An enjoyable read, perfect for summer or a holiday escape! I loved the mix of characters, each with their own stories and challenges, and the friendships made it even more special. Definitely one to add to your reading list!

Thank you NetGalley and Quercus Books for the ARC

Another feelgood and dreamy book from Lucy Diamond. I loved the tropical Greek setting. The characters were spunky and lovely. They grew and learned to overcome their problems and find love. It was sweet story with great characters, love and friendship.

Lucy Diamond is an author whom I have been aware of for many years as a writer of great escapism novels. A genre I do read, but not so often, I have to admit this is the first of her books I have read and it is her twentieth.

Set in the fictitious hotel ‘The Ionian Escape’ on the real Greek islands of Kefalonia and Ithaca. The protagonists are the mixed group of latest arrivals at the hotel, who are all looking for reasons to escape from the outside world for awhile and enjoy some peace and quiet. Of course it is not that simple and the characters and their stories are ones that will find the reader either annoyed or routing for them. As the stories evolve the protagonists all learn the importance of friendship and second chances.

This novel certainly put me in a holiday mood and transported me, (if only), to the Greek islands. Great escapism, perfect for reading on a grey winters day or for that beach read on your next holiday.

With thanks to NetGalley, Quercus and the author for the opportunity to read and review.

To have a book set in the sunshine certainly lightens the long winter. I would love an island escape so this is the next best thing.

The Ionian escape is a hotel where people go to escape. Filled with interesting people from actress Miranda, celebrity chef Frank Neale escaping the newspapers and trying to sort out their lives. Evelyn who has come to fulfil a wish. From the staff to the residents there is love, sadness and realisations.

Lucy Diamond weaves all the different lives together so cleverly and has written a page turner

I really enjoyed this book set on the beautiful island of Kefalonia. It definitely had Maeve Binchey vibes - one of my favourite authors - where we had insights to all of the different characters. The characters ranged from a disgraced soap star to the wife of a celebrity chef to the hotel staff and how they experience a summer at the lovely hotel they share together. The book dealt brilliantly with complex emotions of grief and longing, domestic abuse and unfaithfulness, along with some fun descriptions of friendships forged in the Greek sunshine.
Would definitely recommend - pack it in your beach bag along with your sunglasses and lipgloss! Many thanks to the publishers and NEtgalley for an advanced release copy in exchange for an honest review.

I couldn’t quite get into this book but I persisted. There are a lot of characters so takes time to get to know them. Thanks to Lucy and her publisher. Thanks also to NetGalley

Absolutely loved this new offering from Lucy Diamond! The setting descriptions were glorious and really took me away from cold, rainy January. All of the characters were well written and made me need to know more about their stories. A perfect piece of escapism.

I couldn’t get away with this book, there were so many characters in one go and it was difficult to remember who was who, I skipped a lot and just read the final chapter, sorry it was a bit disappointing

I really enjoyed this book - it would make a perfect beach read!
I loved the mix of different characters, how they all had their own stories and problems, and I love the friendships.
Definitely one to read!!
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Engaging multiple story book, easy to follow. Beautifully written with interesting characters and a lovely setting in Greece. Thank you netgalley for the advanced copy

Thank you so much for letting me have the pleasure to enjoy this vook early!

Oh, what a fantastic heartwarming story.
Being brave is the biggest message i got from this story.
I always finish a lucy diamond book with such a big smile on my face!

Thank you to Quercus Books for the opportunity to read a digital proof copy of Lucy Diamond’s new book, The Island Getaway. Lucy is one of my go to authors and you can read my last review here: https://mentoringmumof2bookreviews.home.blog/2024/02/01/i-remember-paris-by-lucy-diamond/ The book is published today.

I enjoyed my virtual visit to the Greek island of Kefalonia. It has been a cold and stormy January in Wiltshire so a story written by Lucy, set in a sunny holiday resort brightened up my week.

The book features female characters who find themselves reassessing their life choices. My favourite characters were Evelyn and Claudia. Evelyn was my grandmother’s name but this Evelyn has lived a very different life. I loved her sense of humour and how she bonded with the other characters, despite a large age gap. Claudia is a member of the hotel team rather than a visitor but is recovering from the trauma of leaving a toxic relationship.

The book looks at how we may make mistakes, but we can learn from them and move forwards.

The Ionian Escape hotel on the island of Kefalonia is welcoming the new arrivals . Some are there for a holiday but some are escaping from trials and tribulations back home.
Miranda has fallen out with her best friend and her sister and her life has been spread all over the tabloids.
Evelyn is dying but hoping to carry out her partners last wishes.
Leonora is there with her husband who has just been exposed in the papers but she is also returning to somewhere where she met the love of her life.
Will they find happiness and fulfilment on the island and how many other lives will they touch?

I just adore Lucy Diamond books. Her storytelling is magical and uplifting and gives me such a happy feeling.

The Island Getaway takes us to beautiful Kefalonia, and introduces us to a diverse cast of characters, each floundering in one way or another.

Nelly was once fearless and independent but as she finds out the truth about her husband Frank, she realises she's allowed him to subsume her life. And being back in a place where she was once blissfully happy, albeit briefly, she begins to search for a lost love.

Evelyn has come to the island to scatter the remaining ashes of her true love, Rose. An unlikely friendship develops between her and Miranda, a disgraced soap star also staying at the hotel.

Claudia, office manager fled to Kefalonia to escape an abusive marriage. But she finally feels ready to open her heart again, if she can find the courage to tell her boss how she feels.

Wonderfully warm and uplifting, The Island Getaway reminds us that life is short, and we must hold on to the moments of joy that come our way. It also encourages us to go for what we want and to run towards adventure.

Thanks to the Publisher and Netgalley for an early review copy.

I really enjoyed this story, it had a few storylines, which were easy to follow. The setting was a hotel on an island in Greece.

There are different reasons why guests staying are there, hiding from a scandal, someone is there for a personal reason and the staff have their own stories.

It was well written, the story kept you engrossed.

I highly recommend this book.

I really enjoyed this story, with multiple storylines but all very easy to keep track of, set in a beautiful sounding hotel on a lovely Greek island.

There are a couple of people staying there escaping from celebrity scandals, along with someone scattering the ashes of her partner with secrets of her own, and that's just the guests, the staff have stories of their own too.

Very well written, lots to keep your interest, be it happy or sad, and some characters you may not like much at the beginning but you'll probably end up liking by the end of the book. Real escapism and a joy to read!

Book Review: The Island Getaway by Lucy Diamond

Lucy Diamond delivers another heartwarming, sun-drenched escape in The Island Getaway, a novel that celebrates second chances, unexpected friendships, and the power of renewal. Set against the breathtaking backdrop of Kefalonia, this story expertly intertwines the lives of a cast of vivid, flawed, and utterly relatable characters who come to The Ionian Escape hotel searching for solace, clarity, and redemption.

The novel introduces us to Miranda Vallance, a disgraced TV star grappling with the fallout of her career and strained family relationships. Her journey to make amends is poignant and layered, offering a realistic portrayal of the struggle to rebuild after public humiliation. Miranda’s emotional growth is one of the book's highlights, as readers root for her to find her footing again.

Evelyn Chambers, an elderly woman fulfilling a bittersweet promise to her lost love, brings an emotional depth and quiet wisdom to the story. Her storyline is deeply moving, reminding readers of the enduring nature of love and the courage it takes to let go.

Adding a splash of intrigue and drama is celebrity chef Frank Neale and his wife, Leonora, whose marriage appears picture-perfect to the outside world but harbors deeper tensions. Their arc offers a compelling exploration of fame, identity, and personal sacrifice.

Lucy Diamond excels at creating characters who feel like friends, and her evocative descriptions of Kefalonia make the island itself a vital part of the narrative. From sun-soaked beaches to charming local spots, the setting provides a sense of escapism while also reflecting the characters' emotional journeys.

At its heart, The Island Getaway is about finding hope in the face of adversity and the transformative power of human connection. Diamond’s writing is warm and empathetic, balancing moments of humor and heartbreak with ease.

Fans of feel-good fiction with emotional resonance will adore this book. It’s a celebration of life’s unexpected twists and turns, reminding us that it’s never too late to heal, grow, and embrace new beginnings.

Rating: 4.5/5
A beautifully told story that will leave readers uplifted, reflective, and dreaming of their own island getaway.

Set on the beautiful Island of Kefalonia, Greece the Ionian Escape Hotel is the perfect place to forget your worries and relax, but for many it is the place to discover love, friendship and lost loves to also reflect and discover life is for living.

A beautifully written book which I thoroughly enjoyed with laughs out loud and a tear or two!

The Island Getaway was an absolute delight, though tissues were required.

Like any hotel, there's a lot of coming and going, and this book has a lot of different points of view. At first I was a bit lost with all the different characters, but as I grew to know them, I couldnt wait to find out more. By the time I turned the last page I felt a tad bereft that i wouldn't be spending more time with them.

A gorgeous setting, delightful stories featuring characters of all ages, beautifully written.

This book is set on the Greek island of Kefalonia and gives us an insight in to a whole host of characters who are either working or staying in the beautiful 5-star hotel. All of them have baggage and a story to share.
I felt a little overwhelmed at first with the sheer amount of characters but when I settled in to the book, and understood how the author was setting things up, I relaxed and enjoyed the ride.

This is such an immersive, comfortable read and I found myself warming and understanding the characters in the way that I always do when reading a Lucy Diamond book.
It was a rather predictable "safe" ending but I don't read this authors books because I want to be up all night raging at the character.s.