At this time of uncertainty it was nice to be able to travel to different places without any fear. A good read, with funny characters, beautiful scenery and a touching story

I found it incredibly hard to get into this book. I tried to read it, but I kept losing focus since I was so bored. When I read the summary I got so excited because this book gave me Mamma Mia vibes, but it had none of Mamma Mia's fun. I am very disappointed.

I received this book in exchange for an honest review.

Greek sexy man.... check!
Delicious sounding Greek food.... check!
A longing to jump on a plane while reading.... check!
Wonderful heroine, prickly sister and new friend who is hilarious.... check!

I mean what more do you want from a Mandy Baggot book? Especially as this was her 20th story, and shes is an absolute master of her craft.

It is amazing how much was packed into the book even before they land in Corfu. We have unexpected extra sightseeing and some of the Athens descriptions matched my memories of the place and I could see everything so clearly.

Then there is what is awaiting them in the villa which made me laugh. Easily the most unexpected contents of a bath tub ever!!

Petra, Becky's new friend, let's call her is a breath of fresh air. I loved all of her travelling anecdotes and her lack of pretension when it comes to men.

Then there is Becky and Megan's sandwich business, and fractured sibling relationship to discover.

Oh and Elias and Eleni are fabulous, I loved their interactions, and also just everything about Elias.

I just loved every single second of this book.

What I love about stories like this is the way you can travel just from the safety of your armchair. If you are looking to loose yourself in a story that will let you escape the world at this troubling time, then this, and well any of this authors Greek set books are just what the doctor ordered.

Thank you to Aria and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

The perfect book to escape with!
I read this book over the weekend when the news was all doom & gloom about quarantining for Coronavirus and what a tonic it turned out to be!
My Greek Island Summer is about Becky a disillusioned twenty-something working for her sister's sandwich making business, Petra a young, free & single traveller and Elias a handsome Greek lawyer who is at the top of his game, who all meet on a plane to Athens and miss their onwards connection to Corfu.
When they finally get to Corfu after a diversion to Kefalonia fate brings them together again. This is a story of the three of them gradually opening up their hearts and secrets to each other, with many extremely funny incidents along the way that made me laugh out loud, (for example dating in the dark with animal noises ), and go dreamy- eyed with the incredible love and lust that builds for two of them.
This book and the pictures it conjured in my head of the food, the beaches and Elias' "Pierce from Neighbours bod" is definitely a wonderful replacement for a summer holiday which will make you feel like you are actually there.
Efkharisto to @Aria_Fiction @mandybaggot and @netgalley for allowing me to read this wonderful book.

Becky normally works in a catering business. When she has the opportunity to get away by house sitting on the island of Corfu, she jumps at the chance. She has little experience with travel out of England, and she considers this an adventure she needs.

On the first plane, (there are several) she meets Elias and Petra. Elias is a handsome man who does not share much information about himself. Petra is a young girl who shares herself and her information with the world. The three of them see Athens together and then when everyone arrives in Corfu, who they really are and what they are actually doing comes out.

This is a story about loving Greece and Corfu and all the loveliness of both places.

This is also a story about family relationships. There are no perfect families. And every family contains situations which are painful, humorous and emotionally charged.

Elias has parents who are important to him, but also a trial for him. Becky has a sister who treats her badly, and disenfranchises her contribution and importance to their business. Petra’s family situation is completely different.

This is an interesting book. But, it is not one I completely enjoyed. It seemed to give me too much information about inner thoughts and feelings. It seemed to me there were situations thrown in which had no significance.

Becky was a hard character for me. I am not sure I ever fully understood her. And after all the descriptions of her inner feelings, that must be a shortcoming in me. The untruths she tells make little sense to me.

I loved the atmosphere of the book. Greece and Corfu are leading characters and for their beauty alone, that is quite appropriate.

I wanted to like the book more. For me it was OK.

I received this book from the publisher through NetGalley. I am voluntarily writing this review and all opinions are completely my own.

What’s not to love. Iydillic location makes me wish I was there too. Lovely feel good book. Was so easy to read and was just a joy to read. Written well.

My Greek Island Summer by Mandy Baggot a wrapping four-star read. This was overall very good, but it lacked the sparkle that the rest of this authors work has, but to be honest it could just e me so I may come back and knock this up to a five, Its just an overall negative time In the world right now and I was hoping this would whisk me away and In some ways it did but in others I could imagine myself beside our leading lady Megan, along with Hazel and Shelly making sandwiches at It’s a Wrap. This has great characters and I would love to jump on a plane right now and house sit somewhere warm, but as I cant currently get a flight to Greece this is unlikely, but it was a great way to dream. If you are looking to escape somewhere wonderful but can't then pick this up as the author does a wonderful job of describing the people and places and you can imagine yourself there with them.

Becky was content making superb sandwiches working for her sister’s business. But her sister, Megan, had big ambitions that did not include Becky’s idea of catering for the seniors’ home. Becky decided to take a vacation to Corfu on a whim. She met Elias and Petra on the plane. Elias, a divorce lawyer, is returning to Corfu to look in on his parents, but also to check out a client’s house that is in the centre of a bitter divorce. Petra is a young woman traveling the world without a care.

The three of them spent time together as their various flights were rerouted, or missed, or cancelled. Elias showed them the local sights at every unexpected stop and it turned into quite an adventure for all of them.
Becky had started to feel resentful towards her younger sister, but the two of them had a chance to talk it out, and both sisters made some discoveries about themselves and their relationship with each other. Petra turned out to be a wonderfully complex character. Elias was hard to pin down. On the one hand, he is a stuffy divorce lawyer with a big chip on his shoulder when it comes to love. On the other hand, he can be funny, kind, gentle, and caring. It was hard to reconcile these two sides.

Becky and Elias’ romance felt almost secondary to all the other issues that needed to be addressed, but it was still important to the story. It’s just that all the other things that went on took a lot of the attention away from the two of them.

I enjoyed the book. It was a quick, light read, and kept my interest the entire time.

Thank you to the publisher Aria, and Netgalley, for providing me with an advanced copy to review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

It's the perfect book if you want some well written escapism.
I had a lot of tun, it made me laugh and I loved the setting, the characters and the plot.
An engrossing and entertaining read, highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

If you are already counting down the days until your summer beach holiday, why not give yourself a little taster of what’s (hopefully) to come with Mandy Baggot’s latest novel.
Largely set in one of my favourite places, Corfu, you can almost feel the sun on your face and the sand between your toes.
Fun and flirty but also packed with Mandy’s usual character driven storylines, My Greek Island Summer was just what I needed to combat another weekend of storms.
I’m not only a big fan of Mandy's novels but also of coincidences - and there are a lot of them in this book. You might think 'what are the chances...?' on more than one occasion but suspend reality and just go with it - it's worth it to sink into this tale.
If the main story between Becky and Elias is not enough, there are some great secondary stories going on too. I was quite taken with Petra, even when she was being a bit annoying you got a sense that there was more to it (I'd quite like to catch up with her a few years down the line to see how she's doing). It is quite angsty in places but also filled with the usual gentle humour, romance and gorgeous descriptions.
I must also say, I kicked myself for not exploring more of Corfu when I went with a friend several years ago because Mandy really brings the island and it’s people (not to mention food) to life. Corfu tourism might want to make her an ambassador, if she's not already!

Very funny laugh out loud! I enjoyed this book. it has a light-hearted summer feel which is perfect to read by a pool or at the beach.
The characters are likable and warm. They are people you know or want to know.
Another wonderful story from Mandy Baggot.

Becky has always been the “fixer” in the family: quietly working to make everyone’s path smoother and life easier. A role she really stepped into when her father’s health declined, after his death, and with her mother’s relocation to Blackpool for a change of pace. Her sister, Megan, was more the stuff everything away, or bluster through until the universe bent to her will. But it’s been nearly eighteen months of Becky using her palate and some clever additions to the sandwiches she builds for her sister’s business that has kept them going, until Megan’s insults and lack of expressed confidence or respect for Becky’s position in the business, not to mention in life.

Deciding that she needed a change and hearing about a house-sitting opportunity in Corfu, she fast-tracks her passport, gathers her nerves and packs up to go. From a disastrous entry at the airport to a flight missed, a delay and re-route, and everything making the rather timid Becky feel over her head: the constant is Elias. And Petra. Elias is THE divorce attorney, returning to Corfu to inventory a client’s shared property with his soon to be ex-wife, and while there he’s planning to pop in on his parents. He’d left after his own marriage dissolved when his then wife found the courage and desire to be who she was, leaving him for another woman.

Fortunately, Becky finds a willing tour guide in Elias, and someone who is less impulsive than the very brash and bold Petra, touring the world and gathering experiences with little forethought or planning. Petra latches on to Becky, teasing her for her ‘old woman’ ways, when there’s only a few years between them. Elias, drawn to Becky and her kindness, the way she hears people, and dissects every morsel of food, enjoys the sights, and seems to be sorting through her own issues. Together the two are fated to become something, but Becky’s confidence is low, although the new experiences are giving her the opportunity to think “how it could be”. Laughter, scenery, missteps, interfering mothers, a reckless Petra and several conflicts to work through both in Greece and in her own family, and Becky is growing, changing and gaining confidence. With plenty of fuel to engage with from all the characters, a building romance between Becky and Elias, and plenty of food references, the story is clever and engaging – and the perfect escape read for those grey spring days.

I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.

Review first appeared at <a href=” https://wp.me/p3OmRo-aEL/”> <a> I am, Indeed </a>

I do love a good Mandy Baggot novel. They're just so fun and inviting. They make you feel good and uplifted whilst you're reading them - and this one is no different from any of her others. If anything, it's better! I love the sunshiney cover, full of bright, pretty colours that remind you of summer and hot days. The little details show us a bit more about the story itself, with Athens being presented on the left of the cover and the little village on the right and of course with our main character Becky in the centre.

With regards to the story itself, it was perfect. The descriptions of the Greek food made my mouth water. I wanted to fly to Greece every time I read this book! Mandy makes every food sound so delicious and I always find myself hungry after! One other thing that Mandy does which I like is the use of reading about the male and female main characters. In this case the story followed Becky and Elias. Becky makes sandwiches for her sisters business and Elias is a divorce lawyer. Both completely different people but overall the same.

At the beginning I wasn't sure on Petra and was hoping that she wasn't going to be in the story the whole way through, but the more I read with her the more I liked her character and her traits. She's happy-go-lucky but she's hiding her hurtful past. I loved her by the end, she had been through so much. She's just full of energy and always looking for an adventure! Elias and Becky were great characters as well and I hoped that things would work out well for them. They deserved happiness after they had both been through quite a lot in their love lives.

The location for this novel sounded absolutely idyllic. I promise you you will be wishing for a holiday on a Greek island by the end of this novel. It's fun, uplifting and overall a perfect summer novel. Thank you to the publisher for a chance to read an advance copy of this novel which I have reviewed honestly.

I have always been a fan of Manday Baggot’s books, so I was excited to see that she had another book coming out.
Becky Rowe works for a catering company called It’s a wrap with her sister Megan and two other girls Hazel and Shelley making sandwiches all day, working all hours. When after a disagreement with her sister Megan regarding a quote for a catering for a party at a nursing home. She is advised to take a holiday. She decides to take a holiday to her annoyance of her sister Megan. She sees an advert for someone to house sit a villa in Corfu for two weeks on a website. So, she applies and is accepted.
On the plane on the way to Corfu, she can’t believe her luck when a Greek God called Elias sits next to her on the plane. They start talking and there is an instant attraction. But she knows nothing will happen as they are not going the same place. Until there is a problem with the weather and instead, they land in Kefalonia overnight. They end up having a meal together and meet Petra and the three become friends.
Thank you NetGalley and Aria for a copy of My Greek Island Summer. This is another great book from Manday Baggot full of love, quirky characters, romance and laughs. This will be a great book to take on holiday with when you are on the beach. The only downside for this for the first few chapters I found it hard to get into. But I am so glad I preserved, as it did became the Manday Baggot romance that I have grew to love. Four stars from me.

Thanks to #NetGalley for allowing me to read the e-ARC of #MyGreekIslandSummer for my honest review.
The book intrigued me because of the title. I am part Greek but never been to Corfu or Kefalonia, by reading a book is a way to travel you haven't be.
My Greek Island Summer is a summer rom-com but is a book where all the characters, primary and secondary, get into a journey to find themselves as well as find forgiveness.
Yes, there are likable characters, and there were others that are less loved, but they make this angsty story.
The idea housesitting in a place that you are vacationing is awe-inspiring and a great one.
Becky and Elia's romance for me is building with correct pacing.
My Greek Island Summer is a3.5- stars, and for sure, I will read the other 19 backlist books that Mandy Baggot has published.

A nice read with the beautiful and descriptive backdrop of Greece. I thought the beginning was a little too belabored but it picked up well!

I could not get into this book at all. The writing was all over the place and while I read British authors quite a bit, I was so confused about many of the references the author made. I shouldn’t be looking at Google every few minutes. The characters were very strange and had a lot of internal dialogue that didn’t translate well.

I was provided with an ARC of this book by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Wow another great and funny read from Mandy Baggot. I just couldn’t put it down. It’s so hot off the press that Mandy Baggot has managed to mention recent British TV shows as well as a reference to world news. Which I have to say was a pleasant surprise, as so many book we read aren’t as up to date.

I’ve now read a couple of Mandy Baggot’s books and I now need to read the rest of them. This is a laugh out loud, funny romcom, as well as being a sunny feel good book.

Becky Rose works at her sister Megan’s catering company “It’s A Wrap”. She did originally work in a bank, but left to help her sister set up her business. As she thought her sister needed her support as they had lost their father to a second stroke, then their mother left and moved up to Blackpool to be near her sister.

Late one morning while Becky and the other two employees Hazel & Shelley were nearing the end of that mornings orders. Megan comes in even more full of herself than usual. It turns out that she had just won another catering contract. This contract is so good they may need to eventually take on more staff. Just before Megan could leave again Becky asked her about the bid for the local nursing home’s summer party. Megan doesn’t want anything to do with it saying its too small a contract to be bothered with.

This really upsets Becky as this was they same nursing home that looked after their father until he passed away. Then to add insult to injury Megan announces that she and Dean will be going away for two weeks later in the summer and did anyone know of a business manager that could cover her job. Shelley tried to put in a good word for Becky, but Megan indicated that Becky wasn’t good enough to do her job.

Becky is so upset and annoyed that she storms out of the building before she says anything she will regret. After a few minutes Shelley comes out to see her and suggests that it may be time to go away on holiday. Shelley is then pulling out a handful of holiday brochures out of her huge handbag. Telling her to look at them as well as pointing out the cruse she has booked for herself in September.

That night Becky decides that she is going to put a pitch in for the nursing home’s summer party, even if Megan doesn’t like it. Also that night Becky searches the web for holidays and stumbles across a house sitting holiday website. She signs up and sends an email to the owner, saying she is available and interested in the job of house sitting her luxury villa. The owner gets back to her virtually straight away telling her that she must be single as she doesn’t want any couples staying in her luxury villa. Becky says it’s just her and the owner agrees that Becky can house sit for her, but she has to pay for her own flights.

The next day when Becky goes into work she tells her sister that she is going on holiday the following week. This causes an argument between Becky and Megan, where Becky ends up telling her sister that she can sack her if she want’s but she is going on holiday, as she hasn’t taken much time off since she started working for It’s A Wrap.

The following week and finally though security, Becky tries to look like an experienced traveller until she falls over. Spilling the contents of her huge borrowed travel bag. She feels totally humiliated but she thinks what are the chances of her being on the same flight as the men she has just fallen in front of, or her even bumping in to them again.

Sitting down in her aisle seat, she wondered if she’d have anyone sitting next to her. When Elias Mardas comes up to her aisle asking to get past her to get to his window seat. When Becky realises it’s the same man that helped her collect some of her things, when she fell. Feeling like a fool again Becky tries to act cool.

During the flight they talk for a little while, Becky has told him a few fibs regarding herself taking note of what her friends had warned her about. As they neared Athens Becky was getting concerned as her flight from Athens to Corfu was getting nearer and nearer departure time.

By the time their flight lands it becomes clear that there is a chance that she won’t make the connection. She isn’t the only one as there are about ten people that have missed the same flight as non of them could get a direct flight to Corfu. With all the commotion going on Becky keeps close to Elias and they both make acquaintances with a young woman called Petra. It turns out that they have to stay in Athens for the night and the three of them go out to where all of the locals hang out as Elias becomes their unofficial tour guide.

They all arrive in Corfu two days later than expected, but the three of them have had some fun together with Elias being their unofficial guide, but now with Elias going on his way and the girls going theirs. It’s time to say good buy. However Petra manages to twist Becky’s arm in to letting her say with her for a few nights. So they all head off not expecting to see Elias again.

When Becky and Petra get to the Luxury villa all hell has broken loose, there is a Greek woman in the house who tells them off for being late and tells them that they have a mess to clean up as some animals have managed to get in to the villa. All the while Becky can’t stop thinking about Elias.

Can things get any worse on this holiday? Did Becky imagine that there was an attraction between her and Elias and will Becky find out more about why Petra is sometimes so reckless, is she trying to run away from something. Becky isn’t sure but she feels responsible for the girl even though they have only know each other for a few days.

There are a few parts that I highlighted in this book because they had me laughing out loud and my favourite quote out of them all is this:

QUOTE: "I know why there are pink feathers down there! There’s a f***ing flamingo in the bath!”

I loved this book and as I’ve already said I will make sure I read all of the other books that Mandy Baggot has written and I will also make sure that I read all of her new books in the future.

Another fab book by Mandy.
The story of Becky, working in a sandwich business owned by her sister. She applies to house sits a villa in Greece,. Along the way en route to the country, she meets Elias, her aeroplane seat companion and Petra, also on the flight. The flight has to make stops along the way due to weather etc. She lies about what she does and so does Elias.
Incidents and revelations follow, especially when they eventually reach Greece. Fabulous book. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This book is AMAZING! It had it all! Food, love, hurt, sun, humour, novel storyline...I felt like I was living it (in a good way) from start to finish! I really enjoyed the topical humour references (tommy the turtle....need I say more?)
It is a sure-fire summer comedy read!