I really enjoyed The Villa. I kept my attention from the get go. Enough twists to keep me guessing. And I loved how everything was wrapped up in the end.

murder, daisy jones and the six vibes, a quaint italian villa, strong female characters, and a multi generational mystery? SIGN ME UP! THIS BOOK WAS FABULOUS!

I like reading books about writers and the writing process. I would have liked to see the author capture the array of writing processes amongst the various writer characters, rather than having them all under this feverish inspiration at the house.

I vastly preferred the Mari/Lara story to Em/Chess. I did have trouble keeping some of the story elements clear - whose parents were whose, who lost a baby etc.

How did they address Matt's death in their book? I feel like I need to know more of that story to buy into their rampant success.

Could, like, one of those babies have lived? Just one?

This story follows two main characters, Emily and Mari in separate timelines, but with an intersection between the two. I loved going back to the 1970’s with Mari and feel that the author did a great job of creating the sex, drugs & rock ‘n’ roll atmosphere. Hers was a much more compelling story than Emily’s.

I finished this rather quickly as I was very engaged and wanted to uncover the secrets and lies in both past and present. It was a bit too easy to guess what was going on in Emily’s story, which again made Mari’s part so much more interesting.

The characters were well developed and invoked feelings of love, hate, remorse and empathy. It was however unbelievable that Emily & Chess would be friends. They didn’t appear to like each other very much and were dishonest with each other from the beginning.

While I appreciated the recreation of events in the climax of the story, I just couldn’t wrap my head around Emily doing this, with everything she knew about Chess, especially when she was always questioning her motives. That just didn’t jive for me!

But the author redeemed herself somewhat by leaving a few things in question which makes me think that not all on the surface is as it appears.

Overall, an enjoyable thriller that I would recommend.

Thank you to @netgalley and @stmartinspress for the electronic copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

You’ll like this book if you like…
- Unlikeable characters
- Dual POV
- Dual timeline
- Atmospheric reads
- Slower pacing that is still intriguing
- Mysterious stories

“Houses remember.”
That line truly sets the tone for this book!!

After reading a few books by Rachel Hawkins, I’m come to appreciate how wonderfully she writes her settings. They’re so atmospheric - you feel like you’re sitting in the same place as the characters. The Villa felt very mysterious and spooky. I found this book so intriguing. It did bother me a little at first that when there was a timeline jump there wasn’t a new chapter, but I got used to it! I came to like it because I think reading both views in one chapter helped me make connections more quickly/naturally. I liked the parallels the author drew between the present-day and past characters. I won’t say much more, but I thought the twists were great and thought-provoking!!

I’d recommend this one - it’s my favorite Rachel Hawkins book that I’ve read so far (I’ve read The Wife Upstairs and Reckless Girls). Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this eARC!

I am so thankful that I had the opportunity to read this book early as it is one of my most anticipated books of 2023, and I love Hawkins' writing. This one was definitely a slow burn. I did anticipate some of the big reveals but this still has some good twists. I will say that I definitely enjoyed one of the timelines much more than the other. I enjoyed it though! ⭐⭐⭐

3.75. An Italian escape that makes you question everything.

Synopsis: Two story lines take place in the same villa in Italy. As both stories unravel you learn more and more about the players in the murder of a 70’s musician.

Pros: The intertwining story lines kept me guessing and interested in the lives of the characters. As soon as I thought I had it figured out, more information entered the scene.

Cons: I wish there would have been more time with these characters. This book almost read like a Taylor Jenkins Reid novel but didn’t quite have the well rounded characters as Reid creates.

This was an enjoyable read that is sure to be a hit with Rachel Hawkins fans. Thank you NetGalley for the eARC !

#bookreview #netgalley #eARC #bookstagtam #bookstagrammer #fiction #thevilla #rachelhawkins

My first book by Rachel Hawkins was The Wife Upstairs. I loved it, which is why I sought out this one upon hearing about it.
This is a murder mystery, within a thriller. I liked that there was something to "figure out", while navigating the present time narrative.
There were two twists in the story. The first underwhelmed me, the second was a little better. I think this was a good read, as it kept me captivated the whole way through and I really enjoy the author's writing. But nothing stuck out in a big way, which is why this sits at 3 stars.
Am I glad I read it? Yes. It was fun. I'd recommend giving it your time.

The setting, history and feel of this book was, for me, the most interesting and enjoyable part. We have a dual timeline going on in this book and I had a minor preference for the past timeline and characters but to be honest, I felt like I needed more time with each set of characters in order to be truly invested in their storylines. I loved the slow burn pacing in Hawkins’ previous book, The Wife Upstairs, but in this case, while the pacing is similar it somehow felt too slow. This might be because, as I mentioned, I didn’t feel fully invested in the characters but I also didn’t feel like any of the twists had much bang. As a result, I have to admit this didn’t have the “thriller feel” to it, maybe more a gothic woman’s fiction but with murder haha.

All in all, interesting setting and concept but this one was a miss for me. I do still plan on checking out this authors other books since I truly did enjoy The Wife Upstairs.

Content warnings: death, drugs and alcohol use.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press, NetGalley and Libro.fm for the ARC/ALC for review. All opinions are my own.

Wow! This kept me hooked right from the very beginning. Rachel did it again!!! I didn’t not guess the thriller this time so she got me. I would highly recommended to my bookish friends. I am going to tell everyone in my book group to read it. Happy to get an advanced copy. I will buy it win it comes out so I can reread it. I don’t usually reread books either

"Emily digs into the villa’s complicated history, she begins to think there might be more to the story of that fateful summer in 1974. That perhaps Pierce’s murder wasn’t just a tale of sex, drugs, and rock & roll gone wrong, but that something more sinister might have occurred––and that there might be clues hidden in the now-iconic works that Mari and Lara left behind."

Hawkins has crafted a story that balances between the present and the past. There are intricate clues that the reader and present characters are able to follow to determine the past. I loved reading the story of the past because there was so much depth and even character growth despite their lifestyle. I loved the multi layer aspect to the story but the present day characters really ruin the big picture. Present day Emily and Chess are both insufferable MC's and it caused the whole book to be a rather average read. They just felt too messy and not enough ground for the big actions that happen in this book.

I think this book works great for people who tend to like thrillers, but I don't think it is a great start for someone who has never read thrillers. I think this particular book may turn them off from the genre. However, I do have some great comparisons for people who did enjoy the book and think there are many people who would love this one.

Thank you NetGaley for an earc of this book, all opinions are my own.

I'll read anything by Rachel Hawkins, and while this one was not my absolute favorite of hers (that's way too hard to decide), I thoroughly enjoyed it, and it is a fantastic addition to her stable of thrillers. I was actually kept guessing the entire time, and was convinced that it would end differently than it did, which is just not easy to do these days with the thriller market so saturated. So anytime a new and original plot comes up, I am incredibly impressed. I will absolutely recommend this to anyone who loves a great book with strong, clear characters.

I haven't read any other books by this author, and this was the perfect one to start with! It sucked me in and I read late into the night. The story follows two different timelines with different points of view, the first follows Mari and her life with musician Pierce Sheldon while they are vacationing in Italy at The Villa, and the second is Emily while she is vacationing at the same Villa with her best friend Chess. Both POVs were perfect and utterly fascinating, and I couldn't wait to get back to each one. This book took me on a twisty, suspenseful, and unexpected ride, and I loved every minute of it!...

Emily has come from a divorce, and she's currently working... or not working on her next book in her Petal Bloom cozy mysteries series. When her best friend Chess blows back into her life and invites her to an Italian Villa. This is the perfect place for her to relax, recharge and work on her book, which is woefully behind schedule.

When Emily does a little research she finds the Villa is the place of a famous murder, and when she arrives she finds a book that piques her interest in the crime even more. As Emily digs into the crime, secrets are revealed from the past, and within her own relationships, and nothing is what it seems... I can't wait to read more by this author!

I believe this was my first time reading a book by Rachel Hawkins. The Villa is the story about 2 friends, or are they really rivals or enemies? Emily and Chess, both writers, head to Italy to spend a summer in a villa to work on their perspective books. Chess writes self-help motivational books while Emily writes cozy mysteries. Emily is in the beginning of divorce proceedings. The villa where they stay was once the scene of a brutal murder back in the 70’s involving a rock-n-roll icon. Once there Emily discovers some truths about said murder and she starts to write a book about it. This was an interesting storyline which was actually a dual timeline with 2 different sets of characters. It held my attention and I was surprised with the little twist that comes out in the end. I thought the murder went one way when really it went another. The author put a lot of thought into this plot and I really enjoyed reading it and would recommend it to others. I would classify this books genre to be a mystery. I’d like to thank NetGalley for the arc to read and review. I’m giving this a 4 star rating and I look forward to reading more by this author in the future.

Already a fan of Rachel Hawkins I was super pumped to dive into The Villa. At first glance I thought it was pretty easy to see what was going to happen. Nope, nope, nope. There were definitely a few twists that got me. I loved how the story was structured, with dual timelines centering around a summer house in Italy, and the book tying the two stories together was a lot of fun.

Summary:

Chess and Emily have been best friends for over 30 years, but due to some life changing events, the friendship has been strained.

Emily is going through a recent breakup with her husband after a mysterious illness. Chess has quickly became a famous author.

Chess invites Emily to a villa in Italy with her to rekindle their friendship. This particular villa named Villa Rosato has a long history of a murder back in 1974.

In 1974, Mari and her stepsister, Laura, travel to Villa Rosato to follow her boyfriend who is a musician. That summer her boyfriend is murdered. This murder resulted in Mari writing a bestselling horror novel, and her sister also wrote a bestselling album. The details of that summer with the rock band filled with drugs and sex was never detailed.

Emily becomes deeply invested in the story of Mari, and she hopes it will inspire her to get out of her writing slump.

The storyline bounces back and forth from 1974 to current day with many parallels becoming truly evident.

My Thoughts:

I enjoyed this book even more than Reckless Girls! I enjoyed the characterization and the details of the summer and the villa.

Hawkins does an excellent job of writing these parallel plots. It was really well done!

I wouldn’t necessarily call this a thriller-it is more of a dramatic suspense mystery. The first portion was slower, but it was definitely needed in order to set up the storyline and provide the background info about Mari and Laura.

I gave The Villa 4 out of 5 stars.

The Villa will be available in January 2023.

Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for the Advanced Reader’s Copy of The Villa!

I have never read a Rachel Hawkins book but devoured it in like a day! I really enjoyed this book. I like the different timelines of current day and the 70’s. I also liked the mirroring and parallels between Mari and Lara and Emily and Chess. It was also not that long of a book so it was really easy to get into. The twists were pretty good. And also what was the truth and what wasn’t. I wish Aestas and Lilith rising were real to be even more immersed with the book. All in all a pretty good read.

Thank you Netgalley for my ARC copy of The Villa!
This book is told in 2 timelines, one in present time told from Emily’s perspective and the second one from Mari’s perspective in the past time. I have to say, I enjoyed Mari’s story a bit more than Emily’s, it had some Mary Shelly’s vibes and kept me very interested throughout the book… and that ending, wow! This is the first Hawkins’ book I read and it will for sure not be the last one. I enjoyed the plot twists as well, If you are into suspense novels with dark twists, make sure you pick up this book! It will be out on January 2023.

There was nothing overly thrilling or suspenseful about this book and honestly, the twist was a bit confusing.

The friendship between Emily and Chess was super toxic. The relationship between Mari, Lara and Pierce was tumultuous. The characters were hot messes and I found it agitating living in their world.

I don’t necessarily hate it but it’s a far cry from Reckless Girls. Now that book was a wild ride!

I was so excited to give Rachel Hawkins a try and I’m sad to say that book was so slow and lackluster. I felt that there was no thrill and it was so drawn out. I was expecting some twists and turns but it was a SLOW-burning mystery with a predictable ending. I did enjoy the atmospheric setting and the dual timeline.

If you are into slow-burner reads, then this book might be right for you!

***** Many thanks to St Martin’s Press, Macmillan Audio, Rachel Hawkins, and NetGalley for the #gifted copy as it was provided to me in turn for my honest opinion.

Rating this 2.5 stars but rounding up to 3 stars on Goodreads.