Love from Greece: Three Modern Women Find Love Is as Priceless as Their Grecian Roots

Reviewed by Vicki Landes for Reader Views (10/06) "Love from Greece" is a collection of three stories by author Melanie Karis Panagiotopoulos. Each tale, with its own connection to Greece and the little fictional town of Kastro, intertwines the characters with a strong belief in God. Dr. Allie Alexander moves to the quaint mountain town to start her new job at the health clinic. Her strength of character and unshaken faith leads her to win over the unwelcoming residents as well as find the love of her life. Natalia Pappas, now sister-in-law of Allie, moves to New York to pursue her modeling dreams. Her chance meeting with a handsome stranger near the Christmas holidays brings her both instant love and the key to her unknown past. Martha Pappas, Natalia's sister, moves away from her beloved home in her late fifties to start her very first adventure. A successful business and an amorous proposal result. "Love from Greece" is truly a `romantic fantasy' in every sense of the phrase - beautiful heroines, handsome princes, faultless timing, instant true love, beautiful surroundings, and perfect marriage proposals. Panagiotopoulos succeeds in painting her scenes for the reader with creative details that transport them to both the charming Greek towns and a bustling New York. Although each fairy-tale story is easily predictable, "Love from Greece" incorporates interesting facts about the Bible. Sprinkled with scripture, the book educates as well as entertains. Panagiotopoulos' tales are perfect for any woman of faith - romantic fantasies without a hint of trashiness. She integrates that spark of attraction with a religious foundation that is appropriate even for younger women. Her characters maintain a grounded love of God and sky-high sets of morals. "Love from Greece" proves that romantic fantasy novels don't have to be cheap and purely sexual. Author Panagiotopoulos makes sure that readers realize right away what kind of women her heroines are - chaste, faithful, and Christians - while striving for nothing but the best in life and in love.