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Love & Olives by Jenna Evans Welch is a heartwarming and complex contemporary that has quickly become one of my favourites. Set in Greece, where the main characters are working on a documentary about Atlantis, this one will make readers both laugh and cry. I loved the complexity of each of the characters, and the theories of Atlantis throughout the story are explored in impressive detail. Fans of Love & Gelato will not be disappointed in this latest instalment.
Title: Love & OlivesSeries: Love & Gelato #3
Author: Jenna Evans Welch
Also by this author: Love & Gelato
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Genres: Contemporary, Romance, Young Adult Fiction
Publication Date: November 10, 2020
Rating:
Series Rating:
Santorini felt like an island holding its breath. As if it were keeping in a secret...
Liv Varanakis doesn’t like to think about her father much, which makes sense—he fled to Greece when she was only eight, leaving her with just a few painful memories of their shared love for the lost city of Atlantis. So when teenage Liv suddenly receives a postcard from her father, who explains that National Geographic is supporting a documentary about his theories on Atlantis—and asks if she will fly out to Greece and help—Liv is less than thrilled.
When she arrives in gorgeous Santorini, things are just as awkward as she'd imagined. There are so many questions, so many emotions that flood to the surface after seeing her father for the first time in years. Liv doesn’t want to get sucked back into her father's world. She also definitely doesn’t want Theo, her father’s charismatic so-called protégé, to witness her struggle.
Even so, she can't help but be charmed by everything Santorini has to offer—the beautiful sunsets, the turquoise water, the sun-drenched villages, and the delicious cuisine. But not everything on the Greek island is as perfect as it seems. Because as Liv slowly begins to discover, her father may not have invited her to Greece for Atlantis, but for something much more important.
Review: Love & Olives by Jenna Evans Welch
When Liv receives a postcard from her father inviting her to Greece to help him with his documentary, she is hesitant to reconnect with him. She is still dealing with the pain of her father leaving her years ago, and, at first, she doesn’t buy the wild theories of Atlantis at the centre of his work. However, as the summer progresses and Liv takes a more active role in the documentary, she slowly starts to get to know her father and comes to love Santorini and its welcoming community.
❀ Well-Written Characters
The characters in this book are so well-written, and I loved every single one. Liv is a relatable protagonist, and I really felt for her as she tries to find herself and searches for the reason why her dad left. She was so close with him when she was young, and they bonded over an interest in Atlantis. Now, however, Liv finds it difficult to trust him again. The two have such a complex relationship, and Liv’s slow process of reconnecting with her father is realistic, and may or may not have brought tears to my eyes.
❀ Atlantis is an Exciting Aspect
There is so much I love about this book, but I was especially blown away by how well-researched it is. Much of the story is dedicated to Liv’s father’s documentary about Atlantis, and I was so impressed to see multiple theories about it discussed in detail. I could feel the author’s own enthusiasm for the subject come through in her writing, and it made me even more excited to continue reading. What I especially enjoyed, however, is the way Atlantis is tied to Liv’s relationship with her dad and its development, which made for a moving reading experience.
❀ Entertaining and Emotional
Love & Olives by Jenna Evans Welch is an entertaining and unexpectedly emotional read that is perfect for the end of summer. I loved the Greece setting, and the characters are each complex. I was especially impressed by the depth of the Atlantis theories throughout the book, which left me wanting to know more. Of all three books in the series, this one has become my new favourite.
About Jenna Evans Welch
Jenna Evans Welch was the kind of insatiable child reader who had no choice but to grow up to become a writer. She is the New York Times Bestselling author of LOVE & GELATO and the upcoming LOVE & LUCK.
When she isn’t writing girl abroad stories, Jenna can be found chasing her children or making elaborate messes in the kitchen. She lives in Salt Lake City, Utah with her husband and two young children.
About The Candid Cover
Olivia ❀ Canadian YA book blogger, Starbucks lover, & professional bibliophile.
We read Love & Olives last year and absolutely loved it! Great review!
So glad that you enjoyed it! 🙂
Sounds like a good read.
Oh my gosh the setting of Greece sounds amazing 😍 Also really interesting with the documentary Liv’s father is working on. I really like the sound of this book. It’s a standalone, right?
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It can definitely be read as a standalone! I hope that you love it if you give it a try. 🙂
Romance AND Greece?! Sounds wonderful!
Right?! 🙂
Sounds like a fun series of books.
I haven’t read this series, but I’ve always wanted to. This third book sounds like a great addition — and a great way to travel with COVID limiting it.
I agree! Anything that gives me the sense of traveling right now is welcome! 🙂
This sounds like a really good book & great review!
Thanks, Dreaa! 🙂
The Greece setting sounds so amazing!
I loved it so much! 🙂
I thought the search for Atlantis was an interesting addition to the story too. I think I went 4.5 on this too, but it felt different from the other books. A bit weightier. I did like it though, and I remember feeling a lot there towards the end
It is definitely more intense than the other books in the series! I am glad that you enjoyed it as well. 🙂
This sounds really good!
Sounds vg. Thanks for review.
This was the first one I read in this series, but the publisher also sent me the first two and I need to find time to read them because I loved this one. Great review!
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I hope that you love the other ones! Such a fun series, for sure! 🙂
oh i remember lvoe and gelato! i kind of wanted to read it