I was thrilled to receive an early copy of Rachel Hawkins new book!
In the spirit of Reckless Girls, The Villa was very unconventional and it was very original.
I flew through, The Villa during a very unfortunate layover in JFK, and no I was not flying to a villa!
I like how the author’s ending always leave something for the reader to decide. Also, both Mari and Emily were characters readers can cheer for. I also found Chess interesting. I am still unsure about the backstabbing incident with her and whether she was truthful. (Not going to spoil this plot line).
Definitely a book I will recommend and very glad I was able to read it months in advance!

Thank you for the chance to read and review this book. I was so excited when I received an advanced copy and thought it was going to be an exciting thriller. The story line seemed super intriguing, but in the end the plot just fell flat for me and the twists were underwhelming and not consistent with the suspense/thriller aspect I was looking for.

I am always a fan of dual timelines, but I felt the timelines started out very hard to follow because they were all mixed into the same chapters. Separating the timelines by chapter would have made a huge difference with a lot less confusion. The first 50% of the book was very slow and I never really connected with or liked any of the characters.

I will say that the book picked up at 50% in and I was very intrigued and excited to see where the story line was heading. Then, the ending of the book came and I was very underwhelmed and thought the story would go in a much different direction. I actually thought parts of the book were more intriguing before the small twists. There was so much potential for a fantastic book here, so I am sad that it didn’t end a different way.

Rachel Hawkins' latest novel, The Villa, had me hooked from page one. The story alternates between the past and present. Two long time best friends, both authors, travel to an infamous villa in Italy to reconnect as well as accomplish some writing for their upcoming books. While staying in the "murder house," the girls begin to research the murder that took place there decades earlier. From there, the story shifts back and forth between the group that stayed there during the summer of 1974 and the girls staying there in 2023. Suspicions abound amongst both groups. There were some plot twists as well. I really enjoyed this book and recommend it! I have read all of Hawkins' books. The Villa did not disappoint! Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC!

Excellent read! From the beginning I had a hard time putting this book down and recently a book this size would have taken me about 5 days to read...I read it in 2! I loved the suspense and how the story built along the way. The basis of the story was unique and I was drawn into the characters, feeling like they were my friends, I would definitely recommend this book! Thank you to #NetGalley for the opportunity to read The Villa in return for an honest review. #TheVilla, #RachelHawkins

I enjoyed this thriller more than I expected. There were a few twists that I saw coming, but they were different from the norm in the genre. It seems like a lot of mysteries I’ve read lately are the same story in a different setting. This was a different take, and I would recommend it as a page turner.

I was very excited to read this book and was not disappointed. I read it in two days! I loved the dual stories in the book and how intertwined they are. The way Hawkins described the villa and surrounding areas made me feel like I was there. It was just such a well written story that kept me constantly engaged. I wanted to like Chess to the very end and I just couldn't do it. What a poor excuse for a friend! Overall, I would recommend this book.

I really enjoyed this thriller. I liked the glimpses of the past and how they seemed to mirror events in the present. I thought the inspirations for the book was really interesting. The chapters were long so it felt like it drug a bit. This book had such a strong start and I was immediately hooked. It started to lose me a bit. They 1974 POV was so much slower that current day so i caught myself skimming those sections

The Villa by Rachel Hawkins

Emily and Chess, authors and childhood best friends who have somewhat drifted apart over the years, head to the infamous Villa Aestas, aka The Murder House, to spend some time together and work on their respective upcoming books. During the stay, Emily dives deep into the history of the house and ends up discovering notes by Mari, one of the inhabitants of the house when the murder occurred in 1974. The story goes back and forth from the present to the past, unravelling the truth behind what really happened in 1974. In the meantime, Emily has her own uncertainties regarding her relationship with Chess. Recently divorced and recovering from illness, Emily begins to wonder if her run of bad luck is continuing when she has reason to think Chess is holding something back from her.

This book started off really strong for me! This kept going until about 75%, when I felt that it was falling flat. Hawkins' previous works were all 4-5 star reads for me, so I had high hopes for something mind-blowing. I thought the back and forth timeline was very intriguing and loved how the story was told. However, I did find the end slightly unsatisfying given the tension and build up, and I feel like there was potential for more here. I will certainly look forward to the next release by Hawkins.

3.5/5⭐

Find me on Instagram | dinner.and.a.book

The Villa follows main character Emily, an author who is trying to get back on her feet amidst an ugly divorce. Chess is her long-time best friend she’s been touch and go with — famous and seemingly perfect insta-guru. Chess sweeps Em away to Italy so they can both work on their newest books. The Villa that Chess chooses, however, has secrets. As Em dives into the tragedy of the house, strikingly similar betrayals between her life and Mari’s, the woman who was involved in the tragedy all those years ago, begin to come to light.

If you love any of the following, this book is for you:

🍋 We Were Never Here, by Andrea Bartz
🍋 Manson and The Family
🍋 Goodbye Earl

Guys, I wanted to love it. And I won’t lie and say I didn’t speed read through the second half, but it 100% let me down (it’s a quick read regardless).

It felt somewhat predictable, but I was okay with that because the premise was good and the dual timelines was interesting and characters had depth. But then it took a turn that left me feeling SUPER let down by the MC (girl, HUH??) and honestly didn’t really align with the plot in the satisfying way a thriller can, once all the pieces are on the table.

Overall, it’s a 🤷🏻‍♀️ (2.5/5) for me. It had such great potential!!

This was my first Rachel Hawkins novel and I enjoyed it very much! It reminded me of Daisy Jones and The Six’s ensemble cast of creatives but with a darker, suspenseful edge and faster pace.

This book is told from the point of view of best friends Chess and Emily who rent a house for the summer to regroup and get away from everything. It is told from two different points of view, which was confusing in the beginning. It goes back to an earlier time period of Mari, Laura, Noel, Johnny and Pierce who spent a summer there to create music, however it ended with death. The plot goes between Emily trying to get encouraged about writing again in the middle of her divorce, and discovering what happened in that same house they are staying in. I'm getting confused writing this review, so it kind of shows how the story line went for me.
Overall, I typically enjoy Rachel Hawkins' books. this one was 'just okay' for me. I would still recommend it to others. Thank you #netgally for the #arc

Thanks to NetGalley for advanced copy.

For my thoughts and opinions read my review on goodreads.

I love Rachel Hawkins. I have read several of her other books and all good! I loved the mystery and creepy side of this book. It was interesting the back story of Mari and the creepy story behind the Villa. Thanks NetGalley for this advanced copy of this book. I will definitely be recommending.

Great story line. I liked reading about Chess and Emily and the dynamics of their friendship. However for me it was hard to connect with the some of the characters from the past.

Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to receive an arc in exchange for my honest review- all thoughts and opinions are my own!


Wow! Rachel has outdone herself this time. I read this in one sitting and while yes, some of the plot is predictable- it doesn’t make it boring or over used. The ending gave me “oh sh*t!” Vibes and I’m here for it!
Amazing work. Would recommend to all my thriller/suspense readers in my life for sure.

🤩🤩
This book follows Em and Chess. Two writers who decide to take a vacation to a villa in Italy. While they are there, they discover dark secrets about the past of the villa.
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This book was super good. I loved the characters and the plot was very intriguing. It was far from predictable and kept me on the edge of my seat. The writing was also pretty good!!
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I love that we saw perspectives of peoples lives during different times. We also follow a character named Mari. A famous author who spent time in the villa during the 70s.
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I think this book is a really good thriller and definitely one of my favorites of the year. I’d recommend this to anyone who likes a thriller you could binge read in a day. It also gave off a lot of summery vibes that I adore.
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Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in an exchange for an honest review.

*mild spoiler in 3rd paragraph *

Full disclosure: I really enjoyed The Wife Upstairs, and I was SO excited to get to read an ARC of her new title!

That being said, having quite literally just finished reading, I am of two minds with my opinion of The Villa…I was so into the story line of Mari and Lara. I loved their bond, and felt a kinship to their love/hate relationship. It takes an immense amount of strong emotion to feel either love or hate, so both are inevitably possible within deeply profound relationships. This was very palpable in how their relationship was written, and I really enjoyed their character arc. I would have loved the story focusing solely on them, honestly.

The second storyline featuring Emily and Chess, however? Not my favorite. I didn’t like either of them, if I’m being honest. Emily was a bit of a sad sack, woe is me type., which is super off-putting. And then there’s Chess… She gives serious Rachel Hollis vibes, and she is wholly unlikable with little-to-no redemptive qualities. And *spoiler* we’re to believe that she sleeps with her ‘best friends’ husband and then just expects her to get over it, chose her, and move on with their relationship? Seriously?!? AND THEN SHE DOES?!? What? I hate it.

All in all it was an enjoyable read, but I do wish there had been more Mari/less (or none) Emily. Thanks to NetGalley for providing the ARC!

I was really hoping for better, I loved TWU and enjoyed RG but for personal reasons I just couldn’t get into this book. If you’re a new mom, this one probably isn’t for you, it has some heavy subjects that were difficult for me to deal with, with PPD/PPA

The Villa follows Chess and Emily who have been best friends since childhood. Now in their 30s their bond is still strong. Emily has had a hard year so Chess invites her to stay with her in Italy for the summer. They stay at a villa which was famous for murders that happened there in the 70s. Emily decides to dig into the history of the murders and the people behind them. The closer Emily gets to the truth of the murders the more it causes tenison with Chess. And soon it looks like there might just be another murder to add to the list. 

I LOVED THIS BOOK!!!! Which honestly did not surprise me. I have read three Rachel Hawkins books and have rated them all 5 stars. I loved the setting of this book. I loved the plot of this book. I loved everything about this book. The plot twist I did not see coming. This was a very different kind of thriller which I really liked. This book was just so freaking good. I am so thankful I got an ARC of this and did not have to wait until January to read it. I already know this is going to be another Rachel Hawkins book that everyone will love. Thank you NetGalley. Rachel Hawkins, and St. Martins Press for an ARC of this.

I am a big fan of Rachel Hawkins and after Reckless Girls and the Wife Upstairs, my expectations were high for the Villa. While I did enjoy the book, it was a lot harder to read than her others. The story seems to jump between not just two, but three storylines and it gets a little confusing sometimes as to which one you are talking about. This is a story, inside a story, interwoven with a story. Sounds confusing right? It won't after you read the book.

It took me about halfway in to get hooked, but I obviously wanted to know what happened. Hawkins is a master at the bait and switch, and delivers as normal with the ending. A vague description, but how could I ever say more without giving away a plot point.

It's an interesting read, but a distant third to RG and TWU.