Member Reviews
Thanks Netgalley and the Publisher. Oh for a long awaited and needed holiday, if you can't have the real thing this book will help. Loved it, liked the characters and the storyline and of course the location
When Sam Southern, English television presenter extraordinaire, finds herself in a social media nightmare she decides to escape to Greece to spend the summer with her sister. While on her sister’s sheep farm Sam is forced to reevaluate her life (especially after two men grab her attention) and decide what she really wants.
Funny, romantic, and heartwarming. This book was the perfect one to read on Greek Easter! I really enjoyed it and look forward to reading more of Sue Roberts’ books.
*I was provided with an ARC from @netgalley and the publisher @bookouture for my honest review
I have never been to Greece, but I recognized the feeling you get when the sun shines every day. Whether it’s there or in any other country where you can bask in the warmth life is so different compared to the rat race in the ‘colder’ countries. Everything is more laid back and why not. Life is worth so much more when you take the time to enjoy the things around you in stead of always working with no or little fun.
It’s hard in the beginning to adapt to that slower rhythm, but you will soon find out it suits you. Somewhere in your mind though you think you belong to your life at home. Where is home exactly? Is it where your house is or rather where you heart is?
Sam is about to find out what it means to her. After all family and good friends are always there whether they are near or far. It’s up to you to do what’s best for you. In this time and day they are only a phone call or a plane ride away.
As a public figure you feel like you always have to watch your step, but does that give people the right to judge you…? Looking back they maybe did you a favor or you would never have gone on this great Greek escape.
I loved this warm and sunny story. It was very well written and I wished I could have escaped too. Looking for something to make the sun shine, you really should pick this book. 5 stars.
Thank you, Sue Roberts and Bookouture.
After a works do before breaking up for the summer doesn't end quite as intended, Sam takes a trip to Rhodes to stay with her sister and family to take time out. After an extended stay, a blast from the past (but not necessarily a good one) Sam eventually takes a close look and reevaluates what she wants in life.
A lovely read, wishing you were holidaying in the Greek islands. Lighthearted, easy read.
I typically love destination/travel romance, so I was excited for this. I initially felt for Sam a bit, surprised by her naivete, but willing to look past it for the story.
As the story unfolded, I just found myself enjoying Greece and Fiona's family, but not very interested in Sam. Her character felt very shallow, and just a bit .. flat. She wore ridiculous shoes, talked about how amazingly posh her home and London were (all those "award-winning restaurants" and "high fashion"...), and worried about her hair a bit too much for my liking.
There is a love triangle, but I'm honestly didn't feel much of any romance between her and either guy.
I wanted to love this, but I am sad to say it just wasn't for me.
2.5 Stars rounded up
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an early review copy.
An after work party, doesn’t end as Sam had hoped. Now, she’s jobless and talked about. Her sister invites her to her farmhouse, she jumps at the chance.
But whilst there, even though she’s enjoying being with her sister and her nieces, and the attention of a gorgeous hunk, she’s still thinking of how her life changed so suddenly.
But, just as she’s starting to like the easy way of life and not having to wear her expensive clothes, she bumps into an old flame from home, bringing everything that happened back to her.
Will Sam go back to her or life or has what’s happened made her wanting to stay where she is?
You can always count on a Sue Roberts novel to transport you away from rainy old England to a Mediterranean destination. The Great Greek Escape follows Sam Southern. She’s a tv presenter on Wake Up Britain and is looking forward to the summer break. She’s planning to visit her sister and her family who live on the gorgeous Greek island of Rhodes. However following the wrap party which had gone disastrously wrong, Sam finds herself both jobless and loveless so decides to head to Rhodes earlier than planned.
She enjoys spending evenings with neighbour Spyros and enjoying the slower pace of life wondering if she could get used to a life in this sleepy village. But when a love interest from her past pops up, reminders of her London life return. Can she really give all that up?
I loved this book. Having been lucky to visit Rhodes a couple of years ago I was familiar with some of the places. She’s descriptions had me yearning to get back on a plane to savour the famous Greek delicacies, drink the local wine and relax on one of the many beautiful beaches. I was hooked from page one and completely devoured each page. A wonderful five star read.
Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture and the author for the chance to review.
received this book for an honest review from netgalley #netgalley
So much fun! I love travel romances and this one fit the bill to a T!!! Perfect Beach read.
Wow, where to even begin with this book? I loved it. I suppose I could start there. I love everything Greek and so the first thing that attracted me to this book was that it took place there, but also the fun, attractive cover. Usually, I stick to reading within my writing genres which are mainly mystery and thriller. (Though I do have an action adventure series.) But when it comes to movies, I often find that I love romantic comedies and this book was basically that! Actually, Hollywood, let's see this as a movie!
Samatha, the main character, is flawed and human, and as a celebrity she finds herself caught up in a scandal--none of which was really her fault. After all, how could she have known the man she slept with was married? She has a couple of choices the way she sees it--stay hidden in her London home and wallow in her recent misfortune or try to put it out of her mind and head to Greece.
Greece is where her sister and family have a sheep farm, and Sam soons learns there's more to life than the hustle and bustle of the city. It was great to see her growth in the book, but I admit there were times I was yelling at her to smarten up. (That just goes to show the author did an incredible job of making Sam human!) Sam kept punishing herself by looking at the people trashing her online when she should have just been enjoying beautiful Greece. And, don't get me started on an old flame that pops up. She gave that guy way too much power!
But all turns out well in the end. Not that I'm going to spoil the outcome, but I will say I'd definitely read another book by this author. (And, as it turns out she has more books set in Greece! Sign me up!)
Also for someone who doesn't typically read romance I gorged on this book in two seatings--the bulk of which was outside on my deck in gorgeous sunshine. (How fitting!) Anyway, I can't recommend this book enough.
I received an advanced reading copy of this book for honest review. Thank you to the author, Bookouture, and NetGalley.
This was a nice, light-hearted beach read. There was nothing inherently wrong with this novel. It’s a sweet story without a lot of substance. 3.5*, rounded down, from me.
Our heroine, Sam Southern, a national celebrity is caught in a scandal. She runs away to Greece to ensure with her sister and then changes her life for good.
It was nice and easy to read with no surprises. I suppose that’s what bothered me. I could guess exactly what was going to occur. It was too obvious, a bit cliche and the plot fell a bit flat for me.
Something to note is that this is obviously a British novel. Sentences are structured in a way that is different than in North America and certain colloquialisms are used frequently. It didn’t bother me; I rather like it, but if it’s not something you are familiar with, or if you don’t like that sort of read, this is not the book for you.
This book was PRECIOUS. A wonderful, delightful escape from real life!
I enjoyed reading this so much. I found myself thinking about the characters and the beautiful little Greek town it's set in when I wasn't reading. I would have loved to see a little more romance between Sam and her love interest. It was all very proper and innocent which is totally fine but it left me wanting a little more.
However, the family aspect was lovely. She was able to find love and support and healing with her relationship with her family. Also, the way the author described the location the story takes place had me relaxed just READING about it. Her sister, brother-in-law live in a farmhouse in the countryside with her two nieces and it made me want to hop on a plane to holiday in a tiny, seaside Greek village!
All in all this was hugely enjoyable and fun. I highly recommend this as a poolside summer read!
**Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC ebook in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own**
This book is definitely a feel-good summer read, set on the Greek island of Rhodes. Sam is a morning TV show presenter who falls foul of a womaniser and experiences the wrath of the media and the public. She flees to her sister's farm on Rhodes for some peace and quiet but, of course, ends up finding a lot more.
This novel highlights the differences between even geographically fairly close areas. It is an example of the need many people have found in the last year or so for a more laid-back, rural existence.
Thanks to Net Galley and the publishers for the opportunity to review this book.
A light yet enjoyable read for anyone who wants to detach for a bit and set foot into another world unlike their own. Sue Roberts sets a scene you feel you know intimately.
A scandal at work sends Sam to spend the summer with her sister’s family in Rhodes, Greece. There, she meets Spyros and the two show immediate sparks but she also reunites with an old flame. Sam faces numerous choices involving her work and love life.
I love romances in foreign destinations, and since I just read a YA romance in Greece, I thought I’d try out a more adult one. I loved the detailed descriptions of Rhodes and also the mention of local foods and some Greek phrases.
I didn’t really like Sam’s character but I loved Sofia, the girls and of course, Spyros. I feel like the Aron plot line was a tad necessary, I would have loved it more if the romance was centered around Spyros and Sam. Also, I though it would have been steamier than it actually was. It was a great book, but I felt like something was missing.
I’m glad I discovered Sue Roberts though, and I can’t wait to read some of her other novels.
I received an ARC from NetGalley in return for an honest review.
Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture Publishing for the eARC advance copy of this book to read and review.
Sam is a tv presenter on a British morning show and is famous enough to be followed by paparazzi. She tries to do all the things that will have the public on her side.
But when she meets a charming doctor one night and is pictured leaving his hotel with him the next morning. Turns out he was married and never told her.... cue the anti-Sam press.
She travels to her sister’s sheep farm in Greece and spends the summer with Fiona, her husband Nick and their 7 year old twins. The longer Sam is in Greece, she realises the emptiness of her London life. And meeting the lovely cheese maker Spyros from next doesn’t hurt either!
This is a cute and enjoyable summer read!
I received n ARC from Netgalley in return for an honest review.
I was looking forward to a fabulous romance on the Greek island of Rhodes and enjoying the sensation of being back amongst Greek people and a steamy romance with a gorgeous Greek.
I was disappointed. I did not take to Sam at all. It never crossed her mind that Marcus was married? please! any professional woman used to meeting many men of that age, and especially in a hotel at a conference, will know there's a high risk that a few are going to be married and also hiding it. Her naivety did not ring true. Her failure to pick up the clues seemed beyond ingenuous.
I loved Fiona and her family but again Sam didn't seem to treat Fiona as a responsible person in her own right and assumed she knew what was right for her.
I was expecting a steamy romance with Spyros and didn't understand the Aaron angle - especially since it was obvious he was a bad 'un!
This was very well written but I expected more - more Greekness, more romance, more steam, more interest. Sorry, this wasn't my cup of tea.
Samantha leaves London under a cloud and goes to stay with her sister on their family farm on Rhodes. You can feel the sun, smell the sea and relax into the gorgeous descriptions as your shoulders sink, your breathing slows and you relax. It’s that good! Sams values were slightly askew when she arrived in Rhodes but this summer vacation will change her forever! A glorious summer read!
Samantha appears to have everything going right in her life until one bad decision changes everything. After finding herself to be a villain in the press, she flees London to spend time with her sister and her family on their farm in Greece. Little does she know this time away will change her view on her life. A light-hearted, fun read, Sue Roberts' The Great Greek Escape reminds us all what is really important in life and that people are not as they always appear.
This was a sweet story of a woman who finds the support of her family and a good man. It was wonderful to see Sam develop and fall into a healthy supportive relationship. There were not any heavy smut scenes and the descriptions of Greece were beautiful! It really made me miss traveling. I cannot wait to get back to our regular world with easy travel. Overall, it was a cute book, just slightly anticlimactic. I think it might have just been the male lead did not appeal to me directly. Overall, it is a great light summer read!
I've been craving more uplifting romance reads and I always love a story that takes me to a foreign destination, so I thought I was going to hit the jackpot with The Great Greek Escape. I mean, a Greek setting and the promise of a summer romance with a local? That sounded exactly like what I was looking for to take a little break from my darker reads. I've been looking forward to dive in, and to my surprise I ended up having mixed thoughts instead... And the fun, laugh-out-loud and sizzling romance read that was promised might have been just a tad false advertisement. I'll try to explain my thoughts below.
First of all I have to say that I did love the Greek setting. The author really made both the setting on Rhodes and its inhabitants come alive through the detailed descriptions, and I loved the incorporation of local food as well as Greek phrases. Not only did it make me crave Greek food, but it also set the perfect backdrop for this story and it makes me keep my fingers crossed that I can return to the Greek islands one day. The locals were among my favorite characters (especially Spyros and Sofia), and they were without doubt part of the reason I kept reading.
Talking about the characters... I also really liked Fiona and her family, and I had a great time reading about them. BUT. I really didn't like Sam's character at all. She felt considerably flat and cliche and quite self absorbed, and I simply never really warmed up to her... Likewise, her whole interaction with Aaron felt one dimensional too, and lacked the background and development that would have made it feel credible. I also feel that the story didn't deliver what was promised here: where is the connection and romantic development with the local as the blurb seems to promise, and where is the sizzling romance in general?! Trust me, I'm not complaining that there aren't any steamy scenes involved, but I wanted a summer romance and the story was very light on the romance indeed.
Then we arrive at another point I struggled with: the introduction of a love triangle and a cheating element that is repeated in multiple characters. Both pet peeves of mine and highly annoying to encounter in what I thought would be a fun summer romance story. And especially the love triangle was a real let down, as the main focus wasn't even on the local romantic interest and instead kept repeating the rather one dimensional connection between Aaron and Sam without proper background or development. Where is my sizzling romance with a Greek character?! It feels like the final part of the story wants to make up for all that, and as a consequence the ending felt both rushed and unsatisfying.
I wasn't sure what to make of the TV celebrity and reality TV angle either. I liked the idea behind the premise of Sam hiding away with her family after a scandal, and it does make for a good excuse why she suddenly spends the whole summer on Rhodes. BUT. Her pushing the reality TV program on her sister and her family while they don't really seem to feel like doing it, and not even considering what other people think in general while pushing her own ideas? This was yet another reason why I wasn't impressed by Sam's character at all.
In short, I felt like The Great Greek Escape had so much potential and I did love the Greek setting and various characters, but as a whole this wasn't the sizzling romance that was promised and not at all as fun as I hoped it would be.