"An entertaining, thought-provoking novel that tingles with romance while tackling issues of class and privilege."
This endearing character-driven treasure from the award-winning author of Dear Martin is a race-against-time romance replete with real-life hardship, class conflict and hope.
Rico is a high school senior who works at Gas ‘n’ Go after class to keep her family afloat and then races home to look after her little brother so her mom can pick up extra shifts. In the intensity and exhaustion of this hamster-stuck-in-a-ball situation Rico’s lost sight of what she wants for her future, but selling a jackpot-winning lottery ticket gives her new focus: to find the little old lady she believes won the ticket. Then maybe – just maybe – she’ll be rewarded with a life-changing cut of the multi-million-dollar winnings.
To this end, Rico reluctantly enlists the help of handsome, rich “Zan-the-Man”, a tech whizz who “has no idea what it’s like to constantly be on the brink of not having what you need to survive.” But, as Rico discovers, while Zan’s set to take over the throne of his family’s toilet paper empire, his dad has made sure he knows the value of money. Their opposite-side-of-the-tracks narrative plays out with heated banter and feverish frisson, with class conflict rearing its head at every turn as Rico struggles to accept Zan’s generosity just like her mom refuses to apply for government support.
Quirkiness comes courtesy of interludes told from the points of views of inanimate objects - the winning ticket, a taxi, a stash of $100 dollar bills, Zan’s fancy bed sheets, a salt shaker – and the novel’s conclusion is as thrilling and life-affirming as it is unexpected. Readers will be left rooting for Rico and Zan to forge the futures they deserve.
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Jackpot is an exciting romantic comedy adventure story about a girl called Rico and a boy named Zan.
Jackpot is an exciting romantic comedy adventure story about a girl called Rico and a boy named Zan. This book understands and explains the differences and similarities in class these two teens have yet it doesn’t let that take over the storyline. This book had an amazingly engaging plot and I could hardly put it down when reading. I would definitely recommend this book to romance and quest-type book lovers.... Read Full Review
Jackpot was a great book that I really enjoyed.
Jackpot was a great book that I really enjoyed.
The book really outlined another perspective of life that not all of us have experienced and should maybe see how others have to live too, which I think is important.... Read Full Review
A great action-packed, comedy book. This is one of the favourite books I’ve ever read.
I’m am pleased to say this is one of the favourite books I’ve ever read. It is a great action-packed, comedy book about a girl named Rico and how much she has to work to pay off her bills. It all changes when a lottery ticket she sold goes missing. This led to her teaming up with a rich boy named Zan which led them to have feelings for each other. The author also creates arguments to make twists and turns in relationships. We know this because the author uses exclamatory sentences to escalate tempers very quickly.... Read Full Review