In the Shade of Olive Trees

Kate Laack's debut novel highlights themes of heartbreak, friendship, healing, and forgiveness.



Julia Brooks' honeymoon has not gone as planned. Left at the altar by her fiancé and now traveling alone through one of the most romantic places on Earth, the first days of the trip are plagued with mishaps, train strikes, canceled reservations, and one ill-advised kiss in the shadow of the Duomo.



Desperate to outrun her regrets both past and present, Julia reroutes her itinerary to the peaceful seaside village of Porto Venere where happenstance leads her to the most unexpected place to find comfort: Olive Haven Women's Retreat for Widowed Travelers.



There, among the guests' stories of great love and great heartache, Julia faces the truth about the love she lost, a truth that changes everything she thought she knew. 



How badly can a heart break and still be put back together? Julia is about to find out.