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Effie’s Year In Books

Effie’s 2025 Year in Books

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Effie Kammenou

Goodreads Author

Born

in New York, The United States

December 29

Website

http://effiekammenou.com

Twitter

EffieKammenou

Genre

Romance, Fiction, Contemporary

Member Since

April 2013

URL

https://www.goodreads.com/effiekammenou

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Effie Kammenou believes it's never too late to chase your dreams, follow your heart, or change your career. She is proof of that. At one time, long ago, she'd dreamed of a successful career as an actor. Instead, she worked in the optical field for over forty years while raising her two daughters.
In 2015, three years after her mother died from pancreatic cancer, she published her debut novel, Evanthia's Gift, the first book in a women's fiction, multigenerational love story and family saga inspired by her mother and her Greek heritage. Kammenou continued to pick her father's brain for stories of his family's life in Lesvos, Greece, and their journey to America until his recent death in November 2022 at the age of 100. Her interview with him Effie Kammenou believes it's never too late to chase your dreams, follow your heart, or change your career. She is proof of that. At one time, long ago, she'd dreamed of a successful career as an actor. Instead, she worked in the optical field for over forty years while raising her two daughters.
In 2015, three years after her mother died from pancreatic cancer, she published her debut novel, Evanthia's Gift, the first book in a women's fiction, multigenerational love story and family saga inspired by her mother and her Greek heritage. Kammenou continued to pick her father's brain for stories of his family's life in Lesvos, Greece, and their journey to America until his recent death in November 2022 at the age of 100. Her interview with him was published in the nationally circulated magazine Reminisce.
Evanthia's Gift: Book One in The Gift Saga was a 2016 finalist in the Readers Favorite Book Awards. Book two, Waiting for Aegina, was awarded finalist status in the 2019 International Book Awards. Chasing Petalouthes, the last book in the trilogy, also placed in the Readers Favorite Book Awards in 2018.
Love is Worth Fighting For won silver, second place for contemporary romance in The Readers Favorite Book Awards, and most recently won first place in the BookFest Awards.
Kammenou's latest series is The Meraki Series. Love is What You Bake of it, Love by Design, and Love is Worth Fighting For are available in print and Kindle formats. Book four, Love in Plain Sight, will finish the series. Each book focuses on a sibling and their quest for love and professional success despite a sometimes stifling and meddling family. A mystery shadowed by a historical event in recent Greek history is slowly uncovered throughout the series.
As a bonus, each book contains the traditional Greek recipes featured throughout the novels, many of which were passed down from her Athenian mother.
Kammenou’s latest novel, The Magic of Robola, a captivating second-chance romance that unfolds across dual timelines, is set to release January 30, 2026. This story weaves poignant moments with swoon-worthy scenes through a forced proximity scenario that pulls at the heartstrings.

Effie Kammenou is a first-generation Greek-American who lives on Long Island. When she's not writing or posting recipes on her food blog, you can find her entertaining family and friends or traveling for 'research.' She recently returned to her theatrical roots by occasionally working as a background actor in film and television productions.
She’s a member of the Romance Writers of America, the Women Fiction Writers Association, Long Island Authors, Long Island Authors Group, and Long Island Romance Writers.
For updates on promotions, events, and new releases, follow Effie on social media. Sign up for her newsletter to receive a free copy of her novella Don’t Want to Leave Her Now.
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Combine Editions
Effie Kammenou’s books

Average rating: 4.46 · 1,779 ratings · 840 reviews · 9 distinct works • Similar authors

	Evanthia's Gift (The Gift Saga #1) 4.39 avg rating — 559 ratings — published 2015 — 6 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Love is What You Bake of it (The Meraki Series #1) 4.34 avg rating — 323 ratings — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Waiting for Aegina (The Gift Saga, #2) 4.60 avg rating — 255 ratings — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Love by Design (The Meraki series, #2) 4.47 avg rating — 182 ratings — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Chasing Petalouthes (The Gift Saga #3) 4.66 avg rating — 148 ratings — 4 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Love is Worth Fighting for 4.39 avg rating — 121 ratings — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Magic of Robola 4.54 avg rating — 95 ratings — published 2026 — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Gift Saga Trilogy (The Gift Saga #1-3) 4.74 avg rating — 50 ratings — published 2018	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Paperback Writers Anthology by Jennifer Locklear (Goodreads Author), Morgan Locklear (Goodreads Author), Beck Anderson (Goodreads Author) 4.59 avg rating — 46 ratings — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

More books by Effie Kammenou…

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Effie Kammenou's Blog

I think it’s time for a cocktail

If you’ve read my books, then you know I insert recipes between some of the chapters. But this is the first cocktail I’ve added rather than food or desserts. I love anything cherry-flavored. Visinatha is the syrup made from cherry preserves. It can be purchased as a syrup alone or in a jar with the cherries. My mother and Yiayiá would stir a few tablespoons of this confection into a glass of cold

Series by Effie Kammenou

The Gift Saga (3 books)
by

Effie Kammenou (Goodreads Author)

4.50 avg rating — 1,012 ratings

Meraki (1 book)
by

Effie Kammenou (Goodreads Author)

4.34 avg rating — 323 ratings

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Effie’s Recent Updates

Effie Kammenou liked Barbara's review of The Magic of Robola: "Well written-Beautiful Story I loved escaping to the island in my mind & envisioning the beautiful landscape. Being of Greek heritage, I could understand the Greek words & shared the customs and idiosyncracies of the people. " Read more of this review »
Mar 08, 2026 10:22PM · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Magic of Robola by Effie Kammenou. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Magic of Robola by Effie Kammenou <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Effie Kammenou rated a book it was amazing The Stolen Life of Colette Marceau by Kristin Harmel (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
I never thought I would root for a jewel thief, but without spoiling, trust me, you will too. This story broke my heart at times, warmed it at others. To go through the horrors of WWII and spend the better part of your life wondering and guilt ridden ...more
Mar 06, 2026 09:40PM · like · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Stolen Life of Colette Marceau by Kristin Harmel. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Stolen Life of Colette Marceau by Kristin Harmel <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Effie Kammenou rated a book it was amazing The Stolen Queen by Fiona Davis (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
I adore Fiona Davis' books. As a New Yorker, I love that she writes stories centered around NYC landmarks. I've read them all, and each one is fascinating. Ms. Davis weaves fictional stories into real events and interesting facts about these historic ...more
Mar 06, 2026 09:11PM · 1 like · like · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Stolen Queen by Fiona Davis. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Stolen Queen by Fiona Davis <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Effie Kammenou rated a book it was amazing Theo of Golden by Allen Levi (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
This is a book that will stay with me long after I've finished it. From the start, I knew this story had religious undertones, and wondered if the protagonist, Theo, Greek for God, was an angel or a saint. The coffeehouse where he finds the portraits ...more
Mar 06, 2026 08:43PM · 3 likes · like · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Theo of Golden by Allen Levi. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Theo of Golden by Allen Levi <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Effie Kammenou liked Glafira Osypets's review of The Magic of Robola: "Eleni Pangalos was living a happy life on the Greek island of Kefalonia, supported by her family, owners of a flourishing vineyard, and her dear friend, Nikko. Yet the idyllic days were over when the whole family of Eleni – mother, father, and her br" Read more of this review »
Mar 01, 2026 11:19PM · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Magic of Robola by Effie Kammenou. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Magic of Robola by Effie Kammenou <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Effie Kammenou liked Cait's Reading Nook's review of The Magic of Robola: "Eleni’s memories of her summers in Kefalonia when she was young are idyllic times. After one summer and a tragic accident for her and her family, she and her grandparents stay in the States. Following her grandfather’s passing, Eleni returns to Kefal" Read more of this review »
Mar 01, 2026 12:12PM · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Magic of Robola by Effie Kammenou. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Magic of Robola by Effie Kammenou <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Effie Kammenou liked Sonja Charters's review of The Magic of Robola: "Oh my gosh!! This was one of the first authors I read when I first started reviewing within the bookish world. After reading Love Is What You Bake Of It - and absolutely devouring it in one sitting - I went on to complete that series and read another" Read more of this review »
Mar 01, 2026 12:11PM · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Magic of Robola by Effie Kammenou. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Magic of Robola by Effie Kammenou <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Effie Kammenou has read The Correspondent by Virginia Evans (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
This book got rave reviews, so I had to read it on so many recommendations. I was one-third of the way in and I set it aside, not sure if I would pick it up again. I wasn't thrilled with the whole novel written as a series of letters. I didn't like t ...more
Feb 19, 2026 02:26PM · 1 like · like · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Correspondent by Virginia Evans. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Correspondent by Virginia Evans <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Effie Kammenou rated a book it was amazing The Fairmounts (The Fairmount Saga) by Valerie Nifora (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
The Fairmounts is a well-written, engaging story reminiscent of the classics from another era. The novel was an exploration in humanity, ethics, and morality. The course Mary Whitcomb's life had been controlled and manipulated. Harry LeCroix is deter ...more
Feb 18, 2026 02:34PM · like · see review
Effie Kammenou made a comment on Kerry Baker’s review of The Magic of Robola " I don't usually respond to reviews, though they are so greatly appreciated. But I want to extend my condolences. Treasure the memories you have. He wi ...more "
Feb 11, 2026 05:48PM · see review

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Quotes by Effie Kammenou (?)

“Everyone’s experience is unique to them. Don’t minimize it.”
― Effie Kammenou, Evanthia's Gift

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“Whenever I was going through a tough time he knew just what to say. I’m going to pass some of his wisdom to you. Everything you went through may have been painful at that time, but it led you to this moment. There is a reason for everything. Out from the storm, the sun will shine. You’ll see.”
― Effie Kammenou, Waiting for Aegina

tags: customizeurcover, fictionlove_alwaysforever, fromauthorstoreaders

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“If nothing ever changed, there would be no such thing as butterflies.” —Wendy Mass”
― Effie Kammenou, Chasing Petalouthes

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Topics Mentioning This Author

topics	posts	views	last activity
Goodreads Authors...: Know of any great book publicists or PR reps?	7	48	Mar 12, 2016 09:54AM
Readers & Writers: BOTM for October 2016 - Evanthia's Gift by Effie Kammenou	1	10	Oct 01, 2016 08:48AM
Review Group: * Birthday hop is on!	20	129	Oct 02, 2017 10:50PM
Review Group: * Group 154. DONE. Mod K.A.	158	103	Nov 08, 2017 11:40AM
Romance Audiobooks: Evanthia’s Gift by Effie Kammenou	5	46	Feb 07, 2018 08:18AM
Romance Audiobooks: Evanthia’s Gift by Effie Kammenou	12	91	Mar 30, 2018 08:13AM

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Effie’s Quotes

“Why not think that sometimes—just sometimes—you can overcome evil with silence? And let people hear their hatefulness in their own ears, without distraction. Maybe goodness is enough to expose evil for what it really is, sometimes.”
― Sylvain Reynard, Gabriel's Inferno

788 likes

“Kindness is never wasted.”
― Sylvain Reynard, Gabriel's Inferno

647 likes

“Sometimes goodness doesn't tell everything it knows. Sometimes goodness waits for the appropriate time and does the best it can with what it has.”
― Sylvain Reynard, Gabriel's Inferno

478 likes

“Look at me. Look into my eyes." His eyes fixed on hers as they fluttered open.
"I'll give you anything. My body, my soul, Take them. Take everything.”
― Sylvain Reynard, Gabriel's Inferno

402 likes