Member Reviews

In the Greek Midwinter makes me want to book the next flight to Greece. Jen's boyfriend, David, cancels their romantic trip to Paris last minute because of an unexpected work trip to Athens. Jen and her friend Bonnie decide to travel to Greece to surprise him.
Arriving in Greece they realize that David isn't there. Deciding to stay leads to a Greek adventure with the help of Astro. It's important to note that Jen loves Christmas and all things Christmas. Astro is a self proposed Christmas hater. They both hold on to the feelings as a way to deal with their past.
I really enjoyed the book. The relationship between Astro and Jen developing throughout the book despite their differences in opinion was sweet.
I did think that the last 10-20% of the book did slow down a little and introduced challenges that felt bigger than they ended up being. This is also a story that relied on a strong supporting cast and their relationships to the main characters. It was a great balance.
Thank you to the NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

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I think this might be the Mandy Baggot book we have all been waiting for, for I know she is the queen of the summer Greek romance, and also has previously written Christmas books set in some stunning typically festive locations - but the one thing I've wanted is a Christmas Book set in Greece!

And boy has she delivered, and even more surprisingly instead of one of her beloved islands, it is set in Athens itself. (Something that wouldn't have surprised me had I actually read the blurb at any point!).

When you say Athens to me I instantly conure up one of my port stops on a cruise, and just how ridiculously hot the city is in the height of summer. So I was very curious to see just how the Greeks celebrate Christmas and indeed what the weather would be like.

And I can safely say that Mandy Baggot has sold me on the idea of visiting Greece in the winter months, especially the run up to Christmas, as it sounds gorgeous, while also not causing humans to melt!

Some of the locations I could picture so clearly from my own day in Athens, or from researching the city for a different cruise - and I loved how I could imagine everything and it felt like I was there.

And the characters, special shout out to Jen's assistant Natalia who has a fabulous turn of phrase, and some rather insane sounding brothers. And to Kathleen and Bonnie who are also both fabulous in their own ways. These ladies are essentially Jen's family and have her back the whole time and I just loved all their dynamics.

Seeing Jen and Astro develop over the course of the book is great. I loved getting to know Astro, Peri and Achilles especially.

And they really are opposites in their views on Christmas, but in terms of upbringing there are some similarities which I think they recognised in each other. And seeing them open up and reveal parts of themselves that others rarely see was beautiful.

I just loved every single page of this story, and couldn't get enough of it. A total triumph, left me smiling and keen to fly to Greece!

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

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It took a while for me to invest in the characters but once I did it was an enjoyable read and has left me wanting to know what's next for them.

My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book.

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

I loved reading this book set in Greece.

Jen has an events company called Christmas Every Day.

She’s due to go to Paris with her boyfriend David, but just before they’re due to leave, he cancels, citing he has to go to Athens for work.

Then, Bonnie, who is her best friend, persuaded her to go to Athens and surprise David. But when Jen gets there, David isn’t to be found, and when they do get in touch with each other, she is shocked by what he tells her.

Jen and Bonnie decide to stay in Athens, until they can get flights back early.

She meets Astro, he works in his Uncle’s local bar, but, he hates Christmas.

As the story progresses we get an insight into Astro and Jen’s past, what happened to them and how they impacted on the decisions they made.

I recommend this book.

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Jen is in a relationship with David when he suddenly breaks it off the day she is supposed to go to Paris. Her best friend Bonnie decides to take her to Greece for a girls trip instead and they go in the middle of December to visit Athens.

Along the way Jen meets Astro who shakes up her world a little bit.

A sweet and charming christmas story that i really enjoyed.

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I enjoyed this cute Christmas rom-com set in Greece. Jen loves Christmas and runs an events company Christmas every day. After her boyfriend David cancels their romantic trip to Paris, claiming he needs to go to Athens for work, her best friend Bonnie encourages her to follow him to Athens. When she arrives and he's not there, she decides to spend some time in Athens with her best friend. There at the local bar, she meets Astro, a Christmas-hating Greek who works at his uncle's bar.

I loved all of the characters in the story and could really appreciate Astro and Jen's backgrounds and how they influenced them to be the way they were and make the choices that they made. I would've loved to learn more about the other supporting characters in the story, especially Bonnie, Jen's best friend. I love all things Greece so it was fun to immerse myself in Greece in the winter.

Thanks to Netgalley, Boldwood Books, and Mandy Baggot for a chance to read this book in advance in exchange for my honest review.

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Another enjoyable read by Mandy Baggot. If you want Greece, romance, comedy and lovely characters, you can always rely on this author to come up with the goods.

I particularly enjoyed this one because it focused on the Greek capital in the winter months, which is a bit different to the summer holiday vibes.

Easy to read, and always with a happy ending, this is ideal escapism.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

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Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I enjoyed the premise of this. The change from the traditional European holiday in the summer to the setting being Greek in the winter was really cool.
I enjoyed the story, it was very sweet and easy to read.
But to be honest the character that I loved the most was Bonnie. She was vibrant and fun and the most relatable.
Jen was great but I think she was a little too self sufficient. And whilst Astro had a great name he was just nice. Not my favourite MMC
But all up a nice pre-holiday read to get me into the season

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I do enjoy a new book from Mandy Baggot and this one was no exception. This visit to Greece saw us arrive during what would be considered to be the off-season. A time when the weather is more aligned with British weather than the endless sunshine that we usually associate with Greece.
Jen is a wonderful character, and I adored her passion for all things Christmas. I’m sure it would become annoying after a time, but I can totally get behind her addiction to the festive period. Unlike Jen, I’m not even vaguely artistic, so I live vicariously through those who are. The crafts that are described in the book are way beyond my limited ability, but I could still imagine them. Jen gets dealt an unenviable hand in this story, and it’s almost impossible to feel even a modicum of sympathy for her boyfriend, David.
Conversely, Astro is a gorgeous part of the story, despite his aversion to Christmas. When Astro first appeared, I imagined him to be like so many waiters from my overseas holidays who enjoy the cycle of visiting women and holiday romances. However, he wasn’t that type and this became clear as we got to know him better. His tragic reason for hating Christmas had my heart going out to him, but only a little bit. After all, there’s magic in the air at Christmastime.
Nature plays a huge part in this story, from lending itself to festive decorations, providing an unlikely friend for Astro, and arranging an opportunity for Jen and Astro to talk, it is definitely a force to be reckoned with.
Athens is a perfect setting for this story, and I enjoyed my virtual tour of the famous landmarks that are associated with a visit. Even though I’ve seen photos, I still find it strange that people can ski in Greek resorts.
This was a terrific, romantic, totally enjoyable trip. Escape to Athens, you’ll be glad that you did.

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This one didn't work for me early on. The tone read too fast, and I felt confused and couldn't get my bearings. I might not be ready for the holidays this early though.

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Finally a Mandy Baggot combined book of Christmas and Greece all in one, Hurrah!
This was a wonderful exploration of more traditional Greek winter celebrations, set in Athens with the glorious backdrop of the Pantheon, little squares and backstreets and the café culture. It managed to make me feel equally festive and longing for a return to Greece. There's so much packed in to this book that tugs at your heartstrings and questions what family is all about.

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The romantic fiction genre is out of my comfort zone but I've heard a lot about the author and I love Greece.
Putting aside the predictability of the genre and the inevitable stereotypes, I was pleasantly surprised by this book. I enjoyed this romcom immensely - the characters, the storyline and an excursion into the parts of Athens many holidaymakers will never reach. Mandy Baggot writes well, with warmth and knowledge about a country she clearly loves, and this was a light, holiday read which is perfect for Christmas. Thank you NetGalley for an ARC copy of this book.

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I was so excited when I got my hands on this one because Mandy Baggot is one of my go-to authors when i wanna read some light fluffy romance that's based in some exotic location which gives you the feel of actually being there with the characters.
so you see I've read way too many books about Greek summer and sunset in Oia or beaches in Corfu and Mykonos but this was my first time reading about Greece in winter. especially around christmas because when you hear winter nyc or Paris or London is what comes to mind and not Athens.
before we get into details, I wanna make it very clear that this was a sweet adorable story which is just so wholesome, exactly how a holiday read should be.
Now that being said, the characters weren't anything exceptional like mid at best and annoying at worst but still likable enough that you can pass by w/o cursing at them.
Personally i liked the Jen (FMC) more despite her "no one can help me" attitude once I understood where she came from but still think about it irl, like you wouldn't wanna be friends w/ someone who's always pessimistic, so hats-off to Bonnie. her bestfriend, who stuck with her thru everything.
Coming to the MMC, Astro, like he was nice, yes that's the only word for him, but meh.(i love his name tho). as much as i hate guys like David, they exist irl and are far more vile than his guy.
Also i wanted to talk more about bonnie, she was actually way more interesting than everyone in the book. her problems are so mundane that a lot of people will find her relatable. I would love to read more about her if they ever give her a standalone of her own.
there weren't too many miscommunications to begin with but there was too much potential for it but thanks to the damn snow storm, they got shattered which just goes on to prove that snow makes everything right. So, it was a well-balanced holiday read.

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I thought this book was a little long.. Too much running around the inner city. I assumed it would be more descriptive of Greece. This story could’ve taken place anywhere. Besides a few decoy and a mess of a play it didn’t scream holiday. For someone who owns a Christmas business I felt Jen shouldn’t have taken off at the busiest time of year for her. I realize her at the time boyfriend had promised a trip but I would leave my struggling business for a getaway. This fell a little flat and not what I was expecting. I appreciate the ARC from NetGalley and these are my opinions.

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Set in Athens, Greece, this novel follows the story of Jen who has decided to surprise her boyfriend by visiting him in Athens after they had to cancel a romantic trip to Paris due to his work commitments. When she and her best friend, Bonnie, arrive in Athens (surprise) David isn’t there to greet them.

Jen is obsessed by Christmas, whereas Astro, the Greek waiter she meets via an dating online website detests it! Slowly their relationship develops but will their pasts, especially Astros’s prevent them finding a future together?

I loved the vibrant and in-depth descriptions of Athens and the green Christmas traditions. I also enjoyed reading the day to day interaction between Astro and Jen as their relationship grew and developed.

Both characters are complex and they need to deal with the past before they can truly move forwards. The novel has two storylines, one is about the characters finding themselves and the second is their romance slowly developing with a gorgeous backdrop of Athens at Christmas.

This is a fun, festive romantic comedy coupled with self discovery for the main characters. A great novel to snuggle up with next to the Christmas tree over the festive period.

I received this book via Netgalley in exchange for a honest review.

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This is the second Mandy Baggot book I've read recently and I love reading about Greece. In the Greek Midwinter is set in Athens and follows Jen, an entrepreneur obsessed with Christmas. When Jen's boyfriend David suddenly cancels their trip away to Paris because he is working in Athens, her friend Bonnie suggests they surprise him with a visit. When Jen arrives in Greece she finds out that David isn't there.

This is a cute and festive read about Jen and waiter Astro. I feel like I learned quite a bit about Athens and some of the food there. If you're after a fun, festive romance then give this a try.

3.5 stars ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ (rounded up)

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This is a gorgeous cover and a gorgeous story. Mandy always creates characters so vivid and realistic they jump off the page and pull you into the story, and this book is no exception. I enjoyed finding out more about Jen and Astro’s background and their journey towards each other. I loved the Greek setting and the food. It made me want to get on the plane to Greece right now! An enjoyable festive read.

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A very cute and cozy Christmas romcom. Lots of Greek places to visit and learn about. The relationship moved a little fast for my tastes but it worked out. Not a bad read to settle down with.

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This is an enjoyable novel that will have you wanting to jet away to Greece. Great little romcom for a quiet afternoon by the fire.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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When Jen’s boyfriend David suddenly cancels their trip to Paris as he has to work in Athens, Jen’s friend Bonnie suggests they head out to Athens to surprise him. Although when Jen arrived in Greece, she finds David is not there leaving her with many questions. When she finally gets her answers she has to decide, does she stay in Greece or return back home? This is a gorgeous Greek festive read that will warm your heart. You’re transported to the streets of Athens and totally immersed into the culture. Thank you to NetGalley, Boldwood Books and the author for the chance to review.

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