This is an atmospheric novel set over different time periods. The characters were compelling and so likable. the writing was atmospheric and descriptive. An excellent book.

This book was an interesting book about the Spanish Civil War which I haven’t read before. It deals with what a family went through over the years.

Mia ends up looking after her Grandfather after he has an accident and she learns about her family over the next few months there is sadness and romance in the book also heroism in it.

It was a gripping story and I really enjoyed it.

I decided to read this because I’ve been reading about the Spanish Civil War recently and thought it might be a good fit. However, I’m abandoning it at the 30% mark, with still no sign of the war on the near horizon. Instead, we have two romance stories, one in the past and one in the present. Everyone is beautiful, talented, wealthy – the setting is an Andalusian mansion and the main character keeps a stable filled with beautiful, expensive horses which he rides with unequalled skill. And all the characters love each other very, very much, as the author reminds us endlessly.

I’m afraid it all feels superficial and unreal, although well enough written. I decided to flick ahead to see if it picked up, and clearly the war does become important eventually. But I don’t feel I can trudge my way through any more of the saccharin romances to get there and, perhaps unfairly, I’m unconvinced that the author will give any more than a simplistic and biased account of an extremely complex conflict. It appears to be another in the long stream of romanticised (and untrue) portrayals of the plucky Republicans standing up for democracy against the evil dictator Franco. “In desperation” the author has her character say, “the republicans had turned to the Soviet Union.” Hmm.

So since watching wealthy, perfect people fall in love does nothing for me, and I feel I will learn nothing insightful, or even accurate, about the war, I abandoned it. I’m clearly the wrong reader for this book.

We are moving into summer (well hopefully weather wise) and if you are not planning to go abroad yet and want some passionate escapist fiction this would be ideal.
It has the often used plot line of relative finding secrets from the past - here Mia returning to see her grandfather after an accident in Spain. The warmth, landscape and culture of Andalucia are evoked well and the link with the fighting of the Spanish Civil War brings in its history and the consequent differences that have been built upon within the family.
Not familiar with this author but it's a worthy summer read.

I was seduced by the landscape, and enjoyed the physical setting in the Andalusian hills and the timeframe which looked back from the present to the onset of civil war Spain, a time I know very little about.
Disappointingly I still know very little about it for the story is essentially about relationships. So although the drama hinges on families and villagers being torn apart the politics is skimmed over.
This is partly because there is so much story to cover that I think the author simply didn't have room and also I think her genre is historical romance rather than historical fiction. This left me feeling a bit cheated somehow as it could have been epic.

I do like an engrossing historical novel with a modicum of romance thrown in, so “Shadows Over the Spanish Sun “ was right up my street. Set in the year 2000 as well as in the Spanish Civil War period this is definitely an enthralling read.
Mia Ferris is half Spanish and still has family living near Seville despite living in the UK. When her dear Grandfather, Leonardo, is involved in an horrific riding accident, Mia rushes to Spain to be at his side. Leaving an unfulfilling life at home where she hates her boss and she is not even sure how much she wants to marry her fiancé, Mia resolves to help her Grandfather recover his health.
Whilst in Seville she begins to learn a lot about her Grandfather’s early life and some unexpected family secrets are revealed. She discovers the woman who was the love of Papa Leonardo’s life and she even finds some romance of her own.
It was interesting to read about the history of the Spanish Civil War and how, even within close families, there was a split between the two sides. I didn’t realise that these enmities had lasted well into the twenty first century despite the death of Franco. I have visited Spain many times but I have not seen a lot of Civil War history discussed in Museums- maybe it is still a festering wound for many people.
I loved the setting of the book and could picture the beautiful scenery of Andalusia- I almost felt as if I was there.
I really felt for the characters and some of the things that happened to them, particularly in the war years, really got to me and I felt my eyes mist over. For me this is the sign of a good book- I was so caught up in the story that it moved me to tears
I highly recommend this novel - it’s perfect if you like fiction set in recent twentieth century history and would make a perfect beach read.
This is the first time I have read a book by Caroline Montague but it certainly won’t be my last.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for my arc in exchange for an honest review.

Spain, 1923. After a terrible tragedy, a young Leonardo’s taken in by Carlos and Isabella Palmera di Santos. He and their daughter Valeria have a wonderful childhood together, riding horses, exploring the Spanish countryside and being tutored by Padre Alvaro. Leonardo and Valeria are young adults when the Spanish Civil War begins in 1936, for three years it tore the country, families and the church apart.

England, 2019. Mia Ferris caught the first available flight to Spain, her eighty five year old grandfather Leonardo has fallen from his horse and he’s been taken to a Seville hospital. Her fiancée Matt and her boss are unhappy with her leaving so quickly, Mia loves her grandfather and he’s her first priority.

As a child Mia spent her summers in Spain, like her grandfather she loves horses and the estate. Her mother Rafaella is Leonardo’s only child, she lives in England with her second husband Peter and has a stepdaughter Poppy. While her grandfather's recovering in hospital Mia takes over running the estate, financially it’s struggling and changes need to be made. During her time in Spain it gives her an opportunity to think about what she wants to do with her own life, reflect on what’s important to her and what she wants to do in the future.

She discovers an old photograph of an unknown young woman, it’s time for Leonardo to face his past, and he tells Mia about his childhood, his terrible experiences during the Spanish Civil War and his first love. It was an extremely volatile time, people had to make difficult choices, and afterwards many never spoke about what happened during the war years. Shadows Over The Spanish Sun is a well written dual timeline historical saga, concerning family ties, love, betrayal, revenge, tragedy, secrets and prior to reading this book a war I didn't know a lot about.
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review and four stars from me.

A wonderfully sweeping and majestic read about the human power of strength, resilience and family.

Caroline Montague really is an author to read if you like immersive stories about people and places. She writes about a girl returning home to care for her grandfather and who ends up finding out about his past in the Civil War. This is not just another novel about the Civil war however - this is the human side, the war that was fought in the home, in the village, far away from the corridors of power. Very emotional read and poignant too. Highly recommended!

Beautiful story of love and civil war

A story of a family, love and civil war – throughout which the warmth and beauty of Andalucia shines through.
Mia returns to Andalucia to be with her grandfather after his accident. Whilst learning to look after his estate, she begins to learn about herself and what is important in life. Meanwhile the story travels back in time to 1923 and to Mia’s grandfather’s life from a young child and through the Spanish Civil War. The reader is taken on a majestic journey through the wonders of a life spent amongst horses and the great outdoors, and also of a true love interspersed with the horrors of war, the necessities of survival and the ensuing secrets needed to keep safe.
This is a beautifully written story, with the wonders of life beautifully described, and the horrors of war described just enough to leave the rest to the reader’s imagination. The civil war is outlined sufficiently to give a good idea of what it was about, however the focus is more on what it meant for the ordinary people, having to choose sides – perhaps different to others in their family, than the actual politics and fighting. Though there is sadness this is a book about survival, a family and how from terrible times comes meaning, hope and love.
4*s from me for this beautiful historical fiction. I loved the strong sense of Andalucia, the involving story and the great overview of what the Spanish Civil War was about.