I just finished reading this book. The plot was absolutely fantastic! It was quite the page turner, and I could not put the book down once I began reading it. I can't wait for it to be released. I will recommend it to everyone I know!

I was not a fan of this book. Normally I don’t feel the need to actually like characters in books - I’ve enjoyed many a story where the main characters were terrible. Unfortunately, I found Emma, Julian (and Lena to some extent) absolutely unbearable.

The writing was technically good, but it felt very self aware and self conscious (not in a good way). I could feel the labor that went into every sentence. Sadly - this was not a good read for me.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC opportunity!

While this one did fall a little short for me, and i am not sure exactly why, it still kept my attention and was a quick, easy read. I never knew exactly where it was going to go next, and i liked that. Alot of times i can guess the resolutions, and that wasnt the case here for me. Everyone was pretty unlikable to me, but i feel like that may have also been part of the point. You find yourself wanting to like them, but you just cant. I also found some arguments and areas relatable, while others had me feeling that they were very unrealistic.

All in all, i think its a read everyone should try but it isnt going to be a hit across the board for all readers.

This wasn’t for me but I can see the appeal for others!
It was well written and engrossing but I didn’t like the characters so it made it hard to fully enjoy it.

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

3.25 stars

Well, this is a book that absolutely lives up to its title. These folks? Their relationships, lives, and outcomes are in ruins (and happening with ruins as a backdrop, as an added bonus).

Julian and Emma have experienced some recent upheaval, and this has caused them both to question the kind of life they thought they wanted to have with each other. As they negotiate their challenges and changes, they enter into a space of, um, exploration that fundamentally and permanently changes them.

This is not an uplifter, but it is thought provoking. It also gets a litte heavy handed in its darkness. The book we keep getting references to in their summer stay? Oh, it's the famously lighthearted tale of Medea. IYKYK.

While I found the actual plot points predictable, I did enjoy the way the characters responded to them. I'm fascinated to see that this book is in development with starring roles already announced.

I enjoyed the plot of this book but found it rather predictable. That being said I still had a pleasant time reading it, I think there was a tad too much filler at times that did not give any more depth to the characters. I would still recommend this to readers that are looking for an interesting and quick read.

4.25 stars. I really really enjoyed this crazy adventure Emma and Julian go on in Greece. Escaping London for the summer to stay in a friend's apartment in Greece, Julian is supposed to be writing his thesis and Emma is just having fun. Enter Lena, a young girl up for anything. Lena enters their marriage at the request of Emma and what ensues is a dramatic book.

There was times when I wanted to scream at this husband and wife duo - but other times when I just couldn't believe what was happening. One thing in particular made me really mad but I can't disclose it here because no spoilers.

Suffice it to say that this book was a great quick read and I enjoyed it very much.

Thank you to NetGalley, Amy Taylor and Random House Publishing Group - Random House | The Dial Press for the e-ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

4.5 stars rounded up-The blurb caught my eye and I thought ooh, interesting. I didn’t know what to expect going in though, romance, moral fiction, and while I got those, I also got a very large dose of thriller!!! The beginning of this is a tiny bit slow with lots of academic verbiage about what a great dissertation it is, we are all so smart. Then, the couple meets Lena and we are off to the races. Definitely some elements of surprise here, and a satisfying ending (though I could have seen it go in another direction too. Overall, really impressed with this book and the author. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the arc!

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 it. Sneaky and underhanded ways? 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. This book will publish on August 12, 2025.

3.5 stars, rounded up.

My, what tangled webs we weave.

Ruins takes us on a slow, creeping, but undeniably downward spiral, as Emma and Julian — comfortably bored in their relationship — invite the alluring, slightly dangerous Lena into the mix. What starts as a search for excitement quickly turns into something far messier, as they all discover that chaos always over-delivers.

From the outset, it’s clear that the author is a capable writer, but early on it felt a bit like I’d wandered into a creative writing seminar: slightly overworked, like it wanted to impress rather than just flow. But somewhere along the way, it finds its footing. And when it does, it’s strong. Uncomfortably relatable. I’ve never been in this exact kind of mess, but I could see how easily it could all slide into catastrophe.

What I really appreciated here was the willingness to let characters be flawed. Messy. Selfish. Human. Author Amy Taylor doesn’t make excuses for them, and she doesn’t wrap it up neatly with redemption arcs and pretty apologies. Julian’s predicament is the kind where someone’s going to get hurt no matter what. And he — like so many of us — makes it worse by avoiding the harder choices.

You watch him dig his grave with a weird, horrified sympathy. He’s wrong, sure, but you get how he got here. And you kind of want to shake him, to wake him to the dangers that lie ahead.

Emma and Julian go to Greece hopeful to connect again. Then they meet Lena.... and become more entangled in her life than just intimacy. This book is about power, desire, relationships, and more. I loved the Greece setting and the messy characters. This is a dark summer read perfect for besides the pool or or laying on the sand at the beach.

I wasn't sure what to expect with this one but I really enjoyed it. The characters are all pretty unlikeable but also layered. I found Julian and Emma's central argument to be a very relatable one. I also know that a lot of people find Greece overdone, but I personally love it (since I have been to Greece quite a few times). I also had no idea where this was going at any point, and enjoyed the turns the story takes. Love the rich detailed writing style too!

Thank you to The Dial Press and NetGalley for the ARC.

Thank you Netgalley for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I was pretty excited to get an email with this book in it. I had not heard about it before and was pulled in by the synopsis (also saw that it will be a movie!). Ruins is fast paced, sexy, a little thrilling story that revolves around a couple who visits Greece and decides to try something new to "spice up" their lives and let's just say it backfires.... This was a pretty predictable story but still entertaining to the point where I wanted to read more constantly. I think a lot will enjoy this.

The premise of this book was intriguing, but unfortunately it fell flat for me. Instead of exploring the truly interesting dynamic of a three person relationship and all the drama that offers, the author uses Darius as a scapegoat villain. While Emma and Julian were fully developed characters with clear conflict and motivations, Lena/Darius were caricatures in an ill-conceived pregnancy plot. At every point their actions were predictable, while Emma and Julian were constantly, annoyingly surprised by them. The best character (Desi) was promptly disposed of after she asked the incredibly obvious questions we readers were wondering the whole time.

The writing was strong and there were some interesting themes. I read this on my honeymoon and it was a great pool book. I was intrigued and finished it, but left rolling my eyes a bit.

I received a copy for review. All opinions are my own. Wow, this book was so amazing and is now one I will be reading again and again over the years. A stunning plot, there were twists and turns that even though I tried to anticipate them, I couldn’t guess them and was left surprised. I could feel the emotions of Emma as they were described in such great detail. The relationship between Emma and Lena was one that many women can relate too. I found it hard to take breaks from this book because I was so eager to see how everything played out.

I received an ARC of this novel from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

A young couple makes a decision to include a third party in their relationship. It's all fun and games until it isn't.

I couldn’t put this page turner down, finished so quickly in one read. Captivating plot executed flawlessly.

wow I loved the heck outta this one! was intriguing from start to finish. okay, maybe got a little dull around the middle but packed enough of a punch in the beginning & end that I can forgive it. loved the Greek setting, loved Emma and Julian and found their dynamic and personal journeys so real, albeit a lil out of touch at times. loved the tension building, not knowing what was gonna come next, and oof, that ending. definitely recommend if you're looking for something juicy with a lil splash of thriller.

Set against the sun-drenched backdrop of Greece, this novel explores the complexities of a relationship teetering on the edge. Emma and Julian, both feeling lost in their own ways, arrive hoping for clarity, but what they find is far more complicated. When Lena—mysterious and magnetic—enters the picture, the story takes a more provocative turn, introducing themes of temptation, power, and emotional risk.

The tension builds gradually, and while some moments feel drawn out, the novel creates a palpable atmosphere. The dynamic between the three characters is messy, layered, and sometimes frustrating—but that seems to be the point. It’s a story about people trying to escape themselves, only to get pulled deeper into the issues they were avoiding.

The writing is solid, with a strong sense of place and moments of sharp emotional insight. Though not every twist lands with full force, the novel offers a thoughtful look at the fragility of relationships and the unexpected consequences of chasing something new.

It is not a perfect read, but it is interesting, especially for readers drawn to quiet, character-driven dramas with a touch of psychological intrigue.

The publisher provided ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.