Synopses & Reviews
MONEY ISN'T EVERYTHING
Mia Saul is down on her luck. Dumped by her husband, jettisoned from her job, and estranged from her adored older brother, she and her young daughter, Eden, have had to make a downscale move to a crummy apartment, where their neighbors include a tough young drug dealer and a widower who lets his dogs use the hallways as their own personal litter box. Juggling a series of temporary jobs, wrangling with her ex-husband over child support, and trying to keep pace with Eden's increasingly erratic behavior have left Mia weary and worn out.
EXCEPT WHEN IT IS
So when a seemingly functional ATM starts handing Mia thousands and thousands of dollars -- and not deducting the money from her account, because it sure isn't in there -- she isn't about to give it back. Her newfound cash stash opens up a world of opportunity, and a whole lot of trouble. Worried friends, family, and in-laws start questioning her judgment about everything, and the cops really, really want to know where all that cash is coming from. And then there's Patrick, a man Mia most definitely would never have met if things hadn't spun out of control. Mia is beginning to think that maybe somebody, somewhere, is trying to teach her a lesson about what matters in life, and what doesn't....
Review
“In prose as sparkling as a champagne toast, McDonough’s delicious new novel gathers together one extraordinary wedding, two complicated families, and then shows how a single day can change everything. A funny, moving look at the bonds of love, the ties of family, and the yearning for happily ever after.”
Review
"A touching, airy novel that manages to meld concerns of family members spanning four generations into a delightfully well-written story. Readers who enjoy Mary Kay Andrews and Nora Roberts will relate to the Silverstein family as it embraces the deep wells of emotion that seem to surface only at major family events. With an authorial voice that switches deftly between impulsive teen-speak and a stately matriarch's flashbacks, McDonough's skill is to be commended. A tender, clever story with emotional heft."--
Booklist "A funny, moving look at the bonds of love, the ties of family, and the yearning for happily ever after." --New York Times bestselling author Caroline Leavitt
"A confection that is not only a page turner but a poignant view of family life...Book clubs will swoon." --New York Times bestselling author Adriana Trigiani
"A wise and witty novel...McDonough limns the ups and downs of family life with a grace that brings to mind Cathleen Schine at her best." --Megan McAndrew, author of Dreaming in French
"Spirited, entertaining, and a delight to read...a penetrating glimpse into the lives of one particular family." --Lucy Jackson, author of Posh
"Emotional and evocative, hilarious and harrowing...a must-read for every mother and daughter who've ever dreamed of, fought over, and loved each other through a wedding day." --New York Times bestselling author Pamela Redmond Satran
"A playful yet touching parsing of the tugs and tangles of familial bonds...exploring contemporary suburban turf with an anthropologist's sharp eye."--Sally Koslow, author of Slouching Toward Adulthood: Observations from the Not-So-Empty Nest
"An interesting take on the wedding novel that doesn’t place the bride and groom at the center. Fans of women’s fiction about weddings and family drama are sure to enjoy."—Library Journal
Synopsis
Single mother Mia Saul discovers that an ATM gives her free money; what she does with that money could change many lives--including her own.
Synopsis
A fresh and whimsical novel featuring a single mother in Brooklyn who suddenly discovers an ATM machine that gives her free (and unrecorded) cash; what she does with that money changes many lives—including her own.
Mia Saul is down on her luck. She’s been dumped by her husband, fired from her job, and forced to move with her ten-year-old daughter Eden to a crummy apartment. Juggling temp jobs, arguing over child support, and trying to keep Eden’s increasingly erratic behavior in check leaves Mia weary and worn out. So when a routine stop at an ATM turns into a stroke of luck Mia never expected, the results are nothing short of...magical.
Teetering between guilt and generosity, Mia takes advantage of her sudden windfall in small ways. She also develops relationships with a variety of neighborhood characters she ordinarily would never have crossed paths with—and turns her life around in ways she never thought possible.
Poignant, smart, and utterly captivating, this quirky "pay-it-forward" tale captures the everyday concerns of women everywhere.
Synopsis
The Silverstein family is coming together in Great Neck, Long Island, for the nuptials of the youngest daughter. Always considered the favorite—and the object of much envy and resentment—Angelica has planned a fairy tale wedding to her fiancé, a former fighter pilot. But there are storm clouds on the horizon.
Gretchen, Angelica’s sister, is dealing with a failed marriage and her moody teenage daughter Justine. One brother is a callous businessman while the other is struggling with his search for love and a career. Her mother is in a battle of wills with the wedding planner, while her father, a recovering alcoholic, struggles to confront his ex-wife’s lavish new life in the Long Island manor of her dreams. And her grandmother Lenore has decided it’s high time to take charge and set her grandchildren on their proper paths.
Then an impulsive act by Justine puts the entire wedding at risk and brings the simmering family tensions to the boiling point. Before vows are exchanged, this day will change more than one life forever…
About the Author
Yona Zeldis McDonough is the author of
Two of a Kind, her soon-to-be released fifth novel, a second-chance-at-love story between a seemingly mismatched widow and widower. To read the first chapter, arrange a book club visit, or just to say hi, please contact Yona via her website or her Facebook fan pages, which she hopes you'll "like."
Yonas fourth novel, A Wedding in Great Neck, was described as, A confection that is not only a page-turner but a poignant view of family life...” by Adriana Trigiani and Booklist added, McDonough has assembled a touching, airy novel that manages to meld the concerns of family members spanning four generations into a delightfully well-written story
With an authorial voice that switches deftly between impulsive teen-speak and a stately matriarchs flashbacks, McDonoughs skill is to be commended. A tender, clever story with emotional heft.” A Wedding in Great Neck will soon appear in Norway.
Yona is also an award-winning childrens book author with twenty-two books to her credit and has been the Fiction Editor at Lilith Magazine for over a dozen years. She lives with her husband, two children and small yappy dogs in Brooklyn, New York.