Play to Win
A Novel
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4.5 • 2 Ratings
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- $9.99
Publisher Description
Jodie Slaughter's latest rom-com, Play to Win, is a sizzling romance where a winning lottery ticket is meant to be a new start but instead becomes a second chance at love.
Miriam Butler’s life is going nowhere in the slowest, most excruciating way possible. Stuck in the same barely-paying job she’s had since she was sixteen and spending every night sleeping in the spare twin bed in her mother’s house, her existence might be hilarious if it wasn’t so bleak. One trip to her favorite corner store upends everything when she finds herself the winner of a Mega Millions Lottery Jackpot. Unfortunately, not even life-altering roses come without their painful thorns. Hers just so happen to be in the form of an estranged husband who has the right to claim his share of her money.
It’s been eight years since Leo Vaughn has had a conversation with his wife. When she calls out of the blue, practically begging him to come back to Greenbelt, the last thing he expects her to tell him when he gets there is that she’s come into a whole heap of money. She offers him a life-changing proposition of his own. Take a lump sum, finally sign the divorce papers, and be done with her for good. Only, a forever without her is the last thing Leo wants. So he gives a proposition of his own. One that won’t cost her nearly as many millions, but will buy him the time to do the one thing he’s been hungry to do since he left -- win her back.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Slaughter's uneven sequel to Bet on It follows Miriam Butler, who, like most of the residents of Greenbelt, S.C., struggles to make ends meet—until she wins $220 million in the lottery. There's a catch, though: her estranged husband, Leo Vaughn, could sue her for a share. After eight years of zero contact, the last thing Miri wants is to see Leo again, but for the sake of a better life for herself and her mother, she plans to get ahead of any potential conflict by offering him a large lump sum and serving him the divorce papers. When Leo, who has never stopped loving Miri, receives her call asking him to come home, he's expecting a reconciliation, not a divorce and a payoff. Desperate to rekindle their romance, Leo must face the people he hurt when he left town and give Miri time to figure out what she wants. There's plenty of spark in the sex scenes, but the chemistry outside of the bedroom falls flat. Meanwhile, there's very little "com" in this rom-com. Still, Slaughter's exploration of the importance of communication and self-healing, and thoughtful consideration of the socioeconomic pressures on Black families will resonate. Devoted series fans will find plenty to enjoy.
