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Santorini Sunsets
Brigit Palmer is thrilled to be on the Greek Island of Santorini. She's here for her wedding to Hollywood heart-throb Blake Crawford, one of America's most eligible bachelors. Brigit's parents have rented a villa, and soon guests will arrive from all over the world for the intimate ceremony.
Brigit is a New York socialite, and she's just given up her position at a Manhattan law firm to run her father's philanthropic foundation. Things are finally falling into place. Love, career, family. Everything is going so well...until she steps into the garden and sees her ex-husband Nathaniel hiding in the rose bushes.
Nathaniel, a failed novelist, announces that Blake sold the rights to the wedding to HELLO! Magazine for two million dollars (donated to charity), and he is the reporter assigned to write the story. Everyone expects Brigit to have her happily ever after, her mother who taught her how to lead the perfect lifestyle, her younger sister Daisy who impatiently wishes for her own love story, and of course her fiancée. Things are supposed to work out for them. But when Brigit discovers an unsettling secret about Blake, she questions everything she's ever believed about love, and wonders if she's not better off alone.
Told in Anita Hughes' spectacularly descriptive prose, Santorini Sunsets is a story about family bonds, first loves, and the question of when to let go and when to hang on as tight as you can.
Brigit is a New York socialite, and she's just given up her position at a Manhattan law firm to run her father's philanthropic foundation. Things are finally falling into place. Love, career, family. Everything is going so well...until she steps into the garden and sees her ex-husband Nathaniel hiding in the rose bushes.
Nathaniel, a failed novelist, announces that Blake sold the rights to the wedding to HELLO! Magazine for two million dollars (donated to charity), and he is the reporter assigned to write the story. Everyone expects Brigit to have her happily ever after, her mother who taught her how to lead the perfect lifestyle, her younger sister Daisy who impatiently wishes for her own love story, and of course her fiancée. Things are supposed to work out for them. But when Brigit discovers an unsettling secret about Blake, she questions everything she's ever believed about love, and wonders if she's not better off alone.
Told in Anita Hughes' spectacularly descriptive prose, Santorini Sunsets is a story about family bonds, first loves, and the question of when to let go and when to hang on as tight as you can.
304 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 4, 2016
25 people are currently reading
1291 people want to read
About the author
Anita Hughes
26 books1,027 followersAnita Hughes was born in Sydney, Australia. She attended UC Berkeley's Masters in Creative Writing program. She is the author of MONARCH BEACH, MARKET STREET, LAKE COMO, FRENCH COAST, ROME IN LOVE, ISLAND IN THE SEA, SANTORINI SUNSETS, CHRISTMAS IN PARIS, WHITE SAND, BLUE SEA, EMERALD COAST, CHRISTMAS IN LONDON and CALIFORNIA SUMMER, and CHRISTMAS IN VERMONT published by St. Martin's Press. ROME IN LOVE is coming to the HALLMARK channel in July, 2019!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 69 reviews
September 3, 2016
I have mixed feelings about this book. I enjoyed that it was in Santorini because I know someone who is getting married in Santorini as I read this. This book did jump around to different characters and had flashbacks but several times I had a hard time following that something was a flashback as some of them weren't separated by a chapter but by a little bit of space. I also had a hard time with Brigit. It seemed like she quickly didn't trust Blake when he had good reasons for what he did and they weren't bad things at all. Then her parents Francis and Sydney. Does someone really forgive the other one that quickly for having an affair by saying we will be late for the rehearsal dinner insinuating sex. Really? No yelling or hurt feelings? If you looking for something to read on the beach for entertainment and then forget about it, this is your book.
Thanks to The Reading Room for my advanced copy.
Thanks to The Reading Room for my advanced copy.
September 11, 2016
Review originally posted at
All Books Considered: 2 STARS
After the last book I read by this author (my second), I was pretty sure I wouldn't read another. And I should have listened to myself! I don't know what it is but I read the descriptions of these books and the travel and the setting and I just so want the book to be amazing! Unfortunately, this was my third (and last) book by this author that was more of a disappointment than anything. I know I've said this about other books by this author but the descriptions of traditional roles and submissive devotion to husband and fashion and perfume and comparisons to Grace Kelly and #whitepeopleproblems just got to be too much for me (once again)! And the same problem I had with Island in the Sea: A Majorca Love Story happened in this book -- we were on one track for the entire book and then abruptly we were somewhere else (with someone else). I have officially given up on these books and this author and that means -- I NEED to hear from you re: great books with travel/great vacation settings. Something fun!
After the last book I read by this author (my second), I was pretty sure I wouldn't read another. And I should have listened to myself! I don't know what it is but I read the descriptions of these books and the travel and the setting and I just so want the book to be amazing! Unfortunately, this was my third (and last) book by this author that was more of a disappointment than anything. I know I've said this about other books by this author but the descriptions of traditional roles and submissive devotion to husband and fashion and perfume and comparisons to Grace Kelly and #whitepeopleproblems just got to be too much for me (once again)! And the same problem I had with Island in the Sea: A Majorca Love Story happened in this book -- we were on one track for the entire book and then abruptly we were somewhere else (with someone else). I have officially given up on these books and this author and that means -- I NEED to hear from you re: great books with travel/great vacation settings. Something fun!
Relationships were so difficult. How could she protect her daughters from getting hurt? Daisy was beautiful and talented but she questioned her own decisions as if she needed someone else's approval.
Brigit usually moved like an actress in a 1950's movie who knew she could have anything she wanted with a title of the head. The last couple of days she'd seemed as if she was trying to solve a difficult algebra problem.
Maybe she should tell Brigit her marriage didn't have to consumer her; she still had her career and family and friends. But was that really possible? Of course you had to put your husband first, that was the point of the whole exercise.
She gazed at wooden fishing boats and thought even when you tried to do the right thing, you often failed. You buy your husband's favorite macarons at Bouchon only to discover he's give up sugar, or make reservations at the St. Regis and learn he spent the afternoon entertaining clients and craves a quiet evening at home.
It was a wonder more people didn't get divorced. You can be so confident you know everything about your spouse when you don't know anything at all.
March 13, 2016
Thank you to NetGalley.com and to the publisher for the ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review.
I may be giving away spoilers in this review…
Oh to be a WASP. Not the bug, but the incredible rich, beautiful, well-connected, and perfectly mannered people who inhabit New York’s Upper West Side and Hamptons. To be able to look at your wife who has just confessed of sleeping with someone else 10 years prior and say,
“Okay, let’s go make love.” Or to be able to look at your husband who has just confessed to pretty much blowing through all of the money and almost had to sell your family summer home and say, “Okay, let’s go make love.” These characters have about as much depth as a vinyl record so don’t go reading this story in search of substance. If you’re looking for beautiful, repetitive descriptions of the location, food, and clothing that this is a perfectly fluffy book for you. Just try not to look for anything resembling feelings, a heated conversation, or anything emotional since every character in this novel acts like they’re emotionally crippled.
What I loved: I loved the character of the younger sister Daisy but I wanted so much more. Why was she so afraid of life, love, everything? Was she not used to having any attention to her or her life since her perfect sister seemed to hog the spotlight constantly? She had such potential for evil (couldn’t you see her as having an affair with the groom but torn because she loved her sister), for greatness (her Santorini inspired designs become the hit of the fashion world), for realness (she jumps from job to job because of some deep dark secret). Instead, she comes across as timid, jumpy, and awkward – and Daisy is pretty much the best of the bunch. Please learn how to do your hair in another style – it’s not healthy to wear your hair in a ponytail every single day, even if it’s tied with a different colored ribbon.
What I didn’t love: If you’re going to create a foundation to better the world, here is a newsflash for you: Even if you’re rich – you’re going to need other people’s money to help change the world. If you don’t take money, you have to finance everything on your own and then you will not have enough money for a new roof for your summer home (the horror!). Not once was a fundraiser mentioned for this foundation. I agree with not take corporate financial donations for the reason’s mentioned in the story, but its silly not to take individual donations because they are not family. Last time I checked, only 1 of the 4 people worked in that family.
On another note, last time I checked with my friends that are of Greek heritage, marriage is an extremely sacred institution in Greece as well as their priests. And the majority of their priests are of the Greek Orthodox denomination so they won’t marry anyone who are not Greek Orthodox, even if you’re frickin perfect Brigit Palmer. You may want to change that to Nathaniel finds a visiting Presbyterian/Catholic/Episcopalian/Hindu/Whatever priest/pastor/minister/whatever to marry them on a whim. Or better yet – have the Palmers bring their minister from home to conduct the original wedding and since he’s still in town, he can conduct the second ceremony.
What I learned: Ceviche is spelled with a C, not an S. Oh snap, I already knew that. Please fix the typo.
Overall Grade: B-
www.fsam15.wix.com/fluffsmutandmurder
March 15, 2016
I received Santorini Sunsets from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I admit I requested this book because of the title ( I know, I know, poor reason for wanting to read a book) as I have been to Santorini , it's one of my favorite places in the world. I have enlarged a picture I made of the sunset and it is on the wall in our bedroom. With all that said, this was a very disappointing book for me. In short, Brigitte and her family is on the island of Santorini for her wedding to movie star Blake. Low and behold, her ex husband , a reporter for a gossip magazine is hired to cover the celebrity wedding. During the few days prior to the wedding, he shows up at all the events and always has an in depth discussion with Brigit. There are also other stories about Brigit's parents and sister, many with recollection of older events. If you like chick flick, Nicholas Parks books, you will like this book. I don't like books, where by the end of the first chapter I know exactly what is going to happen and it is a painful, boring trip,of reading toward that predictable conclusion. I also didn't like the constant mention of a rich family with their extravagances in the clothes they wear, the foods they eat, the parties they go to, etc. "Silver cruise ships in the harbor " was mentioned, it seemed a million times. Overall, i was disappointed in this book.
Thank you NetGalley , St Martin's Press and the author, Anita Hughes for giving me the opportunity to preview this book.
Thank you NetGalley , St Martin's Press and the author, Anita Hughes for giving me the opportunity to preview this book.
August 11, 2016
Love Anita Hughes books! Santorini, love, fabulous clothes and settings. Chic and smart, loved it :)
July 20, 2016
We're heading off to a destination wedding at one of the most beautiful locations in the world in Anita Hughes' new novel, SANTORINI SUNSETS (St.MartinsPress). The Greek Island of Santorini plays host to New York City and East Hamptons Socialite, Brigit Palmer and Hollywood movie-hunk, Blake Crawford's wedding.
Brigit's parents rent a villa for what she believes will be a small gathering of friends, until her ex-husband/writer, Nathaniel arrives telling her he's there to photograph the event for HELLO! magazine for $2 million dollars (donated to charity). Brigit begins seeing guests arrive that she didn't invite. Vanderbilts, Rockefellers and politicians will be spending time with Leonardo DiCaprio, Ryan Reynolds, a bunch of Hollywood's A-list. It's going to be the event of the decade.
Over the course of the weekend leading up to wedding, Brigit begins to learn things about Blake that she never knew, including he says he told her about the HELLO! article, and she becomes unsettled.
At the same time, there are several other narratives going on. Are her parents as wealthy as it appears? Should Brigit's sister, Daisy figure out what she wants from life by now?
And the story is told in Anita's wonderful style that we've come to love and expect from her - beautiful, designer clothing, fine, palate pleasing cuisine and gorgeous descriptions of the locale. Anita writes like a painter; I can visualize her words, as I read her prose. SANTORINI SUNSETS is as all her novels are, about love and trust, but this time, Anita focuses much of the narrative on family.
For all things ANITA, check her out on Facebook or website www.anita@anitahughes.com or on twitter @hughesanita SANTORINI SUNSETS will be published Tuesday, August 2nd.
Brigit's parents rent a villa for what she believes will be a small gathering of friends, until her ex-husband/writer, Nathaniel arrives telling her he's there to photograph the event for HELLO! magazine for $2 million dollars (donated to charity). Brigit begins seeing guests arrive that she didn't invite. Vanderbilts, Rockefellers and politicians will be spending time with Leonardo DiCaprio, Ryan Reynolds, a bunch of Hollywood's A-list. It's going to be the event of the decade.
Over the course of the weekend leading up to wedding, Brigit begins to learn things about Blake that she never knew, including he says he told her about the HELLO! article, and she becomes unsettled.
At the same time, there are several other narratives going on. Are her parents as wealthy as it appears? Should Brigit's sister, Daisy figure out what she wants from life by now?
And the story is told in Anita's wonderful style that we've come to love and expect from her - beautiful, designer clothing, fine, palate pleasing cuisine and gorgeous descriptions of the locale. Anita writes like a painter; I can visualize her words, as I read her prose. SANTORINI SUNSETS is as all her novels are, about love and trust, but this time, Anita focuses much of the narrative on family.
For all things ANITA, check her out on Facebook or website www.anita@anitahughes.com or on twitter @hughesanita SANTORINI SUNSETS will be published Tuesday, August 2nd.
August 23, 2016
I have to admit that after about twenty pages of the book, I started to skim. I just wasn’t invested in the characters or the story. There are times when I don’t mind reading about opulence, luxury and affluence. But usually in a humorous type story. Otherwise, it is very difficult to relate to the characters—which was the problem in this book.
The first sign was when the heroine’s gorgeous fiancé states:
“Five years ago I was shooting The Silk Road in Nepal with Steven Spielberg and Katie Holmes. When I wasn’t admiring Miss Holmes’s wonderful delivery or Steven superb directing, I visited villages where children had never had a glass of milk or visited a doctor. Families lived in a single room and didn’t have drinking water. After I returned to Hollywood I vowed every time someone watched one of my movies, part of the ticket price would go to needy children in Nepal and Pakistan and China. I know you think people in the movie industry only care about the weekend box office and the price of popcorn, but I am committed to helping end worldwide poverty and starvation.”
And my first thought was wow – he’s pompous. And then a couple of pages later he takes off his watch to give to a young boy to sell. It just seemed too far- fetched.
All that I read seemed this way. . . one of the secondary characters admits to adultery –to her husband and it barely causes a ripple. In fact if I remember right they go off to make love.
This is a book that just skims the surface of true emotions.
I would like to thank St. Martin’s Press. I did receive a copy of this book for an honest review.
The first sign was when the heroine’s gorgeous fiancé states:
“Five years ago I was shooting The Silk Road in Nepal with Steven Spielberg and Katie Holmes. When I wasn’t admiring Miss Holmes’s wonderful delivery or Steven superb directing, I visited villages where children had never had a glass of milk or visited a doctor. Families lived in a single room and didn’t have drinking water. After I returned to Hollywood I vowed every time someone watched one of my movies, part of the ticket price would go to needy children in Nepal and Pakistan and China. I know you think people in the movie industry only care about the weekend box office and the price of popcorn, but I am committed to helping end worldwide poverty and starvation.”
And my first thought was wow – he’s pompous. And then a couple of pages later he takes off his watch to give to a young boy to sell. It just seemed too far- fetched.
All that I read seemed this way. . . one of the secondary characters admits to adultery –to her husband and it barely causes a ripple. In fact if I remember right they go off to make love.
This is a book that just skims the surface of true emotions.
I would like to thank St. Martin’s Press. I did receive a copy of this book for an honest review.
October 22, 2016
Thanks to GoodReads' First Reads, I was able to read an early copy of Santorini Sunsets. Following along with Anita Hughes' other books, it's pure escapism in a beautifully romantic setting with a side of gourmet food and fashion. She captured Greece perfectly. This is a great beach read just in time for summer.
Merged review:
3.5 stars I read this book back in August and forgot to post my review. The setting of this book is fantastic. I've been to Greece, though not Santorini, and Anita Hughes' captures the culture, locations, and food of Greece beautifully. This is the perfect light beach read to whisk you away for a quick escape.
Merged review:
3.5 stars I read this book back in August and forgot to post my review. The setting of this book is fantastic. I've been to Greece, though not Santorini, and Anita Hughes' captures the culture, locations, and food of Greece beautifully. This is the perfect light beach read to whisk you away for a quick escape.
July 1, 2018
Terrible writing, poor & unrealistic story, characters who got on my nerves, constant ‘name-dropping’. Sick of hearing about what & ‘who’ people were wearing & use of the same descriptions over and over again.....
March 19, 2016
I picked the book after being intrigued by the description (a second chance at love) and because of the name Santorini - a paradise on earth, many would say.
So, why am I giving only 3 stars? This book was a hit and miss for me. A few aspects weren't OK with me -
1. How can a husband just forget and forgive cheating even if it was in the past? Won't he need some time to process the information and let go? Or is he OK because he has done a mistake as well, by almost losing his wife's favorite property?
2. I understand Brigit's reasons for calling off the marriage - she hasn't let go of her love for Nathaniel (her ex-husband) and her current fiancé though a Hollywood hotshot wasn't honest in her opinion - but why? I understand he hid a few details ... but he had reasons and some were just genuine ignorance on his part. I found it difficult to believe that she called off the wedding for those reasons! I understand such omissions can lead to major issues later, considering the globetrotting and glamorous life he leads ... but can't that be worked out? I mean, just that I felt it wasn't reason enough to let go a person who did almost everything right, for someone who left left her on the lurch! It looked more like she wanted to blame someone!
I loved that Blake was a sweetheart about everything and though he did a few mistakes ... he was ready to make it up and accepted Brigit's decision without putting up a fuss though he was heartbroken about it.
Nathaniel wasn't a bad person either ... he was easy to love and a good person at heart. He truly loves Brigit and wanted the best for her and regrets his decision of leaving his wife or the way he ended things earlier, though at that time, he did not want to be a disappointment.
This is a story of second chance but for some reason, it left me wanting more! It was an OK read and I would definitely try her other books.
**I was kindly provided an ARC by St. Martin's Press through Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.
So, why am I giving only 3 stars? This book was a hit and miss for me. A few aspects weren't OK with me -
1. How can a husband just forget and forgive cheating even if it was in the past? Won't he need some time to process the information and let go? Or is he OK because he has done a mistake as well, by almost losing his wife's favorite property?
2. I understand Brigit's reasons for calling off the marriage - she hasn't let go of her love for Nathaniel (her ex-husband) and her current fiancé though a Hollywood hotshot wasn't honest in her opinion - but why? I understand he hid a few details ... but he had reasons and some were just genuine ignorance on his part. I found it difficult to believe that she called off the wedding for those reasons! I understand such omissions can lead to major issues later, considering the globetrotting and glamorous life he leads ... but can't that be worked out? I mean, just that I felt it wasn't reason enough to let go a person who did almost everything right, for someone who left left her on the lurch! It looked more like she wanted to blame someone!
I loved that Blake was a sweetheart about everything and though he did a few mistakes ... he was ready to make it up and accepted Brigit's decision without putting up a fuss though he was heartbroken about it.
Nathaniel wasn't a bad person either ... he was easy to love and a good person at heart. He truly loves Brigit and wanted the best for her and regrets his decision of leaving his wife or the way he ended things earlier, though at that time, he did not want to be a disappointment.
This is a story of second chance but for some reason, it left me wanting more! It was an OK read and I would definitely try her other books.
**I was kindly provided an ARC by St. Martin's Press through Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.
August 11, 2016
"Santorini Sunsets" is the story of Brigit, a NYC society girl, who is about to marry Hollywood actor Blake. The setting is Santorini, Greece but even a gorgeous setting can't quell Brigit's mind about whether or not getting married again is the right thing to do. Things are even less sure after Brigit's ex-husband shows up hoping to get the scoop on Brigit's wedding for a tabloid. This book had an interesting premise but fell a little flat for me.
I was drawn in by the promise of an exotic setting. I have never been to Santorini but it is definitely on my bucket list. The author does a great job of capturing the allure of the city and its beauty. I liked living vicariously through the characters in that regard.
The characters really fell flat for me. You don't really get a lot of information on the motivations between the various players. It seemed like such a stretch that Brigit's ex would sink as low as coming to the wedding to take pictures for a tabloid and also that Brigit's fiancé would think that it would be totally okay for that to happen without telling his wife. I was looking for more of an explanation to understand why the characters would go to such lengths but that never came even with the author delving into a lot of telling rather than showing. The setting was indeed exotic but the execution did not work out the best.
I was drawn in by the promise of an exotic setting. I have never been to Santorini but it is definitely on my bucket list. The author does a great job of capturing the allure of the city and its beauty. I liked living vicariously through the characters in that regard.
The characters really fell flat for me. You don't really get a lot of information on the motivations between the various players. It seemed like such a stretch that Brigit's ex would sink as low as coming to the wedding to take pictures for a tabloid and also that Brigit's fiancé would think that it would be totally okay for that to happen without telling his wife. I was looking for more of an explanation to understand why the characters would go to such lengths but that never came even with the author delving into a lot of telling rather than showing. The setting was indeed exotic but the execution did not work out the best.
March 20, 2017
Well this turned out to be a huge disappointment. I was hoping for a romance to sweep me off my feet, but all I got was a whiney girl who spent time with her rich friends and pretty much only cared about her appearance to be the perfect person. As if that were any better practically half the book was spent talking about which designer clothes they wore, what kind of rich food they ate, and whenever they had doubts they had sex to make up for it. As if sex could cure everything, yeah right. All of this was just one big snooze fest and had me rolling my eyes most of the time. I felt Brigit was a spoiled brat who couldn't make up her mind what she wanted half the time. Plus she acted like such a hypocrite. She would say she wasn't going to do something, and then the next freaking minute she's doing the exact thing she said she wouldn't be doing! *face palm* This book was definitely not for me and I will not be reading it again.
**Thank you to the publisher for providing me an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.**
**Thank you to the publisher for providing me an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.**
June 8, 2016
Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for this advance copy. Here is my honest review.
Anita Hughes has a winner. This is my first time reading her. Her description of Santorini is very vivid and I can picture it my mind.
Brigit Palmer is incredibly likable. She loves her family and is thoughtful to those around her. Blake, her fiance, and Nathaniel, her ex husband, make for an interesting dilemma.
Daisy, the little sister, is a great secondary character. I couldn't help cheering her on as she begins to figure out her life.
Overall, this is a wonderful beach read with twists and turns in the storyline that are unexpected.
Anita Hughes has a winner. This is my first time reading her. Her description of Santorini is very vivid and I can picture it my mind.
Brigit Palmer is incredibly likable. She loves her family and is thoughtful to those around her. Blake, her fiance, and Nathaniel, her ex husband, make for an interesting dilemma.
Daisy, the little sister, is a great secondary character. I couldn't help cheering her on as she begins to figure out her life.
Overall, this is a wonderful beach read with twists and turns in the storyline that are unexpected.
September 4, 2016
This was the first book written by Anita Hughes I've read and the last. Aside from descriptions of Santorini, there was little substance to the story. I think it may work for a younger audience, but I was disappointed.
June 28, 2016
To review for Shelf Awareness.
June 12, 2018
For original review: https://holedupinabook.blogspot.com/2...
I’ve been putting off this review for a while because I’m not really sure what to say. Part of me enjoyed it and another part of me really didn’t. They are at odds with each other.
I really liked the setting of the book and the fact that it is set in Santorini which is one of my bucket list destinations. Also, it really helped that when I was reading the book, it was snowing outside in NYC so it allowed me to feel as if I was transported to a wonderful beachy environment instead.
However, I really despised the characters. Brigit didn’t know what she was doing and she kept going back and forth with her feelings. There were so many times when she was questioned about her relationship with Blake and she would wonder about it herself. But when she decided to confront Blake, something would happen and she would just simply brush the issue aside. It happened over and over again to the point that it was kind of irritating to me because it seemed as if she was willing to overlook a lot of red flags. Or, she would receive explanations that seemed lukewarm at best and would accept it. It was just really odd to me.
I also didn’t feel anything for Blake. I never really felt as if he truly loved her and there was always something about him that seemed off to me. I don’t care what excuses he gave but I really don’t think that love was ever genuine. Even at the end when they broke off the wedding, he wanted an excuse for the guests so it seemed as if he was always playing a role. This is why I don’t think I would ever be interested in dating an actor – I would always question whether or not he’s genuine.
As for Nathaniel, the third piece to this love triangle, I didn’t really understand his attraction to Brigit either. He always seemed to creep around and scare Brigit at random occurrences that shouldn’t really be allowed. For example, he would just show up for breakfast or something and it just struck me as slightly creepy. And he would often sprout strange tidbit to Brigit about Blake yet wish for her wellbeing with him. Or he would tell her a fond memory of their past. Honestly, every time he showed up, he would say or do something that made him seem really strange to me.
And at the end, the ending was just so absurd for me. Brigit called off the wedding and within a short time – I’m talking hours here – Nathaniel came by and proposed to her and she accepted. It didn’t seem as if she was still in love with him so it just felt abrupt and a bit odd to me.
Overall, I think I only liked this book because of the setting – it pinpointed a lot of good places to visit which I will definitely notate. However, other than that, I found the plot and characters to be disorganized and not at all believable.
I’ve been putting off this review for a while because I’m not really sure what to say. Part of me enjoyed it and another part of me really didn’t. They are at odds with each other.
I really liked the setting of the book and the fact that it is set in Santorini which is one of my bucket list destinations. Also, it really helped that when I was reading the book, it was snowing outside in NYC so it allowed me to feel as if I was transported to a wonderful beachy environment instead.
However, I really despised the characters. Brigit didn’t know what she was doing and she kept going back and forth with her feelings. There were so many times when she was questioned about her relationship with Blake and she would wonder about it herself. But when she decided to confront Blake, something would happen and she would just simply brush the issue aside. It happened over and over again to the point that it was kind of irritating to me because it seemed as if she was willing to overlook a lot of red flags. Or, she would receive explanations that seemed lukewarm at best and would accept it. It was just really odd to me.
I also didn’t feel anything for Blake. I never really felt as if he truly loved her and there was always something about him that seemed off to me. I don’t care what excuses he gave but I really don’t think that love was ever genuine. Even at the end when they broke off the wedding, he wanted an excuse for the guests so it seemed as if he was always playing a role. This is why I don’t think I would ever be interested in dating an actor – I would always question whether or not he’s genuine.
As for Nathaniel, the third piece to this love triangle, I didn’t really understand his attraction to Brigit either. He always seemed to creep around and scare Brigit at random occurrences that shouldn’t really be allowed. For example, he would just show up for breakfast or something and it just struck me as slightly creepy. And he would often sprout strange tidbit to Brigit about Blake yet wish for her wellbeing with him. Or he would tell her a fond memory of their past. Honestly, every time he showed up, he would say or do something that made him seem really strange to me.
And at the end, the ending was just so absurd for me. Brigit called off the wedding and within a short time – I’m talking hours here – Nathaniel came by and proposed to her and she accepted. It didn’t seem as if she was still in love with him so it just felt abrupt and a bit odd to me.
Overall, I think I only liked this book because of the setting – it pinpointed a lot of good places to visit which I will definitely notate. However, other than that, I found the plot and characters to be disorganized and not at all believable.
August 20, 2017
2.5 stars
Thank you to Net Galley and St. Martin's Press for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This is another typical book from Anita Hughes, exotic locale, lots of descriptions of color and clothing and very superficial, underdeveloped characters. Her books always contain so many mentions of designer labels, what color dress the characters are wearing and what jewelry they matched their outfits to. This leads to not much in the way for meaningful storylines or character that go beyond the surface.
This book tells the story of Brigit who is about to get married to Hollywood heartthrob Blake on the
Greek Island of Santorini. All of her family is there including her ex-husband who has been hired by a tabloid to cover the wedding. The presence of Nathaniel causes a lot of drama and doubt for Brigit regarding her wedding and leads her to question if she is making the right choice when it comes to forever love. There are some side stories about her sister Daisy and her parents, but neither one is developed enough to care about.
All in all this was a very quick book to read because unfortunately there is not a lot of substance, just well dressed characters who question everything action and thought they have.
Thank you to Net Galley and St. Martin's Press for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This is another typical book from Anita Hughes, exotic locale, lots of descriptions of color and clothing and very superficial, underdeveloped characters. Her books always contain so many mentions of designer labels, what color dress the characters are wearing and what jewelry they matched their outfits to. This leads to not much in the way for meaningful storylines or character that go beyond the surface.
This book tells the story of Brigit who is about to get married to Hollywood heartthrob Blake on the
Greek Island of Santorini. All of her family is there including her ex-husband who has been hired by a tabloid to cover the wedding. The presence of Nathaniel causes a lot of drama and doubt for Brigit regarding her wedding and leads her to question if she is making the right choice when it comes to forever love. There are some side stories about her sister Daisy and her parents, but neither one is developed enough to care about.
All in all this was a very quick book to read because unfortunately there is not a lot of substance, just well dressed characters who question everything action and thought they have.
August 22, 2018
The star of this novel is the Greek Island of Santorini. Anita Hughes takes you there with vivid, descriptive prose that makes the reader want to visit. Whether it's the turquoise sea or orange and purple sunsets, every page is a beautiful picture. This book is about relationships, as the family of New York socialite, Brigit Palmer, gather for her wedding to Hollywood star Blake Crawford. All of the New York elite and Hollywood leading men are there to enjoy and add to the glamour and glitz. The pre-wedding events give Brigit and her family time to reflect on the past and the future.
I really enjoyed this book, which is a quick and easy read. It is filled with the world of pop culture and fashion you would expect the very rich to inhabit - a chance to dream, although the clothing and jewelry descriptions are at times overdone. Anita Hughes includes real places - towns, hotels, and churches you can look up. This is the second book I have read that is set in Santorini, and I really want to go there.
I really enjoyed this book, which is a quick and easy read. It is filled with the world of pop culture and fashion you would expect the very rich to inhabit - a chance to dream, although the clothing and jewelry descriptions are at times overdone. Anita Hughes includes real places - towns, hotels, and churches you can look up. This is the second book I have read that is set in Santorini, and I really want to go there.
March 27, 2023
I checked out two books by this author at our local library. I won’t be reading the second one. If I had to read about asparagus, tomatoes, and eggplant, dark wavy hair and green eyes, or one more man’s face glistening with aftershave, I think I’d throw the book across the room. The writer seemed stuck with a very limited vocabulary or repertoire of ideas. She repeated the same descriptions over and over and OVER: the blue Aegean, the silver yachts, the taste of someone’s kiss, the caldera, the color of the flowers and the plaster on the walls. After the first few chapters, I started reading aloud each time she described Blake’s dark wavy hair and green eyes, or told what they ate (who eats that much eggplant and asparagus?), or described the white sails and silver yachts again. My husband asked why I kept reading. My response, “I don’t know!”
“…Hughes spectacularly descriptive prose” felt more like a mediocre story padded with too much repetition to fill it out.
“…Hughes spectacularly descriptive prose” felt more like a mediocre story padded with too much repetition to fill it out.
May 19, 2022
I was disappointed with this one. I thought it would be a carefree fluff book taking me away to a remote island. Instead there was a protagonist (and her fiancé and family) with a weird white savior complex. For example: “She thought of their plans to build libraries in Asia and Africa … I can’t wait to build schools in Africa and South America… I was so ashamed. I wanted to provide children in Africa with computers but didn’t put aside enough to fix Summerhill’s roof after a wet winter.” The POV transitioned clumsily between different characters and different points in time. The chemistry between characters was lacking.
Also, this is the first time I wish I could use “control F” in a novel. I swear the author used the word “nibble” to describe eating on every other page. I felt like I was reading about mice.
Also, this is the first time I wish I could use “control F” in a novel. I swear the author used the word “nibble” to describe eating on every other page. I felt like I was reading about mice.
August 2, 2016
In Santorini Sunsets, Anita Hughes whisks readers away to a spectacular island for the IT marriage of the year. The Greek Island of Santorini is the perfect setting for socialite Brigit Palmer's lavish destination wedding to Hollywood heartthrob Blake Crawford and their guest list reads like a Who's Who of Hollywood celebrities and wealthy New York families.
Brigit, Blake, her family and their assorted guests arrive in Santorini for fun adventures and sumptuous feasts a few days prior to the wedding. In the midst of last preparations and all of the fun, Brigit is shocked by the arrival of her ex-husband Nathaniel Cabot and even more stunning is the reason WHY he is there. It seems her dreamy husband-to-be neglected to tell her he signed a contract with HELLO! magazine that gives them an exclusive story of their wedding. The reporter covering their upcoming nuptials is, you guessed it, Nathaniel! Their marriage might have ended two years earlier, but Brigit is still seething over her ex-husband's failures that, in her opinion, led to their divorce. And when he begins telling her a few of her fiancé's secrets, Brigit rushes to Blake's defense, but doubts are beginning to creep in. Will these uncertainties derail her upcoming wedding?
Brigit is an interesting blend of irritating and likable. She is genuinely concerned about bettering the plight of those less fortunate which is quite admirable. However, she views the world as black and white and she is convinced her way is the only way to do things. Brigit was less than understanding when things went wrong for Nathaniel and this lack of patience and sympathy is difficult to overlook. With Blake, she is pretty wowed by his celebrity status and despite their altruistic plans to aid impoverished countries, Brigit is rather self-absorbed. Her current interactions with Nathaniel are somewhat hostile on her part which on the one hand is understandable since who really wants their ex at their current wedding? However, on the other hand, she comes across as haughty and unyielding as she continues to rehash old grievances and these discussions do not paint her in a flattering light. Brigit is definitely an interesting character, but one that is hard to feel much sympathy for.
Nathaniel's motives for covering his ex-wife impending wedding are most assuredly suspect. Is he there to ruin things for Brigit? Or is he just doing his job? Again, a difficult decision as he continues to reveal Blake's secrets to Brigit. Are these revelations for his own gain? Or is he ensuring she has the pertinent facts about her husband-to-be? Despite not being sure of his reasons for divulging suspicious information to Brigit, Nathaniel is a genuinely likable man and he is quite charming and personable. Whether or not his reasons are self-serving or selfless, Nathaniel is a refreshing breath of fresh air since he is much more down to earth and relatable than most of the characters.
Brigit's sister Daisy is another person that is difficult to read. She is nowhere near as successful as Brigit and while Daisy keeps saying she is not jealous of her sister, some of her inner musings make it appear that she is, in actuality, rather envious of her sister's accomplishments. Like Nathaniel, Daisy has more depth than the other characters and despite her conflicting feelings for Brigit, she is a genuinely kind-hearted young woman who always has her sister's back.
Brigit's parents, Sydney and Francis also take center stage as they prepare for their daughter's wedding. Wealthy and privileged, they have weathered a few storms during their long marriage and this vacation seems to be helping them recover from a recent rough patch. Both are keeping secrets from one another and they are eventually forced to make a few long overdue confessions. Their quick recovery is a trifle unrealistic and readers will most likely be a little annoyed over the way this part of the storyline is handled.
While Santorini Sunsets is an enjoyable, light-hearted read, there are few things that readers might become impatient with over the course of the novel. Some of the sentences are a little perfunctory and there is an overuse of certain words. Many of the characters lack depth and seem rather superficial due to the excessive label and celebrity name-dropping. Yes, they are über wealthy but the constant reminders of the lavish meals, extravagant purchases and exclusive clothing/jewelry labels soon become grating. The numerous flashbacks provide insight into events occurring in the present, but this telling vs. showing becomes tedious (which is fairly heavy-handed since this is something I do not typically notice).
However, the underlying themes of Santorini Sunsets are universal and will resonate with readers. The various storylines aptly demonstrate how secrets and lack of communication can undermine even the best relationships. And of course, the absolute best aspect of reading a novel by Anita Hughes is the exotic foreign setting. Santorini is an absolutely breathtaking location that springs vividly to life through the richly detailed descriptions of the scenery and sunsets.
Despite a few flaws, Santorini Sunsets is overall entertaining read that offers a pleasant diversion from ordinary, everyday life. Anita Hughes does a wonderful job keeping readers guessing how the story is going to end and the resolution of the various story arcs is quite satisfying.
Brigit, Blake, her family and their assorted guests arrive in Santorini for fun adventures and sumptuous feasts a few days prior to the wedding. In the midst of last preparations and all of the fun, Brigit is shocked by the arrival of her ex-husband Nathaniel Cabot and even more stunning is the reason WHY he is there. It seems her dreamy husband-to-be neglected to tell her he signed a contract with HELLO! magazine that gives them an exclusive story of their wedding. The reporter covering their upcoming nuptials is, you guessed it, Nathaniel! Their marriage might have ended two years earlier, but Brigit is still seething over her ex-husband's failures that, in her opinion, led to their divorce. And when he begins telling her a few of her fiancé's secrets, Brigit rushes to Blake's defense, but doubts are beginning to creep in. Will these uncertainties derail her upcoming wedding?
Brigit is an interesting blend of irritating and likable. She is genuinely concerned about bettering the plight of those less fortunate which is quite admirable. However, she views the world as black and white and she is convinced her way is the only way to do things. Brigit was less than understanding when things went wrong for Nathaniel and this lack of patience and sympathy is difficult to overlook. With Blake, she is pretty wowed by his celebrity status and despite their altruistic plans to aid impoverished countries, Brigit is rather self-absorbed. Her current interactions with Nathaniel are somewhat hostile on her part which on the one hand is understandable since who really wants their ex at their current wedding? However, on the other hand, she comes across as haughty and unyielding as she continues to rehash old grievances and these discussions do not paint her in a flattering light. Brigit is definitely an interesting character, but one that is hard to feel much sympathy for.
Nathaniel's motives for covering his ex-wife impending wedding are most assuredly suspect. Is he there to ruin things for Brigit? Or is he just doing his job? Again, a difficult decision as he continues to reveal Blake's secrets to Brigit. Are these revelations for his own gain? Or is he ensuring she has the pertinent facts about her husband-to-be? Despite not being sure of his reasons for divulging suspicious information to Brigit, Nathaniel is a genuinely likable man and he is quite charming and personable. Whether or not his reasons are self-serving or selfless, Nathaniel is a refreshing breath of fresh air since he is much more down to earth and relatable than most of the characters.
Brigit's sister Daisy is another person that is difficult to read. She is nowhere near as successful as Brigit and while Daisy keeps saying she is not jealous of her sister, some of her inner musings make it appear that she is, in actuality, rather envious of her sister's accomplishments. Like Nathaniel, Daisy has more depth than the other characters and despite her conflicting feelings for Brigit, she is a genuinely kind-hearted young woman who always has her sister's back.
Brigit's parents, Sydney and Francis also take center stage as they prepare for their daughter's wedding. Wealthy and privileged, they have weathered a few storms during their long marriage and this vacation seems to be helping them recover from a recent rough patch. Both are keeping secrets from one another and they are eventually forced to make a few long overdue confessions. Their quick recovery is a trifle unrealistic and readers will most likely be a little annoyed over the way this part of the storyline is handled.
While Santorini Sunsets is an enjoyable, light-hearted read, there are few things that readers might become impatient with over the course of the novel. Some of the sentences are a little perfunctory and there is an overuse of certain words. Many of the characters lack depth and seem rather superficial due to the excessive label and celebrity name-dropping. Yes, they are über wealthy but the constant reminders of the lavish meals, extravagant purchases and exclusive clothing/jewelry labels soon become grating. The numerous flashbacks provide insight into events occurring in the present, but this telling vs. showing becomes tedious (which is fairly heavy-handed since this is something I do not typically notice).
However, the underlying themes of Santorini Sunsets are universal and will resonate with readers. The various storylines aptly demonstrate how secrets and lack of communication can undermine even the best relationships. And of course, the absolute best aspect of reading a novel by Anita Hughes is the exotic foreign setting. Santorini is an absolutely breathtaking location that springs vividly to life through the richly detailed descriptions of the scenery and sunsets.
Despite a few flaws, Santorini Sunsets is overall entertaining read that offers a pleasant diversion from ordinary, everyday life. Anita Hughes does a wonderful job keeping readers guessing how the story is going to end and the resolution of the various story arcs is quite satisfying.
March 25, 2018
Just overall not a great book. The ending was good but predictable. There were lots of conflicts, almost too many, but they were all easily resolved with little realism. The characters were not very likable and the issues they had did not make them seem like real people, just characters who had shallow concerns that were easily worked out and gave them all perfect endings instead of highlighting real struggles. I would have liked to see more depth to the characters and fewer descriptions of what they were wearing every scene.
December 22, 2023
Wow this book was bad. I was not a fan of the writing style at all. It seemed the author focused way too much on little details like food and not enough on the story or characters. There were so many plot holes. Like why did Brigit tell Blake she needed to be alone & focus on herself and then marry Nathaniel 2 hours later?? This book just didn’t make sense to me and I would definitely not recommend it. Not an Anita Hughes fan.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 11, 2018
Although I liked the author’s style of writing, and definitely want to read more books that she has written, I really did not enjoy the main character that much. I felt that she came across as very spoiled. I liked the characters Daisy and Robbie much better.
July 28, 2020
totaaaally not my vibe. the plot twisted around between past present future and characters in a very confusing way but it was nice to relive santorini. ending was not it tho
im sorry i feel mean writing this it just wasnt for me:/
im sorry i feel mean writing this it just wasnt for me:/
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 16, 2023
This is the story of a wedding event to be held on Santorini, Greece. The descriptions of the island make you feel that you are present on the island along with the characters in the book. The book was an easy and finished in less than a day as the pages just flew.
July 28, 2025
I read the first 11 pages and wanted to barf. Here is one sentence on page 2: "Blake's friends Leonardo DiCaprio and Tobey Maguire and Ben Affleck would have been uncomfortable in tuxedos and starched white shirts."
November 3, 2016
I enjoyed reading this book . The way it was written was beautiful. Full of descriptions of the settings and the people and it was a quick read for me. I think I would have finished it much sooner if it was not or the loads homework I had to do this past two weeks. The last 100 and a half pages I read in two sittings. I had made a rule of giving myself an hour to read whenever I wasn't doing anything and it helped a lot.
For my full review visit my blog. Warning it contains spoilers.
http://bookishisland.blogspot.com/201...
May 4, 2017
Too unbelievable!
July 5, 2017
Meh, it was fluffy, with not much substance ........which was probably what I needed in between serious reads.....
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