I love a locked room thriller and Hurricane Larry traps housemaid Charlie and new owners The Bishop sisters in their boutique hotel

I enjoyed getting to know Charlie and had a lot of empathy for her situation with nana Kelly - the writing was well paced and got the story moving which I appreciated

Once the sisters arrive, it’s clear there’s a lot of secrets and lies and no love lost. However, flashbacks divulged the secrets, so that when discoveries were made in the present day, it wasn’t surprising - I’m not sure why it was written this way - felt kinda anticlimactic

The story is told through the maid’s point of view and even though we get to know the sisters, I never felt like I could get emotionally attached - they’re also incredibly unlikable and full of spite and loathing for each other

When the surprise reveals come I felt a little disappointed as I was able to predict the twists

Overall, although this is a fun, light popcorn read, it wasn’t suspenseful enough for me

Thanks to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for access to this audiobook ARC in exchange for my honest review

Ya'll. This book wasn't just a roller coaster. It was riding a roller coaster, then going on the tilt-a-whirl, and ending at the haunted house. I loved every bit of it. Also, as a Mainer, this author has to be from Maine. She was so, so. so spot-on. A lot of novels are set "in Maine" but don't capture what its like to really live here, and that, yes, there are other coastal towns other than Portland or some other made up coastal town where the wealthy come to summer. I love that this one was set in Washington County, and the research that the author did into the landscapes, the people, even the LAWS and levels of law enforcement was super impressive. How could I give this brilliant novel anything less than five stars!?

Charley Kelley is a live-in maid at the costal Precipice Hotel in Jonesport, Maine. She works at the hotel so she can support her aging grandmother's living expenses. After the death of George Bishop, the predatory boss who owns the hotel, his three daughters, Iris, Vicki, and Faith, come to the Precipice for the reading of the will. Horrible timing for Charley to take in Bree, a girl fleeing her abusive boyfriend, and try to hide her in the hotel. With the Bishop sisters, comes a once in a generation hurricane that locks all of the guests of the Precipice in the hotel. When the will reading goes sideways, it's every Bishop sister for themselves, and there's more than a few murders on the horizon.

The twists are a plenty and the craziness of the Bishop sisters is boundless, although I have to say Vicki takes the cake.

Such a good read. I'm a fan of Day's writing and will be back for her next book. I also LOOOOVED the narrator. She was superb.

Five stars. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

One Big Happy Family by Jamie Day is an entertaining thriller! It is a kind of book you would want to take with you on a beach vacation. It has all of that vacation aesthetic and lots of twists and turns. I thought it was quite interesting and well-written. I bit quirky with the characters as not all of it was believable. But I enjoyed it, even though I guessed the main twist pretty early on. It was a solid 4 in my opinion!

3.5 ⭐️ rounded down.

I’m going back and forth between rating this a 3 or 4. I really with Goodreads and other platforms would give a better rating system!

I am so thankful to have gotten the audio-ARC for free from Netgalley and Macmillan audio so I can leave my voluntary and honest review.

This is a “locked room” type mystery which I always have loved reading. The characters are trapped in a hotel in Maine during a hurricane. They are left stranded with no internet or cell service and someone is murdering folks.

The narrator is ok. At times she gets on my nerves but those moments end up being fleeting thankfully. She does read swiftly where I actually checked to see if I was listening at a sped up rate but I wasn’t.

For the prose itself. The story was good. It had some twists and turns. Some predictable and some not. The cast of characters was quirky and varied. However, some of the dialogue was really cheesy. I had one too many eye rolls which is what made me have trouble settling on a rating.

Overall the author does a decent job. Many people mention her debut novel The Block Party which I have not read so I came to this one a virgin of the author. I do think I’ll seal her out in the future and maybe even read the physical book as it may be a better experience for me.

The book gets published on July 16th 2024.
My rating system since GoodReads doesn’t have partial stars and I rarely round up.

⭐️ Hated it
⭐️⭐️ Had a lot of trouble, prose issues, really not my cup of tea (potentially DNF’d or thought about it)
⭐️⭐️⭐️ Meh, it was an ok read but nothing special
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Really enjoyed it! Would recommend to others
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Outstanding! Will circle back and read again

The setting is the Precipice Hotel on the rocky coast of Maine. Hurricane Larry is beating at the door and there are no guests at the famed hotel, only the immediate family as they gather to hear the last will and testament of their late father and owner of the hotel along with one lone staff member and the young woman she’s hiding from an abusive relationship. As the hurricane nears it’s not the only thing the guests need to worry about. When one of them is murdered it suddenly changes everything about the weekend. Cryptic messages start appearing and none of them are safe. As the family secrets are divulged, each one worse than the last, we quickly learn there’s no fun in this family’s dysfunction! As the visit unfolds, Charley (the maid) delves deep to unravel the family dynamics and hidden secrets all why trying to save herself from the evil within the Precipice walls. This book was over the top! With each soap operatic turn the story becomes more and more unbelievable, but as a read/listen the narrator brought the story to life and it was still an entertaining book. Thank you to St. Martin’s Press, Macmillan Audio and Netgalley for an ARC and ALC of this book

"One Big Happy Family" by Jamie Day left me thoroughly unimpressed and disengaged. The novel attempts to weave together multiple convoluted storylines that end up feeling like a messy jumble rather than a cohesive narrative. Each so-called "shocking revelation" falls flat, contributing to the overall absurdity that bored me to no end.

The book introduces a plethora of disparate elements—from impending hurricanes to familial conflicts, murder mysteries, drug use, and more—without effectively integrating them into a meaningful plot. Characters stumble through their lives with unrealistic actions and motivations, making it impossible to empathize or root for anyone.

The romance subplot between the handsome man and the poor maid feels contrived and lacks any genuine emotional depth. Instead of building genuine connections between characters, the narrative relies on tired clichés and unbelievable twists that further detract from any semblance of realism.

By the time I reached the conclusion, I felt relieved more than satisfied. The characters' lack of development and their increasingly unbelievable behavior left me indifferent to their fates. In fact, the characters seemed to grow more detestable with each passing chapter, leaving me with no one to genuinely care about or support.

Overall, "One Big Happy Family" failed to deliver on its promise of intrigue and drama, leaving me disappointed and eager to move on to a more fulfilling read. If you're seeking a compelling story with relatable characters and a coherent plot, I'd recommend looking elsewhere.

What an exhilarating ride! I have never been as captivated by a story as I was by this book! This book is absolutely incredible!

Three sisters, Iris, Vicki, and Faith, inherit a family-owned hotel called The Precipice in Maine after their father's passing. They each have their own secrets. The arrival of the sisters puts the chambermaid, Charley Kelley, in a difficult position as she tries to keep her own secrets hidden. With a hurricane looming, there is murder in the air and not everyone who checks in will check out. Jamie Day delivers a thrilling and suspenseful story with twists and turns.

I was completely engrossed in the book, breaking it down section by section to fully grasp every detail. While some parts were predictable, others took me by surprise in the best way possible.

I couldn't press pause! The narrator did an outstanding job of drawing me in from the very beginning. Her voice added a sense of drama and anticipation that kept me hooked. I even neglected my responsibilities just to listen to this book in one day!

I've seen some mixed reviews, but maybe this book is just meant to be experienced as an audiobook. The lengthy explanations were so much more engaging when heard aloud. I was completely swept away by this listening experience and felt deeply connected to Charley. Life may not have been fair to her, but I was rooting for a better outcome to change her life. Both the author and the narrator did an outstanding job. They have truly won me over!

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for my ARC copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Fantastic novel, I absolutely loved it! I was hooked from the get go and would highly recommend it to those who like mystery/thriller books. The amount of detail put into the setting is amazing, the reader/listener can easily picture and feel the emotions the characters are feeling. The characters are very unique and have a lot to offer. The information provided about them is greatly appreciated to help the reader/listener understand their emotions and their decisions. With that being said, Jamie keeps things interesting. I would highly recommend this author and narrator and look forward to more publications. Once you start reading this book, you won't want to put it down since you'll want answers!

I know that I shouldn't judge one book based on another, but I truly enjoyed the twists and turns in Day's last book and was looking forward to more of the same in One Big Happy Family. Day did a great job again with the atmosphere in this book - a remote hotel in Maine with a hurricane heading toward it that is also hosting the reading of a will from the recently deceased owner for his dysfunctional family and the staff of the hotel. Charley, the maid and main character, was likable enough, but for a hard-scrabble girl was way too trusting and made some ridiculous choices. The sisters were all completely unlikable, though that isn't always a bad thing in a locked-room mystery, so the neatly wrapped up, sunshine and flowers epilogue felt completely wrong. I did enjoy the narrator throughout, even when the story was a bit rough. Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the early listen in exchange for my honest opinion.

I listened to this one. I thought the narrator did a great job and I enjoyed the book. I thought the author did a great job with the character development - especially the maid, Charley. I did enjoy the first half of the book more than the second half, however. I thought it became a little predictable towards the end.

One personal pet peeve of mine - why do women have to judge other women for having Botox? It seems like it is in all of the recent books.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ARC!

We love a thriller set in “nowhere” Maine. Being from Maine myself I found the description on point and so thoroughly enjoyed the twists and turns in plot. An avid audiobook listener, narrator choice is important and she nailed it!

Stop what you are doing and add this to your TBR list right now!!!
I am very lucky to have been chosen to receive an ARC of this book!!! Wow!! Talk about a fun roller coaster of a time!! This had my heart pounding and I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough. So many twists I never saw coming.

Reading Between the Wines book review #57/130 for 2024:
Rating: 3 ½ 🍷 🍷 🍷
Book: One Big Happy Family
Author: Jamie Day
Available now!

Sipping thoughts: This was a nice, one-setting story with lies, secrets, and murder. I liked the story but felt it was a tad bit predictable. I loved the sister rivalry and couldn’t wait to find out what happened in the past and why they were acting devious in the present. I think this read is a good, quick summer read.

Cheers and thank you to @MacmillanAudio and @Netgalley for an advanced copy of @OneBigHappyFamily.

#OneBigHappyFamily #JamieDay #StMartinsPress #NetGalley #advancedreadercopy #ARC #Kindle #Booksofinstagram #readersofinstagram #bookstagram #nicoles_bookcellar #bookworm #bookdragon #booknerd #booklover #bookstagrammer #bookaholic #bookreview #bookreviewer #IHaveNoShelfControl #ReadingBetweenTheWines #fiction #thriller #suspense #mystery #MysteryAndThrillers #GeneralFictionAdult

One Big Happy Family" by Jamie Day is an average read. It was okay, but lacked something just a little different to make it stand out. For those seeking something fresh and innovative, it might fall a bit short. Overall, it's an okay read, but nothing groundbreaking.

As the Bishop sisters come to the Precipice Hotel after the death of their father, they unearth long buried secrets. Maid Charley unfortunately gets caught in all of the crosshairs.

This was a fun thriller that has a lot of twists! Here's what I loved:

Charley: she was a great character to follow because she's so likable. You get engrossed with her story as much as the story of the sisters. She's had a lot of trauma and is still working through a lot of it. I also liked the little romance aspect with her and one of the sister's sons.

The setting: This hotel was a perfect locked room setting. With a storm coming in, all of the characters are stuck in the hotel, allowing all of the drama to unfold without a way of escaping.

The sections: Day breaks the narrative a few times to go back in time and give you the sister's backstory. This help break up some of the tension and reveal things at the perfect moments.

The narration: Saskia Maarleveld does an amazing job with this one! She has different voices for all of the characters and really pulls you into the story.

All in all, this is a perfect locked door thriller that will keep you guessing.

Thank you to the author and publisher for the gifted copy!

One big DRAMA filled family. It was a slow start but once it got going it got really good! I loved the closed door mystery aspect to this story. The narration was good and easy on the ears.

I did not enjoy this book. At first it seemed interesting but I didn't like the way it was written and I quickly lost interest at the 1/2 mark.

Reminded me of the maid. I did enjoy the story but really struggled to get through the middle of the book. The end was tied up nicely. Thank you NetGalley for this arc

I wasn’t sure if I would like book but I really enjoyed it!! This story had the perfect amount of chaos, death, lies, and family drama. The middle was a little slow but picked up and the ending of the book was great! I was looking for an engaging and easy thriller, and this book definitely delivered! The audiobook was perfect and I loved the narrator.

I expected to like this one but then I ended up loving it! I don't want to spoil anything. The narration was perfect! I loved all the characters. I loved how awful Todd was! I loved the kids and all the sisters and the sister in law. It was pure drama and chaos. Our main girl is fantastic and relateable and I learned some cleaning tips too.
There is a lot to this book. It was amazing.