Thank you to NetGalley for my complimentary eARC of Holding OUt for a Gyro. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Lots of drama and personal growth.
I’m more into upbeat funny romcoms.

I was all in when I saw Greece, but sadly this one was not for me.

✈️When I saw the cover and read the blurb I knew I had to get my hands of this book!! I’m such a sucker for a good cover. I’m Greeking out 🙈 🤪

✈️ I love love love when a book has traveling in it because I too have a bit of wanderlust, and books such as this allows me to travel for free for a short bit… until I have the funds to experience it in real life!

✈️ The banter not only between the two female best friends, Chelsea and Elizabeth, but also between Chelsea and Basil! The dad jokes ((Chefs kiss😉😂)) had me giggling throughout the book, and the sweet romantic moments that make you swoon, all tied together with a bow of wanting to shake a character and be like “don’t do this! You love that person!!” 😂
I was going through it with the emotions to say the least. Lol.

✈️ Then, there were the more serious moments of the characters background and their trauma. Talk about wanting to wrap them in a blanket and hold them. 🥺

✈️ I love how this book has mental health and mental disorder representation in it!! I feel that the importance of mental health is becoming more of a common topic to speak on which is good to see

As a fellow foodie, this book snagged me from the beginning and did not disappoint! I did have trouble connecting with the characters but that didn’t stop me from enjoying the book. Solid rom-com read, the banter was cute, the first meeting made me giggle. I adored the FMC and her best friend’s list to push them out of the comfort zones. The nod to therapy and doing the inner work throughout the book was inspiring.

Thank you Entangled Publishing for the opportunity to read and review Holding out for a Gyro 🩵

3.5 ⭐ (Rounded Up To 4)

This book wasn't what I was expecting it to be but that isn't necessarily a bad thing. From the cover and blurb I was anticipating a playful Rom-Com but this storyline was a bit deeper than that due to past trauma the FMC had experienced.

I really liked the bucket list, friendships and overall storyline. I struggled a bit with the behaviors of the FMC they came off as really mean at times and there was so much miscommunication throughout this story which isn't one of my favorite tropes.

I do think this book is worth checking out and I would read more from this author in the future.

Thank you Mary Ann Marlowe, Net Galley and Entangled Publishing LLC for providing me with an ARC of this book. All opinions in this review are my own.

overall this was a perfectly pleasant pretty easy read. there’s plot, characterizations, and rational and reasonable ( irrational ) feelings. while chelsea isn’t my cup of tea generally, her reasons for the way she is, and how she feels, and incredibly understandable and relatable.

it depends a little heavily on the miscommunication trope, but it’s not awful? it just isn’t my favourite trope unfortunately.

elizabeth is delightful as a side character, evan is okay but a bit meh? basil has the most personality out of everyone except chelsea as is fitting his role of main character love interest. sometimes the greek influence felt a bit …. too much? like ? what people think greek people are like vs what greek people are actually like? but to be fair, i think that’s a bit stereotypical and easy to fall into in this type of novel.

i did enjoy the home bases being in virginia, as a native it was wild to see my favourite orchard mentioned and described.

all in all - enjoyable!!! and definitely that sort of end of summer / vacation vibe. very, greek hallmark special. which, was exactly what i was in the mood for.

thank you to entangled for reaching out to offer this arc, and for netgalley providing it! this has no bearing on the truthfulness and honesty of my review, im very appreciative!

I actually enjoyed this book. Reading through all of the character growth and seeing them come to terms with a lot of life fears.

I love the characters and all the banter and dad jokes between them all.

Little bits of Greek thrown in there, I loved that, especially as someone who loves to learn other languages.

-Banter
-Dad Jokes
-Smaller town, to the whole wide world

*Thanks to Netgalley, Mary Ann Marlowe, and Entangled Publishing for the chance to read this ARC

This romance blooms from a dare. I liked the "dare" list created by Chelsea and her friend Elizabeth to get out of their comfort zones, which also acted as a map for Chelsea and Basil, the two main characters.

Basil is a funny, sexy, thoughtful Greek man who can cook, and Chelsea is a graphic designer/jewelry maker/barista who loves to travel. I enjoyed the dual POV, showing the growth and emotions from both characters. Chelsea works to overcome the trauma of a verbally abusive parent and learns how to allow a man into her life, while Basil works to figure out how to get out of a dead-end job and into a real future.

It was challenging to read Chelsea at times as she fell back into her own patterns, but she did learn how to allow someone in along the way. If you're reading this one, settle in with a snack because all the different dishes described will make you hungry.

I received an ARC from Entangled Publishing and NetGalley, in exchange for my honest review. And I read it in one sitting!

A big thank you to NetGalley and Entangled/Amara for the eARC. I am voluntarily reviewing this book. I really wanted to enjoy this book. I love Greece and so the cover pulled me in. I loved the list idea to stretch yourself with someone you trust. I found Chelsea to be a bit annoying and insecure. I am not saying she didn't have a reason-but still. I didn't really connect with the main characters. I didn't like the way Basil handled the trip. I am sure many will love this and maybe it was my mood. For me, this was a 2.5

I really liked this story. It was such a cute, funny, and sweet one. I really connected with the Fmc being as guarded as she was. Trauma can really change a person and it made me really feel for her. I loved the spicy bits! I thought they were written really well. Not cringy or misplaced in the story. I thought the relationships between the friends was fantastic too. It really made me look at the ones I have in my life.

I really wanted to like this one.
And I liked some of it. I think the mmc was a really fun character.
I just couldn't connect to it. This book took me a bit to get through.

Holding Out for a Gyro interested me because of the title and the gorgeous cover, but unfortunately, this book did not hold my interest once I started reading. I wanted to enjoy it, but it was a disappointment. I will not be posting about this book on my social media account.

My thoughts on Holding Out for a Gyro can be summed up with words by Abby Lee Miller “you were good. I was waiting for you to be great.”

There was so much potential in this book: the concept is fun, the details of the bucket list was attention grabbing, and the friendship was so beautifully girlhood coded. However I just simply did not love the FMC. I thought she was very hard to like and I didn’t love her relationship with the MMC as much as I thought I would. Insta love is not my favorite unless it’s heavily fated mates coded.

Overall it was a cute story and I’m sure this will be a favorite to many, but I’m very likely not the target audience for it.

A delightful romantic comedy with a dash of Greek flavor. I loved the yearly friends challenge checklist but the book seemed to drag in places.
Many thanks to Entangled Publishing and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

I .hate givinga a books a little stars rating, but what can I say I just didn't feel this one.
I didn't connect to the MCs, to the storyline.
It was cute, but not for me.
2 stars

it pains me to say that i just couldn’t get into this one but the cover is 100% what drew me in! i wish i had something more positive to say, but i was honestly never finding myself wanting to pick this up.

Unfortunately for me and this book, I did not like our time together.

I decided to finally read this on orthodox easter because I felt it fitting and at first I was kind of on board but the more time I spent with Chelsea, the less I liked her. She was all about things her therapist told her to do but basically felt like the list was a crutch that she depended on to feel like she was making moves to heal herself from her past. I felt like the main cast was okay but it all felt rather flimsy. By the end of the book and ESPECIALLY at the end of the book, I was over it. I didn't like Basil's way of handling the Greece trip and I liked the way he handled the actual trip even less. Chelsea is desperate for someone to stick around and he knows this and no, he should not form his life or decisions around catering to her insecurities but he should definitely not have done what he did in the way that he did it. It was such a strange thing to read too, knowing our characters haven't known each other for more than a year.

Overall I just was bummed. It was nice to have some Greek culture thrown in here but I also felt that that wasn't even close to what I'd imagined too. This book made me feel a lot of things and all of them are conflicting.

Chelsea has zero interest in commitment, in fact she avoids it at all costs. On a dare, Chelsea is tasked with having a completely honest conversation with a man. Basil is taken with the woman who chooses to engage with him instead of his blonde buddy with the Hollywood worthy looks. It’s all fun and games until real feelings enter the picture.

Will Bas’s intent to have a meaningful, lasting relationship with Chelsea crack her icy heart or will it drive her away?

The cover for this book is deceptively whimsical, and while the beginning of the story involves the humorous meet cute described above, there are some pretty heavy themes particularly with regard to Chelsea’s traumatic upbringing with a volatile father and an alcoholic mother. Sympathy for her situation wears thin as her insecurities mount. Her treatment of Bas at times borders on cruel and her expectations unreasonable. Bas is the consummate cinnamon roll, feeding Chelsea bodily and emotionally.

I received an advance reader copy from the author and netgalley, and I’m sharing my honest thoughts.

I loved this book, from start to finish. It's the perfect blend of spice and romance, and I loved the main characters. It's well written and very easy to read. Overall I absolutely loved it, I would have liked a bit more of the travel included but the book was amazing and definitely a five star read.

The cover and title are adorable and I am in a - self proclaimed - greek obsessed era!
The romance wasn't for me - and the plot was not very engaging. I think I am also realizing that romance ins't necessarily a genre I enjoy - so take everything with a grain of salt.
Basil was not my fave.

Mary Ann Marlowe whisks readers away on a charming journey filled with laughter and heart in "Holding Out for a Gyro." The story revolves around a protagonist grappling with her fear of love, only to find unexpected sparks with a Greek chef. Marlowe's narrative is peppered with wit and warmth, making it a delightful read for those seeking a romantic escape. While the storyline may tread familiar ground, the genuine emotions and engaging characters keep readers invested until the last page. "Holding Out for a Gyro" is a comforting reminder that sometimes, love finds us when we least expect it.