I loved this concept for a novel. A family wins the lottery and this book follows each of the four siblings as they navigate life before and after winning the lottery. It addresses grief/loss, family dynamics, following your dreams and the importance of family. I really enjoyed this one

I’m so sad to say that this one didn’t work for me. It started off strong and I was very intrigued but it started to drag and it was so hard to keep up with the story. This is my first book by Friedland, I’ll probably check out more of her work. But I’m sad to say this one wasn’t for me.

A year after losing their mother, the Jacobson siblings are each floundering in the absence of their family matriarch as they pack up their beloved beach home on Long Beach Island to sell. When the Jacobson siblings win the lottery, they wrongfully assume their problems will evaporate with their newfound exorbitant wealth. JACKPOT SUMMER plots the course of how the windfall fortune changes the lives of each sibling, for better or for worse. This is a story about the imperfect yet loyal relationships among families filled with humor and heart.

READ THIS IF YOU:
-seek out satisfying character development
-are a part of a lively family group text
-appreciate Jewish representation in fiction
-long for nostalgic family summers at the shore

RATING: 4/5
PUB DATE: June 11, 2024

Many thanks to Berkley and NetGalley for an electronic ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This family novel features the immensely likable Jacobson clan: dad Leo, late mom Sylvia, and their four grown children with spouses and offspring. There is a strong bond of affection shared by all, despite differences in lifestyle and goals. The novel is set not that long after matriarch Sylvia has died, and her absence is keenly felt.

Their clan ranges from overachieving corporate lawyers Matthew and Beth, to youngest son Noah, a bit of a slacker but charming and good-natured. In between are teacher and aspiring artist Sophie and stay at home mom mom Laura. None of them are monstrously unhappy, but all are at a point in life where they are wondering if this is where they want to be.

And then, several things happen. Their father sells their beloved beach house where the family has been having reunions for decades, and he moves to Florida. Next, three of the kids win the lottery and become instant bazillionaires. They handle it about as well as most -- which is to say, not very well. The sudden riches and their attendant problems highlight all the things that are wrong with their lives and force them eventually into some soul searching.

This is a family you can cheer for. And yes, they are aware that rich lottery winners don't get much sympathy and are embarrassed by it. But they share so much honesty and laughter and are committed to each other and their family. This is a fun and pleasurable read. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Along with Elin Hilbrand's book, Swan Song, this is my second favorite book for a GREAT summer beach read. Even though money can't buy everything and can absolutely tear families apart - the Fantastic Jacobsons can survive anything and make this work. I also enjoyed this book because Long Beach Island, New Jersey was the focal point - best beachtown ever!

Who doesn't want to win the Powerball??

When the four Jacobson children congregate to clean out their summer Jersey Shore house, little do they know that money is coming their way. Friedland spends time helping us get to know each character and what they were like prior to the windfall. How the money impacts each sibling is not surprising, to be honest, but the story is still fun. This group of siblings is a fun group and will make you miss your own brothers and sisters! It didn't swear me off of playing Powerball though!

If you love a shore story, if you LOVE the JERSEY SHORE, this is certainly a book for you!
#berkley #jackpotsummer #elyssafriedland

I hit the JACKPOT when I got approved to read this book and I am so happy I did. It had me hooked from the beginning and it really got me in the mood for the summer. I can see my patrons loving this too!

I tried to get into this one more than once and I just couldn't. The story dragged and lacked for me. The characters felt underdevelopped. I unfortunately had to DNF this one.

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 rolled to 4 Stars!

I am a HUGE Elyssa Friedland fan, so I was beyond ecstatic when I was given an early copy of Jackpot Summer. Her books The Last Summer at the Golden Hotel and The Floating Feldmans are two of my favorite books. Elyssa has an ability to write from multiple perspectives within a family, giving side stories, while also weaving their stories together to make a storyline.

Jackpot Summer is the story of siblings who win the lottery anticipating their lives will change for the better, only to be hit smack in the head with the reality of the downsides of accruing a large amount of money at once.

This was a great, light hearted read with a lot of love, comedy, and laughter. I didn't feel that the story had me as glued to the book as I was with The Last Summer at the Golden Hotel and The Floating Feldmans, but I did enjoy the lightheartedness of it and finished it over a weekend. I think what may have been missing was the lack of history or flashbacks. The other two novels gave a lot more backstory to really connect with the characters, but this one didn't as much. Still a great read!

Would I watch this if it were a movie? Yes! This is a pretty unique tale, siblings winning the lottery, and would be so good on screen. It would be an ensemble cast with a lot of comedy and love. It's giving me a Nancy Meyers vibe!

I really enjoyed Last Summer at the Golden Hotel and was excited to read Elyssa Friedland’s newest book, Jackpot Summer, out June 11th. This is the story of a family but with a fun twist, three of the four siblings win big in a Powerball lottery drawing.

The book begins with the family gathering at their summer home and the chapters alternate between the siblings so we get a feel for each of their own voices, which I enjoyed. We spend time with them before they win the money and then see how their lives change, not necessarily for the better, after they win.

I really liked this exploration of something most of us think of as being the solution to our everyday problems, winning the lottery, and how it’s not always the answer to our problems. I thought the group texts were fun and loved how they all came together at the end. I had a few small issues with a few things but overall really enjoyed this family story.

Thank you to Berkley Publishing and NetGalley for the digital ARC to review.

This book reminded me of all my summers at the shore. As a jersey girl, I loved reading a book about LBI and Bergen County. It was places that I’ve spent a great deal of time. The storyline was well developed. The characters drew you in and you felt like a part of the family. Would highly recommend.

A fun, engaging family story! The Jacobsons are kind of a mess. The four adult siblings are each struggling financially and otherwise, and their widowed father has just announced that he needs to sell the beloved family beach house. Their much-missed, late mother had loved it, and she was the glue that held them all together. As they gather to help their dad clean out the house and get it ready for sale, three of the four buy a lottery ticket and actually win a fortune. It seems like it will be smooth sailing from now on, but money doesn't solve everything, and in some cases, like this one, it makes things even more complicated. Great characters and a briskly paced plot make this a great beach read.

I know my family has always dreamt of winning the lottery and we always talk about what we would do the funds. Jackpot Summer dives deep into the romantic side of winning a boatload of money and looks at how it can change a person's entire world, and not in a positive way.

Jackpot Summer follows the Jacobson siblings, who heads to their family's beach house in Jersey to begin packing it up after their father decides to sell it following the death of their mother. The younger brother, Noah, decides he's going to go buy a Powerball ticket and his two sisters decide they also want in, while their older brother Matthew opts not too. When one the tickets wins, everything changes.

I really enjoyed this book. At first, I thought it was going to be about how their lives changed for the better, but I really enjoyed that Friedland dove further into their family dynamics after the win and how their relationships evolved both personally and professionally. This is a story about family, and it's a beautiful one. Oh, and the ending is fabulous.

Thank you, Berkley Publishing, and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was so cute!! I've been vacationing on LBI with my family since I was 6 years old, and I also have 3 siblings, arranged very similarly to the ones in the book. So this had an extra special layer of fun to it for me! Elyssa Friedland writes such light yet affecting books, beach reads with some depth, and this one will make her fans very happy. Loved it!

"Jackpot Summer" by Elyssa Friedland is an exciting journey into the world of high stakes, love, and finding yourself. The story takes place in the alluring world of the Hamptons in a high class summer resort. Elyssa Friedland puts us in the shoes of the rich and intriguing life in the Hamptons. Attending spectacular parties and finding out secrets along the way. This story will keep you up late at night to finish it! Great beach read.

Elyssa Friedland was a new author for me, I will definitely be going back to read her past novels.

Four adult siblings are packing up their family's recently-sold summer cottage, then three of them buy a lotto ticket and win big. The book has Friedland's trademark lightheartedness and humor interspersed with family drama. The book's fatal flaw, in my opinion, was having too many narrators and an overwhelming number of additional family members and side characters to keep track of. It was confusing and I spent so much energy trying to keep track of everyone that I wasn't able to just relax and enjoy the story. That said, I appreciate Friedland's writing and will recommend this book to readers I encounter that would enjoy her work.

The story of four siblings whose relationships are tested when only 3 of them win a lottery jackpot. Characters were underdeveloped and the story lagged quite a bit. Thanks to the publisher for the advanced copy.

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!

3 ⭐️

I received this as an ARC from NetGalley!
Very solid 3 star book about a family with four adult siblings who win the lottery. Easy read with some humor. Overall not the most exciting story to me, and the characters were predictably, yet still frustratingly, dumb.

Ps the editing needs another once over