I’ve read and reviewed a number of books by Rebecca Raisin and thoroughly enjoyed her writing style. They are reliably uplifting with terrific characters and great comedic timing. It was when I read Elodie’s Library of Second Chances (link to my review) that I sensed a shift in her writing style and a new maturity became obvious. This book also had a slightly different feel, and I happily embraced it.
I’m grateful to Rachel Gilbey of Rachel’s Random Resources for the blog tour invite and for providing my digital review copy via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. You can read my thoughts below.
Synopsis
A Greek island holiday. A fake-dating pact. A chance at true love?
After losing her job as a book scout, hopeless romantic Evie needs a fresh start. So when she hears that her eccentric grandmother has just taken on a small bookshop in Santorini, Evie jumps at the chance to visit her.
But life on the island is not as idyllic as it first seems. Gran has a tempestuous relationship with her landlord and he’s threatening to take the bookshop away from her. So when Gran asks Evie to fake a romance with her landlord’s Greek God of a grandson, Georgios, to keep the family on side, she reluctantly agrees.
As the sun sets on Evie’s Greek holiday, can she save the bookshop – and fake date her way to love?
Purchase Links
Review
I do look forward to new releases from Rebecca Raisin as I can rely on a gorgeous story that will leave me feeling warm and fuzzy. Summer at the Santorini Bookshop delivered on every level and had me laughing out loud as the story went from each drama to the next crisis.
The opening scenes gave me genuine envy as I discovered my ideal job. As someone who casts books as she reads, I would love to read books with a view to seeing them recreated for the screen. Alas, it also became a dream for our heroine, Evie, as she soon finds out that she’s being made redundant.
The action then shifts from Hollywood to the Greek Island of Santorini and the hectic world of Florette, Evie’s octogenarian grandmother. I absolutely loved Florette and her catalogue of deceased ex-husbands, they were a rich source of comedy, and I loved reading their stories. Of course, there was the added craziness from Evie’s legal-eagle mother and Evie’s Broadway star sister.
At its core, this is a fake-dating story, but it is filled with hilarious moments. The focus was not just on the dating, but also on the creation of the bookstore, in all its glory, and on the fabulous rescue dogs that Florette adopted.
With a fantastic supporting cast, this book cannot fail to entertain, and the funny moments came along thick and fast. I’m not going to single out anyone in particular as I’ve already mentioned that Florette was my star of the show, but there are plenty of quirky individuals to ensure that there is never a dull moment.
I can certainly imagine this book as a screen play and would love to see the bookshop, Bibliotherapy, and the additional spaces come to life. I defy you not to feel the same after reading this gem of a book.
Author Bio
Rebecca Raisin writes heartwarming romance from her home in sunny Perth, Australia. Her heroines tend to be on the quirky side and her books are usually set in exotic locations so her readers can armchair travel any day of the week. The only downfall about writing about gorgeous heroes who have brains as well as brawn, is falling in love with them – just as well they’re fictional. Rebecca aims to write characters you can see yourself being friends with. People with big hearts who care about relationships and believe in true, once in a lifetime love. Her bestselling novel Rosie’s Travelling Tea Shop has been optioned for film with MRC studios and Frolic Media.
Social Media Links
Please follow this tour across the blogs listed below
Book Escapes with BabsW67 