Taverna by the Sea

One Greek Island Summer From the author of Falling in Honey, An Octopus in my Ouzo and Wild Abandon Taverna by the Sea is an enchanting, funny and poignant memoir about answering the call of adventure by taking on a challenge: helping to run a taverna beside an idyllic beach. During a walking trip on the South Aegean island of Karpathos, a chance encounter with Minas, an unconventional Greek-American hotel owner, results in a once-in-a-lifetime experience. ‘Must be comfortable in beachwear,’ reads Minas’ ad for a waitress. Thinking it sounds dreamily perfect, Jen drops everything, returning with her dog to the remote bay that will be her home for the summer. Though the season begins peacefully, life at the taverna soon becomes absurdly busy and challenging. Days of no running water, mad guests, collapsing ceilings and and a goat tied to a tree. Yet it is exhilarating: waking to a pink dawn over the olive grove; swimming in the moonlight; music under the stars; feasting on freshly baked bread, local honey, warm figs – and wine on tap. With a colourful cast of characters, Taverna by the Sea reveals what happens behind the scenes of an apparently peaceful paradise, capturing both the difficulties and the magic of remote island life. An inspiring call to live life to the full – and even escape the rat race – it also conveys the life-affirming importance of trusting one’s instincts, taking risks and grasping opportunities.