Thank you to NetGalley for gifting me an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review:

Let’s start with the positives. I really liked the character development and felt as though all of the characters from BOTH timelines were really well fleshed out, which is an impressive thing to do! This was definitely a page Turner and I really enjoyed the past story line about Mari a lot.

The ending just really fell flat to me. I felt like we had built up this really great story arch just to reach.. that ending. I wanted something else, but I couldn’t tell you exactly what, so maybe the author managed exactly what she was going for!

I think I really wanted to like this book more than I did. But it was a fast read and I found myself binging it, which says a lot about the writing. I felt connected to the characters, which is probably why the ending felt disappointing to me.

this was my first of her thrillers & it took me for a ride!! i am not the biggest thriller/mystery reader, but here’s some of my thoughts 👇👇

WHAT I LIKED:
🌴the destination setting
👯‍♀️questionable friendships between characters
✍️the story within the story
🤫unraveling the truth
✌️the interconnected, dual timelines

WHAT I WANTED MORE OF:
😱thrill factor
⭐️stand-out, aha moments
🔚a more eerie, murky ending

As always, Rachel Hawkins delivered a quick and captivating read. The premise was SO good and had me so excited. I could feel anxiety building as I got further and further into the story and the sense that something wasn't right (especially in Chess and Emily's chapters) was palpable. In the end, I was pretty surprised by the big twist and I think it made the modern story even more twisted ultimately. All in all, still a big fan of Rachel Hawkins. Thanks for the ARC, Netgalley!

Emily and Chess have been friends (or frenemies) since they were kids. Now that they’re 30, they don’t see each other as much as they used to and Emily’s life isn’t going so well so, when Chess suggests a trip to Italy for the Summer, Emily accepts.

They are going to stay at a beautiful Villa in Orvieto but then Emily discovers that in the 70s a group of friends that included aspiring authors and musicians spent the summer in that same villa and that, after lots of sex, drugs and rock n roll, a mysterious murder occurred. Emily is an author, so she wants to use this time in Italy to write her next book, but then she finds some things that may have belonged to these people in the 70s, and becomes obsessed with discovering what really happened that summer.

The story is told in dual timelines, alternating between the present and the 70s. Both storylines are very intriguing and suspenseful. I enjoyed the parallels between them. I loved the mysterious Italian Villa, it’s gothic elements and dark past. It was very interesting to read about Hawkins’ inspiration for the novel too.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the audiobook. It’s narrated by @shiromi.arserio, @justjuliawhelan, and @voxkimberly and they all did a great job. This was my first book by Rachel Hawkins (even though I’ve read other 2 by Erin Sterling) and I’m already looking forward to reading her next one!

Whew! First pick of 2023 and am really THRILLed with it ;-P
I'm new to reading Rachel Hawkins and: I GET IT NOW!
I pride myself on rounding out my tastes as much as possible and I was long overdue for a thriller, THE VILLA delivered in a major way.
Maybe because I had just binged White Lotus season 2 and was hungry for more Italy, more affluent arseholes, more empowered women living outside their societal bounds but, I give this new novel an A+
The audiobook was fantastic--the performances were dynamic and had me riveted!
Now I find myself fully sated and ready for more--my neighbor is going to lend me another Hawkins book, for fans of hers which do you suggest: Reckless Girls or The Wife Upstairs?
Happy 2023 kick off book, LFG!!

I am glad I finally have a favorite Rachel Hawkins book. I've read all books she has published under the thriller genre and this is the first one that truly blew me away. The atmosphere here was great, very tense and eerie. I loved the setting of the Italian Villa, and the parallels between the two timelines and what the characters were going through. I did not see the ending coming, and was surprised by the plot twist, in a good way. I will definitely be recommending this one!

The Villa, by Rachel Hawkins, is more murder mystery than horror. Set in a Tuscan villa, the story is told in two intertwined timelines. The earliest is set in the 1970's, when two musicians, a friend, one girlfriend and her stepsister all holiday at the villa. The visit ends in tragedy. The second timeline is set in the present, when two "best" friends, both writers, spend summer at the same Villa. The relationships in both time periods are confused and troubled. No character is what they seem, and all of them are vulnerable to each other and their own wants. Hawkins is a master at the slow revelation of who, what, where and why. Each new detail propelled me to read further.

The Villa indeed is a character in the story. Hawkins endows it with detail and atmosphere that changes with the time of day and the chameleon moods of its visitors. Her human characters vary in nuance and dimension, with none of them demonstrating much fortitude. This was a quick and enjoyable read. Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read a digital ARC.

I had a lot of mixed feelings on this one.

I enjoyed the setting and really felt like I was in the Italian countryside. I also enjoyed the dual timelines. I felt like the story would have been more one dimensional without the plot in the past.

On the other side, I felt that the ending was rushed and you had to just go with it rather than try to figure out the details. I also felt like the twist was predictable and a lot of the plot points had been done before but more effectively.

Overall, I liked the idea of this but it was a bit bland and forgettable.

ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this story! It’s based on best frenemies that travel to Italy to spend the Summer writing their respective books in a villa where trade gym has struck in the past. I really enjoyed how the story jumped back and forth in the times lines and characters! The only reason it wasn’t a five star read for me was because of the speed in which the story wrapped up. There was a lot of build up and twists that I felt led to what I wished was actually spoken about from Emily and Chess’s point of views. I would definitely recommend to anyone interested in mysteries and thrillers!

I am a huge fan of Rachael Hawkins and her books just keep getting better and better! The Villa was an excellent book encompassing all the best of elements of a thriller with an added layer of mystery. The dual timeline and two sets of characters was interesting and well-developed. I thought the transitions between the two different stories was seamless. I am a huge fan of books about writers, so that was an extra bonus in my perspective! Such a good book - I am already anticipating her next!

Two childhood friends decided to take a trip to Villa Aestas, in Italy. Chess is working on a self help book, and Emily is trying to finish writing her latest novel and get away from drama dealing with her soon to be ex husband. The Villa they are staying at is not just an ordinary Villa, but a famous one. Tragedy struck down on it a few decades before....

Told in an alternative timeline, in 1974 five people went to stay in the Villa....one person didn't make it out alive. Thanks to the stay a famous book came out of it. Which ties into the present day timeline. Emily finds it and decides to dig deeper into what happened so many years ago.

I was so excited going into this book...but it fell flat to me. I don't want to get into all the reasons why and ruin the book, but how some of the female characters acted, is just too much. I want more thrillers with badass FMC. I just couldn't really connect with any of the characters, it was hard to care for any of them. I also called a few of the twists.

I listened and read the book. The audio was great. Once again Julia Whelan hit it out of the park. She is such an amazing narrator. If you read the book, I suggest listening to it!

Thank you to St. Martins Press and NetGalley for the ebook, and Libro.FM for the audio! This is my first Rachel Hawkins book, but it won't be my last.

The Villa is without a doubt my favorite Rachel Hawkins thriller to-date, which is saying a lot, because she was already one of my must-buy and must-binge authors! The sex, drugs, and rock-and-roll culture of the 1970s is the perfect contrast to the present-day girls' holiday vibe of Emily and Chess. There's normally one period I like better than the other in dual timelines, but this one is perfect. They're both addictive and engaging, and they tie together perfectly! Thanks so much for the chance to read early!!

I can say with all honesty that The Villa was an atmospheric journey from start to finish. A journey to the Italian countryside in a gorgeous Villa should have brought a sense of peace and relaxation to our main characters. Instead, it brought forward secret desires and dread. On one hand, we have our characters of the past, an experienced rocker, an aspiring rockstar, the pushed aside friend, and two sisters, all of whom are hoping to find the answer to what comes next in their life. In the present, we have two old friends who are trying to navigate the changes within their own lives. It was fascinating to watch as the past and the present intertwined with and inside the Villa and postulate where the suspense would end up.

The buildup of suspense and tension was steady throughout the entire book. While it was wonderful to see and feel the atmosphere build, it was relatively slower moving for the plot on a whole. This sluggishness of the plot allowed for there to be a stronger focus on pieces of the puzzle and other clues that would be connected eventually. It was slow enough for the plot to breathe, but not so slow that I lost interest. In fact, my interest was not pushed forward by the actual plot but rather by my intense need to figure out the mystery, which definitely says something about the intrigue of this novel. I managed to ignore most other responsibilities in the name of being wrapped up in a story.

This was definitely not the most thrilling of thrillers. While it was interesting, there was never a moment that made my heart stop. I appreciated the twists and the slow burn of the mystery, but there was never a peak of tension for me where I was stressed about what was coming next.

This book is great for anyone who is looking for an easy read thriller. Make sure to check for trigger warnings as well, there are some intense subjects involved in the storyline. ⅘ stars

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

I'd like to thank Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for providing this book for an honest review.

Absolutely loved this!! I don't usually read a ton of thrillers but I have read Rachel Hawkins before and knew this would be good. I was not disappointed. It's set in a dual timeline and dual characters so that could get a little confusing and I would have to pay attention but otherwise it was a great mystery/thriller.

he Villa by Rachel Hawkins

Nothing like starting the year off in a gothic murder villa. I loved that it has all the elements of a gothic novel but is set in such a beautiful place and that the two people who just came along for the fun where the people who actually created something while there.

I really enjoyed the dual POV as well as the fictional excerpts at the end of each chapter.

Thanks @netgalley and @stmartinspress for this advanced reader!!

#BookReview #Bookstagram #RachelHawkins #TheVilla #StMartinsPress #BookishLife #Reading #Bibliophile #BookPhotography #BookRecommendations #Instabooks #BookNerd #ThrillerBooks #Fiction

The Villa was my first Rachel Hawkins book and I really enjoyed it. She does such a great job creating an atmosphere and characters that really make the story come alive. This story has two timelines that coil around each other with the storyline in the past having a direct influence over what’s happening in the present day. I found that I didn’t prefer one storyline over another because each was exciting and interesting in its own way. In present day two best friends are staying at the villa in the hopes to get their creative juices flowing so they can finish writing the books they are working on. There is a sense of competition between them that creates some tension in what should be a peaceful vacation. In the past two step sisters are also struggling to find independence and their creative voices as they stay at the villa with their musician boyfriends. While the villa seems to become the muse for each set of women it also has a sinister past that will directly influence its future. I thought the pacing for this novel was great, the intersecting storylines worked so well together, and I would recommend it to anyone that loves a haunted house gothic vibe.

I couldn't decide which timeline I liked more! I was dying to know what was next in the present-day setting and if Emily could power through her new book (and wondering just what Chess was up too...) but I was also gripped by the past. I needed to know about the inner workings of the friend group that occupied the house, their interesting dynamics, and the truth of the murder. This really had me guessing until the end and I did NOT see that resolution coming at all. The characters and setting were so much fun. This will be a perfect read to have you dreaming of upcoming beach vacations.

3.5 stars rounded up to 4/5.

I will say this was an absolutely engrossing read, one that I didn't want to put down. But was it exactly what I was expecting... pretty much yes. I love hearing what Rachel Hawkins has drawn inspiration from and then seeing that influence in her novels.

I did like this more than The Wife Upstairs and I loved the dual times/music influences.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This book is out now so go grab your copy today!

An offer from her friend, Chess, to spend the summer at a villa in Italy is a chance for Emily to reconnect with her former best friend and also to recover from the mysterious aliment that's been plaguing her as well as from the subsequent split with her husband. The Villa Aestas, however, which was formerly the Villa Rosato, was the site of a notorious murder in the 1970s. Emily quickly finds herself immersed in uncovering the secret of what really happened then while at the same time trying to uncover what secrets Chess may be hiding now before another tragedy occurs.

This is a steaming cauldron of a novel about friendship and betrayal. It is wildly unpredictable and just when you think you know what is going to happen, it swerves in another direction. The ending is completely surprising.

3.5 Stars

Dual timeline … current…Former besties, Emily and Chess, meet for an overdue lunch. Emily, successful author of cozy mysteries, is having a writers block due to health issues and divorce. Chess, a successful self-health author, is. On her way to a Villa in Italy for the summer to start her next book and invites Emily to join her.

Past…Lara, Mari, Noel and Pierce, part of the sex, drugs and rock and roll group of the 70s music scene, escape to a Villa in Italy (get the connection) to write music. What transpires is not very shocking on the forefront, underneath maybe somewhat.

A third, smaller story line is introduced, towards the end but is hinted at. It all comes together in the end. Characters are not very likable and at times I really wanted to smack Emily to wake her up. Fairly predictable.

Thanks to Ms. Hawkins, St. Martins Press and NetGalley for this ARC. Opinion is mine alone.