May 8, 2025 – My Sanctuary

Under The Lemon Tree By Emma Cowell

Can one Greek summer heal the secrets of the past?

Could discovering a family secret encourage Kat to follow her heart?

Shattered by the sudden loss of her twin, Nik, Kat is lost in grief. The comfort of family feels both soothing and suffocating, but everything changes when she inherits a house on the breathtaking Greek island of Agistri from a mysterious uncle she’s never met.

Arriving on Agistri, Kat is mesmerized by its crystalline waters, lush pine forests, and the citrus-scented air. Among the white-washed houses and warm, welcoming locals, she begins to feel her heart heal. The island offers more than solace, sparking courage in Kat to face her loss — and maybe even embrace the spark of unexpected love…

But as she unearths her family’s buried past, Kat must also confront her own fears of belonging, forgiveness — and the possibility of rediscovering happiness in the shadow of heartbreak…

Rosie Redbrush, a travel agent working for Wanderlust Wishes travel agency, is someone who sells holidays but never takes them. At twenty-nine, she lives a quiet, comfortable life in the town she grew up in. But then, just a few days before Christmas, a problematic customer tricks Rosie into becoming a tour guide for a group of ten disgruntled old-age pensioners in Venice! And suddenly, Rosie’s quiet life is thrown into disarray.

Escorting an elderly group through the streets of Italy’s most romantic city is hard enough, but throw in a neurotic aquaphobe, an accidental Santa race, a regrettable selfie, and a missing backpack, suddenly Rosie finds herself extremely lost in Venice, without a penny or a passport to her name.

Rosie can’t go home. And as she travels Italy looking for a solution, what she doesn’t expect to find are a loving family, a group of eclectic new friends, and the possibility of true love in the most unlikely of places…

About The Author

My Review

This novel successfully blends three key themes: an engaging travelogue of Venice and Milan, an insightful look into the lives of ten elderly tourists, and the protagonist Rosie’s personal growth. Rosie, who works for Wanderlust Wishes arranging trips but never traveling herself, is unexpectedly tasked with escorting a group of seniors to Venice. Throughout the trip, she faces a series of chaotic, stressful, yet beautiful experiences that challenge her resilience. The well-drawn characters, including the pensioners, add depth, and the romance with Fox, an embassy representative, unfolds naturally. While the ending leaves some unresolved questions, the story is satisfying, with a heartwarming Christmas backdrop.

My Rating