The Simplicity of Cider by Amy E. Reichert
Published by: Gallery Books
Pub Date: May 16, 2017
Pages: 313
Format: e-arc | Source: NetGalley
Genres: adult, contemporary romance
Rating: 

Fall in love with The Simplicity of Cider, the charming new novel about a prickly but gifted cider-maker whose quiet life is interrupted by the arrival of a handsome man and his young son at her family’s careworn orchard by the author of The Coincidence of Coconut Cake and Luck, Love & Lemon Pie.

Focused and unassuming fifth generation cider-maker Sanna Lund has one desire: to live a simple, quiet life on her family’s apple orchard in Door County, Wisconsin. Although her business is struggling, Sanna remains fiercely devoted to the orchard, despite her brother’s attempts to convince their aging father to sell the land.

Single dad Isaac Banks has spent years trying to shield his son Sebastian from his troubled mother. Fleeing heartbreak at home, Isaac packed up their lives and the two headed out on an adventure, driving across the country. Chance—or fate—led them straight to Sanna’s orchard.

Isaac’s helping hands are much appreciated at the apple farm, even more when Sanna’s father is injured in an accident. As Sanna’s formerly simple life becomes increasingly complicated, she finds solace in unexpected places—friendship with young Sebastian and something more deliciously complex with Isaac—until an outside threat infiltrates the farm.

From the warm and funny Amy E. Reichert, The Simplicity of Cider is a charming love story with a touch of magic, perfect for fans of Sarah Addison Allen and Gayle Forman.

While slow in parts and not always easy to connect with emotionally, The Simplicity of Cider was very charming. I loved the idyllic setting and learning about apple growing/cider making! I also enjoyed Sanna’s growth as a character and the way that Isaac and Bass fell in love with Door County too. There’s a hint of magical realism- Sanna can see cider flavors as colors in her mind- that I found interesting and not intrusive. It was well done. The usual amount of drama that’s present in contemporary fiction dealing with families, but it wasn’t too over the top. I didn’t really love that a tertiary character had some POV chapters- it made sense in the end but it seemed superfluous and stopped the flow a little bit. And like I said, I didn’t connect emotionally with the characters- they were kept at arms length and some of the dialogue was sickly sweet. In the end, it was an enjoyable book overall and I’d definitely recommend it to fans of adult fiction.

Do you enjoy adult fiction? What about books with hints of magical realism?