The Lemon Tree Hotel

by Rosanna Ley

A story about love, family secrets, and a little piece of heaven . . .

In the beautiful village of Vernazza, the Mazzone family have transformed an old convent overlooking the glamorous Italian Riviera into the elegant Lemon Tree Hotel.

For Chiara, her daughter Elene and her granddaughter Isabella, the smooth running of their hotel is the driving force in their lives. But for how long can this continue? Chiara's husband Alonzo spends most of his time working away and Elene's marriage is equally rocky. Tensions between Chiara and Elene are at breaking point and it seems everyone in the family has a different idea about what kind of hotel it should be.

One day, two unexpected guests check in. The first, Dante Rossi, is a face from Chiara's past. Elene quickly realises that her mother and Dante are connected by a close bond. What exactly happened between them all those years ago? Meanwhile, Isabella is preoccupied with the second guest, a mysterious young man who seems to know a lot about the history of the old convent and the people who live here. Although drawn to him, Isabella is determined to find out his true intentions and discover the secret past of the Lemon Tree Hotel.

Genres: Fiction, Italy, Chick Lit, Romance, Audiobook, Travel, Beach Reads

496 pages, Paperback

First published March 7, 2019

About the author

Rosanna Ley has worked as a creative writing tutor for over 15 years. Affiliated to several colleges and universities in England, she also runs her own writing courses in the UK and abroad. She has worked with community groups in therapeutic settings and completed an MA in creative writing for personal development in order to support this. Her writing holidays and retreats take place in stunning locations in Italy and Spain and whilst not teaching or writing she mentors and appraises the work of new writers. Rosanna has had numerous articles and short stories published in UK magazines, and 12 novels of contemporary fiction published in the U.K, Germany, Greece and the U.S.A under a pseudonym. Her books are inspired by the culture and landscapes of Italy, Sicily and the Canary Islands and feature strong female voices from the past and present, along with an intense undercurrent of mystery and romance. Rosanna spends some time every year travelling around Europe looking for writing inspiration and more tranquil settings for writing holidays. She loves cliff walking and her favourite writing place is somewhere with a sea view. When she is not travelling, Rosanna lives with her artist husband in a Victorian cottage in West Dorset by the sea.
(From the author's website)

Reviews

[Dale Harcombe · Rating 3 out of 5]

Three and a half stars.
In the village of Vernazza, the Mazzone family have created a beautiful hotel from what was once a convent.The Lemon Tree Hotel ,on the Cinque Terre of the Italian Riveira, is an elegant place to stay. It is run by Chiara, her daughter Elene and gradndadughter Isabella. Chiara’s husband Alonzo is away most of the time with business interests in Pisa. So the running of the hotel is in the capable hands of the three women with the help of Elene’s husband Silvio. Elene feels she and Silvio are not valued or listened to enough by Chiara. Also Elene resents the relationship between her mother and her daughter when her relationship with Chira is so uneasy.
The book starts in 1968 when the Sixreen year old Chiara is faced with what seems an impossible choice between the Dante, the young man she loves and her familyand their expectations.
Forty years later ,when that old flame turns up to stay at the hotel it sets a whole train of events in motion. There is also the attraction Isabella finds for the young German guest Ferdinand. But what is his fascination with the artwork painted by Aunt Giovanna’s father and why is he so interested in the history of the convent, and meeting with and talking to Giovanna?
This is an entertaining read with a couple of plot twists. I felt one of them seemed contrived and only designed to paint one of the characters in the worst possible light to enable events to move forward. Wasn’t convinced by it. Another event is quite distressing not just the Mazzone family but for the whole town of Vernazza. Though characters in the story are fictional the event is based on a real event at Vernazza that occurred in 2011. The way it is written it has the ring of authenticity.
Overall this was a good that kept kept my interest. It features stunning setting well conveyed and characters that mostly came across as real and believable, with the one exception mentioned earlier. A pleasant place to spend some time. I am sure it will appeal to many readers of women’s fiction.

[Lisa M · Rating 5 out of 5]

Welcome to the luscious Lemon Tree Hotel - an intoxicating story with some mouth-watering descriptions, not only of the local olives and food but also of the place itself. I was transported right there in this novel and wow what a novel indeed!

I can sometimes find multi-generation books, or books that flip between timelines, not always enjoyable but this one flowed so well I had no issues at all and their stories were intertwined perfectly.

This book was superb, my heart truly ached for Chiara and her story in particular. Her life could have been so very different, but then we wouldn't have met her formidable daughter Elene and caring granddaughter Isabella.

If I found fault with this book I would be picking unnecessarily - beautiful writing that did justice to a soaring story that I lost myself in. So often I can be disappointed with an ending but this was just perfect and left me feeling more than satisfied!

My many thanks to Quercus Books via NetGalley for providing me with this advanced reading copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Tripfiction · Rating 5 out of 5]

Romance novel set in VERNAZZA, Cinque Terre



4.5*
Need a bit of sultry escapism right now? If you have already come across Rosanna Ley’s novels you will know that she is the Queen of literary wanderlust writing. We featured her novel The Little Theatre By the Sea as our first ever #TFBookClub choice, back in 2017, and have always had a fondness for her brilliant portrayal of setting.

In The Lemon Tree Hotel the reader meets three generations of women in one family. Grandmother Chiara, daughter Elene and granddaughter Isabella (Bella). Together they run the former convent, which they have spectacularly renovated to create an oasis of calm and beauty for the guests who pass through their doors.

Each woman has her own function and in the novel, each is dealing with personal issues. A former lover of Chiara arrives in the hotel, without warning – theirs was truly an unrequited love. His presence puts into sharp relief the problems in Chiara’s marriage to Alonzo. Coupled with a couple of discoveries about Alonzo’s business operations, she now has to decide where her future lies.

Young Isabella has caught the eye of Ferdinand Bauer, a German architect who has checked in. He clearly has an agenda, in addition to enjoying the beautiful scenery. She is determined to find out what his quest might be. Remember that Italy was occupied by the Germans during WW2 and she senses there may be history that underpins her suspicions.

Elene is the chef at the hotel and seems quite embittered, compared with her mother and daughter, stuck in between two more out-going and sunshine-radiating personalities. The other two are life’s radiators and she appears to be one of life’s drains.

The book is firmly set in 2011 and beautifully brings to life this colourful and fabulous part of the world. Walk with the characters through the olive groves, smell the lemons, enjoy Bisto Kid moments, as wonderfully described and flavourful foods waft off the pages (OK, OK, I am showing my age – see left – I totally identify with Chiara 😉 ). The author mentions places to eat and things to see and it is wonderful to experience the location through this author’s eyes.

At a time when escapism is a balm to the soul then Rosanna Ley’s books totally fit the bill for some literary wanderlust. Enjoy.

[-Vilma- · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nors tai ir romanas, bet keliaujantiems po Cinque Terre Italijoje ir ypač Vernazza miestelį tiesiog būtina ją perskaityti. Labai gražiai ir vaizdžiai aprašytos vietovės, žmonių kasdienybė, miesteliai ir pakrantės. Ką tik iš ten grįžau, tai buvo nerealu skaityti apie vietas, po kurias vaikščiojau ir į kurias žiūrėjau 😍

[Thebooktrail · Rating 4 out of 5]

Visit the locations in the novel

Rosanna Ley’s words open up such wonderful locations and this time we’re off to the beautiful village of Vernazza. Right on the coast of the Italian Riviera and the setting of a gorgeous hotel to boot. A real life gorgeous village tucked away that you might not notice otherwise, but when Rosanna Ley guides you there, adds secrets, intrigue and mystery, then you will definately want to book that visit!

And how much intrigue and mystery can one place have? Lots as it turns out. The Lemon Tree Hotel is the home and life of four women. Chiara runs the hotel and we find out that she choose to stay here with her family and family business when she was very young The hotel used to be a convent so there’s a lot of history and heritage around it. Chiara’s daughter Elene is the chef and Isabella, the granddaughter and the front desk or ‘face’ of the hotel. It’s a real family affair as Aunt Giovanna also lives on the site as she has done for some time. She’s lived through the German occupation and has some stories to tell.

When two guests arrive at the hotel, stories and baggage come with them (and not just the ones you can easily unpack and put away). Guests unsettle the still waters and bristle the trees of the nearby vineyards and orchards. These guests have a profound effect on both the hotel and its owners.

The rest is best discovered for yourself as it’s a winding story that gradually unravels to reveal secrets in its grasp. The novel is quite slow moving but that suits the narrative well and represents the sleepy, rural village setting well. I swear I could smell the aroma of the lemons and olives outside and then once back at the hotel aaah! the fragrances of those dishes Elene cooks up in the kitchen.

I felt as if stepping into Venazza and the lives of these characters was like taking a step back in time. There’s a sense that time has forgotten this place, the community, the life style and way of doing things and it was lovely to experience all this. Tourism is also taking place here and it seems to be the perfect place where past and present mix. That’s until it clashes within families that is.

A wonderfully evocative weaving tale that transports you to Italy!

[Emma Crowley · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Lemon Tree Hotel by Rosanna Ley has a beautiful cover to match the stunning set for this new book. Set on the Italian Rivera in the Cinque Terre region, the author captures a period of time in one families life when great changes are afoot. Things have remained the same for many years but discord is stirring and long held feelings and opinions slowly begin to simmer to the surface. The past is now having a bracing impact on the present and also on which direction the future may take. It's a very character driven story, yes there are glorious and wonderful descriptions of the hotel and the surrounding areas which do really help to set the scene and aid us in getting to know the characters. But this is a slow read with the main events only really happening towards the end which just felt that little bit too late for me.

The story follows one family in which a trio of women each play very important and varied roles. They are bound by family relationships and the three generations have lots in common but they are also poles apart in many other ways each hiding secrets and viewpoints which when events take hold have nothing else to do but come to the surface. At times I found it challenging to keep track of the three main female characters. Chiara is the grandmother, her daughter Elene is a chef in the hotel kitchen and this is her domain. Her own daughter Isabella runs the front of house. Sometimes I was confusing who was who and what exactly was going on with their own story but I knew everything would ultimately combine to bring all the various strands together.

I found the book hard going at times as there was nothing really happening. I think an event or some earth shattering secret needed to be brought into the open around the halfway point to keep me engaged and reading on. I am glad I did persist with this read but it wouldn’t be my favourite of Rosanna Ley's. The love Chiara has for the hotel established by her parents is evident. She knows every nook and cranny and she welcomes the guests with open arms and sees no problems with the way it is being run. It has been the same for so many years and there is no reason to change things which have worked perfectly fine. The hotel has always been a retreat, a shelter and a spiritual haven right from the times the nuns once occupied the building as a convent. As more than one stranger arrives will the façade of comfort and happiness be shattered forever?

Elene is unhappy and feels she is never listened to. She enjoys her role as chef but wants a bigger say in what is going on. Times are a changing on the outside and with the world in general and she feels the same should occur with the hotel. Moving with the more modern times is the way to go but will she ever be listened to? Her unhappiness also stems from childhood and that has carried on right through her marriage to Silvo and the subsequent birth of Isabella. It's not that she is unhappy with her husband and daughter, it's more the relationship she has with her own mother. I really couldn't warm to Elene at all, she just seemed so grumpy and selfish and although she was a grown adult in my mind at times she acted like a child.

In her own mind she seemed beholden to her mother when I'm not sure that was always the case. I felt she was looking for sympathy and truly if she wasn't that happy shouldn't she have just admitted how she was feeling and gotten everything out in the open? She was disgruntled and very unhappy with her life but she was the one with the power to change it. She feels a chasm between herself and her mother but is it one of her own creation? She believes that she is made to feel dispensable and that if she wasn't there then things would continue to run as smoothly as normal. There was a certain action undertaken by Elene that I thought was sneaky and underhand and I desperately wished she hadn't done it as I think it would have come to light in a more smoother way. Clearly she needed to air her grievances but she had she the courage to do so in a befitting manner.

As for Isabella she was young and independent with a good business brain on her shoulders. So when a German guest arrives and starts acting suspicious her interest is aroused. As she grows closer to Ferdinand, he still remains a closed book and his actions in and around the hotel only increase her worries. Just what is he up to and what has brought him to the hotel? This aspect of the overall story I would love to have seen developed more as it became clear the past was making itself known in the present. I really love historical fiction and Elene's story really brought this element into the book but it all just seemed to rushed. I could see where this aspect of the plot was going and how important it was was in seeking resolution, acceptance and forgiveness but I thought it needed fleshing out even more. As we neared the end of the story as events took a surprising turn I wondered would everything work out or would it just all fall to pieces?

There was never a lot of interaction between the three women all at once, it was more like three separate stories running alongside each other that would then converge at a time of disaster, worry and danger. Chiara out of the three was my favourite and from fairly on the reader could see that a decision she made or rather one that was really forced upon her had a deep impact on her life. She sacrificed a deep love for the sake of her family and the hotel and now her marriage to Alonzo although long lasting is not the passion she dreams of. He is always absent from the hotel away in a big city and he remained very much on the outskirts of the story until Chiara had to face up to her situation and some confrontations ensued. Dante was the man for her but circumstances and opinions did not allow this relationship to bear fruit. This had always remained at the back of her mind and haunted her to a great extent. But without her marriage to Alonzo would she have had Elene and therefore Isabella in her life? She is grateful for her daughter and granddaughter but when Dante reappears at the hotel after an absence of decades, will the love for him which has been kept dormant for so long come erupting to the surface and if this does happen how can she deal with it?

I could see how torn Chiara was as she battled with emotions and desires that she had long tried to suppress but I felt as we got to know the intricacies of her family situation that maybe she did deserve a chance at happiness after so many years of just going through the motions. I didn't judge her for any of her thoughts or actions at any point in the story. I just wanted her to follow her heart and reach the point of acceptance and happiness. She experiences an emotional whirlwind and goes back and forth over what she should do. It was interesting to see someone go through such a major life changing decision as it wasn't just herself she had to think about. But for too long her marriage had seemed like a business arrangement with little or no mutual respect. Should someone have to exist in their life like that when a different form of happiness could be out there for the taking?

The Lemon Tree Hotel was a good read if a little slow in places with some more action needed much further on than when it occurred. New readers to Rosanna Ley will enjoy it but I'm not sure it will deeply satisfy long-term fans. I am glad I persisted with it in order to see the eventual outcome for the three women involved and I look forward to what future stories Rosanna Ley will bring us

[Diana Kønig · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75⭐️

[Andrea · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have read and loved all books by Rosanna Ley, unfortunately not this one. I found the story boring and it did not go anywhere, even the ending fell flat. Sorry but was not the author’s best effort.

[Samantha · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this would be an ‘easy light’ read of the chick lit variety but I couldn’t have been more wrong. It’s a family saga spanning three generations of strong Italian women. It’s a complicated mix of so much emotion, love and heartbreak. A must read if you love family sagas.

[Julia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book so fast, it was that good! Back in June when I read it, I was in a reeeeeeeeeally annoying reading slump, but this book got me out of it!
It's a very good story, I loved the characters, and it's so easy to read. Honestly, I cannot recommend reading this enough, I loved it so much!

[Margarita Mitreva · Rating 4 out of 5]

Het Lemon Tree Hotel van Rosanna Ley is een prachtige feelgoodfamiliesaga die zich afspeelt aan de zonnige Italiaanse Rivièra. In het schilderachtige Vernazza runt de familie Mazzone het elegante Lemon Tree Hotel, een voormalig klooster met een bijzondere geschiedenis. Voor Chiara, haar dochter Elena en haar kleindochter Isabella is het hotel veel meer dan alleen een bedrijf; het is hun thuis en hun leven.

Wanneer twee onverwachte gasten arriveren, verandert alles. Dante, een man uit Chiara's verleden, roept oude herinneringen en gevoelens op. Tegelijkertijd verschijnt een mysterieuze jonge man die opvallend veel weet over het verleden van het klooster. Isabella raakt geïntrigeerd en gaat op zoek naar de waarheid achter zijn bedoelingen en de verborgen geschiedenis van het hotel.

Rosanna Ley weet op een mooie manier het heden en verleden met elkaar te verweven. Vooral de innerlijke strijd van Chiara is indrukwekkend beschreven. Kan zij haar gevoelens voor een oude liefde blijven onderdrukken, of is het tijd om haar hart opnieuw een kans te geven?

Het boek draait om familiebanden, liefde, toewijding en het durven grijpen van nieuwe kansen. De sfeervolle Italiaanse setting, de warme personages en de geheimen uit het verleden maken dit verhaal meeslepend en moeilijk weg te leggen. Een heerlijk boek voor liefhebbers van romantiek, familieverhalen en zomerse feelgoodromans.

[Jasmijn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a beautiful story, written in a way that made you feel like you were there. The ending surprised me so much, but made it so that all loose ends could be wrapped up very nicely. A great book for summer (or October, as it is in the story)

[Amy Charles · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book gives the perfect summer romance vibe at the beginning. But omg! So much happens with every single character I don’t even know where to begin! I absolutely adore Isabella and Chiara and towards the end I grew a liking for Elene too.
This is not just a boy meets girl romance, it is drama filled and action packed with chaos and more chaos😂

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Het Lemon Tree Hotel van Rosanna Ley is een prachtig en sfeervol verhaal vol emotie, familiebanden en de onweerstaanbare charme van Italië. Rosanna Ley weet het Italiaanse leven op indrukwekkende wijze tot leven te brengen, wat ervoor zorgt dat je je als lezer in Italië waant.

Het boek neemt je mee naar Vernazza, waar de familie Mazzone, Chiara, haar dochter Elene en kleindochter Isabella, het Lemon Tree Hotel runt. Dagelijks houden ze zich bezig met het reilen en zeilen van het hotel, maar dan arriveren twee mannelijke gasten die hun leven overhoop gooien.

Het verhaal wordt verteld vanuit drie generaties van de Mazzone-vrouwen. Door de wisseling van perspectief per hoofdstuk krijgt de lezer een mooi en veelzijdig beeld van deze vrouwen, hun dromen, hun uitdagingen en de invloed die het verleden op hun leven heeft.

De schrijfstijl van Rosanna Ley is toegankelijk en prettig, waardoor het verhaal vlot leest. De personages zijn zorgvuldig uitgewerkt en voelen levensecht aan. De drie hoofdpersonages hebben voldoende diepgang gekregen waardoor je ze goed kunt begrijpen waardoor je je als lezer verbonden met ze voelt.

Sterk in het boek is de manier waarop het heden en verleden met elkaar worden verwezen. Door deze afwisseling tussen het heden en verleden krijg je een compleet beeld van de familiegeschiedenis waardoor aan het eind alle puzzelstukjes in elkaar vallen.

Het Lemon Tree Hotel is een warme en meeslepende roman waarin familie, liefde, geheimen en geschiedenis samenkomen in het prachtige Italië. Een aanrader voor liefhebbers van familieverhalen met sterke vrouwen en een een vleugje geschiedenis.

[Angela Petch · Rating 5 out of 5]

Take a setting that combines “rugged mountains, romantic bays and turquoise seas with colourful villages, terraces of vineyards, olive groves, and lemon trees clinging to the hills and shimmering in the sun.” Add four strong female characters: grandmother, daughter, granddaughter, and surrogate aunt each with a fascinating story. Throw in generous pinches of scrumptious Ligurian food and you have another delicious Ley book. There are males too... but I found the females more engaging.
I particularly love the depth and detail of Rosanna Ley’s descriptions: “the colours of Vernazza shimmered softly like unpolished jewels against the silvery-grey sky and the sea.” But I also admire the way she layers her stories. There is always a cliff hanger, always a reason to turn the next page to find out what is going to happen next. And there is always a surprise. I loved the setting of the hotel – “a greedy child”, the complex character of Elene, the daughter and cook, who, in one of her moments of anger and resentment, “took hold of her kitchen knife and sliced it neatly through an innocent glistening onion.” She is a woman “who wore the armour of her kitchen whites to hide her vulnerability and her fears.” Such clever lines that always say more than the words. How refreshing too to have a love story with a couple of the third age. Chiara and Dante are such an interesting pair. (No spoilers). Will they? Won’t they?
I love Italy and live in this beautiful, complicated country for six months each year, and the author has captured the alleyways and the “shadowy pink buildings whose paint was peeling to reveal the original underbelly of the stone beneath”, like a true postcard of Italy.
There is intrigue, history, love, war and some peace too. I enjoyed it all and look forward to the next Rosanna Ley book. Thank you.

[Sharon | Boek en Thee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dit mooie boek mocht ik lezen van Zomer en Keuning waarvoor hartelijk bedankt! Ik had het al een paar keer voorbij zien komen op Instagram en alleen al de cover en de sprayed edges maakten dat ik dit boek wilde lezen. Het ziet er toch heerlijk zomers uit!
Ook het verhaal sprak me erg aan: drie generaties vrouwen die samen een hotel runnen in Italië waar twee onverwachte gasten komen logeren. Een man uit het verleden van Chiara en een raadselachtige jongeman die erg geïnteresseerd is in de geschiedenis van het hotel... Wat komt de man uit Chiara's verleden doen? En waar om is de jongeman zo geïnteresseerd in het hotel?

Ik was heel erg benieuwd hoe dit verhaal zou gaan. En het stelde niet teleur! Ik vond het een heerlijk boek om te lezen.
Het verhaal wordt verteld vanuit drie perspectieven. De ene keer lees je vanuit Chiara (oma/moeder), dan vanuit Elene (dochter/moeder) en vanuit Isabella (dochter/kleindochter). Deze afwisseling vond ik erg fijn, je komt zo meer te weten over alle drie de personages. Hun gedachten en gevoelens. Wat ook fijn is, er wordt vrij diep ingegaan op wat de personages voelen. Waarom vindt zij dit? Waarom doet zij dat? Het is geen oppervlakkige roman, er zit echt een diepere laag onder, wat erg mooi is geschreven. Je leert de drie vrouwen steeds wat beter kennen en je begrijpt ze ook steeds wat beter. Dit zet ook aan tot nadenken. Zou jij dit ook zo gedaan hebben? Of zou je het anders doen? Maar kun je dan wel begrijpen waarom deze personage ervoor kiest om het op deze manier te doen?

En dan is er natuurlijk nog Italië. Ik ben er nog nooit geweest, maar zou er graag eens naar toe gaan. En nu helemaal, als je leest wat Elene allemaal klaarmaakt in de keuken, om van te watertanden! Dit wordt echt heerlijk omschreven, je zou bijna zelf in de keuken gaan staan om het na te maken. Ook de omgeving wordt zo mooi omschreven. Het verhaal speelt zich af in Vernazza dat ligt in Cinque Terre, en deze gebieden bestaan echt. Na het lezen van het boek was ik heel benieuwd hoe het er in het echt uit zou zien, dus ik heb het even opgezocht en dat lijkt me zeker de moeite waard om te bezoeken. Prachtig!
En dan zijn er natuurlijk nog de citroenbomen, je kunt de citroenen ruiken tijdens het lezen. Heerlijk!

Heb je zin in een diepgaande roman die je een zomers gevoel geeft? Dan is dit boek zeker een aanrader. Ik heb ervan genoten.

[Sophie Bessems · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dank je wel Zomer & Keuning en VBK België voor het ontvangen van dit recensie exemplaar!
Wat een mooie roman! Ik heb dit met plezier gelezen en ik voelde helemaal de Italiaanse zomervibes. Dit verhaal gaat over 3 generaties sterke vrouwen die een hotel uitbaten in het dorpje Vernazza. Op een dag komen er 2 onverwachte gasten inchecken, namelijk Dante, een oude vlam van Chiara, de grootmoeder. Wat is er vroeger gebeurd tussen hen en waarom zijn ze niet bij elkaar gebleven? Wat komt hij doen? Dit kom je allemaal te weten als je deze prachtige roman leest. Ook de band tussen Chiara en haar dochter Elene loopt niet helemaal vlot. Maar waarom?
De andere onverwachte man weet meer over de geschiedenis van dit hotel... Maar wat? De historische elementen van dit hotel zijn heel interessant om te lezen.
Deze roman leest heel makkelijk, is heel interessant, zowel de historische elementen als de huidige tijd zijn heel mooi verweven. Ideaal om te lezen op vakantie of om in een vakantie setting te komen. Dit verhaal gaat over familie, intriges, geheimen, keuze's. Alles wat je zoekt in een roman. Ik geef deze dan ook een score van 4.5 en is dus zeker een aanrader om te lezen!!

[Miss_Groen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Het Lemontree hotel mocht ik recenseren voor uitgeverij Zomer&Keuning waarvoor mijn dank!

De schrijfster heeft het verhaal uit 3 POV'S geschreven, wat misschien erg verwarrend klinkt of "veel" maar dat is het alles behalve. De verhalen van oma moeder en kleindochter komen perfect samen, en is gemakkelijk te volgen. Ondanks alle geheimen merk je de karakter ontwikkeling ook heel goed (in positieve zin).

Zodra je dit boek weglegt (als je dat al lukt want het boek is erg verslavend) verlang je al naar het volgende leesmoment. Door de fijne korte hoofdstukken en exacte goede wisselingen van de pov's heb ik heel erg genoten van dit boek, en natuurlijk moet ik niet vergeten de super mooie sprayed edges te benoemen waardoor je al bijna zo zomer kunt ruiken.

[Kjenta Verbeken · Rating 4 out of 5]

REVIEW: HET LEMON TREE HOTEL
Rosanna Ley
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5

Toen ik aan Het Lemon Tree Hotel begon, wist ik niet goed wat ik moest verwachten. Maar eenmaal ik in het verhaal zat, wilde ik steeds weten welk geheim er nu weer boven water zou komen. 🍋📚

Het verhaal neemt je mee naar Italië, waar familie, liefde en geheimen centraal staan. De afwisseling tussen verleden en heden zorgde ervoor dat ik telkens nieuwsgierig bleef naar hoe alles met elkaar verbonden was.

Wat ik vooral fijn vond aan dit boek, is de sfeer. Het voelde alsof ik zelf even onder de Italiaanse zon zat, weg van de dagelijkse drukte. ☀️

Soms vond ik het verhaal wat trager gaan, waardoor het voor mij net geen 5 sterren werd. Maar de mooie setting, de familieverhalen en de emoties maakten dat meer dan goed.

Dit is zo’n boek dat je meeneemt naar een andere plek en perfect is voor een rustig leesmomentje met een kop thee.

Bedankt Uitgeverij Zomer & Keuning voor dit recensie-exemplaar!🤍

#rosannaley #revieuw #italiaansevibes #feelgoodbook #familiegeheimen

[Justkeepreading · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book put you slap bang in the heart of an Italian holiday with friends that you have known all your life. This book made me feel like the sun was beating down on me, the food made my mouth water, there were plenty of secrets and a gritty storyline to go with it to keep you gripped and entertained all the way through. A great read in my opinion.

[Marijke Van · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ik heb zo genoten van dit boek, de schrijfster schrijft met zoveel oog voor detail en neemt je helemaal mee in de wereld van Het Lemon Tree Hotel. Het boek zorgde ervoor dat ik vertraagde doordat het boek je echt meeneemt in het kleinste detail en alles zo rijkelijk omschreef. Van cover to cover, een aanrader!

[Kristin · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Lemon Tree Hotel is such a great novel. It's well researched, has complex characters and an interesting plot. The author writes great descriptions, which makes you feel like you're there and I would love to try some of Elena's cooking.

[Sophie vN · Rating 4 out of 5]

Leuk boek geschetst tegen de Italiaanse Riviera, het was vermakelijk. Maar er waren ook best wel wat losse eindjes en die verbonden niet helemaal goed met elkaar, ook vond ik sommige wendingen wat voorspelbaar.

[Claire mcmanus · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once again rosanna ley hasn't written a wonderful book I wanted to go where it was written I felt like I was there absolutely the best

[Mauri Olde Dubbelink]

Hele vakantie 1 (!!!!) boek gelezen omdat ik hier moeizaam doorheen kwam, had m veel eerder moeten dnf-en

[Marloes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ik geef dit boek 4,5 ster, afgerond naar 5 ⭐️
Geweldig! Nu heb ik ook echt zoveel zin om de Cinque Terre een keer te gaan bezoeken in Italië.

[Lisa De · Rating 3 out of 5]

Leuk boek om te lezen maar wel een tikkeltje traag.

[Cliona Walker · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars!!

[Brenda Higgins · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book. I wanted to find out what was happening next at every page. I now what to plan a trip to Vernazza.

[Alison · Rating 3 out of 5]

A woman, her daughter, and her granddaughter manage a family-run hotel in Vernazza, Cinque Terre on the Italian Riviera. Historically the building was a convent, but now it's a lovely boutique hotel. The daughter is the chef and local Ligurian cuisine is described in the kitchen scenes.

I enjoyed the sights and sounds of the Cinque Terre and the descriptions of the local food. The story contains two romances and a small mystery, and intertwines the true story of the Vernazza flooding and mudslide of 2011 that wiped out the village and claimed lives. Not typically the type of book I would read, but I enjoyed the setting.