Overall a 3.5 star read for me. I will say this is out of my normal romance genre and it may be a bigger hit for thriller readers. I enjoyed the location and the relatable FMC. For the FMC this is a story of basic survival and she had to navigate a rich family’s drama. I think Hurricane Larry was perfect to keep everyone realistically stuck in this hotel together without contact to the outside world. I did guess the big reveal early on in the book, however, these characters have a dozen other reveals I did not anticipate. While I found the FMC’s backstory to be realistic and her character relatable, I could not find any compelling characters or depth with anyone else. I’ll keep this vague to avoid spoilers. I did not like or believe a characters decision regarding an item and lost touch with the book during the events that took place over the item. Narrator was perfect, I really enjoyed the audiobook.

Charley works at a family-owned hotel on the coast of Maine, however the owner has died and now his three daughters have come to claim their inheritance. The reading of the will doesn’t go as planned and everynone has more questions than answers…and now they also have a dead body during a hurricane.

At no point was I concerned about Charley’s safety and I think that took some of the thrill out of the story. Each of the characters had their own drama, which made it interesting. However, I didn’t feel attached to or worried about any of them, they mostly seemed emotionless. Even the romantic interest storyline felt a bit flat. I did enjoy that it was set in Maine (yay home state!) and some of the local details felt very on point. I also liked the dramatic ending (so much drama!).

I enjoyed this as an audio book, the narrator has a great voice for this genre.

*Provided an ALC (advance listening copy) audiobook from the publisher for review. All opinions are my own.

Thank you NetGalley for a copy of One Big Happy Family in exchange for my honest review.

I found great pleasure in reading this book; the captivating cover initially drew me in, and the story exceeded my expectations.This book offers an ideal blend of summer suspense, featuring numerous unexpected twists, family dynamics, and hidden secrets. Set against the backdrop of a small Maine town during Hurricane Larry, the narrative centers on three sisters and their chambermaid, delivering a fast-paced story that's ideal for a summer day.

One Big Happy Family by Jamie Day and narrated by Saskia Maarleveld was a mystery/suspense told from the perspective of Charley Kelley, a chambermaid at The Precipice hotel on the coast of Maine. Charley is a very likeable character, even though she has a tendency to steal from the guests - but it is only to support her grandmother's bills at the nursing home since she has dementia and Charley is responsible for her since there is no other family.

The hotel owner dies and the Bishop sisters and their families come to the hotel for the reading of the Will and to sort out the assets, deal with the hotel and get what is rightfully theirs. They need to decide what to do with hotel, which could mean Charley is out of a job. Meanwhile, Charley met a woman running from a bad relationship and trying to break free. She agrees to allow her to stay for a few days in the hotel to hide out from her boyfriend.

Tensions rise and old hardships are rekindled as the sisters learn what dad had planned for their futures. Will the hotel withstand the coming hurricane? Will the sisters love for each other be enough to save them from themselves? Lots of murder and intrigue will follow as the storm continues to worsen outside the walls of the Precipice.

Saskia did a good job narrating this audiobook. The pace was fluid and she was able to keep me connected to the characters throughout.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this early copy in exchange for my honest review.

Interesting locked room mystery. After reading The Block Party last year, I was excited to see what Day had in store for us next. Putting all the pieces together on this one was quite a trip. Fun, quick read with a hurricane on the way! Love the storm for added suspense. Thank you for chance to review the ALC!
3.5 rounded up

One Big Happy Family was an over-the-top and entertaining thriller. The Bishop family has gathered at the coastal Maine inn they own for the reading of their late patriarch's will. A hurricane is fast approaching, and soon, the family, along with the inn's maid and a mysterious stranger she's hiding, are trapped together. Then, the bodies start to pile up.

It was quite the wild and entertaining ride as this family starts to melt down and reveal their long-buried secrets. Everyone in this was such a character, from the conspiracy-spouting eldest daughter to the creepy grandson who only speaks in rhymes.

Everything is told from the POV of Charlie, the live-in maid, which worked well in an audiobook format. I really enjoyed this one as a nice summertime diversion and recommend it to anyone who likes to escape into other's chaotic drama.

One Big Happy Family promises a lot but in the end it fails to live up to its promise. The story is set at the Precipice, a hotel in rural Maine, during Hurricane Larry and is, in effect, a locked room mystery. Although it has a couple of twists and turns, and the narrator, 19-year-old maid Charley Kelly, is a likable and reliable narrator, the story never really delivers much mystery; parts of the story verge on implausibility. Day does a good job with the setting, although in the end the hurricane's fury and damage are underplayed, but the action waxes and wanes and the thread of romance is much too obvious from the start as is the conclusion. The finger of guilt points to almost everyone at one time or another during the book, but few are credible. Worst of all was the lack of sympathy for the victims. There is more than one murder yet none of the characters waste any time thinking about, let about grieving, for them.

Saskia Maarleveld's narration is excellent and it is because of her work that I did not rate the book lower.

I hope that Day's next novel will reflect improvements in plot and character development.

Many thanks to NetGalley, St Martin's Press and Macmillan Audio for gifting me both a digital and audio ARC of the sophomore book by Jamie Day, with the audiobook wonderfully narrated by Saskia Maarleveld. All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4 stars!

Charley is the maid at a family-owned inn, The Precipice, doing whatever she can to earn enough money to pay for her grandmother's care. When the owner, George Bishop dies, his family comes to the inn for the reading of the will. Along with all the surprises the will brings, a hurricane is looming.

I was a huge fan of Day's debut, The Block Party, and enjoyed this one as well. I love a locked-room atmospheric mystery, and this one had lots of characters, each keeping secrets. I did feel it was a bit slow at times, but it still kept me intrigued. While Charley didn't always make the best of decisions, I felt for her as she was trying so hard to take care of her beloved Nana. The scenes with the two of them were heartwarming and heartbreaking. This is full of family secrets and dysfunction, enough characters to keep you guessing, and a few twists and turns along the way.

I always love having both the audio and digital versions to enable a full experience and to be able to keep with the story no matter what else I'm doing - thank you for that! The narrator did a great job with all the voices and I had no issues discerning who was who.

I'm so sad to report that this book was not my favorite.⁠
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I loved The Block Party so much so I had high hopes.
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It had the most perfect setup. An old hotel in the middle of a hurricane where family members come together to go over their father's will. The problem is that the word dysfunctional doesn't even scratch the surface for how messed up this family is.⁠ 🫣
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Sounds so good doesn't it? So where did it go wrong...⁠
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Whew. okay... first of all-- even for an empty hotel (due to the storm) there were too many people involved. I could not keep track of the sisters & their kids & how they fit into the family. Then there was the lawyer & the staff & their families.⁠ 🫠
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The book is told from Charlie (the maids) POV & so much time was spent on her life & background that I was bored before the family even arrived.
I hate to keep rambling but it just made me so sad because there was so much potential. For me, it felt like way too many storylines rolled into one. ⁠
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Bummed.⁠ 😫

I love a good locked room mystery and this one is so twisty and fun. The Maine setting adds its own haunting vibe and the house almost seems to have its own personality. I enjoyed the unreliability of the characters and the dual timelines. Oliver was fascinating and possibly my favorite character as I felt I understood him the best. The ending was surprising and I loved the redemption aspect. The audiobook is fantastic and the narration very well done. Loved it!

This was my first audiobook by Jamie Day. I had read her first book, "The Block Party" and to be honest it was better than this one. But this story held it's own for sure!

I enjoyed this quick read. It was fun and fast-moving with some twists and lots of family drama. Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan audio for the audio ARC.

I had a lot of fun with this one. It had And Then There Were None and Knives Out vibes. I was sucked in immediately and it held my attention all the way to the satisfying ending. This book definitely helped me out of my reading slump.

Every book has a dash of family drama, but when a thriller is more drama than thrills, it leaves you craving something more.

This book had a promising setup: the Bishop sisters return home to hear their father's will, with a murderer on the loose. Sounds thrilling, right? Unfortunately, it didn't live up to my expectations.

The drama took center stage, overshadowing the suspense. It left me wanting a lot more excitement. So, it's a 2.5 stars from me.

Thanks to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for the chance to listen and review this audiobook!

This book was an okay listen. The story is of a hotel in which the owner has recently passed. His 3 daughters and their families arrive, during a hurricane, to listen to the will reading and things do not go as expected. We get small glimpses of the past here and there and the reasons for their father's will decisions comes out. There's also a few murders thrown into the mix and we have no idea who is killing off people in the hotel. I don't think the twist(s) were anything jaw dropping - but others may think so.

The narration was great. I think the story was just confusing at times which is why I rated this lower.

One Big Happy Family
by Jamie Day
3.5/5 ⭐

One Big Happy Family is my second Jamie Day book. In this book, she skillfully weaves an intricate plot around a large cast of characters. The story is set in Maine, at a hotel, during a hurricane. The Bishop sisters arrive to claim their inheritance following their father's recent death. Each sister wants their fair share, but as secrets surface and guests go missing, the question of who will leave with their share of the inheritance becomes a mystery.

One Big Happy Family is a locked-door mystery. I'm usually not a fan of this type of mystery, but this one was different. It had flashbacks and side stories that kept me guessing. The book is divided into four parts, and it starts slowly, but the action picks up in parts 3 and 4. The epilogue tied up everything nicely, but it felt a bit unrealistic. If you're into a slow-burn suspenseful summer read, then this book is for you.

Thank you to @Macmillan.Audio and @netgalley for the ALC in exchange for my honest review. All my opinions are my own.
Publication Date: July 16, 2024

Thank you, NetGalley and MacMillan audio for this advanced audiobook. This was a fast and fun thriller. This was my first Jamie Day book, but it will definitely not be my last. Family drama and long buried secrets come to light while everyone is stuck at the family hotel during a big storm. Daddy has died and the 3 Bishop sisters have finally returned back to the family-owned hotel for the reading of the will. The sisters all have their secrets and they each want their due. 19-year-old Charley has worked at the hotel for 2 years already as a chambermaid and needs this job to care for her grandmother and herself. The Bishop sisters' arrival could mean the end of the hotel and Charley's job. Right before the Bishop sisters show up, a woman shows up and begs for Charley's help. Charley helps the women hide in one of the empty rooms, but if the Bishop sisters find her, will she lose her job? Then the will is read, and it is a surprise to everyone how daddy Bishop is divvying up his wealth. Now the sisters are at each other's throats. Then the first dead body is found.... Who is doing the killing and is it because they want a bigger piece of the pie? I really enjoyed this book, and I thought I guessed the ending as I was reading, but I was off on the final reveal.

This is a fun murder mystery book. It keeps you on your toes trying to follow along and figure things out!
Crazy family drama and secrets always make for an exciting read! This book has enough twists and surprises that kept me intrigued and wanting to read more! The story is well written and is a fast read.

Thank you to NetGalley for an arc audiobook of this entertaining story!

Macmillan Audio ALC One Big Happy Family is an easily bingeable summer thriller perfect for the poolside reading. At first, I wondered if this would feel too Molly the Maid - but it didn’t. There’s lots of mystery, some shady characters, and a hurricane that felt like its own character. I love a locked room mystery and rich people behaving badly and this book delivered. The author built the suspense so well with different red herrings, and had a short flashback that helped bring it all together.
Saskia Maarleveld always does a fantastic job! Her performances capture each character and make it easy to keep everyone straight.

I received a gifted audiobook copy of ONE BIG HAPPY FAMILY by Jamie Day from Macmillan Audio!

ONE BIG HAPPY FAMILY is set at The Precipice, a family owned hotel on the coast of Maine. An approaching hurricane has left the hotel empty of guests, but nothing will stop the Bishop sisters from coming to claim the property after the death of their father. For Charley, the hotel’s young chambermaid, the sisters’ arrival has her on edge. She’s barely been making ends meet to support her grandmother’s specialized housing for dementia, and she needs the work and the opportunity to lift a little extra cash off the guests. In more bad timing, she’s taken in a woman on the run who needs a place to hide and this could all spell disaster.

I’m sure no one will be surprised to learn that the Bishop family is not exactly a happy one! I really enjoyed getting to know the sisters through Charley’s POV initially. She’s in a tough spot, worried for her job and really hoping to learn that the women who will control the hotel’s fate will be good to her. Unfortunately, the women who arrive at the house are not in the best of moods and relationships and there is much to fear for Charley. I did really feel for her and loved seeing her devotion to her grandmother.

I thought the author did a good job of making slow reveals throughout the book and keeping the pacing up as well. I was able to fly through the audiobook within a single day because it kept me wanting to listen! I would recommend this to those who enjoy adults behaving badly and a twisty ride!