Orange Blossom Days

by Patricia Scanlan

*** THE NUMBER ONE BESTSELLER ***

I n a beautiful southern Spanish town, where the sea sparkles and orange blossoms scent the air, the gates of a brand new apartment complex, La Joya de  Andalucía , glide open to welcome the new owners.

Warmth, wisdom and love on every page - if you treasured Maeve Binchy, read Patricia Scanlan.

Number 1 bestselling author Patricia Scanlan is set to capture the hearts and enchant the minds of a whole new generation of readers who will fall in love with her sublime storytelling. A trailblazing women’s fiction author, all of her novels have been #1 international bestsellers, most recently  With All My Love, A Time for Friends, and A Family Reunion . She writes multi-generational family dramas with compassion and authenticity, and a hint of comforting escapism.

‘If you love Maeve Binchy, you MUST try Patricia Scanlan' Woman & Home
'Utterly magical and wonderful... warmth and compassion shine through' MARIAN KEYES
'Like being enfolded in a hug from the great writer warm, comforting and full of love' CATHY KELLY
'There can be little doubt that Patricia Scanlan is the prolific queen of contemporary Irish popular fiction' Sunday Times
'There is a heartbreaking authenticity in her observations' Irish Times
'The ultimate comfort read' Glamour
‘If you love Maeve Binchy, you will love Patricia Scanlan’ Mirror
 

Genres: Fiction, Chick Lit, Audiobook, Spain, Contemporary, Womens Fiction, Adult

466 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2017

About the author

Patricia Scanlan was born in Dublin, where she still lives. Her #1 bestsellers include Apartment 3B; Finishing Touches; Foreign Affairs; Promises, Promises; Mirror, Mirror; City Girl; City Woman; City Lives; and Francesca’s Party. She has sold millions of books worldwide and is translated into many languages. Patricia is the series editor and a contributing author to the award winning Open Door literacy series, which she developed for adult literacy.

Reviews

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was drawn in by the cover so beautiful I love it but this was very drawn out, too many characters to keep interested very confusing & while it sounded a lovely setting in Spain it just was way to long 624 pages maybe this author is not in my genre but at least I tried.

[☆Dani☆ ☆Touch My Spine Book Reviews☆ · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was drawn in by the beautiful cover of this book and the author. I have read Patricia Scanlon’s work before and thoroughly enjoyed her writings. While the writing was good, this book was not for me at all. I felt that this story was waaaayyyy too long and it should have just focused on the main couple but with all the characters and over 600 pages it was too much for me. I still will be reading future work of this author but I will not be re-reading this book. I felt like this story dragged on forever and with the length the characters just ended up bothering me. I do love long stories from time to time but this was one not for me but am thankful to the publisher and author for providing me with an advanced reader copy.

[Sandysbookaday (taking a step back for a while) · Rating 3 out of 5]

EXCERPT: 'Imagine spending our winters out here, away from freezing winds and non-stop rain. Imagine playing golf every day!' Austen grinned, his tanned face flushed with pride at the rewards their hard work over the years had now brought them. A penthouse apartment in a plush seafront complex on Spain's southern coast. Who would have thought they'd ever be able to afford such a luxury, he reflected, remembering that at the beginning of their marriage, all those years ago, he and Annie hadn't had two pennies to rub together.

THE BLURB: n a beautiful southern Spanish town, where the sea sparkles and orange blossoms scent the air, the gates of a brand new apartment complex, La Joya deAndalucía, glide open to welcome the new owners.

Anna and Austen MacDonald, an Irish couple, are preparing to enjoy their retirement to the full. But the demands of family cause problems they have never foreseen and shake their marriage to the core.

Sally-Ann Connolly Cooper, a feisty Texan mother of two young teenagers, is reeling from her husband’s infidelity. La Joya becomes a place of solace for Sally-Ann, in more ways than one.

Eduardo Sanchez, a haughty Madrileño, has set out with single-minded determination to become El Presidente of the complex’s management committee. But pride comes before a fall.

Jutta Sauer Perez, a sophisticated German who aspires to own her very own apartment in La Joya, works hard to reach her goal. Then the unthinkable happens.

As their lives entwine and friendships and enmities develop, it becomes apparent that La Joya is not quite the haven they all expect it to be…

MY THOUGHTS: I have enjoyed many of Patricia Scanlan's books over the years, they are a lovely bit of escapism, but I didn't enjoy Orange Blossom Days as much as I had hoped.

I love the cover, and have to admit that is what first caught my eye. Then the author, and I thought I was on to a sure thing. The characters are well depicted, as are their trials, tribulations and moments of triumph.

Things I didn't like were the length of the book. At 624 pages, it is a long book, but I have read and loved longer books. This just seemed inordinately long and drawn out. It 'felt' like 624 pages, perhaps even a few more.

I would have been much happier had Scanlan focused the book on Anna and Austen alone. Their story was enough to fill a book, or even them and Sally-Ann and Cal Connelly-Cooper. Although, again, the Connelly-Cooper story could have filled another book on its own. Really the rest was extraneous.

The narrator, Jilly Bond, had a perfectly lovely voice until she attempted the American accents and the men's voices. It would have been a far more pleasant listening experience if she had just used her natural voice to read the book.

I listened to Orange Blossom Days by Patricia Scanlan, narrated by Jilly Bond, and published by Simon and Schuster, via OverDrive. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

Please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the 'about' page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com for an explanation of my rating system.

This review and others are also published on my blog sandysbookaday.wordpress.com https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...

[Alayne Emmett · Rating 4 out of 5]

Years ago I used to read every Patricia Scanlan book that was in the book shops and then after I’d read most of them I stopped as I found them too alike! I found this book in a charity shop and thought “why not” it’s been years so I’ll give it a try.
This book was different to her others and although I enjoyed it I did find it dragged towards the end and I found it too chatty and not much action.
It centres around 5 women and their families and what happens to them. Ok that’s fine but, it was predictable at times and a bit me, me, me, which is why I gave this book 4 stars.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

For my full review, visit me at https://mrsbrownsbooks.wordpress.com/...

Centred around several women who either work or live in a Spanish apartment complex, this books follows their lives over several years. They are not characters who intimately know one another; the apartment is what binds them together. As the story progresses, readers move from Spain to America and Ireland, following the lives of Sally-Ann and Anna, before returning again to the sunny Spanish location.

[Margaret Madden · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review to follow...

[Elizabeth · Rating 1 out of 5]

I really hate when I can't finish a book. It makes me feel like somewhere in my heart I failed it. But, I made myself a promise a long time ago that if I just couldn't make it work, I would put myself and the poor book out of misery and move forward.

"Orange Blossom Days" is, regrettably, one of those books. The cover is fantastic leading the reader to believe that sunny reading days are ahead. But, I found it to be flawed.

One of the major problems is the prose itself seems stilted and much too formulaic to keep the reader (or at least, me) interested. It plods along at a slow pace. The other and the flaw that finally got me, is that the Texans (Sally-Ann and Cal) dialog drove me crazy. Admittedly, I am not a Texan, but I KNOW that Texans don't speak that way. It was obviously written without reading a novel written by a Texan or even watching Dallas. It didn't make any sense to me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books. I wish I could have liked it. The story could have been great!

[Inky · Rating 5 out of 5]

I couldn't wait to get my hands on this book, as I am a huge Patricia Scanlan fan, and the book certainly didn't disappoint, the characters where well developed and interesting and the plot had a unsuspecting twist at the end. I did however feel that the book was a little slow to get started, but once I got past the first few chapters I really got into the book. Would definately recommend

[Gill Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fantastic book that I just loved. I had a real feeling of being in Spain and smelling the orange blossom. I wanted to keep reading about these families and see what happened next, maybe there'll be a sequel, I hope so.

[Jo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not read a book by this author in a long time - but it was a delight. Set in Spain in a swish holiday apartment complex it follows the lives of a series of international apartment owners. The stories all flowed into each.other and were entertaining. This would make a perfect holiday read.

[Jane Gregg · Rating 1 out of 5]

Lame as. I should have given it up but something like horror drove me to finish it.

[Petra Quelch · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can't take my eyes off the cover of Orange Blossom Days! It is so vibrant that I can almost smell the juicy oranges! Well, this was my weekend read!
If you would like to find out more about this book, then pop over to Books and The City where Team BATC chats to the fabulous Patricia Scanlan!

The Orange Blossom Days are the first book I read by Patricia Scanlan, and it definitely won't be last.
Patricia has a beautiful writing style that transported me instantly to the colourful and vivid Spanish place.

I really loved meeting all the characters of La Joya and getting to know them. Although sometimes I must admit I felt a tiny bit overwhelmed by so many stories jostling for my attentions.

All the characters lived in one luxurious complex and as they all have very different personalities that sometimes developed into neighbourly tiffs or blossoming friendships and fun help by a copious amount of sparkling Prosecco.

Orange Blossom Days is without a doubt lovely read that kept me happily entertain right to the last page.

[Jenny · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am sad to say I will not be finishing this book. I have read many of Scanlan's works and liked them very much. Some were even five star reads for me. But this story has too many characters, mostly couples, to keep everyone straight. Scanlan was not too imaginative with the characters' names, either: Consuela, Constanza, Catalina, Chloe, Cal, Conor, Austen, Anna, Sally-Ann, Lenora, Lana. Besides all this, for me, none of characters are likable. Her books usually have at least one or two people I am rooting for. Not here. I've given this a good try, finally giving in at page 287 of 449 (US paperback version). Better luck next time.

[Trish at Between My Lines · Rating 4 out of 5]

Heartwarming, real and eventful. It was great fun to a have a birds eye view into the lives of the residents of a luxury Spanish apartment complex. It's not all fun in the sun though, as trials and tribulations are around every corner.

Not my favourite book by this author, but her books are always well worth reading. There is a reason that she is the Queen of Irish chick-lit.

[Khurshid Ali · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very brilliant read. A book covering a range of relationships, betrayal and loyalty. I have read this authors books before and love the way she defines and explores relationships and friendships.

[Elizabeth Findlay · Rating 2 out of 5]

Holiday reading too many perfect / damaged characters to be true

[Certified Book Addicts · Rating 4 out of 5]

Orange Blossom Days is Irish author Patricia Scanlan’s 19th novel. Like her previous novels, Patricia’s latest work is warm and sincere as she provides insight into daily life. Told in the the third person, the book is divided innto three parts. Time of Our Lives is about the happy moments being created while Time for a Change is about the heartbreak of life. Lastly, Time To Move On shows the acceptance of change. Set in San Antonio del Mar, Spain, a place abundant with oranage blossom trees, Patricia delves into many themes through the lives of the occupants in the apartment complex known as La Joya. La Joya is beautifully translated as The Jewel.

For many of the occupants, the apartment complex are bought to provide relief from the grind of daily life. There’s Anna and Austen who have bought the apartment to enjoy retirement. With a narcissistic daughter, their dreams of living the quiet life in Spain is becoming harder to achieve. Patricia shows compassion with the theme of old age and the all too real struggle of grandparents bringing up their grandchildren in the age of the ‘me’ generation. She accurately portrays how mothers and fathers think and deal differently with becoming grandparents.

Sallyann and her husband Cal are another couple from Texas that are owners of one of the many apartments. I adored Sallyann but found her Texan twang interrupted my reading flow. She was a straight up woman who pulled no punches in life. She was always honest with herself, her husband and her children. Patricia explores the theme of marriage and child rearing through this pair as theirs is very different from the norm. Married in name only after Cal's affair with Lenora, theirs has become an open marriage. It wasn’t too difficult to see what would happen when Cal’s mistress realizes that Cal was ready to end the relationship. Lenora's feelings with the aftermath was eye opening because it's rarely discussed or understood in society, occasionally popping up in women’s fiction.

Eduardo and Consuala are the last Spanish occupants of La Joya. Eduardo is a man I despised from the start with his patriarchal ways and old fashioned views. His long suffering wife was a doormat at the beginning so I really enjoyed watching her transformation into a woman of independence. I always thought Eduardo needed a mother, not a wife! A bone of contention for this married couple is Eduardo’s elderly aunt. Here, Patricia shines a light onto looking after the elderly and the strains it can cause within a family.

The last person involved within the complex is Jutta, a seller of the apartments. German born, Jutta is married to a Spanish businessman, who conducts much of his work under the table. Like Sallyann she is an honest woman but less emotional. Many residents had trouble connecting with her but I found Jutta refreshing as I have met many women in life just like her. Patricia examines this relationship as it suffers under work pressures, infidelity and again, the pressures of caring for aged parents even though they live in another country.

A thoughtful read that will make you think about the many current issues that society is facing, some for the first time.

[Grass monster · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Blurb :
In a beautiful southern Spanish town, where the sea sparkles and orange blossoms scent the air, the gates of a brand new apartment complex, La Joya deAndalucía, glide open to welcome the new owners.
Anna and Austen MacDonald, an Irish couple, are preparing to enjoy their retirement to the full. But the demands of family cause problems they have never foreseen and shake their marriage to the core.
Sally-Ann Connolly Cooper, a feisty Texan mother of two young teenagers, is reeling from her husband’s infidelity. La Joya becomes a place of solace for Sally-Ann, in more ways than one.
Eduardo Sanchez, a haughty Madrileño, has set out with single-minded determination to become El Presidente of the complex’s management committee. But pride comes before a fall.
Jutta Sauer Perez, a sophisticated German who aspires to own her very own apartment in La Joya, works hard to reach her goal. Then the unthinkable happens.


My Thoughts :
This has the most stunning cover ever, it draws you in and if you want an escape than this is it.
This can be a little confusing at times because there is so much going on & there are a lot of charactors in this story. Some I connected with, some I didnt. You have to really concentrate on what is going on.
But I always enjoy Patricia's style of writing and we get good, vivid descriptions aswell. I love a bit of escapism and what better place than sunny Spain. Looking forward to the next book from Patricia Scanlan.

[Julie Spratt · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this book on several lovely sunny days. I envy the people in the story who had apartments in Spain but all was not as rosy as it first seems. Scanalan gives all of her characters a fair chance in the story and they in turn weave together.

Anna and Austen are the typical retirees of the day who think that they will be able to up and leave whenever they want. But life is never as simple as that and they are soon in the cycle of weddings and grandchidren who need them and the opportunities for escape are not as plentiful as expected. Plans never work out as we think they will.

The recession of Ireland and Spain is included in the book along with the issues that this brought in both countries. Divorce and affairs are also threaded through several of the characters lives with all the trials and tribulations that these things bring to whole families.

I read this in several sittings and it is perfect holiday read. Not as much about Spain as I would have expected but very enjoyable all the same. Put a copy in your case.

[Jennifer Moville · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book to read and review

This is a story of love , life and betrayal like no other.
Irish couple Anna and Austen want the best in their lives but problems from family set in and they have to be strong to save their relationship.
Sally-Ann is out for revenge - her husband has betrayed her and she doesn't take that without a fight.
All this living on a spanish complex with amongst other residents a self preserving wanna be president of the complex and a posh german leaves the author with a very wide scope for naughtiness , friendships to blossom, and for people to stab you in the back.
This is one of those books that I kept putting down to do other things but then kept thinking about the whole time wantint to know more until in the end I made a cuppa , put my feet up and got stuck into one gloomy rainy day. It really brightened me up.

[Joyb Animalcrackers · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a really good, warm-hearted story with very believable characters.

At the time of the Irish Tiger, when Ireland's economy was booming an Irish couple buy a holiday apartment in Spain. Spain too is enjoying a building boom and people form various nationalities buy properties in the same complex. From a Texan couple with an unusual marriage to a staid Spanish pair along with the German woman who arranges things - lives become inter-twined.

Over time circumstances change. The ideal retirement becomes a frenzy of childcare, the property investment results in a financial disaster and for a divorced couple the wife's sheer generosity makes all things possible.

It is thoroughly enjoyable and not at all predictable. from its fascinating details Of what is needed to create a luxury complex) to how life's knocks will affect people. I thoroughly recommend it

[TMM · Rating 4 out of 5]

A relaxing holiday read infused with Scanlan's warm sense of humour about the lives, loves and catastrophes of different nationalities staying in a Spanish apartment complex. Scanlan transports the reader to places they want to visit courtesy of her evocative descriptions. She explores the importance of lasting friendships to carry you through bad times, the hard knocks life can throw at you and the power of redemptive healing. Her characters are diverse. Some have secrets. Some lie. Others have ideas above their station, are struck by sudden tragedy or have the misfortune to make bad decisions. Overall an entertaining journey with some surprises along the way. The ideal book to curl up with and enjoy a Baileys.

[Annette Chidzey · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first novel by Patricia Scanlan that I have read and my reaction is tempered by my awareness that often it is the point in your day, week or world when you pick up a book and read it that determines your response.
This is the case in point here for me as I have very much enjoyed my travels in Southern Spain and recall Seville, Cordobe, Granada and Valencia with fond affection. I loved its vibrancy, energy and warmth and this is how I will remember this account. The characters that I came to know and invest in were ones I responded to emotionally and I can appreciate other readers’ comparisons to the writings of Maeve Binchey for example.
Whatever others may think or feel when reading it, this novel case at just the right time for me to enjoy and embrace it totally.

[Dawn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book for free through a giveaway at Goodreads.com.

This really wasn't a good book for me, though I did enjoy some elements.
It felt too much like the second, or even third, book in a series in the way the book both began and ended... No, nothing was left hanging (well, not really), and the characters were introduced pretty clearly, but I couldn't shake the feeling that there was so much more that could have preceded the opening and more to follow.
It didn't help that I didn't like any of the characters, found most of the storyline dull, and noticed some quite magnificent errors.
Shame.

[Ellen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Picture yourself in a vacation complex on the Andalusia area of Spain, and meet the people of various nationalities as their lives play out over time. Sally Ann and her husband Cal,are Texans with an open marriage, staying married for their twin teenage daughters. Anna and Austen are Irish, enjoying retirement despite Anna’s constant demands from her daughters. Eduardo and Consuela are Spaniards, Eduardo a bit of a bully while Consuela is trying to find her independence. I really enjoyed this novel, the gorgeous setting, the themes of family and finding one’s way will draw you in, enjoy!

[Nanette · Rating 3 out of 5]

Entertaining, fast-paced women's fiction set in an apartment complex in southern Spain. The characters are slightly older than you usually find in this type of book--mainly well-heeled young retirees and midlife businesspeople. A couple of the characters were a little over-the-top (Sally-Ann's "Texas" accent was reminiscent of what someone whose knowledge of Texas is limited to TV dramas would think a Texan would speak) and a few of the twists at the end came out of nowhere. Overall, a nice blend of comforting cliches and character-driven fiction. Full review in an upcoming issue of Booklist.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of those books that I fit I into the gentle lady holiday reads. We get to meet a group of different characters as they buy new apartments in a southern seaside town in Spain. As the years go on we learn more about their relationships and families.

I did like this read, and with the grey skies of winter here I loved reading about the warm temperatures and sunshine.

[Peggy · Rating 1 out of 5]

Terrible. Took me FOREVER to read. The story went nowhere, and then ended very abruptly with no resolution, almost as though there is a sequel waiting to happen. I won't be reading it. Shame, because I LOVED her earlier books. "Foreign Affairs" was my favorite book of hers. This didn't even come close.

[Shereen Lang · Rating 2 out of 5]

I felt like this story dragged on forever and with the length the characters just ended up bothering me. I do love long stories from time to time but this was one not for me...So this is one book I have to say did me in I could not finish it just lost me sorry Patricia Scanlan ... and it’s not like me not to finish a book

[Angie Rhodes · Rating 5 out of 5]

For those who are missing the wonderful stories of Maeve Binchy then Patrica Scanlan is who you are looking for,
I have read and reviewed this for Lovereading, so once that has gone live, I will post the review