I liked the two storyline approach. I love 70s rock and roll, and I love modern-day best friend stories. Add in the creepy haunted house vibe and it makes for a fun read. The narrator's in the audiobook are also really great.

I absolutely adored this very fast paced and fun thriller. The twist was not entirely shocking but I did love the duel time lines and it was a good listen. I highly recommend.

The Villa is told from dual timelines between Emily and Chess in the present and Mari and her stepsister, Laura in the past. I found Mari and Laura's POV slightly more interesting. I was more eager to uncover the horrific murder mystery that unfolded in 1974.

The pacing of this story felt very fast and made for a quick read. I alternated between reading a digital copy and listening to the audiobook. The narrators did a great job bringing the characters to life, making it easy to distinguish between them.

I did not expect any of the twists that occurred during the story.

A few things I struggled with:

- I’m not sure I would have categorized this as a thriller; it read more like a mystery.
- Emily and Chess’s friendship.
- The ambiguous ending; it fell a bit short for me.

I’d recommend listening to the audiobook version of this story and can’t wait to see what Hawkins’ writes next.

There are two timelines in this: one is during the 1970's, the other is present time. The setting is mostly at Villa Rosato in Orvieto, which is only a part of what ties the storylines together. The storylines are suspenseful and keep you guessing.
Thank you NetGalley, Rachel Hawkins, and MacMillan Audio for giving me an audiobook recording of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This twisty tale is actually two stories, intertwined and unfolding at the same time.

In the present, lifelong BFFs Emily and Chess, a struggling mystery author and a self-help guru, rent a luxurious Italian villa for a summer of writing, and of renewing their friendship. But there’s something much darker lingering in the background.

And almost 50 years ago, stepsisters Mari and Lara spend the summer in that same villa with Mari’s lover, as well as a rock star and his drug-dealing buddy. That season will include the creation of an iconic horror novel and an even more triumphant record album — as well as a violent death.

Hawkins has crafted a novel with the same vibes of ennui, wealth and casual cruelty as “The White Lotus,” but with its own spins. And her readers — especially the always terrific Whelan — bring out the story’s best.

Thank you St. Martins Press for this ARC! This was an amazing little romp of paranoia, creepiness, and second guessing.
This just kept getting more and more unsettling in it’s tragic tale of cause and effect. One of my favorite thrillers I’ve come across in a while.

The dual timeline worked really well in this story.
Discussion Questions:
1. What are some signs that a friend is toxic?
2. Is it a true friendship when there is a huge financial gap between friends?
3. What song would be on the playlist for you and your best friends song list?
4. How does one art type influence other artists in another type? How does music influence literature and vice-versa?

The audio for this one was a miss for me _ ended up dnf-ing it. I would like to pick it up and try the physical copy though.

It wasn’t terrible, but I don’t think this is the author’s best work. Dual timelines and a mystery, but it reads like women’s fiction and the modern timeline was a bit boring. I wasn’t a big fan of the ending, but some people may love it.

Great book! I listened to 80% of this book and filled in with the digital copy. I found myself missing listening to it!
I have become a fan of Julia Whelan and was excited to see she was one of the narrators. I also enjoyed Wetherell and Arserio.
The book was my second of Hawkins and it did not disappoint! I loved the relationship between Chess and Emily. Although I’m glad I don’t have a friend like that I found myself gasping at the reveals and rootIng for Emily to make good decisions. The book made me want to see The Villa, listen to Lara’s music, and read Mari’s novel.
I call that a win.

The Villa by Rachel Hawkins
Which is narrated by Julia Whelan; Kimberly M. Wetherell & Shiromi Arserio
I found to be even better than reading the actual book.
These narrators brought the characters to such life. And I had the absolute best time listening to this audiobook.
Hawkins is truly becoming a favorite writer of mine. I've loved her two previous thrillers and The Villa was no different.
If she's writing it... I'm m reading it. I just can't put her books down
Very well written with fantastic descriptions this book had the perfect settings and a great storyline! This book filled with intrigue and suspense, and some surprising twists along the way.

Girl you're killing it. And don't stop!

"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for my ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was my first book by Rachel that I read and it did not disappoint It cut me interesting I actually listened to it all from start to finish and one go So I'm definitely excited to look into her other books

I love Rachel Hawkins newest book! Lots is twists and turns coinciding between two different time periods and two groups of characters. Gripping. I was unable to put this book down! 4,5 stars! One of my best reads of the year!

The concept of this book was interesting and kept me intrigued. However, there was a lot going on and it was hard to keep up with at times. I also had a hard time rooting for any of the characters.
This author is still one to keep up with for me though. It wasn't terrible. Her other works are just better.

Emily and Chess, childhood friends, are spending the summer in Italy at Villa Aestas. Emily, a moderately successful cozy-mystery writer has been suffering writer’s block, going through a contentious divorce, and Chess is now a famously successful self-help guru. They’re supposed to be taking this time in Italy to reconnect, yet you can feel the underlying tension between them, each a little jealous of the other even though they’re supposed to be besties.

Emily finds out that Villa Aestas is actually the scene of the infamous murder of the musician, Pierce Sheldon, back in 1974, and begins to investigate what actually happened there. The story is scandalous with rumors of bed hopping, drugs, and alcohol, but the two women involved, Pierce’s lover Mari and her stepsister Lara go on to become famous artists, each tight-lipped about that tragic summer. Emily uncovers secret pages written by Mari, re-awakening her passion for writing, which sparks more tension between her and Chess.

I disliked most of the characters in The Villa, but I couldn’t help but root for Emily in the present and Mari in the past. Neither one was perfect, especially by the end, but something about each of their situations had me on their side, enraged by the treatment by those close to them. Chess, Matt, Pierce and Noel all self-centered unlikable people, Pierce toping that list for me. The ending was in some ways tragic, and unsettling, but also felt a bit justified. I felt bad over the fate of one character.

It's interesting to note that Mari’s story in 1974 was inspired by the summer in 1816 Mary Shelley spent in Italy with her future husband, poet Percy Shelley, Lord Byron, John Polidori, and her stepsister, Claire Clairemont. One dreary night Lord Byron suggested they each come up with a ghost story which led to Mary writing Frankenstein, and John Polidori writing The Vampyre.

The Villa was full of betrayals, jealousies, and toxic relationships, but the unfolding mysteries and motivations were captivating, and the story was hard to put down.

Julia Whelan is a phenomenal narrator. She gives each character, Emily, Chess, and those in the present-day story, a unique, separate voice and it’s hard to remember you’re listening to one person perform different characters. Shiromi Arserio is a new-to-me narrator and does a fantastic job performing Mari and the 1974 cast. Kimberly M. Wetherell, also new-to-me and wonderful, did the news articles and announcements. I listened at usual 1.5x-1.75x normal speed. The audio is a definite recommend.

**4.5/5 Stars**

This is my third Rachel Hawkins' book, and like the two others, I immediately took to the story. In my book, you can never go wrong with a Rachel Hawkins book! She is on my auto-purchase list and she will stay on this list after this book!

The Villa involves two parallel stories: one that takes place in the present, and the other that takes place in the 1970s. It is the place in which the story takes place - an Italian villa - that is a common variable between the two storylines.

Several of the characters are also writers, and some of their own writing comes into play in this mystery. There are two mysteries taking place - one in the contemporary timeline, and another in the 1970s timeline. While I found this particular plot somewhat predictable, I thought the characters were interesting and I was invested in what was happening until the very last page. I will say I enjoyed the contemporary storyline a bit more and would have liked to have had more backstory with those two characters. I could even see reading a prequel with those characters.

If you are looking for a quick and engaging thriller that has a cast of interesting female characters, this book is definitely for you.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and Macmillan Audio for an advanced reader copy of The Villa.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of this book!

As soon as I saw the cover for this one, I was intrigued. I have read a few of Rachel Hawkins' books before and the synopsis for this one sounded pretty interesting, so I was excited.

This story follows two friends, Emily and Chess, on their girls weekend. They are both writers and are hoping not only to spend time with each other, but also to get some inspiration for their latest drafts. The villa they rented i gorgeous, but also has a dark past. There was a murder there in 1964. Emily is intrigued by this, while Chess doesnt care much for it. As Emily begins to unravel the story of what really happen, tensions rise between the friends, and their own secrets are revealed.

This story is told from 2 perspectives: Emily in the current day, and an author from the past. I felt that the alternating timelines were done really well in this one! I felt that both the past story and present were interesting and I wanted to read both.

I did feel that the twist was a bit underwhelming though. I felt like there was a huge lead up to the ending and then didn't feel like the twist was worthy of it. It was still interesting, but I felt the twist just didn't match the story well.

Overall, I did really enjoy the book. Like I said, I enjoyed both the past and present stories, and I personally love the 'detective' stories where you are finding out what happened along with the character. Will be recommending this to friends for sure!

I listened to the audio version of this book and it made all the difference in my reading experience! This book is meant to be listened to and it was executed so well with excellent narrators. It took no time at all to get into it. I loved the dual timeline and dual POV’s, but I am always a fan of multiple timelines and POV’s, so I knew I’d like it from the start. I absolutely loved all different media tidbits throughout, including newspaper articles, podcast transcripts and e-mails among others. All of the characters are flawed and not 100% likable, with storied pasts and messy relationships. So, it’s realistic. This was such a fun book to listen to and I binged the last half, while also regretting that it was over so quickly. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the audio arc in exchange for my honest review!

Thank you to @netgalley and @Stmartinspress for a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. Thank you to @macmillian.audio for a free download of the audiobook.

I really enjoy the stories and thrill from @ladyhawkins novels. Even better, I have been to Ovierto, Italy. I could picture the narrow streets and the majesty of the cathedral in the center of town.

Emily and Chess make a summer getaway to Villa Aestas to enjoy Italy and both work on their current manuscripts. Emily is in the process of divorce and Chess has been come a national bestselling author. While Chess is making headway on her book, Emily is not inspired, so chooses to spend time digging into the history of the Villa. She cannot get enough of the story or the death that occurred here in the 70s.

I couldn’t put this book down and was glad to keep the story going with the audio when I couldn’t read. I recommend picking this one up!

4 stars

#books #bookishlife #booklover #readingisfun #iowabookstagrammers #iowabookstagram #netgalley #stmartinspress #macmillianaudio #ltbreaderteam #thevilla #rachelhawkins #smpinfluencers

This author has done it again! I love her last books and this one is no different! I liked the glimpses and stories behind
Mari writing in one timeline and being read and questioned in the current timeline.