Faraway Smell of Lemon: From the bestselling author of The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry

Rachel Joyce

Dec 2013 · Random House

About this ebook

It is Christmas Eve. Binny has four hours to make Christmas happen and she couldn’t feel less like wishing glad tidings of good will to all men – least of all to Oliver. It is raining, her house is falling apart, the streets are jammed with people and it is all Oliver’s fault. Darting into a shop to escape a conversation, Binny finds herself in the sort of place she would never normally visit. But in amongst the shelves is a surprising source of peace.
A beautiful gem of a short story from Rachel Joyce, bestselling author of The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry and Perfect The Love Song of Miss Queenie Hennessy.

Ratings and reviews

This reminded me somewhat of an Aeosop's Fable. I would have preferred it to be slightly longer - even for a short story, it seemed to end a little quickly. Nice short read for Christmas.

Worst book I've ever read. So bad it prompted me to write my first review.

After enjoying her two previous books: The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry and The Love Song of Miss Quennie Hennessy, this one was very boring.

About the author

Rachel Joyce is the author of the Sunday Times and international bestsellers The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry, Perfect, The Love Song of Miss Queenie Hennessy, The Music Shop, Miss Benson's Beetle and a collection of interlinked short stories, A Snow Garden & Other Stories. Her new novel, Maureen Fry & the Angel of the North is out now. The film of The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry will be released on 28 April 2023.

Rachel's books have been translated into thirty-six languages. The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry was shortlisted for the Commonwealth Book prize and longlisted for the Man Booker Prize. Rachel was awarded the Specsavers National Book Awards 'New Writer of the Year' in December 2012 and shortlisted for the 'UK Author of the Year' 2014.

Rachel has also written over twenty original afternoon plays and adaptations of the classics for BBC Radio 4, including all the Bronte novels. She moved to writing after a long career as an actor, performing leading roles for the RSC, the National Theatre and Cheek by Jowl.

She lives with her family in Gloucestershire.