Get A Kiss Behind The Castanets: My Love Affair With Spain Originated By Jean Roberts Formatted As Paperback

love reading memoirs of people moving to another country mainly because I won't be, and this one didn't disappoint.

Jean and her husband Adrian initially buy a holiday home in Spain with another couple, and the renovations turn into a huge nightmare.
There is lots of humour, some "oh no" moments, and lots of local activities which they become involved with,
This was so entertaining to read from beginning to end, and Jean's love of Spain comes through on almost every page.

Loved the recipes at the end a nice surprise, Beautiful

Love Spain Or, just want to see what it would be like to live there Jean Roberts has a story to tell.
This book opened my eyes to the real day to day life as an expat living part time in Spain.
Her well written memoirs take us through daily life from home renovations to the cultural beauty of festivals, food, friends, and animals.
She and her family share the ups and downs of buying not one, but two homes, I truly enjoyed this book, It made me smile and it gave me a new perspective of the Spanish people, their love of family, and the warmth they show when expats move into their small villages.
I'm so glad I got to read this I'm planning on moving to a Spanish country in a few years so it was a good headsup! I can't believe the ridiculous situations Jean found herself in however she manages to get through them, whatever the trouble.
I love her writing style it's so easy to get into and she brings the memories to life through her words and there's a great sense of humour throughout.
The book also includes recipes at the end which I thought was great, and I love the little icons used at the start of each chapter that make it that little bit more individual.
A life changing event finally made the author take stock of her life and do something she had always dreamed about doing buying a property in Spain.
However, the road to her perfect property was beset with pitfalls, It was certainly a steep learning curve! I enjoyed her lovely conversational style of writing which draws you into her tale.
Sit down with a cup of tea and read this book and relax, Laugh as you read about a chicken invasion and of course the inevitable language blunders!!
I liked all the little historical details and her genuine desire to get to know her neighbours and be a part of the community.
As a bonus there's some rather delicious recipes included at the end, I'm definitely going to try some of them, I wish her much happiness in her Spanish home which she and her husband have worked so hard to create.
If youre like me and enjoy reading moving abroad memoirs, then you will enjoy this book, Im glad there are more to come, Lovely book and I thoroughly enjoyed it!

I love travel and moving abroad memoirs and was so pleased to read this first in a new series of Moving to Spain Memoirs by Jean Roberts.
What an amazing cover tooit makes it an irresistible book!

I really liked her 'voice' coming through the writing.
A nice quick first chapter got the book moving easily, More of the same followed, again, very pleasant, short and to the point chapters, It was a lovely, easy read with great info about the local foods, It was also informativeeg. the bit telling about harvesting olives, Historical details too.

I liked the funny mistakes with the lingo, very entertaining, I can't wait to read more from this author and am so pleased to see that there will be a sequel!

The book started out as some diary entries.
What a lovely book has emerged from those,

An excellent read which I thoroughly enjoyed, I really enjoyed this easy flowing memoir describing Jean and her husbands' move to Spain, The descriptions were beautifully written making me feel I was really encountering rural Andalucia, I can so relate to many of the issues that came up, workmen, language barriers, cultural differences as I have struggled through them myself.
I liked the recipes at the back, I shall be trying some of them! I was sorry when the book ended, definitely recommend to fellow memoir lovers.
An honest and heartwarming read
I loved reading about a part of Spain I've never visited, but is certainly high on my list of holiday destinations now.
Jean, describes the good and the bad experiences she's had with buying a second home in Spain, Lots of cautionary tales that would be wise for anyone considering buying in Spain to consider, They had some bad luck in the early days, but Jean's love of Spain, her Spanish neighbours and her little piece of paradise shines through.
Some very tasty looking recipes to try at the end too,   Very much looking forward to reading the sequel,   When Jean buys a house in Spain following a breakdown, she dreams of vibrant Spanish art, passionate flamenco, and cocktails at sunset.
Her glorified image of life abroad is crushed as she battles rogue tradesmen and vicious local wildlife,

From stalking a neighbour to encountering trees with testicles, will she weather the storms of expat life or wish she had never left the UK

A Kiss Behind the Castanets is the first instalment of Jean Roberts's lighthearted and uplifting tale in her Moving to Spain series.


Perfect for fans of Victoria Twead, Chris Stewart, and Alan Parks, A New Way of Life

What a wonderful story about transition to a new country and way of life.
The ups and downs and the trials of once the property us yours finding all the faults that were so cleverly disguised when the viewing took place.


Unfortunately they fall into the trap of the rogue builders and underhand key holders, As is often the

case our native countrymen are the worse, we are all guilty of falling into their traps trusting them as we all speak the same language.


Well done Jean Roberts you had me laughing out loud on more thanoccasion, Looking forward to book.








I enjoyed this memoir about Jean Roberts purchase of a second home in Spain.
There was a good mix of personal experience and local information, as well as some interesting history I didnt know before.
There were also a few salutary lessons to be learned about buying a property in Spain that require both renovations and caretaking.


That said, the author is clearly in love with the country and most, if not all, things Spanish.
She is as candid about those aspects she doesnt like so much as she is about what she really loves and her honesty is refreshing.
This is not a book that would motivate me to move to Andalucia the downsides are the type that would put me off but I enjoyed learning more about it through her light, easy style, especially the parts about village life and the language.
A light hearted read. Lots of fun moments and interesting people, Some serious bits too and some horror stories, Well written and worth a read, Well written.

I enjoyed this book and look forward to Jean"s next book, Jean seemed to relax as the book progressed, I imagine that she had a pretty awful time in her job, As she says, writing was cathartic,
She discovered her true friends, has a loving family and appreciates the life she now has,
Happy days Jean. One of my favourite memoir subjects has always been moving to another country and in this book, the author and her husband decide a house in Spain is on their horizon.
Of course there are the pitfalls of dealing with locals, incompetent tradesman, shysters masquerading as friends, crazy chickens and the usual adjustments to foreign language and customs.
The writing style is light and easy, in places more like a fascinating diary the descriptions of country life in Andalusia are delightful and there are even recipes to highlight this move to Spain.
A nicely written book


A humorous account of moving to Spain, lots of local people and expatriates stories.
Also about most anything you need to know about ,customs, food and charming characters, Enjoyed this one.
Jean Roberts is a retired social worker and a cautiously negative optimist, She is married with two grown up children and a small tribe of grandchildren, She spends her time between her home in Essex and her happy place in Spain, .