Name: The Hawthorne Legacy
ISBN: 9780241480748

Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Intrigue, riches, and romance abound in this thrilling sequel to the New York Times bestselling The Inheritance Games perfect for fans of Karen McManus and Holly Jackson. 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. As the mystery grows and the plot thickens, Grayson and Jameson, 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, 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.

The Inheritance Games #2

The Hawthorne Legacy

Jasper

Sophia

Rayane Rabaa

Giulia Assenza 

Cara Johnson

lmao I just can't stop thinking about a little boy who kills two birds calmly with a stone and then in a rush ten more like he was possessed. Like why so many? 5 aren't enough? It escalated a bit fast haha

Why kill two birds with one stone, he always said, when you could kill twelve?

I was used to people walking away. I was good at not expecting anything from anyone. 

julia ishikawa

Aubrey Erskine

Kaele Perkins 

makenna glaab

The Hawthorne Legacy by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Book 2 of The Inheritance Games series starts off strong — and then crashes under the weight of its own chaos.

The book opens with promise. The short chapters (some just a single page) made it easy to stay engaged. I was excited at first — it felt fast-paced and high-stakes, like we were finally getting to the heart of the Hawthorne family secrets.

Then everything spiraled. So much is happening all the time, but most of it feels unnecessary or directionless. Instead of raising stakes, it just piles on confusion. Certain storylines (like Ricky and Skye) build up to... nothing. If there’s no real threat to Avery’s inheritance, then what’s the point?

 dead people being talked about and not enough depth to the living ones. All this lore would matter more if the characters were given room to breathe.

The snappy pacing and cliffhanger chapter endings are still Barnes’ strong suit. But I found the audiobook narrator hard to focus on this time around, which may have impacted how much I retained.

Maxine’s fake swearing. It was quirky the first time, but by this book, it’s exhausting. Just say “what the eff” or don’t swear at all — we don’t need a full made-up swear dictionary.

This book suffers from an overwhelming ensemble. I counted at least 22 recurring characters — probably more. You’d think in a series with four Hawthorne brothers, we’d get some meaningful development for all of them, but Nash and Xander are sidelined. Again.

This mostly feels like the Avery and Jameson show. Grayson pops in occasionally, like the author remembered mid-draft that he still has fans. Even worse, newer side characters get introduced (and reintroduced) so fast that I couldn’t keep track. I genuinely forgot who Rebecca was. And Mellie? No clue.

And while we’re at it — far too many plotlines rely on secret or abandoned children. There’s only so much scandal I can take before it just feels like chaos for chaos’s sake. Can these white people slow down on the casual reproducing??

Here’s where it gets frustrating: there’s so much potential in this world, and none of it is explored properly. I would’ve loved:

 — Zara, Skye, and how they lived in Tobias’s shadow.

➳ A prequel novella from Tobias Hawthorne’s POV. Let us see him alive, planning the inheritance game. He’s treated like an omniscient ghost — I want the man behind the mystery.

➳ A Nash & Libby romance arc (with Alisa drama on the side). Cowboy charm? Yes please.

➳ More Xander. Easily the most interesting brother — like Flint Lockwood from 

 but more charming, lovable and chaotic. He deserves his own book or novella.

This book is bursting with subplots and characters, but most of them are either underdeveloped or instantly forgotten. And Avery, as a protagonist, still doesn’t do much for me. She’s rich, but boring. She never feels like a teenager. Honestly, she feels like a placeholder — someone to inherit billions but with no actual goals or interests.

 universe has potential, but instead of stretching this into two (now three?) more books, I wish JLB had focused on depth over quantity. It feels like she's milking the franchise now — and I’m not sure I’ll stick around long enough to see how it ends.

Recommended for: readers who enjoy chaotic rich-family drama, but don’t mind shallow character arcs and endless plot threads.

Tali ⋆.˚🦋༘⋆

The Hawthorne Legacy by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
3 stars

Book 2 of The Inheritance Games series starts off strong — and then crashes under the weight of its own chaos.

Plot & Pacing
The book opens with promise. The short chapters (some just a single page) made it easy to stay engaged. I was excited at first — it felt fast-paced and high-stakes, like we were finally getting to the heart of the Hawthorne family secrets.

Then everything spiraled. So much is happening all the time, but most of it feels unnecessary or directionless. Instead of raising stakes, it just piles on confusion. Certain storylines (like Ricky and Skye) build up to... nothing. If there’s no real threat to Avery’s inheritance, then what’s the point?

Also — there are too many dead people being talked about and not enough depth to the living ones. All this lore would matter more if the characters were given room to breathe.


Writing Style
The snappy pacing and cliffhanger chapter endings are still Barnes’ strong suit. But I found the audiobook narrator hard to focus on this time around, which may have impacted how much I retained.

A major annoyance:
Maxine’s fake swearing. It was quirky the first time, but by this book, it’s exhausting. Just say “what the eff” or don’t swear at all — we don’t need a full made-up swear dictionary.


Characters

This book suffers from an overwhelming ensemble. I counted at least 22 recurring characters — probably more. You’d think in a series with four Hawthorne brothers, we’d get some meaningful development for all of them, but Nash and Xander are sidelined. Again.

This mostly feels like the Avery and Jameson show. Grayson pops in occasionally, like the author remembered mid-draft that he still has fans. Even worse, newer side characters get introduced (and reintroduced) so fast that I couldn’t keep track. I genuinely forgot who Rebecca was. And Mellie? No clue.

And while we’re at it — far too many plotlines rely on secret or abandoned children. There’s only so much scandal I can take before it just feels like chaos for chaos’s sake. Can these white people slow down on the casual reproducing??


Missed Opportunities
Here’s where it gets frustrating: there’s so much potential in this world, and none of it is explored properly. I would’ve loved:

➳ A book about the Hawthorne sisters — Zara, Skye, and how they lived in Tobias’s shadow.
➳ A prequel novella from Tobias Hawthorne’s POV. Let us see him alive, planning the inheritance game. He’s treated like an omniscient ghost — I want the man behind the mystery.
➳ A Nash & Libby romance arc (with Alisa drama on the side). Cowboy charm? Yes please.
➳ More Xander. Easily the most interesting brother — like Flint Lockwood from Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs but more charming, lovable and chaotic. He deserves his own book or novella.

Final Thoughts
This book is bursting with subplots and characters, but most of them are either underdeveloped or instantly forgotten. And Avery, as a protagonist, still doesn’t do much for me. She’s rich, but boring. She never feels like a teenager. Honestly, she feels like a placeholder — someone to inherit billions but with no actual goals or interests.

I still think the Inheritance Games universe has potential, but instead of stretching this into two (now three?) more books, I wish JLB had focused on depth over quantity. It feels like she's milking the franchise now — and I’m not sure I’ll stick around long enough to see how it ends.

Recommended for: readers who enjoy chaotic rich-family drama, but don’t mind shallow character arcs and endless plot threads.

Another mystery were I was left shocked, loving this series so far, ready jump into the next book. Also enjoyed the little love triangle going on. 

Edna Aviles

Still enjoyable as the first book but because there were so many plot twists, I had to draw myself a family tree and map of how the characters are all related to one another. 

Naomi P

Kass

this was so sad. we went from thrilling mystery and puzzles and these great hints of romance, to this...LOL. the pacing slowed down a lot and the puzzles were super underwhelming this book. 

i was also hoping to get more complexity for some of the main characters, but we didn't. was super disappointing to come from book one into this. still a fun series, just felt like a big drop off from book one. 

alice l

this was so sad. we went from thrilling mystery and puzzles and these great hints of romance, to this...LOL. the pacing slowed down a lot and the puzzles were super underwhelming this book. 

i was also hoping to get more complexity for some of the main characters, but we didn't. was super disappointing to come from book one into this. still a fun series, just felt like a big drop off from book one. 

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.

I ENJOYED THIS ONE SOOOO MUCH the plot just gets better and better !! jennifer lynn barnes outdid herself with this series <3

julianne 🤍 

turtle

ang 

4.5 ⭐️

⸻ PLOT : i enjoyed it more than the first one, the plot was more clear and understandable since the first page and i was so into it since the beginning. all the plot twists made me scream and throw out my kindle. the only reason i give it 4.5 stars and not 5 is because of the romance.

⸻ THE CHARACTERS : the brothers were just amazing in this book. nash one again being the best man ever written, i absolutely loved grayson in this book and this kinda surprised me because i didn't like him really much in the first book but bro decided to change his whole personality and i love it, jameson amazing incredibile fantastic talented nice kind boy i loved him such an amazing character and his mind omg i wanna kiss his brain i swear, xander i don't have to tell you that this guy is the best thing ever happened to me like OMG ????? he's amazing.
avery grambs the woman that you are. i love her. she's pretty, she's smart, she's independently and she's rich like girl ??? you're perfect. libby is my sweetheart i love her soooo much omg i need to hug and kiss her. max is me, i'm max. thea and rebecca i don't really know what to think about them tbh in one chapter i love them in the other one i don't this is frustrating 

⸻ THE ROMANCE : okay i personally love romance in books but in this book it wasn't that important, like i get that they are teens and they want to fall in love and everything but c'mon GIVE ME THE SUSPENSE!!!! anyway i'm team jameson, i love avery and jameson so much, but my #1 couple will forever be libby and nash, like they are perfect together, the perfect grumpy x sunshine. i really hope that xander and max will become a couple because they are soooo cute together. and the last but not the least thea and rebecca give. me. more. about. them.

Jennifer Gosnell

I really liked this second installment of ‘The Inheritance Games,’ although I feel like it dragged plot-wise a bit at times. Overall, really fast-paced and a fun mystery series. Excited to pick up the third one and see where it goes next!

Linara K.S

Addictive however the ending was too much for me. Some revelations just didn't make sense.

Carolina

Lea Labat 

It was soooooo good 

I recommend it !!! 

4.5*

I devoured this series. Can't wait for the third book!!

Elisavet Rozaki 

Way to ruin a perfectly nice story set in place by book 1.

Laura

** spoiler alert **
           Well, I just loved this book. It's so much better than the first one. Anger, confusion, shock I had all these emotions while reading this book. 

I think for the last 150 pages I just sat there confused. Plot twist after plot twist. 


I love that Avery and Jameson are finally together. I was always team Jameson

Lauren R

After loving Book 1 and then hearing a couple of friends give this one mixed reviews I was a little sceptical about if I was going to enjoy this one myself but it’s safe to say that I read the vast majority of it in 1 afternoon as it was just so intense that I was unable to put this down or think about anything else, it’s safe to say that this series has me on the edge of my seat with the twists and turns!

This Books picks up a month or so after the 1st book, Avery is set on proving that something she uncovers in book one is in fact true but the more she and the boys dig, the more they discover that some things shouldn’t be unearthed. Plus, just like in the first book Avery has people wanting her dead and now has bodyguards with her wherever she goes.

Once again, the plot is incredibly fast-paced and kept me on my toes with tones of twists and turns that I never saw coming or expected. I didn’t think that things could get any more intense, but they did, I loved all the secrets and cryptic puzzles throughout the book and trying to work these out myself along with the main characters was enjoyable.

I have no clue what to expect going into book 3 but I know for a fact that it’s going to be the next book I pick up as I need to know what happens next.

Ian Brakspear

After loving Book 1 and then hearing a couple of friends give this one mixed reviews I was a little sceptical about if I was going to enjoy this one myself but it’s safe to say that I read the vast majority of it in 1 afternoon as it was just so intense that I was unable to put this down or think about anything else, it’s safe to say that this series has me on the edge of my seat with the twists and turns!

 

This Books picks up a month or so after the 1st book, Avery is set on proving that something she uncovers in book one is in fact true but the more she and the boys dig, the more they discover that some things shouldn’t be unearthed. Plus, just like in the first book Avery has people wanting her dead and now has bodyguards with her wherever she goes.

 

Once again, the plot is incredibly fast-paced and kept me on my toes with tones of twists and turns that I never saw coming or expected. I didn’t think that things could get any more intense, but they did, I loved all the secrets and cryptic puzzles throughout the book and trying to work these out myself along with the main characters was enjoyable.

 

I have no clue what to expect going into book 3 but I know for a fact that it’s going to be the next book I pick up as I need to know what happens next.

Ellie M.

I have a lot to say about this book, but for now it’s just that Jennifer’s done a great job taking the story of the inheritance to the next level. This was full of games that had unpredictable twists and turns, making the reading experience fun and very thrilling. Reading this story is like walking through a fun house. You never know what to expect: a mirror, a dead end, or a new path towards the truth. All these aside, I would just like to comment on how terribly written the love triangle between Jameson, Avery, and Grayson. The narrative was painted from the very beginning: Grayson didn’t stand a chance. It was never a fair game, he wasn’t given grounds to develop himself as a character given that he had so much potential. Avery and Jamie are truly compatible, it’s like they share the same mind, but the possibility of Avery and Gray made me think about all of the what-ifs he’s thought about. The spotlight was always on the first two; potential for Grayson Hawthorne was swept under the rug. But nevertheless, this story is a must-read for all those who seek the thrill.

This book wasn’t as good as the first one to me. Xander is the best character, I actually would like a book just about him at this point. Avery and Jameson are cute, I do like them together. Still wish she would end up alone, but I already spoiled the last book for myself so oh well. I do love Jennifer Lynn Barnes writing, it’s easy and quick to read.

Rumors spread that Tobias Hawthorne's lost son may still be alive, casting doubt on seventeen-year-old Avery's inheritance and changing the rules of the game.

Madeline Frank

Super good!! But I feel like the dialogue did get a bit cheesy at a few spots, but that didn’t take away from the overall book! Again loved the turns and cannot wait for the next one!!!

kait

Usually, the second book in a series dips off and becomes less interesting or just doesn't live up to the hype like the first one did. Luckily, that is not the case with this one. This book is amazing. After the first book, we learn that we are not quite done solving riddles and puzzles as we are sent on another mission. This book is arguably filled with even more twists and turn than the first one and the romance subplot is a lot more developed as we progress through the love triangle that is Avery, Jameson, and Grayson. Again, in the second installment in The Inheritance Games trilogy, we have a well-rounded plot, the same lovable characters, short chapters with fast-paced action, and a story that is shaping up to have a really great ending in the final book. I am excited to see where Barnes goes from here and how she can turn this series into something even greater than what it already is.

Kaylee Ray

holy shit. i am so upset the third book isn’t out yet

Christine

i was this close to rating it 2* out of being incredibly disgruntled over the Love Triangle(tm) but then i hit the section with the postcards and that salvaged everything.

The Hawthorne Legacy The Inheritance Games #2