I was on the blog tour with Rachel's Random Resources

http://ramblingmads.uk/2024/04/20/blog-tour-summer-at-the-santorini-bookshop-rebecca-raisin/

A new author for me & a book which is outside of my usual genre but how could I resist a summery Greek island featuring a bookshop?

Evie has lost her dream job as a book scout. Her mother & sister insist that she needs a project, which turns out to be her indomitable 83-year-old gran; she has married a much younger man & is now living in Santorini. Her gran has a chequered history with numerous husbands having shuffled off this mortal coil in a variety of convoluted ways & also, she has a tendency to get herself into mischief with the authorities. Evie starts to fake date a gorgeous local who has returned to the island after also losing his job in publishing. Evie’s gran engineers this as a way of saving her bookshop.

I’m not going to say anymore. This is a perfect ‘pick you up’ read & not just for the summer. I already love the Greek islands & this book made me feel the sun on my face & visualise the deep blue of the sea & domed rooftops. Some brilliant laugh out loud moments; some of the situations Evie found herself in made me snort! An enjoyable book of second chances.

Utterly brilliant fun read, a perfect lighthearted summer holiday book. Set on sunny Santorini with Evie, a rather shy book lover who goes to the Greek island at the request of her mother, to keep an eye on her 83 year old grandmother who is on husband no 9 with all the previous husbands having met sticky ends. One just knows this will be a fun read and it is.

This is a light summer/beach read and filled with quirky humour, sarcastic remarks and great banter.

It follows the story of Evie, who was made redundant, and found herself in a fake relationship with her grandmother’s landlord’s grandson.

Although the sarcasm is top notch and I like Evie’s no filter approach, her internal monologue (scattered throughout the book) was a tad off putting and a bit boring.

The highlights of the book were the island, bookshop/nightclub Bibliotheraphy, Epeolatry, literary cocktails, events, dogs and Granny, who is both a gangster and a superstar.

Parts of the plot beggars belief and appear lacklustre at best. There was no chemistry between the main characters and some of their interactions appear childish.

If you love eclectic characters then you will love this. I received an advanced copy and the review is mine and voluntary.

An enjoyable escape from humdrum reality. Evie ‘s family has a problem with Grandma. She has never behaved as a grandma should. Now she has bought a bookshop in Santorini As Evie is currently unemployed it's obvious she’s the one to sort it out. For book nerd Evie, a bookshop is a paradise, but she's not as well equipped to handle all Grandma’s problems. These include an irate landlord who is threatening to sell the shop, his gorgeous nephew Georgios , as well as Grandma’s disappeared husband ( no 9) and a pack of rescue dogs.
Despite knowing it would all end happily, I enjoyed the twists and turns of this journey. A great holiday read!

Thank you firstly for the chance to read this arc. I hadn't read any of Rebecca Raisin's books before but this won't be the last one I read. I absolutely loved it. From the Fake Dating, the Grandma and all her ex husbands and the gorgeous setting of Santorini.
It's made me really want to visit in the near future.

An absolutely perfect summer read

This is a great holiday read. It makes you want to be in the sun and enjoying all that it brings. The story is fun and the characters are likeable. You are cheering on the romances in the book and laughing at the antics of everyone - including the dogs!

A great fun read.

Thanks to NetGalley and HQ for the opportunity to read and review this book!
This is a very cute fake dating book. Lots of super cute dogs, wonderful descriptions of Santorini, and a cute couple. It’s a nice beach read!

Evie loses her job in the film industry. Her grandmother has just married for the 9th time. After a whirlwind relationship her grandmother has married a much younger man and bought a bookshop in Santorini. Evie's mother and sister are worried. So they send Evie over to stay with her grandmother and report back. This lovely summer read has everything you need, sun, sea, sand, hot Greek man, books, misunderstanding, rebellious grandmother etc. What’s not to love?

Ideal holiday pool read! Made me want to visit Santorini. Really enjoyed it .
Thank you Net Galley

Evie is an introvert who likes quiet when she can
But her family are extroverts - especially her Gran!
When she loses her job Evie’s Mum has a new plan
She’s sending her to Santorini to keep an eye on Gran!

Her arrival at her Gran’s home follows a car ride that was fraught!
But what she hears there stretches her nerves taut!
Her gran is being loudly berated by a handsome man
Evie’s determined to stop him shouting at her gran!

What a fun read this proved to be,
With financial dramas and secrets you’ll see.
With laugh out loud moments and fake romance, too.
What happens when fake becomes feeling like true?

I thoroughly enjoyed the characters and plot,
With twists in the end having you worrying will it work out or not?
For my complementary copy I say thank you
As I share with you this, my honest review!

I enjoyed this fun beach read, just made for book people. Evie needs a fresh start after being laid off from her dream job, being a book scout for books to be turned into movies. Her sister and mom ask her to go to Santorini to look after her grandma who has just married husband number 9 and is trying to run a bookshop in Greece and might have gotten into some trouble over there. When she arrives her grandma encourages her to ‘fake date’ her landlords grandson so she has time to sort out her troubles.


I love Greece, and loved Santorini so between that and the fact that it takes place in a bookshop was right up my alley. I loved the crazy characters that came to the bookstore, as well as Evie’s mom and sister aka the ‘fun police.’ I liked Evie and could relate to the fact that she wasn’t a ‘peopley person’ and preferred to have her nose in a book reading her latest romance, all the hoping to translate books to real life in regards to romance. This was my first read by this author and I look forward to reading more.


Thanks to @hqpublishing, @netgalley, and the author for the ARC of this book

Perfect summer beach read, set in the beautiful Santorini. Wonderfully described with colourful characters.Thank you netgalley for the advanced copy

The Blurb :
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 date 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?

My Thoughts :
Always a hug fan of Rebecca Raisin, I was happy to read this new offering.
We meet Evie Davenport, who has just lost her job as a book scout. When Evie’s mum tells her that Granny Floretta has just opened a bookshop over looking the sea in Santorini, Evie jumps as the chance to go over there and check it out. This suits Evie’s mum and sister as they have been having some reservations about Floretta’s 9th and new husband. So they and are happy for Evie to go and check him out, especially as they have heard Granny Floretta has no money left.
On arrival Evie finds Floretta in an argument with Georgios, who is her Landlords grandson.
Its all about the unpaid rent and the threat of closure. Soon Floretta comes up with an idea that involves Evie fake dating handsome Georgios to try and keep on her Landlord on side and buy her some time to pay her rent before she is thrown out.
Evie agrees and as their relationship develops, she is plesently surprised at how much she likes and connects with Georgios.
Evie has got her work cut out to save the Bookshop. She also has to keep her secret that she only went out with him initially to help her Granny.
Would Georgios be happy that their relationship was originally based on a lie or can the couple truly find love with each other!?.
Once again, the reader will get soaked up in the beautiful surroundings and scenery of Santorini.
Rebecca Raisin always delivers pure escapism wherever we end up. And this did not disappoint.
A great mixture of fun, laughter, sunshine, rescue dogs and romance, what more could we want!.
Cant wait for more from this Author.

Summer at the Santorini Bookshop was such a cute romance read. It includes a fake dating troupe and the main character saving her grandmothers book shop, what more could we need in a romance book. This book was so wholesome and the characters were so loveable.

Evie needs a fresh start after being made redundant from her job as a book scout. Evie’s mum sends her to Santorini to help her grandmother with her bookshop. Evie meets Georgios, her grandmothers landlords grandson, and her grandmother wants Evie to fake date him while she gets the overdue rent money.

This book was so entertaining, I loved the contrast between Evie and her grandmother. Evie is sensible and stifles to the rules whereas her grandmother is carefree and a free spirit. I also liked the romance, it was well paced and I could see it developing. Of course the bookshop was an amazing setting and I loved reading about the rescue mission. It was the perfect setting for these characters.

I highly recommend this book, with its loveable characters and perfect setting, it is a great summer book for romance lovers.

This book really takes you to Santorini, it is well described. You can feel the atmosphere of a small island and community.
Evie fakes a romance to help her Gran. And save the bookshop. Does true romance get in the way?

Sunshine, books, a dreamy love interest? What more could any book lover need – Summer at the Santorini Bookshop is a brilliant way of escaping the not-so-great weather here.
Rebecca Raisin always gives us a great read, brilliant characters and excellent settings and this one couldn’t sound more idyllic. I loved the descriptions of the bookshop, the characters are funny but also relatable in many ways. The bookshop sounds like my perfect holiday destination!
Evie suddenly finds herself at a loose end when she loses her job and so is sent to keep an eye on her Gran, who is on husband number nine and a cause for concern (to Evie’s Mum and sister). Evie finds herself in quite the situation as soon as she arrives and is determined to do all it takes to support her Gran – even if that means getting close to Georgios (the landlords grandson).

With some ups and downs, can Evie keep her Grans antics from her Mum as well as make the bookshop a success and keep Georgios onside whilst also figuring out what she actually wants to do next.
There are some really funny moments, the man with the donkey, the rescue dogs, the subtle hints about what happens to each husband.
Funny, heartwarming and entertaining. Perfect read for this summer, whether on a glorious beach or from a comfy chair!

I loved this book from the start! What better place to set a romance novel than the stunning Greek island of Santorini. Evie is sent to Santorini to “babysit” her wayward grandmother, Floretta, who is on marriage number 9. All is not well in paradise with talk of Floretta’s elusive husband, gambling and the loss of all her money. Throw in a quaint bookshop and some ideas to increase revenue and a “fake” relationship with the Greek God Georgio and you have all you need for a wonderful book.

Rebecca Raisin does not disappoint with this book and it has left me with a warm heart and a desire to go to Santorini.

Summer at the Santorini Bookshop by Rebecca Raisin

I received an advance review copy for free thanks to Rachel's Random Resources and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Blurb

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?

My Opinion

Evie doesn't need to be asked twice to keep an eye on her grandmother in Santorini following her arrest. As a book lover she jumps at the opportunity to come up with ideas to save the bookshop. Rebecca Raisin has written some great characters and I especially enjoyed reading about the antics of the rescue dogs - I would recommend keeping a close eye on your wallet. This book will whisk you away to Greece and will keep you smiling as you see how both sides of the story unfold. A thoroughly enjoyable read.

Rating 4/5

Thanks to Netgalley.co.uk and Harper Collins Publishers Ltd for a copy in return for an honest review.

In true Rebecca Raisin style, this is a sweet novel full of fun.

I love the setting. The Santorini sunshine and the Greek food make me wish I was there. The bookshop sounds fabulous, and the idea of a night-time library with a jazz band and cocktails really is appealing. Sign me up now!
Our hero Georgios is every bit as dashing as a romcom hero should be, with added bookishness, and Evie is just the right amount of awkward to be delightful, in a whacky-weird, but appealing way. They are fun characters to get to know. Grans adventures give an exciting edge to the story. What will she get up to next? And as for those crazy dogs, I'll leave you to find out more.

If you're looking for a light summer read with a little tongue in cheek humour and a little romance, then this is for you.