Susan Rieger's "The Heirs: A Novel"

Six months after Rupert Falkes dies, leaving a grieving widow and five adult sons, an unknown woman sues his estate, claiming she had two sons by him.  The Falkes brothers are pitched into turmoil, at once missing their father and feeling betrayed by him.  In disconcerting contrast, their mother, Eleanor, is cool and calm, showing preternatural composure.  
 
Eleanor and Rupert had made an admirable life together -- Eleanor with her sly wit and generosity, Rupert with his ambition and English charm -- and they were proud of their handsome, talented sons: Harry, a brash law professor; Will, a savvy Hollywood agent; Sam, an astute doctor and scientific researcher; Jack, a jazz trumpet prodigy; Tom, a public-spirited federal prosecutor. The brothers see their identity and success as inextricably tied to family loyalty – a loyalty they always believed their father shared. Struggling to reclaim their identity, the brothers find Eleanor’s sympathy toward the woman and her sons confounding. Widowhood has let her cast off the rigid propriety of her stifling upbringing, and the brothers begin to question whether they knew either of their parents at all. 

 
A riveting portrait of a family, told with compassion, insight, and wit, The Heirs wrestles with the tangled nature of inheritance and legacy for one unforgettable, patrician New York family. Moving seamlessly through a constellation of rich, arresting voices, The Heirs is a tale out Edith Wharton for the 21st century. ~taken from Amazon

Hey all! I'm back! I know it's been awhile since I reviewed. My youngest has major spine surgery and it's been a tough few months. He is doing great now and I have books to share with you!

The Heirs seemed like just my kind of book. An upper class NYC family with secrets! From reading the description I was so excited to receive an egalley from Netgalley to read and review.

This story opens with the death of a beloved father and husband. Each chapter is told by a different family member or close family friend, and secrets about his life are unraveled, showing that the perfect upper-class New York family weren't all that they seemed to be.  

I had some pretty high expectations going into this read. I was quickly disappointed. Reading was very detailed and made for slow reading. There were so many characters to learn about and remember that I got confused and lost in the shuffle of a new character each chapter. Instead of revealing twists and turns I seemed to just read a typical soap opera about a privileged family. 

What struck me was that although each chapter was dedicated to a specific character, I not once actually connected with a single one. While each character's layer made the overall story intriguing, it was very predictable. 

I am somewhat torn on how to rate this. Though it was a predictable plot and pretty unrelatable on all levels, I did find some instances enjoyable. I would say this is a 3.5 to 4 star read for me. I did get this read in a span of a couple days also, so that has to count for something. 

Susan Rieger's "The Heirs" is available now for purchase in ebook, hardcover, and paperback format. If you need a quick summer read that takes you away from reality, this is a great book to add to your stack! 

Once again, I would like to thank Netgalley and Crown Publishing for providing me a copy to read and give my honest review. 

Happy Reading and I hope you have had a wonderful summer!