2/5

The Big Questions:

• What genre is this in? YA mystery thriller

• Are there any swoon-worthy characters? The Hawthornes and Avery of course

• Is it spicy? Nope

• Is it violent or gory? Nope

• Should I buy, borrow, or pass on this book? PASS

Review: I love the original series and I was so looking forward to this spinoff, but this was a MASSIVE disappointment. I miss the dynamic of the Hawthorne brothers and Avery, the mysteries of their extended family, and the fast pace of the plot. This was just…not it. The plot was convoluted even for a Hawthorne story and yet, it went nowhere. The romances were unconvincing and felt totally forced. This is not how you do rivals to lovers. There are way too many characters and I care for none of them. Every competitor was either annoying, frustrating, or straight up insufferable, including Grayson. I don’t care about their connections to each other at all or what happens next. I will not be continuing the series.