A strong sense of place is something I always look for in a book – I’ve only visited Croatia as a quick stop-off while on a cruise, it’s always been a holiday destination I’ve liked the look of, and if the sea is really as enticing as it looks on that wonderful cover I think it’s about time to make next year’s booking. This book really brings the destination – the island of Korčula – vividly to life, while providing a strong reminder about the troubled recent history of the countries that made up the former Yugoslavia.

But I’m jumping ahead – the book’s focus at the start is Antonia, one of those more mature characters I always enjoy, feeling less than comfortable with her life. She’s embroiled in an affair with a married man, and it’s a slightly grubby life that she really doesn’t want any more – he’s also her boss at the holiday company where she works, and that makes breaking things off many times more difficult. But it also provides a chance of escape – Villa Maslina is a new property on their books, the owner familiar to her, and when she finds he needs a housekeeper for the villa she decides it’s just the opportunity she’s looking for. The only downside is leaving daughter Honey behind – but perhaps it’ll give her rather immature daughter the opportunity to take more responsibility for her own life, allowing some breathing space to work on her less-than-stable relationship with her girlfriend, enabling her to make some decisions about her own future.

In Korčula, we meet the villa’s owner, Damir – a young man with a vision and a desire to better himself, beginning with creating a holiday property to be proud of from the home where he grew up. He’s immediately extremely likeable, and the friendship between them grows – but he’s a very troubled man, unsuccessfully having tried to move on from memories of his past, and those night-time horrors are now beginning to impact his waking hours. The shadow cast by those wartime experiences is a long one – and through their time together Antonia and Damir support and help heal each other, with an intriguing mystery to be resolved before he can achieve anything like peace of mind.

Despite the difference in their ages, I’d rather expected the friendship to deepen into a romance – but that would have only muddied the waters, detracting from the book’s themes and focus, and the romantic flurries that do feature involve others rather than the two main protagonists. There is a particularly strong supporting cast – and visitors from Antonia’s previous life to add texture and maintain that link with “home” – but the enduring impact of the book lies with Damir’s wartime experiences.

The book doesn’t become a dual time story, and I thought that was a choice that worked particularly well – instead, we’re offered glimpses of his past, images that sear themselves into the memory, powerful and affecting, building empathy for this young man and the traumatic events he experienced while still a child.

The story-telling is excellent – and every emotional touch extremely well-judged. I particularly liked Damir’s passion for restoring the old olive press in time for the harvest, all linked to his more precious memories of being provided with a safe home where he felt loved – beautifully done. The book’s pace is steady, with few fireworks in the present day story, but that was something I enjoyed – Damir’s emotional journey and the search that underpins it provides more than enough narrative drive to keep the pages turning. Antonia’s experiences give the story particular appeal for an older reader – that minefield of families and caring, life’s possibilities and the way she responds to them, all with particular authenticity, easy to identify with.

I really did enjoy this one – and must say that those comparisons with other authors in the book’s description are entirely justified. Filled with emotional complexity, coupled with a captivating story – I couldn’t have asked for more, and highly recommend this book.

Antonia leaves behind a bad relationship, and tries to come to terms with what went wrong in her life, by working at a beautiful villa on a Croatian island. Damir, the owner of the villa, was a child during the horrible war in Bosnia, and he struggles with his past. The island is a gorgeous setting for their way forward. This is the kind of book that's hard to put away, and I didn't want it to end. As always, Eva Glyn delivers.
Thank you Netgalley and One More Chapter for giving me an ARC.

Antonia is not happy with her love life nor her life in general England, so although she does not particularly wish to move away from her daughter decides to go to a Croatian island. Her she becomes friendly with Damir who has been badly affected by circumstances during the Bosnian war. It’s a really beautiful, emotional and special story set in magical surroundings. Support and understanding family and true friends can give is displayed within the story.

The book captured my imagination right from the start.

When Antonia Butler takes up a job as a housekeeper at Vila Maslina , on the Croatian island of Korčula, she’s escaping from a romance with her married boss! Her young new boss is the enigmatic, Damir Maric, on the passing of his beloved aunt, has newly renovated the home he inherited on the olive grove.

Working for Damir, Antonia becomes more confident and also able to give her daughter the space she needs to grow up. She also finds herself feeling completely part of the local community.

This is a moving story of the outcome of conflict in Croatia and atrocities of war. Damir, a young child, with a Croatian father in the army and a Bosnian mother was a victim of this. Taken in and protected by his aunt, he has repressed his memories of the war. But when something he finds in the attic of his home, sparks off memories, he’s totally clueless how to handle them.

How Antonia and other members of the community help Damir to resolve his past and move forward makes for an engrossing read.

Set in a beautiful locale, with great characters, this is story of healing and love.

What a good read this book was. When Antonia leaves a romance that is going no where to manage a small hotel on a Croatian Island she meets the owner Damir.
Damir was brought to the island from the mainland by his aunt. He had been left an orphan during the Bosnian war and still carried the terrible half memories.
Antonia is a truly lovely person and in order to help Damir live with his past she puts up with a lot from him. Missing her daughter who is having relationship problems as well ,Antonia is split between the people she loves but she finds a way through this with the help of the new friends around her.
Reading about the Bosnian war was heartbreaking and I shed a few tears. The descriptions of the Island were beautiful and I wanted to watch the sunrise and sunset there.
I would recommend this book to anyone who wants a cracking good read.

I really enjoyed this book and the story and the characters with thanks to netgalley and the publishers for the arc of this book in exchange for this honest review

The Olive Grove is set in Croatia and the author does a great job of describing a beautiful landscape… this is the story of Damir who has recently lost his aunt who raised him (he was a war refugee in 1996) as he opens a villa and works his way through some personal demons… Antonia has moved to Croatia to get away from a complicated and toxic relationship with a married man., however leaving her daughter behind which is tough for her.
The story unfolds at a steady pace & found it educational regarding the war,

Thanks to netgalley & the publisher for the ARC of this book for an honest review,

I loved this book, the story stays with you long after the last page. We meet Antonia who goes to work at the Villa and is escaping from a love affair with her boss. She works hard giving the tourists good food etc while gaining confidence in her own abilities. Damir, the owner of the villa, was a child during the Bosnian war and is still suffering the effects of war. It’s a beautiful story so we’ll written and a book well worth the five star rating.

A lovely story, tinged with the reality of a war torn country and the sadness of families torn apart. Very well written and so full of emotions.

A different type of love story than what I usually read but the way this story proceeds and how much it made me feel earns a big yes please and I hope to read more soon by this author.

A real page turner. Antonia deciding to take a job in Croatia as a housekeeper was a risk but it was a chance to leave behind her complicated life. I loved how the story unfolded and how she made herself, by hard work, such an asset to the Vila Maslina. Her help to the owner Damir Malic with his troubles which emanated from the Bosnian war was touching. A beautifully written, eloquent and well crafted story.

Thank you for the advanced copy. My first book by this author.

What can I say, absolutely beautiful book and I just could not put it down, even when I went to make a cup of tea I couldn't stop thinking about the characters, the setting and the developments.

Well written, excellent read.

Not sure where to begin. A story of finding peace after a childhood damaged by the war in the former Yugoslavia . Beautiful set on the island of Korcula. Antonia found her peace looking after guests and got over her affair and helped her daughter grow. Damir was a character and a half. My only criticism is the book jumped time quickly some times. I really enjoyed it . One of those books you thought about when you were not reading it.

First of all, thanks to publisher and to Rachel for inviting me to do a review for this book.
I had to accept the invite when I saw that it was set in Croatia, which is my home country, but I was also interested in the plot to see how will it all play out. I have to admit that I expected romance between Antonia and Damir but all my expectations blew out of the water as I got deeper in the book. What I expected to be a romance book, turned out to be a story of healing and friendship between the two. I don't regret it in any way though. And honestly, who wouldn't want to be healed on Korčula? I know I would!
I have to admit that I liked Antonia from the start, she is really a heroine of this book. Her energy was just grasping and inviting to continue reading. I loved the way she grew as a character through the book and learned more things about herself. Also, big plus points for queer characters in the book!
If anyone needs to read a book about healing from the past and growing as a person, pick up this book. But just a trigger warning: war is being mentioned so just as a heads up if someone isn't willing to read about it!

A beautifully written book which made me want to visit Croatia. A nice balance between Antonia's romances and Damir's turbulent past in war torn Yugoslavia which which is still affecting him more than two decades later. This is one of those books that I just didn't want to put down and I shall look for more by this author.

Thanks Netgalley for allowing me to read this book. Antonia is looking forward to making some changes in her life. She decides to move to a small town and become a housekeeper. She likes her new boss and the many changes that are occurring.

Loved this book from the cover to the amazing storytelling. Hold on to your hat and don't kid yourself that you'll be doing anything other than reading on the day that you start this one. Simply beautiful ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Not a book I would normally choose to read as I usually read WW1/WW2 fiction. I was attracted by the mention of the war in the former Yugoslavia as this is something I have lived through and was interested to know more.

It was well written and easy to read with likeable characters. The story of the war was woven into the book although sadly I did not learn anything new and I felt it could have been stronger within the storyline. I am sure Declan could have elaborated more on his role and findings.

I found the ripening and collection of the olives a strong and interesting feature to the book. I have always wanted to visit this area and the mention of place names and landmarks inspired me to research them and discover places I one day hope to be able to visit.

I am glad that the main characters found happiness. After reading the Prologue I found it predictable that the mother was still alive and that's who had written the letter looking for him. All the same I enjoyed the book and would look for more by this author.

With thanks to one more chapter for an early copy in return for an honest opinion.
First time reading this author.
Having just finished this book and while it's very fresh in my head I have lots of what if's.
The book starts out brilliantly good characters that you wonder where it's going and what direction its going to take but it seemed to just bumble along at a very slow pace and very much same same then enters Declan near the end and it was firing on all cylinders till the end a few amazing chapters I would have loved if we could have met the mother and more stories of old,
Also we never found out about the harvest how it had gone one minute their were loads of people picking olives and the next were in Croatia very rushed at the end.
Could have been one amazing book but it was just very good

A really lovely story with some harsh undertones of the impact of war on people years after the event.