My Greek Books
My Greek Books is back! I wish I could share all the books I’ve been reading with you, but since a few of them have yet to be published, mum’s the word—at least for now. I must admit it’s so cool to read books before they come out. But never fear, I have three novels to tell you about this month—two set in Greece, and the other set partially in Greece and in other locales. So, let’s get to it!
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On Dolphin Bay by Richard Clark
Independently published (July 9, 2025)
About the author
Brit Richard Clark is the author of 12 non-fiction books about Greece and seven novels set in Grece. His novels, including the The Vineyard in Crete, The Crete Walking Society, The Forgotten Song, Return to Turtle Beach, and The Lost Lyra are set on the island of Crete, which is his heart’s home. Richard splits his time between the UK and Crete, and his love for the island and its influence are evident in his work.
About the book
Georgia and Jack had a connection from childhood—one they couldn’t articulate or understand. When their path’s collide in Crete, their story together unfolds. But the pandemic and life drag them in multiple directions. Ultimately, they’re pulled back to Crete. Can the island free them from their troubled pasts? Can fate help them find love at last?
My Greek Books review
Richard Clark’s love for Crete shines through once again in On Dolphin Bay. It’s not simply a story of healing and second chances—it’s a love letter to Crete. It’s s special place that I love so much, but every time I read Richard’s books, I love it even more. Add it to your list!
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The Greek Proposal by Marjory McGinn
Pelagos Press (September 22, 2025)
About the author
Since I discovered her first memoir, Things Can Only Get Feta, I’ve read, reviewed, and loved all of Marjory McGinn’s books. The Scottish-born author and journalist spent her formative years in Australia, and now lives in Cornwall, England. She and her husband Jim moved to Greece in 2010, along with their cheeky dog Wallace. They stayed for four years and in different locations. Marjory chronicled their adventures in four bestselling travel memoirs–’Feta’, Homer’s Where the Heart Is, A Scorpion in the Lemon Tree, and A Donkey on the Catwalk–that highlight their love for Greece, plus tales of cultural flubs and crazy dogs, and the warm and colorful people they met along the way.
Marjory has written two novels in the ‘Bronte in Greece’ series, A Saint for the Summer and How Greek Is Your Love? . In 2023, she published a memoir called Wake Me Up for the Elephants, which shares her stories from her journalist days, when she traveled on press junkets to exotic places. Read my review here. (All books from Pelagos Press).
About the book
After a relationship ends, and slow healing from an accident, Isla decides to take a sabbatical. Her friend and Greek teacher Nektaria convinces Isla to go to Greece. Nektaria’s family has some villas in the Peloponnese, which her cousin Perry has beautifully renovated. Though Perry is handsome (and a bit mysterious), Isla senses Nektaria may have a matchmaking plan, but Isla is not interested. It’s rest and recovery she’s after.
As Isla settles in, she learns that Perry’s family has a dark past, one wishes to separate himself from. But his grandfather’s misdeeds continue to haunt him. Isla wonders if this is why Nektaria left Greece, considering her great love for her homeland. Her curiosity grows.
Then a journalist shows up in the village, with an incredible WWII story that links to Perry’s grandfather. Not wanting to call any more attention to his family, Perry sends her away. Intrigued, Isla is determined to help him uncover the truth. She enlists the help of her new local friends, including a handsome veterinarian she befriended after she took Perry’s dog in for a check. All this sleuthing draws her closer to Perry, but she doesn’t want to go there. As the three connect the dots that reveal a hero’s story, she finds herself with growing feelings. But which man has captured her heart?
My Greek Books review
With The Greek Proposal, Marjory McGinn whisks us away to Messinia for another adventure. She skillfully weaves the romance into a story that reveals an important and little-known history–the ill-fated Battle of Kalamata, fought in April 1941, that’s often described as the ‘Greek Dunkirk’.” We learn and we feel. Marjory brings the past to the forefront, while sharing a heartfelt love story you won’t want to miss.
Archipelago by Natalie Bakopoulos
Tin House Books (August 19,2025)
About the author
Born and raised near Detroit, MI, Natalie Bakopoulos is the daughter of a Greek father and Ukrainian mother. In 2015, she won a Fulbright Fellowship to Athens. She is currently an associate professor of creative writing at Wayne State University in Detroit. Natalie has published many short stories and essays, and her work has appeared in the New York Times and Fiction Writers Review. She is the recipient of numerous awards, including the Platsis Prize for work in the Greek Legacy through the Foundation of Modern Greek Studies at University of Michigan. Natalie has published two other novels, both of which are set in Greece: Scorpionfish (Tin House Books, 2020) and The Green Shore (Simon & Schuster, 2012).
About the book
An unnamed narrator travels to a writing residency on the Dalmatian coast, with plans to work on a book translation. There, she encounters Luka, an old friend. But something is off. He misremembers details of their friendship, and he calls her Natalia, the name of the protagonist in her book who also resembles her. But that’s not her name. And she does not correct him. They spend much time together, even becoming lovers.
After they split, she takes his car on a drive through several countries, ultimately arriving in Greece at her ancestral home in the Peloponnese. The narrator embarks on an impulsive odyssey with so many blurred lines: identity, age, family, borders, home. Will she find what she’s searching for? You’ll have to read it to find out.
My Greek Books review
Archipelago is the story of a search–a search for so many things. A search to figure out who we are as we enter midlife. For identity. A search for home. For the intersection of it all, and beyond. With her gorgeous, poetic writing, Natalie Bakopoulos crafted a tale that grabs you, burrows inside you, takes you along for the ride. Makes you reflect and consider. And sparks imagination. It’s so different than anything I’ve ever read. I devoured it in a few hours. The story grabbed hold of me, shook me. I began to examine things in my own life. And then all these creative ideas sprang forth. I can’t recall when last I reacted to a story this way. It’s one I’ll never forget. Get ready for a thought-provoking, modern-day Odyssey. This is a must-read.
My Greek Books—October 2025
That’s it for this month. Now you’ve got three more books to add to your to-be-read list! Check back next month for more My Greek Books. Til then, Happy Reading!
Read more:
My Greek Books—September 2024 Reads
My Greek Books—September 2023 Reads
