The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

 

I absolutely loved The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes!  

Avery Grambs is a poor but determined teenage girl who is currently living out of her car and working towards a decent (but not great) future.  Tobias Hawthorne is a billionaire who loves puzzles.  For some unknown reason when Hawthorne dies, he wills almost his entire estate to Avery, much to the disdain of his disinherited family.  The catch is that Avery is required to move into this huge mansion along with the rest of the Hawthornes, including four swoon-worthy grandsons who cannot decide what to make of Avery and the whole situation.  

I loved that Avery had a very realistic approach to the whole upheaval of her life and delve into the mystery of why she won this colossal, unexpected prize (or curse).  She is more interested in solving the puzzle than spending the money, which draws the attention of all of the Hawthorne hotties (or grandsons).  She is strong and refuses to let anyone belittle her or push her around no matter how hard they try!  She is also very smart and able to solve many of the billionaire’s puzzles while shuffling between the four curious and very different brothers.  

The author does a great job of portraying each character and their individual differences.  Nash is the country boy who speaks with a drawl, wears boots in the mansion, rides an old motorcycle, and cares more about helping those in need than spending money.  Grayson should have been the heir to the business side of the inheritance because he is so well-spoken and highly educated in such matters.  His voice holds power and he has been preparing his entire life to be the heir to his grandfather's estate.  Jameson is the thill-seeking bad-boy in the family.  He likes to stand on ledges, drive fast, and do anything that will give him a adrenaline rush.  Xander is the baby of the family and loves to play with robots, eat scones, and make things explode. All four boys have grown up competing with each other to solve their grandfather's riddles and make him proud. 

Tobias Hawthorne had only two daughters, both of which are very unhappy to see that their extravagant lifestyle is now in the hands of young girl they’ve never even met.  They both spend every chance they get trying to make Avery feel little and undeserving.  

Personally, I am not that great at solving codes and riddles, but I loved watching how these characters worked their way to the answers, sometimes together and sometimes fighting each other the whole time. Of course there's a little romance thrown in - but how can you choose between the brilliant, gorgeous Hawthorne brothers? I would absolutely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys young adult, puzzles and codes, mysteries, romance, or any combination thereof.   

Barnes, J. L. (2020). The Inheritance Games. Little, Brown and Company.