The Orchard's Descendant

by Anne Fricke

Feeling she has little choice, Maggie leaves her beloved community for a century-old farmhouse in the hills of Northern California. She is hoping to grow some roots. What she finds is a dilapidated house, a barn she can't bring herself to go into, and one family's tragedy left unsolved.

A daughter sent away and never heard from again, a father dead in a snowstorm, and Daniel, the angry brother who has lived with the pain of it all for more than 70 years. Will Maggie be able to find the home she has been longing for in the house about the orchard? Will she be the key to a brother's redemption?

A tale of love, deceit, and mystery, The Orchard's Descendant explores the idea of what it means to create 'home".

244 pages, ebook

Published September 5, 2018

About the author

Anne Fricke is a poet, writer, storyteller, podcaster, wife, mother, and aspiring open-mic comedienne. She lives in Northern California where she performs poetry, writes daily, and travels when she can. Her podcast, Walking with Freya, is a journey through special needs parenting. You can visit her website to learn more about the work she does in the world.

Reviews

[Ariadna Rodriguez · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is a fascinating novel, it attracts you from the beginning because it has unexpected twists, first because Maggie’s life changes drastically, she moves to a small town called Slatsville where she buys a house in ruins but little by little she gets to know the history of the family that lived there and their tragic life. Although Maggie is a bit reserved about her private life and why she came to this town, she meets Ian, a handsome and kind bee’s farmer who wins her affection as well as her new friend Josie, with whom she unravels the mysteries of the house and the orchard she has. So, my favorite character is Maggie by hers strength that she has in changing her life overnight, her way to overcomes the adversities that she finds when moves to Slatsville, but especially when she discovers what happened in the house she bought, even with her fear she was not able to leave it. In this novel I didn't like much the parts where Maggie is lost between her fears and her future in Slatsville, her indecision was very repetitive and she looks immature.I also didn't like that her affair with Ian is unnoticed, there's not much to describe it other than hugs and kisses and I thought that was interesting too. And my favorite part, Eliza's life and relationship with the house and what happened there. Finally The rhythm of the book is good, it flows and captures you very quickly.

[Amantha Doll · Rating 5 out of 5]

The beginning of the story didn't grab me right away. As I continued to read, I became caught up in the beauty of the orchard and Maggie's new life in a small Northern California community. The love stories, the vivid descriptions of a dilapidated farm house and a cherished orchard, family lore, mystery and small town living, intrigued my imagination and interest. I became absorbed. I stayed up late at night reading...and got spooked from the mysterious barn on Maggie's property. Finishing a story at 2 a.m is not something I've been compelled to do in a long while, but, I was engrossed in the mystery and saw 2 a.m. at story's end. Anne Fricke's writing is accessible and engaging. A good story telling of ancestry, human emotion, skeletons in the closet ( and other places), with a tinge of super-natural.
The romantic ideal of a simple life in the woods and blossoming love resonated with me so, that I long for a farm house of my own.

[Huaaa97 · Rating 3 out of 5]

As I stated earlier, it took me a while to get used to the different style and writing. It was hard for me at first but when once I read it through, I find myself to be engaged and engrossed in the story. I like how the book is in detailed and deviant from the common book I have read. I do enjoy the mystery and the language of the book isn't so hard for me to comprehend.

As for the storyline, I wish there were more details and a proper ending on how Eliza died. It seems unfair to me that the main story or shall I say the centre of the story is left hanging. It looks like an unfinished ending for her side. Also, I must say that the book make me feel confused at times on who is the main character. Is it Maggie, Eliza or the Orchard itself. Nevertheless, it is a good read and I believe it is not a typical or a common structure of a book I am used for that it require me quite some time to get it over with.

[Christine Vazou · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book won me over from the start. It describes the misfortunes of a kindhearted woman that led her to make a fresh start away from her friends and family. However, this fresh start hides many surprises. She will find love, friendship, and discover what happened to the previous family that resided there, with the help of a spirit.

The love stories described touched my heart. The chapters are divided between past and present, something that the author made it seem almost imperative for the story to evolve. I also loved the emotions the author passes through the reader about the house. On one hand, it is a scary place and on the other hand, it is a place where one character in the book longs to live in once again. The ending was amazing and fulfilling. I would totally recommend this book!

[Kez Booth · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story was a little slow in the first chapter or so but then it draws you in and doesn't let up until the final page. The book overall has a really good pace and is easy to read. I really liked that the story moves backwards and forwards between two different time periods; and it also gives various viewpoints from different characters which I thought was a nice touch. This style of writing also meant that it was easy to keep the story moving forward. Maggie is a main character you can sympathise with and is really likeable. There isn't a great deal about her blossoming relationship with Ian isn't front and centre as one would expect; but I found this was OK as it meant more time was focused on Maggie's journey into the history of her new home and what happened there. The ending was also nicely done (no spoilers). Highly recommended read.

[Shreya Agarwal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing! Amazing! Amazing! A book that makes me feel a hurricane of emotions is something I love to read. I applaud the writer. From that shiver running down my spine every time she approached the barn to feeling sympathy for the heartbroken protagonist for losing her unborn, from feeling her pain of shifting towns to silently cheering on her to start afresh, from feeling happy for her on making new and good hearted friends to smiling ear to ear when she met the love of her life the first time at the market and praying hard that her mother stays back with her in the spooky house; I have done it all. I have lived the story with her and felt every emotion with her. Only a good writer and a story with a great plot can make you feel that ❤️ I am extremely glad I picked this book. 😁

[Cathy Morales · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maggie feels because of a mistake she made that her life is in chaos and decides to move to Northern California to rebuild it. What she finds there changes her forever.

This book is wonderful. Once you read the first paragraph you can't put it down. So many women can relate to the challenges that Maggie faces. I think Anne captures the emotions of what this character is facing and brings it to life. You just feel like you are Maggie and part of the story.

The characters are very well written. Every place she writes about you can just picture it in your head.

I look forward to reading more of Anne's books in the future.

[Stephanie Bigham · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maggie is a teacher who experiences a traumatic event and decides to make a big life change moving out of the city into an old dilapidated house in a small town sight unseen. The story skips back and forth between past and present clearly and seamlessly slowly revealing answers to the mystery surrounding the house, kudos to the author for such a great flow. The author explores the meaning of home and the attachments we make through generations of tragedy and new beginnings. A really beautiful story. 16+, TW referrences to abortion & child abuse.

[Sandra Lopez · Rating 2 out of 5]

Home. Maggie May wasn't sure what the word really meant anymore. "She had lost a child, lost a home, and lost the world she knew" and now she was starting fresh. Little did she know that purchasing a house would just be her beginning.

This story struck me as a decent tale of a women's strength and journey, however, the truth was that Maggie was lost in a pity party. She didn't really evolve into a strong character, in my opinion. Her story was progressively slow and uninspiring.

[Gianna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maggie has a life mishap that causes her to leave her city life and buy a house in rural Northern California sight unseen. The house and orchard, what seems like a daunting project ends up revealing a story of mystery, love, and tragedy. The author does a wonderful job of intertwining two storys of the past in present. A very good story that kept me engaged and interested to find out what happens next.

[Calla · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book was not initially compelling, but as you continue reading, you'll realize, you want more. The story was relatable in a sense that most people reach a point in their lives, where they find themselves lost as they try to find their way back home. But then along the way, they would also find out, that home was already manifested in a different way and was already in a different path.

[Coralysa Moore · Rating 5 out of 5]

So good! Loved The Orchard's Descendant. I only had a few pages left and couldn't bring myself to finish it because I didn't want it to end. Nice plot line, memorable characters, and a enough mystery to keep my interest piqued.