Reminders of Greece

by Francesca Catlow

Let Francesca Catlow sweep you away to the blue skies and warm waters of Kos—the ideal romantic getaway for fans of Karen Swan, Kate Frost and Paige Toon.

Sara and Mia are more than just mother and daughter—they’re best friends, confidantes and partners in adventure. Mia’s dad’s identity may still be a mystery, but Mia’s independent, adventurous mum has more than made up for it over the years. So when Sara suggests a sun-soaked escape to Kos, the stunning Greek island shaped by volcanic forces, Mia jumps at the chance for their perfect summer getaway.

When Mia meets Leonidas, a handsome local musician, the white-washed villages and crystal-clear waters become the backdrop for revelations neither woman is prepared for. As family mysteries begin to unravel and long-buried truths rise to the surface, mother and daughter must is protecting the past worth sacrificing their future?

Genres: Romance

375 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 15, 2026

About the author

Francesca Catlow writes bestselling fiction filled with passionate love stories that feature flawed, and sometimes broken, characters as they face a crossroads in their life. She often explores heartbreaking themes while also whisking readers off to beautiful locations.

Francesca loves to travel. Born and raised in the heart of Suffolk, England, she has travelled extensively in Europe with her French husband and, more recently, their two children. In 2024 she relocated to France where she spends her days dreaming up stories and her evenings sitting in her garden relaxing with her family.

In 2023 Francesca was a finalist for the prestigious Kindle Storyteller Award, and was nominated for an Innovation Award for her work with libraries in Suffolk.

Francesca loves to hear from her readers – if you would like to contact her, you can do so on her social pages, or subscribe to her newsletter.

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For trigger warnings visit: francescacatlow.co.uk/trigger-warnings/

Reviews

[Elaine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can't even begin to tell you all that this book brought out in me.
I laughed. I cried. I wondered. I felt regret. I felt overwhelmed. I felt the warmth of the love only very few people can find…. And, overall... this was wonderful!!!

Sara and Demitri met in 1998 in Greece. She was running away from a very controlling family. He was getting by, basically in his own backyard... when he met the girl of his dreams. BUT... she was not Greek. And, this was a problem...

We learn about Sara and her friends and all that she encountered during her time in Greece... and oh, how she loved Demitri!

Fast forward to 2025. Mia is Sarah's daughter. They are getting away for a short vacation to Greece. Mia has no idea WHY they are going there, but her Mom is her best friend... and, a trip to Greece. What's there to lose???

Well, I am stopping right here!

I will tell you that Mia met a wonderful young man one day, out on her own, on a small Greek Island. And I will tell you that things are not always as they seem...
Especially since I kept feeling a little niggle tugging at me during the entire book...

But wow! What a beautiful, romantic, charming, sweet, sad, heart-breaking story of love, life, family, friendship... and so much more!

ALLL THE STARSSSS IN THE WORLD FOR ME! This one was just ripping out my heartstrings... but then also... gluing them back together on every page... ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫💫💫💫💫🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟✨✨✨✨✨

#RemindersOfGreece by @FrancescaCatlow and narrated beautifully by @ErifyiGigante and @DaphneKouma.

THIS ONE HAS NOT BEEN RELEASED YET, BUT IT IS COMING OUT TOMORROW! 5/15/26!! So, please look for it then!!

Thanks so much to #NetGalley, @BrilliancePublishing and @BrillianceAudio for an ALC of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

You can also find my reviews on: Goodreads,
Instagram: @BookReviews_with_emsr and/or
My Facebook Book Club: Book Reviews With Elaine

Thanks so much for reading! And if you ‘liked’ my review, please share with your friends, & click ‘LIKE’ below… And, let me know YOUR thoughts if you read it!!

And as always, thanks for reading along with me! 📚⭐️📖🩷

[Tammy · Rating 3 out of 5]

https://pinkstinx.blogspot.com/2026/0...

Reminders of Greece by Francesca Catlow has such a beautiful, wistful setup: sun-drenched islands, buried family secrets, old love, new love, and a mother-daughter relationship at the heart of it all. There’s real warmth in the story, and the Greek setting is easily its strongest feature — it feels nostalgic, dreamy, and full of longing.

There’s something genuinely moving about two women carrying unspoken truths while trying to protect each other, and I liked the themes of love, loss, identity, and belonging. At times, it really did feel tender and heartfelt.

I kept waiting for it to land with more force. A lot of the emotions were explained again and again instead of just being allowed to speak for themselves, which made some of the bigger moments feel less powerful than they should have. I also found the pacing quite slow, and some of the reveals felt obvious long before they happened. So while I liked the story and connected with parts of it, it never fully swept me away.

I wanted this to hit harder emotionally than it did. However, In the end, this was a warm, atmospheric read with a strong sense of place and a touching emotional core — I just wish it had trusted its readers more and delivered its emotional punches with a little more subtlety.

★★★

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Adina Corasaniti · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review of advanced copy received from NetGalley

The book is beautifully written and descriptions of Kos make me even more excited to visit Greece when I get the chance. This story covers so many themes from mother/daughter relationships to buried love, to old and new love, and, the most important in my opinion, forgiveness.

Mia and her mom, Sara, are on vacation in Kos where Sara once worked back in 1998. The book starts off as dual timeline then ends with the current day. The dual timeline follows Sara’s time working on Kos and the mother-daughter vacation. The present day is also seen from Sara and Mia’s point of view. Sara meets Dimitri while working on Kos and feels an immediate connection. While Mia is out exploring the island on her own, she comes across the guy, Leonidas, who she saw playing guitar the night before. She feels an instant pull towards him but is hesitant to repeat the mistakes her mom made.

I enjoyed this story and it’s a great summer read. I was able to pick up what the twists would be and felt like it took just a little too long to get there. This disappointed me a bit but I would recommend this book to anyone who loves a story set in another country, a love story, and a buried family secrets.

[Rosie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the descriptions of Kos, the people and the food. The book has a dual time line, Sara in 1998 and then 2025 for Sara and her daughter Mia.

I picked up quickly what the twists would be, relationships and health but it's took forever for them to be revealed. There is a lot of repetition of thoughts and feelings which was over the top and unnecessary. We are repeatedly told that both of them have a secret they're are hiding and that their mother daughter relationship is super strong and intuitive. Apparently Sara knows what her 26 year old daughter is thinking almost before she does. Sara also repeatedly mentions that she was unloved as a child and her rich parents provided her with everything but love. I don't think this needed to be said anywhere near as often.

The love stories were saccharine sweet even though there were misunderstandings.

The book was very good at reminding me of my love of the Greek islands and I am looking forward to returning soon. The narration was good..

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the DRC.

[sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley, Lake Union Publishing and Francesca Catlow for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Reminders of Greece is about a genuine mother and daughter relationship that toes the line of friendship, while Mia might not be Sara's first love it is shown throughout the story that her daughter is her forever, true, and longest love. The story does a good job of not making the relationship perfect, they both have their quirks and times where forgiveness and space is needed.

While I guessed most of the plot as the story went on, it was written well and kept me entertained and interested. The countering POV's and timelines are really needed to see into Sara's head and why she made the decisions she did because without that context you wanted to shake her and ask her why. The details were well written you felt like you were experiencing Greece.

The story is about growth, healing, forgiveness, and finding your own footing. It made me tear up at some points and excited at others for the characters. A quick read that leaves you satisfied at the end.

[Angela · Rating 3 out of 5]

An overall okay story of lost family and lost love. Took a bit to get into the full plot.

Sara and Mia are more than just mother and daughter—they’re best friends, confidantes and partners in adventure. Mia’s dad’s identity may still be a mystery, but Mia’s independent, adventurous mum has more than made up for it over the years. So when Sara suggests a sun-soaked escape to Kos, the stunning Greek island shaped by volcanic forces, Mia jumps at the chance for their perfect summer getaway.

When Mia meets Leonidas, a handsome local musician, the white-washed villages and crystal-clear waters become the backdrop for revelations neither woman is prepared for. As family mysteries begin to unravel and long-buried truths rise to the surface, mother and daughter must is protecting the past worth sacrificing their future?

[All Things Liz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a good book! I loved the dynamic of the two main female characters and the dual timelines. This was so well written and emotional for me. I enjoyed every bit of it. This book touched on my heart strings on a few different levels. I highly recommend it.

[sherry pacini · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book

I loved this book its set in one of my favourite countries and it made me cry in parts I know if a book can make me cry it's a good book