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The Wisdom of the Olive Tree
Winner of the 2023 GOLD AWARD for Women's Fiction in the 29th Annual CIPA Awards!
Beth Steeler—wife, mother, essayist—has the home life she always wanted. Until the day a freak accident and an unpleasant discovery destroy everything that matters to her.
An unexpected phone call and an invitation to the Italian countryside launch Beth's journey to rediscover a sense of purpose, a sense of self, and find out what it means to be resilient in the face of loss.
The Wisdom of the Olive Tree is about learning to live with the chaos that touches all of our lives. Rich with history, humor, Italian culture, and thought-provoking questions about forgiveness, faith, and the struggle to find your purpose, it is a story of losing—and finding—hope.
Beth Steeler—wife, mother, essayist—has the home life she always wanted. Until the day a freak accident and an unpleasant discovery destroy everything that matters to her.
An unexpected phone call and an invitation to the Italian countryside launch Beth's journey to rediscover a sense of purpose, a sense of self, and find out what it means to be resilient in the face of loss.
The Wisdom of the Olive Tree is about learning to live with the chaos that touches all of our lives. Rich with history, humor, Italian culture, and thought-provoking questions about forgiveness, faith, and the struggle to find your purpose, it is a story of losing—and finding—hope.
296 pages, Paperback
Published December 1, 2022
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
January 25, 2023
TITLE: THE WISDOM OF THE OLIVE TREE
AUTHOR: Corey Stewart
PUB DATE: 12.01.2022 Now Available
THE WISDOM OF THE OLIVE TREE is a debut novel by Corey Stewart written epistolary style, as a letter, or directly speaking to her daughter Mia, by main character Beth Steeler. Beth had just suffered an incredible loss - her daughter Mia, killed in a cycling accident in London, and the loss of a spouse to an affair and a failing marriage. Discovering Beth’s situation, an old boyfriend she hasn’t seen for thirty years, and who is now living in Italy, offers his home for Beth to recover and heal. Beth takes the offer.
What comes after is a journey of healing, making amends, forgiving others and yourself, and developing resilience and hope. I was completely immersed in the Italian countryside, the people, the food, and the culture.
Through a life lived full of loss, Beth stands tall like an Olive Tree, that despite being gnarled and hollowed by pain, grief, and loss, still bears fruit. I really enjoyed this emotional and heart wrenching read.
AUTHOR: Corey Stewart
PUB DATE: 12.01.2022 Now Available
THE WISDOM OF THE OLIVE TREE is a debut novel by Corey Stewart written epistolary style, as a letter, or directly speaking to her daughter Mia, by main character Beth Steeler. Beth had just suffered an incredible loss - her daughter Mia, killed in a cycling accident in London, and the loss of a spouse to an affair and a failing marriage. Discovering Beth’s situation, an old boyfriend she hasn’t seen for thirty years, and who is now living in Italy, offers his home for Beth to recover and heal. Beth takes the offer.
What comes after is a journey of healing, making amends, forgiving others and yourself, and developing resilience and hope. I was completely immersed in the Italian countryside, the people, the food, and the culture.
Through a life lived full of loss, Beth stands tall like an Olive Tree, that despite being gnarled and hollowed by pain, grief, and loss, still bears fruit. I really enjoyed this emotional and heart wrenching read.
January 29, 2023
“ᴡᴇ’ʀᴇ ᴄᴀʟʟᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ᴀʟɪɢɴ ᴏᴜʀꜱᴇʟᴠᴇꜱ ᴡɪᴛʜ ɢᴏᴅ’ꜱ ᴡɪʟʟ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʀᴜꜱᴛ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ɢᴏᴅ ᴡɪʟʟ ᴛᴀᴋᴇ ᴄᴀʀᴇ ᴏꜰ ᴛʜᴇ ᴅᴇᴛᴀɪʟꜱ, ᴡʜɪᴄʜ ɪꜱ ᴀɴ ᴀᴡꜰᴜʟ ʟᴏᴛ ʟɪᴋᴇ ᴊᴜᴍᴘɪɴɢ…ᴏꜰ ᴄᴏᴜʀꜱᴇ, ɢᴏᴅ ɪꜱ ᴏᴜʀ ꜱᴀꜰᴇᴛʏ ɴᴇᴛ, ʙᴜᴛ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ɴᴇᴛ ɪꜱ ꜱᴏ ʀᴀʀᴇʟʏ ᴠɪꜱɪʙʟᴇ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴡᴀʏ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴡᴇ ᴄʀᴀᴠᴇ.”
Beth Steeler is no stranger to heartache. After losing her parents on separate occasions, both at tender ages, she’s learned to get by in life, not pausing too long to linger on the whys and what ifs.
Then tragedy strikes again, Beth losing her only daughter. Suddenly childless and full of anger and grief, Beth starts looking back on her life. Her marriage to her stoic partner, Crawford, always a delicate balancing act, is now beginning to crumble further under the strain of their mutual loss.
Lost and confused, Beth travels to Italy where she reconnects with an old flame, Porter. Her renewed connection with the one that got away, as well as her father figure type relationship with her uncle, David, help Beth navigate the depths of her grief and learn how to move on.
The Wisdom of the Olive Tree is a powerful debut from author Corey Stewart. It’s the story of forgiving oneself and being trusting in God’s plan for us, especially in the moments when it’s hardest to trust. While the book is deeply rooted in religious undertones, it’s not preachy in its approach. It’s a novel that’s relatable for all readers who’ve ever felt the pain of the inexplicable.
Thank you to Red Clover Digital for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Beth Steeler is no stranger to heartache. After losing her parents on separate occasions, both at tender ages, she’s learned to get by in life, not pausing too long to linger on the whys and what ifs.
Then tragedy strikes again, Beth losing her only daughter. Suddenly childless and full of anger and grief, Beth starts looking back on her life. Her marriage to her stoic partner, Crawford, always a delicate balancing act, is now beginning to crumble further under the strain of their mutual loss.
Lost and confused, Beth travels to Italy where she reconnects with an old flame, Porter. Her renewed connection with the one that got away, as well as her father figure type relationship with her uncle, David, help Beth navigate the depths of her grief and learn how to move on.
The Wisdom of the Olive Tree is a powerful debut from author Corey Stewart. It’s the story of forgiving oneself and being trusting in God’s plan for us, especially in the moments when it’s hardest to trust. While the book is deeply rooted in religious undertones, it’s not preachy in its approach. It’s a novel that’s relatable for all readers who’ve ever felt the pain of the inexplicable.
Thank you to Red Clover Digital for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
January 22, 2023
THE WISDOM OF THE OLIVE TREE Review
Author: Corey Stewart
Publisher: Red Clover Digital
Thank you Red Clover Digital and the author for the free copy! 🌳
+ R E V I E W
This book was about life, loss, grief, forgiveness, transitions, and new beginnings. Beth Steeler, the main character, embarked on a journey to rediscover her purpose, find hope, and hold onto her faith after a bad accident.
It’s so relatable because of the author’s anecdotes plus it was a quick read that will keep you turning the pages. I feel like anyone can relate to this book one way or another. Most of us, if not all, have experienced loss in our lives—death or broken relationships with the people around us. This book will give you that inspiration to hold on just a little bit longer because the tides will change and it will get better. This book was definitely a gem worth reading and I cannot recommend it enough.
Author: Corey Stewart
Publisher: Red Clover Digital
Thank you Red Clover Digital and the author for the free copy! 🌳
+ R E V I E W
This book was about life, loss, grief, forgiveness, transitions, and new beginnings. Beth Steeler, the main character, embarked on a journey to rediscover her purpose, find hope, and hold onto her faith after a bad accident.
It’s so relatable because of the author’s anecdotes plus it was a quick read that will keep you turning the pages. I feel like anyone can relate to this book one way or another. Most of us, if not all, have experienced loss in our lives—death or broken relationships with the people around us. This book will give you that inspiration to hold on just a little bit longer because the tides will change and it will get better. This book was definitely a gem worth reading and I cannot recommend it enough.
January 17, 2023
The Wisdom of the Olive Tree is a very good book. The story line is moving and engaging, it is written in such a way that you feel part of the story as it unfolds, and the characters are relatable. The underlying theme is the ever-present gift of hope, but it is built on the underlying resilience that we fragile humans possess. In my opinion, this is an excellent first novel by Corey Stewart.
January 27, 2023
The sunlight dappled across the fields, providing a golden glow that illuminated the magical beauty surrounding her. Her heart weighed heavy in her chest as she processed all of the loss over the years. She wasn’t sure how one human could experience so much in such a short span of time. But when she glanced to her right and saw the lone sunflower stretched toward the sun, she knew that she, too, needed to stretch forward and find the sun.
The Wisdom of the Olive Tree follows Beth who has just lost her teenage daughter and is grappling with immense grief as the losses in her life pile up. This story flashes back to her past and what brought her to this point in her life as well as follows her into her future as she figures out where to go from here.
This story was heartbreakingly beautiful. The author did such a wonderful job writing about the grief process and I felt Beth’s emotions in my own heart as I read her story. The descriptions of Beth’s travels, especially through Italy, were stunning and I felt as if I were there with her. I also enjoyed the shared bits and pieces of Italian history and religion. The emotions this book sparked in me… brought tears to my eyes. I can’t recommend this book enough!
If you’re looking for a story that will bring you hope through heartache, then I urge you to pick up this book!
TW: Death of Loved One, Loss of a Child, Grief, Divorce, Car Accident, Drunk Driving, Infidelity, Domestic Abuse (briefly mentioned).
The Wisdom of the Olive Tree follows Beth who has just lost her teenage daughter and is grappling with immense grief as the losses in her life pile up. This story flashes back to her past and what brought her to this point in her life as well as follows her into her future as she figures out where to go from here.
This story was heartbreakingly beautiful. The author did such a wonderful job writing about the grief process and I felt Beth’s emotions in my own heart as I read her story. The descriptions of Beth’s travels, especially through Italy, were stunning and I felt as if I were there with her. I also enjoyed the shared bits and pieces of Italian history and religion. The emotions this book sparked in me… brought tears to my eyes. I can’t recommend this book enough!
If you’re looking for a story that will bring you hope through heartache, then I urge you to pick up this book!
TW: Death of Loved One, Loss of a Child, Grief, Divorce, Car Accident, Drunk Driving, Infidelity, Domestic Abuse (briefly mentioned).
January 25, 2023
Thank you to Red Clover Digital for the gifted book
We have all experienced grief and loss and know how painful that can be, this book is beautifully written
Wisdom Of The Olive Tree follows Beth - she is trying to find hope after the tragic loss of a close loved one. She is having trouble also holding on to her faith.. She is lost and is unsure of so many things but she is also lucky because she has a great support system in the friends that surround her..
Beth is a well written character with a lot of emotion that translated very well while reading- Corey Stewart has written a wonderful story about not giving up hope, that brighter days do emerge and more importantly do not lose sight of your faith and what you believe in.. This message comes through beautifully in this book -
We have all experienced grief and loss and know how painful that can be, this book is beautifully written
Wisdom Of The Olive Tree follows Beth - she is trying to find hope after the tragic loss of a close loved one. She is having trouble also holding on to her faith.. She is lost and is unsure of so many things but she is also lucky because she has a great support system in the friends that surround her..
Beth is a well written character with a lot of emotion that translated very well while reading- Corey Stewart has written a wonderful story about not giving up hope, that brighter days do emerge and more importantly do not lose sight of your faith and what you believe in.. This message comes through beautifully in this book -
July 16, 2023
Amazing
Corey Stewart’s book took me by surprise. I loved how she wrote with such passion and deep understanding of profound human experience and the deep thought provoking ideas on how on to navigate the journey. I have been to Italy many times especially to my ‘place’ Assisi, what a wonderful journey her book was.
Corey Stewart’s book took me by surprise. I loved how she wrote with such passion and deep understanding of profound human experience and the deep thought provoking ideas on how on to navigate the journey. I have been to Italy many times especially to my ‘place’ Assisi, what a wonderful journey her book was.
April 10, 2023
The opening pages of The Wisdom of the Olive Tree, Stewart’s debut novel, pour out grief. We meet Beth, the protagonist, in the immediate aftermath of the death of her only child and the unraveling of her marriage. During her downward spiral, Beth receives a phone call from her former fiancé, Porter, after thirty years of silence, and allows him to convince her to visit him in Italy. Where London and Beth's husband, Crawford, are cold and aloof, Porter and Italy are warm and welcoming. It quickly becomes evident, though, that Beth is never running to or from a man, but from and to herself.
Beth's character unfolds in vignettes from the past as Wisdom provides glimpses of her difficult childhood in upstate New York, her college days at UNC, and graduate school at American University in Washington, D.C. It is while she is in graduate school that Beth meets Crawford and becomes part of a tight quartet with his best friends, Hugh, and Mac. Beth and Porter's college relationship breaks up, for reasons Beth will not understand until several decades later, and Beth gets together with Crawford, more through gravity and proximity than chemistry, as they establish their careers in Washington.
Throughout Wisdom, David, Beth’s uncle and an Episcopal priest, serves as both a spiritual and situational guide on relationships and faith for her. Through David, Stewart demonstrates her deep theological knowledge. She never proselytizes, however, and the book is not a "spiritual" tome about how faith solves everything. Rather, it is an attempt to make sense of the bad things that upend our lives -- "the Chaos," as David calls it -- and explore how we find meaning despite the senseless and unjust events that shake our faith in God, in other people, and in the idea that there is a purpose and meaning in each of our lives.
As we get to know Beth, Stewart masterfully sets her scenes, especially the ones in Italy, in a way that evidences an intimate knowledge of the areas she writes about. She weaves historical and cultural observations into the text with skill, leaving the reader feeling that they, too, have visited the various landscapes she covers.
Seem too serious and staid? Don’t worry. Stewart’s clean, straight forward writing includes self-effacing humor that will make you chuckle and current day references to cultural touchstones like the Beastie Boys that keep things fresh. Marco, a historian who accompanies Beth through much of Tuscany and Umbria, is laugh out loud funny, both in his interpretation of the English language and his blunt, forward commentary.
While Beth experiences deep sadness, regret and loss, The Wisdom of the Olive Tree is not a downer. In fact, from the early pages, you’re cheering Beth from the sidelines to find the happiness for which she’s destined. Beth's resilience and her conviction that peace is possible, despite the circuitous route needed to find it, is a constant.
As they say, life is lived in the journey, and Beth is on one worth following.
Beth's character unfolds in vignettes from the past as Wisdom provides glimpses of her difficult childhood in upstate New York, her college days at UNC, and graduate school at American University in Washington, D.C. It is while she is in graduate school that Beth meets Crawford and becomes part of a tight quartet with his best friends, Hugh, and Mac. Beth and Porter's college relationship breaks up, for reasons Beth will not understand until several decades later, and Beth gets together with Crawford, more through gravity and proximity than chemistry, as they establish their careers in Washington.
Throughout Wisdom, David, Beth’s uncle and an Episcopal priest, serves as both a spiritual and situational guide on relationships and faith for her. Through David, Stewart demonstrates her deep theological knowledge. She never proselytizes, however, and the book is not a "spiritual" tome about how faith solves everything. Rather, it is an attempt to make sense of the bad things that upend our lives -- "the Chaos," as David calls it -- and explore how we find meaning despite the senseless and unjust events that shake our faith in God, in other people, and in the idea that there is a purpose and meaning in each of our lives.
As we get to know Beth, Stewart masterfully sets her scenes, especially the ones in Italy, in a way that evidences an intimate knowledge of the areas she writes about. She weaves historical and cultural observations into the text with skill, leaving the reader feeling that they, too, have visited the various landscapes she covers.
Seem too serious and staid? Don’t worry. Stewart’s clean, straight forward writing includes self-effacing humor that will make you chuckle and current day references to cultural touchstones like the Beastie Boys that keep things fresh. Marco, a historian who accompanies Beth through much of Tuscany and Umbria, is laugh out loud funny, both in his interpretation of the English language and his blunt, forward commentary.
While Beth experiences deep sadness, regret and loss, The Wisdom of the Olive Tree is not a downer. In fact, from the early pages, you’re cheering Beth from the sidelines to find the happiness for which she’s destined. Beth's resilience and her conviction that peace is possible, despite the circuitous route needed to find it, is a constant.
As they say, life is lived in the journey, and Beth is on one worth following.
July 24, 2024
I absolutely loved “The Wisdom of the Olive Tree.” It is a stunningly beautiful book - both the prose and the message. The author created such flawed but genuine, immensely likable characters who experienced a breadth of achingly difficult, relatable situations. This story encourages reflection and introspection. I think reading it was good for my soul and it will be one of my go-to gifts for a reader friend who needs a reminder that she can still yield fruit despite the damage caused by life’s chaos.
May 30, 2024
A short novel about Beth, a woman facing two traumas and trying to figure out what happens next. She engages with a former fiance and her uncle David, an Episcopal priest. Porter, the former fiance, is in Italy so she goes there where she discovers a very old olive tree...which doesn't figure as much in the story as the title would suggest. The wisdom is mainly from David, who has been important to Beth her whole life. The outcome is predictable but the story is pleasant.
January 3, 2024
Always Questions!
Some really intuitive questions about Life. And how we find the Answers to our continuing flow of where we go!
Some really intuitive questions about Life. And how we find the Answers to our continuing flow of where we go!
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews