2.5⭐️

While the premise of this story had the makings of a great read, for me it just fell flat. I had a difficult time getting interested in the storylines and really just didn't care for the characters in either of the timelines. Moreover, the current day timeline with Emily and Chess seemed to have some holes in the story for me, especially when it came to Emily's estranged husband Matt and Emily's illness. I felt that Chess' motives were questionable the whole time she and Emily were at the Villa and that really was never uncovered and the end of the story felt rushed to just end the book.

I've read and enjoyed other works by Rachel Hawkins and know that I'll pick up whatever she writes next.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martins press for the ARC.

The Villa, by Rachel Hawkins, is a well-written mystery that will draw you in and keep you reading into the night. The dual timeline connects the history of the home to the current situation and the detailed description of the home pulls the reader into the story making them feel like they are actually part of it. I am a fan of novels written by Rachel Hawkins and this one did not disappoint. Thank you, NetGalley and the publisher, for an ARC ebook version in exchange for my honest review. I used both the ebook text and the audio version of this book. I really enjoyed the narrator on this one!

Rating: 2.5
"Inspired by Fleetwood Mac, the Manson murders, and the infamous summer Percy and Mary Shelley spent with Lord Byron at a Lake Geneva castle––the birthplace of Frankenstein––The Villa welcomes you into its deadly legacy."
This alone got me to read this book but sadly this was another disappointing read for me. I really don't want to spend time writing negative reviews for books anymore so I will keep this short.

Things I Liked:
I liked the 1970s timeline and the following Mari and Lara and their crazy messed up lives.
I liked the overall concept of these women, who were victimized and held back by the men in their lives, rising above it all and becoming successful in their own right.
I liked the Italian setting even though I wish there was more scenic moments.
In the modern timeline, I like Mari's POV (or at least I did at the beginning)

Things I very much disliked:
I HATE when female friendships--especially when they are conveyed as toxic-- are used as a plot devices. I mean come on can I get a healthy female friendship!?! Chess as a character was the worst and don't get me wrong I also hated Mari's character by the end. They kind of deserved each other. I think it could have been done a certain way and would have been more intriguing to read about but the fact that they stuck by each other all these years is laughable.

Also I think the synopsis was a bit misleading because in no way was this a gothic story. I get the nods to Frankenstein but they really do nothing with this. I was expecting a plot similar to the writing of Simone St James which I would say has the gothic writing down but was sadly disappointed. I honestly was hoping the house was haunted and they were into some satanic crap and sacrificed Pierce to get their successful crafts...but no just plain old drugs and jealously and men were the culprits. Plus that "twist" at the end was just confusing and unnecessary. I would have actually enjoyed it more if the ending was open ending and left up to the reader to interpret. Overall, this was not for me.

I received an ARC of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Villa by Rachel Hawkins is a woman's literature with a mystery to it. It is being marketed as a mystery for which it is a slow burn with the reveals coming at 60%. But the story is filled with generations of women living through men who try to control them. The novel is a story within a journal about a writer who writes a story that is a sequel to a story her mother wrote. At first this novel is very confusing but makes sense quickly as it introduces it's characters. The story is told in present day, and through a journal in the 1970's and through a story that is from the journal writer in the 1970's. I had a hard time connecting to the characters in this story because they keep making such stupid decisions for such smart characters. I found myself doing the horror thing where instead of me yelling don't go in there to the character, I'm yelling don't fall in love with him. The pace on this novel as slow as the first 60% is all set up with very few reveals that are all small. I considered not finishing put powered through to a decent ending. I really liked the final reveal, but it broke the rules of not coming from the journal of the character but of the characters actions on the day. This novels does have one great opening line with "Houses remember". I would like to thank Netgalley and St. Martin Press for giving me a free copy to review. The Villa is published on January 3 2023.

Plot Summary: Emily is a soon to be divorced struggling writer of cozy mysteries, who is childhood best friends with Chess a best selling self help guru. Chess invites Emily to an Italian villa for rest relaxation and writing. Emily finds out the villa is named after a famous song that was written at the villa and a famous novel was written there but also a famous murder. Emily soon becomes obsessed with the murder, the song, and the book all written here in the 1970's. She finds the author's journal and it starts revealing hidden truths of events leading up to the murder the group consisting of a rock star drug dealer, girlfriend of murder victim, and the girlfriend's step sister has never talked about. The situations in the past and present start mirroring themselves it the villa or something else.

What I Liked: The history surrounding the Villa was interesting. I liked the Emily and Chess scenes the best. I liked the final reveal and what it means for the past and the present. I loved that first line, "Houses remember" so much. I liked the song lyrics from the songs and what they mean to the story. I liked the well scene.

What I Disliked: The horrible choices from smart women, I wanted more reason behind their choices. I thought the part where emily listens to the podcast was lazy writing and did not need that much of the segment. Pacing was bad should have had a big reveal a lot sooner than 60% of the book. something major happens and we the audience didn't see how it happened. The story within the story did not seem all that interesting, to become a best seller.

Recommendation: This book was hard to review there's some parts I like and some I disliked. I think the author has talent in their descriptions but wanted a better story and a way better mystery. The end reveal was the best part but it could not save the story. I can not recommend this book. I rated The Villa by Rachel Hawkins 3 out of 5 stars.

This book is not what I expected. It had gothic horror themes elements because she’s staying in the villa where a murder was committed. But she’s also dealing with grief over martial issues and her friend takes her to Italy to get it off her mind. Little does she know, her friend is keeping something from her. Will another murder happen at the villa?

I LOVED this book! Rachel Hawkins is such an auto-buy author for me now, and this is probably my new favorite of hers. It was so immersive and kept me on the edge of my seat. Perfectly written.

Beautiful and interesting setting, with duel timelines and a nice twist. It took me a while to get into it and I wasn’t fully satisfied with the conclusion, but it was enjoyable. Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC.

This was my second novel by Rachel Hawkins. I loved Reckless Girls and knew that I needed to read this! I love Rachel’s ability to highlight the complexities of female relationships. Many times while reading The Villa I could picture some of my own complicated relationships with friends over the years and could feel my own memories come flooding back.

While this book did keep me engaged I found it to be a little slower than I would have liked for a psychological thriller. The past and the present were so similar but yet so different and at times I went back and forth on which story I enjoyed more. I would recommend this book to those that like a mystery that isn’t too intense.

There’s something to be said about the binge-able quality of Rachel Hawkin’s books and how once you pick them up, you better have some time on your hands because you won’t be putting them down. Same was absolutely true with The Villa.

This book follows two different timelines set between two different groups of people in the same Italian Villa. One group of free spirited musicians and writers from the 70s and then two best friends who are writers in the present day.

When Chess invites her old friend Emily to Italy with her, Emily begins to research the infamous Villa they’ll be residing in and along with it, the gruesome murder that took place there in 1974. The deeper Emily digs though, the more secrets she reveals not just about the prior occupants, but about her relationship with her best friend as well.

I stayed up until 2am reading this which is a sign of how much I enjoyed it. I loved the nostalgic feel and the vibes this book gave me while devouring it. Although, I did sometimes find it difficult to follow and a lot of information, articles and conversations were all thrown together, but it might have just been the way the ARC was laid out. I’m truly looking forward to recommending this book to friends and am excited to continue reading Rachel’s book. Thank you so much for the ARC of this book and allowing me to read it. It was a pleasure.

This story was so amazing! It was a perfect cozy read to start January month by. Especially appreciated the dual story timeline and the suspense build up. The similarities that you see between Chess and Lara and Emily and Marie was uncanny and I loved it! Overall, Rachel Hawkins did it again! I love her cozy mysteries.

I was given a copy of this book in return for an honest review. Thanks Net Galley!

This story follows two time lines one in current day following Emily and her best friend Chess and one in the 1970s following Mari, Lara, Pierce, Noel and Johnnie while staying at a villa in Italy. We follow Emily and Chess as they vacation for the summer in Italy in a Villa where a murder occurred in the 1970s (the same villa where Mari and friends stayed). Emily eventually becomes very interested in the murder and we learn more about it as the story progresses while also learning more about Emily and Chess’ friendship.

This was an easy read. It kept me turning the pages and intrigued enough to carry on. I saw what was going to happen from extremely early on but that didn’t detract from my interest in the story. I enjoyed Mari and Lara’s relationship and story line and found myself eager to get back to their perspectives. Unfortunately there were a few times when I became confused while reading, with random newspaper articles/ magazine articles or excerpts or poems thrown in throughout the story, but I think that is just a me issue. Overall I did enjoy the book and would recommend. I will be picking up more books by this author!

When best friends, Emily and Chess, decide to reconnect and have a little writer's retreat in Italy, they soon come to find that their relationship may not have been built on solid ground. As the spend the summer in an Italian villa each working on their respective novels, secrets from their past and the past of the house, begin to creep into their lives. The villa they are staying in is actually known for a murder involving Rock & Roll's notorious superstar, Noel Gordon. And as Emily digs more into the past of this murder and the past of her friend, she starts to feel like this villa may claim another victim.

I was a big fan of Reckless Girls by Rachel Hawkins and was very excited for this gothic-suspense centered around friendship, an Italian villa, and murder. But, I will say, this one fell a little short for me; this is mainly because I did not have much of an interest in the second storyline which was focused on the past murder. I normally am a big fan of dual POVs, but in this case, I personally did not have much of an interest in that storyline despite it being important to the overall plot of the book. I also felt like it jumped around very sporadically which also threw me off.

I did enjoy the main storyline focused on the illusive friendship between Emily and Chess and the Italian-villa setting really redeemed it all for me.

Overall, this was enjoyable read and a suspenseful story, but not my favorite of Hawkins. I still will eagerly be awaiting her next read!

The Villa has all the elements I love in a novel. Exotic setting, suspense, and in the skilled hands of Rachel Hawkins, a story within a story.

Chess and Emily have been best friends since childhood and were inseparable. After college they go their separate ways without contact. Independently they become published authors. Chess is extremely successful writing self-help books. Chess had the idea of them staying at an exclusive villa in Italy. The villa is charming, secluded, and holds a mysterious history. This is the perfect getaway. Emily is reluctant to take the offer, but ultimately decides to rekindle their friendship and use the time to reflect after her recent divorce and write the next installment of her series. She is captivated at the idea that a famous musician stayed at the villa and there is speculation that a murder occurred. Her writing has suddenly taken off in a new direction and Chess is too interested in Emily's new project. Secrets begin to emerge, and relationships begin to fray, but at what cost?

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an early release copy.

Thank you so much for the advance copy, j was so excited to get my hands on this after enjoying her previous works! The setting was so well written and I was easily able to picture myself there. I enjoyed the twists and was not able to predict all of them. I did enjoy the present day story more than the flashbacks. Overall a great read and another solid thriller from this author. I would recommend this book!

I'm always up for reading anything Rachel Hawkins writes. I loved the dual timeline of this story, but was especially drawn to the story from the past and found myself anxious to hurry and get through the present day story and back to the past story. So I definitely had a preference for the historical fiction part of this book, but as the two timelines started to connect, I couldn't put it down. Excellent character development, although many of the characters were very unlikable - they were unlikable in their own unique ways. The description of the setting and scenery was fantastic - I could picture myself right there. I did alternate between the e-copy and the audiobook and the narrator of the audiobook was great. I had no difficulty switching between the two and for me, when I hear the narrator's voice in my hear while reading the book, I know they're a good narrator, and that was the case here. If you're a fan of Rachel Hawkins other books, or just a fan of mysteries, give this a try.

Wow! This book held me captive from the start and each time I thought I had it figured out, it would twist. Rachel Hawkins does it again!

Thank you, NetGalley, for the privilege of reading this in advance!

I flew through this book! I've seen it labeled as a thriller but I'd look at it more as a fast-faced mystery. What I really liked about it was the Italian villa setting, the exploration of friendship and sisterhood, and that even though the storyline jumped between characters in the present and the past, they were all so interesting and it really kept my attention. What I didn't really love was the way some "secrets" were revealed at the end. Sometimes I think when an author lays an intricate storyline, the ending can seem a little too unbelievable and I felt that was the case here. I still very much enjoyed reading the book, and I would still recommend it because the multiple storylines really fleshed the story out, but the ending wasn't my favorite.

Thank you Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book. It's always such a joy to be able to read a book before it's release!

Rachel Hawkins has done it again! This is a great novel that had me guessing the entire time! I would definitely recommend this for anyone this winter who's curling up in front of the fire and wanting a good heart-pounding thriller!

"The Villa" was the perfect novel to break me out of a new year reading slump. It has everything a reader could want in a thriller. We have frenemies, we have a murder house, we have a greedy money hungry soon-to-be ex-husband, we have dual timelines, and we have women rising from the ashes of tragedy to become queens of their chosen fields.

1974- When her stepsister Lara comes home flaunting a summer-long invitation to a romantic Italian villa, Mari is skeptical. When she reveals that the invitation is at the behest of rockstar Noel Gordon, Mari realizes that this trip could be just the ticket to helping her small-time musician boyfriend, Pierce, realize his full potential and bust them out of the borderline poverty they've been living in. In her wildest dreams, she could not imagine how productive (and how life-altering) the summer would be for her. She will walk away from the summer having penned one of the preeminent horror novels of all time, "Lillith Rising," Lara will walk away having written one of the defining albums of a generation, and Pierce, unfortunately, won't be walking away at all.

Present day- Childhood besties, Chess Chandler and Emily Sheridan have decided to spend the summer together on a girls-only writing retreat/vacation in Italy. Chess is coming off the release of an uber-popular self-help book (think "Girl, Wash Your Face") and Emily is picking up the pieces from a failed marriage and a divorce battle that has turned brutal. As Emily basks in the beautiful and atmospheric Villa Aestas, she can't believe the home was the site of the brutal murder of Pierce Sheldon. As she digs into the mystery, she finds herself drawn away from her safe, bland life as an author of cozy mysteries, and into a connection with the reclusive author, Mari Godwick. Tensions rise as Emily throws herself into this new project, and she isn't sure just what will happen when Chess realizes Emily has always had the potential to outshine her. Will history repeat itself? Or will two friends rekindle a lifelong friendship that had fallen to the wayside?

"The Villa" has the potential to be the standout thriller of the year. Fans of the genre will not want to miss what might be Hawkins' greatest novel yet. A thriller that will have readers on the edge of their seats as they fly through both timelines, desperate not only to see what really happened in the summer of 1974 but also to see how jealousy and success might make history repeat itself once more. Special thanks to NetGalley and to St. Martin's Press for providing an Advanced Reader's Copy of "The Villa" in exchange for an unbiased review.

This is hard for me to rate because the beginning was intriguing, then slow, then the ending I absolutely loved. Rachel Hawkins knows how to write characters you kind of hate, but also sometimes love or at least like a bit more. I love her unreliable narrator and characters and how sometimes the plot may seem predictable, but then there is a twist that uses that idea and changes it in such a way that is so enjoyable (and hard to describe). I enjoyed how this book had two POVs, along with interludes of articles, crime podcast transcripts, and excerpts from fictional books. This was a slow burn, with just enough juice to keep you turning the pages, but nothing that had your heart racing. I enjoyed this book even though I didn't like most of the characters, which is usually a turn off for me.