BLOG TOUR REVIEW

Review for 'Bring Me Sunshine' by Alex Brown.

This book is beautifully written and completely absorbs you in the stunning atmosphere of Kalosiros and really sucks you in with the vivid descriptions leaving you feel and see all the emotions, characters and scenes. The synopsis and stunning cover suits the storyline perfectly.

Love, love, LOVED this absolutely gorgeous, emotive page turner that I devoured in one sitting!!!

I have absolutely loved this stunning book by the amazing Alex!! Honestly if you are ever in need of a break and fancy the gorgeous Greece then grab this stunner and prepare to be whisked away on a beautiful holiday!!! The storyline is authentic and realistic as well as easy to read and heart-warming. There was plenty of events going on throughout and it kept me hooked from start to end, I absolutely devoured it in one sitting and was completely absorbed throughout. I always love travelling to the stunning Greek Islands in books and although I have never actually been to Greece myself thanks to all my fictional sofa holidays it feels like I have seen almost every part of it and I absolutely loved adding Kalosiros to my list! With the summer holidays just around the corner this is the absolutely perfect book to get lost in regardless of whether you have plans to go abroad or not as whether you are in the world Alex will scoop you up and drop you into the middle of Kalosiros at the turn of a page! This book is a rollercoaster ride of emotions and was heart-warming and uplifting and had love, romance, humour, relationships, family, friendship and much more all going on in this beautiful atmosphere. There was also heartbreak, tragedy and tears. Amongst all these emotions there are also stunning settings, an abundance of amazing and memorable characters, delicious food and drink, amazing characters and so, so much more!!! I could literally go on and on about how beautiful this book is but I am trying to shorten my reviews not turn them into even longer essays but I highly recommend you grab this stunning book today!!! Thanks to Alex's stunning evocative descriptions it felt like I was on a gorgeous break away from Wales!! I loved how the story ended and I would love to read more about the life on the gorgeous Kalosiros. I was absolutely devastated when I came to the end of this book as I was truly whisked away to Greece feeling the emotions, seeing the sites and looking at the stunning views. I absolutely loved the gorgeous atmosphere and am hoping to return in another of Alex's books. This storyline was so heart-warming and emotional and it was such an easy and relaxing read that I just could not put it down and know you won't be able to either!! It ended absolutely perfectly and I would love to see more of the amazing characters soon!! Hint, hint Alex😉!!! The characters were all unique with their own realistic traits, strengths and weaknesses. I absolutely loved the fact that we had a strong female protagonist as being female myself I absolutely LOVE seeing inspiring and strong women in books and Gina is definitely one to add to my favourites list. It was intriguing to watch each of the characters friendships and relationships grow, develop and change throughout the the storyline. Every one of the characters had a part to play and they each played it perfectly and beautifully!!! Alex's amazing evocative writing skills brought them to life as much as possible and they all leapt out of the pages as well as the stunning atmosphere and the rest of the characters!!! Anyway, I best not say anymore as don't want to give anything else away for future readers!! It's just so easy talking about this fantastic book and so much I want to tell you all about but i really need to control myself!!! Needless to say I absolutely adored the majority of characters each for a different reason. All characters worked perfectly with the storyline and I would love to meet them again!!! This book would make a stunning movie and I would definitely be first in line to see it!!!

Well done Alex on an absolutely gorgeous book!!! I will definitely be looking for your books any time I need to be swept off to another country!!! Welcome to my favourite author club and here's to your next success 🥂!!!

Overall an absolutely perfect light hearted, stunning unputdownable romance that will sweep you off your feet and land you in Kalosiros.

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Wonderful summer beach read!
This book takes on a journey in beautiful Greece.
3 women who are strangers on holiday become fast friends and have a trip filled with many laughs and adventures. Dee-dee and Rosie show Gina that she has much life to live and should follow her heart and find the true love she deserves. Will Gina reunite with her long lost first love? This book did not disappoint!
Thanks to Netgalley for this eArc !!!

The novel follows 49-year-old Gina as she revisits the Greek island of Kalosiros, where she once enjoyed summers with her mother and a teenage romance. After her mother's death, Gina led a practical life with her husband. When she finally saves for a return trip, her husband can't join, so she travels alone, encouraged by her employer. In Kalosiros, Gina befriends fellow solo travelers Deedee and Rosie, leading to a lively girls' holiday. The journey helps Gina confront her past, search for her first love, and reconsider her future. Celebrating friendship, self-discovery, and the vibrancy of older women, the novel is heartwarming and uplifting.

What a glorious read! I have not read anything by Alex Brown before but I will definitely be looking up her work now.
This took me on a delectable journey to a Greek island that was full of sun, sea, sand and new friendships. It was brilliant to have older women as the main characters rather than 20 somethings. Very relatable and lots of fun to read.
Lovely characters and I want to go on the next holiday with them!
Thank you to netgalley and the publishers and the author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest opinion

I always like to read about women getting second chances and who are willing to take risks to live a better life.
Gina is a drudge for her Imperious husband and live in MIL.
Until she travels to Greece to recapture a once lost feeling, art, and perhaps love.
I loved Deedee and Rosie because they were exactly what self doubting Rosie needed.
I didn’t agree with how Colin was dealt with, he should’ve been given a huge boot to his ass!
Every time I read about Greece it inches up on my must visit list.

This is a wonderfully uplifting read which is perfect for summer.

Bring Me Sunshine would be an ideal book to read on the beach. However, it worked perfectly well for me on a rainy day in June in the UK. It may have been a typical English summer day here in the UK, but the book filled my heart with sunshine. It was an uplifting read and I sighed with satisfaction when I turned the final page.

I loved the strong friendship that these three women formed. Each of their voices were very distinct and hugely likeable characters. Ms. Brown is able to bring her characters fully to life on the page.

This is a novel to get completely lost in, and I thoroughly enjoyed my time reading this book. I highly recommend it.

Gina’s life has come to a standstill and she decides to go on the holiday to the Greek island of Kalosiros that she has been dreaming of on her own after her husband of twenty-seven years lets her down once again. Once there she meets Rosie and Deedee, two women who are also their on solo adventures. The three women create a friendship that ignites a new lease of life in Gina. They go on a mission to find Gina’s first love that she met on the island, Nico.

Gina is a middle-aged woman whose life feels stagnant and by going on this holiday that she has been dreaming of and meeting Rosie and Deedee, you see Gina come to life again. As you go through the story you see her eyes opening to the way her life has played out and how she has been being treated, and her desire to turn this round and see her finding the confidence in herself that she once had.

I loved the three main characters and the friendship that they built so easily. It was heart-warming to see them help bring out the spark in Gina and in turn brightening their own.

The Greek island of Kalosiros sounds dreamy and I felt like I was there with the girls.

This is the perfect summer escapism. An easy-read for some armchair travel that is an inspiring story to find that new lease of life and new female friendships.

You need to add this to your summer reading list!

We meet Gina Bennett, who is in her 50s and had it with her husband Colin’s let downs all the time. Colin now says to Gina he has to cancel their Anniversary trip they had planned as he has to work instead. Gina has worked had to save for the trip to Kalosiros in Greece and decides to go alone, after all she is no stranger to the Island as she used to visit when she was younger with her mum and that is where she found her first love Nico.
Soon Gina meets Deedee and Rosie who are also travelling and visiting Kalosiros, the trio hook up and become friends and soon they are having the best time ever as their friendship develops.
With the help and support of her new friends, can Gina find herself again and lay some ghosts to rest or does she have regrets about going it alone?.
Alex Brown’s descriptive writing will pull at all of your senses especially the delicious food, amazing scenery and picturesque surroundings. Its all too easy to get lost and immerse yourself right there in the action.
Such a beautiful story that gives all the Shirley Valentine feels. Looking forward to more from Alex Brown soon.

I didn't enjoy this and at one point didn't want to finish it. I'm stubborn though, so I persevered, skimming through some of the silliness. Rosie was OTT and so annoying. As for Gina, she was a likeable character, which was why I kept reading. There wasn't much time allocated for romance, just a bit at the end. In fact, I thought the end was hurried. The epilogue made up for it a bit. Light and frothy and not much depth of emotion. With thanks to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this holiday romance with characters older than early twenties! the three main ladies were great fun together, really complimented each other and each one bought something different to the newly formed friendship. Although I presumed it would have a happy ending, it took a while to get there and I really enjoyed the time it took. I would certainly recommend this to read from a sunny beach this summer, preferably Greece!

This book was a very fun, light read to start off summer! Greece is a place I've always wanted to visit so I had a great time picturing the island of Kalosiros while exploring the island with Deedee, Gina, and Rosie.

Sometimes the dialogue, especially between Deedee and Gina, didn't seem exactly realistic but mostly was there to further the plot in the way it needed to be. With that being said, I don't think it changed how I felt about the book. This book read like a hallmark movie to me, which I loveeee hallmark movies!

I definitely guessed the ending right around when Gina runs into the owner of the apartments she used to stay in with her mother. Speaking of the mother plot line: I enjoyed learning about Gina's mother and her relationship with her. After so many years have passed from Gina's mother dying the reader is able to see Gina reconnect with a part of her mother that she thought she had lost forever.

The grand mission that the new friends embark on was so fun of trying to find Gina's Nico after over 20 years of not having any communication with him. I thought this was such a fun mission, and really showed how much the new friends bonded, and showed a genuine friendship as they all want the best for each other!

This book was a fun read that I am glad I got to read while enjoying the start of the nice, summer weather. If you are looking for a light-hearted beach read, this might be the book for you!

This was a wonderful sweet story about finding new friends and reconnecting with a first love. A real feel good book. I loved reading it and the setting in Greece sounded so beautiful. It was almost like being there in person.

Gina goes to a Greek island after her husband lets her down one time to many. she goes in search of her first love. quick read.

First of all, I have to say how much I loved the energy and vivaciousness of the three main characters. Going on a journey of self-discovery with the three new friends was a joy, even if this meant at times they behaved like teenagers. There is definitely a Shirley Valentine vibe as Gina leaves her husband behind to go in search of new adventures. Whether this is with her first holiday crush from years ago, with someone new or with her husband is for you the reader to find out. All I will say is that all is skilfully resolved in the end.
You won't regret going on Gina's journey with her and having a bundle of laughs along the way - all set on a beautiful Greek island. The perfect armchair journey.

I would firstly just like to say a big thank you to Rachel’s Random Resources who very kindly forwarded me an arc copy of this book, for my kindle, in return for my honest review…

ring Me Sunshine is absolutely the perfect book to read this Summer! It was pure escapism and though the authors beautiful writing i felt as though i had been whisked away to the gorgeous Greek Island, Kalosiros!

Gina was wonderful as the strong female lead and i loved going along for the ride with her and getting immersed in her inspiring story…

This book was a real page turner and it didn’t take me long to turn all the pages and come to the end.

Bring Me Sunshine was heartwarming, uplifting, emotional story with a wonderful sense of friendship too…..

A truly wonderful summer read. Set on a greek island, I could imagine myself as being part of the story, albeit from the sidelines.

A lovely heartwarming holiday read. A touch of Shirley Valentine in the Greek islands. I really enjoyed this book!!

Bring Me Sunshine by Alex Brown

I received an advance review copy for free thanks to Rachel's Random Resources and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Blurb

Gina Bennett has had enough after her husband of twenty-seven years lets her down one time too many. Deciding to choose herself, she embarks on a transformative solo journey to break free from the monotony of her life.

She escapes to the gorgeous Greek island of Kalosiros, where she holidayed in her youth, and where she had her first romance with the handsome Nico. Encountering two kindred spirits in Rosie and Deedee, the women bond over art classes and cocktails, renewing their lust for life and a shared quest to find Gina's lost love.

Together, they navigate the challenges of middle-age, self-discovery, and the liberating power of skinny-dipping. Will Gina find love again with her teenage sweetheart Nico, her husband, or with someone new? 

My Opinion

Bring Me Sunshine is a lovely holiday read that will whisk you away to the Greek island of Kalosiros. Gina has been married for 27 years, but she is not going to let her husband Colin come between her and her dreams - a solo trip can seem daunting but Gina is determined to go on her holiday. It was refreshing to read about a strong female lead showing that it is never too late to follow your dreams.

For me, this was a real page-turner. This was my second book by Alex Brown - although with the fantastic writing style I know I will be back for more.

Rating 4/5

What a great mood enhanching read!
The description said that this book was a mix of Mama Mia and Shirley Valentine and it certainly lived up to the description.
This feel good story of friendship and second chances is set on the Greek island of Kalosiros where Gina had spent many holidays with her Mum and islander Nico. Still in a coercive marriage, Gina makes her break for freedom and finds friendship and a new confidence when her painting skills are exposed.
I loved this book for its setting and female solidarity. A great beach read b with lots of heart.

Bring Me Sunshine is a lovely mix of laughter, poignancy and romance as Gina breaks away from her restrictive marriage and escapes to the Greek Island where she spent childhood summers and experienced her first love. Gina is an easy-to-like woman; now nearing fifty, she feels her invisibility and is constantly criticised and manipulated by her husband and his mother. When he refuses to accompany her on the romantic break she planned and paid for, she goes alone, meets new and old friends, and has unexpected new experiences. I like the laugh-out-loud humour, the self-realisation Gina experiences, the friendships and the romance. It's a lovely escapist read full of emotion.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher.