Under the Olive Tree

by Courtney Miller Santo

In a small town in Northern California, the olives are ripening and the Keller women, a multigenerational family of firstborn daughters, are preparing to send their youngest, Erin, abroad. Although she worries about forsaking her family, she is compelled to take a chance at living her dream.

A crisis the day before she is to leave makes Erin question her choice. Is it possible that before she can return to Hill House, she might lose one of her beloved grandmothers? Because, although she has three caretakers—Anna, her great-great-grandmother; Bets, her great-grandmother; and Callie, her grandmother—Erin has no mother. It is an absence keenly felt and never mentioned.

Under the Olive Tree offers a tantalizing glimpse into the secrets of the Keller women, which spill out in surprising and heartbreaking ways in the forthcoming novel The Roots of the Olive Tree. Enjoy this early taste!

Genres: Fiction, Short Stories, Womens Fiction, Chick Lit

49 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 24, 2012

About the author

Courtney Miller Santo teaches creative writing at the University of Memphis, where she received her MFA. She has a BA in journalism from Washington and Lee University and although born and raised in Portland, Oregon, she’s spent most of her adult life in the South. Her work has appeared or is forthcoming in the Los Angeles Review, Irreantum, Sunstone and Segullah. Her debut novel THE ROOTS OF THE OLIVE TREE will be published this year by William Morrow. For more information please visit www.courtneysanto.com.

Reviews

[Suzie Tullett · Rating 3 out of 5]

Under the Olive Tree is Courtney Miller Santo’s prequel to The Roots of the Olive Tree. But unlike Jodi Picoult’s Larger than Life, this one left me disappointed. Introducing five generations of women in one go left me struggling to work out who was who and I had to keep referring back as I continued to read. Sadly, neither was it a story with a beginning, a middle and an end. Yes, it’s a teaser to the full length novel, I would just have preferred it to be a complete story as well.

[Laurie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Seriously.... I'm thinking this could have easily been included in the next book😔

[Leighann Garber · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not really a book

This is more like the special features deleted scenes. Well written, but not as much as the novel the roots of the olive tree. It’s an appetizer, which read after the main novel is a bit odd. But it was nice to hear these characters voices again, especially since I know their secrets now.

[Kristen · Rating 1 out of 5]

Don’t see how this can even be classified as a novella. It is basically a brief introduction to the characters, and then an excerpt of the main novel. I feel the information could of just been included in a forward of the main novel. I have mixed feelings about reading the main novel.

[Joann Theede · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very sweet story

A wonderful history of how one family came to California and started a life in the olive business. The women seemed to live very long lives and someone was very interested in this and wanted to study why this was. A delightful story.

[Ashley Snow · Rating 1 out of 5]

Meh

This novella was unnecessary really - just read the real book. In fact I’m not sure why this novella was created.

[Amy M. Sisul · Rating 3 out of 5]

Just seemed incomplete.

While I realize this is a novella, it just seemed incomplete, more like a promotional snippet of a more complete story.

[Kay Mcaloney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting novella which makes me want to read more about the Olive Trees. Strong, interesting female characters and story line.

[Ellen M. Reed · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent

Once I established the lineage of the women, the story was wrapped up in history and knowledge of the olive growing process!!!

[Cheryl M-M · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a short novella about family structures and the role females play withing the structures.
The Keller women are obviously a complicated lot. The author shows a common structure of strong generations of women with a matriarch at the top of the pyramid.
Each woman has secrets, weaknesses and distinct personality traits.
I think it is a story that offers emotion and insight without becoming overly soppy.
The novella serves as an introduction to the women of the Keller family and in the last chapter, which is a preview of [[ASIN:1848509766 The Roots of the Olive Tree]], the reader is sent back into the matriarchs past.
It felt the single characters could have been introduced with a little more clarity. At times it was hard to follow who was daughter, sister, mother or grandmother to whom. Other than that it is a pleasant read with a strong family message of coming home and feeling safe.

[Cindy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Under the Olive Tree is a short novella that is a prequel to the next book.

I liked the descriptive parts describing the orchard and the olives. I felt as if I were there walking among the trees. That was the best part of it.

The characters were a granddaughter, grandmother, great grandmothers and her great great grandmother, I believe. Truthfully, I was totally confused as to what each woman was.

Sorry to say, but this didn't interest me enough that I would want to read more. Usually a prequel will draw me in but this one didn't do that. I can't say I would recommend this story since there wasn't much to it.

[Veerle · Rating 2 out of 5]

hmmm. you can like chic lit from time to time, but this barely exceeded the minimum to pass the 'i finished the book' status. a book about 5 generations: it's a bit too much: too many main characters, which makes that you don't really connect to either one of them, due to lack of identification. bringing in a fifth character, but she's in jail and all she does is run away again; i don't really see the point nor the added value. i was on holiday, just finished a classic novel (the 'heavy shit'), so this was like a sorbet after a feasty meal: it cleansed my palet, but that was it. so if you don't have any palet to cleanse, stay away from this one. it might get you a bit brain dead.

[Samhy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Under the Olive Tree is the prequel of The Roots of the Olive Tree. This short story sets the place and characters for the story to come. It is quite a nice presentation of the five generations of women in the Keller family and their lives on the property, but it would be too short on its own.
I can not recommend to read the prequel and only the prequel. However, it convinced me to read the full story. I really liked the style and got attached to the characters.
I am looking forward to reading more.

[Shelley Simmons-Reynolds · Rating 1 out of 5]

I downloaded this book to try Google Play Books for the first time. Needless to say, I was thoroughly confused. I couldn't keep track of who the characters were, in relation to one another. I was totally lost because it was so short and included three chapters of a second book. I assumed something was wrong with my download until I read other comments here. To top it off, for something so short, it wasn't well edited. I won't be bothering with the main book.

[Janice · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a novella, which I read as it is the prequel to The Roots of the Olive Tree by Courtney Miller Santo. The novella was good enough that I wanted to read the book and learn more about the characters and their lives.

[Paula Howard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Under the Olive Tree is a 40 page novella that sets the stage for The Roots of the Olive tree. The story is centered around a family of 5 women.....Erin and her grandmother, great-grandmother, great-great-grandmother and great-great-great-grandmother. Of course, there is a mystery because of the age of her g-g-g grandmother age... the story continues..

[Monja · Rating 1 out of 5]

While I thought this short (40) page book was more like a Novella or short story, it was more of an introduction to a novel by this author. Waste of time, I'd rather have read the book. Don't know if I will not, just cause I was expecting more than an introduction. So there!

[Linda Hardin · Rating 2 out of 5]

A teaser to TheRoots OF THE Olive Tree. I read that also.Agood read about five generations of women. each of whom has a secret. I felt the ending did not resolve the threads of the story.Ithink I feel a sequel. Not sure there is enough for a sequel

[Roz Curney-Sherod · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a novella not the full novel. I was not aware of that when I started to read it because it was free! I like women's contemporary stories but this one had too many generations to keep the characters straight. Once the story started to get interesting, it was over.

[Betsy Wasser · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lovely imagery. Can't wait for the novel.

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

E short prequel to ROOTS OF THE OLIVE TREE. The short introduces four generations of Keller women as they prepare for the youngest, Erin, to leave for Italy. The story is set two years before ROOTS.

[Linzee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome story that introduces you to the Keller women. I read it after the "Roots of the olive Tree." Fabulous!

[Martha · Rating 2 out of 5]

Short little thing that made me want to know a bit more. Maybe I'll read another of these. It looks like a series of books about some really old women and an olive grove.

[Therese]

$0.0

[Capoppy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a Novella...and free friday on the nook.. it was just enough to make you want to read the book..The roots of the Olive Tree..

[Angie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lovely characters - love the grands ! Just enough to make me want to read on ....The Roots of the Olive tree ;-)

[Alison]

kindle 48 pages prequel to (the roots of the olive tree) short story

[Randi · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a very short novella, which I read in about 2hours. It was such a wonderful "tease" that I am looking forward to reading the novel.

[Miranda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this and it made me want to read the actual book.

[Pjjop26 · Rating 1 out of 5]

More of an introduction than a short story. Also completely confused whoeach character was grand mother great grand mother greatvgreat grandmother.