Headline Accent The Secrets of the Little Greek Taverna The most deliciously charming story youll read this Summer.

by Erin Palmisano

The ultimate beach read, with a Chocolat- esque touch of magical realism, this debut novel will delight and charm readers from start to finish, whisking them off to a Greek Island where food and wine are the stuff of life, where friendships lift you up, and love has a way of catching you when you’re least expecting it.

In a village on Naxos lies a gorgeous guest house and taverna that never opened. Cressida’s husband died suddenly three years ago – the taverna was their dream – but she’s been too lost in grief to keep that dream alive.

Marjory "Jory" St. James, a young traveler who always feels more at home on the move, arrives on Naxos in the middle of the night as if summoned by the island. She quite unexpectedly becomes Cressida’s very first guest.

Jory quickly discovers that this island vacation is more than just a sightseeing adventure as all of the women in town are more than what they seem. But when a hotel group offers to buy Cressida's taverna, it's going to take all of Jory and Cressida's drive and expertise to keep that from happening. With a generous dash of romance, deliciously tempting Greek food, and a growing friendship, can these two women find a way to finally open the little Greek taverna?
 

Genres: Romance, Fiction, Magical Realism, Greece, Travel, Contemporary, Cozy

320 pages, Paperback

First published February 27, 2024

Reviews

[Shereadbookblog · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is something very special about the women of Naxos, a small village in the Greek Isles; they all have very unique gifts.

Jory, raised by her mother and eschewing her father’s wealth, loves to travel and has always found home wherever she goes. Cressida’s plans to open a guest house and taverna on Naxos with her beloved husband are crushed when he dies unexpectedly. She has done nothing to make the dream go forward and now faces financial ruin. When Jory travels to Naxos, her developing friendship with Cress and the other villagers is the catalyst to revive that dream.

What a pleasant surprise reading this book. I chose it solely on the basis of its title; I loved all the alluring little Greek tavernas we ate at when we visited there for a month. Part travelogue, food journey, magic, female bonding, and romance, this story totally charmed me. I am not typically a fan of magical realism, but this tale won me over. All the pleasures of a visit to a Greek Isle are here….the landscape, the history, the wine, the culinary delights, the climate, the beaches. I was enchanted with this very fast read. Foodies and romantics will love it. It is a perfect vacation escape read.

Thanks to @NetGalley and @GrandCentralPub for the DRC.

[Um Rapaz Que Lê · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 estrelas!

Neste Verão precisam de uma leitura fluída, doce, e de fácil leitura?

Não procurem mais! Este livro é, até agora, a minha leitura de Verão preferida!

Imaginem-se em Naxos, na maior ilha das Cícliades, a abrirem uma taverna e uma pousada para turistas. Uma boa ideia não?

Esta é a premissa base do livro, mas é muito mais profunda do que isso.

Vão encontrar muitos elementos que fazem deste livro uma leitura muito ternurenta e amorosa.

É um livro que nos fala sobre amizade feminina, segundas oportunidades, perdão, aceitação e, principalmente, sobre amor.

Esta leitura está recheada de boa disposição, personagens marcantes, uma gastronomia apetitosa e uma história inesquecível.

É de uma sensibilidade e emoção enorme, porque nos vamos afeiçoando às personagens à medida que nos vamos adensando na história. Conhecemos os seus segredos e as suas experiências passadas, que vão fortalecendo a relação entre as personagens, mas também entre estas e o leitor.

Já para não falar do cenário esplêndido onde esta história se passa! Fiquei com mais vontade de ir a Naxos, do que a qualquer ilha grega que, à partida, possa parecer ainda mais deslumbrante.

Sendo um livro que nos fala de gastronomia, mais concretamente a local, é impossível ler este livro sem ficarmos com água na boca, a querer provar aquilo que está a ser preparado nas linhas que os nossos olhos lêem.

Tudo isto, com uma pitada de realismo mágico, faz deste livro um dos melhores que li este ano.

[Kristi · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars. What a fun book to get lost in, especially during a hurricane. I felt so warm reading this book. I even wrote down some places to visit for my future visit to Greece. I loved the characters and their little magic things about them. I even loved the side small stories that would normally bog down a book, but it seemed to work. I guess I would only say that there was some repeated information that didn’t necessarily coincide with what was happening. All in all, I loved it. I can’t wait to travel to Greece. You will absolutely book a ticket when you are done. Oh and the food! 😋😋

[Isa ♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

TÃO FOFOOOOO !
Leve, encantador, que nos faz água na boca e sonhar!
Prefeito para relaxar e simplesmente viajar por uma história amorosa!

[Dana Light (dlight_reads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a gorgeous warm read! This book made me feel starved for delicious Greek bread, exploring new places, traveling and feeling at home with friends and the land. I loved the touch of magic that was presented during baking and the unexpected twist from the seemingly perfect love interest. Such an easy read that I imagine anyone who enjoy travel, food and romance will enjoy.

[Eva Zunich · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just a nice read. Does given you great visuals of being in Greece

[Sarah (sarahs_shelves_sc) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This magical realism read brought all the cozy found family vibes, and it felt like a warm hug to read.

The women of Naxos have special gifts. When a woman named Jory gets a feeling that she must travel to Naxos, she changes several of the women's lives forever with her own gift of making everywhere feel like home.

This is a book for foodies, as one of the women has a gift for cooking emotions and feelings into meals and many of her dishes are described in delectable detail. It had me craving all the Greek foods as I read, wishing I could feel the breeze from the sea while enjoying Cressida's dolmades.

There is a secondary love story involved, but the main story is really about the gifts women have to make others feel at ease, to become family to one another, and to make others feel joyful or appreciated. I loved the little magical touches and the sweet and zany characters and enjoyed my little mini break on the island of Naxos!

Thank you to Hatchette for my gifted copy. All opinions are my own.

[Vera Sopa · Rating 4 out of 5]

"O efeito borboleta da amizade não altera o caminho da maioria das pessoas. Mas, ocasionalmente, essa colisão pode alterar os caminhos de alguns e abalar uma pequena aldeia."

Um romance de verão. Leve e romântico, com um toque de realismo mágico (ou aquilo em que queremos acreditar) . Não é o que mais me satisfaz mas depois dos temas difíceis que li precisava de algo assim. E este romance desperta os nossos sentidos com sons, cheiros e sabores do Mediterrâneo. De uma ilha grega. Um romance encantador.

Jory (ou Marjorie) é uma mulher corajosa e independente de vinte e oito anos que aprecia a liberdade. Cress (ou Cressida) é uma jovem viúva com um talento para a cozinha que suspendeu o seu sonho de abrir uma pousada e uma taberna. Juntas vão viver uma aventura, com o incentivo de Mago, uma atrevida senhora com uma grande alegria de viver.
Um romance mamma mia.

[Kirsten Rockey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Probably more of a 3.5 but I really enjoyed this sweet little book. It was a nice break after some heavier, more depressing reads, and I’m excited to see/explore Naxos myself in a month!!

[Robin Rashcovsky · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute summertime read

[Brittney Lyons · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a cute, fun, GREEK story and I loved every bit of it. I now want to go back to Greece and visit Naxos and Potamia!

[Viajar Entre Páginas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Livros que falem sobre viagens são meio caminho andado para me cativar. Ainda por cima se tiverem uma capa bonita. E se falarem sobre amizade e amor.
Um livro doce, relaxante, mágico e ideal para ler nestes dias de verão.
O que mais gostei neste livro foi a amizade feminina. Às vezes, os verdadeiros amigos não são aqueles que conhecemos há anos mas os que chegam sem estarmos à espera e ficam ao nosso lado como se fossem amigos desde sempre. A Jory, a Cressida e a Mago são o exemplo disso.

[Ana Rita Ramos · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quando se juntam as ilhas gregas, uma escrita agradável, amizade, amor e um pouco de magia só podia sair um livro muito bom.

[Denise Chojnacki · Rating 3 out of 5]

Drawn to this book by the whole arm chair traveler thing, I was looking forward to it. The reviews overall were good as well. However, it was not my cup of tea. The things I liked were, the setting and the theme of friendship. The author, with her restaurant/culinary background, does a great job with that part. Beyond that, it was your typical rom com. One of the main characters Cressida baking magic into the recipes was just a little too cheesy for me. Not to mention the two main love interests moved into knowing they were the one waaaaaaaay to fast for me. They barely knew each other. The storyline as a whole was pretty predictable as well so all in all, though the writing kept things moving, which is a plus, this story just didn't do much for me.

[Whitney M. · Rating 4 out of 5]

We follow Jory to a small Greek village called Patamia where small magic takes place. This was such a fun, cozy travel story. Jory gets a feeling in her gut that tells her to leave and she goes on an adventure. In this adventure she not only makes lasting friends but finds a man with her same need to travel. I loved the relationships that formed and the small village life. The ending tied up everything nicely.
I also really enjoyed the travel guide and places and adventures that the author shared. The recipe at the end was also a fun touch. Overall this was a fun read that I would recommend.

What to expect:
*Adventure
*Found family
*Romance (light)

**Thank you NetGalley, Grand Central Publishing and Erin Palmisano for this arc.

[Nancy H · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a delightful story about a young woman who travels to Greece and decides to stay there for a while, despite being a world traveler who doesn't like to linger in one place for very long. She brings her own sort of magic to the small town, which already has its own form of magic in its various quirky citizens, and the lady who rents a guest house doesn't want her to leave just yet because she is helping her recover from devastating grief. There is much more going on in the town, as well as with a handsome stranger that she seems to like but with whom she doesn't want to get involved, especially when she finds out what he truly does for his career.

[Sara Jesus · Rating 4 out of 5]

Uma narrativa de conforto passada na ilha de Naxos e que se centra na abertura de uma pequena taverna. O livro foca-se mais nas amizades no feminino, principalmente na ligação de Jory com Cress que transforma toda aquela pequena comunidade. Naquela vila cada mulher tem um dom, adorei descobrir acompanhar as vidas daquelas habitantes e observar como no fim todos os seus mistérios são descobertos.
Este livro dá vontade de nos meter um avião, e partir á descoberta (neste caso da Grécia e da sua maravilhosa comida!).

[Silvia Mestre · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.4⭐️
Este livro de leitura leve, doce e fluida, desperta os nossos sentidos com cheiros, sabores e sons do Mediterrâneo .
Leva-nos a viajar até Naxos (Grécia) e aborda temas como as amizades femininas, segundas oportunidades , esperança, medo, mas principalmente o amor.
Além disso tem uma pitada de boa comida e um romance com um twist que gostei bastante.
É pena não ter um epílogo para saber como ficou cada personagem.

[Abbey Gatewood · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favorite books this year! I felt like I was right there with Marjory, and Cressida, and all the other wonderfully quirky characters of Potamia. Such a great escape. The perfect book to read any time any where, just be sure to have delicious Greek food in your fridge, because after such wonderful descriptions of the Tavernas food, it’s all you will want! Erin Palmisano is a wonderfully gifted author and I can not wait for her next book, bring it on!!

[Georgia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m not used to reading this genre of books, but the title captured me and I bought the book! It certainly has a mystical thrust through the women of Naxos and the food they create! Dreams come true! The importance of friendship! Each must do what needs to be done! I will quote what I think was emphasized by this book 📕! “ But we don’t learn to believe, we learn to disbelieve! “ pg. 154🥸

[Margarida Pereira · Rating 2 out of 5]

Bem, não foi o livro para mim, de todo. Sinto que tinha todo o potencial do mundo. Mas não me identifiquei com as personagens.
As incongruências da história foram o que me levaram à classificação de duas estrelas. A americana que não fala grego, mas TODOS os habitantes de uma mini ilha são fluentes. No entanto, numa reunião de freguesia ela entendeu tudo o que foi dito.... em grego.

[Patrícia Aboim · Rating 4 out of 5]

O realismo mágico encanta-me! Claro que apenas nesse contexto é possível esta história em que uma americana vai para uma ilha grega isolada e todos falam inglês, entre tantas outras incongruências. De qualquer forma, a história aqueceu-me o coração.

[Tania Woodward · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book - a great holiday read that warms the heart about friendship, love, cooking and travel.

[Célia Gil · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5 estrelas opinião no meu blogue em https://wwwescrevinhados-cantarinha.b...

[Paula Reis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Uma deliciosa leitura de Verão!

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it!!!

[Faye Licari · Rating 5 out of 5]

Charming story! I loved the characters and the setting - heart warming to its core.

[Suzanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it. What a good little read. So much love and life in this book.

[Fátima Andreia · Rating 4 out of 5]

3,5⭐️

Fofo!

[Inês Barros · Rating 5 out of 5]

Um livro com viagens pelas ilhas gregas, comida e o poder mágico da amizade. Perfeito para as leituras leves de verão.