***advance review copy received from NetGalley in return for an honest review***
This is an okay beach read, most of the narrative is pretty decent and there’s a lot of good character build up - for me, the last act was a bit rushed and it felt like the “pay off” was a bit weak considering the potential “options” in the build up. Some of the plot seemed a little by the by, and didn’t really lead anywhere. That said, it was still pretty readable and other readers may not be so picky.

I really enjoyed this book despite not liking any of the characters! I thought all the women concerned were stupid: a) to even contemplate such a silly hen do and, b) to go back there after what had happened previously. Despite that I was gripped and desperate to know what had happened three and a half years ago, and the more pages I turned the more enthralled I was. It highlighted the dangers of drinking too much alcohol, especially being abroad, and of men who just love to control us women! A good holiday read. Thanks to the publishers and NetGalley for the early copy.

There have been a fair few books about groups of friends reuniting after a traumatic event but despite this, I think this book really stands out.

I liked the fact that most of the characters were quite flawed. A mixed bunch of friends attend a hen party in Marbella but unfortunately Aoife, the bride to be tragically dies but who was responsible? Three years later one of the party (Dani) persuades the other hens to revisit Marbella, anxious for closure and to find out just what did happen to their friend Aoife.

The story flips backwards and forwards time wise so you get a good idea just what was going on at that fateful hen party! With a supporting cast of suspicious local characters, will Dani finally get closure on her friend’s tragic death. A fantastic twist at the end of the book as you as the reader finally find out just what did happen to Aoife.

I read this book over a couple of days as I was compelled to find out what did happen over that fateful weekend. A fabulous page turner to pack in your suitcase. A wonderful beach read for the Summer of 2024! This is the first book I have read by this author so I’m excited to read more from her.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity of reading this arc.

I loved this story, such a great read. Very twisty and dark and kept me guessing throughout. There were a few red herrings sprinkled in, but everything slots together like a puzzle in the end. I enjoyed the writing style and concept. The characters are relatable, flawed, imperfect and human. Even the characters i didnt like, i was still able to understand and empathise. I would highly recommend this story.

Loved this book, I could not put it down. It had the perfect balance of mystery and thriller that makes these types of stories so enjoyable.

The story follows a group of friends revisiting the site of a hen do gone wrong when the bride is killed and the crime never solved.

The characters were well thought out and balanced, each with different flaws and surprises that we discover along the way.

A really great read and one I would definitely recommend.

Don’t you just want to grab this, switch off the phone and curl up on the sofa
By far one of my favourite books I've read this year… I loved every minute…

The Villa by Jess Ryder was one of my favourite books I've read this year, and I read A LOT of books. Set in Marbella/Malaga it was a lovely setting that I know well so it was particularly nice to read about some of the real places that exist alongside the villa itself.

I loved the characters, especially the hard to like ones - and the story itself kept me gripped throughout. I found this a quick read because it was well written and kept me interested. I thought I'd worked out the ending but then it wasn't what I expected so that is always great. It was gripping and interesting, and I would definitely recommend to anyone - the perfect holiday read.

This book instantly had me gripped and I really enjoyed it overall. There were a few predictable moments but these didn't take away from the suspense and impact of the book.

I always know when I see a book my author I am going to be in for a treat and boy this one was no exception. It was full of secrets and so many twists and turns that once I started I could. It put it down fantastic. I loved the jump between timelines as it definitely helped build the suspense within and kept me hooked.

Dani arranges an anniversary trip to Marbella three years on from her best friend Aoife’s hen do that ended in tragedy. She has experienced gaps in memory since that fateful night and is keen to find out what really happened to best friend and try and move on with her life. Reluctantly the other girls who were there after to join Dani but once they arrive they realise that Dani has other ideas than just remembering there once friend.

I can not recommend this enough fantastic thriller which would be a great holiday read. Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for my advanced copy.

This book wasn't for me unfortunately. I felt that the plot and storyline was a little bit weak and unbelievable. I don't want The characters aren't really likeable either. The ending was a little bit rushed but it did have a good twist towards the end that saved it for me, A good read I just didn't enjoy it as much as others by this author,

I was a little unsure by this book when looking at the cover but it really delivered. I was Completely hooked. I loved the characters, it was well written in a way that made you want to read on. Throughout this book I had several theories, but at no point did I guess the ending ( I won’t give it away). If you want a book to escape from your reality for a while this is it. Go and read this book

Four women, all very different, reliving a hen weekend from three years ago. At that time there had been five women, but only four made it home. Dani, one of the survivors, has struggled since the tragedy, but is now determined to discover what really happened on that fateful night.

This was a typical scenario for a holiday read, with mismatched characters, beautiful surroundings, lots of secrets and a fair bit of controlling, not dissimilar to many plots. No one could possibly like or admire a single character, but they were compelling in their awfulness. However, stick with it, it does grow on you and for me, what started as a DNF, quickly became a page turner. It is still totally bonkers and belief had to be suspended on several occasions. Still a worthwhile read, although the ending was a little weak and some filler/repetition needs culling.

The perfect beach read when some light, very light, is required. Just don’t rent a villa!

2.5*

Thank you NetGalley and Random House UK.

Okay so this book had me hooked! I loved the way the book flipped timelines and characters. I needed to know every narrator’s story, so every time I finished a chapter, I had to read on to the next one! I felt for Dani, Aoife’s best friend, who was so desperate to recall her missing memories from that weekend, even if she was a little misleading in the beginning. But every one of the hens had an interesting story behind them that needed exploring.

I was adamant that I knew what had happened that weekend, but there were twists and turns in there that I just didn’t see coming!

Oh and I could totally see this being on screen too! I think it would adapt so well into a limited series, in fact, I need it to become one!

This is such an incredible, unputdownable (yes I know that’s not a word), tense mystery. It was so well written that I felt I was there in the villa with them. It’s a fantastic summer thriller, and as this is out in July 2024, it’ll be the best holiday read for thriller fans next summer!

Jealousy, betrayal, complex friendships and a whole lot of history. This story is set in Marbella with the glamour but also a look at the seedier side of the resort. Everyone has a secret and there are lots of twists and turns till we finally get to the truth. A really engaging story that keep me gripped till the end

A good summer mystery, would definitely make a good holiday read. I did find the characters confusing and couldn’t keep up with who was who, I didn’t particularly feel a connection to any of them. The ending also felt a bit rushed. Some good twists and turns throughout in a lovely setting,

A hen party in Spain goes tragically wrong when the bride-to-be dies. Three years later and the bride's friend Dani is struggling to cope and doesn't remember much of the evening of the accident and so goes back to the villa to try and piece together the evening. An intriguing premise and a pacey plot, this is a real page-turner with duel timelines.
The characters, although some of them deeply unlikeable are really well drawn and complex. A great read, although it may put you off hen parties!

Dani had attended the hen party of Aoife, her best friend and the bride to be three years earlier. Aoife had not made it home from Marbella, she was killed at the villa where the hens stayed. Dani struggles with remembering the events of the party, and is desperate to find out the truth of what happened. She contacts the others who were also at the villa, and persuades them to return to Marbella with her on the anniversary of Aoifes death.
Each of the women appears to be hiding secrets, lies are told, and friendships are strained, but Dani is determined to uncover the truth about her friends death.
I really enjoyed this book, and will look for more of her work.

Thanks to #NetGalley and publishers for an #ARC of #TheVilla.
A hen party goes tragically wrong when the bride to be is murdered on the last night. Three years later and Dani is still not coping with the fallout. Returning to the scene of the crime to relive and remember what exactly happened. Is everything as it seemed to be.........
A great book, gripping reading flicking between past and present. I had an early inclination as to where the story was going but it was still an exciting read.

A bride to be dies on her hen night but her best friend can’t remember what happened, so she tricks the other three hens into reliving the weekend three years later to help her remember.
Overall a good thriller with a few good twists.
Not great but definitely not bad either.

Book Description:

Three years ago, bride-to-be Aoife died at her own hen party.

Now the hens have returned to the villa where that terrible weekend unfolded.

They long for closure. But the moment they step back inside, old wounds open and tensions begin to rise.

Everyone has a different version of what happened that night.

Who is keeping secrets?

And how far will they go to keep them hidden

Thoughts:

I was sooo intrigued by this book, especially after having my own hen do this year. I knew I wanted to apply for this ARC so was so pleased to be chosen. I really enjoyed the pace of this book and I couldn’t put it down. It did keep me gripped and I like that we didn’t have too much waffle at the start as some thrillers tend to have. It was very addictive and I just wanted to get to the truth.

There were some characters I found quite unlikeable which I didn’t enjoy at times. I also found it to be a little too unbelievable at times which made it more difficult to try and get on board with.

Overall I enjoyed it and would definitely recommend this book as a nice easy summer thriller!