The newest installment to author Jennifer Lynn Barnes’ bestselling “Inheritance Games” series, “The Brothers Hawthorne” follows Grayson and Jameson Hawthorne on separate adventures tied to their different fathers, since they are half-brothers. The storyline building upon support characters is a major shift from the original trilogy’s storyline, which is about an everyday girl, Avery Grambs, becoming the heir to $46.2 billion from a dead man she never met. The original trilogy follows Avery as she builds relationships with the famous Hawthorne family and solves countless puzzles to answer everybody’s question: why did she inherit all of Tobias Hawthorne’s assets?
Months after the trilogy’s events and his father’s death, Grayson crosses the country to help his half-sisters when one of them is arrested, all while keeping his true identity as their older brother and their father’s murder a secret. Along the way, he also grapples with love, abandonment, and family.
Jameson, after meeting his father, faces a dangerous mission: infiltrating the secretive high-society gambling club, The Devil’s Mercy, to reclaim the land his father lost. Partnered with Avery, they navigate a new web of politics, high-stakes games, and mysteries, forcing Jameson to confront his complex family history and his inner desires.
This book was a consuming and exciting read that held my attention from the start– seriously, I stayed up till 3 a.m. just to finish it. With the familiar writing of Jennifer Lynn Barnes and plenty of twists and mysteries, the book fits right into “The Inheritance Games” series. My favorite parts of the original trilogy–the comedic relationship between the Hawthorne brothers, enjoyable romance between Jameson and Avery, and of course the mysteries and puzzles– were thankfully kept alive in this one, making this book the furthest thing from a disappointment.
Even though Grayson and Jameson are on different paths, the plot was still easy to follow with the switches in point of view, making it difficult for me to put the book down. Eve, who betrayed the Hawthornes for a chance at their enemy’s fortune, returns as a character to keep your eye on, and she adds tension to Grayson’s story, along with the secrets he is keeping from his twin sisters. Meanwhile, Jameson is driven by his need to always win and the conflicts on his father’s side of the family. This kept the reader hooked between the different perspective chapters and the book suspenseful. There were also chapters within the book that gave the reader a look into the brothers’ pasts and how it affected their relationships and internal obstacles they are currently overcoming.
Another little thing that I loved in the book was that we got to see how Jameson and Grayson’s minds work. Seeing how they naturally analyze their surroundings, tackle puzzles and obstacles and assess other characters all gave readers insight on how being raised by their grandfather with constant competition and puzzles really affected them. And how both perspectives showed that they still hear the criticism or advice that their grandfather told them when they were younger like in chapter 40, when Jameson recalls his grandfather saying, “When you see your moment, you take it.”
I am a sucker for the comedic relief that came from Grayson’s interactions with Nash and especially Xander’s humorous side plots. It reminded me of how my sisters and I act with each other and made all the characters feel more realistic and well-written. One of my favorite interactions was when Xander called Grayson in chapter 28 and teased him about connecting with his emotions and Grayson retorted by saying that Nash was his favorite brother.
My final verdict: “The Brothers Hawthorne” was an amazing addition to the series with its incredible twists, mysteries, puzzles, and character relationships. The ending is also open enough to welcome the next book in the series, “The Grandest Game,” which will go back to Avery’s perspective and how she decides to use her billion-dollar inheritance. I highly recommend picking this book up the next time you’re at your favorite bookstore if you love thought-provoking themes, lovable characters, and compelling plotlines.
