Out of the Blue - Belinda Jones

"Home sweet Crete." Such a nice way to finish off a romantic comedy don't you think? I have always been fascinated with Greece and 'am usually on the look out for books that are set there and Belinda Jones's Out of the Blue didn't disappoint. Largely.

Selena Harper is a thirty something Brit working on a luxury cruise ship. Her job has taken her everywhere: from Alaska, to Africa to New Zealand and she has seen it all, so to speak. Working on the ship with her is ladies man Officer Alekos from Crete with a reputation of breaking hearts. Alekos is taken with Selena and pursues her with a doggedness that has the entire ship watching amusedly. Selena does NOT want to be taken with Alekos and avoids him with the same doggedness. Does she like him? Is she attracted to him? Most probably, which is exactly why she wants him out of her way because she doesn't want her heart broken. In a nice twist of fate, when she leaves the ship for a two month vacation, instead of winding her way through rainy England to her friend's apartment, she finds herself on her way to sunny Crete with Alekos who has fractured his arm and enlists her to help him out with the family business. Selena tells herself that it is only for ten days and that she is doing a favour for a friend but what follows is the beautiful island that Alekos calls home, their neighbours, friends, the Agean Sea, Raki, Greek food and finally Alekos himself, whom Selena sees in a whole new dimension away from the ship and the adoring eyes of every female on board. Inevitably she falls for him; Alekos has always wanted her and ever since he clapped his eyes on Selena, only her. So what stops them both from embarking on a great Greek love story that will make the reader sigh in satisfaction? Enter Jules. Selena's (ex) (best) (friend). Is she a friend or a relationship wrecker? How does Selena get over the fact that Jules is hell bent on having a fling with Alekos? How does she feel when Alekos finally succumbs? And most importantly why does he succumb?

Predictably, the book has a happy ending. While it was enjoyable, I felt that the tangles were not sorted out believingly enough, the characters were not fleshed out as well as the reader would like them to be and certain aspects of the book have a very abrupt end without a satisfactory explanation. I will mostly not read it a second time but nevertheless it made for an engaging first read, if I ignored some of its faults. I would recommend this one for those who don't mind leaving their brains out for a few hours of sunny Greece.


PS - Hey all! Do visit my other blog There'sh a Moskeeto in my Foog if you have the time. I shall be grateful for any reader over there :)