Lucky in Love

Maddie family has been struggling to make ends meet since her dad lost his job.  Her mom is working all the time, but there still isn't enough to go around.  Her dad is depressed, and her parents are fighting all the time.  Her brother dropped out of college because he ran out of money, but he just seems to be spending all day sleeping and all late watching tv.

Maddie is going to college.  She is in line to be the salutatorian (behind her best friend Blaire), and she's determined to get a scholarship.  If she gets into UCLA, she can live at home to save money.  Plus, she's worried about going too far when her family is in such a state.

Maddie isn't much of a social butterfly, but she has her two best friends, Blaire the genius and the bubbly Elise.  She also sort of has Seth.  They work together at the zoo, and Maddie isn't ready to admit just yet she has a crush on him.

After a particularly terrible eighteenth birthday, Maddie buys a lottery ticket on a whim...and wins!  Now all her problems are solved, right?  Maddie is about to learn that money doesn't solve everything, but it will certainly help you figure out who you can trust even if you have to get your heart broken a few times to figure it out.

And what about Seth?  He was grounded from electronics when the winner was announced, and Maddie just can't bring herself to tell him just yet.  Their friendship is the only one that hasn't been touched by her money...yet.

This is a cute and sweet romance from Kasie West.  It's not particularly deep or realistic, but it will do just fine for a quick dose of escapism.