A Taste of Greek Summer

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐💫 (4.5)
Steam Level: 🔥🔥 (kissing and closed door sex scenes)
Trigger Warning: death of a loved one

Lydia Broom hasn't set foot in a kitchen after witnessing the death of her mentor and then being fired from his restaurant. Now working as a restaurant critic for Luxe Living, she and her colleague, Caroline, venture to Corfu, Greece to write a summer edition of the magazine. It's there that she meets sexy chef Thanos Nicolaidis and feels her passion for cooking come to life again. As Lydia explores Greece and spends time with Thanos, will she be able to heal from her past and find her happily ever after?

I enjoyed this book so much! It's equal parts women's fiction and romance as Lydia and Thanos fall in love, heal, and figure out what they want for the future. I enjoyed getting both of their POVs and seeing them go on this journey together. Thanos was so supportive and sensitive to Lydia as he helped her rediscover her love for cooking, and Lydia was there to encourage Thanos as he tried to make a name for himself as a head chef. Of course, the food played a big role in this story, and I enjoyed reading about all the Greek delicacies that were cooked and eaten by the main characters. I also loved how all the side characters supported Thanos and Lydia in their relationship and careers. If you enjoy great food, travel, and boy bands (IYKYK) then this is the book for you. I can't wait to read more from Mandy Baggot after this one!

Thank you to NetGalley and Embla Books for providing me with an ARC of this book!

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an early review copy.

I loved this book. A book that you’d love to re-read.

At one time Lydia was a very good chef, but now she writes about food. Caroline is her best friend but doesn’t know much about food, and only eats it if it’s fried.

In order to put together an edition of Luxe Living, Caroline arranges a trip to Corfu to write about the Greek dishes.

Working as a chef, Thanos, getting tired of filleting tuna every Tuesday, after a accident occurring in the family he now has to look after his brother who’s fourteen, called Onassis.

He needs to work, and he loves food. His neighbour Ismena, who looks after the two brothers, isn’t a person to be messed with and has plans for them both.

Lydia comes to a restaurant where Thanos is working, as a favour to his friend. She eats the food cooked by him. They meet again, in the town where Thanos lives. He helps Lydia reconnect with her love of cooking, in the process he tells her more about him and finds what he’s passionate about.

Both Lydia and Caroline are two different people, where Lydia is a warm person, Caroline is funny. I loved Ismena, I’d love to have her as a friend.

Recommend this book.