April 1, 2024
Friedland's (The Most Likely Club) latest is a fast-paced romp through the lives and relationships of four grown siblings who are all at a crossroads. Their doting mother, who called them "the Fabulous Four," died of lung cancer a year ago. Their widowed father is moving to Florida and needs their help to pack up and sell their beloved Long Beach Island house. Each sibling is facing challenges in their own relationships and careers, when the bombshell of some of them winning millions in the Powerball lottery explodes into their lives. Told through the eyes of each sibling in turn, Friedland's novel shows how jealousies and unresolved family issues follow the siblings into adulthood and are brought into stark relief by their windfall. Each sibling reacts to the lottery win differently and must learn that money cannot save them from their problems. In ways that are painful to live through, they have to rethink their relationships and their lives. They discover the strength of their bonds with friends, spouses, and particularly family and come to lean on one another to end up stronger. VERDICT A fun read that poses deeper questions about marriage, sibling relationships, and inevitable change in life.--Jan Marry
Copyright 2024 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
May 1, 2024
Still grieving their mother, who died a year ago, the Jacobsons gather to clear out the family home on Long Beach Island. Each of the four siblings has their own trials: Laura is struggling to reconcile with her distant husband, Sophie wants to sell her artwork but has to hold down a day job, Noah lives on the island and can't find a purpose, and Matthew can't connect with his son. Matthew is different in one way, though--he and his wife are rich, and his siblings are not. When Laura, Sophie, and Noah go in on a ticket for the Powerball, Matthew's haughty wife tells them it's a waste of money. Then they win, making things awkward. Now all four of them have to decide how this money is going to change their lives--and do they even want that change? Friedland (The Most Likely Club, 2022) returns with a warmhearted and funny novel that is sure to delight beach readers. It's also a solid selection for a summer book club.
COPYRIGHT(2024) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.