Jackpot Summer

by Elyssa Friedland

After the Jacobson siblings win a life-changing fortune in the lottery, they assume their messy lives will transform into sleek, storybook perfection–but they couldn’t be more wrong.

The four Jacobson children were raised to respect the value of a dollar. Their mother reused tea bags and refused to pay retail; their father taught them to budget before he taught them to ride a bike. And yet, now that they’re adults, their financial lives are in disarray.

The siblings reunite when their newly widowed father puts their Jersey Shore beach house on the market. Packing up childhood memories isn’t easy, especially when there’s other drama brewing. Matthew is miserable at his corporate law job and wishes he had more time with his son; Laura’s marriage is imploding in spectacular fashion; Sophie’s art career is stalled while her boyfriend’s is on the rise; and Noah’s total failure to launch has him doing tech repair for pennies.

When Noah sees an ad for a Powerball drawing, he and his sisters go in on tickets while their brother Matthew passes. All hell breaks loose when one of the tickets is a winner and three of the four Jacobsons become overnight millionaires. Without their mother’s guidance, and with their father busy playing pickleball in a Florida retirement village, the once close-knit siblings search for comfort in shiny new toys instead of each other.

It’s not long before the Jacobsons start to realize that they’ll never feel rich unless they can pull their family back together.

Genres: Fiction, Summer, Audiobook, Romance, Summer Reads, Contemporary, Family

382 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 11, 2024

Reviews

[Meagan (Meagansbookclub) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Audiobooks: one narrator, needed a full cast

Just…meh. Annoying family with stupid problems.

[Carrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jackpot Summer by Elyssa Friedland is a women’s fiction story that takes a humorous family drama and mixes in some contemporary romance into it. The story in Jackpot Summer is one that does change the point of view between the characters during the story.

The Jacobson siblings grew up with parents who pinched pennies and knew the value of a dollar but they also enjoyed summers at their Jersey Shore beach house too. Now with all four siblings dealing with lives problems they all need to head to the family beach house and begin sorting through memories.

As Matthew, Laura, Sophie and Noah begin to pack they all wish they could change their father’s mind on selling. Each has too many other things in life though to put up much of a fight until Noah sees an ad for a Powerball drawing and on a whim three of the siblings pitch in for tickets and actually win the jackpot.

Jackpot Summer by Elyssa Friedland spun from the idea of lottery winners often find themselves blowing through their winnings or in worse shape than before the win. This idea wove into the story of these four siblings and their problems and how life was before and after the jackpot which lead to a lot of family drama that unfolds in a more humorous way than one would expect drama to which I really enjoyed and with a little romance on the side this made for a fun tale.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/

[Catherine McKenzie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Elyssa Friedland does it again! I really enjoyed this funny and heartfelt novel about a family that is torn apart by something good happening. Add this to your TBR immediately!!

[Kelly (and the Book Boar) · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Jacobson siblings (all previously known as the “Fantastic Foursome” by their dearly departed mother) have been thick as thieves despite age gaps, tax brackets, parenting styles, career paths, etc. But when they take a gamble and buy a few lottery tickets for a Megamillion on a whim . . . and then WIN . . . the newly coined “Jackpot Jacobsons” find their relationships put to the test.

I almost read this in time for Pub Day, but alas I still suck. Good news is it’s now out so if you were just waiting with bated breath to see my opinion, you can go pick up a copy now ; ) I love a good family story. I don’t care if it’s full of stabbies, full of drama or just a feel good one like this – I’m always down. Each sibling has various chapters dedicated to their individual goings on, they were all well developed and each charmed a place in the black pit which is my heart. I also just now realized I’ve read this author several times and have enjoyed every one of her books so consider me a fan (if my old lady brain can remember her name next time). Oh, and there was a house on the cover + it was "cartoony" so DUH of course I was going to read it.

3.5 Stars and rounding up.

ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

[Chris C - A Midlife Wife · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good family connection story. A few mixed feelings for me.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
If you love family drama stories this book is the perfect choice for your next read.

Friedland dives into a story built around four siblings who have a lot of memories tied to their family beach home. Together to pack up the home, their lives are changed in a flash with a random purchase.

Friedland develops memorable characters who embark on massive life changes after the win. We follow each character throughout the turmoil of their lives, with both good and bad impacts.

We are there as they try to navigate the changes in their lives as well as the changed connections between the family members. Through thick and thin, we are treated to drama, humor, and frustrations. Several of the characters I did not care for and parts of the story made me sad with their actions and frivolous ways.

The steadfast character was Dad and we don’t really see his true colors until the end. But the ending is what makes the story.

Overall, Jackpot Summer is entertaining and something dreams are made of. A different and engaging story.

3.5 Stars! Rolled to 4
~~~
* I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
* full review - https://amidlifewife.com/jackpot-summ...

[Melany · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good read! I loved the honesty of the family dynamic and sibling messy bits, made it feel more raw and relatable! About siblings who randomly win the lottery one summer, which you think would be amazing and it might've been, but also money complicates things! I love the character development throughout and how close these siblings are. Even through fights and messy moments, they truly do prevail. Truly amazing to see! I also thought the articles ay beginning was interesting about lottery winners, may be twisted but rooted in truth. Overall, I love this family! Sophie was amazing, the dad Leo and Noah are probably my favorite characters though! Makes me want to call up my sisters and do a nice chat over dinner.

I received this ARC from NetGalley and Berkley Publishing to read/review. All of the statements above are my true opinions after fully reading this book.

[Meg Tippett · Rating 2 out of 5]

2/5 ⭐: Oof. 3/4 Jacobson Siblings go in together for a lottery ticket. They win the jackpot. The story follows the siblings grappling with their winnings and suddenly becoming millionaires. The premise sounded so good, but the story fell soooooooo flat. The characters had corny developments and the scenes seemed mismatched and random. Issues were resolved so fast, that I was left questioning why we even argued in the first place. There were too many backstories floating around, it was hard to keep track of what was happening, especially because none of the characters stood out enough for me to remember any of them. I wanted to love this so much, but I found the overarching plot mediocre and boring.

ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

[Delaney · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you for the publisher for the gifted (free) ARC

Jackpot Summer felt very…anticlimactic to me. While I wasn’t expecting anything mind blowing, I was expecting some level of excitement. There were portions of the book which really kept me entertained, but other portions that just drug on and on. Overall, if the synopsis is really appealing to you, go for it. But if it’s not, maybe pass on this read.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jackpot Summer marks my second time reading Elyssa Friedland, and I loved this drama-filled read all about family. What would you do if you and 2 other siblings won the lottery and didn’t share with your fourth sibling? That is a point of contention throughout the book, but we finally get to a solution. This is a funny story, but it also brings up a lot of important points not just about family but life as well. Along with family drama, we also see the siblings using their winnings in different ways and how each of their lives changes. They are dealing with the death of their mom at the same time, and I really liked all of the different viewpoints with the group texts mixed in.

The audiobook would have been even better with a full cast, but I still loved our narrator Thérèse Plummer. I actually listened to two books back-to-back with her as the sole narrator and she has become a quick favorite of mine. She didn’t really do anything to differentiate the characters from viewpoint to viewpoint but that wasn’t an issue for me at all and didn’t take anything away from the book. Jackpot Summer would be a great read for lovers of family dramas and those who have always wondered what would happen if they won a jackpot.

I received an advance listening copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

[Stacey E.]

DNF'd at 20%
I was initially looking forward to reading this and even more excited to get a Berkley approval (IYKYN), but this quickly turned into a disaster. First, the chapters were soo long. It's definitely a turn-off for me when it comes to reading. Second, I felt it was extremely wordy and just spewed unnecessary information, and I found it hard to connect to any one character because there was so much go on. The nail in the coffin for me was the sexual content. With this being a book about siblings, I especially don't want to read about porn and masturbation. Gross.
Thank you NetGalley and Berkley for the opportunity to read and review this advanced copy.

[Tammy · Rating 4 out of 5]

JACKPOT SUMMER is a laugh out loud, entertaining summer read with such a fun premise. The close-knit Jacobson family find that money can’t buy happiness or solve sibling troubles. They each come to learn what’s most important in life isn’t money or things, it’s family. This explores sibling dynamics, upended lives, growth and change after three out of four siblings chip in for a Powerball ticket and win BIG. It’s messy, heartwarming and funny.. and I really enjoyed seeing the differing perspectives of each sibling put in this “unexpected” situation along with their own personal issues. 4 stars — Pub. 6/11/24

[Dylan Forman · Rating 1 out of 5]

If you want an easy read and don’t want to really get invested, this book is for you. This is my warning: If you think too deeply about how idiotic these people are with their money, it will ruin the experience.

[reagan lanae · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25⭐️

[Cherie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nothing earth shattering happening here. A quirky summer read.

[Janssen]

This took me a while to get through. Good enough but not great.

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoy Elyssa Friedland's novels and always look forward to a new one. Elyssa's family sagas are especially a lot of fun and include a lot of quirky and well-developed characters pushed into a situation of sorts. (I hope she'll write about a family wedding, or even a Bar Mitzvah, one of these days.) Her latest, Jackpot Summer, is her best one yet!

A while back, I read a novel where there was a situation involving a couple winning a lottery and how much stress it brought into their lives. This was the first time I ever heard of that being an issue for lottery winners, so it was fascinating and probably my favorite aspect of that novel. So I was excited to read an entire story about how winning a lottery affects a family. And Elyssa really delivered! I had a fun time getting to know the Jacobsons and seeing how winning millions affected their lives. There is a lot of Jewish humor sprinkled throughout and that added to the charm of this novel.

My only concern was that I felt like time moved too fast. While I liked all the narratives, I wish that some had been fleshed out more instead of rushed.

I definitely recommend Jackpot Summer for an entertaining read! I am eagerly awaiting whatever Elyssa comes up with next.

Movie casting suggestions:

Sophie: Stacey Farber (I had her in mind even before Sophie's hair color was mentioned.)

Laura: Natalie Portman

Matthew: Andrew Garfield

Noah: Jonathan Lipnicki

Doug: Julian Morris

Beth: Diora Baird

Ravi: Nikesh Patel

Leo: Dan Hedaya

[Elyse Ford · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF at 27%

Literally nothing interesting has happened by 27% besides someone getting caught watching porn.

[Katy O. · Rating 4 out of 5]

(free review copy) I think many of us imagine what it would be like to win the lottery, and if we would be the rare people who deal with it correctly. Well, the family in this book doesn’t necessarily model what we should do if we win big, but they sure do entertain us while we read about all of their missteps and miscalculations. This is such a big-hearted and warm family story set on the Jersey Shore, and I enjoyed every second of it!

Source: digital review copy via Edelweiss

[Barbara Monaghan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jersey Girl here! This is my first Elyssa Friedland book and won't be my last. It's mostly set on LBI (Long Beach Island) with stops in Northern NJ, NYC, and FL. When the Jacobson family's beloved mother passes, their Dad Leo decides to sell their shore house and move to Florida. The four siblings gather for their last 4th of July and to prepare for the sale. When brother Noah suggests buying a lottery ticket, three of the siblings jump at it. They surprisingly win, but the money does not bring happiness. Each of the characters is totally unique and fascinating.. Parts of the book were laugh out loud funny . Loved all of the actual LBI sites mentioned and one of the characters lives in my home town. This will be a super summer read. Pop. it in your beach bag and head to the shore, the mountains, the lake, or wherever you to to fine your happy place.

[LisaReads · Rating 2 out of 5]

Jackpot Summer had such potential, but it honestly fell flat. It wasn’t what I was expecting at all (and not in a good way). I was expecting more drama and more of a storyline from winning the actual jackpot, but it was more about family drama than the actual lottery winnings which was disappointing.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoy the authors style of writing books about messy families, she explores that dynamic in a really authentic and charming way that always works for me. I think we’ve all daydreamed about what we would do if we won the lottery and that’s the reality for the Jacobson family and the premise here. As exciting and life changing as it is for this family, it also opens up a host of issues and exposes some problems they weren’t ready to face. They’re all still reeling from the loss of their beloved mother and trying to navigate life without their matriarch and grief was discussed in such a relatable way. I enjoyed all four of the siblings and sometimes shook my head at some of their struggles and others were very universal. Their father, Leo was such a character and he was one of my favorites. This is such a perfect summer read, especially if you enjoy reading about other people’s problems and dramas in an endearing and entertaining way.

[Hannah Dean · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF at 52% 🥴
Thank you to Net Galley and Berkeley Publishing for the eARC, but I couldn't get into this one.

After reading Last Summer at the Golden Hotel, I thought I would give this author another chance. I enjoyed the characters and setting in LS, so I figured why not. But in Jackpot Summer, I just couldn't get connected with any of the characters. I thought they all had a LOT of flaws that I could not get on board with and I didn't really care what the outcome was. I was trying to push through, just to finish but found myself skimming too much so I stopped.
This might be a good read for others, but it just wasn't my cup of tea this time.

[Jannine Wells · Rating 2 out of 5]

This family and their entitled issues before / after winning the lottery is just awful .

[Susan Z (webreakforbooks) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jackpot Summer is the perfect fun summer read. When three out of four adult siblings chip in on a lottery ticket, and WIN, their lives are altered in unimaginable ways.

I enjoyed this story about family dynamics and was envious of this sibling quartet. At times emotional, other times stressfull, and still other times LOL funny, Jackpot Summer is a very entertaining read.

The audio book was superb as well. Although the book is multi POV, there is only one narrator who did a great job. So much so I couldn't recall of there were multiple narrators until I looked it up.

[michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kind of boring in the beginning probably cause it was building up to the win but after that it was entertaining and fun to read!

[Laura • lauralovestoread · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was the perfect summer beach read! A true delight from start to finish, with all the family drama, and so long dynamics.

I felt completely immersed into the Jersey shore setting right along with the Jacobson family while reading, and loved the audio narration by Therese Plummer.

WHAT TO EXPECT
-family drama
-a beach house
-laugh out loud moments
-alternating POVs

*many thanks to Berkley and PRH Audio and Netgalley for the gifted copy for review.

[Kaity Weidman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Elyssa knocks another summer hit out of the park! It keeps the reader cheering for and chastising characters throughout the storyline. There is good extended family drama, like every signature Elyssa novel, that keeps you wanting to read more. I laughed with the Jacobsons and I cried with them too. I also enjoyed the LBI ties and setting. Definitely a must read for Summer 2024!

[shannon✨ · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book really wasn't working for me. I couldn't get used to the writing style and I hated all the characters. None of them were likeable and that didn't get any better at any point of the book.

[Brynn | readyourworriesaway · Rating 5 out of 5]

Elyssa Friedland has been one of my faves ever since I read LAST SUMMER AT THE GOLDEN HOTEL. I adored that book so much and immediately proceeded to purchase Elyssa’s entire backlist 🥰

In JACKPOT SUMMER, the Jacobson siblings reunite on the Jersey Shore to help their recently widowed father pack up their childhood home. Each sibling is struggling through life in their own way. Three of the siblings go in on a lottery ticket together and end up winning 💰 surely it will solve all of their problems, right? Wrong… it leads to sibling rivalries and spur-of-the-moment purchases that rapidly drain the winnings.

I’m always a big fan of stories with complicated family dynamics — and boy did this have many! Between the siblings and their father, these characters were all over the place and kept me on my toes. I loved it 😂

I especially enjoyed the siblings’ Fantastic Four group chat. Their banter and antics were so entertaining 👏 I loved the lessons the characters learned along the way and how Friedland brought the story to a close.

JACKPOT SUMMER is a hilariously beautiful story about family and what it means to be lucky.

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is about three siblings winning the lottery. One problem. There are four siblings. So, their dad is selling their Jersey Shore beach house and they have gathered to clean it out. While they are there they see a news story about the lottery and decide to go buy some tickets, except their brother Matthew and his wife. Now Matthew and his wife are lawyers and do not "need" the money so who cares, right? This book is a family drama about learning what is important in life and what isn't. This book was a little hard because it is hard to relate to people who just won millions and are not happy. Each chapter is the POV of one of the siblings. The chapters are long. There is a lot going on with each sibling and I enjoyed seeing how their lives changed and of course how they thought it would be the answer to all of their problems and of course it wasn't. I also enjoyed the text exchanges with the siblings. I thought it was an interesting premise for a book and we all have thought about what we would do if we win the lottery but are you sure that is what you would do? And what about all of the sob stories from people that come out of the woodwork? I think it would be a good book club conversation.