This book kept me intrigued and guessing what the big bomb was going to be dropped by Jillian. Definitely a fun book to read to sus out who did what. Lots of family drama like Knives out.

Thoughts
I love a good drama and this opened on a note that hinted we were in for a high-stakes family drama a la the Van der Woodsens or Waldorfs of the world. But it didn’t quite deliver those promises by the time I hit the last 50 pages mark.

What I liked
First, let’s talk about what I loved. The opening 20% of the book leaves us in the dark on what exactly happened before the story begins. This secrecy really kept me on my toes because, clearly, something very bad happened and someone needed to pay. Heavily. This is a story about a family of con artists, after all. Normalcy and humility are simply not in their vocabulary. I really enjoyed the quick wit and sass of the main characters. (Anika and Aunt Patricia were my favorites and I really wanted to get more story on their roles and pasts!) They really captured my attention and made me wonder who’s side to take!

What went wrong
But.. things started to crumble quickly. At its core, this book has great plot and dialogue. But what made it miss it’s mark, imo, is that by the 60% point, nothing of note had happened and the genre tropes we were promised in the synopsis and advertising for the book were very clearly missing (I went in expecting major crime, heists, even murder, etc). This isn’t an Oceans 8 family nor do we ever see the actual high-stakes situations we were promised come to fruition… things just fizzle out and a lot of threats and promises ended up being empty or conveniently stopped. The resulting conflicts fizzle out in anticlimactic ways and a romantic subplot develops seemingly out of nowhere (which I felt really didn’t belong and distracted from what could have been a great story focusing on Jillian and her family and their decisions between betrayal or loyalty.) The romance just didn't fit. I think if it had been paced differently, there might have been room for it to fit naturally, but as it stands, the romance felt out of place and distracting from what we all picked the book up for.

In the end, we’re really left with a story that started strong but didn’t quite deliver in the end as far as high-stakes conflict. Bickering, gossip, and snark? We got a perfect amount! Just not enough of the stuff that I picked the book up for in the first place. I think the major error here wasn’t the writing itself per se, the marketing just really didn’t match what was actually in the book, so my expectations weren't met and couldn't possibly be because it was simply inaccurate. The drama was still incredibly fun and very juicy, so I did have an easy time reading. I just ended up being disappointed that we didn’t get show-stopping plot twist ending. 🤷🏼‍♀️

Rating
I give this one 3 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️
While it didn’t quite deliver on what I expected, I did have fun and felt like it was definitely an enjoyable and quick read. I'd give this one a chance if you're a fan of anything contemporary and dramatic! (If you enjoy shows like Gossip Girl, Dynasty, Knives Out, etc. This might be a book for you!)

*3.5

I enjoyed this enough I guess. I liked the story but it feels weird that the publisher is avon when this is not a romance. It's about a girl who just got out of prison figuring out how to get her family under control. The romance with her bodyguard was cute but it wasn't the main focus.

I received an arc through netgalley.

As always, much thanks to NetGalley and Avon books for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
If you can't resist a mystery thriller set amongst a pit-of-vipers family, all of whom are up to no good to varying degrees, welcome to the Moorewood clan.
As an extended shady gang of conniving grifters, these familial sociopaths specialize in marrying wealthy heirs and heiresses, with a cold eye centered on their victims' bank accounts. Jillian, one of their few non-psychopathic members, made a futile demand for them to give up the grifts and go legit. For her troubles, one of them anonymously set her up for an FBI arrest, resulting in a grueling, miserable prison stretch of almost 3 years.
Out on parole, Jillian's back and seething with a vengeful agenda to thwart all the family's illegalities.....control their money, claim ownership of their mansion home and thwart their newest two grifts to marry into separate fabulously wealthy families.
But the Moorewoods aren't likely to take Jillian's 'go-legit-or-or-else' demand sitting down. When mysterious, murderous 'accidents' begin to befall her, her few family allies supply Jillian with hunky bodyguard Beck.......and a predictable but still amusing slow burn romance simmers while literally everybody's deepest family secrets start coming out.
While the set-up seemed to promise a deliciously dark comedy, I felt surprised to find the book spent more time on the soap opera conniving and the all too serious drama of the Moorewoods' dysfunctional family histories. True, there a good amount of wit in many of the dialogue exchanges, but the 'Knives Out' type laughs, if that's what your expected, don't occur with any frequency. And Jillian, along with the storyline, both take an awful long time to finally get where they're going.
Even with the dawdling plot, the chapters do zip along fast enough. Plus, I'm right there for any book that offers the fun of watching a sprawling household of toxic rascals meet their match. Best saved for a warm lazy spring afternoon.....or even the beach.

Moorewood Family Rules is a unique family drama but it also reminds me of so many of my favorite binge worthy shows like Bloodline, The Sopranos and even Yellowstone! I loved the relationships between all of the family members.
My favorite part of the book was definitely the very beginning. I mean, who wouldn't want to start revenge by crashing a party on a helicopter?! Talk about an attention getter.
The conversation and banter is so well-written in this book that you literally feel like you are in the room with the characters.
When Jillian gets out of prison to cover for her family's messed up schemes, she's mad. Like really mad and who can blame her? She wants the family to be decent people; not a family of con-artists. But thanks to her, they are going to eventually get what’s coming to them with Jillian as the smart female lead as the mastermind behind her own elaborate heist! It's not a serious read despite serious topic matters but more of a romcom. Super fun!
Thanks to Avon and Harper Voyager and NetGalley for the ARC!

Jillian Moorewood is home after spending three years in prison to protect her con artist family. Hoping that they had finally gone legit, but not surprised that they hadn’t. She knows and expects that they will revolt, but not that they might try to kill her. When her business manager (whom she does trust) hires her a bodyguard, he is nothing like what she expected, but he sure is something! Beckett Gabriel Romer, aka Beck, is not just a security specialist, but owns the company. He slowly gains the entire picture of what her families’ plans are for Jillian and her money. When she needs a confident, he is there and when she needs a lover, he is also there. Will Jillian be able to remove her family from HER home without anyone, especially her, dying? A little confusing at times due to the various characters and their plans to rid themselves of Jillian, but altogether an amusing story. I received an advance review copy at no cost and without obligation for an honest review. (paytonpuppy)

Predictable and slightly annoying at times with unlikable characters. Some funny moments but repetitive.

Thank you Avon and Netgalley for a gifted copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Overall, I enjoyed Moorewood Family Rules! The premise was really interesting and not something I've seen done a lot before. I also liked how there was a romance plot line woven throughout the book, although it felt EXTREMELY rushed.

I found the family dynamics interesting, but I did find myself getting frustrated at the main character, Jillian, and all that she continued to put up with from her family instead of kicking them out from day one.

This book didn't blow me away, but it was an entertaining, quick read that I think others will enjoy!

This was fun to read. I liked the family drama but found some of the twists a little predictable. I wish it was a little more heist centric or you got to see the family pull off a good con before they had to go legit. The love story aspect also came out of nowhere and didn't seem to fully fit? But this was a good escapist read that I had fun reading.

LOVED THIS BOOK! It was exactly the type of book I didn’t know I needed in my life! It is about a family of conartists, who don’t seem to know when to stop. Jillian gets sent to prison for helping cover up her families assets. When she gets out, her family is surprised to see her, and not all that keen about it. Jillian wants them to go legitimate, which they have no intention of doing. She throws bombshells their way, and comes off as a boss bitch! I really enjoyed the banter, and how the story wrapped up. I would love to see more books about this dysfunctional family. I think they could make a great series! Maybe even as a limited tv show option!

3.5 stars

Jillian Moorewood is back home after her time in prison. She took the fall to protect her family. As part of the deal, Jillian’s family of con artists were to go legit. However, the family has continued their conning ways. With the help of some allies and a bodyguard, can Jillian really change her family’s ways?

This book is full of eccentric family members that bring the humor and drama to the story with their continued hijinks. As Jillian struggles with her family; she is also struggling to find her new role in the family and what she wants in life.

With a touch of mystery and romance, this book has a little bit of everything. It was a fun read and I would recommend if you are looking for a light-hearted read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for my advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

I truly enjoyed the dysfunctional family dynamics of this book. I even enjoyed that we got two narrators. the book absolutely starts off with a bang and SO. MANY. QUESTIONS. I could not put the book down. I needed to know who did what, why, and what was going to happen.


I really thought this book would be a five star read for me. what dropped it down to four stars were a few things…. 1. Beck was way too comfortable speaking his mind in familial situations way too quickly and that just kind of threw me for a loop. 2. everything was tied up a little too nicely for me in the end. it all just happened so quickly and so neatly. like I guess Jillian had all that time to plan, but still. 3. I felt like the ending was a little rushed. 4. Jillian’s big reveal really didn’t seem like that big of a deal to me. I couldn’t understand why she was so guilt-ridden about it.

I know it seems like I had four things that I wasn’t in love with in the book, but I would say it’s a really solid, high four star read. I would definitely recommend this to anyone who likes dysfunctional (rich) families. aka the succession crowd.

This was a super cute, quirky book. Jillian Moorewood just got out of prison. Her family is a long line of con artist and someone finally blamed her. Now she’s out and wants to know who put her in prison. This book is loaded with family drama. I felt like it could be a full series of each family character. It just kept building and building. I was more interested in the family drama than the love story that unfurled.

Are you a fan of Intrigue and family complexities in a contemporary setting? A fun read to try is:
Con Family - Jillian returns to her family after taking the fall for them and being in prison for 3 years.
Go Straight - The only stipulation to this family of cons? Go straight and they will get some of her mother’s inheritance.
Family Drama - But these people are set in their ways, constantly running grifts as well as scheming on ways to get Jillian out of the picture once again so they can be free.
Bodyguard - So she enlists the help of a bodyguard to protect herself and her assets, because ironically, this stranger may be the only one she can trust.

To begin, I wanted to note that the author also goes by the name Darby Kane in her writings, which may interest those of you who have read her books. One of the main things that drew me to this book was the comparison to Oceans 11 and Knives Out. While it may definitely be closer to Kinives Out, the vibe wasn’t exactly what I was expecting. I have heard this turned a few people off, but after realizing it wasn’t supposed to be going along with a con and solving a mystery per se, I set back and actually enjoyed this book. The characters are mysterious in themselves and very fun, especially because you are never sure of the motives. The way the book ends definitely leaves it open for a sequel and I would actually be very happy to read more!

RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
SPICE: 🔥
Jillian Moorewood is finally out of prison. Now she wants to break out of..her family business. Especially since it was the reason she was in jail to begin with. Thanks to some leverage, Jillian is trying to keep her family on the legal side of the law.

Unfortunately, the Moorewood Family just cannot help their conning ways.

What I love about this book is the mental chess Jillian plays with her criminal family. There are so many twists and turns, but it has that playful tone I love about the Knives Out and Ocean's movie series. It doesn't take itself too seriously but manages to entertain completely. I love that along the way, Jillian does some soul-searching about herself and also finds some love (with a bodyguard!) in a rather chaotic situation.

This did not have as much steam or spice as I hoped so I am not sure why it was firmly put in the romance bucket. Like in the book, things happen for a reason, so I am grateful because I would not have otherwise been introduced to it.

If you like a light, fun read with a good helping of suspense and a small side of romance, this standalone read is a good pick.

** I am voluntarily reviewing an advance copy of this book. Thank you to HelenKay Dimon, Avon and Harper Voyager, and NetGalley for providing an ARC. **

This book was seriously so much fun. I knew from the description that it probably would be, but you never know until you get into a book if you’re really going to like it. This is my first book by this author, and it won’t be my last. I enjoyed the witty banter, unique characters and dysfunctional family. This was the perfect romcom for my spring break vacation. Big thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read and review this book.

I received an ARC from HarperCollins and NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Genre: Romance, Crime Romance (is that a thing?), RomCom, Women's Fiction
Spice Level: Medium (closed door + innuendo)
Language: Fairly low (Some cursing but not on every page)
Representation: Secondary gay character

This is my first book by HelenKay Dimon—honestly, the cover caught me with its romcom vibes.

One word review: HILARIOUS!

Seriously, this one had me laughing aloud several times. The banter between Jillian and Beck is awesome. Sometimes I can't believe that characters click so quickly, but it works in this book. Probably because of the stressful situation. I also loved that Beck isn't described as this traditionally handsome man than belongs on the cover of GQ (I don't even know if that's a current magazine, but hopefully, you get the gist).

I was a little concerned if I'd feel any empathy for the characters because of their conning ways. (Skip this list if you want to go in blind, but it doesn't hold any spoilers.) Warning: morally gray characters on the loose. But can you guess which are morally gray?

Here's my rundown:
Aunt Patricia: Love her & string cheese
Jay: Hate him on a deep soul level
Astrid: Hate her even more than Jay along with her diamond bracelet
Anika: Grew on me—a bit like mold
Tenn: Loved his nerdiness
Kelby: Adored his honesty amongst the wreck
Jillian: Empathized with her and ended up loving her
Beck: Yes! More characters like this please
Gregory: Heebiejeebies
Emma: I liked her, and she kept getting better
Harry: The poor darling
Bev: Shudder
Izzy: Completely beige

Now just because I said I hated some characters, doesn't mean I didn't love them in the story context. They were deliciously bad. Every single character does exactly what they need to do to make the story work.

I kept wondering why Jillian felt so much remorse over one of her actions. To me, her past "action" made sense to me. Now I'm wondering if I'm a morally gray person.

This book was so much fun. A silly tragedy. A farce. A romance. A book about relationships.

I highly recommend this book.

Happy reading!

This was a fun read that I quickly got through. It's a multilayered book about dysfunctional families and how they cope with each other. It's also a rule book on how to know when to let someone go. There are near death misses, a fade to black romance, and the biggest con Jillian has ever pulled. What happens when a family of con artists is forced to stop conning? Chaos, pure, hilarious chaos.

This book was so different from what I was expecting, but still very enjoyable. Maybe this is on me for not reading the summary again before I started reading. I was expecting more heist. Any heist really. But it was all family drama. Once I realized what this story was about I adjusted expectation and had fun with it. I loved Jillian and Beck. Even the bad characters were still fun. That is mostly how I would describe this book, a lot of fun.

If you are craving a book riddled with family drama and banter, then this is for you.

Moorewood Family Rules promises a mix of Knives Out and Ocean's 8 in its description but comes off as more of a fluffy family dramedy with aome mild romance thrown in. Don't get me wrong, I was able to read it and enjoy it. I just think the description sets you up for unrealistic expectations. I went in looking for mystery and heists when that's not what I got.

I enjoyed the main character and did have a few chuckles at the side characters. All in all, it was a quick read that gave me some enjoyment, and I wouldn't hesitate reading another book from this author.

Happy Reading!