I haven’t read a book by Eva Glyn before, so I didn’t know what to expect from The Olive Grove.
Description of The Olive Grove
A woman searching for a different future
A man desperate to escape his past
Can these two find what they are looking for on the beautiful Croatian island of Korčula?
Antonia Butler is on the brink of a life-changing decision and a job advert looking for a multilingual housekeeper at a beautifully renovated Croatian farmhouse, Vila Maslina, is one she can’t ignore.
Arriving on the tiny picturesque island of Korčula, Antonia feels a spark of hope for the first time in a long time. This is a chance to leave the past behind.
But this island, and its inhabitants, have secrets of their own and a not-too-distant past steeped in tragedy and war. None more so than Vila Maslina’s enigmatic owner Damir Maric. A young man with nothing to lose but everything to gain…
Review
The book captured my imagination right from the start.
When Antonia Butler takes up a job as a housekeeper at Vila Maslina , on the Croatian island of Korčula, she’s escaping from a romance with her married boss! Her young new boss is the enigmatic, Damir Maric, on the passing of his beloved aunt, has newly renovated the home he inherited on the olive grove.
Working for Damir, Antonia becomes more confident and also able to give her daughter the space she needs to grow up. She also finds herself feeling completely part of the local community.
This is a moving story of the outcome of conflict in Croatia and atrocities of war. Damir, a young child, with a Croatian father in the army and a Bosnian mother was a victim of this. Taken in and protected by his aunt, he has repressed his memories of the war. But when something he finds in the attic of his home, sparks off memories, he’s totally clueless how to handle them.
How Antonia and other members of the community help Damir to resolve his past and move forward makes for an engrossing read.
Set in a beautiful locale, with great characters, this is story of healing and love.
The author, Eva Glyn, also goes by the name of Jane Cable. Connect with the author on her website | Twitter | Book Bub
My thanks to the publisher, Netgalley and Rachel Quinn for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.