This was the first book I've read by Rachel Hawkins and I really liked it! Friends who may be enemies, a jerk ex, and a whole lot of weird stuff going on. It definitely had Manson family vibes and the ending left me wondering just what was going to happen after all was said and done. Enjoyed it!

4.25 stars

This dual timeline, atmospheric story was so much fun! It captured my interest from the very beginning, and I couldn't wait to read the next chapter. I did find myself drawn more to the past timeline story of Mari and thought the present timeline could have used a little more excitement, but it was still a fabulous story that I very much enjoyed!

To be honest, Villa Aestas might have been my favorite character of all. It takes a talented writer to bring a home alive and make it feel like a character in the story, and Hawkins did just that.

This is the first book of Rachel Hawkin's that I have read, and it will definitely not be my last.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this e-galley in exchange for my honest review.

This was such an intriguing read that had me guessing until the very end!

This was my first Rachel Hawkins and let me tell you, I'm in love with her writing style. The story follows childhood friends, Emily and Chess, who take a trip to Italy to reconnect and focus on writing their individual writing projects. Upon planning the trip, they find out that the villa that they will be staying at is where an infamous murder happened in the 70s. Following the murder, the two stepsisters who were there at the time, Mari and Lara, quickly rose to fame with their perspective works; Mari with a gothic thriller - Lilith Rising, and Lara with an acoustic album - Aestas. The story bounces on dual timelines, the present with Emily and the 70s with Mari.

I really liked the dual timelines. As Emily is exploring the house, she begins to think there's more to the murder than what was told to the press - so she starts her own investigation which leads her to Mari's hidden journal. She's also dealing with her own problems, her tense divorce from her ex-husband and her strained friendship with Chess. As Emily slowly finds out the truth about what happened during the rock-n-roll group's stay at the villa, the tension between her and Chess becomes more pronounced and mysterious. I loved the fact that as you're finding out the truth of one murder, another mystery is being revealed. Mari's journal plotline was probably my favorite part of this entire book.

There are a lot of shocking reveals, but I was a little disappointed with some of them. It annoyed me that one aspect of the story wasn't fully explained. I felt like the author was rushing to tie up the story and the plotline was left hanging. And then it wasn't mentioned again. In addition, Emily and Chess's relationship at the end of the book also seemed off. That also might have something to do with the plothole. All in all, the story was exciting and I had fun reading this book!

Everything about this book exceeded my expectations! I love Rachel Hawkins. I stay guessing until the very end and she’s so quick to grasp your attention and keep it.

I loved the gothic 70s vibes of this murder mystery.
I really liked the similarities between the past and present day main characters too.
Really enjoyed this one!

I finished this book in 2 days - I really liked it! I kept thinking it was over and then a new twist would happen. I really enjoyed the complexity of the character’s relationships (specifically Emily and Chess) and found each character’s motive for their actions to be really interesting. I do wish that the author had been more descriptive about Italy and the scenery. I was excited to hear more about where the villa was but it felt like it really could have been anywhere remote and it wouldn’t have made a difference to try sorry. Would definitely recommend!

Thank you #netgalley for this advanced copy!

I was anxiously awaiting this book but the verdict is: not my favorite Rachel Hawkins book. The friendship between Chess and Emily and the shady ex-husband seemed a little cliche and monotonous. The transitions between present and the past story line and characters felt clunky and it was hard for me to really get into either one or connect to any of the characters. Overall, the story seemed forced and recycled and I just didn't love it as much as I wanted to.

There was a lot to love about this novel - friendship, an amazing setting, multiple time periods and points of view, a mystery, and backstabbing.

It took me a bit to get into Mary's story - the story from the 1970s. I would have thought a timeline focusing on sex, drugs and rock n' roll would have enraptured me, but I often felt my attention wandering during her parts.

I loved Emily and Chess's story. The friendship felt so authentic - loving each other and hating each other in equal measure. Some twists and plot points felt obvious but I did like the way everything worked out in the end.

I love books that make me second guess myself and really surprise me and The Villa definitely did that. Admittedly, a lot of the story felt familiar - like I had read pieces of it elsewhere - but really it did fit together nicely and made for a very entertaining read.

I listened to this novel on audio and the narration was great. I always love Julia Whelan and she really delivers her, per usual! The narrator for Mary did a good job but between her accent and soothing tone, I think it was easier for me to let my mind wander during those parts.

All in all, this is one I definitely recommend and I'm excited to see the well deserved hype roll in!

Thank you to St. Martin's Press, MacMillan Audio, NetGalley, and Libro.FM for the copy.

I enjoyed this one! Emily Hawkins is always an author that brings the suspense! I loved the dual POV and how engaging both of them were!

Emily is excited to see her longtime friend Chess Chandler. It seems ages since they last talked. Em knows this is her fault since she has been sick for so very long. Then to top it off, her husband Matt left her saying he hadn’t signed up for this illness bit, like she had a choice. So, Emily couldn’t be feeling lower and needs her old buddy Chess to lift her spirits.
Chess breezes into the restaurant like a Goddess. Everybody turns to look at her … blonde, beautiful, and confident. Everything Emily is not. Chess has made a fortune writing self help books. Emily has not made a fortune writing cozy mysteries. Lunch goes well and is over before she knows it. Maybe Chess and she will try better to keep in touch this time.
The next day, Chess texts her with a marvelous idea. She needs to finish her latest self-help book and to induce her to write, Chess has rented a villa in Italy. She wants Emily to come. A whole Summer of sunshine and excellent food will do her good.
Emily goes knowing she needs new scenery. She is happy and writing again. She is so relaxed and feels the best she has felt in a long time. The villa has a history which Emily finds intriguing. Back in the 70’s a young man died here during a week of drugs, sex, and rock n’ roll. Emily happens upon some loose sheets of writing paper that sound like they were written by one of the women during that disastrous stay so long ago. This gets Emily’s mind spinning and she veers off course to write a new mystery about that tragedy. Changing course starts a whole sequence of events that Emily could not have foreseen.

Rachel Hawkins is a fabulous writer! Every time she sucks me into her story where I have to finish the book. I can’t put it down. Readers who like B. A. Paris and Greer Hendricks will find this book a very enthralling read.

3.25

Okay, I consider myself a fan of Rachel Hawkins because I've read (now) three of her books LOL.

I started with The Wife Upstairs, which I LOVED, then Reckless Girls, which I did not love, and now, The Villa, and I feel very eh about it.

I was drawn to this book because of the cover *an additional .25 just for the cover alone* and, of course, the author. The book's setting jumped from the present day through the POV of Emily and the summer of 1974 through the POV of Mari.

I figured out some of the twists in the book very early on and genuinely hated "Chess," aka "Jessica." I believe she was an awful friend, and Emily deserved better. I found the whole book to be very underwhelming but still found the story entertaining enough to finish within a span of three days.

I will say I did find Mari's stories much more interesting than Emily's.

Will I read the next book Rachel Hawkins releases? Heck yea! They can't all be winners.

Thank you, NetGalley, Rachel Hawkins, and St. Martin's Press, for my e-arc!

Another solid story from Rachel Hawkins!

This suspenseful drama is told well through two perspectives and timelines. I often find that in books with dual storylines, there’s usually one that is more engaging, but in this case, I enjoyed both equally. The characters were well developed and each stood on their own, even though most weren't very likeable. While I enjoyed the ending, there were a few loose ends that I wish had been addressed more. Overall, I recommend The Villa and think it would make a good vacation read.

As per Rachel Hawkins last two reads The Wife Upstairs and Reckless Girls, I was left disappointed with the ending on all accounts. I saw this book pop up on NetGalley and was determined to give her a third and final try. Lucky for me, this book made it up out of my “3 star slump” and into the 4 star range! I was very pleased by this and found this book to be much more my style of a mysterious book.

First things first, the cover is beautiful. That’s the thing with Rachel Hawkins’ covers - they are gorgeous and I am a huge sucker for pretty covers so I always buy them lol! Anyways, the dual timeline throughout this story was done really well! I found both Emily and Mari to be a little whiney at times, but otherwise, they were very well-written women who have been through the wringer.

Some of the other characters did things that actually had my jaw drop open because like, you just don’t do those things! Even if you’re trying to prove a point, you don’t do those things. Looking at you Chess and Lara….

Overall, I actually quite liked this book and really loved the gorgeous setting that it was told from. As someone who is planning on visiting Italy sometime, this made me even more excited to look up places to go! If you need a slow burn mystery with a twist at the end, this is the book for you.

⚠️TW: murder, child death, drug abuse, miscarriage, suicide, adult/minor relationships, drug use, infidelity

Thank you @netgalley for this advanced copy in exchange for my honest review! All of the thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

Set in an Italy, "The Villa" follows the story of two long time friends, both writers, intertwined with the story of a long ago murder that occurred in the same villa. Emily is working through writer's block, the end of her marriage and trying to re-start her life. Chess is, as far as I can tell, just a jerk. I know that she's Emily's best friend since childhood, but I never really warmed to her. She was self-serving (and I think I a liar and a fake( and every time Emily almost was ready to leave her behind, Chess found ways to manipulate her way back in.
And I was absolutely there for it. As much as I hated it, it worked. Chess was convincing and believable (and awful!) I think Emily should have cut her loose along with her jerk of an ex-husband (maybe not in the same way... but still...)
The way the original murder was woven into the story (and no spoiler, but the ENDING...oops!) loved it!

Overall, really enjoyed this book. While there was a little predictability in some parts, there were quite a few twists and turns that surprised me.

“Houses Remember”

Thank you Rachel Hawkins, St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review. “The Villa” is set to publish 1/3/23.

As kids, Emily and Chess were inseparable. But by their 30s, their bond has been strained by the demands of their adult lives. So when Chess suggests a girls trip to Italy, Emily jumps at the chance to reconnect with her best friend. Villa Aestas in Orvieto is a high-end holiday home now, but in 1974, it was known as Villa Rosato, and rented for the summer by notorious rockstar, Noel Gordon. In an attempt to reignite is creative spark, Noel invites up-and-coming musician, Pierce Sheldon to join him, as well as Pierce’s girlfriend, Mari, and her stepsister, Lara. But he also sets in motion a chain of events that leads to Mari writing one to the greatest horror novels of all time, Lara composing a platinum album— and ends up in Pierces murder. As Emily digs into the villa’s complicated history, she begins to thing there might be more to the story of that fateful summer in 1974. As secretes from the past come to light equally dangerous betrayals from the present also emerge— and it begins to look like the Villa will claim another victim before the summer ends.

This is by far my favorite Rachel Hawkins book that I have read. I loved the multiple POVs and dual timeline. I was intrigued with unraveling both mysteries and after getting 40% of the way into the book I found myself not being able to put it down! My only complaint is that for a gothic suspense I wish it would have been a little creepier. I think that it was close and that the author could’ve leaned into that aspect a little more. Other than that, I highly recommend “The Villa” and rated it 4.5 ⭐️’s.

“Houses remember.”

The story follows two “best friends” staying at an Italian villa that was the location of a famous murder in the 1970s. This a dual timeline story that flips between the main character in the present trying to solve the mystery and diary entries from the past.

My favorite part of this were the flashback scenes. It gave me total Fleetwood Mac vibes (which the author said she was inspired by) and reminded me of a more sinister DAISY JONES. I couldn’t wait for more of the past to unravel and to find out what really happened at that creepy villa decades ago.

My biggest qualms were I felt that some plot points weren’t wrapped up well or explained well. Like maybe they were included just for shock factor. Honestly, I was still pretty engrossed in the story and couldn’t wait to listen to more.

I think the main reason why I rated this so high was due to the fact that I listened on audio. Julia Whelan narrates the present part and she does a fantastic job as always.

I am a big fan of Rachel Hawkins novels and this one falls in the middle of the road for me. It alternates between 1974, when 5 friends meet at a Villa in Italy owned by Noel, a famous musician. One wants to become a famous musician, his girlfriend Mari, Lara, who thinks the musician will fall in love with her, and a house guest Johnnie. There are a lot of drugs within the house. Mari is a writer, and she decides to write about what happens in the Villa. A murder occurs and Mari's book tells the story, but the ending is never clear.

Meanwhile, the book alternates to the present when two childhood friends travel to Italy and stay in the Villa to get away for the summer. Emily is a writer, recovering from an unknown illness and a divorce. Chess is her friend who is a famous self-help writer. At the villa, Emily is aware of a murder that took place in 1974, and she finds clues to learn about it through reading the book written by Mari. The ending is missing, and later found in different places in the Villa. Emily wants to write about the murder that took place and Chess wants to co-author it with her. Chess acts very strange, and Emily starts to get suspicious of Chess and her motives.

There is a lot more to the Emily and Chess scenario, but I don't want to give away any spoilers.
It gets a bit confusing between the ending of Mari's book, the truth of the murder that took place in 1974 and then what happens in the relationship between Emily and Chess.
It was a good mystery, but a bit confusing to me.

Chess and Emily have been best friends since they were little girls. Both in their 30s now, they have drifted apart over the years as Chess’ career took off as a self-help author, while Emily struggled with a divorce, a mysterious illness and being the author of a mediocre detective series. When Chess phones her up and asks her to come to Italy with her for a month, Emily jumps at the chance to escape her depressing life. Only thing is, Chess has booked a villa as their accommodations that is infamous for a murder that happened there years ago.

I have read all of Rachel Hawkins’ books so far and I knew eventually there had to be one I didn’t love. Unfortunately, it was The Villa. I did love the Chess/Emily dynamic as it was very complex. I also really liked the setting - Hawkins’ seems to be really good at picking unique locations. However, there was just too much going on here. She clearly pulled from several real life inspirations and it just felt cluttered, as though not enough time was given to anything to fully develop it. I also didn’t feel like there was enough tension. I think if she would have picked one major influence, it would have been better!

I am a big fan of Rachel Hawkins’s thrillers and was sooo excited to read this book! It is a gothic suspense set in an italian villa with a dark past. Need I say more? 😂

The story follows writer Em & self help influencer Chess, two best friends who take a trip together to reignite their friendship and work on their latest books. When they arrive at the villa, they learn of the villa’s past- a murder that took place in the 70’s among a cast of famous musicians and artists. As they progress into their stay, the women go down a rabbit hole to figure out what really happened in the villa that summer in 1974…

Inspired by Fleetwood Mac, the Manson murders, and the summer Percy and Mary Shelley spent with Lord Byron at a Lake Geneva castle (the birthplace of Frankenstein). So I recommend this if you enjoy any of the above or the book Daisy Jones and the Six.

I picked this book up several times and never could get into it. However, I was in a mood one day and I am SO glad!

I could not stop reading the latest from Rachel Hawkins! Two stories are weaved together beautifully - told between two different time periods (and two different narrators!)

Love how the story weaved together!