Reviews

The Secret of Villa Alba by Louise Douglas

Only show reviews with written explanations

jeremynelson0899's review

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lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated

4.0

lollybee's review

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adventurous mysterious sad

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

With a dual timeline narrative this had the potential to be a gripping story.
Unfortunately I found the main characters very difficult to warm to.
The ending tied everything neatly together but was rushed considering how much time had been taken in the build up to the 'big reveal'.

lizziestewart's review

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emotional mysterious reflective slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

All just a bit unbelievable really. Far fetched - struggled to suspend my disbelief sometimes. Characters weren’t likeable either and there didn’t seem to be much development of Maddi, or her and April’s relationship.

nikkimccooltaylor's review

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emotional mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated

2.75

This was not my favorite book I’ve read. I felt like the substance and plot of the book was good however, I feel like there were too many different storylines going on at once with the variety of different characters. And there were some details in the book that really weren’t needed where that could’ve been directed to thickening the plot.

I won’t give too much away, but Irene’s character had me feeling indifferent. I’m not a big fan of books that involve infidelity, and it was like her character was trying to reason with her actions which I did not love. I felt bad for Enzo, but also her finding out that her first love was still alive made it even more complicated. I wish towards the end of the book the author would’ve elaborated more on when she came back to the villa to explain her actions. The ending of the book felt rushed.

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