Glorious Rivals Summary, Characters and Themes

Glorious Rivals by Jennifer Lynn Barnes is a thrilling continuation of the Hawthorne legacy, centering on the infamous Grandest Game—a competition filled with puzzles, alliances, betrayals, and family secrets.  At its heart, the novel explores how love, loyalty, and manipulation intersect within a world of high-stakes riddles and hidden dangers.

Barnes expands the Hawthorne universe with new characters like Lyra Kane, whose haunted past collides with the Hawthorne heirs’ turbulent present.  With every riddle solved, new revelations emerge—about family, legacy, and the cost of survival. The novel blends clever puzzle-solving with emotional depth, keeping readers immersed in its layered mysteries. It’s the 2nd book in the Grandest Game series by the author. 

Summary

The story begins with a shadowy figure stressing that the Grandest Game must be allowed to reach its natural conclusion, implying someone powerful is pulling strings behind the scenes.

Lyra Kane is introduced as one of the players in this dangerous competition.  She shares an undeniable spark with Grayson Hawthorne, though both recognize the risks of such a connection.

Lyra struggles with her dark past—memories of her father’s kidnapping, his suicide, and the lies her life was built on.  She suspects that her entry into the game was orchestrated by someone who knows these secrets.

Grayson reassures her that she is no pawn, though even he doubts the safety of their situation.

Grayson soon meets his brother Nash, revealing that Lyra’s father had tied his final words to a Hawthorne, and that their supposedly dead grandmother, Alice Hawthorne, might have been alive fifteen years earlier.  They also discover that their younger sister Gigi has gone missing after taking Xander’s boat.

The brothers agree the game must go on if they are to expose hidden threats.

Meanwhile, alliances within the game begin to fracture.  Rohan, determined to claim leadership of the shadowy organization Devil’s Mercy, partners uneasily with Savannah Hawthorne, though both plan eventual betrayal.

Their partnership is marked by manipulation and strategic tension.  Elsewhere, Gigi is kidnapped by a scarred man she nicknames “Mimosas.” He later reveals himself as Slate and insists he is protecting her, though his loyalty to Eve, his employer, casts doubt on his motives.

Lyra receives a command through her smartwatch to don armor.  Following instructions, she meets Avery Grambs, heiress to the Hawthorne fortune.

Avery reminds her that sometimes the only way to play is simply to live.  The Hawthorne brothers soon join, and moments of lighthearted family chaos briefly lighten the atmosphere before the next phase of the game begins.

At a bonfire, Savannah warns Lyra that Grayson will always choose his family over her, while Brady Daniels introduces himself cryptically, offering an alliance.  Jameson confronts Grayson later, warning him not to trust Lyra and insisting Alice Hawthorne is not alive.

The brothers’ conflict adds further strain to already shifting alliances.

Phase Two of the Grandest Game begins as a race, with puzzles leading players across the island.  Golden darts inscribed with the phrase “Every story has its beginning.

Take only one” mark the start.  As players split into groups, Lyra and Grayson work together to solve numerical patterns and discover hidden mechanisms at the island’s helipad, though Savannah and Rohan beat them to the ledger.

Brady, meanwhile, continues to hint at personal motivations tied to a girl named Calla, which unnervingly overlaps with Lyra’s past.

As the puzzles escalate, Savannah and Rohan explore landmarks and solve riddles involving Roman numerals, ultimately leading them to the mansion’s clock tower.  Lyra and Grayson follow close behind, also uncovering clues but remaining wary of being manipulated by external forces.

The Calla lily becomes a recurring symbol, connecting Brady’s motives and Lyra’s trauma.

Gigi, still captive, slowly extracts information from Slate, learning that Eve has a player within the game and that Savannah may be that pawn.  The revelation devastates Gigi, who has tried to shield her sister.

When she attempts escape, Slate crushes her hopes by revealing he has concealed her disappearance from everyone.

As the puzzles continue, Rohan deciphers music box melodies that lead to a marble vault, opening new paths with Savannah.  Grayson and Lyra later follow, solving their own riddles involving proverbs and the phrase “Actions speak louder than words.

” The burned section of the island’s forest becomes their next destination, heightening the stakes as betrayals and shifting loyalties intensify.

Tensions between Savannah and Rohan boil over in a confrontation at the boathouse.  Their antagonism evolves into reluctant intimacy, culminating in a kiss, but Savannah firmly asserts her control over the alliance.

At the same time, Grayson and Lyra wrestle with secrets and lies between them, but their connection deepens even as danger grows.  Hundreds of calla lilies floating in the water signal a new, looming threat.

The final stage of the game sees Savannah and Rohan reaching the ultimate puzzle.  Despite his instincts, Rohan gives Savannah his dice, enabling her to complete the task and win the Grandest Game.

But their triumph is hollow—the game makers’ chairs are empty, and something is clearly wrong.  They are informed Avery has gone missing, having left a note demanding not to be searched for.

Jameson, enraged, lashes out at Grayson and blames Lyra, but Grayson vows they will find Avery.

Elsewhere, Gigi is returned safely, though Brady has disappeared.  She and Savannah reconcile after confronting painful truths about their father.

Meanwhile, Rohan begins maneuvering for leverage, striking a deal with Jameson about information concerning Zella, Calla’s sister.

Grayson and Lyra confront Odette Morales, who reveals the existence of three powerful women known as the Watcher, the Hand, and the Judge.  Their influence is vast, and calla lilies serve as warnings of their reach.

The revelation of hundreds of lilies signals a catastrophic danger looming over everyone involved.

The novel closes with an epilogue: Avery awakens in a stark white room, its walls etched with a maze, symbolizing she has been captured and thrust into a new game.  Isolated and cut off, she must face an uncertain and perilous future.

Characters

Lyra Kane

Lyra Kane is portrayed as both fragile and formidable, a young woman whose traumatic childhood left scars that shape her actions in Glorious Rivals.  Kidnapped by her father at the age of four and later forced to witness his suicide, Lyra carries a heavy burden of grief, anger, and mistrust.

Yet, she channels that darkness into resilience, refusing to be defined as a pawn in the Grandest Game.  Her connection to Grayson Hawthorne is central to her arc, oscillating between attraction, suspicion, and an almost instinctive need to prove herself worthy of the dangerous world she has been thrust into.

Haunted by symbols from her past—like the calla lily—and unsettled by revelations tying her life to Hawthorne family secrets, Lyra emerges as a character constantly balancing between vulnerability and strength, searching for truth and agency in a game designed to manipulate her.

Grayson Hawthorne

Grayson embodies the archetype of the brooding protector, caught between his devotion to family and his forbidden connection to Lyra.  As one of the heirs of the Hawthorne legacy, he navigates responsibility with a calm, calculating presence, yet beneath the surface, he is conflicted.

His insistence that Lyra is “dangerous in her own right” reflects his respect for her strength, even as others doubt her place in the game.  Grayson’s sense of guilt is pervasive—over secrets withheld, lies told, and the lingering shadows of his grandmother Alice and father Sheffield.

His loyalty to family often clashes with his growing need for independence and truth, making him both a stabilizing and destabilizing force within the narrative.  Ultimately, Grayson’s complexity lies in his duality: protector and deceiver, heir and rebel, lover and betrayer.

Rohan

Rohan’s character is marked by ambition, secrecy, and a simmering ruthlessness.  Raised within the brutal confines of the Devil’s Mercy, he views the Grandest Game not only as a contest but as the key to his future leadership in the shadowy organization.

His alliance with Savannah is fraught with mutual distrust and manipulation, underlined by a constant awareness that betrayal is inevitable.  Yet, Rohan is more than a strategist; he is a keen observer of others’ weaknesses, exploiting vulnerabilities to advance his goals.

His interactions with Jameson and Savannah showcase his cunning and adaptability, while his occasional flashes of vulnerability suggest a character molded by survival rather than choice.  Rohan embodies the danger of ambition unchecked, a player whose ultimate loyalty lies only with himself.

Savannah Hawthorne

Savannah is a striking blend of Hawthorne pride and personal disillusionment.  She enters the game with a deep well of unresolved anger toward her family, wielding her intelligence and cunning as both armor and weapon.

Her partnership with Rohan is a mirror of her inner turmoil—sharp, challenging, and steeped in unspoken betrayals.  Savannah’s determination to win is not just about victory in the game but about reclaiming power over her own narrative, often testing the limits of trust and loyalty.

Her cold warning to Lyra about Grayson reveals her protective instincts for family, even as her choices sometimes align her with dangerous outsiders.  She is a character torn between resentment and love, ambition and loyalty, embodying the contradictions of being both a Hawthorne and her own person.

Gigi Hawthorne

Gigi, the youngest of the Hawthorne siblings, is a mix of innocence and fierce determination.  Her captivity at the hands of Slate exposes both her vulnerability and her resilience.

She confronts her situation with sharp wit, using games of “true or false” to pry out fragments of truth, showing her adaptability under pressure.  Gigi’s relationships with Savannah and Knox highlight her deep need for connection and loyalty, particularly in the wake of family secrets and betrayals.

Though often underestimated, Gigi proves to be insightful, piecing together dangerous truths about Eve and their father’s legacy.  Her emotional core—shaped by loss, fear, and fierce love—makes her one of the most human and relatable characters in the story.

Slate (Mattias Slater)

Slate, known initially by Gigi’s nickname “Mimosas,” is a figure of menace and complexity.  Stoic and brooding, he oscillates between captor and reluctant protector, leaving Gigi—and readers—uncertain of his true loyalties.

His tally marks, representing the “terrible things” he has done, paint him as a man burdened by violence and regret.  Yet, his occasional restraint and cryptic revelations suggest he is not entirely aligned with Eve’s ruthlessness.

Slate embodies the blurred lines between villain and victim, his actions dictated by unseen forces and survival.  His presence in Gigi’s story raises questions about morality, loyalty, and whether redemption is possible in a world dominated by manipulation.

Brady Daniels

Brady stands out as one of the most enigmatic players in the Grandest Game.  His cryptic references to constellations and his guarded nature mask deep personal motivations tied to a missing girl named Calla.

The photograph he carries and his reluctance to reveal his sponsor’s true intentions make him a wild card, both ally and potential adversary to Lyra and the others.  Brady’s connection to Calla entwines him with Lyra’s past, suggesting his role is far more than that of a simple competitor.

He is defined by secrecy, his every move calculated, and his every word weighted with double meaning, making him a constant source of intrigue and suspicion.

Avery Grambs

Avery, the heiress of the Hawthorne fortune and host of the Grandest Game, is both a symbol of joy and an architect of chaos.  Her interactions with Lyra—urging her to live rather than simply play—reflect Avery’s unique philosophy of survival through playfulness and resilience.

Yet, beneath her whimsical façade lies a steeliness that defines her leadership.  Avery’s sudden disappearance at the climax reframes her role, transforming her from orchestrator to mystery, and thrusting her absence into the center of the conflict.

Avery embodies the heart of the Hawthorne legacy: unpredictable, elusive, and always one step ahead, even when seemingly vulnerable.

Jameson Hawthorne

Jameson is the most impulsive of the Hawthorne heirs, defined by his restlessness, charisma, and reckless pursuit of thrill.  His rivalry with Grayson is sharpened by his suspicion of Lyra, whom he views as another Eve—a potential danger to the family.

His manipulation of rules, cryptic warnings, and eventual violent grief over Avery’s disappearance showcase his volatility.  Jameson is both a protector and an instigator, often creating chaos even as he seeks to contain it.

His grief in the final act reveals a depth of loyalty and love, even if expressed through rage, cementing him as a figure torn between reckless freedom and painful responsibility.

Nash Hawthorne

Nash plays a quieter, stabilizing role in the narrative, the protective elder sibling who often balances the chaos of his younger brothers.  His decision to leave temporarily to support his pregnant wife underscores his priorities: family over games, reality over riddles.

Yet, Nash remains a voice of wisdom, guiding and intervening when necessary, even as the younger heirs take center stage.  His steadiness highlights the contrast between him and his siblings, marking him as the grounded Hawthorne in a family consumed by puzzles and manipulation.

Xander Hawthorne

Xander provides levity amidst the tension, embodying the chaotic, playful energy that defines the Hawthorne spirit.  His antics, such as roping Lyra into the chicken fight tradition, highlight the family’s penchant for turning everything—even danger—into a game.

Yet, beneath his lightheartedness lies a sharp intellect, one that contributes to solving the puzzles and advancing the players through the Grandest Game.  Xander’s role is less about direct conflict and more about embodying the heart of what it means to be a Hawthorne: clever, unpredictable, and always ready to laugh in the face of peril.

Themes

Identity and Inheritance

In Glorious Rivals, the question of identity is explored through the constant tension between who the characters are and who others perceive them to be.  Lyra’s life has been marked by secrets about her father’s actions and the Hawthorne family’s role in his downfall, leaving her with a fractured sense of self.

Her entry into the Grandest Game is not simply about competition but about confronting the weight of that history.  Similarly, Grayson struggles with the balance between loyalty to his family and the pull of his personal desires, especially in his relationship with Lyra.

Identity here is shaped not only by bloodlines and legacies but also by choices, betrayals, and the masks characters wear to survive.  The recurring imagery of masks, symbols, and coded puzzles underscores the idea that everyone is hiding something, and no one is fully seen.

Inheritance also complicates identity, as the Hawthorne siblings and outsiders alike wrestle with whether they are free agents or bound to the burdens of their families’ names and past mistakes.

Power and Manipulation

The novel underscores the ways power is never straightforward but often exercised through deception, manipulation, and leverage.  Rohan’s ambition to control the Devil’s Mercy demonstrates how power can consume and reshape motivations, while Savannah’s tactical alliances and betrayals illustrate how manipulation becomes a form of survival.

Eve’s influence over Savannah, Slate’s control over Gigi, and the unknown forces orchestrating events from the shadows create a constant atmosphere where the characters are pawns on a chessboard, unsure who truly holds control.  Even the Grandest Game itself is a mechanism of power, designed to test not only intellect and endurance but also loyalty and moral compromise.

Every riddle, symbol, and clue becomes a battleground where manipulation is as decisive as strength or intelligence.  Power here is never stable—it shifts with information, alliances, and the ability to conceal or reveal truths at the right moment.

Trust and Betrayal

Relationships throughout Glorious Rivals are defined by precarious trust that can dissolve into betrayal at any time.  Lyra and Grayson’s attraction is shadowed by the fear that their bond could be used against them, and Jameson’s warnings about Lyra highlight the instability of even familial trust.

Rohan and Savannah’s partnership thrives on sharp wit and mutual calculation, yet both are constantly preparing to betray the other if circumstances demand it.  Brady’s hidden motivations around Calla, Slate’s concealments from Gigi, and Eve’s manipulation of Savannah all reinforce the impossibility of trusting anyone fully within the confines of the Game.

Betrayal is not depicted simply as treachery but as an inevitability in a world where survival demands keeping one’s true intentions hidden.  Trust becomes momentary, conditional, and fragile, making every alliance feel temporary and weighted with suspicion.

Trauma and Survival

The characters are shaped by their past traumas, which fuel their decisions and resilience within the Grandest Game.  Lyra’s childhood scars from abduction and her father’s death cast a long shadow over her, driving her to prove she is not merely a pawn but a dangerous force in her own right.

Gigi’s captivity with Slate becomes both a psychological battle and a test of endurance, as she uses charm and intellect to resist breaking.  Rohan’s upbringing within the violent structure of the Devil’s Mercy instills in him a ruthless survival instinct, yet it also leaves him constantly seeking validation through victory.

Trauma here is not a static wound but an ever-present influence that shapes choices, relationships, and strategies.  The narrative emphasizes survival not only in the physical challenges of the Game but also in the emotional terrain where scars dictate trust, resilience, and determination.

Games and Reality

The Grandest Game is more than a competition—it is a metaphor for the blurred boundary between play and reality.  The puzzles, clues, and symbolic objects push the players into increasingly dangerous scenarios where consequences are life-altering.

What begins as strategy and problem-solving quickly reveals itself as manipulation of lives, secrets, and emotions.  Avery’s reflection that “sometimes the only way to play is to live” captures the deeper meaning of the Game, where survival, identity, and loyalty are tested beyond the playful trappings of riddles.

The dominoes, dice, charms, and ledgers symbolize how lives are reduced to moves in a larger scheme, controlled by unseen orchestrators.  The Game forces participants to confront not only puzzles but themselves—revealing vulnerabilities, desires, and betrayals that extend far beyond the structure of the competition.

The theme emphasizes that games are never separate from reality; in this world, they are reality, with stakes as high as life, love, and legacy.