Intrigued? Well read on to discover the synopsis and an excerpt from Elyssa Friedland’s Jackpot Summer, which is out June 11th 2024.

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, now that they’re adults, their financial lives are in disarray.

The siblings reunite when their newly widowed father puts their Jersey Shore beach house on the market. Packing up childhood memories isn’t easy, especially when there’s other drama brewing. 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.

When Noah sees an ad for a Powerball drawing, he and his sisters go in on tickets while their brother Matthew passes.  All hell breaks loose when one of the tickets is a winner and three of the four Jacobsons become overnight millionaires. Without their mother’s guidance, 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 Jacobsons start to realize that they’ll never feel rich unless they can pull their family back together.

“C’mon, Noah, not now,” a breathy voice said in the background when Noah answered Sophie’s call.

“Robin, shh, it’s my sister,” came Noah’s muffled voice. “Soph, what’s up? I’m at work.”

“Noah, I don’t care what you’re up to. I need you to focus. What numbers did you pick for the Powerball tickets?”

She heard the sound of covers swishing and the groan of the woman waiting on Noah’s “customer service.”

“My birthday, one ticket with Yankee player numbers, one with the Giants and our home phone number plus—” he said.

“The phone number one—you need six numbers, right? Did you do the extra digits before or after the phone number?” Sophie was asking questions that prolonged the possibility of them having won. She wanted to extend the fantasy that her life was about to change in a glamorous, unfathomable way, and the moment Noah said the wrong number, or the right number but in the wrong position, it was all over. “I did it after,” he said. He didn’t appear to be catching on that there was a chance they had won. Maybe he already knew they hadn’t and was irritated Sophie had interrupted him.

“What numbers did you pick?” This was it. The sink-or-swim moment. Her breath caught in her throat. Ravi motioned for her to put the phone on speaker. Together they stared at the screen, as if the digit would appear.

“I picked eight, because it’s my lucky number. Then thirty, because I’m thirty. And twenty-six, for our house number. Yes, I know, I’m the only sentimental one that cares about the—”

“Noah Samuel Jacobson. I could freaking kiss you right now.

WE WON! WE WON THE FUCKING POWERBALL!”

“Holy shit, holy shit, holy shit! No way!” Noah started screaming. Ravi and Sophie were hugging, jumping up and down until the phone clattered to the floor. Sophie dove to pick it up.

“What do we do now?” Noah asked. “This is so insane. Did you tell Laura?”

“No, I didn’t know we won yet!”

“Noah, what in the world is going on?” Breathy Voice asked. “Robin, I just won the Powerball.”

The woman let out a glass-shattering shriek.

“Noah, Noah, focus,” Sophie yelled. “Where do we turn the ticket in? What does it say on the back? Noah, read it to me.”

Sophie waited for Noah’s response, but there was only silence. Even his companion was quiet. It gave Sophie a moment to regain her faculties. Her heart was thudding so forcefully she put a hand on her chest to keep it from bursting out. To think she was worried about getting kicked out of SHART. Now she could buy the building! She could buy whatever she liked!

“Noah? Hello? Do you need me to help you with the ticket? I can come down now. We can celebrate at Black-Eyed Susans. I’m getting lobster. No, two lobsters. And champagne. Noah—are you listening?”

“Soph, I—” Noah’s voice was strained, as if squeezing through a colander. She was antsy to call Laura. Winning the lottery ought to take the sting out of Doug’s departure.

“I know. You’re with someone now. That’s fine. Do your business and just be ready for me when I get there. It won’t be for another three hours anyway.”

“Sophie, listen, there’s—” Noah tried again.

“Noah, it’s all good. I need to hang up to get an Uber.” “Sophie, let him speak.” Ravi put a firm hand on her shoulder.

“Yes, let me speak,” Noah said. “Sophie, I don’t know how to tell you this, but I have absolutely no idea what I did with the tickets.”

Excerpted from JACKPOT SUMMER by Elyssa Friedland, published by Berkley, an imprint of Penguin Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Random House, LLC. Copyright © 2023

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Approaching the halfway mark of 2024, there’s no slowing down on the incredible new books hitting shelves this month! From new releases from the likes of Kalynn Bayron, Riley Sager, Tomi Adeyemi, Paul Tremblay, and so many more, there’s bound to be at least one book you’ll be adding to your TBR!

Read on to discover just a few of our picks and let us know in the comments below if you’re looking forward to any of them. 

The Stars Too Fondly by Emily Hamilton

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In her breathtaking debut—part space odyssey, part sapphic rom-com—Emily Hamilton tells a tale of galaxy-spanning friendship, improbable love, and found family.

The Paris Widow by Kimberly Belle

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A dream vacation turns deadly when secrets from the past catch up to a married couple in Paris in this new edge-of-your-seat thriller from USA Today bestselling author, Kimberly Belle.

Sleep Like Death by Kalynn Bayron

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New York Times bestselling author and TikTok sensation Kalynn Bayron returns to fairytales with a lush, thrilling and original YA Snow White retelling that brings a new and exciting voice to this familiar tale. Perfect for fans of Cinderella Is Dead.

Middle of the Night by Riley Sager

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In the latest jaw-dropping thriller from New York Times bestselling author Riley Sager, a man must contend with the long-ago disappearance of his childhood best friend—and the dark secrets lurking just beyond the safe confines of his picture-perfect neighborhood.

Children of Anguish and Anarchy by Tomi Adeyemi

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Tomi Adeyemi’s #1 New York Times-bestselling Legacy of Orïsha series comes to an earth-shaking conclusion.

The Wren In The Holly Library by K.A. Linde

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Set in an alternate day New York filled with monsters, The Wren in the Holly Library is a dark, spicy romantasy loosely inspired by Beauty and the Beast — perfect for fans of V.E. Schwab and Leigh Bardugo.

Jackpot Summer by Elyssa Friedland

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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.

Horror Movie by Paul Tremblay

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A chilling twist on the “cursed film” genre from the bestselling author of The Pallbearers Club and The Cabin at the End of the World.

Two Sides To Every Murder by Danielle Valentine

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From the author of How to Survive Your Murder comes a propulsive thriller about two teens who return to the site of the famous murder case that sealed their fates.

The Art of Catching Feelings by Alicia Thompson

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A professional baseball player and his heckler prove that true love is worth going to bat for in the next swoony romance by USA Today bestselling author Alicia Thompson.

The Stardust Grail by Yume Kitasei

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From the acclaimed author of The Deep Sky comes a thrilling anti-colonial space heist to save an alien civilization.

The God and the Gumiho by Sophie Kim

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In this sly and dazzling contemporary fantasy, the most notorious nine-tailed fox in Korea pairs up with a trickster god–turned–detective to track down a wrathful demon . . . before it can destroy the mortal world.

Anna Bright Is Hiding Something by Susie Orman Schnall

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The Dropout meets Inventing Anna in this cinematic and page-turning summer read! A ripped-from-the-headlines story set in the glossy offices of Silicon Valley startups and NYC new media, Anna Bright Is Hiding Something explores our fascination with female founders breaking barriers—and sometimes behaving badly in the process.

Margo’s Got Money Troubles by Rufi Thorpe

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A bold, laugh-out-loud funny, and heartwarming story about one young woman’s attempt to navigate adulthood, new motherhood, and her meager bank account in our increasingly online world—from the PEN/Faulkner finalist and critically acclaimed author of The Knockout Queen.

Director’s Cut by Carlyn Greenwald

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Oscar-winning Valeria Sullivan finds herself trapped in a battle of wits with a sexy professor, but can she keep her cool when things heat up in and out of the classroom?

Assassins Anonymous by Rob Hart

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In this clever, surprising, page-turner, the world’s most lethal assassin gives up the violent life only to find himself under siege by mysterious assailants. It’s a kill-or-be-killed situation, but the first option is off the table. What’s a reformed hit man to do?

What June 2024 book releases are you looking forward to? Tell us in the comments below!

The post 16 New Book Releases To Pick Up In June 2024 appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

The goddess Taylor Swift famously said, reviving a quote of the late Madeline Albright, “There’s a special place in hell for women who don’t help other women.” But we all know female friendships are complicated, no matter how deep or long-standing the relationship. My latest novel, The Most Likely Club, explores the friendship between four women once extremely close in high school, reunited at their 25^th reunion. I loved writing about the complex interactions of these women, who rediscover how much they need each other as they face the struggles of being grown-ups. Here are five books that do an excellent job contemplating the intricacies of female friendship.

Commencement by J. Courtney Sullivan

This book about four unlikely friends at all-female Smith College follows them from freshman year to commencement and beyond. Their friendship wavers in strength as their lives evolve and they question each other’s choices. This is a beautifully written, honest portrayal of female friendship. I read this when I was newly married, five years out of college and feeling like everything in my life was in transition, friendships included.

We Are Not Like Them by Jo Piazza and Christine Pride

A riveting novel that places a friendship in a crucible, this is the story of a white woman (Jen) and Black woman (Riley) who are best friends since kindergarten faced with a devastating event that threatens to ruin their relationship. Jen’s husband, a police officer, is involved in the shooting of an unarmed Black teenager, and Riley is the local journalist covering the story. Co-written by a Black and white writing team, this is an unforgettable, ripped from the headlines story you won’t forget.

Please Join Us by Catherine McKenzie

A novel about a woman (Nicole) whose once sparkling law career is on the brink of collapse when she gets approached by a women’s networking group. She decides to take a chance and meets an exceptional group of women who she quickly bonds with. At first, they are all about supporting one another, but then Nicole gets called to Athena’s apartment in the middle night to cover up a crime, and Nicole is forced to confront just how far she’ll go to protect her friends and her career. The suspense will keep you up all night.

The Space Between Us by Thrity Ulmigar

Set in India, this book captures the unlikely friendship between an upper-class housewife, Sera, and the illiterate servant, Bhima, who has worked in her home for twenty years. Both women suffer abusive marriages and have pregnant daughters, but despite these similarities, the vast class differences between them make their ability to lean on each other nearly impossible. And yet they do, in shocking and scandalous ways. It’s a heart-wrenching, difficult read but well worth it. And, oh, what an ending!

The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan

A classic worth revisiting, especially if you’re looking for a tender, exquisitely written tale of female friendship and mothers and daughters. Four Chinese immigrant women meet in San Francisco to play mah-jongg, speak about the difficult past they left behind in China and complain about the ways in which their American daughters are losing their culture. Seven strong female voices unfold in this book, which I have returned to many times when I need inspiration for building flawed, lovable and relatable female characters.

The post The 3Fs: Females, Friends and Fiction appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Two life-long best friends, Amos Weingold and Benny Goldman, opened The Golden Hotel in the Catskill Mountains of New York in 1960, during a time when Jewish families throughout the area flocked to that region for vacations and holidays. Amos and Benny married very different types of women, but the wives got along, and eventually both the Weingolds and the Goldmans had children. The Weingolds had twin sons, Peter and Brian, and the Goldmans had a daughter, Aimee.

Times have changed since the 1960s and now The Golden Hotel is the only one of its kind left in the Catskill area. From the days when dozens of hotels and resorts filled the region, all the others have been sold, torn down, or changed into other businesses. The Golden is still around, but it is a long way away from its heyday.  Brian Weingold is running the hotel, Benny Goldman has passed away, and neither Peter or Aimee, their spouses, or children are particularly involved with the hotel.

Brian has received a lucrative offer from a company that wants to purchase the Golden, and now everyone from both families is coming back to the property to have a meeting about whether or not to sell, as both families are equal co-owners. Over the years they have been less and less involved with each other, and now coming back together they all bring their individual issues, concerns, and secrets.

Each person has their own reasons they want to sell, or not, but returning to the hotel itself and being flooded with memories, while also seeing its current state, may change some minds one way or the other.  Emotions can easily get stirred up in such a situation.

Friedland has a flair for taking the reader back and forth between multiple characters so we can see and know the “why” behind each person’s thoughts and decisions. Her ability to so thoroughly define each character and make each so distinct is what makes it possible for the reader to keep up with such a large cast of characters and I will admit that I referred back to the included family tree numerous times as I was starting the first few chapters. Once you get to know these characters though, you really know them.

There are a few tears to be shed and many laughs to be had in Last Summer at the Golden Hotel. Fans of Jonathan Tropper, Maria Semple, or The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel will undoubtedly connect with Friedland’s work!

Last Summer at the Golden Hotel is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore, as of May 18th 2021!

Will you be picking up Last Summer at the Golden Hotel? Tell us in the comments below!

Synopsis | Goodreads

A family reunion for the ages when two clans convene for the summer at their beloved getaway in the Catskills–perfect for fans of Dirty Dancing and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel–from the acclaimed author of The Floating Feldmans.

In its heyday, The Golden Hotel was the crown jewel of the hotter-than-hot Catskills vacation scene. For more than sixty years, the Goldman and Weingold families – best friends and business partners – have presided over this glamorous resort which served as a second home for well-heeled guests and celebrities. But the Catskills are not what they used to be – and neither is the relationship between the Goldmans and the Weingolds. As the facilities and management begin to fall apart, a tempting offer to sell forces the two families together again to make a heart-wrenching decision. Can they save their beloved Golden or is it too late?

Long-buried secrets emerge, new dramas and financial scandal erupt, and everyone from the traditional grandparents to the millennial grandchildren wants a say in the hotel’s future. Business and pleasure clash in this fast-paced, hilarious, nostalgia-filled story, where the hotel owners rediscover the magic of a bygone era of nonstop fun even as they grapple with what may be their last resort.

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