The Villa

Rating:
Summary: An OK Read
Review: This was my first Nora Roberts and I found it to be an OK read. I did find that the editing and proofreading was surprisingly good for a writer that is so prolific and obviously writes for a popular audience.

The book is an interesting blend of romance, thriller, who done it, and murder mystery. I was a bit unsettled by the rather surprise ending. I felt like Ms. Roberts was spitting in the face of morality, but I don�t want to spoil the plot. Unlike many of the other reviewers, I found one of the strengths in the novel to be in the character study of some very strong female characters. Although she spent some time developing her male characters, Ms. Roberts really concentrated on the women. Obviously, Ms. Roberts is pitching her writing toward the female audience.

There were 3 main women characters Tereza Giambelli, Pilar Giambelli Avano and Sophia Giambelli (really Avano). Tereza is the matriarch and is motivated by duty, family and tradition. She will do any thing to keep what she has worked all her life to build.

Pilar is Tereza�s daughter and came of age during the 60s and 70s, but she obviously was the �good� girl growing up and seems to be the meek and mild type. She is the most likeable and interesting of the three main women. During the book, she overcomes some of her insecurity, gets over a philandering husband of 30 years and finds new love with a good man.

I found Sophia a bit irritating. I meet her type in business everyday and I can assure you the type doesn�t wear well in real life. She overconfident, a type A, totally independent, and I wouldn�t want to work with her either. But Ms. Roberts does a credible job of dealing with the character trying to come to grips with the fact that maybe she just might need someone else in her life.

There are also several interesting secondary female characters. There�s a trophy wife of Tony Avano (Pilar�s ex) who�s very easy to hate. She�s really a one dimensional gold digger type. There�s another vicious business woman who hates Sophia and tries very hard to ruin her. But the best of the secondary characters are Maddy, the teenage daughter of Pilar�s new love interest and Helen, a long time friend of Pilar.

Maddy is the daughter that everyone would like to have. She pushes the limits, by asking to pierce her nose, when what she really wants is a second set of piercing in her ears. She dresses in Goth, although she�s really growing bored with that. Although she pushes the limits, she never crosses them. In addition she�s incredibly smart and ambitious. I found myself hoping that she wouldn�t follow Sophia and become that totally pain in the rear �I am woman� type female as she grew up.

Then there was Helen. I really wish more could have been done with her character. She was a good friend to Pilar and unlike Pilar I got the feeling she may not have been quite as good a girl growing up. She was obviously highly successful. She had a stable and happy marriage, a son, and a lawyer and judge. She played a little more earthy character to Pilar�s sophistication. She was goading Pilar on buying sexy underwear and jumping her new found love interest. Too bad she couldn�t have been in the novel more from the beginning.

I have another Nora Roberts novel on my shelf. I�ll probably read it, but I�ll wait a little while.

My star ratings:

One star - couldn't finish the book
Two stars - read the book, but did a lot of skipping or scanning. Wouldn't add the book to my permanent collection or search out other books by the author
Three stars - enjoyable read. Wouldn't add the book to my permanent collection. Would judge other books by the author individually.
Four stars - Liked the book. Would keep the book or would look for others by the same author.
Five start - One of my all time favorites. Will get a copy in hardback to keep and will actively search out others by the same author.