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De yogaclub van Orange Blossom House
Queensland, Australië, 1993. Grace Maud is 74 en voelt elk jaar in haar botten. Patricia heeft haar dromen van reizen en avontuur achter zich gelaten om voor haar ouders te zorgen. Voor Dorothy is elke dag een gevecht: om haar café draaiende te houden, en om niet toe te geven aan de wanhoop dat zij en haar man misschien nooit een kind zullen krijgen.
Drie vrouwen die zoeken naar iets om hun leven meer inhoud te geven vinden elkaar in het plaatselijke buurtcentrum, waar nieuwkomer Sandrine met yogalessen is gestart. Samen zullen deze vrouwen ontdekken dat het leven nog veel meer voor hen in petto heeft dan ze dachten…
Drie vrouwen die zoeken naar iets om hun leven meer inhoud te geven vinden elkaar in het plaatselijke buurtcentrum, waar nieuwkomer Sandrine met yogalessen is gestart. Samen zullen deze vrouwen ontdekken dat het leven nog veel meer voor hen in petto heeft dan ze dachten…
384 pages, Paperback
First published July 28, 2021
109 people are currently reading
1617 people want to read
About the author
Sophie Green
29 books245 followersSophie Green is an author and publisher who lives in Sydney. In her spare time she writes about country music on her website, Sunburnt Country Music.
Sophie's debut novel, THE INAUGURAL MEETING OF THE FAIRVALE LADIES BOOK CLUB, was a Top Ten bestseller and was shortlisted for the Australian Book Industry Awards for General Fiction Book of the Year 2018, and longlisted for both the Matt Richell Award for New Writer of the Year 2018 and the Indie Book Award for Debut Fiction 2018.
Sophie Green is internationally published and THE SHELLY BAY LADIES SWIMMING CIRCLE, THURSDAYS AT ORANGE BLOSSOM HOUSE, THE BELLBIRD RIVER COUNTRY CHOIR and WEEKENDS WITH THE SUNSHINE GARDENING SOCIETY were also Top Ten bestsellers.
Sophie's debut novel, THE INAUGURAL MEETING OF THE FAIRVALE LADIES BOOK CLUB, was a Top Ten bestseller and was shortlisted for the Australian Book Industry Awards for General Fiction Book of the Year 2018, and longlisted for both the Matt Richell Award for New Writer of the Year 2018 and the Indie Book Award for Debut Fiction 2018.
Sophie Green is internationally published and THE SHELLY BAY LADIES SWIMMING CIRCLE, THURSDAYS AT ORANGE BLOSSOM HOUSE, THE BELLBIRD RIVER COUNTRY CHOIR and WEEKENDS WITH THE SUNSHINE GARDENING SOCIETY were also Top Ten bestsellers.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 210 reviews
July 8, 2022
This is a book about a 74 year old Grace Maud who runs a sugar cane farm in Cairns in far North Queensland, her son Tom & wife Vivian come to help run the farm as the day to day duties are getting too much.
Patricia her daughter talks her into buying a small cottage in Cairns which I have visited recently as well as Port Douglas which is mentioned in this novel, anyway I digress Patricia’s mother suffers dementia so it’s time for everyone to pull together& help this is a feel good novel which touches base of life long friendships the three women make decisions that cold help Patricia’s mother. Enjoyed this as it was atmospheric, very tropical 🌴 and a poignant subject people have to deal with in life.
Patricia her daughter talks her into buying a small cottage in Cairns which I have visited recently as well as Port Douglas which is mentioned in this novel, anyway I digress Patricia’s mother suffers dementia so it’s time for everyone to pull together& help this is a feel good novel which touches base of life long friendships the three women make decisions that cold help Patricia’s mother. Enjoyed this as it was atmospheric, very tropical 🌴 and a poignant subject people have to deal with in life.
August 13, 2021
It was 1993 in Cairns, Far North Queensland and seventy-four-year-old Grace Maud had finally left her cane farm in the hands of her son Tom and his wife Viv. The three of them had been living on the property since Tom and Viv returned from the city to help with the running of the farm. Now in a small cottage in Cairns, Grace Maud felt lonely. Patricia had just returned from the city after living and working there for some years. Now her mother was drifting deeper into dementia, her father couldn’t care for her on his own, and her siblings and their families weren’t interested. Because Patricia was still single, it fell to her to do the caring. And Dorothy was desperate for a child and after two miscarriages, wondered if she and Frederick would ever be parents. Their café was doing well, but there was a hole in their lives without the child they dreamed of.
Orange Blossom House, tucked in the fronds of the rainforest, beckoned. And when the three women who hadn’t met before, found themselves persuaded to go to yoga classes, their friendship was gradual but strong. The classes, run by Frenchwoman Sandrine, opened them up, gave them peace and ease of mind to sort through their churning thoughts. It was hard though and included many laughs, a few tears and formed a companionship that would not break. Three very different women would help one another to find what they needed to make their way forward.
Thursdays at Orange Blossom House is another winner by Aussie author Sophie Green! Heartfelt and emotional, poignant and fulfilling, this novel is an exceptional read. I loved Grace Maud’s character with her dry humour, her straight to the point words and her caring manner. Dorothy and Patricia both played their parts well and I could empathise with Patricia as she cared for her parents and worked as a schoolteacher; with Dorothy as she struggled to find a way forward. Thursdays at Orange Blossom House gets full marks from me, and I recommend it highly.
With thanks to Hachette Australia for my ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
Orange Blossom House, tucked in the fronds of the rainforest, beckoned. And when the three women who hadn’t met before, found themselves persuaded to go to yoga classes, their friendship was gradual but strong. The classes, run by Frenchwoman Sandrine, opened them up, gave them peace and ease of mind to sort through their churning thoughts. It was hard though and included many laughs, a few tears and formed a companionship that would not break. Three very different women would help one another to find what they needed to make their way forward.
Thursdays at Orange Blossom House is another winner by Aussie author Sophie Green! Heartfelt and emotional, poignant and fulfilling, this novel is an exceptional read. I loved Grace Maud’s character with her dry humour, her straight to the point words and her caring manner. Dorothy and Patricia both played their parts well and I could empathise with Patricia as she cared for her parents and worked as a schoolteacher; with Dorothy as she struggled to find a way forward. Thursdays at Orange Blossom House gets full marks from me, and I recommend it highly.
With thanks to Hachette Australia for my ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
May 17, 2024
Three women whose lives appear to be controlled by other members of their family meet and become friends at a yoga group. This is a very readable story about how they assist each other to change their lives for the better.
The book is interesting and easy to read, but in the end the only character I could really relate to was Grace Maud. The other two complained a lot but would probably never have helped themselves at all without Grace Maud to push them along. I did read a reviewer who said she preferred her characters to have a backbone and maybe I am that way too.
Nevertheless it was an easy and entertaining read. Three stars.
The book is interesting and easy to read, but in the end the only character I could really relate to was Grace Maud. The other two complained a lot but would probably never have helped themselves at all without Grace Maud to push them along. I did read a reviewer who said she preferred her characters to have a backbone and maybe I am that way too.
Nevertheless it was an easy and entertaining read. Three stars.
August 13, 2021
⭐️4 Stars⭐️
It’s always interesting to read stories about the lives of other women and their challenges. I think some of the everyday issues in this story will resonate with many women.
Set in Northern Queensland 1993, Thursdays at Orange Blossom House by Sophie Green follows the story of three multigenerational women who have very little in common, Patricia, Grace Maud & Dorothy.
Patricia is a high school teacher and has moved back home to look after her ageing parents. Dorothy is a cafe owner who desperately wants a baby but after three miscarriages, she may have to accept that it may not be possible. Grace Maud at seventy-four is a retired cane farmer and owns a sugar cane farm which is currently being managed by her son Tom, she’s currently feeling old and isolated.
The women meet at a yoga class run out of Orange Blossom House by the effervescent Sandrine who has a french accent. Each woman is craving connection and they eventually bond through their yoga class and become good friends.
Together they support one another through their current challenges in life. They learn to accept the guilt they feel in their lives for doing something for themselves and each woman becomes true to herself.
I loved that the story was set in beautiful tropical Northern Queensland, it transported me back to many happy memories of one of my favourite places I love to visit, Port Douglas.
A heartwarming and beautifully written Australian story of friendship wrapped in one of the prettiest pink covers I have ever seen. After reading the book it’s left me with the urge to think about taking up yoga.
I have been reading this book as part of the TAOBH readalong. Thank you Tandem Collective Global and Hachette Australia for sending me a copy of the book.
It’s always interesting to read stories about the lives of other women and their challenges. I think some of the everyday issues in this story will resonate with many women.
Set in Northern Queensland 1993, Thursdays at Orange Blossom House by Sophie Green follows the story of three multigenerational women who have very little in common, Patricia, Grace Maud & Dorothy.
Patricia is a high school teacher and has moved back home to look after her ageing parents. Dorothy is a cafe owner who desperately wants a baby but after three miscarriages, she may have to accept that it may not be possible. Grace Maud at seventy-four is a retired cane farmer and owns a sugar cane farm which is currently being managed by her son Tom, she’s currently feeling old and isolated.
The women meet at a yoga class run out of Orange Blossom House by the effervescent Sandrine who has a french accent. Each woman is craving connection and they eventually bond through their yoga class and become good friends.
Together they support one another through their current challenges in life. They learn to accept the guilt they feel in their lives for doing something for themselves and each woman becomes true to herself.
I loved that the story was set in beautiful tropical Northern Queensland, it transported me back to many happy memories of one of my favourite places I love to visit, Port Douglas.
A heartwarming and beautifully written Australian story of friendship wrapped in one of the prettiest pink covers I have ever seen. After reading the book it’s left me with the urge to think about taking up yoga.
I have been reading this book as part of the TAOBH readalong. Thank you Tandem Collective Global and Hachette Australia for sending me a copy of the book.
June 23, 2021
This is an enjoyable story about three quite different women who meet at a yoga class and become good friends. The yoga class helps them to see their lives differently and to get on with it. Grace Maud is in her 70s, and lives in Cairns after leaving the family cane farm in her son Tom’s care. Patricia is a high school teacher, single and therefore her two brothers and sister leave her to live with and care for their elderly parents, especially her mother who has worsening dementia. Lastly is Dorothy who with her husband runs a cafe. She’s had three miscarriages and wondering whether to try IVF. I liked these women, they’re well written characters and very human. It’s a nice gentle read.
March 16, 2022
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**4.5 stars**
Thursdays at Orange Blossom House by Sophie Green. (2021).
Far North Queensland, 1993. At 74, former cane farmer Grace Maud is feeling her age, her isolation, and thinks the best of life may be behind her. High school teacher Patricia has given up on her dreams of travel and adventure to move home to care for her aging parents. Café owner Dorothy is struggling to accept she may never have a baby with her husband. Each woman has an unspoken need: reconnection. That's how they find themselves doing yoga at Orange Blossom House. Together they'll find courage and strength - and discover that life has much more to offer than they ever expected.
Another fabulous story from this author! I really enjoyed the concept of three women of different ages and lifestyles forming true friendships, stemming from a yoga class. All three women have their own respective issues going on and these dramas were both believable and relatable. Readers will find themselves drawn in and hoping that these women will get what their hearts desire. While at times this novel is an emotional read, delving into serious and sad issues, I think ultimately it was uplifting and ended on a lovely note.
Overall: happily and highly recommend this novel for those readers that appreciate a great story about friendship and people working out what they really want in life.
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**4.5 stars**
Thursdays at Orange Blossom House by Sophie Green. (2021).
Far North Queensland, 1993. At 74, former cane farmer Grace Maud is feeling her age, her isolation, and thinks the best of life may be behind her. High school teacher Patricia has given up on her dreams of travel and adventure to move home to care for her aging parents. Café owner Dorothy is struggling to accept she may never have a baby with her husband. Each woman has an unspoken need: reconnection. That's how they find themselves doing yoga at Orange Blossom House. Together they'll find courage and strength - and discover that life has much more to offer than they ever expected.
Another fabulous story from this author! I really enjoyed the concept of three women of different ages and lifestyles forming true friendships, stemming from a yoga class. All three women have their own respective issues going on and these dramas were both believable and relatable. Readers will find themselves drawn in and hoping that these women will get what their hearts desire. While at times this novel is an emotional read, delving into serious and sad issues, I think ultimately it was uplifting and ended on a lovely note.
Overall: happily and highly recommend this novel for those readers that appreciate a great story about friendship and people working out what they really want in life.
July 26, 2021
This is another beautiful story from the pen of Sophie Green, beautifully written it is about friendship, discovering who you are and moving on making changes where they are needed all with the help of yoga at Orange Blossom House, this story is real and honest so beautifully written and in such a lovely location Cairns in northern Queensland, I do hope you come along for the journey and get to know Grace Maud, Patricia and Dorothy.
1993 Grace Maud is a retired cane farmer living alone in Cairns with her son Tom running the farm these day, yes her body is a bit stiff these days but is still strong when it is suggested that a bit of yoga may help her.
Patricia is a high school English teacher at the local school she lives at home caring for her aging parents as her older siblings are all too busy to help, with a shoulder that is a bit stiff another teacher suggests coming to yoga with her to help with that.
Dorothy happily married to Fredrick they run a café in town and desperately want a baby but with three miscarriages it is not looking good, should they try with help from medical procedures when Dorothy discovers yoga at Orange Blossom House.
Sandrine is French and runs her yoga classes from her home Orange Blossom House all are welcome and she seems to know each student well and can help in so many ways she teaches them breathing and poses none of which any of them ever dreamed of doing.
This story goes over two years and brings together three woman from different backgrounds they are different ages and sees them form a strong and binding friendship through yoga they learn to open up like they have never done before, leave the past behind and look to the future with happiness and joy. I loved this book from start to finish, it is emotional, fun and moving. I smiled and cheered them on through their journey of finding themselves, I do highly recommend this one, a fabulous read that is sure to leave you feeling very uplifted at the end and maybe even looking for a yoga studio. Congratulations Sophie Green on another keeper your characters are strong and so real and I loved getting to know them.
My thanks to Hachette AU for my copy to read and review.
1993 Grace Maud is a retired cane farmer living alone in Cairns with her son Tom running the farm these day, yes her body is a bit stiff these days but is still strong when it is suggested that a bit of yoga may help her.
Patricia is a high school English teacher at the local school she lives at home caring for her aging parents as her older siblings are all too busy to help, with a shoulder that is a bit stiff another teacher suggests coming to yoga with her to help with that.
Dorothy happily married to Fredrick they run a café in town and desperately want a baby but with three miscarriages it is not looking good, should they try with help from medical procedures when Dorothy discovers yoga at Orange Blossom House.
Sandrine is French and runs her yoga classes from her home Orange Blossom House all are welcome and she seems to know each student well and can help in so many ways she teaches them breathing and poses none of which any of them ever dreamed of doing.
This story goes over two years and brings together three woman from different backgrounds they are different ages and sees them form a strong and binding friendship through yoga they learn to open up like they have never done before, leave the past behind and look to the future with happiness and joy. I loved this book from start to finish, it is emotional, fun and moving. I smiled and cheered them on through their journey of finding themselves, I do highly recommend this one, a fabulous read that is sure to leave you feeling very uplifted at the end and maybe even looking for a yoga studio. Congratulations Sophie Green on another keeper your characters are strong and so real and I loved getting to know them.
My thanks to Hachette AU for my copy to read and review.
August 22, 2021
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‘That day Dorothy first wandered away from this café and towards that yoga class, she could not have known what Orange Blossom House would bring her. Now she does, and it gives her the strength to walk back inside, sniff back her tears and get on with her day.’
What a blessing this third heartwarming story from Sophie Green turned out to be! Thursdays at Orange Blossom House is a delightful reminder of the power of connections, friendship support networks, self-belief, faith, chance and hope. Encompassing themes of family, relationships, ageing, parenting, loss and care, Thursdays at Orange Blossom House is a connective read.
Set in the warm tropical location of Far North Queensland, Thursdays at Orange Blossom House brings the reader back to the early 1990s. We meet a small group of women who find an unexpected and valuable bond during their participation in a yoga class. We meet Grace Maud, a retired cane farmer, who feels every bit her age. Patricia comes to the yoga class with high hopes for a life ahead of travel and adventure aboard, but this high school teacher’s dreams have been shelved as she takes responsibility for her elderly parents. The final member of the yoga class trio is Dorothy, a café owner who is grappling with the prospect of never becoming a mother. Each woman has their own problems to contend with, but the support they receive from each other via their yoga class gives them renewed hope. With some helpful guidance from their eccentric yoga teacher Sandrine, the group finds the support and courage to go on their own respective pathways.
Following the delightful The Inaugural Meeting of the Fairvale Ladies Book Club and the highly memorable 2020 release, The Shelley Bay Ladies Swimming Circle, Sophie Green makes a most welcome return with her new embracing tale, Thursdays at Orange Blossom House. I love how Sophie Green uses a network and a shared interest to bring her contrasted characters together. The result is a heartwarming, emotional and inspiring read. I found great value in Sophie Green’s newest novel.
Firstly, the setting is just exquisite in Sophie Green’s latest release. Tropical far north Queensland is the stunning backdrop for this absorbing story to play out. With the sultry warmth of the rainforest, combined with the breathtaking coast and the picturesque cane fields, this truly wonderful Australian setting makes you feel good inside. For me, Sophie Green’s book offered the chance to escape the dreary cold winter of Western Australia. The warmth coming off the pages of Thursdays at Orange Blossom House soothed my soul.
I also loved the characters in Thursdays at Orange Blossom House. There are three core female leads and each are very different to the other. I felt as though Green accurately captured each woman’s spirit. As these women are contrasted in age and circumstances, the reader is able to find a sense of connection and empathy with the cast, no matter how small. I was able to sympathise with and understand many of the core issues faced by Grace, Patricia and Dorothy. I experienced laughter, understanding, tears, ager and frustration at various points of the novel. Green is careful in her approach to the issues faced by her characters, providing a myriad of common life problems for her cast. From loss, health care, distance, regrets, family relationships, marital issues, guilt, fear of lost opportunities and business decisions, Thursdays at Orange Blossom House includes plenty of everyday life conflicts. The process of accepting, living through and making changes for the better, with the support of friends, forms the inspiring crux of this memorable novel.
The yoga references in this book are subtle, yet these sequences are a binding force for the characters. It definitely inspired me to revisit this form of exercise. Thursdays at Orange Blossom House has a fabulous structure that sees the reader travel through the seasons of 1993 through to 1995, with memories of popular events, royalty, music, culture, celebrity icons, films, television and political movements of the time. Sophie Green has penned a wonderful trip down memory lane. For those younger readers, these pre chapter snippets help to capture the mood and feelings of the 1990s time period. For me it provided a very happy sense of nostalgia! Make sure you pick up Thursdays at Orange Blossom House if you are in need of a fast and memorable pick me up. Five stars from me!
*Thanks is extended to Hachette Australia for providing a free copy of this book for review purposes.
Thursdays at Orange Blossom House is book #76 of the 2021 Australian Women Writers Challenge
‘That day Dorothy first wandered away from this café and towards that yoga class, she could not have known what Orange Blossom House would bring her. Now she does, and it gives her the strength to walk back inside, sniff back her tears and get on with her day.’
What a blessing this third heartwarming story from Sophie Green turned out to be! Thursdays at Orange Blossom House is a delightful reminder of the power of connections, friendship support networks, self-belief, faith, chance and hope. Encompassing themes of family, relationships, ageing, parenting, loss and care, Thursdays at Orange Blossom House is a connective read.
Set in the warm tropical location of Far North Queensland, Thursdays at Orange Blossom House brings the reader back to the early 1990s. We meet a small group of women who find an unexpected and valuable bond during their participation in a yoga class. We meet Grace Maud, a retired cane farmer, who feels every bit her age. Patricia comes to the yoga class with high hopes for a life ahead of travel and adventure aboard, but this high school teacher’s dreams have been shelved as she takes responsibility for her elderly parents. The final member of the yoga class trio is Dorothy, a café owner who is grappling with the prospect of never becoming a mother. Each woman has their own problems to contend with, but the support they receive from each other via their yoga class gives them renewed hope. With some helpful guidance from their eccentric yoga teacher Sandrine, the group finds the support and courage to go on their own respective pathways.
Following the delightful The Inaugural Meeting of the Fairvale Ladies Book Club and the highly memorable 2020 release, The Shelley Bay Ladies Swimming Circle, Sophie Green makes a most welcome return with her new embracing tale, Thursdays at Orange Blossom House. I love how Sophie Green uses a network and a shared interest to bring her contrasted characters together. The result is a heartwarming, emotional and inspiring read. I found great value in Sophie Green’s newest novel.
Firstly, the setting is just exquisite in Sophie Green’s latest release. Tropical far north Queensland is the stunning backdrop for this absorbing story to play out. With the sultry warmth of the rainforest, combined with the breathtaking coast and the picturesque cane fields, this truly wonderful Australian setting makes you feel good inside. For me, Sophie Green’s book offered the chance to escape the dreary cold winter of Western Australia. The warmth coming off the pages of Thursdays at Orange Blossom House soothed my soul.
I also loved the characters in Thursdays at Orange Blossom House. There are three core female leads and each are very different to the other. I felt as though Green accurately captured each woman’s spirit. As these women are contrasted in age and circumstances, the reader is able to find a sense of connection and empathy with the cast, no matter how small. I was able to sympathise with and understand many of the core issues faced by Grace, Patricia and Dorothy. I experienced laughter, understanding, tears, ager and frustration at various points of the novel. Green is careful in her approach to the issues faced by her characters, providing a myriad of common life problems for her cast. From loss, health care, distance, regrets, family relationships, marital issues, guilt, fear of lost opportunities and business decisions, Thursdays at Orange Blossom House includes plenty of everyday life conflicts. The process of accepting, living through and making changes for the better, with the support of friends, forms the inspiring crux of this memorable novel.
The yoga references in this book are subtle, yet these sequences are a binding force for the characters. It definitely inspired me to revisit this form of exercise. Thursdays at Orange Blossom House has a fabulous structure that sees the reader travel through the seasons of 1993 through to 1995, with memories of popular events, royalty, music, culture, celebrity icons, films, television and political movements of the time. Sophie Green has penned a wonderful trip down memory lane. For those younger readers, these pre chapter snippets help to capture the mood and feelings of the 1990s time period. For me it provided a very happy sense of nostalgia! Make sure you pick up Thursdays at Orange Blossom House if you are in need of a fast and memorable pick me up. Five stars from me!
*Thanks is extended to Hachette Australia for providing a free copy of this book for review purposes.
Thursdays at Orange Blossom House is book #76 of the 2021 Australian Women Writers Challenge
June 13, 2021
Thursdays At Orange Blossom House is the third novel by best-selling Australian author, Sophie Green. A retired cane farmer, a high school English teacher and a café owner: three women from different generations and backgrounds who might have little in common, yet stiffness or pain or anxiety find them, via friendly recommendation or encouragement, or simply dumb luck, at Orange Blossom House for yoga classes.
After three miscarriages, Dorothy is feeling diminished and defective. She and her husband live in Kuranda and run a busy café in Cairns, and Frederick is loving and undemanding, but now they need to decide if they want to involve medical technology in their efforts to procreate.
Patricia’s three married siblings, all “extremely busy, you know”, have blithely accepted her return from Sydney to become the default carer for their elderly parents: a physically well father not coping with his increasingly demented wife. She doesn’t expect thanks: they are her parents and she loves them, but the responsibility is not made any easier by her siblings’ expectations and criticism.
Grace Maud keeps an eye on her family’s cane farm near Atherton, but is happy to take a step back to allow her only son, Tom, and his wife run it. She gracefully accepts both garden and house help in her little cottage in town. Yoga seems to help her flexibility and sleep, but will it help her handle the sense of hurt and betrayal she feels when Tom drops his bombshell?
At Orange Blossom House, Sandrine guides their beathing, their poses and their meditation with her lovely French accent and her steely discipline, promising, and delivering, physical, mental and spiritual release. Her uncanny perceptiveness seems to inspire her intuitive direction and support.
Over the eighteen months that follow, the women gradually become friends and learn to overcome their reticence to share problems. As they deal with Frederick’s ambitious plans for the business, the young(er than Patricia) PE teacher whose purported interest in her surely can’t be real, and a devastating tragedy on the cane farm, Sandrine often weighs in with insightful observations and words of wisdom.
Sophie Green’s main characters, feisty, harried or timid, quickly feel like close friends whose stories you can’t wait to get back to, so that picking up this novel gives the same comfort as a hug or a warm blanket on a cold day. By contrast, readers will probably want to shake some of the secondary characters for their selfishness and thoughtlessness.
Green divides her tale into seasons, prefacing each with a list of current songs, movies, TV series and world events that firmly establish the era (1993-5) and may well induce a sense of nostalgia in readers of a certain vintage. Her plot does have some predictable aspects, but there are enough surprises and topical issues to easily keep the reader’s interest. Once again, Green gives the reader a wonderfully heart-warming read.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by Hachette Australia.
After three miscarriages, Dorothy is feeling diminished and defective. She and her husband live in Kuranda and run a busy café in Cairns, and Frederick is loving and undemanding, but now they need to decide if they want to involve medical technology in their efforts to procreate.
Patricia’s three married siblings, all “extremely busy, you know”, have blithely accepted her return from Sydney to become the default carer for their elderly parents: a physically well father not coping with his increasingly demented wife. She doesn’t expect thanks: they are her parents and she loves them, but the responsibility is not made any easier by her siblings’ expectations and criticism.
Grace Maud keeps an eye on her family’s cane farm near Atherton, but is happy to take a step back to allow her only son, Tom, and his wife run it. She gracefully accepts both garden and house help in her little cottage in town. Yoga seems to help her flexibility and sleep, but will it help her handle the sense of hurt and betrayal she feels when Tom drops his bombshell?
At Orange Blossom House, Sandrine guides their beathing, their poses and their meditation with her lovely French accent and her steely discipline, promising, and delivering, physical, mental and spiritual release. Her uncanny perceptiveness seems to inspire her intuitive direction and support.
Over the eighteen months that follow, the women gradually become friends and learn to overcome their reticence to share problems. As they deal with Frederick’s ambitious plans for the business, the young(er than Patricia) PE teacher whose purported interest in her surely can’t be real, and a devastating tragedy on the cane farm, Sandrine often weighs in with insightful observations and words of wisdom.
Sophie Green’s main characters, feisty, harried or timid, quickly feel like close friends whose stories you can’t wait to get back to, so that picking up this novel gives the same comfort as a hug or a warm blanket on a cold day. By contrast, readers will probably want to shake some of the secondary characters for their selfishness and thoughtlessness.
Green divides her tale into seasons, prefacing each with a list of current songs, movies, TV series and world events that firmly establish the era (1993-5) and may well induce a sense of nostalgia in readers of a certain vintage. Her plot does have some predictable aspects, but there are enough surprises and topical issues to easily keep the reader’s interest. Once again, Green gives the reader a wonderfully heart-warming read.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by Hachette Australia.
January 1, 2022
Thursdays at Orange Blossom House by Aussie author Sophie Green was a delightful book to read. Grace Maud is seventy-four and a former cane farmer. Maud is feeling her age and decides it is time to hand her cane farm over to her son, Tom and his wife Viv. Maud had a small cottage in Cairns, but she was finding the days were long and she was becoming lonely, but would that change when she joined yoga classes at Orange Blossom House.
This was a very enjoyable book to read and have no hesitation in recommending this book to anyone who is looking for their next book to read.
This was a very enjoyable book to read and have no hesitation in recommending this book to anyone who is looking for their next book to read.
March 16, 2022
Thursdays At Orange Blossom House is the third novel by best-selling Australian author, Sophie Green. The audio version is narrated by Edwina Wren. A retired cane farmer, a high school English teacher and a café owner: three women from different generations and backgrounds who might have little in common, yet stiffness or pain or anxiety find them, via friendly recommendation or encouragement, or simply dumb luck, at Orange Blossom House for yoga classes.
After three miscarriages, Dorothy is feeling diminished and defective. She and her husband live in Kuranda and run a busy café in Cairns, and Frederick is loving and undemanding, but now they need to decide if they want to involve medical technology in their efforts to procreate.
Patricia’s three married siblings, all “extremely busy, you know”, have blithely accepted her return from Sydney to become the default carer for their elderly parents: a physically well father not coping with his increasingly demented wife. She doesn’t expect thanks: they are her parents and she loves them, but the responsibility is not made any easier by her siblings’ expectations and criticism.
Grace Maud keeps an eye on her family’s cane farm near Atherton, but is happy to take a step back to allow her only son, Tom, and his wife run it. She gracefully accepts both garden and house help in her little cottage in town. Yoga seems to help her flexibility and sleep, but will it help her handle the sense of hurt and betrayal she feels when Tom drops his bombshell?
At Orange Blossom House, Sandrine guides their beathing, their poses and their meditation with her lovely French accent and her steely discipline, promising, and delivering, physical, mental and spiritual release. Her uncanny perceptiveness seems to inspire her intuitive direction and support.
Over the eighteen months that follow, the women gradually become friends and learn to overcome their reticence to share problems. As they deal with Frederick’s ambitious plans for the business, the young(er than Patricia) PE teacher whose purported interest in her surely can’t be real, and a devastating tragedy on the cane farm, Sandrine often weighs in with insightful observations and words of wisdom.
Sophie Green’s main characters, feisty, harried or timid, quickly feel like close friends whose stories you can’t wait to get back to, so that picking up this novel gives the same comfort as a hug or a warm blanket on a cold day. By contrast, readers will probably want to shake some of the secondary characters for their selfishness and thoughtlessness.
Green divides her tale into seasons, prefacing each with a list of current songs, movies, TV series and world events that firmly establish the era (1993-5) and may well induce a sense of nostalgia in readers of a certain vintage. Her plot does have some predictable aspects, but there are enough surprises and topical issues to easily keep the reader’s interest. Once again, Green gives the reader a wonderfully heart-warming read.
After three miscarriages, Dorothy is feeling diminished and defective. She and her husband live in Kuranda and run a busy café in Cairns, and Frederick is loving and undemanding, but now they need to decide if they want to involve medical technology in their efforts to procreate.
Patricia’s three married siblings, all “extremely busy, you know”, have blithely accepted her return from Sydney to become the default carer for their elderly parents: a physically well father not coping with his increasingly demented wife. She doesn’t expect thanks: they are her parents and she loves them, but the responsibility is not made any easier by her siblings’ expectations and criticism.
Grace Maud keeps an eye on her family’s cane farm near Atherton, but is happy to take a step back to allow her only son, Tom, and his wife run it. She gracefully accepts both garden and house help in her little cottage in town. Yoga seems to help her flexibility and sleep, but will it help her handle the sense of hurt and betrayal she feels when Tom drops his bombshell?
At Orange Blossom House, Sandrine guides their beathing, their poses and their meditation with her lovely French accent and her steely discipline, promising, and delivering, physical, mental and spiritual release. Her uncanny perceptiveness seems to inspire her intuitive direction and support.
Over the eighteen months that follow, the women gradually become friends and learn to overcome their reticence to share problems. As they deal with Frederick’s ambitious plans for the business, the young(er than Patricia) PE teacher whose purported interest in her surely can’t be real, and a devastating tragedy on the cane farm, Sandrine often weighs in with insightful observations and words of wisdom.
Sophie Green’s main characters, feisty, harried or timid, quickly feel like close friends whose stories you can’t wait to get back to, so that picking up this novel gives the same comfort as a hug or a warm blanket on a cold day. By contrast, readers will probably want to shake some of the secondary characters for their selfishness and thoughtlessness.
Green divides her tale into seasons, prefacing each with a list of current songs, movies, TV series and world events that firmly establish the era (1993-5) and may well induce a sense of nostalgia in readers of a certain vintage. Her plot does have some predictable aspects, but there are enough surprises and topical issues to easily keep the reader’s interest. Once again, Green gives the reader a wonderfully heart-warming read.
August 11, 2021
I first came across Sophie’s writing in, The Inaugural Meeting of the Fairvale Ladies Book Club, which I adored. I therefore had high expectations coming into her latest offering and I was not disappointed. It was absolutely delightful with writing that is immersive, confirming and heartwarming. In this current crazy world we live in, who does not wish for an uplifting read about family, friends, mindfulness and yoga! A truly winning combination.
‘That day Dorothy first wandered away from this café and towards that yoga class, she could not have known what Orange Blossom House would bring her. Now she does, and it gives her the strength to walk back inside, sniff back her tears and get on with her day.’
Over the course of the story three women of different ages and backgrounds form a friendship in a yoga class and what they all learn sees them become the strongest of friends. Even though they are all so very different, Sophie illustrates (yet again!) how at any stage of your life, you can leave the past behind and face a future full of joyful anticipation. That it is indeed possible to both find and fulfill your heart's desire on a journey of self discovery. This book is rich and rewarding on so many levels that I was furiously highlighting so as to always be reminded of the absolute gems Sophie drops for her readers along the way.
‘… though Grace Maud knows … that control is an illusion, always. The only thing that can be controlled is the time we wake up each day; after that, every minute is at the whim of the fates. We just tell ourselves stories about how that’s not the case so that life seems vaguely manageable.’
I love how Sophie divided the book up with a list of either songs, movies or current affairs from the period 1993-1995 - it brought back some fond memories. The locale of far North Queensland was vividly portrayed and added yet another dimension to an already amazing tale.
‘A wistfulness settles on Patricia’s face and Grace Maud recognises it: the mixture of regret and relief that arises when you know you’ve become the person you want to be only because some of the things you thought you wanted never happened.’
For me, Sophie’s writing style is sublime - gentle and graceful - allowing her readers to lose themselves in the story. Through each of the three narratives you will find a little of your past, present or future self - such is the genuine nature of these lead characters. You will reflect on your own dreams or aspirations and come to the realisation that, in whatever form, it is always possible to unlock and pursue what makes your heart sing. This book is both comforting and confirming.
‘Her body has bent and folded and stretched and hauled and pushed for most of her life. Just because it has wrinkles on it now doesn’t mean it’s forgotten how to do all those things simply because she’s withered a little since she moved into town. Somewhere inside this crepey-skinned shell is the warrior she used to be.’
Thank you Sophie for yet another beautifully written story. A story about making changes in an effort to affirm and pursue your unique life journey. How through friendships or the mindfulness of something such as yoga, you are able to realise subtle changes that may help to unlock an even better you.
‘She held onto something that wasn’t serving her for too long simply because she was unsure of what was on the other side, even though it had a very good chance of being better.’
This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.
‘That day Dorothy first wandered away from this café and towards that yoga class, she could not have known what Orange Blossom House would bring her. Now she does, and it gives her the strength to walk back inside, sniff back her tears and get on with her day.’
Over the course of the story three women of different ages and backgrounds form a friendship in a yoga class and what they all learn sees them become the strongest of friends. Even though they are all so very different, Sophie illustrates (yet again!) how at any stage of your life, you can leave the past behind and face a future full of joyful anticipation. That it is indeed possible to both find and fulfill your heart's desire on a journey of self discovery. This book is rich and rewarding on so many levels that I was furiously highlighting so as to always be reminded of the absolute gems Sophie drops for her readers along the way.
‘… though Grace Maud knows … that control is an illusion, always. The only thing that can be controlled is the time we wake up each day; after that, every minute is at the whim of the fates. We just tell ourselves stories about how that’s not the case so that life seems vaguely manageable.’
I love how Sophie divided the book up with a list of either songs, movies or current affairs from the period 1993-1995 - it brought back some fond memories. The locale of far North Queensland was vividly portrayed and added yet another dimension to an already amazing tale.
‘A wistfulness settles on Patricia’s face and Grace Maud recognises it: the mixture of regret and relief that arises when you know you’ve become the person you want to be only because some of the things you thought you wanted never happened.’
For me, Sophie’s writing style is sublime - gentle and graceful - allowing her readers to lose themselves in the story. Through each of the three narratives you will find a little of your past, present or future self - such is the genuine nature of these lead characters. You will reflect on your own dreams or aspirations and come to the realisation that, in whatever form, it is always possible to unlock and pursue what makes your heart sing. This book is both comforting and confirming.
‘Her body has bent and folded and stretched and hauled and pushed for most of her life. Just because it has wrinkles on it now doesn’t mean it’s forgotten how to do all those things simply because she’s withered a little since she moved into town. Somewhere inside this crepey-skinned shell is the warrior she used to be.’
Thank you Sophie for yet another beautifully written story. A story about making changes in an effort to affirm and pursue your unique life journey. How through friendships or the mindfulness of something such as yoga, you are able to realise subtle changes that may help to unlock an even better you.
‘She held onto something that wasn’t serving her for too long simply because she was unsure of what was on the other side, even though it had a very good chance of being better.’
This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.
September 30, 2023
‘The house looks the same as it always has.’
Set in Cairns, in far north Queensland, this novel opens in the winter of 1993, unfolds over the next eighteen months, and brings together three very different women. Seventy-four-year-old Grace Maud has left the family cane farm to her son Tom and daughter-in-law Viv and moved into a small home in Cairns. Grace Maud is lonely. Patricia, single and in her forties, has moved back to Cairns. Patricia’s mother is drifting into dementia, and Patricia’s father can no longer manage on his own. Patricia has three siblings, but each of them, married, is happy to leave the responsibility to Patricia. Patricia, juggling full-time work as a teacher with family care responsibilities, is stressed. Dorothy and her husband Frederick run a café. Dorothy would love to have a child, but after a couple of miscarriages is beginning to fear that parenthood will pass her by.
The three women meet at Orange Blossom House where Sandrine runs yoga classes. Each of the women is unsure about the befits of yoga but they find it helps them. An unlikely friendship is formed, with each of them benefiting from the companionship and wisdom offered.
I really enjoyed this novel about friendship, about embracing change, about taking time to do something for yourself, occasionally taking emotional risks and finding an inner resilience that can become lost in the everyday stresses of life.
Highly recommended.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
Set in Cairns, in far north Queensland, this novel opens in the winter of 1993, unfolds over the next eighteen months, and brings together three very different women. Seventy-four-year-old Grace Maud has left the family cane farm to her son Tom and daughter-in-law Viv and moved into a small home in Cairns. Grace Maud is lonely. Patricia, single and in her forties, has moved back to Cairns. Patricia’s mother is drifting into dementia, and Patricia’s father can no longer manage on his own. Patricia has three siblings, but each of them, married, is happy to leave the responsibility to Patricia. Patricia, juggling full-time work as a teacher with family care responsibilities, is stressed. Dorothy and her husband Frederick run a café. Dorothy would love to have a child, but after a couple of miscarriages is beginning to fear that parenthood will pass her by.
The three women meet at Orange Blossom House where Sandrine runs yoga classes. Each of the women is unsure about the befits of yoga but they find it helps them. An unlikely friendship is formed, with each of them benefiting from the companionship and wisdom offered.
I really enjoyed this novel about friendship, about embracing change, about taking time to do something for yourself, occasionally taking emotional risks and finding an inner resilience that can become lost in the everyday stresses of life.
Highly recommended.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
October 16, 2021
Thursdays At Orange Blossom House is the latest contemporary novel from author Sophie Green. In my opinion, Green’s third book, which takes place in Cairns, Far North Queensland, is her best to date. The Australian writer takes readers back to the not too distant past of the 1990s, incorporating a variety of relatable topics that include ageing, IVF, dementia, sign language, connection, body image, isolation and much more. All these topics are based around the central theme of the practice of yoga.
Green herself practices yoga, and she began her journey as a student in 1993. She takes this knowledge, and skilfully incorporates it into her novel. Rising through the ranks, Green went on to become a yoga instructor. Sandrine, the yoga instructor in, Thursdays At Orange Blossom House, is based on Green’s own experience, helping to inform her of the dialogue between the instructor and the clients. This gave the character’s an authentic feel.
The ideas are investigated through three protagonists, Grace, Patricia, and Dorothy, who first meet at Orange Blossom House, a yoga studio. These women are at different stages in their lives and are looking to make a connection.
At seventy four years of age, the eldest of the protagonists is Grace. She was the wife of a cane farmer and is mother to Tom. Grace believes that the best years of her life are behind her. Despite this, she was a feisty woman I enjoyed getting to know, and her bluntness and honesty was refreshing in a time of political correctness. When Grace participates in yoga at Orange Blossom House for the first time, she has wisdom and experience to share with her friends.
Will Grace discover that her life is not over?
In her late thirties, early forties, Patricia was the character I had the deepest connection with. Like Patricia, I too work in the education system as a primary teacher. I admired Patricia because she took on the challenges of working in a high school environment. Unlike my workplace, there was growing romance between Patricia and a male colleague that was sweet to observe.
A practical single woman, Patricia had dreams of adventure and travel until the real world came knocking. She is forced to return home to Sydney to care for her ageing parents. Surrounded by her parents and siblings, Patricia, like many of us, reverts back to her teenage self. I felt Patricia’s lack of support from said siblings. They expected Patricia to take on the lions share when it came to their parents because they had their own families to care for.
Will Patricia find her voice?
Dorothy is desperate to be a mum. Her current baby is the café she co-owns with her husband. Dorothy is willing to try everything and anything, and that has included IVF. The journey has been an emotional one for Dorothy, who is an emotional woman. For Dorothy and the other two women, yoga provides a much needed release in expected and unexpected ways.
Will Dorothy’s dream come true?
Green herself practices yoga, and she began her journey as a student in 1993. She takes this knowledge, and skilfully incorporates it into her novel. Rising through the ranks, Green went on to become a yoga instructor. Sandrine, the yoga instructor in, Thursdays At Orange Blossom House, is based on Green’s own experience, helping to inform her of the dialogue between the instructor and the clients. This gave the character’s an authentic feel.
The ideas are investigated through three protagonists, Grace, Patricia, and Dorothy, who first meet at Orange Blossom House, a yoga studio. These women are at different stages in their lives and are looking to make a connection.
At seventy four years of age, the eldest of the protagonists is Grace. She was the wife of a cane farmer and is mother to Tom. Grace believes that the best years of her life are behind her. Despite this, she was a feisty woman I enjoyed getting to know, and her bluntness and honesty was refreshing in a time of political correctness. When Grace participates in yoga at Orange Blossom House for the first time, she has wisdom and experience to share with her friends.
Will Grace discover that her life is not over?
In her late thirties, early forties, Patricia was the character I had the deepest connection with. Like Patricia, I too work in the education system as a primary teacher. I admired Patricia because she took on the challenges of working in a high school environment. Unlike my workplace, there was growing romance between Patricia and a male colleague that was sweet to observe.
A practical single woman, Patricia had dreams of adventure and travel until the real world came knocking. She is forced to return home to Sydney to care for her ageing parents. Surrounded by her parents and siblings, Patricia, like many of us, reverts back to her teenage self. I felt Patricia’s lack of support from said siblings. They expected Patricia to take on the lions share when it came to their parents because they had their own families to care for.
Will Patricia find her voice?
Dorothy is desperate to be a mum. Her current baby is the café she co-owns with her husband. Dorothy is willing to try everything and anything, and that has included IVF. The journey has been an emotional one for Dorothy, who is an emotional woman. For Dorothy and the other two women, yoga provides a much needed release in expected and unexpected ways.
Will Dorothy’s dream come true?
July 24, 2022
Thank you Hachette for sending us a copy to read and review.
A very warm, heartfelt and emotional story of three women who come together when each needs a friend while joining the local yoga group.
It’s 1993 and a trio of ladies meet and find courage and strength in each other.
Grace Maud is getting on in life and feeling left out.
Dorothy wants to be a mother more than anything else in the world.
Patricia has given up her own aspirations to look after her elderly parents.
They each find themselves connecting at Orange Blossom House, a yoga gathering where they each have their own self discovery.
This book has been sitting on the shelf for way too long and with Sophie’s new release just around the corner it was time to devour.
Sophie tells a tale that fills the heart with love, tenderness, heartbreak and happiness and adds drama, family and the moods of all.
The plot flows naturally as the reader gets to join in the daily lives of the threesome whilst we pass through the seasons with a small list of tidbits at the start of each.
A powerful theme that runs through all of this author’s work is unconditional female friendship and it’s so comforting to read about, I adored the leads and their instant bond.
Through love, laughter, tears and joy Thursdays At Orange Blossom House is one story that will give you all the heightened emotions.
I must go back a few years and catch up with the novel I have missed.
A very warm, heartfelt and emotional story of three women who come together when each needs a friend while joining the local yoga group.
It’s 1993 and a trio of ladies meet and find courage and strength in each other.
Grace Maud is getting on in life and feeling left out.
Dorothy wants to be a mother more than anything else in the world.
Patricia has given up her own aspirations to look after her elderly parents.
They each find themselves connecting at Orange Blossom House, a yoga gathering where they each have their own self discovery.
This book has been sitting on the shelf for way too long and with Sophie’s new release just around the corner it was time to devour.
Sophie tells a tale that fills the heart with love, tenderness, heartbreak and happiness and adds drama, family and the moods of all.
The plot flows naturally as the reader gets to join in the daily lives of the threesome whilst we pass through the seasons with a small list of tidbits at the start of each.
A powerful theme that runs through all of this author’s work is unconditional female friendship and it’s so comforting to read about, I adored the leads and their instant bond.
Through love, laughter, tears and joy Thursdays At Orange Blossom House is one story that will give you all the heightened emotions.
I must go back a few years and catch up with the novel I have missed.
September 2, 2021
This review also appears on my blog Genie in a Book
Thank you to Hachette Australia for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
A layered and smoothly woven story of the bonds between three women who are brought together in unlikely circumstances, Thursdays at Orange Blossom House sings to the tune of an afternoon breeze and time to ponder what our expectations of our identities in life are and the people we want to become. Sophie Green has already showcased her ability to write well in the genre with The Inaugural Meeting of the Fairvale Ladies Book Club and The Shelly Bay Ladies Swimming Circle. In this book she brings to life the cane fields in Cairns in the 1990's and sense of place as forming a home, the longing for motherhood, quest for self-discovery as an adult and how old age doesn't preclude the making of new friends.
What might happen if women really succumb to their pain? To the anguish of not getting what they really want, either because they've been told they can't have it, or because nature is conspiring against them? Or sometimes because life just seems so hard that what they see is an unscalable peak, always in sight yet beyond their reach.
At the beginning of the story we're introduced to Grace Maud, whose life has been one on the fields but her son is beginning to have his own new ideas on how the farm should run. Toughened by her experiences, it takes more than a little persuading to get her to Sandrine's yoga class at Orange Blossom House which is the central point for all three characters meeting. Patricia's plight caring for her ailing parents, unmarried and teaching but given up most of her dreams is next, followed by Dorothy; cafe-owner with her husband and has been trying for years to have a child but with no success. These descriptions don't do the depth of these three women justice - Green's ability to add so much detail to their lives, ideas, thoughts and fears feel so realistic and are issues that many readers could relate to. The real spark comes through when little by little the barriers begin to break down and conversations are had, where each of the trio start to open up to each other and from there solutions can be found to the problems they are facing. This idea of women leaning on each other and being able to bring down the facade of being so capable, strong and perpetually self-sacrificing, is brought to the fore with nuance and heart. A healthy dose of good humour and some laughs throughout add to the light and shade within the plot, making for a read which is just as comforting as a cup of tea on a breezy spring day.
FINAL THOUGHTS
In lockdown I find myself drifting towards the kind of reads that are thoughtful but end on a high note, with a view to capturing not only our sense of place in this beautiful country but also how we find homes in the connections built among the kindness of strangers we meet in life. Thursdays at Orange Blossom House is one example of this, and I'm looking forward to reading more of Sophie Green next!
Thank you to Hachette Australia for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
A layered and smoothly woven story of the bonds between three women who are brought together in unlikely circumstances, Thursdays at Orange Blossom House sings to the tune of an afternoon breeze and time to ponder what our expectations of our identities in life are and the people we want to become. Sophie Green has already showcased her ability to write well in the genre with The Inaugural Meeting of the Fairvale Ladies Book Club and The Shelly Bay Ladies Swimming Circle. In this book she brings to life the cane fields in Cairns in the 1990's and sense of place as forming a home, the longing for motherhood, quest for self-discovery as an adult and how old age doesn't preclude the making of new friends.
What might happen if women really succumb to their pain? To the anguish of not getting what they really want, either because they've been told they can't have it, or because nature is conspiring against them? Or sometimes because life just seems so hard that what they see is an unscalable peak, always in sight yet beyond their reach.
At the beginning of the story we're introduced to Grace Maud, whose life has been one on the fields but her son is beginning to have his own new ideas on how the farm should run. Toughened by her experiences, it takes more than a little persuading to get her to Sandrine's yoga class at Orange Blossom House which is the central point for all three characters meeting. Patricia's plight caring for her ailing parents, unmarried and teaching but given up most of her dreams is next, followed by Dorothy; cafe-owner with her husband and has been trying for years to have a child but with no success. These descriptions don't do the depth of these three women justice - Green's ability to add so much detail to their lives, ideas, thoughts and fears feel so realistic and are issues that many readers could relate to. The real spark comes through when little by little the barriers begin to break down and conversations are had, where each of the trio start to open up to each other and from there solutions can be found to the problems they are facing. This idea of women leaning on each other and being able to bring down the facade of being so capable, strong and perpetually self-sacrificing, is brought to the fore with nuance and heart. A healthy dose of good humour and some laughs throughout add to the light and shade within the plot, making for a read which is just as comforting as a cup of tea on a breezy spring day.
FINAL THOUGHTS
In lockdown I find myself drifting towards the kind of reads that are thoughtful but end on a high note, with a view to capturing not only our sense of place in this beautiful country but also how we find homes in the connections built among the kindness of strangers we meet in life. Thursdays at Orange Blossom House is one example of this, and I'm looking forward to reading more of Sophie Green next!
June 7, 2022
Thank you to Jonathan Ball Publishers for providing me with a free copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
I have been enjoying books with "slice of life" elements to them lately, specifically so with people around my age facing their future, letting go of their past...
This story follows three different women, of varying ages, each suffering from different problems and stumbling blocks; from letting go of the past to accepting the things you can't have to self-acceptance. In an attempt to clear their minds in order to find direction in their lives, the three women find themselves drawn together, connecting and forging real bonds, thanks to the Yoga classes they take on Thursdays at Orange Blossom House.
The characters are real and the writing is lovely, the story is atmospheric and is sure to hit you in the feels. But what I loved the most, what brought that sense of "realness" to the table, has to be the little fact sheet in-between seasons where the author highlights real-life, non-fictional events.
I have been enjoying books with "slice of life" elements to them lately, specifically so with people around my age facing their future, letting go of their past...
This story follows three different women, of varying ages, each suffering from different problems and stumbling blocks; from letting go of the past to accepting the things you can't have to self-acceptance. In an attempt to clear their minds in order to find direction in their lives, the three women find themselves drawn together, connecting and forging real bonds, thanks to the Yoga classes they take on Thursdays at Orange Blossom House.
The characters are real and the writing is lovely, the story is atmospheric and is sure to hit you in the feels. But what I loved the most, what brought that sense of "realness" to the table, has to be the little fact sheet in-between seasons where the author highlights real-life, non-fictional events.
January 3, 2022
Yoga and flowers two of my favourite things !! really loved this read - so much life advice, found the love story a bit hard to believe though
August 31, 2022
Het boek belandde via via op mijn leeslijst en het werd door het lot naar de dit-gaan-we-nu-eerst-lezen plaats gekatapulteerd. Het is niet het boek waar ik spontaan naar zou grijpen, het behoort niet tot wat ik het liefst lees om mijn hoofd tot rust te brengen maar ik heb er wèl van genoten. Het boek is goed geschreven, de personages krijgen ruimte en tijd, ik was helemaal mee ♥
3,5 sterren, afgerond naar 4
3,5 sterren, afgerond naar 4
December 21, 2022
I really liked this book- very intrinsically Australian themes and descriptions. Made me feel grounded and each story line was resolved well.
November 21, 2022
As refreshingly optimistic as a cup of tea in the sun, this book was an absolute delight to read. Each character was unique and nuanced in their own way which paved the way for this story to become an absolute joy. The intertwined lives of the characters and their connections made it warm and loveable, and I could visualise Orange Blossom House and the feel of the place as if I were standing inside myself. The backdrop of the story being set in sunny QLD made it that much more likeable, especially with references to Cairns and Port Douglas (two must-visit places!). Loved the pop-culture references as each year blurred into the next, and the fact that it was set in the 1990's just made it that much better. A must read if you need a book to unwind to that makes you just feel bloody good!
February 16, 2025
Aardige feelgoodroman, maar weinig verrassend. 3½ ster
October 24, 2022
Ook dit derde boek is een echte Sophie Green boek, zij brengt in haar boeken vrouwen bij elkaar, vrouwen die elk een "rugzakje" hebben, maar sterker worden door de vriendschappen die ze krijgen/hebben. Ze groeien door, in dit boek bijvoorbeeld, deel te nemen aan een yogaclub dat centraal staat en is. Heerlijk om daarover te lezen en in te leven.
October 29, 2021
2.5 stars. I've liked Sophie Green's other books. I think she must be a resolutely nice person. All of her characters are *nice* and polite but they lack gumption. I was so frustrated by the weak wishy-washyness of 2 of the protagonists in this book and I didn't actually like the third who despite having a backbone still had no gumption. I need my heroines to have spunk. And completely unfairly I kept comparing this to Averil Kenny's Hamilton Sisters who lack neither for gumption nor spark. Also Averil can write place as if it's a main character. I never believed in the setting of this book. None of it felt connected to the jungle. The writing about cane farms piqued no memories for me. Anyway, I appear to be in the minority with this review. I couldn't bring myself to give this 2 stars because it seems mean although using the disabled sister as a trope and not using it as even an attempt to create a well rounded character who can do useful things almost pushed me over the edge. Why is Cornelia even a character in this book? But I hope the next book contains characters who develop and believably challenge themselves instead of sucking all their personality into themselves and never enunciating a need or want.
June 25, 2021
Grace Maud, is a retiree who used to run sugar cane farm belong to her family. Now, her son, Tom runs the farm but at some point she experiences a clash with her son over different opinion.
Patricia, is an English teacher and also busy taking care her elderly parent and she is kind of being taken for granted by her siblings.
Dorothy, runs a busy Cafe in Kuranda whey her husband, and they both struggle to have a child after three miscarriages.
Three women from different age generation and background, yet their friendship blooming remarkably since they meet at Orange Blossom House for a yoga class.
Message from this book:
"Don't ever scare to try new things in your life and always have an open mind"
It's an enjoyable read for my winter with hot chocolate and snuggle blanket, their friendship really warms my heart. ❤
Patricia, is an English teacher and also busy taking care her elderly parent and she is kind of being taken for granted by her siblings.
Dorothy, runs a busy Cafe in Kuranda whey her husband, and they both struggle to have a child after three miscarriages.
Three women from different age generation and background, yet their friendship blooming remarkably since they meet at Orange Blossom House for a yoga class.
Message from this book:
"Don't ever scare to try new things in your life and always have an open mind"
It's an enjoyable read for my winter with hot chocolate and snuggle blanket, their friendship really warms my heart. ❤
February 3, 2025
This book started off a little bit boring, not a lot to keep me engaged but by the end I had grown to like the characters. I feel like the chapters were a bit short and it jumped quite quickly between characters in a way I didn’t love. Nothing was ever quite fully developed, important stories were rushed over, especially the IVF one, I feel like there was an opportunity to dive a little bit deeper into that but the chance wasn’t taken. I also feel like yoga is an incredibly boring central focus. It wasn’t all bad though, I did find it a sweet story.
September 18, 2021
3.5 stars - enjoyable enough easy read, just very slow through the middle. It did make me want to take up yoga 🧘 though!
January 11, 2022
Three women at different points in their lives find friendship and support at Orange Blossom House and the yoga classes held there. It is the early 1990's in Cairns, far north Queensland, Australia - a time when gender roles were entrenched, sexism was embedded, and yoga was mysterious and exotic.
Patricia is in her 40s, she is single, a dedicated teacher, and dutiful carer for her aging parents, but the presumed responsibility grates when it is imposed on her by ungrateful relatives spared from the same duties by gender or marriage.
Grace-Maud is in her 70's and while technically retired from farming she struggles with handing the family farm fully over to her son.
Dorothy is busy running a cafe with her husband and increasingly worried about whether she will be able to ever have the baby they both want.
Drawn to the yoga sessions at Orange Blossom House, run by the enigmatic teacher Sandrine, these three ladies find courage, friendship, and the strength to try new paths they never expected were possible.
Sophie Green's story has a clear sense of time (helped along by the TV show, music, and movie references at the start of each section) and place, capturing the atmosphere and attitudes of the early 90s in Australia. Even though I was a child / early teen at the time the book is set I did have a few "oh, yeah, it was like that!" moments as I read and I am sure older Australians (and especially those who lived in FNQ) will have more still. This is a great story about women supporting women, and the timelessness of the conflicting directions we are tugged in by family pressure, social expectation, and our own wants - while some of those pressures are less overt now I am sure any woman can still relate.
Patricia is in her 40s, she is single, a dedicated teacher, and dutiful carer for her aging parents, but the presumed responsibility grates when it is imposed on her by ungrateful relatives spared from the same duties by gender or marriage.
Grace-Maud is in her 70's and while technically retired from farming she struggles with handing the family farm fully over to her son.
Dorothy is busy running a cafe with her husband and increasingly worried about whether she will be able to ever have the baby they both want.
Drawn to the yoga sessions at Orange Blossom House, run by the enigmatic teacher Sandrine, these three ladies find courage, friendship, and the strength to try new paths they never expected were possible.
Sophie Green's story has a clear sense of time (helped along by the TV show, music, and movie references at the start of each section) and place, capturing the atmosphere and attitudes of the early 90s in Australia. Even though I was a child / early teen at the time the book is set I did have a few "oh, yeah, it was like that!" moments as I read and I am sure older Australians (and especially those who lived in FNQ) will have more still. This is a great story about women supporting women, and the timelessness of the conflicting directions we are tugged in by family pressure, social expectation, and our own wants - while some of those pressures are less overt now I am sure any woman can still relate.
November 13, 2021
I absolutely adored this book!
Three very different women, different ages, different life experiences. All meet at Orange Blossom House where their teacher seems to have an uncanny knack of knowing what they all need. The three of them bond and the book explores all of their journeys which is interesting in itself. It made me want to join a yoga class!
I swear, I could feel the heat of North Queensland and the smell of burning cane, the sound of the insects etc; this was so well written.
A gentle but realistic story about female friendship and the various challenges that happen in people's lives, according to their situations and life stages. The author of this book is such a wonderful storyteller and clearly has a deep understanding of the human psyche.
Highly recommend this read.
Three very different women, different ages, different life experiences. All meet at Orange Blossom House where their teacher seems to have an uncanny knack of knowing what they all need. The three of them bond and the book explores all of their journeys which is interesting in itself. It made me want to join a yoga class!
I swear, I could feel the heat of North Queensland and the smell of burning cane, the sound of the insects etc; this was so well written.
A gentle but realistic story about female friendship and the various challenges that happen in people's lives, according to their situations and life stages. The author of this book is such a wonderful storyteller and clearly has a deep understanding of the human psyche.
Highly recommend this read.
September 16, 2021
What a beautiful, comfortable read x I so enjoyed every page. The friendship that grows between Grace Maud, Dorothy and Patricia over the yoga mat was just delightful x I really enjoyed the nostalgia of the 1990s timeframe; I can’t believe how quickly memories came flooding back just by being reminded of the events, songs and movies. To see IVF in its infancy was really eye opening, I had completely forgotten what an abomination it was. It’s a wonderful novel, perfect for 2021 I could feel ‘the hot humid heat’ of Cairns so clearly, it’s the only way to travel.I really loved the exploration of loss and friendship I found in these pages. Just so lovely 🌸
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