A Hoopoe on the Nispero Tree: Our Andalusian Adventure Continues

New Life in Andalusia #2

by Sabina Ostrowska

A humorous account of a couple’s trials and tribulations in search of the good life continues in A Hoopoe on the Nispero Tree .

"I loved Sabina Ostrowska’s first book about a new life in Andalusia, ‘The Crinkle Crankle Wall’, and couldn’t wait to get cracking on this new addition to the series. This is another excellent easy read. I love her humour!" Julie Haigh, Top 1000 Reviewer

"If you liked the first book in the series,"The Crinkle Crankle Wall", then you'll like this one, too!" Amazon Reader

" Worth the wait! Such a well told story of their adventures and challenges renovating in Andalusia. I already want to read the next book!" Lisa, Amazon Reader

" Hysterical stories about workaways, Spanish lessons [...] getting enough water to provide to their paying guests, and many others are the meat of this book. [...] The Spanish countryside comes alive in the eyes of someone who has never been to rural Spain [...]. The neighbors, both Spanish and English with a smattering of other nationalities are vivid in the imagination due to Sabrina’s wonderful descriptions." S. Raymond, Amazon Reader

“This is a delightful book , filled with [...] shrewd observations, outstandingly witty diatribes, and sketches that had me laughing out loud. If you’re looking for an intelligent, fun read in a beautifully drawn setting , I heartily recommend a few days in Sabina’s company.” Jacqueline Lambert, author of Fur Babies in From Wage Slaves to Living the Dream

“Sabina Ostrowska’s wonderful romp through Andalucia had me laughing at the antics of her rustic neighbours, agape at the foibles of demanding B&B guests and impressed at her expat ability to navigate through multiple frustrating situations. A truly wonderful read. ” Simon Michael Prior, author of The Coconut A Travel Adventure in Search of the Queen of Tonga

" Sabina continues to regale us with funny stories about their continued life in Andulusia . The usual bureaucracy and delays, local characters and adventures are all told with a bright and breezy voice that encourages you to keep turning the pages. [...] Life abroad is often far from the sun, sea, sand and sangria portrayed by many and it is refreshing to read an honest account of life in a rural Spanish village ." Alyson Sheldrake, author of Living the in the Algarve, Portugal

With their Andalusian guesthouse ready to welcome visitors, Robert and Sabina face new challenges. They battle through a snowy winter and face another year of drought. With few bookings, no water, and very little money left, they start looking back and doubt their decision to leave their cushy jobs in the Middle East for the harsh reality of life in the countryside. Was moving to Andalusia a big mistake?

At times, it’s hard to see how they can continue on this adventure. Learning the ropes of the hospitality business is riddled with stress. Held captive by guest reviews, they endure numerous customer indiscretions in order to put their guesthouse on the map. Instead of the gracious hosts that they had imagined themselves becoming one day, they become somewhat disillusioned with it all. It’s not all sangria and castanets. But while their journey is filled with setbacks, burdens are made lighter thanks to new friendships and the kindness of their neighbours, whose families had lived in the valley for generations.

Written with a wry sense of honest humour, this story is filled with events that will make you laugh out loud, moments when you might shed a tear, and situations that will make you What were they thinking?

A perfect read for the fans of Driving Over Lemons , Under the Tuscan Sun , and A Year in Provence

Genres: Spain, Memoir, Travel, Nonfiction

314 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 13, 2022

About the author

Sabina Ostrowska also known as Sabina O. is the author behind the bestselling 'New Life in Andalusia' series. Enjoying life among the sunny olive groves of southern Spain, Sabina crafts her narratives with a vivid sense of place. 'Shadows of Serenity,' her latest work, marks the debut of her cozy travel mystery series. Here, she invites readers on armchair adventures that span the globe. So pour a glass of your favorite wine and delve into these enthralling mysteries.

Facebook @sabinawriter

Instagram @sabina.author and @harrysinclair.cozymystery

Author webpage www.sabinaostrowska.com

Reviews

[Sue]

Sabina and Robert quit their jobs teaching English in the UAE and moved to the “quiet” olive groves of rural Spain. This book is a sequel to her first book “The Crinkle Crankle Wall” where they began the renovations to their property to offer accommodation to tourists wishing to experience bucolic Spanish life. Life is all but a piece of cake, especially when Sabina and Robert realize that they hadn’t planned as well financially as they might have. While this might sound ominous, it is all but.

Hysterical stories about workaways, Spanish lessons where they translate complicated sentences from English to Spanish and learn to conjugate one verb after the other while learning the subtleties of provincial English accents, getting enough water to provide to their paying guests, and many others are the meat of this book. While not all is fun and games and the best-laid plans are not all that best-laid, this book is a joy to read. The Spanish countryside comes alive in the eyes of someone who has never been to rural Spain, but only Madrid (a far cry!). The neighbors, both Spanish and English with a smattering of other nationalities are vivid in the imagination due to Sabrina’s wonderful descriptions.

I read the first book, but if you are in the mood to start on the second, Sabina gives the reader enough information about what lead up to the moments in this book to begin here. I highly recommend this to anyone who loves a good laugh, a good cry, and a peek into the moving abroad story of a couple living their “dream” that is sometimes their “nightmare.”

I was given an advanced copy of this book in the expectation that I would give a fair and unbiased review.

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a brilliant follow up to the Crinkle Crankle Wall. It continues Sabina and Robert's efforts to build a new life in rural Andalusia where they plan to establish their business as owners of holiday rental apartments. For anyone who thinks this is a lovely way to make money - think again! She descibes their lack of money, the ongoing restoration works, demanding guests and, almost the biggest problem,the lack of water.
It's a candid and very funny account of how they deal with setbacks and their determination to succeed. I love her perceptive observations and the way she thinks aloud. Resourceful and fiercely independent, however one incident shows that priorities need to be rethought. Happily there is another book in the series as I'm very keen to read how things progress for this intrepid pair.

[Tammy Horvath · Rating 5 out of 5]

What if you don't have water for your hotel guests?
When the author and her husband buy a fixer-upper guest house in Spain, they have so many problems that would've made me give up. On top of that, they are trying to learn a new language. I admire their strength even to attempt something that seems so impossible. They care so much and will do almost anything to get a great review to get more bookings. I would draw the line at living somewhere where I didn't have water, but they are fighters. If you've ever wondered if you could open a guest house in another country, you don't want to miss reading Hoopoe on the Nispero Tree. The author's conversations with herself and her pets will have you falling off your seat with laughter. I received a free copy of this book.

[Liza Grantham · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Hoopoe on the Nispero Tree is the second book in the New Life in Andalusia series but newcomers will slip easily into this next instalment of the story, thanks to a concise yet comprehensive prologue which usefully brings them up to speed.
As "moving abroad" memoirs go, it has all the elements of a classic (fans of Chris Stewart's Lemons trilogy won't be disappointed) whilst being, at the same time, irresistibly unique. Far from the usual "flawless tapestry of the good life", it is more of a "how not to emigrate" saga triggered by a bid to redress the work-life balance rather than the pursuit of a long-standing dream. Lured by vistas of olive groves and almond trees, Sabina and Robert have moved from the UAE to Spain with no prior knowledge, planning or forethought. Now, eighteen months later, they are embarking on a tourist hospitality venture and the reader joins them in a further enticing foray into the not-so-rose-tinted unknown.
Events and encounters are relayed with a deliciously wry humour. Sabina offers a shrewd psychological perspective on her challenging clients and, be they accident prone, selfish or downright obnoxious, she manages to suppress her annoyance and frustration in favour of an applaudable demonstration of good manners and tact. Through a compelling inner monologue she shares moments of self-doubt and introspection, but despite being her own greatest critic she is astute and analytical, weighing up dilemmas and finding creative solutions to the many obstacles she is forced to overcome.
A Hoopoe on the Nispero Tree is insightful, incisive and thoroughly entertaining. Readers will be hooked from the outset and the question mark ending will see them clamouring for book three.

[S. Bavey · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Hoopoe in The Nispero Tree continues on from The Crinkle Crankle Wall, Sabina’s depiction of her and her husband’s life in Spain, setting up a rural home with two guest apartments for holiday rental. Now the apartments are ready for some guests!
I enjoyed Sabina’s tongue-in-cheek humor and her down to earth descriptions of the people who come to stay; both as workaways to help her around the property when her husband is away, and as actual paying guests. Sabina is honest about her struggles and brings humor to descriptions of tasks that at the time must have seemed insurmountable.
There are delightful illustrations at the beginning of each chapter and vibrant photographs can be found to accompany this series on Facebook and Instagram that help to bring these stories to life!

[Ronald Mackay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Three things attracted me to Sabina Ostrowska’s “A Hoopoe on the Nispero Tree”: (i) I had read and thoroughly enjoyed her earlier book about settling in beautiful Andalucia with her partner; (ii) I was already familiar with both “hoopoes” and “nispero” trees; and (iii) the cover of the book is a delight.

I wasn’t disappointed!

I you enjoy the amusing ups and downs of those who radically change their lives by moving to tiny European villages with all the attendant challenges of bureaucrats and builders, learning a new language, and earning a precarious living, you will love this collection of reminiscences as much as I did.

[Julie Haigh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great book.

I loved Sabina Ostrowska’s first book about a new life in Andalusia, ‘The Crinkle Crankle Wall’, and couldn’t wait to get cracking on this new addition to the series. This is another excellent easy read. I love her humour! And it’s still as good in this book as in her first one.

Sabina and Robert had moved from the United Arab Emirates, with little idea about the place-in fact, they'd never been before deciding to buy property here! In this second year in Spain, money is still short, and a worry. But these are such enjoyable books. As her first book, this one looks wonderful too-I was pleased to see the same sort of photos, with special effect, at the beginnings of chapters.

As well as their doing up the house and rented accommodation-mostly the paying guests’ areas-and the humorous situations, we also have unpredictable events. Everything concludes for now, but still questions where do they go from here-so hopefully there will be another book………and ooh yes, at the end there is a picture of another book in the series, so there is more to look forward to. Can’t wait!

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second book of a couple moving to Spain. They have finished their guest rooms but haven’t done much to the house they live in. Not getting people to book so they have conversations with other expats to find out how it works for them. Finally it is decided that Robert should take a job back in UAE so they can have the money to continue with all the work they need to do. I enjoyed the stories of how they got along with their neighbors—don’t want to put a spoiler in her but something happens to Sabina and we are at the end of the book. Oh no—a cliff hanger—hope there is going to be another book soon or someplace we can find out what is happening now. I highly recommend this book.

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review: A Hoopoe on the Nispero Tree written by Sabina Ostrowska

“I wondered what it meant to ‘do your homework’ before you move to another country. I knew for a fact Robert and I did not do our homework at all.” The author points out she and her husband were never fans of planning ahead when they travelled to the many exotic locations to which they ventured. “I think that the way we travel often reflects the way we live our lives.” That may be true, but after reading this book, I don’t think they could have planned for many of the setbacks that popped up.

This is the second book after The Crinkle Crankle Wall. It reflects the way they lived their lives during the big life-change adventure after Sabina and Robert move to Spain to run a guesthouse. She writes, “Our story is not about chasing a dream; it’s about escaping the mundane.” This book shows nothing about their new life is mundane.

The author candidly and humorously recounts their pursuit of a dream and the mishaps that took place when they purchased a tiny cottage in Andalusia. Because of their lack of income, they renovated their accommodations themselves. While doing this, they learned about their unfamiliar country, neighbors, the Spanish language, and what it takes to manage a guest house. "Holiday cheapskates" and people with "holiday brain" consistently caused extra work and repairs. You couldn’t help but sympathize reading about their constant watch over their water supply during the drought. One couple drained the water reserves by leaving the tap water running all afternoon: They were used to their tap back home that turned off automatically. She had to bite her tongue and keep smiling; they were desperate for income and good online reviews to attract more guests.

I chuckled when reading how Robert, when speaking Spanish, insisted on using "I" instead of conjugating properly. “Yes, I am a nice boy. I come here sometimes for a small beer” when he was referring to a neighbor who often visits and has a beer with him.

The book is easy to follow, and a page turner. You’ll come to love—or hate — the characters. Unpredictable challenges constantly came up for the couple. It was interesting reading about the unbelievable situations that arose and how they resolved matters with tenacity. The reader experiences Spanish culture, history, and way of life. It’s an honest account of an expat’s life in Spain told with compassionate intelligence.

If you enjoy light, fast-moving humorous memoirs about travel, A Hoopoe on the Nispero Tree is for you. You’ll laugh even as you sit tense on your seat, waiting to see what in the world could happen next. I give it four out of five stars.

Thank you, Sabina Ostrowska, for sending me this book as a prize in a quiz contest in the We Love Memoirs Facebook group.

[Jacqueline Lambert · Rating 5 out of 5]

An Intelligent, Fun Read In A Beautifully Drawn Setting

This is a delightful book, filled with humour and the realities of navigating tortuous Spanish bureaucracy, learning the hospitality trade, and adapting to the rural culture of Andalusia. The author has packed the story with shrewd observations, outstandingly witty diatribes, and sketches that had me laughing out loud. If you’re looking for an intelligent, fun read in a beautifully drawn setting, I heartily recommend a few days in Sabina’s company!

I did not realise that this was the second book in the series. It stands alone, but after enjoying Hoopoe so much, I went back to read The Crinkle Crankle Wall, which was written in the same unique and fun-filled style. There is no sugar coating of the ‘dream’ lifestyle. Both books capture the hardships – and rewards.

In the prologue, Sabine neatly explains exactly why, on an impulse, she and husband Richard chose uncertainty in an unfamiliar country over a comfortable Gulf expat life in the United Arab Emirates. Their reason really struck a chord with me. They wanted to escape the mundane and oh boy. They certainly achieved that!

I can’t wait for the next installment. I hope there’s a next installment!

I received an Advance Review Copy of this book free of charge, but am voluntarily leaving my honest review.

[Alyson Sheldrake · Rating 5 out of 5]

An honest account of life abroad
In this, the sequel to The Crinkle Crankle Wall, Sabina continues to regale us with funny stories about their continued life in Andulusia. The usual bureaucracy and delays, local characters and adventures are all told with a bright and breezy voice that encourages you to keep turning the pages. Sabina certainly seemed to have more than her fair share of demanding and unusual B&B guests which only added to the fun and games, alongside a dwindling budget and a house in serious need of renovation and repair. Life abroad is often far from the sun, sea, sand and sangria portrayed by many and it is refreshing to read an honest account of life in a rural Spanish villa.

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent follow-up to Sabrina's first book. Now the guest rooms are (almost) finished, they can complete their dream to become financially independent, with paying guests. But it's not as easy as they think. I enjoyed reading about their struggles to get bookings, and keep enough water for ungrateful guests who will insist on long showers. But financial pressures leave them with difficult decisions to make, and it was interesting to see what they decided to do to make ends meet. This book seemed to end rather abruptly, but I see there is a third book in progress. I look forward to Sabrina's further adventures.

[Sharon Hayhurst · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you ever thought opening an Andalusian guest house would be all sunshine and roses, think again. Sabina shares an extremely honest account of the realities her and her husband Robert face. Difficult guests aren’t the only problems faced by the couple, ongoing repairs and renovations require money, and getting a loan creates a whole new hilarious set of problems. With Robert having to work abroad, the reader is left silently encouraging the author, who has to cope with loneliness and overcome many challenges including a frightening incident.

[Carolyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great sequel to Sabrina's tale of moving and settling in Spain. She reports the fun bits and the disastrous bits equally although I was appalled by the behaviour of some her holiday-let guests. Suffering from drought in my part of Portugal I know too well the dread of having no water. It is an uplifting memoir and I'm glad they were able to solve some money problems by Rob going to work in UAE. (I don't blame Rob for struggling with verbs - my OH doesn't try too hard and just talks English back on the theory they will communicate ok)

[Karen O'Connor · Rating 5 out of 5]

It took me too long to get back to this series, a perfect entertainment for a break in my routine, one that made me smile every time.

It’s a wild ride but a captivating one, full of well described and unexpected twists and turns on the journey to their goal. I could relate in so many places, but I won’t tell so I won’t spoil (except for concerns with driving the 4x4!) I’m going directly to next in the series without a doubt. The chapter artwork is delightful.

[Mark Hughes · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed Sabina’s wry account of the tribulations of running a business in Spain and the mean-mindedness of some guests. Having some experience of both, I sympathise.
Her reflections on Andalusian life and cuisine are excellent and her mishaps with builders and neighbours very entertaining. However, there is an awful lot of padding including long boring accounts of previous experiences in the Middle East.

[Pat Ellis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed ‘The Crinkle Crankle Wall’, the first memoir in this series, and, I was happy to be an ARC reader for this next book - love the title and the cover 🙂

An enjoyable, often humorous, easy read.

If you enjoy reading a memoir that follows folks moving to a different country - then I doubt you’ll be disappointed 🙂

[Jill Robbertze · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am thoroughly enjoying this well written and entertaining series told with humour which is captivating without ever being boring or contrived. I am looking forward to reading book 3, "Olive Leaf Tea" This has been quite an adventure settling in a new country, very interesting and not always easy but I'm loving Sabrina's tenacity to make a it success.

[Lynne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second book of Sabina and Robert's effort to settle in Spain, after years of moving around the world for their employment. Book 1 concentrated mostly on the renovations to the country cottage they bought, and book 2 is more about how they are settling in and starting their fledgling business of a B & B.

[E.M. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an eye-opening book about a couples move to a new country where they have much to learn, including the language. While operating an air bnb type business they run into lots of obstacles and the author writes about solving them with a self-deprecating humor that I really enjoyed! Bonus is the gorgeous cover that is fully explained in one of the later chapters.

[Danice H · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good follow up to the first book

I liked that the author covers the good and bad of their new life, but the ending seemed hurried and not written as well as her previous book or even like the first half of this book. I will still happily read the next book in the series.

[Ginny Newman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent read.

Looking forward to your next book, hoping it will be out soon. I am
Intrigued to find out what happens next and wether you and Robert finally settle and make it work.

[jan henderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant. Loved this book. I’m very picky when it comes to memoirs concerning people making their new home in another country, but the humour in Sabina’s writing is second to none. Can’t wait for the next instalment!!

[Kathy Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this easy to read and entertaining book. Sabina does an excellent job of bringing the reader into her space while she shares her ups and downs in a very descriptive way. I really enjoy her style of writing and look forward to reading the rest of her series.

[Carrie L. Allen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun foreign adventure read!

Sabina combines self-renovation and travel adventure beautifully. She shows rural Spain from a perspective of a native and her guests and friends are equally interesting.

[Anita McMillan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very enjoyable, honest and interesting read.

[Lisa Overman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Worth The Wait

Such a well told story of their adventures and challenges renovating in Andalusia. I already want to read the next book!

[Barb]

Loved it! Just visited Spain this past summer. Looking forward to book 4!

[Valerie Poore · Rating 5 out of 5]

This second book in Sabina Ostrowska’s series about her life in rural Andalusia is the first of her books that I’ve read myself. As such, I can confirm it can be a standalone memoir as there was enough of an introduction to the context of this sequel for me. I very much enjoyed her accounts of how she and her husband started their bed and breakfast business and also how they coped with the challenges they faced both financially and personally. Sabina’s humour is dry and witty and I chuckled frequently at her observations about people and life. She is also forthright and honest in her opinions, but avoids offense by the funny stories she weaves around them. I laughed out loud at her thoughts on ‘training’ children, and cheered her as she battled to do back-breaking jobs without help. I also loved her husband’s take on the Spanish language and her own attempts to sort out comprehensible facts from her neighbours’ conversations. As a language teacher myself, these linguistic conundrums are always fascinating. However, because the book ends a little suddenly, I hope there will be a further sequel soon so I can continue following Sabina’s and Robert’s adventures in Andalusia, complete with their menagerie of animals and, of course, the Hoopoe. Highly recommended.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

...

I am oddly compelled to read all the books in every relocation series I begin, as though investing time and effort in THEIR ventures. This installation of the Andalusia series was much more mature and thoughtful, and I appreciated Sabina's exhausted determination while she tries to make a home and life in Spain. Looking forward to the next book!