A few shorter reviews this week, before I join my last ever blog tour on Thursday. And how could I possibly resist a new book from Sandy Barker? I’m delighted today to share my review of her latest, My Big Greek Island Ex-Scape: published on 19th January by Boldwood Books, it’s now available as an e-book (free via Kindle Unlimited), in paperback and hardcover, and as an audiobook. My thanks to the publishers for my advance reading copy, provided via netgalley.
You’ll know by now that I’ve loved every book Sandy has ever written – you’ll find all my many reviews if you pop her name into the search bar. I know that might surprise some people – they can be a touch racy (that ages me instantly, doesn’t it?!) for an old lady like me, but I’ve always enjoyed the romance, the focus on female friendships, and her locations are always to die for. The Ever After Agency was a series that caught me up from the very beginning – an inspired and original idea, individuals who became my friends too, all those beautifully handled romances, and every story written in Sandy’s inimitable style.
So let’s take a look at her latest…
Ally Novak is perfectly happy being single – in fact, her career depends on it.
As the Divorced Diva – blogger, brand ambassador and businesswoman extraordinaire – she’s spun three failed marriages into gold, building a brand that celebrates single life.
So when her wealthy ex-husband Julian invites her to front his new wellness retreat, Ally jets off to his exclusive Greek island, certain it’ll be just another glamorous gig.
What she doesn’t expect is to find another ex on the island – the one who got away, and the only one she can’t forget.
Is fate handing her a second chance at love, or is it simply a case of too many exes in paradise?
A delightfully fun romantic caper set on the glorious Greek island of Aetheria, from the bestselling author of Match Me If You Can
With three ex-husbands behind her before turning thirty-two, Ally has turned her experiences into a highly successful career – establishing herself as The Divorced Diva with an on-line brand that’s very much in demand. But she has maintained a friendship with her filthy rich third husband, Julian – and agrees to be the face of the wellness resort he’s opening on his private Greek island.
On arrival, she’s surprised to find first husband Tommy working there too – their divorce was the one she most bitterly regretted, and there’s still more than a spark of attraction between them that she finds difficult to resist. Nothing can come of it, of course – taking up with him again would hardly be brand appropriate. And she wonders why he’s there anyway – their marriage break-up was because of his ambitious travel plans, but it seems he’s now working for Julian. And as well as Ally trying – and singularly failing – to resist Tommy, there’s something of a mystery developing too, that gathers speed as the story unfolds.
The whole setting is so vividly drawn – the luxurious accommodation, the personally tailored menus in the restaurant (with another hot man – the waiter – in attendance), the spa, the various outings with their photo opportunities. But the thing I particularly loved was Ally’s voice throughout the narrative – she’s immensely likeable, talking the reader through her tangled thoughts and feelings as she tries (and fails) to stay on the straight and narrow, to do the job she’s being paid for and walk away. The dialogue sparkles throughout too – and I really liked Ally’s relationship with her sister, not keeping her entirely in the loop for the first time ever for the most valid of reasons.
There are some particularly spicy moments – Ally has travelled with the necessary toys in her suitcase, but finds she doesn’t really need them after all. I’ll admit that the level of heat did rather exceed my expectations, although I know that can be quite a personal thing. But it was all just a bit more full-on than in the author’s other books, I thought – always very much in the context of the simmering romance, nothing gratuitous, but not entirely for me.
But the whole book really is tremendous fun, with plenty of laughter, and an intriguing element of mystery – and the more emotional moments are really nicely handled too. A well-told and very engaging story, with what I thought was the most perfect ending – and, despite my minor personal reservations around those more graphic scenes, this is a book I’d very much recommend to others.
About the author
Sandy Barker is a writer, traveller and hopeful romantic.
Sandy’s first novel, One Summer in Santorini, a romantic comedy set in Greece and inspired by her own real-life love story with her partner, Ben, was published in 2019 by One More Chapter (HarperCollins), launching the 5-book Holiday Romance series. Also with One More Chapter are her Christmas Romance series, celebrating her favourite time of year, and The Dating Game, a stand-alone romcom set in the world of Reality TV.
Sandy’s last 5-book romcom series with Boldwood Books was about the Ever After Agency, a bespoke matchmaking agency based in London, with a brilliant cast of characters and settings around the world.
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