The Van Ness family's weekend retreat to celebrate the 35th birthday of twins Harper and Richard takes an unexpectedly sour turn, filled with vindictiveness, hatred, unresolved past issues, bottled-up resentments, and emotional breakdowns. Initially, I anticipated reading a claustrophobic whodunit mystery, as the news column in the beginning suggested. You know the formula: a group of people who are related to each other find themselves trapped in a place where the electricity suddenly goes out, a terrible hurricane or some equally sinister natural disaster prevents them from leaving, and an unknown intruder lurks, sending creepy messages. Eventually, as the pressure mounts, people become more agitated, leading to vengeance and murders. While 'Weekend Retreat' follows this standard trapped-in-place formula, the execution of increasing tension and the mystery surrounding the perpetrator are somewhat overshadowed by the family drama and the deep-seated hatred they hold for each other. Unfortunately, none of the book's characters are as they initially appear. They all wear multiple masks and harbor many secrets, as the author aptly summarizes: 'In the end, you are who you make yourself out to be.'

When you delve into the Van Ness family's past and learn about the dynamics of their unhealthy, extremely dysfunctional family, you may understand why three siblings have turned into ruthless, opportunistic individuals.

Harper, Richard, and their younger brother Zach are heirs to the copper fortune of a wine empire inherited from their late mother, Katrina Van Ness. Katrina was a smart businesswoman but also a manipulative, dictating mother who may have left a lasting, irreparable imprint on her children's souls.

They return to the family estate to celebrate Harper and Richard's joint birthday, organized by Richard's wife, Elle, who acts as if she were Katrina's real daughter due to their long-standing, close relationship, which even Harper's daughter has never had the privilege of experiencing. Zach also brings his new girlfriend, Lauren, to the estate, unaware of what she's getting into.

Let's delve deeper into the characters:

Harper may be the most selfish, arrogant, and narcissistic character in the book. She oversees an empire of beauty products and is married to Lucas, the owner of a tech startup with his own share of secrets. He feels like an outsider in the family due to their condescending, noble attitude, seeing themselves as above the rest of the world.

Richard is a direct, power-oriented, and realistic man who likes to control his family members, while Elle acts as the family's mother figure, trying to bring everyone together. Despite her sincere efforts, her long-standing feud with Harper can push her to the brink, causing her to lose her temper.

Zach may come across as the spoiled baby of the family, living in an optimistic bubble to distract himself from the harsh realities of the world. He's also dealing with financial troubles, and his girlfriend, Lauren, a kind and naive small-town girl aspiring to be a writer, holds her own set of secrets.

Three couples who genuinely despise each other are forced to spend three days together, with a tragedy looming on the horizon. In this book, what's more important than the identity of the perpetrator is the ugly secrets that family members are hiding.

Overall, the identity of the secret guest is predictable, and the slow burn tension can be frustrating because the characters spend most of their time bickering and fighting. Not much earth-shattering occurs in this book, and the characters are largely unlikable. However, I did enjoy the ending, which, while not entirely fair, is undeniably realistic and clever. The setting at the wine estate with its gothic vibes and secret doors intrigued me enough to round up my 3.5 stars to 4. Nevertheless, I wished for more heightened tension and mystery in the book.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing/Graydon House for providing me with this digital review copy in exchange for my honest opinions.

This book had me torn between it was ok and I liked it. I thought it was pretty well written and intriguing but the characters were annoying a lot of the times. Maybe there were supposed to be. I don't know but I like to at least feel like I'm rooting for someone in a book. I settled on 3 stars, Iliked it. It was intriguing enough to keep my interest.

I LOVED this book!! It was so atmospheric, claustrophobic, creepy, etc. I really enjoyed the character's dynamics with each other as well. The entire time I was reading, I felt like I couldn't trust anyone. I will definitely be recommending this book to everyone!

3.75 stars out of 5.

This was a slow burn for me but I was immediately drawn into the story. All of the characters were really unlikable and kind of annoying, especially Harper. I did not expect the twist at the ending at all! I liked how we did not know who died in the beginning of the book and that kept me guessing until the end.

The Van Ness siblings, Richard, Harper, and Zach, bring their significant others to their families estate for Richard's and Harper's birthday party. Elle, Richards wife, has planned an extravagant party but a huge storm comes in, causing the party to be cancelled. With all the siblings in one place, there is tension and secrets which turned deadly.

Fans of mystery/thrillers will definitely enjoy this book.

Thank you Netgalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing, Graydon House for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

3.5 stars. As pointed out by my sister, none of the characters were particularly likeable, but there were surprises and enough suspense to keep me reading.

*Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an e-galley in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of this book!

The Weekend Retreat was slow to start for me but once we had all these characters in the same room, the story picked up tremendously! Nearly every character was unlikable in some way - their catty behavior towards each other stressed me out the entire time. Especially Harper . . . She is quite literally the worst. But in the best way - her character added that much needed tension and drama to every scene.

And that twist at the end! Whoa. Didn't see that coming!

This one was a slow burn for me. I was waiting for the crazy. It was enjoyable but not my favorite book. Fast easy read.

The Van Ness siblings are something else. Every year they gather to celebrate twins, Harper and Richard ‘s birthday. But this year is different. Their mother is gone, and their younger brother Zack has brought his new girlfriend, Lauren, along with the twins' spouses, Lucas and Elle. This year, the party will be anything but a fun time.
It seems that someone knows secrets about this wealthy family. This unknown person wants some thing, maybe money, or maybe revenge. By the time a terrible storm ends, the Van Ness family will not be the same as when they arrived.
This was a read that kept me guessing. We know from the beginning, that something bad happens, but to which character or characters. Everyone is hiding many,many secrets. Some more than others, but still, this was truly not a pleasant bunch. I finished this in a day on the last Sunday in August. A great outdoor page flipper.
It publishes at the end of December though, so unless you’re in the southern hemisphere, it will also make a great cozy up on the couch thriller.

I loved the plot! I was hooked from the beginning. You have no idea who died so you try to pick up clues from all of the drama and secrets. The Van Ness siblings and their partners are at the family estate/winery for a weekend birthday celebration. Sibling bickering, family secrets, and being trapped due to a storm made this a page turning thriller. For how intense the book is, I did not like the ending.

Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

Harper, Richard and Zach Van Ness come together with their respective partners for a weekend retreat at the families estate/vineyard. The gathering is to celebrate Richard and Harper’s birthday with a lavish weekend of festivities all planned by Richard’s wife Elle. But not everyone is there to celebrate, as a “party guest” is hiding somewhere on the property planning to exact revenge on the Van Ness siblings. Old rivalries and long hidden secrets start to resurface as the weekend progresses. When a storm hits and the party guests are no longer coming, only the three couples are left at the estate to await another storm that is brewing amongst them and their unknown visitor.

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

I don't feel like this book really added anything new or exciting to the genre, but it was well-executed regardless. Fans of mystery/thrillers will have fun with it.

A wealthy family, a mansion of abundance and a family with secrets galore. What more could you want for a fast paced book that keeps you guessing until the end.

3 stars!

I read this in 4 short sittings, I loved the descriptions of the winery and the different types of wines. I also loved imagining the mansion with all of the hidden doors and passage ways.

This was an entertaining family thriller. I found myself thinking how every character is a bit of an asshole (lol). This was faced paced and engaging.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC!

Heart pounding thriller that left me on the edge of my seat. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this one. Definitely one of the best books this year.

A weekend retreat at your lush family winery. Trapped by a storm. Dead body. Family secrets.

This was a delicious, page-turning thriller that I couldn't put down. I love books about family secrets, when the people around you start to see who you really are. I loved all the twists and turns this book took. Fantastic story, loved this mystery. The ending felt just a little too neat, but otherwise, this was a perfect thriller to curl up with on a stormy night!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced digital reader's copy (ARC) in exchange for an honest review!

I loved The Weekend Retreat - it was a compulsive read, with characters with flaws and dark secrets. Will be recommending this to others!

"This isn't the movies at all, where the good guys win and the bad guys lose. This is life, where it's not about who is good or who is bad, but about who has the power, who has the money."

The Weekend Retreat by Tara Laskowski is an exciting thriller about family, wealth, and of course secrets. The Van Ness children reunite one weekend at their recently deceased Mother's estate to celebrate the birthdays of twin siblings' Richard and Harper. Just as a storm is brewing outside, the family finds themselves stuck having to face past traumas, failures, and deceit. When an unexpected guest shows up at the house, will the Van Ness family pull together or will the secrets brought to light prove to be too much.

This was my first time reading Tara Laskowski but WOWOW it most certainly wont be my last. I have already added her other books to my TBR list. This book played out like a movie in my mind. I had to finish it at a record speed. Laskowski went into just enough detail, make me feel like I was right there with the Van Ness family. Page after page I was met with more secrets and more lies and more twists. I really enjoyed the multiple narratives. It gave the book a sense of urgency - always needing to know what the next character is thinking and doing. If you love a fast paced thriller you can read in 1 sitting, then look no further!

Such a fast paced thrill of a read! I really enjoyed how this kept my attention from beginning to end. I was shocked at the ending and never guessed it! Thank you Laskowski for a great read!

The glamourous Van Ness family is gathering for the first time since the death of their matriarch for a birthday getaway at the family vineyard. But an unexpected guest is ready to unmask the darker secrets of this mega-wealthy group, ending in unintended consequences for everyone.

***

The Van Ness family is definitely easy to root against, but that did not make this book unenjoyable. I enjoyed the different POVs (minus the Party Guest), Thought, I wish we got the views of every Van Ness sibling. There's something to be said for experiencing everything from solely the female POV, but in this case, I think delving into the relationship each sibling had with their mother would have served the plot better. Although dead, Kat is a pivotal character, and I do not feel like she was fleshed out enough.

The plot is also relatively predictable. I guessed almost every twist long before it was revealed. Family secret thrillers are becoming a bit formulaic, I suppose. But I loved the atmosphere of the mansion and the suspense built nicely. The ending, while hilariously bonkers, was also pretty satisfying.

Looking forward to see what this author does next!

This was a wonderful book. A great Thor ill er that kept me guessing the whole time. I would recommend this to all thriller lovers!