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My Starry Rating: 4/5 Stars
Reason for Rating: I liked the storyline and the overall ideas, but I just wish the ending was darker.
What I Learned: A plot can be simple as long as strong character development is there.
Publication Date: February 14, 2023 by House of Anansi Press
Genres: Fiction, Women’s Fiction
https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/61360564
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Synopsis:
An entrancing novel about a wellness retreat on a remote Greek island hosted by a celebrity guru who is more than meets the eye.
On a flight to New York at the end of her first book tour, up-and-coming writer Agnes Oliver meets Jack Verity, the handsome filmmaker and ex-husband of Geia Stone, a famous actress turned wellness guru, whose popular lifestyle brand Goddess promotes controversial therapies and expensive beauty tools in the name of self-care and inner nourishment. Jack invites Agnes to a party in the Hamptons, where she meets Geia and finds herself welcomed into the guru’s inner circle.
That summer, Geia arranges for Agnes to attend the Goddess summit, an exclusive wellness retreat held on a remote Greek island. There, Agnes observes many strange happenings she can’t explain, as one by one the other guests seem to fall under the spell of their enchanting host. When Agnes begins to discover who Geia really is, she realizes it’s up to her to protect the other women at the summit from an unexpected and unwelcome fate. A propulsive and captivating story about beauty and influence, self-doubt and seduction, Goddess is the electrifying new novel from a talented writer to watch.
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Review:
Goddess follows a successful author named Agnes who gets invited to a wellness retreat in Greece after a chance encounter. The wellness retreat is hosted by a celebrity new age guru and promises to heal and empower the women attendees. When strange things beginning happening, Agnes will discover the truth about the Goddess retreat which will change her in ways she never expected.
I enjoyed this story as the new age wellness industry toes the line between comedic and controversial, which makes for good novel content. The pacing was good and Agnes was an interesting character who had flaws and redemptive qualities. With that being said, I wasn’t a fan of the ending. I was hoping something more sinister or creepy was going to happen instead of the fantastical surprise that was revealed. The big reveal didn’t ruin the story for me, I just wasn’t expecting a happy ending.
Thank you to the publisher for providing me with a free arc via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
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About the Author
DEBORAH HEMMING is the author of Throw Down Your Shadows, which was a finalist for the 2021 ReLit Novel Award. She studied English at McGill University and the University of King’s College, and Information Studies at Dalhousie University. She lives in Wolfville, Nova Scotia, with her partner and son.
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