Rolling In The Deep 

By Rebecca Rogers Maher

Synopsis

In this raw, moving novel for readers of Jill Shalvis, Molly O’Keefe, and Karina Halle, two kindred spirits share a winning lottery ticket—and discover what it really means to get lucky.
Holly Ward is stretched to the breaking point, raising her young son alone and working long hours for minimum wage at a local superstore. Sure, she’s noticed the new guy with the easy grin and warm brown eyes, but she’s learned the hard way that relationships aren’t worth the pain. Still, when he invites her to split a lottery ticket, she figures a little innocent fun couldn’t hurt. The last thing she expects is to score big, which is exactly what happens . . . in more ways than one.
From the moment he meets Holly, Ray Lopez is drawn to her quiet dignity and openhearted beauty. And when they hit the jackpot together, he’s thrilled that the single mom can give her kid a better life. The only problem is the chaos surrounding them: lawyers and reporters swarming, friends and family angling to get their cut. In all the chaos, Ray discovers an oasis of calm and passion in Holly. But with the stakes higher than ever, winning her trust could cost him everything.

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Tina’s Review

⭐ ⭐ Provided by Netgalley in Exchange for an Honest Review ⭐ ⭐

Judging a Book by it’s Cover:
Chastely kissing couple, sun flare and water in background. Synopsis sounded somewhat reminiscent of 1994’s “It Could Happen To You”, which was a fun movie.
Looking Deeper:
First person POV. Longer Novella > 150 – 200 pages. Divorced, single mom barely living week to week. New guy in town trying to follow his mom’s last directives before dying only a few months prior. They each put in a dollar for a Powerball ticket where the jackpot is over 200 million – and their ticket is the sole winner. But things are not all “… and they live Happily Ever After” once they win. There are many undesirable issues that come with such a sudden windfall and these two young adults must learn to navigate the minefield that their lives have suddenly become.
Ray is truly a solid character. Kind, considerate, mature. I really enjoyed his character. Holly, on the other hand, needed a backbone. I really hate men like Brett and the fact that she allowed things to progress like they did after divorcing and put up with being treated like that by her ex? That was disappointing and annoying enough, but then to allow it in front of her son? That enforces Drew’s dad’s negative behavior as acceptable. That is NOT okay in my mind, for any reason. The other secondary characters represented the best and the worst of mankind.
The chemistry between Ray and Holly was a natural one. Under extreme circumstances, it’s often wondered if it’s “just the adrenaline”, like a survivor’s rush of having to validate they are still alive. Dialogue was good, interaction was good… most of my issues still revolve around Holly and her insecurities and indecisive attitudes. Other than Brett’s depravity and Chad Winters being a douchebag of amoral standards, the plot lacked the truer depth of the darker aspects that money can and does draw out in others. Several missed opportunities, grazed over but never fully explored. The flow of the plot is smooth and fluid. The conflicts in the end are resolved in somewhat rather vague manners. Predictability is low. The conclusion is abrupt, again creating some missed opportunities. The epilogue provides mediocre closure, but it’s just not quite satisfying nor as solid as I’d have liked it to be. Overall, it’s not a bad read. It’s a fast-paced, rags-to-riches story.

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Rebecca Rogers Maher writes gritty, realistic stories that push the boundaries of typical contemporary romance — uniting the genre’s explicit sex scenes and happy endings with the crisp, layered prose of literary fiction.
Publishers Weekly describes Rebecca’s writing as “gripping and touching,” Library Journal calls it “gut-wrenching,” and USA TODAY declares it “very well-done romance…so satisfying.”

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