Beginner's Greek

Critical Praise

"Mr. Collins' character sketches are nicely Louis Auchincloss…with the requisite amount of Jane Austen to please the gals, enough light-touched financial lingo to hook i-bankers…and a conscience sufficiently informed by history and irony…"
-New York Observer

"Collins makes magic of it all....A-"
-Entertainment Weekly

"Anyone for whom chick lit is a guilty pleasure will find the tone here multiple notches above the usual fare."
-Publishers Weekly

"Collins, a former Time editor who has also contributed to The New Yorker, writes with spare, graceful style, and Peter Russell exudes an earnest everyman appeal that will make many a reader wish he could spring out of the pages. Beginner's Greek is one of those books that both perfectly satisfies and leaves you wanting more."
-Book Page

"To enjoy it, you have to believe in fate. Pairing it with your next flight might do some good, too. And speaking of soaring, this is Collins’s first novel. Call it beginner’s luck."
-DailyCandy.com

"The hopeless romantic in you will enjoy this smart and funny modern-day fairy tale." –NightsandWeekends.com

"Go on. Have fun. Laugh at weddings, cry at funerals, or vice versa as the case may be. Just read it! You'll see what I mean."
–TheFiresideReader.blogspot.com

"If you enjoy the feel of black and white movies, old world romance, deus ex machina, or simply that true goodness is rewarded in the end, you will love Beginner's Greek. If you like literary fiction, you will also love this novel - this is omniscient narrator done well! I highly recommend Beginner's Greek to everyone - I wish I could give it to all the readers on my shopping list!"
–BostonNow.com and OurGaggleofGirls.com

"A kind of Greek comedy with a bit of tragedy thrown in, this book showcases the talent of a honest, sardonic writer who delivers a truly rewarding, entertaining read."
–LiteratureChick.com

"I am amazed by the storytelling in this novel, although it is a straightforward "romance" in the spirit of Great Expectations the story and writing keep you in riveted to these characters’ lives. You find it unnerving to be forced away from these pages to carry on with your daily schedule, when you really want to get to the conclusion of this novel. All in all, a fantastic first effort from Mr. Collins and I hope that he revisits these characters in some way in the future." –Scoffery.com and JWeaver.wordpress.com

"Beginner’s Greek is a great read and one I would recommend to romantics everywhere, even those who do not admit to being one."
–ReaderViews.com