One Big Happy Family

Lots Of Moving Pieces, Yet Feels Slow Somehow. I think a growing peeve of mine- maybe not yet a pet peeve, but certainly a major annoyance - is using a "hurricane" bearing down on a location and yet using it poorly... which is what happens here. Why a hurricane when a normal storm system would have worked just as well for plot purposes??? Hell, here in *Florida* (much less Maine, where this is set and where they get far fewer hurricanes), our daily thunderstorms (particularly in the summer) are generally worse than many of the hurricanes I've lived through here in North Florida (including Irma, just a few weeks after I moved here).

Beyond my irritation with the misuse of the hurricane though, which is admittedly a personal thing, the story works reasonably well, if seeming a bit slow and perhaps a touch unrealistic/ idiotic with some of the moves some of the characters make. But hey, we're all idiots at some point, right? It just seems like our supposed "heroes" in this particular tale are particularly stupid at times... which grates some people more than others. (Indeed, reading over the other reviews, it seems like many have a hangup on this similar to my hurricane one above.) And yet the stupidity ultimately works to make this novel work, and perhaps that is the reason it is here - this near 400 page book may have been reduced by at least a third and perhaps as much as a half had one or two characters made even a single better decision, perhaps a couple of better decisions. And maybe Day had a word or page count to meet.

Still, there's nothing objectively wrong about this book, and it *is* an enjoyable read that is *certainly* better than other books and is a solid way to lose a day or a few afternoons in a fictional world... which is becoming so much more important as election season ramps up in the US again. So forget the politics for a bit and pick up this book. You may be disappointed a bit in it, but it will still be better than spending that time watching the news. :)

Recommended.

This book started off a little shakey. I wasn't sure it was my cup of tea and then BOOM! I could not stop listening.

After the owner of the hotel dies, his 3 daughters come to fight over the scraps. So much happens in this book it will give you whiplash!

Charley works in the hotel and she is hiding a woman who has fled abuse in one for the rooms and everyone is keeping secrets! It was so dang good!

If you love a good thriller, this audio has to be your next read 4.5 stars

Interesting Story

One Big Happy Family by Jamie Day left me needing a day to sit and gather my thoughts—and for all the right reasons. This was my first encounter with Jamie Day's writing, but it definitely won’t be my last. The book is a masterclass in crafting deliciously chaotic family dynamics that turn each page into a twisty, tension-filled experience.

What a wild, unpredictable ride this story turned out to be! I found myself completely enthralled by the insane family drama, which was as messy as it was mesmerizing. Jamie Day has a talent for weaving intricate connections between the past and present, creating a web of secrets and lies that had me constantly guessing. I loved how every revelation seemed to echo through the generations, with ripples that reached far into the present.

By the time I finished, I felt like I had lived in this family's world for a day—caught up in their scandals, shocks, and surprises. Just when I thought I had it all figured out, the story took another sharp turn, leaving me wide-eyed and eager for more.

One Big Happy Family was an amazing read, full of surprises that left me wanting more. I’m eagerly looking forward to diving into Jamie Day's next book. Four stars for a brilliantly entertaining story that kept me on my toes from start to finish!