Book Review - Retreat To The Spanish Sun by Jo Thomas -- Blog Tour

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Title: Retreat To The Spanish Sun

Author: Jo Thomas

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Transworld Digital

Publication Date: 23rd June 2022

Rating: 5 Stars

Eliza has a full house! When her three children grew up and moved out, she downsized to a smaller property... but now they're all back. Every room in the house is taken and Eliza finds herself sharing her bed with her eldest daughter and her daughter's pug. Combined with the online course she's trying to finish, plus her job to fit in, there just isn't the peace and quiet that Eliza needs.

So when an ad pops up on her laptop saying 'house-sitters wanted', Eliza can't resist the chance to escape. She ends up moving to a rural finca in southern Spain, looking after the owner's Iberico pigs, learning about secret gastronomic societies... and finding a new zest for life and love along the way.

I've just spent a wonderful time, in Southern Spain, learning all about real Iberico ham, pig farming, the local towns gastronomique society, and the really good local food producers.  

Not to mention a tapas bar with an owner that likes to try bizarre flavours, the Spanish conversation club (not that any of them can speak Spanish), and all manner of intrigue and potentially dodgy happenings. 

Who says that house sitting in a farm in Spain would provide Eliza the much longed for peace and quiet to be able to work on her foundation year coursework. To say there is a whole lot going on is an understatement. 

What starts off as a relatively calm read, keeps ramping everything up, to the most fabulous of finales, which I was utterly hooked on. 

And I would heartily recommend reading this with snacks to hand, as with the amount of sumptuous food descriptions, and the fact I could almost taste the Iberico ham, as well as understand just how it differs from Serrano ham,  means that you will get hungry reading this book. 

It's a Spanish food lovers paradise.  It's also a pig lovers paradise, and i especially loved following Banderas' progress rather closely! 

This is another utterly fantastic book from Jo Thomas, who I am rapidly running out of fresh ways of saying that if you haven't discovered this wonderful author yet, then you are missing out, as she is wonderful.  This is perfect for Spain loves, foodies, and those looking for a good story, a hint of romance, and new friendships and learning a lot about yourself too. 

Thank you to Transworld for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.