The idea behind this book was charming. A young woman loses her husband suddenly and she goes on a vacation to Greece with her mother to try to move on from her grief, taking with her a memory from a conversation with her husband a long time ago where he said that if he died first he would send her someone to love because he knows her better than anyone... In Greece she meets several candidates but which one would her husband be likely to send her, if he could indeed do such a thing. Catelyn is a very damaged young woman after losing the man she thought she'd spend her life with. Her mother is the opposite - a real life force. Put the two of them together and... their dynamic was utterly hilarious. Vivien was the best character in the book. She's just so blunt, and full of life and fun, and while they fight like cat and dog at times, they adore each other. I found the mother daughter story almost the main one, with the love interests as secondary. Catelyn grows from being a big self-pitying grouch in the beginning to someone who has to put her pain behind her and take a chance on someone else again. The ending is a huge surprise. I loved it. If you want to laugh your pants off, cringe, feel sad but ultimately uplifted you will enjoy this. Awesome read! Five stars.

I just finished a great book. Beneath Greek Skies by Carol Mason was so enjoyable. From the writing to the cover art, it was a winner.

This novel was an enjoyable excursion to the Greek island of Zante. The descriptions of the locale and the residents were highly evocative and enticing. Beyond that, the storyline followed the trope of the young widow grappling with loss and grief after the tragic and unexpected death of her husband. What recuses all this from being cliched is the bit of magic realism woven into the story.

Catelyn’s life is stalled by her grief. When an opportunity presents itself for her to travel, she packs her bags and heads for Greece in the company of her youthful, gorgeous mother. What ensues is a rivalry between the two women for the attention of a handsome businessman, an encounter with an attractive Irishman recovering from a betrayal, and a well-crafted imaginative day of saying goodbye to Catelyn’s deceased spouse.

Overall, the characters were well developed, but I did not feel invested in them. Catelyn’s relationship with her mother, while clearly based in love, was often contentious…and not in a humorous way. It was gratifying to follow her healing process as she realized she did not need to find a new relationship to have a fulfilling life.

My thanks to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for the privilege of reviewing this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This review is being posted immediately to my GoodReads account and will be posted on Amazon upon publication.

Excellent… I was totally involved in the story, the characters and their lives. Emotional and poignant… beautifully written and so evocative. And the setting was gorgeous.

Read and reviewed in exchange for a free copy from Netgalley. Although I wasn't bowled over by this book, it was relatively enjoyable. I liked the beautiful Greek setting (and immediately started researching holidays to Greece) and the storyline was well paced. Although the character development was good, I didn't feel particularly invested in Catelyn's story, and while books of this genre are rarely particularly unique (and I like that!), this did feel quite flat. An easy holiday read.