Helen McGinn’s The Island of Dreams is a gorgeous romantic escape perfect for chasing the winter blues away.

With her sister Iris’s fiancé’s barbed comments ringing in her ear and the only one of her family to call off a wedding at the last minute, Martha is desperate for a change of scene. When the opportunity of a holiday in Paxos comes along, Martha jumps at the chance – even if it means having to face the daunting prospect of travelling alone! When the trip to the Greek island gets far too complicated, Martha wonders whether this holiday will turn out to be the biggest mistake of her life. However, the island quickly begins to work its magic on her.

When Martha meets single father Harry and his adorable son, Milo, a new way of living is revealed which is a stark contrast to her mundane existence back home. However, her time in Paxos is coming to an end leaving Martha to wonder whether she can leave the island’s warmth and magic – not to mention Harry and Milo – behind and head back home and continue living an unfulfilling life.

Helen McGinn’s The Island of Dreams is a compelling, emotional and absorbing tale of second chances, unexpected blessings and the magic of falling in love that is a complete and utter joy from beginning to end. With a wonderful heroine readers will relate to and plenty of drama and pathos to keep readers engrossed till the last page, The Island of Dreams is another must-read from Helen McGinn.

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me for receiving this book for an honest.

I truly enjoyed this book. I have never read anything by this author and I will definately be loooking for other books. It is set in Paxos Greece and I loved the detail. Greece has been on my bucket list and now I truly want to make it reality.

I highly recommend this book.

A very good read that transports you to the exotic location. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read the advanced copy in return for an honest review. This was an enjoyable read that I would recommend.

This is a good book. The two main characters are Martha and Harry. There is an instant attraction when they meet. Martha is a teacher. Harry is a father and a journalist. Martha’s sister cancels her wedding but does have a party. She tells Martha to take her honeymoon package. So Martha does, she goes to a beautiful Greek island. When she gets to the ferry, she finds it has shut down. She sees a little boy, Milo, he is crying because the ferry has shut down. She tells him to not worry she will take him there. She loves the island. She meets Harry. They start dating. They have an issue, but Harry fights for them. They fall in love.

really enjoyed this book was an easy read for a summer holiday.
i thought the main character martha was a bit of a pessimist and could feel myself wanting to gib her a pep talk but luckily for her Harry was a true romantic

Martha is the youngest of three sisters, in her mid-thirties, and the one that is known for calling off her wedding at the last minute. She is standing up for her sister Iris, when her fiancé tries to kiss her and propositions her. Martha isn't sure if she should tell Iris, but before she can, he tells Iris that Martha made a pass at him. Martha tells her the truth and after a struggle, she calls off the wedding. Iris offers her honeymoon trip to Martha as a sort of apology, and Martha is soon on her way to Greece. With a rocky beginning, she finally finds her way to the house that she was going to stay at. She meets several locals and begins to unwind. Meeting a handsome single father, Harry, through his adorable son Milo, she falls in love with the slower way of life, and a warmth that she doesn't have at home. How can she go home after falling in love with a place and it's people?

This was a wonderful trip to a small Greek island. Martha meets Milo when they are both abandoned when the ferry to the island is canceled and she hires a boat, then shares the ride with him. She meets his grandmother and they become friends. Martha loves Milo and he helps her get to know the area. He steals the story for me, he is absolutely adorable. When Martha and Harry initially meet, they are cautious, but eventually Milo loosens them up. Their relationship builds slowly, but there are secrets that Harry is keeping. As Martha begins to think that maybe she can have a relationship with this man, something else happens and another secret is exposed that might end their relationship before it begins. I enjoyed this story of love, family, secrets, personal growth and the people of Greece and their slower lives. Helen McGinn is an author I just discovered last year, but love her stories and will be reading more from her backlist.

Really enjoyed this tale of love for love sake without thought of what is truly your fate. Very thought provoking.

Martha is the youngest of three sisters and, in her mid-thirties, has the dubious honour of being the only one to call off a wedding at the last moment.
Now, feeling as if she’ll be single forever, and trying to keep her low opinion of her sister Iris’s fiancé to herself for risk of looking bitter, Martha needs a change of scene. I was rooting for Martha all the way!

Loved this book, a first for me from this author. A light hearted romance book set in Paxos, Greece and I loved the descriptive setting, So much that it felt like I had been transported there.
Highly recommend.

I love all of Helen's books, but as I know Corfu so well, I could recall at the beginning of the book where Martha was and where she met Milo. I couldn't put the book down and was so disappointed when the book finished - I need to know what happened, a cliff-hanger if ever there was one!

The Island of Dreams by Helen McGinn was a beautiful book from start to finish and written with love. This book was a beautiful, heart warming story that will take your mind to a better place especially if it is raining outside. Once I opened this book and started to read The Island of Dreams I wanted to be there, feel the sun on my face and sit by a pool and relax and become apart of this story.

It did not disappoint. I loved it and highly recommend it. So glad the cover caught my eye.

Big Thank you to Netgalley and especially Boldworld books for my ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Brilliant book by Helen McGinn, lifting characters straight from the pages of this book into your life there are so relatable.

Martha heads off on her sisters honeymoon on her won, follow her to an Island just off Corfu and follow the friendships she makes and maybe she will also find a romantic connection.

Raced through this book to find out how Martha's story ended it was so good.

This book follows Martha, who faces family troubles but is offered a chance for a free solo getaway to a sunny island. A chance encounter leads to Martha finding warmth among the locals, enjoying routines like morning swims. The book balances feel-good moments with a hint of conflict and intrigue surrounding a past disappearance. Set on Paxos island, it offers readers an idyllic escape and a longing for sun and relaxation. Overall, it's described as pure escapism and a delightful read.

The Island of Dreams is a lovely, heartwarming story. Set on the beautiful Island of Greece.

Having called off her engagement some years ago Martha, feels like she needs an escape from her life, her family and her sister Iris's upcoming wedding. Which is definitely setting off alarm bells, after she has a run in with her fiancé when he tried to kiss her. Her sister Iris and her family send her abroad for a break and to try and get some closure.

This is the first book I have read by the author Helen McGinn but if definitely won't be the last. Her characters are warm, funny and the description of Paxos just jump off the page. It will be added to another place I want to visit.

If you like books set in warmer climes, that have a sense of friendship, community, finding a happy ending then this book is for you. It was really enjoyable and the view on the cover is delightful. I wish I was on route to Paxos instead of stuck in the rainy UK. I would be giving this book a 3.5*

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - Really liked it. Will read more by the author and other books in the series.
⭐️⭐️⭐️ - It was just okay, didn’t move me, but don’t feel like I wasted me time reading it either.

Thank you for NetGalley and Boldwood Books for an free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book is a quick read, well written and is sure to take the reader on a magical sunny holiday!
The storyline is realistic, a wonderful Greek Island awaits with relatable characters and the scenery is amazingly descriptive, the beach beckons!
The characters all have their important roles to play, Martha escapes to a beautiful island to relax and contemplate the family drama and where she fits in. Romance, discovery and heartwarming interactions reveal more as Martha develops as a person. Harry, Milo and Connie all become a great part of how the story unfolds.
A fabulous book for a lazy afternoon.

Thanks to Boldwood Books, NetGalley and the author for the opportunity to read and review this book.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed this book. Reading it made me feel like I was on vacation!

I really enjoy writers and books that can transport me. This book did that which was fantastic considering I have been to Greece (not Paxos) and am a lover of all things Greek, so this book had me from the start. The characters really stood out and made you feel like they were real people. Definitely enjoyed this one.

Martha is the youngest of three sisters and, in her mid-thirties, has the dubious honour of being the only one to call off a wedding at the last moment.

Now, feeling as if she’ll be single forever, and trying to keep her low opinion of her sister Iris’s fiancé to herself for risk of looking bitter, Martha needs a change of scene.

When she is given the opportunity of a holiday to Paxos it seems too good to turn down, though the idea of travelling alone is daunting. And when the trip to the Greek island gets complicated, Martha wonders if this has all been a mistake.

But soon the island and its residents start to work their magic on Martha, and when she meets single father Harry and his adorable son Milo, a new way of living is revealed in contrast with the drab routine of her life back home. How can Martha leave behind the warmth of the people, the freedom and the fun, not to mention Harry and Milo when it’s time for her to go home…

There were parts of this book I really enjoyed. It is a nice, easy read. The setting in Greece and the girls’ nights out were fun. Without spoilers, the family that Martha meets in Greece – Harry, Milo and Connie – were the stars of the show. These characters had the most depth and I wanted to read more about them. The book started slowly and I did wonder if we were ever going to get to Greece. Then it was all over and wrapped up rather quickly.

Thanks to Boldwood Books for the E-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Really enjoyed this book, what a good uplifting read. I felt myself being moved to sunnier places. Martha started on a lone holiday.
But met so many new people, new ways. Could she ever go home?

Martha's dislike of her sister's fiance is heightened when he tries to kiss her! She is still reeling from her own cancelled wedding so her family send her abroad to heal her heart...
The Island of Dreams is a romantic novel set in the UK and the Greek island of Paxos. I loved the geographical detail to the settings which underpin the plot.
Poor Martha. She made the brave decision that she didn't love Joe enough to marry him. Now she is accused of trying to split up her sister's relationship with the horrendous Toby when in reality he tried to kiss her. A break in the sun is just what she needs! She doesn't have the smoothest journey and meets a young boy trying to get back to the island. This leads to a number of friendships which bolster the plot, characters and relationships.
The book is written from the third person perspective and we see mostly Martha's experience, intertwined with some details of Harry and Connie's thoughts. The characters are so easy to like and all have been through the wringer emotionally. Martha's issues are at the forefront initially as she worries about her lost love life and the behaviour of her prospective brother in law. Meanwhile, Connie, Harry and Milo are all still affected by the disappearance of Asya (daughter/wife/mother).
This is a quick read but I felt fully invested in the characters and plot. Martha always tries to do the right thing and I really wanted her to find love and contentment. There are some big issues dealt with in the book but they are handled sensitively and in quite a light hearted way.
The Island of Dreams is a heartwarming book, equally great for the depths of winter or a beach read.