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La hija del apicultor
Una familia sacudida por la tragedia, un amor que vive a traves del tiempo, una historia que se quedara en su corazon... Dorset, 1933: Gracia Hamblin esta creciendo en una preciosa finca rural. La unica hija del apicultor, ella sabe su lugar y su futuro - hasta que su padre muere inesperadamente y la deja despojada y sola. Tan sola, es decir, excepto para el hombre que ama, a quien ella sabe que nunca podra tener. Massachusetts, 1973: la bella hija de Grace, la impetuosa Trixie Valentine esta enamorada. Jasper es salvaje y romantico, un cantante en una banda al borde de la fama. Entonces ocurre una tragedia y debe regresar a su casa en Inglaterra, con la promesa de volver a Trixie algun dia, solo si ella lo espera... Agobiadas por los recuerdos, sin darse cuenta de los secretos que las unen, tanto para la madre y como para la hija que buscan un amor perdido. Para encontrar lo que estan deseando que deben enfrentarse al pasado, y desentranar las mentiras dichas hace mucho tiempo.
384 pages, Paperback
First published April 14, 2015
518 people are currently reading
7074 people want to read
About the author
Santa Montefiore
88 books2,688 followersSanta Montefiore is the number one bestselling author of over thirty novels and has sold over eight million copies worldwide. Her books have been translated into twenty-five languages and she won an RNA Award for The Temptation of Gracie in 2019, which is currently in development for film. Born in England in 1970, she grew up in Hampshire and now lives in London with her husband, writer Simon Sebag-Montefiore, their daughter, son, and dog Simba.
Shadows in the Moonlight is the first novel of a trilogy following the character Pixie Tate, with Secrets of the Starlit Sea following in summer 2025. Santa loves to hear from readers and you can find her at www.santamontefiore.co.uk.
Shadows in the Moonlight is the first novel of a trilogy following the character Pixie Tate, with Secrets of the Starlit Sea following in summer 2025. Santa loves to hear from readers and you can find her at www.santamontefiore.co.uk.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 844 reviews
March 8, 2015
I would've liked this better if there'd been less infidelity. Call me old-fashioned... but that's not my idea of a great romance. :P
April 12, 2015
I literally floated through this exquisitely written story in one Sunday morning. To say Santa Monteflore is talented would be sinful understatement. She has that ability to make you feel as if you can smell the flowers and hear the conversations.
To put it simply The Beekeepers Daughter made me smile. It was so refreshing to read writing of this caliber in a romance. While I kept flipping the pages to see what would happen next, I wasn't weighed down by that sense of dread of evil or something sinister lurking around the corner.
Set in England in the 1930s and the coast of New England in the 1970's we learn about Grace as both a young girl and women, then as the mother of spirited Trixie, her beloved daughter. As Trixie falls in love with a young British musician who is in America to try and get a record deal, she's is forced to make decisions about her future. Her father Freddie, who has always been distant and conservative takes a passionate disliking to to her first love. She believes he is just strict and cold from the war that disfigured him so many years ago in his native England. Little does she know her boyfriend is a descendant of someone both her father and mother know well.
This is the catalyst of learning about her parents love story and past. It's a beautifully told story that sweeps over generations and will grab hold of you instantly.
I like a little romance in a novel but cringe often in pure romance fiction. Cliches and instA-love stories make me nauseous and bore me to death. The BeeKeepers Daughter is refreshing and one of those very rare books that I may read again.
Thank you Netgalley and Simon Schuster for the advanced readers copy in exchanged for this review.
To put it simply The Beekeepers Daughter made me smile. It was so refreshing to read writing of this caliber in a romance. While I kept flipping the pages to see what would happen next, I wasn't weighed down by that sense of dread of evil or something sinister lurking around the corner.
Set in England in the 1930s and the coast of New England in the 1970's we learn about Grace as both a young girl and women, then as the mother of spirited Trixie, her beloved daughter. As Trixie falls in love with a young British musician who is in America to try and get a record deal, she's is forced to make decisions about her future. Her father Freddie, who has always been distant and conservative takes a passionate disliking to to her first love. She believes he is just strict and cold from the war that disfigured him so many years ago in his native England. Little does she know her boyfriend is a descendant of someone both her father and mother know well.
This is the catalyst of learning about her parents love story and past. It's a beautifully told story that sweeps over generations and will grab hold of you instantly.
I like a little romance in a novel but cringe often in pure romance fiction. Cliches and instA-love stories make me nauseous and bore me to death. The BeeKeepers Daughter is refreshing and one of those very rare books that I may read again.
Thank you Netgalley and Simon Schuster for the advanced readers copy in exchanged for this review.
April 21, 2023
A sweet novel, though with a disturbing amount of misbehaving and cliches.
We start in the late 70s with Grace's daughter, Trixie, falling in love for the first time. It allows Grace to reminisce about her first love, in 1938. The two timelines work together well to reveal Grace's past slowly and keep it relevant to the present.
It was a lovely story about love, family and relationships, but it's also a bit of a tired cliche to put the poor worker with the rich aristocrat and moan about duty and class. I enjoyed the interactions between Grace and Rufus, but I wanted more depth.
It's a little concerning to be persuaded to root for infidelity - it didn't quite sit right with me and its a big reason I couldn't give more stars. I won't say more for fear of spoilers, but there were some really questionable choices made, and I think maybe there just wasn't enough depth to justify it all.
With mention of the war about two thirds of the way through I was a bit concerned, but thankfully the setting of the story stayed blissfully detached so I was grateful for that.
Overall, an okay story with a sweet take on love. Some questionable, cliche moments, but a nice light-hearted read to kill a bit of time.
We start in the late 70s with Grace's daughter, Trixie, falling in love for the first time. It allows Grace to reminisce about her first love, in 1938. The two timelines work together well to reveal Grace's past slowly and keep it relevant to the present.
It was a lovely story about love, family and relationships, but it's also a bit of a tired cliche to put the poor worker with the rich aristocrat and moan about duty and class. I enjoyed the interactions between Grace and Rufus, but I wanted more depth.
It's a little concerning to be persuaded to root for infidelity - it didn't quite sit right with me and its a big reason I couldn't give more stars. I won't say more for fear of spoilers, but there were some really questionable choices made, and I think maybe there just wasn't enough depth to justify it all.
With mention of the war about two thirds of the way through I was a bit concerned, but thankfully the setting of the story stayed blissfully detached so I was grateful for that.
Overall, an okay story with a sweet take on love. Some questionable, cliche moments, but a nice light-hearted read to kill a bit of time.
April 12, 2015
Original review can be found at http://kristineandterri.blogspot.ca/
This book had a lot of things that I really like in book. It went between different time frames to tell a story, there were unanswered questions, a war, and lost loves. How could I not like it?
As it turned out I did like it but there was something that was stopping me from loving it and I had a hard time figuring out what it was. Normally I will try to write my thoughts as soon as I finish a book but I took a little time to think about this one to find my answer.
My struggle was with all of the relationships in the book. I didn't feel them as deeply as I would have liked which made it hard for me to understand the choices that were made throughout. There didn't seem to be enough time spent between Rufus and Grace for the feelings to be of such epic proportions. Also, I really liked Freddy which made it hard for me to swallow that relationship. There are some stories where you can somewhat understand or accept infidelity but this one wasn't easy. I also wasn't feeling the relationship between Trixie and Jasper to the extent that was needed for this story either.
The author does a beautiful job at describing the setting in both 1932 England and 1973 Massachusetts and even later and I really enjoyed that aspect of the story. I could see both places and picture myself there. Both places sounded absolutely beautiful. Significant historical events are somewhat glazed over making the story more about the romances and less about the history. I only say this because it may appeal more to readers of the romance genre over historical fiction fans.
In the end The Beekeeper's Daughter was a book that I was glad to have the opportunity to read. I enjoyed it but did find the moral part of my brain kicking in throughout.
This book had a lot of things that I really like in book. It went between different time frames to tell a story, there were unanswered questions, a war, and lost loves. How could I not like it?
As it turned out I did like it but there was something that was stopping me from loving it and I had a hard time figuring out what it was. Normally I will try to write my thoughts as soon as I finish a book but I took a little time to think about this one to find my answer.
My struggle was with all of the relationships in the book. I didn't feel them as deeply as I would have liked which made it hard for me to understand the choices that were made throughout. There didn't seem to be enough time spent between Rufus and Grace for the feelings to be of such epic proportions. Also, I really liked Freddy which made it hard for me to swallow that relationship. There are some stories where you can somewhat understand or accept infidelity but this one wasn't easy. I also wasn't feeling the relationship between Trixie and Jasper to the extent that was needed for this story either.
The author does a beautiful job at describing the setting in both 1932 England and 1973 Massachusetts and even later and I really enjoyed that aspect of the story. I could see both places and picture myself there. Both places sounded absolutely beautiful. Significant historical events are somewhat glazed over making the story more about the romances and less about the history. I only say this because it may appeal more to readers of the romance genre over historical fiction fans.
In the end The Beekeeper's Daughter was a book that I was glad to have the opportunity to read. I enjoyed it but did find the moral part of my brain kicking in throughout.
May 7, 2015
Sometimes you need or want a book for pure relaxation. One where you don't have to keep up with an extended family tree, difficult and confusing names or lots of hidden meanings you fear missing. The Beekeeper's Daughter is a light romantic dual time story. If it were a movie, it would be shown on the Lifetime channel...are you catching my drift? Just as with Lifetime movies, you can pretty much figure out what is coming in the next chapters. Take it on the plane or bring it to the beach.
August 25, 2015
I haven’t read any of Santa Montefiore’s books before, and if I’d seen the cover in a shop I doubt I would have picked it up: flowers, soft focus woman in a flowing dress. A bit twee for me. But I didn’t see the cover, I downloaded it from Net Galley. And it just goes to show how a cover can deter as well as attract, because I enjoyed the book. In a ‘I need an unchallenging read for a hot summer day when my brain isn’t fully-functioning’ kind of way.
I was 75% of the way through the book before I worked out why I was slightly dissatisfied, and I emphasize the ‘slightly’. Something was missing: context. The bees are drawn beautifully, the description of bees, the beekeeping, their role in Grace’s life. I could not say the same for the World War Two strand, in which war was a distant event: the women take over work at the Hall, and they have plenty of vegetables to eat. Likewise the Seventies, lightly drawn with sweeping pencil strokes. That’s why for me, the book is a lightweight read although it examines heavyweight topics and the characterization is strong. So I guess this will be labelled as Romance Genre.
Will I read another Montefiore novel? Maybe, it would be immensely comforting if I was ill or was facing an endless plane flight. If you hate romance, this is not for you. There’s lots of youthful longing, love won and lost, sad adultery and mature longing of long lost loves. I can see why her novels sell by the bucket-load.
I was 75% of the way through the book before I worked out why I was slightly dissatisfied, and I emphasize the ‘slightly’. Something was missing: context. The bees are drawn beautifully, the description of bees, the beekeeping, their role in Grace’s life. I could not say the same for the World War Two strand, in which war was a distant event: the women take over work at the Hall, and they have plenty of vegetables to eat. Likewise the Seventies, lightly drawn with sweeping pencil strokes. That’s why for me, the book is a lightweight read although it examines heavyweight topics and the characterization is strong. So I guess this will be labelled as Romance Genre.
Will I read another Montefiore novel? Maybe, it would be immensely comforting if I was ill or was facing an endless plane flight. If you hate romance, this is not for you. There’s lots of youthful longing, love won and lost, sad adultery and mature longing of long lost loves. I can see why her novels sell by the bucket-load.
March 13, 2015
Wow, I would have to say that I am speechless, this book was utterly amazing on so many levels and I can't praise it enough.
I want to thank Net Galley and Simon and Schuster for an advanced copy of this book.
This book begin with Grace Hamblin growing up as a young girl, in England, the daughter of a Beekeeper. This book follows her life as she is growing up - her friendships and first love, and her love for bees.
Then one day her father passes and she feels alone in this world...
She is caught between what she should do and where her heart is leading her. It won't be an easy road ahead.
Fast forward to 1973 and we meet Trixie, Grace's daughter. She meets a boy in a band and they fall in love, they are promising each other to be together forever.
But then he leaves due to a tragedy in his family, promising to send for her as soon as he can...
We watch their lives all intertwine and loves are lost, lives have continued and life has had to move on in directions they may not have wished for.
It's an amazing story from beginning to end.
I want to thank Net Galley and Simon and Schuster for an advanced copy of this book.
This book begin with Grace Hamblin growing up as a young girl, in England, the daughter of a Beekeeper. This book follows her life as she is growing up - her friendships and first love, and her love for bees.
Then one day her father passes and she feels alone in this world...
She is caught between what she should do and where her heart is leading her. It won't be an easy road ahead.
Fast forward to 1973 and we meet Trixie, Grace's daughter. She meets a boy in a band and they fall in love, they are promising each other to be together forever.
But then he leaves due to a tragedy in his family, promising to send for her as soon as he can...
We watch their lives all intertwine and loves are lost, lives have continued and life has had to move on in directions they may not have wished for.
It's an amazing story from beginning to end.
June 8, 2019
Wonderful. I am not usually a fan of romantic fiction. But I had already discovered Santa Montefiore writings and lived what I had read ie the Castle Deverill series. This I enjoyed. I liked the characters, the story, the scenic setting - I could see it in my mind's eye - and it was unputdownable.
January 29, 2020
A really sweet heart warming tale of life, love and bees 🥰🐝. My first experience of Santa Montefiore and it won’t be my last. A well thought out tale crossing three generations & two continents with characters I cared about. It did get a little whimsical at times with a ghostly presence or two but on the whole I really enjoyed it & she manages what few writers can- romance without cheese!
May 3, 2021
Am inceput cartea fara prea mari asteptari, imi doream o lectura usoara si relaxanta si este exact ceea ce am primit. Este o carte cu o poveste interesanta, fara mari rasturnari de situatie, doua povesti de dragoste care se intrepatrund, o relatie mama-fiica emotionanta. Iti lasa o stare de bine, dar probabil voi uita destul de repede personajele, caci nu au neaparat ceva memorabil.
December 1, 2020
5/5 estrellas
Debe ser el tercer libro que leo de Santa Montefiore y si bien es cierto que me gustaron los anteriores, no asociaba a la autora con el género romántico pero ella lo pertenece porque "La hija del apicultor" es una novela tan pero tan romántica narrada con una prosa que es un viaje al Londres de casitas antiguas con dos historias de amor que me parecieron casi de cuentos de hadas.
La sinopsis de La hija del apicultor no dice mucho (pero sí la portada que es bellísima), de hecho yo no sabía con qué me encontraría pero una vez finalizada la lectura puedo decir que... mejor que no se diga nada, así el lector bucea por la vida de Grace y de Trixie, madre e hija. La última es una muchacha extrovertida y alocada que ha conocido a Jasper, un amor de verano que se queda tan dentro de ella que siente que muere de felicidad pero una tragedia los separa. La primera es una mujer que ama el campo y las abejas desde pequeña, su padre se lo enseñó todo y queda "huerfana" (si así puede decirse) a los diecinueve años. Vive junto a su hija Trixie y su marido Freddie que con el paso de los años se ha vuelto más serio y amargo por las secuelas de la guerra. Y si, la historia me resultó bastante dolorosa por el contexto pero hay romance y los diálogos son muy románticos.
La hija del apicultor es un libro que nos mete entonces en tres historias de amor: Por un lado están la de Grace y Rufus y a su vez Grace y Freddie (guiño) ambos personajes masculinos son hermosos y bueno, no diré a quién queria yo al final, pero, también tenemos la historia de Trixie y Jasper y tuve que aceptar el destino que le dio la autora (es final es re feliz aclaro) Con Grace aprenderemos cómo se puede partir un corazón haciendo posible que palpite a dos ritmos diferentes, y que estos ritmos estén marcados a su vez por dos corazones diferentes. Y si, algunas lagrimaras derramé con ésta mujer.
Más no diré. Súper recomendado éste libro con una prosa que la destaca porque es perfecta describiendo los lugares y lo que sienten los corazones de cada uno de los personajes.
"— ¿Sabes lo que me fascina de las abejas, Trixie? La vida. Eso es lo más asombroso de ellas. Su providencial creatividad. Los seres humanos podemos construir coches y aviones y volar a la luna, pero es una inteligencia que escapa a nuestra comprensión la que hace que el mundo funcione. Probablemente los científicos puedan crear un cuerpo y un cerebro, pero jamás podrían crear la inteligencia, no podrían dar vida al cuerpo. La que gobierna a las abejas y su intrincada forma de vida es una inteligencia que escapa a nuestra comprensión. Podríamos producir miel, pero éstas diminutas criaturas la fabrican en cantidades suficientes para abastecernos a nosotros y a ellas y no se quejan. Eso me parece extraordinario".
Debe ser el tercer libro que leo de Santa Montefiore y si bien es cierto que me gustaron los anteriores, no asociaba a la autora con el género romántico pero ella lo pertenece porque "La hija del apicultor" es una novela tan pero tan romántica narrada con una prosa que es un viaje al Londres de casitas antiguas con dos historias de amor que me parecieron casi de cuentos de hadas.
La sinopsis de La hija del apicultor no dice mucho (pero sí la portada que es bellísima), de hecho yo no sabía con qué me encontraría pero una vez finalizada la lectura puedo decir que... mejor que no se diga nada, así el lector bucea por la vida de Grace y de Trixie, madre e hija. La última es una muchacha extrovertida y alocada que ha conocido a Jasper, un amor de verano que se queda tan dentro de ella que siente que muere de felicidad pero una tragedia los separa. La primera es una mujer que ama el campo y las abejas desde pequeña, su padre se lo enseñó todo y queda "huerfana" (si así puede decirse) a los diecinueve años. Vive junto a su hija Trixie y su marido Freddie que con el paso de los años se ha vuelto más serio y amargo por las secuelas de la guerra. Y si, la historia me resultó bastante dolorosa por el contexto pero hay romance y los diálogos son muy románticos.
La hija del apicultor es un libro que nos mete entonces en tres historias de amor: Por un lado están la de Grace y Rufus y a su vez Grace y Freddie (guiño) ambos personajes masculinos son hermosos y bueno, no diré a quién queria yo al final, pero, también tenemos la historia de Trixie y Jasper y tuve que aceptar el destino que le dio la autora (es final es re feliz aclaro) Con Grace aprenderemos cómo se puede partir un corazón haciendo posible que palpite a dos ritmos diferentes, y que estos ritmos estén marcados a su vez por dos corazones diferentes. Y si, algunas lagrimaras derramé con ésta mujer.
Más no diré. Súper recomendado éste libro con una prosa que la destaca porque es perfecta describiendo los lugares y lo que sienten los corazones de cada uno de los personajes.
"— ¿Sabes lo que me fascina de las abejas, Trixie? La vida. Eso es lo más asombroso de ellas. Su providencial creatividad. Los seres humanos podemos construir coches y aviones y volar a la luna, pero es una inteligencia que escapa a nuestra comprensión la que hace que el mundo funcione. Probablemente los científicos puedan crear un cuerpo y un cerebro, pero jamás podrían crear la inteligencia, no podrían dar vida al cuerpo. La que gobierna a las abejas y su intrincada forma de vida es una inteligencia que escapa a nuestra comprensión. Podríamos producir miel, pero éstas diminutas criaturas la fabrican en cantidades suficientes para abastecernos a nosotros y a ellas y no se quejan. Eso me parece extraordinario".
April 20, 2018
Infidelity is not romance. It is not to be celebrated or mourned as forbidden love. Call me old fashioned, but this was not a romance. I could almost guarantee most kids wouldn’t find out about it in a parent and feel bad for said parent’s lost love. Disappointed.
June 11, 2017
Четейки книгата се замислих какво не й достига , за да ми хареса напълно и установих , че това е ритъма.
Някак непоследователно е написана , което загубва вниманието.
Не те държи в очакване.
Историята е много интересна , но липсва страст.
Стилът на авторката продължава да е малко по-наивен за моя вкус, но не дразнещо.
Това , което си намерих:
"Страхът е коренът на всички предразсъдъци."
Някак непоследователно е написана , което загубва вниманието.
Не те държи в очакване.
Историята е много интересна , но липсва страст.
Стилът на авторката продължава да е малко по-наивен за моя вкус, но не дразнещо.
Това , което си намерих:
"Страхът е коренът на всички предразсъдъци."
September 8, 2022
Based on the book description I thought I was going to love this one but unfortunately I didn’t. I don’t know if the amount of time it took me to read the book affected my enjoyment of it because I read it in a lot of short sittings, but I feel like I wouldn’t have loved it regardless. The love stories weren’t convincing to me and there was no subtlety between the characters. It’s like every character said exactly what they were thinking/the first thing that popped in their mind. I also found most of the story events were rushed, especially the ending.
I loved the setting and the elements of the book, just not the direction and execution of the plot and characters.
I loved the setting and the elements of the book, just not the direction and execution of the plot and characters.
September 13, 2019
Sublime! I have recently become reacquainted with Santa's books and find them such a delight. Set across decades and usually told across 2 timespans from 2 separate points of view I love how they end up intertwining. I have found with a few other of her books I've read, that I don't always like some of the characters (they can be a bit spoilt/brattish) but I loved all these characters and overall it was a stunning read. An easy 5 stars!
October 31, 2019
Oh what a heartbreakingly beautiful story!
my heart gave out so many, many times. I lived each detail, and loved each character, all the same.
Santa Montefiore has a unique voice, her writing is so tender and so sweet it makes you ache for the beauty before your eyes. She's a talented painter. My imagination was filled with scenes, colors, and vibrant hues that dance swiftly in my head. I loved everything about her romantic narrative, and i loved everything about this story of generations, of love, heartbreak, war, betrayal, and simply being human.
Thank you Grace, Trixie, Rufus, Freddie, Arthur, and Jasper. And thank you Santa Montefiore.
my heart gave out so many, many times. I lived each detail, and loved each character, all the same.
Santa Montefiore has a unique voice, her writing is so tender and so sweet it makes you ache for the beauty before your eyes. She's a talented painter. My imagination was filled with scenes, colors, and vibrant hues that dance swiftly in my head. I loved everything about her romantic narrative, and i loved everything about this story of generations, of love, heartbreak, war, betrayal, and simply being human.
Thank you Grace, Trixie, Rufus, Freddie, Arthur, and Jasper. And thank you Santa Montefiore.
July 23, 2023
Lengva vasariška knyga, tinkanti įsimylėjusiems paaugliams. Pabaiga "saldi", nuspėjama.
August 25, 2016
Find my full review at luxuryreading.com.
I’ve read a few of Santa Montefiore’s novels and have always find them enjoyable. She has a wonderful way of transporting the reader to beautiful locations with a florid and alluring writing style that gets me every time. The stories are lighter reading with just enough drama and romance to keep the reader satisfied without pushing too far over into melodrama. In other words: perfect beach reading. After reading the synopsis of The Beekeeper’s Daughter I was excited to see how she tackled this story with the style I’ve come to enjoy. Did I find it a success? Well, yes and no.
The first two-thirds or so of the story goes back and forth between England in the 1930’s and 40’s and an island off the coast of Massachusetts in 1973. The earlier timeline deals with Grace Hamblin and her unquenchable love for the heir of her village’s local gentry. The later timeline mainly revolves around Grace’s daughter, Trixie, and her own love for a man she can’t have, as well as Grace’s continued strained relationship with her husband, Freddie. My biggest issue with these characters was that I didn’t particularly like them or understand most of the choices they made. I found Trixie to be especially selfish, at least in the beginning, and found her and Grace’s complete obsessions with men they barely knew – obsessions that last for decades! – to be unrealistic. They both make some very poor choices and, while it all seems to wrap up pretty neatly in the end (a little too neatly in my opinion), I was still left shaking my head at their actions. One character that I didn’t initially enjoy, Grace’s husband Freddie, did grow on me quite a lot, which made some of Grace’s more selfish choices that much worse to me. All of this could be exacerbated by the fact that I’m not a huge fan of heavy romance in novels in general. Those who do enjoy romance more might find this book more enjoyable but I need more balance with other elements to make the story really draw me in.
The final third of the story jumps ahead to Trixie in 1990 as she tries to learn the true story behind her parents’ early lives in England – something neither of them talk about – which did much to tie up loose ends and fill in the gaps the other two timelines left hanging, but it felt like a somewhat odd way to advance the story. I think I would have preferred more development of some of the historical aspects the characters went through, such as both Freddie and Grace’s experiences during WWII, and less time on Trixie learning those experiences second hand from others. This would present its own problems of course, especially with how Trixie’s story ends, but being the big history fan I am I was just hoping for more meat to the story and less dramatic romance.
I hope that all this doesn’t imply that I hated the story, because I did enjoy it. Ms. Montefiore does have a beautiful writing style that perfectly whisks the reader to the locations she sets her stories in. I absolutely loved the descriptions of the English gardens and the windswept island the characters inhabited. I also enjoyed many of the secondary characters that weren’t given a lot of backstory but still made me want to read more about them. I think, for me, The Beekeeper’s Daughter just tipped a little too much over to the melodramatic romance side of things, keeping me from liking this one as much as the previous few I’ve read. I’m still a fan and will read more of Ms. Montefiore’s novels, I’ll just try to look more carefully for the ones a little lighter on the romance and a little heavier on the character and plot development.
I’ve read a few of Santa Montefiore’s novels and have always find them enjoyable. She has a wonderful way of transporting the reader to beautiful locations with a florid and alluring writing style that gets me every time. The stories are lighter reading with just enough drama and romance to keep the reader satisfied without pushing too far over into melodrama. In other words: perfect beach reading. After reading the synopsis of The Beekeeper’s Daughter I was excited to see how she tackled this story with the style I’ve come to enjoy. Did I find it a success? Well, yes and no.
The first two-thirds or so of the story goes back and forth between England in the 1930’s and 40’s and an island off the coast of Massachusetts in 1973. The earlier timeline deals with Grace Hamblin and her unquenchable love for the heir of her village’s local gentry. The later timeline mainly revolves around Grace’s daughter, Trixie, and her own love for a man she can’t have, as well as Grace’s continued strained relationship with her husband, Freddie. My biggest issue with these characters was that I didn’t particularly like them or understand most of the choices they made. I found Trixie to be especially selfish, at least in the beginning, and found her and Grace’s complete obsessions with men they barely knew – obsessions that last for decades! – to be unrealistic. They both make some very poor choices and, while it all seems to wrap up pretty neatly in the end (a little too neatly in my opinion), I was still left shaking my head at their actions. One character that I didn’t initially enjoy, Grace’s husband Freddie, did grow on me quite a lot, which made some of Grace’s more selfish choices that much worse to me. All of this could be exacerbated by the fact that I’m not a huge fan of heavy romance in novels in general. Those who do enjoy romance more might find this book more enjoyable but I need more balance with other elements to make the story really draw me in.
The final third of the story jumps ahead to Trixie in 1990 as she tries to learn the true story behind her parents’ early lives in England – something neither of them talk about – which did much to tie up loose ends and fill in the gaps the other two timelines left hanging, but it felt like a somewhat odd way to advance the story. I think I would have preferred more development of some of the historical aspects the characters went through, such as both Freddie and Grace’s experiences during WWII, and less time on Trixie learning those experiences second hand from others. This would present its own problems of course, especially with how Trixie’s story ends, but being the big history fan I am I was just hoping for more meat to the story and less dramatic romance.
I hope that all this doesn’t imply that I hated the story, because I did enjoy it. Ms. Montefiore does have a beautiful writing style that perfectly whisks the reader to the locations she sets her stories in. I absolutely loved the descriptions of the English gardens and the windswept island the characters inhabited. I also enjoyed many of the secondary characters that weren’t given a lot of backstory but still made me want to read more about them. I think, for me, The Beekeeper’s Daughter just tipped a little too much over to the melodramatic romance side of things, keeping me from liking this one as much as the previous few I’ve read. I’m still a fan and will read more of Ms. Montefiore’s novels, I’ll just try to look more carefully for the ones a little lighter on the romance and a little heavier on the character and plot development.
June 16, 2023
3.5 stars
March 15, 2015
When I requested this book from netgalley it was because the premise seemed interesting. I'd never read Santa Montefiore before and was looking foward to it. It was an easy read and the plot was somewhat engaging [and the parts about the bees quite informative]. At times a 3, maybe even a 3 1/2, the book spiralled down. Ultimately defeated by its prose--worse when there were some romantic interludes. The first indication of dismay I had [groaning at the language out loud to myself] was on page 27 when "...[he] felt himself straining his jeans with desire." I probably would have abandoned the book if I had not felt an obligation to negalley.
August 28, 2017
I didn't get the feeling of epic romance from this one at all. I feel like all the characters couldn't properly communicate with each other which led to all of them having miserable lives. I mean, have a decent conversation 50 years ago and save yourselves from the pain. Geez.
October 7, 2017
A bunch of adults who think childhood crushes are actually the only love of their lives... Boring, and rather pointless
May 22, 2023
O ficțiune istorică foarte frumoasă ce gravitează în jurul crescătorilor de albine pe vremea războiului.
Avem două planuri, prezent și trecut, marcate de iubiri și suferință.
Avem două planuri, prezent și trecut, marcate de iubiri și suferință.
October 25, 2014
Originally posted on http://beccasbooooks.blogspot.co.uk/
On a scale of one to five billion, how romantic was this novel? Five billion, without a doubt. Oh my goodness, book lovers, I finished The Beekeeper's Daughter by Santa Montefiore in the stupidly early hours of this morning, and I do not regret it one single bit, because it was absolutely incredible, and I freaking adored it.
Firstly, a huge thank you to the author Santa Montefiore and her fabulous publishers Simon and Schuster UK. I requested this wonderful title on Net Galley, and I screamed when I received the email that told me I had been accepted. I was so bloody excited, and trust me when I say that this novel was worth that amount of excitement, and so much more, too.
In the Beekeeper's Daughter, Santa Montefiore introduces the reader to the present day, where Grace is a mother to her unruly teenage daughter Trixie, and married to Freddie, who she has known since she was a young girl. Straight away, there was an obvious hint of wistfulness about Grace and I was just dying to know what it was that Grace was remembering so much. As if reading my mind, the incredible author takes us back in time to Grace's teenage years, where she lives with her father Arthur in the Beekeeper's cottage back in England. I loved this transition and it was achieved effortlessly. The author's beautiful vivid descriptions of the cottage that Grace called home and the surrounding areas were just divine. I felt like I was right there with Grace, tending to the bees and running my fingers along the flower heads. From there on, Santa Montefiore unveils the breathtaking story of Grace, Freddie and Rufus, and the tangled web that takes hold of them all. I knew from the beginning that I was going to fall head over heels in love with this story, and boy was I right. It took hold of me and shook me up, and I loved each and every second that I spent with my head in this novel.
Santa Montefiore told Grace's story in such a beautiful way, I couldn't help but sit there and stare at my Kindle in awe. It was incredible. Not only does the author bounce between the past and the present, but she also switches between narrative too, resulting in a tantalizing read and a peek from all corners. I must also add that the novel is split into three main parts, too! This constant switching only made Santa's storytelling efforts seem so much more incredible, and I LOVED seeing the differences between Grace's life in England with her father in the Beekeeper's cottage, and then her life in the present day with her daughter Trixie, her husband Freddie and the wistful longing that I was constantly picking up on.
In The Beekeeper's Daughter, there were a number of major characters that Santa introduced to me. Even though the author switched the narrative between certain characters, I felt like Grace was the main character within this story. When Grace was first introduced to me, it was in the present day, and she entered the Crab Cove Golf Club with her good friend Big, and strolled past a bunch of gossiping, wealthy women. My first impressions of Grace were all made due to this sentence.
"Grace Valentine looked as out of place in the clubhouse as a shire horse in a field of thoroughbreds."
Compared to the group of women that were gossiping about Grace's daughter just moments before Grace entered, she really stands out against the backdrop of their pink cashmere sweaters and perfectly styled hair-dos. Grace didn't fiddle around and try to make herself appear to be perfect. She had her hair loosely pinned up at the back of her neck, and was dressed in cotton trousers and a loose fitting shirt. I felt like Grace didn't give a damn about what the other women thought of her, or about what they thought of her daughter either. Grace was too wise to take any notice of them, I felt, kinda' like she was above that sort of tittle tattle. After Grace and her husband Freddie got up and left England, they moved to a small island called Tekanasset, where gossip was ripe. Grace's hands were rough from constant gardening and tending to bees, and she was just such a breath of fresh air comparing to the first encounter of the island gossips. Grace seemed to me rather like a wise woman; she had lived such a long life, as the story progressed, it also became apparent that she had lived through some harsh things too. I really admired her, and although the island gossips thought badly of her daughter, Grace didn't seem too bothered. It was as if she wanted her daughter to live and enjoy her youth, and it was so lovely because where Trixie was concerned, Grace was soft and just wanted her daughter to have a full and exciting life.
When it came to Trixie, Grace's daughter, I felt like she also held her mother in the highest respects too. Trixie had no idea of her mother's incredible past, and I found this brilliant because it made me want to sit down with my own mother and really dig deeper into her life before I came into the picture. I found Trixie to be a bit of a tearaway. If she had been told by either of her parents that she was grounded, she would climb out of the window and still go out anyway. When the novel really begins to take off, you find out that Trixie is in love with a young man called Jasper who has came over from England with his band. Trixie is absolutely besotted with him, but when tragedy strikes back home, Jasper has to pack up and return to the stately home that he came from. But before he leaves, Jasper makes a promise to Trixie, and he tells her to wait for him, because he'll come back for her. Trixie is heart-broken when he leaves, but little does she know that Jasper is intrinsically woven into her mother's past, and it's almost as if the cycle is happening once more, and Trixie is following the same path that her mother once trod. As the novel progresses, Trixie waits for Jasper to return, until finally, as her tears cascade down her face, she comes to the realisation that Jasper isn't going to return to her.
As well as Grace and Trixie, there is also Freddie, who Grace has known for almost all of her life. Grace and Freddie were friends as children back in England, and before Grace's father passed away, he told Grace that Freddie was the kind of man that he would like his daughter to marry. Before that point, Grace had never looked upon Freddie in that way, but when Freddie returns to the plot at one point, Grace blinks and suddenly Freddie is a man and no longer a boy. The chemistry between them was most definitely off the chart, and what made it seem even more beautiful was the fact that they had been such dear friends before their relationship got to that point. Freddie and Grace embark on a relationship together, but there has always been one person that Grace has never been able to rid from her mind. One man that she thought would become her's one day, but it never happened. From afar, Grace watches this man, and can't help but let the longing course through her veins. Grace loves Freddie, she truly does, but nothing can stop the longing that she feels whenever she catches a glimpse of Rufus, who resides in the big stately home with his stunning wife.
There are so many incredible things that happen in this novel, it's hard for me to pinpoint them all in this review. What I can say though, is that this novel is one hell of a journey, and once I had finished, I felt like I could finally stop holding my breath. It was a rush of passion, grief, sadness, hope and most importantly, love. With so many wonderful characters and Grace and her daughter's lives intertwining, I couldn't help but wonder what it would have been like to actually live this amazing story out for myself. There was definitely a ton of heartache that had my tears threatening to escape, but then equally there were moments of passion that had me catching my breath.
Readers, I would recommend this to you if you love it when authors cause the past and the present to collide, if you love hard-hitting powerful romances that make you bite your lip in frustration, if you love history and beautiful settings and scenery, if you love watching the worlds of separated societies come together because two people just can't help themselves...
I absolutely adored this novel. I truly did. I do hope you decide to give it a read and then you can see for yourselves just how damn beautiful this story really is.
Becca's Books is rating The Beekeeper's Daughter by Santa Montefiore with FIVE cupcakes. Powerful, moving and absolutely beautiful, you won't want to return to reality.
On a scale of one to five billion, how romantic was this novel? Five billion, without a doubt. Oh my goodness, book lovers, I finished The Beekeeper's Daughter by Santa Montefiore in the stupidly early hours of this morning, and I do not regret it one single bit, because it was absolutely incredible, and I freaking adored it.
Firstly, a huge thank you to the author Santa Montefiore and her fabulous publishers Simon and Schuster UK. I requested this wonderful title on Net Galley, and I screamed when I received the email that told me I had been accepted. I was so bloody excited, and trust me when I say that this novel was worth that amount of excitement, and so much more, too.
In the Beekeeper's Daughter, Santa Montefiore introduces the reader to the present day, where Grace is a mother to her unruly teenage daughter Trixie, and married to Freddie, who she has known since she was a young girl. Straight away, there was an obvious hint of wistfulness about Grace and I was just dying to know what it was that Grace was remembering so much. As if reading my mind, the incredible author takes us back in time to Grace's teenage years, where she lives with her father Arthur in the Beekeeper's cottage back in England. I loved this transition and it was achieved effortlessly. The author's beautiful vivid descriptions of the cottage that Grace called home and the surrounding areas were just divine. I felt like I was right there with Grace, tending to the bees and running my fingers along the flower heads. From there on, Santa Montefiore unveils the breathtaking story of Grace, Freddie and Rufus, and the tangled web that takes hold of them all. I knew from the beginning that I was going to fall head over heels in love with this story, and boy was I right. It took hold of me and shook me up, and I loved each and every second that I spent with my head in this novel.
Santa Montefiore told Grace's story in such a beautiful way, I couldn't help but sit there and stare at my Kindle in awe. It was incredible. Not only does the author bounce between the past and the present, but she also switches between narrative too, resulting in a tantalizing read and a peek from all corners. I must also add that the novel is split into three main parts, too! This constant switching only made Santa's storytelling efforts seem so much more incredible, and I LOVED seeing the differences between Grace's life in England with her father in the Beekeeper's cottage, and then her life in the present day with her daughter Trixie, her husband Freddie and the wistful longing that I was constantly picking up on.
In The Beekeeper's Daughter, there were a number of major characters that Santa introduced to me. Even though the author switched the narrative between certain characters, I felt like Grace was the main character within this story. When Grace was first introduced to me, it was in the present day, and she entered the Crab Cove Golf Club with her good friend Big, and strolled past a bunch of gossiping, wealthy women. My first impressions of Grace were all made due to this sentence.
"Grace Valentine looked as out of place in the clubhouse as a shire horse in a field of thoroughbreds."
Compared to the group of women that were gossiping about Grace's daughter just moments before Grace entered, she really stands out against the backdrop of their pink cashmere sweaters and perfectly styled hair-dos. Grace didn't fiddle around and try to make herself appear to be perfect. She had her hair loosely pinned up at the back of her neck, and was dressed in cotton trousers and a loose fitting shirt. I felt like Grace didn't give a damn about what the other women thought of her, or about what they thought of her daughter either. Grace was too wise to take any notice of them, I felt, kinda' like she was above that sort of tittle tattle. After Grace and her husband Freddie got up and left England, they moved to a small island called Tekanasset, where gossip was ripe. Grace's hands were rough from constant gardening and tending to bees, and she was just such a breath of fresh air comparing to the first encounter of the island gossips. Grace seemed to me rather like a wise woman; she had lived such a long life, as the story progressed, it also became apparent that she had lived through some harsh things too. I really admired her, and although the island gossips thought badly of her daughter, Grace didn't seem too bothered. It was as if she wanted her daughter to live and enjoy her youth, and it was so lovely because where Trixie was concerned, Grace was soft and just wanted her daughter to have a full and exciting life.
When it came to Trixie, Grace's daughter, I felt like she also held her mother in the highest respects too. Trixie had no idea of her mother's incredible past, and I found this brilliant because it made me want to sit down with my own mother and really dig deeper into her life before I came into the picture. I found Trixie to be a bit of a tearaway. If she had been told by either of her parents that she was grounded, she would climb out of the window and still go out anyway. When the novel really begins to take off, you find out that Trixie is in love with a young man called Jasper who has came over from England with his band. Trixie is absolutely besotted with him, but when tragedy strikes back home, Jasper has to pack up and return to the stately home that he came from. But before he leaves, Jasper makes a promise to Trixie, and he tells her to wait for him, because he'll come back for her. Trixie is heart-broken when he leaves, but little does she know that Jasper is intrinsically woven into her mother's past, and it's almost as if the cycle is happening once more, and Trixie is following the same path that her mother once trod. As the novel progresses, Trixie waits for Jasper to return, until finally, as her tears cascade down her face, she comes to the realisation that Jasper isn't going to return to her.
As well as Grace and Trixie, there is also Freddie, who Grace has known for almost all of her life. Grace and Freddie were friends as children back in England, and before Grace's father passed away, he told Grace that Freddie was the kind of man that he would like his daughter to marry. Before that point, Grace had never looked upon Freddie in that way, but when Freddie returns to the plot at one point, Grace blinks and suddenly Freddie is a man and no longer a boy. The chemistry between them was most definitely off the chart, and what made it seem even more beautiful was the fact that they had been such dear friends before their relationship got to that point. Freddie and Grace embark on a relationship together, but there has always been one person that Grace has never been able to rid from her mind. One man that she thought would become her's one day, but it never happened. From afar, Grace watches this man, and can't help but let the longing course through her veins. Grace loves Freddie, she truly does, but nothing can stop the longing that she feels whenever she catches a glimpse of Rufus, who resides in the big stately home with his stunning wife.
There are so many incredible things that happen in this novel, it's hard for me to pinpoint them all in this review. What I can say though, is that this novel is one hell of a journey, and once I had finished, I felt like I could finally stop holding my breath. It was a rush of passion, grief, sadness, hope and most importantly, love. With so many wonderful characters and Grace and her daughter's lives intertwining, I couldn't help but wonder what it would have been like to actually live this amazing story out for myself. There was definitely a ton of heartache that had my tears threatening to escape, but then equally there were moments of passion that had me catching my breath.
Readers, I would recommend this to you if you love it when authors cause the past and the present to collide, if you love hard-hitting powerful romances that make you bite your lip in frustration, if you love history and beautiful settings and scenery, if you love watching the worlds of separated societies come together because two people just can't help themselves...
I absolutely adored this novel. I truly did. I do hope you decide to give it a read and then you can see for yourselves just how damn beautiful this story really is.
Becca's Books is rating The Beekeeper's Daughter by Santa Montefiore with FIVE cupcakes. Powerful, moving and absolutely beautiful, you won't want to return to reality.
November 24, 2018
“... nes ir labiausiai kentėdama širdis nesiliauja mylėjusi. Tai ir yra meilės grožis.”
“Nustebsi, kuo mergina gali paversti raudona suknelė.”
“... metams bėgant, meilė nesidėvi ir neyra, ji švyti kaip amžina saulė.”
Puiki, nepaprastai lengvai ir įtaigiai papasakota persipynusiu dvieju kartu meilės istorija, nukelianti skaitytoja į tarpukario Anglija, karo ir pokario metus, o taip pat ir pasakojanti beveik viso gyvenimo veikėju istorija. Istorija jautri, nepaprastai šilta ir atrodė taip jauku skaityti kiekviena siužeto vingį. Atpalaiduojanti, tačiau su drama. Drama geraja prasme, turbūt jau seniai beskaičiau knyga, kurioje drama buvo tikra, paliečianti siela ir mintis. Kaip ir daugumos romanu, antra karta neskaityčiau, bet įspūdis liko puikus.
Kodėl ne 5 žvaigždutės?
Dėl šiek tiek per daug užsaldintos pabaigos. Mano realistiškai ir kartais melancholiškai dvasiai kartais patinka tikresnes pabaigos be cukraus putos ant viršaus. Čia veikėjai išgyvena stiprius sukrėtimus ir susitaikę su ne visai svajoniu likimu galiausiai gauna savo svajoniu išsipildyma. Jei to nebūtu įvykę, knyga būtu buvusi gerokai stipresnė. Matomai rašytoja neatsilaikė laimingos pabaigos idilei.
Apibendrinus, rekomenduoju poilsiui, atsipalaidavimui, turbūt iš tokio pobūdžio knygu viena vertingesniu būtu ši. Ačiū draugei Vismantei už rekomendacija.
“Nustebsi, kuo mergina gali paversti raudona suknelė.”
“... metams bėgant, meilė nesidėvi ir neyra, ji švyti kaip amžina saulė.”
Puiki, nepaprastai lengvai ir įtaigiai papasakota persipynusiu dvieju kartu meilės istorija, nukelianti skaitytoja į tarpukario Anglija, karo ir pokario metus, o taip pat ir pasakojanti beveik viso gyvenimo veikėju istorija. Istorija jautri, nepaprastai šilta ir atrodė taip jauku skaityti kiekviena siužeto vingį. Atpalaiduojanti, tačiau su drama. Drama geraja prasme, turbūt jau seniai beskaičiau knyga, kurioje drama buvo tikra, paliečianti siela ir mintis. Kaip ir daugumos romanu, antra karta neskaityčiau, bet įspūdis liko puikus.
Kodėl ne 5 žvaigždutės?
Dėl šiek tiek per daug užsaldintos pabaigos. Mano realistiškai ir kartais melancholiškai dvasiai kartais patinka tikresnes pabaigos be cukraus putos ant viršaus. Čia veikėjai išgyvena stiprius sukrėtimus ir susitaikę su ne visai svajoniu likimu galiausiai gauna savo svajoniu išsipildyma. Jei to nebūtu įvykę, knyga būtu buvusi gerokai stipresnė. Matomai rašytoja neatsilaikė laimingos pabaigos idilei.
Apibendrinus, rekomenduoju poilsiui, atsipalaidavimui, turbūt iš tokio pobūdžio knygu viena vertingesniu būtu ši. Ačiū draugei Vismantei už rekomendacija.
May 11, 2022
This was my third by Santa Montefiore and it did not disappoint. Her writing makes you feel the butterflies of that young love, that ache of first heartbreak and the passion of true love. This book describes beautifully the dilemma many people have faced in their lives of loving more than one person. The conundrum, of fighting the natural instinct and facing the self guilt, is the constant when one's heart can't decide rather doesn't want to decide. This story is full of history, not in the global sense of the world, but how the World Wars affected the common man. How the personal lives never got to be the same. I enjoyed reading every chapter, and like her other books, I could empathize with every character as truly everyone is fighting their own demons.
This book shows what it is like to be a human, not a hero or a villain, just human and how there is no white and black out there, just many many shades of grey.
I recommend it!!
- Chetna
This book shows what it is like to be a human, not a hero or a villain, just human and how there is no white and black out there, just many many shades of grey.
I recommend it!!
- Chetna
June 1, 2024
I breezed through this historical romance in a few days listening to it ironically enough while gardening. There were a few interesting twists which kept things interesting.
June 7, 2025
I loved this book!
January 28, 2023
Got this book from a friend. Super lovely, easy read. Kind of cheesy but nice happy book.
July 10, 2014
If you are looking to be swept away by superb characters, beautifully described settings and a finely written romance (or two!), then this is the book for you!
In 1930's Dorset, young Grace is leading a happy life with her father, the local Beekeeper. When he dies unexpectedly, Grace has to find her place in life. Is it with her childhood friend Freddie, or Rufus, the man she loves from afar?
Moving forward to the 1970's and Grace is living in America with her husband and daughter, Trixie. Trixie, falls in love with Englishman, Jasper, a singer in an up and coming band. When a family tragedy strikes, Jasper is forced to return to his home in England with plans to call for Trixie to join him when events are settled. Will he, or will Trixie remain alone in America?
A connection between mother and daughter's lives is deftly revealed, and they each have to confront the past in order to move forward.
As usual, Santa's descriptive writing, of characters, settings and storyline draws you in from the start, and for me, this was quite the page turner! The traversing of different time spans is handled seamlessly, and I simply adored the character of Grace and the unfolding of her tale. This is certainly on my 'to read again' shelf!
*I received a free copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
In 1930's Dorset, young Grace is leading a happy life with her father, the local Beekeeper. When he dies unexpectedly, Grace has to find her place in life. Is it with her childhood friend Freddie, or Rufus, the man she loves from afar?
Moving forward to the 1970's and Grace is living in America with her husband and daughter, Trixie. Trixie, falls in love with Englishman, Jasper, a singer in an up and coming band. When a family tragedy strikes, Jasper is forced to return to his home in England with plans to call for Trixie to join him when events are settled. Will he, or will Trixie remain alone in America?
A connection between mother and daughter's lives is deftly revealed, and they each have to confront the past in order to move forward.
As usual, Santa's descriptive writing, of characters, settings and storyline draws you in from the start, and for me, this was quite the page turner! The traversing of different time spans is handled seamlessly, and I simply adored the character of Grace and the unfolding of her tale. This is certainly on my 'to read again' shelf!
*I received a free copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
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