by Sue Roberts
‘Elsie, that’s really very good.’ I am looking at the picture that this grey-haired lady has produced: a stone church with a huge tree near the entrance, the leaves of which are beginning to turn a pale yellow as autumn approaches. ‘And to think you once told me that you enjoyed painting but weren’t very good at it,’ I tell her.
‘Ah, but that was before I had a good teacher like you. The tutor at the library sessions spent half her time on her phone, as I recall,’ Elsie huffs, as she dabs at her painting.
Elsie is the lady I met in town on the day I was sketching the ferry at the pier head. She was thrilled to hear of the painting classes and now takes a fifteen-minute bus journey across town, every Saturday morning, to be here. We have eight people in total for the eight-week courses, which is a bit of a squeeze, but I was surprised and delighted to find that there was soon a waiting list for tuition.
Max and I are going for dinner tonight with Kerry and her new boyfriend Chris, who is a barber and runs a very busy shop a few miles away from here. She’s currently renting a small flat, although she tells me things are going so well with Chris that she’s sure it won’t be long before they’ll be looking for somewhere to live together. Ria is still single, although the bearded guy with the unusual painting seems to have caught her eye. So, you never know.
And Mum and me? Well, we continue to rebuild our relationship, which I have to say is going really well. We’ve had quite a few meet-ups for lunch, sometimes with Lexie, sometimes without, and she hasn’t cancelled a single one. It’s her birthday soon and I’m going to surprise her with a trip to the theatre to watch Michael Bublé. I can’t wait to see her face.
As the afternoon comes to a close, Max texts to say that he can’t remember if he booked the restaurant for this evening or not and, if he didn’t, would anyone mind a takeaway at home followed by a few beers at the local pub?
I tap out a reply to tell him that I’m sure no one will mind. It’s about the company just as much as the food, and he replies with a heart emoji and a dozen kisses.
As I lock the door of the shop, I cast my eyes upwards and offer a silent prayer of thanks for my life, which is as near perfect as it can be. Something I will never, ever take for granted again.
Can’t get enough of Sue’s escapist holiday reads? Return to the Greek islands and get swept away by the sunshine, laughs and mouth-watering food in My Big Greek Summer! The perfect sunny beach read.
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My Big Greek Summer
‘A fantastic story… laugh-out-loud… I literally flew through the pages. I loved every minute.’ The Cosiest Corner
A holiday can solve everything… can’t it? A hilarious, hot new summer escape about kissing your past goodbye and learning to love again…
Carefree, thirty-something Mandy thought she’d be married to first-love Danny forever.
So when she discovers her heart-throb husband has had a fling, she realises it’s time to make some BIG changes. But what will Mandy do now she’s single for the first time in her adult life?
Determined to find her spark again, Mandy hops on a plane, ready for adventure and a second chance at happiness. Escaping to a sun-drenched Greek island, the glittering blue seas, golden beaches and delicious cocktails are exactly what she needs.
Over one spontaneous summer, Mandy has the time of her life making new friends in a pretty little Mediterranean village by the sea. And she finds herself unexpectedly falling for a tall, dark, handsome stranger. But Mandy soon realises that even paradise has its problems…
Can a holiday romance really heal her broken heart? Or will someone in Mandy’s old life call her home again?
A hilarious feel-good story of laughter, sunshine and living life to the full, perfect for fans of Kat French, Jenny Oliver and Carole Matthews.
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Books by Sue Roberts
My Big Greek Summer
My Very Italian Holiday
You, Me and Italy
A Very French Affair
As Greek as it Gets
Some Like It Greek
AVAILABLE IN AUDIO
My Big Greek Summer (UK listeners | US listeners)
A Letter from Sue Roberts
Dear reader,
I want to say a huge thank you for choosing to read As Greek As It Gets. It was such a joy to return to the Greek islands and I hope you enjoyed the journey too! If you did enjoy it, and want to keep up to date with all my latest releases, just sign up at the following link. Your email address will never be shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.
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I hope you loved As Greek As It Gets and, if you did, I would be very grateful if you could write a review. I’d love to hear what you think, and it makes such a difference helping new readers to discover one of my books for the first time. It also gives me an idea of readers’ likes and dislikes!
I love hearing from my readers – you can get in touch on my Facebook page, through Twitter, Goodreads or on my website.
Thanks,
Sue Roberts
Facebook: Suerobertsauthor
Twitter: @suerobertsauthor
My Very Italian Holiday
A beautiful guesthouse, a fresh start and a hunky Italian. Does it sound too good to be true?
When Gina arrives in Lake Como, thousands of miles away from her life in the Lake District, she wonders if she’s bitten off more than she can chew. Working for Fabio, running his lakeside hotel, seemed like a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. After her world was tragically turned upside down, breaking her heart in the process, she was in desperate need of a fresh start. Plus, it didn’t hurt that Fabio was easy on the eyes…
But it’s not all picturesque mountains, pizza and prosecco. The crumbling guesthouse that Fabio has inherited from his family needs some serious TLC. Is she up to the challenge?
As Gina and Fabio work in close quarters, sparks start to fly. But Fabio has a secret he is scared to share, and Gina has her past to come to terms with. Does her heart belong back home or is a life in the sun – with a very handsome Italian – just the change of scenery she needs?
Escape to the gorgeous mountains and glittering Lake Como in Northern Italy! This laugh-out-loud funny and feel-good story of starting over and living life to the max is perfect for fans of Kat French, Jenny Oliver and Carole Matthews.
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A Very French Affair
From Southport to the South of France – this is going to be a summer to remember!
Life just got a whole lot more complicated for thirty-eight-year-old single mum Liv. Her son Jake is practically perfect in every way, but he’s started asking some difficult questions, and the answers lie in a holiday romance twenty years ago. Back when Liv was staying with her aunt on the French Riviera…
Returning to the Cote d’Azur, with its white sandy beaches, her supportive aunt, and exquisite wine and cheese is harder than it sounds though. Because – if she’s going to give Jake the answers he needs – Liv knows she has to hunt down her first love Andre. And since she’s a professional baker rather than a professional investigator, she doesn’t even have a clue where to start.
At first, finding the one that got away proves even trickier than she thought. And if she succeeds, how will he take the bombshell secret Liv has been keeping? Liv has to do the best thing for her family, but does that mean closing the door on this very French affair?
A joyful, laugh-out-loud story about second chances, secrets and sunshine! The perfect summer read for fans of Carole Matthews, Jenny Colgan and Sophie Kinsella.
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You, Me and Italy
Three best friends, Italian sunshine and a handsome stranger can fix just about anythin
g… Can’t it?
Maisie Knight had it all. A gorgeous husband. A successful business. A beautiful home. Until one day, after walking into the storeroom of their shop, she loses it all at once – catching her husband cheating on her with the girl from Checkout 3. So when she wins a holiday to Italy, a week under the Tuscan sun couldn’t come sooner.
Treating best friends Cheryl and Emma to a girl’s trip, the terracotta-roofed Villa Marisa on a rustic farm awaits them. The fields of golden sunflowers could be the perfect cure for Maisie’s broken heart – and local farmer, suspiciously perfect Gianni, with his thick black hair and twinkling brown eyes is a welcome distraction from her broken heart.
Mornings waking up to freshly brewed coffee and views of the rolling hills, moped rides with cheeky Italians, and feasts of prosecco and pasta help Maisie forget her troubles. After all her heartache, she’s surprised when she starts opening up to Gianni – she’s even more surprised when the temperature rises and it’s not just the rays of the Italian sunshine…
Maisie could get used to the good life. But just as she’s getting her spark back, disaster strikes. The next thing she knows, her past is catching up with her, reopening old wounds and Maisie has a life-changing decision to make. Should she say ciao to her summer of love and limoncello?
A laugh-out-loud page turner about second chances, finding happiness when you least expect it and the restorative power of Italian food! Fans of Carole Matthews and Sophie Kinsella will be totally hooked by.
Some Like It Greek
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There’s nothing like a summer escape. A sun-kissed story about living life to the full.
In the month-from-hell, incurable optimist Anna has lost her father and her job, and her trademark smile is dimming. Clearing out her dad’s house, she discovers a postcard of a beautiful sandy beach and a map with a route plotted to the Greek island of Kefalonia. With an empty summer stretching ahead, Anna’s eyes stray to her father’s old camper van. Next thing she knows, she’s hitting the road with friend Demi in tow, on a course from Salford to Skala!
Over one unforgettable summer, Anna and Demi make their rickety way along the sparkling Mediterranean coast, the hot sun shining down on their frequent mishaps with cheerful local characters. It’s the trip of a lifetime, and the scent of lemons in the air – as well as an unexpected romance – are just what Anna needs to awaken her inner Greek goddess.
But there are big surprises in store when they arrive at the island paradise, which could change both women’s lives forever. And as summer comes to an end, Anna has to decide whether she has had enough of the Greek life, or whether this is only just the beginning…
A joyful, hilarious summer read, perfect for fans of Carole Matthews, Jenny Colgan and Sophie Kinsella.
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Acknowledgements
I would like to say a huge thanks to my fabulous editor, Emily Gowers, for her wonderful work on this book and her complete faith in the story. Planning a big wedding can be a bit daunting and last year I escaped to the sun for my own wedding, just the two of us!
Thanks also go, as ever, to all the wonderful Bookouture staff, including Kim Nash and Noelle Holten, who love to shout about our books.
And, of course, many thanks to all you wonderful readers and bloggers! Without you our stories would probably never be read by anyone other than ourselves. Much love.
Published by Bookouture in 2020
An imprint of Storyfire Ltd.
Carmelite House
50 Victoria Embankment
London EC4Y 0DZ
www.bookouture.com
Copyright © Sue Roberts, 2020
Sue Roberts has asserted her right to be identified as the author of this work.
eBook ISBN: 978-1-83888-669-1
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in any retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publishers.
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, organizations, places and events other than those clearly in the public domain, are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental.
