I really liked it. There I said it! ☺️

I went into the latest Hawkins book a bit skeptical, but hopeful nonetheless. I wasn’t a fan of Reckless Girls, despite all the hype it got this year. It was just not for me. So cheesy! But I’m a sucker for books set in Italy and who doesn’t want to read about 2 sisters uncovering a dark mystery in an old Italian villa?

This book is not a thriller. I have no idea why it’s marketed that way. Don’t go in expecting one. It’s more gothic mystery with a literary fiction slant. You don’t need a synopsis, so no need to go digging. Just know it’s got serious Ruth Ware vibes going on mixed in with some Daisy Jones 70’s rock and roll characters. I loved the setting and the overall feeling I got while reading. I could picture all of it. If you like mystery books about sisters, friendship, control, betrayal and a bit of a bloody mess, give this one a try.

Thank you to NetGalley and StMartinsPress for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I thought I had this book all figured out by chapter 4. I did guess a few twists, but there were others that I didn't expect.
The atmospheric aspect was spot on. It definitely gave a suspenseful, gothic mood and the 70's vibe with all the sex, drugs, and rock n roll had an authentic feel to it.

The dual timelines with song lyrics, book excerpts, magazine articles and podcasts sprinkled throughout left me a tad confused at times, especially in the beginning when we hadn't been introduced to some of the characters yet. Not a fan of the 15 super long chapters. I just felt there were too many ideas and that it was kind of all over the place. I liked the concept, I just didn't exactly like the execution.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this eARC.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher, for this free review copy.

I went into this book expecting it to be a page turner and a great thriller. I was… underwhelmed… I enjoyed some of her previous books, but this was was pretty eh. It took me a long time to read. I kept putting it down and forgetting about it, and finally told myself it was time to push through, while I was off work.

I didn’t hate it, but I didn’t love it either. I actually enjoyed the mystery within the story, a lot more than the actual story. 🙃

I still enjoy Hawkins writing and am excited to see what she comes up with next! The Villa is on sale January 3rd, 2023. Thanks again to NetGalley and the publishers, for this free review copy. All opinions are my own.

If you’re looking for a slow burn murder mystery vibe, this one is for you. I have always loved her thrillers and was so excited to read this one. I love a morally grey character and this bio was full of them, leaving me constantly questioning what’s going to happen? Who did it? It was a quick read and easy to binge. The only reason I knocked off a star is because some of the chapters were just repetitive.

This is my second Rachel Hawkins book (I still haven't read The Wife Upstairs yet) and it did not disappoint! I loved the different stories going on within the book and was sucked in right at the beginning. Rachel Hawkins is becoming one of my auto-read authors and cannot wait to see what she does next!

The Villa is, at its heart, the story of four young women, who of whom are living in the present day, while the other two have their story unfold in the summer of 1974.

First, we meet Emily and Chess, who were best friends as little kids. Emily, our main protagonist, is a writer working on her tenth cozy mystery in her series. These books don't inspire Emily, but they do pay the bills. She needs all the help she can get there, as she's going through a divorce after coming down with an undiagnosed illness that leaves her nauseous and unable to do much of anything. Chess was never a writer, but one day puts all the lessons she didn't learn from her mother into a self-help book, and voila, she's a famous author! These two ladies haven't seen each other much lately, but Emily cannot help but agree when Chess invites her to spend the summer at a villa in Italy. What better place to work on her next book? To make things more interesting, a murder took place in this villa back in 1974, which inspires Em to start writing something new, but can she trust Chess with it?

Then we skip to 1974, the summer of sex, drugs, and rock and roll. We learn about Mari, a young writer at only 19, who is having an affair with a married man and future rockstar, Pierce. She lives with him and her step-sister, Lara, who may or may not have feelings for Pierce, too. Mari is still processing the death of her son and is struggling to make ends meet, but lucky for her, Lara meets the worldwide rock phenomenon, Noel, and is invited to spend the summer at a villa in Italy. While there, the complicated nature of their relationships is put to a test, and it ends deadly for one member of the group.

Our main two protagonists, Em and Mari, are both writers inspired by the same villa and the mysteries it holds. I loved the world the author built up around each storyline and found all the characters well-developed and written. As each chapter progresses, I found the mystery of what happened, and what will happen, building and building. I enjoyed the tension, twists, feminism, and irony that this story held. I found myself immersed in their worlds, and couldn't wait to see how it would all turn out.

I give this book a solid 4.5/5!

Thank you very much to the publisher and NetGalley for the advanced copy of The Villa by Rachel Hawkins.

The Villa was suspenseful and interesting. I enjoyed the dual timeline, and thought the past and present were interwoven well. I didn’t want to put it down! I liked the extra twist at the end.

The Villa is a thriller by Rachel Hawkins that follows two parallel time periods, taking place almost 50 years apart at the same Italian villa. Emily and Chess are longtime best friends with a complicated relationship. They are both writers, and after Emily’s marriage falls apart and she feels stuck in her career as a cozy mystery writer, they decide to spend the summer together at an Italian villa. In 1974 at that same villa, a group of writers, musicians and artistic types with complicated relationships stayed there, and a murder occurred. Two of the houseguests present during the notorious murder went on to create a best selling album and horror novel.

Read this book, especially if you’re a fan of Rachel Hawkins, 1970s history and culture, and parallel storylines. I liked that both storylines had strong female characters that are able to overcome toxic men, similar to Reckless Girls. I found myself more intrigued by the present day story than the past thought. Also, there were a few aspects of the ending that left me unsatisfied. Perhaps this would be a good book club book because I would love to discuss a few points with someone! A sincere thank you to netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing me with an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

“Mari has spent such a long time feeling wronged by Lara that it never occurred to her that Lara was being wronged, too. Just in a different way.”

I don’t think it will come as a shock to anyone that once I started listening to The Villa I absolutely didn’t want to stop. Rachel Hawkins’ slow building layered thrillers always keep me guessing and second guessing myself.

The Villa follows two storylines. One from the past about a group of artists on a salacious holiday in Italy that ends in tragedy. Then another, in the present, where two childhood friends, Emily and Jessica, visit the villa where said tragedy took place to reconnect for one and as sort of an escape from reality for the other.

The stories are both more complex than the simple explanation I gave and the way they layer into one is just beautifully done by Rachel. Each story explores the complexity of relationships and how the same things can be seen and felt differently by two people. I’d say more, but I think diving in with less info lends to the excitement in the layers of this story being pulled back one by one. I read this in audio format, so admittedly it did take my full attention to stay aware of where we were in the story. There are lyrics/podcasts/interview quotes/book within the story quotes weaved throughout while the story also jumps back and forth between past and present POVs. That said, once you know what you’re listening for it’s easy to follow along.

As for the thrills. They build slow and they aren’t all what you’d expect. Well, they weren’t what I expected. I was able to see so many things coming, but also was oh so wrong on so many points. This one was just an entertaining and engaging read. Even now I question, did things truly happen the way we are left to believe. I guess I’ll never know.

“Stories change depending on who’s telling them.”

I tend to like a multi-perspective story, but I found the characters off putting and the story dull. It’s a slow burn and low on suspense. Eventually the book was enjoyable, but overall I didn’t like it.

*alexa play the white lotus theme song*
This was the first ARC I’ve received where I had already pre-ordered the book! I have loved “The wife upstairs”, and “reckless girls” and was so excited for this book when it was announced. Not to mention this was perfect to read after finishing The White Lotus.

The story follows Villa Aestas, the infamous location of a high profile murder from the 70s. While that in itself is enough for pop culture fame, two of the times greatest pieces of art came from the group staying there that summer, a novel and an album. In present day Emily, an cozy mystery writer has lost her inspiration to finish her series during her nasty divorce. When her childhood best friend, and much more successful self-help author, suggests they go to Italy for the summer it seems like the inspiration she needs. However, the mystery that actually sparks Emily to writing is that of what actually happened that summer in 1974.

I loved the juxtaposition of the two storylines throughout the book. We are following the difficult relationship of Emily and Chess which is not always the most straightforward, as well as the complicated relationship between step sisters Mari and Laura in the 70s. The end surprised me in the most surprising way. I think Hawkins crushed the nuance out of it and I loved it.

I enjoyed this tale of a house told in two timelines. The stories built slowly, and to be honest, by the middle, There is an element to the relationship between Emily and Chess that I hate almost as much as a dog dying in a book, but despite being mad about it, I really wanted to read confirmation of my suspicions and fill in the blanks I still had. Three-quarters of the way through, Hawkins hits hard with the twists. They were all believable, a little wild, and definitely enjoyable. It's well-written and I enjoyed the parallels in Emily's and Mari's stories. Kudos to Hawkins for turning what could have been a 2 star read for me into a 4.5 star read by the end.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

One again, Rachel Hawkins does not disappoint! I have been hooked on her books since reading the Wife Upstairs.

The Villa was super atmospheric, a quality often touted as “overly descriptive” but I love feeling as if I am present in the moment while reading.

A story within a story- the dual timelines were really interesting because as the reader, the story was unraveling before me at the same time as it was for Emily, a writer invited to the Villa by her former bestie, Chess, as an attempt to reconnect on a getaway. It was Manson murder-esque in the most gripping manner.

Overall, I enjoyed the Villa and look forward to reading more Hawkins novels in the future!

Author Rachel Hawkins reimagines the Year Without A Summer, when Lord Byron, Mary Shelley, Percy Shelley, Claire Claremont, and John Polidori all converged on at Villa Diodati. The get-together produced Frankenstein, The Vampyr, and more. Hawkins sets her story in the present day. When the always put-together, super successful Chess invites her childhood friend Emily to join her for a six-week vacation in Italy, she barely thinks twice. Emily is a novelist with writer's block and a cheating husband. The last thing she wants is to be at home, staring at a blank screen.

Hawkins adds another layer to the Gothic story, weaving in the tale of the another group to rent the villa in the 1970s. Their stay produced an album that changed pop culture as well as a critically-acclaimed horror novel. Emily digs through the clues to figure out what happened at their villa five decades ago. Read via NetGalley.

My review will go live Jan 2.

This story takes place at an Italian Villa but in two different time periods.

Previous day, we follow a famous musician and 4 others who are looking for their break in the artist scene. They are staying at the Italian Villa for a summer of fun and inspiration but their story ends in tragedy

Current day, Emily and Chess are long time friends with an on and off again history who are both successful authors. Chess invites Emily on a once in a lifetime trip to Italy where they can both work on their novels. Once there, Emily becomes fascinated by the murder that took place at the Villa in 1974.

However, as old and new issues come up will Emily and Chess, will their stay also add to the Villas infamous legacy

I did enjoy The Wife Upstairs by Rachel Hawkins so was excited to read this book! I’ll admit that I was disinterested in the beginning because I don’t find any of the characters particularly likable. I felt like the story did pick up about halfway through though.

“Houses Remember”

Thank you NetGalley for this eARC

The premise of this book gave me so much hope but really fell flat for me. The first half of the book was very slow and that's not something I gravitate towards with thrillers. I know the entire book can't be thrilling but I like more fast paced thrillers personally. I also am a sucker for books with dual timeline perspectives but this really was just a middle of the road thriller for me. I didn't enjoy reckless girls as much as I thought I would either, however I will be picking up Rachel Hawkins next book whenever it's available and give the author another chance.

I see a lot of raving reviews so when picking this up I hope you also enjoy it!

*I received an ARC of The Villa by Rachel Hawkins from Netgalley & St Martin's Press in return for my honest review. Thank you to both for this ebook review copy.*

Rachel Hawkins is a stellar contributor to the thriller genre, and I look forward to her continued work!

The Villa is the story of college friends going on a trip to reinvigorate their friendship. They stay at an Italian villa for a summer, and make friends along the way that accompany them. However, by the end of the summer, one friend writes one of the greatest horror novels of all time, another friend releases a record breaking album, and one is dead. 10 years later, 2 other friends attempting to reconnect visit the villa. While they are there, they discover that there may have been more to their death, horror novel, and album than the previously realized and worth both together and against each other to uncover the startling truth.
A must read for fans of gothic thrillers. Full of twists, some violence, and mysteries in all directions.

Chess and Emily used to be inseperable until their adult life came between them. When Chess suggests a girls trip to a villa in Italy, Emily jumps at the chance to spend 6 weeks rekindling their friendship. The women discover that in 1974, four famous people stayed in the house, and a chain of events lead to the murder of a young musician. As Emily finds inspiration for her next novel, she digs deeper into the Villa and its many secrets.

I stinking loved this! Apparently Rachel Hawkins' adult books are my jam, since I keep giving them 5 stars. The story is told in alternating timelines of the past and present. I think I found the 'past' chapters much more interesting as you as the reader are trying to piece together the tragic events that occurred at the Villa. I loved how the stories were interwoven with one another and almost mirrored one another. None of these characters are particularly likeable, but I think that is a staple in Hawkin's books at this point. The friendship between Emily and Chess was so toxic... I would have punched Chess out long ago if I were Em. I really enjoyed the audiobook and had a great time listening to it! I thought the inclusion of the quotations from other books, and the transcripts from podcasts about the 1970s characters was really cool and added a little extra to the book as well.

Overall, definitely recommend Rachel Hawkins as an author, I just find her books so entertaining!

This story, told in two timelines, is one of those stories that will always snag me and reel me in easily. I love the dual stories that are so parallel, yet also so different.

This starts as a girl writer getaway in Italy, but transforms to a story of betrayal and deceit.

I enjoyed both Mari’s story and Emily’s story. Though they are both described as having it easy, their lives are anything but that. They both go through serious trauma and life altering changes throughout the book.

What I didn’t love was the explanation for Emily’s sickness - it was so ridiculously phony. Even if that is a real thing, it is just such a cop out. I also didn’t enjoy the ending (which probably makes me the odd man out).

Overall, the book kept me turning pages and I was really invested in the story. It’s probably my favorite of Rachel Hawkins’s books so far. Recommend!

This had a lot of moving pieces—too many, really. There’s a present tense that’s told by Emily, an author of “cozy thrillers,” who with her self-help author frenemy, Chess, is on a summer vacation at an Italian villa that served as the scene of the murder of an up-and-coming rock star in the 70s as well as, simultaneously, the location where two female artists, Mari and Lara, created their masterpieces—a horror novel, Lilith Rising, and an album, Aestas. If you’re confused, I can’t say I blame you. Between the multiple POV, alternating timelines and interspersed podcasts, news articles, and excerpts from the aforementioned novel and album, the first half of the book was a lot to slog through, especially considering I was not all that invested in the characters or the plot.

I found myself genuinely interested around the 60% mark—thankfully, this is a short novel of only 288 pages; however, 60% still seems late in the game. There was a point right before the present-day climactic scene, where I was willing to overlook these faults and though this could potentially be a 4-star read, but all the slow building did not result in a satisfying conclusion and I finished the book feeling annoyed with Emily and the time I spent reading this.

I applaud the author for what I think she was trying to achieve by writing strong, deeply flawed female characters and drawing upon similarities between Emily and Chess, Mari and Lara; but with this many characters and less than 300 pages, we never got a deep dive into any of the characters and ultimately, it all felt superficial.

Thank you to @netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for this gifted eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

TL;DR - Too many moving pieces in not enough pages and a slow build to an underwhelming, annoying conclusion.