Book Tour Review & Giveaway: Money Can't Buy Love by Connie Briscoe

 

Title: Money Can't Buy Love 

Author: Connie Briscoe 

Genre: Fiction/Womens Fiction

Publisher: Grand Central Publishing

Number of Pages; 305

Source: TLC Book Tours

Lena needs something exciting in her life. Her job is draining her, she and her best friend can't seem to get invitations to an exclusive women's social group, and her boyfriend of three years, won't marry her. When Lena thinks things can't get worse, she wins several million dollars in the Maryland lottery. After overcoming the shock of her win, things finally begin to turn around for Lena. She's able to quit her job, buy all the things that couldn't get for herself and her daughter, not to mention, Gerald has proposed and the women's group won't leave her alone. As her life begins to come together, Lena notices that the things she held dear are beginning to fall apart and she wonders if her life really changed for the better, or if things are actually worse than they were before. (from goodreads. Note: In the blurb on goodreads the main characters name is misspelled. it's actually Lenora.)

One of the best things about Book blog tours is that every once in awhile they allow me to take chances on genres and books I otherwise never would have gotten to experience. Money Can't Buy Love by Connie Briscoe is one of those books.

There is a saying that my dad likes to throw at me all the time: the grass is not always greener on the other side. This saying fits this book perfectly. Lenora Stone is her late 30s, and barely making it. She's in a job she loves, but has a boss she hates. She has a long time boyfriend, but he has yet to propose to her. She occasionally plays the lottery (who hasn't done that before?) but doesn't expect to win it. On the way home from work she stops to buy a ticket and forgets about it. When she checks it she is stunned to find out that she actually won. Lenorea isn't sure she's ready for the changes it will bring in her life, and everyone gives her good advice on what to do with the money-which she ignores.


Changes in Lenora's life happen gradually...friends slowly get jealous of her fortune. She gets accepted into a prestigious community fundraising group and it causes a riff between one of her friends because they are convinced that she got in only because she won the lottery. Lenora plans on keeping her job, but after missing one too many days at work, her boss fires her..then when the younger hot guy she has had a crush on asks her out, she agrees even though she is in a relationship and shouldn't do it. When Lenora  starts spending the money, people try to talk some sense into hr to no avail. Lenora's thinking is why should she wait to buy the things she has always wanted and can now afford?

Watching Lenora go through all of these events was painful to watch because while I was reading it I wanted to shake some sense into her and say: "listen to your boyfriend!" or "Don't cancel on your friends, you'll need them later." The ending was realistic, and while I normally hate those type of endings, I would not have had this book end any other way. I'm still not sure what pulled me into this book so much, but I had it read in one sitting. Everyone once in awhile it's good to read a book that you can take something away from.  Connie Briscoe's writing was just wonderful-she had a way of making me want to read more with not really agreeing with any of  Lenoras actions.  This is a book that everyone can learn something from.

About the author: 

 Connie Briscoe is the author of seven novels, one novella, and one nonfiction book.  Her third novel, A Long Way From Home, the story of her ancestors, was nominated for an NAACP Image Award. Her work has appeared on the bestseller lists of the New York Times, Chicago Tribune, Washington Post, Boston Globe, Boston Herald, USA Today, and Publishers Weekly.
Her nonfiction title, a photo-essay book featuring luminaries such as actress Ruby Dee and Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton, was coauthored with celebrated photographer Michael Cunningham. The collection of novellas was coauthored with Lolita Files and Anita Bunkley. (From TLC Book Tours)




 

TLC Book Tours and Connie Briscoe are being kind enough to giveaway one copy of this book. Open to US residents only-sorry! I am still debating on whether or not to use Google documents for my giveaways so to enter, please answer the question what do you prefer for entering giveaways:  Google Docs or leaving a comment?  Please be sure to leave your email address (buckeyegirlreads at gmail dot com) so I have a way to contact you if win!  Giveaway is open until   Wednesday July 27th, 2011 at 11:00pm. If I don't hear from the winner within two days of contacting them, a new one will unfortunately be chosen. Please be sure to check out other stops on this tour:


Monday, July 18th:  Life in Review
Wednesday, July 20th:  Buckeye Girl Reads
Thursday, July 21st:  Colloquium
Monday, July 25th:  Arms of a Sister
Wednesday, July 27th:  A Chick Who Reads
Thursday, July 28th:  Mocha Momma
Friday, July 29th:  Fiction State of Mind
Monday, August 1st:  Black Diamond Book Reviews
Wednesday, August 3rd:  Reflections of a Bookaholic
Thursday, August 4th:  Living Outside the Stacks
Tuesday, August 9th:  I’m Booking It
Thursday, August 11th:  Drey’s Library
Tuesday, August 16th:  Joyfully Retired