“The Weekend Retreat” is a mystery thriller by Tara Laskowski. I must admit, the cover and the plot synopsis suckered me into really wanting to read this book. And I really like how the cover has a few too many chairs on it (three couples should equal six chairs -why are there eight - ah, there lies the mystery!). The book is told through the three main females POV - Lauren (girlfriend to the youngest brother, Zach), Elle (daughter-in-law of the matriarch, married to Richard), and Harper (twin to Richard and only daughter, married to Lucas). The three voices are distinct enough to not get confused as to who is narrating, though at times if I put the book down in the middle of the chapter, I would have to go back a few pages to see who was narrating. The opening part of this book had me hooked, then somewhere around the 60% mark, it dragged a bit, then picked up again near the ending. I did feel, like another reviewer, that the ending was a bit too neatly tied up - especially after there was a lot of mystery about characters missing, who had it out for whom, and all the secrets. Are any of the characters likable - not really, everyone has secrets, everyone is not communicating with others, and - I must admit - some of the female characters were a bit too whiny for my taste. Overall, I found this an enjoyable book where I did not figure out “who had done it.” There were a lot of red herrings … and misdirection - so if you like those types of books, this may be up your alley.

I can really get into a rich family thriller, since it's usually easy to root for the bad things to happen with a host of unlikeable characters, but the characters here were, for me, TOO unlikeable. It wasn't as fun a romp/popcorn read as I'd hoped.

Thank you to NetGalley & Graydon House for the ARC!

The Weekend Retreat is a new take on the “group of people stuck on a secluded property with someone maliciously sneaking around trying to get revenge” trope. It’s enjoyable, but not necessarily anything super unique.

TWR follows the Van Ness siblings as they convene at their family’s winery for the twins’ birthday, Richard and Harper 35th. The book is multi-POV with the “unknown party guest” having their own POV throughout the story before they are revealed.

All in all, TWR is pretty good. It’s not life changing but I’d recommend to someone looking for a fairly causal thriller.

3⭐️!

Take an isolated, luxurious estate in wine country, add a birthday celebration, a brewing storm, family secrets, media spies and the most dysfunctional family you could ever meet and you have…The Weekend Retreat. We know from the first chapter that there has been a tragic accident and one family member is dead. We also quickly learn that a narrator, not a family member, is stalking the retreat. So what happens? It’s Harper and Richard Van Ness’ birthday weekend. Their spouses are in attendance, as is brother Zach, his girlfriend Lauren and the ubiquitous housekeeper. Missing is Katrina Van Ness, their recently deceased mother and family doyenne. The weekend begins with a games and ends in tragedy. In between, devastating, long held secrets are revealed. Relationships are forever changed.

The Weekend Retreat is a fast-paced, exciting read. Find a comfortable chair, put your feet up and enjoy! 5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing and Tara Laskowski for this ARC.

I really enjoyed reading this fast paced thriller. This one will leave you guessing all the way until the end. The characters were the type that you just love to hate. I really enjoyed that this story is told from multiple points of view.
The story starts out with the Van Ness siblings and their significant others ( along with all of their secrets) gathering at their winery to celebrate the twins birthday. Secrets never stay hidden forever, have their way of coming back to haunt you. What is supposed to be a weekend of luxury, rest, and relaxation turns into a nightmare.

Good book! This book had a bit of everything! It had suspense, Action, intrigue, mystery, revenge, murder, great who done it, great plot twist, and some crazy twists and turns! The storyline was very interesting and kept me glued to my Kindle! I definitely recommend reading this book as it was well worth reading! Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for sharing this book with me

This one was a wild ride, capturing my attention at the start and keeping it to the bitter end. The characters were so unlikeable, but that kind of drew me to them, like a car crash you can't look away from. The author did a great job with the twists and turns and pacing.

My one complaint is the ending felt a little bit like a softball, everything neatly packaged with a little bow, when I was expected a big reveal, or one last twist, but other than that I enjoyed it.

I have long been a great fan of Tara Laskowski’s writing, and this book further surpassed my expectations! The beautiful scenery makes the crime scene even scarier in a way, and the plot is terrific! Highly recommended to all domestic thriller lovers out there!

This book about three couples and "reunion" with their siblings was a great read! Even though it was not as fast paced as other thrillers I've read, I still could not put the book down because I wanted to know more about each of the couples. Each person and couple were so different it was fun to learn about them as the book progressed. If you like family drama stories, this one is a good one!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC.
The Weekend Retreat is the.story of a 3 siblings and their significant others who gather at the ancestral estate on the family vineyard for their celebration. Wow, secrets galore and what a twisted bunch! Their redeeming qualities are definitely in short supply and you won’t be able to look away or turn the pages fast enough for this one.
Highly recommended if you like a nasty family with agendas galore! Really great sense of place and characterizations.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review. The Weekend Retreat by Tara Laskowski releases on December 26th, 2023.

What a fun read! The multiple POVs, the mystery, the COVER - such a pretty cover. The Weekend Retreat is definitely a wild ride that will keep you guessing up until the very end.

I’ve been in a bit of a reading slump and The Weekend Retreat was exactly the story I needed to pull me out of it! Who doesn’t love a book with characters you’re meant to hate? I loved how the story was told through the POVs of the women, plus one mystery guest. The breakup between the chapters was perfect and I loved guessing the identity of the mystery guest and their connection to the Van Ness family. This story gave me major Succession vibes right from the beginning. The plot itself wasn’t entirely unique, but the story still kept me engaged from start to finish.

Thank you to NetGalley, Graydon House, and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

The cover is so inviting! Well done. I do feel this is similar to other thrillers I've read but I was still drawn to the story. Tara crafted a good mix of characters and had me guessing until the end! Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

This was fine. Started off strong but began to drag as it went on. I will say-I didn’t guess the ending which is always a plus.

I’ve never read a book by this author but will definitely seek out future books. This was a great thriller told from the perspective of three women and one mystery person. At times I had trouble keeping track of who was telling the story, but loved it regardless. Lots of twists and I was kept guessing until the end!

“They will never take you seriously if they see you cry” - the weekend retreat

Why hello, my little chickadees!!!

Are you ready for a book that will keep you guessing until the very end? Characters who come alive within the pages and will have you doubting everything you were once led to believe?

Harper, Richard, Zach, Elle and Lauren all have secrets they want to keep hidden but what happens when someone’s revenge goes a bit too far?

As the secrets begin to reveal themselves you’ll be left with your jaw on the ground.

“Emotions don’t change anything - they just get in the way”

Let me leave you with this little teaser :

A wealthy family's vacation at their lush winery estate becomes a weekend to kill for in this deliciously twisted novel of suspense

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…

Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing, Graydon House for the opportunity to read The Weekend Retreat by Tara Laskowski. Once again Ms Laskowski keeps readers on the edge of their seats with suspense and twists. Excellent!

"What happens in the dark, stays in the dark, right?"

"There's that twinkle in Zach's eye. It used to calm me down and reassure me, but now I see all of this for what it is. Zach Van Ness is gaslighting me."

The Weekend Retreat follows the Van Ness siblings to their winery estate for a weekend gateway to celebrate twins, Richard and Harper's birthday. Nothing better than some sibling animosity on a gorgeous winery and luxurious property in the middle of nowhere with dodgy cell service.

I was intrigued all throughout reading this as the book starts off with deaths. You have no idea who died so while reading you're trying to pick up tiny clues and hints of character within each sibling + their partners. So. Much. Drama.

I found it a little hard to keep up with all the different POVs but overall I had a really fun time reading this!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

Libby is in NYC and Central Park...grab a cozy blanket. Settle in a comfy chair. Enjoy a cup of steaming herbal tea. Be transported to my favorite city, NYC, with Libby. This is a realistic story with quirky characters. I liked this book, and I like this talented author. Thanks to Netgalley for the book.