This book had me on the edge of my seat the entire time I was reading it. I loved the suspense, that was added with just the perfect amount of relationships, swoon, and edge. The mystery/intrigue throughout had me constantly turning the pages, waiting to see what would happen next. After reading The Inheritance Games, I can't wait to pick up the sequel! I need to know what happens next.

Everything about this book was amazing and such a trip. Being pitched as Cinderella meets Knives Out is the perfect description for this book of secrets, lies, and puzzling clues. Avery is a wonderful MC, not taking anything from any of the boys but instead playing the games and trying to figure out why she was thrown into this whole mess when she had no connection to the family. I've recommended this series to all of my friends, who have all loved it. Jennifer Lynn Barnes is one of my go-to auto-buy authors, starting with The Naturals series and continuing through all the way to this one.

I am beyond words with Jennifer Lynn Barnes' "The Inheritance Games." While I initially read it in 2020, and gave it a different rating, I decided to pick it up once more in 2022 and I am so glad that I did. It is everything I've been looking for to get out of my reading funk; mystery, suspense, romance, and more. I mean it honestly felt at times like a young adult version of the W Channel's Nancy Drew, but obviously without the paranormal edge (though that would have been an interesting addition......). Anyways, it goes without saying that I gobbled this book up and wanted more, which having picked up "The Inheritance Games" for a second time in 2022, I can gladly say the local bookstore helped supply this need to read more and find out some of the answers to the questions posed in the first book of the series. Needless to say I recommend picking up "The Inheritance Games," whether it be for yourself or for someone close to you for the holidays.

Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an eARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Inheritance Games is one of those books that it seems everyone is reading. Literally everyone. I ended up reading this with a group of Instagram friends, and it seemed at the time that everyone was doing that too. And guess what? We all loved it.

I’ve read some of Jennifer Lynn Barnes’ other books, but I honestly think this is one of my favourites of hers. Mostly because of the vibes. I won’t lie, the book does get surprisingly dark at times and you should absolutely be aware of that going in. But the book is just so fun. It reads like a soap opera, in all the best ways. If you pick up this book, you’re in for a good time. Best not to question the plot holes and the stupid ways these rich people act. (Seriously, do not think about it too much or the whole plot will start to unravel).

Avery is a great main character. She’s sassy, smart, and she isn’t afraid to stand up to anyone. Not even the people she should probably fear the most. She’s too judgemental of her sister and her sister’s situation and trauma, so I did struggle with that. But mostly it’s just so compelling to read about a character who’s thrown completely into the deep end and left to piece together a new normal.

We meet each of the wealthy brothers like you’d imagine: with drama and all the cheese of a half-baked teen soap. Complete with names that are so incredibly ridiculous I couldn’t help but laugh. Maybe that’s the point? If it’s not, my bad 😂. Like the names are almost so literal, and then the character’s physical description matches their name EXACTLY so there’s really no forgetting who they are. If you know, you know. Once I got past the fact that they start out as caricatures, I could appreciate the way the story built up their backstories and made their personalities more fleshed out. The romance is a little questionable, but utterly fascinating. It comes across like a CW teen show — or even Freeform at points. Make of that what you will.

I did find that the Tobias’ motive and the twist were completely shallow and it hampered my enjoyment of the book (I was also a bit frustrated with the last reveal, even though I absolutely saw it coming). It basically all boils down to the fact that rich people are rich, they do dumb things because they are rich, and they don’t care about people who aren’t rich.

Listen, I just came here for a good time, and a good time I had. This book is such a quick read. I devoured it whenever I could because it’s a train wreck. I couldn’t look away from the drama, the privilege, and the snobbery. I fell for the glittering jewels and forgot about reason just like Avery does (I mean who needs an education and safety when there are hot rich boys and you are also rich). I immediately wanted to pick up the next book in the series because it was that fun to read and chat about with friends.

Book Review

Title: The Inheritance Games (The Inheritance Games Book 1) by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Genre: Young Adult, Mystery

Rating: 4.25 Stars

I didn’t really know anything about The Inheritance Games before getting into other than it follows a girl who receives a mysterious inheritance and in order to claim it she has to win games of some sort against the family but I was intrigued by the premise. We are introduced to Avery Grambs who is just trying to make her own way in life after the death of her mother, and she is currently living with her half-sister, Libby but sleeps in the car when her on again, off again boyfriend, Drake is there. One day at school she is pulled aside and learns that she has been named in the will of Tobias Hawthorne even though she has absolutely no idea who the man is and is flown first class to Texas for the will reading. When Avery and Libby arrive at Hawthorne House, they meet the four grandsons of Tobias; Grayson, the heir apparent, Jameson, a current drunk grieving for his grandfather, Nash, who seems happy to have nothing to do with his family and Alexander aka Xander, the eldest and most likeable of the Hawthorne family. Avery also meets their mother, Skye who also seems to be quite nice but this might change given that they soon learn that Tobias has left almost everything to Avery and not his family.

When this is announced the dynamic changes instantly most notably in Skye and Grayson. The will also has a few rules, now that Avery owns Hawthorne House she can kick anyone out that is currently living there and they can’t remove her or attempt to take her inheritance without sacrificing their own. This instantly makes Avery a target for backstabbing because the will also says she has to stay at Hawthorne House for a year in order to get her inheritance which means surviving the Hawthorne family for that time. However, Jameson and Nash seem to be on Avery’s side if there are sides, Nash because he doesn’t have an interest in the money at all and Jameson because he believes Avery is a puzzle to be solved. When he gives her the test of the keys that their grandfather put them through she solves it faster than any of them did proving Avery has a mind for puzzles. Jameson explains that all through their childhood Tobias gave them games and riddles to be solved and Avery is just another one as no one knows why Tobias picked her. Even the letters he left for the grandsons and Avery don’t shed any light on the situation as Avery’s just reads I’m sorry and Jameson’s warns him that money is power and power corrupts which could be the reason he chose Avery, to avoid giving the money to selfish individuals who would only further themselves and become more corrupted as time passed but both are under the impression there is more to this than what is one the surface and the secrets are somewhere in the maze that is Hawthorne House.

We are now a quarter of the way through the novel and it’s turning out to be a quick and easy read but I can’t wait to see how the mystery element plays into this story. After starting at her new school, Avery very quickly learns about someone called Emily who died after spending a lot of time at Hawthorne House and this is another mystery stacked on top of the one Avery is currently trying to solve. She and Jameson seem to be working together in this despite Grayson’s numerous warnings to stay away from his brother and to be honest I really don’t like Grayson right now he comes across as spoiled and entitled in ways the other brothers don’t. However, whenever Avery mentions Emily the brothers react strongly and she can see that she mattered greatly to both Grayson and Jameson and there might have even been a love triangle or unrequited love between the boys and Emily. Avery has also discovered that Toby, the eldest of Tobias’ children died twenty years ago in a fire although his body was never formally recovered so some family members hold out hope that he is alive somewhere rather than dead. Tobias also changed his name around this time and disinherited his daughters and that remains the same until he changed the will to include Avery. A DNA test has proven that Avery isn’t a Hawthorne so she can be an illegitimate child or grandchild of Tobias but I have a feeling that Toby and Emily might be partly behind the reason Tobias chose Avery to inherit his wealth rather than his own blood family or it could be as simple as a random act of kindness which Tobias does seem capable of. But then again the letter apologizing to Avery seems significant meaning that Tobias felt so badly about something that he wrote Avery into his will leaving her everything and also had to apologize for it.

As we approach the halfway mark in the novel, Avery has been finding out more about Emily especially after learning that her sister Rebecca attends the same school but seems extremely withdrawn. She also learns that Jameson and Grayson are very different, Jameson seems to be using her in order to feel something and more forward from the death of his grandfather, whereas Grayson genuinely kept his distance at first but after having background checks done he realises he might have misjudged Avery as she hasn’t used any of their money to make purchases for herself. Avery as expresses and interest in running the Hawthorne Foundation and it is Grayson that is going to be instructing her and we learn that their minds work in similar ways which is distracting for Avery especially as she finds them all attractive. They have also been finding and solving the clues left by Tobias and the most recent one relates to the boys middle names which are also locations on the Hawthorne Estate and they are most likely going to find more clues in these locations. However, this is overshadowed when Libby’s abusive boyfriend Drake turns up in Texas despite the restraining orders they have against him. In order to protect her sister, Avery tells the press that she knows the reason why Tobias Hawthorne left everything to her and if they associate with or print anything from Drake then she will never tell them which was a strong move considering she has no idea why Tobias left everything to her but I’ve got a bad feeling that Libby might be the one to stab Avery in the back when she least expects it.

It seems so far that the only brothers playing the game Tobias left for the are Jameson and Grayson but they aren’t working together, in fact, they are in competition with each other but things are beginning to take darker turns. Zara has Thea temporarily move into Hawthorne House most likely as a spy as she has been trying to get closer to Avery at school as well. During the dinner, Thea deliberately mentions Emily which sets off both Jameson and Grayson. James earlier claimed that he saw Emily did and that Grayson is to blame for it although he doesn’t go into details as they were focusing on finding the next clue. Avery chases after Jameson when he flees the table knowing he is going to search the black wood next as they found the clue at west brook. The begin the massive task of inspecting all the trees and marking the ones they have already done when Avery spots Tobias Hawthorne the Second aka Toby carved into one of the trees. Before they can even process this someone begins shooting at them leaving Avery with pieces of bark embedded in her face that needs stitches. A few inches to the right and Avery could have been killed and she knows that the person wasn’t targeting Jameson but her. She can also tell from Oren’s behaviour that he believes they are dealing with an internal threat meaning someone within Hawthorne House might be trying to kill Avery. However, she does have to take into account that Rebecca was visiting her grandparents and might hold a grudge against both Jameson and Grayson for the death of his sister but I am really excited to see where things go from here.

After the attack Avery does end up kissing Jameson but he isn’t thinking of her for a second but the question of the shooter’s identity remains a mystery for now but Avery does figure out what the other clues are. Each clue she finds is linked to one of the Hawthorne siblings but each answer is a number almost like it is a combination for something. Avery currently has three numbers, 1, 1 and 8 and I believe the last number is 2 as they saw Tobias Hawthorne II craved into a tree before they were shot at. Things are only getting more difficult as Oren is watching Avery 24/7 and she is having to deal with press fall out from her earlier statement. However, when they go dress shopping for the gala Avery is actually being used as bait as someone tries to run them off the road and it turns out to be Drake. Avery is torn as she knows Libby would never hurt her but she has always been weak where Drake is concerned and she didn’t block his number, plus there have been several nights were she has gone to Libby’s room but she isn’t there and someone had to have let Drake into the estate for him to shoot at Avery and Jameson in the Black Wood. There seems to be a lot of things up in the air right now but I am not hoping for a clear ending as the sequel The Hawthorne Legacy has just been released so I am expecting the book to end on a cliff-hanger but I can’t wait to see how the mystery unravels and what this code is for. There is still a massive mystery over what happened to Emily as Grayson seems to be at the centre of her death but no one has come out and said that Grayson killed her as he claimed it was her heart.

As we cross into the final section of the novel, I really wanted to find out what the numbers are for, they seem like a code or combination that needs to be entered into something but I have no idea what yet. When everything comes together in the final part we realise two main things, what Avery’s role in this entire thing was and who Tobias Hawthorne the Second really is. Avery is the linchpin for everything but I have a feeling there might be more to the mystery especially in The Hawthorne Legacy. I also really enjoyed that apart from one kiss there wasn’t really much in the romance department although there is a love triangle between Grayson, Avery and Jameson brewing but as the situation with Emily, Grayson won’t even look at Avery because of the kiss she and Jameson shared so I do want to see where that goes and the secret Avery’s mother took to her grave about the day of her birth is something I also want to go into more depth on so you can guarantee I will be picking the sequel as soon as I can. Overall, The Inheritance Games was a quick and intriguing read that I devoured in less than 4 hours and it was highly entertaining and action packed. Highly recommended!

The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes, 384 pages. Little Brown, SEPT 2020. $18

Language: PG-13 (43 swears, 0 “f”); Mature Content: G; Violence: PG (some danger)

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - ESSENTIAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH

Creeped out by her sister Libby’s boyfriend, 17yo Avery Kylie Grambs has moved back into living in her car. That is until the stranger appears at her school and tells she is mentioned in the will of a very rich man, Tobias Hawthorne – a man Avery has never met. The reading of the will leaves more questions than it gives answers, especially because Tobias left very little to his actual heirs and the bulk of his $46 billion dollar estate to Avery. And Avery soon finds out that Tobias has also left Avery and his four handsome grandsons a game of riddles and puzzles – the kind the boys have grown up playing. Thankfully Avery is smart enough to hold her own, to help peel back the layers of mystery Tobias let behind, and kind enough to help heal the wounds that each of the boys carry – if she can survive long enough to see the game to the end.

I originally thought this might be similar to The Westing Game, but it so completely not. Dangerous in parts and very intense, but instead it hits more at the heart. Barnes has woven an intense mystery that holds your attention all the way through. And while some questions will be answered, other questions will arise – so I deeply hope that book #2 is on schedule to be released next year! Sooner, rather than later. I will be rereading this one – probably more than once!

Cindy, Library Teacher, MLS

My favorite Jennifer Lynn Barnes book so far! I loved this book so much and I cannot wait to read the entire trilogy!

Teenager Avery Grambs keeps her head down at school, waiting for the day she can leave. But when Avery is named as the heir to the recently deceased billionaire Tobias Hawthorne's fortune, her life is turned upside down.
However, there is one catch - to receive the inheritance Avery must live at Hawthorne House for an entire year, and she won't be the only one there as Tobias Hawthorne's family still live there. A family who aren't happy about Avery being named heir. A family that includes four enigmatic grandsons.
Tobias Hawthorne loved puzzles and the grandsons are convinced that Avery is one last puzzle for them to solve.
Can Avery survive one year in Hawthorne House?

Avery was a likeable and relatable protagonist. She hadn't had the easiest time of things and, given the magnitude of the way her life changed when being named Hawthorne's heir, I thought that Avery coped really well.
Avery's relationship with her sister, Libby, was interesting and I would have liked to read more interactions between the two of them.
I enjoyed reading as Avery got to know the Hawthorne family and tried to solve the puzzles left by Tobias.
The plot was enjoyable, but I wasn't gripped and nothing that happened surprised me particularly.
The writing style was easy to follow and quite quick to read. The short chapters made it seem like I was getting through the book quite quickly.
The premise for the book intrigued me, but I don't think it quite reached its potential for me.
I'm not sure if I will read the sequel or not.

Overall, this was an enjoyable read.

Loved, loved, loved this book. Even though it is a YA novel, I was immediately sucked in. I felt like I was in the mansion with Avery. I highly recommend this for all ages.

This one definitely had all the Hunger Games vibes when i read this one which I did love that series too. It was a lot of fun to read and had lots going on all throughout the book. Very fast paced and entertaining for sure!

This book is amazing! I can't wait to see where the series goes!

Thank you to NetGalley for my copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This book just was not for me. I wanted to like it, but I could not get into the writing and ultimately got halfway through it before I found myself wanting to read something else. I ended up not finishing this one. However, I can see how people would enjoy this one. It just was not the story for me.

It was such an intriguing read from page 1. It grabbed my attention and pulled me into the mystery of finding out what really made this fortunate turn of event for our main character! She is absolutely amazing and I loved how she tried ti fit into the new and unexpected situation. Just wow! And the brothers?! I could not settle on a favorite!

I highly recommend picking it up, if you love suspense, drama and unexpected twists!

The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes is the perfect distraction of a novel that I desperately needed in 2020. Reminiscent of Knives Out, this book is half wish fulfillment and half juicy mystery with a twist-filled plot and chock-full of delightfully quirky and endearing characters.

This isn’t Jennifer Lynn Barnes’ first book and from what I’ve heard — though I regret not reading her sooner — is that her books are all deliciously action-filled and fast-paced with charismatic young woman at the helm. I can’t believe I’ve never picked up her books before — I’ll certainly be remedying that soon!

This book tips her writing career to over 20 published novels and introduces readers to Avery Kylie Grambs, a teenager who is wicked smart, practical, and wise beyond her years. She lost her mother and lives with an older half-sister, though it’s unclear who is the dependent in their relationship. She’d rather sleep in her beat up car than deal with her sister’s on-and-off loser of a boyfriend. Her world is turned upside down when a smartly dressed teenager summons her to the estate of his late grandfather — the enigmatic billionaire Tobias Hawthorne. At the will reading, she’s as stunned as the rest of the Hawthorne family. The will proclaims her the sole heir to over $60 billion — a man she has no recollection of ever meeting.

What follows is a worldwind as the world and the Hawthorne family attempts to uncover why she, of all people, was chosen. Soon, she’s drawn into the mystery, relying on clues in the will and letters he left her and his family.

It’s hard not to get swept up with Avery’s windfall and all that it entails, making the book a pageturner just to see what luxuries and new privileges her heiress status will grant her. It was a bit like a Cinderella story and even though this book was heavily plot focused, I was charmed by the worldbuilding. As part of the will’s stipulations, Avery has to live in the house for a year and that means attending a posh private school as well. I loved the scenes where Avery had to navigate her new status.

I loved her relationship with the boys. They were integral to the story and I could have read chapters of just their point of view — they were so well-written and complex. Though it’s hard to truly know who to trust and what to believe in a book like this — where anyone can be the villain and motives are as secret as the twists, I found each boy endearing. The cast of characters; from Tobias’ mother-in-law and Oren, Avery’s personal bodyguard, made this book feel cinematic and sprawling, as if I had an entire series to get to know these characters, instead of just a few pages.

By the end, I was breathless with reveals and new questions. I was even content to not have everything wrapped up tightly, so impressed with the scope of the story that I was happy to have just experienced it.

This is certainly one of the best books I’ve read in 2020 and was so glad to have it. I loved it.

I love that Jennifer Lynn Barnes is such a prolific writer – spanning all different sorts of YA types. It is awesome that her books do NOT consist of recycled plots. I was extremely excited for The Inheritance Games because the plot summary gave me The Westing Game vibes. Luckily, JLB delivered on my expectations, in fact, exceed them.

The Inheritance Games opens up with main character Avery Marie Grambs called into the principal’s office for scoring too high on a physics test. She’s suspected of cheating because she comes from a poor family and really stays in the background. However, Avery definitely just studied and has a plan. She’s going to get scholarships and become an actuary who works remote while traveling the world. Avery’s plans get completely flipped however, when she’s called into the principal’s office again. This time, a well dressed stranger with silver eyes tells her that she’s wanted for the reading of billionaire Tobias Hawthorne’s will.

Along with her sister, Libby, Avery flies to Texas for the will reading. There she discovers that she is the sole heir to forty-six point two billion dollars. Hawthorne did not leave everything to his grandsons or daughters as expected. Rather, it all goes to a relative stranger. This makes Avery a target. Grayson believes she’s a con artist who might as well have stolen the inheritance. Meanwhile, his brother, Jameson, believes this is just another of his grandfather’s puzzles to figure out. There’s also the other two Hawthorne grandsons – Xander who is basically a genius and Nash who is an older cowboy type who is quite protective. Avery is up to the challenge of solving the puzzle of why she was picked. Let The Inheritance Games begin.

I LOVED this book. After reading, I immediately went to goodreads and added the sequel to my TBR list. The chapters are wicked short. So, this is such a fast read. I was worried I wouldn’t be sucked in. However, that assumption proved wrong. There’s so many twists and turns in this book. I loved each new secret that was revealed. Also, I could not stop myself from flipping to the end. However, without context I didn’t really get the answers. I had to just keep reading. Avery and the Hawthorne brothers are excellent characters. Each are distinct and legit, I loved them so much. The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes was genius and the PERFECT book to end 2020 with.

I did not finish this book. The premise seemed intriguing but I didn't mesh with the writing. Everything felt too rushed and I did not like the insta-loke (insta-like?) with the protagonist and multiple brothers.

Jennifer Lynn Barnes is another one of the authors I hold in high regard. I have yet to read a book of hers that I don’t immediately love. I have had the pleasure of meeting her several times and she is an absolute delight. That being said, her latest mystery thriller was nothing short of captivating. I adore who-dun-it mysteries, always hoping I’m smart enough to solve everything before the end of the story. Maybe one day.

This is the story of Avery, who finds herself named in the will of an eccentric billionaire that she has not ever heard of. Her life isn’t exactly going well as she’s trying to deal with the loss of her mother and the fact she is forced to live with her half sister. It seems this new found fortune came into Avery’s life at the right time. Or did it? Who is this billionaire and why name Avery in his will? Will she be able to survive the billionaire’s family who also feel they deserve all of the money? Can she figure out all of the puzzles and clues to get to the prize at the end?

Barnes is a mastermind (no pun intended) when it comes to writing thrillers. They are all so complex, brilliant, and just fun. This book was no different and I am sad I have to wait so long to find out what happens. Not only can Barnes spin one heck of a tale, she can write believable characters that sound like someone you would be friends with in real life. Avery’s character had one heck of a hand dealt to her, but it wasn’t unbelievable. She had her ups and downs, yet she was determined to pull herself out of her sorrows and get through everything. She really was brilliantly written.

The plot itself, with the puzzles, twists, and turns, the deceptions, the lies, the reveals… everything was genius. I wish I had one small drop of the creativity Barnes does. When she writes, I cannot turn the pages fast enough.

This was one of my highlight reads of the year and I hope everyone gives it a chance because it deserves more praise.

I loveeed this book, guys!!

The Inheritance Games follows Avery Grambs, a girl who’s banking on her grades and the money she earns from her job to get out of her town and start her new life after high school. But when one of the richest men in the world dies and leaves her his entire inheritance instead of giving it to his daughters of beloved grandsons, her entire life is flipped upside down: she is now the youngest billionaire in history, goes to a fancy prep school, has fans and stalkers, and four different boys are searching for the answer to their grandfather’s last riddle inside of her. But she needs answers for herself.

This book is amazing. I devoured it so fast - the mystery is so well-developed, the characters are gripping, the story is just so intriguing and enrapturing! Our main character, Avery, is one of my favorite main characters, especially of a contemporary novel. She is clever, sensical, and snarky, and she holds her head high, even if it feels like the whole world is against her. And tha boyssss! There are four polar opposite brothers, so whatever your type, you can find a boy you’ll fall in love with in this book. I personally love Graysonnn 😭😏😌 he’s my babyyy, and he better be endgame… but that’s just my opinion hehe. If I had to critique something, there’s a slight love triangle that feels slightly exacerbated in relation to the circumstances, but it’s really nothing, I promise.

I know this review is short and chaotic, but I’m so behind on reviews. I want to make sure I do this book justice, though, by telling you TO READ IT! Mystery isn’t my go-to, but I could easily see this being a TV show (for some reason it gave me Locke and Key vibes??) - the chapters leave you chomping at the bit to read the next one, and I took it everywhere to sneak in some reading because I couldn’t stop! I highly recommend this one if you’re looking for an addictive read with mystery and drama and riddles and a hint of romance! It’s nominated in the Goodreads Choice finals for YA Fiction… just sayin ;)


If you enjoyed this review, you can friend me here on Goodreads and follow my Bookstagram/Twitter @ashton_reads. Thanks for reading!

Hmm. Mixed opinions here. Writing is terrific and the first half was gripping, but I really didn't like the half-assed love triangle. Not sure if this is a standalone; my rating would change if I knew there was a series and the next book would pick up oThis is... fine? I don’t know how I feel about this book, tbh. I love JLB’s writing and it’s a compelling read, but I do not give a crap about this love triangle. Reckless angsty green-eyed brother vs disapproving angsty gray-eyed brother. Yawn. The youngest brother Xander is far more interesting. The riddle/game twists got a bit repetitive by the end. I feel like it’s a decent read but I’m not gushing about it or anything.

All that being said: I probably will read the sequel because I’m a glutton for punishment and I’m curious about the aftermath of the cliffhanger. Also: I want Avery to say fuck you to everyone and donate $40 billion dollars in one swoop.

I can see why THE INHERITANCE GAMES is comped to Knives Out, but there is zero criticism of rich white families via a racial lens, lol. There is no scathing indictment of capitalism here, so don’t expect that either. Conclusion: this isn’t Knives Out beyond the eccentric dead patriarch and shocking inheritance revelations.

Disclaimer: I received a free e-ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. (less)
n unfinished threads. Longer RTC.

The Inheritance Games #1 by Jennifer Lynn Barnes; Little Brown Books for Young Readers, 384 pages ($17.99) Ages 12 and up.

Jennifer Lynn Barnes offers a tough, whip-smart heroine in this hugely entertaining and suspenseful Cinderella tale of a 17-year-old girl so down and out she sometimes sleeps in her car, until the day she discovers she has been left a more than $40 billion estate by a total stranger with no explanation but a letter that says "I'm sorry."

Raised by a mother who loved puzzles and games, 17-year-old Avery Kylie Grambs is a whiz at poker and chess, is planning to major in actuarial science in college and has just aced – and been been accused of cheating on – a physics exam when the oldest grandson of Texas billionaire Tobias Hawthorne tracks her down at her high school for the reading of the will. Barnes offers romance and intrigue in the form of the billionaire's four handsome grandsons and considerable suspense in the requirement in the will that Avery live for a year in the Hawthorne mansion amid the scheming, possibly homicidal relatives enraged about being disinherited. Barnes crafts an intriguing treasure hunt for clues in the vast estate and sprawling mansion full of secret rooms, intricate locks and hidden tunnels before unveiling the perfect surprise ending.