Rachel Hawkins is one of my favorite. I was really excited to read this one. Emily and Chess are in love and strained by the age of 30. Enter a trip to the Villa that has a sorted past. There is writers block and a book called Lillith Rising that is found, there - was the book based on reality? Mari: In this story we learn of the first visit to the villa in Italy with her boyfriend Pierce, and her sister Lara. Lara was not one of my favorite characters in this story. In fact, I think we were supposed to feel sorry for her, but I didn’t. I didn’t have any feelings for Mari’s boyfriend Pierce either. Noel was a rock star who invited everyone to stay at the villa back in 1974, and I think he was the only one who had any sense in his head (even if he was a bit arrogant).We now come to present day, and two “best friends” Emily and Chess go to the villa for a six week vacation. I despised the character of Chess so much, I think that’s when the feelings for this book started to go down. This is also when the book took a turn to being about how girls should stick together no matter how bad they screw each other over. Sorry- but I don’t play like that! If you are an evil, conniving, manipulator, then stay away from me!

The Villa by Rachel Hawkins
“Houses Remember.”
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Let me begin by saying that I have JUST finished this book, and am fresh off the emotional rollercoaster that was The Villa…

“The Villa” by Rachel Hawkins follows Emily and Chess, two best friends that decide to go on a girls trip to a Villa in Italy that is notorious for a previous murder that occurred in the 70s.

This book begins as a very slow burn, but slowly turns into a heart racing emotional thriller. It is a 2 point perspective focusing on past and present events, and in the beginning, I honestly had a really hard time getting interested in the present day POV, but quickly changed my tune about half way in.

I found the plot of this book incredibly creative and refreshing. It definitely gave me Riley Sager “Home Before Dark” vibes, however in my opinion, it was much more well done. The style of writing included different media perspectives throughout, which made it fun an interesting. The atmosphere was incredible, and although it started a bit slow, by the end, I was completely attached to all of the characters and the story. My personal favorites were Emily and and Mari, and I have a love hate relationship with Chess and Pierce which I’m sure will be the general consensus with most readers.

I was able to guess some of the twists early, but that didn’t even take away from the rush that I had when the big moments came. This one made me emotional which for me is so rare for a thriller. In a way, it was super relatable, and in an even darker way, it was empowering to read about these women’s strength and endurance.

I absolutely LOVED this title. I often. Found myself yelling out loud, smiling, grimacing, and making all the kinds of faces people make when they’re really invested in a story!

Thanks to Netgally and St. Martin’s Press for the galley of this incredible book.
This titles current publish date is January 3, 2023.

Another Rachel Hawkins book that was incredibly easy to devour! I love that her books are so easy to binge - I read this one in about two days. This book was like if you took Daisy Jones and the Six, added a dose of murder, then sprinkled in a modern timeline on top. Which makes for a very compelling story!

This book is told in dual timelines where one consists of a group of musicians and artists who spend time in an Italian villa one summer in 1974, where their time is described by outsiders as filled with “sex, drugs, and rock ‘n’ roll”, but it ends with a gruesome murder. Then the present timeline has similarities where we see two best friends (or frenemies…?) Emily and Chess, who share the exact same villa to get some writing done on their books. But is the present destined to repeat the past? Is this house filled with bad memories that it won’t let go of?

This book was very binge-worthy, but my main complaint is I wish it had gone darker! The ending started down one path and I wish it had continued that way. But I loved the parallels between both timelines, plus the book excerpts and a podcast clip. I wanted more of the podcasts segments revealing more info about the murder - that was great, and I imagine would be even better in the audiobook!

I think my favorite Rachel Hawkins book is still Reckless Girls, but this is a close second!

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's press for the advanced copy!

The pace of this thriller starts a bit slow, but the setting in Italy is so pleasant that I didn't really mind. By the half way point the pace picks up and I was not able to put this story down. Characters in two timelines are using the gorgeous setting of The Villa to inform their artistic works.

This reminded me a bit of Daisy Jones and the Six... with murder intertwined.

A villa, a summer in Italy, need I go on? The Villa goes back and forth between now, with two friends that need a get away, and the 1970’s, when a group of young friends, get invited by a popular musician.This is a book that you can’t put down, and you don’t want it to end. Thank you NetGalley for the advanced copy.

This book reminded me a bit of Jane Green's Sister Stardust,

When Chess asks her former best friend Emily to join her at an Italian villa for the summer the hope is that they can find their way back to the strong friendship they had as children, and each work on their respective books. The villa is stunning, it's Italy after all! but holds dark secrets. A murder happened here in the '70's involving a world famous rock star. Chess finds a book that helps unlock the secrets of that murder, and the two work to find out what really happened all those years ago. I must admit I preferred Sister Stardust better, but this book was enjoyable. Recommended for all public libraries.

The Villa is a dual timeline story of present-day Chess and Em's and past Mari's story. I like the concept of the murder house and the story that draws everyone together. There was a little mystery and some great character development. Overall this was a quick, good read and I enjoyed it from start to finish.

The Villa- Another great book from Rachel Hawkins! I wasn’t sure if I was going to like this book when I started but once I was a few chapters in it really got my attention! The story being told from ‘Em and Chess tying into the past with Mari & Lara really worked well in this story and it all came together easily. Loved the ending……… Thank you to Rachel Hawkins, St Martins Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this ARC. Highly recommend this book.

As soon as I saw the cover for "The Villa" and realized Rachel Hawkins had a new book coming out, I knew I had to read it as soon as possible. I was so excited to see I was approved for an arc! I was pretty much hooked from the start, and even though I had a bunch of other things going on that day, I felt compelled to keep going and finished it within the day (rare for me).

Best friends Chess and Emily are both published writers--Chess is famous for her self-help books, while Emily is in the middle of writing a series of cozy mysteries. However, as Chess becomes increasingly popular and rich, Emily suffers from a bout of writer's block--at least in part caused by the fact that her MMC is more-than-loosely based on Emily's husband, who recently left her. Despite the resentment and jealousy Emily harbors toward her friend's success, she can't help but agree when Chess offers an opportunity to spend the summer together, writing and relaxing at a secluded Italian villa.

I enjoyed how this book featured multiple stories within stories--all the layers really enhanced the mystery aspect and kept me engaged the entire time. I loved reading the parts about Chess and Emily as well as the parts about the group of artists/musicians who stayed in the villa one summer in the 70s (some of whom suffered a tragic ending), The theme of female empowerment present throughout the book, and the reversal of the tradition of women as muses and men as artists, was also intriguing.

I highly recommend this to anyone who is a fan of Rachel Hawkins's books and thrillers in general! It is incredibly twisty and I definitely could not have predicted the ending!

Thanks so much to Rachel Hawkins, St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for this Advanced Reader Copy!

Present day: best friends Chess and Em go on a vacation to Italy staying at a notorious villa. Chess is an unfortunately named (I digress) self-help author and Em writes cozy mysteries. Em’s been in a bit of a writing slump during her contentious divorce from Matt.

Past: a group of rockers and hangers-on flock to the Italian villa for music, sex and writing. One of them won’t be coming home…a permanent Ciao.

This is a dual timeline book that really does need to be discussed. There’s a lot of subtle themes here.

The notorious nature of the villa sparks Em’s writing and uncovers some hard truth about the villa’s colorful past.

The Villa is slower to get going but compelling the whole way through. Do houses remember or do they deceive?

3.5 stars.

I loved Rachel Hawkins young adult books so i was really excited to read one of her adult novels and sadly i just didn't like it.
This book confused the crap out of me don't get me wrong i love when a story has a back and forth timelines when its done in a way that its easy to read without getting confused, but this book was just all over the place.

I didn't really feel for any of the characters except for Pierce's "Wife and child" read the book and might or might not know what i mean.

I might give Rachel Hawkins other adult novels a try but i din't know.

Thank you to Rachel Hawkins, Netgalley, and the publishers for an ARC of "The Villa" in exchange for an honest review.

Emily and Chess are both authors and childhood best friends who take a spontaneous trip to stay at Villa Aestas in Italy. Both intend to use the time to dive into writing their latest books in a location that was home to a famous murder. In 1974, famous rockstar, Noel Gordon, invites new friends Lara, Mari, and Pierce to stay in this summer Villa. While the summer sparked the artists' creativity, it also ended in a brutal murder with the death of Pierce. Emily dives into the history of the 1974 events and believes she has cracked the case (if it were that easy)...

I thoroughly enjoy Rachel Hawkins' thrillers, and this was no exception. She has an easy-to-read writing style that make for quick yet capturing reads. This was partly inspired by Fleetwood Mac as well, so that idea pulled me in too. I was hoping the Villa itself would display more spooky characteristics, but the house itself was no more than a symbol of creativity and the past. I appreciated the thoughtful lines such as "Houses remember" and "She's inevitable". There were a lot of holes found in the plot that she also shores up at the end.

If you like music, thrills, drama, and the 70s Era, this one is for you!

This is a suspense story that will keep you wondering what the twist is. I knew there would be one, but which one of the several possibilities that I kept generating in my mind kept me guessing. In the end it wasn't any of the possibilities I had thought of. The dual timeline is easy to follow and the Gothic feel teeters on the haunted. I enjoyed the characters, both past and present, but I feel like Chess...ahhh no spoilers. You'll just have to read it for yourself. Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC and opportunity to provide an honest review.

The characters of Emily and Chess with their years friendship and divergent writing careers hooked me immediately. I loved the murder house premise and the secondary storyline from the 70s, especially all the creative types that make up the cast of characters. I was left wanting a little more toward the end. A little more suspense, a little more darkness, a little more twistiness.

REVIEW DOES NOT CONTAIN SPOILERS!

First of all, thank you so much NetGalley for sending me an ARC of this book, I’m forever honoured to be among the people who have the joy of reading a new release sooner than the specific release date!

This was an overall great read.
Light, creepy at times, a bit gothic…
Set in Italy? Yes pleaseeee!!
The story around a house holding memories? I know I’m so basic, but I love these type of stories.
I didn’t really like the atmosphere of the book thought, it’s supposed to be about a group of musicians, but I didn’t really feel the vibe yk?
Wasn’t *the* best book, but still a great read.

I will say that this book had so much promise but fell short in the end. Maybe I am just comparing her latest works to “The Wife Upstairs” but this did not do it for me. I did not appreciate the women doting over men who did not care about them and then how Mari took credit for a murder simply because she felt it would make for a better story than the truth. In the end you do not really know what is true and what was a lie. All we know is Pierce is a pedophile, young girls are impressionable and women suffer at the hands of men. This was more comfy mystery than thriller in my eyes.

Thank you to NetGalley for the arc. This review is wholly my own.

Rachel Hawkins is one of those authors that I am still on the fence about, but am still drawn to her books. Didn't care for The Wife Upstairs, loved Reckless Girls and what do I think of The Villa?

As always, the cover art is BEAUTIFUL. In fact, this is my favorite cover by far and that alone would stop me in my tracks to pick it up off of a shelf.

A little bit of a slower paced thriller/drama that combines the past and the present. Sometimes I like this method, sometimes I don't. I liked it in The Villa!

And the slower pace didn't bother me. I feel like it needed to move slow and be thorough so that it would all tie together in the end in a way that made sense and didn't like you going "huh?" like so many books often do.

If you like Rachel Hawkins, give this book a go. I don't think you'll be disappointed. And, oh my, the twisty turn it takes will leave you reeling!

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and most importantly, Rachel Hawkins for my ARC of The Villa. Emily had it all- the career, the husband, the house, until one day, she doesn't. Dwindling career? Check. Impending divorce with her husband planning on taking all of her earnings from her books? Check. Unexpected and undiagnosable illness? Check. Emily has pretty much hit rock bottom. The solution? Emily's best friend, Chess, the whirlwind of a person whose writing career has skyrocketed landing her in Oprah's house for interviews, to take her on a paid trip to Italy for the whole summer. Villa Aestas, where in the 1970s, famous rockstar, Pierce Sheldon, met his brutal, untimely death while on vacation with his own friends many years ago. Pierce's girlfriend, Mari Godwick was one of the people on that vacation years ago, who also wrote a bestseller many years ago in the same house. Like the trip was planned to do, Emily has found inspiration, but not for writing the next book in her series. A new book. A book retelling the tragic events that happened in Villa Aestas all those years ago, as well as her own personal memoir. During this time, Emily discovers the secrets hidden in the house that lead to more light shed on the misfortunes that unfolded. As the vacation goes on, Pierce Shelton's tragedy may not be the last one before the end of the summer.

Can I just say, wow? I don't even know how to express how much I enjoyed this book. I know I feel like the past couple of books I've given five star ratings, but they always deserve it. The Villa is NO exception. Seriously, I almost felt like the murder of Pierce Shelton was a true story that happened. As Hawkins wrote about it, I would say, "Oh yeah, that actually happened". I know it didn't. However, Hawkins has a way of writing that totally envelopes you into the story and makes you feel like you're truly living in it. I could barely put the book down. To say I loved it would be an understatement.

The Villa has two different perspectives- one from present time with Emily and Chess in The Villa, and one from the past in Mari's perspective, the events leading up to her boyfriend's death, and her inspiration for her own book written in the Villa, Lilith Rising. Sometimes, witching between two different perspectives, especially two different timelines, can make the book too confusing or even too tedious. Hawkins does it effortlessly and seamlessly. It was never confusing and I actually really enjoyed it. The different POVs was definitely a necessity to the story and enhanced the greatness of the book.

Like the books in The Villa, I already know that this book will become a bestseller as well. Seriously, it is that good. I'm honored to have gotten to read an ARC of The Villa and I cannot wait for everyone else to be as in love with this book as I am.

Rachel Hawkins does it again! I have become a fast fan of her suspense/mystery novels and The Villa is no exception. The way she crafts a connection between past and present visitors to this mysterious "murder house" is wonderful and made me appreciate the dual perspectives so much. I began to feel like the parallels between past and present were going to make it all too predictable, but I was pleasantly surprised by a few twists along the way. It was so much fun to be immersed in two stories at once.

I appreciated that the characters (and their relationships with each other) were given such great substance and nuance, and were well-formed seamlessly throughout as opposed to taking time away from the story to give more background. And the setting of a sweeping villa in Italy makes me want to go find my own mysterious home to vacation at!

The ending is not what I was anticipating and I loved it. Will definitely be recommending this one to friends and to anyone who has enjoyed the likes of Taylor Jenkins Reid, Lucy Foley, Megan Miranda, or B.A. Paris...and can only hope this one finds its way to a mini-series.

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

True crime, drama, mysterious characters, and a lot of twists - what could be better?! Rachel Hawkins did a fabulous job writing a book that spanned so many years and so many different emotions. I could not put this down! I loved Mari’s storyline and was dying to figure out what happened. She captured the complicated dynamics between female friends/sisters in two different scenarios between both Mari & Lara and Emily & Chess. I could not put this down!