The Writers’ Retreat set the perfect summer scene for a July thriller. The current timeline mostly takes place in a secluded woody camp-like area for a writers retreat. Liv is an aspiring writer who shows up in hopes of getting her book published when her past clashes with the present. Obsession and betrayal lead to multiple mysteries throughout the book and leads you to ask certain questions. Who’s responsible for these murders? Who is Liv Montgomery? Can the past stay hidden?

I enjoyed the plot of the book and Samantha Vérant’s writing style, similar to Lucy Foley in my opinion. I do think the ending was a bit rushed, but still recommend!

First person POV, dual narrative
Non-linear timeline

I read this book in a day, the end of the chapters had great cliff hangers and I just wanted to keep reading. Nothing was as it seemed and I had whiplash from all the twists and turns!

The mean girl attitude and bullying did get to be a bit much at times and really immature but it just added more to the psychological thriller theme.

3.5 stars. I loved the setting of the isolated writers' retreat, as well as the complex friendships and timelines that unfolded throughout this book. The ending felt a little overwhelming, with too many things added at the last minute, but I otherwise really enjoyed it.

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC! All opinions are my own.

I'm including this in an upcoming vlog on my Patreon and my July reading wrap-up video on my YouTube channel.

I don't feel I was the appropriate audience for this novel. The synopsis of the book sounded appealing, however I felt the plot was a bit elementary. The characters of Sienna, Kat, and Mimi gave off such high school meaning girl vibes and I found myself annoyed throughout the book. I wish the book had a slightly different plot line, perhaps one where it starts more focused with the present and less on the past. I was confused early on in the book as you have a chapter reflecting Liv and the writers retreat and then a lot of flashback. Ultimately, this isn't the kind of thriller I enjoy reading.

Liv Montgomery is a writer. She is invited to attend a writer’s retreat in the Catskills in order to meet with a publisher about her next book. But is it what it seems? Who will she encounter? Will she get her next book deal?

This book drew me in from the beginning! A slow-burn thriller that builds up with anticipation until all is revealed. The lies and deceit will keep you turning the pages! Definitely a highly entertaining read! A perfect book to take on vacation or to read by the pool!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

"Guess what, Talented Mrs. Ripley, I have you all figured out."

This was a fun, beach read kind of book, with some well-plotted twists and turns. The writing retreat itself was extremely luxurious - no washing-up rota for these guys!

One thing I found a bit confusing was that the occasional chapters from Kat's point of view were headed "KAT" but the majority of chapters (which if I've followed correctly were all from Liv's point of view) didn't have a name in the heading, just "Now" or "Then". I sometimes got a bit confused about whether we were still with Kat or had gone back to Liv. I would have found it easier (especially reading on a kindle) to have the character name at top of every chapter.

Many thanks to Storm Publishing and NetGalley for the advance copy.

Not as interesting as the synopsis! The characters behaved erratically and all the back and forth made things even more confusing. The writer's retreat had much promise but the imagery and sense of menace didn't really stick. The twists were jarring and the book ended up feeling too long.

I liked it, I really liked it, liked the cover too, great premise ,great story, but something was missing. The story was good but not the best. Expecting more from the author, loved the twists and turns though.
Overall, 3 out of 5 from me.

Great book. I finished it in one sitting. It is my first by this author. I am looking forward to more. If you love psychological suspense this is the perfect book for you!

Well, on the positive side, I liked the cover, although the Catskills don't really look that jagged and rugged. I tried, I really tried, but I just couldn't connect with this one. The dialogue felt forced and immature, and while all the characters were (accurately) unlikable, there was no one to root for. The varying narrators seemed a little unnecessary, as did the different timelines. There was one twist I really didn't see coming, but that was quickly glossed over and we readers moved on.

I can see an audience for this -- I just wasn't it.

Will I read more from the author? Hmmm, maybe.

I received a complimentary copy of the novel from the publisher and NetGalley, and my review is being left freely.

It was a fast read but kind of scattered. I liked the premise but I just didn't feel it was as effective as similar books I've read. I didn't really feel the isolation or atmosphere the way I'd like and the retreat itself didn't play much of a role besides the location. The characters are still catty teenage girls and overly dramatic even as adults and I didn't like any of them, making it difficult for me to care about what happens. I didn't feel any sense of justice in anything that went on because of their weird obsessive attitudes. I just questioned why anyone would want to hang with any of them, even with the twisted revenge plotline.

This was an enjoyable read. It starts out slow but picks up after a while and has the wildest twists. I liked it but it didn’t blow me away.

More twists than a box of macaroni.
Samantha Verant perfectly captures the mean girl vibe of her characters, particularly the "you're my best friend, there can be no others" that characterizes so many of these relationships. The introduction of the cult and writer's retreat build the framework around which she spins the characters webs of deception and nastiness. The use of the dual timelines and POVs really helps with the back story and tension. This is a great read for fans of Ruth Ware, Jeneva Rose and female relationship psychological thrillers. Grab a copy and prepare for the fun! Thank you to Netgalley, Storm Publishing and Samantha Verant for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Are you ready for your next thriller?? Check out The Writer’s Retreat by Samantha Verant. This was a good one!

The Writers' Retreat by Samantha Vérant is a twisty, gripping thriller that keeps you scratching your head from beginning to end.
I am reminded of Shakespeare's observation - "Oh what a tangled web we weave/When first we practice to deceive". Secrets are stacked upon secrets in this book, and Vérant parses them out slowly throughout the pages, reeling the readers in and keeping them turning the pages.
I was drawn in by the title, and as a writer I was uncomfortably mortified by the plagiarism accusations; I was anxious that the main character Liv's book might be successfully stolen from her. Of course, the manipulative actions of various women in the book go far beyond the theft of a manuscript, and often left my head spinning with the intricacy of it all.
While the imagination of the writer is amazingly on display in this book, in the end I found it slightly overwhelming.
Thank you for the ARC of #TheWritersRetreat to #StormPublihing and #NetGalley.

I enjoyed this book a lot, A remote writers’ retreat, secrets, and a murder—my only complaint is I felt it was just getting going when it ended!

The dynamics between the women, the secrets coming out, it was almost like the book was leading to another novel or the start of a much longer book.

Read it, enjoy it but I warn you, you may be wanting more by the end!

Stunning views. Solitude. Murder. What more could an author want?

When Liv Montgomery is invited to a writers retreat in the scenic Catskills, she realises that this invite wasn’t the chance opportunity she initially thought. The tangled web of linked relationships soon becomes clear, and delves into the past and present.

It was a slow burn for a little while however picked up once the retreat really took place. Although it didn’t wow me as much as I hoped, it was still an enjoyable read with a good twist at the end which made it a fair 3 stars.

Being based in Upstate NY, a book that dealt with a writing retreat in the Catskills and a mystery with an author at the forefront of the story had me already intrigued. I knew that I would love this book right away, just from the description, and I was right I loved it.
I loved how the book shifted between the past and present, so you learned what happened before that was leading up to what was currently going on in the book. The cult aspect was interesting and really added to this story because it made the story. It was the perfect choice to have a cult be in the mountains and the premise around it was even more interesting. I wasn’t expecting some of the twists and turns we got, and some of them really did shock me!
I loved the characters and their development, I just wish we got more out of Mouse, she was one of my favourites. I’m excited to read more from this author.
Thank you to Netgalley and Storm Publishing for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

Unfortunately, this one just wasn’t for me.

The premise had so much potential—a remote writers’ retreat, secrets, and a murder—but I ended up feeling a bit underwhelmed. While the atmosphere was there, I struggled to connect with the characters, and the pacing didn’t quite hook me the way I hoped based off the premise of this secluded location.

That said, I can see this appealing to readers who enjoy slow-burn mysteries with multiple POVs and layered timelines. The setup is intriguing, and others may have a very different experience.

It just didn’t quite hit the mark for me.

A few too many twists await you in “The Writer’s Retreat”. A story that takes place in the past and present- Kat and Liv were best friends before things went bad- and boy did they go bad. Cheating partners, plagiarism, and oh yeah- murder are just some of the problems that lie between these two ex besties. Liv goes away to a retreat to polish her fictionalized tell all between them but is met with many roadblocks along the way- familiar faces and ANOTHER ex bestie along with her current one. All the girls have secrets and agendas and the fallout and backstory are wild.
All in all, I found the story to be enjoyable. Some of the twists are just too out there for me, but at its heart this is a story about the bonds of female friendship and how deep they go- and cut.