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wisbeth's review against another edition
5.0
One of my favorite memories as a child is going to pick apples every fall. I will never forget the smells and tastes of the orchard. There is nothing like picking a fresh apple off the tree and biting into it.
When I saw Jeffrey Stepakoff's new book was titled The Orchard, I knew with my love of orchards and apple picking, it was a must read for me. His first book Fireworks Over Toccoa is a wonderful love story that I enjoyed very much. I was anxious to read Mr. Stepakoff's newest book.
The main character, Grace Lyndon is a confident woman who is always in control. I admired her confidence. Grace is a real go-getter. She is a savvy business woman. She develops scents and flavors for major companies and their products. I had never really given much thought to such a job but found myself immersed in learning more about this position. Jeffrey Stepakoff does a fantastic job explaining Grace's job and all it involved. I found it fascinating. I'll never look at scents and flavors the same again.
When Grace tries to track down an exquisite apple's origin, she runs into Dylan Jackson, owner of an apple orchard and his spunky daughter, Carter. Carter is a curious pre-teen who is wise beyond her years. Dylan is a widower, who is not quite ready to give up his deceased wife. The father/daughter relationship between these two is very endearing. Grace wants to research the apples on the family orchard for product development. Dylan is not ready to let anyone in his life or his orchard.
Mr. Stepakoff's writing had me imagining I was in the orchard where I could almost smell and taste the apples. I never knew so much went into growing apples. His writing is wonderfully descriptive. You will almost be able to hear the apple leaves rustling in the breeze. Even though I have never been to the mountains of Georgia, I had no problems picturing them in my mind.
Jeffrey Stepakoff has once again written a beautifully layered love story that builds as it goes along. I am amazed at the amount of research that must have went into this story. It made for a interesting story. I highly recommend this book. I found it romantic and enlightening. I'll be on the lookout for Mr. Stepakoff's next book.
When I saw Jeffrey Stepakoff's new book was titled The Orchard, I knew with my love of orchards and apple picking, it was a must read for me. His first book Fireworks Over Toccoa is a wonderful love story that I enjoyed very much. I was anxious to read Mr. Stepakoff's newest book.
The main character, Grace Lyndon is a confident woman who is always in control. I admired her confidence. Grace is a real go-getter. She is a savvy business woman. She develops scents and flavors for major companies and their products. I had never really given much thought to such a job but found myself immersed in learning more about this position. Jeffrey Stepakoff does a fantastic job explaining Grace's job and all it involved. I found it fascinating. I'll never look at scents and flavors the same again.
When Grace tries to track down an exquisite apple's origin, she runs into Dylan Jackson, owner of an apple orchard and his spunky daughter, Carter. Carter is a curious pre-teen who is wise beyond her years. Dylan is a widower, who is not quite ready to give up his deceased wife. The father/daughter relationship between these two is very endearing. Grace wants to research the apples on the family orchard for product development. Dylan is not ready to let anyone in his life or his orchard.
Mr. Stepakoff's writing had me imagining I was in the orchard where I could almost smell and taste the apples. I never knew so much went into growing apples. His writing is wonderfully descriptive. You will almost be able to hear the apple leaves rustling in the breeze. Even though I have never been to the mountains of Georgia, I had no problems picturing them in my mind.
Jeffrey Stepakoff has once again written a beautifully layered love story that builds as it goes along. I am amazed at the amount of research that must have went into this story. It made for a interesting story. I highly recommend this book. I found it romantic and enlightening. I'll be on the lookout for Mr. Stepakoff's next book.
rosetyper9's review against another edition
5.0
Jeffrey Stepakoff somehow remains to be one of the most beautiful writers of love stories I have ever read. If you haven't read his first novel, you need to read it. Anyway, he has a way of drawing you into a characters emotions and showing you exactly what they are thinking and feeling. He pulls the want and need right out of you so that you cry when the characters cry and you hurt when the characters hurt. It really is a remarkable ability.
I love the premise, plot, and characters of this story. There is one thing that did not flow for me though...when Dylan somehow thinks his wife is alive...I mean he knows how she died and maybe I don't understand grief correctly but...that messed up the whole feel of the story for me, I wish there would have been a different obstacle for Grace and Dylan to overcome.
I love how Mr. Stepakoff finds something to give his character passion about and you get to learn right along about each passion as you read. I enjoyed learning about apples and scents as I read and I didn't even realize it until I was done with the book. I love Mr. Stepakoff's writing and will be a fan forever.
I love the premise, plot, and characters of this story. There is one thing that did not flow for me though...when Dylan somehow thinks his wife is alive...I mean he knows how she died and maybe I don't understand grief correctly but...that messed up the whole feel of the story for me, I wish there would have been a different obstacle for Grace and Dylan to overcome.
I love how Mr. Stepakoff finds something to give his character passion about and you get to learn right along about each passion as you read. I enjoyed learning about apples and scents as I read and I didn't even realize it until I was done with the book. I love Mr. Stepakoff's writing and will be a fan forever.
simmonsmry's review against another edition
4.0
This book came into my life at the perfect moment, during a heat wave in July when sitting in a comfortable chair with a cold drink and a romantic novel was just what I needed. In ‘The Orchard,’ author Jeffrey Stepakoff transported me to Georgia in the fall, as the apple harvest approaches and the leading female character, Grace Lyndon, is changed forever after tasting an amazing apple. Working in the field of fragrances and flavours, she is compelled to track down the apple’s origins and capture its essence. In the process, she meets widowed apple farmer Dylan Jackson and his daughter, Carter, and a captivating love story unfolds.
In Grace, Stepakoff has created a character who is strong and yet vulnerable. She is driven and ambitious when it comes to her career and yet in the opening chapters it is revealed that her personal life is less than stellar. She is running from a past in which she felt weak and unappreciated and is determined to never revisit that time in her life. She is gearing up to land the biggest account of her career, thinking this is exactly what she needs. “This was precisely what Grace loved about work. It had given her the chance to not only reinvent herself through success, but also make the past so irrelevant it disappeared.” However, Stepakoff makes it clear that escaping the past is not something easily accomplished. Even in her career choice, Grace draws on the childhood experience of caring for an ailing mother who lost many of her senses, but was comforted by the various evocative smells of foods and flowers.
In the character of Dylan, the past is a preoccupation. He has lost his beloved wife and is left to raise their daughter alone. He cannot let go of the woman he sees and smells around every corner of their apple orchard. His work in the orchard is more than a job; it is a way of life and a family legacy. Using organic practices, Dylan grows tremendous fruit with passion and respect for the natural flow of life and growth. “Blossoms in the spring, fruiting in summer, harvest in fall, pruning in winter – there was a cycle in the orchard that was an integral part of Dylan’s life.”
At one point in the novel Grace’s character muses on the thought “that the vast majority of what the entire human race smells in its day-to-day existence and nearly all of what its food tastes like are created by a small elite group of quiet individuals working for fewer than a dozen companies worldwide.” I have to admit that I had never thought about the flavours and fragrances I encounter on a daily basis. Increasingly, these are synthetic representations of the natural reality. While still beautiful in their own right, they only reinforce the staggering beauty of the original. Stepakoff merges the synthetic world with the natural world by bringing together Grace and Dylan. Their journey together will leave you spellbound.
In Grace, Stepakoff has created a character who is strong and yet vulnerable. She is driven and ambitious when it comes to her career and yet in the opening chapters it is revealed that her personal life is less than stellar. She is running from a past in which she felt weak and unappreciated and is determined to never revisit that time in her life. She is gearing up to land the biggest account of her career, thinking this is exactly what she needs. “This was precisely what Grace loved about work. It had given her the chance to not only reinvent herself through success, but also make the past so irrelevant it disappeared.” However, Stepakoff makes it clear that escaping the past is not something easily accomplished. Even in her career choice, Grace draws on the childhood experience of caring for an ailing mother who lost many of her senses, but was comforted by the various evocative smells of foods and flowers.
In the character of Dylan, the past is a preoccupation. He has lost his beloved wife and is left to raise their daughter alone. He cannot let go of the woman he sees and smells around every corner of their apple orchard. His work in the orchard is more than a job; it is a way of life and a family legacy. Using organic practices, Dylan grows tremendous fruit with passion and respect for the natural flow of life and growth. “Blossoms in the spring, fruiting in summer, harvest in fall, pruning in winter – there was a cycle in the orchard that was an integral part of Dylan’s life.”
At one point in the novel Grace’s character muses on the thought “that the vast majority of what the entire human race smells in its day-to-day existence and nearly all of what its food tastes like are created by a small elite group of quiet individuals working for fewer than a dozen companies worldwide.” I have to admit that I had never thought about the flavours and fragrances I encounter on a daily basis. Increasingly, these are synthetic representations of the natural reality. While still beautiful in their own right, they only reinforce the staggering beauty of the original. Stepakoff merges the synthetic world with the natural world by bringing together Grace and Dylan. Their journey together will leave you spellbound.
bunnyovani's review against another edition
4.0
Won this book as part of a goodreads giveaway and loved every second of reading it. Picked the book up on Saturday morning and spent the entire rainy day curled up on the couch reading it until it was done.
WARNING THIS CONTAINS SPOILERS!!! And for the record, apologies, I don't usually write long reviews, but since I did win this book I feel like I should at least try to write something a bit longer than my usual few lines.
Obviously since I read the whole book in 1 day I really enjoyed it. And, If I'm being perfectly honest, I love a happy ending, so this book made me very, very happy.
It was an easy read, perfect for a day curled up on the couch (as I was) or on the beach. It was a light easy read, but please don't mistake that for crap it's really a great book. Each of the characters has their own issues to deal with, Dylan and the loss of his wife, Grace and running from her past, Carter and her desire to see her dad happy & have a mom. I liked each of the characters introduced. Not just the main characters, but the other local farmers and townspeople, Grace's friends & coworkers, they all fit the story and played their parts well. I HATE reading a book where it seems people are just tossed in as filler for no reason and don't have any impact on the story. All the supporting characters in the book were there for a reason and to me added to the story instead of confusing it with more people to remember.
I was fascinated to read about Grace's work, and the science that goes behind many of the "flavors" that we know today. Though now I'm a bit sketched out by the "natural flavors" line on many of my labels now.
The descriptions of the characters, the tastes, the smells were all beautifully done. So descriptive that I have been left with a serious hankering for ripe apples!!
I was rooting for Dylan and Grace I wanted to see them together, and I'm happy that they were both able to figure out what they needed. Whether it's getting over a dead wife, or realizing that there's more to life than work. Ultimately they both made the decision to be happy. Dylan accepted that he could be happy with someone else, that he was willing to move on and that decision was OK. Grace accepted that she needed to stop trying to prove her worth to the world and be happy within her skin, that she was more than her profession.
I really enjoyed how smart Carter was. Not just a bratty pre-teen but a smart caring kid who obviously loved her dad and genuinely wanted him to be happy. When the issue of her shaving her legs was introduced I thought for sure that Grace would show her, figured it was easy to introduce this new mother figure and have her jump into that role, and instead I was surprised by Dylan teaching her by using a peach. It was perfect!
Actually that scene reminds me of another point that surprised me, I was convinced that Grace's lie on her resume about college would blow up in her face. Figured that would be an easy way for Herb (the big client) and the big account to fall apart, and instead something totally different happened. She told the truth, came clean and left because she wanted to, not because some scandal forced her to go searching for a safe haven to lick her wounds. I appreciated that a lot.
I can't think of anything else to say besides that I liked the book, and already recommended it to my sister who I know will like it too.
WARNING THIS CONTAINS SPOILERS!!! And for the record, apologies, I don't usually write long reviews, but since I did win this book I feel like I should at least try to write something a bit longer than my usual few lines.
Obviously since I read the whole book in 1 day I really enjoyed it. And, If I'm being perfectly honest, I love a happy ending, so this book made me very, very happy.
It was an easy read, perfect for a day curled up on the couch (as I was) or on the beach. It was a light easy read, but please don't mistake that for crap it's really a great book. Each of the characters has their own issues to deal with, Dylan and the loss of his wife, Grace and running from her past, Carter and her desire to see her dad happy & have a mom. I liked each of the characters introduced. Not just the main characters, but the other local farmers and townspeople, Grace's friends & coworkers, they all fit the story and played their parts well. I HATE reading a book where it seems people are just tossed in as filler for no reason and don't have any impact on the story. All the supporting characters in the book were there for a reason and to me added to the story instead of confusing it with more people to remember.
I was fascinated to read about Grace's work, and the science that goes behind many of the "flavors" that we know today. Though now I'm a bit sketched out by the "natural flavors" line on many of my labels now.
The descriptions of the characters, the tastes, the smells were all beautifully done. So descriptive that I have been left with a serious hankering for ripe apples!!
I was rooting for Dylan and Grace I wanted to see them together, and I'm happy that they were both able to figure out what they needed. Whether it's getting over a dead wife, or realizing that there's more to life than work. Ultimately they both made the decision to be happy. Dylan accepted that he could be happy with someone else, that he was willing to move on and that decision was OK. Grace accepted that she needed to stop trying to prove her worth to the world and be happy within her skin, that she was more than her profession.
I really enjoyed how smart Carter was. Not just a bratty pre-teen but a smart caring kid who obviously loved her dad and genuinely wanted him to be happy. When the issue of her shaving her legs was introduced I thought for sure that Grace would show her, figured it was easy to introduce this new mother figure and have her jump into that role, and instead I was surprised by Dylan teaching her by using a peach. It was perfect!
Actually that scene reminds me of another point that surprised me, I was convinced that Grace's lie on her resume about college would blow up in her face. Figured that would be an easy way for Herb (the big client) and the big account to fall apart, and instead something totally different happened. She told the truth, came clean and left because she wanted to, not because some scandal forced her to go searching for a safe haven to lick her wounds. I appreciated that a lot.
I can't think of anything else to say besides that I liked the book, and already recommended it to my sister who I know will like it too.
ncrabb's review against another edition
3.0
The last thing Grace Lyndon needs in her life is love; Dylan Jackson has known a love so complete that he knew he would never know love again. Grace works in Atlanta in the flavor creation business. She has traveled the world in search of the perfect flavor, a flavor born in nature and worked on in her lab.
Dylan grows organic apples at his apple farm in north Georgia. He, too, strives for perfection, keeping an eye simultaneously on the weather, the calendar, and the fruit itself. Jackson, a widower, has built a barrier around his heart not unlike the barrier that Grace has constructed around hers. When Grace tastes by chance an apple Dylan has grown, she drives through the night to find this enchanting orchard and seek to scientifically capture the flavors of those apples.
While laboratory equipment can indeed capture nature's flavors and even simulate them, affairs of the heart are much less scientific. Can something as simple as the taste of an apple break seemingly impenetrable barriers and knit hearts?
The two most important things to point out about this book are that it's written in almost a lyrical poetic style. The language is enchanting in places. The second point is you'll learn a tremendous amount about the birth of flavors and smells in products--flavors and smells we all take for granted, and that learning experience is well worth the time you'll spend with this book. This is worth your time if for no other reason than that you get acquainted with Jackson's 10-year-old daughter, Carter. She is a shining precocious child who is far wiser than her years. Her solution to her dad's unwillingness to buy Grace a corsage is absolutely priceless.
In short, while this follows the traditional romance path of burgeoning love, something that threatens that love, then an ending anyone can live with, the writing style and the language used sets the book apart in a good way.
Dylan grows organic apples at his apple farm in north Georgia. He, too, strives for perfection, keeping an eye simultaneously on the weather, the calendar, and the fruit itself. Jackson, a widower, has built a barrier around his heart not unlike the barrier that Grace has constructed around hers. When Grace tastes by chance an apple Dylan has grown, she drives through the night to find this enchanting orchard and seek to scientifically capture the flavors of those apples.
While laboratory equipment can indeed capture nature's flavors and even simulate them, affairs of the heart are much less scientific. Can something as simple as the taste of an apple break seemingly impenetrable barriers and knit hearts?
The two most important things to point out about this book are that it's written in almost a lyrical poetic style. The language is enchanting in places. The second point is you'll learn a tremendous amount about the birth of flavors and smells in products--flavors and smells we all take for granted, and that learning experience is well worth the time you'll spend with this book. This is worth your time if for no other reason than that you get acquainted with Jackson's 10-year-old daughter, Carter. She is a shining precocious child who is far wiser than her years. Her solution to her dad's unwillingness to buy Grace a corsage is absolutely priceless.
In short, while this follows the traditional romance path of burgeoning love, something that threatens that love, then an ending anyone can live with, the writing style and the language used sets the book apart in a good way.
lje0512's review against another edition
3.0
interesting topic- I was grown up by listening my grandmother's childhood story. Her family owned a very large orchard and farmland. She had very rich and splendid memories from the orchard with her grandfather. She is very fond of those memories and she liked to sharing her memories with us.
I have never been orchard or farm to pick fruits or to harvest.
I honestly didn't consider hard to recognize tremendous effort from farmers to produce what we entirely are dependent on our lives.
Grace's job was also intriguing to me because I was always curious about
perfume/ fragrance industry as well as cosmetics industry.
Not that I was passionate enough to pursue my career into those fields, but I had a very fond of interest in them.
It was very pleasing reading, easy to follow and the other accomplished a great job for describing characters' inner voices.
At least, you won't think after you read that you have wasted your time.
Hopefully you too, enjoy this beautiful novel.
mybookishlifestyle's review against another edition
4.0
Loved his first book...hoping this one is just as good!
Good Good Book...left me wanting more!
Good Good Book...left me wanting more!
rosetyper9's review against another edition
5.0
Jeffrey Stepakoff somehow remains to be one of the most beautiful writers of love stories I have ever read. If you haven't read his first novel, you need to read it. Anyway, he has a way of drawing you into a characters emotions and showing you exactly what they are thinking and feeling. He pulls the want and need right out of you so that you cry when the characters cry and you hurt when the characters hurt. It really is a remarkable ability.
I love the premise, plot, and characters of this story. There is one thing that did not flow for me though...when Dylan somehow thinks his wife is alive...I mean he knows how she died and maybe I don't understand grief correctly but...that messed up the whole feel of the story for me, I wish there would have been a different obstacle for Grace and Dylan to overcome.
I love how Mr. Stepakoff finds something to give his character passion about and you get to learn right along about each passion as you read. I enjoyed learning about apples and scents as I read and I didn't even realize it until I was done with the book. I love Mr. Stepakoff's writing and will be a fan forever.
I love the premise, plot, and characters of this story. There is one thing that did not flow for me though...when Dylan somehow thinks his wife is alive...I mean he knows how she died and maybe I don't understand grief correctly but...that messed up the whole feel of the story for me, I wish there would have been a different obstacle for Grace and Dylan to overcome.
I love how Mr. Stepakoff finds something to give his character passion about and you get to learn right along about each passion as you read. I enjoyed learning about apples and scents as I read and I didn't even realize it until I was done with the book. I love Mr. Stepakoff's writing and will be a fan forever.
meglynw's review
3.0
To be fair, I liked this book. The unfair part? I can't NOT say "this was no Fireworks Over Toccoa." That book was amazing. This book was nice. Nice, likeable characters. A sweet story line. Lots of sense. Even a sort of surprise ending (by this I mean, I sort of expected a repeat of how Dylan's wife died. And it didn't. Thank God. How cheesy would that have been!) But, really...it was nice.
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