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Ruins
A simmering, provocative novel about a couple whose affair with a young Greek woman over the course of a summer in Athens threatens to crack their relationship wide open
“The type of book you’ll want to gulp down in one breathless sitting . . . A summer in Athens? Check. Millennial malaise? Check. A steamy affair that upends everything? Check. . . . Taylor mixes literary musings with juicy plot twists and plenty of interpersonal drama.”—The Guardian
IN DEVELOPMENT AS A FEATURE FILM STARRING SEBASTIAN STAN AND VANESSA KIRBY
At a crossroads in their lives, a couple arrives in Greece to house-sit for a friend. Emma is searching for a meaningful next step beyond work or starting a family, and Julian is struggling to come to terms with the failure of his academic career. Their visions for the future seem to be pulling them in different directions, and they hope that this summer away will help them mend their frayed connection.
Emma and Julian’s plans take an unexpected turn when they meet Lena, an enigmatic young Greek woman, who presents an opportunity for them to explore their relationship in uncharted and excitingly risky ways. However, as the heat in the city grows stifling, Emma and Julian find themselves far more entangled in Lena’s life than they’d bargained for. Engaged in a three-way struggle for control, Emma, Julian, and Lena are suddenly faced with consequences far greater—and far more explosive—than they could have predicted.
Voyeuristic and thrilling, Ruins delivers the drama of a modern Greek tragedy while exposing the tensions between privilege and power, desire and intimacy.
“The type of book you’ll want to gulp down in one breathless sitting . . . A summer in Athens? Check. Millennial malaise? Check. A steamy affair that upends everything? Check. . . . Taylor mixes literary musings with juicy plot twists and plenty of interpersonal drama.”—The Guardian
IN DEVELOPMENT AS A FEATURE FILM STARRING SEBASTIAN STAN AND VANESSA KIRBY
At a crossroads in their lives, a couple arrives in Greece to house-sit for a friend. Emma is searching for a meaningful next step beyond work or starting a family, and Julian is struggling to come to terms with the failure of his academic career. Their visions for the future seem to be pulling them in different directions, and they hope that this summer away will help them mend their frayed connection.
Emma and Julian’s plans take an unexpected turn when they meet Lena, an enigmatic young Greek woman, who presents an opportunity for them to explore their relationship in uncharted and excitingly risky ways. However, as the heat in the city grows stifling, Emma and Julian find themselves far more entangled in Lena’s life than they’d bargained for. Engaged in a three-way struggle for control, Emma, Julian, and Lena are suddenly faced with consequences far greater—and far more explosive—than they could have predicted.
Voyeuristic and thrilling, Ruins delivers the drama of a modern Greek tragedy while exposing the tensions between privilege and power, desire and intimacy.
306 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 12, 2025
180 people are currently reading
23393 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 288 reviews
November 16, 2025
i like when a book seems like vacation.
it did feel like that, but maybe more like a long weekend from school or a sick day where you spend the entire time rotting in a dark room with a screen headache from watching daytime television.
in other words it read like a well-written soap opera.
i liked a lot of the complexities set up within our characters and their dynamics, but all of that fell apart when this ended abruptly and as dramatically as possible. then it went on for a while longer for some reason, but without bite.
if you're going to be soapy, stay soapy!
bottom line: not horrible. not memorable.
(thanks to the publisher for the e-arc)
it did feel like that, but maybe more like a long weekend from school or a sick day where you spend the entire time rotting in a dark room with a screen headache from watching daytime television.
in other words it read like a well-written soap opera.
i liked a lot of the complexities set up within our characters and their dynamics, but all of that fell apart when this ended abruptly and as dramatically as possible. then it went on for a while longer for some reason, but without bite.
if you're going to be soapy, stay soapy!
bottom line: not horrible. not memorable.
(thanks to the publisher for the e-arc)
October 23, 2025
2 "all of the elements...none of the genius" stars !!!
Thank you to Netgalley, the author and Random House Publishing for an ecopy. This was released August 2025. I am providing an honest review.
This is not a work that should have been released as is ! Underneath this maudlin cheap result lies an important, interesting and provocative literary piece. I believe the author has plenty of brains and talent....
This had the potential to be a Cuskian reflection on the hypocrisy and villainy that is endowed in much of first world classist white feminism OR a psychological tour de force about power dynamics in female led voyeuristic fetishes OR an immensely intricate exploration of triadic romantic relations. This novel does not manage to be any of the above...
Instead we are submerged in a tepid, second rate chick lit psychological thriller that is messy, unbelievable, maudlin and sometimes even moronic.
Tis a crying shame !
Thank you to Netgalley, the author and Random House Publishing for an ecopy. This was released August 2025. I am providing an honest review.
This is not a work that should have been released as is ! Underneath this maudlin cheap result lies an important, interesting and provocative literary piece. I believe the author has plenty of brains and talent....
This had the potential to be a Cuskian reflection on the hypocrisy and villainy that is endowed in much of first world classist white feminism OR a psychological tour de force about power dynamics in female led voyeuristic fetishes OR an immensely intricate exploration of triadic romantic relations. This novel does not manage to be any of the above...
Instead we are submerged in a tepid, second rate chick lit psychological thriller that is messy, unbelievable, maudlin and sometimes even moronic.
Tis a crying shame !
July 23, 2025
slow burn lit fic with thriller elements wowowowwowo I ate this up
Husband and wife- Julian and Emma, are vacationing in Greece and house-sitting for a friend when Emma decides she wants to spice up their marriage with a third. Lena, a 22 year old Greek woman, helps them explore this fantasy. However, things take a turn for the worst and the couple finds themselves entangled into a web of risk, consequence, and struggle.
I really did not know what to expect when my sister asked me to buddy read this ARC that NetGalley sent her and then approved me to read. BUT THANK YOU @netgalley because this was the perfect read during my Europe vacation! This book is more of a literary fiction book with thriller and romance elements. It was absolutely unputdownable, I truly could not tear my eyes away from this magnetic story. It was tense and heartbreaking in so many ways. This is definitely one of my new all time fav reads! Highly recommend picking up this amazing novel by @amy_ester_ when it’s out on August 12th.
Husband and wife- Julian and Emma, are vacationing in Greece and house-sitting for a friend when Emma decides she wants to spice up their marriage with a third. Lena, a 22 year old Greek woman, helps them explore this fantasy. However, things take a turn for the worst and the couple finds themselves entangled into a web of risk, consequence, and struggle.
I really did not know what to expect when my sister asked me to buddy read this ARC that NetGalley sent her and then approved me to read. BUT THANK YOU @netgalley because this was the perfect read during my Europe vacation! This book is more of a literary fiction book with thriller and romance elements. It was absolutely unputdownable, I truly could not tear my eyes away from this magnetic story. It was tense and heartbreaking in so many ways. This is definitely one of my new all time fav reads! Highly recommend picking up this amazing novel by @amy_ester_ when it’s out on August 12th.
August 14, 2025
What you imagine happens in this scenario is pretty much what you are going to get with this book. That being said, I read this very quickly and I was invested right from the start. This book is tense and a bit salacious with a side of psychological thriller. I had a great time reading this one. I wasn't quite sure how this one would end, and I'll say it didn't end where I thought it would but I was satisfied with the outcome. This will make a great summertime beach read.
Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Random House | The Dial Press for access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Pub Date: 8/12/25
Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Random House | The Dial Press for access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Pub Date: 8/12/25
July 15, 2025
3.5 Stars
This was an interesting story about a married couple in their thirties who had agreed not to have children, but when Emma unexpectedly got pregnant...but then miscarried...her husband Julian realized that he did in fact want children. Emma was secretly relieved. With this backline, the story proceeds with this London based couple housesitting for a friend in Athens, Greece. Emma is happily unemployed at the moment, satisfied to drink in life, although Julian's collegiate type friends regularly query her on what she's "doing". Julian is endlessly holing up in university libraries in a quest to finish writing important papers for his academic career. One evening the couple is out dining at a bar/restaurant and an older, very confidant, sexy woman lures Julian to dance with her. Quite unexpectedly, this becomes a turn on for Emma. In a decision that becomes a critical point in their evolving marital relationship, Emma is on a quest to find a woman for her husband Julian to "get it on" with while she watches. This is the backdrop for the book with all its riveting, sensual moments and catastrophic consequences.
This was a very thought-provoking read, with clashing emotions as this marriage crossed what would be a red line for most couples.
Thank you to the publisher Random House / The Dial Press who provided an advance reader copy via NetGalley.
This was an interesting story about a married couple in their thirties who had agreed not to have children, but when Emma unexpectedly got pregnant...but then miscarried...her husband Julian realized that he did in fact want children. Emma was secretly relieved. With this backline, the story proceeds with this London based couple housesitting for a friend in Athens, Greece. Emma is happily unemployed at the moment, satisfied to drink in life, although Julian's collegiate type friends regularly query her on what she's "doing". Julian is endlessly holing up in university libraries in a quest to finish writing important papers for his academic career. One evening the couple is out dining at a bar/restaurant and an older, very confidant, sexy woman lures Julian to dance with her. Quite unexpectedly, this becomes a turn on for Emma. In a decision that becomes a critical point in their evolving marital relationship, Emma is on a quest to find a woman for her husband Julian to "get it on" with while she watches. This is the backdrop for the book with all its riveting, sensual moments and catastrophic consequences.
This was a very thought-provoking read, with clashing emotions as this marriage crossed what would be a red line for most couples.
Thank you to the publisher Random House / The Dial Press who provided an advance reader copy via NetGalley.
April 8, 2025
ARC for review. To be published August 12, 2025.
3 stars.
Emma and Julian have reached a crossroads in the marriage. He’s at a crucial, “put up or shut up” paper and she’s left her job. They are hoping that spending the summer housesitting in Greece brings them clarity. But guess what?
Then they meet Lena and she becomes entangled in their lives in ways they couldn’t have imagined.
So I’ll just tell you….people, threesomes. Never. Work. Well, unless it’s porn, I guess. Threesomes do not work unless one or more people are getting paid.
And why is it always, ALWAYS Greece or Italy? You never, ever read about all the merry threesomes of Norway.
Book was decent. Mostly went as expected. Generally well written, with Emma and Julian having very relatable arguments, I thought.
3 stars.
Emma and Julian have reached a crossroads in the marriage. He’s at a crucial, “put up or shut up” paper and she’s left her job. They are hoping that spending the summer housesitting in Greece brings them clarity. But guess what?
Then they meet Lena and she becomes entangled in their lives in ways they couldn’t have imagined.
So I’ll just tell you….people, threesomes. Never. Work. Well, unless it’s porn, I guess. Threesomes do not work unless one or more people are getting paid.
And why is it always, ALWAYS Greece or Italy? You never, ever read about all the merry threesomes of Norway.
Book was decent. Mostly went as expected. Generally well written, with Emma and Julian having very relatable arguments, I thought.
July 8, 2025
Did not like this. It was readable and I was too far in once I realized what was going to happen and I just wanted to finish. The first part of the book is fun and somewhat interesting with the relationship dynamics of Julian and Emma but it very quickly devolves into something else and it just felt so pointless by the end. The characters were hollow and everything that happened to them was just bizarre.
December 12, 2025
A summer in Athens, a dangerous love triangle, destructive desire and so many lies…
3.5 stars
3.5 stars
October 6, 2025
Well that was way spicier and more intense than the cover suggests. Ruins is a novel that is commanding of your attention. A really sharp examination of the ripple effect a single choice can have- I found this utterly captivating. It’s sometimes sexy, and all the times an intense examination of human flaws which presents a critical view of how even in the most meaningful of relationships our actions and motivations often centre the self. Not for you if you want a light Greek Islands drama, or you want to like characters. Definitely for you if you like multiple perspectives, chaos, and you don’t mind not liking anyone.
June 11, 2025
Spicy ARC wasn’t actually spicy at all (which was a bit disappointing).
I misinterpreted what this book was to be about - it’s dramatic! It keeps you asking, “well, what’s going to happen now?!” Which is something I don’t like doing.
I thought this was going to be more fun than it was, but I can see people who like drama/cliff hangers liking this.
Thanks to The Digital Press for the ARC!
2.5 stars
I misinterpreted what this book was to be about - it’s dramatic! It keeps you asking, “well, what’s going to happen now?!” Which is something I don’t like doing.
I thought this was going to be more fun than it was, but I can see people who like drama/cliff hangers liking this.
Thanks to The Digital Press for the ARC!
2.5 stars
August 20, 2025
firstly, thank you to the publisher for an arc!!
4.5 stars — is it worth it to be a cuck…?
ruins follows married couple julian and emma, who are visitng greece to house-sit for a friend. after emma experiences conflicting but liberating sexual emotions after watching her husband dance innocently with another woman, she approaches a young greek woman to have sex with julian.
of course, things go absolutely sideways from there…
i was instantly swept up in the drama between emma and julian, as well as the mystery surrounding lena and her brother darius.
this would make the perfect movie/mini series, and i’m excited to see that it was optioned for film, starring sebastian stan!
i also listened to the audio and the narrator did a great job!
4.5 stars — is it worth it to be a cuck…?
ruins follows married couple julian and emma, who are visitng greece to house-sit for a friend. after emma experiences conflicting but liberating sexual emotions after watching her husband dance innocently with another woman, she approaches a young greek woman to have sex with julian.
of course, things go absolutely sideways from there…
i was instantly swept up in the drama between emma and julian, as well as the mystery surrounding lena and her brother darius.
this would make the perfect movie/mini series, and i’m excited to see that it was optioned for film, starring sebastian stan!
i also listened to the audio and the narrator did a great job!
August 25, 2025
I must’ve misinterpreted the synopsis with this one so that’s on me. I thought this was going to be an exploration of the drama and emotions of bringing an extra person into your relationship. This just wasn’t that at all.
I couldn’t stand any of the characters enough to care what happened to them in the end. I enjoyed the first half before things turned sideways so I’d give the author another chance. I just didn’t enjoy almost anything in the second half of the book.
Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC!
I couldn’t stand any of the characters enough to care what happened to them in the end. I enjoyed the first half before things turned sideways so I’d give the author another chance. I just didn’t enjoy almost anything in the second half of the book.
Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC!
September 3, 2025
4-4.5 stars.
Amy does such a great job at writing characters with internal dialogues that are so believable. Loved this book but think I loved her first book a tiny bit more.
Amy does such a great job at writing characters with internal dialogues that are so believable. Loved this book but think I loved her first book a tiny bit more.
July 18, 2025
thanks to NetGalley and Random House | The Dial Press for the advanced digital copy!
this one hits shelves August , 2025
--
this felt like a criterion collection film, something that éric rohmer would direct, all sun-slick tension and unbearably polite conversation until someone quietly detonates their life. i can't tell if that's because the setting is greece or because the characters are insufferable in a distinctly academic way: well-read, deeply insecure, and desperate to be seen as morally good despite being wildly out of touch. it is for these reasons that i loved it.
it's no surprise that sebastian stan is attached to the upcoming adaptation. that man has never turned down a role where he gets to do a sex scene. vanessa kirby? she can do anything she WANTS. honestly, this has all the makings of a very sexy, very uncomfortable prestige drama.
this isn't a book about a baby, not really. it's a book about female desire. about what happens when a woman reclaims her own sexuality after years of playing the docile, accommodating wife. i loved that julian didn't even want to sleep with anyone else. that this was entirely emma's desire - not for polyamory, not for chaos, but for some kind of control. watching him sleep with lena becomes its own form of expression, its own way of being alive again.
that said, i wasn't totally sold on the condom mishap. and every few pages, they're offering lena money, but they don't fully commit to their paternity test demands before they start shelling out money? that part was fuzzy. the dynamics between lena and darius and julian and emma feel like they want to say something sharp about gentrification and class disparity, but the novel never fully commits to that critique. and to be honest, darius came off a bit cartoonishly villainous at times, more archetype than person.
julian, to no one's surprise, was the least compelling part for me. despite the fact that he's struggling with his thesis, his whole arc boils down to "wants a baby" and then doubling down on that in the wake of emma's miscarriage even though, we learn, they'd initially agreed to remain childfree. his tendency to frame all of emma's choices as byproducts of her trauma rather than legitimate shifts in identity is frustrating, though very true to life.
emma, on the other hand, is fascinating. her internal world is layered and uncomfortable in the best way. her evolution isn't clean or redemptive - it's messy, selfish, defiant. i didn't completely buy julian's ending, but i bought hers. and honestly, that was enough.
this book is voyeuristic and slow and claustrophobic and morally queasy. but it wants you to feel like you're spying on something private. if you're into books where no one is truly likable but everyone is interesting, and where desire curdles into something thorny and alive, you'll find plenty to sink your teeth into here. this is literature for people who like their drama sun-drenched and existential. and yeah, i'll be seated for the film.
this one hits shelves August , 2025
--
this felt like a criterion collection film, something that éric rohmer would direct, all sun-slick tension and unbearably polite conversation until someone quietly detonates their life. i can't tell if that's because the setting is greece or because the characters are insufferable in a distinctly academic way: well-read, deeply insecure, and desperate to be seen as morally good despite being wildly out of touch. it is for these reasons that i loved it.
it's no surprise that sebastian stan is attached to the upcoming adaptation. that man has never turned down a role where he gets to do a sex scene. vanessa kirby? she can do anything she WANTS. honestly, this has all the makings of a very sexy, very uncomfortable prestige drama.
this isn't a book about a baby, not really. it's a book about female desire. about what happens when a woman reclaims her own sexuality after years of playing the docile, accommodating wife. i loved that julian didn't even want to sleep with anyone else. that this was entirely emma's desire - not for polyamory, not for chaos, but for some kind of control. watching him sleep with lena becomes its own form of expression, its own way of being alive again.
that said, i wasn't totally sold on the condom mishap. and every few pages, they're offering lena money, but they don't fully commit to their paternity test demands before they start shelling out money? that part was fuzzy. the dynamics between lena and darius and julian and emma feel like they want to say something sharp about gentrification and class disparity, but the novel never fully commits to that critique. and to be honest, darius came off a bit cartoonishly villainous at times, more archetype than person.
julian, to no one's surprise, was the least compelling part for me. despite the fact that he's struggling with his thesis, his whole arc boils down to "wants a baby" and then doubling down on that in the wake of emma's miscarriage even though, we learn, they'd initially agreed to remain childfree. his tendency to frame all of emma's choices as byproducts of her trauma rather than legitimate shifts in identity is frustrating, though very true to life.
emma, on the other hand, is fascinating. her internal world is layered and uncomfortable in the best way. her evolution isn't clean or redemptive - it's messy, selfish, defiant. i didn't completely buy julian's ending, but i bought hers. and honestly, that was enough.
this book is voyeuristic and slow and claustrophobic and morally queasy. but it wants you to feel like you're spying on something private. if you're into books where no one is truly likable but everyone is interesting, and where desire curdles into something thorny and alive, you'll find plenty to sink your teeth into here. this is literature for people who like their drama sun-drenched and existential. and yeah, i'll be seated for the film.
December 27, 2025
3.75 stars…. this book had a lot of potential, but the ending felt soooo rushed. The story was intricate and thoughtfully constructed, slowly building each character in a specific direction, only to constantly shift and evolve them in unexpected ways. It was very much a slow burn, which made the payoff feel like it should have been stronger. Unfortunately, the conclusion arrived too suddenly and lacked the same depth and care that defined the rest of the novel, which was disappointing.
That said, it was a nail-biting literary fiction that explored complex and unconventional dynamics, and overall, I did enjoy it.
That said, it was a nail-biting literary fiction that explored complex and unconventional dynamics, and overall, I did enjoy it.
October 10, 2025
gosh how I love a deep dive into the complexities of human relationships.
November 28, 2025
This was so disappointing especially considering how good Search History was.
October 12, 2025
2.5⭐️ I was so excited to read this, I thought it was going to be a fun Greek island thriller/drama but it wasn’t what I was expecting and felt a bit let down.
June 22, 2025
Amy Taylor has done it again with her second novel "Ruins".
It's a scorching and poignant story that feeds from the desire of women and the dynamics of power and privilege.
I was so stoked to be able to read an ARC of this one thanks to Allen & Unwin and NetGalley.
It comes out July 1st!
Amy Taylor is also an Australian author, and you know I love supporting local talent.
Have posted a longer review over on my Substack (Bookcidents) - 🔗 in bio.
It's a scorching and poignant story that feeds from the desire of women and the dynamics of power and privilege.
I was so stoked to be able to read an ARC of this one thanks to Allen & Unwin and NetGalley.
It comes out July 1st!
Amy Taylor is also an Australian author, and you know I love supporting local talent.
Have posted a longer review over on my Substack (Bookcidents) - 🔗 in bio.
November 13, 2025
2.5ish. I really wanted to like this book, it had me sold from the front cover. But it just wasn’t what I expected.
I enjoyed the sexiness of the first half & the setting of Athens. But then it took a turn I didn’t care for, and then got a bit silly in the end.
I enjoyed the sexiness of the first half & the setting of Athens. But then it took a turn I didn’t care for, and then got a bit silly in the end.
Read
September 23, 2025Contrived and predictable… a disappointment even I didn’t think we had to book our Creek. I thought it was free.
June 23, 2025
This book is indeed a quintessential take on a modern day Greek Tragedy. The masterful way this author weaves character flaws with ambition, hopes and dreams with cold harsh realities left me yearning to turn the pages quicker and quicker. Much like a Greek Tragedy, there was a void in the end that I had to sit with and study deep down within myself. That deeper meaning to life and this book will sit with me for a while and I'm forever grateful to have read this.
To process, I usually write long reviews but I will keep it as spoil free as I possibly can. There was so much to think over and really get into.
Emma: I personally, loved this character so much. I could relate to her on so many levels (personal and superficial), I accepted her, sympathized with her, hated her, understood her. All the things. The flaws were such a human level and so refreshing to see written on page that you couldn't help but feel a friendship and she was only telling me her end of the story. Mistakes were made, yes, but what human hasn't? And when you bring your marriage into something so seductive as a threesome, of course it's going to bite back. I do feel she kept pushing the envelope on quite a number of things just to avoid talking about her feelings, but again, relatable. Her ending was what didn't sit well with me despite knowing they were both happy with how it ended to some degree. I just wanted more of her. I wanted her to leave her mark and still have her cake and eat it too. But I recognize that feeling towards her ending is my selfish way of rebelling against the very real human experience and wouldn't have been as meaningful had that happened. I'm not here to be an Emma apologist per se, but out of all the characters in this book, I felt for her the most and she will always stay with me for many moons to come.
Julian: Again, I understand the rich privilege that this character provided as a backbone for both of them. But I loved that layer. Julian was someone I started off being indifferent about but I do think that was intentional given we start off with Emma's POV. As the book slowly dipped into each character and their lives, I came to have a fondness for Julian. In his eyes, he was only ever trying to do the right thing with the situation that they found themselves in. Whether that was for his own self preservation, or for Emma or Lena, I understood. It was frustrating at times and made me question what side he was on but at the end of the day, with what I gathered from the ending, he was always on his own side of things and that is perfectly okay. Questionable morals when it came to his wife but again, on a human level, I understood him to an extent. In a world where it feels wrong to be selfish with ones own desires, I came to the conclusion that Julian is someone who people may not like on the surface level but deep down, envy because, well, he did get nearly everything he wanted. But at what cost to him personally? That's for him to live with and answer.
Lena: Perhaps an unpopular opinion, but I really liked her in the end. Okay but honestly, about the first 2/3rds of the the time she came in, I was annoyed and felt the slight shady persona she was hiding underneath. But when it came to finding out what she truly wanted, I get her. I understood her and I could relate to that aspect that she wanted as well. I do not agree with how she went about it, but I get her. Was it sneaky and underhanded? Sure. Questionable relatives? Definitely. Lying? Well... I guess that's up to us to decide, isn't it?
Others Characters: I was surprised at how much I liked Desi and so quickly. Given how apprehensive Emma was at first but when she came along as a side character, I truly liked her. She had a complete opposite reaction to when I met Darius. Ugh. Hated him to the very end of the book. The dichotomy of these two characters within this situation that was created was truly appreciated and broke the surface levels to make these characters crack wide open. All the flaws and imperfections were on display once these characters came into the picture which added to me devouring the rest of this book as quickly as I possibly could.
The setting: My goodness was this description of Greece gorgeous! The realism transported me there immediately. I've never been to Greece but I feel like a local on page. The awe of the historic places took my breath away. And most places were described in length which was both a good and bad thing for me. I like to be immersed into the world I'm reading about but also as a nosy Nellie, I wanted to know what was going to happen next. It added to me wanting to turn the pages quickly while admiring the scenery that was provided. I also appreciated the bits of foreshadowing that was given while reading because of the location or what the characters were doing/reading. It was very subtle and still pretty great when it came to the full circle moments.
Overall thoughts: I give this book 4 Stars because I like my ends neatly tied up in a bow and if this did that, 5 stars all the way. However! This book is so very well written and a great Summer read. There was a level of forbidden spice to it that was steamy with the threesome without getting overly detailed with how this trio first started out. And those plot twists were just so deliciously well done. When the characters started to get entangled even more in this situation of their own making and the true layers started to appear with more flaws being exposed, I was hooked. This juicy tale was everything I wanted it to be and more. The setting was so realistic, maybe a tad bit slow to begin with as we get to know these characters but you soon dive in head first. It truly stood up to it's name, Ruins. Lives were changed. The poetic scenery of being around ancient ruins foreshadowed what was to come and it left it's mark on me in a fully unexpected way. When I finished the book, I did have to sit with it for a full 24 hours to formulate my thoughts. Mainly because I was just like Emma in regards to how things ended up. However, that's truly how life is. This is exactly how things work when you get down to the bare bones of it all. Sometimes, you create ruins. Sometimes for the better. Sometimes for the worse. I suppose my key takeaway from this book is: all the worlds a stage, and it's up to us how we want it to end or begin again.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House & The Dial Press for an eARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
To process, I usually write long reviews but I will keep it as spoil free as I possibly can. There was so much to think over and really get into.
Emma: I personally, loved this character so much. I could relate to her on so many levels (personal and superficial), I accepted her, sympathized with her, hated her, understood her. All the things. The flaws were such a human level and so refreshing to see written on page that you couldn't help but feel a friendship and she was only telling me her end of the story. Mistakes were made, yes, but what human hasn't? And when you bring your marriage into something so seductive as a threesome, of course it's going to bite back. I do feel she kept pushing the envelope on quite a number of things just to avoid talking about her feelings, but again, relatable. Her ending was what didn't sit well with me despite knowing they were both happy with how it ended to some degree. I just wanted more of her. I wanted her to leave her mark and still have her cake and eat it too. But I recognize that feeling towards her ending is my selfish way of rebelling against the very real human experience and wouldn't have been as meaningful had that happened. I'm not here to be an Emma apologist per se, but out of all the characters in this book, I felt for her the most and she will always stay with me for many moons to come.
Julian: Again, I understand the rich privilege that this character provided as a backbone for both of them. But I loved that layer. Julian was someone I started off being indifferent about but I do think that was intentional given we start off with Emma's POV. As the book slowly dipped into each character and their lives, I came to have a fondness for Julian. In his eyes, he was only ever trying to do the right thing with the situation that they found themselves in. Whether that was for his own self preservation, or for Emma or Lena, I understood. It was frustrating at times and made me question what side he was on but at the end of the day, with what I gathered from the ending, he was always on his own side of things and that is perfectly okay. Questionable morals when it came to his wife but again, on a human level, I understood him to an extent. In a world where it feels wrong to be selfish with ones own desires, I came to the conclusion that Julian is someone who people may not like on the surface level but deep down, envy because, well, he did get nearly everything he wanted. But at what cost to him personally? That's for him to live with and answer.
Lena: Perhaps an unpopular opinion, but I really liked her in the end. Okay but honestly, about the first 2/3rds of the the time she came in, I was annoyed and felt the slight shady persona she was hiding underneath. But when it came to finding out what she truly wanted, I get her. I understood her and I could relate to that aspect that she wanted as well. I do not agree with how she went about it, but I get her. Was it sneaky and underhanded? Sure. Questionable relatives? Definitely. Lying? Well... I guess that's up to us to decide, isn't it?
Others Characters: I was surprised at how much I liked Desi and so quickly. Given how apprehensive Emma was at first but when she came along as a side character, I truly liked her. She had a complete opposite reaction to when I met Darius. Ugh. Hated him to the very end of the book. The dichotomy of these two characters within this situation that was created was truly appreciated and broke the surface levels to make these characters crack wide open. All the flaws and imperfections were on display once these characters came into the picture which added to me devouring the rest of this book as quickly as I possibly could.
The setting: My goodness was this description of Greece gorgeous! The realism transported me there immediately. I've never been to Greece but I feel like a local on page. The awe of the historic places took my breath away. And most places were described in length which was both a good and bad thing for me. I like to be immersed into the world I'm reading about but also as a nosy Nellie, I wanted to know what was going to happen next. It added to me wanting to turn the pages quickly while admiring the scenery that was provided. I also appreciated the bits of foreshadowing that was given while reading because of the location or what the characters were doing/reading. It was very subtle and still pretty great when it came to the full circle moments.
Overall thoughts: I give this book 4 Stars because I like my ends neatly tied up in a bow and if this did that, 5 stars all the way. However! This book is so very well written and a great Summer read. There was a level of forbidden spice to it that was steamy with the threesome without getting overly detailed with how this trio first started out. And those plot twists were just so deliciously well done. When the characters started to get entangled even more in this situation of their own making and the true layers started to appear with more flaws being exposed, I was hooked. This juicy tale was everything I wanted it to be and more. The setting was so realistic, maybe a tad bit slow to begin with as we get to know these characters but you soon dive in head first. It truly stood up to it's name, Ruins. Lives were changed. The poetic scenery of being around ancient ruins foreshadowed what was to come and it left it's mark on me in a fully unexpected way. When I finished the book, I did have to sit with it for a full 24 hours to formulate my thoughts. Mainly because I was just like Emma in regards to how things ended up. However, that's truly how life is. This is exactly how things work when you get down to the bare bones of it all. Sometimes, you create ruins. Sometimes for the better. Sometimes for the worse. I suppose my key takeaway from this book is: all the worlds a stage, and it's up to us how we want it to end or begin again.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House & The Dial Press for an eARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
August 29, 2025
I requested this title from NetGalley based on vibes alone and I’m so glad I didn’t know much about the plot because it really surprised me at every turn! I had the impression this was going to be a quiet story of a summer spent in Greece, but it was so much more than that.
Emma and Julian are a wealthy married couple from London who disagree about having children and who have very different ideas of what their future will look like. They are in Greece for a long summer vacation and the events of this summer break pose a threat to each of their visions of the future. The couple get to know a young Greek bartender and her impact on their summer and beyond is significant and heartbreaking.
I loved the way this novel used the city of Athens as not only a backdrop but an essential element, intentionally bringing to mind the idea that this is a modern Greek tragedy. The exploration of the themes of class privilege, power, and consequences was subtle but powerful. Part of me wished for a little more on both the background of the couple and the events beyond the summer, but at the same time I appreciated the way the story was mainly confined to the events of a single summer.
This was a slow burn atmospheric summer read that rode the line between lit-fic, thriller, and romance. It could easily have become trite and predictable based on the early events of the novel, but the second half of the story was so much more complex and poignant than I would have expected.
Thank you to NetGalley and The Dial Press for the opportunity to be an early reader of this title!
Emma and Julian are a wealthy married couple from London who disagree about having children and who have very different ideas of what their future will look like. They are in Greece for a long summer vacation and the events of this summer break pose a threat to each of their visions of the future. The couple get to know a young Greek bartender and her impact on their summer and beyond is significant and heartbreaking.
I loved the way this novel used the city of Athens as not only a backdrop but an essential element, intentionally bringing to mind the idea that this is a modern Greek tragedy. The exploration of the themes of class privilege, power, and consequences was subtle but powerful. Part of me wished for a little more on both the background of the couple and the events beyond the summer, but at the same time I appreciated the way the story was mainly confined to the events of a single summer.
This was a slow burn atmospheric summer read that rode the line between lit-fic, thriller, and romance. It could easily have become trite and predictable based on the early events of the novel, but the second half of the story was so much more complex and poignant than I would have expected.
Thank you to NetGalley and The Dial Press for the opportunity to be an early reader of this title!
October 26, 2025
I am in awe....
i only discovered this because i heard about the movie adaptation, and i was dying to read it. i finally got the chance all thanks to an amazing person on twt who send me the full book.
I really liked how all the characters were flawed in some ways. i love Emma, i related to her a lot<3
Also LOVED how accurate it was with greek things, like it was just some typical stereotype of greek ppl. it truly felt like a modern tragedy, it's obvious that the author spend time here before writing bc it's just so insightful.
It was a good use of the cave allegory: Julian was the chained prisoner, behind him was emma and Lena walking, carrying the faux animals that he saw as real: in other words, he was a prisoner of his own fantasies, which made Emma feel excluded in their relationship. Perhaps the "prisoner" that got free and saw the outside world and cane back to free him, was either his own self or death (i got really emotional over Lena tbh://)
I'm also VERYYY excited that this will be a movie adaptation soon (hopefully?) because the opening part is in Corfu which has some amazing places for filming locations..... i would give everything to be able to direct this (yes I'm delusional but) I've been to Corfu almost every summer for the past 5 years, i really love that island.
Back to the book, Emma's character was so well written. My fav part was when she said this:
"Sometimes I feel like the only version of me
you’re genuinely interested in is the simplified version that exists in your fantasies. The
version that just says yes to everything you want. You’ve always wanted to change me,
fix me—move me into your life, your vision. You don’t want me to take up too much
space, to exert too much control. You’ll never acknowledge that my thoughts and
feelings are as important as yours".
i only discovered this because i heard about the movie adaptation, and i was dying to read it. i finally got the chance all thanks to an amazing person on twt who send me the full book.
I really liked how all the characters were flawed in some ways. i love Emma, i related to her a lot<3
Also LOVED how accurate it was with greek things, like it was just some typical stereotype of greek ppl. it truly felt like a modern tragedy, it's obvious that the author spend time here before writing bc it's just so insightful.
It was a good use of the cave allegory: Julian was the chained prisoner, behind him was emma and Lena walking, carrying the faux animals that he saw as real: in other words, he was a prisoner of his own fantasies, which made Emma feel excluded in their relationship. Perhaps the "prisoner" that got free and saw the outside world and cane back to free him, was either his own self or death (i got really emotional over Lena tbh://)
I'm also VERYYY excited that this will be a movie adaptation soon (hopefully?) because the opening part is in Corfu which has some amazing places for filming locations..... i would give everything to be able to direct this (yes I'm delusional but) I've been to Corfu almost every summer for the past 5 years, i really love that island.
Back to the book, Emma's character was so well written. My fav part was when she said this:
"Sometimes I feel like the only version of me
you’re genuinely interested in is the simplified version that exists in your fantasies. The
version that just says yes to everything you want. You’ve always wanted to change me,
fix me—move me into your life, your vision. You don’t want me to take up too much
space, to exert too much control. You’ll never acknowledge that my thoughts and
feelings are as important as yours".
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 30, 2025
A sensory, visceral reading experience - if you liked Rytual, I think you’d like at least the writing style of this book. Kind of White Lotus-y. I thought the plot became gradually more ridiculous, but it was pacy and I still wanted to find out what happens! Reading this on a Greek Island added to the charm 🇬🇷
September 1, 2025
This went in a direction I was not expecting. I went back and forth between disliking the characters and seeing something very real in them. It gets a high rating for making me feel so many conflicting things.
October 10, 2025
I liked the idea of this book, and it was an easy read, but it got a bit silly and lost me by the end. Think it could have been a good lit fic novel but instead has gone for the trope/ click bait vibe instead
July 8, 2025
4.5 ⭐️ This book had me stressed and racing to the finish. I love Amy Taylor’s novels!
October 11, 2025
4.5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ love Amy Taylor’s writing style. Reading this in Greece really added to the experience
July 31, 2025
Emma and Julian are in Greece for three months, housesitting for friend, Alistair and all is going well until Emma goes out to get ice and meets the enigmatic Lena. Who knows what damage can be done to a marriage when you're on vacation? If you're not sure--or just curious--read this book!
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!
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