A review by shannonsnextchapter
Lucky Girl by Jamie Pacton

Jamie Pacton’s Lucky Girl is a fresh look at contemporary YA, detailing the unexpected trials and tribulations that come with a mammoth underage lottery win. As Jane contemplates what to do about the $58,643,129 she is now worth, she also must deal with her money-hungry ex-boyfriend, her mother’s hoarding problem, and a law that says lotto jackpots can’t be cashed by underage buyers. Now, this is a story!

In a small town, everyone knows everything, which means everyone DEFINITELY knows about it when somebody hits the $56 million jackpot. Now they just need to find WHO the winner is. Lucky Girl’s small-town setting provides the perfect backdrop for Jane’s prize-money uncertainty. Whether she’s at school, at work, or scrolling on the local Facebook group chat, she can’t escape the rumours. This offers plenty of room for Jane’s growing anxieties about unhappy and betrayed lotto winners.

Jane’s relationships form an important part of her story. Her friendships strengthen in the face of adversity, and her relationship with her ex-boyfriend moves through the ups and downs of his newfound obsession with becoming a billionaire. Importantly, Jane also learns to better support her mum through her hoarding. Throughout the book, Jane becomes the kind of person who might be able to handle the burden of over $50 million.

Lucky Girl tackles themes of money, family, friendship, responsibility, and more. If you’re looking for a unique YA, this might be the book for you!

Thank you to the lovely teams at Page Street Publishing and NetGalley for providing me with this eARC!

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