4/5

For fans of: For fans of: Knives Out, dark academia, love triangles, riddles, found families, family secrets, brothers, complicated families

The Big Questions:

• What genre is this in? Young Adult fiction, mystery, thriller

• Are there any swoon-worthy characters? All the Hawthorne boys are tall, rich, handsome, and wickedly smart

• Is it spicy? Some hot kisses, but that’s it

• Is it violent or gory? Not at all

• Should I buy, borrow, or pass on this book? If you are a fan of the Hawthornes, buy it!

Synopsis: Grayson Hawthorne was raised as the heir apparent to his billionaire grandfather, taught from the cradle to put family first. Now the great Tobias Hawthorne is dead and his family disinherited, but some lessons linger. When Grayson’s half-sisters find themselves in trouble, he swoops in to do what he does best: take care of the problem—efficiently, effectively, mercilessly. And without getting bogged down in emotional entanglements.
 
Jameson Hawthorne is a risk-taker, a sensation-seeker, a player of games. When his mysterious father appears and asks for a favor, Jameson can’t resist the challenge. Now he must infiltrate London’s most exclusive underground gambling club, which caters to the rich, the powerful, and the aristocratic, and win an impossible game of greatest stakes. Luckily, Jameson Hawthorne lives for impossible.
 
Drawn into twisted games on opposite sides of the globe, Grayson and Jameson—with the help of their brothers and the girl who inherited their grandfather’s fortune—must dig deep to decide who they want to be and what each of them will sacrifice to win.

Review: The Hawthornes are back with two adventures full of twists, turns, and games. First, lets get the bad out of the way. Not gonna lie, the pacing of these stories was off and it mainly has to do with balancing two stories that really have nothing to do with each other. I was far more enamored with Jameson’s story than with Grayson’s. Jameson’s had more action, more mystery, more moving parts, and more tension. Grayson’s definitely had more emotion, family dynamics, and more focus on character, but juxtaposed to Jameson’s and it felt a bit on the boring side.

On to the good stuff, I love the new characters in both stories. I won’t spoil it, but both Jameson and Grayson’s extended family come into play for both good and bad. Growth for both characters is the main focus in their stories as they navigate who they are outside of their grandfather’s shadow and I definitely enjoyed the conundrums they wrestled with as independent young men finding their way in the world with no expectations from anyone other than themselves.

On to the games and the stakes because this is about the Hawthornes after all. These games are twisted, but I definitely had more fun in Europe with Jameson and Avery. Secret night clubs, fancy horse races, and a prize bigger than the Hawthorne Mansion itself, Jameson’s story was such a treat. Back stateside, Grayson’s game is far more personal and with far more to lose. His game of staying one step ahead of his half-sisters while he solves the mystery his father left and also protecting his half-sisters from the truth was endearing to watch. He really is such a control freak with a heart of gold and the biggest resolve to protect his family no matter what. He really is my favourite Hawthorne even if I find him the most boring. All that to say, I hope he gets his happy ending someday.