The Villa

This is another winner by Hawkins! In 2023, Emily and Chess have become distant, not the wonderful friends they had years ago. Emily is now a cozy mystery writer and Chess a famous influencer (whom Emily is always comparing herself to in a negative manner). So, when Emily is invited by Chess to a famous villa in Umbria she rented for six weeks, she jumps at the chance with the hope that this will revive her writer's block. The notorious history of the villa dates to the seventies with all the references to the time added to make it a fascinating read! Two of the women involved in the troubles ended up being famous for one of the best horror novels ever written, and the other for a platinum album. (Shades of Stevie Nicks!) Secrets, twists, and dangerous encounters kept me turning the pages and not wanting it to end! Excellent storytelling - thanks to #NetGalley and the publisher for my copy of The Villa.

Ooohhhh The Villa was STELLAR! I couldn’t believe I was approved to read it so I gobbled it up fast so they couldn’t take it back before I finished😂🤣

I loved this thriller, you get 2 stories in one book and WOW. I love all her previous titles but I think this is my new favorite.

The Villa kept me on my toes the entire time and I got seriously attached to the characters. I loved the extra twist at the end but I was not ready to say goodbye to this story!

Absolutely excellent thriller and a major thank you to @netgalley & @stmartinspress for my arc!

Wow. I found this to be an amazing book. You know when a book is so good you can’t put it down, but at the same time you don’t want it to end? This is that book. Phenomenal.
Thank you so much NetGalley for this opportunity to read & review!

Rachel Hawkins is one of those authors where I know I’ll love the book even before I read it. I had high expectations and The Villa surpassed them! I finished reading it 3 days ago and cannot stop thinking about it. I love how the book tells the story of 2 time periods & characters and weaves them together. The ending, which I always think makes or breaks the book, was perfect! I will be telling everyone about The Villa!

I couldn’t put this book down once I started reading. It’s a crime/thriller based on two friends in the present and two sisters in the past and how their futures are influenced by the events that take place at the villa. Houses Remenber ❤️ This is definitely a book I will recommend to fellow readers upon release. The story had likeable characters and flowed with good pace. I totally loved it and this will be a book that will stay with me for a long time. The author definitely tells a good story and this was beautifully written. It was the first book I had read by Rachel Hawkins, but will definitely not be my last.

Absolutely fantastic! Could not put the book down. Going to recommend to everyone to check out this book!

The newest thriller from Rachel Hawkins is AMAZING! This has all the great gothic vibes that she is so good at, but I think she took this to the next level. She weaves so many interesting dynamics, both past and present, into these characters relationships. You have the lifelong best friends on a summer trip to Italy, but there is a hint of competition and something even darker brewing. There is the story of stepsisters who share too many things, even when they don't want to. There are musicians working together for the summer, hoping the other will give them what they need to increase their success. Of course, there is a murder. On top of everything else, all of this takes place in a beautiful villa in a small town in Italy, which adds to the atmosphere.

I don't want to give anything away, but the twists were really good in this one. I had my thoughts of what was going on, but I love it when I'm wrong! This is my favorite of the author's books and I HIGHLY recommend.

Wow. Apparently I have been living under a rock and have never read a Rachel Hawkins book before. This was superb! At first I wasn't sure but by 40 pages in I was hooked. Usually jumping back and forth between timelines is a little jarring but for her it's seamless and perfect for the storyline. Although I sort of hated the character of chess, it really did make the story come full circle.

Thank you to net galley for the advanced copy of this book, I may or may not have read this in one day!

Thank you NetGalley for a copy of this ARC from one of my favorite authors!

I really enjoyed following along with Em and Chess' story. As usual with Hawkins' novels, I was sucked in immediately. While the story didn't have too many shocking twists, it was eventful and exciting. I will definitely be recommending this to my thriller loving friends and secretly hoping it is picked up as a Book of the Month so I can snag it to shelf with my other Hawkins!

Thanks to Net Galley for providing me with an advanced copy; I LOVED this book. I read it in two days; would have finished it in one if life didn’t get in the way!

What an original concept- a sorry within a story within a story. I loved the parallels between the 1970s storyline and present day storyline and, also, their differences. The influence of music and books as well as the symbolism of a getaway in a foreign country being both the best and worst things to happen to all the characters was fascinating. The story could have gone more predictable routes yet truly stayed unique and surprising until the end. Dark at times, the author really got to the core of how close relationships can bring out the best and worst in people.

This is the third book I have read by Rachel Hawkins; I find her to be a very talented suspense writer and I look forward to more titles. Highly recommend.

Rachel Hawkins does it again! A sweeping thriller in the beautiful Italian countryside that spans the ages. Two friends reconnect in a beautiful setting that was the site of a gruesome murder. But as Emily seeks more information about the villa, she feels that Chess is not exactly who she was or who Emily thinks she is. A cat and mouse game with interesting results. The Villa does not disappoint.

Think Taylor Jenkins Reid meets Lucy Foley.. what more could you want?

The Villa by Rachel Hawkins takes us through two best friends journey to an infamous Italian Villa. Their story is intertwined with an account of what happened in the 70s to make this Villa so infamous and a glimpse at the sensational novel written by a young girl during her stay there.

This book took me on a roller coaster. I found the beginning intriguing but hard to follow due to the three separate narratives but once I had my bearings - I couldn’t stop reading. It was so fun throughout the book to notice the parallels between the multiple narratives. Just when everything clicks and you think you have the twist figured out, Rachel Hawkins throws a curveball that left me speechless. This book gained a full star from me just in the last couple chapters.

I truly believe anyone who didn’t like this book just wasn’t paying close enough attention. Such excellent, imaginative writing.

I would highly recommend this book!

Thank you to Net Galley, St. Martin’s Press and Rachel Hawkins for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.