Jamie Day combines family drama, a north eastern hurricane and a large hotel atop a cliff in Maine to create an interesting murder mystery in “ One Big Happy Family”. This story has quite a few twists and turns and was quite enjoyable.

I was so excited to receive this book and had such high hopes! Great setting, love the cover and seaside Maine with a hurricane on the way?!? What's not to love? I was also enamored with Charley, the main character. So much potential! But alas as the story unfolded it just didn't hold my interest. It seemed to drag in some parts and the characters were very one dimensional. I'm giving this 2..5 stars rounded up to 3. I've seen lots of glowing reviews so maybe it's me!

Many thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for this ARC.

Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC. My first from this author. I did enjoy the writing, recommend for a fast, fun read.

Family secrets and murder in a clifftop hotel in the middle of a hurricane. The description of this book really drew me in. Three sisters are called to the hotel their father owns after his unexpected passing and they all want what is rightfully theirs. Charley, the chambermaid, gets a front row seat to the family secrets and has no idea what she’s in for. I enjoyed the plot and the fleshed out characters and the last hour and a half of reading time on my kindle was spent binging on my couch. It was a sort of predictable thriller though as I guess a good portion of the plot not too far into the book but despite that, it was still an enjoyable read. Thank you to netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for an early copy of this ebook.

This book started off with a bang but then seemed to drag on and on. I knew that the one character who no-one knew was going to be behind whatever was going to happen. Too many unbelievable things happening and the ending wrapped up way too quickly.

A reading of their father's will at the Bishop family’s luxurious hotel brings everyone together.

They really do not like each other, have secrets, and haven’t seen each other for a while.

Most likely it will be a stormy reading along with the hurricane that is predicted to arrive in a few days.

As the family waits for the attorney to arrive they can hear the wind howling and the waves crashing outside.

There is also a lot of noise inside with the feuding siblings and a maid who is hiding a guest that happened to appear out of the blue and says she needs a place to hide from her abusive boyfriend.

When the will is read, there is a huge outburst because of the distribution.

How will it all turn out? Or should we say: Who will win out - the storm, the siblings, or neither one?

Things get crazier as the family gets crazier, and a few of the group won’t be leaving.

ONE BIG HAPPY FAMILY was a little slow at first, and I lost interest when the book gave background information on the characters, but the current-day storyline is intense and good. 4/5

Thank you to the publisher for a copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

I found the author’s debut novel, The Block Party, entertaining so I requested this one on Net Galley. I kind of feel the same way about this one. It was not the best suspense novel, but kept me entertained. I’m thinking that in both books, I didn’t feel a good connection to any of the characters, in fact I disliked most of them. Charley is the exception although I didn’t love her.
Charley is a maid in a hotel on the coast of Maine. The owner dies bringing his three daughters to the hotel. A hurricane hits so everyone is stuck at the hotel. Madness ensues including a couple of murders. It got pretty exciting as the story peaked bringing surprises and an excellent wrap up.

DNF (Did Not Finish): I granted it 1 star because NetGalley requires a rating, but on other platforms, I gave it no rating.

United States Publication: July 16, 2024

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this advanced reader's copy. In exchange, I am providing an honest review.

A family-run hotel off the coast of Maine is the location for this mystery. And 19-year-old chambermaid Charley Kelley is at the center of the drama. Until recently, her boss was the patriarch of the Bishop family, the owners of this hotel, but he's passed away, and now his three daughters and various family members are descending on the hotel for the reading of the will and to settle the estate. Charley is a ball of nerves because she's unsure of what her future is at The Precipice, she needs this job in order to take care of her Grandma. But when an abused woman on the run ends up needing sanctuary, and Charley offers her a room, for free, at the hotel, and then a Bishop family member ends up dead, and a hurricane is bearing down on them, things start to get really dicey.

I got 61% in and gave up. In truth, I should have given up on the book well before then. By 50% I was bored and irritated with it. This read was very clunky to me; the characters were more than annoying - even Charley, whom I suspect the reader is supposed to be sympathetic to. By the time I gave up on the story, several family secrets had been revealed, and Charley's role in things was murky. I flat-out wasn't enjoying the story or characters and didn't care who had done what, when, and why. This one wasn't for me.

Rating: 3.75 ⭐️s

I felt like this book had a very slow beginning. It took awhile for me to be fully invested in the story and the plot. You feel sorry for the FMC who works day in and day out to make sure her nana is taken care of in the nursing home. She does things that make her a bit shady, but she has a good heart.

This book is one where everyone involved has a motive. The family are all together for the first time since childhood for the reading of their late father, who owned the hotel. None of the girls had a great relationship with their father. He was a crappy father and they grew up seeing and hearing him cheat on their mother.

After the will is read, more anger ensues and eventually, there is a murder. Things go down hill from there.

I felt like that was the point the chips begin to fall. You get to know the history of the sisters, Charlie and eventually, her friend Bree. Everyone has secrets and they would kill to keep them.

I love a locked door thriller. It always makes me excited to see how it ends. This one was no different. The pacing wasn’t the best, but I still enjoyed the read and I liked the ending.

There was a bit of a romance within the plot, not to the point where it took away from the story, but it was a sweet part of the storyline nonetheless.

I think everyone should give this book a try! It comes out July 16th, 2024

Thank you to NetGalley for the early access to read and review the book. The review is my own thoughts about the book.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author for trusting me with One Big Happy Family. While Jamie Day is a new author for me, I was drawn to this book since it is about families, specifically relationships between sisters.

This books takes place at a hotel in Maine. We are first introduced to the main character, Charley. She is a maid at the hotel and is struggling to have enough money to take care of her grandmother. The owners of the hotel has recently died and his three daughters are coming to the hotel for the reading of the will just as Hurricane Larry is headed their way. Just before the daughters arrive, Charley is approached by a stranger, Bree, who is running from her abusive boyfriend. Bree asks Charley if she can hide at the hotel in exchange for money. The three daughters, spouses, children and lawyer arrive just as the weather (and the family situation) deteriorates and secrets are revealed.

Overall, I enjoyed the book. Families are like onions, there are a lot of layers and it takes time to peel back those layers.

What a fun story! The twists turns and crazy family antics was just hmmm shall we say - somewhat crazy normal - such a page turner and kept my curiosity on going. Thanks to Net Galley for the advance read #NetGalley #JamieDay #KeepItInTheFamily

I’m not going to lie - going into this book I thought it was a beach read. I read the description a while back and the chairs and scenery in the cover did not change my thoughts. However it is a closed door thriller! There were a few times that I thought I knew the way it would end, but I was wrong. An old hotel, a few employees, a lawyer and the mourning family of a recently deceased hotel owner are all together for the reading of the will as a hurricane hits the coast of Maine. Old secrets are revealed and true personalities are exposed.
I enjoyed the story but there were a few scenes that seemed a bit long and drawn out. Overall a worthwhile read if you’re a fan of thrillers and Alice Feeney (Daisy Darker).
Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press.

This is the sophomore book from the author. I picked it up since I really enjoyed the first book, Block Party. This story is told from a nineteen year old’s viewpoint.

I did not enjoy this book as much as I did, Block Party. I figured out very early who the killer was just had to figure out why. There were plenty of twists and turns.

The epilogue was the best part of the book. I won’t give it away. I felt Charley was pushed to make bad decisions and Mr. George Bishop was a cheap sleaze bag.

The book dragged in places and was probably a little too long. I had no remorse when Vicki’s husband was killed.

Netgalley gave me an advanced copy and I am not required to leave a positive review. I give the book 3.5 stars.

I absolutely loved this book!! I couldn’t put it down.
I just loved all the characters. I highly recommend this book.

A family-owned hotel in Maine is in the path of a major hurricane. Meanwhile, all the family members have gathered there to hear the will of their father read. Who will inherit the hotel? Meanwhile, the young maid is having her own conflicts, as she has regularly been stealing from the guests on the sly. Will she be fired? What about the desk clerk she works with?

The Bishop sisters are each troubled in their own ways. There is a lot of bad blood between them. Added into the mix is a mysterious woman who asks the maid to hide her in the hotel since her abusive boyfriend is looking for her. All these people are stuck inside the hotel and may be trapped there for days due to the bad weather that is hitting the coast. The cook has left for the weekend, citing the bad weather, so they are basically on their own, except for the lawyer who is there to read the will.

Then, a murder happens.

This is a great locked room mystery that will have you on the edge of your seat. The characters all have good and bad traits to them. Each has motive, but which one did it?

I loved how the author drew the story out and gave us more and more detail as it went along. The back stories are interesting and the characters just real enough to be believable. I enjoyed it.

I love "locked in" murder mysteries where there's one (or more) murders and everyone is locked in tight in whatever space they're all occupying at the moment. This is one of those, as Hurricane Larry bears down at a family hotel in Jonesport Maine. Three sisters have come back home to deal with the death of their father and also his estate. All three wants what is rightfully theirs but first they have to survive the hurricane and each other. Most of the characters in this book are despicable which makes it even more suspenseful. Who's the killer? Who's dying next? Great storytelling and great plot! Highly recommend.

The Bishop sisters, Iris, Vicki and Faith have come to the coast of Maine because their father has passed away and they need to claim their inheritance, the Precipice, a family-owned hotel. With a hurricane coming and secrets of the sisters, there is murder in the air and everyone checking in the Precipice won't be checking out. Precipice's 19 year old chambermaid, Charley Kelley is in the mix and in desperate straits. The arrival of the Bishop sisters could change things. Will they close the hotel? Fire her? Discover her habit of pilfering from the guests? Or using a guest room to hide a woman on the run. This is a long, drawn-out story that could have been shorter. It kind of got twisted and turned around a bit too much. It had potential to be a great story but got a bit convoluted. If you like twisted, convoluted stories, then you will love this book. But I personally didn't like it too much!

3-3.5 stars
Mystery thriller set in Maine. Owner of a historic family hotel dies and his daughters come for the reading of the will and to take over running the hotel. The main character, Charley, is a maid who is working there to pay for her grandmother's care.

The setting was good and atmospheric. Big storm coming. The plot had some surprises and suspense. However, I disliked practically every character. Even the ones who maybe had good intentions made some pretty questionable (and sometimes implausible) choices.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for a free e-ARC of this book.

This is a well-written, entertaining, murder mystery novel. It is fast paced and has wit, a touch of humor, a diverse group of interesting characters, suspense, intrigue, family drama, secrets, a beautiful, vividly described setting, twists and turns, and a satisfying conclusion. Many thanks to St. Martin's Press, NetGalley, and Jamie Day for the opportunity to read an advanced reader copy of this fantastic novel. This is my honest opinion.

"One Big Happy Family" by Jaime Day is a heartwarming and uplifting novel that celebrates the bonds of family and the power of love and forgiveness. The story follows the Johnson family as they navigate the ups and downs of life, facing challenges and obstacles that threaten to tear them apart.

Jaime Day's storytelling is engaging and relatable, drawing readers in with well-developed characters and a compelling plot. The themes of family dynamics, forgiveness, and second chances are beautifully woven throughout the narrative, making for a touching and emotional read.

Overall, "One Big Happy Family" is a feel-good novel that will resonate with readers who enjoy stories about family, love, and the enduring power of relationships. Jaime Day has crafted a heartwarming tale that reminds us of the importance of cherishing the moments we have with our loved ones.