Pretty typical murder-mystery with a "retreat" plot. Lots of family drama with lots of hard-to-like characters. Pretty enjoyable read!

Ok, so first off, I love a book full of family secrets, rivalry, and drama. The more rich and prominent the family, the better. Secondly, I was over the moon with the descriptions of the estate - what trouble I'd get into if I found myself in such a massive mansion! I purposely waited until the weekend to start this book and I'm glad I did because I didn't want to put it down! Sure, some of the drama that unfolded was relatively predictable - I mean, there are only so many directions one can go - but I was still left with some surprises as the story unfolded, so I didn't mind. If you're newer to thrillers and enjoy tropes like, "sibling trauma bond", "friends to enemies", "everyone has a secret", or "stuck together", go ahead and give this book a go!
The pub date is Dec 26, 2023.

Many thank-yous to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!
My full review will be posted to my Instagram, Goodreads, and bookstores about a month prior to the pub date (i.e. Nov 26).

An excellent addictive psychological thriller about old money, secrets, and family drama. The author creates multiple narrations with vivid descriptions that I experienced I was in the story. The setting at the vineyard in a secluded house I enjoyed immensely. The book has so many elements, such as betrayal, revenge, and murder. Very intense, twisty on the edge of your seat mystery slowly reveals each family members lies. The ending is sensational.

Every year the Van Ness siblings gather at their secluded winery estate for a joint birthday celebration. This year they have gathered with all their significant others for a much needed break. This trip is planned so they can all have a nice escape, but things take a turn. Old tensions are highlighted, and each couple is pushed to the edge. Will their secrets destroy them, or will they destroy each other first?

This was a very slow burn mystery book with lots of family drama. There were several different points of view, and all the siblings were equally horrible. I really didn’t like any of them and found them insufferable. But reading their views was like watching a train wreck, I couldn’t stop reading and I needed to know how things resolved. I do think that this story was pretty cookie cutter and formulaic, but it was still entertaining. I don’t think everything needs to be unique for a story to be fun. Things started to pick up in this book towards the end, and I think that it shifted from a character study to more plot driven. I love reading about rich people and how they take so many things for granted, and this book delivered on that front.

If you are looking for a slow-burn, character driven mystery book, then check this one out.

Thank you so much to Harlequin Trade Publishing, Graydon House, and Netgalley for this e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley, the Publisher, and Tara Laskowski for an ARC of The Weekend Retreat!
A family getaway - 3 days - 3 couples
The Van Ness siblings are back to celebrate the twins 35th birthday, as how traditions have gone.
Relaxation, traditions, wine - what more could you ask for?!
Except everything is not how it seems. Everyone seems to have their own little secret this year and if the others find out it may impact the whole dynamic.
This book had me wanting to finish it as soon as possible! I had to find out what their secrets were. The characters are love to hate. They are completely spoiled and entitled, but sometimes you just understand they are having to fight for themselves. It did get slightly predictable, but I do find joy in that being able to uncover the mystery. Definitely a great thriller!

this was a pretty fun but run-of-the-mill rich family murder mystery - most of the book centers around getting to know the characters in the family and their individual secrets and personalities rather than focusing on the mystery, which makes it feel like more of a domestic drama. really nothing too special or memorable here but an entertaining enough read if you’re looking for a book for a plane ride

I really enjoyed this one despite the slow build up. I would say that around midway it starts to pick up more and the finish is great. Each of the characters is unlikeable to an extent but I really liked that that was true for all of the characters and there wasn't one "good" one that was superior to the rest. They were all flawed human beings but I understood their intentions, even if they were questionable, and could empathize with them to a degree. Solid 4 stars.

“Three couples. Three days. A family getaway to die for.”

Personal review: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

This novel has the perfect setting, and rich people problems trope that some love. It contained mystery and intrigue, as well as plot twists galore. I struggled to differentiate the characters, from one rich sibling to the next and follow the plot line, although it certainly kept my attention. Elle, Harper, Richard, and Zach were all your typical woe is me rich characters with their own set of problems, self inflicted mostly! Loved Laura’s character and the intrigue of the weekend guest and who it would be, as the omnipresent character that provided mysterious dialogue. When the author revealed who that person was, I was happy to be correct! Predictable but a fun read. Thank you to @netgalley and the publisher for this advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Synopsis: Every year, the illustrious Van Ness siblings, heirs to a copper fortune, gather at their secluded winery estate for a joint birthday celebration. It's a tradition they've followed nearly all their lives, and now they are back with their significant others for a much-needed weekend of rest and relaxation, away from the public spotlight. With lavish comforts, gorgeous scenery, and indulgent drinking, the trip should be the perfect escape. But it soon becomes clear that even a remote idyllic getaway can’t keep out the problems simmering in each of their lives. As old tensions are reignited, the three couples are pushed to the edge. Will their secrets destroy them, or will they destroy each other first? And who’s been watching them from beyond the vineyard gates? When a torrential rainstorm hits, plunging them into darkness, the answers prove all too deadly…

Thank you, Graydon House and NetGalley, for the advanced copy of The Weekend Retreat.

The synopsis had it all: wealth, turmoil, storms! What could go wrong? Well, quite a bit actually. The storyline was fine. The buildup to get to the twist not so much. The characters weren't very likable. This book was really quite unremarkable. Not a total waste of time, but not the best read either.

A rich family getaway for rest, relaxation, and birthday celebrations, turns into a fast paced murder mystery with twists you don't see coming. Unputdownable.
Definitely add to your TBR list!

An annual birthday party gone wrong.

The Van Ness family is celebrating their annual birthday bash for the twins at their mansion.

This year was no different, except for the death of their mother and the addition of Zach’s soon-to-be fiancé.

But what can go wrong and does go wrong with this year's celebration?

PLENTY!!

Each sibling has some secret.

Who has the worst secret and who will survive the weekend?

And...who is the unidentified guest who seems to be planning some disaster?

A very character-driven novel that has a slow buildup, but once ALL the secrets and conniving characters are revealed you won't be able to turn the pages fast enough to find out what happens. 4/5

Thank you to the publisher for a copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC.

Tara Laskowski writes another winner of a mystery with her new novel, The Weekend Retreat. This clever and enthralling domestic psychological thriller (set in the gorgeous background of a vineyard) proves that not only are things seldom as they initially seem, people's identity and motivation can be equally as obscure as the tight knots of this carefully woven mystery are undone.

For fans of Ruth Ware and Lisa Jewell, this one will not only have you guessing, it will leave you flabbergasted as the truth comes to light.

The synopsis for this book is very intriguing. The characters, not so much. It was impossible to differentiate between them, so the constant POV switching was not ideal. The beginning lacked suspense, it was very dull and drug on and on. While things did pick up, it wasn’t enough to merit additional stars. This wouldn’t be a read I recommend.

Thank you to the publisher for the gifted ARC

While I enjoyed the storyline, I felt like it was just a really long buildup just for the plot twist. The first 2/3s of the book was mostly story and character development, with the really juicy stuff at the end.

The characters all had some secret that they were keeping from each other and it just felt like it was awkward for them to be around one another.
I liked the multiple POV’s that allowed for better character development, but it was only of the females in the story. Understandable since it was mostly them who had something to hide.

I enjoyed the multi point plot twist, but wasn’t very happy about how the “villain” died.

Thank you NetGalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing and author Tara Laskowski for this ARC in exchange for a honest review.

The Weekend Retreat
By: Tara Laskowski

4 Stars

The Van Ness siblings have the yearly tradition of going up to the family winery for a special birthday weekend. A family retreat. This year is different, since their mother, and matriarch is dead and gone. With guests around and secrets unfolding, the Van Ness siblings will never be the same.

This was an awesome story. From the very first page I was hooked. This story is written in such a gripping format. It keeps you wanting more with every turn of the page. This story was filled with family drama and secrets and mystery. The different characters view points throughout, really made this an intriguing read. It kept me guessing and I hated putting it down.


*I want to thank Netgalley and the author for this book in return for my honest review*

Stormi Ellis
Boundless Book Reviews

No where better than the family estate to celebrate a family birthday.This birthday is the 35th of twins Harper and Richard.
The is one Birthday party for the books. Heated family drama, lies and revenge.

A great slow burn with a few twists.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.
On publication date I will post my review to Amazon, Barnes and Noble and other indie book sites.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for giving me a free eARC of this book to read in exchange for my review!

Definitely add this one to your TBR list. What a thrill this book was to read. Who doesn’t love a good suspenseful story!?

One of my favorite things about this book was how the story is told in multiple POVs. It’s always so fun to read from each of the characters perspectives. I also think this helps build up the plot/storyline so well! I loved this about this book.

The little twists along the way were also all so good. They were executed very well! I loved the setting of the story and the mysterious layers of the family vineyard. I was completely stumped and could not figure out who the “villain” was. I enjoyed that!

This one is very close to a five star for me but I did feel it fell short on a few things. Even though the characters were well developed, as a reader, I didn’t feel a close connection with any of them. This is sometimes common with this genre but I still would have loved to feel more engrossed with the characters. Then a few of the twists, even though well developed, I think could have been just as good, if not better if executed slightly different! The epilogue was also good, but slightly felt to neat?

So 4ish ✨ for this one! But honestly, so good! If you love thrillers, you must read this when it is released in December! I’m excited to read more from this author. Many thanks to the publishers for allowing me to read an ARC of this book! ☺️

Thanks to Netgalley & the publishers for my review copy! Unfortunately, I didn't like this book, It was irrelevant, rich people drama that started off too slow. By the time anything started happening, I was pretty much over it. I struggled to finish this book, but I did. I just read it last week and I really can't remember how it ended, which is a sign that the book wasn't memorable at all. It did make me like rich people even less, which isn't all that hard to do these days.

Thank you THANK YOU to Net Galley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for this ARC!
Who doesn’t love a twisty family drama thriller, and at a luxurious estate on a winery?! Sign me up.
Upon immediate review of the synopsis I was getting big The Chateau vibes, but thankfully I enjoyed this book FAR more than the latter.
This is one of those books where the story REALLY made me wish I could have been a fly on the wall as the plot developed. The way Laskowski created such unlikeable characters (I tend to enjoy the unlikeable!) that were so entertaining was brilliant.
I truly did not see the twist at the end coming. I’ll be thinking on this one for a hot minute.
4 ⭐️ out of 5