A pleasant read that doesn't manage to fulfil its potential.
Rating: 2.1/5
As someone who has enjoyed numerous holidays on the Greek islands, I was one of the many millions who was regularly glued to television adaptation of Gerald Durrell's Corfu trilogy. That being the case, I couldn't resist the temptation to pick up this debut novel from Melanie Hewitt.
Taking advantage of the warm summer sunshine, I read most of this book whilst sitting in the garden, which helped to create the ideal kind of ambience for this type of read. I really enjoyed the early sections. I have never been to Corfu, but the imagery was mentally transporting me back to the many happy times I have spent on other Greek islands. I found the key protagonist, Penny, engaging. Her backstory and the events leading to her making the trip to Corfu drew me in nicely and I was genuinely emotionally invested in her voyage of discovery and keen to see where events would lead.
Unfortunately, as the story progressed, I became less, rather than more, interested. From around the 40% mark the narrative started to detour increasingly into Mills & Boon territory. What had promised to be a moving, poignant, but ultimately uplifting story - inspired by Penny's relationship with her father and their shared love and admiration of the Durrells, set against an idyllic and inspiring Greek island backdrop - became little more than just another piece of romantic fiction that could have been set anywhere.
Ultimately, this was pleasant enough piece of reading material - and I enjoyed the opportunity it presented to sit in the sunshine and reminisce about holidays gone by - but it left me with an overriding feeling of disappointment and unfulfilled potential.
As someone who has enjoyed numerous holidays on the Greek islands, I was one of the many millions who was regularly glued to television adaptation of Gerald Durrell's Corfu trilogy. That being the case, I couldn't resist the temptation to pick up this debut novel from Melanie Hewitt.
Taking advantage of the warm summer sunshine, I read most of this book whilst sitting in the garden, which helped to create the ideal kind of ambience for this type of read. I really enjoyed the early sections. I have never been to Corfu, but the imagery was mentally transporting me back to the many happy times I have spent on other Greek islands. I found the key protagonist, Penny, engaging. Her backstory and the events leading to her making the trip to Corfu drew me in nicely and I was genuinely emotionally invested in her voyage of discovery and keen to see where events would lead.
Unfortunately, as the story progressed, I became less, rather than more, interested. From around the 40% mark the narrative started to detour increasingly into Mills & Boon territory. What had promised to be a moving, poignant, but ultimately uplifting story - inspired by Penny's relationship with her father and their shared love and admiration of the Durrells, set against an idyllic and inspiring Greek island backdrop - became little more than just another piece of romantic fiction that could have been set anywhere.
Ultimately, this was pleasant enough piece of reading material - and I enjoyed the opportunity it presented to sit in the sunshine and reminisce about holidays gone by - but it left me with an overriding feeling of disappointment and unfulfilled potential.