Ruth Kelly is going to be an author to watch out for. This is a superb read from beginning to end and I’ve adored every single moment of reading this one. So much so, I’ve devoured this gem in just one sitting.

I was completing pulled into this one from the very beginning. Kelly paints an image and is able to entrap readers with the words. The portrayal is so good you feel as though you are watching the events unfold.

I loved the concept of this one… reality tv and a dark side. Ruth Kelly has really delivered with this gem. I found myself completely unwilling to put this down to return to reality. I was hooked by the events taking place.

Laura is a character who is easy to like from very early on. She’s thrown into a situation that she doesn’t want to be in. Only to uncover, secrets the people around her have been keeping.

This is gripping, tense and completely addictive. I found myself quickly turning the pages and wanting more and more. This was completely unpredictable and I have been left in awe of the mind of this author.

This is definitely a page turner. Love Island meets true crime, it’s unique and completely original. This is everything I hoped it would be and so much more. Ruth Kelly deserves all the praise and recognition for this incredible read.

The Villa has instantly converted me as a fan and this has been completely captivating. There is nothing negative I can say about this mesmerising and addictive read.

This is a must for the TBR.

A little behind on my Netgalley reads so taking advantage of the sun and some reading time and first up is an upcoming June release.

'The Villa' is destined to be the latest hit reality TV show, taking things to another level streaming content 24 hours a day and letting the audiences decide what happens to the contestants. A luxurious villa on a private island hosting ten contestants, all competing to be the winning couple to take away the prize fund. Every contestant wants to win this prize and are all willing to do anything to be crowned the winner, but just how far will that be? How quickly will things get out of hand and would someone actually kill to win?

This is a captivating read cleverly intertwined with the crazy world of reality TV that has become such a big part of society today. Starting with the discovery of a body, the story works backwards, revealing the character line-up so you are uncertain just which contestant has been found, explaining little side stories along the way so you are kept guessing.

The impact of reality TV is something that can be impossible to escape and I liked how the writer has acknowledged this by using 'stereotypical' characters and also the mention of the mental health issues these type of shows can cause. The twist at the end wasn't something I was expecting, I felt it could have stood it's ground a little stronger but I still enjoyed the journey and is an easy beach-read title.

When reality TV goes wrong ....

When Laura, an undercover reporter, goes in to get some insider gossip, things don't go to plan.

I loved exploring the darker side of reality TV and the lengths some would go to for fame. I just loved watching it all play out.

Fans of Love Island and similar shows will probably love this.

WARNING: looks like the unpopular opinion train made yet another unscheduled stop!!

Let's just say that I definitely didn't expect this reaction when I first heard about The Villa. I admit that I'm not a fan of reality TV at all, but even though I would never watch on of those shows, reading about them is somehow strangely entertaining. Especially with the promise of someone ending up dead and providing us with what seemed like a locked room mystery vibe... I fully expected to have a great time reading this story, but somehow it ended up being just as fun as a trip to the dentist.

Before I continue, I have to say that I did love the premise of The Villa, and the plot itself has a lot of potential. The new style of reality show, the secret location, the contestants all having something to hide, the fact that you know one of them is going to be dead by the end of the week... All of them ingredients of what could have been a highly engaging psychological thriller. I know that I'm in the minority, but sadly the execution just didn't work at all for me. Part of this had to do with the writing style and structure of the plot. There was just something about the tone and writing that was a bit off for me, and the chapter headers with 'the producer, the reporter, the contestant and the viewers' felt mostly lazy and somehow highly irritating instead of adding suspense. Especially the 'viewers' chapters interrupted the pace of the plot considerably, and I wish they wouldn't have been included at all.

One of the biggest issues I had was with the main characters though. It's actually kind of impressive just how unlikeable and one-dimensional they all feel, and I honestly couldn't care less what happened to any of them. The reporter Laura was both despicable and highly frustrating, with her low self esteem, her sleeping around with her married boss and her behavior in general. Like I said, I couldn't make myself care about what happened to her, and I absolutely hated having to spend time inside her head. The producer's POV was slightly more interesting, but it was ruined by her behavior, the lack of background development and her sense of entitlement. The other contestants... The less I say about that shallow and disastrous bunch, the better. The only ones who slightly redeemed themselves were Angela and Charles, but this was only when comparing them with the extremely low standards of the rest of the group.

There was so much negativity in The Villa, and the constant bitching, gaslighting and egging each other on got old very fast. To make things worse, there is a lot of focus on both cheating and the dreaded love triangle; two major pet peeves of mine. The contestants also seem drunk all of the time, which was highly annoying to be honest. Sure, there were some twists I didn't see coming, but since I was already struggling with the writing, plot and horrible characters, I never fully appreciated them. Especially since most of them weren't exactly credible in the first place...

I guess it won't come as a surprise when I say that I unfortunately didn't enjoy my time with The Villa at all, and I kind of wish I had just DNFed it instead. The ending wasn't exactly worthwhile in the first place... That said, I seem to be in the minority, because most reviews have been glowing so far. Who knows, it might just be my (apparently extremely) fickle reading mood acting up again...

The Villa is the title of a new reality sensation that blends Love Island with Big Brother and takes them to the extreme. This thriller depicts a sinister, sordid and highly manipulative version of the popular TV genre. A must for thriller readers who are fans of Love Island etc. With thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an early copy in exchange for an independent review.

The Villa was so gripping, it is exactly as though Black Mirror, Love Island, and Big Brother all met up and produced a mix of all three shows.

The Villa was so much more than what I was expecting, I didn't realise how incredible it would be! I thought it would be a bit like The Birthday Reunion by Claire Seeber that I read recently, but boy was I wrong! The Villa is set on an Island off the coast of Spain, with a purpose built villa by a famous architect. The hand selected single contestants are hoping to meet the love of their life plus win £50,000. The show is live-streamed 24/7 to the public and they are able to vote in real time as to what the contestants must do.

The plot keeps you guessing on every page and the book moves at a very fast pace with twists and turns everywhere. Right up until the very last chapter my jaw was on the floor. This is the perfect summer read for laying round a beach or ever in your home escaping the sun!

I am so pleased Ruth Kelly is now writing under her own name after ghost writing for so long (and winning awards!). She even wrote a book I loved - The Prison Doctor. She is a very talented writer and I am so excited to see what else she writes!

Thank you NetGalley, Pan Macmillan, and Ruth Kelly for letting me read this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Ten Contestants. Seven Days. One prize to die for.

The ultimate reality show is taking place on a secluded island leaving 10 strangers all with a desire to win. As the prize money increases the contestants start to show their true colours. Laura is a journalist sent into the show undercover but she is thrown into the middle of the action and soon finds herself facing things she really doesn’t want to.

A great read. It was like Big Brother meets an escape game and I really enjoyed it. Thanks @netgalley for the opportunity to read and I will definitely be keeping an eye out for more books by this author.

Publication Date - 22/06/2023

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

#TheVilla
#RuthKelly

I’ve mixed feelings on this. ¾ of the book is a decent beach read, easy, fast paced. The last quarter feels disjointed and loses momentum. Overall I would say it’s fine as a poolside book, but it’s very predictable with stereotypical two-dimensional characters. I had higher hopes given the premise and the authors background. A little reminiscent of Ben Elton’s Dead Famous but not as good.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The Villa is a high stakes, high reward reality TV show where 8 strangers must couple up and find love. The last pair of lovebirds standing takes it all. Set on a secluded private island with their every movement livestreamed, the contestants can hide nothing. Except hiding is exactly what Laura, aka Iris, is attempting to do. A newspaper reporter desperate to prove herself, Laura goes undercover to infiltrate the hottest social media sensation.

This book had such a gripping premise. However, I was not expecting the ever present threat of sexual violence. Given the history of the actual Big Brother TV franchise and its ilk, it is totally appropriate to the the story, and was never gratuitous in how it was written. That said, I had to tap out after 200 pages.

I received this arc for free from netgalley in exchange for a review.

I thoroughly enjoyed this one. A compelling and dark take on reality dating shows. Like other reviewers have said it’s like Love Island on steroids. It’s so easy for dares to escalate and find ways to rile people up. Tension is rammed and there is plenty of misdirection and reveals. The climax is a bit too neat, I concur, however I found the story satisfying. It’s exactly what I wanted from a good, gripping thriller. The characters are deliberately unlikeable yet compelling like a car crash and just like reality dating shows usually are yet you tune in for the next episode. Chapters are short and the multi-POV propels the story on and adds pace.

We start with Michelle, the producer of the show, escorting a detective on the villa. A female contestant has died. We don’t know who. Michelle is taken to the police station where throughout the novel she is interrogated. Alternating her narrative is Laura, who is a young journalist pressured by her boss into going undercover into The Villa. But her time at the villa soon becomes a nightmare as she is almost assaulted by the man she is partnered with, then her ex-boyfriend comes and soon stakes are raised as she is voted number one. Suddenly everyone is out to get her, but who can she trust? Every so often we also get chapters from the POV of the viewers who are just as guilty of consuming what ultimately is a blood sport of sorts but instead people’s well-being and emotions are at stake.

I don’t normally watch shows like Love is Blind or Love Island, as I’m aware how manipulated everything is by producers but have friends and family that absolutely devoured such entertainment. I’d love to recommend this book to them and see what they have to say. Such a brilliant and topical novel.

A cracking psychological thriller exploring the world of reality tv, just as addictive as Love Island.
The Villa follows Laura who is sent undercover on a dating show set on an island, but things quickly escalate as fierce competition forms between contestants and the savage nature of human nature is revealed. Alternating with the present day narrative which follows Michelle, producer of the show, who is being interrogated for a tragic death that has occurred on her show…

Wow, what a banger of a debut! I couldn’t stop turning the pages and was hooked. I think Ruth Kelly does a really excellent job critiquing the nature of reality shows and the viewers too, who engage in egging on behaviour and just as guilty of contestants being manipulated for the sake of drama and ratings. As well being relevant, the book is suspenseful too full of twists and turns.

First of all I would just like to thank, NetGalley, Ruth Kelly and Pan Macmillan for an ARC of “The Villa” in exchange for an honest review.

Imagine Love Island on steroids. “The Villa” lasts a week and is streamed 24/7 online, with interactive audience participation meaning that at any time, viewers can dictate what the couples and contestants do. Is there a limit that people won’t surpass when they’re faced with an ever-growing prize fund? Laura, a small-town reporter wants to know. Heading into “The Villa” with a fake identity, she finds that she may be in for a lot more than she originally bargained for; as at the end of the week, someone will be dead.

This is very much a psychological thriller. I found myself, at times, doubting character’s actions because of persistent emotional manipulation and gaslighting from the antagonists. This book is told through multiple POV’s, ranging from The Producer, the Protagonist (Laura) and even the viewers at home. The events unfold alternating between the past and present.

I really liked Laura as a character, I felt I could relate to her a lot. Apart from her, I found all the other contestants and characters insufferable. However, I couldn’t help but sympathise with them. This book deals with some heavy themes. Such as abuse, both emotional and physical, as well as mental illnesses and other disorders. This made it hard for me to read at times.

My only issue was that at times I felt the language was a little bit too vulgar for my taste, but that’s just me, you might be absolutely fine with that.

This is a psychologically tormenting and gripping book. The drama is enthralling which is why it’s a book I hate to love. As touched upon in the book, it’s saddening and sadistic that as a species, we find enjoyment in watching the misfortune and pain of others, just because it’s not happening to us.

“It can’t be helped. People like misery, violence and drama when it’s not happening to them.”

I 100% recommend this book to both thriller and non-thriller lovers! It’s packed with plenty of twists!

Thanks to Pan Macmillan, Netgalley and Ruth Kelly for the ARC of The Villa.

If you're a fan of love island or similar reality TV shows- you're going to love The Villa. A remote island in an undisclosed location and a week long intense reality show experience - when money is on the line - how far will people go to win? Unlike other shows, the audience has the right to make decisions and shape the experience, playing in to the producers hands under the guise of entertainment.

When Laura (an undercover journalist) goes in as Iris, things take a dramatic turn for the worse when her ex boyfriend appears in the villa. As Iris grows in popularity with the viewers and the prize money continues to rise the other contestants are pushed to their limits.

I really enjoyed this (although a lot of it felt a bit familiar at the beginning - probably a sign I've watched too much Love Island!). The pace did ramp up and had lots of twists that I didnt see coming. The worst part - can actually image this sort of thing happening if it wasnt for the tight controls now on reality TV

A fun read!

This is Ruth Kelly's debut thriller, so having never read from her before I wasn't sure what to expect. And seeing that a thriller is over 400 pages long? That usually means that it is dragged out and loses the tension. However I am happy to say that this never happened with this book.
I was completely hooked by this book from the start and I flew through it in two sittings. The writing style is so easy to read, the plot flowed well and I was completely transported to the Balearic Island.
For most of this book it did feel much more like contemporary fiction than a thriller and that only changed by the final third. This definitely felt like a book you could read on holiday, sat on the beach.
It is very obviously inspired by reality TV shows like Love Island and Big Brother, so it didn't feel totally original. However, I must say I really did like that two perspectives' we got in this book (Laura and Michelle). As there are 10 characters I did wonder if it would get confusing reading everyone's POV but thankfully this never happened. I also really liked the addition of chapters from the viewers POV. This felt original and helped add to the story.
The reveal/twist did feel a bit of a let down and I did finish the book feeling a little bit disappointed as it all turned slightly ridiculous.
Despite this I did have a good time reading it and would pick up another book by this author

This was certainly a good thriller, it was well written! Loved the idea of a darker and mysterious love island! Enjoyed the characters too!

This book was SO SO good! Love Island meets Nerve. Five stars. Definitely recommend to everyone that enjoys psychological thrillers!!

What's hot in today's world? Reality television shows but Laura, a journalist, is about to find out that this isn't any ordinary reality show. With ten contestants who will do anything to get their hands on the cash prize, the private island she is on she suddenly wishes she was anyone but here. Out of her depth, she needs to learn how to survive especially when there is more to each contestants than what meets the eye.

I was sold this book by not only the cover, but the outline of the story. I have to admit, I do hate reality shows and stay away from them, but I couldn't put this book down. I wanted, needed to know more about these people who surround Laura. Will she make it out without scares? This is my first book by Ruth Kelly and it won't be my last. Think Love Island on steroids.

Oh this was such a fabulous book! It was gripping, full of tension, fast paced and had a spectacular storyline!

It is based around an online streaming service of a show called The Villa where viewers decide the contestants fate. Just that was enough to make me want to read it. I loved how dark things got as viewers rating increased. Really showed how people thrive off negative energy. The whole storyline was brilliantly done. The psychological aspect of the story was expertly researched and written well and really depicts the fight or flight mechanism in our brain which reacts to stressful situations.

I really had hoped there would be a sequel to this one as absolutely loved everything about it! I know I’ll be seeking out this authors previous and future books!

Wow what a book , I actually felt I was living in an actual remote island on a reality show. Great plot even better characters , great summer thriller ,would highly recommend to any tv reality fans or thriller fans.

Such a topical and clever idea, The Villa takes you away to Aruna where they are filming a reality show. Laura is put forward for it by her editor and finds herself playing a character and fighting to stay safe.

The first part of this novel is a little slow but it's good to get to know our main character. The Villa is impressive but there is malign intent there. I found the ending of the book very far fetched but would suggest this book to any thriller fan or indeed anyone that has felt these big reality shows might well be a lot darker than they look on TV.

Netgalley provided me with this ARC in return for a honest review.