Can one magical villa change the course of a life?
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?
Beside the Turquoise Sea by Emma Burstall is released 11 June 2025.
Published by Boldwood Books and available across digital, audio and print formats.
You can find out more about the book on Amazon, Goodreads and Storygraph.
I was thrilled to take another literary trip to Villa Ariadne!
Thank you to author Emma Burstall, Boldwood Books, and NetGalley for the chance to read and review an early copy of this beautiful story. As always, this review reflects my honest thoughts.
About the Author
Emma studied English at Cambridge University before becoming a journalist for local and national newspapers and women’s magazines. Now living in South West London and has three children.
As well as visiting Cornwall, New York and Crete (of course!) I like reading (a lot), hiking with friends and wild water swimming.
Connect with Emma Burstall
🔗 EmmaBurstall.com
My Review
Oh, I absolutely love the escape that comes with an Emma Burstall novel, and Beside the Turquoise Sea swept me away completely. The moment I returned to Villa Ariadne, with its breathtaking sea views, olive groves and endless Mediterranean sunshine, it felt like stepping back into somewhere comforting and familiar — the kind of place you instantly wish was real so you could pack a suitcase and stay forever.
Although connected through the beautiful setting of Villa Ariadne, this works perfectly as a standalone story, with its own emotional heart and completely captivating cast of characters.
This is such a warm, emotional and deeply relatable story about marriage, friendship, loneliness, rediscovery and the unsettling feeling that life quietly changes around you before you’ve even realised it. Beneath the idyllic surroundings and dreamy Cretan atmosphere lies so much honesty about relationships, identity and the fear of losing yourself somewhere along the way.
Edie and Ralph’s relationship felt incredibly genuine, capturing all the little silences, uncertainties and emotional shifts that can slowly grow over time, while Jessica brought such an intriguing and fiery energy to the story whenever she appeared. Every character felt authentic and layered, and I became completely invested in their lives, relationships and struggles from the very beginning.
What I loved most about this story was how emotionally immersive it felt. You don’t simply read these books — you live inside them for a while. One moment your heart aches for the characters, the next you’re completely swept away by the beauty of Crete, the warmth of the locals, the incredible food and the peaceful rhythm of island life. It’s escapism in the very best possible way, while still carrying real emotional depth throughout.
And once again, Villa Ariadne itself felt magical. There’s something so comforting about the atmosphere surrounding the villa — a place where people arrive carrying heartbreak, uncertainty or change, and somehow leave having rediscovered something within themselves along the way.
Beautifully written, emotional, uplifting and utterly absorbing, Beside the Turquoise Sea is the kind of book that leaves you smiling as you turn the final page while also wishing you could stay in Crete just a little bit longer. I adored every minute of it.
#EmmaBurstall #BesideTheTurquoiseSea #VillaAriadne
#BoldwoodBooks #NetGalley
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