2.5 - 3 stars...
...and I feel that's generous, and mainly given for the last 15-20%; when something finally happened.

I wish this book was as solid as the author's last two (LOVED! The Wife Upstairs), h0wever, I found this sooooo slow & boringggggggg. I couldn't care less for the flashback chapters. Em & Chess were both annoying.

Stars for the cover & the atmospheric Italian scenes, other than that - snoozefest. Def not a thriller.

Review of The Villa by Rachel Hawkins

I was super excited to get approved for this title and it did not disappoint. I remain a huge fan of this author and she is an auto buy for me. My favorite things about this one was the setting (an Italian Villa!) and the dual timelines. I couldn’t figure out where it was all going but throughly enjoyed the ride.

Quick synopsis: Emily is excited when her long time friend Chess invites her to spend several weeks in an Italian villa. It’s a little bit vacation and a little but work as they are both authors on a deadline. The Villa was the site of a brutal death decades before when some musicians lived there. Emily finds herself intrigued by this and the story unravels in both timelines

This is probably my favorite Rachel Hawkins book!

I liked the whole “murder house” theme surrounding Emily and Chess’s girls trip. I also really enjoyed the dual time lines and getting the actual story of what happened from Mari’s perspective.

Chess was, in my opinion, unworthy of Emily’s friendship. But this book did showcase the struggles of friendships and forgiveness.

Special thanks to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for the ARC of this book.

I have loved Rachel Hawkins books before but The Villa was amazing! It was so good I didn't want it to end and you get 2 stories in one.

I almost cried when it ended bc I knew I had to find a book to top this and that would be extremely hard. 5 stars

I truly loved this book. The start was a bit slow, but by the last half, I couldn’t put it down. I was so invested in both Emily and Mari’s stories, and I genuinely didn’t see the ending twist coming. Definitely my favorite from Rachel Hawkins so far.

The Villa by Rachel Hawkins is a thriller set in a beautiful, but sinister, villa in Italy– where a murder took place in the 70s. When Chess, a famous self-help book author, wanted to spend the summer with her best friend Emily, in Italy, Emily felt like it could be the perfect getaway that she needed. When Emily finds out that there was amurder in the house in 1974, she becomes intrigued with the murder and wants to piece together the past. Will something sinister happen in the Italian villa again this summer? What truly happened in this villa so long again?

This book was a very fast read. The book hooks you in right from the beginning. I loved the alternative perspectives from Mari in 1974 and Emily and Chess in the present day. I found myself flying through the book wanting to know how the story was going to piece together and what was going to happen in the past. The past story of a rock n’ roll legend spending the summer together in a villa in Italy which ends in a murder was so intriguing to me. There were so many twists and turns throughout the backstory. There were a few things I could figure out throughout the book, but I truly did not know how the story with Mari and summer 1974 was going to end.

I also loved the setting of this book. The beautiful Italian villa with a haunted past made for the perfect backdrop. I loved hearing the past through the characters spending time in the villa during the present.

One thing I really struggled with in this book was the two main female characters Emily and Chess (although I disliked Chess way more than Emily). Emily made some very poor decisions in this book, especially towards the end. I feel like she was very easily manipulated by Chess and went along with whatever she said and I wish she was able to stand up for herself more throughout the book. Chess was self-absorbed and I am unsure if I can believe anything she said.

Overall, I did enjoy this book. I was hooked on the book right away and loved the premise of the book. It was different from other thriller books that I have read.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I was a huge fan of The Wife Upstairs, and while this book wasn’t quite at that level, I still very much enjoyed it. The author is able to write her characters in a way that makes you react exactly how she wants you to. Some are annoying, others to be pitied, and a few to champion. I’m not sure I would categorize this book as a genre, but I appreciated the various reveals throughout, with the ending having the most impressive one.

This book was great! Rachel Hawkins writing style just meshes well with me. She pulls out all the stops and has unreliable narration, shocking twists and unforgettable atmosphere. Read ALL of her books!

The Villa by Rachel Hawkins is an interesting book concept. I like the idea that the author used to come up with the idea for this book. The plot itself is full of twists and turns that should keep you reading. However, I never felt a connection with the characters, and this really was a drawback for me and made it difficult to keep reading. Shocking events would occur and I felt unconvinced and unconcerned. Overall, not my favorite book. I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher with no obligations. These opinions are entirely my own.

I always enjoy this author and got really swept up in the lives of two best friends with their strained relationship

I received an ARC from St. Martins Publishing Group via NetGalley in exchange for my review. All thoughts are my own.

This story follows Emily's life after getting a divorce from her husband. Her husband split up with her after she got sick and apparently needed too much from him. Emily has a best friend named Chess who is a famous author of self help books. Emily is also an author who is struggling to write the 10th book in her cozy murder mystery series. Chess decides she and Emily need to go to Italy for a summer to get some writing done and reconnect. As they do Emily gets a spark for a new novel after reading and learning about a murder that occurred in the house they are staying at. Between Chess and Emily there are a lot of secrets. Will they be able to be friends after the truth comes out?

The Villa was not my favorite by this author however, I really enjoyed reading it still. This book had a really unique structure. I thought it was interesting that there was a mystery within a mystery within a mystery. I found that I was a bit more interested in the modern day mystery versus the murder mystery set in the 1970's. I thought it was a cool concept to follow Emily on her journey of self discovery as a writer and person. I really liked the way that part of the book showed a lot of growth from the main character. The contrast between Chess and Emily as best friends was so intriguing to read about. I did not quite understand how they were friends because they were so different. I did feel like there were a few parts that kind of lagged at the beginning. However, I was able to finish it fast once it picked up. I did not enjoy reading the 1970's part of a murder because of the sex scenes. They were brief however kind of unnecessary. I understood that the author needed to establish the way that these young adults were living. I just felt the specific details were not necessary.

Content: Murder, Sex, drugs, illness, infant death, and manipulation

Read if you like to read about:
Murder Mysteries
Dual timeline
Friendships
Writers
Italy

This was my first Rachel Hawkins read, and man am I glad I chose this. The very beginning of the book left me wanting more and I wasn't sure Hawkins could turn it around. Chess and Emily's departure for Italy post Emily's divorce rang of a typical contemporary novel. Something you've read time and time again. The redemption comes with the mystery and thriller tie-in.

Throughout the novel, there are flashbacks to the 1970s and the deaths/murders that surrounded Aestas. Emily (a writer in a slump) decides to research into the villa and the murders. Ultimately, Emily uncovers more of Mari's (one of the 1974 houseguests, and later a successful writer) writing and journals. There are twists and turns along the way. Multiple betrayals by friends and lovers. The uncovering of what really happened in those 1974 deaths. And of course, more death.

Although it took me a while to get into the flashbacks to the 1970s, it helped to reveal and uncover more plot than Emily alone could have uncovered with her research.

**I received this advance copy free from St. Martin's Press via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.**

I really enjoy everything I've ever read by Rachel Hawkins. This was no exception! I don't want to spoil anything, so please please please read this one to see for yourself!!

I was so excited for this one, and while it wasn't bad, it just missed the mark for me. The first half I was very bored, I had to really motivate myself to pick up the book and keep going. Eventually, it definitely picked up speed and I had to get to the end-the twist was good. It was a good read...not a great one, just good.

Now I want to go to Italy.
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At least I get to travel through the pages of a book. The Villa, my favorite so far by Rachel Hawkins, takes place at a lovely Villa in Italy. It follows two timelines, tells three stories, and blends together beautifully to connect it all.
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Chess, a character who seemed to be so inspired by Rachel Hollis that I immediately dislike her, and her forever best friend Emily, a writer in the middle of health concerns and a divorce, take a summer retreat to Villa Aestas in Italy. They hope to use the time to reconnect and do some writing on their respective books. Chess is writing her latest self help book while Emily is struggling to finish the latest in her cozy mystery series. For two best friends, they certainly have some big secrets from each other.
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Emily is fascinated to learn that the Villa was once named Villa Rosato, the scene of a famous murder in the 1970’s. What happened that summer in 1974 is the story of stepsisters, Mari and Lara, rock star Noel and an upcoming musician, Pierce. There seem to be some secrets between them all amongst the sex, drugs, and Rock and Roll that made the murder so famous.
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The third story is contained in the book and journal Mari left behind and in the lyrics of Lara’s famous songs. That third story might be my favorite, although I enjoyed them all.
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I read and discussed this with the #SaturdayBookstaClub and was happy to read and share it. I felt it was very atmospheric in both timelines and I really didn’t prefer one to the other. It had just the right amount of tension and a drop of creepiness, it is a murder house, after all. I liked the ending, but I am not sure if the entirety of it was necessary. I can’t wait to discuss this and see if my Booksta friends feel the same .

The Villa is an enjoyable, beach read-type thriller that, as a baby when it comes to scary things, I can say never actually got scary. The narration switches between two groups staying at an Italian villa at two different times, the much more interesting 1970s rock star and artist crew and the current day best frenemies, Emily and Chess. The book was somewhat slow at parts, particularly the sections about Emily and Chess, but it did picked up towards the end. It also left me feeling a bit sad about the depiction of female relationships… it would have been more interesting to dive into that more because there could be A LOT more to say. I’m a bit disappointed with the end but overall, I thought it was a fun read.

I've sat on an advanced copy of this book for about 3 months before it was released. I think it was the cover. It's pretty and eye catching but something about it made me keep passing on it. The books release came and went and I still hadn't cracked a page. And now that the book has been out for over a month I keep hearing about it. So I finally decided to give it a try.

The first night I read about 10%. The second night I read the ENTIRE rest of the book. Its very well written with complex, well developed characters. There are separate dual timeline stories. Each story is interesting on its own. Its complex and multilayered and I'll probably be thinking about it for a little while now that I'm done.

***Advanced copy obtained from St Martin's Press via Netgalley****

I feel like I’ve heard this story before. Maybe it was a movie I saw? Or was Hawkins story good enough to give me deja vu about something I was currently reading?! I don’t know- maybe “friends” claiming one another’s writing/art/music is a common thing in the creative world. I really want to like Rachel Hawkins. Her blurbs are always so compelling, but the stories themselves always leave me a little wanting.

Would you book a stay in a place where you knew people had died from foul play? How about if it was set away in a stunning destination like a villa in Italy?
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I wouldn't, but I feel like I've experienced it now! This book was wild. It was fast-paced and fun but had moments where I was taken aback. Like, wait .. what happened? Oh my!. I suppose that's a thriller for you. It takes you on that rollercoaster of events and dear reader you're just hanging on for the ride.

So if you're into dual timelines, that rock'n'roll lifestyle, "true" crime, characters that you're unsure if you love or love to hate, plus weird old buildings that seem to be at the centre of it all then this is the book for you! Inspired by Fleetwood Mac, the Manson Murders and the infamous summer Percy and Mary Shelley spent with Lord Byron at Lake Geneva castle - the birthplace of Frankenstein. Add it to your tbr because this vacation destination novel publishes in early January! Perfect for fans of Lucey Foley and Ruth Ware.

This is another winner by Rachel Hawkins. I read the book eagerly and quickly then forgot to post my review…. Aargh! Emily and Chess have become distant over time. Still friends but not the close BFFs they once were.

Now Emily is a cozy mystery writer and Chess a rich and famous social media influencer. When Emily is invited by Chess to an infamous villa in Italy, she eagerly accepts, hoping it will help her forget her disastrous divorce and eliminate her lingering writers block

The Villa is the site of a strange murder in the 1970s and is described as a mix of the Manson murders and the infighting of Fleetwood Mac.

A really interesting book, very unique! I thoroughly enjoyed it and apologize for the review getting lost. Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC.