With her most recent book, The Final Gambit, Jennifer Lynn Barnes has once again wowed readers. There was never any doubt that Barnes would be able to bring this captivating series to a satisfactory finish given the success and popularity of the first two books: The Inheritance Games and The Hawthorne Legacy. However, the task was never going to be simple. The Final Gambit was one of my most anticipated novels of 2022 because of the intricate web of mystery that has been created by the first two books. 

Avery Kylie Grambs just needs to get through a few more weeks in Hawthorne House before she turns 18 and inherits billions. She has the paparazzi following her everywhere, financial strains are intensifying, and life is full of risks. The Hawthorne brothers are the only ones who can help Avery get through it all. Their lives are entangled with hers. Both she and they are aware of each other’s secrets. When Toby’s biological daughter, Eve, shows up at the Hawthorne House and reveals that Toby has been kidnapped, Jameson, Grayson, and Avery spring into action to solve why the kidnapper is after Toby. Avery and the Hawthorne brothers are entangled in a final mystery that quickly becomes a dangerous game against an unknown and powerful player. 

Romance:  

I have loved both Grayson and Jameson, I think they are both so unique from each other, but I still adore them just the same. I do think however, that Jameson and Avery were endgame, they made sense and you can tell how they made each other better. She chose Jameson and stuck with that choice. She never came between the brothers once making her choice like Emily did. She didn’t let the love triangle continue (thank God). She chose Jameson, chose to love him, and stuck with him despite him always questioning whether or not she loved Grayson, too. 

“The only person I trust with all that I am and all that could be, Heiress, is you.” 

― Jennifer Lynn Barnes, The Final Gambit 

Characters:  

Barnes truly found a way to my heart though these characters. From all four Hawthorne brothers to Avery, Max, Libby, and even Oren and Alisa, I really loved how they brought the story together. Their friendships and bonds make the story more captivating to read.  

Mystery/ Plot: 

I feel like Toby’s reaction to what his father did to William Blake was very on character, and I appreciated that, even if I ultimately didn’t like it. The plot twists kept me on the edge of my seat throughout the entire book. They were never ending- each one taking this book in a whole other direction than you would ever expect. I think that in my opinion, Eve was the most see-through character ever. Yes. Barnes did try and get us to think the other way by having Grayson fully trust her, but her betrayal was still the most predictable thing to come out of this series. Lastly, the ending was lovely. Everything I could have dreamed of was there. It reaches the point where it is no longer about money, but rather power.  

This entire series has revolved around the idea that at some point, too much money is simply… too much money. Avery continues to be the epitome of the common woman. It’s so endearing that even at the end of the series, she remains true to herself, and never forgets where she came from.