The Lemon Orchard, Luanne Rice
The Lemon Orchard, Luanne Rice
4 Rating(s)
List: $20.00 | Sale: $14.00
Club: $10.00

The Lemon Orchard

Author: Luanne Rice

Narrator: Blair Brown

Unabridged: 8 hr 33 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 07/02/2013


Synopsis

From bestselling author Luanne Rice—a captivating and sexy novel of love, both enduring and unexpected.

Year after year, Luanne Rice’s fans eagerly await her next book. Their enthusiasm is soon to be rewarded with The Lemon Orchard, Rice’s romantic new love story between two people from seemingly different worlds.

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.

About The Author

Luanne Rice is the author of thirty-one novels including Little Night and The Silver Boat. A native of Connecticut, she divides her time between New York City and Southern California.


Reviews

AudiobooksNow review by REJ on 2014-09-29 17:04:24

I didnt know if I should rate this one a 2 or 3 star, and finally gave it a 3.. It was well written, but totally unrealistic. Roberto and Julia really have absolutely nothing in common except supposedly sexual attraction and the loss of a child. Their relationship could have been one of mutual loss and the story would have been just fine. The attraction never felt real and I could never see any real basis for it. I actually think it would have been a better book if she had SPOILER ALERT helped him find his daughter and walked away feeling renewed and better able to face life on her own.

Goodreads review by Dale on August 10, 2016

The story concern two people who have both lost daughters. One is American anthropologist Julia. Her teenage daughter died suddenly. Was it a car accident or something more than that? Roberto, a Mexican while trying to cross the desert and reach America and his father, loses his young daughter, Rosa......more

Goodreads review by Julie on June 28, 2013

The Lemon Orchard by Luanne Rice I wanted to read this book for a few reasons: 1. the author is from the same state as I and I've read all her other books and loved them=they make you think 2. it's about trees-love knowing others use their hands to make a living and know I will be learning something......more

Goodreads review by Bonnie on November 14, 2015

My rating: 2 of 5 stars I received this book free from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. Julia is still reeling five years after the death of her daughter and husband. While visiting her Aunt and Uncle in Malibu she......more

Goodreads review by Sara on August 21, 2013

The star of this story is the landscape. The seaside lemon orchard in California gets a glowing tribute, especially during the a wildfire and the dusty Santa Ana winds. Maybe it’s just because I’m in the middle of a Louisiana forest in June but I’ve never wanted to be in the ocean more than I do whe......more

Goodreads review by Elizabeth of Silver's Reviews on July 15, 2013

California, Mexico, a lemon orchard, an estate owner, and a special Mexican worker in the lemon orchard. Roberto, a worker in the lemon orchard, and Julia, the niece of the owner of the lemon orchard had one thing in common, and they were drawn to each other. Julia and Roberto had both lost children,......more


Quotes

Praise for THE LEMON ORCHARD

“Entrancing.”
People (***)

"Rice here takes her signature themes of family and loss into the difficult and enigmatic landscape of illegal immigration to powerful effect . . . . An engaging and texturizing Southern California backdrop also subtly spotlights the struggle of land development and the environment as well as the fairy-tale atmosphere of Hollywood, and the book seamlessly includes details and plot points that both ground and enrich the story through its setting. Lovely and compelling, with quiet yet brave social commentary that enhances the book’s impact."
Kirkus

“Trust Rice (Little Night, 2012), known for fiction that explores the power of family, to find the humanity in illegal immigration, a topic too often relegated to rhetoric and statistics. . . . An unexpected plot turn will leave readers begging for a sequel.”
Booklist

"Rice’s fans will appreciate the evocative setting and unconventional romance, as well as the harrowing . . . depictions of border crossing and the fascinating parallels drawn between Julia’s research interests (she studies the Irish who arrived in America over a century ago) and modern-day Mexican immigrants."
Publishers Weekly
 

Praise for LITTLE NIGHT:

“Poetic and stirring…beautifully combines [Rice’s] love of nature and the power of family.”—Publishers Weekly, starred review

“Best-selling author Rice’s 30th book is an outstanding read that both chills and warms the soul . . . highly recommended.”—Library Journal, starred review

“Never rushing her story or revelations, Rice reaches the satisfying conclusion that while wounds run deep, love runs deeper.”—Booklist

“A classic Rice page-turner.”—Good Housekeeping

“In Little Night, Rice plumbs the depths of the damage that physical and mental abuse cause the recipients and allows us into the heads of those who suffer these situations. In spite of the serious nature of the subject matter, the story is filled with happy moments and an undying hope for future happiness.”—Bookreporter.com


Praise for THE SILVER BOAT:


“Will strike a chord in every mother, daughter, or sister.”—Marie Claire

“Popular Rice, in her mellifluous style, captures the essence of family and sisterhood as each character deals with love and loss.”—Booklist

“Rice’s writing effortlessly conveys the way family can bind as well as buoy us, reminding us that when the sea of life gets too choppy, by setting our prows toward the places that made us, we will find a safe harbor. Another winner from one of America’s most beloved authors.”—BookPage

“Rice enriches familiar themes of family, failure, redemption, and romance with a watercolor-lovely portrait of Martha's Vineyard and sketches of the tug-of-war between sea and sand, rich and poor, development and preservation characteristic of the island.”—Publishers Weekly

“Compelling…a satisfying and worthwhile ride.”—Library Journal