My Map of You

by Isabelle Broom

Allow yourself to be transported to the stunning Greek island of Zakynthos in this heart-warming and poignant novel

'A beautiful story of heartbreak and forgiveness' Giovanna Fletcher

With its perfect blue skies, white sandy beaches and crystal clear waters, Zakynthos should be a dream.

But for Holly it feels more like a nightmare.

Arriving on the island to clear out a house she's just inherited, Holly has no idea what to expect. And she's certainly not prepared for the family secrets she uncovers inside.

With the help of Aidan, her handsome neighbour, Holly sets out to explore the island, hoping to piece together her own lost story. Yet all too soon real life, including the boyfriend she left behind, threatens to catch up with her.

Holly thinks she's following the secrets of the past . . .

But might it turn out to be a map to her future?

'A brilliantly evocative debut' Paige Toon

'A heart-warming, charming tale of love, family and gorgeous Greece. I adored it' Milly Johnson

'Combines a wonderful setting with the poignancy of self-discovery and a touching romance' Katie Fforde

• ISBN10: 1405925272
• ISBN13: 9781405925273
• Publish Date: 21 April 2016
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: GB
• Imprint: Penguin Books Ltd
• Format: Paperback (B-Format (198x129 mm))
• Pages: 432
• Language: English
• URL: https://penguinrandomhouse.ca/books/isbn/9781405925273

Reviews

[Emma (SCR)]

This review was originally posted on Star Crossed Reviews Thank you to Penguin Michael Joseph for accepting my request via Netgalley. This is Isabelle's debut book. I requested it for two reasons one was the cover and the second is that I am half Greek and love reading any books set in Greece.

Holly didn't know she had an aunt living on Zakynthos. When  she's left her aunts house in the will Holly decides to go there for 2 weeks. Her plan is to sort the house out and sell it on. But when she starts to go through her aunts things she's looking for the secret that tore her mum and her twin sister apart.

This story is quite heartbreaking but I loved every part of it.

I didnt like Rupert to begin with.  I didn't like that Holly couldn't be herself around him but in the end I felt a bit sorry for him.

Isabelle does an amazing job of describing the island. If I closed my eyes I felt like I was right there on the island too. I understood how Holly felt arriving on the island. I felt exactly the same way when I went to Sidari in Corfu. I felt like I was coming home.

I felt like this story was about more than just romance. While it was a part I felt like it was more the b story in this book and the book was more about Holly finding herself and believing that she is worth more.

I absolutely loved the epilogue to this story. This is the perfect escapism book for the summer and I can't wait to read more of Isabelle's books.

[Leah]

My Map of You is one of those books I've been dying to read. First off - just look at that gorgeous cover. If that doesn't make you want to head to your nearest airport and head to Greece right this minute, then reading the book will certainly do that. I am ITCHING to go and visit Greece. To see everything Holly saw. So the next time I go on holiday, I'm heading to Greece. Thanks, Isabelle! I also wanted to read this because I am alarmingly jealous of Isabelle's day job. She edits Heat's book reviews page, which is literally the DREAM JOB for a book lover. It has also seen the past three editors of that page become authors - Paige Toon, Jo Carnegie, and Isabelle!

I really, really enjoyed My Map of You. There was very little wrong with this book - in fact, the only thing that made me roll my eyes was the inevitable arrival of Rupert into Greece. Apart from that teensy thing, this book was fabulous. I love books set in exotic locations, and Isabelle very much brings Greece to life through the pages. I could feel the warmth of the sun, feel the sand between my feet, picture the gorgeous, clear-blue sea, it was magical. I'm almost sure that reading a book about a gorgeous sunny island can improve your mood 100%, because reading about Greece made me literally happy.

Holly's story was an interesting one, she was a very closed off person, not helped by the third-person narrative, and I'm very curious as to whether that was purposeful - because in first person, you really need a warm character, someone you can take to, and Holly was very self-sufficient. It made it hard to like her, because you almost felt detached from her life, like she was recounting her emotions, without actually feeling them. At least in London, anyway. I felt like she opened up more in Greece, as she found out more about her family, and the life her mother had lead before her death. It was a fascinating story, and I liked the little letters we saw between Jenny and Sandra, from years gone by. It helped open us up to the story more. The addition of Aidan, helped to soften Holly a little bit, too. And suffice to say, I loved Aiden's dog, Phelan.

Overall this was such an amazing story. Isabelle Broom is such a good storyteller and My Map of You is such an amazing read. The ending in particular made my heart so happy. If you don't warm to Holly immediately, persevere, she's worth persevering for, and if you'd had the life she'd had, you'd be closed off, too. I feel like this is just the start of Isabelle's fantastic fiction writing career, and I can't wait to see what she writes next. I'll be buying it the day of release.