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The Gift Saga Book 1
Sophia Giannakos will settle for nothing less than the rare love her parents share. At a tender and impressionable age, she has found her soul mate in Dean, the boy she has known her whole life — until secrets and deceptions pull them apart. No stranger to heartache, Anastacia, Sophia’s mother, attempts to comfort her, without revealing ugly family truths that could haunt her daughter’s future.
In the year 1956, Anastacia, a former NYU student, finds herself in the challenging role of a single parent. Left with emotional wounds from a bad marriage, she is reluctant to trust and resists her growing feelings for Alexandros, an old acquaintance. But his persistence and unconditional love for Ana and her child is eventually rewarded and his love is returned. In a misguided, but well-intentioned effort to protect the ones they love, both Ana and Alex keep secrets — ones that could threaten the delicate balance of their family.
The story continues in the 1970s, as their daughter attempts to negotiate between two cultures. Greek-American teenagers, Sophia and Dean, have shared a special connection since childhood. Although their desire for one another is undeniable, Dean resists her, rebelling against the pressure his father places on him to uphold his Greek heritage. When he can no longer fight his feelings, Dean asks Sophia to conceal their love. She hesitantly complies, until it becomes too much for her. Like her mother, Sophia loves with every fibre of her soul, leaving her shattered when Dean pulls away from his family, culture and ultimately his love for her, leaving her no choice but to find a life different than the one she’d hoped for.
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Guest Post
My stories are character driven. I’ve given each character a history that molds their
personality, preferences, fears and dreams. The Gift Saga is mainly told from the
point of view from the women in this multigenerational story, yet the men that love
them, raise them and support them are just as interesting and often as complex as
the women they love.
Evanthia’s Gift opens with Anastacia’s story, but in essence it’s the beginning of
Sophia’s storyline. Everything that happens to Anastacia and all the decisions she
makes directly affect Sophia throughout her life. The first third of the book, Part I,
is Anastacia’s story and the backstory for Part II, which focuses on Sophia as she
blossoms from an impressionable teenager to an independent woman.
Throughout the chapters, the reader is introduced to Sophia’s closest friends, both
as teenagers and adults. The friendships between these women are strong and
unbreakable.
This bond between these five women is what’s explored in Waiting
For Aegina. Each one leads separate lives and have all followed their dreams, but
when trouble steps into their paths, the friends stand by each other.
Sophia is dealing with the repercussions that plagued her from the first book. She
seemingly got her happily ever after, but there was so much she had yet to come to
terms with—the death of her mother, a surprise revelation over her paternity, and
her children’s resentment of her new husband.
Amy has a secret that only Sophia was privy to. She gave a child up for adoption
shortly after her graduation from college. Her husband and son had no knowledge
of this and neither did her other friends. When the truth unexpectedly comes out, it
affects her family, her relationship with her husband and threatens her position as a
United States congresswoman.
Donna married her high school sweetheart. She was the cheerleader who married
the star football player, her first boyfriend. But her seemingly perfect marriage
frays thread by thread as her husband becomes a man she can no longer respect.
When tragedy strikes, Donna must find the strength to go on.
Demi and Sophia have grown up as though they were siblings. Demi is bold where
Sophia is cautious and, Demi, outspoken in contrast to Sophia’s more diplomatic
manner. But these two opposite personalities bring out the best in each other. Demi
begrudgingly endures her intrusive mother-in-law, while also been letting her
imagination run wild where her normally loving husband is concerned. Her mouth
and insecurities get the best of her, landing her in a bit of marital disharmony.
Mindy has it all, or so it would seem. She has devoted her life to her craft,
becoming a respected and well-known fashion designer. But to get there, sacrifices
were made and she let the love of her life slip through her fingers. Her fear of
being alone places her in the hands of the wrong man, but her friends come to her
aid.
Each of these five women are very different with distinctly unique personalities,
but the bond they had formed from childhood is cemented for life and they are
loyal to the core, seeing each other through good times and bad.
Thank you, Effie Kammenou and Love Books Group
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About the author
Effie Kammenou is a first generation Greek-American who lives on Long Island with her husband and two daughters. When she’s not writing, or posting recipes on her food blog, cheffieskitchen.wordpress.com, you can find her cooking for her family and friends. Her debut novel, EVANTHIA’S GIFT, is a women’s fiction multigenerational love story and family saga, influenced by her Greek heritage, and the many real life accounts that have been passed down. She continues to pick her father’s brain for stories of his family’s life in Lesvos, Greece, and their journey to America. Her recent interview with him was published in a nationally circulated magazine. As an avid cook and baker, a skill she learned from watching her Athenian mother, she incorporated traditional Greek family recipes throughout the book. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Theater Arts from Hofstra University
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Author Links
https://twitter.com/EffieKammenou
www.facebook.com/EffieKammenou
https://www.instagram.com/effiekammenou_author/
Newsletter signup – http://eepurl.com/bIoJl1
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Book Link
Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B013MG484M/?ref=exp_kellysloveofbooks_dp_vv_d
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