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3.48 AVERAGE
3.48 AVERAGE
From the rich Italian accents to the suspenseful twists, this story was a real pleasure to experience. The narrator brought warmth and authenticity to each character, making them feel vivid and true. Hearing the Italian phrases spoken so naturally added a special touch, almost like wandering the charming streets of Italy alongside the characters.
The way the narration deepened the atmosphere stood out. Moments of tension felt real and gripping, while the romance was gentle and heartfelt. The paranormal elements slipped in smoothly, adding a quiet sense of mystery without overpowering the story. It’s impressive how all these different moods blended together so effortlessly.
The characters themselves felt layered and relatable, each with their own struggles and strengths. The voice work made it easy to connect with their emotions and journeys, which made the whole story feel more personal.
This story stays with you—not because it shouts, but because it quietly weaves together moments of mystery, romance, and the supernatural in a way that feels both real and a little magical. The Italian setting adds a special flavor that makes the whole experience feel grounded and unique. It’s the kind of story that lingers in your mind long after you’ve finished.
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I love Lisa Scottoline’s style of writing. It makes me immersed by the story. The story was not what I expected but I still had a hard time putting it down!
The ending was so heartbreaking. 😭
The ending was so heartbreaking. 😭
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
dark
emotional
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
What more could you ask for than a mystery/thriller set in the Tuscan countryside? For someone who is pretty good at picking up on foreshadowing, and being able to call an ending halfway through a book, this story had SO many twists and turns I did NOT see coming. If you are looking for a poolside read that just feels like summer, but you're also ready for the summerween vibes, I would definitely add this to your TBR! Thank you to Grand Central Publishing and Netgalley for the ARC!
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
This. Book. Was. So. Good. I had to add all those periods for emphasis because I feel that strongly! This is the third creepy Italian villa themed thriller I’ve read over the last year and I just love that theme so much! This one was exciting with some intrigue and plenty of spooky elements. The narration of the audiobook quickly sucked me into the story and really added to my overall experience.
3 stars ⋆✴︎˚｡⋆
This book definitely had a much stronger start than it did ending which is unfortunate because in the beginning I really enjoyed this book and where it was heading but as the story progressed it started to lose me a bit. The pacing in certain areas was a bit off and hindered the momentum of the story in my opinion.
There was also so much going on yet nothing really happening at the same time through the story that kind of detaches the reader from the story. Not saying it should be thrilling all the time but it’s about having a consistent pace throughout.
Maria Marquis did a real job of bringing to life the story in the pages, I feel like without her I would have taken much longer to get through the book.
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Julia Pritzker has been grieving the violent loss of her husband for 6 months when she gets a letter informing her that she's inherited a Tuscan villa and a financial windfall. The biggest issue is, she has no idea who the benefactor - Emilia Rossi is! Since Julia was adopted, she wonders if maybe the villa and Emilia could be a link to her past.
She decides to go to the villa to learn more about Emilia and see if she can discover anything about her birth parents. But when she arrives, things get interesting. Is she seeing ghosts in the villa? Is she really being followed? Are her horoscopes predicting her future? With the help of a local, handsome man, she starts to unravel the mystery - both of the villa and her family history - but can she do it before tragedy strikes again?
Thank you to #netgalley for a review copy of the ebook and the opportunity to share my voluntary and unbiased opinion.
She decides to go to the villa to learn more about Emilia and see if she can discover anything about her birth parents. But when she arrives, things get interesting. Is she seeing ghosts in the villa? Is she really being followed? Are her horoscopes predicting her future? With the help of a local, handsome man, she starts to unravel the mystery - both of the villa and her family history - but can she do it before tragedy strikes again?
Thank you to #netgalley for a review copy of the ebook and the opportunity to share my voluntary and unbiased opinion.