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Under Almond Blossoms
Love and loss are in the air as the almond blossom falls.
Milla has always felt alone in the world. The only child of a distant mother, she has no other family, and even her forthcoming marriage to Paul feels more like settling than true romance. But then a letter arrives, announcing that a Spanish grandmother she knew nothing about has recently died and left her a small shop in Mallorca.
Milla is confused and hurt, but determined to uncover the truth. She travels to Palma, where she is enchanted by the beauty of the old town in springtime. At the shop she now owns, she meets Leandro, a handsome local who helps her piece together the story of her grandmother, Abbi. But it’s a story full of unexpected secrets, of hidden love and bitter betrayal, and it challenges everything Milla thought she knew about her family—and herself.
Faced with these new truths, Milla has a difficult choice to make. Will she go back to Paul and be the person she was before, or follow her heart on a blossom-strewn island?
Milla has always felt alone in the world. The only child of a distant mother, she has no other family, and even her forthcoming marriage to Paul feels more like settling than true romance. But then a letter arrives, announcing that a Spanish grandmother she knew nothing about has recently died and left her a small shop in Mallorca.
Milla is confused and hurt, but determined to uncover the truth. She travels to Palma, where she is enchanted by the beauty of the old town in springtime. At the shop she now owns, she meets Leandro, a handsome local who helps her piece together the story of her grandmother, Abbi. But it’s a story full of unexpected secrets, of hidden love and bitter betrayal, and it challenges everything Milla thought she knew about her family—and herself.
Faced with these new truths, Milla has a difficult choice to make. Will she go back to Paul and be the person she was before, or follow her heart on a blossom-strewn island?
287 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 8, 2020
367 people are currently reading
2196 people want to read
About the author
Anja Saskia Beyer
38 books31 followersAnja Saskia Beyer studied dramatics, communications and advertising psychology in Munich and has worked successfully as a TV scriptwriter. Her debut novel became an instant e-book bestseller in 2013 (it was translated into English as "Loving Nora"). Since then she has published eleven novels. She is a German bestselling writer, some of her novels are number one kindle-bestsellers, one of them is "Under Almond blossoms".
She lives in Berlin with her family - husband, children and a dog.
Visit her at www.Anja-Saskia-Beyer.com
www.instagram.com/AnjaSaskiaBeyer
She lives in Berlin with her family - husband, children and a dog.
Visit her at www.Anja-Saskia-Beyer.com
www.instagram.com/AnjaSaskiaBeyer
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 83 reviews
October 13, 2020
Love the cover photo!
Hmmm, what to say about this book? The writing style was very unusual and not one I liked overly much. The premise of the story is good. At times, the writing and characters comes across as very childish.
There is certainly lots going on within the story....so much that it’s a struggle to keep track of everyone and everything going on.
Overall, I have to say......I really wanted to shake some sense in the characters as I was reading! Just so much unnecessary drama that dragged on and on.
Hmmm, what to say about this book? The writing style was very unusual and not one I liked overly much. The premise of the story is good. At times, the writing and characters comes across as very childish.
There is certainly lots going on within the story....so much that it’s a struggle to keep track of everyone and everything going on.
Overall, I have to say......I really wanted to shake some sense in the characters as I was reading! Just so much unnecessary drama that dragged on and on.
October 18, 2020
I liked the concept of this book, a woman travelling to another country to find answers about her family. And I liked the final result regarding that quest. But sadly that is where my positive experience with this novel ends. I simply could not warm to the characters. They seemed quite two dimensional and I had no empathy for any of them. The main characters had poor judgement and seemingly fell head over heels with someone the minute they met them. There was not a lot of lead up to some of their feelings, not enough depth or fleshing out of developments.
I found a lot of Milla's story to be repetitive as she kept loving/hating her choices and feelings.
The language itself was quite corny at times. Maybe something was lost in translation but this will not be on my buying list.
I found a lot of Milla's story to be repetitive as she kept loving/hating her choices and feelings.
The language itself was quite corny at times. Maybe something was lost in translation but this will not be on my buying list.
February 5, 2021
DNF - I do not care enough about the main character to find out the big family secret. The relationships between characters and the interactions they had were very oddly portrayed. It gets two stars because it did make me want to go to Mallorca and eat almond cake.
February 28, 2019
Es war eine schöne Geschichte, aber nichts besonderes. Sehr vorhersehbar. Trotzdem habe ich mich gut unterhalten gefühlt.
May 14, 2021
I appreciated learning about Mallorca and the history of their Jewish families. However, most of the rest of the book was annoying. I didn’t like the main character. Her inner monologue was repetitive and should have been edited down. Overall, just so-so. 2.5 stars
May 31, 2021
I was in the mood for a breezy read this weekend and found it in the form of Under Almond Blossoms by Anja Saskia Beyer, translated by Annette Charpentier. And, yes, I did pick it for its cover. I'm easily swayed by a gorgeous cake. This novel was formulaic, but enjoyable nonetheless.
We meet Milla who is about to marry Paul. They live in Germany though Milla believes that her mom, Sarah, hails from Andalusia and that all of her family is long deceased.
However, Milla receives a letter from a notary and goes to the office. She discovers that her maternal grandmother, Abbi, has just passed away a week ago, that her family is actually from Mallorca, and that she has just inherited her grandmother's souvenir shop on the island. "Aaron sounded amazed. ...'Your mother comes from Mallorca. Like your grandmother. Like your whole family going back to the fifteenth century. ...I assume you didn't know that you are of Mallorquín descent? ...And you don't know anything about the history of Mallorca?' 'No nothing.'"
Off she heads to Mallorca to unravel the mystery of why her mother lied to her for all these years and, hopefully, discover why her grandmother left her a shop when she never even met Milla. Through many twists and turns - and in two different timelines - we learn about the history of Jews on Mallorca who converted to Catholicism. "'Well, you'll find out sooner or later. This particular part of Mallorca's history goes back to the fifteenth century. It was the time of the Inquisition, and everywhere Jewish people were forced to convert to Catholicism. And because Mallorca is an island, everybody knew which families were descended from Jews. They were called xuetes. Originally, it is said to have meant 'pigs'."
We learn about Abbi's history and why she never connected with Sarah: she believed that Sarah was the product of a rape...and not the daughter of her true love, Johan, or even her husband, Baruch. And that maternal neglect trickled down from Sarah to Milla.
But, in the end - yes, spoiler alert! - all ends well with Sarah discovering who her father really is and Milla ending up with Leandro, a Mallorcan, instead of Paul. "Leandro's family was noisy and cheerful. His tall, large father had immediately hugged her; his sister, Judith, a petite woman in her late twenties, greeted her with a friendly smile. A few more friends of the family and aunts arrived. Milla wondered fleetingly whether they were all xuetes, but it didn't matter. She felt at home, surrounded by these cheerful people, eating delicious food."
Delicious food certainly plays a roll with these characters. In one of Abbi's chapter: "Her mother had prepared a paella for dinner that evening, and for pudding there were almond biscuits. Abbi had been secretly collecting recipes of dishes and cakes containing almonds and often casually asked her mother for them. Many had been handed down from her grandmother, or even her great-grandmother. Once she had enough recipes, she planned to compile them into a book, submit them to a publisher and present the book to her parents as a surprise. It was her main goal in life: to be a good daughter and to make her parents happy."
Milla finally finds the family and the history she always longed to have. And she honors her grandmother's memory by setting out publish her cookbook.
We meet Milla who is about to marry Paul. They live in Germany though Milla believes that her mom, Sarah, hails from Andalusia and that all of her family is long deceased.
However, Milla receives a letter from a notary and goes to the office. She discovers that her maternal grandmother, Abbi, has just passed away a week ago, that her family is actually from Mallorca, and that she has just inherited her grandmother's souvenir shop on the island. "Aaron sounded amazed. ...'Your mother comes from Mallorca. Like your grandmother. Like your whole family going back to the fifteenth century. ...I assume you didn't know that you are of Mallorquín descent? ...And you don't know anything about the history of Mallorca?' 'No nothing.'"
Off she heads to Mallorca to unravel the mystery of why her mother lied to her for all these years and, hopefully, discover why her grandmother left her a shop when she never even met Milla. Through many twists and turns - and in two different timelines - we learn about the history of Jews on Mallorca who converted to Catholicism. "'Well, you'll find out sooner or later. This particular part of Mallorca's history goes back to the fifteenth century. It was the time of the Inquisition, and everywhere Jewish people were forced to convert to Catholicism. And because Mallorca is an island, everybody knew which families were descended from Jews. They were called xuetes. Originally, it is said to have meant 'pigs'."
We learn about Abbi's history and why she never connected with Sarah: she believed that Sarah was the product of a rape...and not the daughter of her true love, Johan, or even her husband, Baruch. And that maternal neglect trickled down from Sarah to Milla.
But, in the end - yes, spoiler alert! - all ends well with Sarah discovering who her father really is and Milla ending up with Leandro, a Mallorcan, instead of Paul. "Leandro's family was noisy and cheerful. His tall, large father had immediately hugged her; his sister, Judith, a petite woman in her late twenties, greeted her with a friendly smile. A few more friends of the family and aunts arrived. Milla wondered fleetingly whether they were all xuetes, but it didn't matter. She felt at home, surrounded by these cheerful people, eating delicious food."
Delicious food certainly plays a roll with these characters. In one of Abbi's chapter: "Her mother had prepared a paella for dinner that evening, and for pudding there were almond biscuits. Abbi had been secretly collecting recipes of dishes and cakes containing almonds and often casually asked her mother for them. Many had been handed down from her grandmother, or even her great-grandmother. Once she had enough recipes, she planned to compile them into a book, submit them to a publisher and present the book to her parents as a surprise. It was her main goal in life: to be a good daughter and to make her parents happy."
Milla finally finds the family and the history she always longed to have. And she honors her grandmother's memory by setting out publish her cookbook.
October 22, 2020
Pour a velvety café cortado and get a slice of decadent gato d’ametlla (famous Majorcan almond cake) and make yourself comfortable because Anja Saskia Beyer is going to whisk you off to the sun-drenched island of Majorca in, Under Almond Blossoms, to be published December 8, 2020. With travel restricted worldwide, this is a perfect armchair travel!
Milla Stendal, an only child of a single, emotionally devoid mother, receives word that her grandmother has recently died and left Milla her beloved souvenir shop in Majorca. Having grown up without grandparents and completely confused, she decides to visit the island in hopes of learning more about her past. Most surprising to Milla is the fact that her mother wants to join her on the quest. Leaving Berlin behind, Milla and her mother arrive just as the almond trees are in blossom and Milla instantly feels like she belongs. With the help of her grandmother's friends, and encouraged by the cafe owner next door, digging into her grandmother’s past is just what she needs. At 30 years old Milla finally gains a sense of belonging, questions whether her fiancé is the right choice, and learns the importance of taking time to make choices from her heart.
I’m so glad that I continued reading after deciding twice that I wasn’t going to finish this book. It was so worth trudging through the awkward prose created through translation from German. The characters were believable, the storyline seamless, and the surprises along the way kept me interested. This dual timeline historical fiction read will transport you to Majorca in the 1950s where you will learn about what it was like for a Jewish girl to fall in love with a German man. Central to the theme is the importance of finding facts rather than assuming, following your heart, the danger of ‘settling for’ and the rippling effect of past choices on one’s future. I felt like I was with Milla on her quest and wished I could have sat with her at Johann’s finca while she learned more about her Grandma Abbigail. My heart was full as I turned over the last page.
I love to learn as I read and was grateful for Beyer’s vivid descriptions of Majorca, the descriptions of the typical food, and the history of the island.
Thank you to Anja Saskia Beyer, Netgalley and Amazon Publishing UK for this advance copy in exchange for an honest opinion.
Milla Stendal, an only child of a single, emotionally devoid mother, receives word that her grandmother has recently died and left Milla her beloved souvenir shop in Majorca. Having grown up without grandparents and completely confused, she decides to visit the island in hopes of learning more about her past. Most surprising to Milla is the fact that her mother wants to join her on the quest. Leaving Berlin behind, Milla and her mother arrive just as the almond trees are in blossom and Milla instantly feels like she belongs. With the help of her grandmother's friends, and encouraged by the cafe owner next door, digging into her grandmother’s past is just what she needs. At 30 years old Milla finally gains a sense of belonging, questions whether her fiancé is the right choice, and learns the importance of taking time to make choices from her heart.
I’m so glad that I continued reading after deciding twice that I wasn’t going to finish this book. It was so worth trudging through the awkward prose created through translation from German. The characters were believable, the storyline seamless, and the surprises along the way kept me interested. This dual timeline historical fiction read will transport you to Majorca in the 1950s where you will learn about what it was like for a Jewish girl to fall in love with a German man. Central to the theme is the importance of finding facts rather than assuming, following your heart, the danger of ‘settling for’ and the rippling effect of past choices on one’s future. I felt like I was with Milla on her quest and wished I could have sat with her at Johann’s finca while she learned more about her Grandma Abbigail. My heart was full as I turned over the last page.
I love to learn as I read and was grateful for Beyer’s vivid descriptions of Majorca, the descriptions of the typical food, and the history of the island.
Thank you to Anja Saskia Beyer, Netgalley and Amazon Publishing UK for this advance copy in exchange for an honest opinion.
May 31, 2017
Meine Meinung:
Die Autorin hat hier eine sehr bewegende Geschichte mit viel Tiefgang geschaffen. Ihr solltet Eure Taschentücher bereit halten. Milla hat kein gutes Verhältnis zu ihrer Mutter und so hat diese ihr auch die Existenz ihrer Großmutter verheimlicht. Erst als ihre Großmutter stirbt erfährt sie von ihr. Sie begibt sich nach Mallorca. Dort lernt sie nach und nach ihre Geschichte kennen. Sie erfährt auf ihren Recherchen, wer ihre Großmutter wirklich war und was sie alles erlebt hat und lernt so auch Stück für Stück ihre eigene Familie und Vergangenheit besser kennen.
Warum ist ihre Familie so wie sie ist? Warum hat ihre Mutter so viele Geheimnisse? Und warum kann sie ihr nicht ihre Liebe zeigen? Wer war ihre Großmutter? Millas Reise wird sehr emotional und ist bedrückend zugleich. Man kann es kaum erwarten mehr aus der Vergangenheit zu erfahren, was dann gleichzeitig immer trauriger und schockierender wird.
Die Protagonistin Milla will eigentlich heiraten, aber etwas fehlt in ihrem Leben. Sie wirkt unausgeglichen und nicht ganz zufrieden. Die Reise nach Mallorca hilft ihr zu sich selbst zu finden. Sie macht eine Entwicklung durch und wird gestärkt, in ihren Entscheidungen, ihrer Beziehung und in ihrer Familie.
Die Autorin verarbeitet hier ernste Themen wie Diskriminierung und Rassenhass auf sehr emotionale Weise. Es wird deutlich wie weit sich das Thema auch heute noch auswirkt und welche Konsequenzen dies über Generationen mit sich trägt.
Der Schreibstil ist flüssig und tiefgründig. Die schwere Thematik wird verständlich rübergebracht und schafft es tiefe Emotionen zu wecken. Ein bewegendes Buch, das einen tief berührt und nachdenklich zurücklässt.
Cover:
Das Cover ist schön und das kräftige blau sticht sofort ins Auge. Es passt auch thematisch gut, da die Mandelblüte eine große Rolle im Buch spielt.
Fazit:
Eine sehr berührende und bewegende Geschichte mit ernstem Hintergrund.
Die Autorin hat hier eine sehr bewegende Geschichte mit viel Tiefgang geschaffen. Ihr solltet Eure Taschentücher bereit halten. Milla hat kein gutes Verhältnis zu ihrer Mutter und so hat diese ihr auch die Existenz ihrer Großmutter verheimlicht. Erst als ihre Großmutter stirbt erfährt sie von ihr. Sie begibt sich nach Mallorca. Dort lernt sie nach und nach ihre Geschichte kennen. Sie erfährt auf ihren Recherchen, wer ihre Großmutter wirklich war und was sie alles erlebt hat und lernt so auch Stück für Stück ihre eigene Familie und Vergangenheit besser kennen.
Warum ist ihre Familie so wie sie ist? Warum hat ihre Mutter so viele Geheimnisse? Und warum kann sie ihr nicht ihre Liebe zeigen? Wer war ihre Großmutter? Millas Reise wird sehr emotional und ist bedrückend zugleich. Man kann es kaum erwarten mehr aus der Vergangenheit zu erfahren, was dann gleichzeitig immer trauriger und schockierender wird.
Die Protagonistin Milla will eigentlich heiraten, aber etwas fehlt in ihrem Leben. Sie wirkt unausgeglichen und nicht ganz zufrieden. Die Reise nach Mallorca hilft ihr zu sich selbst zu finden. Sie macht eine Entwicklung durch und wird gestärkt, in ihren Entscheidungen, ihrer Beziehung und in ihrer Familie.
Die Autorin verarbeitet hier ernste Themen wie Diskriminierung und Rassenhass auf sehr emotionale Weise. Es wird deutlich wie weit sich das Thema auch heute noch auswirkt und welche Konsequenzen dies über Generationen mit sich trägt.
Der Schreibstil ist flüssig und tiefgründig. Die schwere Thematik wird verständlich rübergebracht und schafft es tiefe Emotionen zu wecken. Ein bewegendes Buch, das einen tief berührt und nachdenklich zurücklässt.
Cover:
Das Cover ist schön und das kräftige blau sticht sofort ins Auge. Es passt auch thematisch gut, da die Mandelblüte eine große Rolle im Buch spielt.
Fazit:
Eine sehr berührende und bewegende Geschichte mit ernstem Hintergrund.
June 13, 2024
This book was translated, so some of my issues with the writing style might be blamed on that? But surely only a fraction.
It felt like there was no subtlety or finesse in the storytelling. Everything is spelled out.
As an example, we know that Abbi is concerned that her parents won’t approve of a German boyfriend. Narrator tells us this directly, even though it’s also something we could easily deduce ourselves. Then on top of that, she has Abbi’s father specifically say: ‘I hope he is one of us. You know that anything else would mean problems.’ It gets tiring and redundant.
Other weird things about this book that bothered me:
- seemingly unnecessary commentary on people’s races. It was just handled in an odd way. Like the Indian taxi driver who gave her some random Indian proverb and made her day. Like, what?? Uncomfortable.
- No patience in developing the romance. She buys coffee from Leandro, and their hands touch when she pays him. Immediately she is wondering things like “Leandro appeared much more serious. But could he be faithful?” and “How was it possible to even have a shred of feeling for another man if your love was true?”. So weird. Can’t forget this cringey bit as well:
“‘Well, have you met anybody interesting yet?’ Sarah asked. How could she know about Leandro?
‘What do you mean?’ Milla replied tetchily.
‘Well, somebody you could ask about your grandmother. Who else? That’s the reason you’re here, after all.’
Ah, that’s what she meant!”
DNF a third of the way through.
It felt like there was no subtlety or finesse in the storytelling. Everything is spelled out.
As an example, we know that Abbi is concerned that her parents won’t approve of a German boyfriend. Narrator tells us this directly, even though it’s also something we could easily deduce ourselves. Then on top of that, she has Abbi’s father specifically say: ‘I hope he is one of us. You know that anything else would mean problems.’ It gets tiring and redundant.
Other weird things about this book that bothered me:
- seemingly unnecessary commentary on people’s races. It was just handled in an odd way. Like the Indian taxi driver who gave her some random Indian proverb and made her day. Like, what?? Uncomfortable.
- No patience in developing the romance. She buys coffee from Leandro, and their hands touch when she pays him. Immediately she is wondering things like “Leandro appeared much more serious. But could he be faithful?” and “How was it possible to even have a shred of feeling for another man if your love was true?”. So weird. Can’t forget this cringey bit as well:
“‘Well, have you met anybody interesting yet?’ Sarah asked. How could she know about Leandro?
‘What do you mean?’ Milla replied tetchily.
‘Well, somebody you could ask about your grandmother. Who else? That’s the reason you’re here, after all.’
Ah, that’s what she meant!”
DNF a third of the way through.
June 14, 2021
I don't understand the praise for this novel. The woman is in her 30s and acts like a hormonal and immature 15-year-old. Leandro was a snake in the grass while Paul was a fine fellow. The mystery of why her mother was unloved by grandmother was very easy to guess. I only slogged through it because of some interesting history about Jews and Germans in Mallorca, and I started skimming through the nonsense paragraphs. The almond theme was extremely overdone. The women all needed therapy badly--it was as if they were living in some other century where nobody had ever heard of therapy. And she forgot about her friend's surgery. So many unsympathetic characters.
February 22, 2021
I was disappointed by this, I really liked the sound of the book, but sadly expectation didn’t live up to reality. I found the characters and writing style to be flat, no connection or anything I could relate to and just a bit soulless. Unfortunately not for me at all.
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion
December 13, 2020
Milla Stendal is a young lady living in Berlin, Germany, of Spanish descent (Andalusia), or so she was told. She is about to marry handsome but shallow Paul, whom she can't trust. She feels like he doesn't really care for her and that he might be cheating on her. One day, she receives an official letter from a notary. There is a letter she needs to read. This letter has been by an old lady from Mallorca, Spain, Mrs. Abbigail. Milla who thought all of her life that she did not have living grandparents finds out that her only living grandmother is about to pass and, thanks to her, she is about to inherent a Mallorcan gift shop! Milla, who has longed for a large family all of her life, doesn't think twice and plans a trip to Mallorca to find out what this is all about. She manages to convince her mother Sarah to tag along for this life-changing ride.
This book was magical: not only did I learned more about Mallorca (yes, I had google maps open the whole time while reading), but I also learned about almond blossoms; gorgeous trees whose white little flowers blossom in the early spring. It is also important to know that the almond represents God's watchfulness over his people. The almond tree is mentioned a number of times in the Old Testament, and is a source of Judaism's most important symbols: the menorah.
Milla is going to discover a new world, a new life, and more in the heavenly island of Mallorca. She will have to make a decision about the gift shop: keep it or sell it to next door business owner Leandro who is super charismatic and very attractive. She will search for people who knew her grandmother and will eventually discover the very sad story of Abbigail's life. This book makes you question your choices in life, the trajectory it has taken thus far and ponder its exactitude depending on your wished end result. This book makes you reconsider what's important and what's not. Beautiful piece of work from Ms. Anja Saskia Beyer! I cannot wait to read more of her work and hopefully be engulfed in another dreamy place with yummy smells, breathtaking landscapes and lovely characters.
Thank you so much Goodreads and the publisher for this e-ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
This book was magical: not only did I learned more about Mallorca (yes, I had google maps open the whole time while reading), but I also learned about almond blossoms; gorgeous trees whose white little flowers blossom in the early spring. It is also important to know that the almond represents God's watchfulness over his people. The almond tree is mentioned a number of times in the Old Testament, and is a source of Judaism's most important symbols: the menorah.
Milla is going to discover a new world, a new life, and more in the heavenly island of Mallorca. She will have to make a decision about the gift shop: keep it or sell it to next door business owner Leandro who is super charismatic and very attractive. She will search for people who knew her grandmother and will eventually discover the very sad story of Abbigail's life. This book makes you question your choices in life, the trajectory it has taken thus far and ponder its exactitude depending on your wished end result. This book makes you reconsider what's important and what's not. Beautiful piece of work from Ms. Anja Saskia Beyer! I cannot wait to read more of her work and hopefully be engulfed in another dreamy place with yummy smells, breathtaking landscapes and lovely characters.
Thank you so much Goodreads and the publisher for this e-ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
December 6, 2020
What a tremendous journey this book has been!
This is the story of Milla, a German woman, as she discovers the souvenir shop her grandma has left her in Palma de Majorca and so much more: her roots, her family's history and her love. This is a heroine journey that heals the feminine line of her ancestry.
It all feels like a movie, it's pretty cinematic. At the beginning it felt a little like Letters to Juliet, but there is much more depth here and more important than anything, what sets it apart and gives it its unique character is the picture it creates of the extremely harsh conditions that Jews had to endure even in a small, dreamy, place as Palma and how it affected women's lives and their daughters and granddaughters.
This for me was a 4.5 stars as the romance part was my least favorite. I came to this book for the romantic story and because of it, I didn't like the relationships happening. I also didn't like the real feel of the story, the hurtful moments. It was a bit too much drama for me, but the end was so beautiful it shone a very bright light on the whole story. As a scholar of Jewish culture and history and as someone who treasures deeply the feminine line this book has been absolutely precious. As human lives see so much misery, approaching our parents and grandparents' lives with a searching eye, with empathy and understanding is one recipe to heal ourselves and our relationships.
I highly recommend this book for anyone searching for a moving women's fiction. It's nourishing, it's empathetic, it's touches one heart deeply. Not to mention #almondeverything, which made me adore this nature's gift and how beautifully the author has built the pages around this symbol.
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
This is the story of Milla, a German woman, as she discovers the souvenir shop her grandma has left her in Palma de Majorca and so much more: her roots, her family's history and her love. This is a heroine journey that heals the feminine line of her ancestry.
It all feels like a movie, it's pretty cinematic. At the beginning it felt a little like Letters to Juliet, but there is much more depth here and more important than anything, what sets it apart and gives it its unique character is the picture it creates of the extremely harsh conditions that Jews had to endure even in a small, dreamy, place as Palma and how it affected women's lives and their daughters and granddaughters.
This for me was a 4.5 stars as the romance part was my least favorite. I came to this book for the romantic story and because of it, I didn't like the relationships happening. I also didn't like the real feel of the story, the hurtful moments. It was a bit too much drama for me, but the end was so beautiful it shone a very bright light on the whole story. As a scholar of Jewish culture and history and as someone who treasures deeply the feminine line this book has been absolutely precious. As human lives see so much misery, approaching our parents and grandparents' lives with a searching eye, with empathy and understanding is one recipe to heal ourselves and our relationships.
I highly recommend this book for anyone searching for a moving women's fiction. It's nourishing, it's empathetic, it's touches one heart deeply. Not to mention #almondeverything, which made me adore this nature's gift and how beautifully the author has built the pages around this symbol.
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
December 6, 2020
Thank You Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC of this book! This review is based on my complete honest opinion.
The story starts with Millie, who is getting married to Paul and who seemed to be having a not so good relationship with her own mother, Sarah. Until one day, she gets an unexpected letter from a notary about a grandmother named Abbie, whom Millie never knew about leaving behind a souvenir shop in Mallorca as the inheritance. Millie then sets off to Mallorca and finds out that she has Jewish roots and about her grandmother's story during the 1950's...
The story changed from present to 1950's--present Millie where she is investigating about her grandmother, getting to know about her and 1950's about Abbigail who owns a souvenir shop living under discrimination for the fact that she has Jewish ancestry. It is a bit interesting to know a little about history during the 1950s at the time. The writing was good and the author did a good job engaging the reader into the story. I also like how the relationship between Millie and Sarah, her mother improved over their time in Mallorca. However, the story was a bit predictable but other than that, the story talked about friendship, relationships and of course about love.
Overall, this is a good book--I enjoyed reading the book. Worth four stars!
The story starts with Millie, who is getting married to Paul and who seemed to be having a not so good relationship with her own mother, Sarah. Until one day, she gets an unexpected letter from a notary about a grandmother named Abbie, whom Millie never knew about leaving behind a souvenir shop in Mallorca as the inheritance. Millie then sets off to Mallorca and finds out that she has Jewish roots and about her grandmother's story during the 1950's...
The story changed from present to 1950's--present Millie where she is investigating about her grandmother, getting to know about her and 1950's about Abbigail who owns a souvenir shop living under discrimination for the fact that she has Jewish ancestry. It is a bit interesting to know a little about history during the 1950s at the time. The writing was good and the author did a good job engaging the reader into the story. I also like how the relationship between Millie and Sarah, her mother improved over their time in Mallorca. However, the story was a bit predictable but other than that, the story talked about friendship, relationships and of course about love.
Overall, this is a good book--I enjoyed reading the book. Worth four stars!
January 16, 2021
This is a book that I am so grateful to have read. The historical romance cleverly depicted the societal norms, culture, and mores of the present and the past. This was interwoven with social expectations of what it meant to be a woman, as well as the roles of men. It also included racial bias, sexual abuse, domestic violence, aging in society, and end of life.
On the other hand, it included romance, descriptions that touch the senses and bring up images of beautiful beaches, lovely views of almond trees and the sea, busy markets, almond cake, and almond ice cream. There was plenty of relational themes and moments of self-awareness and growth. It brings the reader on such a wonderful journey and I loved all the characters in the book. It was so touching that Milla was able to find the grandmother she never got to know through the eyes of those who did know her, and how she was able to see the similarities in herself and in her story.
I highly recommend this historical romance, and plan to read this again in the future.
Thank you to Anja Saskia Beyer for sharing this story and for providing it as a Goodreads Giveaway.
#Goodreads Giveaway
On the other hand, it included romance, descriptions that touch the senses and bring up images of beautiful beaches, lovely views of almond trees and the sea, busy markets, almond cake, and almond ice cream. There was plenty of relational themes and moments of self-awareness and growth. It brings the reader on such a wonderful journey and I loved all the characters in the book. It was so touching that Milla was able to find the grandmother she never got to know through the eyes of those who did know her, and how she was able to see the similarities in herself and in her story.
I highly recommend this historical romance, and plan to read this again in the future.
Thank you to Anja Saskia Beyer for sharing this story and for providing it as a Goodreads Giveaway.
#Goodreads Giveaway
December 8, 2020
I really enjoyed the storyline in 'Under Almond Blossoms' although I didn't understand initially it was an English translation of a book originally written in German. Milla travels to Mallorca after her Grandmother left her a shop on the island in her will. Thinking there must be another reason that her Grandmother left her the shop and explain why her own mother has been so distant Milla starts asking questions about her own family history. The books alternates between present day and the 1950s explaining more about Milla's Grandmothers life in a way that kept me turning the pages wanting to find out more. Some of the characters did frustrate me slightly - Paul seemed very one dimensional and I don't know how Leandro fell in love with Milla so suddenly. Overall, it was a lovely read and I was pleased with the ending which wasn't too predictable.
Thank you #netgalley and Amazon Publishing UK for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you #netgalley and Amazon Publishing UK for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
February 4, 2022
I start this review by saying what a beautiful book this is.
Milla lives in Germany with her fiancé Paul when she receives a letter to say her Grandmother Abigail has died and left her precious Shop to her. This comes as a massive shock as Milla mother Sarah also told her that she had died years ago.
Milla has a very strained relationship with sarah as sarah did with Abigail so she decides to travel to Mallorca when her grandmother lived to find answers to why her mother lied to her. Sarah decided to go with Milla and together they meet with friends and neighbours of Abigail to see if they can uncover the truth.
The story is told in the past and present learning about Abigail’s life as a young woman and of the man she loved johann.
I enjoyed reading this beautiful book from the very first chapter. I couldn’t wait to see what the outcome was going to be.
Thank you NetGalley and Lakeunion Publishing for this lovely book.
Milla lives in Germany with her fiancé Paul when she receives a letter to say her Grandmother Abigail has died and left her precious Shop to her. This comes as a massive shock as Milla mother Sarah also told her that she had died years ago.
Milla has a very strained relationship with sarah as sarah did with Abigail so she decides to travel to Mallorca when her grandmother lived to find answers to why her mother lied to her. Sarah decided to go with Milla and together they meet with friends and neighbours of Abigail to see if they can uncover the truth.
The story is told in the past and present learning about Abigail’s life as a young woman and of the man she loved johann.
I enjoyed reading this beautiful book from the very first chapter. I couldn’t wait to see what the outcome was going to be.
Thank you NetGalley and Lakeunion Publishing for this lovely book.
January 5, 2021
It has promise
I received this book in a Goodreads giveaway (thank you). This book is about Berliner Milla, who - poised to marry Paul, about whom she has doubts - finds out that she is the heiress to her grandmother’s shop in Palma, a grandmother she didn’t know existed. The story follows Milla’s quest for understanding who her grandmother was, what happened to the relationship between her grandmother and mother, and whether or not she will marry Paul.
I gave the book 3 stars because I think it has promise... there are some good story lines. I think there was way too much detail at some parts and other parts that probably should have been more developed were just left hanging.
I received this book in a Goodreads giveaway (thank you). This book is about Berliner Milla, who - poised to marry Paul, about whom she has doubts - finds out that she is the heiress to her grandmother’s shop in Palma, a grandmother she didn’t know existed. The story follows Milla’s quest for understanding who her grandmother was, what happened to the relationship between her grandmother and mother, and whether or not she will marry Paul.
I gave the book 3 stars because I think it has promise... there are some good story lines. I think there was way too much detail at some parts and other parts that probably should have been more developed were just left hanging.
October 21, 2020
This is a beautiful story of undying love between two people who could never be together. Taking place in breathtakingly beautiful Mallorca this story is a lovely yet heartbreaking. Beginning after WWII it shows how harsh the Nazi’s were and how the after effects of the war continued for many years. Milla has to delve into her grandmothers past to help her and her mother learn to love each other completely. The characters are well developed and easy to picture in my mind. Switching from the 50’s to present day was done well and did not feel jumpy, it flowed wonderfully. This book is simply a beautiful love story intermixed with great tragedy.
December 12, 2020
Finding oneself by looking at the past
Under Almond Blossoms is the story of Milla who discovered she had a grandmother, Abbi, she never knew about has died. She travels to Mallorca and tries to find information about her grandmother. Milla is unsure of her own life currently, especially her relationships— with her mom and her fiancé. Milla discovers long lost family secrets while attempting to figure out what to do with herself. The story does pull at your heartstrings at everything Abbi had to overcome. I became empathetic of all the women in the story. The story is translated from German.
Under Almond Blossoms is the story of Milla who discovered she had a grandmother, Abbi, she never knew about has died. She travels to Mallorca and tries to find information about her grandmother. Milla is unsure of her own life currently, especially her relationships— with her mom and her fiancé. Milla discovers long lost family secrets while attempting to figure out what to do with herself. The story does pull at your heartstrings at everything Abbi had to overcome. I became empathetic of all the women in the story. The story is translated from German.
December 28, 2020
This was a really interesting story providing an insight into a history and prejudices that I didn't realise existed. However I felt as I was reading the book that the characters and story lines could do with more description and depth and that the language didn't flow as smoothly as I would expect. When I realised at the end of the story that this is a translation the lack of depth and beauty in the language made more sense. I don't know if it is just in the quality of the translation or the difference in use of descriptive language in writing within German. I enjoyed reading this but felt as though it could be so much better if it was more developed.
February 6, 2021
I listened to this, and stayed with it for a few reasons: the setting was beautiful, the history of Majorca was interesting to me, and it kept me busy while doing some handwork. The writing was stilted (maybe a poor translation) and really overwrought, and actually pretty cheesy much of the time. Both the romantic and family dilemmas in the present day were ridiculous and unrealistic, and the dialog was often absurd. The characters weren't particularly likable. The story from the earlier period was far more interesting, and the gradual unfolding of the true history of the family was more compelling than the current drama.
March 19, 2021
It was a great concept. (SPOILERS IN POST)
It builds and it builds and it builds...and then, meh.
A woman gets a mysteriously letter from a notary and when she contacts them she finds out she had a grandmother that she long thought dead. Who...oops...just died.
She goes to the country and claims her inheritance and searches for clues about her grandmother and her family.
Will she marry her fiancé? Will she fall in love with the exotic man who wants to buy her grandmother’s store? Will we find out why her grandmother and her grandmothers mysterious best friend stop speaking? Not really.
It wraps up with about a paragraph on the next to last page.
Ugh.
It builds and it builds and it builds...and then, meh.
A woman gets a mysteriously letter from a notary and when she contacts them she finds out she had a grandmother that she long thought dead. Who...oops...just died.
She goes to the country and claims her inheritance and searches for clues about her grandmother and her family.
Will she marry her fiancé? Will she fall in love with the exotic man who wants to buy her grandmother’s store? Will we find out why her grandmother and her grandmothers mysterious best friend stop speaking? Not really.
It wraps up with about a paragraph on the next to last page.
Ugh.
July 20, 2022
I very kindly planned on giving this book four stars until I got to the convoluted ending.
The premise of the book is good.
Milla is informed a grandmother she thought was dead and never met, left her a gift shop in Mallorca. Her grandmother's letter asked that Milla not sell the shop.
The writing is so redundant you will want to jump off a building.
There is a constant "loves me~loves me not" with her relationship with her mother, her relationship with her fiance, Paul, and a love at first sight relationship with man in Mallorca.
At the tedious end when we finally discover who is a father, brother, sister you don't even care at that point!
The premise of the book is good.
Milla is informed a grandmother she thought was dead and never met, left her a gift shop in Mallorca. Her grandmother's letter asked that Milla not sell the shop.
The writing is so redundant you will want to jump off a building.
There is a constant "loves me~loves me not" with her relationship with her mother, her relationship with her fiance, Paul, and a love at first sight relationship with man in Mallorca.
At the tedious end when we finally discover who is a father, brother, sister you don't even care at that point!
October 28, 2020
Nice light reading. This love story is set in Berlin and on the island of Mallorca. Some of the backstory involves a group of Jews forced to convert to Catholicism on Mallorca, along with other interesting historical facts about this island. Since I knew very little about this part of Spain, I found the setting intriguing. The story also explores life in Europe after WWII, which is a little explored - but fascinating - topic in historical fiction.
The love story itself seems geared towards young people. This would be a great historical novel for teens.
The love story itself seems geared towards young people. This would be a great historical novel for teens.
November 21, 2020
Under Almond Blossoms by Anja Saskia Beyer is a duel time line novel. Milla Stendal was left a shop in Majorca by a grandmother she had been told was dead. She travels from Berlin to the island, along with her mother, to find out more about the family secrets that had been kept from her. I felt the book was slow going at first but was worth sticking with. This was a very enjoyable book. Thank you NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
March 1, 2021
Charming story, nice historical details about xuetas that brought to life a sad history of oppression. Themes of almonds, almond cake and coffee. I appreciate the book's coverage of unloving mothers, an unpalatable tabboo topic, but it doesn't condemn it, only gently uncovers an explanation. The reason I'd rate it 3.2 stars is that I had slight trouble connecting to the main character. I think there was some character development in a way, especially by the end, but still missing something, a spark.
July 25, 2021
Learning new things every day !
This is a beautiful story very sensitively written especially about the treatment of Women in the 1950’s on Majorca & even more so of those who were Mallorquin Jews , so this story has kindled a flame 🔥 so that I want to learn more ! It is also a huge shame to many of us that these prejudices still exist in many quarters of our society today & we need strong people to overcome them , I highly recommend this book as a really great Summer Read . #FB, #Instagram, # GoodReads, #NetGalley, #Amazon.co.uk
This is a beautiful story very sensitively written especially about the treatment of Women in the 1950’s on Majorca & even more so of those who were Mallorquin Jews , so this story has kindled a flame 🔥 so that I want to learn more ! It is also a huge shame to many of us that these prejudices still exist in many quarters of our society today & we need strong people to overcome them , I highly recommend this book as a really great Summer Read . #FB, #Instagram, # GoodReads, #NetGalley, #Amazon.co.uk
January 8, 2021
A beautifully written romance. Milla inherits her grandmother's souvenir shop on the island of Majorca and is quite confused as she had no idea she even had a living grandmother. However, her grandmother dies days before learning about her inheritance. Her Berlin fiance assumes Milla will sell the shop, but when she meets the handsome owner of the coffeeshop next door and finds herself attracted to him, Milla isn't sure what she wants to do. He helps her find out more about her grandmother, and in the process, discovers there was much heartbreak in her grandmother's, and her mother's, life.
February 5, 2021
Meh.
I've got to stop buying those $.99-1.99 Kindle specials.
Under Almond Blossoms started out with promise if a little formulaic. Poor/orphan girl finds out she is left property/money by an unknown relative. She finds romance on her journey of self-discovery to a new land.
About halfway through, I just started skimming. I don't know if it was the translation, but the dialogue became more and more trite.
I'd pass on this one.
I've got to stop buying those $.99-1.99 Kindle specials.
Under Almond Blossoms started out with promise if a little formulaic. Poor/orphan girl finds out she is left property/money by an unknown relative. She finds romance on her journey of self-discovery to a new land.
About halfway through, I just started skimming. I don't know if it was the translation, but the dialogue became more and more trite.
I'd pass on this one.
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