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Sara Alexi
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The Illegal Gardener (Greek Village Book 1) Kindle Edition

by Sara Alexi (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.2 out of 5 stars 6,547 ratings

Lift yourself, fill yourself full of hope and compassion!!



The Illegal Gardener is a moving, poignant story about life's rare encounters which knock us off our path, and elevate our very existence.

Driven by a need for some control in her life, Juliet sells up on impulse and buys a run down farmhouse in a tiny Greek village, leaving her English life behind. Her boys have grown and she has finally divorced her bullying husband. This is her time now.

Whilst making her new home habitable, Juliet discovers she needs a sturdy helping hand with the unruly and neglected garden. Unwilling to share her newfound independence with anyone, but unable to do all the work by herself, she reluctantly enlists casual labour.

Aaman has travelled to Greece from Pakistan illegally. Desperate to find a way out of poverty, his challenge is to find work and raise money for the harvester his village urgently need to survive.

What he imagined would be a heroic journey in reality is fraught with danger and corruption. Aaman finds himself in Greece, and with each passing day loses a little more of himself as he survives his new life as an immigrant worker; illegal, displaced, unwanted and with no value. Hungry and stranded, how will he ever make it back home to Pakistan?

In what begins as an uncomfortable exchange, Juliet hires Aaman to be her gardener, but resents the intrusion even though she needs the help. Aaman needs the work and money but resents the humiliation.

In spite of themselves, as the summer progresses, they get to know one another and discover they have something in common. Pieces of their lives they have kept hidden even from themselves are exposed, with each helping the other to face their painful past.

Will Juliet and Amaan finally let each other in? And what will be the outcome of this improbable conjoining of two lost souls?
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  1. Book 1 of 19
    Greek Village
  2. Print length
    290 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Accessibility
    Learn more
  5. Publication date
    30 Nov. 2013
  6. File size
    1.4 MB
  7. Page Flip
    Enabled
  8. Word Wise
    Enabled
  9. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
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 See full series
There are 19 books in this series.

In this series (19 books)

Kindle Edition

Product description

Review

'Reminiscent of Remains of the Day.'

'A good tale well told. Shades of Steinbeck and Bradbury.'

'The author has huge potential and if she keeps writing and developing like this then I wouldn't be at all surprised to see her name on a future Man Booker list!'

'Sensitive with beautifully crafted characters that you really cared about.'

'I was captivated from the start unable to put the book down.'

About the Author

Sara Alexi was born in Oxford, England. She has traveled widely and now spends much of her time in a tiny rural village in the Peloponnese, in Greece, where she is (very slowly!) renovating a ruined stone farmhouse, whilst observing the Greek way of life and absorbing the culture, to enrich her vision for both writing and painting.

Sara began writing later in life. In school English lessons were a time of confusion, books indecipherable hieroglyphics. Dyslexia was not well understood then and no support was available. The joy of reading and writing were canceled by the teacher's red pen ...

Despite her dyslexia Sara qualified as a psychotherapist and ran her own practice for years. Her artistic nature was, at that time, confined to painting and she exhibited widely. In a casual conversation with a client she discovered that Agatha Christie, Jules Verne and Hans Christian Andersen were all dyslexic, and Sara's perspective changed.

The world of fiction opened to her with this shift in perception and she has been a prolific writer ever since. Her 'Greek Village Series' has been very well received and provides a keenly observed, compassionate insight into the Greek people and culture, and the human condition in general. Watch this space for the next in the series, coming soon!

Follow Sara: http://www.facebook.com/authorsaraalexi

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B008LMT78U
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Oneiro Press
  • Accessibility ‏ : ‎ Learn more
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ 30 Nov. 2013
  • Edition ‏ : ‎ 1st
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1.4 MB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 290 pages
  • Page Flip ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Book 1 of 19 ‏ : ‎ Greek Village
  • Customer reviews:
    4.2 out of 5 stars 6,547 ratings

About the author

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Sara Alexi

Sara Alexi

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Sara Alexi's 'Greek Village Series' has been very well received and provides a keenly observed and compassionate insight into the Greek people and culture from the years she lived there, and a rare view of what makes up the human condition that she acquired as a psychotherapist.

Here is the order the books in the series were written,

The illegal Gardener

Black Butterflies

The Explosive Nature of Friendship

The Gypsy’s Dream

The Art of Becoming Homeless

In The Shade of The Monkey Puzzle Tree

A Handful of Pebbles

The Unquiet Mind

Watching The Wind Blow

The Reluctant Baker

The English Lesson

The Priest Well

A Song Amongst the Orange Trees

The Stolen Book

A Stranger in the Village

The Stolen Book

The Rush Cutter Legacy

Saving Septic Cyril

Being Enough

A Wander Through the Village - The Greek Village Handbook

A Stranger In the Village

A Self Effacing Man

The Piano Raft

The House Keeper

An Island Too Small

The Greek Village Cookery Book or The Short and Happy Tale of Pippo Lampo

The Village Idiots part I, II and III

The Other Daughter

A Very English Christmas.

The Greek Village Colouring Book.

Customer reviews

4.2 out of 5 stars
6,547 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find this book enchanting and well-written, with emotional depth and a gentle, sensitive love story. The characters are well-rounded, and customers appreciate how it gives insight into another culture and the plight of illegal immigrants. While some customers say it kept them captivated throughout, others find the storyline completely implausible.

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482 customers mention ‘Readability’482 positive0 negative

Customers find the book highly readable, describing it as a lovely story that makes for a great holiday read, with one customer noting it's a page-turner.

"...Moreover it is a testimony to the brilliant plot and Alexi's penmanship that the end despite being unusual and equally thrilling feels a let down." Read more

"...but I am thankful for that something as it turned out to be a delightful read. I was most impressed by the characterisation...." Read more

"...It is a touching and heartening story with a solid and believable ending; getting a five star high five from me for not adding a sexual theme and..." Read more

"...For 2/3rds of the book I found the story fairly plausible. However, once Amman is arrested and taken away it develops into something else...." Read more

278 customers mention ‘Writing quality’264 positive14 negative

Customers praise the writing style of the book, describing it as beautifully written and wonderfully descriptive, with one customer particularly appreciating the staccato delivery of short sentences.

"...Getting on with the story at a nice pace - enough to keep my interest but not too fast that it was over too soon...." Read more

"...It is a touching and heartening story with a solid and believable ending; getting a five star high five from me for not adding a sexual theme and..." Read more

"...A gentle, slow-paced introduction to the Village series." Read more

"...If you want a gentle read with indepth characters this is for you but be prepared to be educated in the ways of how harsh life is for illegal..." Read more

194 customers mention ‘Heartwarming story’185 positive9 negative

Customers find this book heartwarming, with its emotional depth and deeper insight into true friendship. One customer notes its uncanny understanding of human relationships, while another describes it as a lovely tale of human kindness.

"...Like a true virtuoso, she tenderly melds together these two personalities and much to ones delight their very differences become a profound..." Read more

"...believable ending; getting a five star high five from me for not adding a sexual theme and shattering a realistic relationship and cultural divides." Read more

"...A gentle, slow-paced introduction to the Village series." Read more

"...The outcome was that her life was enriched by his thoughtful actions and realisation that you got more back from giving and he benefited from her..." Read more

102 customers mention ‘Believable characters’89 positive13 negative

Customers appreciate the believable characters in the book, noting their well-rounded nature and beautiful emotional descriptions. One customer mentions that the story is character-driven rather than plot-driven.

"...The rapport between the two main characters was excellent, each drawing the other out of their respective shells and comfort zones, gradually..." Read more

"...you so much for a really enjoyable book - your characters and their experiences are believable and sucked me right in , I became attached to both of..." Read more

"...about the half way point it started to pick up and the characters became alot more engaging and found myself wanting to know what happened to..." Read more

"...Alexi's characters seem very real, shaped by their life experiences and mutually supportive of each other despite very different backgrounds...." Read more

49 customers mention ‘Insight’44 positive5 negative

Customers appreciate how the book provides insight into another culture and the plight of illegal immigrants, describing it as a fascinating story of cultures colliding.

"...Alexi's research into the subject is impressive as she deals with all these issues...." Read more

"...This book has opened my eyes to illegals, people who I've looked at with judgement in the past, but this book has made me open my eyes to the..." Read more

"...It gives an insight into another culture and real life struggles to achieve the basic daily essentials that we take for granted...." Read more

"...'The Illegal Gardener' has magnetic tension and emotional intelligence is quantity...." Read more

19 customers mention ‘Ease of reading’19 positive0 negative

Customers find the book easy to read and hard to put down, with one customer noting it's not difficult to follow.

"...However, as the story unfolded it became quite absorbing and difficult to put down...." Read more

"...book is so well written and you can picture the characters and setting with ease...." Read more

"Must read, whatever you do don't miss this. Couldn't put it down and didn't want it to end...." Read more

"...were likable and believable and only two main characters so its easy to pick up where you left off" Read more

72 customers mention ‘Storyline’41 positive31 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the storyline of the book, with some finding it a gentle engaging tale and a sensitive love story, while others describe it as completely implausible and ridiculous.

"I found The Illegal Gardener an intriguing and unusual book and I’m glad that I read it...." Read more

"...really has to have some credibility for me to enjoy it and this storyline had none...." Read more

"This was a story of betrayal, love, trust and friendship...." Read more

"...A story of love but not the usual love story. I am looking forward to the next in the series." Read more

56 customers mention ‘Pacing’31 positive25 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the pacing of the book, with some finding it particularly moving and keeping them captivated throughout, while others describe it as an implausible tale.

"...I found this book so moving that I couldn't stop thinking about it for weeks afterwards...." Read more

"...The book lacks punch in my opinion and rambles along with all but the central characters poorly described...." Read more

"...was well written, in quite a staccato-style, and was entertaining, moving and evocative...." Read more

"...I thought this story started off very slow and I was tempted to give up, but when I got to about the half way point it started to pick up and the..." Read more

Top reviews from United Kingdom

  • moon quartz
    5.0 out of 5 stars utterly charming literary read
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 14 March 2018
    Verified Purchase
    This book was sitting on my Kindle for a while begging to be read and finally on impulse I succumbed. True the first chapter or two made me question my decision and what I was letting myself in for. Looking back, I wonder if it had to do with the rather delicate subject of illegitimate immigrant workers and a Pakistani at that. It's surprising how we let covert prejudices colour our perspective. I chuckle as I realise Alexi uses just that to subtly hammer this point among others in this her first novel. Set in beautiful Greece, at the core of the plot is a heartbreaking subject reflected in the novels title. The very beauty of the landscape emphasises the pathos and futility of the illegal immigrant. There is no doubting Alexi's acuity as she develops her characters and the plot. Her bravura shines through as she sets the stage for her story to unfold and imperceptibly sets up her readers too. One cannot get two protagonists as disparate culturally, financially and experientially as the quintessential English Juliet and Aaman the Pakistani youth. As far as the West is from the East one would not expect these two to meet. Yet in the illegal gardener, they do. Like a true virtuoso, she tenderly melds together these two personalities and much to ones delight their very differences become a profound learning experience. One is moved to tears as Alexi with alluring poignancy brings to the fore issues faced by illegal immigrants. Oppression, class differences, a life fraught with danger and corruption not merely from authorities but also from fellow immigrants, unwanted, hungry, feelings of worthlessness, loss of his dignity as a human being, the longing to have a piece of the western cake of affluence that seems to elude him to name a few. Despite this Aaman perseveres for much is at stake. One cannot help but be impressed by his grit, rooting for him. strangely during his darkest hour his concerns are for Juliet and that he may have let her down. Then there is Juliet who has buried her pain to be a mother, broken yet stoical she has taken flight. Alexi's research into the subject is impressive as she deals with all these issues. The book is driven by energy and feeling, there is romance albeit not sexual yet throughout Alexi is realistic. One desperately longs to discover what happens next and the pages of ones Kindle have never turned this quickly. Will the two protagonists overcome their physical and mental demons? This book continues to give to the very end not least Alexi's dazzling word sketches will certainly boost Greek tourism. Moreover it is a testimony to the brilliant plot and Alexi's penmanship that the end despite being unusual and equally thrilling feels a let down.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Ashrae
    4.0 out of 5 stars Lovely Book
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 11 June 2013
    Verified Purchase
    I don't know what drew me to this book as it isn't my usual type of book but I am thankful for that something as it turned out to be a delightful read. I was most impressed by the characterisation. The rapport between the two main characters was excellent, each drawing the other out of their respective shells and comfort zones, gradually opening up as they get to know each other. The way they both changed - matured and became more confident - as the book progressed was lovely to read. The supporting cast added spice and flavour to the mix - I especially liked the cats.
    I have never been to Greece but I really enjoyed the descriptions of the way of life depicted in the book - I guess you could class it as a character in its own right - important to the story of course, but not overpowering.
    I also like the author's style of writing. Getting on with the story at a nice pace - enough to keep my interest but not too fast that it was over too soon.
    I think the best thing is that this book is part of a series - looks like it is time to get me a new voucher loaded onto my account!
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  • Annie
    5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 8 November 2012
    Verified Purchase
    This book is far from my normal genre. Lured by the blurb and the promise of a vividly written picture of Greek life, I was sold. Like the main character, I too lost my heart to the country and it's peoples and culture in my early twenties. True, it is a beautifully descriptive novel, and one can almost feel the warmth and smell the earth. But aside from the powerful imagery, lies a subtle and rather painful story that most westerners would rather not hear. As the borders to most western countries sag with illegal immigrants, we often ignore their individual plights over the enormity of the situation. Just this one, small and courageous character does help crystalize the plot, and whether the story is true of just one real immigrant, it must be at least close to the truth for thousands more. It is a touching and heartening story with a solid and believable ending; getting a five star high five from me for not adding a sexual theme and shattering a realistic relationship and cultural divides.
    24 people found this helpful
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  • Sam Hall
    3.0 out of 5 stars Starts well but lacks substance and plausibility.
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 31 December 2018
    Verified Purchase
    Someone recommended this book and author to me. It started reasonably well and was easy to read. For 2/3rds of the book I found the story fairly plausible. However, once Amman is arrested and taken away it develops into something else. I actually found some of the writing rather uncomfortable with the suggestion that their feelings might have developed into something else. I didn’t get where the author was going and it didn’t ring true. The book lacks punch in my opinion and rambles along with all but the central characters poorly described. It was an ok read but didn’t leave me inclined to seek out any more of the author’s books.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Tony Spencer
    4.0 out of 5 stars A story that will grow on you
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 14 July 2013
    Verified Purchase
    A charming book, the first in the Greek Village series. West meets East but neither understands each other at first. Juliet is English, adjusting to independence from her grown-up twins and recent divorce. She fulfils a dream to live in Greece, providing a translation service to support herself. Juliet keeps the world at arm's distance, her fears of rejection paramount. Determined to build a new life, she buys a run-down farmhouse, needing help to clear a littered garden. Cheap illegal immigrant labour is the solution, which introduces Aaman. He is a Pakistani farmer trying to relieve his family's poverty through buying a share of a new harvester in his Punjab village. Together, Juliet and Aaman help to bare and bear their scars, although the dangers of overstepping boundaries or deportation threatens to tear them apart. Some of the characters from the series, as well as the Greek bureaucracy, put in appearances but the ever-present star is Greece itself. A gentle, slow-paced introduction to the Village series.
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Phyllis Rader Eisenstadt
    5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful Narrative
    Reviewed in the United States on 22 May 2017
    Verified Purchase
    This is a book that does not draw you in with a "hook" of any sort, so at times you just want to give up and put it down. Then, slowly but surely, without even noticing it, you become more involved with the characters, as the author imbues them with more depth. The two main characters are of different ethnic backgrounds, speak different languages, and come from entirely different cultures. Yet, Ms. Alexi manages to merge the differences into a profound learning experience for both protagonists. Juliet, the English female protagonist and homeowner finds herself gifted with Aaman, a talented gardener whom she sometimes introduces as her houseboy. He is an impoverished Pakistani gardener who enters her life in ways that are charming and totally unexpected. They each possess knowledge and traits that are passed on one to the other, sometimes subtly, sometimes directly.

    The story takes place in Greece -- a country Juliet had visited some years ago, and to which she longed to return. The house she bought was in dire need of repairs, and Aaman, unable to find employment could not believe his good fortune when he was hired by Juliet and discovered the giving nature even she didn't know she possessed.

    For the reader, there is much tension in their relationship -- not sexual tension, but the tension of a dubious friendship between a single upper class English woman and a married, lower financial class Pakistani. Yet, Ms. Alexi makes it come together, tenderly, in a thoroughly believable manner. I loved this book and found it replete with Grecian flavor and thoroughly enjoyable.

    Get out the box of tissues!
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  • Shirley Mitchell
    5.0 out of 5 stars An unlikely couple
    Reviewed in France on 16 February 2014
    Verified Purchase
    This is a book to be read slowly, and savoured. How the author has managed to get inside the minds of two characters so diverse absolutely astounds me. And now I know them too: delightful individual quirks, ingrained cultural mores, the way they walk, talk, eat, sleep, think, dream. Warts and all, I love them both.

    I am glad I read this after enjoying The Gypsy's Dream because in that one I was thinking that I would like to know more about Juliet. And here she is with Aaman beside her. And the now familiar Village and its people just out of sight, down the lane, to be revisited from another point of view.
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  • Cliente Amazon
    5.0 out of 5 stars Loved it!
    Reviewed in Italy on 18 February 2016
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    Great book, sensitive, perfectly paced and with depth, avoiding a sugar-coated ending. Well done, Sara, I look forward to reading more!
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  • speedy
    5.0 out of 5 stars Touching and really nice.
    Reviewed in Germany on 23 September 2018
    Verified Purchase
    I am not usually the reader of this type of feelings and love and personal problem stories. But this book really touched me. A nice development of a good friendship between people from different worlds and cultures. At times the action is foreseeable, but that is ok - we are dealing with situations we all know in some way. But the outcomes and how the characters respond is very refreshing and just beautiful.
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  • NicShef❤️Reading
    5.0 out of 5 stars A novel with substance - the true beauty of life and friendship
    Reviewed in Australia on 21 December 2015
    Verified Purchase
    There is great depth and honesty in Sara Alexi's portrayal of the diverse characters from such different backgrounds in The Illegal Gardener. It took me a few chapters to realise how good this novel actually is as it started slowly however, I soon found myself engrossed in the story. I found I could read it decadently and enjoy the story while not wanting to rush through it to get to the ending - rare in books these days. The characters were developed slowly and the story line was established the same way. The novel expertly interweaves the lives of an English woman with the residents in the small Greek village she unexpectedly moves to. After leaving her home and children she becomes part of not only the village community but also forever changes the life of a stoic, deep, young refugee from Pakistan. It is done with a compassionate understanding of cultural differences. The author really shows the reader how to enjoy life in a strange country, not as a tourist, but as a native. She goes through the trials of learning how to live with its culture and learns the language and some of the customs of the inhabitants before her arrival. The progress of the novel was much like the progress any outsider might make while living in a new country. The story was very believable and beautiful. If you want a novel with substance - this is a great read.
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