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The Pink Pepper Tree
June Cusack has always enjoyed making plans - for her flourishing career, for exotic holidays with her closest friend Danielle, and for her future with Peter Braga, the love of her life.
But as Peter prepares for the grand re-opening of his fashionable restaurant The Pink Pepper Tree, June finds her boyfriend increasingly distracted. So when Danielle suggests a relaxing trip to Monte Carlo, she jumps at the chance.
However, while on holiday, the events of one terrible night change her forever and when June returns home, the life she and Peter had built together slowly starts to disintegrate.
Heartbroken, June forges ahead with new plans for her professional life. But she is about to discover that happiness and love come when you least expect it, and from the most unlikely places.
But as Peter prepares for the grand re-opening of his fashionable restaurant The Pink Pepper Tree, June finds her boyfriend increasingly distracted. So when Danielle suggests a relaxing trip to Monte Carlo, she jumps at the chance.
However, while on holiday, the events of one terrible night change her forever and when June returns home, the life she and Peter had built together slowly starts to disintegrate.
Heartbroken, June forges ahead with new plans for her professional life. But she is about to discover that happiness and love come when you least expect it, and from the most unlikely places.
- GenresRomance
345 pages, Paperback
First published May 8, 2014
2 people are currently reading
26 people want to read
About the author
Muriel Bolger
16 books10 followersMuriel Bolger is an experienced travel writer and magazine editor
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
December 16, 2024
I normally love all of Muriels books but this was convoluted and I didn't find the main character likeable I suppose that's a problem I need the main character to be likeable to like the book. It was very ... meh took me weeks to finish
August 9, 2018
Slow start but enjoyed it
June 25, 2019
I thought this was a lovely and easy read. Really pulled at the heartstrings, would definitely recommend for a light read.
December 11, 2020
A great read
Engaging & perceptive
Engaging & perceptive
September 11, 2024
Dramatic
Heartfelt
Scandal
Ironic
Even made me shed a single tear at the end
Heartfelt
Scandal
Ironic
Even made me shed a single tear at the end
August 14, 2014
Review also posted on : Go Book Yourself
A copy was provided by the publisher in return for an honest review.
I really loved this book. It was so easy to get lost in. Perfect for summer. Plus I am just a little bit in love with the cover.
Jane has her whole life planned out. She has a loving boyfriend and a bright future. Together they are planning a huge re opening of they're award winning restaurant "The Pink Pepper tree" June notices that Peter seems to be drifting. Jane is the type to see the positive in everything so she puts it down to him just being distracted by the renovations.
He is distracted alright....but not by the renovations ( the fecker)! She thinks time away with her friend will give him some space and that all will be back to normal when she returns.
This was my turning point towards Jane. Rather than confront her problems she seems to just ignore them and hope they'll just go away. If you have troubles in your relationship you work at it you don't swan off on holidays!!
While on this holiday she experiences a life altering event (well for most it would be but again she sort of glosses over it and ignores it) . I felt this was a little unrealistic?
After returning home Jane realizes that everything isn't just going to slot back into place, that moving on is incredibly hard but that moving on is sometimes the only way of finding happiness.
The Pink Pepper tree is a wonderful story of love and friendship. Highly recommended.
A copy was provided by the publisher in return for an honest review.
I really loved this book. It was so easy to get lost in. Perfect for summer. Plus I am just a little bit in love with the cover.
Jane has her whole life planned out. She has a loving boyfriend and a bright future. Together they are planning a huge re opening of they're award winning restaurant "The Pink Pepper tree" June notices that Peter seems to be drifting. Jane is the type to see the positive in everything so she puts it down to him just being distracted by the renovations.
He is distracted alright....but not by the renovations ( the fecker)! She thinks time away with her friend will give him some space and that all will be back to normal when she returns.
This was my turning point towards Jane. Rather than confront her problems she seems to just ignore them and hope they'll just go away. If you have troubles in your relationship you work at it you don't swan off on holidays!!
While on this holiday she experiences a life altering event (well for most it would be but again she sort of glosses over it and ignores it) . I felt this was a little unrealistic?
After returning home Jane realizes that everything isn't just going to slot back into place, that moving on is incredibly hard but that moving on is sometimes the only way of finding happiness.
The Pink Pepper tree is a wonderful story of love and friendship. Highly recommended.
April 15, 2015
Originally reviewed at Novel Escapes
I was underwhelmed by this novel at first because I didn’t immediately bond with June’s voice. There was something a bit light about the way she interacted with her best friend Danielle as well as with long-term boyfriend Peter. The dialogue came across as incomplete which didn’t lend to the character development. At first I didn’t even realise that they were all still in their 20’s? However, I kept reading because I became interested in the girls’ trip to Europe and wanted to see how their holiday would reflect the route they’d had experienced as younger women. While they didn’t end up re-creating that back-packing trip at all, the holiday was fun and gave me a better sense of their friendship. It also propelled the plot into a more intriguing read…
The most significant part of the novel for me was actually June’s career in the wine industry. I loved that Muriel Bolger took her all over the world for her education and I felt close to the experiences with her. It wasn’t until well into the story that I remembered the first chapter and the strange scenario that played out. I’d completely forgotten about the man we meet in that setting and once he was re-introduced I did become interested in finding out how June had ended up in that fateful scene.
While the story does have a happy ending there wasn’t a lot of joy in it for June throughout. I found myself very sad for her despite her wonderful support system. It’s not as light a novel as I’d initially expected and upon reflection now I actually got a lot out of it. I wish my relationship with June had been established earlier so I could have really gotten the most out of the book. I would definitely read another novel by the author, there was much that I respected in her writing.
Thank you to Hachette Books Ireland for our review copy. All opinions are our own.
I was underwhelmed by this novel at first because I didn’t immediately bond with June’s voice. There was something a bit light about the way she interacted with her best friend Danielle as well as with long-term boyfriend Peter. The dialogue came across as incomplete which didn’t lend to the character development. At first I didn’t even realise that they were all still in their 20’s? However, I kept reading because I became interested in the girls’ trip to Europe and wanted to see how their holiday would reflect the route they’d had experienced as younger women. While they didn’t end up re-creating that back-packing trip at all, the holiday was fun and gave me a better sense of their friendship. It also propelled the plot into a more intriguing read…
The most significant part of the novel for me was actually June’s career in the wine industry. I loved that Muriel Bolger took her all over the world for her education and I felt close to the experiences with her. It wasn’t until well into the story that I remembered the first chapter and the strange scenario that played out. I’d completely forgotten about the man we meet in that setting and once he was re-introduced I did become interested in finding out how June had ended up in that fateful scene.
While the story does have a happy ending there wasn’t a lot of joy in it for June throughout. I found myself very sad for her despite her wonderful support system. It’s not as light a novel as I’d initially expected and upon reflection now I actually got a lot out of it. I wish my relationship with June had been established earlier so I could have really gotten the most out of the book. I would definitely read another novel by the author, there was much that I respected in her writing.
Thank you to Hachette Books Ireland for our review copy. All opinions are our own.
June 19, 2014
This book was an excellent read full of twists and turns and lasted two days in the sunshine a wonderful Muriel Bolger read
July 5, 2014
I loved this book, the theme of the book resonates with my own life so caused a lot food for thought. I would thoroughly recommend this.
January 3, 2015
Great read couldn't put it down
May 12, 2016
I really loved this book. I couldn't stop reading and wanted it to continue
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews