Martha has a habit of running away. She has made some tough decisions like cancelling a wedding at the last minute but she also uses avoidance tactics to hide from life.
I thought she should have kicked Toby after the incident in the garden and addressed it directly. But she ran away, again.
I wanted to shake her when she ran away from Paxos.
I loved the Greek setting and the people.
I think Spyros was my favorite character.
Thank goodness Harry had the tenacity and the determination to go after what he wanted.

My first Helen McGinn book but definitely not my last! I totally enjoyed this book. The setting was fantastic and the characters even better. This was tender and endearing. Some great laugh out loud moments.
Thank you NetGalley, Helen McGinn and Boldwood Books for the opportunity to read and review this book.

The Island of Dreams
by Helen McGinn

Marthas engagement has just broken up. To take her mind off things she is helping her sister with the organisation of her wedding then Iris’s engagement is broken off and Martha thinks she has jinxed it. Iris feels Martha needs to get away from it all and give her the honeymoon trip to the Greek islands.

The characters are great as is the scenery on her journey though some of the story is unbelievable good read on a winter evening.

Martha & Harry ❤️

💍When Martha’s older sister breaks off her engagement, she asks her to use the house she’s booked for her honeymoon on a Greek island for a two week solo getaway.

🚤Martha’s had her life on hold for the last few years after calling off her own engagement when she knew it just wasn’t right for her.

🏖️On the Paxos island, Martha settles into a restful holiday, but she is soon a part of the island community, taking 10 year old Milo under her wing, getting to know his grandmother Connie and spending time with his father, American journalist and author Harry.

👙This isn’t the first of Helen McGinn’s books I have read, and her others felt deeply personal, written from her heart. This story, while it has sad elements, feels much more lighthearted, with the Greek island holiday setting. I struggled with the instalove elements of Martha and Harry’s relationship. At times it felt like Martha was spending much more time getting to know Connie and Milo than the love interest himself. This would make a good beach read - lots of sun, sea and Greek food 🇬🇷

Read an eARC copy courtesy of Netgalley and the publisher
My rating 3/5 - ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Publication date 13 February 2024

This book had beautiful descriptions of scenery and atmosphere, and I loved the cozy feeling it conveyed. The cast of characters was well-crafted, and in particular the familial relationships really stood out. The belief that people are, at their cores, good natured and friendly came across throughout, which made the book a very feel-good experience, and the short length of the book lended itself well to a quick, breezy read.

That said, it fell into a few common romance tropes near the end that I personally don’t really care for, so my investment in the story wavered in the last 20% or so. I would have liked for the characters to communicate more honestly with each other throughout the book as well, as it relied heavily on misunderstandings. I think that those who enjoy the tried and true romance book structure will find this to be a fast and atmospheric read, with fun characters and a beach-read type of ambience.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for this ARC. This is my honest review.

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

I enjoyed reading this book.

We meet Martha, who made the decision to not get engaged, and is since feeling lost in what she does next.

Iris, her sister is now planning her wedding, but when that too is called off, Martha is blaming herself.

Her sister sends her to Greece, on her own. Martha finds herself enjoying being there, the people and solace.

I loved the setting, and the characters.

I recommend this book.

Martha called off her own wedding, and feels responsible when her older sister calls of her own wedding. Fences are mended, however, and big sister Iris gifts Martha her honeymoon trip to Greece. Martha decides a change of pace is what she needs and she agrees to the trip. Everything is smooth sailing, until the last leg of her journey leaves her nearly stranded on Corfu. She meets adorable Milo, and then his grandmother, who showers Martha with friendship and gratitude. Soon Milo's father joins in the mix and her lovely fun-in-the-sun adventure takes a romantic turn.

As I was reading this book I found myself wanting to discover my own Greek Island! I wanted to explore the food and meet all the people which make up the community. I really enjoyed reading this. It was sweet escapism, and will be a wonderful beach read.

Fabulous classic feel good tale!
Martha feels hopeless and chaotic in life, being a teacher in London and spending time with her family near the coast in Devon. With the upcoming wedding of one of her sisters her uneasy feelings with her own love life bubble up.
This book takes us from London to Devon and then to the beautiful island of Paxos in Greece. The characters and family are brilliantly portrayed, loved her best friend Joanie!
Slightly far fetched and unrealistic at times this story is however great fun and an enjoyable read.
Not my favourite of Helen McGinn’s books, but has given me some inspiration for Greek wines and a taste for island life.
Thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood books for the early read.

A good book to read in winter transport me to Greece is a nice easy to read book about two sister I did find it a bit slow in places the I thought it was rushed but it was nice easy to read book plot was good I did enjoy thank you for letting me read

A nice story with some very warm vibes both from the plot and the island of Paxos. Martha is the youngest of three sisters who has already called off a wedding previously. She has an opportunity to take up a holiday on the island of Paxos and meets up with Harry and his son Milo. A great advertisement for Greece

A perfect read for the winter months when you just want to feel the warmth of the sun on your face. Escape to the beautiful island of Paxos, along with Martha.
She's not had the easiest time, called off her own wedding and the feeling guilty about breakdown of her sisters relationship. Instead of going on her honeymoon, her sister Iris sends Martha instead, knowing that Martha's needs the break more than she does. Once there the relaxed vibe, the people and scenery soon have Martha feeling chilled. And the arrival of Harry may encourage her to feel love again.
This novel is pure escapism, vivid descriptions of Paxos, the food and surroundings enticing the reader to drop everything and book that holiday. A lighthearted read perfect for the beach

A nice tale of love entering two hearts on a Greek island. The backstories are repetitious at times, developing the story of each life. Parts seemed rushed while other parts dragged.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Martha is the youngest of three sisters, she is not good with relationships, her sister calls off her wedding and gifts Martha a trip to the island of Paxos. There she meets a single father. sweet story

A nice easy escapist read, started very slowly, raced a bit in the middle and then ended fairly abruptly for me.

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

There is a lot to like about The Island of Dreams. The author paints a vivid picture of the Greek island of Paxos. Her description of the lush flora, sparkling waters, and big hearted residents transport the reader to a magical place.

Martha is an English schoolteacher who has a poor track record with relationships. After her sister calls off her wedding, she gifts Martha with her planned and now unnecessary honeymoon. Upon arriving in Greece, Martha meets a delightful boy named Milo and they strike up an immediate friendship. Soon she finds herself embraced by the locals and falling in love. That’s when things get complicated.

The book started slowly, picked up in the middle, and seemed to come to an abrupt end. I found myself wanting more substance at the conclusion of the book. Overall, this was an enjoyable read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This book got off to a slow start for me but then was over before I wanted it to be. A delightful romance story. An adorable child adds to the tale. Take a trip to a Greek island. Very enjoyable place to be. Many wonderful characters and a couple of ones that it is fun to dislike. Thanks to the publisher for providing a copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary.

I read The Island of Dreams over a few days. It follows the story of Martha, a teacher. She’s the youngest of three sisters and feels she will be single forever. When she’s given the chance to escape to the beautiful Greek island of Paxos, it feels too good to be true but she spins finds herself arriving in the island. She quickly makes new friends and the island and residents start to work their magic on her, but is it all too good to be true? This is a pleasant enough novel, with a plot that flows well and some nice characters. I can’t say it totally grabbed me but it was an enjoyable read. Thank you to NetGalley, Boldwood Books and the author for the chance to review.

I really adored this book for the very beginning. It is a heartwarming romance and from the first few chapters I was rooting for a happy ending!

I loved majority of the characters particularly Milo and Harry. The description of the Greece and the boat trip around the island was beautifully done, making it really easy to picture the story as I read.

Romance books can be a bit samey but this one was unique and filled me with joy and I found it unique. I would love to have a part 2 to this one - what happens in the future? Where do they live? Doe's Milo ever find out more about his mum? (please please please!)

This is my first experience of a Helen McGinn book but it certainly won't be my last - I have already downloaded another one!

I loved the premise of the book but the execution not so much which is unfortunate because it had a ton of potential.

After breaking off an engagement Martha has sworn off love. She buries herself in her work as a teacher. But when her sister gifts her a solo trip to Greece, she finds way more than a tan and some relaxation. I loved the beautiful description of the island. It made me feel like I was there with Martha.
This would make a wonderful movie - just saying 😀

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC!