A broken heart, an island escape, a boy from the past. Will Lottie's search lead to love?
When a special anniversary takes Lottie on a journey to find the little boy she once knew, it's a chance to put heartache behind her.
Lottie's search takes her to Greece and a family who have known about her for decades. A warm welcome gives her some much-needed time out and the chance to reflect. Yet an emotional revelation and two handsome but complicated brothers make her question her past decisions.
Learning to love herself and be content on her own is the first step. But will Lottie be able to follow her heart and find lasting happiness?
Kate Frost has wanted to be an author ever since she wrote her first novel during the long months she spent off school following open heart surgery when she was seven. The novel was called London's Burning and was a time travel story set during the Great Fire of London.
Over the years Kate has worked in a cinema, a bookshop, a factory and as a part time lecturer at Bath Spa University teaching lifewriting to Creative Writing undergraduates. She's also worked as ground staff at Edgebaston Tennis Tournament, as a Virgin Vie consultant and as a Supporting Artist in the films Vanity Fair, King Arthur and The Duchess.
Kate has a MA in Creative Writing from Bath Spa University and has had articles and short stories published in The London Magazine, New Welsh Review and QWF. She now works as a freelance writer/author and lives in the UK with her husband, her son and their dog.
You wouldn't believe that I read this on a wet and miserable day in the UK. I was completely transported to Greece, to Santorini and beyond.
I could with regards Santorini at least picture Fira and Oia so clearly and it matched in with what I know of the place from a cruise stop there. The descriptions were fabulous, and there are occasional Greek words for flavour, in addition to delicious sounding traditional Greek food.
Santorini is just where the journey begins, as Lottie attempts to find a boy who was rather special to her at a tough time as a child, and now many years later has decided she needs to know what happened to him.
And within this search, she also discovers things about herself, makes a new really good friend and there are some rather gorgeous Greek men in play too!
I really loved all of Lottie's story, it was good to see her thought processes and the places she visits through her eyes. It's just a highly enjoyable book, from an author that excels at writing about foreign places and transporting the reader, based on the two books I've now read from her Romantic Escapes series.
Thank you to the author for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily,
I thoroughly enjoyed this uplifting tale of self-discovery and friendship because the colourful Greek scenery provided the perfect backdrop for the characters as they explored their deepest fears and desires. The stunning descriptions of Santorini’s spectacular caldera brought back lots of personal memories so it was easy to understand Lottie’s reaction to the place and the way it helped her to discover more about herself. Her journey to find a long-lost childhood friend offers her the chance to experience new locations, create meaningful friendships, come to terms with past heartbreak and consider the possibility of future romance, which the author describes with an empathetic optimism. The traditional Greek culture of friendliness and hospitality is vividly portrayed to add another level to this intricate tale of self-discovery which makes for a very satisfying read.
My first read by Kate Frost and wow what a book to kick off with, I loved meeting Lottie and joining her on an adventure to the Greek Islands.
Lottie is an ambitious and successful business woman who after a failed marriage feels the need to take time and rediscover herself. This leads her to looking for someone she knew as a child and to the stunning coast of Santorini.
I love to travel and I love travelling through books and this is a wonderful read that transports you so you can feel the sun on your skin and admire the wonderful views as Lottie sits and soaks them up.
A story full of love and heartache, that transported me and left me smiling and filled my happy bucket to the brim.
Lottie's emotional journey takes her to the Greek Islands to look for someone she once knew and to repair her shattered self-worth. This is a book with vivid descriptions that brings the places Lottie visits to life. Character-driven, it focuses on Lottie's travels, the people she meets and how she rebuilds her life. It's a poignant read but uplifting with a lovely conclusion.
The writing is descriptive, and the characters relatable you empathise with Lottie and want her to be happy. If you are looking to escape from wintery England, this book will immerse you in the Greek Islands and a lovely positive story.
I received a copy of this book from the author in return for an honest review.
This was better than another book I'd read by this author (One Greek Summer), but still had a couple annoying aspects that keep me from giving it a higher rating.
The best part was the setting. Who wouldn't love a story set on a beautiful and idyllic Greek island, especially Santorini? I've been to Santorini several times and she did a good job describing the scenery, the food, the smells, the sounds, and the people. It was definitely a bit of escapism.
The storyline and characters were good, but had some weaknesses. I appreciated that Lottie wasn't your typical woman-in-a-loveless marriage, or mom-with-3-kids -- she was career-driven, absolutely fine with having no children, but of course she was a divorcee who was pining for love (after all, this is chick-lit). And the concept that she decides to go search for someone she connected with briefly, but strongly, as a child was interesting, if far-fetched. Reading the author's note at the end gave more insight into what that storyline was chosen.
The part that made me groan, though, was how utterly ridiculous it was that within a couple days of Lottie finally finding the boy's family and learning his fate, both of his brothers hit on her. Then after the predictable tension between everyone, she falls in love with one of them within a couple weeks and decides to up and quit her job to move to another country to live with him. Perfectly romantic, but utterly unrealistic.
One last note about the dialogue - I was annoyed by this in the last book, and it was the same here. The author is British, and most of the characters also are, so it makes sense for them to use British vernacular -- but it's not common for a Greek to use some of the terms and phrases she had them using, unless they'd spent time in the UK or around people from the UK. It seems like a bit of lazy writing to me. If an author wants the characters to feel authentic, they should be written using the appropriate vernacular and slang.
Overall, I did enjoy this book for what it was - a bit of light, easy, romantic escapism. I read the entire book on two international flights, so it helped pass the time.
This book was a very enjoyable read. It was total easy reading, perfect for a holiday or just escaping the doom and gloom of lockdown. Reading the authors note and understanding about her own childhood operation made the whole plot make more sense as Lottie was a really strong character and it seemed a bit off for her to jet off to Greece on a whim. I loved the fact that it portrayed a strong woman without a husband who didn’t want kids and she was still the heroine of the story because that almost never happens and there should be more books like this - yes she found someone but her career was still her number 1 and she worked around that always, and nice to see more of that in romance literature! I am a hopeless romantic so usually love the traditional storylines but lovely to read something different!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
This really has been the year of the travel-based romance – when our own lives have been to desperately confined, there’s really nothing much better than being able to wander through favourite holiday destinations without leaving the comfort and safety of your armchair. The author recreates quite perfectly the atmosphere of both beautiful Santorini and nearby Paros – both islands I’ve holidayed on in the past – and when this book ended I felt as if I’d been allowed a return visit. With even more synchronicity, I was also living in Cardiff – just like Lottie – at the time I visited: and there’s a third destination too in the story where I’ve been fortunate enough to take a short break, equally beautifully drawn.
But while the travel elements are really well drawn – the buildings, the sights, the flowers, the food and the sunshine – this lovely book is very much about Lottie’s personal journey, her search for herself while pursuing a treasured memory from her childhood, pushing her boundaries and discovering what makes her happy. I found her particularly easy to identify with – in her forties, driven and successful at work, but with a far less happy personal life littered with failed relationships. Her first step is to become comfortable with herself, to find the courage to change her life – and I really enjoyed her friendship with Maggie, whose easy free-wheeling lifestyle enables Lottie to loosen up and live a little too.
Her quest for that childhood happy memory – wherever it might take her – then sees her travelling on to Paros, tracking down the family she had reason to remember so fondly. Another wonderful character is introduced – Eleni, the mother, warm and caring, touched by great sadness – along with her two remaining adult sons. There’s a romantic triangle of sorts – one son who remains something of an enigma for a while, spiky and difficult, the other making no secret of his attraction to Lottie but failing to ignite the necessary spark. Although Lottie’s romantic choice drives the story – in a way that surprised, but was well worked through, always strong and believable – it’s her personal growth, her new comfort within her own skin that I particularly liked, the way she put the past to rest and embraced the possibilities of the future.
The writing is excellent – the vivid descriptions of the various locations that flood the senses, the handling of the romantic possibilities, but particularly the more emotional moments and Lottie’s internal journey. Warm, uplifting, and emotionally satisfying – this was a romantic escape I really enjoyed.
This morning I woke up finding myself missing the Mediterranean sun. Deep blue tropics of the ocean, a varied but well oiled diet leaving you stuffed for hours and the warm kiss of the burning sun. The Greek Heart soothed me though endless dreams of this new found realm of escapism based in a romantic spot called Santorini. I’m dreaming off cut navy blue domed houses with misty white walls and rustic furniture which glisten for miles around when the roaring sun settles. You’ll hear nothing but a choir of crickets and laughter of loving families all round. During these depressing times, your search for that few hours of escapism and bliss can stop because The Greek Heart will take you some places.
Lottie finds herself at a crossroad when her husband divorces her, cheating on a younger ‘sexier' woman. When hitting forty, it seems that the competition gets tougher and like gets more demanding but she is so sure of what she wants. It’s not until the anniversary of her heart surgery, some thirty six years later, a card in the post from her parents reminds her of the childhood friend Artie. She thinks to herself what he could be doing with his life and how it changed him. Lottie discovers he lived in Greece where his parent's owned a hotel so out of curiosity she packs her bag and heads to Santorini. Once she arrives, she follows the path of what his life entailed after that day they both shared some years ago. She builds up an idea of him in her head only to realise she was in search for something else.
This romantic delight of a novel served a great deal of warm nostalgia, especially on a gloomy Monday morning. Lottie served as a confident, strong minded and outgoing main character. Frost wrote the chemistry between her and Max very well, poignantly subtle not at all erotic. This can sometimes ruin a book’s charms. The dialogue was charming, easy to follow and natural. You fed off of laid back culture that comes with the location so characters like Eleni. As for the dishes mentioned, it will make your mouth water just for the taste of Greece.
Author Bio
Kate Frost is the author of character-driven women’s fiction (The Butterfly Stormseries and Beneath the Apple Blossom), romantic escape novels (The Baobab Beach Retreat,A Starlit Summer,The GreekHeart and The Amsterdam Affair), andTime Shifters, a time travel adventure trilogy for children. Shehas a MA in Creative Writing from Bath Spa University, where she also taught lifewriting to creativewriting undergraduates. Kate lives in Bristol with her husband, young son, and their Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Frodo. She feels very lucky to spend her days writing, but when she’s not working on a novel, she’s the Director of Storytale Festival, a new city-wide children’s book festival that she co-founded in Bristol in 2019 with the ethos of making books accessible to all and encouraging children and teens to read, write and be creative.
I was first introduced to Kate Frost with The Honeysuckle Dream, book 3 in the Butterfly Storm series which made me a fan of her work. Then I read Lottie’s story and it stirred up so many emotions concerning my choice of a child-free life and the rude and thoughtless comments I have dealt with over the years. More power to Lottie and Eleni for speaking up for a woman’s prerogative to not have children.
As you’ve guessed, I admire Lottie’s independence, honesty, and forthrightness. I have been in her shoes in so many ways including the cheating ex leading to the loss of self-confidence and the loss of myself. When she takes her friend’s advice and books a six-week sabbatical to a beautiful Greek island to find a boy from her past, the results aren’t what she expects.
Lottie’s decision to chase a memory and insert herself into a family that may resent her intrusion is both brave and impertinent. She is welcomed, but not by all, at first. The memories she stirs up for Max, Artie’s twin brother, are upsetting and he handles it badly, but his grand gesture is unexpected and necessary for both of them to get to know each other away from the past.
The complex relationship between Lottie and Max is unique. Their lives are very similar when it comes to their careers and some personal choices, but Max has some very deep-seated emotions when it comes to his home and family on Paros which he definitely needs to address in a more mature way. Eleni, Max’s mother is kind and generous and only wants the best for her sons. Zach, Max’s older brother, is a nice man but has a lot of baggage with an angsty teenage son and an ex-wife which understandably Lottie doesn’t want to go down that path again.
Ms. Frost’s vivid descriptions of the beautiful Greek Islands of Santorini and Paros made me feel like I was there enjoying the blue skies and warm breezes while relaxing on the beach.
Overall, this is an introspective and engaging story about taking stock of your life and finding a new path that makes sense for your own happiness and peace of mind. Recommend highly!
Thank you to Ms. Frost for giving me the opportunity to read this book with no expectation of a positive review.
I thoroughly enjoyed escaping into this fantastic story and revisiting Greece and Dubrovnik alongside Lottie!
When only eight years old, Lottie had major surgery to repair a hole in her heart. Whilst in hospital there was a younger boy on the ward with her, A and the two were great friends but have never seen each other after their operations. Now, thirty six years and two divorces later, Lottie decides to try to find him, to discover if his operation was as successful as hers and what he's doing now. The only problem is she's relying on memories to try to locate him but it will give her the opportunity to re-evaluate her life choices and options. She's starting with a stay in Santorini at the hotel which was originally also the family home for Artie, though she knows they no longer live there. . . .
This is a beautifully written story, with fabulous descriptions of the people and places that immerse the reader into the story. It is an adventure, a chance to consider what happened in the past without the pressure of work and to make new plans for the future. There are great characters to meet, new relationships for Lottie to form, mouth watering descriptions of tasty dishes, some swoon worthy Greek men and surprises, too. It really lives up to its series title as a Romantic Escape book and is a lovely way to imagine being out in the Greek sunshine again. I have no hesitation in highly recommending it to anyone else who is wishing they could go away on holiday or is looking for a delightful story to escape into.
Thanks for my copy of this book which I have voluntarily read and honestly reviewed.
This is the second book in Kate Frost's Romantic Escape series I've read, and they are both wonderful reads that transport you to another place.
I loved the idea behind The Greek Heart - Lottie underwent heart surgery when she was a child, and remembers a Greek boy who was on the ward with her, awaiting a similar operation. Almost forty years later, while going through a second divorce and re-evaluating her life, she wonders what happened to him and decides to find out.
The author takes us on a captivating trip to Greece, with such a descriptive narrative that you feel as though you are there, walking past blue doors in white stone walls along narrow streets in the scorching midday sun, or tasting oil-drizzled tomatoes and vegetables on a shaded patio near a limpid pool.
The story is romantic and uplifting, as emotional as the Greeks themselves, complicated and sweet and full of hope. Lottie is a wonderful character - headstrong and capable in her career, vulnerable and unsure of herself in all other aspects of her life.
With sun, sea, delicious food, stunning surroundings, and a few sexy Greek men, this is the perfect read for getting away from everything for a few hours! Highly recommend.
This certainly lives up to the promise of its series name, Romantic Escape. With glorious settings of Santorini, Paros and Dubrovnik, you certainly feel that you are escaping from the depths of February. The story absolutely shimmers under the Mediterranean sunshine. Lottie is quite an interesting character and not your run of the mill romantic heroine. In her mid- forties, she has never wanted the traditional role of motherhood but with two divorces in her past, finds herself at a bit of a crossroads. Lottie, the workaholic, takes six weeks off to travel to Greece in search of someone from her childhood. This is a story about finding what you really want and staying true to yourself, despite what others may think you should do. Family has its place, as does finding new friendships, but in many ways, Lottie discovers her own thoughts and her own company. There is romance there as well and Lottie has quite a range of choices as to who she wants to share it with. Grief bubbles away beneath the surface, but above all, this is a life affirming, hopeful read which will scatter away February gloom. In short: New starts and fresh beginnings Thanks to the author for a copy of the book
Blindsided by her divorce, Lottie feels herself slipping into middle-age frumpiness. A card from her parents reminds her of the anniversary of childhood surgery to mend a hole in her heart, and her hospital companion, Greek boy Artie. An idea builds in Lottie’s mind: what if she combined a holiday to Greece with locating the boy who shared so much with her? I loved this story. It was so easy to read, so hard to put down as I followed Lottie’s travels in Santorini, where the author so beautifully described houses ‘stacked like sugar cubes’, and the more relaxed vibe of Paros. Gorgeous descriptions of scenery and mouth-watering food, I now feel like I have travelled to Greece. Likeable characters, a couple of surprises, and an ending that warmed me inside. Five stars.
I was a bit disappointed with this book. Its well written, lots of lovely descriptions of Greek Islands, however, I did not feel that Lottie was a particularly sympathetic character, I didn't warm to her. She is recently divorced but is very successful in work and decides to take time off and find what happened to a little boy who was in the same hospital ward as she was some 36 years previously!! What?? She finds out that he died in a road accident but that he has two brothers both of whom hit on her within days of meeting her?? One, Max is moody and unpleasant but she ends up going on a steamy weekend with him and decides to throw up her job and move to Monaco to be with him! And then she wonders why she has problems with relationships. I fully expect a sequel detailing how it all goes horribly wrong.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Lottie at 8 yrs old had open heart surgery. While in the hospital she met a boy 6 Matt and in the 3 days they were there they made a real connection. Now Lottie is in her 40s and she wonders what happened to that boy. She sets out to Greece to find him. Lottie gets to the hotel they use to have she stays there for a week meet some amazing people. Then she found out that the family lived on another island, so she goes. She finds the mother and she is so excited to see her she bagged her to spend time with them. She found out that the son died in a car accident at 20th old his twin brother is coming and his older brother too. So she stayed ,enjoyed the Greekness. Was well written I felt like I was there in the culture.
Another absolutely amazing book by Kate Frost! The Greek Heart is well written and takes you on a journey of finding self love, childhood love and soulmate love. After Lottie set off to Santorini and Paros to find Artie, her childhood friend I never expected the twist of her meeting Max. This is a wonderful book about finding love at the right time during an unexpected experience. I loved this book, highly recommended!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This is my first time reading something by this author and I really enjoyed it. It's a beautiful story that takes you on an emotional journey of hope and love. A touching and emotional book that I really enjoyed. The author does a great nice job of bringing the characters and story to life and I liked how everything was tied together nicely at the end. If you're looking for a feel-good book this is one I would definitely recommend.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Romantic escape This book is about Lottie’s journey to fulfillment. It’s a lovely romance story filled with various emotions, and you find yourself (vicariously) in Greece! What more could you want or need in this crazy time?! The story brings you heart-breaking and heart-warming moments with lots of love and hope. I wish I was there right now! I give this book four stars! I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Lovely trip down memory lane to a couple of beautiful Creek islands. I was immediately reminded of past holidays and the storytelling and descriptions are engaging. The plot isn't what you might expect and there are a few tears along the way. A book about finding yourself, friendship as well as romance, this book is a lovely escapist read. Thank you, Kate, for allowing me to travel vicariously to my beloved Greece.
I absolutely loved this book, never wanting to put it down, but not wanting to finish it. Loving Greece as I do and visiting the islands many times, I felt so at home. The best book I have read for a while. Keep writing I will certainly read others in your collection. Victory Hislop is one of my favourite authors but you have joined her in my collection. Thanks .
I was fascinated to hear how your idea stemmed from your own life experience interwoven with beautiful descriptions of the Greece I love.Ideal as light holiday reading.would have liked a bit more intrigue rather than just being a straightforward romance because after reading your other romances found it a bit too predictable,but still really enjoyed it
Lottie was 8 years old when she had an operation for a hole in the heart and she befriended a boy in hospital of same age called Artie. Fast forward 30 odd years and Lottie has her own business and works 24/7 and after a break up decides to have a holiday. She wants to find Artie and knows the family were in Greece so she heads there not sure of what she will find.....
It was full of feelings and romance and heartfelt decisions.
The setting for the book was wonderful, the characters were really well developed and I loved all he interaction - this was a book I couldn't put down - it was perfect!!
It is 5 stars from me for this one - very highly recommended I loved it!
I enjoyed reading about Lottie as she learned to love herself. I enjoyed experiencing Greece through her eyes. I loved how she got to meet Artie's family. I totally disliked how often she harped on her personal.desire not to have children. It got old and too repetitive. It's a fun book, but written from a totally feminist point of view.
I am not Greek, but love most Greek things. Having visited it on multiple occasions and my steady diet of Mediterranean cuisine, living in Canada, Belgium and Dubai ensured my lifelong love with Greek cuisine. My now demise father favorite celebratory meals were always Greek lamb dishes. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Thank you.
A very young girl and boy meet in the hospital as they undergo heart surgery. She never forgets him and decides decades later to fly to Greece to track him down. She does find his family. Lots of adventures ensue. Does she finally find love. Gotta read the book to find out. In the meantime you will take a mental vacation to Greece. Ahhh.
A lovely story about going on holiday alone and finding yourself. Lottie, a self-made career woman, is fresh out of a marriage with a cheater. She goes to Greece to look up a boy she got friendly with in hospital whom she hasn’t seen in 32 years. The trip changes her in ways she never imagined.
I loved the connection to the author's own life experiences that inspired the storyline of this book. The connection felt due to the shared experiences of open heart surgery was tangible. The setting was beautifully described, as always, and the ending was satisfying. Great read ❤️