Review: The Lemon Grove by Helen Walsh

Each summer, Jenn and her husband Greg return to Deia, on Mallorca's dramatic west coast. This year the arrival of Emma, Jenn's stepdaughter, and her new boyfriend Nathan threatens to upset their equilibrium. Beautiful and reckless, Nathan stirs something unexpected in Jenn. As she is increasingly seduced by Nathan's youth and the promise of passion, the line between desire and obsession begins to blur. What follows is a highly-charged liaison that puts lives and relationships in jeopardy. For Jenn, after this summer, nothing can ever be the same.

Review: I have to admit that I bowed to peer pressure when reading this book. I wasn't sure about it initially but then I decided to give it a go, and rather cheekily, my choice of this book at this time was down to the fact that it was a fairly short book. Although I have an ebook copy of this one, my time meant that it was really better to get an audiobook copy and so I bought this book again in audiobook form. Five hours of listening later and I was done! 

This book is intense. On the surface it doesn't really look like anything much is going on, but really everyone's emotions are changing every minute of every day and because this book focuses on one character in particular, the effect is Ben more intense, effectively you are living this week or so through the life of this one woman and her conflicting feelings and emotions. I admit that I did expect a little more to happen in the book. You are presented with feelings and situations in the novel and  yet there don't seem to be many consequences or results of people's actions. (It's very hard to talk about actual events in the book without giving any spoilers away!)

I love the setting of this book. I really wanted to be by the pool on the cover and you could almost feel the heat hitting you as you the story unfurled and each scene was described to you. I didn't really like any of the characters however. Jenn seemed really immature considering the fact that she is a grown woman with a family of sorts. Her husband seems to be absent, I just found Emma spoilt and vindictive and I thought Nathan to be exceedingly arrogant. It didn't really put me off the book, my dislike of these characters and I do always feel that if you feel strongly about characters overall then the writer has done a good job! 

I wouldn't say that this is strong summer recommendations for me but it is definitely a very quick read mad the audiobook was extremely well done. I think it will appeal to those who like something short and intense like this but not necessarily those who want a little more depth to their novel. Overall I enjoyed the book and I'm glad I read it but I would've like some more reaction to the actions that took place.