Common Sense Media Review
Series continuation keeps up the intrigue, puzzle-solving.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 13+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
What's the Story?
THE BROTHERS HAWTHORNE picks up soon after the events of the third book in the Inheritance Games series, The Final Gambit, this time switching to focus mainly on two of the four brothers. Jameson, 19, receives a mysterious invitation to London, to meet Ian, the father he never knew. Ian asks Jameson to play a high-stakes game with the wealthiest and most powerful people in the UK so that Ian can win back his own inheritance. Jameson loves playing, and he loves winning even more, but why should he help Ian? Meanwhile, back in the US, 20-year-old Grayson learns that his half-sister Gigi is in trouble. And if anyone goes digging to deeply into that trouble, it could expose dark secrets and worse still, put Avery in danger again. In order to protect Avery, Grayson will have to betray Gigi, but can he bring himself to do it, even for a good reason?
Is It Any Good?
Veteran author Jennifer Lynn Barnes keeps the twists and turns coming in this continuation of the Inheritance Games series. The Brothers Hawthorne alternates between the adventures of two of the brothers, Grayson and Jameson, but Avery, the other two brothers, and familiar characters return, too. Readers will continue to enjoy intriguing atmospheres on both sides of the Atlantic and of course, solving intricate puzzles and uncovering long-held secrets along with the brothers. The story ends with yet another cliffhanger that will have fans of the series eager for the next installment.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the importance of family in The Brothers Hawthorne. "Family first" is repeated a lot, but do characters' actions back that up?
How does teamwork help Grayson and Jameson accomplish their goals?
Jameson especially never gives up until he's accomplished his goal or proved himself in some way. Do any other characters model perseverance?
Book Details
- Author :
- Genre : Contemporary Fiction
- Topics : Adventures , Family Stories ( Siblings )
- Character Strengths : Perseverance , Teamwork
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Little, Brown and Company
- Publication date : August 29, 2023
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 12 - 18
- Number of pages : 480
- Available on : Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Last updated : September 18, 2025
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Suggest an Update
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate
