by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Nearly a year ago Avery became a surprise billionaire… sort of. There were some rules before she could fully inherit the massive Hawthorne fortune… The first? She had to live in Hawthorne house for a whole year. And what a year it has been. She only almost died a few times. With the deadline fast approaching, Avery and the Hawthorne brothers have to solve one final question… what was the Old Man hiding? Let’s find out!
Read if you like: YA, mysteries, ‘Cinderella’ stories, puzzles, thrillers, slow burn, love triangle, lots of fun characters, billionaire hijinks, mysterious rich boys, and a girl who’s streetwise and heart-strong.
After everything Avery and the Hawthornes have gone through, the one thing they know for certain is no one knew what Tobias T. Hawthorne had planned. As they chase down old clues and new leads, the crew slowly begins to unravel the family history. When they begin to get secret messages, they realize that they are up against someone dangerous, with connections to the Old Man’s past. But getting answers might ruin their chances for a bright and happy future. Can Avery play the game… and win?
This was an interesting end to the series. There were plenty of loose ends but I was unsure where this would lead Avery and the brothers. What we got was a look into the family history and the things that shaped Tobias to be the eccentric, savvy, and calculating man that earned him a fortune and turned a family into a factory for dysfunctional kids. The boys got to work on their many, serious issues. Avery got to shine and prove her worth. Lots of secrets were uncovered and some were reburied.
I was glad that we had the chance to be disillusioned by the grandeur that surrounds Hawthorne House and the simultaneously magnanimous and shrewd family. Parts were heartbreaking but I feel that any other resolution wouldn’t have felt genuine. There are dark spots in everyone, and someone with as many secrets as the Old Man had a lot of darkness to hide and as a result, he infected his whole family with darkness. I wanted more from the brothers’ relationships but the book would have been absolutely massive since there was already so much happening. Luckily, we get a sequel in “The Brothers Hawthorne” expected to release on my birthday… I’m hoping for my wish to come true for these boys… and Avery, too.
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