Can one magical Crete villa change everything?
Now her children have moved out, Edie has begun to feel lonely in the home she shares with her husband. She hopes returning to Crete, where she and Ralph spent their honeymoon, will help heal the growing rift between them.
And when Edie stumbles upon the website for the Villa Ariadne, with its breathtaking views and peaceful surroundings, it feels like the perfect place to spend a week together, along with their closest friends Mac and Hannah. But then, Edie invites a fifth guest: her feisty, independent colleague Jessica, with unexpected consequences.
It's clear from the moment they arrive that the villa is special, and under the golden Greek sun, Edie hopes to rekindle the relationship she’s felt slipping away from her. But when conflict arises between two of her fellow guests, will Edie be prepared for revelations that could change her life forever?
Review: I have read, and thoroughly enjoyed, Emma Burstall’s books set in Cornwall and a few since. The amazing cover of this book, combined with the title, drew me to it, looking forward to a trip to a sunny Mediterranean beach - perfect for reading on these cold spring days. The storyline drew me in from the start and I found it a quick read.
In this summery tale, the reader first meets teacher Edie, who is feeling rather stale, the children having left home and her relationship with husband Ralph rather flat. She decides that a holiday somewhere warm and sunny is just what they need. An advert for a villa in Crete catches her eye; it looks lovely and the price is really reasonable. Edie and Ralph honeymooned on Crete, and she hopes to inject some sparkle back into their marriage. She invites their best friends Hannah and Mac to join them, then, on a whim, asks fellow teacher Jessica to come along as well. The Villa Ariadne proves just as luxurious as it looked, but there is something about the owner and some of the villagers that is a little strange. More serious for Edie are the heated arguments among the others in the group, and the devastating secret that is ultimately revealed. This is not at all the restful holiday that she had planned.
This book was not quite what I was expecting, but not in a bad way. The sun, sea and rugged but beautiful Cretan landscape were all there, but the happy travel party were anything but. The amicable relationship usually enjoyed by the two couples apparently could not withstand the addition of a fifth person. The atmosphere throughout the story was tense and brilliantly built up by the author until I was just waiting for an explosion. It certainly kept me coming back to the book every chance I got. I could definitely not foresee the twist that also caught many of the characters by surprise. I would have to say that, with the exception of Edie, I was not actually drawn to any of the characters in the story; they all had personality traits that were not altogether attractive. However, they stayed with me long after I had read the last page of the story. I can certainly recommend this entertaining and immersive book. Another book featuring the Villa Ariadne is to follow this one and I can’t wait to see what is in store for its visitors this time.
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