Joyful June Journeys

by Stephanie Wood

Chrissie is escaping to the Greek Retreat to avoid some of the issues her parents have left her to deal with at home. She hopes that visiting a new location will give her a different perspective and help her to find a way forward.

The Greek Retreat is a trilogy of standalone tales full of sunshine, surprises and love.

340 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 22, 2025

About the author

Stephanie Wood writes contemporary fiction in the form of novels, novellas and short stories and her books explore a wide range of life’s challenges, dreams and responsibilities. The stories are all character based, so she has fun expressing each unique personality and the reasons behind their actions in a setting which always has a strong sense of community.

She published the AEGEAN SUN series of books as a fly-on-the-wall vision of life in a Greek resort during the summer season, using her extensive experience as a holiday rep to bring some unusual incidents to life on the page. The series began as an exploration of the various ways in which tourists make the most of their holidays and how they interact with the locals while they are visiting. The later books in the series have taken a closer look at the locals themselves to show how their lives and relationships are sometimes changed by the regular influx of seasonal visitors.

The CHRISTMAS ON THE CLOSE series is set in a British suburban cul-de-sac over the festive period and visits each house individually to discover how the neighbours who live there celebrate the season in their own special way.

The GREEK RETREAT trilogy is a new release of women's fiction with romantic themes, which creates a relaxing escape, full of sunshine and surprises to soothe the soul.

Stephanie lives in Lancashire where, apart from reading and writing, she loves gardening and cycling and is a huge fan of the soaps Emmerdale and Neighbours.

You can find Stephanie on Twitter / X or Facebook

Reviews

[Julie Stevens · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was so happy to be back at the Greek Retreat to see who was discovering its healing properties this time and eagerly devoured Chrissie's story.

This is a true page-turner which was impossible to put down. Chrissie is trying to come to terms with a lifestyle change and the support she finds with new friends Paula and Pelagia is genuine and well-written, giving her some comfort as she explores a possible holiday romance. I love how this author really captures the individual natures of each character and you feel yourself getting drawn into their lives and hoping they find their happy ever after.

This is another great episode in the trilogy, with some gorgeous characters, beautiful scenery and romantic moments adding to the cosy atmosphere and I can't wait for the next one!

Thanks to the author for an advance copy which I am reviewing voluntarily.

[Kirsty (BookBlogger) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Joyful June Journeys by Stephanie Wood

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

Blurb

Chrissie is escaping to the Greek Retreat to avoid some of the issues her parents have left her to deal with at home. She hopes that visiting a new location will give her a different perspective and help her to find a way forward.

The Greek Retreat is a trilogy of standalone tales full of sunshine, surprises and love.

My Opinion

Joyful June Journeys is the second book in The Greek Retreat series but it can easily be read as standalone. Stephanie Wood has once again written an enjoyable book that was difficult to put down. A delight to read with some great characters.

Rating 4/5

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A delightful story of a summer romance set on a beautiful Greek island. I loved the descriptions of the retreat and the characters that Chrissie encounters. We follow her journey in real time as each chapter marks a day of her holiday.

it's a very light-hearted book so great for the beach or garden. My only criticism is that Chrissie really doesn't have a huge obstacle to overcome. Having been handed a house by her parents, she is worried about how to change it. For many readers this is unlikely to resonate as a hardship or challenge, especially since she isn't on bad terms with her parents.

This aside, it's an enjoyable read and I'm happily looking forward to the next one.

[Staceywh_17 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Joyful June Journeys was my second visit to the Greek Retreat and a welcome dose of Vitamin D!

It's an easy to binge in one sitting kinda read. The story is enjoyable and the author's descriptions of the island and the retreat had me wanting to pack my suitcase immediately!

The characters are likeable and there's even a Greek adonis...cue the holiday romance!...It wouldn't have been the same without!

An enjoyable slice of sunshine.

[Janilyn Kocher · Rating 3 out of 5]

A sweet fast romance.
Chrissie booked herself into a Greek resort because she had many decisions to make.
I was thinking the major decisions were because of a tragedy but I was wrong. I didn’t quite get why she was so overwhelmed by the decisions but oh well.
I was glad to see what happened with Marinos. What luck to meet a cute Greek guy immediately and have a whirlwind romance!
I think Chrissie was stuck in a rut and her 30 day retreat showed life is meant to be lived and not plagued by incessant doubts. So grab life and the cute guy and experience it!
Thanks to the publisher for the advance read.