When the Cypress Whispers

On a beautiful Greek island, myths, magic, and a colorful cast of characters come together in When the Cypress Whispers, Yvette Manessis Corporon’s lushly atmospheric story about past and present, family and fate, love and dreams that poignantly captures the deep bond between an American woman and her Greek grandmother.

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 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 husband’s unexpected death.

After years of struggling to raise her child and pay the bills, Daphne now has a successful restaurant, a growing reputation as a chef, and a wealthy fiancé—everything she’s ever wanted. But across the ocean, Yia-yia can see through the storybook perfection of Daphne’s new life— and now she is calling her back to Erikousa. She has secrets about the past to share with her granddaughter— stories from the war, of loyalty and bravery in the face of death. She also has one last lesson to teach her: that security is not love, and that her life can be filled with meaning again. 

On a beautiful Greek island, myths, magic, and a colorful cast of mortals come together in a lushly atmospheric debut celebrating the powerful bond between an American woman and her Greek grandmother.

The daughter of Greek immigrants, Daphne has been brought up to believe in the American dream. When her husband dies in a car accident, leaving her with an inconsolable baby and stacks of bills, she channels everything she has into opening her own Greek restaurant. Now an acclaimed chef and restaurateur, she has also found a second chance at love with her wealthy, handsome fiancé.

Although American by birth, Daphne spent many blissful childhood summers on the magical Greek island of Erikousa, which her grandmother still calls home. At her Yia-yia's side, she discovered her passion for cooking and absorbed the vibrant rhythms of island life, infused with ancient myths and legends lovingly passed down through generations. Somehow her beloved grandmother could always read her deepest thoughts, and despite the miles between them Daphne knows Yia-yia is the one person who can look beyond Daphne's storybook life of seeming perfection to help her stay grounded. With her wedding day fast approaching, Daphne returns to Erikousa and to Yia-yia's embrace.

The past and the present beautifully entwine in this glorious, heartfelt story about a woman trapped between the siren call of old-world traditions and the demands of a modern career and relationship. When Daphne arrives on Erikousa with her daughter, Evie, in tow, nothing is the way she recalls it, and she worries that her elderly Yia-yia is losing her grip on reality. But as the two of them spend time together on the magical island once again, her grandmother opens up to share remarkable memories of her life there—including moving stories of bravery and loyalty in the face of death during World War II—and Daphne remembers why she returned. Yia-yia has more than one lesson to teach her: that security is not the same as love, that her life can be filled with meaning again, and that the most important magic to believe in is the magic of herself.

“When The Cypress Whispers is an unforgettable book about what it truly means to love and be loved.…Yvette has taken the myths, history and culture of our homeland and crafted a deeply moving story that will stay with you long after you’ve finished the last page.” - Maria Menounos

“When The Cypress Whispers is an unforgettable book about what it truly means to love and be loved. . . Yvette has taken the myths, history and culture of our homeland and crafted a deeply moving story that will stay with you long after you’ve finished the last page.” - Maria Menounos

“Exquisitely written. A profoundly beautiful love story of the magical Greek island of Erikousa and the undeniable love and bond between Daphne and her beloved Yia-yia. It’s an enchanting read exploring Greek myths and the importance of understanding your fate and following your heart.” - Laura Schroff, New York Times-bestelling author of An Invisible Thread

“When the Cypress Whispersis a rich, emotionally-nuanced story about a woman’s deeply held connection to her family and her past. With an evocative setting and finely-drawn characters, Corporon creates a beautiful world you won’t soon forget.” - Emily Giffin, New York Times bestselling author

“When the Cypress Whispers is a beautiful story about family, friendship and faith—the things I value most in life. Yvette has done a wonderful blending the past and the present to write an unforgettable novel that will make you both laugh and cry.” - Mario Lopez

“Sun-drenched, evocative and a wee bit magical, When the Cypress Whispers is both a perfect beach read and a compelling portrait of a family of strong women.” - Shelf Awareness

“There’s plenty of romance, myth and magic in this fast-paced, emotional roller-coaster ride of a story. Add to that a believable storyline, well-developed characters and breathtaking detail of the Greek islands, and you have an intriguing tale in Corporon’s debut. The author uses her knowledge of Greek history to weave a spellbinding story that fans will not soon forget.” - RT Book Reviews

“A compelling and beautiful novel.” - Luxuryreading.com

“When The Cypress Whispers is a beautifully written story of the love between a young woman and her Yia-yia. I really enjoyed the flashbacks into Daphne’s childhood summers spent with her grandmother. The warm feelings Daphne easily recalled of the time spent watching her grandmother cook, made me recall my summers with my grandma (nothing like beautiful exotic Greece!). Ms. Corporon’s descriptions were so perfectly written I almost felt the breeze and tasted the food.” - Novelreview.com

“The power of family tradition and heritage is compassionately explored in Corporon’s debut. . . [she] can tell a good tale, and her love for her Greek heritage permeates the story.” - Publishers Weekly

“There is just enough humor to balance the heartache, and a dash of history adds depth. Readers will be transported.” - Booklist

“The book is rich with description, but not where the reader will feel bogged down with detail. Corporon does amazing job painting a literary picture where the sounds, sights, and smells of Greece are within inches. When the Cypress Whispers a sensory feast of words and passages that will have you smiling through tears of joy and wishing for those stories of your childhood that your grandmother used to tell. Corporon has not only woven a beautiful story, but she’s created something special here. The reminder that no matter where you are in life or what you think you need, if you have a family that loves you, no matter their idiosyncrasies or flaws, no matter what culture they are or what part of the world from which they originated, then you have damn good foundation.” - Examiner.com