A Kiss Behind the Castanets by Jean Roberts

I’ve just finished and enjoyed this memoir about author Jean Roberts’ purchase of a second home in Spain. I found there was a good mix of personal experience and local information, as well as some interesting history I didn’t know before. There are also a few salutary lessons to be learned about buying a property in Spain that require both renovations and care-taking.

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 doesn’t 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.

The link to the book is here