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Molly's Millions
Hard-up florist Molly Bailey has just won £4.2 million pounds in the National Lottery. And she needs to get rid of it – fast!
Tom Mackenzie is on the verge of losing his job. He needs one hell of a story if he hopes to secure his future in journalism.
With Ebenezer Scrooge for a brother, and a strong belief that sharing her good fortune is the only way forward, Molly unwittingly becomes the most sought-after person in the country as, in true Robin Hood style, she distributes her wealth to the masses.
With only her terrier pup, Fizz, for company, Molly embarks on the journey of her life, crossing the country in her trusty – or should that be ‘rusty’? – yellow Beetle. But with Tom Mackenzie hot on her heels and the nation on the look-out for her, Molly must outwit them all if she’s to achieve her grand finale.
Will she succeed before her family and the media catch up with her? And with Tom leading the pack, would that really be such a bad thing…?
Tom Mackenzie is on the verge of losing his job. He needs one hell of a story if he hopes to secure his future in journalism.
With Ebenezer Scrooge for a brother, and a strong belief that sharing her good fortune is the only way forward, Molly unwittingly becomes the most sought-after person in the country as, in true Robin Hood style, she distributes her wealth to the masses.
With only her terrier pup, Fizz, for company, Molly embarks on the journey of her life, crossing the country in her trusty – or should that be ‘rusty’? – yellow Beetle. But with Tom Mackenzie hot on her heels and the nation on the look-out for her, Molly must outwit them all if she’s to achieve her grand finale.
Will she succeed before her family and the media catch up with her? And with Tom leading the pack, would that really be such a bad thing…?
366 pages
First published January 26, 2009
114 people are currently reading
620 people want to read
About the author
Victoria Connelly
67 books509 followersVictoria Connelly grew up in Norfolk before attending Worcester College where she studied English Literature. After graduating, she worked her way through a number of jobs before becoming a teacher in North Yorkshire.
In 2000, she got married in a medieval castle in the Yorkshire Dales and moved to London. Five weeks after their wedding, her husband, a television news cameraman, was sent to Israel. Convinced something terrible would happen to him, she came up with the idea for a novel about a young widow who starts seeing angels on her desk at work, but was scared to write it in case she tempted fate. It was only years later that her husband admitted to having a bullet graze his shirt sleeve whilst filming in Israel!
Although having had articles and short stories published, it was only when Flights of Angels was published that Victoria was able to realise the dream of becoming a professional writer. Published as Unter deinem Stern in Germany, the novel was made into a film for television by award-winning Ziegler Film. Her second novel, The Unmasking of Elena Montella (Wenn es dich gibt), was published in 2007 and her third, Three Graces (Wohin mit der Liebe), was published in 2009. All three magical romantic comedies are now available as ebooks.
Her first novel to be published in the UK – Molly’s Millions – came out in 2009. This was followed by a trilogy about Jane Austen addicts: A Weekend with Mr Darcy, The Perfect Hero (US title: Dreaming of Mr Darcy) and Mr Darcy Forever.
The Runaway Actress was published in April 2012 and she is currently working on another romantic comedy, Wish You Were Here.
In 2000, she got married in a medieval castle in the Yorkshire Dales and moved to London. Five weeks after their wedding, her husband, a television news cameraman, was sent to Israel. Convinced something terrible would happen to him, she came up with the idea for a novel about a young widow who starts seeing angels on her desk at work, but was scared to write it in case she tempted fate. It was only years later that her husband admitted to having a bullet graze his shirt sleeve whilst filming in Israel!
Although having had articles and short stories published, it was only when Flights of Angels was published that Victoria was able to realise the dream of becoming a professional writer. Published as Unter deinem Stern in Germany, the novel was made into a film for television by award-winning Ziegler Film. Her second novel, The Unmasking of Elena Montella (Wenn es dich gibt), was published in 2007 and her third, Three Graces (Wohin mit der Liebe), was published in 2009. All three magical romantic comedies are now available as ebooks.
Her first novel to be published in the UK – Molly’s Millions – came out in 2009. This was followed by a trilogy about Jane Austen addicts: A Weekend with Mr Darcy, The Perfect Hero (US title: Dreaming of Mr Darcy) and Mr Darcy Forever.
The Runaway Actress was published in April 2012 and she is currently working on another romantic comedy, Wish You Were Here.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 68 reviews
November 29, 2009
What would you do if you won £4.2m on the lottery? Would you tell your Scrooge-like family and risk them taking the money away from you...or would you try to keep it a secret and have some fun? That's the decision faced by Molly Bailey, a struggling florist from Cumbria - and it doesn't take her long to make up her mind!
Knowing she can't hide her win from the Bailey family forever, Molly decides to dispose of it as quickly as possible. With only her dog for company, she sets off on a journey around Britain, distributing money to those in need.
Journalist Tom Mackenzie is looking for a big story to save his career. Accompanied by his ten year-old daughter, Flora, Tom chases Molly up and down the country, determined to discover the identity of this modern-day Robin Hood. Molly must use her wits if she is to avoid being caught by Tom and the Bailey men and continue spreading goodwill to the nation.
Victoria Connelly writes with a lot of warmth and humour, making this a lovely, inspiring story with characters that the reader can really identify with and care about.
It would be impossible not to like Molly Bailey, as she's such a generous, kind-hearted person. She truly doesn't seem to realise how unusual it is for someone to behave so selflessly and can't understand why her actions are making her a media phenomenon. I also liked Tom, despite the trouble he was causing for Molly, and I loved Flora, his daughter. I was torn between cheering Molly on, and wanting Tom to catch her!
This isn't the kind of book I would usually choose to read but Molly's Millions, with its pretty pink cover, caught my attention. It was a light, enjoyable, fun read and I'm glad I decided to give it a chance!
http://shereadsnovels.wordpress.com
Knowing she can't hide her win from the Bailey family forever, Molly decides to dispose of it as quickly as possible. With only her dog for company, she sets off on a journey around Britain, distributing money to those in need.
Journalist Tom Mackenzie is looking for a big story to save his career. Accompanied by his ten year-old daughter, Flora, Tom chases Molly up and down the country, determined to discover the identity of this modern-day Robin Hood. Molly must use her wits if she is to avoid being caught by Tom and the Bailey men and continue spreading goodwill to the nation.
Victoria Connelly writes with a lot of warmth and humour, making this a lovely, inspiring story with characters that the reader can really identify with and care about.
It would be impossible not to like Molly Bailey, as she's such a generous, kind-hearted person. She truly doesn't seem to realise how unusual it is for someone to behave so selflessly and can't understand why her actions are making her a media phenomenon. I also liked Tom, despite the trouble he was causing for Molly, and I loved Flora, his daughter. I was torn between cheering Molly on, and wanting Tom to catch her!
This isn't the kind of book I would usually choose to read but Molly's Millions, with its pretty pink cover, caught my attention. It was a light, enjoyable, fun read and I'm glad I decided to give it a chance!
http://shereadsnovels.wordpress.com
November 27, 2013
A relaxing, cute book. Predictable but still enjoyable.
August 1, 2024
This was a bit of a daft book by Victoria Connelly. The story follows a youngish woman who wins the lottery and it’s the story of how she gives it away and a journalist who finds out about it and follows her around trying to find her. It was okay and I enjoyed it, but not one of her best.
September 11, 2022
Such a light, breezy, feel good read. A delightful break from reading intense filled traumatic novels. Definitely recommend 🙌🏼
March 21, 2020
Cute enough.
November 16, 2009
Molly Bailey’s life is trundling along fine until one day she decides to buy herself a lottery ticket and ends up winning £4.2 million. Trouble is, Molly doesn’t want £4.2 million and sets off around the country distributing it as and when she feels like it. Journalist Tom MacKenzie is worried he’s about to end up on the journalistic scrap-heap when he happens upon Molly’s story. He sets off, with daughter Flora, on a wild goose chase to try and find Molly. As Molly continues around the country not only does she have Tom hot on her heels but also her family – the three Bailey Men along with Carolyn, Marty’s wife, who are famed for their tightness. Will Molly be caught before her millions run out?
I hadn’t really heard of Molly’s Millions until I saw a few reviews popping up on various sites. It soon peaked my interest and I wanted to read it so badly as it sounded fantastic. I finally got my hands on a copy, thanks to Allison & Busy, and I started it in earnest. I finished it in two days and have to say I absolutely adored Molly’s Millions. It’s a book that will make even the hardened pessimist smile.
The book starts just before Molly’s lottery win. She’s actually struggling to pay for her shopping when we first meet her. I could feel her embarrassment as she stood at the head of the queue wondering what to get rid of and I instantly liked Molly. She then, inevitably, wins the lottery and I loved how quick she was to decide that she wanted to get rid of it. As Molly heads off around the country distributing her wealth along with her dog Fizz and trusty Beetle Old Faithful, Tom MacKenzie comes into the picture. From then on it’s a wild goose chase as everybody tries to find the elusive Molly. It was told in third-person so we got everybody’s perspective. We have Molly, ambling down the country giving her money away, Tom who is wildly trying to find Molly along with his daughter Flora and we have the Bailey Men, Old Bailey himself, Magnus and Marty, grandfather, father and brother to Molly along with Carolyn, Marty’s husband, desperately trying to find Molly also. It was an incredibly clever plot and seeing it from all angles gave it an interesting perspective. On the one hand I wanted Molly to succeed in her mission and the Bailey men to fail in theirs but on the other hand I was desperate for Tom to find Molly.
All of the characters are fantastic. Molly is just so incredibly nice it’s hard to not like her. She knew exactly what she wanted to do with the money once she’d one so she was also incredibly headstrong. She did, unwittingly, manage to make herself the most sought-after woman in the country which was highly amusing as she had no idea. Molly just wanted to distribute the money and be a good person and wasn’t concerned with all of the press attention. Maybe calling Molly nice isn’t the best adjective to use but that’s what she was. Nice. I actually quite liked Tom MacKenzie, what he did wasn’t particularly nice, tailing Molly and invading her privacy like that but that’s what his job was. He definitely seemed to have some hidden depths and I really liked him. I loved his daughter Flora and I thought she seemed quite like Molly although a younger version. The relationship between Tom and Flora was fantastic and I enjoyed picking up their thread of the story. The Bailey Men were all incredibly mean. How such tightfisted men could have raised Molly is beyond words. It was like they were a world apart. I did like Carolyn however and she perked up their parts of the story.
Molly’s Millions is incredibly well written and I enjoyed whizzing through it immensely. Connelly really has a writers touch and I’m so surprised this is her only book published in English (she has three others all published in German, which is a shame for me as I don’t speak it!). There are a few minor plots in the story as well as that of Molly’s millions and there are some things we learn as the story progresses that surprised me a little bit. I really enjoyed Molly’s journey down the country and I can’t believe how quickly I flew through the book.
I highly recommend you pick up a copy of Molly’s Millions as it truly is an outstanding read. It’s a light read, don’t get me wrong, but it’s just so incredibly enjoyable you’ll wonder where you’re day has gone once you get started. It really did make me smile.
I hadn’t really heard of Molly’s Millions until I saw a few reviews popping up on various sites. It soon peaked my interest and I wanted to read it so badly as it sounded fantastic. I finally got my hands on a copy, thanks to Allison & Busy, and I started it in earnest. I finished it in two days and have to say I absolutely adored Molly’s Millions. It’s a book that will make even the hardened pessimist smile.
The book starts just before Molly’s lottery win. She’s actually struggling to pay for her shopping when we first meet her. I could feel her embarrassment as she stood at the head of the queue wondering what to get rid of and I instantly liked Molly. She then, inevitably, wins the lottery and I loved how quick she was to decide that she wanted to get rid of it. As Molly heads off around the country distributing her wealth along with her dog Fizz and trusty Beetle Old Faithful, Tom MacKenzie comes into the picture. From then on it’s a wild goose chase as everybody tries to find the elusive Molly. It was told in third-person so we got everybody’s perspective. We have Molly, ambling down the country giving her money away, Tom who is wildly trying to find Molly along with his daughter Flora and we have the Bailey Men, Old Bailey himself, Magnus and Marty, grandfather, father and brother to Molly along with Carolyn, Marty’s husband, desperately trying to find Molly also. It was an incredibly clever plot and seeing it from all angles gave it an interesting perspective. On the one hand I wanted Molly to succeed in her mission and the Bailey men to fail in theirs but on the other hand I was desperate for Tom to find Molly.
All of the characters are fantastic. Molly is just so incredibly nice it’s hard to not like her. She knew exactly what she wanted to do with the money once she’d one so she was also incredibly headstrong. She did, unwittingly, manage to make herself the most sought-after woman in the country which was highly amusing as she had no idea. Molly just wanted to distribute the money and be a good person and wasn’t concerned with all of the press attention. Maybe calling Molly nice isn’t the best adjective to use but that’s what she was. Nice. I actually quite liked Tom MacKenzie, what he did wasn’t particularly nice, tailing Molly and invading her privacy like that but that’s what his job was. He definitely seemed to have some hidden depths and I really liked him. I loved his daughter Flora and I thought she seemed quite like Molly although a younger version. The relationship between Tom and Flora was fantastic and I enjoyed picking up their thread of the story. The Bailey Men were all incredibly mean. How such tightfisted men could have raised Molly is beyond words. It was like they were a world apart. I did like Carolyn however and she perked up their parts of the story.
Molly’s Millions is incredibly well written and I enjoyed whizzing through it immensely. Connelly really has a writers touch and I’m so surprised this is her only book published in English (she has three others all published in German, which is a shame for me as I don’t speak it!). There are a few minor plots in the story as well as that of Molly’s millions and there are some things we learn as the story progresses that surprised me a little bit. I really enjoyed Molly’s journey down the country and I can’t believe how quickly I flew through the book.
I highly recommend you pick up a copy of Molly’s Millions as it truly is an outstanding read. It’s a light read, don’t get me wrong, but it’s just so incredibly enjoyable you’ll wonder where you’re day has gone once you get started. It really did make me smile.
March 6, 2012
Got this on my kindle over the Christmas break and wish i had got it before, but it seems to be one of those books that slips through the marketing ... yet its is a truly brilliant feel good book....none of the sloppiness just a brilliant story of a girl with a heart and no hidden agenda.
I loved every page and will certainly be getting another Victoria Connelly book!!
I loved every page and will certainly be getting another Victoria Connelly book!!
August 11, 2019
10th Anniversary Re-release day of this Fun road trip through England's countryside with Molly. A generous modern Robin Hood spreading financial cheer as she follows her heart ... I'm enjoying my own travels via re-reading !
July 10, 2019
Love doing book reviews at:
https://clavie.co/2019/07/03/book-rev...
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What would you do if you won the lottery?
This novel has been on my TBR for quite a few months!
I was not sure what to expect. Initially, I was reading and I was like: okay, enough of the story, let’s get to when you’ve won it since it is the plot.
I like the contrasts: how Molly has came from a very stingy family. Yet, as soon as she got into this money her first actions was to get a companion; a dog from the shelter. Then, off Fizz and Molly where to the roads. Stopping by places in desperate need of a godsend of money. It’s amazing how peoples’ lives can be changed by some money. How happy it can make them. Molly realised this and wanted to spread her wealth as she believed there is a certain amount needed: to cover yourself, family and friends. However, the rest was excess and she wanted to get rid of it quickly before her family found out!
That is, until a reporter catches tail of this and manages to track her down and follows her trail!
I found this story to be an adventure with all the characters involved. Seeing the different points of views and dramas that are in everyone’s lives. It can be entertaining at times and I found it difficult to put down as I kept wanting to find out what happens next.
Although, with fortune comes fame. With fame comes scandals! You would expect Molly to try to avoid this however, with some people she just spread herself a bit too easily which made her private life easy for the nation to find out about too.
Yes, she is young and is doing no harm however, after drinking too much you lose your concentration and sleep with people you didn’t even intend on sleeping with and of course drinking too much was the blame to Molly. Well, if that is the case, don’t drink so much if you do not want your story of your personal life in the papers. Just pointing out the fact that her naivety of trusting someone to not steal, gain fame from her shouldn’t be used as an excuse to complain after accepting her decisions. Don’t drink if you’re going to make idiotic decisions that lead to consequences like that.
Apart from that, I enjoyed the message of being kind. Truly kind of not expecting anything in return. All she wanted to do was spread her wealth to those that really needed it without asking.
https://clavie.co/2019/07/03/book-rev...
-----------------
What would you do if you won the lottery?
This novel has been on my TBR for quite a few months!
I was not sure what to expect. Initially, I was reading and I was like: okay, enough of the story, let’s get to when you’ve won it since it is the plot.
I like the contrasts: how Molly has came from a very stingy family. Yet, as soon as she got into this money her first actions was to get a companion; a dog from the shelter. Then, off Fizz and Molly where to the roads. Stopping by places in desperate need of a godsend of money. It’s amazing how peoples’ lives can be changed by some money. How happy it can make them. Molly realised this and wanted to spread her wealth as she believed there is a certain amount needed: to cover yourself, family and friends. However, the rest was excess and she wanted to get rid of it quickly before her family found out!
That is, until a reporter catches tail of this and manages to track her down and follows her trail!
I found this story to be an adventure with all the characters involved. Seeing the different points of views and dramas that are in everyone’s lives. It can be entertaining at times and I found it difficult to put down as I kept wanting to find out what happens next.
Although, with fortune comes fame. With fame comes scandals! You would expect Molly to try to avoid this however, with some people she just spread herself a bit too easily which made her private life easy for the nation to find out about too.
Yes, she is young and is doing no harm however, after drinking too much you lose your concentration and sleep with people you didn’t even intend on sleeping with and of course drinking too much was the blame to Molly. Well, if that is the case, don’t drink so much if you do not want your story of your personal life in the papers. Just pointing out the fact that her naivety of trusting someone to not steal, gain fame from her shouldn’t be used as an excuse to complain after accepting her decisions. Don’t drink if you’re going to make idiotic decisions that lead to consequences like that.
Apart from that, I enjoyed the message of being kind. Truly kind of not expecting anything in return. All she wanted to do was spread her wealth to those that really needed it without asking.
May 3, 2020
Better than Hallmark
When Molly Bailey wins over £4 million in the Lottery, she puts some aside, then sets out to distribute the rest secretly as a modern day Robin Hood. Soon, her trail is picked up by a down-on-his-luck reporter who, with his young daughter, follow Molly's trail from the Lake District in Northern England to London. Toss onto Molly's trail her brother and sister-in-law, her father, and her grandfather, and you have a nearly madcap race to catch Molly before she can fulfill her plan to give the money all away.
Although I tend to not like rom-com novels, I enjoy Victoria Connelly's novels because she uses multi-generational, fully-rounded characters and places them in beautifully-described scenes. In fact, the descriptions of flowers, gardens, old homes, and countrysides are one of the main attractions for me.
When Molly Bailey wins over £4 million in the Lottery, she puts some aside, then sets out to distribute the rest secretly as a modern day Robin Hood. Soon, her trail is picked up by a down-on-his-luck reporter who, with his young daughter, follow Molly's trail from the Lake District in Northern England to London. Toss onto Molly's trail her brother and sister-in-law, her father, and her grandfather, and you have a nearly madcap race to catch Molly before she can fulfill her plan to give the money all away.
Although I tend to not like rom-com novels, I enjoy Victoria Connelly's novels because she uses multi-generational, fully-rounded characters and places them in beautifully-described scenes. In fact, the descriptions of flowers, gardens, old homes, and countrysides are one of the main attractions for me.
August 8, 2025
Molly's Millions is a nice, pleasant story. Molly is a likeable character, as is Tom. It's a sweet idea for someone to drive around the country in a yellow VW Beetle giving away her HUGE lottery win along with a yellow gerbera. I did enjoy following Molly around but I did find it a little predictable. I don't really understand why Molly's mum cut contact with her children when she left Molly's dad, that was a rather confusing and frustrating part of the story. On a more positive note, I did like how the story made me think about what I would do if I won millions of dollars in the lottery and who and how I would give money away if I was Molly. And I do hope Molly and Tom and Caro and Marty live happily ever after.
March 22, 2020
Wonderful Story!
What a great “feel good” story! A good stress reliever during these unprecedented times! Grab a copy of this book & dive in to a read about Molly who wins the lottery...and just wants to help others with her newly found wealth! She wanders around England in her bright yellow VW beetle doing good wherever she stops! And she is followed (when he can find her) by reporter, Tom, & his little daughter, Flora. Tom writes stories about Molly & she becomes a national heroine! Don’t miss this sweet story!!
What a great “feel good” story! A good stress reliever during these unprecedented times! Grab a copy of this book & dive in to a read about Molly who wins the lottery...and just wants to help others with her newly found wealth! She wanders around England in her bright yellow VW beetle doing good wherever she stops! And she is followed (when he can find her) by reporter, Tom, & his little daughter, Flora. Tom writes stories about Molly & she becomes a national heroine! Don’t miss this sweet story!!
June 8, 2021
I absolutely loved every single page of this book.
If you want something super heart-warming to read, something that makes you feel all squishy inside, then this is the book for you.
Molly wins an absolute fortune on the lottery and decides to travel around the country in her grumpy yellow beetle car, sharing her fortune with complete strangers - totally anonymously, despite quite a few hiccups along the way.
I don't want to spoil the book for anyone, because it is honestly wonderful!!
Five stars all the way!
If you want something super heart-warming to read, something that makes you feel all squishy inside, then this is the book for you.
Molly wins an absolute fortune on the lottery and decides to travel around the country in her grumpy yellow beetle car, sharing her fortune with complete strangers - totally anonymously, despite quite a few hiccups along the way.
I don't want to spoil the book for anyone, because it is honestly wonderful!!
Five stars all the way!
August 1, 2020
Slow start
The. Beginning I Struggled to connect anything it took awhile before I got in to it but then I finally started connecting the dots and the story fell into place. Halfway through I began to get the characters and the reason molly was trying to spread happiness by giving her millions away.
The. Beginning I Struggled to connect anything it took awhile before I got in to it but then I finally started connecting the dots and the story fell into place. Halfway through I began to get the characters and the reason molly was trying to spread happiness by giving her millions away.
April 12, 2020
A warm sunny tale
What a truly heart-warming story, It reached right inside my very soul. I could not help but smile at all the warmth and great kindness that Molly shared with so many people. Very highly recommend.
What a truly heart-warming story, It reached right inside my very soul. I could not help but smile at all the warmth and great kindness that Molly shared with so many people. Very highly recommend.
April 16, 2020
What an excellent, clever concept! A young woman wins millions of dollars in the lottery and seeks to give it all away because her family would just take it all from her… A great story about giving, receiving, and family. Thoroughly enjoyable!
May 25, 2020
A great Sunday afternoon read
Had to keep reading to see how it would end. Cute story about what truly matters in life and how money impacts people's lives. Molly is endearing and her family's quirks are just crazy enough without being absurd.
Had to keep reading to see how it would end. Cute story about what truly matters in life and how money impacts people's lives. Molly is endearing and her family's quirks are just crazy enough without being absurd.
August 20, 2018
Pleasant enough but very predictable read. No resolution to some issues raised in the story.
March 28, 2019
Cute concept
Quick read
Quick read
June 13, 2019
Really good book with unexpected twists and turns all the way through.
March 5, 2020
Light and fun. I liked the people and how the narrative jumped around with the different points of view and the flashbacks to give context and depth to the characters.
March 21, 2020
free kindle book
March 26, 2020
A large win on a lottery ticket sends Molly across the country giving money to needy people and causes.
May 13, 2020
A lovely well written book in these crazy times ❤️
September 7, 2023
An enjoyable sweet story with a wonderful central character, if only everyone were as generous as kind as Molly. Might there be a follow up to see how they all progress?
July 25, 2019
as always, wonderful in this contemporary with no fantastic or elements but a surprise in the ending!
January 14, 2016
In ‘Molly’s Millions’, young florist Molly Bailey buys a lottery ticket and unexpectedly ends up winning 4.2 million pounds. In the blink of an eye, her financial dilemma is solved. She decides to use her money to make other people’s lives better while keeping the whole thing a secret from the Bailey men as they would definitely want their share and be against her altruistic plan.
The premise interested me as I was envisioning several possibilities – it could be thought-provoking seeing how such a large amount of cash could change Molly and change how people treat her. On the other hand, it could be a fun, adventurous read filled with details on her journey and how she attempts to keep her whereabouts a secret from the Bailey men. It could be eye-opening, showing how Molly realizes that she’s focusing too much on others instead of making herself happy first. Instead, I found this book to be terribly boring, flat and unrealistic.
Molly was definitely a Mary Sue. She had no flaws at all. There’s nothing wrong with creating a character who enjoys giving and does it without expecting anything in return but it’s a problem when the aforementioned character is too good to be true. The repetition didn’t help either – all Molly did throughout the story was distribute her wealth by putting lots of money into envelopes and placing them into strangers’ mailboxes. Sometimes she even handed the money to the person face-to-face. How exciting! Basically, even the incorporation of reporter Tom and the Bailey men being hot on her trail failed to inject some life into this dreary tale.
All the characters were one-dimensional. Tom was predictably meant to be Molly’s love interest. Of course, he was good-looking and liked her even before he spoke to her. He was also a very considerate reporter who followed Molly but tried to give her some space when she expressed her annoyance. How believable. His ten-year-old daughter Flora who accompanied him during the entire chasing-Molly trip was conveniently well-behaved. As for the Bailey men, they were unbearable as they were stingy as hell while Marty’s wife, Carolyn was an absolute doormat.
The subplot regarding Molly’s mother who left the family years ago wasn’t properly weaved into the storyline. Consequently, it was just weird and didn’t belong at all. There were no conflicts anywhere in the story despite the ample opportunities which would have made the book at least a little less lifeless and more realistic. For instance, Molly and her mother’s reunion was peaceful from beginning until the end even after the latter revealed a major secret (which was hard to care about because I didn’t feel connected to any character).
Overall, ‘Molly’s Millions’ sounded better than it turned out to be. It was disappointing and lacklustre.
The premise interested me as I was envisioning several possibilities – it could be thought-provoking seeing how such a large amount of cash could change Molly and change how people treat her. On the other hand, it could be a fun, adventurous read filled with details on her journey and how she attempts to keep her whereabouts a secret from the Bailey men. It could be eye-opening, showing how Molly realizes that she’s focusing too much on others instead of making herself happy first. Instead, I found this book to be terribly boring, flat and unrealistic.
Molly was definitely a Mary Sue. She had no flaws at all. There’s nothing wrong with creating a character who enjoys giving and does it without expecting anything in return but it’s a problem when the aforementioned character is too good to be true. The repetition didn’t help either – all Molly did throughout the story was distribute her wealth by putting lots of money into envelopes and placing them into strangers’ mailboxes. Sometimes she even handed the money to the person face-to-face. How exciting! Basically, even the incorporation of reporter Tom and the Bailey men being hot on her trail failed to inject some life into this dreary tale.
All the characters were one-dimensional. Tom was predictably meant to be Molly’s love interest. Of course, he was good-looking and liked her even before he spoke to her. He was also a very considerate reporter who followed Molly but tried to give her some space when she expressed her annoyance. How believable. His ten-year-old daughter Flora who accompanied him during the entire chasing-Molly trip was conveniently well-behaved. As for the Bailey men, they were unbearable as they were stingy as hell while Marty’s wife, Carolyn was an absolute doormat.
The subplot regarding Molly’s mother who left the family years ago wasn’t properly weaved into the storyline. Consequently, it was just weird and didn’t belong at all. There were no conflicts anywhere in the story despite the ample opportunities which would have made the book at least a little less lifeless and more realistic. For instance, Molly and her mother’s reunion was peaceful from beginning until the end even after the latter revealed a major secret (which was hard to care about because I didn’t feel connected to any character).
Overall, ‘Molly’s Millions’ sounded better than it turned out to be. It was disappointing and lacklustre.
August 31, 2012
Helen for www.bigbooklittlebook.com
I picked this up needing a little light relief after reading a more weighty tome and this was the perfect antidote!This story is chick lit at its best; a funny, romantic, well-paced ride through the English countryside with a bit of substance as well.
Molly Bailey is a lovely girl who has managed to stay lovely despite the un-loveliness of her family. She owns her own florist shop and has escaped the family home and all the scrimping, saving, penny pinching men who live there. Her brother Marty,(married to her friend Carolyn) is a chip off the old block however. Molly’s mother, Cynthia, left when Molly was still a child and Molly still has many unanswered questions about what happened.
On a whim one day Molly buys a lottery ticket and Bingo(!) hits the jackpot coming away with £4.2 million. Despite Lottery advice to do nothing too quickly Molly knows that once the Bailey men discover the news about her win there will be no stopping them dividing it up and packing it off to the bank, never to be seen again. Molly wants none of this so she decides she is going to give it away, the only problem…to who?
So Molly begins her journey in her brilliant, bright yellow VW bug. She shuts up shop and leaves discovering good causes as she drives through England. She begins anonymously leaving donations with a calling card; a yellow sunshine daisy and having a wonderful time. She gets into some hilarious situations and meets fantastic people. But the fun really starts when those Bailey men find out what’s happening and come after her. Molly is desperate to stay one step ahead and the ensuing chase around the country is fabulous.
In addition to all this Molly is also being chased by Tom, a journalist, and his 10 year old daughter Flora who is along for the ride. He is the reason her family discover she has the money and causes a fair bit of friction until Molly figures out how to use him to her advantage. He also provides the will they/won’t they part of the story.
During all this there is depth too, Marty and Carolyn’s rocky marriage is really put to the test, Marty learns some valuable life lessons about money (its too late for the older members of the family!!) and Molly does get to find out more about her mother and what happened long ago.
Verdict:The ending is great, literally the high point of the book. This is definitely a story I will re-read, it would be a brilliant cheering read if you were a bit down too. Very funny and I loved it.
I picked this up needing a little light relief after reading a more weighty tome and this was the perfect antidote!This story is chick lit at its best; a funny, romantic, well-paced ride through the English countryside with a bit of substance as well.
Molly Bailey is a lovely girl who has managed to stay lovely despite the un-loveliness of her family. She owns her own florist shop and has escaped the family home and all the scrimping, saving, penny pinching men who live there. Her brother Marty,(married to her friend Carolyn) is a chip off the old block however. Molly’s mother, Cynthia, left when Molly was still a child and Molly still has many unanswered questions about what happened.
On a whim one day Molly buys a lottery ticket and Bingo(!) hits the jackpot coming away with £4.2 million. Despite Lottery advice to do nothing too quickly Molly knows that once the Bailey men discover the news about her win there will be no stopping them dividing it up and packing it off to the bank, never to be seen again. Molly wants none of this so she decides she is going to give it away, the only problem…to who?
So Molly begins her journey in her brilliant, bright yellow VW bug. She shuts up shop and leaves discovering good causes as she drives through England. She begins anonymously leaving donations with a calling card; a yellow sunshine daisy and having a wonderful time. She gets into some hilarious situations and meets fantastic people. But the fun really starts when those Bailey men find out what’s happening and come after her. Molly is desperate to stay one step ahead and the ensuing chase around the country is fabulous.
In addition to all this Molly is also being chased by Tom, a journalist, and his 10 year old daughter Flora who is along for the ride. He is the reason her family discover she has the money and causes a fair bit of friction until Molly figures out how to use him to her advantage. He also provides the will they/won’t they part of the story.
During all this there is depth too, Marty and Carolyn’s rocky marriage is really put to the test, Marty learns some valuable life lessons about money (its too late for the older members of the family!!) and Molly does get to find out more about her mother and what happened long ago.
Verdict:The ending is great, literally the high point of the book. This is definitely a story I will re-read, it would be a brilliant cheering read if you were a bit down too. Very funny and I loved it.
December 21, 2010
What would you do if you won the lottery? Perhaps you would reward yourself with a new house and car, splurge on items that were considered out of your financial reach and travel to practically anywhere in the world. The opportunities are indeed endless when a large sum of money is worked into the equation. This is essentially the dilemma faced by Molly Bailey a struggling florist in rural England. Having taken a chance with luck, she has won the lottery and is now in a situation where she can do anything that she wants. So what does the Molly do? She gives the money away to random strangers!
Molly’s Millions is a light read that moves quite quickly. The reader is exposed to England in a way that the English would be proud of; green rolling hills and tight knit communities in the country side, sprawling metropolis city landscape. Readers will enjoy meeting the characters and getting a bird’s eye view on English values whether they are traditional or contemporary.
Though the moral of the story is quite unconventional in this day and age, it does raise the theme of charity (albeit the ones that begin at home), kindness and goodwill. At times you could tell that the author tried to strike a balance between these themes and those of greed but she was always careful to swing the proverbial pendulum to the good side, so much so that once a character behaved greedy or self seeking, the reader would definitely disapprove.
A book that is so ‘light’ in nature would have a few things that simply fell through the cracks; sub stories that were developed up to a point and then left the reader hanging. However all of that is forgiven when the reader examines how nicely the book flowed. Everything seemed in its rightful place; even the humor which will from time to time surprise the readers.
Molly’s Millions is a nice, light choice and would be an excellent book to keep close by so that whenever you are on a long commute or if you simply feel like reading, you have Molly's Millions to keep you company.
Molly’s Millions is a light read that moves quite quickly. The reader is exposed to England in a way that the English would be proud of; green rolling hills and tight knit communities in the country side, sprawling metropolis city landscape. Readers will enjoy meeting the characters and getting a bird’s eye view on English values whether they are traditional or contemporary.
Though the moral of the story is quite unconventional in this day and age, it does raise the theme of charity (albeit the ones that begin at home), kindness and goodwill. At times you could tell that the author tried to strike a balance between these themes and those of greed but she was always careful to swing the proverbial pendulum to the good side, so much so that once a character behaved greedy or self seeking, the reader would definitely disapprove.
A book that is so ‘light’ in nature would have a few things that simply fell through the cracks; sub stories that were developed up to a point and then left the reader hanging. However all of that is forgiven when the reader examines how nicely the book flowed. Everything seemed in its rightful place; even the humor which will from time to time surprise the readers.
Molly’s Millions is a nice, light choice and would be an excellent book to keep close by so that whenever you are on a long commute or if you simply feel like reading, you have Molly's Millions to keep you company.
March 21, 2015
I would loved to have given this book 4 stars but an irritation of something in it brought it down a notch for me. The florist Molly Bailey runs out of her floral shop to buy a lottery ticket at the end of the day. She wins 4.2 million pounds. Molly's family is miserly and she keeps it a secret running off on an adventure to give away money to others to make them happy. Tom MacKenzie gets hold of the story from the start and decides to pack up his car and follow her. What he did not bargain for was the arrival of his daughter Flora on his doorstep the very morning he was to leave. She tags along and makes a great sidekick for him on his chase.
The story is fun and predictable. It is all that chic lit is supposed to be but I became irritated by some remarks about Americans by Tom. I felt the remarks did not add to the story in the least. It was almost as if the author (who I have contacted by email previously after reading another book and found her such a nice lady) was putting forth her own thoughts just for the sake of them. I was amazed as I found them inappropriate. It is my own opinion and many may read this and not think twice about it but I come from a background where some things need not be said in life.
The story is fun and predictable. It is all that chic lit is supposed to be but I became irritated by some remarks about Americans by Tom. I felt the remarks did not add to the story in the least. It was almost as if the author (who I have contacted by email previously after reading another book and found her such a nice lady) was putting forth her own thoughts just for the sake of them. I was amazed as I found them inappropriate. It is my own opinion and many may read this and not think twice about it but I come from a background where some things need not be said in life.
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