Mandy Baggot comes to the blog with a romantic comedy that is all about finding yourself and embracing change in
My Greek Island Summer
Becky has always been the “fixer” in the family: quietly working to make everyone’s path smoother and life easier. A role she really stepped into when her father’s health declined, after his death, and with her mother’s relocation to Blackpool for a change of pace. Her sister, Megan, was more the stuff everything away, or bluster through until the universe bent to her will. But it’s been nearly eighteen months of Becky using her palate and some clever additions to the sandwiches she builds for her sister’s business that has kept them going, until Megan’s insults and lack of expressed confidence or respect for Becky’s position in the business, not to mention in life.
Deciding that she needed a change and hearing about a house-sitting opportunity in Corfu, she fast-tracks her passport, gathers her nerves and packs up to go. From a disastrous entry at the airport to a flight missed, a delay and re-route, and everything making the rather timid Becky feel over her head: the constant is Elias. And Petra. Elias is THE divorce attorney, returning to Corfu to inventory a client’s shared property with his soon to be ex-wife, and while there he’s planning to pop in on his parents. He’d left after his own marriage dissolved when his then wife found the courage and desire to be who she was, leaving him for another woman.
Fortunately, Becky finds a willing tour guide in Elias, and someone who is less impulsive than the very brash and bold Petra, touring the world and gathering experiences with little forethought or planning. Petra latches on to Becky, teasing her for her ‘old woman’ ways, when there’s only a few years between them. Elias, drawn to Becky and her kindness, the way she hears people, and dissects every morsel of food, enjoys the sights, and seems to be sorting through her own issues. Together the two are fated to become something, but Becky’s confidence is low, although the new experiences are giving her the opportunity to think “how it could be”. Laughter, scenery, missteps, interfering mothers, a reckless Petra and several conflicts to work through both in Greece and in her own family, and Becky is growing, changing and gaining confidence. With plenty of fuel to engage with from all the characters, a building romance between Becky and Elias, and plenty of food references, the story is clever and engaging – and the perfect escape read for those grey spring days.
Title: My Greek Island Summer
Author: Mandy Baggot
Genre: Contemporary Romantic Comedy, Friendship, Holiday Themed, Humor elements, Setting: Greece
Published by: Aria
ISBN: 9781838933425
Published on: 2 April, 2020
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Pages: 368
Rated:
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Becky Rowe has just landed her dream job house-sitting at a top-end villa on the island of Corfu. What could be better than six weeks laying by an infinity pool overlooking the gorgeous Ionian waters while mending her broken heart.
Elias Mardas is travelling back to Corfu on business whilst dealing with his own personal demons. Late arriving in Athens, Becky and Elias have to spend a night in the Greek capital. When they have to emergency land in Kefalonia, Becky's got to decide whether to suck up the adventure and this gorgeous companion she seems to have been thrown together with or panic about when she's going to arrive at Corfu...
Finally reaching the beautiful island, Becky is happy to put Elias behind her and get on with her adventure. Until he turns up at the villa...
A copy of this title was provided via Publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.
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