This is a very cute romcom! I liked both of the lead characters. I was sort of slow at the beginning, but I am glad I kept reading.

This title is like reading your dream come true, at least, in kind. Nothing sounds better than relaxing on a beautiful island in Greece while getting paid to house-sit, trying to mend your broken heart and move on. The trip there never seems to go as planned, which involves some emergency travel mishaps and a travel partner you didn't sign up for. Then just when you thought things are lifting up again and you've ditched the baggage, that companion from the trip over shows up, ruining your paradise plans. Until another turn comes again but this time, for the better.

I loved this adorable rom-com. Once the hilarious adventure to Greece started, I couldn't help but just adore Becky, Elias and of course Petra! If you like good British Rom-Com this is a good treat of a story!

Ok, so now I want to visit Corfu! In this book Ms Baggot gives us a whistlestop tour of a couple of other places and her love for all things Greek shines through.

Then we have Becky, Elias and the incorrigible but vulnerable Petra, and the story is born. This unlikely threesome, a series of wonderful coincidences and some glorious settings make for a rambunctious novel with all the hallmarks of a good chick lit.

If you cannot go on holiday to the Ionian this year, then this is the perfect antidote.
Mandy captures the energy, light and sunny spirit of the most stunning parts of Athens, Kefalonia and Corfu, with sumptuous descriptions of wonderful food and local wine.
Meet Beck Rose, chef extraordinaire at 'It's A Wrap' sandwich business. Caring, devoted and talented, Becky takes a leap of faith to escape from her demeaning sister and takes off to Corfu for two weeks.
Only nothing seems to go as planned,,, or does it?
This lighthearted and evocative romance is written in a chatty, relaxed voice with real characters you can care about.
A perfect holiday escape.

Thank you net galley for an arc of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I read this book while currently locked down and wanted to escape to a beautiful Greek paradise while reading. I absolutely adored the backdrop of this book, I mean a gorgeous villa in Greece, I wanted to jump into the pages.

The writing style was lovely and I thought the pace was great and the writing kept me interested in wanting to keep going.

I hated the sister in this book. She was awful and I couldn't even find anything to make me see her POV which was kind of the point. The 2 men that Emily meets, Elias and Petra were great. I loved how opposite they were and loved how during this time of reflection they each made their mark. The book was funny and charming and the romance was wonderful. I really wish Emily jumped off the page a little more. She was okay as a MC but slightly annoying at times. Overall a great, quick read when looking for something light hearted.

This was a fun, entertaining rom-com that was a little outrageous and a thoroughly enjoyable read. It would be a great summer read for on the beach or by the pool.

This was my first Mandy Baggot book, and I'll definitely more of her books. I really enjoyed the premise - Becky is determined to have an adventure and travel some, and she signs up to house sit in Greece. On the way there, she experiences some travel mishaps and winds up waylaid with Elias. While she thinks they're just going to bond while they are waylaid, neither of them realize that Elias is going to be her constant companion in Corfu.

This is a slow-burn romance, with great character development. Well-written, fully of heart and humor. A romantic, fun, entertaining read.

A fun and entertainined read!

Becky is heading to Corfu to housesit for someone she has never met. She just needs to get away from work and her sister. A chance encounter with Elias at the airport - he is also on his way to Corfu. Neither of them are honest with each other, but they keep being thrown back together by circumstances.

I liked how it was told from both of their points of view, and his mother was a great character!

I thought that this was an excellent book to brighten your day and it has been a highlight of the books that I have read so far this year!

I thought that the characters were very good, they were well developed, they were genuine, amusing and caring and I really loved getting to know them, they were so well developed and their interaction was perfect!

The writing style was perfect for me, I thought that the author really captured the slow burn romance for me with the story, the detail was very good and I felt like I was with them throughout their journey.

It is 5 stars from me for this one, it is a fabulous book to read at this time to escape from the news too – very highly recommended!!

Oh I wish I could go to Corfu! Becky takes a job as a house sitter for a villa in Corfu for two weeks when she has a disagreement, to put it mildly, with her sister Megan. Getting there proves to be more complicated than she anticipated but that's ok because she meets Elias, a handsome attorney, and Petra, a freespirited woman. Things at the villa aren't what she expected- it's a mess. And then Elias turns up! You know these two are going to connect and it's fun to watch it happen. There's nice descriptions of food, sun, and fun. It is funny (more than a few couples) but most of all it's cheery, which is just what we all need right now. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A good escapist read.

Turned out not to be my type of read, but appeal will definitely come for the cover and plot line. It's a simply sweet love story and is a quick read for those seeking comfort.

Perfect summer read, great settings, personable characters and engaging. I enjoyed, thank you.

My Greek Summer Island Summer was exactly the escape we all need right now! I was pleasantly surprised with this book. It was a lighthearted mix of romance, friendship, family drama. I felt like I was right there experiencing the beautiful scenery of Greece, enjoying all the delicious Greek food and Laughing out loud at/with Petra! A solid 3.5 ⭐️ beach read.

Thank you to NetGalley, Aria and Mandy Baggot for the opportunity to read and review this arc.
#MyGreekIslandSummer #NetGalley

I wasn’t a huge fan of this. It did not really keep my interest at all and I found myself wishing it was over. However, it could be because of the social distancing stress going on. I might try again this summer.

Thanks to netgalley for the chance to read this book.

Another great book from Mandy, just what I needed to take my mind of what is happening in the world at the moment.

Becky meets Elias on a plane to Corfu. She is escaping from real life for 2 weeks looking after someone’s home whilst they are out of the country. Elias is a lawyer going to Corfu to help with a divorce case he is working on. Little do they know their paths will cross and they will fall in love.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Aria and Mandy Baggot for an ARC in exchange for an honest book review of “My Greek Island Summer”. My thoughts and opinions are 100% my own and independent of receiving an advance copy.

Description:
“’Sultry fun in the sun!’ Heidi Swain.

‘Clever, romantic and unputdownable‘ Julie Houston.

‘Leave a piece of your heart in Greece with this beautifully told story’ Sandy Barker.

Two weeks. One unforgettable trip to Corfu. A chance to change her life.
Becky Rose has just landed her dream job house-sitting at a top-end villa on the island of Corfu. What could be better than two weeks laying by an infinity pool overlooking the gorgeous Ionian waters while mending her broken heart.

Elias Mardas is travelling back to Corfu on business whilst dealing with his own personal demons. Late arriving in Athens, Becky and Elias have to spend a night in the Greek capital. When they have to emergency land in Kefalonia, Becky’s got to decide whether to suck up the adventure and this gorgeous companion she seems to have been thrown together with or panic about when she’s going to arrive at Corfu…

Finally reaching the beautiful island, Becky is happy to put Elias behind her and get on with her adventure. Until he turns up at the villa…”

WRITING STYLE: 4/5
PLOT: 4/5
WORLD-BUILDING: 5/5
CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT: 4/5
ROMANCE: 3.5/5 (slowburn)
HEAT: 2/5 (sweet)

Mandy Baggot’s twentieth book is a feast for the senses and a gorgeous trip for a reader to take in this time of social isolation and travel restrictions. I’ve been to Athens and it was lovely recognizing some aspects of my own trip to the Acropolis in Becky, Elias and Petra’s little side journey on their way to Corfu. Mandy might want to delete her casual and flippant mentions of Coronavirus however. At this point, they seem a bit insensitive.

I loved her descriptions of Athens, Kefalonia and Corfu: they were stunningly beautiful; just dripping with sun and sea and summer heat. Becky Rose seemed a bit of a schlubby character at first and unequal to the physical perfection of Elias but as I finally began to see Becky through Elias’ eyes and she regained some of her confidence, I was able to see her true beauty. Petra, their unlikely traveling companion, starts off as truly annoying and remains so for a great deal of the novel and it isn’t until Becky finally gets through her crazy persona that I could begin to stomach her.

It’s a lovely journey to take, full of scents and tastes and sights that were incredibly clear to me because of Mandy Baggot’s exceptional writing. I really loved Elias’ character. He’s gone through a bit but he ends up doing the right thing and being very swoony. A wonderful bit of romance and delicious armchair travel as we’re trapped in our houses in this time of Coronavirus.

Mandy Baggot brilliantly allows readers to armchair travel to the Greek Islands in her latest adventure. Becky's summer escapade shines a light on her sheltered existence. Sandwiched between her older sister's lofty expectations and keeping her creations 'under wraps' she's not living her dreams.

When a tumultuous quarrel unfurls between the sisters, Becky flees from the scene. An unexpected meet-cute and travel delays orchestrate a summer she'll never forget.

Thank you to #NetGalley and the publisher for the early read. I enjoyed the novel and the ability to armchair travel when sequestered at home due to recent events. Despite living in London for two years, I had trouble with some of the English terms. I found myself looking up the unfamiliar expressions and destinations to understand her referencing. That being said, I enjoyed learning new phrases and creating a virtual tour the Greek Islands.

You can always guarantee Mandy B is going to take you to the beach for an escapist read!
There's a few MB classic ingredients but all served up with a fresh twist - there's nice greek men, sumptuous food, and who hasn't wanted to get on a plane and just go somewhere?

This is also Mandy's 20th book so worth a celebration just for that - quite an achievement and you can see her love of all things Greek shining through. There's a trip to Corfu in this one to a lovely village I wish wasn't fictional but before that! Oh there's a jaunt and delay in other places too - we go via Athens and Kefalonia so that was a nice unexpected surprise. Talking of surprises - wait till you see what's in the bath tub on arrival ;)

Mandy Baggot is the absolute queen of the summer escape, and this is a perfect summer read.
I absolutely fell in love with this fab book and the characters, especially Elias….another gorgeous leading man. And I already love Corfu.
Becky Rose worked at It’s a Wrap, her younger sister Megan’s sandwich making business. Becky really had fantastic tastebuds, with the ability to taste every ingredient in a meal, and put together ingredients that you wouldn’t think would complement each other. This made her sandwich creations a real hit with the customers. Megan didn’t appreciate what Becky put into the business and saw her as just a sandwich filler, along with fellow fillers Hazel and Shelley.
Becky was feeling increasingly fed up and told Megan she was taking time off for a holiday. This didn’t go down well with Megan who threatened her with the sack. Undeterred Becky found an advert for a house-sitter for a couple of weeks at a posh villa in Corfu. She was successful in her application.
Her outbound journey didn’t go as planned.
She found herself seated to a gorgeous bloke on the plane. His name was Elias, lived in London and he was heading home to Greece on business. On the plane, in the toilet queue, Becky encountered Petra. Petra is young, free and easy with her body. Travelling around the world on her own, not sure where she’ll end up next. She’s a complex girl and we find out about her background further on in the book.
There were a couple of unexpected stops in Athens and Kefalonia before we got to Corfu. These were great parts of the book. I loved the whistle-stop tour of Athens and really felt the atmosphere and splendour of the place.
I loved the villa, there were a few unexpected guests present when she arrived, but they were soon gone.
I thought Petra would be a small character when I first encountered her, but she was a big part of the book.
Elias’ mother also was an important part. I loved Becky’s subtle recommendations to improve the ‘family recipes’.
Funny and entertaining in equal measure, just what I’d expect from Mandy Baggot. I love her writing.
Just look at that cover too, it’s so juicy.
Thanks to Mandy Baggot, Aria, Head of Zeus and NetGalley for the early review copy in which I give my honest opinion.

I'm really sorry to have to say this but I couldn't bring myself to keep reading this awful book.

I was really put off by the tasteless joke about 'not being able to get a date without Rohypnol', but pushed myself to keep going and give it a chance to get better. Then the fat jokes about the unseen Hilary kept coming thick and fast.

Finally, I got to the airport scene and the painful, clunky interactions Becky has with Elias and the stag do and just had to give up.

In this day and age, surely writers of women's fiction can do better by their readers than producing this trite, clunky, tasteless and lethargic kind of story.

Joking about things like someone's weight or date rape drugs is not only not funny, but in this era that we live in, inappropriate and a lazy way of writing. This book is terrible. Please do not publish it without some serious editing.