My Map of You by Isabelle Broom

My Map of You by Isabelle Broom is out now.

About the Book

Holly Wright has had a difficult few years. After her mother's death, she's become expert at keeping people at a distance - including her boyfriend, Rupert.
But when Holly receives an unexpected letter explaining that an aunt she never met has left her a house on the Greek island of Zakynthos, the walls she has built begin to crumble. Arriving on the island, Holly meets the handsome Aidan and slowly begins to uncover the truth about the secret which tore her family apart.
But is the island where Holly really belongs? Or will her real life catch up with her first?

Title:     My Map of You
Author: Isabelle Broom
Published By: Penguin
Date:      April 21st 2016
Link: Amazon

My Review

A lovely summer read, this book was as wonderful as I had hoped it would be.  I can still feel the sun on my face and the sand squishing between my toes.  

Holly Wright has had quite a miserable life in many ways, she had to deal with the sad demise of her mother to alcoholism which broke her heart especially as she could remember much happier times when she was a child.

When she finds her mother dead she can't forgive her for leaving her and she can't forgive herself for not being able to save her.

Holly plods along in life with a boyfriend called Rupert, a job and a rented home in London. We get a sense of her personality at the beginning when she admits that she learnt how to keep Rupert happy by just making sure he always gets what he wants and she could never let him see the real cranky her as that would scare him away.

Out of the blue Holly received a letter which explains that her auntie has left her a house in Xante in Greece. As Holly didn't know she had any other relatives she is very shocked and curiosity drives her to visit the house to pack it up and arrange for it's sale.

However as soon as she lands in Greece she feels an unusual affinity with the place and when she finds a map that belonged to her mum and aunt she is compelled to find all of the places on there and try to feel closer to them.

She soon makes friends with some of the locals and is gradually able to piece together the web of deceit that has torn her family apart. With the help of Aidan, the sexy Irish vet from next door she learns a lot about herself and who she really is. He becomes the first person she has ever trusted but she feels betrayed by him when sexy model Clara turns up and when she realises he was much closer to her aunt than she thought. Will Holly ever be able to forgive him?  

I really enjoyed this book from the vivid and colourful descriptions of the beautiful beaches and hidden caves, to the wonderful people who Holly met along the way.

Holly herself is a complicated character who has always had to be guarded around other people so it was refreshing to watch her find herself and become the person she really was instead of trying to just make everyone else happy. Her mum Jenny was a troubled soul who had never managed to find happiness. It was a shame she couldn't find having her daughter enough to keep her demons away. I felt sad that Sandie never bothered to get in touch with Holly but happy that she left the house to her so that Holly was able to discover the truth.

The title My Map of You I always found intriguing and I loved the explanation for it and I had a lovely warm and tingly moment when I read that bit which was a lovely touch of sentiment.

Holly's life was complicated and it was an absolute pleasure accompanying her on her journey as she detangled the threads of confusion and was finally able to make sense of it all and become able to forgive those who hurt her and most importantly herself.

I loved how the prologue and epilogue were linked so beautifully too.  Top marks to Isabelle Broom and thanks to Penguin for the review copy in exchange for an honest review.
To read our author Q & A with Isabelle please click here.
Sincerely
Book Angel x

About the Author

Isabelle Broom was born in Cambridge nine days before the 1980s began and studied Media Arts at the University of West London before starting a career first in local newspapers and then as a junior sub-editor at heat magazine. She travelled through Europe during her gap year and went to live on the Greek island of Zakynthos for an unforgettable and life-shaping six months after completing her degree. Since then, she has travelled to Canada, Sri Lanka, Sicily, New York, LA, the Canary Islands, Spain and lots more of Greece, but her wanderlust was reined in when she met Max, a fluffy little Bolognese puppy desperate for a home. When she's not writing novels set in far-flung locations, Isabelle spends her time being the Book Reviews Editor at heat magazine and walking her beloved dog round the parks of north London.
You can follow her on Twitter @Isabelle_Broom or find her on Facebook under Isabelle Broom Author.