I don't know who said "Never judge a book by its cover", but I, for one, love a good book cover. It gives us a first glimpse of the world we're about to step into. Those wonderful designers who create our covers are very underestimated, as far as I'm concerned! How do you sum up a whole story in one image? It takes great skill and insight.
One of the most special moments for an author in the life of their book is the day that the cover is revealed. For The Rose of Florence, I remember it being such a milestone, the day that it actually became a real book, and yes, it reduced me to tears.
Today, I'm sharing with you a beautiful book cover on the day that it's shared with the world. You'll have to wait a little while to get your hands on the book itself, but this should whet your appetite.
The book is The Santorini Writing Retreat by fellow Cariad author, Eva Glyn. While the title and the cover is probably enough to make you want to dive in, you'll also want to know what it's all about. So, here's the blurb that you would find on the back cover - equally important!
A secret, a sacrifice, and stories to share. A life-changing month in the sun.
Best-selling author Jessica Rose needs to escape. From her controlling husband, from her increasingly impatient publisher, but most of all from the terrible secret that’s robbed her of her creativity. Could leading a retreat on a gorgeous Greek island be just what she needs?
Coming home to Santorini was never in Zina’s plans, but now she’s here she’s determined to make The Retreat House successful at all costs. So determined, she’s in danger of forgetting the reason she had to return – to protect the man she loves.
And then there’s Karmela, who just wants to write her book and make her mother proud. She can’t let the others’ problems distract her; but how can she ignore them when she knows she can help?
Ebook publication 31st March 2025
Paperback publication 10th April 2025
Publisher: One More Chapter
You know how I love a good recipe. So much so, that I included a few in The Rose of Florence. As an extra treat, Eva Glyn tells us a bit about the flavour of Santorini and some of the research that she did preparing the book. Oh, I love a good bit of research!
I wanted to bring a flavour of the real Santorini to readers of The Santorini Writing Retreat, so I decided to set the retreat house on a farm rather than in one of the island’s more touristy areas, and when I was researching it, one farm in particular inspired me.
I read an online interview with a man called Yiannis Nomikos who has a real passion for Santorini’s traditional products and farming methods. He comes from an agricultural family, and one of his earliest memories is helping with the fava bean threshing on the traditional circular winnowing floor, with the help of borrowed donkeys and sea breezes.
Although he also grows pistachios, tomatoes and capers – to name but a few – it was clear when I met him that the fava bean remains Yiannis’ passion. Planted in December, it is harvested in April before the weather becomes too hot. The beans grow in pods and these days the processing is done by machine, not beast, and the result is an exceptionally high quality product which Nomikos Estate sells in its shop in Oia, and from the farm in the village of Vothonas, which is open to visitors for tours and tastings during the tourist season.
The Santorini fava is more akin to a yellow split pea and is most often made into a delicious puree. For readers wishing to indulge in a little Santorini food fantasy, here is a recipe from Nomikos’ website:
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