MEH!~ Thank you St. Martin’s Press for this digital ARC. This book Just didn't do it for me. This was the first book I read by this author, and I was just not impressed. I did see a lot of rave reviews about Day's The Block party. So, I am willing to give this author a chance again.

Probably the strongest part of this book was the setting. The author did a good job incorporating the isolated setting and providing descriptions that created a solid atmosphere. The book was divided into four sections, with one of the sections solely dedicated to backstories of the sisters. I don’t think this was the best choice – while it helped to show why the sisters didn’t get along and what possible motivations they could have had for being awful, it drastically slowed down the primary plot.

The biggest part of what didn’t work for me with this one is the characters. Charley was the only one that felt somewhat realistic and developed. The remaining characters were cartoonish and painfully OTT, which was unfortunate as they were a big focus of the book. I honestly rarely guess where books are going, but to me, the solution of this one was painfully obvious. I didn’t know all the ins-and-outs of the motivation right away, but they were easy to guess as the book went along. And thankfully, due to the villain’s monologue the end, anything that may not have been perfectly clear was reiterated in a long, drawn-out explanation.

This one just wasn’t for me, though if you like slow murder mysteries in isolated settings you might enjoy this one. My thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for allowing me to read this work, which will be published July 16. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

The twists and turns in this story keep you turning pages. It's amazing how convoluted families can get and how secrets have tendency to come out.

“One Big Happy Family” by Jamie Day
A Stormy Weekend
This is probably a great read for the right reader. Alas, I was not the right reader at least not when I read it. Thus the 3-star okay read rating. There are a lot of interesting past events playing roles in this current stormy weekend. They should have held my interest but I kept finding myself doing long blinks and suddenly realizing my eyes were closed. Have fun finding out who did what when, where and how. Happy Reading ! !
Note: This review expresses my honest opinion.

The Drama!!!
This read was as chaotic as it could possibly get, the family drama was rampant throughout! Seriously love the title because it’s so ironic since there was no happiness anywhere near this family. There was a ton of characters and none of them could be liked or trusted.
Loved the setting, there’s just something about a hotel in Maine placed nicely at the edge of a cliff with a deadly storm approaching that just gets me in the mood.
The whodunnit was predictable. Caught many of the twists early on and I didn’t care much for the romance that I knew was going to happen but I was there for the drama and it delivered plenty of that.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫/5

Thank you to @stmartinspress and @netgalley for the ARC, opinion is my own.

I love a good locked room thriller, and this one hit the spot. Fast paced, thrilling, and multiple characters trapped in a hotel in a major storm, wrapped together, create this magnificent story. Three sisters are hiding secrets as they return to their family’s hotel, but their secrets bring those around them danger instead of questions.

While a little predictable, this was a fun read! Plenty of suspenseful family drama that keeps you on the edge of your seat in your typical "whodunit" fashion. I liked the alternating timelines that provided more in-depth backgrounds of the characters and made for quick pacing of the story. Thanks so much for the ARC!

Charley has been a live in maid at The Precipice on the coast of Maine ever since her single mother died and her grandmother began developing dementia. The lecherous owner of the inn has passed away and now his three daughters, the dysfunctional Bishop sisters are coming for the reading of the will. With all of them hiding secrets, including Charley, and a hurricane fast approaching, the situation for Charley is made worse when a young woman hiding from an abusive boyfriend shows up penniless seeking refuge. What could possibly go wrong in this suspenseful thriller from the author of The Block Party?

There are twists and turns here in this toxic family drama, some of them predictable. The story unfolds in four parts, with different timelines and points of view, providing backstories for the various characters. All of the sisters and even the family attorney who turns up are pretty despicable. Atmospheric, eerie and with twisted characters, this was a fast read.

Was a very good whodunnit type murder mystery that reminded me a lot of the movie “clue”. Rated 4 out of 5 stars. I liked how everything came together at the end and tied loose ends up.

“One Big Happy Family”, by Jamie Day falls short of the standard set by her acclaimed debut, 'The Block Party'. The story follows Charley, a struggling employee at The Precipice Hotel, whose life takes a tumultuous turn with the death of the hotel's owner, George Bishop. With the arrival of Bishop's three daughters - Vicki, Faith, and Iris - the hotel is swept into a whirlwind of excitement and challenges. However, amidst the drama, it becomes apparent that these sisters are anything but harmonious.

While the novel starts with promise, I found it unnecessarily lengthy. The initial intrigue waned halfway through, and the plot became predictable, diminishing the suspense that a thriller should maintain. Additionally, the extensive backstories of each character, while usually enjoyable, contributed to the book's excessive length, detracting from its pacing.

Despite my disappointment, I remain hopeful for Day's future works. While 'One Big Happy Family' didn't meet my expectations, I acknowledge the author's talent and look forward to seeing her refine her storytelling in future endeavors."

Many thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Jamie Day for an Advanced Reader Copy.

After George Bishop passes, his three daughters return to the family owned Precipe Hotel for the reading of their
father's will. Charley Kelley, a nineteen year old chambermaid, wonders what will happen with her job which she
needs to support her grandmother. She is also hiding a young woman from an abusive boyfriend. What will
happen when the sisters discover the young woman's presence. An impending hurricane isolates all at the
hotel as one of the sister's husband is murdered and family secrets are revealed. Will help arrive before someone else dies?
#OneBigHappyFamily #StMartinsPress #NetGalley

I love a good thriller, and this definitely was. Charley is working as a maid at The Precipice hotel, trying to make ends meet, pay for her grandmother’s assisted living and avoid the hands of her creeper boss, George.

Then George dies, a hurricane is looming, and his daughters arrive, families in tow, for the reading of the will. Throw in a lawyer and a woman on the run from her abusive boyfriend and the stage is set for chaos. And everyone’s got secrets and things to be guilty about.

Thanks to NetGalley for the advance copy of One Big Happy Family. As Hurricane Larry bears down on the Precipice Hotel in Maine, the family is gathering to hear the reading of their father’s will. The hotel is in the capable hands of Rodrigo, the front desk manager, Charley, the maid, and Olga, the long-time cook. Charley is the narrator of the story. She is in desperate need of earnings in order to take care of her Nana who is in a long-term care facility, whose rates are rising. She lives at the hotel in a converted closet. With the death of George Bishop, the owner, she is unsure of her future as the three Bishop daughters may determine her fate once the will has been read. Complicating the events, Charley has agreed to harbor Bree, someone who showed up at the hotel seeking shelter fleeing her abusive boyfriend. No sooner have the Bishops, mates, grandsons, and the family attorney have arrived on scene before one of the group is found dead. The tale spins out from there.

The family is quite dysfunctional, not all likable, adding to the twists in the story. There are back stories galore. It was an enjoyable read with a setting and circumstance that are atmospheric. Charley is a sympathetic character who you root for. It felt as if the book was trying to accomplish a lot and felt a little long.

Really enjoyed this dark, summer suspense novel. Charley is a housekeeper for the Precipice Inn. She isn’t thrilled with her job, but it helps her support her grandmother’s care at a nursing facility. Her grandmother no longer recognizes her, but Charley’s love for her is deep and unconditional and why she put up with the Inn’s predatory owner, who has recently passed. Now, the three sisters who will inherit the Inn are converging to hear the will read at the same time a hurricane is bearing down on the area as well. Thus, we create a situation where all our characters are trapped at the Inn and lies, betrayals and dysfunction will boil over. Loved the story though I couldn’t connect with the characters on a deep level.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martins Press for the ARC for my honest opinion.

One Big Happy Family had me in it's clutches from the first chapter. The book is about Charley, a 19 year old maid at The Precipice. She has worked and lived there for a year. She's great at being invisible and hearing everything. She loves being a part of The Precipice.

The hotel is a grand building that stands alone on the seaside cliffs of Maine. with its interior so eclectic, it puts antique shops to shame. The Bishop sisters grew up living on the top floor of The Precipice. They share many great memories there as children, until they start to grow older and become estranged from one another and their family. When their father, and owner of The Precipice dies, and the daughters, their spouses and children have to come back for the will reading. As they trickle into the hotel, hurricane Larry is approaching, and is predicted to be a disastrous one. Unexpectedly, the will reading doesn't go as they would have liked. All hell breaks lose as tempers flair and questions are left unanswered. Shorty after the will is read and everyone is already in a tizzy, the lights go out, and one of the attendees at the will reading dies. Who is the killer? They can't possibly stay in the hotel with a murder, but they have to, because hurricane Larry is there in full force and they can not leave.

One Big Happy Family had me locked-in The Precipice right with Charley and the Bishops. There was so much going on and so many twists, it had me thinking everyone was the suspect. This mutli-POV and time jumping thriller was pretty easy to stay on track. Each POV was very distinctly different from the others and the backstory of the sisters was a great addition to letting us know why the Bishop sisters hated going back to The Precipice. This was my first Jamie Day novel and it won't be my last.

Thank you to St Martins Press @StMartinsPress and Netgalley @Netgalley for this e-arc. All thoughts are my own.



With the recent death of their father, the Bishop sisters have come to their small family owned hotel for the weekend to claim what is rightfully theirs. But there’s a hurricane coming, and their all-hiding things.

Each sister, including the nineteen-year-old chambermaid Charley. Charley is unsure what’s going to happen now that her employer has passed.

When the storm hits, and secrets start to come out, danger is lurking around every corner.


I really enjoyed The Block Party last year, so I was very excited to get approved for an arc of this domestic thriller. As I started reading, I learned that this was more of domestic suspense and slow paced. I don’t mind domestic suspense every now and again, but I do need the book to be quick paced and engaging. I struggled with this one because not only was the pacing slow, but the main character was downright frustrating, and quite a few of the bigger reveals were easily predictable. The main character seemed to trusting, to me she felt more juvenile than she was portrayed. I don’t think the author explored this enough to fully explain it. One thing I loved however, was how moody the book felt. I’ve never experienced a hurricane, but this book made me feel like I was experiencing it with the characters, right alongside them.

While this wasn’t my favorite book, I will continue to read books by this author.

One Big Happy family is the definition of dysfunctional family. Charley works as a live-in maid at The Precipice, a hotel on the outskirts of a small town along the Maine coast. The longtime owner, George Bishop, was a man of eclectic taste and the hotel reflects his interest creating a charm that draws in a steady crowd of visitors. George recently passed away and his daughters are all coming in town for the reading of the will. One issue, a hurricane is due to make landfall at the same time. Not to mention these sisters all have secrets, hidden agendas and a lot of resentment. Charley finds herself caught in the middle of the Bishop Sisters' drama as well as her own issues. Throw in that approaching hurricane what could possibly go wrong?

This was such an atmospheric read. I loved the vibes of an old inn but not having the forced isolation. The characters are all well written with so many layers to pull back. There were times I thought I had figured out the twists, in some cases I was right but others caught me off guard. The pace was perfect to draw the reader in and keep us wanting more without getting bored. The highs of tense situations and the lows of personal struggles and demons really pulls you into the story and doesn't let go.

If you are looking for a fun, slightly dark vibe definitely check out One Big Happy Family. I was so excited to get this ARC having been lucky enough to read Jamie's pervious release The Blocks Party. Thank you Jamie Day, Net Galley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read!

One Big Happy Family is essentially a summer time read. After the death of their father three sisters come back to the hotel he owned on the coast of Maine.
Soon the sisters are each revealed to have secrets that are dangerous.

This is enough of a mystery but not too hard boiled - great to read while you work on your tan

"One Big Happy Family" by Jamie Day is a gripping tale of family secrets, betrayal, and the lengths to which one will go to protect what they hold dear.

Set against the backdrop of the legendary Precipice hotel on the rocky coast of Maine, the novel follows the Bishop sisters—Iris, Vicki, and Faith—as they converge on the hotel following the passing of their father. With a hurricane looming on the horizon and each sister harboring dangerous secrets of their own, tensions run high as the fate of the Precipice hangs in the balance.

Day masterfully weaves together multiple storylines, from the power struggles among the Bishop sisters to the precarious situation of the hotel's chambermaid, Charley Kelley. Smart, resilient, and older than her years, Charley finds herself caught in the crossfire as the secrets of the Bishop sisters threaten to unravel the very fabric of her life.

As the storm rages outside, tensions inside the Precipice reach a boiling point, and Day keeps readers on the edge of their seats with twists and turns that will leave them guessing until the very end. With its atmospheric setting and richly drawn characters, "One Big Happy Family" is a suspenseful page-turner that will keep readers hooked from start to finish.

But beyond its thrilling plot, the novel also delves into deeper themes of family, loyalty, and the consequences of deception. As the Bishop sisters grapple with their own demons and Charley fights to protect her secrets, "One Big Happy Family" serves as a powerful reminder that sometimes the ties that bind us can also be the ones that tear us apart.

With its compelling storyline, vivid imagery, and unforgettable characters, "One Big Happy Family" is a must-read for fans of suspense and family drama alike. Day's skillful storytelling and masterful pacing make this novel an absolute delight to read, leaving readers eagerly awaiting her next literary offering.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and publisher for an advanced copy to review for my honest opinion.

With the perfect setting of a hurricane. The sense of war voting was pending from the beginning. I loved loved this book. Love anything about the coast of Maine. Family relationships. Believable real characters could not put this book down. Thank you so much NetGalley and publisher for providing the advanced copy to me.