I really enjoyed The Lady of The Pier - The Ebb and would highly recommend it to romance enthusiasts and readers who love stories set in different locations and cultures. The Lady of The Pier tells the story of two young girls Sophia and Laura in two contrasting settings, and time periods - Greece in 1987 and Brighton, England in 1937. Both of these locations appealed to me and were my initial encouragement for reading Effronsyni's book - a dual narrative love story (with elements of paranormal fantasy,) of Laura and Christian, and Sofia and Danny. I have spent many happy holidays in Greece and Brighton too, so I really felt immersed in the story almost like I was on holiday myself! The Lady of The Pier is a sweet, heart warming story with an intriguing ending. I particularly enjoyed the important little details that the author added to suggest the close relationship between Sofia and her Greek grandparents. And the dreams of the strange lady in black who walks the West Pier in Brighton really captured my attention too. Equally, the relationships and love stories in both Brighton and Greece are engaging to read and I'm sure that there will be much to keep the reader entertained. I'm looking forward to reading Book 2 and finding out how the story unfolds.

From Reading #1 I highly recommend you give this book a read. I believe the second book in the series is “The Flow,” and the third book in the series is: “The Storm.” ( )

*The author provided me with a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review which follows*

This story begins in Brighton, England in 1937. Destitute and seeking a new start, Laura, and her mother leave London to find a new home where Laura’s sickly mother can recover from the ills of living in the city. Once there, life blossoms for the lovely Laura. Soon after her arrival, she meets Christian, a stagehand at the West Pier Theater. Laura falls in love with him and their life seems destined to be a happy one. However, Christian realizes that Laura has ambitions that might not include him.

Almost true to the form of a rag to riches tale, Laura embarks on a promising singing career after being discovered while cleaning up after her shift in the nearby coffee shop. Ecstatic with her new career, Laura realizes she wants the good things in life. A rich aristocrat, Charles Willard pursues Laura with the intent to make her his own. Laura’s singing ambitions create problems for Laura and Christian as Laura realizes the horrible truth that Willard has an unhealthy obsession for her.

Suddenly, it is 1987, where twenty-year-old Sofia from Athens, Greece spends the summer with her grandparents in Corfu, Greece. Her vacation is at an idyllic location near the sea with a loving family that cherishes her. In an act of defiance against her strict father, Sofia takes a job at the local boat rental shop located on the pier near the beach. One day a captivatingly handsome Englishman named Danny who is vacationing from Brighton, England appears on the beach.

Quick as a flash, Danny steals Sofia’s heart with his laughter and winning ways. Sofia cannot resist his charms and falls in love with him, all the while worrying that her family will report her activities to her strict father. Danny’s vacation comes to an end and he heads home to Brighton leaving Sofia in her beloved Corfu.

In the midst of trying to balance her feelings for Danny and her family obligations, Sofia begins to have dreams of a strange lady in black who walks the West Pier in Brighton, of which she has never seen except for pictures in a magazine that Danny showed her. The woman resembles Sofia and somehow the woman’s pain becomes part of Sofia, deepening a haunting and mysterious connection between the two women.

And the mystery thickens…

At the heart of the two intertwining love stories are the piers – one in Brighton, and the other in Corfu. Sofia and Laura are connected through the haunting dreams even though they are separated by fifty years. Unfortunately, this is part one of the series and it does not give many answers to the questions that I was left with at the end of this book. Not that this is a bad thing.

Nevertheless, the descriptions painted by the words of Ms. Moschoudi transported me easily between the two times and locations. I loved how easy it was for me to find myself at both locations; on the Brighton pier and relaxing on the beach in Corfu. The characters were easy to connect with and I yearned for their love stories to become complete. I can’t wait to continue the series to find out what happens next!

My Recommendation:
I do highly recommend this book with the understanding that the story will continue to unfold in the subsequent volumes. There is a bewitching quality to the stories you will not forget. The second book is: “The Flow,” and the third book in the series is: “The Storm,” to be published in December 2015.


Character Believability: 5
Flow and Pace: 4
Reader Engagement: 4.5
Reader Enrichment: 4.5
Reader Enjoyment: 4.5
Overall Rate: 4.5
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The Lady of the Pier - The Ebb (The Lady of the Pier, #1)
by Effrosyni Moschoudi


The story takes place in Brighton(UK)1937, and Corfu(Greece) 1987. 1937, Laura Mayfield and her mother move to Brighton to start a new life. Young Laura finds a job and love (Christian Seale) on the Pier. She has the opportunity of a lifetime, to sing at the famed Auditorium. But it comes at a cost, will her love for Christian prevail?

Corfu 1987 Sofia Aspioti goes to visit her grandparents for the summer, there she meets up with her childhood friends, and gets a job on the pier. She also meets Danny Markson and their love blossoms, even though if her family found out it would cause great problems in her life.

The Sophia has dreams of the Pier and a woman in black. The dreams are haunting her and carry over into her every day life. Who is this mysterious woman in black? Why does Sophia feel sadness when she has these dreams? What do these dreams mean ?

A well written story, perfectly blending the story of both women. You get the feel of what each person is going through, the descriptive prose brings you into the story, filled with emotions. I really liked Laura and Sophia, I could relate to what each was going through.

I also enjoyed the location, and the accuracy of each era. I highly recommend to those who love Romance/Drama. I Also recommend The Necklace of Goddess Athena, by Effrosyni Moschoudi. ( )

The Lady of the Pier - The Ebb (The Lady of the Pier, #1)
by Effrosyni Moschoudi

1937, Laura Mayfield and her mother move to Brighton to start a new life. Young Laura finds a job and love (Christian Seale) on the Pier. She has the opportunity of a lifetime, to sing at the famed Auditorium. But it comes at a cost, will her love for Christian prevail?

Corfu 1987, Sofia Aspioti goes to visit her grandparents for the summer, there she meets up with her childhood friends, and gets a job on the pier. She also meets Danny Markson and their love blossoms, even though if her family found out it would cause great problems in her life.

Then Sophia has dreams of the Pier and a woman in black. The dreams are haunting her and carry over into her every day life. Who is this mysterious woman in black? Why does Sophia feel sadness when she has these dreams? What do these dreams mean ?

A well written story, perfectly blending the story of both women. You get the feel of what each person is going through, the descriptive prose brings you into the story, filled with emotions. I really liked Laura and Sophia, I could relate to what each was going through.

I also enjoyed the location, and the accuracy of each era. I highly recommend to those who love Romance/Drama. I Also recommend The Necklace of Goddess Athena, by Effrosyni Moschoudi.
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I receive a copy of this book in exchange for a fair and unbiased review. I immediately fell in love with the plot and with the amazing characters that the author introduced in this novel. The story unravels in Brighton (UK) and Corfu (Greece). These are two of the most magnificent places in the world for me. The times are 1937 and 1987 and the story moves very elegantly to various other locations.

“The Lady in the Pier” has now become one of my favorite reads. The author interweaves a mixture of emotions, such as romance, friendship, fame, family and heartbreak in a masterful way to keep the reader glued to the pages. I am a romance author and this was the kind of book I wanted to spend time reading and enjoying.

The amazing characters of Laura Mayfield, her mother Ruth, Sophia Aspioti, Christian Seale, Charles the Viscount, a childhood friend Danny Markson and so many others stole my heart. Laura and her mother chose to start their life in Brighton where Laura falls in love with Christian, while Sophia finds love and excitement In Corfu. The romance is wonderful and the charm of the places holds you hooked to the pages from cover to cover.

My interest picked at the mystery of Sophia’s dreams. The enigmatic lady in black of the Brighton Pier, that haunts her day in and day out. Who is that woman? Why her presents distress her is such a way? What is the significance of the pier? The author does an amazing job in providing an intriguing story that will keep you hungry for more.

I love how the author cleverly interlinks the main two characters Laura and Sophia. They are two totally different people who find love and excitement in totally different places, at totally different times, but they are connected by the same fate. I just love the book.

Effrosyni Moschoudi is a delightful and very talented author with a fascinating imagination that provides a very well written book with an exciting plot. The pace of the story is just right and provides a clear view of the lives and emotions of her story characters. I would recommend this book to any person who loves to be enchanted by a novel, who enjoys adventure and who loves romance and mystery.
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