The Lion and the Nurse

Cassiani, a nurse, returns to Kos Island from the United States to help her ailing mother. It is on this island that the medical doctor Hippocrates once taught under the Plane Tree and an earthquake in the 20th century unveiled many ancient artifacts. In Kos, Cassiani ends up also nursing her mother's employer, a rich widow, whose nephew Leo is also visiting at the time. Cassiani falls in love with Leo, but his aunt has other plans for him. The hilarious matchmaking efforts of Cassiani's mother, along with an eccentric cigar-toting doctor, and a bumbling suitor will keep readers chuckling throughout the story. A near-death experience brings love and spirituality into Cassiani's life and reminds her how fragile life is. Will Leo overcome his domineering aunt's interference in his life and allow his feelings for Cassiani to show? The test of time will tell.

“Patty Apostolides’ novel, which takes place on a “typical” Greek Island, Kos, is truly a proper follow-up to “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” although it comes from a different direction—Americans experiencing the Greek culture in Greece.” —Michael Bilirakis, former Congressman “What impressionism achieved on the canvass, Patty Apostolides seems to accomplish on the printed page—and her psychological insights are remarkable. A stunning achievement!” —Nicholas D. Kokonis, Ph.D., Author of the award-winning novel Arcadia, My Arcadia “Patty Apostolides has done it again! Just as in Lipsi’s Daughter, The Lion and the Nurse captures the beauty and charm of a Greek island in a love story that is more than a love story. This romance about Cassiani, a nurse who returns to Kos to help her ailing mother, is also about the triumph of eternal values, such as truth and caring, over materialism and deception. It is also about the loneliness and the struggles of two widows and about how love transcends all planes, even in modern times. This book is a real page-turner. I couldn’t put it down!” —Aphrodite Matsakis, Ph.D., Au