WINNER TAKES ALL
by Sandra Kitt
A woman is reunited with her high school crush after he wins the lottery.
Jean Travis lives a quiet life in Brooklyn, with a satisfying job at the mayor’s office. One night, she’s asked to manage a press conference for local lottery winners. The winner of the $75 million prize is Patrick Bennett, the boy she tutored in high school. Patrick is a former professional baseball player and currently co-hosts a sports commentary show on ESPN. He immediately recognizes Jean and asks her to attend a party after the press conference. Jean is cautious but can't resist Patrick’s charm and sincere interest. Patrick’s life is completely upended by the lottery win, and it seems like everyone is looking for a handout. Jean’s soothing presence and calm advice help him manage the new challenges he faces. Kitt is a romance legend, with a stately, old-fashioned storytelling style. Jean and Patrick are both decent and dignified people trying to do the right thing and make the world a better place. There is remarkably little drama between the two, just a slow-paced exploration of how having a partner can make life’s challenges easier to bear. A late-stage plot development involving Patrick’s ex-wife shifts the focus away from his romance with Jean in the last third of the novel.
A gentle, soothing, low-conflict romance.