Book review - Heiress Takes All

Title: Heiress Takes All

Author: Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka

Genre: realistic fiction

Similar books: Aces Wild by Amanda DeWitt

                      Coin Heist by Elisa Ludwig

Rating:

 

righteous wickedness

Summary (provided by publisher): Seventeen-year-old Olivia Owens isn't thrilled that her dad's getting remarried...again. She's especially not thrilled that he cheated on her mom, kicked them out of their Rhode Island home, and cut Olivia out of her rightful inheritance.
But this former heiress has a plan for revenge. While hundreds of guests gather on the grounds of the gorgeous estate where she grew up, everyone will be thinking romance—not robbery. She’ll play the part of dutiful daughter, but in reality she’ll be redistributing millions from her father’s online accounts. She only needs the handwritten pass code he keeps in the estate's safe.
With the help of an eclectic crew of high school students and one former teacher, Olivia has plotted her mid-nuptial heist down to the second. But she didn't plan for an obnoxiously nosy wedding guest, an interfering ex-boyfriend intent on winning her back, greedy European cousins with their own agenda, or a vengeful second wife. When everything seems like it's going wrong, Olivia has to keep her eyes on what really matters: getting rich. And when she’s done, “something borrowed” will be the understatement of the year.

My opinion: A heist story is typically a very careful thing. While we love the story of detailed plans and sneaking around we're left with an important question - is it okay to cheer for a thief? So the author must justify the act and this book handles that dilemma well. Olivia's rationale for stealing from her father is well laid out, certainly, but there are frequent challenges to that reasoning. There are points where even she must question whether she is making the right choice, if it's okay to lead her crew into criminal territory. And there is a great deal of moral complexity. Not only does she have a conscience character reminding her that there are alternatives to revenge, she also questions her loyalty to both parents. While she resents her father, does she also seek his approval? With strong pacing and believable twists, this is a strong, entertaining read.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley