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Staying Out for the Summer
'A magical meze of sun, fun and heartfelt emotion. A must-read! Yet another side-splitting, sun-soaked Greek adventure from Mandy Baggot' – Nicola May, bestselling author of the Cockleberry Bay series For nurse Lucie Burrows, it's time to put the last year behind her and embrace Greek life.Finally free from her demanding, stressful job, Lucie is excited for a restriction-free summer. When her best friend Gavin finds the perfect Greek island getaway, Lucie is sure that this holiday to Corfu is going to be one to remember.But when a landslide cuts the village off from the rest of the island, Lucie is thrown together with Michalis Andino, the super sexy village doctor. It's not quite the escape she had planned, but things could certainly be worse.As Lucie relaxes into the Greek way of life, she begins to wonder whether her much-needed break might just end in a new beginning – and a new love...Readers are LOVING Staying Out for the 'Deeply thought-provoking and hilarious' 5* Review'A wonderful, feel-good read' 5* Review'Funny and romantic! What more could you ask for?' 5* Review'A brilliant read, perfect for a relaxing weekend' 5* Review'Takes you to your Happy Place' 5* Review
367 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 1, 2021
247 people are currently reading
528 people want to read
About the author
Mandy Baggot
61 books749 followersMandy Baggot is an international bestselling and award-winning romance writer represented by Tanera Simons of Greenstone Literary.
Mandy is best-known for her laugh-out-loud romantic comedies featuring strong heroines, gorgeous heroes and always that happy-ever-after!
The winner of the Innovation in Romantic Fiction award at the UK's Festival of Romance, her novel, One Wish in Manhattan, was also shortlisted for the Romantic Novelists' Association Romantic Comedy Novel of the Year award in 2016. Mandy's books have so far been translated into Bulgarian, Czech, German, Hungarian and Italian.
Mandy loves the Greek island of Corfu, wine, cheese, Netflix, country music and handbags. Also a singer, she has taken part in ITV1's Who Dares Sings and The X-Factor. Most recently, Mandy took part in BBC1's Ready Steady Cook with Greek celebrity chef, Akis Petretzikis.
Mandy is a member of the Society of Authors and splits her time between Salisbury, Wiltshire, UK and Corfu, Greece.
Visit Mandy's website at www.mandybaggot.com
Mandy is best-known for her laugh-out-loud romantic comedies featuring strong heroines, gorgeous heroes and always that happy-ever-after!
The winner of the Innovation in Romantic Fiction award at the UK's Festival of Romance, her novel, One Wish in Manhattan, was also shortlisted for the Romantic Novelists' Association Romantic Comedy Novel of the Year award in 2016. Mandy's books have so far been translated into Bulgarian, Czech, German, Hungarian and Italian.
Mandy loves the Greek island of Corfu, wine, cheese, Netflix, country music and handbags. Also a singer, she has taken part in ITV1's Who Dares Sings and The X-Factor. Most recently, Mandy took part in BBC1's Ready Steady Cook with Greek celebrity chef, Akis Petretzikis.
Mandy is a member of the Society of Authors and splits her time between Salisbury, Wiltshire, UK and Corfu, Greece.
Visit Mandy's website at www.mandybaggot.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 131 reviews
February 10, 2021
This is a funny, joyful romantic comedy set mainly on the Greek island of Corfu. It is a great beach read providing romance, fun, and escape from the ravages of coronavirus. Several times I laughed out loud at some of the scenarios. Lucie and her best friend, Gavin (who is gay) have been working hard as nurses during the coronavirus pandemic and need a break from the stress and tension of their jobs. They decide to go on a vacation, and Gavin makes all the arrangements for them to stay in Corfu. The beautiful scenery and the people they meet there change their lives dramatically.
With a fun group of characters, some very funny situations, this book provides a wonderful escape. I enjoyed reading this and would recommend it for anyone who likes romance and humor.
Thanks to Aria & Aries through Netgalley for an advance copy.
With a fun group of characters, some very funny situations, this book provides a wonderful escape. I enjoyed reading this and would recommend it for anyone who likes romance and humor.
Thanks to Aria & Aries through Netgalley for an advance copy.
April 15, 2021
Favorite Quotes:
She clamped her hands to the few inches of little more than dark brown stubble, now covering her entire scalp. ‘Gavin! What happened?! My hair! I was… I was… always getting called Sandra Oh and now I’m… I’m—’ ‘Sandra Oh No?’ Gavin offered unhelpfully.
‘Why does everybody want me to marry and breed?!’ She dropped her fork and folded her arms across her chest. ‘I am not a horse.’
‘You were the one who stopped talking, Michalis,’ Dimitri told him. ‘I never wanted to stop listening.’
Lucie eyed up the tiny test-tube Melina was holding carefully like it contained tears of a dragon.
Simon’s softer and more cautious about everything. He literally caresses that coffee machine at work. Unlike Jez, who goes at it like he wants it to bleed.
They were both a little red-faced with the frenetic pace Mary and Ariana were setting, leading dancers holding handkerchiefs in a zig-zag formation around a little girl dressed as an effigy of a virus. Earlier there had been an interpretive dance with a troupe of schoolchildren in tortoise costumes battling against another group dressed as dark evil organisms…
My Review:
I adore Mandy Baggot’s cunningly wry, snort-worthy, and clever sense of humor. Her latest missive features a unique Greek odyssey in a tiny and quirky village with storylines infused with a bit of everything including family drama, well deserved vacations for exhausted pandemic fighting medical professionals, a new and an old holiday romance, diverse characters, terrapin home invasions, culture clashes, divinely amusing comedy, and an oddly conceived festival with fierce costumes for the Flying Tortoise King. I savored Ms. Baggot’s comical and evocative words between family dramas of my own, which made her sweet and humorous tale exponentially sweeter.
She clamped her hands to the few inches of little more than dark brown stubble, now covering her entire scalp. ‘Gavin! What happened?! My hair! I was… I was… always getting called Sandra Oh and now I’m… I’m—’ ‘Sandra Oh No?’ Gavin offered unhelpfully.
‘Why does everybody want me to marry and breed?!’ She dropped her fork and folded her arms across her chest. ‘I am not a horse.’
‘You were the one who stopped talking, Michalis,’ Dimitri told him. ‘I never wanted to stop listening.’
Lucie eyed up the tiny test-tube Melina was holding carefully like it contained tears of a dragon.
Simon’s softer and more cautious about everything. He literally caresses that coffee machine at work. Unlike Jez, who goes at it like he wants it to bleed.
They were both a little red-faced with the frenetic pace Mary and Ariana were setting, leading dancers holding handkerchiefs in a zig-zag formation around a little girl dressed as an effigy of a virus. Earlier there had been an interpretive dance with a troupe of schoolchildren in tortoise costumes battling against another group dressed as dark evil organisms…
My Review:
I adore Mandy Baggot’s cunningly wry, snort-worthy, and clever sense of humor. Her latest missive features a unique Greek odyssey in a tiny and quirky village with storylines infused with a bit of everything including family drama, well deserved vacations for exhausted pandemic fighting medical professionals, a new and an old holiday romance, diverse characters, terrapin home invasions, culture clashes, divinely amusing comedy, and an oddly conceived festival with fierce costumes for the Flying Tortoise King. I savored Ms. Baggot’s comical and evocative words between family dramas of my own, which made her sweet and humorous tale exponentially sweeter.
April 11, 2021
Ready for a fun summer read? May I suggest reading this Rom Com , Staying out for the Summer by Mandy Baggot? This is my first read by this author and I'll be sure to look for more by her.
A fun Summer time fun read mostly taking place in Greece. Unexpected and funny mishaps are abundant in this fun and feel good laugh-out-loud romantic comedy .
Pub Date 01 Apr 2021
I was given a complimentary copy of this book. Thank you.
All opinions expressed are my own opinion.
A fun Summer time fun read mostly taking place in Greece. Unexpected and funny mishaps are abundant in this fun and feel good laugh-out-loud romantic comedy .
Pub Date 01 Apr 2021
I was given a complimentary copy of this book. Thank you.
All opinions expressed are my own opinion.
April 5, 2021
The Blurb :
For NHS nurse, Lucie Burrows, it's time to put the past behind her and embrace Greek life.
Finally free from the UK restrictions, Lucie is excited for the summer of 2021. When her best friend, Gavin, finds the perfect Greek island getaway, Lucie is sure that this holiday to Corfu is going to be one to remember.
But when a landslide puts the village into a local lockdown, Lucie is thrown together with Michalis Andino, the super sexy village doctor. It's not quite the escape she had planned, but things could certainly be worse.
My Thoughts :
As Mandy Baggot is one of my favourite Authors, I get excited when I see she has a new book coming out. Her book covers are exceptional which means you can spot her books a mile away.
We meet Nurse Lucie Burrows, Lucie and best friend Gavin have been working in the hospital looking after Covid patients in the recent pandemic. As a much needed holiday and rest is due, Gavin finds them a a perfect break in Corfu, Greece.
After a rough start to the holiday, they finally arrive to the most amazing villa complete with heavenly views.
Throw in a meeting with handsome Michalis Andino, a Doctor who has also been working over in the mainland during the pandemic. There is an instant spark between him and Lucie. Thrown together in another lockdown due to a landslide on the Island, Michalis needs to work through some issues of his own. Will the connection between him and Lucie develop into something more serious or is it a case of what happens in Greece, stays in Greece!.
The story has some great charactors, some which you cant help but fall in love with.
Overall, Mandy Baggot has delivered a light hearted, fun and a much needed Escapism read.
We can picture ourselves in the thick of the action with the descriptions of the scenery and tasty Greek food, even if it is from our own armchair.
Looking forward to the next release as always from Mandy Baggot.
For NHS nurse, Lucie Burrows, it's time to put the past behind her and embrace Greek life.
Finally free from the UK restrictions, Lucie is excited for the summer of 2021. When her best friend, Gavin, finds the perfect Greek island getaway, Lucie is sure that this holiday to Corfu is going to be one to remember.
But when a landslide puts the village into a local lockdown, Lucie is thrown together with Michalis Andino, the super sexy village doctor. It's not quite the escape she had planned, but things could certainly be worse.
My Thoughts :
As Mandy Baggot is one of my favourite Authors, I get excited when I see she has a new book coming out. Her book covers are exceptional which means you can spot her books a mile away.
We meet Nurse Lucie Burrows, Lucie and best friend Gavin have been working in the hospital looking after Covid patients in the recent pandemic. As a much needed holiday and rest is due, Gavin finds them a a perfect break in Corfu, Greece.
After a rough start to the holiday, they finally arrive to the most amazing villa complete with heavenly views.
Throw in a meeting with handsome Michalis Andino, a Doctor who has also been working over in the mainland during the pandemic. There is an instant spark between him and Lucie. Thrown together in another lockdown due to a landslide on the Island, Michalis needs to work through some issues of his own. Will the connection between him and Lucie develop into something more serious or is it a case of what happens in Greece, stays in Greece!.
The story has some great charactors, some which you cant help but fall in love with.
Overall, Mandy Baggot has delivered a light hearted, fun and a much needed Escapism read.
We can picture ourselves in the thick of the action with the descriptions of the scenery and tasty Greek food, even if it is from our own armchair.
Looking forward to the next release as always from Mandy Baggot.
March 7, 2021
Thank you so much @netgalley and @ariafiction for approving me to read and review this book!
Once again, Mandy has written another brilliant book, set in beautiful Greece which is described soooo beautifully that I actually thought I was there.
Lucie and best friend Gavin are nurses, and they have worked tirelessly throughout the Covid pandemic. They have seen the devastation that this virus has caused and it’s time for them to escape and have a much deserved break.
They head to a little Greek island which is such an idyllic place and I want to pack my suitcase and head there now. They meet the beautiful Michalis who is a doctor and has also struggled during this pandemic. He’s a swoon worthy doctor and he and Lucie hit it off straight away, sharing the same understanding of everything they’ve been through in their jobs.
It’s a beautifully written book with oodles of brilliant characters(so many to name) but what I loved most is that it is written about the pandemic that has changed all our lives so significantly. It made the book feel completely relevant and it had the ability to make me feel like one day soon we could be living life a little more normally. Mandy dealt with the topic wonderfully, really highlighting how awful it must have been for staff who worked hands on during Covid, and just how much we owe them for all their hard work and all the heartbreak they must have witnessed first hand.
Another triumph in my opinion and Mandy continues to be one of my favourite authors 💕
April 14, 2021
I do love Mandys books and was delighted to bag a place on the blog tour for this her new book.
Set in Corfu the book transports us to warmer sunnier climbs - something we all need whilst we are all stuck at home. I wasn't sure i wanted to read about Covid in a book. My reason for reading is to escape from reality not be reminded of the current shit storm going on around us. But the references weren't too intrusive and I could gloss over them.
Such a comical cast of characters - i was picturing scenes from Mama Mia in my head whilst I was reading. And those tortoises...
Really enjoyed this sunny book - made me smile - and we all need to smile more 😀
Set in Corfu the book transports us to warmer sunnier climbs - something we all need whilst we are all stuck at home. I wasn't sure i wanted to read about Covid in a book. My reason for reading is to escape from reality not be reminded of the current shit storm going on around us. But the references weren't too intrusive and I could gloss over them.
Such a comical cast of characters - i was picturing scenes from Mama Mia in my head whilst I was reading. And those tortoises...
Really enjoyed this sunny book - made me smile - and we all need to smile more 😀
February 22, 2021
Mandy Baggot has written another winner about the lovely island of Corfu! If you know Mandy, you know her love for the island is vast and it shines through in her tales. The book opens post-Covid and while that made me nervous, I thought she did a lovely job of making it feel seamless with the way our lives have changed now that we have to live with it. What made it unique was the way she showed the reader the toll the surges took on the healthcare workers. While used to loss in their lives as doctors and nurses, both Michalis and Lucie both saw more than they ever want to see in their lifetime ever again.
The book opens with Lucie planning a holiday to Greece just to get away from it all with her best friend, Gavin. She knows if they don't take a break, they may never go back to the hospital that had put so many chinks in their armor. She just wasn't prepared to meet Michalis, a doctor who had suffered through some of the same atrocities and then some.
With festivals on the horizon, Gavin and Lucie find themselves pulled into the life of the island and the wonderful people on it. Gavin, still pining after the barista back home at the hospital cafe, isn't looking to find the guy of his dreams, but he's all for Lucie finding the one of hers. Michalis just might be it, if he can find a way to get past the loss he suffered that followed him to the island from Greece.
With so many wonderful characters weaved into this story, this review could go on forever, but I don't want to include any spoilers, so I will say, in the end, I loved that Lucie got the answers she needed about her past so she could go on with her future. She found confidence in Corfu she didn't have in the UK and it changed her as a woman, nurse, friend, and lover. I was pleased that everyone got their HEA or at least their 'happy for now.' If you are looking for a funny, loving, touching, sometimes frustratingly hilarious summer read, then you'll love Staying Out for the Summer!
The book opens with Lucie planning a holiday to Greece just to get away from it all with her best friend, Gavin. She knows if they don't take a break, they may never go back to the hospital that had put so many chinks in their armor. She just wasn't prepared to meet Michalis, a doctor who had suffered through some of the same atrocities and then some.
With festivals on the horizon, Gavin and Lucie find themselves pulled into the life of the island and the wonderful people on it. Gavin, still pining after the barista back home at the hospital cafe, isn't looking to find the guy of his dreams, but he's all for Lucie finding the one of hers. Michalis just might be it, if he can find a way to get past the loss he suffered that followed him to the island from Greece.
With so many wonderful characters weaved into this story, this review could go on forever, but I don't want to include any spoilers, so I will say, in the end, I loved that Lucie got the answers she needed about her past so she could go on with her future. She found confidence in Corfu she didn't have in the UK and it changed her as a woman, nurse, friend, and lover. I was pleased that everyone got their HEA or at least their 'happy for now.' If you are looking for a funny, loving, touching, sometimes frustratingly hilarious summer read, then you'll love Staying Out for the Summer!
April 6, 2021
This is the first book that I’ve read which even mentions anything about the pandemic, let alone just what those on the frontline have had to deal with. However, please don’t let that put you off reading this delightful story! It is a journey to stay on the beautiful island of Corfu, with brilliant characters, a fantastic community, glorious weather, unsettling earth tremors, delicious, mouth watering food and, of course, romance. Let’s hope we’ll soon be able to make journeys in reality rather than only virtually through reading fantastic books like this.
Lucy and her best friend, Gavin, are nurses who are struggling after the traumas and stress of working in a hospital during the Coronavirus pandemic. Gavin has booked them a holiday to give them both a summer in the sun, staying in a small village. They aren’t the only ones travelling there to recuperate from the pressures of working in a hospital -Michalis Andino, a doctor, has returned to his family home in the same village. Get ready for weird welcome drinks, an angry, chopper wielding butcher, centenarian dressmakers, tortoises, fabulous food, a special festival and lots of fun in the sun. This is a moving story of recuperating, revelations, relaxation and romance. There are several romances developed in the story and a plethora of incidents which had me laughing out loud and really wishing I was on one of the beautiful Corfoit beaches reading it. If you’re looking for a very current, moving but still fun read, grab yourself a copy of this and escape to the sun through it.
Thanks to Aria and NetGalley for my copy of this book which I have voluntarily read and honestly reviewed.
Lucy and her best friend, Gavin, are nurses who are struggling after the traumas and stress of working in a hospital during the Coronavirus pandemic. Gavin has booked them a holiday to give them both a summer in the sun, staying in a small village. They aren’t the only ones travelling there to recuperate from the pressures of working in a hospital -Michalis Andino, a doctor, has returned to his family home in the same village. Get ready for weird welcome drinks, an angry, chopper wielding butcher, centenarian dressmakers, tortoises, fabulous food, a special festival and lots of fun in the sun. This is a moving story of recuperating, revelations, relaxation and romance. There are several romances developed in the story and a plethora of incidents which had me laughing out loud and really wishing I was on one of the beautiful Corfoit beaches reading it. If you’re looking for a very current, moving but still fun read, grab yourself a copy of this and escape to the sun through it.
Thanks to Aria and NetGalley for my copy of this book which I have voluntarily read and honestly reviewed.
August 6, 2022
Recensione presente nel blog www.ragazzainrosso.wordpress.com
Lucie Burrows lavora come infermiera. Dopo aver trascorso un duro periodo a seguito della pandemia, accetta l’invito dell’amico e collega Gavin a trascorrere un periodo di vacanza in Grecia, nell’isola di Corfù, precisamente nel piccolo paese di Sortilas (quest’ultimo frutto dell’invenzione dell’autrice). Anche Michails Andino ha trascorso un anno difficilissimo. Medico pneumologo presso l’ospedale di Salonicco, ha vissuto in prima linea l’emergenza sanitaria e ha deciso di tornare a Sortilas per concedersi un periodo di riposo. Nella paradisiaca isola greca, però, gli imprevisti sono dietro l’angolo, in primis una frana che costringe all’isolamento. Per Michails e Lucie è arrivato il momento di guardare in faccia la realtà mettendosi a nudo e, chissà, di lasciarsi andare ai sentimenti.
“«Sei uno sciamano! Lo sapevo!» […] «Sono innamorata di uno stregone!». […] «Voglio dire…». […] «Non te lo rimangiare» […] «È troppo presto?». «Non vedo cosa dovremmo aspettare»”
Che la pandemia abbia lasciato segni indelebili in tutti noi è ormai noto, tuttavia ci siamo mai chiesti cosa ha comportato in coloro i quali ogni giorno sono stati a contatto diretto con quanto accadeva?
In questo romanzo l’autrice dà voce proprio a due rappresentanti della categoria sanitaria. In entrambi è evidente quanto la lotta alla pandemia abbia inciso sulla loro psiche e sulle reazioni agli eventi.
Lucie ha perso la madre quando era una bambina piccolissima, è cresciuta con sua zia, iperprotettiva nei suoi confronti, e, nonostante gli anni siano passati, non è riuscita a scoprire cosa è accaduto davvero o meglio chi era davvero sua madre.
Anche Michails ha perso la madre da molto tempo inoltre ultimamente è stato costretto a confrontarsi nuovamente con la morte dovuta non solo alla pandemia per cui deve convivere col dolore che tale senso di perdita comporta e assieme accettare quanto è accaduto. In paese tutti lo considerano un eroe a cui rendere omaggio, ma nessuno pare rendersi conto di quanto desideri solo staccare momentaneamente il cervello da tutte le pressioni alle quali è stato sottoposto.
Il rapporto tra i due cresce pagina dopo pagina. Parte in sordina poi pian piano si evolve, tassello dopo tassello, confidenza dopo confidenza. Insieme proveranno ad accettare la situazione esterna e il terremoto emotivo che hanno provato a tenere per anni sepolto in un vortice di sentimenti che li spiazzerà.
Completano la narrazione i numerosissimi personaggi apparentemente secondari. A cominciare da Gavin, che sprigiona simpatia da tutti i pori, e da zia Meg per passare alla sindaca del paese, ai turisti sino alla famiglia di Michails e agli altri anziani arzilli abitanti.
Lo stile dell’autrice è semplice, fluido e brioso. Il romanzo pullula di situazioni comiche che suscitano l’ilarità nel lettore e di momenti malinconici ad alto contenuto emotivo che provocano una sana dose di empatia nei confronti dei protagonisti.
Un romanzo ben costruito e completo sotto tutti i punti di vista. Una lettura nella quale l’evasione si sposa con la riflessione.
Lucie Burrows lavora come infermiera. Dopo aver trascorso un duro periodo a seguito della pandemia, accetta l’invito dell’amico e collega Gavin a trascorrere un periodo di vacanza in Grecia, nell’isola di Corfù, precisamente nel piccolo paese di Sortilas (quest’ultimo frutto dell’invenzione dell’autrice). Anche Michails Andino ha trascorso un anno difficilissimo. Medico pneumologo presso l’ospedale di Salonicco, ha vissuto in prima linea l’emergenza sanitaria e ha deciso di tornare a Sortilas per concedersi un periodo di riposo. Nella paradisiaca isola greca, però, gli imprevisti sono dietro l’angolo, in primis una frana che costringe all’isolamento. Per Michails e Lucie è arrivato il momento di guardare in faccia la realtà mettendosi a nudo e, chissà, di lasciarsi andare ai sentimenti.
“«Sei uno sciamano! Lo sapevo!» […] «Sono innamorata di uno stregone!». […] «Voglio dire…». […] «Non te lo rimangiare» […] «È troppo presto?». «Non vedo cosa dovremmo aspettare»”
Che la pandemia abbia lasciato segni indelebili in tutti noi è ormai noto, tuttavia ci siamo mai chiesti cosa ha comportato in coloro i quali ogni giorno sono stati a contatto diretto con quanto accadeva?
In questo romanzo l’autrice dà voce proprio a due rappresentanti della categoria sanitaria. In entrambi è evidente quanto la lotta alla pandemia abbia inciso sulla loro psiche e sulle reazioni agli eventi.
Lucie ha perso la madre quando era una bambina piccolissima, è cresciuta con sua zia, iperprotettiva nei suoi confronti, e, nonostante gli anni siano passati, non è riuscita a scoprire cosa è accaduto davvero o meglio chi era davvero sua madre.
Anche Michails ha perso la madre da molto tempo inoltre ultimamente è stato costretto a confrontarsi nuovamente con la morte dovuta non solo alla pandemia per cui deve convivere col dolore che tale senso di perdita comporta e assieme accettare quanto è accaduto. In paese tutti lo considerano un eroe a cui rendere omaggio, ma nessuno pare rendersi conto di quanto desideri solo staccare momentaneamente il cervello da tutte le pressioni alle quali è stato sottoposto.
Il rapporto tra i due cresce pagina dopo pagina. Parte in sordina poi pian piano si evolve, tassello dopo tassello, confidenza dopo confidenza. Insieme proveranno ad accettare la situazione esterna e il terremoto emotivo che hanno provato a tenere per anni sepolto in un vortice di sentimenti che li spiazzerà.
Completano la narrazione i numerosissimi personaggi apparentemente secondari. A cominciare da Gavin, che sprigiona simpatia da tutti i pori, e da zia Meg per passare alla sindaca del paese, ai turisti sino alla famiglia di Michails e agli altri anziani arzilli abitanti.
Lo stile dell’autrice è semplice, fluido e brioso. Il romanzo pullula di situazioni comiche che suscitano l’ilarità nel lettore e di momenti malinconici ad alto contenuto emotivo che provocano una sana dose di empatia nei confronti dei protagonisti.
Un romanzo ben costruito e completo sotto tutti i punti di vista. Una lettura nella quale l’evasione si sposa con la riflessione.
September 22, 2021
Staying out for Summer is a cute, funny, light-hearted and enjoyable romance that whisks us away on that much needed holiday.
I like that this is very relevant to the times we have been living for the last 18 month’s, Staying Out for Summer is the healing balm we have all been needing for such a long time, if you’re like me and are unable to get away on holiday then you’ll love hitching along on Lucie’s holiday just as I did.
After a hell of a few months – thanks to Covid, Lucie has all about had enough of life indoor (who hasn’t?) and is itching for sunshine and freedom after lockdown (can anyone else relate to that?). Her good friend Gavin comes to the rescue and books a holiday on Corfu, but alas her peaceful summery get-away turns into yet another lockdown after a landslide occurs. Lucie soon finds that this could be a great thing to happen as she meets gorgeous doctor Michalis and soon love blossoms.
I loved watching Lucie grow throughout the book, due to Covid she had sunk so low, she had lost so much of herself and her confidence. But once stepping on Corfu and despite what happens her character blossoms, her confidence grows and her self believe starts to return. It’s so lovingly written you feel every one of Lucie’s emotions and you back her 100%, especially more so after the year we have all had.
Staying out for Summer is a wonderful escapist read, full of sunshine and fun. It has some fabulous characters who you can get behind from the moment you meet them, you feel their pain as they have just come through an awful ordeal (like we all have) it’s pulls at the heart-strings a fair few times but makes up for all the emotion with its summery setting which would make any person smile with joy.
It’s a hilarious, summery, heart-warming, touching and feel-good story full of friendship and love.
I like that this is very relevant to the times we have been living for the last 18 month’s, Staying Out for Summer is the healing balm we have all been needing for such a long time, if you’re like me and are unable to get away on holiday then you’ll love hitching along on Lucie’s holiday just as I did.
After a hell of a few months – thanks to Covid, Lucie has all about had enough of life indoor (who hasn’t?) and is itching for sunshine and freedom after lockdown (can anyone else relate to that?). Her good friend Gavin comes to the rescue and books a holiday on Corfu, but alas her peaceful summery get-away turns into yet another lockdown after a landslide occurs. Lucie soon finds that this could be a great thing to happen as she meets gorgeous doctor Michalis and soon love blossoms.
I loved watching Lucie grow throughout the book, due to Covid she had sunk so low, she had lost so much of herself and her confidence. But once stepping on Corfu and despite what happens her character blossoms, her confidence grows and her self believe starts to return. It’s so lovingly written you feel every one of Lucie’s emotions and you back her 100%, especially more so after the year we have all had.
Staying out for Summer is a wonderful escapist read, full of sunshine and fun. It has some fabulous characters who you can get behind from the moment you meet them, you feel their pain as they have just come through an awful ordeal (like we all have) it’s pulls at the heart-strings a fair few times but makes up for all the emotion with its summery setting which would make any person smile with joy.
It’s a hilarious, summery, heart-warming, touching and feel-good story full of friendship and love.
Read
April 8, 2021I received a digital ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I only recently discovered Mandy Baggot as an author, and since then, I have read a few of her books and enjoyed them. Of those that I have read, Staying Out for the Summer is the best yet.
I have only read a couple of titles that have acknowledged the pandemic, I can’t say that I would be interested in reading about finding love whilst socially distancing and in lockdown! This book is set in the future, once lockdown is over and the characters are slowly returning to normality. Ideally positioned from the viewpoints of medical staff, Mandy Baggot sets the perfect tone.
Lucie and Gavin are sublime as best friends, embarking on a holiday after spending so long working on Covid wards. Greece is an ideal setting as it is totally believable that the villagers would be their own brand of beautifully bonkers. From fruit delivery vans doubling as taxis to twin centenarian sisters making wedding dresses for random strangers, the tone is perfect for the escapism that I didn’t realise I was craving.
At the heart of the story, is Lucie’s relationship with her Aunt Meg, who stepped in and raised her when Lucie’s young Mum died at 18. A heart-breaking scenario which has continued to have repercussions as the years have passed.
Of course, there’s a hot love interest, Michalis, who understands how frazzled Lucie and Gavin are feeling, because he’s a Dr, based in Thessaloniki, on mainland Greece. Michalis is battling his own demons and it soon becomes clear that the path to a good holiday romance, may not be as straight-forward as originally imagined.
This story is the perfect tonic to lockdown blues. We can all see the tiny light at the end of this tunnel and Staying Out for the Summer reminds us that there are good days to follow.
I only recently discovered Mandy Baggot as an author, and since then, I have read a few of her books and enjoyed them. Of those that I have read, Staying Out for the Summer is the best yet.
I have only read a couple of titles that have acknowledged the pandemic, I can’t say that I would be interested in reading about finding love whilst socially distancing and in lockdown! This book is set in the future, once lockdown is over and the characters are slowly returning to normality. Ideally positioned from the viewpoints of medical staff, Mandy Baggot sets the perfect tone.
Lucie and Gavin are sublime as best friends, embarking on a holiday after spending so long working on Covid wards. Greece is an ideal setting as it is totally believable that the villagers would be their own brand of beautifully bonkers. From fruit delivery vans doubling as taxis to twin centenarian sisters making wedding dresses for random strangers, the tone is perfect for the escapism that I didn’t realise I was craving.
At the heart of the story, is Lucie’s relationship with her Aunt Meg, who stepped in and raised her when Lucie’s young Mum died at 18. A heart-breaking scenario which has continued to have repercussions as the years have passed.
Of course, there’s a hot love interest, Michalis, who understands how frazzled Lucie and Gavin are feeling, because he’s a Dr, based in Thessaloniki, on mainland Greece. Michalis is battling his own demons and it soon becomes clear that the path to a good holiday romance, may not be as straight-forward as originally imagined.
This story is the perfect tonic to lockdown blues. We can all see the tiny light at the end of this tunnel and Staying Out for the Summer reminds us that there are good days to follow.
June 18, 2021
STAYING OUT FOR THE SUMMER
Mandy Baggot
Although we are back in Greece once again - and no-one knows or portrays the Greek islands better than Mandy Baggot – there is a subtle difference to this superb read. Funny, yes, even hilarious at times, there is the underlying drama and sadness we have all had to face with the covid pandemic over the last year or so. While this is a part of the book, Mandy doesn’t make it the raison d’être of the story and I was soon laughing along with Lucie and Gavin, the two nurses who have taken time off from the wards to holiday in Corfu. There’s a wonderful, lustful love interest in Dr Michalis who has his own problems to cope with and great banter between Lucie and Gavin themselves. I read My Family and Other Animals as a teen (GCSE) and, reading this, found myself laughing once again, as I did then, over the quirky, really funny, Corfu characters Mandy this time has conjured up. A great summer read, well written as always, funny but with a hint of reality thrown in. 5 stars from me!!
Mandy Baggot
Although we are back in Greece once again - and no-one knows or portrays the Greek islands better than Mandy Baggot – there is a subtle difference to this superb read. Funny, yes, even hilarious at times, there is the underlying drama and sadness we have all had to face with the covid pandemic over the last year or so. While this is a part of the book, Mandy doesn’t make it the raison d’être of the story and I was soon laughing along with Lucie and Gavin, the two nurses who have taken time off from the wards to holiday in Corfu. There’s a wonderful, lustful love interest in Dr Michalis who has his own problems to cope with and great banter between Lucie and Gavin themselves. I read My Family and Other Animals as a teen (GCSE) and, reading this, found myself laughing once again, as I did then, over the quirky, really funny, Corfu characters Mandy this time has conjured up. A great summer read, well written as always, funny but with a hint of reality thrown in. 5 stars from me!!
March 12, 2023
Voto libro: 3.5
Per leggere la recensione in blog cliccare qui:
https://ilconfinedeilibri.blogspot.co...
Per leggere la recensione in blog cliccare qui:
https://ilconfinedeilibri.blogspot.co...
June 29, 2024
Mandy Baggot is a go to author for me. This one I liked just was not my favourite. Lucy escapes for a while from being a nurse through Covid. The references were throughout however did not take over the story too much. Anyways that part was different.
The romance is there between Lucie and Michalis that I quite liked. Just it's not one that totally jumped out the page for me.
I found Lucie's gay best friend Gavin entertaining. I think some of the characters people please too much for me throughout. Lucie unfortunately in parts was one of them.
Then it came to some stereotypes grated on me like thinking Gavin was a doctor for being a man when he is happy and proud of being a nurse.
A light enough read even with Covid taking up mention.
3.5 stars
The romance is there between Lucie and Michalis that I quite liked. Just it's not one that totally jumped out the page for me.
I found Lucie's gay best friend Gavin entertaining. I think some of the characters people please too much for me throughout. Lucie unfortunately in parts was one of them.
Then it came to some stereotypes grated on me like thinking Gavin was a doctor for being a man when he is happy and proud of being a nurse.
A light enough read even with Covid taking up mention.
3.5 stars
March 30, 2021
Hurray! A fantastic escape to Corfu without leaving home!
This is the first book I have read this year which actually mentions the hard year it has been during all the lockdowns and covid fears, which was refreshing and a bit more real.
Best friends Lucie and Gavin decide on a holiday after a wild night out. Lucie is trusting Gavin with the booking and choices of where and what their holiday will be.......hmmmm...So starts the adventures for them both.
Absolutely loved this tale, hilarious at times but also dealt with some pertinent issues. Greek sun, sea, food and wonderful characters! A must read for this summer!
Thank you NetGalley for the early read.
This is the first book I have read this year which actually mentions the hard year it has been during all the lockdowns and covid fears, which was refreshing and a bit more real.
Best friends Lucie and Gavin decide on a holiday after a wild night out. Lucie is trusting Gavin with the booking and choices of where and what their holiday will be.......hmmmm...So starts the adventures for them both.
Absolutely loved this tale, hilarious at times but also dealt with some pertinent issues. Greek sun, sea, food and wonderful characters! A must read for this summer!
Thank you NetGalley for the early read.
April 2, 2021
Before I tell you how very much I enjoyed this lovely read, I think I really must talk about the elephant in the room (as opposed to one of the many turtles…) – because I’m sure you can’t have failed to notice the mention of “battling a global health crisis”. Lucie and Gavin are nurses who spent 2020 caring for patients on a covid ward, and I really wasn’t at all sure that I wanted to be reading about the pandemic while we’re still living through it. And it is more than just a mention – they reflect on the saddest moments, the problems of keeping going – and it was particularly brave of the author to take the risk, when so many readers are vehement that they read for an escape from reality.
For the first quarter of the book, every mention did disturb me, and tended to wrench me back into the real world – and I really wasn’t convinced that I was ready for comedy juxtaposed with a period that’s been a living hell for so many, particularly when we’re not yet at the end of it all and actually able to travel. But I have to say that it’s extremely well handled – and although I’d never have chosen it as a theme to read about, I did find that I stopped noticing every mention of masks, testing and lockdown and was drawn in by the characters I loved from the very beginning and their much needed escape to Corfu. On arrival, after a rather uncomfortable transfer in a fruit van along with the remaining watermelons, there’s a quite wonderful – and extremely funny – scene where the visitors to Sortilas are “processed” in a particularly unconventional way, and we meet some of the local characters who make this book the absolute joy that the author’s books unfailingly are.
Lucie is the loveliest focus for the story – brought up by her Aunt Meg (and fiercely protected) after the loss of her mum, she has a nice edge of sadness combined with an infectious sense of fun and capacity for happiness and laughter. And she couldn’t have a more entertaining companion than Gavin, her gay friend, who’s a wonderful mix of flamboyance and devil-may-care in his sparkly shorts while singing Cher’s greatest hits but shy and uncertain when things get a little more personal. Lucie’s love interest is Michalis (mmm, yes, he certainly pressed the right buttons for me too…), the village doctor who opens his surgery in the annex to the villa, just across the pool – we find out that his former life has had its moments too, and there’s one big issue, slowly revealed, that continues to plague him.
One of the very loveliest things about this book is the Corfiot community, the most wonderful collection of eccentric individuals all quite superbly drawn. I was a particular fan of Michalis’ sister Nyx, a little fierce as she wields her knives and machetes behind the counter of their father’s butcher’s shop, terrifying the poor customers who come in for their pork chops and rabbit, but who has a heart of gold along with a complete absence of any filter. And Miltos, who drives that fruit van like a Formula One car, refuses to believe that a man can be a nurse, and ensures Lucie becomes “Loosely” for the duration of their stay. And then there’s the centenarian twins who make elaborate wedding dresses, whether people need them or not – and perhaps the greatest tour-de-force of all, Melina, wielding her staff as organiser extraordinaire of the forthcoming festival of the Day of the Not Dead. And actually, I shouldn’t confine “wonderful characters” to the Corfiots – Gavin’s crush Simon, barista at the hospital coffee bar, is a great character too, and I just loved The Other Sharon Osbourne, the gobby nurse colleague who plays a great part in the story at a particularly critical point.
It’s a great story, with a few excellent moments of drama, plenty of poignancy, but with the next laugh never too far away. There’s a lovely attention to detail with the vivid settings and the delicious food (goodness, I could actually taste those kataifi…). The romantic content is perfectly done, strong and convincing, just right at an emotional level – and there’s a nice focus on family too, both Michalis’ and Lucie’s, bringing a tear to your eye amid the surrounding hilarity.
I will admit I had my doubts at the beginning – I thought the covid cloud was going to be inescapable – but this really was a book I thoroughly enjoyed. And the content I initially found less than comfortable? I’m more than happy to accept that it was a timely and appropriate tribute to those who worked on the front line, and not at all out of place in a romantic comedy. Do give this one a try – I thought it was wonderful.
For the first quarter of the book, every mention did disturb me, and tended to wrench me back into the real world – and I really wasn’t convinced that I was ready for comedy juxtaposed with a period that’s been a living hell for so many, particularly when we’re not yet at the end of it all and actually able to travel. But I have to say that it’s extremely well handled – and although I’d never have chosen it as a theme to read about, I did find that I stopped noticing every mention of masks, testing and lockdown and was drawn in by the characters I loved from the very beginning and their much needed escape to Corfu. On arrival, after a rather uncomfortable transfer in a fruit van along with the remaining watermelons, there’s a quite wonderful – and extremely funny – scene where the visitors to Sortilas are “processed” in a particularly unconventional way, and we meet some of the local characters who make this book the absolute joy that the author’s books unfailingly are.
Lucie is the loveliest focus for the story – brought up by her Aunt Meg (and fiercely protected) after the loss of her mum, she has a nice edge of sadness combined with an infectious sense of fun and capacity for happiness and laughter. And she couldn’t have a more entertaining companion than Gavin, her gay friend, who’s a wonderful mix of flamboyance and devil-may-care in his sparkly shorts while singing Cher’s greatest hits but shy and uncertain when things get a little more personal. Lucie’s love interest is Michalis (mmm, yes, he certainly pressed the right buttons for me too…), the village doctor who opens his surgery in the annex to the villa, just across the pool – we find out that his former life has had its moments too, and there’s one big issue, slowly revealed, that continues to plague him.
One of the very loveliest things about this book is the Corfiot community, the most wonderful collection of eccentric individuals all quite superbly drawn. I was a particular fan of Michalis’ sister Nyx, a little fierce as she wields her knives and machetes behind the counter of their father’s butcher’s shop, terrifying the poor customers who come in for their pork chops and rabbit, but who has a heart of gold along with a complete absence of any filter. And Miltos, who drives that fruit van like a Formula One car, refuses to believe that a man can be a nurse, and ensures Lucie becomes “Loosely” for the duration of their stay. And then there’s the centenarian twins who make elaborate wedding dresses, whether people need them or not – and perhaps the greatest tour-de-force of all, Melina, wielding her staff as organiser extraordinaire of the forthcoming festival of the Day of the Not Dead. And actually, I shouldn’t confine “wonderful characters” to the Corfiots – Gavin’s crush Simon, barista at the hospital coffee bar, is a great character too, and I just loved The Other Sharon Osbourne, the gobby nurse colleague who plays a great part in the story at a particularly critical point.
It’s a great story, with a few excellent moments of drama, plenty of poignancy, but with the next laugh never too far away. There’s a lovely attention to detail with the vivid settings and the delicious food (goodness, I could actually taste those kataifi…). The romantic content is perfectly done, strong and convincing, just right at an emotional level – and there’s a nice focus on family too, both Michalis’ and Lucie’s, bringing a tear to your eye amid the surrounding hilarity.
I will admit I had my doubts at the beginning – I thought the covid cloud was going to be inescapable – but this really was a book I thoroughly enjoyed. And the content I initially found less than comfortable? I’m more than happy to accept that it was a timely and appropriate tribute to those who worked on the front line, and not at all out of place in a romantic comedy. Do give this one a try – I thought it was wonderful.
April 1, 2021
Like me, you’ve probably been wondering how authors are going to deal with the pandemic crisis that has gripped the world for the last twelve months in their writing. I think there are going to be three ways of going about it. Firstly, people can set there books in some kind of world, either pre- or post-pandemic, where the crisis is not mentioned at all and life carries on as if it never happened, secondly it could be mentioned just in passing but largely ignored, or thirdly the author can deal with the issue head on and fully incorporate it into their writing. I have seem some discussion about what readers are going to be looking for in this regard, and I have seen mixed responses with some saying they are not ready to read about the pandemic in fiction yet because they turn to books to escape it, and some saying they would be happy to see books reflecting the reality of what we have been through. Horses for courses.
In her latest book, Mandy Baggot has firmly taken the third route and put a nurse and a doctor in the aftermath of the pandemic firmly at the heart of the story and has not shied away from exploring what these people have been put through over the past twelve months and how they are dealing with it. I think this is a very brave move, because there are people who are just not going to be ready for books that contain any reference to the difficulties the world has faced recently, especially those that are otherwise a light-hearted romance, but personally, I really enjoyed this book and felt that Mandy dealt with what could be a tricky subject with grace and compassion and honesty, whilst still retaining her trademark warmth and humour in a way that demonstrated great skill in her craft.
I love Mandy’s books for the escapism they provide, and this one is no different. Here she transports nurses Lucie and Gavin to the sun-drenched shores of Corfu, where they are taking a well-earned break from the stresses they have been under working in the NHS throughout 2020. But it is not that easy to relax whilst the after effects of the pandemic are still washing around the world. Doctor Michaelis has returned from the Greek mainland to his small home village in Corfu for similar reasons, not expecting to find romance with someone who really understands what he has been through, but fate always has other plans in romance novels!
Michaelis and Lucie are both great characters with lots of heart and some issues to work through, and they had fabulous chemistry. I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know them, as they got to know each other. I also absolutely adored Gavin and Michaelis’s sister, Nyx, who were larger than life and great fun to read. Mandy has also provided a fantastic cast of supporting characters, worthy of any greek tragedy or an instalment of the ‘My Big Fat Greek Wedding’ franchise, and the whole book is a performance a maximum drama, whilst still exploring some difficult issues sympathetically. I think the author has struck a great balance here between humour and pathos.
We all need a bit of escapism at the moment, and many of us long for those warm beaches and blue seas. Unfortunately, the world has not moved on maybe as far as Mandy imagined when she was writing this book, and foreign travel is going to be merely a memory for a bit longer I fear. So, this kind of armchair travel might be our only option for a while, and I for one will take it as the alternative for now. I know some people may feel like they don’t want to read about a world that is currently only wishful thinking, but I welcome the change of scene, even if it is only imaginary.
I admire Mandy for writing about the world as it actually is, rather than how we might wish it could be. I know not everyone will agree but, if you are a fan of Mandy’s books and are looking for that armchair escape, without shying away from our new reality, this is the book for you. A light, romantic, honest novel with a bittersweet kick.
In her latest book, Mandy Baggot has firmly taken the third route and put a nurse and a doctor in the aftermath of the pandemic firmly at the heart of the story and has not shied away from exploring what these people have been put through over the past twelve months and how they are dealing with it. I think this is a very brave move, because there are people who are just not going to be ready for books that contain any reference to the difficulties the world has faced recently, especially those that are otherwise a light-hearted romance, but personally, I really enjoyed this book and felt that Mandy dealt with what could be a tricky subject with grace and compassion and honesty, whilst still retaining her trademark warmth and humour in a way that demonstrated great skill in her craft.
I love Mandy’s books for the escapism they provide, and this one is no different. Here she transports nurses Lucie and Gavin to the sun-drenched shores of Corfu, where they are taking a well-earned break from the stresses they have been under working in the NHS throughout 2020. But it is not that easy to relax whilst the after effects of the pandemic are still washing around the world. Doctor Michaelis has returned from the Greek mainland to his small home village in Corfu for similar reasons, not expecting to find romance with someone who really understands what he has been through, but fate always has other plans in romance novels!
Michaelis and Lucie are both great characters with lots of heart and some issues to work through, and they had fabulous chemistry. I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know them, as they got to know each other. I also absolutely adored Gavin and Michaelis’s sister, Nyx, who were larger than life and great fun to read. Mandy has also provided a fantastic cast of supporting characters, worthy of any greek tragedy or an instalment of the ‘My Big Fat Greek Wedding’ franchise, and the whole book is a performance a maximum drama, whilst still exploring some difficult issues sympathetically. I think the author has struck a great balance here between humour and pathos.
We all need a bit of escapism at the moment, and many of us long for those warm beaches and blue seas. Unfortunately, the world has not moved on maybe as far as Mandy imagined when she was writing this book, and foreign travel is going to be merely a memory for a bit longer I fear. So, this kind of armchair travel might be our only option for a while, and I for one will take it as the alternative for now. I know some people may feel like they don’t want to read about a world that is currently only wishful thinking, but I welcome the change of scene, even if it is only imaginary.
I admire Mandy for writing about the world as it actually is, rather than how we might wish it could be. I know not everyone will agree but, if you are a fan of Mandy’s books and are looking for that armchair escape, without shying away from our new reality, this is the book for you. A light, romantic, honest novel with a bittersweet kick.
March 5, 2021
Thanks to Aria & Aries ,Netgalley, and author Mandy Baggot for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
4.5 stars
This book follows two friends that work as nurses, Lucie and Gavin, who travel to the Greek island of Corfu for some much needed R and R post COVID-19. While spending time on this beautiful island, Lucie and Gavin will meet the locals that will change their lives forever.
The author did a wonderful job allowing the reader glimpses into these nurses' minds as they recounted the virus surges and the tolls in took on them to watch people of all ages lose their lives to the virus. The people of the village were so much fun. I loved how they were willing to help Gavin and Lucie to enjoy their time on the island by including them in the daily life of the village and the festivals. Michalis and Lucie made a wonderful couple. They both worked in the medical field, which helped them understand the struggles they went through as well as the aftermath of feelings they still are dealing with. During her time on the island, Lucie was able to find her confidence again and helped to plan for a better future post COVID-19. The ending was so satisfying. Overall, this was a very enjoyable read and would make for a great beach/getaway read!
4.5 stars
This book follows two friends that work as nurses, Lucie and Gavin, who travel to the Greek island of Corfu for some much needed R and R post COVID-19. While spending time on this beautiful island, Lucie and Gavin will meet the locals that will change their lives forever.
The author did a wonderful job allowing the reader glimpses into these nurses' minds as they recounted the virus surges and the tolls in took on them to watch people of all ages lose their lives to the virus. The people of the village were so much fun. I loved how they were willing to help Gavin and Lucie to enjoy their time on the island by including them in the daily life of the village and the festivals. Michalis and Lucie made a wonderful couple. They both worked in the medical field, which helped them understand the struggles they went through as well as the aftermath of feelings they still are dealing with. During her time on the island, Lucie was able to find her confidence again and helped to plan for a better future post COVID-19. The ending was so satisfying. Overall, this was a very enjoyable read and would make for a great beach/getaway read!
February 21, 2021
I always love Mandy Baggot books: always beautiful scenery, laugh out loud moments and great romances. This was no exception (although the COVID references did surprise me at the start). It was the perfect setting in Corfu with some great and quirky characters ( Gavin and Nyx in particular) and a lovely sparky couple. Great characterisation anyway but I was rooting extra hard for these medic characters who’d faced the pandemic on the front line.
Perfect holiday read (if we are ever allowed to go on holiday again!)
Perfect holiday read (if we are ever allowed to go on holiday again!)
February 19, 2021
Perfect escapism on Corfu, complete with sun, adventure and romance - the perfect combination for these times! Follow Lucie and her best friend Gavin as they escape the stress of nursing Covid patients to gorgeous Corfu - not exactly the luxurious escape that Lucie was expecting as she’d left the arrangements to Gavin, as she is transported from the airport to their rural hideaway in the back of a fruit truck and fed some traditional Greek food - but turns out to be what they both need. Fun, funny and total escapism - the perfect beach (or back garden with a sandpit depending on lockdown!) read. Grab it and enjoy!
May 4, 2021
Staying Out for the Summer by Mandy Baggot is a romance about nurses and a doctor recovering after the pandemic. I usually enjoy Ms. Baggots romances, but I must admit this one was not my favorite. Lucie and her gay best friend Gavin are nurses, who take a much needed vacation to Greece, after the pandemic ends. There are several sweet romances for the characters, and some funny situations. If you enjoy romances, than I recommend this book. I will be reading more books by this author.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
April 20, 2021
There is little that makes me happier than a new book from Mandy Baggot, and I have to be extra disciplined not to just devour it the moment it arrives. And with this story and Lucie, Gavin, Meg and Michalis on Corfu, I got all the relief, laughter and enjoyment that I could have hoped for. Lucy and Gavin are nurses, working the front lines during the pandemic and still reeling from the aftereffects and worries for themselves, their families and on their own health. Waking up with a shorn head and a massive hangover, Lucie’s last memories of the night were fuzzy, but seeing Gavin’s eyebrow-less face has everything turned upside down. Being raised by her aunt after her mother’s untimely death when Lucie was little more than a toddler, she’s always been reluctant and careful – whether that was from being overprotected and sheltered from ‘dangers’ as a child, or her own internalization of the disappointment that her mother must have been – is still to be determined. But her aunt Meg has always been there – and this past year of not being able to see her up close and personal has worn on her – particularly the worries as Meg isn’t as spry as she once was. But, when she agrees to allow Gavin to book them a holiday away – her first in forever, she’s surprised by Meg’s reaction that she once loved Corfu and Lucie needs to get away and regroup.
Enter a ride from the airport in a fruit-seller's van, a remote house with gorgeous views, a town that promotes itself as the healthiest on the island and is soon to host a Not Dead festival, wild tortoises that send Gavin into fits of hysteria (to be honest – he's also afraid of butterflies) and plenty of interest and sunshine – the place may be just what they need. Until Michalis is cajoled, tricked – nay even pushed into opening an office in the spare house on the property Lucy and Gavin have rented, and he’s forced to face his own fears of leaving the hospital and what he views as a failure of being enough in his career as a pulmonologist.
What emerges alternates between laugh out loud antics, some true conversations and discussions from those on the front lines in the pandemic fight, and plenty of sun, liquor, older folks who simply barge ahead expecting their will be done as everyone finds their own new normal. With Michalis’ sister and father, with Meg and Lucie – and even Gavin’s never-ending search for his “one and only’ the story brings heart and hope to the forefront – and gives a nice moment of relief for everyone tired of the ‘what next’ with the pandemic.
I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.
Review first appeared at I am, Indeed
Enter a ride from the airport in a fruit-seller's van, a remote house with gorgeous views, a town that promotes itself as the healthiest on the island and is soon to host a Not Dead festival, wild tortoises that send Gavin into fits of hysteria (to be honest – he's also afraid of butterflies) and plenty of interest and sunshine – the place may be just what they need. Until Michalis is cajoled, tricked – nay even pushed into opening an office in the spare house on the property Lucy and Gavin have rented, and he’s forced to face his own fears of leaving the hospital and what he views as a failure of being enough in his career as a pulmonologist.
What emerges alternates between laugh out loud antics, some true conversations and discussions from those on the front lines in the pandemic fight, and plenty of sun, liquor, older folks who simply barge ahead expecting their will be done as everyone finds their own new normal. With Michalis’ sister and father, with Meg and Lucie – and even Gavin’s never-ending search for his “one and only’ the story brings heart and hope to the forefront – and gives a nice moment of relief for everyone tired of the ‘what next’ with the pandemic.
I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.
Review first appeared at I am, Indeed
April 11, 2021
I have been a fan of Mandy’s work for a while now. I love her feel good and light hearted stories with lead characters who are impossible to dislike. I read the synopsis for ‘Staying Out For The Summer’ and it certainly sounded like fun. So without further ado I grabbed my Kindle and settled down for a fun afternoon of reading. I absolutely loved reading ‘Staying Out For The Summer’ but more about that in a bit.
As soon as I started reading, I instinctively knew that I was in for a treat and then some. ‘Staying Out For The Summer’ came along at the right sort of time for me. I was feeling a little low and in need of a tonic and this book was certainly a tonic. I started chuckling away to myself from pretty early on and I kept chuckling away to myself throughout the story. To say that reading ‘Staying Out For The Summer’ became addictive is a huge understatement. I found I couldn’t put this book down for any length of time. It was almost as if I feared missing out on something or I risked breaking the hold that the book had developed over me. I raced my way through the story and all too quickly I reached the end. I found ‘Staying Out For The Summer’ to be a gripping read, which certainly did more to cheer me up than any medication could have done.
‘Staying Out For The Summer’ is superbly written but then I expect nothing less from Mandy. She certainly knows how to grab your attention and drawn you into what proves to be a beautifully told story. I was swept away by the characters and by the storylines. The book is certainly topical given that it involves the COVID19 pandemic but Mandy uses it to show just how hard pressed the National Health Service has been and the pressure that the staff have been under. I love the way in which Mandy describes Corfu so realistically that if I closed my eyes it would be easy to imaging that I was in Corfu with the sun beating down on my face. I felt as though I was part of the story and that’s thanks to Mandy’s very vivid and realistic storytelling.
In short, I thoroughly enjoyed reading ‘Staying Out For The Summer’ and I would definitely recommend it to other readers. I will certainly be reading more of Mandy’s work in the future. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.
As soon as I started reading, I instinctively knew that I was in for a treat and then some. ‘Staying Out For The Summer’ came along at the right sort of time for me. I was feeling a little low and in need of a tonic and this book was certainly a tonic. I started chuckling away to myself from pretty early on and I kept chuckling away to myself throughout the story. To say that reading ‘Staying Out For The Summer’ became addictive is a huge understatement. I found I couldn’t put this book down for any length of time. It was almost as if I feared missing out on something or I risked breaking the hold that the book had developed over me. I raced my way through the story and all too quickly I reached the end. I found ‘Staying Out For The Summer’ to be a gripping read, which certainly did more to cheer me up than any medication could have done.
‘Staying Out For The Summer’ is superbly written but then I expect nothing less from Mandy. She certainly knows how to grab your attention and drawn you into what proves to be a beautifully told story. I was swept away by the characters and by the storylines. The book is certainly topical given that it involves the COVID19 pandemic but Mandy uses it to show just how hard pressed the National Health Service has been and the pressure that the staff have been under. I love the way in which Mandy describes Corfu so realistically that if I closed my eyes it would be easy to imaging that I was in Corfu with the sun beating down on my face. I felt as though I was part of the story and that’s thanks to Mandy’s very vivid and realistic storytelling.
In short, I thoroughly enjoyed reading ‘Staying Out For The Summer’ and I would definitely recommend it to other readers. I will certainly be reading more of Mandy’s work in the future. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.
April 5, 2021
I’m ashamed to say it’s a good few years since I’ve picked up a book by Mandy Baggot and that is such a travesty as reading Staying Out for the Summer was just the tonic I needed. I promise I won’t leave such a long gap for my next Mandy Baggot story. Staying Out for the Summer is such a wonderful, fun, flirty, slightly bonkers read, I enjoyed it so much I could read it all over again and I probably will!
I wasn’t sure how I’d feel reading a novel that has snippets of the covid pandemic in it’s storyline but as we have lived through this situation for over a year now it has become the norm so to include it makes the characters seem that more relatable and you can understand and appreciate their current state of mind. The author, Mandy Baggot, has been very sensitive about this aspect of the storyline and it isn’t the main focus and I felt like she dealt with it with grace and humanity.
This is a story of two best friends; Gavin and Lucie, who are also nurses on the same ward at a hospital in Southampton. Life has been very gruelling for these best friends and in need of rest, recuperation and escape the pair book a holiday to Greece.
As soon as Gavin and Lucie arrive at their destination they start to realise that this holiday is going to be memorable as the Greek village they are staying in is full of strange traditions, quirky villagers and wildlife a plenty. I loved the sound of this village with it’s picturesque landscape and traditional Greek outlook on life. One of my favourite characters from the story was the multi talented taxi driver, Miltos. He seemed to appear out of the blue and always at a time when you needed him the most. He also made you feel very welcomed to the village and to his family.
Gavin’s character was vivacious, cheeky but he also had a vulnerability about him especially when it came to love interests. Lucie was very warm-hearted, kind but held an anxiety about her mainly due to her upbringing. She’s felt afraid to let herself go and try new challenges and thinks the past is holding her back. When Lucie meets Michalis on their first day an instant attraction is made but as she learns he is a Doctor a sort of bonding between the working life during a pandemic is made. As Lucie and Michalis spend more time together friendship soon blossoms into more but is this just a holiday romance?
Mandy Baggot has written such a glorious escapism read whisking you off to sunny climes with new cultures to learn and discover the delicious sounding local dishes. It’s a comforting, warm-hearted story that brings plenty of smiles your way.
I wasn’t sure how I’d feel reading a novel that has snippets of the covid pandemic in it’s storyline but as we have lived through this situation for over a year now it has become the norm so to include it makes the characters seem that more relatable and you can understand and appreciate their current state of mind. The author, Mandy Baggot, has been very sensitive about this aspect of the storyline and it isn’t the main focus and I felt like she dealt with it with grace and humanity.
This is a story of two best friends; Gavin and Lucie, who are also nurses on the same ward at a hospital in Southampton. Life has been very gruelling for these best friends and in need of rest, recuperation and escape the pair book a holiday to Greece.
As soon as Gavin and Lucie arrive at their destination they start to realise that this holiday is going to be memorable as the Greek village they are staying in is full of strange traditions, quirky villagers and wildlife a plenty. I loved the sound of this village with it’s picturesque landscape and traditional Greek outlook on life. One of my favourite characters from the story was the multi talented taxi driver, Miltos. He seemed to appear out of the blue and always at a time when you needed him the most. He also made you feel very welcomed to the village and to his family.
Gavin’s character was vivacious, cheeky but he also had a vulnerability about him especially when it came to love interests. Lucie was very warm-hearted, kind but held an anxiety about her mainly due to her upbringing. She’s felt afraid to let herself go and try new challenges and thinks the past is holding her back. When Lucie meets Michalis on their first day an instant attraction is made but as she learns he is a Doctor a sort of bonding between the working life during a pandemic is made. As Lucie and Michalis spend more time together friendship soon blossoms into more but is this just a holiday romance?
Mandy Baggot has written such a glorious escapism read whisking you off to sunny climes with new cultures to learn and discover the delicious sounding local dishes. It’s a comforting, warm-hearted story that brings plenty of smiles your way.
April 4, 2021
I gave this a 4 stars or 8/10. It is the perfect read to help you escape real life and immerse yourself in the lives of others
Told during the current world that we live in, Staying out for the Summer is set in 2021 and all that the world has thrown at us. Who doesn't want to escape the country that they live in to travel abroad to get away from it all? I for one am looking forward to getting away at some point, as I am sure are many of you.
Lucie is no different than many of us in that respect, she's looking forward to travelling to Corfu to escape her current life to relax and get away from work for a while as she's been among the thick of things in her role in the NHS. Things don't always go to plan though and in some ways, that's what makes for a good romance. The lead up to the ultimate conclusion of boy winning the girl or man winning the woman, it's a story as old as time.
Mandy Baggot has a way with words and sets the scene well both in the UK and in the Greek setting that she knows so well, due to her obvious love of Greece and all things Greek including the men.
I particularly smiled at the detailing of the ball shaped pieces of food, that Michalis was given to eat by his sister that had been served up in the skull of a sheep. I had to read the passage twice and her comment saying, ' ''Then I serve them in the skull. Like balls for brains! Ha!'' ' I am not sure that it would make me fancy eating them to be honest, but I bet they were far yummier than they sounded.
If you enjoy a romance that has plenty of escapism, then this is the book for you. Grab a copy and make yourself a cocktail or two, to enjoy while reading the story and you could almost make believe that you were sat by the pool or on the beach, watching the story develop before your own eyes.
My thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this in exchange for an honest review.
Told during the current world that we live in, Staying out for the Summer is set in 2021 and all that the world has thrown at us. Who doesn't want to escape the country that they live in to travel abroad to get away from it all? I for one am looking forward to getting away at some point, as I am sure are many of you.
Lucie is no different than many of us in that respect, she's looking forward to travelling to Corfu to escape her current life to relax and get away from work for a while as she's been among the thick of things in her role in the NHS. Things don't always go to plan though and in some ways, that's what makes for a good romance. The lead up to the ultimate conclusion of boy winning the girl or man winning the woman, it's a story as old as time.
Mandy Baggot has a way with words and sets the scene well both in the UK and in the Greek setting that she knows so well, due to her obvious love of Greece and all things Greek including the men.
I particularly smiled at the detailing of the ball shaped pieces of food, that Michalis was given to eat by his sister that had been served up in the skull of a sheep. I had to read the passage twice and her comment saying, ' ''Then I serve them in the skull. Like balls for brains! Ha!'' ' I am not sure that it would make me fancy eating them to be honest, but I bet they were far yummier than they sounded.
If you enjoy a romance that has plenty of escapism, then this is the book for you. Grab a copy and make yourself a cocktail or two, to enjoy while reading the story and you could almost make believe that you were sat by the pool or on the beach, watching the story develop before your own eyes.
My thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this in exchange for an honest review.
April 17, 2021
Mandy Baggot never fails to write uplifting and humorous storylines and even within this storyline she covers the pandemic with natural aplomb. Granted we all want that book that carries you away from your current life situation and everything going on in the world, but at least in this case it’s discreetly discussed with reverence and with some lightness of being!
Lucie is a Nurse and she is ready to shed the lockdown and is headed off to Greece! Her friend Gavin has promised a perfect getaway and she hopes he had it under control because he can be a disorganized person where as she is a person who likes to know what is happening and when.
The Island goes into a lockdown and Lucie is not the only one who is starting to have nightmares. Dr. Michael Andino has returned for a respite and has been talked into holding a village clinic three days a week while he is on vacation. However, the lockdown has him in a state of quarandary and Nurse Lucie recognizes the signs.
Will this trip be a relaxing trip or a trip or horrors? What about the Doctor looking for time off? His family has mixed feelings of him being home! Does Gavin put a spoke into everyones wheels on this trip? Will a new COVID outbreak occur. Read this book for the twists and turns!
I received a free advanced copy from NetGalley and these are my willingly given thoughts and opinions.
Lucie is a Nurse and she is ready to shed the lockdown and is headed off to Greece! Her friend Gavin has promised a perfect getaway and she hopes he had it under control because he can be a disorganized person where as she is a person who likes to know what is happening and when.
The Island goes into a lockdown and Lucie is not the only one who is starting to have nightmares. Dr. Michael Andino has returned for a respite and has been talked into holding a village clinic three days a week while he is on vacation. However, the lockdown has him in a state of quarandary and Nurse Lucie recognizes the signs.
Will this trip be a relaxing trip or a trip or horrors? What about the Doctor looking for time off? His family has mixed feelings of him being home! Does Gavin put a spoke into everyones wheels on this trip? Will a new COVID outbreak occur. Read this book for the twists and turns!
I received a free advanced copy from NetGalley and these are my willingly given thoughts and opinions.
April 1, 2021
Nobody writes about the Greek islands better than Mandy Baggot!
Lucie and her best friend Gavin work together and play together; after the year they've endured fighting the global pandemic, they are more in need of a break than most. When Gavin proposes a holiday as lockdown eases, Lucie puts her faith in him and gives him free rein to book it all, and they head for their break on the idyllic Greek island of Corfu. A landslide puts the village into a local lockdown and Lucie is thrown together with Michalis Andino, the local doctor - and none too shabby in the looks and charisma department either! Not quite the dream holiday, but perhaps one which will change her life?
I've read a lot of novels by this author and there is no doubt that her love for all things Greek shines through her writing and adds to the magical quality of this story. This is a wonderful tribute to the hardworking nurses who gave so much of themselves to fight Coronavirus. No travel agent could do a better job of convincing me of the delights of Corfu but in addition this is a delightful story with gorgeous, appealing characters. Full of fun and laughter as well as romance, I really enjoyed this one. It has everything going for it and will definitely raise your spirits - something we could all do with right now. 4.5* and my recommendation.
Lucie and her best friend Gavin work together and play together; after the year they've endured fighting the global pandemic, they are more in need of a break than most. When Gavin proposes a holiday as lockdown eases, Lucie puts her faith in him and gives him free rein to book it all, and they head for their break on the idyllic Greek island of Corfu. A landslide puts the village into a local lockdown and Lucie is thrown together with Michalis Andino, the local doctor - and none too shabby in the looks and charisma department either! Not quite the dream holiday, but perhaps one which will change her life?
I've read a lot of novels by this author and there is no doubt that her love for all things Greek shines through her writing and adds to the magical quality of this story. This is a wonderful tribute to the hardworking nurses who gave so much of themselves to fight Coronavirus. No travel agent could do a better job of convincing me of the delights of Corfu but in addition this is a delightful story with gorgeous, appealing characters. Full of fun and laughter as well as romance, I really enjoyed this one. It has everything going for it and will definitely raise your spirits - something we could all do with right now. 4.5* and my recommendation.
April 6, 2021
This is a lovely laugh out loud romantic comedy set mainly in Corfu. There are many humorous moments and countless romantic encounters. Set in a post-Covid19 world, it acknowledges the courage of key workers and the effect on our everyday lives of the pandemic.
There is so much to enjoy in this story. Passionate romance, vibrant characters and the vivid setting make this story full of drama, humour and poignancy, come alive, letting the reader escape to the sunshine. There was one aspect I didn't enjoy, and that was the setting in the butcher's shop and the associated humour. I have strong beliefs about animals, so this element was tough to read for me. Overall this is an engaging story.
I received a copy of this book from 'Head of Zeus-Aria' via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
March 31, 2021
Although on the one hand, this is an escape to the glorious island of Corfu, Coronavirus is never too far away as it is very much part of the working lives of the central characters. This roots the story very firmly in the present and taps into people's desire to escape to the sun. Corfu shimmers in the sunshine and is an eyeopener to Lucie who has demons of her own stemming from the death of her mother years ago. Away from home, she begins to gain in confidence and re-assess her wishes for the future and her relationship with her great- aunt who has been a substitute mother figure to her.
There are plenty of humorous moments because of the antics of the Greek villagers. Lucie's best friend Gavin is also good value with his larger than life personality but he too develops a more thoughtful side. You realise early on that Michaelis has returned home from the mainland with issues to work through and the chemistry between him and Lucie is obvious. Family ties and responsibilities are themes which run through the story. In all, it is a warm story which captures the way of life and transports you to the sunshine!
In short: Escape to Corfu
Thanks to the publisher for a copy of the book
There are plenty of humorous moments because of the antics of the Greek villagers. Lucie's best friend Gavin is also good value with his larger than life personality but he too develops a more thoughtful side. You realise early on that Michaelis has returned home from the mainland with issues to work through and the chemistry between him and Lucie is obvious. Family ties and responsibilities are themes which run through the story. In all, it is a warm story which captures the way of life and transports you to the sunshine!
In short: Escape to Corfu
Thanks to the publisher for a copy of the book
September 1, 2022
Piacevole, molto bene ambientato come tutte le storie della Baggott, questa volta nell'incantevole isola di Corfù, tra paesani sopra le righe, un medico affascinante e un'infermiera inglese in vacanza. Intreccia la spensieratezza agli strascichi a livello emotivo per infermieri e medico dopo il periodo della pandemia.
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