The night before Frances Mayes left Edinburgh to come to Greece for the first time, her old school comrades at their 30 year reunion named her 'Shirley Valentine. Frances fulfilled that role by finding a new enthusiasm for life, and a number of jobs, from teaching English, to caretaking an estate, to working for a holiday villa company. Encouraged to write by the good reception for her work on the local English language paper, Frances relates this first part of her memoir, which covers her life in 3 very different Greek places, and adventures ranging from hilarious to hair-raising.

With her beloved Tuscany as a home base, Mayes travels to Spain, Portugal, France, the British Isles, and to the Mediterranean world of Turkey, Greece, the South of Italy, and North Africa. Weaving together personal perceptions and informed commentary on art, architecture, history, landscape, and social and culinary traditions, Mayes brings the immediacy of life in her temporary homes to readers.

When her family faces kidnap threats after the publication of her first book, Deborah Rodriguez is forced to flee Kabul, leaving behind her friends, her possessions, the beauty school she helped found and her two beloved businesses: a beauty salon and a coffee shop.

But life proves no easier ‘back home'. After a year living on top of a mountain in the Napa Valley and teetering on the edge of sanity, Deborah makes a decision. One way or another she's going to get the old Deb back.

So, at the age of forty-nine, she packs her life and her cat Polly into her Mini Cooper and heads south to a pretty seaside town in Mexico. Home is now an unassuming little house on Carnaval Street.

Life and love, olive groves and bee hives in Provence - further adventures in the bestselling Olive Farm series.

Troubled by challenges her own South of France farm is experiencing, Carol realises new approaches to farming are becoming essential.
Her quest takes her south through Spain, Morocco, Algeria and Italy before she finally returns to her farm.

Through her travels and vivid encounters, Carol confronts some of the critical issues of our time - land-care and the harsh realities of diminishing water reserves - and ends her momentous journey in the company of olive growers whose vision for the future is remarkable and ingenious.

From the eastern shores of the shimmering Mediterranean to its western coast this fruit is farmed. Its silvery-green branches have inspired painters and poets, but who first pressed its 'bitter berry' and transformed it into liquid gold? In quest of its secrets and traditions, Carol embarked on a solo adventure round the Mediterranean basin. 

 Returning to their home after an extended absence, Carol and her husband Michel are looking forward to summer together on the farm. A shocking blow leaves Carol alone. The future is uncertain.