Cover Image: One Last Greek Summer

One Last Greek Summer

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Member Reviews

One Last Greek Summer follows Beth, a woman in her early thirties who, at the insistence of her best friend, recreates a trip to Corfu following her divorce. Beth's best friend Heidi insists they recreate their trip from 10 years ago to reconnect with their former selves. The result is a fun adventure that shows Beth's personal growth. I thoroughly enjoyed the ending as it went against the grain of typical endings in this genre.

Overall the book is light and easy to read. My only issue is with the overused pop culture references. The references were too frequent, clunky, awkward and were solely from Netflix programs. I felt like I was making my way through the Netflix roster!

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After her divorce to a man she never loved, Beth and her friend Heidi decide to go Corfu Greece on a holiday to rewind and be herself again and reminisce of the holiday they had there ten years previously, when they were young, free and single. Where she met Alex or ‘Lex’ who was Beth first love and only love. When they returned home, she met Charles. Charles the boss of Mountbatten Global and then they start seeing each other and they eventually marry.
When Beth and Heidi get to Corfu their villa is not what they hoped for and what’s worse the celling comes down. So, when someone is called to fix it. Who does Beth meet but Alex from years previously. They start up where they left off. Telling each other of their hopes and dreams. Even Heidi meets someone too, as they enjoy their holiday together like it was 2009.
When I hear of a new book of Mandy Baggot, I get excited. I am normally read crime novels, but Mandy is an exception. This is a great summer read. Not only is beautifully written, funny and a great plot. I love the descriptions of the Greek island it makes want to go there.
Thank you NetGalley and Aria books for a copy of this book

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I want a Greek vacation! What a fun second-chance love story!!I really enjoyed watching Beth and Alex fall in love again, or really, discover that they've always loved each other. And I really enjoyed the bonus romance between Heidi and Elektra. This was a very enjoyable book!!

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A great summer read, full of humour and fun. Two great female leads full of character and a completely loveable male lead. I loved this, very relatable and I’ll admit to being a little sad at the ending because I wanted a little more for them and their future. A great fun read.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

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Beth Martin and her best friend Heidi decide to return to the picturesque and magical island of Corfu to relive their memories of a decade ago when they were free and fanciful. They had partied hard and had a real whale of a time. Now they are both at a crossroads in their lives. Beth is keen go through with her divorce from a wealthy man who she had never really loved but who she desperately needed. He was driven; he made her feel safe and cared for, he was very kind to her and it had seemed to be her best option at the time. But when he cheated on her, well that was the end of the story for her. He was very controlling and unfaithful, so yes, nothing would change her mind. He, however, regretted his wandering eyes and adultery and he was determined to get her back. Ever a loyal friend, Heidi supported her best friend and thought she needed to get away from it all and recharge her tired batteries, so she had booked a fortnight away at a beachside retreat in Corfu: a fortnight to rest and heal. Heidi also wanted time to make big life changing decisions and new beginnings, but for a totally different reason. She had always been single and she wanted a ‘happy-ever-after’ for herself.
So off they set to the island of their dreams. You’ll have to read the book for yourself to find out if Beth and Heidi found the solutions to their ultimate aims of making new beginnings. I really enjoyed the beautiful settings they both experienced on the charming island of Corfu. I have been a regular visitor there myself and I also love Rovinia Beach which is absolutely stunning. I recognised several of the holiday destinations they visited and which I have visited as well, and they all sounded just as gorgeous as they are in real life. This was a key factor in why I chose the novel; along with the enticing ‘blurb’ that gave a short description of what the storyline was and how the characters wanted to retreat from their ordinary lives here in the UK. I have never read any of the other novels written by Mandy Baggot and the memories she evoked with this new novel were welcome and made me smile and chuckle at their holiday antics.
I found a large majority of the novel quite ‘wordy’ but the ending made me enjoy the timeline of this novel more than the rest of it. I liked the heart-warming romance and the adventures they had exploring different locations on the island. It’s not my usual choice of genre, but it was pleasant enough and would make a light and fluffy read for holidaymakers enjoying the tranquillity of a Greek Island and the sunshine and beaches, or even other similar locations.
I received a complimentary copy of this novel from publisher Aria through my membership of NetGalley. Thank you for my copy sent in return for an honest and unbiased review.

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Who doesn’t love a summer in Greece? This was the perfect backdrop to a wonderful story with even more wonderful characters. The story was easy to fall in love with but the fun characters were star of the show.

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In the past few years I have enjoyed Mandy Baggots book that are set in Greece, Corfu to be specific. I think nothing can ever chance my love for Those Summer Nights, but I must say that One Last Greek Summer is pretty high in my favourite list.
Actually I went in with low expectations, because last year I felt a little let down when I read Single for the Summer. But I was still very curious when I saw One Last Greek Summer announced.
In this book we follow Beth, who is recently divorced and is trying to find her place in the world. When her best friend Heidi comes up with the plan to travel to Corfu and re-enact the summer they spend there when they were 21; Beth is at first a little hesitant. She is totally different woman now. But Heidi can be very persuasive and once on the island Beth realises she hasn’t changed that much. She just lost herself and the things she loved. One of the things she loved is the beautiful Greek DJ Alex, who crosses her path one again.
Needless to say is that I absolutely love a Greek setting. Mandy Baggot is so very good at bringing Corfu to life on the pages of her books. The description of the sea and the beaches are spot on. You just have to close your eyes and you are there in Corfu, with the main characters. I could taste the gyro and the wine. I just felt like I had a really short break to Corfu.
But apart from that I loved this story because it contained so much more than just a holiday romance and some beautiful descriptions of Corfu. It is a story about divorce and finding yourself after losing everything that is important to you. I really enjoyed the fact that Beth is one of the strongest main characters I have read about so far in one of Mandy’s books. Even looking at her past and her failed marriage, you see that she always made well thought trough choices and always put her loved ones first. You really saw her growing throughout the story and I really appreciated the fact that we got to see Beth breaking loose from her failed marriage.
Of course there is romance between Beth and her long lost vacation love Alex. I am not spoiling anything by telling you that, because let’s face it, it is even in the synopsis. I wasn’t buying their love story from the get go, because well it clearly was lust at first sight. But when you keep reading this story takes a bit of a different course from earlier books I read by Mandy and I really appreciated that.
The only thing that annoyed me beyond words, where the cringe worthy sex references throughout the book. Readers of my blog know how much I love a hot scene and some sexy talk in my books. But this was just… well cringe worthy like I said. If you can’t do explicit, then just don’t try it. It felt forced. Well, mostly it felt like someone used a dictionary to look up all the synonyms for vagina.
But don’t let that put you of. It’s not an erotic book, so the not so sexy wording isn’t an overall big point. One Last Greek Summer feels like a little trip to Corfu. I read it in the first warm days of the year and after finishing it I felt like I had been on holiday. Relaxed, happy and with a pretty big appetite for gyro.
So hurry to the store! Because you need this book to read over the summer by the pool!

Review will be published online on blog on 03/06/19

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The plot was interesting and the characters were engaging, if not a little zany. I loved the setting, who wouldn't like Greece. The cover is what initially drew me to the book, it's very inviting and appealing. I liked that the chapters were short since it made the action move along at a good pace.

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I really enjoyed this book...I knew I would after reading the first two lines, which had me giggling away. I loved Beth and Heidi, Alex and Electra, The Story was at times funny, sweet, sexy, emotional and fun. The ending was so sweet and perfect, I’m not ashamed to say I had a wee tear in my eye. I’m glad Mandy Baggot ended it the way she did, it was more believable and made the love story feel authentic and not a holiday romance forced to be more. Baggot isn’t an author I immediately go to, but every book of hers I’ve enjoyed.

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I have always been a huge fan of Mandy's books but this one is one of her best. I loved it! It made me cry, it made me laugh, it made me warm and fuzzy inside and it made me totally envious and wanting to visit Corfu.
Beth has just come out of a divorce from a loveless marriage and is struggling to decide what to do next when her best friend Heidi suggests a holiday.
They find themselves in a cottage on the beach in Corfu in a place they had visited ten years earlier. Determined to have new adventures and make new memories they can't help reminiscing about their last holiday and even more so when they bump into Alex, a handsome DJ that Beth had a holiday romance with in 2009..
I loved reading about Beth and Alex's romance and was so sad when I got to the end of the book as I wanted to read about their story for the rest of their lives!
A fantastic book that I'm sure will be part of everybody's holiday reading this summer!

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An enjoyable sea side Greek story. I really enjoyed the setting and characters being diverse in their love lives. I think we need more of that in cozy stories.

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Beth and best friend Heidi are off to Greece to have some fun in the sun, only when they get there they don't bank on the ceiling of their holiday home falling down in front of them!



Beth just doesn't expect to bump into old love Alex whilst there after divorcing her husband after he cheated on her with a work colleague.



Heidi is a lesbian as is hoping to find a summer going or more on the trip as well as encouraging Beth to move on from Charles.



Alex lives with his bossy mum but secretly keeps his DJ love going as his cousin Elektra also secretly works with him on setting up a business in health using kumquats to create their natural products.



As Charles Beth's ex husband arrives to try and win her back, Beth and Alex are happily looking to a future together after being apart for so long. Heidi has to win over Elektra after revealing her fake identity after discovering who Elektra is thanks to Beth and Alex. While Alex's mum must reveal the truth behind Alex's father and letting him become his own man, not controlled and unhappy anymore by her.



Being true to yourself is the heart of this novel, from love interest to sexuality and never giving up on dreams this is a perfect holiday read and reading this you'll wish you're on holiday and had your own Alex or Elektra to fall for!



Many thanks to the publishers for allowing me to review this book for them!

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The first line of the book made me laugh out loud, and I knew then that I was going to be in for a treat. Actually that first line is still making me giggle now!

I do love a Mandy Baggot book, and this was no exception. I had a wonderful new book boyfriend incredibly early on, I was hooked on Alex and his story, while also enjoying what the friends Beth and Heidi were getting up to in Corfu.

We get to see a fair amount of the island, and each chapter is helpfully given a subheading of the exact location we were in. I loved the assorted activities that Heidi roped Beth into as they tried to relive their holiday of 2009 and act like they were 21 again.

Now what can I say about Alex Hallas, sexy Greek DJ, and man of many jobs. Well I could certainly identify with his mother issues, and loved the project he was working on with his cousin. I could also very quickly see why Beth had never really forgotten him, and spent the whole book rooting for them both.

This is a story of second chance love, of having a wonderful two week holiday and emerging from it with a far better idea of who you want to be. I adored every sun filled moment of the book.

This is the perfect garden / poolside / holiday read, depending on where you are sitting in the sun. It is feel good, has some fabulous sub plots and generally is an all around great book. I loved it!

Thank you to Netgalley and Aria for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

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This was a super fun read from start to finish. The characters were engaging, the dialogue was funny, and everything came together really well. I loved the banter between the characters, and Alex’s mother added an interesting and multi-dimensional element to the story.

But it wasn’t all just fun and games. All four main characters made some extremely life-changing decisions, and it felt great to be part of their journeys. The reconnection between Beth and Alex made sense and it felt natural and right. I liked the ending as well. The characters didn’t just suddenly give up everything to be with the one they loved, but they gave themselves a chance to grow and get established first.

I can definitely recommend this as a wonderful escape from your everyday routine.

I received an advanced copy of the book from Netgalley to review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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A beautiful summer romance that'll have you wanting to book a holiday in Greece! As is custom with Mandy Baggot the beautiful greek island of Corfu plays a major role in this story. Add two colourful female characters, a Greek hunk, hilarious dialogues and funny scenes, a Greek mama, twists, turns, the perfect balance between comedy and romance, a very heartwarming happy ending and you have the perfect summer read, here.
I am a great fan of Mandy Baggot's books and this is another winner to me. Loved it.
I had the great pleasure to be able to read this book through NetGalley, before it was published. Many thanks to the author, the publisher and NetGalley. #OneLastGreekSummer #NetGalley

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I really enjoyed this book but I will admit that I found it a little slow to start, but boy when it picked up it was a really good, and very enjoyable story!

I thought that the main characters were well developed and that they gelled very well together.

I do feel it was a pit about the slow start as this could easily have been a 5 stars book, but if you also feel it is a tad slow at the outset, make sure you do persevere as it is definitely worth it!!

Four stars from me for this one, highly recommended and a thoroughly enjoyable story!!

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This is the first book I have read by Mandy Baggot and I will definitely be reading more in the future! I loved the writing style in this book. I found Beth very easy to relate to. Heidi was a great character. I loved the second chance romance between Beth and Alex. This was the perfect summer beach read and I definitely recommend it!

Thanks to NetGalley and Aria for this free ARC!

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Beth is leaving a bad marriage to a man she never loved. Her best friend suggests a vacation in Greece, a repeat of their last trip ten years prior.

Beth has clearly been devoid of herself, fitting herself to what her ex husband wanted her to be. This isn’t so much a romance as it is a journey for Beth to find out who she is inside.

As the book moves, Beth slowly evolves and finds inner strength to start over and reach for the dreams she had prior to her marriage.

It’s her inner strength that also pushes her first love, Alex (who she reunited with in Greece), to find the courage to go after his dreams as well.

Good story, with a nice second chance romance included and a happy ending. Nice read for all of us who have started over.

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I really enjoyed this book.

Beth gets divorced from her husband who is also her boss. She needs some time away so her best friend suggests a 2 week holiday to Greece. Beth and Heidi rent one of Heidis friends villa set in a small village. When they get there and open the door part of the ceiling falls down and they have to ring up for someone to come and fix it, but unbeknowst to Beth however the person that comes is none other than her holiday fling from 10 years ago Lex.

It was an ejoyable read and i really enjoyed it.

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Having read a few books by Mandy Baggot previously I was fairly confident I would enjoy this one and I was not disappointed. The drama this book delivers was well written and the romance very sweet. I loved the descriptions of Greece (it definitely made me want to book a holiday) and the characters were realistic and overall likeable.

This was a cute, feel good book which will make you long for the greek sunshine.
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