What a great read this book turned out to be, though I really shouldn’t have been surprised as I’ve really enjoyed everything I’ve read by Mandy Baggot. I’ve also discovered this is her twentieth published novel so I’ve got some more of her books to look out for and read in future!

The heroine of this story is Becky Rose. She’s a highly talented sandwich and wrap creator, with a superb sense of taste that enables her to mix unlikely fillings that work brilliantly together. However, she does this in her sister’s shop and her sister comes across as someone who really doesn’t appreciate the work of Becky. When Becky, fuming from her sister’s attitude, discovers she can have a fortnight in Corfu house sitting, she jumps at the chance. However, nothing is going to go smoothly for her as the journey involves delays, missed connections, stop overs and making two new friends! That’s all before she gets to Corfu which is when all the fun really starts . . .

I thoroughly enjoyed this story, such a fun read to escape into! It is a skilful mix of romance, family dramas, friendship and secrets intertwined to make a delightful page turner and a heartwarming story. I have no hesitation in highly recommending it!

I requested and was gifted a copy of this book via NetGalley and this is my honest review after choosing to read it.

I've recently noticed that all of my favorite books have a secondary character who is, well, an unusual character. That secondary character usually has unusual quirks or a personality that makes me laugh.

This book has two of those quirky secondary characters: a free-spirited young British woman named Petra and a middle-aged Greek woman named Eleni.

Both characters really make this story a bit different from the usual Greek romance.

The story unfolds slowly. I thought the ‘unfolding’ was a bit too slow at first, but if you hang in there, the book picks up momentum and the characters come to life.

This story is about Becky, a British woman who works for her sister, making sandwiches and wraps. The author does a wonderful job of describing Becky’s unique talent—which is developing the right spreads for sandwiches, using a variety of unexpected ingredients.

Becky’s bored with her life and angry with her sister/boss, so she takes a two week housesitting job in Corfu, Greece. On the flight, she meets Elias, who is her seatmate on the plane. He’s flying to Corfu on business, although we also learn that he grew up in Corfu. She immediately notices how attractive he is (nicknames him “Mr. Hotness” and “Mr. Handsome”) but is embarrassed when he discovers her inflight reading material includes the book “Hot to Find the Love of Your life or Die Trying.”

When they talk about what they do for a living, she fibs and says she’s in the army. (He fibs too, telling her he is an estate agent instead of a divorce attorney, because he’s a bit uncomfortable with his chosen career, even if he is very successful at it.) The fact that each believes the other has a different career leads to some interesting (and funny) misunderstandings throughout the book.

While in queue to use the airplane’s bathroom, she meets 18-something world traveler Petra, and quickly learns that Petra, who says exactly what she thinks regardless if it is socially correct. to use the plane's bathroom.

Because their plane's departure from London is delayed, they arrived at the Athens Airport late, and miss their connection to Corfu. Since the next flight isn’t until the following day, the airline puts them up at a swish hotel in Athens. The three of them – Elias, Becky and Petra – explore Athens, with Elias being their guide, since he’s very familiar with the city. Elias and Becky begin to feel some attraction to each other, but neither admit it to themselves, mostly because they are dealing with issues from past relationships.

The next day, they all catch the same plane out of Athens to head for Corfu, but bad weather prevents them from finishing their trip, and they land on another Greek island (Kefalonia), where they are housed again in a nice hotel for the evening. The three explore that island and take a boat tour through Melissani Cave, which results in Elias having to save the impetuous Petra when she jumps into the water despite being told that the water was too cold to swim in. Elias’ unselfish action impresses Becky and her attraction for the handsome Greek man continues to grow.

On Corfu, they go their separate ways, thinking they won’t see each other again. My other favorite secondary character – Eleni – appears now. She’s a strong-willed, opinionated Greek woman who tells Becky she must buy her groceries from Eleni’s cafeneon, but then also says that the cafeneon is really just for the locals (implying that tourists aren’t allowed). When Petra asks her if she knows Elias, she implies that she knows him in the most personal of ways, leaving them to believe that 29-year-old Elias had an affair with the 50-something year old woman. (They are appalled.) The truth about her relationship to Elias comes out later in a very humorous way.

Eleni does some other humorous things in the book, like offering a “Dark Dating” night at her cafeneon, to give the singles in the village a chance to date other singles. (“Dark Dating takes place in a pitch dark room, and the potential couples must communicate with each other by making sounds. It’s a very funny scene in the book!)
Becky and Elias meet again during the “Dark Dating” scene, and they begin revealing some of their truths and hurts to each other. Elias tells Becky about his first wife and why they got divorced and how it affected him and shamed his family. Becky tells Elias about the problems she’s having with her life. They give in to their attraction to each other.

I don’t want to give the complete story away so I’ll stop there. This is a good story, with ‘lots of twists and turns, and some dry humor occasionally thrown in.

It is a long story – I almost fell over when my Kindle estimated it would take me 9+ hours to finish the book. (61 chapters and an epilogue!) I agree with another reviewer who said that some of the pop culture references were unfamiliar, but I think it’s because the author is British and was referring to things that would be well known to Brits. (I live on the other side of the pond.)

If self-isolation is driving you crazy and you yearn to travel somewhere—anywhere other than the grocery store—pick up this eBook and take a fun and romantic adventure to Greece with Becky, Elias and Petra!

Really enjoyed this book. Laugh out loud funny in places with fun and likeable characters.

Fabulous read and an author to keep an eye on

I really wanted to like this book, but I just couldn’t get into it. I read through chapter 12 and then gave up. Very slow moving. Elias seems like he may be interesting, but not enough to keep reading.

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I'm not a fan of British trope. I felt confused as if I came in middle of a conversation.

******************I received an ARC for my honest opinion for net-gallery.*******

So, I'm going to be honest here.

The beginning of this book was like a 2 1/2 stars for me. I had a hard time getting into it and it was a bit rambly.

But then they finally got to Corfu and it all changed. The last 1/3 of the book is 5 stars. I loved Becky and Elias, and how perfectly imperfect they started fitting into each other.

Petra was just right as the a dramatic comic relief (poor girl) and Elias' parents, especially Eleni, were really good too.

The setting was done so well. It really brought out the Greek flavor in everything and now I want to go there.

A really good read and I'm happy to recommend it.

I received a copy from the publisher through NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.

What better way to get over a serious case of reader's block than with a Mandy Baggot book. This creation included everything but the kitchen sink and the pages seemed to turn themselves. We had not one, but three Greek destinations, a pair of feuding sisters, a Greek demigod, some seriously bad wine and even a flamingo in a bath for good measure. It certainly was a feast for the eyes.

You know you're in safe hands with a Baggot book though and I can honestly say that this story did not disappoint in the slightest. The narrative whisked me away on a delicious adventure and I was able to travel the gorgeous delights that Greece has to offer whilst lying low in lockdown. In these difficult and uncertain times it's extremely important to hang on to things that will anchor your mind and this book definitely picked up my mood for all the right reasons.

As far as character creations go this story featured a smorgasbord or colourful creatures to choose from. But I must say that we all need a Petra in our lives....can I request a Petra spin off series please? Her crazy and zealous antics added sparkle and fizz to this story and she lit up every page she walked on to. She was hand on heart my stand out character. But I must introduce you to Elias the demigod. All I can say is that Becky is certainly a very lucky girl as that guy ticked all the boxes for me....switz-swoo for sure.

Greek adventures wasn't the only dish on this Mediterranean menu though and the special of the day came in the form of Becky and her sister Megan. From the starting blocks all was not well in their world and silent feuds of discontent were simmering under the surface. But as the story unfolded we got to witness their sisterly bond building back up which was an utter joy to see.

This book was everything I wanted it to be and more and I know it's going to be a sizzling success this summer. I've enjoyed every moment of my time spent exploring the delights of Greece without leaving my sofa and I thank you Mandy for yet another perfectly picturesque piece.

A return to form for Mandy Baggot. I really enjoyed this accidental tale of Becky and Elias with the addition of the ever-travelling Petra. Great evocative tale that transports you to those traditional Greek places such as Athens, Kefalonia and finally Corfu.
Loved the supporting characters including Elias’ mum and the nosey neighbours!

A really enjoyable escapist read!

3.5 stars.
If you want to be whisked away to a sunny holiday destination, look no further than this amusing romantic comedy by Many Baggot.
At the start I didn't really warm to Becky as a character, my feelings were slightly lukewarm, but the rather calamitous start to Becky's trip away did make me giggle and Petra as a character was laugh out loud funny. I would love to revisit her in her own book, can this happen? The growth of both of these characters throughout as well as Elias (the love interest) was lovely to witness and the hidden depth to Petra was a great addition, but it was the friendship between these girls that really made me like this book.
The descriptions of Corfu, had me wanting to pack my suitcase up and don my sunglasses, but alas that cannot happen at the moment.
So if you want to escape to a sunnier climb in your head, then why not give this a try.
My thanks to the publisher for the gifted copy.

This book starts fairly gently, with Becky working in her sister’s sandwich shop, working long hours, putting her own twist on the fillings while engaged in a bit of gentle banter with the women she works with. She has an endearing edge of sadness about her – unlucky in love (and we later find out quite how unlucky), missing her father, really put upon – and I took to her and her people-pleasing personality immediately. Her sister though is a bit of a horror, and very well-drawn: when Becky decides she has to have a holiday and finds the chance of some house-sitting in Corfu, her sister might not be too happy but I really cheered for her.

But things don’t go entirely smoothly: she has the journey from hell, with a couple of unexpected sight-seeing opportunities, and it takes some time to finally arrive in Corfu. And along the way, she makes two new friends – the rather gorgeous (with a sadness of his own) Elias in the next seat, and the distinctly zany Petra who attaches herself like a limpet after a chance meeting in the queue for the aeroplane toilet. Having arrived, Becky looks forward to a couple of weeks doing very little, enjoying the villa’s infinity pool and switching off for a while – but, for all sorts of reasons, things don’t quite turn out that way.

I do rather suspect the author might not have been picturing a reader of my age group when she started putting this one together – and I did initially wonder if it was going to be the book for me. There are lots (seriously – lots and lots) of contemporary pop culture references, and I’ll admit that a number of them really passed my by (though thanks to Google, I did learn a little…). And then there was Petra – totally without filters, I didn’t find her at all “entertaining” at first, just intensely rude and annoying (and perhaps a little dangerous too), and I really rather hoped she’d disappear from the story. Even Becky – although I did really like her – was rather more immature and naive than I might have liked…

But that’s where those negative thoughts end (and they were really only ever a doubt that I was the right reader). This story was quite wonderful, with the cleverest of writing, characters who develop and unfold and show surprising depth, all set against a perfectly drawn Corfu backdrop. I’ve spent a lot of time in Greece and its islands over the years, and the author lovingly recreates the detail of everything I so fondly remember – the village, the pace of life, the characters, the food (oh, the food… and Becky’s passion for tastes and flavours really brought those parts to life). There are a few moments of humour that verge on the slapstick, but nothing ever too OTT – I smiled (a lot), and particularly enjoyed the relationships and the way the characters changed and developed.

There’s a mystery here, and an edge of danger at times – but what I loved the most was the central romance, so beautifully done from the different viewpoints of Becky and Elias, getting under their skin and digging more deeply into their emotions, their fears, and the experiences that have changed them, making it all feel totally authentic and believable.

I might have begun by doubting I was going to enjoy this book – by the end, I entirely loved it, and every one of its characters and the story that quite swept me away. It’s most definitely a perfect one for your holidays – but if that’s not going to happen this year, do try it in your back garden in the sunshine instead, with a glass or two of something. That’s what I did – and I thoroughly enjoyed the experience…

(Review copied to Amazon UK, but link not yet available)

They say don't judge a book by its cover.....but just look at this cover! I loved the title and the cover. And the book blurb had me sold- this relaxing, uplifting realistic and funny novel could not have come at a better time.

Becky works long hours at a sandwich shop called It's a Wrap with her friend and also her sister. A bit of sibling rivalry is the perfect excuse for her to want out of the current situation.

When an ad for a house sitter on the island of Corfu captures her interest she finds herself jetting off to the sun. But getting there is not as simple or as hassle-free as she thought.

Then she meets Elias, a Greek God who she is sat with on the plane. Her adventures have just begun!

With a shining cast of characters, beautiful islands and food and laughs aplenty, this latest feelgood novel by Mandy Baggot is a real escapist treat.

Thanks to Mandy Baggot and Aria for my ARC in exchange for an honest and voluntary review.

I adore Mandy Baggot's novels and was delighted to recieve this.

Perfect escapism - I absolutely loved this novel, the scenery is idyllic and the food sounds scrumptious!

The storytelling is beautiful, I was completely absorbed in the lives of Becky, Petra, and Elias. Filled with laugh-out-loud moments and a few more poignant ones too, you'll soon be hooked, torn between reading it as fast a possible so can see how it all turns out and not wanting it to end.

This perfect rich, warm and sunny read a fabulous story to lose yourself in, especially in these crazy times.

Thanks to Aria Fiction & Netgalley for sending me this in exchange for an open and honest review.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Great book, great setting, great characters.

This has been a fantastic read which I haven’t been able to put down. This has really allowed me to escape.

This is a real breath of Summer and such an enjoyable read. Of course, there are lots of coincidences which seem to bring people together but I was delighted with the range of characters who all had their own stories to tell. Greece shimmers away centre stage and it is lovely to visit Athens and Kefalonia en route to Corfu. It is packed with the sights and smells of the island and life in the sleepy Greek villages make you want to be there.

The humour runs through the story. As a reluctant flier, I particularly appreciated the plane journeys which Becky has to endure to get to the sun! Becky, Elias, Petra and Megan all find themselves having to face events from their past which have held them back. Communication and listening to each other are some good lessons to take on board. Family and friendships are all part of the fun and the warmth of the story is a tonic in these dark days.

In short: Fun in the sun
Thanks to the publisher for a copy of the book

When Becky falls out with her sister Megan over running the sandwich business she decides to take a job house sitting in a beautiful villa in Corfu. Things don't run smoothly though and after her flight is delayed she misses her connection in Athens and ends up having to stay there for the night...... along with Elias the gorgeous divorce lawyer that she sat next to on the plane...... and Petra a nomadic girl she met on the flight. When they are then diverted because of a storm the three start to get to know each other but what will happen when they eventually arrive in Corfu!

A lovely lighthearted fun book with some great characters...I loved Elias's mother... and the descriptions of the scenery definitely made me want to go back to Greece, perfect beach read.

A beautiful read so filled with quirky characters and plot twists that I was completely amused and entertained with this story. Twists, you ask? Aye, the flight to Corfu Island made some stops due to missed connection and flight turbulence. Author Mandy Baggot then went right ahead to fill it with delightful scenes and lovable characters, especially Petra, that had me feeling as if I were right there with Becky and Elias and their group.

Becky had a disagreement with her sister. She needed a break. Seeing an ad for house-sitter in Corfu Island, she decided to go on vacation. Elias the hunk was on the seat next to her. They got to talking. There were few hiccups in the flight and a winding road via Athens and Greece brought the entire group closer. Until Becky reached Corfu Island, all ready to enjoy her time on the beach until Elias turned up at the house. It seemed he had quite an unknown connection.

Having read a few book by this talented writer, I knew I was in for a sweet ride. The book was longer than I was used to and slightly slow in the beginning, but the sparks and zesty scenes took off along with their flight. There were other kooky characters who added humor and tangy saltiness to the prose. The story slowly pulled me in with the different plot lines.

I was quite amazed at how the author could develop all the characters within the story. Equal importance was given to each of their parts, and all of them were linked well. Romance and attraction were the cornerstones of this happily ever after.

Friendships and family and beautiful descriptions of the locales transported me to a different world on a lazy weekend. Captivating read, I would say.

Becky needs a holiday, the sandwich business she runs with her sister has just secured a huge contract and Becky’s sister Megan decides she is going on holiday but over looks Becky to run the company in her absence.

Becky decides that she will look for some house sitting opportunities online and Corfu pops up. Pushing herself to do something she has never done previously she heads to Corfu.

Elias is a divorce lawyer and dealing a messy divorce takes him to Corfu on behalf of a client and him and the two meet at the airport and end up travelling together. Elias does not tell the truth about his job and neither does Becky which makes things very interesting.

This is my first Mandy Baggot book and I really enjoyed her writing style, funny and engaging, her characters captured me immediately. Becky has been hurt before and her persona made me laugh out loud. Becky meets Petra on the plane and she opens Becky’s eyes to a whole new world.

Elias has a history in Corfu that he is not happy to share, but when Becky, Elias and Petra end up in Athens over night due to a travel delay, things that Becky had never imagined start to happen.

A lovely feelgood book about love, forgiveness and the lovely island of Corfu, a perfect read for these challenging times to put your feet up and forget everything.

As well as writing the best flawed lead characters, Mandy Baggot also creates characters who are a little bit different and who walk outside of societal boundaries. Her characters are always entertaining and I’ve been completely absorbed in the lives of Becky, Petra and Elias.

Missed flights, diversions and overnight stops gives these three opportunities to get to know each other. When Elias’ work means their paths cross on Corfu there’s more opportunities to strengthen friendships and bonds but also to add conflict, misunderstandings and rivalry into the mix. They all have something important to teach each other and give each other a push out of the past, into a hopeful future.

Elias’ narration lets us see just how vulnerable he is. His mum made me chuckle (night vision goggles!). With Beck’s narration I had laughter bubbling quite a few times alongside feeling affronted at her life back home. I loved her development and how her friendship with Petra impacts on everything in her life.

I found it easy to fall into this story each time I opened the pages, feeling as if I was there in Athens, Kefalonia and Corfu. At a time when it’s been difficult to concentrate, this was a blessing! I was eager to pick up the story and thought about the characters in-between. A page turner.

If you’re looking for an escape, I guarantee that My Greek Island Summer will open the door.

Highly recommended.

A juicy feel-good romance set under the hot Greek sun, Mandy Baggot’s My Greek Island Summer is a delightful, addictive and heart-racing romp that is sure to perk up your mood and make you laugh out loud!

Becky Rose feels as if she has finally landed on her feet. She has found the job of her dreams that simply requires her to spend two whole weeks house-sitting in a breath-taking villa on the island of Corfu. Becky cannot wait to spend a fortnight topping up her tan while sitting by an infinity pool trying to put her past heartbreak behind her. The gorgeous Ionian waters, the bright blue Greek skies and hot weather are all Becky needs to lick her wounds and figure out what she is going to do next with her life, however, fate seems to have other ideas in store for her as she discovers when fate propels her straight into the path of Elias Mardas…

Elias has got his own demons to contend with and just wants to sort out his business and head back home.
When he gets stuck in Athens, he finds himself reluctantly stuck there, but thing soon look up when he meets Becky Rose. Forced to spend the night in Athens together, the two quickly decide to make the best out of the circumstances they have found themselves trapped in and they soon begin to get close to one another as they decide to make the best out of their situation.

After finally reaching Kefalonia, Becky is happy to put Elias and the time they spent together behind her – until he turns up at the villa and things start getting even more complicated for the two of them. What will they do now? Will they just have a hot summer fling? Or will they end up with something far more complicated than they ever imagined?

It is impossible not to fall in love with Mandy Baggot’s fabulously fun, flirty and feel-good Greek romances and My Greek Island Summer is certainly no exception! Wonderfully uplifting, immensely funny and so captivating readers will simply not be able to put the book down, My Greek Island Summer is a terrific page-turner about life’s unexpected surprises, letting go and taking a leap of faith that will leave readers with a great big smile on their face.

Charming, engrossing and hilarious, My Greek Island Summer is another winner by Mandy Baggot!

Becky wants more than working in a sandwich business. She's creative and clever but is gradually losing her sense of self, by keeping quiet and hiding her talents. The chance to housesit in Corfu, is too good an opportunity, to miss, even though it strains her sibling relationship. This is a gently paced book. You get to know Becky before she sets off on her adventure. Unexpected events make the flights more adventurous than expected, and Becky meets two fellow travellers, full of emotional angst and secrets.

With lovingly described settings, the story has an authentic sense of place. The emotional plot combines friendship, humour, poignancy and romance, in a relatable way. Complex, flawed and unique characters, complement a gently paced, detailed plot. Unexpected twists keep you turning the pages, as the main characters discover what's important to them.

This story is an escapist read, letting the reader experience love and life in an engaging holiday setting.

I received a copy of this book from Aria via NetGalley in return for an honest review.