Description
From Booklist After the heartbreak of losing her first husband, Daphne is ready to marry practical Stephen. But she cannot move forward without looking back, and she feels compelled to move the wedding to tiny Erikousa, Greece, where Daphne spent every childhood summer with her beloved Yia Yia. As Daphne regains the inner peace she felt swimming in the Ionian Sea and eating Yia Yia’s traditional food, her shy five-year-old daughter, Evie, opens up and thrives among the boisterous neighbors and feral cats. The one dark spot is the fisherman, Yianni, who is cold to Daphne (and vice versa) but dedicated to Yia Yia. Daphne learns the history of the deep connection between the surly fisherman and her grandmother. She also learns to open herself up to the voices of the cypress trees. Though Daphne’s journey is the emotional center of the book, the real star is the island of Erikousa, from the sun-baked patios to the spitting widows who meet every ferry. There is just enough humor to balance the heartache, and a dash of history adds depth. Readers will be transported. --Susan Maguire --This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition. On a beautiful Greek island, myths, magic, and a colorful cast of mortals come together in a lushly atmospheric debut celebrating the powerful bond between an American woman and her Greek grandmother. The daughter of Greek immigrants, Daphne was brought up to believe in the American dream, but hers is shattered when her husband dies in a car accident. After his death, she channels everything she has into rebuilding her life as an acclaimed chef and restaurateur. She has also found a second chance at love with her wealthy, handsome fiancé. Although American by birth, Daphne spent many blissful childhood summers on the magical Greek island of Erikousa, which her grandmother still calls home. Now, as her wedding day fast approaches, Daphne returns to Erikousa and to Yia-yia's embrace. As they spend time together, her grandmother opens up to share remarkable memories of her life there—including stories of bravery and loyalty in the face of death during World War II. Yia-yia has more than one lesson to teach Daphne: that security is not the same as love, that her life can be filled with meaning again, and that the most important magic to believe in is the magic of herself. --This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition. Yvette Manessis Corporon is a senior producer with the syndicated entertainment news show Extra . In addition to her two Emmy Awards, Yvette has received a Silurian Award for Excellence in Journalism, and the New York City Comptroller and City Council's Award for Greek Heritage and Culture. --This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition. “There is just enough humor to balance the heartache, and a dash of history adds depth. Readers will be transported.” ( Booklist )“The power of family tradition and heritage is compassionately explored in Corporon’s debut. . . [she] can tell a good tale, and her love for her Greek heritage permeates the story.” ( Publishers Weekly )“ When the Cypress Whispers is a rich, emotionally-nuanced story about a woman’s deeply held connection to her family and her past. With an evocative setting and finely-drawn characters, Corporon creates a beautiful world you won’t soon forget.” (Emily Giffin, New York Times bestselling author)“ When The Cypress Whispers is an unforgettable book about what it truly means to love and be loved. . . Yvette has taken the myths, history and culture of our homeland and crafted a deeply moving story that will stay with you long after you’ve finished the last page.” (Maria Menounos)“Exquisitely written. A profoundly beautiful love story of the magical Greek island of Erikousa and the undeniable love and bond between Daphne and her beloved Yia-yia. It’s an enchanting read exploring Greek myths and the importance of understanding your fate and following your heart.” (Laura Schroff, New York Times -bestelling author of An Invisible Thread )“ When the Cypress Whispers is a beautiful story about family, friendship and faith—the things I value most in life. Yvette has done a wonderful blending the past and the present to write an unforgettable novel that will make you both laugh and cry.” (Mario Lopez)“Sun-drenched, evocative and a wee bit magical, When the Cypress Whispers is both a perfect beach read and a compelling portrait of a family of strong women.” (Shelf Awareness)“A compelling and beautiful novel.” (Luxuryreading.com) --This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition. From the Inside Flap On a beautiful Greek island, myths, magic, and a colorful cast of mortals come together in a lushly atmospheric debut celebrating the powerful bond between an American woman and her Greek grandmother. The daughter of Greek immigrants, Daphne has been brought up to believe in the American dream. When her husband dies in a car accident, leaving her with an inconsolable baby and stacks of bills, she channels everything she has into opening her own Greek restaurant. Now an acclaimed chef and restaurateur, she has also found a second chance at love with her wealthy, handsome fiancé. Although American by birth, Daphne spent many blissful childhood summers on the magical Greek island of Erikousa, which her grandmother still calls home. At her Yia-yia's side, she discovered her passion for cooking and absorbed the vibrant rhythms of island life, infused with ancient myths and legends lovingly passed down through generations. Somehow her beloved grandmother could always read her deepest thoughts, and despite the miles between them Daphne knows Yia-yia is the one person who can look beyond Daphne's storybook life of seeming perfection to help her stay grounded. With her wedding day fast approaching, Daphne returns to Erikousa and to Yia-yia's embrace. The past and the present beautifully entwine in this glorious, heartfelt story about a woman trapped between the siren call of old-world traditions and the demands of a modern career and relationship. When Daphne arrives on Erikousa with her daughter, Evie, in tow, nothing is the way she recalls it, and she worries that her elderly Yia-yia is losing her grip on reality. But as the two of them spend time together on the magical island once again, her grandmother opens up to share remarkable memories of her life there--including moving stories of bravery and loyalty in the face of death during World War II--and Daphne remembers why she returned. Yia-yia has more than one lesson to teach her: that security is not the same as love, that her life can be filled with meaning again, and that the most important magic to believe in is the magic of herself. --Luxuryreading.com --This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition. Read more
Features & Highlights
- “A rich, emotionally-nuanced story about a woman’s deeply held connection to her family and her past. With an evocative setting and finely-drawn characters, Corporon creates a beautiful world you won’t soon forget.” — Emily Giffin,
- New York Times
- bestselling author
- On a beautiful Greek island, myths, magic, and a colorful cast of characters come together in
- When the Cypress Whispers
- , Yvette Manessis Corporon’s lushly atmospheric story about past and present, family and fate, love and dreams that poignantly captures the deep bond between an American woman and her Greek grandmother.
- The daughter of Greek immigrants, Daphne aspires to the American Dream, yet feels as if she’s been sleepwalking through life. Caught between her family’s old-world traditions and the demands of a modern career, she cannot seem to find her place.
- Only her beloved grandmother on Erikousa, a magical island off the coast of Greece, knows her heart. Daphne’s fondest memories are of times spent in the kitchen with Yia-yia, cooking and learning about the ancient myths. It was the thought of Yia-yia that consoled Daphne in the wake of her husband’s unexpected death.
- After years of struggling to raise her child and pay the bills, Daphne now has a successful restaurant, a growing reputation as a chef, and a wealthy fiancé—everything she’s ever wanted. But across the ocean, Yia-yia can see through the storybook perfection of Daphne’s new life— and now she is calling her back to Erikousa. She has secrets about the past to share with her granddaughter— stories from the war, of loyalty and bravery in the face of death. She also has one last lesson to teach her: that security is not love, and that her life can be filled with meaning again.
