What do you think?
Rate this book
The Butterfly Storm #1
The Butterfly Storm
Four years ago life for Sophie Keech was perfect. A new start in Greece with Alekos, her boyfriend of just six weeks, removes Sophie from a mundane 9-5 job, takes her away from the difficult relationship she has with her mum, and gives her the opportunity and belief that she is finally doing something positive and exciting with her life.
But a lot can change in four years. An engagement, a domineering mother-in-law to be and the reality of life in Greece not being quite what Sophie imagined puts a strain on her relationship with Alekos.
When an accident forces Sophie back to the UK to look after her estranged mum, she has time to reevaluate her life, her idea of family, where she wants to be and, most importantly, who she loves.
But a lot can change in four years. An engagement, a domineering mother-in-law to be and the reality of life in Greece not being quite what Sophie imagined puts a strain on her relationship with Alekos.
When an accident forces Sophie back to the UK to look after her estranged mum, she has time to reevaluate her life, her idea of family, where she wants to be and, most importantly, who she loves.
266 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 5, 2013
496 people are currently reading
841 people want to read
About the author
Kate Frost
30 books204 followersKate Frost has wanted to be an author ever since she wrote her first novel during the long months she spent off school following open heart surgery when she was seven. The novel was called London's Burning and was a time travel story set during the Great Fire of London.
Over the years Kate has worked in a cinema, a bookshop, a factory and as a part time lecturer at Bath Spa University teaching lifewriting to Creative Writing undergraduates. She's also worked as ground staff at Edgebaston Tennis Tournament, as a Virgin Vie consultant and as a Supporting Artist in the films Vanity Fair, King Arthur and The Duchess.
Kate has a MA in Creative Writing from Bath Spa University and has had articles and short stories published in The London Magazine, New Welsh Review and QWF. She now works as a freelance writer/author and lives in the UK with her husband, her son and their dog.
Over the years Kate has worked in a cinema, a bookshop, a factory and as a part time lecturer at Bath Spa University teaching lifewriting to Creative Writing undergraduates. She's also worked as ground staff at Edgebaston Tennis Tournament, as a Virgin Vie consultant and as a Supporting Artist in the films Vanity Fair, King Arthur and The Duchess.
Kate has a MA in Creative Writing from Bath Spa University and has had articles and short stories published in The London Magazine, New Welsh Review and QWF. She now works as a freelance writer/author and lives in the UK with her husband, her son and their dog.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 78 reviews
December 24, 2018
Can love last through cultural differences, poor communication and dysfunctional families? Sophie is in love with Alekos. Having little to keep her in England, aside from a strained relationship with her mother, she moves to Greece and into his family’s home. What she discovers is an overbearing mother who Alekos cannot stand up to, little privacy and a way of life completely different from anything she has known. Conflicted on where they are going, when a call comes saying her mother is ill and needs her help, she retreats to England to regroup and rethink her life with Alekos.
What she finds is that life is what you make it, relationships take work and real love is worth it all, but will she find her love for Alekos to be strong enough?
THE BUTTERFLY STORM by Kate Frost is a well-written and sometimes jagged slice of life. I’m not sure we are expected to like all of the characters, who are each very flawed in their own way and I really didn’t like more than one or two. Rather dry in its presentation it does give a very telling portrait of cultural differences, NOT to be confused with bullying, as her future mother-in-law seems to do a lot of or lack of communication which seemed to run rampant.
Definitely a thought-provoking read and one easy to disagree with in many parts.
Series: The Butterfly Storm - Book 1
Publisher: Lemon Tree Press (January 15, 2014)
Publication Date: January 15, 2014
Genre: Women's Fiction
Print Length: 300 pages
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
For Reviews, Giveaways, Fabulous Book News, follow: http://tometender.blogspot.com
What she finds is that life is what you make it, relationships take work and real love is worth it all, but will she find her love for Alekos to be strong enough?
THE BUTTERFLY STORM by Kate Frost is a well-written and sometimes jagged slice of life. I’m not sure we are expected to like all of the characters, who are each very flawed in their own way and I really didn’t like more than one or two. Rather dry in its presentation it does give a very telling portrait of cultural differences, NOT to be confused with bullying, as her future mother-in-law seems to do a lot of or lack of communication which seemed to run rampant.
Definitely a thought-provoking read and one easy to disagree with in many parts.
Series: The Butterfly Storm - Book 1
Publisher: Lemon Tree Press (January 15, 2014)
Publication Date: January 15, 2014
Genre: Women's Fiction
Print Length: 300 pages
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
For Reviews, Giveaways, Fabulous Book News, follow: http://tometender.blogspot.com
July 31, 2017
I chose this as it had been on my Kindle for a while and wanted to read it as part of my 20 books of summer challenge.
On the positive side, this was a quick and easy book to read! On the negative, I found the characters to be really annoying and had very little empathy for the situations they found themselves in!
On the positive side, this was a quick and easy book to read! On the negative, I found the characters to be really annoying and had very little empathy for the situations they found themselves in!
August 18, 2013
I am surprised by all the 5star reviews, this is 2.5-3 tops. It just lacked depth and while compelling enough to get me to finish it, it was unsatisfying. It was free on amazon, so I rounded up for that.
June 17, 2013
I was drawn to this book by its premise of a twenty-something English girl moving to Greece to be with a Greek man that she'd met on holiday there. I've known women who have done just this, only for their dreams to end in divorce. There were unable to cope with the culture clash, particularly the dominance of their husband's mother - a problem that dogs the heroine, Sophie, in contrast to her icy relationship with her own mother - so I was very interested to see how Sophie fared.
I don't want to give any plot spoilers, but suffice to say that this is a rewarding and satisfying read, written with great care and thought by someone who clearly knows intimately each of the settings that she describes. Though now working as a chef, Sophie trained as an illustrator, and her artistic talent is echoed in the author's clear visualisation of the settings. She creates a great sense of place, making it very clear why Sophie loves the different settings that she does. Indeed, the settings almost feel like characters in themselves. It was an unexpected bonus for me that Cephalonia, where I first fell in love with Greece (but not a Greek), is also where Sophie falls for Alekos. I hope it isn't giving anything away by saying this is a life-affirming and uplifting read about families, marriage, motherhood and relationships.
The Butterfly Storm of the title presumably refers to the theory that the flap of a butterfly's wings in one part of the world can cause a chain reaction that magnifies into a storm in another part of the world. By the end of the book, the appropriateness of the title is clear:small decisions made at one point in a person's life can cause a tsunami later on. But I loved the way that butterflies and occasionally moths are also woven into the story throughout, popping up here and there naturally, without the obviousness of the "Find the duck on every page" theme of Stephen Cartwright's children's books (though I love those too!) To me they served as a wonderful metaphor for the fragility and brevity of life, therefore making the characters' choices all the more important and adding to the sense of urgency that if they don't make the right decisions, they risk losing their happiness for ever.
Any book that makes me stay up later than I intended because I am desperate to know what happens next automatically gets five stars from me. This book even had me staying awake early morning, when I woke up half an hour before the alarm, in order to finish it. In my permanently sleep-deprived state, this is a rare occurrence! I look forward to reading more of Kate Frost's work.
I don't want to give any plot spoilers, but suffice to say that this is a rewarding and satisfying read, written with great care and thought by someone who clearly knows intimately each of the settings that she describes. Though now working as a chef, Sophie trained as an illustrator, and her artistic talent is echoed in the author's clear visualisation of the settings. She creates a great sense of place, making it very clear why Sophie loves the different settings that she does. Indeed, the settings almost feel like characters in themselves. It was an unexpected bonus for me that Cephalonia, where I first fell in love with Greece (but not a Greek), is also where Sophie falls for Alekos. I hope it isn't giving anything away by saying this is a life-affirming and uplifting read about families, marriage, motherhood and relationships.
The Butterfly Storm of the title presumably refers to the theory that the flap of a butterfly's wings in one part of the world can cause a chain reaction that magnifies into a storm in another part of the world. By the end of the book, the appropriateness of the title is clear:small decisions made at one point in a person's life can cause a tsunami later on. But I loved the way that butterflies and occasionally moths are also woven into the story throughout, popping up here and there naturally, without the obviousness of the "Find the duck on every page" theme of Stephen Cartwright's children's books (though I love those too!) To me they served as a wonderful metaphor for the fragility and brevity of life, therefore making the characters' choices all the more important and adding to the sense of urgency that if they don't make the right decisions, they risk losing their happiness for ever.
Any book that makes me stay up later than I intended because I am desperate to know what happens next automatically gets five stars from me. This book even had me staying awake early morning, when I woke up half an hour before the alarm, in order to finish it. In my permanently sleep-deprived state, this is a rare occurrence! I look forward to reading more of Kate Frost's work.
March 8, 2018
This is a beautifully-written book set both in Greece and in England. The author describes both countries in a way that transports you there, using the food, people, culture and climate to draw you into the story.
Sophie moves to Greece to be with Alekos, but doesn't realise just how culturally difficult it will be to fit in with her new family. Having lived in Italy for the last two decades, I could thoroughly sympathise with her feelings about her overbearing mother-in-law! I think it's hard to English women to appreciate how suffocating these types of families can be, and how frustrating it is to see your partner unable to stand up for himself. The author has managed to capture both sides of these cultural differences perfectly.
This easy to read story pulls you along, its simplicity and descriptive narrative keep you turning the pages as each character reveals more of themselves. I hardly ever cry when I read a book, but I admit to feeling teary by the last pages!
Sophie moves to Greece to be with Alekos, but doesn't realise just how culturally difficult it will be to fit in with her new family. Having lived in Italy for the last two decades, I could thoroughly sympathise with her feelings about her overbearing mother-in-law! I think it's hard to English women to appreciate how suffocating these types of families can be, and how frustrating it is to see your partner unable to stand up for himself. The author has managed to capture both sides of these cultural differences perfectly.
This easy to read story pulls you along, its simplicity and descriptive narrative keep you turning the pages as each character reveals more of themselves. I hardly ever cry when I read a book, but I admit to feeling teary by the last pages!
December 30, 2015
Found this a bit boring, slow and predictable. It was an OK book, but I wouldn't recommend it to anyone. I didn't like any of the characters at all either which is very unusual for me but it's also key for a good read !
October 3, 2018
I loved everything about this book! The story telling is superb, the plot, the pace, the characters. It totally took me away when I needed an escape from the real world and I’ll be reading more from this author.
Want to read
October 17, 2017FREE on Amazon today (10/17/2017)!
November 15, 2017
This was a freebie I found on Amazon. I wanted something short and sweet, some easy reading chick lit. This fit the bill. I just wish it had been a bit better. Sophie irritated me. I hated the way she and her mother treated one another. I realize Mother-Daughter relationships are complicated but they were just downright mean. Sophie moves to Greece 6 weeks after meeting Alekos. She manages to get to Greece all on her own, and knows ahead of time she will be living with Alekos large close Greek family. They give her a job, she becomes a chef at their family run restaurant. They live in a room in the family home. The family loves and accepts her. Sophie, though, is unfulfilled. She spends countless hours sulking outside and despising Mama and her controlling ways. What was presented as "controlling" their lives for me (for the most part) was old school family love. The biggest problem in Sophie's life, though, is that she is living with a mama's boy. Yes, he loves her, and she him. He is gorgeous ( of course he is compared to a Greek statue UGH), thoughtful, loving. But he can't disappoint his Mama. Oy vey. When her Mum is in an accident 4 years later, Sophie is angry that he won't go with her, and she has to travel all the way back to Britain by herself. (She had no problem getting to Greece all on her own 4 years prior) I understand wanting to feel supported but he has never even met her mother, and Sophie and her mother's relationship is so tenuous I wouldn't dream of throwing another person in the mix. So this goes on and on while Sophie sorts out her life, what she wants out of life, and tries to repair her relationships. I would have pitched this book without finishing if it weren't for the great settings, the occasional humor, a few interesting characters. Robert and Mum, for instance. The ending was trite and predictable. This wasn't a terrible book, it just was kind of dopey.
May 14, 2025
Engaging and enjoyable read
August 18, 2020
Great romance
This is a genre I don't normally read but I found I thoroughly enjoyed it. The author had the right amount of feels too draw me in for this roller coaster ride.
This is a genre I don't normally read but I found I thoroughly enjoyed it. The author had the right amount of feels too draw me in for this roller coaster ride.
February 9, 2018
The Butterfly Storm by Kate Frost
This was a free download on my Kindle.
Four years ago life for Sophie Keech was perfect. A new start in Greece with Alekos, her boyfriend of just six weeks, removes Sophie from a mundane 9-5 job, takes her away from the difficult relationship she has with her mum, and gives her the opportunity and belief that she is finally doing something positive and exciting with her life.
But a lot can change in four years. An engagement, a domineering mother-in-law to be and the reality of life in Greece not being quite what Sophie imagined puts a strain on her relationship with Alekos.
When an accident forces Sophie back to the UK to look after her estranged mum, she has time to reevaluate her life, her idea of family, where she wants to be and, most importantly, who she loves.
The idea of the story was a good one and I did enjoy it. It was well written and the descriptions on the locations was really good, you could actually imagine being there. But for some reason, I didn't particularly like some of the characters but maybe that was just me.
Well worth a read!!
This was a free download on my Kindle.
Four years ago life for Sophie Keech was perfect. A new start in Greece with Alekos, her boyfriend of just six weeks, removes Sophie from a mundane 9-5 job, takes her away from the difficult relationship she has with her mum, and gives her the opportunity and belief that she is finally doing something positive and exciting with her life.
But a lot can change in four years. An engagement, a domineering mother-in-law to be and the reality of life in Greece not being quite what Sophie imagined puts a strain on her relationship with Alekos.
When an accident forces Sophie back to the UK to look after her estranged mum, she has time to reevaluate her life, her idea of family, where she wants to be and, most importantly, who she loves.
The idea of the story was a good one and I did enjoy it. It was well written and the descriptions on the locations was really good, you could actually imagine being there. But for some reason, I didn't particularly like some of the characters but maybe that was just me.
Well worth a read!!
February 27, 2025
The Butterfly Storm Series, Bk 1, EBK-M, Kindle, @ 6/5/13, Read 2/26/25. Fiction, Romance, Mother/Daughters Relationships, Dysfunctional Families, Britain, Greece.
Romance is generally not my genre, so why did I pick this up? I've had it on my Kindle for probably close to 12 years. It was time to read it or loose it! So I decided to read it while doing my exercises at the Senior Center for 30 minutes a day on the NuStep Machine.
A British girl, Sophie, leaves her difficult relationship with her mother to follow her Greek boyfriend of 6 weeks to his hometown in Greece to be with him.
But after 4 long years, while working and living with him and his entire family in their restaurant, the relationship hasn't progressed. An accident back in England forces Sophie back to help her mom and to re-evaluate her life.
About 2-1/2 ☆'s = Okay. Not quite enough star's for a Good 3☆ Rating!
Romance is generally not my genre, so why did I pick this up? I've had it on my Kindle for probably close to 12 years. It was time to read it or loose it! So I decided to read it while doing my exercises at the Senior Center for 30 minutes a day on the NuStep Machine.
A British girl, Sophie, leaves her difficult relationship with her mother to follow her Greek boyfriend of 6 weeks to his hometown in Greece to be with him.
But after 4 long years, while working and living with him and his entire family in their restaurant, the relationship hasn't progressed. An accident back in England forces Sophie back to help her mom and to re-evaluate her life.
About 2-1/2 ☆'s = Okay. Not quite enough star's for a Good 3☆ Rating!
June 26, 2018
If you're looking for an easy read to kill a couple of hours you could do worse than read this. It really is a quick read, I read it in under two hours whilst on a plane, and for that kind of environment the book is perfect as the story isn't complicated, and the characters are few and easily recognisable.
Aside from that, I don't have a whole lot to say about this book if I am honest. The plot is a simple one, you don't need to think about things to keep it straight - it's almost quite obvious as to where the plots corners will take you.
The characters are well rounded, they feel realistic - you can see why they make the decisions that they do... but none of them will live with me, none of them are what you'd call memorable.
Aside from that, I don't have a whole lot to say about this book if I am honest. The plot is a simple one, you don't need to think about things to keep it straight - it's almost quite obvious as to where the plots corners will take you.
The characters are well rounded, they feel realistic - you can see why they make the decisions that they do... but none of them will live with me, none of them are what you'd call memorable.
October 22, 2017
The cover of this book drew my attention and convinced me to buy it. I was’t disappointed. This is a light easy read that had me crying happy tears at the end. The writing is excellent and the story flows really well. I could imagine myself in Greece with the smells of the kitchen and in the beautiful countryside when Sophie arrives home to England too. The characters are well written and although I predicted some of the storyline, I was delighted with the way the book ended. A great read if you’re looking for easy reading. I’m looking forward to reading more from this author.
December 28, 2018
Catch these butterflies!
The Butterfly Storm was a free book, so I figured that I had nothing to lose except some time. What I gained was a beautifully written novel, then a prequel that was free for signing the author’s follow list. The pages flew by, and I was hooked. I immediately bought The Birdsong Promise (The Butterfly Storm Book 2) and finished that in record time. Ms. Frost’s characters, her descriptions of place, and the quality of her writing all make her an author to follow and to enjoy!
The Butterfly Storm was a free book, so I figured that I had nothing to lose except some time. What I gained was a beautifully written novel, then a prequel that was free for signing the author’s follow list. The pages flew by, and I was hooked. I immediately bought The Birdsong Promise (The Butterfly Storm Book 2) and finished that in record time. Ms. Frost’s characters, her descriptions of place, and the quality of her writing all make her an author to follow and to enjoy!
September 30, 2024
I love Kate Frost's books but this one was hard for me to get into. I'm glad I toughed it out but it definitely is not her best. The story involves a young English woman who falls deeply in love with a young man in Greece. She moves there and discovers what it means to be part of a Greek family. The young woman moves back to England to help her mother recover from a serious accident. There she has an opportunity to see her relationship from a distance and try to mend her relationship with her mom. See what happens!
May 11, 2020
When our heroine chooses to start a new life in Greece with her Greek boyfriend, she certainly didn't expect to find his very attached mother and family. Will she choose to return home to England to find her independence once again or will she give her new Greek family another try?
An enjoyable read-. I appreciated hearing about the Greek dishes since I too tasted them on a trip to Greece. The author was very astute in describing the Greek attitude, "family is everything!"
An enjoyable read-. I appreciated hearing about the Greek dishes since I too tasted them on a trip to Greece. The author was very astute in describing the Greek attitude, "family is everything!"
March 30, 2023
Really liked this book, especially the parts of the book set in Greece, however most of the book is set in UK as Sophie has to travel back to England! I do really like to read books set in Greece i also really like Kate Frost books, i have read quite a lot of them from this author! I will be reading more, especially the ones set in Greece! i have just ordered the sequel to this book which will arrive in 2 days so that may be my next read!
September 29, 2023
I've read several books by this author, and this was by far my least favorite. I just couldn't connect with the characters, and they lacked depth to me. The storyline was also predictable and a bit boring. I'm a big fan of Greece, but this setting didn't entice me. By the story blurb, I thought the book was going to be set on Kefalonia, not some inland village near Thessaloniki. I definitely won't be reading the sequel to this one.
March 11, 2025
Sophie moves to Greece for a guy after a holiday romance with him. Things are looking a bit rocky 4 years in when they are still living with his parents and working in the family restaurant. Sophies mum then has an accident, so Sophie returns to the UK temporarily to mind her. Being apart makes the heart grow fonder, as well as the realisation that Sophie is pregnant. Happy ending with couple relocating and Sophie rebuilding the relationship with her mother.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 14, 2017
Good read
I was drawn to this book because she packed up her life and moved to another country. Something I always dreamed of doing. It was a good story, not full of sex and violence, the predictable things many authors use to keep a story going. This author used good story telling to hold my interest and make me wish there were more pages to the book.
I was drawn to this book because she packed up her life and moved to another country. Something I always dreamed of doing. It was a good story, not full of sex and violence, the predictable things many authors use to keep a story going. This author used good story telling to hold my interest and make me wish there were more pages to the book.
January 6, 2019
I had the hardest time getting into this book. Sophie may be the most boring protagonist ever. I'd followed nearly 5 years of her life before she laughed, she never makes a joke, and she pouts a lot. FINALLY in the last 25% of the book I began to care about her and her future. Not sure if I'll read the next book in the series or not, but it can only get better.
August 15, 2019
This book was free on Amazon, so I thought, why not? I could not finish it. The characters annoyed me and Sophie seemed to go from 0-60 in the space of a few chapters. There were large jumps in time, and maybe this was part of the problem. I did not get to see a buildup of her emotional state...it was just there, in my face.
June 7, 2020
Honestly I just love this author, the way she writes is to my taste and level. I like the pace and the characters are so likeable. It’s certainly a can’t put down read because I felt so involved in their life’s I needed to know what happened next.
As soon as I finished I moved on to the next book and at a quarter of the way through I think il be moving straight on to the next when it’s done.
As soon as I finished I moved on to the next book and at a quarter of the way through I think il be moving straight on to the next when it’s done.
May 13, 2025
I kept wondering when something was going to happen. I found the story drab and unrealistic and found myself not caring about the characters and their lack of strength and substance. The end was ridiculous, her boyfriend/fiance doesn’t wave goodbye at the airport when returning to Greece, then suddenly declares to her that he’s bought them a house!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 20, 2017
Enjoyable
Enjoyable read with good characters. You really got to know the personality s of the characters. The description of Greece and the Cotswolds was very good you could a!most imagine being there.
Enjoyable read with good characters. You really got to know the personality s of the characters. The description of Greece and the Cotswolds was very good you could a!most imagine being there.
October 27, 2018
Angst, life
I actually enjoyed this book, I initially struggled with the relationships, but as I learned who Sophie was, I was drawn into her growth. I saw her face her past & embrace herself as a woman & a mother. Beautiful story .
I actually enjoyed this book, I initially struggled with the relationships, but as I learned who Sophie was, I was drawn into her growth. I saw her face her past & embrace herself as a woman & a mother. Beautiful story .
January 12, 2024
Lovely book.
This is the first book I have read by Kate Frost and I can't wait to read the next book. It's a really lovely story once I started reading it I couldn't put it down. Can't wait to read the second book.
This is the first book I have read by Kate Frost and I can't wait to read the next book. It's a really lovely story once I started reading it I couldn't put it down. Can't wait to read the second book.
May 3, 2024
Enticed into buying this book by the beautiful cover. A slow starter for me. Didn’t get going until about a quarter of the way through. Did get better but didn’t keep me gripped - wasn’t the strongest of storylines. I felt it ended on a high though.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 78 reviews