Book Reviews

Book Review: The Hawthorne Legacy by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

One of my favorite series of the past few years, I’m so excited to review The Hawthorne Legacy. With just enough glamour for a teenage girl billionaire, enough adventure to keep you on your toes, and two teenage boys who are in love with the main character? Sign me up. 

Book Information

Avery, Jameson, and Grayson are back as they try to untangle more of their family ties and mysteries. This time though, Avery is trying to find out more about her dad, more about Harry, and the tragedy surrounding both. With the love triangle between Avery, Jameson, and Grayson intensifying and the death threats (and attempts) increasing against Avery, they must all work together to see if they can finally understand the past and the legacy of the Hawthornes.

Review | Heidi Dischler

When I started this book, it had been a while since I finished The Inheritance Games. I had to go back and read my own review as well as a summary for the book because there was so much going on in this book and the first that it was hard to remember everything that had happened. With The Hawthorne Legacy, I was not disappointed (once, of course, I remembered what the heck was actually going on). You get so much more of the characters in this book and I absolutely loved that you get a more personal relationship with Max.

The plot followed a few different leads but always found a way to circle back and make you rethink everything that they had discovered about the Hawthorne family. Of course, though, now I have tons of questions and I don’t think I can wait almost another whole year before the next book, The Final Gambit.

Spoilers ahead.

So, was I disappointed that Toby wasn’t her father? Yes. Were his self-depreciating actions getting on my nerves? Also, yes. I can’t believe that he avoided Hannah (aka Avery’s mother) for years because he wanted to punish himself. I get feeling guilty. I get that he felt he had to atone for his sins. In the end, though? He was hurting Hannah the most. That, to me, makes his actions aggravating to say the least.

As for the romance? You didn’t really get to see as much of Grayson as the previous book, but you did get a lot of Jameson and I’m here for it. I fell in love with the way that he subtly started changing his feelings for Avery. I loved that it was a slow burn rather than all at once. He wanted to protect her. He wanted to make her smile. I just… yeah. Jameson is great 😊

Overall, I’m not looking forward to this wait for the next book. I am looking forward to the conclusion of this amazing series, though. As for which Hawthorne I’m rooting for? Jameson. Jameson all the freaking way.

Source: Personal Copy

“The coin landed. 'Tails,' I said. 'I kiss you.'”

– Avery (Jennifer Lynn Barnes), The Hawthorne Legacy