A fabulous read. I found this story so inviting and immersive, plenty of Greek sunshine on a British winters day! The multi stranded storyline is easy to follow even with the jump in time. The characters are warm and engaging, all with their own issues but the setting draws them all together. Loved this book!

Thank you Netgalley

This is a beautifully written book that took me as a reader to a fabulous holiday island alongside the characters to enjoy the stories of their lives and holiday getaways.

Lovely characters with separate and intertwining stories all set in a beautiful Greek island setting. I particularly enjoyed the friendships that emerged, unexpected, much needed and ultimately life changing for all involved.

The story is so well crafted that I started and finished in one day of reading, I couldn’t put the book down. I wish the hotel was real as I would love to stay there.


Thank you to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Cute and cosy! A fun read that had me excited for summer already! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book.

What an absolutely lovely book. It has been a pleasure to read The Island Getaway. The characters were built up gradually and existed individually in their own chapters as well as mixing beautifully with other characters in their chapters. It was really easy to find things to like about the characters and to identify with their situations. I was already a fan of Lucy Diamond's work but I think this book is her best yet. A definite recommendation for anyone who likes a book they can get into quickly and get totally lost in.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy. All opinions are my own.

This book was the perfect escape from a dreary British winter and I loved my time spent via its pages in the beautiful Greek islands. The scenery and atmosphere was so well described that I really felt that I was there in the warm sunshine and with the aroma of delightful Greek food tempting my taste buds! There was a very large cast of interesting people which I did find a bit daunting at first as I struggle with multiple characters but this got easier as the book progressed. There was laughter, sadness and romance in the story and I liked that each chapter related to a different character my favourite being Evelyn. A lovely book to read by the pool in summer or, (like I did), in the depths of winter whilst dreaming I was there. My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC. This review is voluntarily given.

This book is a solid five stars plus from me! An unexpected full joy that swept me away in the sunshine to the gorgeous and beautiful Greek island of Kefalonia.
The story centres around actress Miranda who has had to escape the tv soap she is involved with, alongside her family and friends after a social media storm and newspaper scandal breaks out in England. The Ionian Escape complex that caters to all the needs of its 5 star guests, attracts all sorts of different people with their own very different sets of agendas and ideas for their holidays. Paths cross and stories are shared that changes the course of their lives unintentionally and unknowingly they all get what they are looking for. Is this fate or destiny?
The characters were an unexpected pleasure to understand and connect with. The story is beautifully crafted and told, entwining the lives of strangers. Fantastic dynamics, scenery and vistas, (can’t wait to go sailing again, and feel the Mediterranean sun).
The story is interesting sensitive and wise, whilst the writing is intelligent and meaningful. For me the perfect book to begin 2025 what an absolute winner! I was engrossed in this book from the first words through to end, there were a few tears and a few smiles, all in all this is a thoroughly wonderful and enjoyable read, hugely and totally recommended this and if you have never read any Lucy Diamond books this one is a great start and truly one of her best yet.
Thank you to NetGalley and Quercus books for the early read so much appreciated.

For me, this veered slighly away from what I usually relate to Diamond's novels but it was still a very enjoyable read,

Lucy Diamond always creates a realistic and beautiful setting of a holiday getaway in all the books she writes, and this book was no exception. This is a story of the people who work and the people that come to stay in the Iconian Escape hotel.
At first, I found it slightly different to her normal read and trouble to connect with the story. But as I went into deeper into this, I found it to be an emotional and heartwarming story, about relationships, grief, and finding loving again. The characters so endearing, especially Evelyn who was trying to complete the last wishes of her late wife. This is a great read 4 stars from me.

The Ionic Getaway is a hotel in Kephalonia, a Greek island. Several stories intertwine between guests and staff about relationships told by each in turn. . Loved the feel of the island, the activitities and the characters were believable and described well .
I gobbled this up in a couple of days..Just right for curling up on the sofa by the fire.

I’m a great fan of Lucy Diamond so I was looking forward to reading this. Set in beautiful Kefalonia which provides a wonderful backdrop for the story. The three main characters are women of different ages and life experiences and their backstories are central to the to the story. The other hotel guests and staff are great supporting characters who add a great deal of depth and interest. I thoroughly enjoyed this and highly recommend it. .

I’ve read and enjoyed other books by this author and wasn’t disappointed with The Island Getaway! An engaging story, in a beautiful setting with complex, rounded characters that I rooted for. I really enjoyed all the characters stories in this novel and would highly recommend.

Beautifully written with a stunning setting and colorful cast of characters possibly my favorite yet. The myriad story lines are so cleverly interlinked and captivate the reader and keep the pages turning. Possibly my favorite of her books so far and one that keeps on giving long after the last word is read. Highly recommend.

This beautifully written novel takes readers on a captivating journey to a picturesque Greek island, where three women, each seeking an escape from their lives, find solace and transformation. The vivid and accurate descriptions of the island immerse you in the Greek atmosphere, making it feel as though you’re basking in the sun alongside the characters. The intertwining of their individual stories is skillfully crafted, seamlessly blending their journeys into a cohesive and satisfying narrative. The novel’s conclusion ties everything together in a way that feels both natural and rewarding. A perfect escape read with depth and heart!

I have always really enjoyed Lucy’s books and was very excited to read The island getaway, the thought of being transported to wonderfully warm and sunny Kefalonia was so tantalising as I was sat here listening to storm Darragh raging around!
Such a beautiful setting and fantastic sounding Ionian escape hotel gave all the perfect holiday/beach vibes!
Initially I struggled to get into the book and acquainted with the myriad of characters, but as I progressed through the book and became familiar with the eclectic mix of personalities and their back stories I found myself enjoying the read, I particularly loved Nelly,Evelyn and Miranda and loved the way they became linked during there stay at the hotel and all the other characters who added such a depth to the storyline and the overall sense of friendship, making up and second chances!
A lovely book to pack for your next sunny holiday destination
Thank you NetGalley fir this early read

Absolutely amazing. I love the different character storylines and how they all interlink at one point or another. Could definitely read this again.

Thank you Lucy Diamond, Quercus Books and Netgalley for the ARC

Some wonderful characters find themselves at ‘The Ionian Escape’ hotel in Kefalonia.
They all have a story to tell and different reasons for being at the hotel. Some are workers there, some holiday makers and some are escaping from their normal lives.
Each chapter gives a clearer insight into a character by describing their background and dropping clues as to their reason for their stay.
The staff become people with names and a background, not just a receptionist or bartender.
Some rather beautiful stories emerge, some uplifting, some upsetting. But all well written and difficult for the reader not to become involved in the stories.

I started reading this having just returned from Greece – and it was wonderful to escape back to the sunshine! There’s a mix of characters all with back stories and all of whom are really different and written beautifully. I imagined Miranda to look exactly like Hannah Waddingham for some reason, whilst Evelyn was pure Iris Apfel!

The stories all intertwine – with flashbacks to the 1980s that you realise must be connected – but it takes a while to unravel the connections.

It covers a huge cross section of topics – from first love, sibling rivalry, later life relationships, coercive control – but all wrapped up in a stunning location.

It was a beautiful escapist read – which made me smile and cry!

A big thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for my ARC – I’d recommend pre ordering for a sunshine escape in the depths of January gloom.

I love this author and feel like I have grown up with them as have read all of their books since the very beginning.

This was an uplifting heartwarming read although certain aspects were quite sad and heartbreaking. I loved the characters and how each of them had their own story. And each chapter was dedicated to a different character.

Loved the descriptions of the setting which made you want to get on a plane and jet off in search of sunnier climes.

This was a poignant beautiful read

This was a really nice escapist book which I very much enjoyed. It's heartfelt and in places a bit of a tearjerker, and it's a fantastic beach read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Quercus Books for this ARC.

The Ionian Escape Hotel in sunny Kefalonia, Greece, welcomes new guests: disgraced actress Miranda Vallance, here to hide, and 82 year old terminally ill Evelyn Chambers, here to scatter the ashes of her dead wife. There is also Leonora Neale who we discover is the Nelly from Nelly's 1983 diary, where Nelly decided to stay in Kefalonia to work on a boat, until heartache forced her to return to the UK. Now she is back with her husband Frank, a celebrity chef who is rumoured to have behaved inappropriately with some female assistants which seems to be an ever so familiar tale right now.

This would be enough on its own but there are chapters dedicated to the receptionist, the office manager, the boss, the bartender and the cleaner, who doesn't even get a name. This is in theory a nice idea but it slows the story down too much and bogs it down with unnecessary side stories that add nothing too interesting.

This is a nice escapist and predictable read about second chances in a gorgeous setting with great landscape and food descriptions. I just wish it had kept to the main protagonists.

3.5 stars