Well this was definitely different than other stories I have read. It gave me a bit of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo vibes at times. I thought the writing was perfect as per usual with Hawkins. The story was unique and tid bits of information were dropped keeping my attention. The ending and the "twists" were good too. Nothing too shocking or overly unreasonable. It felt just right. The reason I didn't push this to 5 stars was because at times, I felt the story could have moved on a bit quicker and I could not compare it to other 5 star reads on my list. But I still enjoyed it very much and would recommend this to my fellow readers.

I LOVED this book and practically inhaled it. The multiple perspectives, different types of writings, and engaging characters kept me hooked. This is definitely Rachel Hawkins’ best book!

I really enjoyed this book and pretty much anything Rachel Hawkin's writes. Ruby- a rich and well known North Carolina woman, became famous when she was kidnapped as a child in this small town of Tavisstock. This book follows her story of her wealthy family, her 4 marriages (all widowed after) and her adopted son, Camden. There is so much drama, secrets, and more - it kept me on the edge of my seat. The only reason I gave this 4 stars was because it got a bit confusing at times with the characters/storylines- otherwise it was brillant.

Holy moly! If you ever find yourself thinking that your family sucks... just consider yourself luck that you aren't a member of the dysfunctional and psychotic McTavish clan!
Money cannot buy love - but an ungodly amount of money can definitely buy you privilege, comfort, a whole town of people that are beholden to you and lawlessness! Complete and utter lawlessness which may or may not turn you into a psychopath.
Simply mind blowing! I read this in about 24 hours. I could not put it down, and every time I thought I had it all figured out the author pulled the rug out from under me again and basically said "got you."
If you want an edge of your seat thriller, or if you need a reminder about why your family ain't half bad.... read this book!

Really intriguing story! This was a book that I kept saying to myself “only one more chapter…”

Even though she was never actually alive in The story, Ruby’s character really came to life and stood out.

Great writing by Rachel. Honestly, this felt nothing like her other books, but I loved it just as much. Bravo to her for having such range.

3.5⭐️ The Heiress is about a woman named Ruby McTavish who dies and leaves her fortune and estate to her adopted son Camden. Ruby is notorious in her small town, known for her wealth, her childhood kidnapping and for being a 4 time widow, earning herself the nickname “Mrs. Kill-more”. The rest of the McTavish clan is deeply distressed over everything being turned over to someone outside of their bloodline. Camden and his wife Jules finally return to the estate to sort things out. This is told by multiple POV’s, between Camden, Jules and letters Ruby had written.

I’m not sure what it was, but this didn’t grip my interest until maybe the last third of the book. The ending has some twists, but a couple took me a minute to follow and digest. Probably my least favorite from this author, but still glad I read it.

Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I received an ARC of One Thing Better from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review

3.5 ⭐️ rounded down to 3.

If you like multiple point of views, this is the book for you. This was my first book by Rachel Hawkins and it took some time to get into. Usually I finish a book in 2-3 days, but this one took me longer. The characters in the book are all so incredibly different keeping you interested to read the chapters ahead. It just was a slow start and had me questioning who was who and if I had missed anything in the beginning. The Heiress was a good mystery read and had me intrigued after getting through the first few chapters.

Reading about the murders Ruby committed, how Camden killed Ruby & how Jules came to be in Camden’s life at the end of the book was all very intriguing. Definitely a good read.

Thank you to NetGalley and the St Martin’s Press for the ARC!

This was such a great book! I flew right through this! This book was super fast-paced with lots of plot twists and interesting, complex characters. The plot was really interesting, and it was super easy to get into. I couldn't put it down! The chapters were also pretty short and switched POVs, which helped break the story up nicely. She threw in some great twists at the end that had me wondering why it never crossed my mind! Loved the multiple POVs as well as the different timelines. Can’t ever go wrong with a black widow…

Overall, I would 100% recommend this book.

This book was beyond compelling. Our titular heiress Ruby McTavish was equally charming and terrifying, with a strong narrative voice that isn’t easily forgotten. Both Jules and Camden proved themselves to be strong protagonists, aided by their uncommon status as an established, married couple. The supporting cast is full of vibrant personalities reminiscent of ensemble horror. This book feels like a perfect marriage of trends in horror and contemporary; it’s a perfect fusion of the decadent setting of Knives Out and the tell-all narrative style of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo. It’s an ideal read for anyone looking for a fast-paced thriller laced with luxury and a gripping plot.’

Once upon a time, if a small child went missing and was later found, there was no way to definitively prove the identity of the child, particularly if significant time had passed. With the current prevalence and accessibility of DNA testing today, it feels off to think about the appearance of a child and the opinion of the parents (historically not as reliable as you might imagine) being the only evidence that investigators might have. The central premise of this book (a young heiress wanders off into the woods and is presumed dead until she is found living with another family 8 months later) is obviously heavily influenced by the story of Bobby Dunbar, and if you're interested in historical missing persons cases like I am, Bobby's Wikipedia page is an interesting read, and there is also a This American Life podcast episode dedicated to the case.

But this book does much more than just retell the story of Bobby Dunbar, who appears to have had a fairly normal adult life despite his dramatic childhood. Ruby, his fictional counterpart, had four marriages that all ended with suspicious deaths, before unexpectedly leaving her considerable fortune to her adopted son, Cam. Cam and his wife Jules return to the family home years after her death, and the book explores everyone's dark secrets and mysterious pasts. It's my favorite type of mystery/thriller--a little bit of a long-unsolved mystery, mixed in with modern drama, and topped off with extravagant wealth. Loved it!

Is money the root of all evil? Maybe…. While this was my least favorite book written by this author, I still found it to be an entertaining read. There were so many twists and turns in this book, I couldn’t keep up with the direction the plot was headed. It felt all over the place. I do appreciate the opportunity to read and review this book!

I enjoyed Rachel Hawkins' previous thrillers--"The Wife Upstairs", "Reckless Girls", and "The Villa"--so when I saw an opportunity to read her newest book early, I knew I had to jump on that!
"The Heiress" started off a bit slow for me--in fact, I actually set it aside around 11 percent and came back to it a few weeks later--but once I continued with it for a bit longer, it started to pull me in more.
Despite inheriting a massive fortune and estate from his adoptive mother, Ruby, Camden McTavish works as an English teacher and rents a little place in Colorado with his wife, Jules. He wants absolutely nothing to do with his inheritance or his remaining family members, who still reside in the sumptuous North Carolina estate. However, after receiving a letter from his bullying cousin Ben insisting he return home, and experiencing some pressure disguised as reassurance from Jules, Camden finally capitulates, and the pair returns to Ashby House ten years after Ruby's death.
This book is definitely a bit disturbing at times, and overall pretty fast-paced once you get into the drama. I felt like it was a bit repetitive with all the mentions of Ruby's disappearance as a young child, but it's possible some of those will be removed or amended in the final edits. If you've liked Hawkins' other thrillers, or if you enjoy books with rich, spoiled families full of histrionics, then you'll probably want to pick this up! 4.2 stars
Thank you to St. Martin's Press, Rachel Hawkins, and NetGalley for this ARC!

Thank you #netgalley and St.Martins Press for this advanced copy of the Heiress. This is my first Rachel Hawkins book and I am mostly upset I haven’t read her work sooner. The Heiress gave off vibes of a modern day Rebecca with a different twist. The characters were interesting and I was rooting for Jules despite all her transgressions. I would highly recommend grabbing this one off your local bookshelf. It will keep you surprised right to the end!

This is my third Rachel Hawkins book and by far my favourite! A mansion filled with rich people, and their horrible secrets. Yes please! The story was told from multiple points of view, which helped to keep the pace incredibly fast. The book felt dark and gothic, with several twists and turns I was not anticipating. As an added bonus, the book is sprinkled with letters from Ruby McTavis. You can practically hear the heiress reading them, and providing wonderful little reveals. Loved this book! One of my favourites of the year so far!
Thank you NetGalley.

I really enjoyed this book. The story line was fast paced and had a lot of plot twists. This story is about Ruby McTavish and the secrets she keeps throughout her life. Eventually those secrets do come out. I loved how the book had multiple points of views throughout.

Overall, I enjoyed the newest offering from Rachel Hawkins. We meet the storied heiress Ruby McTavish in bits and pieces as related by her adopted son Camden, who had walked away from his inheritance and anything to do with the McTavish clan for a variety of really good reasons. After making a simple but content life for himself in Colorado as an English teacher with his wife Jules, a crisis forces his reluctant return to the family homestead, Ashby House, after an absence of ten years. Once back in North Carolina, Camden finds himself thrust into a web of secrets and lies. What follows is a plethora of drama including kidnapping, suspicious deaths, and naked greed. The truth is elusive, with a slow build to a satisfyingly twisty reveal. Though I found most, if not all, of the characters quite dislikable, the book held my interest from start to finish. I’d consider it a good example of modern gothic storytelling and recommend it to fans of the genre. Thanks to Netgalley for an advance copy in exchange for a fair review.

Just look at that cover! 💚

I loved this author's debut, The Wife Upstairs, but didn't care for Reckless Girls. I was a little nervous, but this one grabbed my attention early and pulled me deeper into the mystery with every page, every chapter.

Ruby McTavish is quite the intriguing character! That is a peek at her portrait on the gorgeous cover. She may have more skeletons in her closet than ANY other character I've read about. Her home is a fifteen-bedroom mansion called Ashby House. Some may refer to it as a "lion's den" and with good reason! 🦁 They needed a Enter At Your Own Risk sign!

Ashby House created a creepy atmosphere that really set the mood. If those walls could speak, they would have a story to tell and in a way they do. The portrait that hung at the top of the stairs gave me major chills and I almost expected it to come alive. I'd be sleeping with one eye open in that house! 👁️

Nelle reminded me of a Ms. Danvers ( the housekeeper in Rebecca, with her mean spirited stunts). Rebecca is my favorite gothic classic novel and this one had some strong vibes that I loved.

Expect rumors, whispers, secrets/scheming and a truly twisted house of unexpected happenings!

The Heiress is my third novel that I have read by Rachel Hawkins. She has quickly become an auto buy author for me. I must say The Heiress is my favorite yet! Dual timelines and multiple character points of view novels are my trope and are usually always the types of books I enjoy the most.

The Heiress hooks you from the very first sentence and doesn't let you go until the very end. Reading Ruby's point of view was divine and her story just kept getting better and better. What better way to grab your attention when the main character in the very beginning already had been kidnapped as a child, is very rich, has a mansion and has been widowed four times! That is just something begging to be explored.

Everyone in this story has motives and are all striving for something. Revenge runs rampant. The mystery unfolds slowly. I enjoyed the setting and loved Camden and Jules.

A big thank you to the author, publisher and to @netgalley for the opportunity to review The Heiress. My reviews can be found here:
Instagram: @hedwigsandhopes
Goodreads: Nikki- Hedwig's and Hopes

4.5 easy stars for Rachel Hawkins' newest novel!

A husband and wife who are both keeping things from each other, plus a mysterious adoptive mother with a dark past? Checks all my boxes!

The Heiress has the hallmarks I've come to expect from Hawkins: a vivid setting, a slowly building backstory, a rapid unwinding of twists and secrets at the end, and then a lingering focus on characters at the end that prompts you to think more about everything that has happened.

And it sucked me in very quickly. Kept me guessing and I loved the multiple POVs, the gothic moodiness of it (so so atmospheric!!) And just the smooth way it read!

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press and Rachel Hawkins for this ARC

This book is good if you like:
Different point of views
Family Drama
Fast paced read
Twists


Ruby is CRAZY, and is also known as “mrs.kill more” since she’s been married multiple times due to each husband has died.
Camden is estranged, but he’s Rubys adopted son. He is left everything, her estate and her money.
He wants no part of it, but his wife Jules does.

This wasn’t my normal usual read, but it was good!