I am so delighted to be sharing my thoughts today on this cracker of a book, Sunset Over The Cherry Orchard by Jo Thomas. This is my first experience of this author and I have now bought a couple of her other books as I loved this book so much xx

Grab a copy from good book shops or from Amazon UK in various formats CLICK HERE

Synopsis:

Jo Thomas’s new novel invites you to a special cherry orchard in Spain, where sunshine, romance and family secrets are the order of the day. Perfect for fans of Jill Mansell and Carole Matthews, SUNSET OVER THE CHERRY ORCHARD is a heartwarming, hilarious tale that is ‘like the best kind of holiday’ (Lucy Diamond).

It’s time for Beti Winter to dance to her own beat.

After three failed engagements Beti is in desperate need of a fresh start. What better place than the sun-drenched hills of southern Spain?

But it’s not all sangria and siestas. Beti finds work on an old Andalusian cherry farm where there are cherries to be picked, trees to be watered and her fiery boss, Antonio, to win over.

As the sun toasts her skin, Beti finds herself warming to the Spanish way of life. Embracing the art of flamenco, she discovers there is much to learn from the dance of passion. She just has to let loose and listen to the rhythm of her heart.

Jo Thomas takes you there.

My Thoughts:

Beti has always had dreams that never quite reach fruition, something or usually someone lets her down. Wanting to escape the humdrum and monotonous daily routines she decides to take the plunge with her fiance Will. She wants to take a look at a bar in Spain and hopefully start a new chapter in her life. Well what she got was definitely not what she bargained for.

Oh my god I loved this book sooooooo much, I have never been to Spain or seen Flamenco, or tasted authentic Spanish cuisine, but after reading this book I can say it has opened my eyes from the beautiful descriptions and the wonderful writing . The author has managed to give me a glimpse of Spain that I would love to visit.

So to start, Beti…. oh my heart went out to her, unlucky and overlooked, wanting to escape from the expectations and shadows of other family members, so desperate to be someone her parents could really be proud of and for them to be able to shout her achievements from the rooftops. She is just a normal woman who wants more out of life but has not the courage to go for it. Until she finds a Cherry Orchard and Antonio.

The main part of the story I got to know the characters, how they tick and how they become connected. Along with this I also got to know more about Spain and some of its customs and traditions, the everyday Spain if you like and not the loud club scene type, but more just off the beaten tourist track Spain. A place where family, pride, passion and heart is important, it was an emotional rollercoaster of a story with some Flamenco as well.

I loved the idyllic sounding cottage and the sense of community and as for the Orchard, well I could happily help out there. There is a romantic aspect to this story and it is not the twee lovey-dovey style, it is more realistic and for me complimented the rest of the story very well.

This is a stunning and brilliant book that has some more serious themes, but a whole lot more as well. It is beautifully written, wonderfully descriptive and I loved every single moment of it. One I would highly recommend as a must read.

About the Author:

Jo Thomas worked for many years as a reporter and producer, first for BBC Radio 5, before moving on to Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour and Radio 2’s The Steve Wright Show. In 2013 Jo won the RNA Katie Fforde Bursary. Her debut novel, The Oyster Catcher, was a runaway bestseller in ebook and was awarded the 2014 RNA Joan Hessayon Award and the 2014 Festival of Romance Best Ebook Award. Jo lives in the Vale of Glamorgan with her husband and three children.

Follow Jo on Twitter – Website

Many thanks for reading my post, a like or share would be amazing 🙂 xx