Plot:
The Competition:
Outlandishly wealthy Grandmother VanDemere has decided to leave her vast fortune to the family member who proves him or herself worthiest-by solving puzzles and riddles on a whirlwind race around the globe, from the mines of Venezuela to the castles of Scotland. There will be eight competitors, three continents . . . and a prize worth millions.
The Players:
Seventeen-year-old Avery is the black sheep of the VanDemere clan, the ostracized illegitimate daughter. Finally, she has a chance to prove herself . . . and to discover the truth about her long-lost mother.
Marshall might be Avery’s uncle, but there’s no love lost between the two of them. He’s her main competition, and he’ll do anything to win-including betray his own children.
Riley is the handsome son of Grandmother VanDemere’s lawyer. As the game progresses, Avery falls hard for Riley. Suddenly, losing the game might mean losing him, too.
As the competition takes treacherous turns, it becomes clear there can only be one victor. Who can Avery truly trust? And is winning worth her life?
Review:
When I first started reading this book, I wasn’t too sure what to expect. The main character, Avery, is attempting a break out from a boarding school that her grandmother sent her to as punishment for breaking out of their family mansion. I think she missed the point of her being there just a little bit. Then, in comes Riley, who unknowingly thwarts Avery’s breakout attempt but at the same time ends up getting her out of there, though he can’t tell her why just yet.
Avery is one of eight heirs to the incredibly well-off VanDemere family, only she is the black sheep of the family. Avery is the child of an affair that her father had with his son’s nanny, and so she is seen as a disgrace to the family name. Grandmother VanDemere realizes that the majority of her heirs are incredibly spoiled and don’t appreciate their heritage, so she invents a competition that will not only test their knowledge of their family’s history but will test their character as well, and the heir that comes out on top will win the majority of the family inheritance.
No one takes Avery very seriously in the competition until she shows that she is a real contender and might just take the top prize. Then everyone is out to get her and make sure that she doesn’t win.
This book kept me interested from the beginning until the end, and I loved the character progressions that were made. I really love this book.
I give this book 5/5 stars.
