Review: "Fifty Million Reasons" by Heather Wardell

Angela has been playing the lottery for years and she has your typical plans for what she would do if she wins- new home, new cars, never working again. When her numbers actually do come up one day and she finds herself the winner of fifty million dollars, she is shocked, and she is suddenly thrust into the world of the very rich. However, when Angela was imagining how life would be once she was a millionaire, she was not expecting the problems that come along with it. Suddenly everyone has their hand out, some needing boob jobs or a new vacation, and others having far more worthy causes. Even fifty million dollars is finite and Angela isn't sure where to gift it. Some of her best friends and siblings get greedy, and an ex-boyfriend from many years ago crawls out of the woodwork attempting to claim half of her new fortune. Angela quickly discovers that being rich is not everything that she once thought that it would be.

With the help of the friends and family members that she discovers she can trust, as well as close friends Zach and John, Angela comes to terms with her new wealth and discovers that the people who treat her the same as they did before her big win are the ones that will be there for her in the end.

Who among us hasn't wished that we could win the lottery? Millions in the bank may mean home or vehicle upgrades, quitting our jobs, taking vacations around the world. I can say that I have certainly imagined it, but I can admit that I have never considered the downfalls that would surely come along with having that much money at one time. People who you haven't seen for years would surely come looking for a handout and your privacy would suddenly be in jeopardy. I'm not someone who loves attention and I would surely find the invasion of my privacy difficult. Wardell imagines what winning the lottery could be like in a realistic and interesting way. I appreciated the depth that she brought to this story. She managed to showcase the positive side of winning the lottery while bringing to light all of the things that wouldn't be as great about being an instant millionaire.

Fifty Million Reasons brings some interesting new characters to life. I liked Angela a lot, but I don't think that this book would have been the same without supporting characters John and Zack. Single dad John was a fantastic addition to the story because of his unshakable morals and values, and Zack's innocence brought a new dimension to the characters as well. I found several scenes with Zack particularly eye-opening regarding giving to others and charity.

Poignant and thought-provoking, Fifty Million Reasons is another must-read by Heather Wardell. My thanks to the author for providing me with a copy for review!