I loved this book. It was captivating and I didn’t see the twist coming until it was there. I read it in less than two days.

Fans of Rachel Hawkins will enjoy her latest book. It is definitely one where you do not want to put down. I did not love the ending but that is always such a personal viewpoint!

I have loved all of Rachel Hawkins’ previous books so I was excited when I was given the opportunity to read an ARC of her latest novel, “The Heiress.” I was not disappointed, to say the least.

The book has three protagonists, all of whom appear to have something to hide, with little tidbits about them revealed throughout the book. The first narrator is Ruby McTavish, heir to the McTavish fortune and Ashby House, a mansion on a hilltop near Asheville, North Carolina. She was lost in the woods surrounding her home when she was three years old in 1943, only to be discovered living with a couple in Alabama several months later. However, throughout her life, she wondered whether she really was Ruby McTavish, sometimes feeling like an imposter. Her narrative is told in the first person through letters she wrote to an unknown recipient, which are interspersed throughout the book.

The second narrator is her adopted son, Camden, who fled to California and then Colorado to escape Ashby House and it’s hostile inhabitants—a Great Aunt and two cousins, all of whom resent him for inheriting the McTavish fortune, which they believe rightfully theirs. The third narrator is Jules, Camden’s wife of ten years, who encourages him to return to Ashby House to confront his family in response to the arrival of an e-mail from his cousin, Ben, urging him to return to take care of financial issues involving the estate. It is at this family reunion that all the simmering family tensions come to a head and secrets are slowly revealed, culminating in a shocking denouement.

Through the deft use of prose, the author brings each flawed character to life with all their conflicting nuances and multifaceted personalities. Themes of nature vs. nurture, evil vs. good run throughout the book, causing the reader to question what constitutes both.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing me an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley, I was able to snatch up an early copy of this one. This is my first book by Rachel Hawkins, and it won’t be my last. It was a quick read that sucked me in from the beginning. It’s very much a family drama, full of unlikable characters and multiple plot twists. It is told through the points of view of two main characters, plus through letters from the past, giving us the POV of a 3rd character. Some of the plot twists were predictable, but nonetheless, this book was such a quick, fun read.

All around, this was good. I enjoyed the family drama, but found it incredibly slow. Things didn't really pick up until around 70ish% into the book. I liked the style of writing through old letters. The Heiress was just a little slow compared to other Rachel Hawkins books.

The Heiress by Rachel Hawkins is more ominous, psychological story than either mystery or thriller. It is more of a family drama that burns slowly; moral failings and ambiguity centre the plot as secrets are revealed, leading up to a character reveal I didn’t see coming, but didn’t necessarily wow me.

I did like the style of writing in this book. The characters are talking to you, as if you’re watching a program put on especially for your viewing pleasure. There’s a level of voyeurism that fits well with the themes of this book; most of us secretly love hearing a good story about wealthy families and their hidden imperfections and falls from grace.

I think this book would be neat as a movie or tv show. Ruby’s letters being read by an unseen narrator, while the rest of the content is acted out as normal would make for something I’d be interested in sitting down to binge watch.

This was an uncorrected digital copy, so I found the layout a bit odd - not sure if that was because it was on my iPad or what, but I’d be curious to see the layout in the final copy.

This was my first book by the author, and boy have I been missing out. I’m also a sucker for a mysterious past and a gorgeous historic house, so this book was basically written for me. I loved it from start to finish.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC. The heiress by Rachel Hawkins was a great read! Cam, adopted into a wealthy family chooses to leave all the turmoil in favour for a quiet, average lifestyle. The story is filtered with letters from his adoptive mother who explains how she became the person she was in the end. The plot had several twists which kept me guessing until the very end…the human psyche is a very complex thing. I would recommend to friends!

Engaging characters and a well-paced mystery. Excellent transitions between voices as the chapters progress with a satisfying final twist

Whoa! 😳 This one surprised me! Sometimes Rachel Hawkins is a hit or miss for me, but this time it was definitely a hit! 🤩 When I thought I had figured it out, it took a different turn. This was very satisfying for me as I love when I don’t know 🤷‍♀️ what the twist is until that turn happens. 😉 Thank you NetGalley for the advanced copy! Good job, Rachel Hawkins! 🤗

3 1/2 ⭐️ rounded down
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review. This was a quick read and the story kept my interest, but it’s not one that will stick with me. There were some interesting twists and duplicitous character reveals, but much of the “action” was presented in a series of letters and internal dialogues that kept me from fully engaging in the plot. If you’re in the mood for a family drama centered around wealthy, powerful, morally bankrupt characters, this would be a good poolside pick.

Rachel Hawkins what a writer! This is probably one of my favorite books! Everything from rich family drama,.murder,kidnapping taking place in Blue Ridge North Carolina one of my favorite places!
I loved everything about this book and didn't want it to end! Thank you so much Net Galley for the opportunity to read this!

I read this pretty much all at once! It’s definitely a page-turner! The books centers on Jules and Cam, who have been married for 10 years. They have to go back to visit Cam’s family, living in a house he owns. And suddenly lots of secrets come out!

I received an advanced copy through Netgalley, but all thoughts are my own!

I literally read this book in one evening. It kept me engaged from page one. It is expertly written and kept me guessing to the very end as to what was going on. I was all over the place liking and then not liking the various characters. This is also a good book to discuss and devour in a book club. There are various human feelings, emotions and human actions that we can see ourselves in and maybe judge and question others but you realize you have had those same feelings and experiences. I have already downloaded other books Ms Hawkins has written. I can’t wait to dive in and share with my book club friends. They might as well have the experience of losing sleep because the book is that good.

I give this book 5 stars.

Rachel Hawkins does not disappoint!! Fans are going to love this book! Blood is thicker than water and every family has secrets. But this family drama takes the cake! Engaging characters, quick moving plot, loads of secrets and so much more! I could not put this book down! Each page added a twist and kept me wanting more! I cannot give this book enough stars!!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you NetGalley and Rose Wilding for hearing my honest I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you NetGalley Rachel Hawkins and St. Martins Press Books for hearing my honest review. Looking forward to reading more with you
#partner

This was sooooo good! I love this author. A story so original and one you can just jump into and lose yourself in. Such a good portrayal of human greed with money. And even more family skeletons in the closet than the last book I read. Surprising detail of a mother’s crazy life. Great ending!

This is a solid read! The author creates a story that is somewhat predictable but twisty and fun to read. This is a quick read and perfect for a vacation or weekend read.
The characters are well developed and complex.
Definitely give this a read if you are looking for a twisty family novel!
Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an early copy of The Heiress!

Oh my goodness, what a twisty, mysterious and dark story! I was very invested and intrigued early on by the different characters and their plot lines. I loved reading through the multiple POVs and the descriptions and details made me feel like I was standing in the background watching the story unfold. The suspense and tension kept building throughout the novel as different secrets are revealed. Without giving spoilers, I will say I had to reread the last bit of the book to make sure I fully understood everything, but once I figured it all out—it is GOOD!

If you like books that involve lots of secrets, twists and drama, then this book is for you!

Dare I say, my favorite Rachel Hawkins book so far? The Heiress is more of a dark family drama than thriller. While it has hints of Hawkins tone and style, it is different from her previous books. Less over the top but still full of so many twists and turns.

*Thank you St. Partin's Press and Rachel Hawkins for the NetGalley ARC!*

I loved this book. It had elements that reminded me of Evelyn Hugo, with that kind of slow unravelling of what the true story is. It isn't a super fast paced thriller but I found myself binging the book to see how it ends, and I was not disappointed. I thought this was very well written, amazing scene setting, and good pacing the whole time. I liked the back and forth between Ruby's letter and current time. The "big twist" was not a huge twist but it was still enjoyable to me. Highly recommend this read when it releases!