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!

This was a quick read for me. I read about half of it in the car I couldn't put it down. It was over the top in the best ways. I know its compared to knives out and I don't agree with that.

Its about the Moorewood Family and Jillian whos home from being in prison for the last 39 months for fraud from the FBI. here's the thing her whole dads side of the family are con artists steeling and conning people out of money. Jillian is not she told them they had to go the straight and narrow since she holds her moms inheritance the only problem they don't want to and someone turned her in the the FBI so the fact she's home early is a SHOCK to her family and they aren't happy to see her.

Not only does she come home set on teaching them a lesson but she's also going to turn things upside down. They have no idea what she has planned.

But they wont go down without a fight and they go from putting bugs into her room to listen to trying to get ride of her any way possible. Will she ruin the current scores they have going on? They can't risk that. Jillian has to go to extremes to get a body guard who sees just how crazy the family is.

This was a fun read from all the sarcasm, banter, and family drama with a little romance it was a fast pace read.

Thank you NetGalley for the E-Arc in exchange for my honest opinion.

2.5 ⭐️ The premise of this book and the synopsis had me clamoring for this book but I found it to fall flat for me unfortunately. When I saw the synopsis say it was Knives Out meets Oceans 11 I was expecting a fast paced and action pact book with lots of shenanigans but that wasn’t what was delivered.

Jillian Moorewood is the oldest child of an extended family of con artists. She is the one who protects and fixes. The one who went to prison to save their sorry butts. Now, thirty-
nine months later, she's out and she's more than a little pissed. Finally home she finds the scheming clan in full family fleecing mode. But Jillian is done with the lies and fakery. She demands the whole messed-up crew
clean up its act, and this time she's not kidding-she has the leverage to make it happen.

I enjoyed the beginning of this book a lot but my excitement tapered off around 35%. The pacing was a big issue for me. We got to much repetitive background story when we should have been getting more action. I liked the bodyguard romance aspect of this story.. I wish we got more romance or more thriller, muster action it wasn’t enough of anything. I also didn’t really connect with the family at all they had no depth to them and I was really looking forward to getting to know a crazy, con artist family!

Overall this was an ok read I think other people might enjoy it more than I did! Thank you to NetGalley and Avon for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Read if you like:
🔪 Knife’s out
🏦 Ocean’s Movies
👨‍👩‍👧‍👧 Dysfunctional Families
😂 Witty Humor
❤️ Romance Vibes

This one truly more than anything is a story about a dysfunctional family and their messes and interactions. It has a little bit of everything.

I haven’t seen knives out but that is what this one is compared to so I’ll trust the comparison there.

If you are looking for a little bit of everything surrounding a dysfunctional family, I think that this general fiction type story would be one that you would enjoy as it was light, fast paced, and enjoyable to read as the content kept me hooked!

Thank you to the publisher for my ARC in exchange for my review!

Holy sh*t this book was so good! Smart, sexy, sassy, stylish… I was a little dubious of the claim it was Ocean’s 8 Knives Out/The Nest, but now I realize that’s the actual best way to describe it. Recently released white collar criminal Jillian Moorewood, who only went to jail to protect her family, gets out to find her family has kept carrying on with their scheming, conning ways. Despite the agreement they made to go legit while she takes the fall for them. Now the ill-gotten family fortune is in play… Jillian controls it and it’s an understatement to say she’s a bit miffed they didn’t hold up their end of the bargain. Now she’s trying to lay down the law while all the members of this dysfunctional family paint targets on her back. Enter a good-looking, smart bodyguard… who makes Jillian think that maybe there is more to love than just the con. But she’s gonna have to live through the attempts by various family members first.

Wow! I’m not sure where to start my review, but I haven’t read a book like this before. Total dysfunctional and hot mess characters made for a quick an interesting read. Family rivalries, thievery, love, and everything in between. This book has it all. It’s best to go in with no expectations for I’m not sure how to properly capture a book like this.

4-4 1/2 stars.

LOVED.

Imagine an entire family of con artists enjoying a massive soirée when a helicopter lands in the middle of the party with guess who - cousin Jillian Moorewood. Where has she actually been the past three years? Why is her entire family surprised by her arrival? And why does she look so damn pleased with herself??

This reads like Schitt’s Creek to me. Every line a zinger, ever family member absolutely nuts in their own right. Aunt Patricia and her cheese sticks always lurking. Astrid and her thinly veiled attempts at murder. Anika trying to con poor Harry into splitting his millions with her. Uncle Jay acting as if nothing is wrong. Slimy ex Greg hanging around her quiet and elusive sister Emma. Can she trust ANY of them?

I had no idea there would be a bodyguard trope and was there for all it. Hel-lo Beck.

Comes out 4/25. Thank you to NetGalley and Avon for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Jillian Moorewood makes a dramatic reappearance after spending three years in prison as a result of taking the fall for her con artist grifter family. She is ready to clean house, literally and figuratively, and once she begins to lay down the ground rules, she soon finds herself the target of death threats so she hires a body guard, who comes with his own set of benefits.
I wanted to like this more than I did. I didn’t connect with any of the characters and the plot dragged along despite the premise being about a family of con artists getting their what’s owed them and even the developing romance didn’t give me enough of a hook to keep me engaged.
Think of it as an Ocean’s eleven type of situation but minus any major action or characters that you want to root for.
Nothing deep. Not terrible. Just bit my fav by this author.
Thanks to Avon Books and NetGalley for this eArc in exchange for my review.

The daughter of an heiress and a con man, Jillian went to prison for three years to protect her family. Now that she's been released, she finds them still up to their same thieving tricks. Worse, one of them is out to get her—if only she knew which one. Can her hunky new bodyguard help her sort out her messy life?

This book is a fun, fast-paced romp. I'd describe it as women's fiction with a romance subplot. With its quirky characters and family dysfunction, it should appeal to fans of rom com, chick lit, and cozy mystery. Darkly humorous, edgy, and smart, it's a pleasure to read.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

Thank you to Avon Books and NetGalley for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

The book revolves around Jillian Moorewood, heiress to her mom's fortune, who returns home from prison to her con artist family. She's trying to make them stop conning, and go legit, but they're stuck in their ways and trying to kill her for her fortune. This family drama is full of twists and turns. There is plenty of action going on.

This was a good read, the first reading from this author HelenKay Dimon. Thank you.

What if your life was in your family's hands? Would you feel safe and secure?
Jillian Moorewood would not.

Jillian returns home to her family to find out the truth and deliver some ultimatums! She is not taking any nonsense from her family anymore. But, they are not so quick to follow the rules. In fact, Jillian needs to watch her back, literally, around her eccentric family. Trust is not easily earned.

This book was a fun tale of lies, secrets, family connections, and starting over. I laughed quite a bit. I put pieces together and solved some of the book's mysteries, which I felt weren't hidden and easy to figure out. Still fun to see how it all came together!

Jillian Moorewood is out of prison and makes a entrance by helicopter at her Rhode Island beach estate where her uncle, twin cousins, and elderly aunt live. Jillian's reunification with her family is bumpy because she knows one of them turned her in for fraud in order to protect the rest of the Mooreheads and their thieving ways. This funny, silly novel outlines the rules the family lives by, and how Jillian claims honest ownership of the property and millions left to her by her mother. Moorehead Family Rules is a great escape read and will even be a better movie about wealthy criminals who will steal the diamond bracelet off your arm.

I love a good heist/con story and while this one had a great premise it didn’t quite pack the punch I was looking for. Jillian just spent 39 months in prison to protect her family of con artists from the same fate. Now she’s out and she’s determined to find out who turned her in and to exact her well throughout plan of revenge. The pacing of this story could have moved quicker and I think it would have helped keep me more focused with the storyline. The side storyline with Jillian and Beck wasn’t all that necessary to the overall plot and it felt a little rushed. I also think there was more subplots that could have been explored/acknowledged that could have given more insight to the family dynamics.

Overall, I certainly enjoyed parts of the story but it wasn’t quite what I thought it would have been based on the synopsis. I guess I was looking for a little more grit/danger with a revenge story and this just seems a little bland. I did like the multiple POVs throughout that helped get the other side of the story and I will say the cover is definitely on point.


Thank you publishers and @netgalley for this eARC in exchange for my honest feedback.