Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this ARC. This book sounded like your sink into your chair and get into a great thriller type of book, I was looking forward to it as I really enjoyed The Block Party by Jamie Day. Sadly, this book just didn't meet the same satisfaction...I found the story to drag by the middle and I was able to predict the ending...not a good indication! It read more like a family drama vs a suspense love. I felt that if I read once more time about how hot Quinn was or about the impending storm I would have to call it quits. I really forced myself to finish it because it's rare that I don't complete a book, but I found myself relieved to complete it. Sorry, this one just wasn't for me.

The premise of this book was so, so good but it needed a good deal of editing. There were parts that didn't quite flow and others that were extraneous. I kept with it because the set up was great but the final product missed the mark.

This book grabbed my attention from the first page. I enjoyed the characters and the story twists. Would definitely recommend this book!

When I first read Block Party by Jamie Day, I loved the way each chapter introduces another view of how that day unfolded. One Big Happy Family is no different and this family knows more about being dysfunctional than fun. The setting is a grand hotel, The Precipice, a family owned hotel located in a semi-remote area of Maine. The Bishop sisters, Faith, Iris and Vicki grew up in the hotel and have returned after their father passed and the reading of his will, is to take place at the hotel. But not all is what it seems, the sisters are as hiding secrets from each other and when creepy rhyming poems begin to appear, the sisters turn against each other and the staff, add an approaching hurricane and you have the perfect setting for tension to go awry. Caught in the middle of this drama is Charley, the maid who lives at the hotel, and is forced by circumstances to partake in this deadly game.

I do like the writing style of the author, the way things are revealed slowly, build up the anticipation of the story and where it is headed. The characters were well written and developed, the storyline convincing, the plot engaging, what’s not to like in this book. If you haven’t read Jamie Day, you are missing out, this is the second book I’ve reviewed and I look forward to reading more. Well done.

Publication date: July 16th, 2024
Page count: 368
Genre: domestic thriller
Setting: family owned hotel in Maine
POV: Charley- chambermaid, Vicki (daughter)
Features: locked in mystery (hurricaine), siblings fighting over inheritance, family secrets

Charley is a chambermaid at the Precipice Hotel. When her boss George BIshop dies, his three daughters come to the hotel for the reading of the will. At this time a stow away Bree is staying at the hotel. This all occurs during a hurricane. Not everyone is happy with what the will says. The night of the will reading there is a murder.

While the first part of the book is fast past and engaging, 1/3 of the way in it starts to drag on, and picks up again toward the end. Overall an enjoyable ride!

Thank you to author, publisher, NetGalley for advanced audio copy. This is an honest voluntary review.

If you are an Agatha Christie murder mystery fan, this book takes the drawing room closed set piece to some interesting places and plot points. A family run hotel in Maine has its ruling family of sisters sequestered during a storm, and the body count rises as the storm rages outside the hotel. Told from the POV of the hotel's maid, the dysfunction in the sibling relationships gradually unwinds as problems ensue. The characters are nicely drawn and there is the requisite reading-of-the-will, scenes of shifting loyalties, and of course a gun to spice things up. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and it is anything but one big happy family, which gives it just the right amount of drama.

I really enjoyed this book! I ended up really caring for the main character Charley. The ending was truly amazing. I was definitely creeped out when everything started happening and was genuinely terrified for Charley. I got pretty good at guessing plot twists but I wasn’t prepared for the plot twist in this at all. Thoroughly enjoyed reading it. The only reason I am giving it a four star rating instead of five stars is because the beginning of it felt a bit slow. But other than that, absolutely no complaints!

Thank you so much to NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book.

Theatrical and over the top but you’ll be racing to the end to see if your prediction was correct. Thoroughly entertaining but only four stars because the end was sort of a let down. It was too nicely tied up and I wish there was one more twist. The characters in this book were too dark for the end to be so happy.

First a huge thank you to NetGalley, St. Martins Press and Jamie Day for this ARC. I truly enjoyed this story and the character development. There were characters you loved and characters you you loved to hate.

The story was fun and entertaining. I enjoyed going on the adventure. The reason I deducted one star was because I guessed the plot twist very early on. I was actually hoping that I was wrong when guessing because I wanted to be blown away. :-)

Grab the book! You will enjoy it.

Compelling story with lots of twists and turns like a rollercoaster ride. Excellent characters. Jaw dropping at times.

This book set on the beautiful coast of Maine, includes many ups and downs, and surprises. The characters are well developed as is the storyline, and you will definitely want to keep reading until the end of the book.. it is not the typical father, dies, sisters, come home inheritance is surprising, blah blah, blah kind of novel!

The Bishop family owns a hotel on the coast of Maine. When dad dies, the three sisters come home to the hotel for the funeral but, more importantly, the reading of the will. Will all three sisters get the hotel and the wealth inside it? All the sisters have secrets and, with the long time cook, maid, and caretaker currently on the property when they arrive, what could go wrong when there's a guest they've been secretly hiding in a room? Ironically, secrets come to light when there's a torrential storm and the hotel loses power. This is an enjoyable suspense thriller, perfect for the beach!

What I liked about the story was the characters of Charley and Rodrigo. Charley was an enduring character and I felt the author didn’t take full advantage of that with the story. The setting was a creepy hotel during a hurricane which set the mood at the beginning of the story. Halfway through, I lost interest. The plot became non interesting and the backstories on the sisters just seemed like useless filler.

My review is voluntary and all comments and opinions are my own.

This book was a little slow going for me. However it did pick up about thirty percent of the way through. I would never have guessed the twist. I didn't enjoy it and I especially love this setting of the book.

I read The Block Party and enjoyed it so I figured I'd give this one a try as well. The author style in both books is atmospheric, slow burn. I usually shy away from these as I much prefer faster paced thrillers. However, in this one it worked for me. I loved the setting and I think that played a big part in my enjoyment. Solid story, beautiful setting but definitely a slower paced book. 3.5 stars

Loved this one from Jamie Day. A dark and atmospheric locked room domestic drama that is set in Maine is a perfect hard to put down book! I loved to hate most of the characters. And there are quite a few in this story that takes place in a hotel during a hurricane. This book was well written- had good twists and turns- and I didn't guess the ending! I'll definitely recommend this one! Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The description had me hook, line and sinker! I absolutely love the setting in Maine. I was really excited to read, One Big Happy Family was just ok for me. I like the Jamie Day’s writing style, but nothing about this book really stood out to me. I may give Block Party a try though.
3 Stars

The Bishop sisters are on their way to the Precipice Hotel for the reading of their father’s Will with a hurricane fast approaching. Charley, the young maid who has been living at the Hotel for the past two years is busy getting the Hotel cleaned for the sister’s arrival when she hears a knock on the door. Outside stands a young woman begging to be let in so she can hide from an abusive ex-boyfriend who is hunting her down. Charley relents and hides the girl in the Hotel where the sisters are unlikely to find her. But little does she know there is murder in the air and it maybe that Charley is next.

Jamie Day takes readers on a thrilling journey into the intricate web of secrets and strained relationships with the Bishop Sisters, the heirs of Precipice Hotel. Set against the backdrop of a rocky coast in Maine, the story unfolds during the onset of a major hurricane. From the beginning, the sisters' relationships are portrayed as tense and complex, setting the stage for explosive family dynamics. Slowly the characters' hidden depths and a treasure trove of secrets are revealed. The cast of characters expands to include a few hotel employees, an attorney, two eccentric spouses, two nephews, and a mysterious woman on the run who is hiding in the hotel. With the reading of the father's will new surprises are unveiled pitting one sister against the other, and then overnight, a murder occurs, thrusting the guests into a tense and unpredictable "who dun it" scenario as blame shifts from one character to another. At this moment the hurricane lands cutting the hotel and inhabitants off from the rest of the world.

One of the novel's standout features is the author's ability to vividly paint the hotel atmosphere and convey the impact of the hurricane. The reader is immersed in the eerie and suspenseful ambiance, feeling as though they are present at the scene. This truly added to a palpable sense of tension and danger which added to the reading experience. The plot is rich with twists, turns, and surprising revelations, keeping readers on the edge of their seats until the final chapters.

This book just fell flat for me. I simply didn’t care about any of the characters or what happened to any of them. I think the writing was okay and the plot had a lot of potential, it just went on a bit too long and didn’t keep me interested.

I received an advanced copy from netgalley in exchange for a review and opinions are my own.