A tale that’ll take you to the shores of the Mediterranean and make you want to stay. Sweet, matter-of-fact, and simple. I loved the writing style and the vivid descriptions; but could not *love* the characters. They fell just a little flat for me - ALMOST there but not quite. Still a good read!

I must firstly apologise for the amount of time it has taken me to provide a review of this book, my health was rather bad for quite some time, something that had me in hospital on numerous occasions and simply didnt leave me with the time I once had to do what I love most.

Unfortunately that does mean I have missed the archive date for many of these books, so It would feel unjust throwing any review together without being able to pay attention to each novel properly.

However, I am now back to reading as before and look forward to sharing my honest reviews as always going forward. I thank you f0r the patience and understanding throughout x

A beautiful novel on the war and its aftereffects. How it still remains altering us in way we could never have imagined.

I absolutely loved this book! I have read many WW2 historical books but very few with a Greece setting. I immediately fell in love with Ava’s character. And again, I love the perspective from two different generations. I have read this author before and continually am impressed with the plots and writing.

I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book provided by NetGalley

Beyond The Olive Grove is a duel time novel set in Greece the present day and during the Second World War.
Ava travels to Greece after inheriting her grandmother Sophia’s house which hasn’t been inhabited since the end of the war. After befriending some locals she learns about the German occupation of Greece and her grandmother’s life at that time.
The story moves between times regularly which can be slightly confusing. I also found the ending a little disappointing.

~~~ I received a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review ~~~

I really enjoy Kate Hewitt's writing, however this book fell short for me. Beyond the Olive Grove has a good storyline, I enjoyed diving into and learning about Greece during WWII and I like that it covers a different local during WWII than most people think about or that most book are written about; but the book was just too slow moving for the first 3/4 of the book. I kept finding my attention wavering as I was reading it, so it took me way longer than usual to finish it. The main character Ava has "run away" to her grandmother's Greek house that she just learned about after her death. During her time spent in Greece, Ava uncovers details about her grandmother that she had never known. She also gains some new friends and insights into her own life along the way. This is a book of healing, grief, family, and history. The part of this book I enjoyed the most was the location- Hewitt does a nice job descibing Greece during the war as well as present. Overall pretty good read!

I was given a copy of Beyond the olive Grove by Kate Hewitt by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This is a dual time novel. Ava inherits her grandmother's house in Greece. She wants to find out what secrets her Grandmother has from the war. Ava's grandmother tells her story.
A good historical fiction, but felt it finished quiet abruptly.

3 stars. This was a nice read, especially for fans of historical fiction, but I think I enjoyed the modern half of the dual timeline more than the WW2 side. For me the historical half didn't really have high enough stakes, and then all of a sudden it moved too fast. Definitely worth a read though.

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion, which is my own and never influenced. Ever.

As a lover of Historical Fiction I was excited to read Beyond the Olive Grove by Kate Hewitt as a possible selection for my book club, and I think I found a winner. As I was reading I could envision the discussions we would have about this book and the strength of the two extraordinary female characters. This book is about finding hope and courage even in the shadow of uncertainty as well as finding a glimpse of light in looming darkness. A wonderful must read work of historical fiction that I can't wait to share with my book club friends.

I’m going to forego my usual spiel regarding historical fiction. You can find it on most of my other reviews of other novels in this genre.
Suffice to say that once again, I was introduced to a new arena of conflict from WWII. This time it’s Greece and boy, did I learn a lot.
The author has once again done her homework to create vivid scenes and characters, evoking the fear and desperation of people who are in the path of the Nazis.
However, this book concentrates on more than that. In fact, that is almost a side note, in the sense that everyone knows the Nazis were the bad guys. What I didn’t know (and I’m betting several other readers didn’t either), is that Greece was torn by warring factions trying to fight the Nazis.
There were the communist rebels, but there was also the republican governmental army. It’s too complicated to explain in this review, but the author does a tremendous job of detailing each of the factions and how they related to (and fought) each other.
In the contemporary storyline (there always is one), Ava has traveled to Greece – the home of her grandmother, Sophia – after a great personal loss. This part of the plot details Ava’s time in Greece, living in the house her grandmother grew up in, and finding out information about her grandmother from local townspeople.
We get Sophia’s story in flashbacks, but there is no connection between past and present (i.e., no diary, no secret stash of letters, etc.). Just a strange interaction between an old woman in town and Ava, that sets Ava on a slight hunt for info on her grandmother.
I liked that the two stories were independent of each other in this way. It felt more natural than some of the ones with the above-mentioned catalysts. And it allowed me to appreciate each of the women’s stories individually instead of constantly trying to figure out where each part might tie in.
I was very taken with the descriptions of townspeople both past and present. They reminded me of the people I met the times that I traveled to Greece. There was an air of resilience in them…a knowledge that their history is older than almost any other on earth. And they have been through a lot.
But they fight. They get through it all, one way or another. There is grief, there is despair. But there is hope and the knowledge that it all continues. And somehow, things can turn out right. By the time Sophia’s story (and Ava’s for that matter) comes to an end, that is made crystal clear.
I love that message, especially in today’s world.
Pick up this book. You won’t regret it.

Another really great read from Kate Hewitt. This historical novel tells the stories of Ava and her grandmother Sophia. When Ava's marriage is struggling after a tragic loss ,she goes to Greece and lives in an old house left to her after her grandmother died and there she finds out what happened to her during the war .Told in two different time zones it gels together perfectly and is beautifully written and is a story of love,betrayal, friendships and family's and some fantastic characters. I loved it

I was really looking forward to reading this book as I really enjoyed Kate Hewitt's book The girl from berlin, but I felt a little detached about the story and the characters, I felt like it was more of a romance novel and the drama was not there. I never felt the angst or the intriguing feeling of WW2 it was very light for my taste and I never got to really enjoy the main characters.

Ava is looking for space as she had a terrible chapter in her life that she is trying to digest and even comprehend, her husband hasn't been that supportive and she feels like distance is the only way to understand what is happening with her and in her marriage. Ava goes to Greece to stay in her grandmother's house, a house that has been abandoned for a very long time since ww2 a house that contains all the secrets of her grandmother.

it was not a bad book but I just felt like there was so much missing.

TRIGGER WARNING: this book involves the death of a child
Ava arrives in Greece with an address, a key and a broken heart. Her marriage is over following the death of her daughter and she has travelled to Greece to discover more about her recently deceased grandmother who owned a house in a rural village but never mentioned her homeland. Ava meets an elderly woman who sees the resemblance to her grandmother and instantly begins apologising for the past. Can Ava uncover her grandmother's wartime secrets as well as heal her own heart...?
Beyond the Olive Grove is a dual timeline novel set in the present day and 1940s Greece.
Ava is griefstricken following the breakdown of her marriage due to the death of their daughter. She feels her husband was emotionally distant and they could not support each other. She has always had an impulsive streak and decided to investigate her grandmother's past: Sophia left Greece after WW2 and never spoke Greek or told her family anything about her early years.
We meet Sophia as a young woman in the early 1940s. She has been struggling to look after her family as well as work at a time when money and food were scarce. I felt annoyed at her flighty sister for not being more supportive. Sophia is working in a coffee shop in a village caught between Nazis, Communists and Republicans, all battling for control of Greece. She is recruited against her will but her character is brave despite her fear.
The ending of the book felt a little abrupt and I wanted to know that Sophia had a life of happiness. It does end on a note of hope for both women which lightens the tone after so much sadness and grief earlier in this book. Several characters are haunted by the past and need to work through their pain. However, the catharsis of talking about their feelings allows them to heal or at least accept their circumstances.
Beyond the Olive Grove is an emotional yet heartwarming novel about love and loss

Thanks to Netgalley for a copy of this book for an honest review.

With the plethora of WW2 books, this one was a pleasant surprise. I knew nothing about Greece during the war or that they had their own resistance.

A duel timeline book, set in 1942 and now, this is a lovely book about Ava and her grandmother, Sophia. Ava is left a house in rural Greece and decides to travel after a tragedy. She learns of Sophia's past through reluctant locals. Definitely recommend!

Beyond the Olive Grove by Kate Hewitt was a wonderful departure for me into the beloved hills of Greece. Once upon a time, many years ago, I lived there as a student--in Athens, but I was able to go see the countryside a bit and this novel really evokes that time, those memories, and that place for me. This is my first time reading Hewitt as well and her writing is just a joy--really detailed scene painting, characters you want to learn more about and root for throughout time! I love a good time dash as well, which built the layers of family and village quite well. I recommend this to anyone who misses traveling or wants to soak up lands far away from the comfort of their couch this fall/winter.

Publication Date: Aug 13th, 2021

Thank you to @NetGalley & @bookouture for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

#BeyondtheOliveGrove #NetGalley

#historicalfiction #books #bookstagram #shortreads #bookstagrammer #literaryfiction #indiereads #indiepublisher #bookouture

The story has been told before. A young English woman inherits a home in a small town in Greece from her grandmother. They weren't close but the grandmother feels Ava is most like her. Ava is grieving the stillbirth of her daughter, decides to separate from her husband, goes to Greece and finds a falling down cottage. She makes friends in the village and tries to find out more about her grandmother. The story is told in two timelines, Sophia's during the war and how she got involved in the Resistance, and Ava's present day.

Truth is I didn't like Ava much. She held on to her grief even a year later and wouldn't talk about it. At the same time she encourages a woman in the village to speak of the war even though it could be painful. She jumps into situations without thinking it through, often imagining what could happen like a scene in a movie which is never the reality. There is a handsome man in the village and there was some kind of attraction so I was surprised at the outcome of their story. I didn't find any of the characters well developed and the ending left me cold.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Bookouture for providing me the opportunity to read this.

I read this one late into the night and wished it had been longer but I did eventually run out of pages in this beautiful story.
A time slip novel focusing on a long ago time in Greece and the consequences of decisions made during the Nazi invasion of a young woman's grandmother's beloved country. It also features this young woman in modern times who inherits her grandmother's former home in Greece as she explores the area her grandmother used to live in.
Richly descriptive, this really makes me want to visit Greece as I feel as though I've already gotten a good taste of it through the descriptions of the area,the welcoming people,their customs and their types of food.
Sentences being written in the Greek language add to the authentic feel of the book.
Though there is a deep betrayal taking place we feel a sense of forgiveness given and accepted.
Hope is strong and love is rekindled!
I really need to read more by this author!

Pub Date 13 Aug 2021
I was given a complimentary copy of this book. Thank you.
All opinions expressed are my own.

Beyond the Olive Grove by Kate Hewitt was a beautifully written book and I just loved it, from the beginning till the end I was gripped. This book is a perfect holiday read Kate has written another book from the heart. This book is set both a WWII and current day storyline

Ava Lancet and her Husband has suffered tremendous loss and Ava inherited a very old house in Greece from her grandmother. Sadly Ava's grandmother has never spoke about her life when she was young, to her daughter or to her, so it was a big surprise to find out she had a house in Greece. Not knowing what to find, Ava decides to travel to Greece alone to her grandmother's village.. While Ava is there she wants to find out more. However, with so many secrets and sadness will come out about her grandmother and her family during World War 2 but, nobody wants to open up and talk about the past, as its too painful to open up.

Wow, what a gift! But, what will Ava find out about her Grandmother's past?

Will Ava start a new life in Greece and make her grandmothers house a home for her?

Will Ava find Love whilst out there?

WoW what a book............Just brilliant and I read it in 2 sittings. I highly recommend this beautiful book. A book written with Love!

Big Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review

I have mixed feelings about this book,I was so heart felt for Ava's story.. this isn't a light read, there is so much of internal struggles and problems
I was like isn't it too much for a single person , feel all the emotions so you heal them! Don't run away .. they are gonna follow.
This story Definitely strengthens my feelings of gratitude for all that I have.
WW2 stories are kinda my favorite .. this story has it all, the nazies, Greece location.. Ava's story was felt like little less highlighted as story of Sophie begins ... Personally I'm not a fan of time Line stories.. but this was like so much education Abt WW2 there's so much we overlook and don't even know about.
Seeing stories like this are based upon real life events, feels like bringing them into light and really seeing how deep a person be and how much life can take & offer

It's an emotional family drama yet heart felt read .. if you're into such books
I recommend it

Beyond the Olive Grove is a story of love and hope, as well as bravery and tragedy.

The story flows well between the dual timelines and although not fast-paced, the plot is one which the reader can follow with ease. The author has done an excellent job of aligning Ava’s present-day story with that of her Grandmother, Sophia in 1940’s Greece. The setting of rural Greece was perfect - the author’s writing was beautifully descriptive of the rustic houses, the winding roads, the olive groves and Greek village life.

This story has also enlightened me further about the way in which ordinary Greek citizens helped with the Resistance during WW2. I enjoy reading historical fiction which educates me and informs me of fascinating historical facts. At the end of the book, the author shares some details of her research and explains which of her characters were real people and the real-life accounts she used in the events leading up the destruction of the Gorgopotamos Bridge.

An engaging read which I recommend - particularly to anyone who enjoys historical fiction but would welcome a change from the frequent WW2 settings of Germany, France and other Northern European areas!

Thank you to the publisher, Bookouture for a digital copy of this book via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.