Thank you Net Galley for an early copy of this book in exchange for my review. This was my first time reading a book from this author, and her other book The Block Party has been on my Kindle for awhile but I haven't gotten around to it yet. Anyway, this premise intrigued me from the start but I had an incredibly hard time finding myself caring about any of the characters, and while the writing style she has is awesome and her storytelling is great, the story didn't grab me as much as I hoped it would. I am very much open to reading more from this author however, despite this one not being all I hoped for. As always, just because it didn't grab my attention doesn't mean someone else won't absolutely love it.

This is the first book I have read from this author! I enjoyed it! The plot is very layered with great depths of deceptions. I couldn't put it down. Charley is a maid at a hotel where the owner passed away. His three daughters visit the hotel to hear what was left for them in their father's will. Everyone has different intentions and secrets that will be shared all during the time of a historical storm.. creating more challenges.

The setting was great. Figured out who did it pretty early on but there were some nice twists in the plot. Characters were all interesting. The later lives of the sisters went in totally different direction. Charley and her grandmother had such a sweet relationship. Some of their scenes were heartbreaking. Good, solid mystery that had plenty of twists.

I was hoping this would be a bang following The Block Party, but it honestly just fell short for me. There are lots of characters and different time periods mentioned. To me, the Bishop sisters were not likeable or even relatable. Everyone has their secrets and someone at The Precipice wants them to pay. Charley was somewhat the most relatable character but was definitely gullible and too trustworthy. I don't feel all of the story was complete when the sisters side was told in the past, the mom was mentioned briefly, but nothing on her passing or when. The ending was a surprise, I feel like it was a good fit for everyone.

Thank you to Netgalley, St. Martin's Press, and Jamie Day for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Publication Date for One Big Happy Family is July 16,2024

George Bishop, owner of the infamous Precipice hotel, is dead. Now his legacy is left to his 3 daughters: Iris, Faith, and Vicki. They all go there for the weekend to lay stake to their claim, with each woman wanting what she believes she deserves. Unfortunately, they may not each be so lucky.

Between the secrets that they’re all keeping, Charley (the 19-year-old chambermaid that their father employed), and the hurricane working its way toward them, it’s looking like it will be a more intense weekend away than they anticipated.

They may all be checking in, but someone may also be checking out … permanently.

Having loved Jamie Day’s previous work, I was extremely excited for her new release, and with good reason!
This is an excellent mystery novel set under the looming threat of a hurricane at an historical hotel, where tension run high and the lies are even more dangerous that the pending storm!

I did like this book but maybe right book wrong time. It had some good suspense “thrillery” plot points but I didn’t find myself voraciously reading this one. Would read again.

Review to follow! Thank you NetGalley, St Martins Press, and Jamie Day for writing a fantastic page turner.

I loved Jamie Day's first novel, The Block Party, and was really excited to see she had written a second novel. Sadly, this one did not work so well for me. The wealthy owner of a hotel dies, and his three daughters gather at the hotel to claim their inheritance. Of course, there's a storm brewing, so the hotel is empty except for a strange girl that the young housekeeper is stowing away. It seems that everyone has secrets they're trying to keep. It just moved way too slow, and the dialogue felt very forced. This one was just not for me. Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC.

Let me start off with saying the I really enjoy Jamie Day's writing. Day is able to put you right in the scene as if you were watching a movie. This story was very interesting from the start, an isolated hotel in Maine mixed with a who done it. This story definitely has a mystery aspect but it also felt a lot like a character study. I did feel like we spent a little too much time focusing on the sisters past instead the murder. The ending was a bit predictable but was still very well rounded.

One Big Happy Family is a suspense novel that would make a great movie! Set at a remote Cliffside resort full of eccentric characters., you will be kept on your toes trying to figure everyone out. A really great read!

Thank you to the publisher for an advanced copy of this book. This is my honest review

I wanted to love this because The Block Party was one of my favorite books of 2023 but I just didn’t connect with any of the characters.

Where do I begin…. This book has so many twists and turns I was NOT expecting them.

Charley is a maid at the Prescipise Hotel in Maine. Trying to better her life and move on from being a maid, she agrees to help Bree, who is a young woman claiming to be running away from her abusive boyfriend. Harboring Bree was the first mistake Charley makes. One murder after another and the Bishop sisters have a secret they need to share… but will they?

Review: I did enjoy this book and give it 4 stars. However, there are a few things I didn’t particularly like. For one, I just so happen to be reading The Maid at the same time and there are some similarities between the two books. The maid, a murder(s) in the hotel, an unexpected killer. I also thought the book was a little drawn out. LOVED the beginning, as I was hooked right away and the ending was a good plot twist. But I think the middle of the book could have been shortened a little and not drawn out as much.

Overall, would recommend and I enjoyed!

Where do I start? There are so many secrets in this story that I can't keep them straight. When Charley, the 19-year-old chambermaid, decides to help out a stranded stranger, she has no idea what else the storm will bring. When the Bishop sisters (and Todd) were first introduced, I couldn't help but find them all highly unlikeable. I honestly didn't know how I was going to be able to get through the book. But as this family's secrets started to unfold, I found myself drawn in, wanting to know what was next. Even though I "called" some of the twists early on, I still enjoyed reading to see if something would throw me off. Although I wasn't completely sold on how things ended for the Bishop sisters, it wasn't enough to sour me on the rest of the book.

A families twisted secrets come to light during a powerful storm and no one has a place to hide away from each other because they are sheltering in place for safety.
The way it all comes together at the end is genius ✨
I did find the main character to be very naive, but I guess it all came with her helpful personality which worked out for her after all.

Thank you to NetGalley and St.Martin’s press for this ARC in exchange for my honest feedback

An edge of your seat "locked room" thriller that had me guessing until the very end. Charley worked as a maid at The Precipice Hotel, which was owned by George, a lecherous old man, who made Charley's life miserable. She needed the job badly since she also lived at the hotel and was paying for her grandmothers assisted living care. George dies. leaving Charley's fate up in the air. His family comes to the hotel to hear the reading of George's will. Charley is terrified she will lose her job when his family takes over the hotel. George's dysfunctional family arrives during the start of a raging hurricane and the will is read by George's lawyer. There were many surprises uncovered in the will, that to some members of the family were not good surprises. Pandemonium ensues and the hurricane adds to the mayhem. Secrets come out and family members are pitted against each other, and no one knows who they can trust. Add in the raging hurricane which doesn't allow anyone to leave and also makes the old hotel creak and moan and the lights keep going out. All ingredients for a good creepy thriller. I loved every minute of it! #JamieDay #StMartinsPress

I was really excited to read this book when I first heard about it. The first few chapters I was hooked, l was enjoying the idea of the old hotel, the hurricane coming and the main character. But then once all the other characters started popping in and we focused more on them I started to lose all my attention. I didn’t like any of the characters, their stories or how they fell apart and came back together. It just felt like a lot was thrown into it and it made it confusing, not entertaining and it felt like it dragged on.

Thanks to NetGalley and St Martins Press for this pre release copy.

'One Big Happy Family' is not so happy, after the siblings all arrive at the Precipice Hotel for the reading of their fathers' will. The hotel has been in the family for years, inhabited by the young chambermaid, Charley, who has some secrets of her own, one perhaps bigger than all the sisters' combined.
I had misgivings going into this book as it sounded like so many similar books I've read; people trapped in a hotel with an upcoming storm on the way; but I liked this better than I expected. The entire book is told from Charleys' point of view, which is unique. You feel for her, despite her thieving ways, since all her income from this job goes towards her rent, and her grandmother's, who is in a nursing home. The 4 sisters are so different; a money hungry business woman, a model, a vegetarian yogi, and a former drug addict that has found faith. All 4 are well developed and good suspects when a murder occurs. No one can leave, and there is now a killer among them, what else could go wrong? The author does a good job with the pacing of the story, and racks up the suspense as the plot unfolds. We soon learn Charley's real motives, as well as the sisters'. There's also some potential romance here with Charley and Vicki's son. The middle part of the book could have been tightened up a bit, as overall the book clocks in at 368 pages. I was kept on the edge of my seat, and surprised with several twists towards the end, always a good thing.

This book was full of drama, plot twists, scandal, and a touch of romance. One Big Happy Family really had something for everyone. The setting takes place on the East Coast in a hotel owned by a wealthy man who is one of the protagonists of this book. If you’re looking for a good summer thriller, One Big Happy Family is it!
Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for an advanced e-copy of this book. It will available for purchase on July 16th, 2024. Go preorder it, totally worth reading.

Books with family dynamics pull you in. Yes it could be a little show moving and involved but don't we all like to see what makes families tick. Throw in murder and now it's game on. Twists and turns make this very interesting, albeit a little too long.