The Lemon Orchard

The Lemon Orchard

Luanne Rice

In the five years since Julia last visited her aunt and uncle’s home in Malibu, her life has been turned upside down by her daughter’s death. She expects to find nothing more than peace and solitude as she house-sits with only her dog, Bonnie, for company. But she finds herself drawn to the handsome man who oversees the lemon orchard. Roberto expertly tends the trees, using the money to support his extended Mexican family. What connection could these two people share? The answer comes as Roberto reveals the heartbreaking story of his own loss—a pain Julia knows all too well, but for one striking difference: Roberto’s daughter was lost but never found. And despite the odds he cannot bear to give up hope.

Set in the sea and citrus-scented air of the breathtaking Santa Monica Mountains, The Lemon Orchard is an affirming story about the redemptive power of compassion and the kind of love that seems to find us when we need it most.(from Netgalley)

My Thoughts

Julia and Roberto - two souls struggling with life as they silently bear the burden of their own individual losses. Each of them is very different, but as we know, tragedy know no boundaries, has no rules and is not governed by socioeconomic status. And so they are drawn together and through their relationship, they begin to heal.

What a touching story and so well written. I was completely caught off guard by the ending - it made me gasp!

I will never listen to the immigration debate again without thinking of this book. Also, I ALWAYS tell people that I don’t read novels classified as romance. That has changed with reading this. I could not have made a better choice for my first foray into the prolific library that is Ms. Rice’s written word. Lucky me.

Muchas Gracias to Penguin Group Viking/Pamela Dorman Books, via Netgalley, for allowing me to read this in exchange for an unbiased review.

Publish date: July 2, 2013.