Review on GoodReads

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC I just finished.

Murder in a remote hotel on the coast of Maine that happens to be cut off by a hurricane? Yes, please!

This book not only starts with one of my favorite tropes, but is filled with twists and turns. It definitely kept me guessing and turning pages. Even the few things I thought I had figured out were only partially right.

If you enjoy a good thriller this is one to check out. It made me think of Riley Sager a bit.

Jamie Day’s previous book, The Block Party, just moved to the top of my TBR pile.

You know when you finish a five-star read and have to pick your next book? Yep, it’s usually so hard to choose, knowing you might not pick another winner. Well, Erica at Saint Martin’s Press has never let me down, so when she said she loved One Big Happy Family, I jumped on the opportunity to read an early copy.
The story begins with 19-year-old Charley. She works night and day to be able to afford her nana’s care. Her boss, George Bishop at The Precipice Hotel in Maine has recently died. His three daughters are coming any moment now for the reading of the will. But so is a hurricane that will cut everyone at the hotel off from the outside world. Let me just say that this is not a family you want to spend a harrowing or even a perfectly sunny weekend with.
Three sisters, one husband, one wife, two teenagers, one overworked and underpaid maid, a woman hiding from her boyfriend, and a lawyer bring all the secrets, lies, murder, and ‘what’ moments you could want in a book (especially one publishing in July, a perfect beach read).
The book is broken into four parts with Charley having the largest role. There was one character (only one!) who I was suspicious of from the beginning. I was right, but there were also a lot more people hiding a lot more secrets. Every character, even the secondary ones made me feel something, though most of my feelings landed on the ‘you’re a terrible person’ side. I don’t want to make it sound like everyone was cray cray since there were a few really good characters too. Not everyone was the spawn of a demon!
The epilogue tied everything up nicely. I actually enjoyed this a little bit more than The Block Party.

Fun thriller for fans of the genre! Slightly predictable but I still found myself thinking about the story when I wasn't reading.

Thank you St. Martin’s Press for this digital ARC. It was perfect timing with a cold, overcast weekend to read about this beautiful setting in Maine where the torrential rains played a major part in this thriller. This story sucked me in, and with the detailed writing, I could picture it playing on the big screen. It has all the elements: family discord, reading of the will, no cell phone service and several characters to keep you guessing who is killing who.

I DEVOURED this book!!It was twisty goodness that kept me guessing until the very end. The picturesque setting of Gull Hill & the Precipice had me transported instantaneously & the multiple storylines consumed me to no end. Bree & Charley are such interesting characters - but surprisingly relatable on multiple fronts.

Highly recommend for your summer reading!

Thank you to St. Martins Press & NetGalley for this ARC!

Thanks NetGalley for the ARC. This one was just middle of the road for me. It had a lot of characters and I found myself somewhat confused at times. The story itself was interesting, but a little predictable. I just reviewed One Big Happy Family by Jamie Day. #NetGalley

Thank you for the opportunity to read this book in a 48 hour time period! I had no trouble doing it because IT WAS SO GOOD! I love the Maid, Charley, and her tenacity as she supported not only herself but her nana! The hotel she worked at was a visual treat and I could see the action as it unfolded as the family who owned it grapples with the death of their wicked father. There are lies piled on top of lies in this story and even though I didn’t like some of the characters I loved their quirky personalities and things they pulled off in this novel. Well done! This book comes out in July and I would definitely recommend it!

I found this book solidly middle of the road. It was well written. The author is very talented with her words and there were some passages that read poetically, which I enjoyed. The vivid descriptions of the characters and the physical spaces allowed me to visualize who was who and what was happening where. The characters were well developed and I enjoyed the parts of the story told from Charley's perspective. I did not enjoy the lack of creativity in the story. The inconsistency in narrators was disconcerting and really took away from reveals later in the story. The "twists" were very predictable and the exposes felt like the end of a Scooby Doo episode where the villain monologues, explaining everything clearly and there's no need to come to your own realizations. I did not enjoy the end of the book, which felt a lot like an easy, cop-out wrap up to what otherwise attempted to be a complex story with reveals that tried to keep the reader engaged. I appreciate the opportunity to read this ARC from Netgalley!

One Big Happy Family
by Jamie Day

I do love this cover! It has the right amount of intrigue with a splash of colour. It’s fabulous.

This is my second novel by Jamie Day. I was not the biggest fan of the Block Party, but Fomo got me once again and the story sounded good, so here we are!

A legendary family owned hotel on the coast of Maine (love the setting!). As their father recently passed away, the Bishop sisters came to claim their inheritance. Little did they know that not everyone who visits a the hotel this weekend will come out alive. Plus, there’s also a hurricane coming. This makes for an excellent, eerie setting.

Not only do the sisters have their secrets, so does Charley, a young chambermaid. Maybe hiding a woman on the run is not the most spectacular idea?!

You have to admit, the sound of all of this makes for a perfect novel! Jamie Day is a master at crafting an eerie and suspenseful atmosphere. I love the setting of the hotel and all the characters with their secrets. It’s such a mix of things which blend together perfectly! I enjoyed this so much more than the Block party! I felt a much bigger connection with the characters. There were also some really good twists. I don’t need a twist in every novel I read but I appreciate a twist well done! So all in all, I was happy to have read this, it was well worth it!

Publication : 16 Jul 2024 by St. Martin's Press
ARC received courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions are my own, I was under no obligation to review.

Charley works as a chambermaid at the Precipice Hotel, which is located on a cliff in a remote area of Maine. The owner of the hotel has recently died and his three daughters are en route for the funeral services and reading of the will. Charley is hoping that she retains her position because she desperately needs it to take care of her ailing grandmother. Timing is not the best as a hurricane is expected to land and Charley has gotten mixed up with Bree, a woman running from an abusive ex-boyfriend. Soon everyone is under one roof and, after a murder occurs, they have to face secrets from the past to figure out who is exacting revenge. Very suspenseful and hard to put down!!

Thank you, St. Martin's Press, for the opportunity to read/review this ARC!

In this riveting tale set against the backdrop of a coastal Maine hotel on the brink of a hurricane, Jamie Day masterfully crafts a mysterious and moody atmosphere, steeped in impending doom. While the setting and suspenseful mood captivated me, some of the characters backstories fell a little short, with an introduction to a character that felt contrived, disrupting the natural flow of the narrative, even though they were incredibly important later. Despite these drawbacks, Day's storytelling prowess shines through, weaving unexpected twists that add depth to the flawed main character. This marks my second journey with the author, and once again, the unexpected plot turns and realistic flaws of the protagonist resonated with me. One Big Family, much like The Block Party, showcases Day's ability to grip readers with complex, compelling narratives. While not flawless, the novel offers a thrilling experience, making it a recommended read for those seeking suspense with a touch of realism. I binge read this book in under six hours because I was invested and needed to see how it would end!!

I love Jamie Day! The Block Party was one of my favorite reads last year and One Big Happy Family is my first 5 star of 2024. Jamie is SO good at setting the scene in these thrillers and they are always impossible to put down.
Charley has been cleaning the Precipice Hotel for years to make ends meet and pay for her nana’s monthly housing costs, but ends are never really meeting and she’s got a habit of stealing from guests.
When the owner of the hotel dies his daughters make their way to town for the will reading. Charley has no idea what her fate will be with her job if and when one of the sisters takes over. Tensions are high and they only get higher after the will reading. Now Charley is stuck in the hotel, due to the hurricane, with three sisters who aren’t her biggest fan and who knows if she can even survive the weekend, let alone worry about if she still has a job.
This was SO good. I’m such a sucker for a good twist and the twists in this book did not disappoint. The hurricane provided that sense of impending doom, the characters pull you in, and the secrets and family drama tie everything up with a nice, thrilling bow.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and St. Martin Press for providing me a copy of this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Quirky fast paced suspense. Thank you Net Galley. The perfect read for the cloudy and cold weather in Florida. The story has all the ingredients for a movie. A storm and hurricane threatening the Precipice Hotel on a remote cliff in Maine. The suspicious death of the father of the Bishop sisters, three frightening women hiding a multitude of secrets and sins. I must say that at times I laughed at how bizarre these sisters were. And the good characters were a little too naive. In this world today even the kind and naive characters should be suspicious sooner, even if their suspicions are misguided. I liked the descriptions of the characters, a good visual so I could identify with each of them. There is a lot going on and some very surprising twists and turns. Action that is well written ad gripping. Well worth reading. And an author worth following.:

Jamie Day is my new favorite author!!!! I loved her debut book and this new one as well! What a fun way to start the new year! A plot that is set over the course of a long weekend, during a hurricane in an old Inn - it is reminiscent of the movie Clue and so fresh and unique! The characters are all suspect as the weekend continues, and bodies pile up - but the surprise twist in the end is the best part!!! I am so grateful for the advance copy and can't wait for the next book from Jamie Day!

The Bishop family is certainly not a happy family. George Bishop, the now deceased father, was a pretty despicable person, as Charley, our protagonist, can attest. Charley is the live-in maid at the Precipice Hotel, an eclectic oceanside hotel in rural Maine. George Bishop, the owner, was somewhat eccentric and collected a wide variety of items which are displayed in the hotel. This assorted collection of antiques should be unsightly and overwhelming, but somehow the items work together, producing the charm that makes this hotel a popular tourist destination. With George dead and his three daughters showing up for the reading of the will, Charley is just hoping she still has a job, as she needs the money to take care of her grandmother. However, the arrival of the sisters and their families will bring a lot more chaos for Charley, and each other, especially as Hurricane Larry is bearing down on coastal Maine and will soon temporarily cut off the hotel from the outside world. Vicki, Iris, and Faith, the three sisters, do not get along, and things only get worse following the reading of George Bishop's will, as it contains numerous surprises that further antagonize the family members. When Vicki's husband dies in mysterious circumstances the first night at the hotel, the tension gets ratcheted up even higher. And his death brings about the discovery of Bree, a woman fleeing an abusive boyfriend, who Charley has somewhat reluctantly agreed to hide in the hotel temporarily.

It that was not crazy enough, Faith and her wife Hope have a son, Oliver, who speaks in rhymes, and who most of the family believes is behind cryptic messages indicating that the sisters have secrets that must be revealed or more people will die. And the sisters have quite a few secrets, some of which they have been hiding from each other and some of which they have been hiding together. The revelation of these secrets will cause further family breakdown and chaos. Some of the secrets are shared with the reader early on or are hinted at or are not particularly surprising given what we know of the characters. However, there are some pretty surprising secrets; the most explosive secret is one I never saw coming (nor did most of the characters in the story).

The story has plenty of action and intrigue, with an interesting and eclectic cast of characters, and it will keep readers on their toes. Make sure your phone has power and your flashlight has working batteries, as bad things happen in the dark.

I read the book this author came out with last year and it was my favorite of the year. So needless to say I devoured this one as soon as I could get my hands on it. I freaking love it! You really get to know each and every character and it feels like every time the smallest thing about a character is revealed you just unlocked some new twist. The story was woven together perfectly

This book had a lot to offer and I wanted to love it! The premise was well thought out and overall was executed well but I just did not love it. I had to make myself keep reading because I did want to see what happened! I’m giving this 3 stars because it was good but not my favorite.

This is the 2nd book I've read from the author, and it didn't disappoint. There were several twists and turns that I didn't see coming, and I appreciate the fact that the main character was flawed -- it was realistic. Sure, sometimes making all the disparate threads come together in a cohesive story means straining credulity, but it worked pretty well in this case.

Recommended.

I received a complimentary copy of the novel from the publisher and NetGalley, and my review is being given freely.

I will start off with what I liked about this book.
Setting: coastal hotel in Maine
Mood: mysterious, moody, impending doom (hurricane incoming)

What I didn't like: Any of the characters, the romantic interaction that Charley had with one of the guests, the constant talking about looks and how beautiful they all were and likened them all to model like looks.

Also when Bree comes along, this was all too forced and I felt right away that this was suspicious and didn't fit into the story. Charley was way too trusting right off the bat. Also, the hotel has 13 rooms if I recall correctly....why not put her in the smallest/most unused room, or have her bunk with Charley? So stupid.

I felt like this book was trying too hard. It all wrapped up a bit too conveniently in the end as well which was not believable in my opinion. This all felt more like a family drama than a thriller. IMO thrillers tend to have a bit more suspense which this book did have, but I felt the family drama took front and center.

I guess I'm in the minority here with not loving this one. It was ok, and I did finish but I wasn't in love.

Thank you NetGalley, St. Martin's Press and Jamie Day for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A great thriller that pulled me in from the very beginning! I didn't predict any of the twists and they just kept coming! This was such a fun read, but the ending was a bit too perfectly wrapped up, happily ever after for me. Other than that, this is a fantastic thriller!!