Congratulations to Molly Gray on an impressive debut! Accidental Getaway is both beautifully written and emotionally resonant.

Quick Opinion 💭: A heartwarming journey of healing coupled with a respectful romance

Why I Read This 📌: I received an ARC via Net Galley and the premise hooked me!

My Summary 📝: Jenni accidentally signs up for what she believes is a business trip meant to revive her stalling career, but upon landing in Mykonos, it becomes clear that this is far more than a professional reset and in fact is a life-altering getaway.

My Review 🇬🇷 : This novel strikes a thoughtful balance between emotional healing and romantic discovery. Jenni’s post-breakup journey portrays the slow, deeply personal process of rediscovering yourself after leaving a toxic relationship. Her growth felt honest and raw, and it mirrored real-life emotional shifts I’ve experienced, making the story incredibly resonant. The romance did not feel like the sole focus, which allowed the characters to develop with remarkable depth. And yet, it’s one of the most respectful and emotionally intelligent love stories I’ve read in a while. Niko was a standout character, and his love was shown through consistent actions rather than declarations, making him feel imaginably real. The novel also weaves in strong feminist themes, a deep sense of female solidarity, and a rare portrayal of a male character who embodies those values with grace. It’s an emotionally rich, quietly powerful read about how healing doesn’t have to be loud to be life-changing.

4.5 ⭐️

I was completely swept away by Accidental Getaway — it’s the perfect summer read, but it’s also so much more than that.

First, the setting in Mykonos absolutely stole my heart! The descriptions of the island — the sun, the beaches, the winding alleys, the delicious food — made me feel like I was right there. It’s one of the main reasons I picked up this book, and it did not disappoint. The atmosphere is vivid and immersive, adding a whole new layer to the story.

The characters are just as wonderful. Jenni is such a relatable protagonist — strong yet vulnerable, doing her best to heal and find herself again. I really appreciated how honestly her journey was portrayed. And Niko? He’s the perfect romantic interest: kind, patient, charming, and attentive. I found myself looking forward to every scene he was in! The secondary characters, like Ana and Alexander, were equally delightful and brought so much warmth and humor — I caught myself laughing out loud more than once.

Beyond the sun and romance, this book bravely explores the aftermath of emotional abuse and the invisible scars it leaves behind. It shows how deeply an abusive relationship can cloud your judgment and shake your sense of reality until you no longer trust your own instincts. Jenni’s story highlights how difficult — yet vital — it is to heal, to see the truth, and to rebuild a life you can trust again.

Accidental Getaway balances heavy, important themes with moments of pure joy, laughter, and hope. It’s a heartfelt, beautifully written reminder that sometimes an unexpected escape can lead you back to yourself.

*** Thank you to NetGalley and Victory Editing for kindly providing me with a copy of this book; all opinions expressed are honest and voluntary ***

I liked how this was delivers fast-paced romance set in Mykonos. However, the shift from a professional to a personal relationship felt a bit abrupt, and the ending wrapped up a little too quickly.It lacked deep emotional nuance, it’s was fun as a book

3.25⭐️

Accidental Getaway is a fast-paced romance set against the lush sun-soaked backdrop of Mykonos. Jenni, recently fired and still reeling from a traumatic past relationship, is trying to get her life back on track. She jumps at the chance to impress her new boss, flying to Greece to meet with a potential new client, only to find out said client is handsome, sweet and completely swoon-worthy. As he shows her all the island has to offer, their professional relationship begins to shift.

The Greek island setting adds a dreamy, escapist quality that pairs well with the story’s themes of healing, second chances and reclaiming your life. The writing is engaging, and the chemistry is light and easy to enjoy. That said, the transition from professional relationship to personal felt fast and a bit underdeveloped, and the resolution came across as somewhat rushed.

While the emotional depth wasn’t quite there for me, it was still an enjoyable read. If you’re in the mood for a quick, scenic romance, this one’s a solid pick for a vacation read.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

Thank you to Victory Editing and Net Galley for this ARC!

Accidental Getaway by Molly Gray follows Jenni Swanson, a young woman who is rebuilding her life back home in Colorado after a disastrous end to what she believed was her dream life in Chicago. Through a series of events, Jenni finds herself on a plane to Greece to meet with a potential client for her marketing firm. Niko, the general manager of the hotel Jenni’s company is hoping to represent is handsome, kind, and generous, and as the two spend time together, it becomes clear there is more than a business relationship developing. With help from her friends (both stateside and in Greece), Jenni overcomes self-doubt, past mistakes, and her own insecurities to finally go after all that she wants in life.

I really enjoyed the premise of this book, but the pieces didn’t quite click for me. I found Jenni to be inconsistent in character, and I just find it hard to believe that she would not have disclosed how abusive Malcolm was in Chicago to even her best friends. It seems like that serious of a situation would have warranted some professional help in the healing process. I also found it too manufactured that she would post a picture of the hotel on her socials the moment she got there when that was literally the only time it was mentioned. I know she is in marketing and she talks about using socials for work, but she herself doesn’t present as someone who would be documenting a trip that way, especially when she is so adamant about it being a work trip at the beginning of the book. I clocked that move and knew it was going to lead to Malcolm reappearing in her life. I liked the idea of her having to come face-to-face with him to gain closure, but I didn’t love the execution of it.

I liked Niko as the romantic interest, but he quite literally seemed too good to be true. I have no idea why Jenni is so plagued with self doubt regarding him; I understand there were meant to be parallels between their way Niko acted and her experience with Malcolm, but Niko is so transparent that I’m not sure why she doesn’t listen to herself when she acknowledges that Niko hasn’t given her any reason to doubt him. Additionally, the shift from professional to personal just felt so fast for me. I would have loved for their relationship to be more established professionally before exploring their feelings.

Despite not being my favorite, I did enjoy the flavor of Greece in this book (baklava, anyone?) and it did reinforce its position on my “places to visit” list.

what a wonderful book. full of sunshine, food and shining characters. everything was sharp and spot on gorgeous from the views of the local scenery to the views of the local people and main characters. this book was delicious. talking of delicious. yum to the food and descriptions of it! mmmmmm i wish i had the talent to cook the food or the money to go there for it haha.

this is how the author came to write abut her book >>> "hi! It's me, the author! I love this book. It's my debut novel and it was an adventure to write and I am so excited to get it into your hands! I hope you love this story about learning to overcome your past, trust in your future and believe in yourself! I also hope it makes you hungry for baklava and long for an adventure-filled getaway! Happy reading!"

and i couldn't agree more with her words or what she was trying to portray. plus you need to go to the authors Instagram and see her baklava video! its on delightful dish and sits so well with this book. infact it would sit well eaten right alongside it :D Jenni was such a endearing character. you could really see how things had gotten to her and how she felt the way she did. and when Niko stepped in to her world it was like someone was slowly pulling back the curtains on her heart and bravery. not just in what he saw in her but also what he showed and allowed her to see in herself again.
this book was just wonderful. escape into it and just be. just be.

This was such a cute book! I could relate so much to Jeni and picking herself up from the trenches. I loved the beautiful Greek setting and Niko was a great love interest. I love the message of this book as well about getting out of the past and starting to live for the future