While advertised as a thriller, The Villa was more of a dark family drama. I found the entire book to be quite upsetting, especially the characters and their actions. I truly did not like a single character (three of them were POVs). The characters' past and present decisions were all off-putting. The book was pretty slow-paced, and I struggled to finish it. As it wasn't really a thriller, there weren't any huge twists or reveals. I feel bad giving a one star, but I wouldn't recommend The Villa.

Clare Boyd does an excellent job in the novel The Villa. She expertly weaves a tale about a selfish, though damaged woman as the mother and the relationships she has with her 2 adult daughters, Emma and Libby. Each daughter is like night and day but they do have a fierce love for one another and love for their mother Nora no matter how difficult and flighty she can be or despite the fact that Emma and Libby were not given the most stable childhoods. The premise of the book is to gather the entire family (partners and grandchildren, save for Libby’s partner and father of her children while he swans about on a separate journey to Costa Rica where he is meant to be writing his still unfinished novel) for a glorious 2 week stay in a beautiful Villa in the South of France. On the very first night they are all gathered around the dining table and quickly told that this will be their last holiday together as Nora is dying. With shock and disbelief they try to bolster Nora’s spirits, encourage her to try experimental trials but most importantly of all, try ANY treatment that might buy them some more time together as a family. This was hard to read as I have been through this with my own mother and the loss when it happens is devastating. So what comes next, I can see both sides. I believe Clare Boyd invites her readers to explore this paradox and gets you to see the perspective of everyone cancer affects. But most importantly how it will affect the person who has been given a stage 4 diagnosis. But, what sort of book would we have if Nora was also not flawed to the point where at times she was a character we love to hate? With the return of Libby’s partner who joins her and the kids to “comfort” his family, we are also introduced to another character that Libby must stop seeing through rose coloured glasses. Meanwhile, no none-sense and strict elder daughter Emma, has a great story ARC of her own. In fact all the characters were brought to life with perfection. The journey you go on with this cast of characters from The Villa will stay with you all the way to the very last page and for a while after you finish the novel. I really enjoyed this novel and feel it is Clare Boyd’s best work yet. Special thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for this ARC.

I try not to post negative reviews because I deeply respect writers. However, I received this via NetGalley so here goes; a matriarch is joined by her family for two weeks at a villa in France. Secrets are revealed. The revelations meant nothing to me because none of the adult characters are likeable. They are all shallow and annoying. I found myself relieved when this was over. This one comes out Mar 18/22. Thanks to NetGalley and @Bookouture for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was my first book that I've read by this author and it won't be my lady.

Really enjoyed this book. Was fast paced and I couldn't put it down. I would say it was a thriller more family drama but either way I did enjoy it.

Thanks Net Galley for my ARC of this

I was expecting a thriller after reading the description to The Villa but as I read it I realised it was more of a family drama. I still enjoyed it but it just wasn't what I was expecting from the description.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for my ARC.

I did enjoy it although the blurb markets it as something completely different and I was waiting for it to happen. But saying that I really did get absorbed into the story and it put me into a completely different frame of mind than I was expecting. I needed to know how it would end whilst being absorbed into the family dramas, some of the people involved I just wanted to shout at at times (a sign of a good story). I did find myself digressinig into how to Libby and Conner support themselves given his trips.

I was given an advance copy by the publishers and netgalley but the review is completely my own.

At 30% I couldn't continue reading this book - there was a REALLY off-putting moment in the beginning that almost made me stop reading, but I carried on because I was so curious about what Nora's secret could be. Once it was revealed to the family...I couldn't get past how naive Libby was. This novel didn't vibe with me....

#NetGalley #TheVilla

This is the first book I have read by Clare Boyd and it was heartbreakingly good. Some reviews have argued that it isn’t a book of suspense, but I disagree — there are no car chases or mafia killings, but the suspense within the family, particularly with Nora, the matriarch, is riveting. I could not stop reading until I knew each family secret. Highly recommended if you enjoy mysteries with complicated characters, and family dynamics. I love the cover art, but the story is so much more than a two-week luxury trip to France. Boyd’s writing style is lyrical, complex, and authentic. I will be reading more by this author!

Family drama and a terrible disease..
Close to cancer myself this one touch me all the way through. Was a touching yet hard read for me.

Thanks to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for an early release of this book

More of a dark family drama than a thriller, The Villa grabbed my attention from the first chapter. But, just know that you're not really getting a big mystery or terrifying thriller. If you go in knowing what to expect, I think you'll enjoy it!

Nora wants to bring her family on a vacation they'll always remember, so she books a stay at a remarkable Italian Villa for two weeks. Her daughters are excited about the opportunity, yet a tad bit wary. Not much in their relationship with their mother has come without strings attached and ulterior motives...Nora proves their suspicions right when she decides to reveal a shocking secret that will change their lives forever.

A story of family, heartbreak, betrayal, loss, grief, and revenge, The Villa made me pause to think about some serious topics (which I wasn't expecting at all when I picked it up!) 3.5 stars rounded down, because I wish there would have been a little more thrill in this "thriller". But overall, I still really enjoyed it.

Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for this E-arc in exchange for my honest review.

This is more a family drama than a thriller, which is what I was expecting. Three generations of a family are taken by Nora, the head of the family, to a super luxurious villa for a two week stay, despite issues that bubble under in the relationships between those in the group.

I didn’t really like or associate with any of the characters and although I enjoyed the book I don’t think it was a a good as I was expecting from the blurb.

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

This book wasn't my usual genre however it was filled with family drama and so many heart breaking moments.

Great for anyone who wants to have a cry and read a book that'll tear you apart and make see the importance of family and life.

Thank you Netgallery and Clare Boyd for the ARC of this book!

Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for this e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

My rating: 4.5/5 stars

This was a fast-paced psychological thriller that grabbed my attention from the first chapter. I loved the dramatic and secretive family dynamic. I thought Nora's character was very well-developed. I liked her loving side and her narcissistic side. The bond that she had with her grandchildren was very sweet. Emma and Libby's characters were very strong and I loved their sisterly bond. It made me wish I had a sister!
The plot was both thrilling and sad. I don't want to give anything away so that's all I will mention! This was one family vacation that didn't turn out as I expected it would. There were a bunch of plot twists that I enjoyed. The ending wasn't anything that I was expecting either.

Highly recommend for all thriller lovers!

**My book tour date with Bookouture is on March 17th, so I will be posting my review on instagram then (@thrillersandcoffee).**

One perfect family. Two weeks in the sun. A secret that will tear them apart. I think readers expecting this to be a propulsive thriller may not find exactly what they are looking for but I really enjoyed this book. I think it is more of a contemporary drama though,

I love a good Clare Boyd book and this is a great Clare Boyd book. Gripping, trilling, with plenty of twist and turns, great characters, a great storyline and really well written. I highly recommend

If you love a good family drama this is one for you!
This is a story of two grown up sisters with families of their own, the relationship they have with their mother and the consequences of keeping secrets from each other. It touches on a particularly emotive subject and I found it really emotional and heartbreaking at times.
The well developed characters were brilliant, especially Nora (the mother) who I found fascinating and the writing style is great.
I really enjoyed this book.

Unfortunately, this book was a DNF for me. I got about halfway through and had to stop reading. It was too dark for me -- I realize it's a family drama with "secrets," but I was anticipating something more mysterious about the characters' pasts and how that would catch up with them, not a heavy, emotional read.

Instead, I was constantly thinking about if my own parents were in Nora's situation and if they revealed to me what Nora revealed to her daughters. And that's not something that I want to have on my mind while I'm reading a book. I found myself feeling extremely down while reading this book, and I honestly felt relieved when I was done with a reading session.

There are some people who thoroughly enjoy emotional reads, and I think this would be one for them. It was just too dark for me.

I galloped through this in two days, I was completely consumed from the first page until the last. Five massive stars from me. I will definitely be reading future Clare Boyd books.

Scrolling through NetGalley's mystery and thriller books I found a beautiful cover with an interesting synopsis.

So here I am, excited to read a promising book, but a few chapters in and I am wondering where the mystery is. Further in the book I went I still expected some excitement- maybe a dissapearence, a murder or something else, just a reason for this to be tagged as thriller. At about 65% I gave up and made up with the fact that the story is just a family drama. With that in mind I must say I wasn't the right audience for this story nor in the headspace for family madness when I picked it up.


Quick summary:
The story follows Nora and her daughters, Emma and Libby, with their families in a vacation villa in France. Nora has a few secrets that she would like to discuss and that will have an affect on all of the involved.


When I look at this story I can't say that this was as an addicting read as promised. I found myself being bored, the pacing was slow and I felt like there was too much unnecessary dialogues and actions, that mostly resulted in me not caring about the story and characters.
It might be that I am not used to reading family dramas but overall this story just wasn't for my taste.

If you love family sagas with lots of drama, you will probably like this book. I found it very slow going and since I was expecting a thriller, which this is not, I was disappointed. I just could not get into this story and I did not care for the majority of the characters.

Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC of this book.