characters and was delightful to read about. I challenge anyone who reads this to not feel as though they want to get straight on an aeroplane and go there.

This is the first book that I have read by this author and I doubt it will be my last. One or two of Ms. Ley's books will be going straight onto my Christmas list. 

ISBN:  978 1787476349

Publisher: Quercus

Format: e-book, audio, hardback and paperback

No. of Pages:  448 (paperback)

About the Author:

Rosanna has written numerous articles and short stories for magazines, and her novels have been published in the UK, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Poland, Norway, Hungary, Portugal, Lithuania, Denmark, Bulgaria, Turkey, Israel and the Czech Republic. All Rosanna’s titles are also being published by Quercus in the US.

Rosanna has worked as a creative writing tutor for over 20 years. She has led courses for colleges and universities in England, and runs her own writing retreats and holidays in the UK and in stunning locations in Europe. She has worked with community groups in therapeutic settings and completed an MA in creative writing for personal development in order to support this. She also mentors and appraises the work of new writers.

Travelling and cliff walking are two of Rosanna’s favourite things to do. She also likes tennis, swimming, reading, eating very dark chocolate and drinking Italian coffee (preferably in Italy…) She lives with her artist husband in West Dorset and her favourite writing place is anywhere with a sea view.

(photo and bio info courtesy of the author's own website)