I’m not going to lie the cover of this book made me intrigued and the storyline didn’t disappoint!
Great page turner with all its twists and turns that will keep you up way past your bed time.
Hope to read more from this author! 📕

I liked this one! It’s not my usual genre but once I got a few chapters in I could t put it down. Thank you to NetGalley for giving me an advanced copy

One Big Happy Family
Jamie Day
3.5⭐️

Pub Date: 7/16/2024

I wanted to love this one so much. It reminds me of The Maid by Nita Prose (which I adore) initially however, the writing style and how the MC narrates this is a little bothersome and a bit more repetitive than what I deem necessary. I get that this is family drama but there was too much bickering and there were even parts of the conversation that seemed pointless to the plot. Especially when Vicki and Todd arrived first. I guess it did add to making the reader understand the dynamics of the family but I thought it could have been cut down a bit. This book didn't really catch my attention up until maybe around halfway through when shiz hit the fan. It gave a thriller with some supernatural vibes. It was creepy because of the poems/rhymes and that actually was a huge plus that kept me reading. The bad blood and secrets between the sister and the whole family itself got crazier as I turned the pages. The characters are all unhinged! All of them. And I can't pick which character is the worst as I kept going. Vicki is just insufferable and I have a deep seated dislike for her from the start but I wouldn't say she's the worst. Overall, I still thought it was a good book to read. I still enjoyed parts of this but it just didn't hold my attention consistently. This may be for people who particularly or especially enjoy family drama and dynamics!

Thanks to NetGalley and St Martin's Press for an advanced reader copy of One Big Happy Family in exchange for my honest review.

I always enjoy a locked room mystery but this story was a bit of a roller coaster. Lots of suspenseful moments but then the story would drag. And the cycle would repeat. Not my favorite locked room mystery.

Overall an ok story.

One Big Happy Family" by Jamie Day is my first read by this author, and it was an interesting experience. The story offers a unique take on family dynamics and the complexities that come with them. While I found some parts of the plot a bit slow, the characters were well-developed and relatable. The book had its moments of charm and insight, making it a worthwhile read. Despite some pacing issues, I enjoyed Jamie Day's writing style and will definitely read more from this author in the future. #netgalley #Onebighappyfamily

Another suspenseful page-turner by the talented Jamie Day! This book did not disappoint. If you are a fan of twisty whodunnit thrillers and/or enjoyed THE BLOCK PARTY by this author then I highly recommend picking this one up. It's full of juicy secrets, loads of domestic drama and will keep you guessing until the very last page.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for access to the e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoy the locked room trope and I felt the ominous atmosphere and tension in this story. I enjoyed the beginning but I thought the sisters backstory was a bit slow and then unfortunately I started loosing interest. It did pick up at the end with a lot of drama. Overall, this was between ok and I liked it. I would still be willing to try another book by the author.

2.5 stars

Dark and twisty thriller set during a Hurricane on coastal Maine. A great read for upcoming winter nights. The hotel itself was the best written character in this novel. There were quite a few characters and subplots to keep track of, so maybe a little more complicated than it needed to be. The book wrapped up fairly neatly though. I enjoy Jamie Day's writing style.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for an advanced reader's copy of this novel for my honest opinion.

Thank you @netgalley for the Advanced Reader Copy of One Big Happy Family by Jamie Day. It’s the story of a rich family behaving badly after the death of their father, meeting up at the hotel he owned in Maine. And there is murder and a storm involved to make it more interesting. The story is told from the viewpoint of Charley who is 19 and works at the inn, and really needs the job. The family obviously does not get along, and there is a lot of drama, along with the murder. I didn’t love this one, don’t do well with unlikeable characters. #onebighappyfamily #jamieday #netgalley #bookstagram #mainehotel #familystory #murdermystery #lovetoread #takeapagefrommybook #readersofinstagram #bookloversofinstagram

✨ Publication date: July 16, 2024✨

One Big Happy Family is a mystery/thriller by Jamie Day. This is my first book by this author and won’t be my last!

This book introduces many characters that are interconnected, you need to pay attention and make the connections to keep up but it’s not overly difficult to track.

The Precipice hotel is owned by the Bishop family on the Maine coast. Charley is the hotel maid preparing to greet the Bishop sisters who are meeting at the hotel after their father’s death. The Bishop family has a long and tumultuous relationship with the small town they live in and there aren’t many positive things to say about the sisters.

The sisters begin to arrive with their families but they are on the brink of a hurricane and the Bishop families, Charley, the family lawyer and one other guest of the hotel are stuck together to ride out the storm.

When the last will and testament are read and family secrets come to light, not everyone was treated fairly in the will. As the storm rages on, tempers flare and bodies start to pile up. No one is taking accountability and everyone has a reason to be the killer.

The story is mostly told from Charley’s point of view. We do get a few chapters from the lens of the Bishop sisters. There are parts that drag on a bit and likely could have been wrapped up a bit quicker but ultimately I enjoyed the writing and the story! This was a 3.75 (rounded to 4) star read.

Disclaimer: I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

#NetGalley #jamieday #onebighappyfamily

Did Not Finish at 23%

This book was not for me. I had a very difficult time connecting with any of the characters and did not find any of the characters very likable. The plot also moved a little too slowly for me.

I might try to finish this book at a later date.

Overall I really enjoyed this book, I loved in particular how the author weaved the storyline together. The writing style was enjoyable and the plot held my interest. Looking forward to the next release.

One Big Happy Family by Jamie Day is the sophomore book from this author. The book is set in Maine where the owner of a hotel on the coast of Maine has died. From the viewpoint of one of the staff, we watch the sisters and their families return home for the reading of the will amid a hurricane. Please start dying and those staying at the hotel are forced to reveal secrets to stay alive.

I really enjoyed the debut book from this author but this one did not work as well for me. I found the pacing to be very slow and I knew about half of the twists before they were revealed in the story. This was not much of a suspense or thriller as marketed. I also found the romance aspect to be a strange inclusion in the story. It didn't really fit.

2.5 rounded up. So this just wasn’t good for me.

Didn’t really like any of the characters. The Bishop sisters were all awful. Quinn was decent but he wasn’t a major player in the story. The ending was over the top and felt like after much dragging on and on we were in a rush to be at the end.

Really enjoyed The block party by this author and was super excited to get this ARC but didn’t really enjoy.

Thanks to the author and netgalley for my electronic advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed the authors book The Book Party and was excited to get a copy of One Big Happy Family.

The book starts off strong with Charley, the maid at a quirky hotel in Maine taking money from guests while cleaning their rooms to help pay for her grandmas nursing home care. With a hurricane brewing this quickly becomes a locked door mystery when the daughters of the hotel owner come for the reading of his will.

This book was a slow burn. There is a lot of back story into the sisters lives which I found interesting. The twists and turns are pretty predictable.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an ARC for an honest review.

This “closed room” mystery takes place in coastal Maine at an old hotel during a hurricane. The former owner has died and his daughters have come during the storm for a reading of the will. Charley, the young female maid, is the main character. Characters start dying off, one by one. Who’s the murderer?

I spent the whole book wondering about one specific character, only to be surprised when the twist involved them. LOL!

I thought this was a well-written atmospheric domestic thriller/suspense. The characters were unlikeable, the drama was legit, and I couldn’t wait to see what happened next.

Read if you like locked-room storm plots with a very large side of family inheritance drama!

It was a like, not a love for me! I found myself skimming quite a bit because I wasn't connecting with the characters or feeling the tension in the story. I LOVE a reading of a will, so I was excited for this but overall it was just okay. I will read this author again though, because I liked their first novel!

Woooooo. That was a whirlwind. And not just because a hurricane hit. So many twist and turns I was never expecting. I was expecting him to leave it all to Charley.

This is ok as far as thrillers go. Engaging enough to continue reading but I felt like it was quite slow in developing the plot. Suspense overall was good once it got going. Those who love secrets and family drama would probably enjoy this.