4.5 ⭐️

Thank you to the publisher for sending me a copy!

I loved the back and forth of past and present in this story as well as the different (main) character perspectives. At times, I thought I had it figured out and I definitely didn’t!! The plot started out a bit slow for me which is why I couldn’t give it 5 ⭐️ but once the story got going, I loved it!!

This is a pacy, gripping and thrilling read.

I loved the idea of a murder retreat with an actual murder. i always think that authors could pull off the perfect murder but this shows that even the best can do it wrong.

I really enjoyed my reading and found this an unusual and oringinal plotline that had me hooked from the start..

Overall I enjoyed this book. I sometimes found the storyline a little confusing but it did all seem to come together at the end.

The theme of this book is one that I have read many times. When there is nothing new being offered, it is really difficult to give anything better than an average rating. On top of that, all of the characters are very similar and poorly developed. There was too much drama between teh characters, which made this feel juvenile and more like a YA read.

I loved this book! Thank you to the author and Netgalley for the ARC! This book was wild! Between the rich boarding school girls, to a cult and murder! I in-hailed this book! The twist at the end of this book had me shook! I am seriously hoping there will be a second! Absolutely loved it! I had a feeling the one character was who i thought she actually was and I was right and the patience she had to wait all these years to confront people! Also the one murdered had me shook on who it actually was!

Thank you to netgalley for allowing me the chance to read The Writers' Retreat as an arc.

Liv Montgomery is an inspiring writer on a mission. Her former paramore has died and left everything to her. Liv believe she knows who has killed him but the only way to know for sure is to be invited to a writers retreat. A retreat hosted by a former friend turned rival. For about the first 1\3 to 2\3 so we are given character backstories and sort of key puzzle points to lead us in a direction. Then, bam, the twist comes in and becomes a game of Kat and mouse. Its a decent read, but can feel too much like a chess match that doesnt end by the end of the book.

Thank you to the publisher and #netgalley for the ARC of The Writers’ Retreat!
This was a fast paced thriller that kept your attention the whole way through. At the last minute Liv was invited to a writers’ retreat that she hoped would help get her writing career moving. However old skeletons were waiting for her at the retreat.
There are tons of twists, some are easier to predict than others but they are never ending.
The story was far fetched but I enjoyed it. There are several cult aspects that keep it interesting and different character stories that make it hard to decide which side you’re on. It was definitely an interesting read!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me read early!

My goood, this book had me staying up until 2am to finish it. The synopsis really doesn’t do this story any justice, this is not your average thriller.
This is high society glamour and drama, its revenge and betrayal. It’s such a complex story with so many twists that you’ll feel like sitting in a rollercoaster.
This book is the very definition of “I support women’s right but most importantly women’s wrongs” because dear lord all of these ladies were ICE COLD! And I loved every second of it.

I did see some twists coming but by far not all of them. This had me hooked from page one, i honestly can’t put into words how obsessed I was reading this.

The Writers Retreat should be on every thriller lovers TBR!

Liv is invited to a writer's retreat on an island. She isn't really a writer, but wants to be. Before she goes, her ex-boyfriend is killed. And her current boyfriend- who is her ex bff brother- will be there. Along with many people from her past.

Oh boy, where to begin??

The atmosphere was claustrophobic, and that was about it. There is a lot of crazy behavior with this group, and the story unfolds like more of a mean-girl drama than a thriller. And everyone on this island is a mean girl. Liv and Kat refuse to let the past go and let bygones be bygones, and this leads to deadly consequences.

I really struggled with this one. The thriller was maybe 25% of the book, and the twists weren't twisty. I got tired of the antics of the people on this island, and did not like one single character. It was a really toxic environment. I guess I am not the right audience for this book,

Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing, This is my honest and voluntary review.

When I first started I was not liking it at all it all felt very gossip girl cliche fighting but once certain people joined up I was HOOKED. I liked it I wouldn’t say I loved it but definitely a good read after the first couple a chapters - would recommend

Received early not paid etc

This intriguing blend of mystery and suspense from Samantha Verant provided a thoroughly absorbing reading experience. I found myself quickly drawn into its compelling premise, which cleverly places a group of aspiring authors in an isolated, seemingly idyllic retreat where things soon take a sinister turn.

Following Alex, an aspiring writer seeking inspiration, as she arrives at the secluded estate hosted by the enigmatic Roza, the atmosphere immediately thickens with underlying tension. As the story unfolds, I became deeply invested in the unsettling dynamics among the diverse cast of characters, each with their own secrets and motivations, making every participant a potential suspect. The remote setting itself becomes almost a character, enhancing the mounting unease.

The narrative maintains a consistent build of suspense, gradually unveiling layers of mystery and deception. While some of the unfolding events became clearer to me as the story progressed, the overall journey was incredibly engaging, punctuated by several well-executed surprises.

The book is a captivating and atmospheric read, perfect for those who enjoy a tightly woven plot that explores hidden agendas and unexpected twists within a confined, suspenseful environment.
I appreciated how the author skillfully crafted an experience that kept me guessing, even when I thought I had a handle on the truth. It's a strong entry in the genre and one I would readily recommend.

Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for the ARC.

2⭐️ Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for an advanced copy of The Writers’ Retreat.

Liv has been given the opportunity to attend a prestigious writers retreat to get her career off the ground. She wrote the book about her past experiences with her best friend sleeping with her fiancé. No one at the retreat knows that she also has an ulterior motive for being there, revenge.

This book had a lot of potential but then the plot and story got too ridiculous to take seriously.

2 stars – A killer premise that just doesn’t deliver

I was genuinely excited to dive into The Writer’s Retreat. The synopsis promised a chilling murder mystery set in a secluded luxury estate—a dream for any writer and a thrilling concept for any reader. An aspiring author. A remote retreat. A group of writers with secrets. It should’ve been a tense, twisty, and atmospheric ride.

Unfortunately, the execution left much to be desired.

While the setup held great potential, the resulting story felt more like a soap opera than a psychological thriller. The embedded text messages and reality-TV-esque drama among the women cheapened what could have been an eerie and compelling plot. Characters were thinly drawn and often indistinguishable, especially the female cast, whose immature and petty behaviour detracted from the tension. Their motivations—like Sienna's overblown hatred for Olivia, or Mark's mysterious involvement—were unclear and unconvincing.

Though themes of toxic friendships and manipulation were central, they never reached the level of nuance or emotional depth needed to make them land. The pacing dragged, the twists felt contrived, and by the time the murder actually happened, I found myself disinterested in both the victim and the culprit.

On paper, it sounded like the perfect beach read. In practice, it was a shallow homage to influencer culture with flat characters and a plot that lacked real bite.

Thank you to Samantha Vérant, Storm Publishing, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC.

The Writers' Retreat by Samantha Vérant was a quick and fun read that I finished in a few hours.
A well written suspense filled with twists that kept me hooked from the very beginning.
An intriguing story with characters who draw you in and keeps you flipping the pages.
The characters were all realistic and very well developed. 
I really enjoyed the writing style. I found myself gripped, turning the pages, not knowing what was to come next. 
It was suspenseful, mysterious and unpredictable.

The Writers' Retreat is the tale of three very deranged girls whose lives get intertwined in their teen years and will be on and off throughout their lives. None of them have a sane mind, all of them want revenge and all of them are able to kill to fulfill their needs/goals. The plot involving teenagers in a cult and later on grown women who still live as in a cult each wanting to "own" the other and all of them involved in writing books is interesting.
I thank the author, her publisher, and NetGalley for this ARC.

I recieved the ARC for this book it was a great read. I enjoyed the cultish mysterious vibes. The ending was not was i expected but i enjoyed it. Im glad this was my first arc.

A special thank you to NetGalley and author Samantha Verant for selecting me to receive a copy of The Writer's Retreat. 💙 This is my honest and voluntary review:

What to expect:
🔪 Nail biting thriller
💋 Mean girls with power
🛐 Cult
❓ Whodunit
🤫 Uncovered secrets
🩸 Murder

Keep your friends close and your enemies closer. But what if your friends are your enemies?

The opening to this story... just wow! 😮 This was a fast-paced, pulse-pounding cult thriller that hooked me from the first page and kept me at the edge of my seat the entire time! There were so many turns to the story that just when I thought I knew what was going on I was wrong.

I really enjoyed the short chapters as well as how it would jump from past to present. I love that we got to read Liv's point of view as well as Kat's, this kept the story very interesting and had me continuously questioning what was going on!

This was my first read by this author but I will definitely be reading more of her work! 🖤☺️

Overall rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Character rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Plot rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

A tense, twisty retreat that kept me reading late into the night!

Liv Montgomery, an aspiring novelist, is thrilled when she’s invited to an elite writers’ retreat nestled in a sprawling Catskills estate—what could be more perfect than solitude, stunning views, and creative momentum? Until things go horribly wrong.

This retreat is more than just a beautiful setting; it becomes the stage for a dark and chilling murder. As the plot unfolds across dual timelines and alternate POVs, the narrative expertly layers in betrayal, competitive ambition, and a cult-like past that binds the characters in unexpected ways.

What impressed me most was Vérant’s atmospheric writing—there’s a feeling of creeping claustrophobia, even in open wilderness—and the suspense builds steadily as secrets surface and a tense game of cat and mouse ensues.

If you enjoy a locked-room-style mystery set among hidden agendas, creative tensions, and dangerous pasts, The Writers’ Retreat will grab your attention and hold it. A compelling, quick-paced thriller—one I’d recommend to fans of Lucy Foley and Ruth Ware.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Was an okay story…I finished it because I wanted to know what happened. The story was a little chaotic.

This read was a delightful and inspiring escape. It's a charming tale that celebrates creativity, friendship, and the courage to pursue your dreams.

The setting is idyllic, the characters are wonderfully relatable, and the journey of self-discovery is both heartwarming and genuinely funny. A perfect read for anyone who loves stories about passion and new beginnings.

Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for a temporary e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.