An enjoyable listen

Where does The Olive Farm rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

I'd rank this title somewhere in the top third of all the books I've listened to.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Olive Farm?

I thought the most memorable scenes involved Carol dealing with forces outside her control -- French bureaucracy, the locals, various animals, storms and fires.

Which character – as performed by Carol Drinkwater – was your favorite?

I found it interesting that she is a much more complex character herself than the one she is most famous for portraying on television. She is not afraid to reveal her quirks.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No, it was perfect in about one-hour bites, as I listened to it on my lunch hour.

2 people found this helpful

courage and chaos

Where does The Olive Farm rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

In the personal memoir genre this book ranks very high.

What did you like best about this story?

the honesty of the author

What does Carol Drinkwater bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Carol Drinkwater's language, voice, and attention to detail.. She is an excellent and intelligent reader and uses language and description so well that you really can visualize her description of the area and all its attributes. This is a case, given her skills, that could only have been narrated by the author.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No.

Any additional comments?

I'm going to move on to the next olive book in her series.

2 people found this helpful

Carol Drinkwater is my Favorite Newly Discovered Author!

During these strange and challenging times of 2020’s pandemic, civil unrest and political turmoil, I desperately needed something to remind me what was real and what really mattered in life; The Olive Garden was just that beautiful reminder!
Set partly on the Mediterranean, in divine Southern France, this memoir of Carol Drinkwater’s early days, details the joys, struggles, heartbreaks and triumphs of reclaiming an abandoned villa and surrounding property complete with citrus and olive groves and transforming it into a productive, award winning, producer of olive oil.
Laugh, cry and hide under the covers in fear as Carol Drinkwater recounts this riveting tale in her own words in her own alluring voice!
The perfect antidote for fear. The perfect reason to exploit your own dreams. The exact reason why “biting off more than you can chew” is always the right thing to do when following your heart.
Listen and Love!
Thanks a million times Carol! I only hope to sit down and discuss this story with you in person one day over a dish of olive oil and a glass of Rosé.

Cheers!

- Nathan Heinrich

1 person found this helpful

Read this book, rather than listen to it.

I enjoyed the author's story but I was surprised at the end to find she had also narrated the book. The author mentions in the book that she is an actress. However, I found her narration lacked emotional impact. There was little difference in tone between happy days/events versus trying/difficult days.

1 person found this helpful

Most Pleasant

Would you listen to The Olive Farm again? Why?

I have listened to this book several times. It is beautiful. At first it made me want to move and have those same experiences then I realized that I need to create them in my own way, In my own home, with my own family. Love this book so much

1 person found this helpful

Travel, Romance and DIY

What did you love best about The Olive Farm?

I liked hearing about following their dreams and dealing with some tough odds to make things happen.

Any additional comments?

This is a good book for those who like hearing about living in a different country, travel also about a new love coming together. Written and narrated by the actress who was the wife in All Creatures Great and Small. Wanted the second book but it is not on audible so I will have to read it!

1 person found this helpful

The best medicine

Provence 2023 a must. Tenacity, love and friends.Watching the series too, a tonic for any time .

Liquid sunshine!

This was a delightful audio experience which stayed with me when I was too busy to listen. The sights, sounds and smells of the south coast of France were all around me as I listened to the excellent narration by the author, Carol Drinkwater. I am looking forward to listening to the next book, Return to the Olive Farm, very soon.

Could have been so much better

Chose this book because who doesn't dream of owning a farm/vineyard in France or southern Italy? Ever since Under the Tuscan sun, Americans have been fascinated with the idea of leaving the US for a sun drenched property overlooking the Med. Problem here is the way she jumps around between matters of the farm and her acting life, and it is distracting. Add in that she appears to care for her dogs and then mentions nothing about their welfare and I came away thinking she was a bad/careless dog owner. She also tends to be a bit histrionic about every obstacle and I grew irritated with this helpless, frustrated approach she had to every challenge. Not what I, as a urban farmer, expect from someone who loves and works the land. When you own acreage and/or a farm, sh$t happens and trying to create drama out of small obstacles got tiring as the book went on. What was nice was her descriptions of the land and I felt myself seeing it through her eyes. Her tendency to overdramatizing everything hurt the charm of the book.

Delightful!

I read this book many years ago and Carol Drinkwater's warmth came shining through. So too her audible reading. As a lover and former owner in the South of France, all the places, things and people were deliciously familiar to me. I could smell the smells, taste the tastes. It made me long to return. Thank you