Is it possible to start over without carrying your old self with you? Margo hopes a semester abroad will be clean and uncomplicated — a fresh chapter after a painful breakup. But Edinburgh has other plans. Between demanding coursework, unfamiliar social rhythms, and a neighbor who unsettles her resolve, nothing stays simple for long.
Caught between longing and independence, Margo pushes herself outward — toward people, pleasure, and moments that feel alive. In cappuccinos, long runs past stone buildings, museum afternoons, and fleeting intimacy, she begins to piece together what happiness actually looks like when certainty is nowhere in sight.
Quick Look
Author: Luna Westish
Title: Meet Me at the Ruins
Genre: Contemporary Women’s Fiction
Print Length: 238
Publication Date: June 18, 2025
Buy book here: Amazon
Social media: Instagram | Facebook | TikTok | BlueSky
Website: Link
Q&A with Luna Westish
Q: What is your book about and what inspired you to write this book?
A: This book started as a love letter to Edinburgh, traveling, and growing into young adulthood. I started writing as a project with my then 11 year old, who wanted to write a book. We wrote together 1-2 times per week, at a coffee shop, for almost a year.
At the end of that year, I had about 2/3 of a book! I’d put the early chapters on Kindle Vella, which was great in some ways (early feedback, making online writer friends, and I actually made some money), and less great in some ways (I didn’t realize how dramatically publishing on Kindle Vella would limit my ability to get an agent or publishing deal.)
Q: When did you start writing, and what made you decide to publish this book?
A: It took me about 3 years from starting writing to publication. There was a full year between finishing the book and publishing. I queried a few agents and a bunch of small publishers. Because it had been previously, partially published on Kindle Vella, I knew an offer was really unlikely, but I wanted to learn the process anyway. I did end up getting a few offers, but I didn’t like the timeline, or royalties, or contract. For one I knew it just wasn’t a good fit. For another I asked for contract changes, which they declined.
Even though I ended up self publishing, I’m really glad I went through the querying process and read several contracts so I know what I’m looking for next time. Once I’d been writing for about a year, I knew I wanted to publish – as much as a learning experience and get my work out into the world, as much as an attempt to make money. When it was finished, I knew it was something special, and I have a dream that I’ll soon see people reading it organically, like seeing a fellow traveler listening to it on an airplane (hopepfully borrowed from their library via Hoopla or Libby – I’m a big library reader!)
Q: Which character was the most fun—or most challenging—to write, and why?
A: Because I wrote the book over a year and a half, and then spend another 6 months picking it up to edit the whole thing, put it down for a while, and then read the whole book again, there were some times it was hard to make sure the character’s behaviors lined up across the whole book.
At the same time, humans make weird – sometimes bad – decisions that are “out of character,” so there are some times it made sense for a character to make a rash decision. I had a strong idea of the arc and the ending for the book, but as I wrote it, it was like the characters steered me towards completely different destinations. That was one of my favorite parts of writing – letting the characters take shape beyond my original ideas.
Q: What themes or messages do you hope readers take away from your book?
A: I hope they are encouraged to trust themselves and find people who love them fully and take care of them. I hope that they know that their mental health challenges aren’t their full personality, and find solace that we’re able to talk more freely about mental illness than when the book was set (in the early 2000s).
Q: Were there any real-life experiences that influenced your story or characters?
A: Yes! I studied abroad in Edinburgh during college, and fell in love with the city – and a guy. None of the characters are based on real people, but there are definitely little snippets of history or different people’s personality traits woven into the characters.
Q: What question do you wish readers would ask you about the book?
A: I want them to ask me why a character acted the way they did, or be excited, or mad, about the direction of a story. I love when people send me DMs and they’re emotional about the characters. I’ve had so many people tell me that Margo reminds them of themselves in college – messy, vulnerable, anxious, but still trying to live life fully and grow up. But I’ve also had people be a little miffed at certain plot points, which is ok, too!
Q: Do you have a favorite quote or moment from the book you’d like to share?
A: I think my favorite moments are when Margo is alone. She struggles with mental health issues and feels alone a lot of the time. But it’s in her alone time that she’s actually taking care of herself – going for a run, hiking Arthur’s Seat, relishing a cappuccino. For me, I do my best thinking and growing when I’m on my own – I need a bit of quiet sometimes. I didn’t mean to infuse that into Margo’s experience, but it showed up there anyway!
Q: What was the biggest challenge in writing or publishing it?
A: My biggest challenge in publishing the book was that I didn’t start out with the intention to publish! If I had, I would have known not to publish some of it online, and to stick to a story with more tropes and one specific genre, for easier marketing. At the same time, I’m REALLY glad I didn’t know any of that, and was able to write the exact book I wanted to.
Q: What’s next for you as a writer?
A: I’m writing a new book, a love story set against the protagonist leaving a cult.
Top Reviews
Judith – 4.0 out of 5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐
I Felt Part of Margo’s Journey
“I dove deep into the ins and outs of her reveries and felt empathic of her struggle… I felt Margo as a friend. An intimate and beautiful portrayal of following your instincts in a new country.”
B Carter – 5.0 out of 5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
A Romantic and Fun Read
“Margo dives in, plays the field, challenges herself, and is transformed by her experience in unforeseen ways. A charming, heartwarming story with unexpected twists.”
Audrey’s Mom – 4.0 out of 5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Must Read! Team Margo for Life
“Amazing read with very relatable character introspection. Definitely recommending to all my friends!”
Author bio
Luna Westish is a pen name. In another life, Luna writes about environmental issues, disability, and her ex-cult experience on Medium, with features in publications like Illumination and Better Humans.
Raised in a high control religion where she was expected to excel in everything, Luna is re-learning to enjoy doing things imperfectly, like watercolor painting and mending clothes. She lives abroad with her partner, tween, teen, and rescue pup. Luna (she/her or they/them) is neurodivergent, queer, and disabled.
Buy book here: Amazon
Social media: Instagram | Facebook | TikTok | BlueSky
Website: Link
We love to read and explore a wide range of genres, including contemporary and historical fiction, mysteries, thrillers, nonfiction, and memoirs. If you’d like us to review your book, feel free to reach out—we’d be happy to hear from you!