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The Other Side of The Bridge
Ava Lancet has lost her job, her marriage, and her baby when she discovers she has inherited her grandmother’s dilapidated farmhouse in a tiny village in central Greece. With the kind of emotional impulsiveness that has frustrated her stony-faced husband for years, she decides to move there and recover from life’s sorrows.
It only takes a few minutes in her new home to realize just what a dump it is, and how ridiculously rash her decision was. Yet Ava perseveres, and thanks to her grandmother’s legacy, is welcomed into the village... as well as by handsome widower Andreas Lethikos.
When an elderly woman in the village mistakes Ava for her grandmother, telling her, with tears trickling down her face, that she is so sorry, Ava is both touched and intrigued. What is the woman sorry for, and what secrets did her grandmother keep? With the help of a local schoolteacher who is interviewing the remaining Second World War survivors in central Greece, Ava discovers the surprising threads of her grandmother’s life... and they help to weave her own life back together.
In 1942, in Italian and Nazi-occupied Greece, Ava’s grandmother Sophia Paranoussis is fighting to keep her family, and especially her impulsive sister Angelika, safe. When she is approached by a stranger to help with the local Resistance, she longs to refuse, yet a sense of both duty and honor compel her to agree. Frightened and yet with growing courage, Sophia begins to aid twelve British SOEs who have parachuted into Greece to blow up the Gorgopotamos viaduct--and falls in impossible love with one of them.
Spanning three generations and exploring the lives of two very different and yet surprisingly similar women, The Other Side of The Bridge will remind you how a fragile hope can spring from both tragedy and despair. Written by USA Today bestselling author Kate Hewitt, writing as Katharine Swartz.
It only takes a few minutes in her new home to realize just what a dump it is, and how ridiculously rash her decision was. Yet Ava perseveres, and thanks to her grandmother’s legacy, is welcomed into the village... as well as by handsome widower Andreas Lethikos.
When an elderly woman in the village mistakes Ava for her grandmother, telling her, with tears trickling down her face, that she is so sorry, Ava is both touched and intrigued. What is the woman sorry for, and what secrets did her grandmother keep? With the help of a local schoolteacher who is interviewing the remaining Second World War survivors in central Greece, Ava discovers the surprising threads of her grandmother’s life... and they help to weave her own life back together.
In 1942, in Italian and Nazi-occupied Greece, Ava’s grandmother Sophia Paranoussis is fighting to keep her family, and especially her impulsive sister Angelika, safe. When she is approached by a stranger to help with the local Resistance, she longs to refuse, yet a sense of both duty and honor compel her to agree. Frightened and yet with growing courage, Sophia begins to aid twelve British SOEs who have parachuted into Greece to blow up the Gorgopotamos viaduct--and falls in impossible love with one of them.
Spanning three generations and exploring the lives of two very different and yet surprisingly similar women, The Other Side of The Bridge will remind you how a fragile hope can spring from both tragedy and despair. Written by USA Today bestselling author Kate Hewitt, writing as Katharine Swartz.
300 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 4, 2013
1420 people are currently reading
1682 people want to read
About the author
Katharine Swartz
11 books87 followersAlso published under the name Kate Hewitt.
After spending three years as a diehard New Yorker, Katharine Swartz now lives in the Lake District with her husband, an Anglican minister, their five children, and a Golden Retriever. She enjoys such novel things as long country walks and chatting with people in the street, and her children love the freedom of village life—although she often has to ring four or five people to figure out where they’ve gone off to!
She writes women’s fiction as well as contemporary romance for Mills & Boon Modern under the name Kate Hewitt, and whatever the genre she enjoys delivering a compelling and intensely emotional story. Find out more about her books at www.katharineswartz.com.
After spending three years as a diehard New Yorker, Katharine Swartz now lives in the Lake District with her husband, an Anglican minister, their five children, and a Golden Retriever. She enjoys such novel things as long country walks and chatting with people in the street, and her children love the freedom of village life—although she often has to ring four or five people to figure out where they’ve gone off to!
She writes women’s fiction as well as contemporary romance for Mills & Boon Modern under the name Kate Hewitt, and whatever the genre she enjoys delivering a compelling and intensely emotional story. Find out more about her books at www.katharineswartz.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 178 reviews
August 23, 2021
EXCERPT: Now.
Ava Lancet peered through the unrelenting night as she fought down a growing sense of panic. Darkness had fallen twenty minutes ago and she had no idea where she was - or where she was meant to go.
She glanced at the map crumpled on the passenger seat of her rental car, wishing that the agent had provided a GPS instead of the seemingly obsolete, old-fashioned fold-out map that he'd assured her would help her drive from Athens to the tiny village of Iousidous. And perhaps it would have if she could have made sense of the wiggly lines and incomprehensible Greek names. Not that reading Greek even mattered now because darkness had fallen and she could barely make out the road signs on Greece's National Highway.
She'd been in this country just a few hours and already she was completely lost, both literally and figuratively. Spiritually, emotionally, hopelessly lost. A fortnight ago, escaping a cold wet spring in England had seemed like a wonderful idea, a desperate lifeline since her own life - and marriage - had been put on hold. That's how Ava liked to think of it anyway, because to consider anything else was too final. Too much of a failure.
ABOUT 'BEYOND THE OLIVE GROVE': When Ava arrives in Greece, it’s with a heart that’s shattered into a thousand pieces. But as she pulls up in a tiny village nestled on a cliff above the glittering Ionian Sea, and steps out in front of a tumbledown house that once belonged to her grandmother Sophia, everything changes.
At first Ava almost wants to laugh at this bizarre inheritance—a home that has been uninhabited since the Second World War—that appears as close to collapse as she herself feels. But with nowhere left to run to, her only choice is to start putting the house together again.
What Ava doesn’t expect is for pieces of her grandmother’s story to emerge, as a local survivor from the war begins to share her secrets. Ava can’t help but be drawn to Sophia’s hidden past… even though the truth could change her own life forever.
Because Sophia’s story is one of devastating choices she had to make during the Nazi invasion of her beloved country. It’s a story of bravery, betrayal and tragedy. But most of all, it is a story about love…
MY THOUGHTS: I am a definite starter for books where the main character is left a house, and uncovers a mystery, so I knew as soon as I saw it that I absolutely must read this book. I have read Kate Hewitt before and enjoyed her, so I knew that I was in for a good read.
Hewitt has described rural Greece beautifully - not that I have ever been there, unfortunately - but just as I have seen it on travel documentaries. In Ava's 'now', there is a dearth of young people in the village, but the villagers of a similar age to Ava, or her mother, are friendly, welcoming and helpful, while the older generations are more reserved and distrustful.
Sophia's 'then' in 1942, has a totally different atmosphere. It is a time of poverty and fear, with many different political factions trying to seize control. There are communists, nazis and fascists all competing against one another, each in their own way equally dangerous. Sophia is content to keep her head down, her opinions to herself, and just get on with her work at the café. But other people have vastly different plans for her.
I didn't know much about Greece in WWII, so Beyond the Olive Grove was a bit of an education for me. Please make sure you read Kate's letter at the end of the book. I learned so much more from it, including that Sophia's story is based on both real events and people.
I liked Beyond the Olive Grove, but regretfully didn't love it. In all honesty I felt Ava's story detracted from Sophia's with her marriage and emotional dramas. A good read, but for me one that I probably won't be able to recall in a couple of weeks.
⭐⭐⭐.2
#BeyondtheOliveGrove #NetGalley
I: @katehewitt1 @bookouture
T: @KateHewitt1 @Bookouture
#contemporaryfiction #familydrama #historicalfiction #mystery
THE AUTHOR: Kate likes to read women's fiction, mystery and thrillers, as well as historical novels. She particularly enjoys reading about well-drawn characters and avoids high-concept plots.
Having lived in both New York City and a tiny village on the windswept northwest coast of England, she now resides in a market town in Wales with her husband, five children, and two Golden Retrievers.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Bookouture via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of Beyond the Olive Grove by Kate Hewitt for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com
This review is also published on Twitter, Amazon, Instagram and my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
Ava Lancet peered through the unrelenting night as she fought down a growing sense of panic. Darkness had fallen twenty minutes ago and she had no idea where she was - or where she was meant to go.
She glanced at the map crumpled on the passenger seat of her rental car, wishing that the agent had provided a GPS instead of the seemingly obsolete, old-fashioned fold-out map that he'd assured her would help her drive from Athens to the tiny village of Iousidous. And perhaps it would have if she could have made sense of the wiggly lines and incomprehensible Greek names. Not that reading Greek even mattered now because darkness had fallen and she could barely make out the road signs on Greece's National Highway.
She'd been in this country just a few hours and already she was completely lost, both literally and figuratively. Spiritually, emotionally, hopelessly lost. A fortnight ago, escaping a cold wet spring in England had seemed like a wonderful idea, a desperate lifeline since her own life - and marriage - had been put on hold. That's how Ava liked to think of it anyway, because to consider anything else was too final. Too much of a failure.
ABOUT 'BEYOND THE OLIVE GROVE': When Ava arrives in Greece, it’s with a heart that’s shattered into a thousand pieces. But as she pulls up in a tiny village nestled on a cliff above the glittering Ionian Sea, and steps out in front of a tumbledown house that once belonged to her grandmother Sophia, everything changes.
At first Ava almost wants to laugh at this bizarre inheritance—a home that has been uninhabited since the Second World War—that appears as close to collapse as she herself feels. But with nowhere left to run to, her only choice is to start putting the house together again.
What Ava doesn’t expect is for pieces of her grandmother’s story to emerge, as a local survivor from the war begins to share her secrets. Ava can’t help but be drawn to Sophia’s hidden past… even though the truth could change her own life forever.
Because Sophia’s story is one of devastating choices she had to make during the Nazi invasion of her beloved country. It’s a story of bravery, betrayal and tragedy. But most of all, it is a story about love…
MY THOUGHTS: I am a definite starter for books where the main character is left a house, and uncovers a mystery, so I knew as soon as I saw it that I absolutely must read this book. I have read Kate Hewitt before and enjoyed her, so I knew that I was in for a good read.
Hewitt has described rural Greece beautifully - not that I have ever been there, unfortunately - but just as I have seen it on travel documentaries. In Ava's 'now', there is a dearth of young people in the village, but the villagers of a similar age to Ava, or her mother, are friendly, welcoming and helpful, while the older generations are more reserved and distrustful.
Sophia's 'then' in 1942, has a totally different atmosphere. It is a time of poverty and fear, with many different political factions trying to seize control. There are communists, nazis and fascists all competing against one another, each in their own way equally dangerous. Sophia is content to keep her head down, her opinions to herself, and just get on with her work at the café. But other people have vastly different plans for her.
I didn't know much about Greece in WWII, so Beyond the Olive Grove was a bit of an education for me. Please make sure you read Kate's letter at the end of the book. I learned so much more from it, including that Sophia's story is based on both real events and people.
I liked Beyond the Olive Grove, but regretfully didn't love it. In all honesty I felt Ava's story detracted from Sophia's with her marriage and emotional dramas. A good read, but for me one that I probably won't be able to recall in a couple of weeks.
⭐⭐⭐.2
#BeyondtheOliveGrove #NetGalley
I: @katehewitt1 @bookouture
T: @KateHewitt1 @Bookouture
#contemporaryfiction #familydrama #historicalfiction #mystery
THE AUTHOR: Kate likes to read women's fiction, mystery and thrillers, as well as historical novels. She particularly enjoys reading about well-drawn characters and avoids high-concept plots.
Having lived in both New York City and a tiny village on the windswept northwest coast of England, she now resides in a market town in Wales with her husband, five children, and two Golden Retrievers.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Bookouture via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of Beyond the Olive Grove by Kate Hewitt for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com
This review is also published on Twitter, Amazon, Instagram and my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
August 14, 2021
When Ava’s grandmother died, Ava’s life had recently been shattered, so the news that an old cottage in the small village of Iousidous in Greece was now hers came as a shock, but also a reprieve. Leaving Simon, her husband of twelve years, and everyone else in London felt like the right thing to do at the time. And when she finally arrived to discover the place was a mess; unlived in for the past sixty years, it was falling apart. But Ava would make it livable again – she was determined to.
As Ava made a few friends, and gradually learned about her grandmother Sophia, and what had occurred back at the end of the war in 1945, she understood why Sophia had never spoken of the war. The two sides of the resistance, the Nazis and the Civil War which had taken place at the end of the war were sobering. Learning Sophia had had a sister, Angelika, was also a shock – even Ava’s mother wasn’t aware of that. Eleni, who had helped Ava at the beginning, had her elderly mother living with her. She remembered Sophia. Other elderly residents of the village did as well. But it was the old man in the nearby town of Lamia who tied it all together for her…
In the meantime, Ava was wondering if she should return to England again, to sort things out with Simon. Or should she remain in Iousidous with the few friends, a stray cat and memories?
Beyond the Olive Grove is a heartbreaking but hope filled historical novel by Kate Hewitt, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Set in the two time frames, I enjoyed both. Ava was a bit annoying to start with; Sophia was a strong, courageous young woman who was in well over her head, through no fault of her own. The setting, with the olive groves close to Iousidous, the winding roads and rustic old houses was excellent. Beyond the Olive Grove is one I recommend, and I’m looking forward to my next Kate Hewitt novel.
With thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
As Ava made a few friends, and gradually learned about her grandmother Sophia, and what had occurred back at the end of the war in 1945, she understood why Sophia had never spoken of the war. The two sides of the resistance, the Nazis and the Civil War which had taken place at the end of the war were sobering. Learning Sophia had had a sister, Angelika, was also a shock – even Ava’s mother wasn’t aware of that. Eleni, who had helped Ava at the beginning, had her elderly mother living with her. She remembered Sophia. Other elderly residents of the village did as well. But it was the old man in the nearby town of Lamia who tied it all together for her…
In the meantime, Ava was wondering if she should return to England again, to sort things out with Simon. Or should she remain in Iousidous with the few friends, a stray cat and memories?
Beyond the Olive Grove is a heartbreaking but hope filled historical novel by Kate Hewitt, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Set in the two time frames, I enjoyed both. Ava was a bit annoying to start with; Sophia was a strong, courageous young woman who was in well over her head, through no fault of her own. The setting, with the olive groves close to Iousidous, the winding roads and rustic old houses was excellent. Beyond the Olive Grove is one I recommend, and I’m looking forward to my next Kate Hewitt novel.
With thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
August 10, 2021
3.5 stars
War and its effects go on long after the last bullet has been fired. Its remembrance can carry through one's lifetime and cause a great amount of sorrow and pain.
In Kate Hewitt's book, Beyond The Olive Groove, we meet two main protagonists, one who lived through the war in Greece, while the other is a woman living presently. Both women have experienced intense pain, Sophia Paranoussis because of the ravages of war, and Ava because of the loss of her unborn child. The women are connected as Sophia is the grandmother to Ava. Always severe and never sharing her life in Greece, she leaves Ava her old home in Iousidous, a small village in Greece and because of the turmoil in Ava's life, she decides to go and find the home along with the possibility of learning more of her grandmother.
Ava is separated from her husband, Simon, because he seems so cold and distant in their married life, plus with the loss of their daughter, his ability to grieve seems in question. It's a dramatic choice to leave England and Simon, but one Ava feels is absolutely necessary. Once she arrives in the town, she is taken in by some of the villagers and befriends some with the hope that there still exists a person or persons who knew her grandmother and possibly the reason why she never spoke of the past.
The connection between 1942 and today was a good one and although there were instances of repetition, it still offered a valid story of how one can overcome peril and disaster, to learn not only how the past effects the future, but also that one is never alone when it comes to suffering and finally understanding.
I have so enjoyed Kate Hewitt's former books. The ones that dwell on war have been most tender and sincere in their effort to makes us all better understand the nature of a war-torn environment. Troubles do not go away just because we cover them in many cloaks, but must be dealt with so that eventually we can move forward with life. It is with this hope possibly in mind that Ava can move forward and regain what she once had with Simon.
Thank you to Kate Hewitt, Bookouture, and NetGalley for a copy of this story due out August 13, 2021.
War and its effects go on long after the last bullet has been fired. Its remembrance can carry through one's lifetime and cause a great amount of sorrow and pain.
In Kate Hewitt's book, Beyond The Olive Groove, we meet two main protagonists, one who lived through the war in Greece, while the other is a woman living presently. Both women have experienced intense pain, Sophia Paranoussis because of the ravages of war, and Ava because of the loss of her unborn child. The women are connected as Sophia is the grandmother to Ava. Always severe and never sharing her life in Greece, she leaves Ava her old home in Iousidous, a small village in Greece and because of the turmoil in Ava's life, she decides to go and find the home along with the possibility of learning more of her grandmother.
Ava is separated from her husband, Simon, because he seems so cold and distant in their married life, plus with the loss of their daughter, his ability to grieve seems in question. It's a dramatic choice to leave England and Simon, but one Ava feels is absolutely necessary. Once she arrives in the town, she is taken in by some of the villagers and befriends some with the hope that there still exists a person or persons who knew her grandmother and possibly the reason why she never spoke of the past.
The connection between 1942 and today was a good one and although there were instances of repetition, it still offered a valid story of how one can overcome peril and disaster, to learn not only how the past effects the future, but also that one is never alone when it comes to suffering and finally understanding.
I have so enjoyed Kate Hewitt's former books. The ones that dwell on war have been most tender and sincere in their effort to makes us all better understand the nature of a war-torn environment. Troubles do not go away just because we cover them in many cloaks, but must be dealt with so that eventually we can move forward with life. It is with this hope possibly in mind that Ava can move forward and regain what she once had with Simon.
Thank you to Kate Hewitt, Bookouture, and NetGalley for a copy of this story due out August 13, 2021.
August 28, 2021
I read this one late into the night and wished it had been longer but I did eventually run out of pages in this beautiful story.
A time slip novel focusing on a long ago time in Greece and the consequences of decisions made during the Nazi invasion of a young woman's grandmother's beloved country. It also features this young woman in modern times who inherits her grandmother's former home in Greece as she explores the area her grandmother used to live in.
Richly descriptive, this really makes me want to visit Greece as I feel as though I've already gotten a good taste of it through the descriptions of the area,the welcoming people,their customs and their types of food.
Sentences being written in the Greek language add to the authentic feel of the book.
Though there is a deep betrayal taking place we feel a sense of forgiveness given and accepted.
Hope is strong and love is rekindled!
I really need to read more by this author!
Pub Date 13 Aug 2021
I was given a complimentary copy of this book. Thank you.
All opinions expressed are my own.
A time slip novel focusing on a long ago time in Greece and the consequences of decisions made during the Nazi invasion of a young woman's grandmother's beloved country. It also features this young woman in modern times who inherits her grandmother's former home in Greece as she explores the area her grandmother used to live in.
Richly descriptive, this really makes me want to visit Greece as I feel as though I've already gotten a good taste of it through the descriptions of the area,the welcoming people,their customs and their types of food.
Sentences being written in the Greek language add to the authentic feel of the book.
Though there is a deep betrayal taking place we feel a sense of forgiveness given and accepted.
Hope is strong and love is rekindled!
I really need to read more by this author!
Pub Date 13 Aug 2021
I was given a complimentary copy of this book. Thank you.
All opinions expressed are my own.
August 18, 2021
Beyond the Olive Grove by Kate Hewitt, set in Greece, had been told by Sophia in 1942 during the war and his granddaughter Ava in present.
Ava was in a desperate lifeline since her life and marriage had been put on hold. So when she inherited her grandmother's house in a Greece rural village (Iousidous), finds it as an opportunity to moves on.
Sophia works several evenings in the coffeehouse, tried to protect her younger sister, and did not get involved with any troubles. But, things were changing even in a small place like Iousidous during WWII.
Going to Greece from England seems not too easy, especially when Ava found the house that has been empty for about sixty years.
Eleni invited Ava on the first night she arrived till things settle in Ava s house. Eline's mother had mistaken Ava for Sophia and burst into tears and apologize to her. This was a time that Ava got interested in her grandmother's past and try to discover the time that nobody wants to speak about it.
A beautiful historical fiction story that I couldn't put down. Both Sophia and Ava's stories were very engaging. Greece during the war with love, betrayal, courage, and was so interesting to me. This was a lovely and heartbreaking story that I really enjoyed it.
And yes, there is always a cat to cheer you up when feeling low!
Many thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for giving me the chance to Beyond the Olive Grove by Kate Hewitt in exchange for an honest review.
Published Date 13 Aug 2021
My review on 24 Jul 2021
Ava was in a desperate lifeline since her life and marriage had been put on hold. So when she inherited her grandmother's house in a Greece rural village (Iousidous), finds it as an opportunity to moves on.
Sophia works several evenings in the coffeehouse, tried to protect her younger sister, and did not get involved with any troubles. But, things were changing even in a small place like Iousidous during WWII.
Going to Greece from England seems not too easy, especially when Ava found the house that has been empty for about sixty years.
Eleni invited Ava on the first night she arrived till things settle in Ava s house. Eline's mother had mistaken Ava for Sophia and burst into tears and apologize to her. This was a time that Ava got interested in her grandmother's past and try to discover the time that nobody wants to speak about it.
A beautiful historical fiction story that I couldn't put down. Both Sophia and Ava's stories were very engaging. Greece during the war with love, betrayal, courage, and was so interesting to me. This was a lovely and heartbreaking story that I really enjoyed it.
And yes, there is always a cat to cheer you up when feeling low!
Many thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for giving me the chance to Beyond the Olive Grove by Kate Hewitt in exchange for an honest review.
Published Date 13 Aug 2021
My review on 24 Jul 2021
July 15, 2021
Grieve with me
A feeling of sadness is felt in this novel. The grieving of a mother for her lost child, a grieving of a sister for her lost family. It very much stresses that people grieve in different ways and often times not how others think they should grieve.
The story is set in duel timelines. The story of the grandmother, Sophia, in the 1940's during WWII and that of the granddaughter, Ava, in present day time. Ava travels to a small village in Greece to claim a inheritance from her grandmother Sophia and to escape a faltering marriage after the death of her child.
Alternating between Sophia living in Nazi occupied Greece and Ava living in present time, somehow the stories manage to intertwine with each other. As we travel from one era to the other we see courage, love and loss . War touches everyone and it doesn't end at the end of the war, sometimes it has lasting effects for years into the future. The story of Sophia trends from a small village in Greece to England. How this happens is in the harrowing story of Sophia's story during the times of WWII. It is a very touching story and I love how the author has incorporated it into the life of Ava in present times.
Ava is forced to take a second look at her and Simons marriage and how they interact with each other. She must come to terms with her loss and move on, but it is not so simple. Simon does not grieve the same as Ava and she must realize that not everyone grieves the same and that Simon just deals with life a bit differently. It takes her a while to figure it out. Meanwhile she is speaking with the villagers and learning about her grandmother's past during the war. Her grandmother never talked about it and no one else wishes to. She must find a way to breach the language barrier to find the roots of her past while she strives to mend her fractured marriage.
I enjoyed both stories, however, while I usually enjoy the WWII story more , in this novel I enjoyed Ava's story more. I loved her character and was rooting for her to figure out her life all the way to the end of the book.
I really enjoyed reading this story and I would recommend it .
Thanks to Kate Hewitt, Bookouture, and NetGalley for allowing me to read a complimentary copy of the book for my honest review.
A feeling of sadness is felt in this novel. The grieving of a mother for her lost child, a grieving of a sister for her lost family. It very much stresses that people grieve in different ways and often times not how others think they should grieve.
The story is set in duel timelines. The story of the grandmother, Sophia, in the 1940's during WWII and that of the granddaughter, Ava, in present day time. Ava travels to a small village in Greece to claim a inheritance from her grandmother Sophia and to escape a faltering marriage after the death of her child.
Alternating between Sophia living in Nazi occupied Greece and Ava living in present time, somehow the stories manage to intertwine with each other. As we travel from one era to the other we see courage, love and loss . War touches everyone and it doesn't end at the end of the war, sometimes it has lasting effects for years into the future. The story of Sophia trends from a small village in Greece to England. How this happens is in the harrowing story of Sophia's story during the times of WWII. It is a very touching story and I love how the author has incorporated it into the life of Ava in present times.
Ava is forced to take a second look at her and Simons marriage and how they interact with each other. She must come to terms with her loss and move on, but it is not so simple. Simon does not grieve the same as Ava and she must realize that not everyone grieves the same and that Simon just deals with life a bit differently. It takes her a while to figure it out. Meanwhile she is speaking with the villagers and learning about her grandmother's past during the war. Her grandmother never talked about it and no one else wishes to. She must find a way to breach the language barrier to find the roots of her past while she strives to mend her fractured marriage.
I enjoyed both stories, however, while I usually enjoy the WWII story more , in this novel I enjoyed Ava's story more. I loved her character and was rooting for her to figure out her life all the way to the end of the book.
I really enjoyed reading this story and I would recommend it .
Thanks to Kate Hewitt, Bookouture, and NetGalley for allowing me to read a complimentary copy of the book for my honest review.
April 21, 2015
This was a love story. One of those reads you can get a nice cuppa, piece of cake and sit and read outside in the sunshine with. OR equally curl up in front of a flaming fire on a cold winters day.
Ava is having a hard time in her life. Her marriage is rubbish [to say the least] and completely O...V....E....R.
On top of this she looses her job, her baby and her Grandmother.
Upon learning she has inherited a farmhouse somewhere in a village in Greece, she decides that she would go there. And why not? She has nothing at all to keep her here.
She knew the farmhouse was left unkept but when finding it [eventually] she is astonished how much work there is to be done on it to make it habitable again.
Ava seems to be mistaken by a woman in the village as her Grandmother, shes an elderly lady, so she's a bit confused, the things she says to Ava has made Ava wonder what happened. This woman is so sorry for something.....but what?
At least this has given Ava something to aim for again......
what was her Grandmother involved with, what happened.
Its an easy read, nice and reflective, easy on the eye and the brain, you don't really have to give much effort into reading it.
I've put my stamp on it as a 3.07 being that, I have read similar tales like this before, BUT this is very well thought out and has a lovely flow to it.
I would like to thank Kate Hewitt Limited via Net Galley for allowing me to read this and review it, although its taken some time for me to do so.
August 11, 2021
The description of this historical fiction grabbed me right away. An old house in Greece, a family secret and a change to start over in another country. I've enjoyed books by Kate Hewitt before but this one is a bit different, a literary fiction which I very much enjoyed.
This novel is told in a dual timeline: In present time we read Ava's story. Her grandmother Sophia died and left her an old farmhouse in Greece. Ava is having trouble in her marriage and has recently suffered a tragedy. She decides to leave England and move to Greece temporarily. She wonders why she left England for a place where she doesn't know anyone to restore a farmhouse no one had lived in for over 60 years.
Ava's grandmother Sophia never spoke about her ancestry or her life during WW II so there are plenty of secrets to unravel.
Sophia's story starts in 1942 in a small village in Greece. You will read more about her family and their sacrifices from food shortages and fear of the Nazi's invading their village. Sophia's story is one of bravery and I was happy to see Ava slowly uncover details about her grandmother's past.
This isn't a fast paced novel and some of the "memories" are rehashed a few time but overall it's a nice historical fiction with a satisfactory ending.
Publication date August 13, 2021 by Bookouture. Genre: Historical Fiction, Literary Fiction. Thank you to Netgalley for the advanced reader's copy of this book. I was not compensated for the review, all opinions are mine.
This novel is told in a dual timeline: In present time we read Ava's story. Her grandmother Sophia died and left her an old farmhouse in Greece. Ava is having trouble in her marriage and has recently suffered a tragedy. She decides to leave England and move to Greece temporarily. She wonders why she left England for a place where she doesn't know anyone to restore a farmhouse no one had lived in for over 60 years.
Ava's grandmother Sophia never spoke about her ancestry or her life during WW II so there are plenty of secrets to unravel.
Sophia's story starts in 1942 in a small village in Greece. You will read more about her family and their sacrifices from food shortages and fear of the Nazi's invading their village. Sophia's story is one of bravery and I was happy to see Ava slowly uncover details about her grandmother's past.
This isn't a fast paced novel and some of the "memories" are rehashed a few time but overall it's a nice historical fiction with a satisfactory ending.
Publication date August 13, 2021 by Bookouture. Genre: Historical Fiction, Literary Fiction. Thank you to Netgalley for the advanced reader's copy of this book. I was not compensated for the review, all opinions are mine.
October 3, 2021
Thanks to Netgalley for a copy of this book for an honest review.
With the plethora of WW2 books, this one was a pleasant surprise. I knew nothing about Greece during the war or that they had their own resistance.
A duel timeline book, set in 1942 and now, this is a lovely book about Ava and her grandmother, Sophia. Ava is left a house in rural Greece and decides to travel after a tragedy. She learns of Sophia's past through reluctant locals. Definitely recommend!
With the plethora of WW2 books, this one was a pleasant surprise. I knew nothing about Greece during the war or that they had their own resistance.
A duel timeline book, set in 1942 and now, this is a lovely book about Ava and her grandmother, Sophia. Ava is left a house in rural Greece and decides to travel after a tragedy. She learns of Sophia's past through reluctant locals. Definitely recommend!
August 30, 2021
The story has been told before. A young English woman inherits a home in a small town in Greece from her grandmother. They weren't close but the grandmother feels Ava is most like her. Ava is grieving the stillbirth of her daughter, decides to separate from her husband, goes to Greece and finds a falling down cottage. She makes friends in the village and tries to find out more about her grandmother. The story is told in two timelines, Sophia's during the war and how she got involved in the Resistance, and Ava's present day.
Truth is I didn't like Ava much. She held on to her grief even a year later and wouldn't talk about it. At the same time she encourages a woman in the village to speak of the war even though it could be painful. She jumps into situations without thinking it through, often imagining what could happen like a scene in a movie which is never the reality. There is a handsome man in the village and there was some kind of attraction so I was surprised at the outcome of their story. I didn't find any of the characters well developed and the ending left me cold.
I would like to thank Netgalley and Bookouture for providing me the opportunity to read this.
Truth is I didn't like Ava much. She held on to her grief even a year later and wouldn't talk about it. At the same time she encourages a woman in the village to speak of the war even though it could be painful. She jumps into situations without thinking it through, often imagining what could happen like a scene in a movie which is never the reality. There is a handsome man in the village and there was some kind of attraction so I was surprised at the outcome of their story. I didn't find any of the characters well developed and the ending left me cold.
I would like to thank Netgalley and Bookouture for providing me the opportunity to read this.
August 3, 2021
What happens when your grandmother leaves you a house in Greece upon her passing? Ava is about to find out. With her marriage on the rocks, she escapes to this new home in Greece only to find a run down home and many questions about her grandmother, her life during WWII, her ties to the Resistance and why she never once mentioned what happened to her family. It turns out that during her quest to get answers, she discovers things about herself that might set things right with her marriage. She learns she has more in common with her grandmother than she ever knew.
As a huge fan of Kate Hewitts work, I was excited to get a hold of this one. It was just okay for me. I felt like it went around in a bunch of circles and I was often reading the same thing multiple times. Having said that, I was grateful for the history lesson. I know next to nothing about Greece during WWII so it gave me a launching pad to head to google and read up on what happening during the war.
Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture and Kate Hewitt for early access to her newest novel!
As a huge fan of Kate Hewitts work, I was excited to get a hold of this one. It was just okay for me. I felt like it went around in a bunch of circles and I was often reading the same thing multiple times. Having said that, I was grateful for the history lesson. I know next to nothing about Greece during WWII so it gave me a launching pad to head to google and read up on what happening during the war.
Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture and Kate Hewitt for early access to her newest novel!
August 19, 2021
Kate Hewitt writes with such passion and this can be seen time and time again with each book she releases. Beyond the Olive Grove is another such story filled with heartache, compassion and love.
Ava is at a crossroads. Her marriage to Simon is falling apart, her grandmother has passed and Ava is also suffering from another heartbreaking loss. All of this combined has Ava leaving the safety and comfort of her home in England to a tiny village in Greece where her grandmother, Sophia, once lived. Ava is not sure what she will find or even if this is the right decision she is making. Will Ava find herself again while learning more about her grandmother and her life during the end of WWII?
There is something about Hewitt’s stories that just draws you right in. She paints a vivid picture with each scene almost making you feel as if you can see and feel what each of her characters feel. We see that here also with Ava and Sophia and through their stories we learn the heartbreaking reality of what both have gone through and yet how they both persevere through it all after feeling so lost and helpless
Once again, Hewitt has written a captivating and breathtaking story with Beyond the Olive Grove. I highly recommend and it is again another 5 star read from me.
Ava is at a crossroads. Her marriage to Simon is falling apart, her grandmother has passed and Ava is also suffering from another heartbreaking loss. All of this combined has Ava leaving the safety and comfort of her home in England to a tiny village in Greece where her grandmother, Sophia, once lived. Ava is not sure what she will find or even if this is the right decision she is making. Will Ava find herself again while learning more about her grandmother and her life during the end of WWII?
There is something about Hewitt’s stories that just draws you right in. She paints a vivid picture with each scene almost making you feel as if you can see and feel what each of her characters feel. We see that here also with Ava and Sophia and through their stories we learn the heartbreaking reality of what both have gone through and yet how they both persevere through it all after feeling so lost and helpless
Once again, Hewitt has written a captivating and breathtaking story with Beyond the Olive Grove. I highly recommend and it is again another 5 star read from me.
April 17, 2022
~~~ I received a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review ~~~
I really enjoy Kate Hewitt's writing, however this book fell short for me. Beyond the Olive Grove has a good storyline, I enjoyed diving into and learning about Greece during WWII and I like that it covers a different local during WWII than most people think about or that most book are written about; but the book was just too slow moving for the first 3/4 of the book. I kept finding my attention wavering as I was reading it, so it took me way longer than usual to finish it. The main character Ava has "run away" to her grandmother's Greek house that she just learned about after her death. During her time spent in Greece, Ava uncovers details about her grandmother that she had never known. She also gains some new friends and insights into her own life along the way. This is a book of healing, grief, family, and history. The part of this book I enjoyed the most was the location- Hewitt does a nice job descibing Greece during the war as well as present. Overall pretty good read!
I really enjoy Kate Hewitt's writing, however this book fell short for me. Beyond the Olive Grove has a good storyline, I enjoyed diving into and learning about Greece during WWII and I like that it covers a different local during WWII than most people think about or that most book are written about; but the book was just too slow moving for the first 3/4 of the book. I kept finding my attention wavering as I was reading it, so it took me way longer than usual to finish it. The main character Ava has "run away" to her grandmother's Greek house that she just learned about after her death. During her time spent in Greece, Ava uncovers details about her grandmother that she had never known. She also gains some new friends and insights into her own life along the way. This is a book of healing, grief, family, and history. The part of this book I enjoyed the most was the location- Hewitt does a nice job descibing Greece during the war as well as present. Overall pretty good read!
July 14, 2021
Kate Hewitt’s last two books feature wartime settings not often used in historical fiction books; Salsburg, Austria (The Edelweiss Sisters) and now Iousidous, Greece, a rural village not far from Athens. Greece’s involvement in the war is not often covered and so I appreciated learning about what life was like for the villagers during the occupation.
Told in alternating chapters from 1942 and the present day, this historical fiction tale offers insight from a grandmother and her granddaughter about how fragile hope can spring from both tragedy and despair.
Lost and adrift after losing a baby and receiving little emotional support from Simon, her stoic husband of 12 years, Ava Lancet makes a rash decision and heads off to Greece. Ava’s grandmother, Sophia Paranoussis, has recently died and willed her house to her granddaughter. Ava sees it as a healing opportunity and a chance to evaluate the future of her marriage. Upon arrival she finds the farmhouse dilapidated and doubt creeps in; however, the friendly villagers take her under their wing and soon Ava is faced with new opportunities.
Ava’s grandmother’s timeline from Nazi-occupied Greece tells of a young girl who is fighting to keep her family and her impulsive sister, Angelika, safe. Approached by a stranger, Sophia, the reluctant and unwilling heroine, arises to the challenge and reluctantly joins the local Resistance.
As the two engaging timelines unfold readers see that the decisions made during stressful times have the potential to change a character’s destiny. Readers are reminded to consider choices with wisdom as well as heart. I loved how Hewitt took the path less travelled with Ava’s story and used the strands of her grandmother’s life to weave together with those of Ava’s to strengthen it. It was also good to be reminded that answers don’t always follow a question, sometimes rather, it’s more questions.
This story is relatable because most of us have lost our way at one point or another in life and most of us have had to consider who we really want to be and what we want out of life. In addition to learning about the history of the Gorgopotamus Railway Bridge bombing, readers will enjoy this engaging and compelling story that has a little of everything; mystery, love, sacrifice, betrayal, loss, hope, and courage.
Publishes August 13, 2021.
*originally published as The Other Side of the Bridge by Katherine Swartz
I was gifted this advance copy by Kate Hewitt, Bookouture and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.
Told in alternating chapters from 1942 and the present day, this historical fiction tale offers insight from a grandmother and her granddaughter about how fragile hope can spring from both tragedy and despair.
Lost and adrift after losing a baby and receiving little emotional support from Simon, her stoic husband of 12 years, Ava Lancet makes a rash decision and heads off to Greece. Ava’s grandmother, Sophia Paranoussis, has recently died and willed her house to her granddaughter. Ava sees it as a healing opportunity and a chance to evaluate the future of her marriage. Upon arrival she finds the farmhouse dilapidated and doubt creeps in; however, the friendly villagers take her under their wing and soon Ava is faced with new opportunities.
Ava’s grandmother’s timeline from Nazi-occupied Greece tells of a young girl who is fighting to keep her family and her impulsive sister, Angelika, safe. Approached by a stranger, Sophia, the reluctant and unwilling heroine, arises to the challenge and reluctantly joins the local Resistance.
As the two engaging timelines unfold readers see that the decisions made during stressful times have the potential to change a character’s destiny. Readers are reminded to consider choices with wisdom as well as heart. I loved how Hewitt took the path less travelled with Ava’s story and used the strands of her grandmother’s life to weave together with those of Ava’s to strengthen it. It was also good to be reminded that answers don’t always follow a question, sometimes rather, it’s more questions.
This story is relatable because most of us have lost our way at one point or another in life and most of us have had to consider who we really want to be and what we want out of life. In addition to learning about the history of the Gorgopotamus Railway Bridge bombing, readers will enjoy this engaging and compelling story that has a little of everything; mystery, love, sacrifice, betrayal, loss, hope, and courage.
Publishes August 13, 2021.
*originally published as The Other Side of the Bridge by Katherine Swartz
I was gifted this advance copy by Kate Hewitt, Bookouture and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.
August 5, 2021
Beyond the Olive Grove by Kate Hewitt is a great dual timeline WWII-era historical fiction that takes the reader back into the depths of what life was like for the Greek inhabitants during occupation.
I really enjoyed this HF that gave me a different viewpoint of what individuals experienced from a country that isn’t written about as much as some of the others, Greece. The occupation, the atrocities, the adversities, and the passion and strength of her people at this pivotal time was depicted effortlessly throughout this book.
The dual timeline took us between present day Ava and the past by her grandmother, Sophia. What unfolds is a story of suspense, drama, betrayal, mystery, sacrifices, and perseverance. The few twists and turns that were included really added to the narrative. I especially enjoyed the historical timeline of Sophia.
As always, Ms. Hewitt has hit a home run.
5/5 stars
Thank you NG and Bookouture for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.
I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately (as of 6/23/21 no BB listing has been created) and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication.
From the Publisher:
Book Description:
The place seemed utterly still, the only sound was the wind rustling high in the pines above. Standing there, realizing she didn’t even know which house had belonged to her grandmother, Ava wondered just how crazy and desperate she’d been to come all this way with no hope or plan.
When Ava arrives in Greece, it’s with a heart that’s shattered into a thousand pieces. But as she pulls up in a tiny village nestled on a cliff above the glittering Ionian Sea, and steps out in front of a tumbledown house that once belonged to her grandmother Sophia, everything changes.
At first Ava almost wants to laugh at this bizarre inheritance—a home that has been uninhabited since the Second World War—that appears as close to collapse as she herself feels. But with nowhere left to run to, her only choice is to start putting the house together again.
What Ava doesn’t expect is for pieces of her grandmother’s story to emerge, as a local survivor from the war begins to share her secrets. Ava can’t help but be drawn to Sophia’s hidden past… even though the truth could change her own life forever.
Because Sophia’s story is one of devastating choices she had to make during the Nazi invasion of her beloved country. It’s a story of bravery, betrayal and tragedy. But most of all, it is a story about love…
An utterly unforgettable story of two remarkable women who find the strength to persevere against all odds and find hope, courage and light in the darkness. Perfect for fans of The Nightingale, The Lilac Girls and Victoria Hislop’s The Island.
Previously published as The Other Side of the Bridge by Katharine Swartz.
Author Bio:
Kate Hewitt is the author of many romance and women’s fiction novels. A former New Yorker and now an American ex-pat, she lives in a small town on the Welsh border with her husband, five children, and their overly affectionate Golden Retriever. Whatever the genre, she enjoys telling stories that tackle real issues and touch people’s lives.
https://www.kate-hewitt.com/
https://www.facebook.com/KateHewittAu...
https://www.instagram.com/katehewitt1/
https://twitter.com/author_kate
Buy Link:
Amazon: https://bit.ly/3lxtcQh
I really enjoyed this HF that gave me a different viewpoint of what individuals experienced from a country that isn’t written about as much as some of the others, Greece. The occupation, the atrocities, the adversities, and the passion and strength of her people at this pivotal time was depicted effortlessly throughout this book.
The dual timeline took us between present day Ava and the past by her grandmother, Sophia. What unfolds is a story of suspense, drama, betrayal, mystery, sacrifices, and perseverance. The few twists and turns that were included really added to the narrative. I especially enjoyed the historical timeline of Sophia.
As always, Ms. Hewitt has hit a home run.
5/5 stars
Thank you NG and Bookouture for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.
I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately (as of 6/23/21 no BB listing has been created) and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication.
From the Publisher:
Book Description:
The place seemed utterly still, the only sound was the wind rustling high in the pines above. Standing there, realizing she didn’t even know which house had belonged to her grandmother, Ava wondered just how crazy and desperate she’d been to come all this way with no hope or plan.
When Ava arrives in Greece, it’s with a heart that’s shattered into a thousand pieces. But as she pulls up in a tiny village nestled on a cliff above the glittering Ionian Sea, and steps out in front of a tumbledown house that once belonged to her grandmother Sophia, everything changes.
At first Ava almost wants to laugh at this bizarre inheritance—a home that has been uninhabited since the Second World War—that appears as close to collapse as she herself feels. But with nowhere left to run to, her only choice is to start putting the house together again.
What Ava doesn’t expect is for pieces of her grandmother’s story to emerge, as a local survivor from the war begins to share her secrets. Ava can’t help but be drawn to Sophia’s hidden past… even though the truth could change her own life forever.
Because Sophia’s story is one of devastating choices she had to make during the Nazi invasion of her beloved country. It’s a story of bravery, betrayal and tragedy. But most of all, it is a story about love…
An utterly unforgettable story of two remarkable women who find the strength to persevere against all odds and find hope, courage and light in the darkness. Perfect for fans of The Nightingale, The Lilac Girls and Victoria Hislop’s The Island.
Previously published as The Other Side of the Bridge by Katharine Swartz.
Author Bio:
Kate Hewitt is the author of many romance and women’s fiction novels. A former New Yorker and now an American ex-pat, she lives in a small town on the Welsh border with her husband, five children, and their overly affectionate Golden Retriever. Whatever the genre, she enjoys telling stories that tackle real issues and touch people’s lives.
https://www.kate-hewitt.com/
https://www.facebook.com/KateHewittAu...
https://www.instagram.com/katehewitt1/
https://twitter.com/author_kate
Buy Link:
Amazon: https://bit.ly/3lxtcQh
July 15, 2014
The story of new friendships, lost histories and discovering who you are and what you want in life. All set in a small town in Greece.
Ava Lancet goes to Lousidous Greece, to the home she inherited after her grandmother passed away. She needs time alone after separating with her husband. She is also still grieving the loss of their baby. She makes several good friends who help her fix up the house and trace the history of her grandmother and why she left so soon after the war. No one in this town likes to speak of the war, so it's hard to find the answers she desperately wants. Little by little she gets some answers, but they only lead to more questions.
I loved this book because it kept me interested throughout the entire story. I didn't want to stop reading because I was anxious to find out what happened. Ava's grandmother, Sophia's part in the story was very interesting too. This is one of those books that you don't know what happens until the very end.
Ava Lancet goes to Lousidous Greece, to the home she inherited after her grandmother passed away. She needs time alone after separating with her husband. She is also still grieving the loss of their baby. She makes several good friends who help her fix up the house and trace the history of her grandmother and why she left so soon after the war. No one in this town likes to speak of the war, so it's hard to find the answers she desperately wants. Little by little she gets some answers, but they only lead to more questions.
I loved this book because it kept me interested throughout the entire story. I didn't want to stop reading because I was anxious to find out what happened. Ava's grandmother, Sophia's part in the story was very interesting too. This is one of those books that you don't know what happens until the very end.
August 15, 2021
Beyond the Olive Grove by Kate Hewitt is a dual timeline story which moves back and forth between the present day and World War Two. In the present day Ava Lancet is travelling to the small Greek village of Iousidous. This journey for her seems like an escape from England. She is fleeing from the pain, hurt and grief that surrounds her on a daily basis. Her marriage is on the rocks and she believes the separation from her husband Simon could likely turn into a permanent state. Having lost both her hope and her marriage, escape feels like her only option nothing remains for her in England.
Ava was at a total crossroads in her life but as she is deep in grief she doesn’t know which direction she should take. She feels weak and spineless and you can tell emotionally she has reached rock bottom. She really is all over the place emotionally and you just sense that she can’t make any firm decisions, that she is not in the right head space at all. Time away in Greece should give her the space to reset and try and come to terms with things but little does she realise that a whole new set of intriguing questions will arise. But perhaps digging that little bit deeper and uncovering past secrets may very well help her in on her own journey to healing and acceptance.
When she arrives at the village Ava finds it to be very small and it’s like it has remained stuck in the past. She has the key to a house that has remained unlived in for over 60 years. Once her grandmother, who has recently passed away, lived here but she never talked about her time in Greece. It was a closed off subject and it seems the residents there now refuse to talk abut what happened during the war. Ava meets Eleni and her mother Parthenope who is now very old but she recognises Ava or so she thinks and says she is sorry. But for what? Ava’s interest is immediately piqued and she wants to find out more about her grandmother and what happened to her and her family during the war. I didn’t feel this overwhelming sense from Ava that she was on a quest to find out more straight away, there didn’t seem to be any urgency about her. Instead things seemed to crop up all of a sudden, she learned of them and then moved onto the next piece of the puzzle. It was just too rushed and I wanted even more detailed explanations and careful considering observations and breaking down of what she was discovering.
Ava does meet Andreas Lethikos and his daughter Kalista. I understood their inclusion as a means of connecting their olive grove with Ava’s grandmother’s story but still they felt out of place or else perhaps they weren’t utilised as well as they could have been. As Ava delves deeper back into her family history you hope as a reader that she can reconcile the past with the present and in doing so find what she needs to fill the deep hole in her life. Unless she can really confront what has torn her apart, and speak openly with her husband, there really is no hope that she can try and find her way back to the person she once was.
I enjoyed the element of the story set back during the years of the war. It was a vastly different time to the one Ava inhabits now. We meet Sophia who lives with her father and sister Angelika and they run a smallholding. Sophia works in the local coffeehouse when needed and they manage to get by but times are tough in Greece. The country is fraught with danger as the Italians have taken control and fear abounds that the Germans might come marching in at any moment. Every character in the past is always on high alert, in fear of doing the wrong thing and in turn facing horrific reprisals. But Angelika seems to have her head in the clouds and is infatuated with Dimitrios who is working with the Greek resistance.
I admit to becoming slightly confused regarding the two factions of the Greek resistance. At times I couldn’t figure out who was the good or bad side of the two factions and as the story reached its height they very much became intertwined and it all happened so quickly and with Sophia more or less having no choice but to become involved things took a very dramatic turn. Sophia all along had wanted to keep her head down, to remain anonymous and just make it through the war safe and sound. But the Greek customs, traditions and societal rules for women are changing and I did admire that when tasked to do something, although she was filled with fear, she did do what was required of her. In doing so she put her life on the line and that of her family but she knew she was playing her part in trying to win the war. A romance element did come into play and I liked how it came together in the end although at the time of reading about it as it arose it just seemed to occur without any real and meaningful interaction. It was altogether too brief. Sophie was a well written character, brave, determined and courageous but as Ava discovers why did she want to keep her time during the war a secret for so many years?
Beyond the Olive Grove was a very quick read and at times I found myself wanting that little bit more from it. A little more depth or fleshing out of scenes would have made me appreciate the characters sacrifices even more than I already did. Events seemed to occur very quickly without much lead up to them and before we knew it they were over within a page or two and then we were on to the next thing. Everything just seemed to happen so quickly and there was just a bit too much glossing over things. At times the story fell back on itself repeating things instead of giving me more detailed explanation on the series of events that unfolded. Saying all that despite some of the issues I found with it, this was a good book with an interesting storyline at its centre and it shed a light on another aspect of the war I have never given much thought to.
I have read so many historical fiction books set in Germany, France or England so it was a refreshing change to have a book set in Greece. It made me want to research more about this country and how it faired during the war. Although this wasn’t my favourite book by Kate Hewitt I think Beyond the Olive Grove is worth a read for the insight it gives into Greece during World War Two and to also follow Ava’s story as a woman who is going through so much torment and anguish. You will be rooting for her to come out the other side, if possible much stronger.
Ava was at a total crossroads in her life but as she is deep in grief she doesn’t know which direction she should take. She feels weak and spineless and you can tell emotionally she has reached rock bottom. She really is all over the place emotionally and you just sense that she can’t make any firm decisions, that she is not in the right head space at all. Time away in Greece should give her the space to reset and try and come to terms with things but little does she realise that a whole new set of intriguing questions will arise. But perhaps digging that little bit deeper and uncovering past secrets may very well help her in on her own journey to healing and acceptance.
When she arrives at the village Ava finds it to be very small and it’s like it has remained stuck in the past. She has the key to a house that has remained unlived in for over 60 years. Once her grandmother, who has recently passed away, lived here but she never talked about her time in Greece. It was a closed off subject and it seems the residents there now refuse to talk abut what happened during the war. Ava meets Eleni and her mother Parthenope who is now very old but she recognises Ava or so she thinks and says she is sorry. But for what? Ava’s interest is immediately piqued and she wants to find out more about her grandmother and what happened to her and her family during the war. I didn’t feel this overwhelming sense from Ava that she was on a quest to find out more straight away, there didn’t seem to be any urgency about her. Instead things seemed to crop up all of a sudden, she learned of them and then moved onto the next piece of the puzzle. It was just too rushed and I wanted even more detailed explanations and careful considering observations and breaking down of what she was discovering.
Ava does meet Andreas Lethikos and his daughter Kalista. I understood their inclusion as a means of connecting their olive grove with Ava’s grandmother’s story but still they felt out of place or else perhaps they weren’t utilised as well as they could have been. As Ava delves deeper back into her family history you hope as a reader that she can reconcile the past with the present and in doing so find what she needs to fill the deep hole in her life. Unless she can really confront what has torn her apart, and speak openly with her husband, there really is no hope that she can try and find her way back to the person she once was.
I enjoyed the element of the story set back during the years of the war. It was a vastly different time to the one Ava inhabits now. We meet Sophia who lives with her father and sister Angelika and they run a smallholding. Sophia works in the local coffeehouse when needed and they manage to get by but times are tough in Greece. The country is fraught with danger as the Italians have taken control and fear abounds that the Germans might come marching in at any moment. Every character in the past is always on high alert, in fear of doing the wrong thing and in turn facing horrific reprisals. But Angelika seems to have her head in the clouds and is infatuated with Dimitrios who is working with the Greek resistance.
I admit to becoming slightly confused regarding the two factions of the Greek resistance. At times I couldn’t figure out who was the good or bad side of the two factions and as the story reached its height they very much became intertwined and it all happened so quickly and with Sophia more or less having no choice but to become involved things took a very dramatic turn. Sophia all along had wanted to keep her head down, to remain anonymous and just make it through the war safe and sound. But the Greek customs, traditions and societal rules for women are changing and I did admire that when tasked to do something, although she was filled with fear, she did do what was required of her. In doing so she put her life on the line and that of her family but she knew she was playing her part in trying to win the war. A romance element did come into play and I liked how it came together in the end although at the time of reading about it as it arose it just seemed to occur without any real and meaningful interaction. It was altogether too brief. Sophie was a well written character, brave, determined and courageous but as Ava discovers why did she want to keep her time during the war a secret for so many years?
Beyond the Olive Grove was a very quick read and at times I found myself wanting that little bit more from it. A little more depth or fleshing out of scenes would have made me appreciate the characters sacrifices even more than I already did. Events seemed to occur very quickly without much lead up to them and before we knew it they were over within a page or two and then we were on to the next thing. Everything just seemed to happen so quickly and there was just a bit too much glossing over things. At times the story fell back on itself repeating things instead of giving me more detailed explanation on the series of events that unfolded. Saying all that despite some of the issues I found with it, this was a good book with an interesting storyline at its centre and it shed a light on another aspect of the war I have never given much thought to.
I have read so many historical fiction books set in Germany, France or England so it was a refreshing change to have a book set in Greece. It made me want to research more about this country and how it faired during the war. Although this wasn’t my favourite book by Kate Hewitt I think Beyond the Olive Grove is worth a read for the insight it gives into Greece during World War Two and to also follow Ava’s story as a woman who is going through so much torment and anguish. You will be rooting for her to come out the other side, if possible much stronger.
July 14, 2022
Originally published as "The Other Side of the Bridge" by Katharine Swartz.
Ava and Simon Lancet lost their daughter Charlotte when Ava was 7 months pregnant. Simon seems unaffected by the loss but Ava cannot find her way forward. Now a year later there is another change in Ava’s life, another ending. Budget cuts have brought her job as an art teacher at the local primary school to an end. Ava has inherited a house in Iousidous, Greece from her grandmother Sophia Paranoussis. Sophia never talked about Greece and certainly never mentioned that she still owned property. With only one photograph from the solicitor Ava has decided to ask her husband for a separation and move to Greece. As the first women in Iousidous acknowledge that they knew her grandmother Ava wants now wants to know more. Ava remembers her grandmother saying, "Life is for living." Will finding answers about her grandmother lift Ava from the veil of grief? Can Ava live again?
Ava’s voice tells the story of Now and Sophia’s voice reveals her life in 1942. The dual timelines are captivating and transition seamlessly. With each character that is introduced the reader is drawn further into the weave of then and now. The embrace of friendship and love is as powerful for each generation and it is historical fiction that helps us see and feel beyond what any history text can document.
I recommend reading A Letter from Kate at the end of the historical fiction novel that shares the background of people and events that occurred in Greece during WWII. Although I traveled in Greece this is another compelling piece of history that I was not aware of in this beautiful country.
Ava and Simon Lancet lost their daughter Charlotte when Ava was 7 months pregnant. Simon seems unaffected by the loss but Ava cannot find her way forward. Now a year later there is another change in Ava’s life, another ending. Budget cuts have brought her job as an art teacher at the local primary school to an end. Ava has inherited a house in Iousidous, Greece from her grandmother Sophia Paranoussis. Sophia never talked about Greece and certainly never mentioned that she still owned property. With only one photograph from the solicitor Ava has decided to ask her husband for a separation and move to Greece. As the first women in Iousidous acknowledge that they knew her grandmother Ava wants now wants to know more. Ava remembers her grandmother saying, "Life is for living." Will finding answers about her grandmother lift Ava from the veil of grief? Can Ava live again?
Ava’s voice tells the story of Now and Sophia’s voice reveals her life in 1942. The dual timelines are captivating and transition seamlessly. With each character that is introduced the reader is drawn further into the weave of then and now. The embrace of friendship and love is as powerful for each generation and it is historical fiction that helps us see and feel beyond what any history text can document.
I recommend reading A Letter from Kate at the end of the historical fiction novel that shares the background of people and events that occurred in Greece during WWII. Although I traveled in Greece this is another compelling piece of history that I was not aware of in this beautiful country.
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August 23, 2021I've read the scenario over a dozen times. Someone gets an unexpected inheritance in a far flung corner of the world (this time Greece) and you rush there to occupy, make a life for yourself, uprooting yourself almost completely. For me it sounds improbable but the fact
that it is written about so much, it must be factual as well.
Ava is in deep sorrow over her miscarriage. Her grief she feels is hers alone because her husband Simon comes across as cold and unfeeling. This she can no longer stand and her marriage is about to collapse. Inheriting a house in a Greek village from her grandmother who never ever
spoke of her Greek ancestry, was unexpected and was the bolt hole she needed. That the house was closed for sixty years did not strike Ava as
ominous.
The story of Ava, her arrival in this tiny remote village, her attempts to make her house habitable and making friends with quiet reserved neighbours was not easy. Unravelling the past was worst. Just five people of her grandmothers generation survived and very few of them wanted to talk of the past. It was a bloody past filled with revenge and distrust, murder and an unforgiving one which traumatised those living even today.
An interesting story told in two time lines outlining Ava's grandmother Sophia's days as a girl and then the present day as depicted in Ava's ti,e and her
sadness and life as it was now.
Sensitively handled a good read.
that it is written about so much, it must be factual as well.
Ava is in deep sorrow over her miscarriage. Her grief she feels is hers alone because her husband Simon comes across as cold and unfeeling. This she can no longer stand and her marriage is about to collapse. Inheriting a house in a Greek village from her grandmother who never ever
spoke of her Greek ancestry, was unexpected and was the bolt hole she needed. That the house was closed for sixty years did not strike Ava as
ominous.
The story of Ava, her arrival in this tiny remote village, her attempts to make her house habitable and making friends with quiet reserved neighbours was not easy. Unravelling the past was worst. Just five people of her grandmothers generation survived and very few of them wanted to talk of the past. It was a bloody past filled with revenge and distrust, murder and an unforgiving one which traumatised those living even today.
An interesting story told in two time lines outlining Ava's grandmother Sophia's days as a girl and then the present day as depicted in Ava's ti,e and her
sadness and life as it was now.
Sensitively handled a good read.
August 24, 2021
Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for sharing the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
After losing her daughter in a stillbirth, Ava was consumed by grief. In such times, her husband - Simon was unable to give her the much needed emotional support. Soon her marriage began to fall apart. She decided to move to a house in a tiny village called Iousidous in Greece. The house had been uninhabited since Second World War, belonged to her grandmother and bequeathed to her. Ava had gone there to find answers for herself. Instead, she got sucked in the mysterious past of her stern grandmother. In 1942, during the German occupation of Greece, Sophia Paranoussis, a hardworking young girl in Greece believed that keeping her head down would keep her family safe. She never viewed herself as brave and heroic. But one encounter with a stranger turns her life around and she became part of the resistance movement, albeit a reluctant one.
As is the case, with most of the split timeline books, one tends to get more invested in one time period than the other. For me, it is usually the past that holds the charm. But here, the present timeline drew me in. I was curious to know, how Ava was going to dig into her grandmother's history when no one was willing to talk about that period. I enjoyed the character arc of Ava from a grieving mother to a woman handling her pain in a dignified way once things got back into perspective. People may have different ways of dealing with pain. That does not make our sorrows greater than theirs. Neither does it make them insensitive.
I was unaware of the resistance movement in Greece during World War II.
Learning about the blowing up of the Gorgopotamos viaduct was interesting.
For detailed review read my blog
https://nextonreadinglist.blogspot.co...
After losing her daughter in a stillbirth, Ava was consumed by grief. In such times, her husband - Simon was unable to give her the much needed emotional support. Soon her marriage began to fall apart. She decided to move to a house in a tiny village called Iousidous in Greece. The house had been uninhabited since Second World War, belonged to her grandmother and bequeathed to her. Ava had gone there to find answers for herself. Instead, she got sucked in the mysterious past of her stern grandmother. In 1942, during the German occupation of Greece, Sophia Paranoussis, a hardworking young girl in Greece believed that keeping her head down would keep her family safe. She never viewed herself as brave and heroic. But one encounter with a stranger turns her life around and she became part of the resistance movement, albeit a reluctant one.
As is the case, with most of the split timeline books, one tends to get more invested in one time period than the other. For me, it is usually the past that holds the charm. But here, the present timeline drew me in. I was curious to know, how Ava was going to dig into her grandmother's history when no one was willing to talk about that period. I enjoyed the character arc of Ava from a grieving mother to a woman handling her pain in a dignified way once things got back into perspective. People may have different ways of dealing with pain. That does not make our sorrows greater than theirs. Neither does it make them insensitive.
I was unaware of the resistance movement in Greece during World War II.
Learning about the blowing up of the Gorgopotamos viaduct was interesting.
For detailed review read my blog
https://nextonreadinglist.blogspot.co...
October 15, 2021
I was really looking forward to reading this book as I really enjoyed Kate Hewitt's book The girl from berlin, but I felt a little detached about the story and the characters, I felt like it was more of a romance novel and the drama was not there. I never felt the angst or the intriguing feeling of WW2 it was very light for my taste and I never got to really enjoy the main characters.
Ava is looking for space as she had a terrible chapter in her life that she is trying to digest and even comprehend, her husband hasn't been that supportive and she feels like distance is the only way to understand what is happening with her and in her marriage. Ava goes to Greece to stay in her grandmother's house, a house that has been abandoned for a very long time since ww2 a house that contains all the secrets of her grandmother.
it was not a bad book but I just felt like there was so much missing.
Ava is looking for space as she had a terrible chapter in her life that she is trying to digest and even comprehend, her husband hasn't been that supportive and she feels like distance is the only way to understand what is happening with her and in her marriage. Ava goes to Greece to stay in her grandmother's house, a house that has been abandoned for a very long time since ww2 a house that contains all the secrets of her grandmother.
it was not a bad book but I just felt like there was so much missing.
August 3, 2021
This is the second book of Kate Hewitt I have read and when I got fascinated with The Edelweiss Sisters, I decided I will read all her books!
Beyond the Olive Grove sets during the turmoil time of WWII and talks a story between two women--Present Day Ava who comes to a small town in Greece when she inherited a house from her Greek grandmother and 1940's WWII era, Sophia, who is Present Day Ava's grandmother. Ava settles down in the small village, getting acquainted with the villagers and making new friends and at the same time learning more about her grandmother's life during WWII. Sophia is a shy girl working in a coffee house who was asked to join a resistance movement during WWII. The writing was engaging and I was so hooked into the story, I particularly like reading about Sophia's part! Those parts seemed intense and I was so worried about Sophia getting caught, though in the end, it was a bit emotional and tear-jerking. for Sophia losing her family members in the war. The author did a good job and she has done tremendous research about the Greek history and the story felt realistic to me. I also like the scene of the Greek village, Ava's growing friendship with Helena and Eleni as they tried to help her to find more about her grandmother. Overall, the ending was so good and I actually enjoyed this book so much!
Overall, this book is quiet unputdownable, will keep you awake all night and will give you an emotional ride! Thank you Netgalley and Bookouture for the ARC. The review is based on my honest opinion.
Beyond the Olive Grove sets during the turmoil time of WWII and talks a story between two women--Present Day Ava who comes to a small town in Greece when she inherited a house from her Greek grandmother and 1940's WWII era, Sophia, who is Present Day Ava's grandmother. Ava settles down in the small village, getting acquainted with the villagers and making new friends and at the same time learning more about her grandmother's life during WWII. Sophia is a shy girl working in a coffee house who was asked to join a resistance movement during WWII. The writing was engaging and I was so hooked into the story, I particularly like reading about Sophia's part! Those parts seemed intense and I was so worried about Sophia getting caught, though in the end, it was a bit emotional and tear-jerking. for Sophia losing her family members in the war. The author did a good job and she has done tremendous research about the Greek history and the story felt realistic to me. I also like the scene of the Greek village, Ava's growing friendship with Helena and Eleni as they tried to help her to find more about her grandmother. Overall, the ending was so good and I actually enjoyed this book so much!
Overall, this book is quiet unputdownable, will keep you awake all night and will give you an emotional ride! Thank you Netgalley and Bookouture for the ARC. The review is based on my honest opinion.
August 12, 2021
I love a well written dual timeline historical fiction and as always Kate Hewitt had delivered a good one.
Learning about the Greek’s role in the Second World War was fascinating and one I knew little about. I really enjoyed finding out aspects of Sophia’s life under the regime of the Nazis and other militants of that time - such strength needed just to carry out normal everyday activities. Ava’s journey to understand her grandmother’s life whilst trying to work out things for her own future was sensitively covered and a joy to read.
Learning about the Greek’s role in the Second World War was fascinating and one I knew little about. I really enjoyed finding out aspects of Sophia’s life under the regime of the Nazis and other militants of that time - such strength needed just to carry out normal everyday activities. Ava’s journey to understand her grandmother’s life whilst trying to work out things for her own future was sensitively covered and a joy to read.
September 3, 2021
Loved this book! Can't imagine a country and it's citizens surviving the cruelties and horrors of wartime. When love blooms it can help ease that darkness with hope and happiness for better days.
August 23, 2021
Just beautiful. Poignant. Heartwarming. Writing that jumps off the page and straight into your heart. This author is just Wow. I would read an instruction manual if it was written by her.
January 10, 2025
“Beyond the Olive Grove”, connects the present to the past for a grand daughter and grandmother in an utterly remarkable historical fiction novel. The duality of timelines cements the relationship between Ava and Sophia, two strong and courageous women and each timeline is filled with emotional turmoil. Ava has suffered a personal, but tragic loss and she travels to Greece to escape whilst trying desperately to find out why her grandmother Sophia left her a house in a tiny remote Greek village but had never mentioned a single word about living there. Ava’s quest will have her blindsided in more ways than one as minuscule pieces of information are slowly revealed. It becomes evident that Sophia herself was grief stricken, and grief is something they both have in common. In this bittersweet tale of love and loss, people quite literally find their voices and pave a new path to move forward beyond the grief and the darkness they wear like a cloak.
I absolutely loved this enthralling book. I have to admit I was oblivious to what really happened to Greece during World War II and the Civil War that continued on in Greece after World War II had ended. Political instability was very much prevalent, and the atrocities continued on Greek soil. I thoroughly enjoyed the element of the story set back during the years of the war, it was very informative. It was definitely a vastly different time to the one Ava lives in now, there is no comparison. It’s always great after reading a novel that you come away with more knowledge about events that shaped the past and our future. I will also admit to being a tad confused regarding the two Greek resistance fighter groups depicted in this novel. At times, I couldn’t figure out were the good or the bad sides of these two contingencies, but as the story progressed they both become interwoven.
There are numerous characters that have to work through their pain in order to move forward or just to find peace of mind. They were caught up in circumstances beyond their control and by the decisions they chose. Talking allows light to shine through and healing to commence, regardless of the circumstances. The book ends suddenly, however, it instills hope in the darkest of moments.
The storytelling is superb in this gripping historical novel that will transport the reader to a tiny village in Greece where life is simple, and secrets are plentiful. The characterization of the locals in this novel is vivid and it captures their glory in such a graceful manner. I enjoyed every minute of this book.
I absolutely loved this enthralling book. I have to admit I was oblivious to what really happened to Greece during World War II and the Civil War that continued on in Greece after World War II had ended. Political instability was very much prevalent, and the atrocities continued on Greek soil. I thoroughly enjoyed the element of the story set back during the years of the war, it was very informative. It was definitely a vastly different time to the one Ava lives in now, there is no comparison. It’s always great after reading a novel that you come away with more knowledge about events that shaped the past and our future. I will also admit to being a tad confused regarding the two Greek resistance fighter groups depicted in this novel. At times, I couldn’t figure out were the good or the bad sides of these two contingencies, but as the story progressed they both become interwoven.
There are numerous characters that have to work through their pain in order to move forward or just to find peace of mind. They were caught up in circumstances beyond their control and by the decisions they chose. Talking allows light to shine through and healing to commence, regardless of the circumstances. The book ends suddenly, however, it instills hope in the darkest of moments.
The storytelling is superb in this gripping historical novel that will transport the reader to a tiny village in Greece where life is simple, and secrets are plentiful. The characterization of the locals in this novel is vivid and it captures their glory in such a graceful manner. I enjoyed every minute of this book.
November 13, 2013
Original review found at http://kristineandterri.blogspot.ca/2...
I received this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
For those that know me they know that this is the type of novel that I gravitate towards. Historical fiction surrounding wartime. When I read the synopsis of the story I knew I had to read this book.
This book was centralized around Greece during WWII and the Greek resistance. This was an aspect of the war that I have not been introduced to previously and I enjoyed learning another new piece of the puzzle.
The story is told through two different characters. Ava in the current day who flee's to Greece to overcome the grief of losing a child and a failing marriage and Sophia during wartime who plays a reluctant role within the Greek resistance.
For the first time I was drawn to Ava's story more than Sophia's. Normally I am drawn in to the story of the past however I felt Ava's journey was compelling and complex and I enjoyed how her story progressed. Without giving any of the plot away her journey was one of growth, acceptance and love. By escaping to rural Greece she learned to see past her own issues to accept that other's may handle situations different than herself and that does not make their feelings any less real than her own. I liked how she was vulnerable yet strong. I enjoyed how her relationship with Simon played out throughout the course of the book and felt that it was realistic.
I was less drawn to Sophia's story at first. Although a strong character I felt that the reader did not really know who she was for the first half of the book. Her character was focused on what was expected of a female during this time and the traditions that needed to be honored. It was not until her story started to conclude that we saw the strength of her character and she started to win me over. I will not tell how her story played out however the conclusion was both tragic and beautiful.
Another highlight for me was how Greece was highlighted through a small rural village. It held a charm of its own throughout the story. I could easily visualize it and dream of visiting a place like this.
It is my understanding that this story was written by Kate Hewitt under the name of Katharine Swartz. As I found this an enjoyable read I will be checking out other works by both names.
I received this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
For those that know me they know that this is the type of novel that I gravitate towards. Historical fiction surrounding wartime. When I read the synopsis of the story I knew I had to read this book.
This book was centralized around Greece during WWII and the Greek resistance. This was an aspect of the war that I have not been introduced to previously and I enjoyed learning another new piece of the puzzle.
The story is told through two different characters. Ava in the current day who flee's to Greece to overcome the grief of losing a child and a failing marriage and Sophia during wartime who plays a reluctant role within the Greek resistance.
For the first time I was drawn to Ava's story more than Sophia's. Normally I am drawn in to the story of the past however I felt Ava's journey was compelling and complex and I enjoyed how her story progressed. Without giving any of the plot away her journey was one of growth, acceptance and love. By escaping to rural Greece she learned to see past her own issues to accept that other's may handle situations different than herself and that does not make their feelings any less real than her own. I liked how she was vulnerable yet strong. I enjoyed how her relationship with Simon played out throughout the course of the book and felt that it was realistic.
I was less drawn to Sophia's story at first. Although a strong character I felt that the reader did not really know who she was for the first half of the book. Her character was focused on what was expected of a female during this time and the traditions that needed to be honored. It was not until her story started to conclude that we saw the strength of her character and she started to win me over. I will not tell how her story played out however the conclusion was both tragic and beautiful.
Another highlight for me was how Greece was highlighted through a small rural village. It held a charm of its own throughout the story. I could easily visualize it and dream of visiting a place like this.
It is my understanding that this story was written by Kate Hewitt under the name of Katharine Swartz. As I found this an enjoyable read I will be checking out other works by both names.
July 14, 2021
After a tragic loss Ava escapes England to travel to the abandoned house in Greece left to her by her Grandmother Sophia. During her time at the house she discovers things about her Grandmother that she never knew. Sophia never talked about her life in Greece. Ava uncovers her Grandmothers secrets after only a few villagers talk to her. The villagers are very reluctant to talk about what happened during WW2.
This is yet again another beautiful read by Kate Hewitt. A dual timeline novel detailing Ava's life and Sophia's during 1942.
Such an emotional read, you lose yourself in both aspects of the story.
Many thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for the advanced copy, my opinions are my own
This is yet again another beautiful read by Kate Hewitt. A dual timeline novel detailing Ava's life and Sophia's during 1942.
Such an emotional read, you lose yourself in both aspects of the story.
Many thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for the advanced copy, my opinions are my own
June 23, 2021
Beyond the Olive Grove by Kate Hewitt is a great dual timeline WWII-era historical fiction that takes the reader back into the depths of what life was like for the Greek inhabitants during occupation.
I really enjoyed this HF that gave me a different viewpoint of what individuals experienced from a country that isn’t written about as much as some of the others, Greece. The occupation, the atrocities, the adversities, and the passion and strength of her people at this pivotal time was depicted effortlessly throughout this book.
The dual timeline took us between present day Ava and the past by her grandmother, Sophia. What unfolds is a story of suspense, drama, betrayal, mystery, sacrifices, and perseverance. The few twists and turns that were included really added to the narrative. I especially enjoyed the historical timeline of Sophia.
As always, Ms. Hewitt has hit a home run.
5/5 stars
Thank you NG and Bookouture for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.
I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication.
I really enjoyed this HF that gave me a different viewpoint of what individuals experienced from a country that isn’t written about as much as some of the others, Greece. The occupation, the atrocities, the adversities, and the passion and strength of her people at this pivotal time was depicted effortlessly throughout this book.
The dual timeline took us between present day Ava and the past by her grandmother, Sophia. What unfolds is a story of suspense, drama, betrayal, mystery, sacrifices, and perseverance. The few twists and turns that were included really added to the narrative. I especially enjoyed the historical timeline of Sophia.
As always, Ms. Hewitt has hit a home run.
5/5 stars
Thank you NG and Bookouture for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.
I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication.
August 4, 2016
This was a wonderful book that had both a WWII and current day storyline. Both storylines were interesting and appealing, but I felt more invested in the current one. Ava Lancet has suffered tremendous loss, and she is adrift when she discovers she has inherited an old house in Greece from her grandmother. She decides to travel to the village where her grandmother was from, but never talked about, and spend time there. While in Greece, Ava meets new people, some of whom become important to her, learns some about her grandmother's early life, and begins to find healing.
The historical storyline has Ava's grandmother Sophia worrying about her irresponsible younger sister and trying to keep her family away from the attention of the soldiers and rebels who are in their village. Sophia becomes involved in the resistance against her will, and experiences life changing events.
I loved this book, and will be looking for more by the author. I loved the main characters, past and present, was enthralled by both storylines, and loved the wonderful setting of the small Greek village.
The historical storyline has Ava's grandmother Sophia worrying about her irresponsible younger sister and trying to keep her family away from the attention of the soldiers and rebels who are in their village. Sophia becomes involved in the resistance against her will, and experiences life changing events.
I loved this book, and will be looking for more by the author. I loved the main characters, past and present, was enthralled by both storylines, and loved the wonderful setting of the small Greek village.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 178 reviews