A slow start, but once it found its rhythm, I was pulled in by the multiple storylines and the evolving friendships between the characters. The story offers a beautiful setting and a thoughtful look at connection, creativity, and second chances. Overall, I really enjoyed it!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

The Santorini Writing Retreat is a sun-soaked, emotionally rich novel that blends women’s fiction, contemporary drama, and a hint of romance—all set against the stunning backdrop of a Greek island escape. Perfect for fans of character-driven stories and armchair travel, Eva Glyn’s latest novel invites readers into the lives of three women brought together by a writing retreat that becomes far more transformative than they expected.

At the heart of the story are Karmela, Zina, and a third woman whose personal challenges and secrets gradually unfold, drawing readers into their emotional journeys. Each woman brings her own baggage—grief, regret, unresolved relationships—and it’s through their growing friendships, shared creative ambitions, and honest conversations that they begin to confront the past and reimagine their futures.

Karmela, a returning character from The Dubrovnik Book Club, is given added depth here, though familiarity with the previous book isn’t required to enjoy this one. Her connection with Ian, a former RAF pilot, introduces threads of historical tension and emotional complexity. While the romance feels a bit underdeveloped in parts, and Ian’s backstory seems like it was edited down, his presence—and even his dog—adds quiet emotional weight to the narrative.

The novel occasionally hints at more layered subplots, particularly involving the male characters, which might feel slightly unresolved to some readers. However, the focus remains firmly (and effectively) on the women and their personal growth. The Greek island setting adds a wonderfully atmospheric touch, enhancing the sense of escapism while grounding the story in a vivid sense of place.

Final Thoughts
The Santorini Writing Retreat is a heartfelt, well-written, and thoroughly enjoyable read—ideal for summer holidays or whenever you're in need of a gentle, reflective story about second chances, creativity, and the enduring power of friendship. Even if you’re not a writer yourself, the emotional journeys and relatable themes will resonate. With its warm characters and beautiful setting, it’s an uplifting escape with just enough depth to linger in your mind.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book. One of my favorites parts of the book was the strong sense of place. I really felt like I was in Greece while reading it!

An ideal sea, sun and summer holiday read, with a plot and characters which will appeal to readers as well as many writers - we've all been there for some of the issues that happen in this enjoyable tale. Even if you're not a writer, but an avid reader, the characters will soon hook you into their varied lives anbd problems ... and the Greek Island itself will quite easily fill in any inadvertent gaps the story itself might leave.

The characters all had their own personalities and parts to play, some with secrets, some with issues of life which needed to be sorted. No spoilers, but the reader will easily become immersed into the story and very quickly forget that this is a story - fiction not fact.

Well written, enjoyable and recommended. (Even on a cold rainy day!)

(ARC copy provided in exchange for a review)

**** 4 stars

A quick read featuring Karmela from The Dubrovnik Book Club.

Several people gather in Santorini for a writing retreat and course from an acclaimed author who wrote a best selling book. As their lives unfold to the reader we discover their vulnerabilities and their desires. And some secrets.

Karmela seems to be their resident therapist guiding a few of them through their individual life challenges. Is there love in the air?

I was given this book by NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

The Santorini Writing Retreat by Eva Glyn is the story of three women, Jessica Rose, the best selling author who runs the writing retreat, Zina, who has returned with her husband to assist her mother in running the farm and starting a new business venture, the third woman is Karmela, who wants to write her book amd make her mother proud.
The three women become friends and because of the friendship they are able to open up to each other and reconcile events in the past and reclaim their futures.
A story of friendship, love, honesty and resilience set in a Greek island.
Highly recommended.

A lovely escape to Santorini with a great cast of characters and a wonderful setting. Highly recommended.

The Santorini Reading Retreat is a beautifully book set in Santorini which sounds a fabulous place to be .The descriptions made me feel that I was t there .This is a story of friendships ,relationships and courage .Zina has set up a new retreat at her Family farm. Jessica Rose is a best selling Author and is running her first writing retreat but she carries a guilty secret. Over the course of the four week long retreat she forms a firm friendship with Zina and Karmela .This is a charming story of life changes .Thank you to NetGalley for my ARC.

Late spring is usually when I’m on a blog tour featuring books set in Greece—Corfu, Crete, and Santorini, just to name a few. I’m a bit obsessed with traveling to Patmos, but it’s a fascinating (and quite expensive) place, so for now, it remains a dream
The Santorini Writing Retreat is the kind of book that makes you desperately wish you could teleport there immediately. The setting is stunning: the author brings this wonderful island to life so vividly that you can practically feel the sun on your skin and hear the waves against the cliffs.
The characters feel real, flawed yet entirely likable. You’ll root for them, laugh with them, and maybe even steal some of their writing wisdom.
It’s a delightful mix of escapism and inspiration, reminding you that sometimes, a change in scenery (even if only through a book) is exactly what’s needed.
Whether you’re a writer or just a dreamer, this one’s worth a read. Now, where’s my plane ticket to Santorini?

This would not be a book I would choose browsing the shelves of a bookshop. However, I am glad I received an ARC as it is totally different to what I had expected. A very well written and enjoyable book.

The Santorini Writing Retreat by Eva Glyn is a contemporary travel, women’s fiction with a slice of romance thrown in about three women.

Set on a Greek Island Santorini where Zina, who has had to leave her high powered job because of family issues decides to set up a small hotel that can be used for retreats.

During the first retreat run by the best selling writerJessica Rose who is hiding a secret that could destroy her career.

One of the guests is Karmela who just wants to write a book and make her mum proud.

While The Santorini Writing Retreat can be read as a stand alone, Karmela was a major character in The Dubrovnik Book Club, although you will know more details of her past life rather than just the basics.

While the novel was concentrating on the three main characters in the novel which was how the novel is marketed the two main male characters while important to the story it did feel like there was more to their story but it was edited out.

Take Karmela’s love interest, Ian, a former RAF Pilot, who served in operations over Croatia, for the UN, in the 90’s , which becomes a bone of contention later in the novel.


However it did seem contrived in the way it was written, but I can see there being part of the novel where Ian has more of a back story, this belief is further enhanced with him having a dog.

Without this dog Ian would mainly be alone throughout the novel particularly apart from Zina’s husband these were the only male characters throughout the book. Apart from those who were just in the story to move the plot along.

Not that The Santorini Writing Retreat is a bad novel in fact it was a thoroughly enjoyable read; it just felt that after reading the book that this is a follow up to where the male characters felt an integral part of the story.

These two while integral to the story, it would have worked just as well if they even had less depth than Eva Glyn gave them making them similar to Zina’s former love interest.
,
Having said the the growth of the 3 female main characters in the novel was enough to keep the story engaging from beginning to the end as they each came together to deal with their issues.

The Santorini Writing Retreat is a heartwarming and immersive story where we are swept away to the Greek island of Santorini, both in terms of the landscape and the food. At the center of the novel are three women, each with her own story:
*Zina, who has given up her life in Athens for the sake of her husbands mental health and has started the Retreat House
*Jessica Rose (real name Jo), best selling author who is the tutor for the Writing Retreat. But she has her own secrets, and
*Karmela, college professor who was gifted the retreat from her mother and wants to write her story.

Over the course of the month-long retreat, the women form deep bonds, offering one another unexpected strength, encouragement, and understanding. Though the narrative weaves through three distinct storylines, the heart of the novel lies in its exploration of friendship, family, secrets, and the power of supporting each other.

Was a sweet story, worth the read.

I was drawn in by the setting, but it was the characters and writing that kept me enthralled! I could feel their emotions as I was reading and became fully vested in their journey and outcomes. You’ll want to share this one with your girlfriends!

Don’t think for one minute that Glyn will present you with a bookish book and forget to tantalize you with Greek food!

Eva Glyn swept me away to Santorini, introduced me to three women, Professor Karmela Simic, bestselling author Jessica Rose and the owner of The Retreat House, Zina Sideris, and highlighted the power of courage. Each of these three women is at a crossroads in their life and their time on Santorini ignites the courage to shape their future.

Glyn continues to spotlight traditional life in her settings and brings to light some of the colourful people and difficult journeys that we may overlook when being charmed by the location.

I liked that Karmela from The Dubrovnik Book Club showed up in this book so that I could see her progress.

I was gifted this copy by Harper Collins UK, One More Chapter and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.

The Santorini Writing Retreat is an evocative, heartwarming novel that whisks readers away to the stunning Greek island of Santorini.

Eva Glyn’s vivid descriptions of the scenery and food make it easy to imagine being there, even if you're actually reading under grey skies in County Durham.

The setting is immersive and beautifully drawn, adding richness to a story built around connection, creativity and healing.

The novel follows three women from different walks of life: Jessica, a bestselling author burdened by a hidden secret; Zina, returning home to rebuild her life; and Karmela, an aspiring writer with a quiet determination to honour her late mother.

Though strangers at first, the women gradually form deep and authentic friendships, brought together by their shared experiences at the writing retreat.

Told from three perspectives, each character feels fully formed and relatable. Their emotional journeys are compelling and grounded in reality, exploring the power of writing to process life’s challenges.

The friendships that develop are the highlight of the book—genuine, supportive and moving.

This is more than just a story set in a picturesque location.

It’s a heartfelt look at the stories we tell ourselves and others, and how sharing them can be a path to healing. Uplifting and reflective, The Santorini Writing Retreat is a perfect read for those who love character-driven fiction with warmth, depth and a strong sense of place.

I really enjoyed this story! It takes place at a writing retreat in Santorini and is told from the perspective of 3 women. Jessica Rose is a bestselling author, arriving in Santorini to conduct a retreat with a group of 5 writers on how to write a book. Zina is a successful media relations expert who has returned to her home on Santorini with her husband to help her mother and the family farm after her father's passing. She decided to create a haven for creative retreats, the first being a writing weekend. Karmela, a professor and a refugee from Sarajevo, whom we first met in the Dubrovnik Book Club, and who lives in Zagreb and wants to write a book.

I really enjoyed the story and the friendship between the three women. Jessica is carrying a secret that's weighing heavily on her mind and forcing her to stay with an abusive husband. I loved all 3 of the women. It was especially enjoyable to see the continuation of Karmela's story from The Dubrovnik Book Club and witness her newfound confidence. Of course, I also loved the setting of Santorini, which I've visited before. I thought the author did a wonderful job of drawing us into the beauty of Santorini. Hopefully, we'll be able to see the characters continue in other stories.

Thanks to @netgalley, @rachelsrandomresources, @harpercollins-onemorechapter and the author for this arc.

"And above all, don't forget there needs to be a terrible secret at the heart of the story."

Successful author Jessica Rose has been hired to run a writing retreat on the gorgeous Greek island of Santorini. Jessica's book Only. Ever. You. was a runaway hit, even being made into a film. At the retreat Jessica, whose real name is Jo, is expected to share her writing wisdom to a group of eager wannabe authors. But Jo has a terrible secret at the heart of her story, and she doesn't know how to fix it for herself, let alone guide others! What she does know is that the retreat should provide her with some time away from her controlling and most likely unfaithful husband Rees.

One of those students is Karmela. She is a professor who escaped from Sarajevo as a refugee as a child. Over the years she has closed herself off from being close to people for years. After spending some time in Dubrovnik last year doing research, this year she is at the retreat, determined to write the book of her heart, not only for herself but also to prove to her distant mother that she can. Other guests include Sophie and Diana, two friends who want to write a romance together, Ellen and Susan and Iain with his retired greyhound dog Sybil.

For the owner of The Retreat House, Zina, the success of the retreat is crucial. She and her husband, Lambros, have returned to Santorini from Athens where she worked in marketing. They live on the family farm with her widowed mother. Lambros is happy working the farm which includes growing pistachios and raising troublesome goats with all the manual labour that farming requires but the couple get little privacy. This is such a change for Zina that there are times where she struggles with what her life has become. There are times that her own traits, like being very competitive, don't help matters.

Gradually Jo, Zina and Karmela become closer and soon each of their secrets and desires are being revealed, and they are able to help each other. As well as being a book about the strength of female friendship, even new ones, it is also about mothers and daughters, and about the bravery it takes to take charge of your own life.

One of the strengths of this book is the location. From the descriptions of Santorini to the food, Eva Glyn brings the island and culture to life! I would love to take a dip in the sea about now but it's a bit cold here in wintery Melbourne! Thanks goodness we can travel to other places, like Santorini, through the pages of books.

Oh, and as for the books that are mentioned in the story Only. Ever. You. sounds fabulous and I would love to read the book that Karmela is writing which is historical fiction set in Croatia. If only they were real books!

Eva Glyn has been on my reading radar for a little while. I own her last book, The Dubrovnik Book Club, but I still haven't read it. After reading this book, I am definitely going to have to fix that oversight, especially seeing as I want to see where Karmela's story started.

How does a trip to Santorini sound to you?

I am sharing this review with the New Release Challenge hosted by The Chocolate Lady's Book Reviews and the Bookish Books Reading Challenge hosted at Bloggin' Bout Books. Be sure to check out other stops on the tour shown below. Thanks to the publisher, Netgalley and Rachel's Random Resources for the review copy.

Don't forget to enter the international giveaway below.
Rating 4/5

The Santorini Writing Retreat took me on an immersive trip to a beautiful location with the vivid descriptions of the setting and the food being enjoyed by the characters. I've never visited Santorini before, but having seen pictures I had a vague idea of what it looks like and Eva Glyn's fabulously descriptive writing helped to complete the image in my minds eye and I could almost picture myself there, whilst in reality I was reading in rainy Cornwall!

As well as the gorgeous setting I also adored the strong theme of friendship throughout the story; the group start off as complete strangers but were able to build some genuine friendships despite, or maybe because of, the hurdles that they face. The story is told through three different points of view with each of the three women dealing with some difficult and very different issues. Despite the fact that they come from different countries and backgrounds they form an incredible bond which was so enjoyable to read about and for me was my favourite element.

I became incredibly invested in each of the characters as they are so well written; they're complicated, flawed, and just so very human that it was easy to become immersed in their lives and want them to have the best possible outcome. None of them expected to share so much of themselves while on the writing retreat, but by opening up to each other and sharing their innermost thoughts and feelings their problems become easier to deal with, with the help of each other.

This was my first Eva Glyn book and it certainly won't be my last, I'm especially interested in reading The Dubrovnik book club as one of the characters from this book was previously featured. All in all this was a beautiful story about female friendships and belonging.

I love anything around writing and reading within novels and I loved the sound of this new book by Eva Glyn.

Set in Santorini, Zina has set up a new retreat at her family farm, where she and her husband have relocated from Athens to support her mother. Jessica Rose is a bestselling author and she's running the first writing retreat. Karmela is one of the attendees and she rounds out the three main female characters - each with a secret and a struggle that they must deal with over the course of the next month.

It's a beautiful setting and well-drawn by the author but the characters seemed a bit one-dimensional to me alas. With three different stories to follow, it felt a bit scattered and none of the stories felt fleshed out enough. I found the resolutions very quick too and perhaps had there been only one or two stories to follow, I could have connected more with the characters.

This was a quick read - good for the beach or pool!

Thank you to One More Chapter and Netgalley for providing me with a copy of book in exchange for an honest review.

The title and cover had me wanting to read this book. I have been to Santorini several times and am hoping to go again in July.
I started this book and thought one of the characters was very familiar, and then I realized I had read this author's previous book, The Dubrovnik book club, just after I had visited Dubrovnik.
This book is an ode to friendships and how the support of friends can help you solve your problems.
Zina comes back to Santorini after her father dies, to support her mother and also to help her husband leave an unhappy life in Athens.
He thrives while taking over the family farm. Zina decides to make a Retreat of the building her father had built for rentals. She thinks that by having a competition with her husband, it will make it fun.
She invites a famous writer, Jessica Rose, to be a mentor to the 5 people who come to the Retreat.
Jessica has a huge secret that is destroying her life and a very controlling husband who has taken away all her confidence.
Then we have Karmela, who is coming from Croatia to get help finishing her historical novel. She is the character from the previous book who was researching women from the history of Dubrovnik. She meets Ian on the ferry and is pleasantly surprised that he and his dog are also coming to the Retreat. He also has a secret. There are several other characters, some with ulterior motives.
The effect the characters have on each other makes for a very moving story, plus it is Santorini!
Mother daughter relationships also play an important role. I hope we see some of these characters in the next book.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the EARC. This is my honest opinion. I found the book quite moving and became very invested in the outcomes of the characters.