This was a fun, fast read. Sometimes I felt like Ruby was Evelyn Hugo if Evelyn decided she wanted to end her marriages on her own lol. There was really nothing at all redeeming in the McTavish family so I can understand why Ruby took matters into her own hands with Cam.

I think most of my knocking it down a few pegs comes from Jules. Although her part in this is somewhat explained, I felt like it left me with more questions than answers and I didn't really get why her specific part in this story was needed. It seemed like a superfluous addition to a story that already had many compelling layers.

And let me say - having read this a few months after Before We Were Yours, the whole paying poor families for babies things is really crushing. I'm sure it still happens today, but it's heartbreaking to think kids are being unknowingly taken from families that did actually love them just so families can stay afloat. That's not all that happened here, but again, after having read these books so close together, it's a theme that's fresh on my mind.

I do want to circle back to the McTavish family being unredeemable to just put this out there for all stories everywhere - it makes for a less enjoyable reading experience when the bad guys are just bad. If there had been any humanity or caring in even one of those folks, maybe I would've been more drawn in. I suppose that was kind of the point based on what Jules saw in the end, but I also think it would have made that particular plotline more heartbreaking in a way to add some more humanity in, you know? Just my two cents.

This was a fun ride though. Definitely great for a one time read.

I heard Rachel Hawkins speak about Reckless Girls. I loved that and wanted to try another.
I loved the small town secrets and twists and turns in this book.
Recommended for fans of American gothic writing.

I received this book and sadly it took far too long for it to make its way onto my TBR list. Rachel Hawkins sets a brilliant stage for mystery, intrigue, secrets, and lies with this family.

Rudy is shrouded in mystery throughout this book, she was kidnapped when she was young and eventually returned. She has been married four times, but sadly all of the have passed away in some pretty freak accidents. Finally, instead of leaving her wealth to her sister, she decided to adopt a little boy and he, Camden, was left with a fortune when she finally passed away.

There was so much going on in this book, partially about Rudy and her like through letters, it also follows Camden and Jules. Camden inherited all this money but just lets the rest of the McTavish's use it and still live in the mansion while he pretends that this horrible family that never accepted him don't exist.

There was so much going on throughout this mystery. Between Cam and Jules, and all the other family members and then Ruby and her story. I loved Ruby's letters they were so good. Ruby was strong, sadly for all the wrong reasons, but she was also determined and independent and often sarcastic and unreliable.

Jules is also a POV, she is telling her story as she hopes for Cam to settle here. She yearns for the life they could have with this money. Cam feels scandalized by this family most of the time, they are rude, mean and so unaccepting, but he holds the cards to them having anything and staying in the house. Sadly, he just lets them live because he is far nicer than all of them.

This was a crazy, exciting, read and it kept my head spinning the whole time. If you like mysteries, secrets, lies and a dose of murder, this could be a great read for you.

The Heiress by Rachel Hawkins is about the death of Ruby McTavish Callahan Woodward Miller Kenmore and how her adopted son Camden wants nothing to do with the inheritance she left him. However, when Camden's uncle dies, he finally must go home to finally settle the estate. The Ashby House is just as stunning as ever, but will it take hold of Camden and his wife Jules?

A huge thank you goes out to NetGalley for the Advanced Readers Copy I received of this novel. Rachel Hawkins is a talented author, so I was thrilled to read her latest story, and I wasn't disappointed in the least.

When I finally started reading Rachel Hawkin's latest work of art, The Heiress, I had a little trouble getting into the storyline, but that didn't last too long and was sucked in after the first few chapters. The story was set up so that as the reader, you don't really trust two of the three main characters of the book, Jules and Cam. Both of them tell their portion of the story in the present and definitely are keeping secrets ... I couldn't wait to find out what those were. The other main character is Ruby, who tells her portion of the story in the form of letters that were written and seems to be a reliable narrator.

Rachel Hawkins did a fabulous job of creating a fabulous story and making the reader what possibly could come next. I didn't quite expect the ending of The Heiress, and I know I will be thinking about it for quite some time. I do have a lingering question about part of the ending, but I 'm going to do my research on that so as to not spoil anything for those who haven't read this book. At times, it felt like the author pulled elements of a V.C. Andrews novel into this one, and I don't mean that in a bad way because I loved it. It was like reading an adult version of a V.C. Andrews book but better!! Five out of five stars.

I felt this book was a good filler book. It wasn’t life changing, but also wasn’t terrible. I would categorize this book as more of a family drama than a thriller. The characters were not Likeable and I felt the book dragged on! I would have appreciated shorter chapters and just more excitement.

High in the Blue Ridge Mountains of NC, the tiny town of Tavistock is ruled by the wealthy McTavish family. Their estate Ashby House is a sprawling mansion with secrets inside and out. When 3 year old Ruby McTavish vanishes in the woods, after several months a part-time worker from out-of-state is found with the child matching Ruby’s description in another state. This apparent kidnapping sets out the plot of this book, as the kidnapping continues to haunt Ruby as she ages. When Ruby dies, her adopted son Camden and his wife Jules are forced to go back to Ashby House and accept that they are the new heirs. But if they accept this inheritance, at what cost will it be to them? Both are hiding secrets from the other that they fear may destroy them both.

Told from multiple points of view, Ruby’s POV is the most fascinating to me, as she details her 4 marriages and the demise of each husband. Camden hates Ashby House with a passion and all the bad memories there, mainly due to his dysfunctional aunt and cousins who are still alive and think the estate and everything with it should be theirs. Jules sees the estate and money as their rightful inheritance, despite the less-than-desirable family members that come with it.

I listened to the audio, which I highly recommend. The voice of Ruby is excellent as an aging Southern lady (and I use that word lightly!), as she recounts her life in letters to her son. They are her “confessional” letters, but she’s not the only one with secrets that need to come to light. With a last minute twist that was a complete surprise to me, this book had me hooked from the beginning, and I couldn’t wait to see how it all played all. Out now, and I highly recommend it! Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for an ARC of this one; all opinions are my own.

If you’re into soapy, gothic mysteries full of family secrets you will love The Heiress. This story is told from multiple POVs along with magazine articles and personal letters. I was captivated as secrets were revealed and the past came back to haunt the present. This atmospheric mystery had clues sprinkled throughout but still had enough surprising twists that led to a shocking conclusion. Thank you, NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for my copy.

Well this was an interesting, twisty book with a messed up family and an old house. There were times that I didn’t really care for any of the characters in the book….but the story of Ruby kept me checked into it. I do love some family drama. I saw a few twists coming, others I did not. I feel like overall it was lacking something that would make this book memorable for me. I tend to forget books after a month or so without that extra something….and I feel like that is going to happen with this one. I liked it better than some others of hers I have read though.

Bottom Line: Read it

**I received an ARC copy of The Heiress and am leaving a voluntary review. All opinions are my own.**

*2.5 stars rounded up*

ARC provided by Publisher in exchange for an honest review.

“And if you can’t tell the truth at the end of it all, then what, I ask, is the fucking point?”

I would like to thank St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the copy of this eARC. I have been trying to break into Thrillers/Mysteries more as a genre, and for the many times I debated throughout this read whether to throw in the towel, the ending made me understand why readers love this genre so much.

Knives Out meets Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, The flipping narration gives you the perspective not only of Ruby and her son Camden, but also Jules, his wife. While the switches in POV had me very confused in the first quarter of the book, I was absolutely blown way by how the pieces came together in the end.

I spent the entire book thinking Ruby was writing these letters to her son, but to learn who they were actually directed to, the relation between those characters, and then also the fact that a certain someone knew about it all along was bonkers. I genuinely had a jaw drop moment which was a crazy turn of events from me not enjoying the beginning.

I know, that's vague and probably an obnoxious synopsis, but half the fun of mysteries is learning it for yourself. I mean, it's what saved the book for me? Genuinely I almost DNF'd at about 25%, but I struggle with being a quitter, and it made me keep going. That, and also the absolute insanity that is miss Ruby McTavish. This girl is absolutely delusional if she believes herself to be a good person, but honestly we all love a black widow--alleged or not.

If you are a fan of Thrillers and Mysteries, I think you will love this book. Please don't let my lack of genre interest be the reason you turn this down. The writing is superb and the way the threads are woven in this tapestry had me constantly on my toes. Of all the theories I had, I am proud to tell the author that only one was correct

Slam dunk. I couldn't put it down--loved the setting and the characters, as well as the twisty, surprising, and creepy vibes.

I have read and reviewed other books by this author. This one was no different - a fast paced plot with reveals I didn't see coming. Perfect for fans of kidnap, murder and greed. Muliple pov and some fun letters you are on a ride as the answers are revealed.

This wasn't my favorite book by Hawkins as i felt it drug on and there was lots of drama that wasn't needed. Thank you for the opportunity to read this book.

An incredible book with wonderful characters and a beautiful setting. It will keep you guessing until the end.

Rachel Hawkins knows how to write a thriller. This modern gothic tale explores family drama with a hint of murder. The ending left me wanting so much more from the many layers of this story.

There are so many twists and turns in this novel that it kept me reading late into the night! Everyone has secrets, from the fabulously rich Ruby, to her adopted son Cameron, to Cameron's wife Jules, and the rest of the family at the palatial mansion, Ashby House. You will enjoy uncovering the secrets as much as I did, and I expect be just as surprised by some of them. This was my first Rachel Hawkins book and will certainly not be my last.
Thanks to #netgalley, #rachelhawkins and #stmartinspress for the arc. All opinions are my own.

We love a Rachel Hawkins book! She writes quite a bit of similar books with a twist all the time. Shes amazing with her words and I throughly enjoyed being able to read this twisted ending!

The Heiress is about a young married couple, Cam and Jules, who come into an inheritance. Cam's adopted mother, Ruby, a wealthy heiress, leaves him all her money and her mansion when she passes. Throughout the book you learn more about Ruby's complex life - the fact that she was kidnapped at the age of 3 and that all 4 of her husbands died mysterious deaths. Cam initially wants nothing to do with this new fortune, but his family pulls him back to the mansion in order to try to convince him to sign their home over to them. Jules, however, is tired of their constant struggle to get by, and is really enjoying the mansion life. The family is toxic, and it's no wonder Jules wouldn't feel bad kicking them to the curb, and that Cam left them in the first place. This book has so many twists and turns right down to the last second. I never could've guessed the ending. This book is unputdownable and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys a thriller.

After Ruby McTavish, North Carolina's richest woman and child victim of a kidnapping, dies at home, her adopted son Cam inherits millions. Unfortunately, Cam doesn't want it. He can't wait to get out of there. Ten years later, Cam is married to Jules and living in Colorado when he receives correspondence from his cousin, requesting that he return to the estate. Cam concedes and he and Jules pack up and head east. Their arrival is met with a less-than-warm reception and Cam focuses on getting his work done so they can leave ASAP. In addition to Cam and Jule's story, Ruby's letters detailing her life are read throughout the story so you can learn more about her. Focusing on the stories of the deaths of her four husbands, Ruby's letters are unapologetically scandalous.

I enjoyed reading this book. The premise sucked me in and the characters were just dysfunctional enough to keep me engaged. I was shocked multiple times while reading the story. There wasn't just one twist - there were tons! And they just kept coming to the end. It was a quick read and one that I would read again. The ending perfectly summed up the entire book and was exactly what I wanted.

I received an ARC of this book from Net Galley and am providing my honest review.

Part epistolary novel, part traditional novel focusing on two timelines, The Heiress by Rachel Hawkins follows Cam and Jules McTavish's reconnection with Ashby House, the McTavish legacy home that technially belongs to Cam. And this is where the story spins up: Cam is adopted and, therefore, not of the McTavish bloodline, which rankles the bloodline descendants (who feel he has no basis on which to claim the estate. This fact becomes further irksome with the dubious bloodline of Cam's adoptive mother, Ruby McTavish, who was stolen as a baby girl and then recovered. But some members of the family doubted Ruby's authenticity.

Cam, who really doesn't want to be attached to the family in any way, and Jules, who dreams of life in the family's legacy home, come to terms with the family's notorious past and jealous present as they slowly begin to unravel the secrets of the past. The twists and turns are fun and unexpected. I really enjoyed the story, especially Ruby's letters, whose recipient is part of the mystery.

The lavish descriptions of the North Carolina estate and town that the McTavishes helped develop and the inner desires of the characters reveal some uncomfortable core features of being human. I recommend this book for fans of historical fiction and a thriller vibe.

Enjoyed this one! Rachel Hawkins books sometimes feel pretty similar but I found this one to be unique compared to the other books I've read by the author.

I kind of expected some of the twists but there were others that took me by surprise and that will almost always earn an extra star for me!