Goodreads says, "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 in the new laugh-out-loud novel from beloved author Elyssa Friedland.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, as adults, their financial lives—as well as their personal lives—are in complete disarray.
The siblings reunite when their newly widowed father puts their Jersey Shore home on the market. Packing up their childhood isn’t easy, especially when they’ve all got drama brewing back home. 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.
So when Noah sees an ad for a Powerball drawing, he and his sisters go in on a ticket. Matthew passes but the ticket is a winner and all hell breaks loose as the infusion of cash causes sibling rivalries and family secrets to resurface. Without their mother, 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 Jacobson's start to realize that they’ll never feel rich unless they can pull their family back together."
The "fabulous four" as coined by their loving mother, the Jacobson siblings have always been the light of their mother's life. That is until a year ago, she died of lung cancer, even though she had never smoked a day in her life. Their father has plans to move to sunny Boca Raton, and in turn, they must put their family's Jersey Shore beach house on the market. The four siblings come together to sell the house, but they are all dealing with their own issues. Then the most unexpected thing happens! Some of the siblings win the Powerball lottery. Cue the life-changing events! At first, they think all this money will solve their problems, but it doesn't. The problems are still there and the money has caused even more issues within their family. Jackpot Summer by Elyssa Friedland is a solid beach read that brings all the family drama to the center stage and will remind readers of what is truly important in life.
Friedland toggles back and forth between each sibling's point of view in Jackpot Summer. This worked for me in that I was able to really get a handle on each Jacobson sibling. I also really enjoyed their "group chats." Jackpot Summer was giving me major Parenthood and Brothers & Sisters vibes, so if you liked those shows, you will enjoy all the family drama that Friedland provides. My other favorite aspect of this novel was the Jersey Shore setting. I grew up going to the Jersey Shore, so I could especially appreciate this. So, if you have ever wondered what life would be like if you won the lottery and how it might impact your day-to-day as well as your relationships, this book will most definitely get you thinking about that.
Goodreads says, "Author Shelby Archer found inspiration for her first novel while living on the picturesque shores of Provincetown on Cape Cod. When she comes to the town to celebrate her new bestseller, she is expecting a warm homecoming. But instead she is confronted with the cold shoulders of friends and neighbors who feel exposed and betrayed.
Heartbroken, Shelby tries to move on and focus on her next novel. But then an unexpected call comes: her dear friend who owns the beloved Land's End bookshop needs help for the summer. Shelby reluctantly returns to the Cape to manage the store.
Back at the beach, Shelby sets her focus on the tiny seaside shop, getting lost in the shelves of steamy romance novels and dusty classics and trying to right the wrongs of her past. With every page turned and every customer served, Shelby comes closer to gaining back the trust of those she hurt. But as her manuscript deadline nears, she is again forced to choose between her own success and a second chance at love and belonging."
My favorite aspect of A Novel Summer was how Brenner included so many details surrounding publishing and running a bookstore at the beach. Bookworms will especially appreciate that aspect of the novel. There's some light romance in A Novel Summer because Shelby runs into her ex-boyfriend, not to mention his sister works at the bookstore. So onto of Shelby dealing with her friendships, she has her ex to contend with as well. However, the primary focus of the novel revolves around the three women and the various facets of their relationship.. While this wasn't my favorite of Brenner's novels, it was a nice way to pass a summer weekend.
I'm glad to see Jamie Brenner back with a new book and of course I love all the bookish aspects to it!
ReplyDeleteYes! Loved the incorporation of a coastal bookstore in A Novel Summer. Thanks for visiting, Angela!
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