In California an old man named Magnus Johansen climbs the ladder to begin the apple harvest, dreamily enjoying his morning and THE APPLE ORCHARD. Meanwhile, Tess Delaney, who works for a San Francisco auction house, finds forgotten treasures and establishes provenance, happy at her work - but aware that she comes from a line of women who don't keep men around for long.

We next meet Dominic Rossi, friend and neighbour of Magnus. His career as a navy pilot ended with injury so he soaks up the relaxing sunlight - until he learns that Magnus has fallen. When Dominic meets with Tess, at her company's office, it's to give her some news about Magnus - whom Tess doesn't know, though he is her grandfather according to Dominic, who now represents a bank trust in Sonoma County. Tess can't help feeling a stab of resentment. How come this young man got to be friends with her grandfather, who knew of her existence, when Tess grew up without relatives? Even harder news is to follow.

I liked the scrumptious apple recipes heading chapters, Danish apple pie and apple chutney, interspersed with other delicacies such as Tweed kettle pie or lavender scones. Some readers will be buying this book just for the recipes. Also enjoyable is when Dominic takes Tess on a journey in his seaplane, over the Bay, and when Tess finally explores the wine country that she'd never made time to visit.

The story gets slow in the middle, because everyone is gradually meeting everyone else. Health troubles and money issues are discussed. This is contrasted with the terrible uncertainty of life under the brownshirts in Copenhagen in 1941. Essentially the interwoven tale by Susan Wiggs asks us to consider which is more important - treasures and memories, or family and security. By putting her heroine through life changes and reminding her that the office still expects her to come in, the author encourages us to explore, even if we already seem content. With plenty of location detail and baking so good we can smell the waft from the oven, THE APPLE ORCHARD will make new friends for this popular author in a field which is more women's fiction than romance, albeit with a strong fragrance of love.