By Yvette Manessis Corporon
Harper/HarperCollins Publishers
ISBN 13: 9780062267580
368 pages
in an intoxicating read with a warm beach setting on a Greek island, dynamic characters,
food (lots and lots of of delicious Greek food that made me immediately check for the closest Greek restaurant in relation to my house) and the spirit of
reinvention. The novel’s heroine Daphne is in Greece for her wedding
but what she learns there when she reconnects with family will change
the way she thinks forever. Check out the full description of the book below.
The past and present collide in Yvette Manessis Corporon’s delicious debut WHEN THE CYPRESS WHISPERS, a richly-told story of one young woman’s journey to Greece for her wedding. 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 swimming in the Ionian Sea and 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 young husband’s unexpected death.
With a growing reputation as a chef in New York, and a wealthy fianc? who will become a father to her daughter Evie, Daphne seems to be living her dream. But across the ocean, Yia-yia can see through the storybook perfection of Daphne’s new life and she is now calling her back. Yia-yia has lessons to teach and secrets about the past to share, including that of the bravery and loyalty she and her fellow islanders showed during World War II, where a whole village had the courage to risk their lives and help a family of Corfu Jews.
There are characters that jump off the page and beg to be cast: Thea Popi, our heroine Daphne’s voluptuous and smart-mouthed cousin . . . Yianni, the sexy but stubborn Oxford-educated fisherman who took up fishing late in life but pulls in the best catches . . . And Yia-yia, Daphne’s beloved grandmother, a slip of a woman dressed in widow’s weeds, her hands riddled with arthritis, but still the best cook on the island. And, glorious food abounds: freshly hatched eggs plucked from the hen house are saut?ed with just picked tomatoes and off the vine basil. Potatoes are roasted to a sumptuous crisp that rivals even the best French fries. And Saganaki ? that Greek comfort food extraordinaire ? fresh kasseri cheese roasted in fragrant olive oil with a splash of lemon is cooked to a bubbling delight.
Will Daphne truly learn the lessons her Yia-yia is trying desperately to teach her? Will she come to understand the history of her grandmother’s life on the island ? the bravery and loyalty she showed during World War II, where a whole village had the courage to help a family of Corfu Jews, risking their own lives? Only the whispers of the Cypress trees will tell.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
As an Emmy Award-winning writer and a senior producer for the syndicated entertainment news show, EXTRA, in New York, Yvette Manessis Corporon has had years of experience working with some of the most iconic newsmakers and celebrities of our time, and gleaning the essence of a captivating story for a world audience. She 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. Manessis Corporon and her husband, award-winning photojournalist David Corporon, have two children and live in New York. For more on her writing, visit: www.yvettecorporon.com
Here is recipe straight from the author:
- 2 cups of Plain Greek Yogurt ? you can use a 17.6 oz. container of Fage 2% Greek Yogurt (my personal favorite)
- ? of an English cucumber or 1 large regular cucumber
- 1 or 2 cloves of fresh garlic
- A few tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
- A few tablespoons of vinegar, I prefer white balsamic or red wine vinegar
- Salt to taste
- Put the yogurt in a medium sized bowl
- Peel the cucumber. I prefer the English cucumber; it has a firmer texture than a regular cucumber. Grate the cucumber and place the pulp in a dish towel or in several paper towels. Squeeze out as much liquid as you can. Dump the dried pulp in the bowl and mix.
- Mince or grate 1 clove of fresh garlic and add to the bowl. You can add the second clove depending on how potent you like the flavor.
- Add 2 or 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
- Add 3 or 4 tablespoons of vinegar, I prefer more vinegar as I like my Tzatziki tangy.
- Add salt to taste
- Mix everything well. You can serve right away but I like to refrigerate for at least an hour to bring out the flavors.
no further than this heartwarming novel. My librarian heart loved this book and I couldn’t put it down until I found out what happened to Daphne’s perfectly laid out plans when she finally decided to stop and look at what was important in life. If you have no beach, pool or lake nearby this would also be great to just curl up with on the sofa after the kiddos are in bed. With Mother’s Day right around the corner this would make a great book to get your sisters, moms and girlfriends as a gift.
You can connect with Yvette Corporon on her website, Faceook and @YvetteNY on Twitter.
Buy It!
You can purchase WHEN THE CYPRESS WHISPERS from Amazon for a list price of $25.99.
