Something woke her. Maddy peeled open her eyes, sticky with mascara that she hadn't taken off. Oh my God, what was the time...
The Blurb
She’s got dreams. Ludicrous, fanciful dreams to become a fashion designer.
But years spent caring for her adoptive mother and being a full-time breadwinner has forced Maddy to leave her dreams unspoken. It’s something of a family tradition – keeping secrets.
When her estranged aunt Tess invites her to spend the summer in Corfu, Maddy glimpses a different future. Designing a wedding dress for Adriana, daughter of the influential Gavros family, could be the break she needs.
However, the commission comes with conditions. And complications. Once again, Maddy must ignore her suspicions and stay quiet. And Kon, Adriana's uncle, is a complication she really doesn't need.
But they're not the only secrets she’s keeping…
As the summer unfolds and her secrets start to unravel, Maddy must decide: will she continue to live in the shadows of half-truths and compromise? Or finally find the courage to shape a life that’s truly her own?
My Review
This made for delightful reading, and I enjoyed every page.
For the past few years, Maddy has been working in admin whilst caring for her adoptive mother. Her dreams of being a designer have had to be shelved as she has had to financially and emotionally support her mum through her illness. When Maddy's mother dies, she is invited to Corfu to spend time with her estranged Aunt Tess.
For me, reading this during the winter months was glorious. For a short while, I was taken away from the grey, wet skies of England to sunny Corfu, and I very much enjoyed my time there while I got to know Maddy.
As a dressmaker myself, I loved all of the descriptions of the clothes that Maddy was designing and making once she was in Greece. Maddy clearly is very skilled, and I loved watching her gain confidence in her own abilities. She was a great character, and the author did a marvellous job in making her come alive on the page. Equally good were the secondary characters, who all help in the portrayal of her character.
I have been to Corfu and so could readily imagine the streets Maddy walked down. The descriptions of the Greek island are lovely. They are just enough to help the reader envisage the surroundings but without getting bogged down with paragraphs of descriptions. Instead, we see it through Maddy's eyes as she familiarises herself with Corfu.
The book has been well written, and the author understands her characters very well. Equally, I felt she had researched and spent time in Corfu in order to compose such a compelling atmosphere for her novel.
I have never read anything by this author before. I enjoyed it very much and will definitely be reading more of her work next year.
I can highly recommend this novel. If you would like an escape from the cold winter days, then this would be an ideal novel to snuggle down with.
Book Details
ISBN: 978 1918354003
Publisher: Key Title Books
Formats: e-book and paperback
No. of Pages: 297 (paperback)
Purchase Links
About the Author
Sara wanted to be a journalist when she was younger, and actually ended up on the dark side, in PR. From there, it was a short skip to writing for pleasure, and from there to drafting her first book, The Garden Plot. This is the first novel in a romance series where gardens feature in a BIG way - She inherited green fingers from her grandmother, and gardening is a passion.
She moved from London to East Yorkshire in 2019 and is loving the open skies and the green fields. And a HUGE garden! Although not a country girl, She has discovered the joys of very dark country lanes with no streetlights, septic tanks and ordering logs. Going from an underground tube or bus every three minutes, bus timetables in a small Yorkshire town have been a bit of a shock.
She loves being a writer although it's not her only job - yet. Over the years since she began, she has cultivated some wonderful friendships with readers and she loves hearing from anyone who has thoughts about the books and characters - and even about gardening!
You can also find Sara at:
(ARC and media courtesy of the author)
(all opinions are my own)
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