Reviewing The Villa

What's funny is I never intended to read this book. My parents were the ones who excitedly told me the book was coming out and that I could be on the pre-order list. They saw I had read the author's other book, Her Royal Highness, and wanted to ensure I was aware that an author they thought enjoyed had written a new book. I found it so endearing that I did just that; I got on the pre-order list. My parents (whose Amazon account I shared) watched as the delivery continued to get pushed out. I waited over a year, and when it finally arrived at my doorstep, I had forgotten I ordered it in the first place, making it a pleasant surprise.

In this review, I will not be stating any of the character's names that way no one can gain a preassumed bias. I feel that is important for murder or mystery. Espesially with this being a review of how I felt about the book and not so much a summary.

The book came at the perfect time, I was about to go on a week-long trip to Florida and would need somthing to listen/read on the plane and in the car.

Three things about me: I read slowly, I’m dyslexic, and I have very little time to relax. This meant I would switch back and forth between the paperback and audiobook. Yes, I bought it twice.

The Villa was captivating but predictable. The book had two storylines to follow: one took place in the past, and the other in the present. Both storylines mirrored one another, hinting that the villa in which the characters stayed had some sort of “curse” or “reputation.” I say this lightly because the villa had no significance to the book, other than being the place where both murders occurred. Both murders were driven by shitty, abusive love interests who cheated on both parties, resulting in two parallel girl-power killing experiences. None of this sounds positive, but I promise it was. Reading it made me feel like I was in both women's shoes.

The protagonists of each storyline were betrayed by someone close to them who was sleeping with their lover, one of which resulted in a pregnancy. Though the story switches between past and present timelines, the present is the one that is followed more closely by the reader. Throughout the novel, the main character uncovers the true story of what happened in the past by searching the villa. She discovers clues and even finds a hidden diary that details the previous tragic event.

I believe finding the diary was the true inspiration for the present tenants to kill their cheating romantic interest. Inviting him to the villa to meet the same fate as the past asshole. Except this time instead of being "murdered" by a friend of a friend, somehow got so intoxicated he "forgot how to swim."

In the end, the reader is led to believe that both parties have settled and found peace; however, we see the past tenants of the villa suffer from ongoing grief and regret, while the present occupants fall into dangerous blackmail territory. Overall, The Villa is a good read that keeps you entertained and satisfied. I highly suggest this book if you are on a flight or road trip and are looking for some drama to pass the time.

As a final rating, I would give this book a seven out of ten. I wish there was a little more mystery and a few more plot twists, but this novel was still amazing, and worth the read.