Another fantastic book by Jenny Ashcroft- her books never fail. Always describe a location so vividly and the stories are interesting

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book. I have chosen to write this honest review voluntarily and it reflects my personal opinion.
I thought the description of this book sounded interesting and it was recommended for readers who enjoy Santa Montefiore's work, as I do. I found it irritating to read some of the settings are in England, the BBC is used in the narrative and the main female character, Eleni, is half-English, yet again many spellings are Americanised, destroying authenticity. The development of the love story between Eleni and Otto is very realistic, the feelings of first love and the need to be together constantly is captured very well. This is interspersed with occasional chapters about Eleni's recruitment into SOE and a BBC transcript which is barely explained - I am used to this in dual timeline books but this time it interrupted the flow of the story for me. I reached almost halfway through the book and the summer holiday when Otto and Eleni met has just finished; this made me feel as though the story was progressing too slowly for me.
I know others have enjoyed this, and I'm sure more readers will go on to enjoy it but it wasn't for me, I couldn't finish it. I much prefer Santa Montefiore's writing style

I loved this book. So well written with an amazing cast of characters. I was completely absorbed until the end. Highly recommended.

Loved it, once I started I struggled to stop. So well written, emotional. I could picture myself there.
Thank you.

A brilliant read and one I really enjoyed. The characters are loveable and varied, the plot is one that is engaging and medium paced. I found myself completely drawn into the story and enjoyed the writing style.

Each Summer since she was little Eleni travels to Crete with a Chaperone to spend the summer holidays with her late mother's father but this year, 1936 if different - there is a German family staying in the neighbouring villa.

Fast forward to the war years and Eleni joins the SOE and ends up in Crete, will she meet anyone from her past? How will she keep her family safe?

A beautiful story, definitely worth reading.

Eleni and Otto's story has been told before in many guises but this novel set on Crete is none the worse for not being an original concept. If you're looking for a love story against the odds this is for you.

This is truly an emotional book and interesting to read about Greece particularly Crete.

Eleni every year goes to Crete in the summer to her Grandfather’s villa and it is 1936 she meets Otto an German for the first time and falls in love with him. War breaks out and the chance for Eleni to return to Crete to work against the Germans.

The description of the island certainly brought it to life and also what happened to all the islanders that the Germans did to them was horrendous.

It is well written and will keep me thinking about this book for a while.

Would recommend this book.

Unforgettable, remarkable and emotional!
Firstly confession time is my first book by Jenny Ashcroft....I know shock and horror, despite her books being on my radar for a long time I haven't had the chance until now to actually pick one up and read it - I have definitely been missing out on something and will undoubtedly be loading my kindle with her backlist as soon as possible.
I really liked her intense and easy-to-read writing, it's emotional and beautiful and certainly packs a punch!
I am a huge fan of historical fiction, and I love discovering new stories from the WW2 era so this one appealed to me, I haven't read many stories set on Crete so this was a refreshing change from the norm. It's rich in descriptive details and realistic characters who bring so much to the story Otto and Eleni are vibrant and likeable and I really enjoyed seeing how their romance would survive the trauma of war.
The setting is beautifully immersive it feels as though you are standing on Crete and experiencing everything along with the characters.
Overall this is a real winner, it's beautifully poignant, heartbreaking and compelling reading which I a sure any reader of this genre will adore!
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Thank you to the publisher for my copy.
@chicksroguesandscandals

An absolutely wonderful read. Although I found it slow to begin with I was soon hooked. The beautiful setting which was very well described you can just iagine the smell of thyme and the sounds of the sea. I loved the twists and turns of the romance between Eleni and Otto. Heartbreaking at times but a compelling read.

A wonderful, but heartbreaking story of Crete and the invasion of Germans during the Second World War.
It is a story with multiple characters, mostly with Greek names, but it has a strong love story running throughout. Very emotional story of deep love and the trauma of war on an idyllic island. A very absorbing read.

Where do I begin with this incredible book? With the sweeping love story at its gripping heart, or the impeccable historical research, or the phenomenal sense of place and time that had me living and breathing Crete in 1936 and during the Second World War? Or shall I just cut to the chase and tell you this will most likely be my book of the year.

In 1936, eighteen year old Eleni Adams returns from England to Crete to spend the summer with her Greek grandfather, something she has done every year since her mother died when she was a baby. But this summer is different; this summer she falls in love with Otto, the German boy staying in the villa next door, and I was as captivated by the breathlessness of young love, the intensity of feeling, as I was by the setting that made me feel as though I was really sitting above that cove near sun-drenched Chania.

But we all know our history, and in 1941 Crete was captured by the Germans. By that time Eleni is an SOE agent based in the country, and rather than leave she goes underground in the bombed out ruins of the port, to help to support the resistance. Meanwhile Otto was one of the first wave of fighters to be parachuted in; a reluctant Nazi, a man against cruelty and reprisals, and of course their paths cross once again.

Also running through the book is the transcript of an interview from 1974, given by the man who, it becomes apparent, betrayed Eleni. A man who knew her well. A man who she trusted.

This book transported me absolutely, haunted my dreams, tore me apart, and put me back together again. An absolute triumph.

This was such a romantic, wonderful emotional read. I loved it. I really recommend it.
Thank you HQ and Netgalley for the e-arc.

The Echoes of Love by Jenny Ashcroft is a mesmerising historical love story that drew me in from the very first page and held me captivated throughout. Eleni and Otto’s story is one of great beauty but also of devastating sorrow and heartbreak as they go from innocent young lovers to war torn enemies, their love for each other not only treacherous but incredibly dangerous.

This epic tale of love, secrets, loyalty and heartache is set against the breathtaking backdrop of the island of Crete. Steeped in history, The Echoes of Love is a beautifully written, character driven story that I couldn’t help but fall in love with. The odds are stacked against Eleni and Otto and their love for one another, but will it prove strong enough to withstand the horrors of the second world war? Or will it crumble and leave them broken in its wake?

Jenny Ashcroft has written a powerful and thought provoking saga of love and war that swept me away on a tsunami of emotion. Never shying away from the horror and brutality of war, the tension was palpable as the story unfolded. With strong characters and a heartachingly beautiful love story, The Echoes of Love is a gorgeously written, well plotted historical novel that I did not want to end.

A mesmerising read that I would highly recommend.

This wonderful book is worthy of more than five stars. It was based on true stories and was so emotional that at one time I actually gasped out loud. This book made me cry at times it was so good. I really loved it and yet again another new author for me to read in the future. Highly recommend. My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

A wonderful tale of love in the most difficult circumstances. Eleni visits her family on Crete, meets Otto, and falls in love..They meet again when she is helping the resistance in WW2, and he is a German soldier. Will their love survive? Beautifully written.

I loved this book. The love story is beautiful and the characters are so compelling.
I did not know a huge amount about the war in Crete beforehand but this has inspired me to read more about this. And Eleni is just incredible!

A rich romance between a German and an English girl set in WW2 Crete. Before the war they feel in love. During the war they were on opposite sides, but still found a way to love each other. Full of the history and trauma of the occupation, the story shows the heart of the island and its people. Wonderful!

Set mainly in Crete from the summer of 1936 to 1944.

Eleni lives with her father in Gosport and visits get Grandfather in Crete each summer. In 1936, she is allowed to go on her own without her chaperone Miss Finch.

In the villa next door to her grandfather a German family visits, the mother is suffering from MS and is concerned what would happen should the Nazi's find out, her daughter Krista and son Otto who is on his summer break from university who knows once he graduates the following year he will be called up for National Service...

Eleni meets Otto and a clandestine relationship begins....after the summer she returns back to the UK and gets a job in London. She communicates with Otto and the following summer they meet up in Paris.

In 1943 while working in the War Office, Eleni manages to get a job under cover working in Crete.... when Crete falls to the Nazi, she stays and works undercover .

A great read, very enjoyable.

A story of first, and deep love set against the beautiful backdrop of Crete. However, this is 1936 and there are rumblings of war in Europe. We meet Eleni, part English part Greek and the lovely family she spends her summers with, after the death of her Cretan mother. Such a warm, joyous family living in a paradise - Jenny Ashcroft describes the heat, the scents, the flora, the coves, the sea and the scenery so clearly. (So evocative you immediately want to go back there); I only wish I had a Grandpa Yorgos!

Eleni meets a boy from the next cove, while out swimming. Their friendship grows into something much deeper, but then the summer has to finish... and they go back to their respective countries.

World War II rears its ugly head and things quickly deteriorate. The story covers the German invasion of Crete and, although it is fiction, many of the characters are real (see author's note at back). A horrifying account of the Nazi atrocities which were carried out on innocent people and villages then follows, together with the stories of brave people of many nations (who were evacuated from the mainland initially). who along with the Cretans formed an effective resistance.

Being fiction, this is told from our characters' point of view, the leading part of the story coming from an anonymous interviewee for a documentary in 1974 about the invasion. So, it's personal. It's also powerful and moving. I defy anyone not to cry at the penultimate chapter. I loved it - it's something I want to know about when I'm sitting on those beaches - we need to remember how things can go so horribly wrong. Loved the author's notes too.