This book landed in my hands at the perfect time. With the insane mid-July heat outside, Strangers in the Villa felt like the ultimate summer read because the vibes absolutely scream couple’s vacation in Spain. It had been sitting on my Kindle for a while, and I’m honestly glad I finally opened it.
The story follows Sydney, a lawyer living in New York with her partner of twelve years, Curtis. I’m still not entirely sure what Curtis does for a living, but I do know he slept with one of his clients… and, suspiciously enough, he was the one who confessed it to Sydney. Weird, right? After months of couples therapy, Sydney decides—despite her brother’s and friends’ advice—to give him another chance. The two move to Spain, hoping a fresh start will save their relationship.
Spoiler: it doesn’t.
As if things weren’t already awkward enough, a young Australian couple, Bianca and Damian, show up after their van conveniently breaks down right outside the villa. Sydney and Curtis let them stay while it’s being repaired, and things quickly spiral into something much darker. Curtis seems a little too interested in Bianca, Damian is clearly flirting with Sydney, and Curtis suddenly has a burner phone he’s using to call… his mistress?
Insane.
I genuinely couldn’t wait to see where this was going.
A little later, we finally start understanding who’s actually after Curtis and why, while Bianca and Damian slowly reveal that maybe they’re not exactly the stranded tourists they pretend to be. The premise is really intriguing, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that the book was much longer than it needed to be. It kept me turning the pages because I desperately wanted answers, but there were definitely sections that dragged. By this point, Bianca and Damian have practically forgotten their Australian accents and are focused on squeezing money out of Curtis, claiming he was involved in Bianca’s sister’s death. Meanwhile, Sydney is still completely in the dark—or at least she tries to be. She clearly senses something is off, especially as she grows more and more uncomfortable with her unexpected house guests.
And honestly? As nice as I try to be, I would’ve never opened my door to those two.
Then again… I also would’ve never taken Curtis back.
So I spent most of the book hoping Sydney would somehow make it out of this mess.
Three days later, I finally reached the ending. Not because the book was boring—it wasn’t—but because it simply felt too long for the story it was telling.
But that ending?
It saved everything.
One of the most satisfying endings I’ve read in a long time. It gave me exactly what I wanted: fucking justice.
If you’re looking for a beach read this summer, read this instead of taking a nap.
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