Christmas Reads – In the Greek Midwinter by Mandy Baggot

Welcome to my final Christmas Reads blog of 2023. My featured read today is In the Greek Midwinter by Mandy Baggot. Who doesn’t want a trip to gorgeous Greece? Grab a cuppa, get cosy and let’s get talking to Mandy about the inspiration behind this hilarious romcom.

It was supposed to be a holiday of a lifetime…

But when Jen’s boyfriend David suddenly cancels their romantic Paris trip, needing to urgently travel to Athens for work, it’s best friend Bonnie who suggests they surprise him.

Having already booked the time off from her events company – Christmas Every Day – Jen decides an impromptu and romantic gesture might be just what their relationship needs.

Arriving in Greece and finding David is not there, Jen has a lot of questions. And when she gets her answers she has a choice – should she go home or should she stay awhile?

With the help of Astro, the handsome yet Christmas-hating waiter from the local bar, she sets about a little Greek Christmas research. But what starts as a ‘business trip’ soon turns into something more…

You can get a copy of the book here: https://amzn.to/3T9DLdb

Welcome back to my blog, Mandy. Can you tell us what inspired you to write this book?

My latest release, In the Greek Midwinter, is the first winter book I have based in Greece. It’s set in the beautiful capital of Athens and I had to pop over and do plenty of research, obviously!

It wasn’t my first trip to Athens, and I often travel through it in the winter enroute to Corfu, but this one was a bit special. I got to see how absolutely glorious the city is wrapped up in its sparkling Christmas finery. And Athenians know what they are doing when it comes to decorations! From the minute you walk off the plane and enter the terminal at Eleftherios Venizelos you are greeted with baubles and lights hanging from the ceiling and the sound of festive music in the air. That continues into the city itself with shooting star lights across the highways, ice white fairy-lights wrapped around limbs of trees, doors to stores gift-wrapped like they’re presents and one of the highlights of the city, the display in Syntagma Square. Here there is a big Christmas tree decorated in golden lights with reindeer, presents and snowflakes hanging from the boughs. And at night it really comes to life when it’s all lit up. It really is a magical place.

The area where In the Greek Midwinter is mainly set is just below the Acropolis. Here there are steps leading up the hill with bars and tavernas either side, steeped in fairy-lights with cushions on the steps to sit also. Here I created a fictional bar – Bar Páme – where my hero, Astro works and first meets my heroine, Jen. This is one of my favourite locations in the Plaka district of Athens. It’s the perfect place to sit and people-watch and have a coffee or some delicious Greek cuisine.

I would highly recommend Athens as a winter destination – why not take a short break and discover it for yourself! And maybe take a copy of In the Greek Midwinter with you!

It sounds divine, Mandy! Thank you for dropping by to tell us about your book.

BUY In the Greek Midwinter: https://amzn.to/3T9DLdb

Meet Mandy

Author Bio:

Mandy Baggot is an award-winning, bestseller of romantic fiction. In 2016 her novel, One Wish in Manhattan, was shortlisted for the Romantic Novelists’ Association Romantic Comedy of the Year award. Her other titles include Under a Greek Sun and In the Greek Midwinter.

Mandy splits her time between Salisbury, UK and Corfu, Greece and when she isn’t writing about gorgeous heroes, Greek summers, and cosy Christmases, she enjoys drinking wine, shopping for handbags, and watching her racehorses compete!

Mandy also took part in BBC1’s Ready Steady Cook with Greek celebrity chef, Akis Petretzikis.

Author contact links

Twitter: @mandybaggot

Facebook: @mandybaggotauthor

Instagram: @mandybaggot

Website: www.mandybaggot.com

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