Jackpot!

by Jackie Pilossoph

If your mother offered you eight million dollars to have a baby, would you do it? Jamie Jacobson doesn't have a lot of faith in love, except when it comes to her Jimmy Choo shoes. Her brother Danny has two loves; his barely existent acting career and his ability to pick up women. But life is about to take a wild turn for these two dysfunctional but lovable siblings now that their mother has just won the lottery. Frankie, a longtime widow has wanted grandchildren for years. Now she's prepared to pay cash for them. When Frankie presents her son and daughter each with a contract promising $8 million dollars if he or she can produce a child in the next twelve months (DNA tested, of course), Jamie and Danny each begin a frantic search for a person to help them reproduce. Come along on their desperate, outrageous and hilarious journeys where fake seductions, ovulation kits and a tarot-card reader are replacing condoms, the pill and fun, meaningless hook-ups. They hit a couple big bumps in the road that have nothing to do with their lack of diaper changing experience, but a lot to do with their hearts. Now they face the choice of their lives. Give in to love? Or go for the JACKPOT? "So incredibly original and refreshing, it has all the elements that make it a fabulous read including witty dialogue, romance, humor, a remarkably original plot and wonderful characters. Jackpot! is a novel that readers of authors like Emily Giffin, Sophie Kinsella and Jennifer Weiner will adore!" -Danielle Smith, Chick Lit Reviews "Jackie Pilossoph definitely hits the jackpot with her sophomore novel. With snappy dialogue and loveable personality traits, the two main characters will become your friends. Add in a heart clenching plot twist and plenty of scenes that will leave you laughing out loud!" -Samantha Robey, Chick Lit +

Genres: Romance, Chick Lit, Fiction, Humor, Contemporary, Amazon, Womens Fiction

323 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 2, 2011

About the author

Jackie Pilossoph is the author of DIVORCED GIRL SMILING (2014), FREE GIFT WITH PURCHASE (2012), JACKPOT! (2011) and HOOK, LINE AND SINK HIM (2010). She is the creator of her well known website, DIVORCED GIRL SMILING (www.divorcedgirlsmiling.com), as well as a features reporter and weekly columnist for Sun-Times Media.

Pilossoph holds a master’s degree in Journalism from Boston University. She lives with her family in Chicago. Oh, and she's divorced. (Obviously)

Reviews

[Dava Stewart · Rating 2 out of 5]

I find it difficult to like a book when I just really don't like any of the characters, and I did not like these people. Also, I'm not very good at math, and there is a serious math problem here - so bad that even I noticed it. Finally, my pet peeve grammar error shows up several times - lines like "my mother asked Danny and I over for dinner" make my jaw clench. I just cannot recommend this one, though many others seem to have enjoyed it.

[Songül · Rating 2 out of 5]

Benim için ehh işte tarzı bir kitap oldu ..

[Danielle · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the nearly 30 years since the death of her husband, Frankie Jacobson has had few desires she hoped would be fulfilled, none of which have anything to do with her remarrying. Frankie's children, Danny and Jamie have done nearly nothing to help her fulfill those desires which include seeing them both settle down and provide her with Grandchildren she can dote on. In fact her two children are the exact opposite, both working in careers they hope to take them to a life of stardom and fortune it's only Frankie who can see what's truly important. When she suddenly becomes the lucky winner of millions Frankie knows just how to get what she wants, but will the results be worth the complications along the way? More importantly, will Danny and Jamie overcome their own self-centeredness to discover what matters most? Only time, and possibly money will tell.

From the very beginning of Jackpot! I was hooked. A single mother who's lost the love her life, now left to raise her two children in hopes of one day being "rewarded" for her sacrifices, it was so incredibly original and refreshing. In a world of Chick Lit where the majority of the plot devices center around marital infidelity it was nice to see something different, especially a book that at it's core is about family and love.

No matter the outcome, in Frankie's mind the only way to bring her family together was to use the money she wins in the lottery to propel her children to make the choices they'd been delaying. Neither Danny or Jamie were ready to settle down and start families, though they were both right around the 30 age mark, making it the ideal time to make a choice. Unfortunately for Jamie her past relationships have led her to believe it simply wasn't possible, but it was easy enough to provide a baby given she had the appropriate anatomy and a willing partner. For her brother Danny, he simply doesn't want to settle down for fear it will ruin his chances at the potential, non-existent movie career he has going, but when money's thrown into the equation he can't seem to argue. Following along as these two blunder and bluff their way into parenthood for the sake of a few million was hilarious! Where they ended up was even better though and made all the heartache on each party worth it.

With a cast of characters gunning for a chance at millions however they could, you wouldn't imagine there's much romance to the story, but there absolutely is. With Jamie and her unlikely beau I kept wanting to scream at the book (while reading next to my sleeping husband) to tell her to knock it off and just fall in love. It was torture, but so well worth it. As for Danny, the charming "movie star"/high school teacher, I was in love with him from the beginning and couldn't help but hope he'd end up with the right girl by the end. Not only were both of their journeys quite hilarious, but they were wonderfully romantic, leaving the story just how I would have hoped.

Jackpot! is a story I know Chick Lit readers everywhere will want to pick up. It has all of the elements that make it a fabulous read including witty dialogue, romance, humor, a remarkably original plot and wonderful characters. As I read Jackpot! I couldn't help but root for each of the characters individually and as a whole family unity, wanting them desperately to have their "happily ever after". Not only is that achieved, but much more. Jackie Pilossoph's follow-up novel to her debut Hook, Line and Sink Him has cemented her firmly in the world of Chick Lit not only as an author who knows what readers want, but as a writer who knows how to share a story. Jackpot! is a novel that readers of authors like Emily Giffin, Sophie Kinsella and Jennifer Weiner will adore!

Originally reviewed and copyrighted on my review site Chick Lit Reviews.

[Samantha March · Rating 4 out of 5]

Siblings Jamie and Danny Jacobson are not looking for love. Jamie has been burned by a cheating ex-husband, and has lost faith in the meaning of love and faithfulness. Danny is an aspiring actor who also works as a teacher, and is better at one night stands than any real relationships. But brother and sister get the shock of their life when their slightly overbearing Jewish mother, Frankie, wins the lottery. Frankie, who lost her husband when the children were both young, has wanted to be fulfilled by grandchildren for years. After her lottery winnings flow in, she devises a plan to get those grandchildren- a promise of $8 million dollars that Jamie and Danny can collect if they produce a child. The siblings are shocked- until the scent of money starts to become intoxicating. Jamie decides to use her co-worker, Drew, who has always crushed on her, to help her become pregnant. But along the way, Jamie thinks she could actually be falling in love with him- but doesn't know how to confess the real reason she finally gave him a chance. And Danny falls head over heels with Courtney, a business owner who cares more about his teaching than acting career, but is crushed when she reveals she cannot have children. Both Jamie and Danny need to decide, do they pick love- or the cash prize?

Jackpot! is the second novel from Jackie Pilossoph, who once again will not disappoint. The story is written in alternating point of views, between the brother and sister. Pilossoph once again shows off her ability to get into a man's head and write effectively from the male perspective. Both Jamie and Danny could seem selfish, but with snappy dialogue, loveable personality traits, and a soft spot for families, the two main characters will become your friends throughout the story. I enjoyed that not only was this novel light and funny, but there was a serious note underneath it all. What would you pick if you had to make the choice- love or money? Many of us would say love in a heartbeat, but the characters go through very real struggles along the way to make their decisions. I thought the entire novel had a very real feel to it, and I liked watching how it would all come together. Add in a heart clenching plot twist with Frankie, and plenty of scenes that will leave you laughing out loud, Jackie Pilossoph definitely hits the Jackpot! with her sophomore novel.

[Lemurkat · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a cute and enjoyable story, albeit somewhat corny and cheesy. There were few surprises here, but many feel-good moments and the ending was kind of like sinking into a nice, warm bubblebath. Safe, and reassuring. The writing style was fine, although lacked a little finesse and the editting was sufficient. I found myself firmly entrenched in the story of Danny and Jamie and their quest to each parent a child before the three month deadline had passed. It seems rather a cruel goal to inflict upon your children - to offer them a sizeable inheritance if they produce a baby, although I could understand Frankie's motivation. Desperate times call for desperate measures. Oddly enough, despite the feelgood nature of the plot and the fact that implies that without children one is incomplete, I still feel little desire to become a mother myself. But that's by-the-by. Drew was great, I kinda wanted to slap Jamie for not realising it sooner! And Courtney was lovely. It was fun, and funny, and sometimes a wee bit bittersweet as well, and I enjoyed it. A good read for a dark day, to put a smile on your face.

[Mindy · Rating 1 out of 5]

I love reading. In all of 2012 I've read 110 books. Most of them romance, it's just my favourite genre right now, so I grabbed this one because it looked like it had lots of good reviews. Now I honestly don't see how it managed to rate so high!

The main 2 characters were unlikable as well as their nosy mom who can't mind her own business.

I saw everyone as being selfish. The mom for trying to bribe her own kids. Her kids, for trying to trick people to have a baby in time. WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU DIDN'T SEE TROUBLE COMING FROM A MILE AWAY?!!?

I'm kind of guessing at this point because I returned it before the predictable crash and burn.
It just annoyed me too much so I wasn't able to finish it. I made it more than half-way through but enough was enough.

So many reviews talk about how funny the book is. It's about as funny as an armpit fart. If you want a funny romance try the Neighbor From Hell series.

Meh, maybe I'm biased with my own mom bugging me to have a kid. But if she ever won the lottery and bribed me to give birth, I'd lose all respect. Kinda like I lost it for Amazon reviews! Next time I'm checking Goodreads first.

[Kristin (Kritters Ramblings) · Rating 5 out of 5]

A hilariously fun book that is written in two different fonts, one reserved for the daughter of our main character and the other for the son. The font change made for easy reading and I loved being able to hear about their own lives from themselves.

A wanna-be grandmother wins the lottery and is ready for her two children, 34 and 32 years old, who are both failing at their love lives. She wins the lottery and holds a part hostage with a contract that they may receive it if they can provide her a grandchild. The perfect premise to see how love and money interact and what is ultimately more important and everlasting. There is more to this story with a great twist at the end that of course I can not share because it completes the story.

I am quite glad I am not put in this predicament because I am definitely not in the mindset for childbearing. I am now more thankful than ever that my mom treats our pup just as a grandchild or grand fur baby as she likes to say!

[Stacey · Rating 2 out of 5]

Lottery winner tries to bribe her children to have children of their own. I wasn't expecting Shakespeare but I really thought this book was not great. I thought the premise might be cute but I found the behavior of the characters absolutely ridiculous. I guess it boils down to cute premise, horribly done.

[Kim · Rating 2 out of 5]

Just as the starring rating says, it was ok. A guilty light read that I found in the lending library with my free month of Amazon Prime membership. Since the basic plot is already revealed before starting the book, nothing else really shocking happens and you already know the outcome. But still a cute read. Editing left much to be desired though.

[Tom Park · Rating 2 out of 5]

The only reason I finished this book was because it was a light, fast read and I was curious about how it would all work out in the end.The ending wasn't exactly as I expected, but not that far off. What I really didn't like about it was the fact is seemed to be all about sex, sex sex. That and the idea the author was trying to be humorous when some of the plot was far from humorous.

[Stephanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a cute book, but I found it to be dull and pretty predictable. And regardless of the circumstances, the idea of giving my children $8 million to have children is unreal. It was just so unrealistic to me, that I had a hard time really enjoying the book.

[Jennifer Mccormick · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think I'd give it 1 1/2 stars, if I could. Made me roll my eyes quite a few times. An OK premise, but pretty terrible execution.

[Mina S · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bazen gercekten de itici guc gerekiyor... sevimliydi

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

What would you do if your mother offered you 8 million dollars to have a baby?

All Frankie Jacobson, a long time widow, wants is to have grandchildren. It seems as though every weekend, at synagogue, she’s celebrating yet another friend’s grandchild’s birth. She gets signaled out because everyone knows her two children, Jaime and Danny, have not settled down yet, and it looks like they never will. Due to Jaime Jacobson’s lousy history with men, the only thing she seems to love these days is her Jimmy Choo shoes. Danny is your stereotypical guy who has commitment phobia. He seems to only care about picking up women, and his teaching career. When their mother wins the lottery, she hires a lawyer to draw up a contract, for both Danny and Jaime, indicating if they produce for her a grandchild, within one year, they will receive 8 million dollars.

After a short while of shock from their mother’s proposal, Jaime and Danny become obsessed and determined to get the money. Jaime attempts to use her co-worker, Drew, who’s been hitting on her for over two years. But in the middle of the second date, she starts to develop real feelings for him. Danny meets up with previous girls he’s had flings with, and then bumps into Courtney. In the process of trying to seduce and get her in bed, he falls in love with her.

In the beginning of the story, both Jaime and Danny have no interest in settling down or raising a family. This is the only thing Frankie, their slightly overbearing Jewish mother, wants. Each attempt of hers to get them to realize this is like talking to a wall, and this wall keeps getting thicker. Frankie becomes so desperate, that she’s willing to bribe them with money. My first thoughts were that this is a bit over the top, and not very realistic. But hey this is fiction, so I went with it. Looking back at the story, Jackpot would make one hilarious movie. Many of the obstacles and hiccups Jaime and Danny “bump” into (no pun intended), brings a great deal of comedy to the book. I enjoy how Jackie tells the story, alternating between Jaime and Danny’s points of view. She does a great job of character development, specifically Jaime and Danny’s journey from the beginning of the story to the end. This is firsts novel I’ve read where an author has been so in tune with the male psyche. In different ways the characters, including Frankie, are selfish at first. But when love comes into the equation, and the family receives heartbreaking news, we see them become better people, putting others first, and being content with life just as it is.

It’s important to realize you can’t force love: It will come when you least expect it. Also you can’t force people to do something they don’t want to do. On the other hand, as much as family members might annoy you, they do have your best interests at heart, especially parents who took care and provided for you.

I felt the book lagged a bit over the course of the chapters where Danny is meeting up with past flings to hopefully get them pregnant. But overall, Jackpot is a great epitome of chick lit. I related to Jaime and Danny because I too have an overbearing Jewish mother. When she annoys and nags me, I have to try to remember that she just loves me, and only wants the best for me. It also made me realize that even though crappy things happen to us in life, a lot of these make us think… is this the best way to go about our lives? The book brings to light how money does not buy happiness, nor solve all of life’s problems. I recommend this to anyone looking for a light-hearted, funny, moving and “happily ever after” read.

[Laura Chapman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Frankie Jacobson's friends give her a better chance at winning the lottery than of getting grandchildren any time soon. In Jackie Pilossoph's Jackpot, she sets out to accomplish one after doing the other.

Frankie's son Danny is a struggling actor/Chicago teacher more interested in getting his big break than in settling down any time soon -- if ever. His younger sister Jamie is divorced and about to get engaged to a man she doesn't love, while working as the lottery announcer at a local TV station instead of writing screenplays.

But after Frankie picks winning lottery numbers, she creates a contract with her children: give her a biological grandchild within one year and $8 million. Suddenly, Danny and Jamie go from commitment-phobics to baby-crazed as they set out to earn their money.

Equally funny and emotional, the story took unexpected turns as Danny and Jamie are willing to do almost anything for their money. Uniquely told from multiple perspectives, the first-person narrative stands out. Though seemingly selfish from the get-go, Pilossoph excel at making Danny and Jamie relatable and likeable.

The story's other characters -- from Jamie's doorman to her crushable love interest and Danny's pretzel boss and special lady -- are well-presented and help carry the story. The romance is unexpected for Danny and Jamie, which makes it all the more entertaining.

Most importantly, the story carries an important message about love and family. In the midst of their obsession of finding partners to have a baby with -- and then setting about the business of making the babies -- Danny, Jamie and Frankie all learn valuable lessons about what matters most in life. And it isn't about money.

An enjoyable and fast-paced story, Jackpot is well worth the read.

Rating: 4.5 of 5

(Originally published at www.change-the-word.blogspot.com)

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jaime and Danny are both in their early thirties and both haven't been very lucky in love. Danny is a serial dater and loves that he can play games with woman without any real commitment, and Jaime can't find a guy she actually wants to settle down with. Things take a serious turn though when their mother Frankie wins the lottery and her only wish is that they produce a grandchild for her. The catch is though that they have a year to fufill her wish and she will give them eight million dollars as a reward, but is the jackpot worth all the drama, heartache, and disaster that ensues?


This was such a unique concept for a book, and as soon as I read the synopsis I knew I was going to really enjoy it. It was everything I had hoped it would be. The characters were outstanding, witty, and funny. The plot moved along in a way that made the book hard to put down, and It was light-hearted and contagious just the way a chick-lit book should be.


Jackie Pilossoph is what a good chick-lit writer is all about, she hit the story on the head with this one, and I loved the story from start to finish. The love interests were predictable but at the same time took turns that even the most observant couldn't anticipate, which I loved. I feel like some stories you can see what's going to happen from reading the first line and theres no surprises, but that was not the case with this book. Although some of the plot could have been a bit predictable, how they got there was what was unique and unpredictable. If you enjoy reading chick-lit I suggest you pick this one, because it was unlike any other story i've read in this genre.

[Dianne · Rating 2 out of 5]

Jackpot! By Jackie Pilossoph


Considering that, this novel has some of the most selfish and self-centered characters that I have ever read, this book did eventually turn into an engaging and interesting read. The characters did eventually grow, and they did finally become likable. And they even did get a happily ever after.

So how would you react if your mother won the lotto and offered you an 8 million dollar bribe to have a baby?
And you had to have this child or adopt this child, in the next year? A lot of people would think that nah they would/couldn’t do it and then I’m sure there are some of us that might be tempted, especially those that are already in a long term relationship, right?



Well you may have more integrity than this brother and sister team does since they fail to tell their partners of this stipulation of their mothers. So naturally, once the partners find out that they have been being used, trouble falls like rain from a storm cloud.

I really disliked the mother for doing this to her kids…and yes, you do find out much later in the book that there was a valid reason for her to be so pushy, but I felt it still was too manipulative.


This book did have its comedic high points, but not as many as I had hoped for. The descriptions of the Chicago area are wonderful and I felt as if I were there.

It was not a bad book, but I think it would make a better movie than a book.

[Jo Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely LOVED this book and I think Jackie Pilossoph is an amazing author!! Jamie and Danny Jacobson are siblings who are in their thirties, and neither of them are looking to settle down too fast. Then, there's their mother, Frankie, who's about sixty, a widow, and so desperately wants to be a grandmother. When Frankie wins the lottery, she issues a contract to Jamie and Danny stating that which ever one of her children can make her a grandmother in the next year will receive $8, 000, 000. I love the fact that even though the concept of becoming a parent is easy that Jackie didn't make it so easy for Jamie and Danny; she kept throwing obstacles in their way and the obstacles made the book increasingly interesting. The plot of this story is great and I actually stayed up until almost 3 a.m. to finish this book. Jamie was actually the lottery picker for WGB and an aspiring screenwriter, which really made it easy for me to relate to her character with majoring in screenwriting and all. Danny is a history teacher and also an actor when he can get gigs. One of my favorite things about this book were the mini newspaper articles that were featured in them. Overall, this book was an amazing read, and EVERYONE should purchase it!!

http://kindleebooksaddict.blogspot.com/

[Jamie Dubois · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVED this book. It was funny yet heartwarming. Not many books bring tears to my eyes, this one did many times towards the end.
A mother who finds out she has breast cancer, wins the lottery. She offers her two grown children, 8 million dollars each if they will each have a baby within the year. Her one wish was to have grandchildren before she died.
During their challenge to find somebody to have a baby with, they find true love. Something they never experienced before. Of course, the people they fell in love with don't want anything to do with them once they find out about the money to have a baby.

In the end, everybody ends up happy together, Frankie overcomes her breast cancer, Jamie and Drew have their baby boy and Danny and Courtney in the process of adopting their baby girl.

Its an inspirational story, makes you think of what is really important in your life. Makes you realize in the blink of an eye, your life could end without you experiencing everything you have wanted to experience.

[Mrs Mommy Booknerd http://mrsmommybooknerd.blogspot.com · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is a immense level of skill involved when writing a book that is both funny and thought provoking at the same time, I have to say that Pilossoph did it in perfect unison in her second novel JACKPOT!. The question is this: Could you produce a child to get $8 million dollars? Well, that is just what Jamie and Danny Jacobson had to consider when their mother, Frankie, presented the question after she won big on the lottery. JACKPOT! will make you laugh, think and hope that love can actually conquer all. It has depth and humor wrapped into an original story that keeps you turning pages. I was told once by an author that a reader must truly relate to the characters in a book in order to completely appreciate a story. I have to say that statement has resonated with me. All the books that I have loved have had compelling and captivating characters. JACKPOT! is one of those exceptional books! I look forward to reading Pilossoph's other book HOOK, LINE AND SINK HIM and hope this fascinating talent continues to write spectacular books for years to come.

[Maureen Reil · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the story of a woman called Frankie who wins the lottery and can have anything she wants and what does she want? She wants her selfish, grown-up children to grow-up and settle down with someone they love (preferably Jewish) and produce grandchildren and stop chasing pipe dreams. That's what she wants, so she ensures the bit about getting kids out of her kids by producing a contract that they will receive eight million dollars on account, if either one or both of them has a child within a year. Simple plan you might say but it's not as easy as it sounds when at first, the sister and brother duo try to fake it but will they ever realize that money isn't everything, especially, when you fall in love for real? I really enjoyed this novel's concept and rooted for the characters all the way through to do the right thing by the end and don't screw it up. The writing style was a joy to read and I found myself looking forward to picking up my Kindle to carry on with it whenever I could. I will be reading another one of Jackie Pilossoph's books soon and I hope you will too.

[Lynda Kelly · Rating 2 out of 5]

OK, while my usual reading fare is crime and murderation as a rule I am not averse to a bit of froth at times so thought I'd give this a go as it sounded quite amusing. A Jewish mother puts half her lottery win on the table to offer to one of her children if they produce a grandchild for her soon !! Yes, it sounds daft but it really was TOO daft for my liking. There were too many brand names mentioned, too, which aggravated me.
I am not a fan of parents being referred to by their christian names which Jamie did. And I was staggered to think either she or Danny would even consider their mum's crazy scheme !! I gave up when Jamie said to her ex, "But can you find forgiveness in your heart?" From what we'd already learned about her there's no way she'd have spoken in such a ridiculous cliche !
There were some mistakes I'd seen before I packed it in at 25%. One sentence was..."talk more about it more later" and another...."already know you're your name". Bit careless. There were missing apostrophes too, a real annoyance for me.

[Mindy · Rating 1 out of 5]

I made myself finish it so I could give it an accurate review, but I was tempted to put it down a lot.

The premise is interesting, hence the reason I "bought" it (It was free one day on Amazon). However, the characters are not. These are horrible people and it's hard to root for them to get what they want in the end. None of them really take responsibility for their own errors and blame it on other people and are far from humble. Many of the plot points are completely unbelievable, and I often muttered "WTF?" out loud at the dialogue more than once.

The "twist" at the end to excuse everyone's behavior was cheap, in my opinion, and doesn't make what they all did okay in the slightest.

Now, my biggest issue with this is the lack of research that went into what a teacher can and can't do. A teacher certainly can't get in a car alone with a student, much less drive them to a lingerie shop, regardless of the good intentions behind it. A teacher could not also get arrested for solicitation and not at least be put on leave during the investigation.

[Bekah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found the premise of this book to be fairly interesting (otherwise I wouldn't have picked it up)- a Jewish mother wants nothing more than to become a Jewish grandmother, but her single, selfish son and daughter aren't cooperating. Then, she wins the lottery and makes them an offer they can't refuse...or can they?

If either of her children can produce an offspring over the next year, they get 8 million dollars.

The rush to find baby-making partners ensues.

At this point, the plot becomes overwhelmingly and disappointingly predictable. You can probably guess, so I'll just go ahead a tell you- the quest for a willing sex partner leads to true love for both. Said partners find out about the jackpot agreement, everyone gets dumped, then everyone finds forgiveness and they live happily ever after.

There are some humorous moments and likeable characters that make this a decent read, despite the lack of true surprises. Quick and easy, not a bad summer choice.

[Diane · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fun, light book about a brother and sister, who are both at decidely anti-marriage/anti-baby places in their lives, who are offered $8 million by their mother, after she wins the lottery, to have a baby within a year. Both embark on their individual, unpalatable but "easiest" strategies for making that happen, but ultimately their mother's ultimatum leads them to take chances, and follow their hearts. This is an entertaining, and quick read. I love the characters because they feel "real." The brother and sister talk to each other the way my brother and I would. They definitely do not have romanticized jobs, and are in that place in life where they are just trying to figure it all out. This book was a good way to spend my Sunday afternoon, avoiding taking day my Christmas decorations!

[Ruth · Rating 3 out of 5]

What would you do for eight million dollars? Would you have a baby within a year? Frankie has a son and a daughter, who are not married and show no signs of settling down. She desperately wants grandchildren and hates it when she has to admire her friends' photos while having none of her own to show. When Frankie wins the lottery she has money to burn and she has her lawyer draw up a contract stipulating that if one of her children has a child in the next 12 months, they would receive 8 million dollars. Eight million which could help Danny launch his acting career. Eight million which would allow her daughter, Jamie to produce one of the plays that she had written which she was always receiving rejection notices for. But with no significant other on the horizon they are going to have to get clever if they are going to pull this off. The race is on!

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

The storyline was a little different and it was good to see both the son and daughter's point of view throughout the story. The author seemed to use the word "respected" a lot throughout the book. Anytime there was a new character that the main character was supposed to like, they used the term "respected." It seemed a little over used. I know that's not the first thing I think when I meet a person. Also, what drove me nuts was them each getting $8mil for having a child. Her original winnings were $18 million and she took a lump sum pay out so there's no way she was even getting close to that. The lumb sum would MAYBE get her $10 million and then she'd have to pay taxes. It just didn't seem to add up. But overall the book was good. The characters were generally likeable.

[Danics · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great and entertaining book about a woman who wins the lottery and makes a strange proposition to both her children, which they must follow if they want to get a part of the lottery winnings.

Great characters and simple and accessible story telling make this book a quick and entertaining read. The story is set in Chicago, where Jamie, 30 something year old woman and her brother Danny, have some issues in their love lives. Their mother's only desire is that they build a family, marrying and having children. However, this plans are coming quite frustrated. When she luckily wins the lottery, she decides to make them an offer. The book is full with funny situations, enjoyable and romantic in many ways. Worth reading.

[Ruby · Rating 5 out of 5]

What would you do if you won the lottery? What if your grandchild wanting mother won the lottery and bribed you with half the winnings if you would give her a grandchild. Would you do it? This book delves into this exact thing and is hilarious. The last thing Jamie and Danny wanted was to settle down and have children (until Frankie their mother makes them a deal they cant refuse) 8 million dollars to give her a grandchild...This book is funny, serious and makes you question What would you do for 8 million dollars. This book was well written and I found it enjoyable to read. Great book recommend if you need something light and uplifting to read.

[Sara · Rating 3 out of 5]

The concept for this novel is very interesting, but very predictable. I knew every plot point (except one) before it happened. It was pretty obvious that Danny and Courtney were going to adopt his student's baby. And of course everyone is going to live happily ever after.

I would have enjoyed this book more if it was only told from Jamie's point of view. It switches off between Danny and Jamie as narrator, and the transitions aren't very smooth. I wanted to hear more about what Jamie was going through, and then there would suddenly be 2-3 chapters from Danny. Of course it was expected, but disappointing.

Overall, a fun and quick read.