The Hawthorne Legacy (The Inheritance Games, 2)

The #1 New York Times bestseller and a USA Today bestseller!

Intrigue, riches, and romance abound in this thrilling sequel to the beloved bestselling The Inheritance Games

The Inheritance Games ended with a bombshell, and now heiress Avery Grambs has to pick up the pieces and find the man who might hold the answers to all of her questions—including why Tobias Hawthorne left his entire fortune to Avery, a virtual stranger, rather than to his own daughters or grandsons.

Thanks to a DNA test, Avery knows that she’s not a Hawthorne by blood, but clues pile up hinting at a deeper connection to the family than she had ever imagined. As the mystery grows and the plot thickens, Grayson and Jameson, two of the enigmatic and magnetic Hawthorne grandsons, continue to pull Avery in different directions. And there are threats lurking around every corner, as adversaries emerge who will stop at nothing to see Avery out of the picture—by any means necessary.

With nonstop action, aspirational jet-setting, Knives Out-like family intrigue, swoonworthy romance, and billions of dollars hanging in the balance, The Hawthorne Legacy will thrill Jennifer Lynn Barnes fans and new readers alike.

Editorial Reviews

"Not to be missed."―SLJ

Praise for The Inheritance Games:
A New York Times Bestseller
A GoodReads Choice Awards Finalist
A Kirkus Reviews Best Young Adult Book of the Year
A Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year
A New York Public Library Best Book for Teens
An Amazon Top 100 Book

"Barnes is a master of puzzles and plot twists. The Inheritance Games was the most fun I've had all year."

―E. Lockhart, bestselling author of We Were Liars and Again Again

"A thrilling blend of family secrets, illicit romance and high-stakes treasure hunt, set in the mysterious world of Texas billionaires. The nonstop twists kept me guessing until the very last page!"―Katharine McGee, New York Times bestselling author of American Royals

"Impossible to put down."―Buzzfeed

* "Part The Westing Game, part We Were Liars, completely entertaining."―Kirkus, starred review

* "This strong, Knives Out-esque series opener...provides ample enjoyment."―Publishers Weekly, starred review

"Barnes's meticulously crafted novel is like the film Knives Out for the YA world, perfect for any reader seeking suspense, romance, and glamour.... Barnes crafts high-stakes tension, a swoony love triangle, and a large but memorable cast of characters. Fun and fast-paced, fans of Karen M. McManus's One of Us is Lying and Maureen Johnson's Truly Devious will find a new home at Hawthorne House."―SLJ

"[A] well-characterized mystery that's packed to the brim with twists and tricks. Hand immediately to teen fans of Knives Out or readers who love Maureen Johnson's Truly Devious series."―Booklist

"Prickly, witty, and stubborn as a mule, Avery is an eminently likable protagonist, and her savvy ability to manage the obnoxiously privileged people she suddenly finds herself surrounded by is admirable, helped plenty by her quippy one-liners that level even the snobbiest among them."―BCCB

Readers Top Reviews

G. Noble

The follow-up to The Inheritance Games sees more secrets from the past emerge, credible threats to Avery's life arise, and the love triangle between Avery, Grayson, and Jameson continues. Avery is unsure who to trust, everyone has their own secrets and agendas, but she can't sit on the fence forever. I loved the first book, and I loved this one too. It may not have been quite as good as the first one, but it was fairly close. There are lots of twists and turns and people involved, and I think I should have refreshed my mind on who was who in the Hawthorne family, but no matter - it was a fast-paced thrill ride with a smattering of romance. I still ship Avery/Jameson over Avery/Grayson as I think AJ has much more chemistry than AG, but I think there are more revelations to come there. I cannot wait for the third book. Thanks to NetGalley & publishers, Penguin Random House Children's UK, for the opportunity to read an ARC. I am voluntarily giving an honest review.

Joee

Ready. Set. GAME ON! Here we are back at the Hawthorne Estate that is full of secret passageways and clues. Not to much all the riddles and mystery and intrigue!! This was another wild ride that was thrilling from page 1. It had my heart racing and not wanting to put it down. It felt SO GOOD to be swept away by their adventures. I'm definitely not smart enough to figure out any of the clues or riddles that they're working through but it's so fun to be along for the ride. I LOVED being back with the cunning, clever Hawthorne Boys and Avery! I couldn't get enough of them. I constantly kept going back and forth on whether I loved thrill seeking, Jameson more or suit wearing, Greyson. But gosh I just adored how Avery worked so well with one of them!! They were a good team! This is like Clue meets Knives Out meets Nancy Drew! It's a fast paced, exciting story with enough romance that still had me swooning! Yay KISSES!!! I cherished every minute (it was never dull) and I'm sad it's over!!!! I hope this author writes more like this!!

Dad4589

I read the first one at the beginning of the summer with a couple friends, and we all preordered this one. I finished it in less than a day, and I loved it! The language is a bit inappropriate at times, but most books have that problem. The story is very compelling, I love how it isn't graphic, I hate gory stuff. It's the perfect amount of mystery to make me want to keep reading, without being scary, and me and my friends love the romance. We all try to guess whether Avery will end up with Grayson or Jameson. I would, and have, recommended this book to others. My only problem is that I now have to wait for the next one!

Monica Khan

Initial Thoughts I was so excited to be chosen for this tour. I had been wanting to read this series for a while now and being on tour for the second book was a perfect opportunity. I loved the fact that the first book is compared to Knives Out and I couldn’t wait to puzzle out the mysteries and riddles. Some Things I Liked The mysteries. I loved the riddles, puzzles, and clues in this story just as much as I loved them in the first book. I love to try to solve the puzzles in mystery stories and Jennifer Lynn Barnes makes the reveals so good but also not obvious at all. I commend her ability to keep me guessing. The romance. This series is the first series I have ever read where I actually like the love triangle element. Grayson and Jameson are both so good and I can’t imagine who Avery is going to choose. Series Value I think this series could probably end with this book. Do I want it to end here? Absolutely not! I want Jennifer Lynn Barnes to write infinitely more stories about this family and their eccentric ways. I am very excited that there will be a third book and I’m excited to see if all of the open items are tied up. Final Thoughts I loved this book. I read both book 1 and this book in the span of about 48 hours. This series is not one to sleep on. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Sarah A.

WELP that was a real rollercoaster. I loved every page. The never-ending mystery, the adventure, the character development…all of it. My sole frustration is the romance. I don’t know how to feel about that ending. From the beginning of book 1, I’ve been so deeply team Grayson. He and Avery had such a slow-burn, soulmate-y romance going, and I was living for it. But for the ending to just change everything; and for the guy who has always had her back to suddenly just not be there for her? That felt like it didn’t match with his character at all. Then, for Jameson to be the one that comes in and bets it on her, and for Avery to choose him? I mean, this was the dude that DROPPED her in Book 1. IMHO, Grayson was 100% endgame, which it felt like the author was building toward, and it’s really devastating that just like that, he wasn’t. That said, I love this author and her unbelievable ability to create intricate mysteries like these. I was left with some answers, and even more questions. My largest one being: can Avery and Grayson PLEASE end up together in the next book? (Sorry, couldn’t help myself)

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