Title: Sunset Over the Cherry Orchard
Author: Jo Thomas
Publisher: Headline Review
Date: August 9th, 2018
Format: Physical ARC
Source: from Publisher for a review
Synopsis (from Goodreads): 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 Lucy Diamond, Milly Johnson and Katie Fforde, SUNSET OVER THE CHERRY ORCHARD is a heartwarming, hilarious tale.
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 Andalucian 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.
Review:
I believe there’s a right time for everything, and that includes books and authors as well.
Let me explain what I mean…
Jo Thomas is an author of women’s fiction (which is my favorite genre) for several years now. If you take a look at her covers and read synopsis of her novels, you expect feel good stories full of food, love and interesting people in interesting places.
Sounds like exactly my cup of tea, right!
But somehow, until recently, Jo Thomas was invisible to me. I have not paid attention to her books, which so unfortunate and don’t even ask me why because I could not give you the answer. Somehow, I haven’t heard about her or her books, even though she is kinda popular and twitter is buzzing about her.
What is even more ironic, after finishing Sunset over the Cherry Orchard I realized I already own one of her previous books, The Olive Branch, which I won in a giveaway two years ago along with other 7 books by other authors.
This year, Thomas’ newest novel came to my door unsolicited, thanks to Becky Hunter who is publicist in publishing house Headline Review. I worked with Becky ever since I started blogging and she thought I would love Sunset Over the Cherry Orchard.
She was so right! I loved, loved, loved everything about this book.
I read it on my vacation and honestly I can not imagine more appropriate book to read while you’re relaxed, in a good mood, eating fruit and feeling sunshine on your skin…
The story follows Beti Winter who moves in Spain with her fiance to start a new life. Not long after they move in, her fiance leaves her and also takes away all of her money, leaving her by herself struggling to make it on her own.
Beti was a character to look up to. She’s been through so much, always judged by other people but she never stopped believing in herself, never loosing hope.
I could relate to her so much, on many aspects: from failed relationships to judgmental family (only I never got robbed, thanks God, but then again, I never had some big inheritance so here we are).
As I already stated, I loved everything about this novel.
I loved how it was structured, with short chapters with interesting ends that make you want to read next one immediately. Good vibes were all over the pages, even though the story itself is not only cherries, dance and sunshine (but there are plenty of it through it, just so you know!). There were also some life situatuions that are somewhat challenging, but still, Jo Thomas managed to keep good mood through the whole story, and I phrase her for that!
I love how every character had it’s own role and no one was there just for sake of being.
I won’t bore you any longer because I think this review is already pretty long, so I will just say (I would shout it if I could actually) that Sunset Over the Cherry Orchard is an adorable book and you should all do yourself a favour, take this novel, let it bring a piece of sunshine into your lives and read it!
I am so thankful that I had a chance to enjoy Sunset Over the Cherry Orchard and I am so looking forward to read more books by Jo Thomas, because I have a feeling she could be my new favorite author.
As you’ve probably guessed, The Olive Branch is the next one on my tbr.
Book Dust Magic 
This sounds like a gorgeous, light-hearted read! Fabulous review!
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Thank you Lindsay! It was an excellent choice to read it during summer.
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This does sound like a perfect book while you were enjoying your holiday. Reading about sun and nice foods is always better while you are doing it yourself. To me, it sounds similar to a book I reviewed a few weeks ago – Flip Flops, Fiesta and Flamenco. You will remember from my review that I enoyed reading that. I also haven’t read any of this Author, despite as you say her being popular and the buzz on twitter. I think she sounds like an author I would enoy too. I hope you like The Olive Branch just as much.
Amanda
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I will let you know if I’ll like The Plove Branch. I have to read one book for the blog tour first, and then I’ll read the Olive Branch, because it is also summer book so I want to read it while it’s still warm. I feel like you’d also enjoy Thomas bc she writes about food and people who make food for the ones they love, and I know you like those kind of stories.
Yes, I remember you review for Flip Flops, Fiesta and Flamenco and I agree that it is probably similar, bc dance is also part of this book too.
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