I've read a lot of mysteries and thrillers this summer and felt I needed something light and vacation-y. What Happens in Greece by Sue Roberts seemed like the ideal choice.

Charlotte "Charlie" and her boyfriend Jamie are feeling a little down and out in dreary Chester, England when Charlies gets this crazy idea of selling her business and buying a house in sunny Crete, Greece. They would never be able to purchase a house with a tiny garden in England, but in Greece they can get a house with an olive grove and a guest house. Sure it will need some fixing up, but on the house hunting trip they fell in love with the village.

I was half-expecting a more modern version of The Durrells of Corfu. But it wasn't so much. Of course, as both feature English ex-pats living in Greece, there are a few similarities, but Charlie and Jamie don't seem to encounter as many absurdities as the Durrells did.

The descriptions are lovely and I so wanted to go to Greece. I also wanted to know how realistic it would be to buy a house in Greece. I looked at a couple of real estate sites and what I could afford would have been more like the house the Durrells found themselves in than Charlie (it may have even been worse than the Durrells' house). But then again Charlie did sell a business and it is a bit easier for someone from England to buy a house in Greece than someone from the U.S.

I listened to the audiobook and it was easy to listen to. I was a little disappointed that the Greek characters didn't sound Greek. But they all had different voices so I could tell the characters apart.

I did kind of worry that this would be a romantic comedy with the 30-something characters. But I would place this firmly in the women's fiction genre. There is a little romance, but it is just one part of the journey to self-discovery that Charlie is on.

Whether you are looking for a book to take to the beach, or a book that will take you to the beach, you can't go wrong with this one.

My review will be published on Monday at Girl Who Reads - https://www.girl-who-reads.com/2022/07/what-happens-in-greece-by-sue-roberts.html

It was a cute read but it lacked passion, adventure.. something. I dont know it was a good baseline but it need MORE.. I'd love to live and do what she did.

Thanks Netgalley for this ARC.

What a wonderful story. It’s such a nice light read and so enjoyable. As the story progresses you feel a part of the story and can feel like your living in Greece with the characters. Highly recommended.

This audio was like eavesdropping on people discussing a to-do list.
Everything was overly described in a list format.
It left no room for the story to breathe.
If this wasn't an audio book I probably would have DNF'd it.
Thank you (?) to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for my DRC.

I could not finish this book. I genuinely tried, but when I dread picking up a book to continue reading, I know it’s time to move on. This book just didn’t make sense to me. I was expecting one thing based on the synopsis (that her fiancé leaves because the reno job is too daunting), but that didn’t happen. It wasn’t until halfway through the book, after the house was renovated, that he decides he doesn’t want to live in Greece and leaves. And it was just this boring, amicable separation of ways instead. I don’t know if it was the writing or the narration, but I genuinely disliked the MC. She was 100% agreeable, but in a dumb, I-don’t-know-anything-ever-so-I’m-just-going-to-go-with-it kinda way. But then she’s also supposed to be starting and running her own business? In hindsight, none of the characters really had any depth. I just didn’t care about them at all. I stopped around the time that she maybe started having feelings for Darius, but it was entirely unbelievable. The one good thing was that it feeds a sense of wanderlust and makes you crave Greek cuisine. Thanks for the galley in exchange for an honest review.

this book was not it for me. There was a lot of descriptions of what the main character was seeing and experiencing, but there was not a lot of emotion or things actually happening that made me want to keep reading. There weren’t any problems that occurred besides the main characters fiancé leaving 40% through the book because he didn’t see Greece as somewhere he would want to live. Charlie didn’t seem too upset that a four year relationship was ending. I kept wanting something more or exciting to happen, but nothing ever came. Overall, this book was boring for me.

This story I felt had a lot of potential, but just didn't pull me in any one direction. I didn't feel an attachment to any of the characters and didn't really care what happened to any in the end. It was definitely an easy summer read, but not one I will be jumping to read again.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

This book was ok and makes for a decent beach read. The events of the book moved a a pace that was a little too slow for me, but seems to mimic Greek life. I loved that the story took place in Greece and made me want to go visit.

My favorite thing about this book was the wonderful descriptions of Greece. Loved the small village and its people. Great story.

Thanks to #NetGalley and the publisher for early access to this book in exchange for an honest review.

I listened to the audio version of this book. I truly enjoyed the story of Charlie moving to Crete and making it her home. The charming town and neighbors are a pleasure and are just what one would expect in this genre. The romance was very light and overall I would consider this to be women’s fiction over romance. The narrator did a great job with the female characters. I did feel that many of male characters were difficult to listen to as they sounded like very old and harsh. Overall a great audiobook.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to this book. I will seek out more from this author.

Sweet, fun. Serine, idealistic, life-change, ex-pat, Greece, Crete.

I was surprised how much I enjoyed this book knowing it’s not a genre I usually read. However, I found it quite captivating in a serine and idealistic way. The story follows Charlie who decided with her fiance, to leave the UK and move to Crete. Charlie is a very sensible and grounded person throughout the entire story and I found myself marvelling at how well-adjusted she was. Normally this would be a negative for me yet Charlie still manages to grow and change. Roberts paints such a vivid picture of Greece that I found myself wanting to visit Crete. Also, a good portion of why I enjoyed this so much is due to the fantastic job the narrator Esther Waner did.

Special thank you to #NetGalley, #SueRoberts and #DreamscapeMedia for sharing this digital copy, these are my honest thoughts on #WhatHappensInGreece. Also, a thank you to narrator #EstherWane.

A sweet but probably forgettable story about a British woman who takes a leap and buys a house in Crete to live out her fantasy of living abroad.
These characters would appear to have little or no friction in there lives. The neighbours are always helpful, the holidays are always without a snag, the food is always perfect without veering into tasting anything unfamiliar like octopus.
I could see myself recommending the book for people who only want something sweet and fluffy but I would not recommend the audio. There were too many Greek characters with the same vaguely Mediterranean accent. This was a particular problem with the male characters who all had the same raspy vaguely Mediterranean accent, even the young men.

Charlie who Runs a cafe decides to up and Move to Crete with her other Half Jaime.

4 star read!

I Moved to Greece (Kefalonia a different Greek island) When i was 18 after meeting my Greek Husband 15 yeas ago... Being a similar age to Charlie and living in Greece, i have to say Charlie and all the characters seemed to proper .... not Late twenties early 30's more in their 50's or 60's the way they speak.... and think....

Also Greek People with Broken English wont use long words like retrieve, exquisite, touche, Divine and formal.... and all the Greek people in the book spoke the Queens English.

The narrator was brilliant but she sounded alot older that Charlie was. Still I'm looking up her books!

I loved the Descriptions of Crete, i have never been there, so i loved discovering Crete through the authors eyes.

I loved the goat, that made me smile...... I know i have been known to speak to Random wanderers that venture into our Garden.

Its a very Slow descriptive book.... so if you want to visit Crete its a lovely read, but if you are waiting for a interesting "Story or adventure" this is pretty tame. So my Advice If you think about visiting Greece or are Nostalgic for a bit of Greek Life.... Pick this up!

Have you ever visited Greece? If so what's your favourite greek thing food, experience ect?

Mines my mother in law's kefalonia meat pie she's tried teaching me but I can never make it the same!!!!

This was a very entertaining summer read. The book's theme matched perfectly with the weather and set-up of my environment and I really enjoyed reading it. I liked the description of the scenery in the book and all the cute little Greek words thrown here and there. It made me want to go to Greece and eat lots and lots of Baklava. The fact that Charlie and Jamie could just up and move to such a beautiful place made me envious. The side characters were likable as well. Everyone in Greece was just hospitable and nice.

I feel like this book was mislabeled. It's under the Romance category and I don't think this book is romance at all. I'd say it's more of a women's fiction with a bit of romance in it. Aside from that, the first paragraph in the blurb tells us that Charlie's fiance leaves her and she'll be navigating through her new life alone. Well, that doesn't happen until almost halfway through the book. That means we get to know Jamie throughout the book and it makes it hard to accept their relationship is over just like that, which in turn makes it hard to root for the other guy, Darius.

The narration was done well. However, when the narrator is doing the men's voices, it felt very strange and caveman-ey. I understand that she was trying to convey that English isn't their first language and they might have an accent, but the fake gruff voice mixed with the strange accent made them all (but especially Darius) seem like old men.

I still enjoyed the festive vibe of the book. Listening to it while enjoying the summer sun was an awesome experience. I'd definitely recommend reading/listening to it!!

Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the ARC in exchange for my honest feedback.

Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape media for this ARC audiobook.
What happens in Greece is a relaxed, finding yourself story about Charlotte who is a baker living in UK who decides that she feels more at home in Greece. Her journey towards discovering what she truly want or what makes her feel content is the story. The tale is beautifully woven so that the reader can see the events unfolding before their eyes. When one decides to move to a new place which is in a new country, there are a lot of aspects that decide the move for them. But sometimes one can truly feel out of place in their current location even if the family and friends they love and adore resided in that location.
It’s a similar journey for Charlotte. The reader is able to understand the change in her when she moves to Greece and starts fresh. You see her being her true self and not just a shell of the person she is. This also changes her perspective about her then fiancée, Jamie who does make the move with her but later confirms that he cannot equate their newly purchased mansion as his forever home. What I loved about the book was that it was a laid back, wondrous story where I was able to visualize the streets of Greece and moreover the city of Crete. Greece has always been one of my top places to visit and the audiobook was sort of a mini vacation for me. Every chapter told me a bit more about Charlotte and who she is. The author did not rush the characters in the story, it was a gradual and realistic crescendo to comprehending what Charlotte really wanted. Her interaction with the locals and integrating with them was amalgamated amazingly. As the final chapter of the audiobook came into picture, I was happy and content to learn how Charlotte has grown up to be her true self and is finally happy and content. A feel good book, What Happens in a Greece will take you on a mini vacation and leave you feeling content!

Charlotte is a bake shop owner who has grown tired of her day to day. She convinces her boyfriend Jamie that they should buy a home in their favorite vacation spot in Greece. The are able to find a beautiful little cottage that they can afford and then some. They quickly find their place among the local residents and make a new life for themselves that is until Jamie realizes that Greece doesn’t feel like home for him and he heads back to England. despite being heartbroken Charlotte is determined to make her newfound life in Greece work.

This book was a cute story, I liked how descriptive the author was about the scenery and the bake shops that Charlotte owns. I don’t know much about Greece but after reading this book I want to visit ASAP. Who hasn’t had thoughts of moving after visiting some place new on vacation. Some elements that didn’t really work for in this book were, I felt that as a reader we only got to know the characters on a very surface level. I would’ve loved to see more of Charlottes emotion when Jamie abandones her and when she has the chance at a second love I would’ve loved to see more passion and less wishy washy feelings towards the new love interest.

I listened to the audiobook copy of this book and I would saw the sound quality was just ok. At times I felt like it sounded a bit tin-ny or there was just something off on my end. I thought the narrator did a fine job.

I would recommend this book if you are looking for a light, easy breezy summer beach read.

Thank you to #netgalley and #Dreamscapemedia for this #gifted copy in exchange for an honest review

This is a great feel good book that transports me to Greece. I too would love to drop everything in my life and move somewhere warm and gorgeous. A great beach read!

I enjoyed listening to an advanced copy of this book.

The story is very character and setting driven with less emphasis on the plot. It won’t have you on the edge of your seat wondering what will happen next, but it was an enjoyable summer read. Although there is an element of romance, the true relationship is between Charlie and her new life.

Oh. My. Goodness. I cannot believe this is my first Sue Roberts book. It will not be my last.

This book speaks to the very fantasy I have of moving to my favorite vacation destination and making a life there. The locals working together, falling for someone …. Never needing a vacation from my real life.

I delighted in the interpersonal relationships in this story and am thankful for the ARC from NetGalley and Dreamscape Media. Looking forward to traveling to Greece with Ms Roberts again soon!

An eye catching cover, and a story that doesn't quite live up to it...

In this charming tale, Charlie lives out her dream by buying a cottage in Crete that needs a lot of renovation. Charlie and Jamie leave their lives in England where Charlie owns her own bakery and buy a fixer upper in Crete. Once there, they meet several characters who help them do many of their renovations on their cottage so that they can turn it into an Air B-n-B. After several weeks, Jamie expresses that he misses his home (in England) and is going to move back. Charlie lets him go because she wants to open her own bakery and live her life to the fullest in Greece. Charlie meets several charming locals, including Darius, a handsome restaurant owner. She eventually finds herself having to choose between these two men...of course.

I had such high hopes for this book based on the cover and the description, but it sadly did not live up to it. The book was advertised as "laugh out loud", which I don't recall laughing once during the whole book. I was kindly gifted the audiobook by NetGalley and Dreamscape Media. The narrator was pretty good, but sometimes the accent made it hard to understand what was being said and I had to constantly rewind to understand. The storyline kind of fell flat for me, and I feel as if the characters were not as relatable as hoped and did not have great development.

I did enjoy the descriptions of the beautiful setting as it helped me to perfectly picture a Greek Island with all of the charming locals. I also loved the main character Charlie, and her ability to speak comfortable with the other characters as well as her baking skills.

I'm giving this book 3 stars because although it was definitely not my favorite, it was still a pretty good book with potential for more.