"If I'd learned anything from the legend of Atlantis, it was this: stories evolved." This is from the lips of Love and Olives' main character Olive Varanakis, but it could apply to every story ever told by one human to another. She says: "They got passed down and twisted, and sometimes they came out okay and other times they quadrupled the size of contents or transported timelines to entirely different centuries." Even as they're written, stories obviously develop and evolve, although to the writers who craft them (especially the female ones), that evolution and development can often feel like the brain-flipping twists that happen on a rollercoaster or the stomach-wrenching pulls of a pregnancy.

I suspect, judging by the author's acknowledgements at the end of Love and Olives, that this story's evolution caused her a few of those stomach-wrenching pulls. She thanks her readers, saying: "Your existence is...[a] personal miracle. I gave more than I had to give on this book.... And...thank you to me, for being the only person who knows what it took to not give up." Interestingly, though, the travails that Evans Welch hints at are belied by the humor and sweetness of the story she tells, Olive's story.

Olive was eight when her father, a man fully immersed in the myths of Atlantis, abandons her and her mom. So when Olive grows into a teenager and suddenly gets a postcard from Greece inviting her to come to visit him on the island of Santorini, where his research into that fabled city took him and which has now caught the attention of National Geographic, she's more than a little hesitant. After some coaxing from her mom, she goes, but her reunion with her dad isn't the apology-fest she'd hoped for. Still, his theories are intriguing, as is his young, handsome assistant and the fact that her dad's made friends with almost everyone on the island. So she begins a personal journey of ferreting out how he could have left her but still appears to love her, and whether there's really something to his Atlantis research.

I have to admit that I was as intrigued about his research as Olive. I wondered, clear to the end almost, if he actually would end up finding the drowned city. More intriguing, though, was the question of whether Olive would be able to see past her feelings of abandonment--as big as they were--to the bigger picture, or, shall we say, a picture much different than she'd imagined.

Her journey to this discovery is, as mentioned, both funny and sweet, which is surprising given both its backdrop and the efforts Evans Welch went through to tell Olive's story. Olive sounds like a female version of my own 17-year-old son: bright, snarky, eager, self-pitying, outgoing, confused, and dynamic (i.e., all the things). Her quips about The Stench--her mom's boss--had me guffawing, and her tone in sentences like: "As a general rule, I try to avoid sending people sprawling to their untimely doom," had me smiling frequently.

Which brings me to the subject of who I think will enjoy this book the most: 1) teenage girls, especially those who've grown up in divorced homes, for obvious reasons, and 2) women of any age who enjoy a good, light-hearted romp through foreign countries and either foreign or familiar minds, although Love and Olive is not all rainbows and sunshine. There is an emotional depth to it that emerges as the story evolves, particularly near the end, and then it's all of a sudden surprisingly deep.

Although some characters' reactions felt a little off to me, and I would have liked to see the ending fleshed out a little more, I very much enjoyed being part of Olive's story and felt thankful for the pains Evans Welch went through to bring it to the world. I'm familiar with the pains that come from wresting full stories from the ether, and with those of real life as well, so I can appreciate the talent it took to make Olive and her supporting cast seem so lifelike and fun, even in the face of both story and real-life drama.

I adored the other books in this series and this one didn’t disappoint.

Love and Olives follows, Liv, a girl who lives in Seattle with her mother and stepfather. She hasn’t seen her father for years. Unexpectedly Liv receives a postcard in the mail from her father asking her to come to Santorini, and he has big news. Liv is reluctant to go because all she remembers about her father is his love for Atlantis and his determination in finding the lost city, and Atlantis is the reason he left those many years ago.

When she lands in Santorini, she finds out that National Geography is funding a documentary about her father’s theories of Atlantis. Liv is still skeptical and questions Atlantis’s existence. During her visit, not only does she start believing, she rekindles her relationship with her father, she finds out why her father really did leave, and she finds love.

This is a fun book full of adventures through the beautiful island of Santorini and relationships. On a more serious note, it also sheds light on mental health issues and how it affects families. This book can be read as a standalone, but it was a great addition to the series.

It’s the perfect book for those who are missing travel and adventure during the pandemic.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing for my eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I thought I knew what to expect with this book since I've read the first two in the series, but this one blew me away!! I actually needed to take a break and read something else before I could come back and write a review because I was too in my feelings.

I loveddddd the book being set in Santorini - I'd never given Santorini or Greece much thought and I ended up loving it so much. It's just... such a vibe?! I really want to visit now. This book has a romantic element (which I loved), but it's much more about what Liv's been through as a young woman who was so close to her father as a child, who then experienced her father leaving her. And now her mother is sending her off to Greece to reunite with the father who left her and has hardly been in touch. This was a rollercoaster of emotions, because it was hard to reconcile the fact that her father was obviously a good person who loved her very much, to the fact that he left her. As someone with an MIA father, this was really close to home and fascinating for me to read. The other really compelling element for me was that so much of this story centers around the search for Atlantis - this was her father's passion which he passed down to Liv, and this was why they were reuniting - her father believed that Atlantis had been where Santorini is now located and he wanted her to be involved with the project he was working on to find proof of this theory. I also love love love Atlantis, and it was just too many things perfectly coming together for me. It was an emotional ride that resulted in much crying! But I loved it!

My one real complaint is that Liv's mother sent her off to Santorini ON HER OWN, to reunite with the father who left her as a child years ago. How is that okay for her to do on her own? As a mother, you wouldn't want to be there with her? Her mother also knew a lot more about why her father left and didn't explain it to her. If it's something she didn't want to do when Liv was younger, she certainly should have done it before sending her off, alone, to Greece. But that's less a critique of the author and more a critique of the character. !!

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC!!

This book is another sweet addition to the Love & universe by Jenna Evans Welch. While not connected to the other stories, it has the same charm that fans of Love & Gelato and Love & Luck have come to count on.

This time Welch takes readers to magical Santorini in search of the lost city of Atlantis. More than that, it's a story about first loves and family.

Many thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for sharing a copy of this book. All thoughts are my own.

I read this novel in July and will do my best to remember my thinking at the time. I received an early copy from Netgalley.

Jenna Welch also wrote Love and Gelato as well as Love and Luck, which I thoroughly enjoyed. In this novel, Liv has learned to live without her father. He left and she waited for him, but he didn't return. Nor did he send her much via the mail service. Suddenly, he has invited her to his home on a Greek Island because he's making a documentary for National Geographic about Atlantis and wants her help. This subject is what they used to talk about all the time. She loved the time she spent with him learning about Atlantis and where it could possible be. Liv, however, feels rejected and doesn't really want to subject herself to being dropped by her father again. Liv's mother basically insists. Her mother is pregnant and has been happily remarried for a while now; she's a savvy woman and offers good advice throughout the novel. Therefore, off Liv goes to Greece. She has always loved the myths and this adventure might be fun.

In Greece, Liv meets another teen like herself who is helping with the filming, Theo. Theo's mom owns a really cool bookstore and has a room for Liv. After an awkward arrival party, Liv sleeps in her hidden hideaway room only to awaken to a beautiful city. She just needs to figure out how to talk to her dad. There's a lot of anger there and he just acts happy to see her and expects her to just jump in and enjoy. She harbors some bitterness and has trouble letting it go. She and Theo spend most of their time filing the documentary while her father and Theo's mother work on paperwork. It's only as time passes that the situation seems odd. She hardly spends time with her dad and he seems preoccupied, but the story they are doing for National Geographic fascinates her.

If you like travel, you will feel like you are in Greece as you learn about Atlantis. Theo, of course, becomes the love interest. You'll also wonder what's really going on. I especially like Liv's mother because she's a smart, tough, lady. You'll also like the eccentric mom of Theo. You'll have to come to your own conclusion concerning Liv's dad. I enjoyed this novel as much as the other two. They are all different but great vacations to other lands with interesting characters as guides.I read this novel in July and will do my best to remember my thinking at the time. I received an early copy from Netgalley.

<b><em>But for every </em>aha<em> moment, there was a </em>WTF <em>as well</b>.</em>

This was not the book that I thought it would be. In fact, <em>Love &amp; Olives</em> by Jenna Evans Welch is so insanely far from what I was imagining that I was actually a little disappointed. It's not every day a book mentions Atlantis hunting and gives you a novel so steeped in reality. But, even as I acknowledge this disappointment and admit to the fact that it's not the book I was excited for, <em>Love &amp; Olives</em> is a pretty amazing and emotional read.

<b>When he left, I think he took that smile with him...</b>

The bulk of this coming-of-age story is centered around the relationship between main character Olive--or Liv, as she has renamed herself--and her father. After leaving Olive and her mother when she was eight-years-old, their family was devastated. Now, nearly ten years later, her long-lost father invites her out to Santorini to film the finding of Atlantis, a dream they'd both shared when she was young.

Of course, after everything she's been through, Olive is now a skeptic. She is also very wary of getting close to her father again. After all, he did leave her when she was eight.

There's certainly an interesting dynamic between Olive and her magnetic father. As a reader, you feel torn in different directions regarding what to think. It's very difficult to forgive Nico for leaving his daughter at such a young age, yet there's an underlying implication that there must have been a <em>reason</em> for it. To Olive, though, she's certain he left to go Atlantis hunting.

<b>My little girl dreams were bursting in my chest...</b>

If you're looking for a fantastical tale with exciting and dangerous moments, this really isn't the book you want to pick up. <em>Love &amp; Olives</em>, at its core, is about a father-daughter relationship and what growing up really looks like. Atlantis, unfortunately, is really just a backdrop. And this isn't necessarily a bad thing. In fact, I think it's brilliant how the author wove the tale around this shared excitement.

For me, I think the problem was merely that I picked up the book hoping for an epic treasure-hunting expedition. Instead, I was given a realistic story about a young girl with an eccentric father and her trip to Santorini to find both him and herself. And it's a <em>good</em> story, I'll give you that. I don't have many complaints about it. Even the explanation for why her father left was impressive.

I think certain parts of the story dragged on a bit more than was absolutely necessary, but nothing too drastic. This story was nothing earth-shattering. Emotional moments didn't hit me hard the way you'd exactly want. The romance was only okay. But it was a good story.

<b>The olive branch has historically been used as a symbol of peace.</b>

In the end, this probably isn't a book I'd go out of my way to put on my shelf. I wouldn't mind keeping it if someone bought it for me. At the same time, though, I don't know if this is the kind of book I'd want to read again. I think there's somewhat of a disconnect in my ability to deeply feel the emotions of the story. And that's alright, really. At the end of the day, I don't think this book was written for me.

<em>I was provided a free copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.</em>

My Favorite so far in Welch's "Love" Series.

"Love and Olives" had so much heart, and the Atlantis storyline kept me guessing. Would this turn into a fantasy novel? Would we be disappointed? I couldn't wait to find out, and the characters were charming.

Jenna Evans Welch writes YA romance like no one else. And even though you might think it'll be basic romance from the titles, they always hold something a little EXTRA. In this case, it was a reunion with an estranged father that brought me to tears many times throughout the book. The romance itself took a back seat, a nice slow-burn that felt natural, yet the reader knows it is inevitable if they have read any of her previous works.
I also appreciated just the hint of magical realism whenever the Atlantis hunt was mentioned. With all three of these plotlines intermingling, I thought they were each well-written. I can see myself reading this book again when I need a little relief from the world.

Thank you Simon & Schuster for the eARC of Love & Olives! When High school senior Liv’s mom insists she visit her father, who left when she was 8, she dreads the trip to Santorini. Once there she finds herself swept up once again in her dad’s hunt for Atlantis. In magic of Santorini can father and daughter find understanding about what happened 10 years ago?
I loved being transported to Santorini and living vicariously through Liv’s adventures. The story was a little frustrating, because so much of the conflict could’ve been avoided if people just talked to each other, but it was an enjoyable read all the same!

“Beautiful! Welcome to Santorini!” as Bapou would say!

Love and Olives by Jenna Evans Welch is a YA fiction novel that deep dives in themes such as familial relationships, self-reflection and soul searching and romance, and exploration.

Olive, who now goes by Liv, is now met with a challenge. Reconcile her relationship with her estranged father that left her to find the city of Atlantis. What she considers her father’s obsession and why he and up and left her at the age of 8. Thats correct, she thinks her father left her for a myth, yet, theres far more secrets her father had kept hidden that she doesn’t know about.
Not only mending a lost relationship with her father, she meets Theo. The charming protégée of her father set to challenge all her beliefs, including the feelings she has for her hometown boyfriend!

This book is a page turner that dipped into all themes of a YA book. Would definitely recommend!

Olive has been struggling with decisions. Her boyfriend seems to be at the core of these decisions that make her unhappy. She arrives home one day to find a postcard from her absent father inviting her to Santorini. Liv has spent half her life leaving her father behind and building a new life without him. This book is about finding what was lost, even if you don’t realize what was missing. The characters are endearing and the plot really enticing.

The Third Book in the Love & ... stories . It was cute but a little on the long side. I think the fact that it was so long is why I didn't really click as much as I wanted to with this one but it was still an enjoyable read and I have nothing but good things to say about it. .

Liv goes to Greece, well she's actually forced to go to Greece to see her father (who she hasn't seen since she was 8). Her dad is an Atlantis Hunter and they are doing a story on him. The relationship between them... that one was what really got me. I guess because I lost my father at a young age, its always hard for me to understand what could make a parent and child just lose touch like that.

So while I didn't fully connect with the characters, it still was a good read and I think if you loved her other books, you are going to love this!

Thank you so much to publisher and #netgalley for the arc.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy of Love and Olives. This is an adorable middle grade story for romance fans. My students are big fans of the other Love books by Jenna Evans Welch and cannot wait to read Love and Olives.

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the review copy of this book.
I love the authors writing style and always look forward to her books! In this case, I needed a trigger warning for the main characters anxiety and panic attacks. In the first chapter I already had a tense feeling of anxiety as I read along. So unfortunately I was not the right reader for this book.

I've loved the previous two books in the Love & Gelato series so I was so excited when I heard the news that a third book was being released!
Love & Olives is just as cute and fun as its predecessors, with charming characters and a truly beautiful setting. Who could want anything more from a book than a romance set in Santorini?
Well if you do want a little something extra, you're in luck because Love & Olives also includes many deep and meaningful discussions about important topics like mental health and abandonment. This is not only a story about falling in love. It's also about family and forgiveness and provides a multi-layered story that I think a lot of people will be able to connect to.
It also provides the perfect escape to Greece and made my desire to visit there multiply exponentially!
Thank you so much to Netgalley, Simon and Schuster and the author for providing me with a copy of this book.

This book was a fun romp through the island of Santorini. I loved the representation of mental illness, including bipolar disorder and anxiety. All the characters were interesting to read about, and the ending was very sweet and perfectly wrapped up the story. Overall, I would rate 5/5 stars.

This was more like a 2.5 star rating for me. I'm not sure how I feel about this series/author since I have not had a chance to read the earlier two books in the series. It did not seem as though they were connected but this particular story about Olive felt disjointed. Was it on purpose because of her father's condition and how that played out? Or is it the author's writing style.

Either way, it took me a really long time to finish the book or even feel invested in the story. Olive was not an unlikeable character, I just did not feel connected to her. Also, her reaction and behavior towards her father and Theo was strange. I was trying to put myself in her shoes, having been ripped away from her summer plans to go spend 10 days with her (until now) absent father. I would have been livid and raging. But she just stumbles along after both of them. And Theo is somewhat annoying in his always filming behavior. Someone I also would have probably raged at right off the bat. But Olive seems to be apathetic and emotionless.

It wasn't a bad story...I just really had more feelings than the protagonist (until the last couple chapters) and that is a problem for me.

** spoiler alert ** As someone who read Welch's previous two works in her "Love and..." series (though it's not really a series in the sense you need to read all of them in order), I was so excited to get Love and Olives as an ARC. I have to say, this is Welch's strongest work by FAR. If Love and Gelato leaned too far into the teen romance side at the expense of the family/personal growth issues,, and Love and Luck didn't give romance its due in the book at the expense of the family/personal growth issues,, in Love and Olives, Welch finds a much more balanced middle ground between the two major themes. To that end, the chapter headers that expand on Olive's list of 26 Things was a really smart structural decision.

It's by far the author's most mature work, thematically, and I really appreciated it. The themes of healthy relationships, reconciling with your past, and viewing your parents as flawed adults all really resonated with me, even as a 30 year-old woman lol. I also appreciated that it had a plot beyond "girl in a foreign country and there's a cute boy". The search for Atlantis thread really helped to ground the work and give it forward momentum: it gives the tension with Olive and her dad, Olive and Theo, and Olive and herself the scenes and plot to work through tough questions (and a beautiful backdrop for everything. Swoon!)

I also really appreciated Olive/Liv as a character; she's a believably flawed protagonist, and her struggles and the choices she makes were grounded and made sense for her as a character. Even if I didn't *agree* with her decisions, I understood why she was doing them and how it made sense for her character.

Thank you to Netgalley and Simon Pulse/Simon and Schuster Books for the free ebook ARC in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are mine alone.

Another amazing book by Jenna Evans Welch! I patiently was waiting for this book and feel so grateful for the ARC from NetGalley and the publishers.

Liv doesn't have a good relationship with her father, considering he left her when she was 8 years old to go back to Santorini, Greece in search for the lost city of Atlantis. When Liv receives an "invitation" to visit her father in Greece for two weeks in the summer, she is of course, hesitant, but her mom insists that she goes leaving her boyfriend and summer before her senior year of high school behind.

Once she arrives, Liv struggles with her emotions as she deals with attempting to build a connection between herself and her father, and the fight between her heart and her head with her father's protege, Theo.

Welch beautifully writes YA novels that I feel are appropriate for mature middle schoolers (not too much romance!) and will gladly add this book to my classroom library.

If you loved the first two in the Love and Gelato series, you are going to LOVE this one!! I absolutely adored this book. It was such a great YA romance but also a great story between a father and daughter. You get so many great moments between Olive and her dad but also Olive and Theo.

Olive was a great main character. She had a lot of validation for feeling the way she did towards her father at the beginning and you really get to see her grow into her own skin and into the woman she wants to be. She is such a strong girl and wants to follow her passion for art and watching her come to terms with what she wants and that it is okay to want to go to art school was great.

Oh man did I love Theo. He was the super cute, slightly annoying, partially greek boy of my dreams. He had such great motives behind everything he did and was such a wonderful character. Watching him and Olive's love story unfold was truly one of the best parts!

Olive and her dad had such great bond before he had left and watching Olive struggle with her feelings of seeing her dad for the first time in a long time felt like I was getting insight into her brain. She struggled with wanting to trust her dad again but had a hard time! It was a totally normal teen girl reaction.

This book also dealt with a lot of topics regarding mental health. It was really nice the way they were covered. You were able to see multiple perspectives into the situation like Olive's parents and also a young Olive's POV. I thought this was handled very well.

Overall, this is a book I am highly recommending to anyone who loves YA and YA romances. I loved this story so much. I would honestly read Jenna Evans Welch's grocery list.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Simon and Schuster for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!!