Ruins is a captivating and evocative novel that explores the complexities of love, identity, and human connection against the fiery backdrop of Greece. Amy Taylor masterfully delves into the lives of Emma and Julian as they navigate a pivotal summer, seeking clarity and purpose in a place full of ancient history and vibrant life. The introduction of Lena, with her mysterious aura and alluring charisma, injects an exciting tension that keeps the pages turning. The story brilliantly captures the thrill and danger of stepping outside one’s comfort zone, especially when boundaries are blurred and desires come to the surface. Taylor’s writing is lush and immersive, drawing readers into the sultry atmosphere of Greece while peeling back layers of her characters’ inner struggles. The dynamics between Emma, Julian, and Lena unfold with nuance, leading to a climax that is both explosive and thought-provoking. While some moments felt slightly stretched, overall, *Ruins* delivers a compelling blend of psychological depth and seductive adventure. It’s a provocative read that leaves you pondering the fragile nature of relationships and the unforeseen consequences of our choices—even long after the last page.

This honest review is written in exchange for early access to this ARC. This book publishes in August later this year. Thank you to the publisher for the early access.

Phew, sad to say this book was just NOT for me. We got two absolutely delulu rich people out here doing unhinged stuff, trying to rub their two single brain cells together. The string of bad decisions made back to back makes this plotline almost unrealistic, though the tension builds quickly at the end of the book making it compulsively readable. Overall, not for me but slow build suspense girlies would enjoy this.

Set in beautiful Athena during the summer, our story follows protagonists Emma and Julian, who decide to take on a shared lover after Emma expresses interest in experimental intimacy. All does not go according to plan though, and Lena becomes intimately intertwined in both their Athens life and the life they plan to live after the summer back in London.

Not going to spoil the big twist here but it was fairly expected given where the story was going. Towards the middle of the book after this part though, I had no guesses as to where the plot was going though, which was a unique experience. Emma and Julian both irked me in different ways - Emma for her poor communication skills and Julian for his never ending narcissism. Every time they got in a room, you knew the discussion was going to be unproductive.

This book is slow but the detail is rich. The author does a good job explaining the thought processes of the characters, despite how bad their decisions may be. At times I skimmed after I got a good read on them. The ending has two parts, one surprising and one expected, which was a nice way to end the book honestly. Overall it was a nice summer read given the setting, but I wouldn’t pick it up again given that complicated intimacy plots like this give me major anxiety (the point, I guess!).

amy taylor’s writing style is hypnotic and kept me hooked on every little word. ruins gave me a pit of anxiety in my stomach for all 200 some pages, but i enjoyed never the less! personally, i loooooved how the book ended-end but didn’t love the end of the plot, yk what i mean? anyways 3.75/5 would totally recommend!

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.

Emma and Julian are at a turning point in their marriage: he’s facing a career-defining academic deadline, she’s just left her job, and they’re hoping that a summer housesitting gig in Greece will somehow sort things out. Naturally, it doesn’t go as planned.

Enter Lena, who quickly becomes entwined in their lives in ways no one saw coming.

Let me just say this: threesomes never work. Not in fiction, not in real life—unless someone’s being paid and it’s professionally lit. Otherwise? Recipe for disaster. And why is it always Greece or Italy? You never see emotionally fraught, wine-fueled triangles unfolding in, say, Norway.

The book was decent—predictable in places, but solidly written. Emma and Julian’s arguments felt real, familiar, maybe a little too familiar at times. If you’re in the mood for a vacation read with some messiness, it delivers.

What a wild ride! I love that the setting was in Greece- of course, the perfect backdrop for a twisty thriller. This would be a great beach read- I read it in a day!

When I received the ARC for this book, I started it that same night! The premise just looked right up my alley. I am happy to report that this book did not disappoint!

The author parsed out the tension in a way that kept me hooked. Somewhere around 75%, I thought that I had the whole plot figured out, but I was very far from the truth. The turn of events in Athens left me shocked and I was satisfied with the ending.

First time reading this author and it won't be my last! Loved!

I really liked this book, however, I didn’t love it. I feel like the whole Greek tragedy story has been overdone.

When Emma and Julian housesit for a friend in Athens, Emma opens up to Julian about a fantasy she has that involves inviting another woman into their relationship. After initially hemming and hawing, Julian agrees, and naturally things become very, very complicated.

This book starts slow but things pick up quickly and I found myself immersed in the drama. The writing was excellent but the plot was predictable. I think 4 stars is a fair rating as I did ultimately enjoy the book. Thank you, NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for the eARC.

A psychological thriller that follows a couple. Emma and Julian, as they try to rekindle their relationship following Emma's miscarriage. An interesting meditation on motherhood, trust, and the middle-age malaise when one's life doesn't quite work out the way you'd hoped.

When Emma and Julian are offered an apartment in Athens for the summer they jump at the chance to shake up their life. Soon they meet Lena, a young, intriguing woman that works at a nearby bar. As they become entangled in a life altering affair Emma and Julian must confront the distance that had been growing between them.

I enjoyed this new entry into the meditative thriller genre.

What a mix of gorgeous scenery and complicated relationship drama! Emma and Julian spend the summer house-sitting in Athens in an effort to bring them clarity in both their separate lives and their relationships...then they meet Lena. Though the ending was a tad predictable, it was still a fun read.

It did take me a little bit to get into the book, the first 50-60% was very slow moving, yet the ending felt a little rushed to me. While we weren't really building up to any major conflicts, it seemed like the ending was rather abrupt. I don't know that I really like any of the characters and I just wanted to scream at them to talk to each other!!!!!!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

Thank you NetGalley for the e-ARC. Pub date: August 12, 2025.

This story is about Emma and Julian who went through a traumatic event in their relationship that causes them to go on vacation and then to house sit for a friend in Greece. While there Emma meets Lena, who she is entranced by. After talking it over with her husband, Julian, they invite Lena over to their house. A threesome occurs and then the dynamic between the three of them changes.

This had a very slow start, but once Emma met Lena the pace seemed to speed up. I was so fascinated with the story and wanted to literally know everything about these characters. When I was not reading this I kept thinking how it would end. This is the first book I have read by Amy Taylor and I want to read more.

3.5 star rating!

This novel beautifully charts the disintegration of a relationship. Taylor artfully weaves between the protagonists viewpoints to create a portrait of a relationship that is fundamentally doomed. I enjoyed this unflinching novel.

This was my first Amy Taylor read and I really liked it. It’s about a couple whose relationship is quietly deteriorating. They end up in Athens (naturally) and fall into an uneasy relationship with Lena, a mysterious Greek woman, which leads to consequences for all of them. The power dynamics become complicated, parties become jealous, the typical fallout from a terribly managed threesome is present here. I feel like this formula has been done a lot by now - white privileged couple ends up in European city on summer vacation and gets entangled with a local who isn’t exactly what they seem. It’s very specific, but I also feel like I’ve read that story a lot! But this one stood out because I really liked Taylor’s writing. It feels very summery, very humid and tense. It would make for a good beach read.

"Obsession with the old. Like ancestor worship–being so in love with the past that you are ignoring the problems happening now."

Emma and Julian thought they knew what they wanted, but Emma's accidental pregnancy and sudden miscarriage awakens different desires in both of them. This is the first fracture.

Amy Taylor drops us into the private lives of two people struggling to figure out what they desire for themselves and from each other during one long, swelteringly hot summer in Greece. The answer to what they want is complicated, both of them caught between the past and present, unable to fully express or reconcile their opposing views on their changing relationship. The philosophy of fate versus free will is positioned at the center of this story as Julian and Emma invite a young woman named Lena into their relationship, leading to a three way tug of war for control.

The story progressed a bit slowly at times, but it's one of those narratives that requires you to sit in moments with each character to truly get to know and understand them. Taylor presents us with flawed characters we're able to sympathize with even though their reluctance to face each other is often frustrating. There are decisions and consequences, and then there are the lies people tell themselves in an attempt at self-preservation. The truth of the matter is you are never fully in control of anything, especially when it comes to relationships.

Julian and Emma have a way of romanticizing what once was instead of coming to terms with their present circumstances, both searching for meaning and finding it in vastly different places. As it evolves into something neither of them anticipated, their tenuous relationship with Lena pushes them to the edge, forcing Julian and Emma to confront the feelings they've been avoiding. I was pleasantly surprised by how this story kept me on the edge of my seat, holding my breath wondering when everything was going to come to a boiling point. There is something so melancholic about it all, these three people tangled together by circumstance and struggling to clear a path forward, afraid their lives can never be the same. Freedom only comes from admitting their desires, for better or worse.

Reading this book completely stressed me out--which I actually mean as a compliment. I knew exactly how this was going to end for them, and yet I couldn't put it down. Amy has a way of writing that sucks you in and forces you on the ride. It was thrilling and atmospheric. A great summer read.

This contemporary psychological drama set in Greece examines the fragile dynamics of relationships under pressure, exploring how external influences can expose and exacerbate existing fractures between partners. The novel positions itself at the intersection of domestic fiction and psychological thriller, using the backdrop of a foreign setting to heighten themes of displacement and reinvention.

Emma and Julian are housesitting in Athens for a few months. Julian is working on a paper while Emma, who recently quit her job, is trying to figure out how to navigate her ennui. With what could be a glamorous summer ahead of them, Emma and Julian manage to make the worst of it…

This is a tense and riveting marital drama and the setting adds a sense of intrigue. I appreciated the inclusion of both Emma’s and Julian’s perspectives as we get a sense of how truthful they are being to themselves and to each other.

Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for the opportunity to read a copy.

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.

I picked up Ruins because I’m always drawn to books inspired by Greek tragedy—and this one did not disappoint. Set against the crumbling beauty of modern Greece, it follows Julian and Emma, a married couple at a crossroads after a miscarriage leaves them emotionally scarred.

Julian’s academic career has stalled, and in a desperate attempt to revive it, he brings them to Greece for research. Emma, meanwhile, has abruptly quit her job with no plan, The unraveling between them is obvious.

Enter Lena, a disruptive figure that offers an opening—perhaps a lifeline, or perhaps a trap. Like all tragedies, the story hints at inevitability. It’s a slow burn, but incredibly rewarding, especially for readers who enjoy character-driven fiction with emotional complexity.
Tragic in the most honest way. Ruins lingers.
#randomhouse #ruins #amytaylor

I was entertained while reading this book. I felt like I was getting a glimpse into the marriage of the main characters. It was as if I was on their trip to Greece with them. The writing is intimate and intriguing. A hot read for summer! Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.