The Little Greek Guesthouse

by Lizzie Lee

'There's something quietly magical about The Little Greek Guesthouse-the kind of story that wraps around you like warm Mediterranean sunshine and lingers long after the final page' Reader Review ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

Sun, sea and second chances are on the cards this summer...

At thirty-three, Nina Pappas never imagined she would be back in her childhood bedroom, but having lost her job, her flat and her boyfriend (to her best friend, no less!) in one disastrous day, that's exactly where she finds herself.

So when her dad, Theo, suggests she join him for the summer in Kefalonia, Nina is more than ready to trade heartbreak for healing - and the concrete jungle for the shimmering Ionian sea. A few sun-soaked weeks under the Greek sky, filled with balmy, thyme-scented evenings and lashings of sumptuous home-cooked food, might just be the reset she needs. And she might even enjoy renovating the house Theo's inherited if it involves working with the irresistible and brooding local builder...

But island life isn't all sea views, sunsets and souvlaki. As Nina finds herself clashing with the determined (yet undeniably handsome!) conservationist, hellbent on derailing Theo's plans, she discovers that starting over is rarely straightforward - and that following your passion is one of the bravest things you can do. That, and recognising real love when it crosses your path...

Escape to Greece this summer in Lizzie Lee's brand-new uplifting and feel-good read about taking a chance on life and love. Perfect for fans of Mandy Baggot, Sue Roberts and Jo Thomas.

Kindle Edition

Expected publication May 26, 2026

Reviews

[Marie Kane · Rating 5 out of 5]

A feel good, easy to read novel, set on the stunning Greek island of Kefalonia.

When Nina’s life implodes, she travels to Kefalonia with her father to help him fix up a house he’s inherited on the island so he can sell it.

Initially reluctant to be there, she finds herself being drawn in by the wonder of the island and makes friend's in the village as she helps with the renovation and gradually begins to fall in love with this new way of life, but could she stay forever.

I lovely story of heartbreak and self discovery. Lovely characters, especially Maria and Theo who are very unique and hilarious.

Highly recommended for a good holiday read this summer.

[Louise · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Little Greek Guesthouse
by Lizzie Lee

The Little Greek Guesthouse is a heartwarming story about change, healing, and finding happiness in unexpected places.
The novel follows Nina, whose life quickly falls apart when she loses her job and discovers her boyfriend has been unfaithful.
Feeling lost and unsure about her future, she decides to leave everything behind and travel to Greece, where her father owns a guesthouse.

The story is set on a beautiful Greek island, and the setting plays a big role in the book. The author describes the sea, the sunshine, and the small village in a way that makes it easy to imagine being there. It creates a calm and relaxing mood that matches Nina’s journey as she slowly rebuilds her life.

One of the strongest parts of the novel is Nina’s character development. At the beginning, she feels unsure and hurt, but over time she becomes more confident and independent.

Her experiences at the guesthouse, along with the people she meets, help her grow and see life in a new way. The side characters add warmth to the story, especially the locals who make the island feel like a real community.

The romance in the book is gentle and enjoyable, but it does not take over the whole story. Instead, the focus is more on Nina learning to trust herself again and figuring out what she really wants. This makes the story feel more meaningful than just a simple love story.

However, some parts of the plot are quite predictable, especially if you are used to reading romance novels. Even so, the writing style is easy to follow, and the relaxing setting makes the book enjoyable to read.

Overall, The Little Greek Guesthouse is a comforting and uplifting novel about second chances, personal growth, and new beginnings. It’s a great choice if you want a light but meaningful story that feels like a mini escape to a sunny destination.

Thank you so much to Embla books, lizzie & netgalley for the opportunity of reading this arc book I thoroughly enjoyed it.

[Mindy · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️ ✨ (2.5/5 stars)

Nina’s life falls apart all at once. She loses her job, discovers her boyfriend is cheating on her with her best friend, and ends up back at her childhood home with her dad. When he decides to spend the summer in Greece fixing up a house he inherited to sell, Nina tags along expecting sunshine, cocktails, and a fun escape… but instead finds herself in a quiet, charming village filled with people who slowly begin to change her perspective.

At its core, this is a story about rediscovery and healing, but it didn’t fully land for me the way I hoped it would.

Some thoughts:

- The first half felt very slow and a bit monotonous. I understand it was building toward later events, but it could have been tightened up to keep the story moving.

- Nina didn’t feel like a fully developed 30-something adult. A lot of her reactions came across as immature, from avoiding conversations to getting irrationally upset, which made it harder to connect with her.
- I had a hard time tracking the timeline. There were moments where it wasn’t clear if we had moved to a new day or if it was still the same one, which pulled me out of the story.

-I liked the overall message of healing and finding yourself, but I wish it didn’t rely so much on a romantic relationship to complete Nina’s journey. It would have been more impactful if her growth stood on its own.

-I think the story had a lot of potential. The setting was lovely, and the idea behind it was strong, it just needed a bit more polish to really shine.

Overall, this wasn’t a bad read, just one that didn’t quite reach its full potential for me. There’s a good story here about grief, growth, and starting over, it just felt a bit buried under pacing and character issues.

[Shelby Boze · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nina Pappas finds herself at a crossroads after losing both her job and her boyfriend. Looking for a reset, she joins her dad for the summer in Kefalonia, where he’s restoring his childhood home with plans to sell it and have it further developed into a hotel. What starts as a simple escape quickly becomes something more. As Nina settles into island life, she builds meaningful friendships, falls in love with the place that shaped her family’s story, and begins to rediscover herself. Along the way, she finds healing, a sense of purpose, and even a little romance.

This is a great summer read. I liked that it wasn’t focused solely on romance or self-discovery, but instead offered a nice balance of both. It’s an easy, low-effort read, perfect for lounging by the pool or relaxing on vacation.

That said, there were a few things that pulled me out of the story at times. Nina is supposed to be 33, but some of her behavior and parts of the storyline made her come across as much younger, more like she’s in her early 20s rather than the established, put-together woman she’s described to be. There were also a few running gags that felt a bit overdone. For example, her father Theo—whose second language is English—frequently tries to use idioms and gets them wrong, with Nina correcting him. It was amusing at first, but it happened often enough that it started to feel repetitive.

Overall, it’s still a fun, light summer read, and I’d give it 3 stars.

[Tanya · Rating 3 out of 5]

this one had such a dreamy premise—Greece, fresh starts, family ties—and it definitely delivered on the setting 🇬🇷☀️

Nina heads to Kefalonia with her dad after losing both her job and her relationship, helping him fix up an inherited home while trying to figure out what’s next. The descriptions of the island, the food, and the village life were so vivid—it honestly made me want to book a flight immediately.

that said, I wanted to love this more than I did. The pacing felt a bit slow for me, and I didn’t fully connect with the characters, which made it harder to stay invested in the story.

overall, a scenic, easy read with strong summer/holiday vibes, but it just didn’t quite hit the emotional mark I was hoping for

🇬🇷 travel + fresh start
💛 family focus
🇬🇷 cozy, scenic setting

[Carolyn Powers · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really wanted to love this book—it had such a cute premise and sounded like exactly my kind of read. Unfortunately, it ended up being a struggle to get through. I found it difficult to keep track of the characters, especially since some were referred to interchangeably, which made the story feel confusing at times. On top of that, the pacing was quite slow, and the plot took a long time to develop, making it hard to stay fully engaged. Overall, while the concept was appealing, the execution didn’t quite work for me.

[Jade aka MrsTosh · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to love this one, but sadly it was just ok.

Nina Pappas travels to Greece with her Dad after loosing her job and her boyfriend. He has inherited a property he wants to do up and she goes to help to see if she can start a fresh.

The title and blurb sounded right up my street and Kefelonia is on my wish list. However, I found the pace of the book a little too slow and I just couldn't gel with the characters at all.

Thank you to the author Lizzie Lee, Netgalley and Embla Books for a copy of this book in exchange for a honest review.

* Release date 26 May 2026

[Katie Rutter · Rating 1 out of 5]

The premise for this book sounded so intriguing but ultimately fell flat for me. I couldn't connect with the characters and thought the pacing was too slow. Unfortunately I had to force myself to read this most of the time. Bummed.

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

[Sabrina · Rating 3 out of 5]

The dad, man. I wanted to shake him.
The book overall was a fairly quick, nice read. The story made me long for retirement and setting up a dream life in a Greek village I've never been to, but the characters were infuriating. There was no bend in the father/daughter duo and it felt unrealistic. I don't think I would be friends with those people irl.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lovely warm book with a summery feel. Nina goes to Greece with her father Theo. He wants to renovate an inherited property to sell.
Nina initially finds the village lacking her normal holiday luxuries. She soon meets the locals and immerces herself in Greek life.
She meets a handsome stranger, but is he all he appears to be?
She soon makes friends with some interesting characters and falls in love with the guesthouse. I loved hearing her plans and how they change.
It left me wanting a week in the guesthouse, sampling local wares and baklava . Hoping to catch a glimpse of the turtles.
I will look out for her next book