The Olive Grove
Evelyn’s main output is her historical novels, however she also ventured into other territories including plays, short stories, poetry and the popular modern-day novels centred on the village of Prior’s Ford.
In the early 1980’s Evelyn also worked on books specifically for the Mills and Boon market. She enjoyed the difference in writing style, and she worked with ease on two books at the same time, as if each style gave her an opportunity to rest from the other.
Where the historical novels involved a lot of research, the Mills and Boon romantic novel style did not require the same preparatory investment. An example of the romantic novel style is when Evelyn drew on a holiday experience in Corfu to produce ‘The Olive Grove’. Evelyn has received many comments from readers who are transported to that idyllic location through her writing.
Indeed, the Corfu holiday is Evelyn’s all-time favourite holiday, even though it was some 40 years ago. Her career as an author was well on its way; she was with her husband just the two of them in a quiet, secluded villa, and no agenda to follow. Even her two sons were old enough to have alternative plans so she could be free from having to think about family. She was able to spend a lot of time swimming and meandering through the days; an idyllic holiday indeed for someone who was always working hard. Who would have known that all the time there was a book idea bubbling away in the background during this holiday?
The story is about Sara, whose employer Nikos has gone home to Greece to recuperate from a car accident. Nikos offers Sara a working holiday in Corfu, as his assistant.
This comes at a time when Sara has finished a relationship and is still wary of getting into another, but Nikos might just be the antidote to Sara’s broken heart. Unfortunately, Nikos’ mother who lives on Corfu has other plans for her beloved son.
When Nikos’ disreputable half-brother Patrick saunters into her life, Sara finds herself torn between adventure and security.
‘The Olive Grove’ was first published by Mills and Boon in 1982 as ‘A Time To Care’, under the pen-name of Elizabeth A. Webster. Severn House re-published it in 1998 under the name of Evelyn Hood, and re-titled it, ‘The Olive Grove’.
Simon & Evelyn Hood