How to Lose the Lottery by Jay McKenzie

                                                 

Ebook:  416 pages                                                                            

Genre:   Fiction

Publisher: March 26, 2026 by 

Source: NetGalley

First Sentence: The cars came before anything else.

My Opinion: 

Prior to reading 'How to Lose the Lottery' I had never heard of Jay McKenzie, despite the fact she has, I now know has had her writing published at least since 2019.

Edie and Ron are the protagonists of this story which is written as a dual time line, before and after the couple have a big lottery win.  Their lives are obviously richer in monetary terms and the financial struggles they had coped with for years were resolved. The couple had not had an easy marriage and they encountered difficulties from their very first meeting. Money certainly does not guarantee happiness though as Edie in particular very soon discovered.

Although well written I found the storyline very slow and at times boring, however I do recommend the author for her writing style.

With thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read and review.

 

Précis Courtesy of Goodreads:

Buy a lottery ticket✅Win your wildest dreams✅Lose everything…?One lucky ticket is about to change everything

Edie and Ron have been together for nearly fifty years, keeping each other afloat by the skin of their teeth. They’ve always been ordinary – until something very extraordinary happens.

Winning the lottery is everything they’ve ever wanted – well, almost.

Because for the last twenty years, Edie and Ron have been running from a secret that tore their family apart. And when you can suddenly buy everything you’ve ever wanted, you realise that the only thing you really want is the one thing money can’t buy.

Join Edie as she finally takes control. She’s had enough of playing the hand she’s been dealt – it’s time to risk it all.

Author Profile: 

                                                                                                                       

                                                                  Courtesy of Amazon

 Jay McKenzie grew up in the North East surrounded by storytellers and Catherine Cookson novels, before attending Bretton Hall College of the Arts in the beautiful Yorkshire Sculpture Park. Since graduating ( a long time ago! Her degree is old enough to have a degree!) she has worked as a holiday rep, a performing arts teacher, a life model and a street theatre performer in Greece, Indonesia, Singapore, South Korea and Australia. 

Her short stories and flash fiction appear  in adda, Bath Flash, Maudlin House, Fictive Dream, The Hooghly Review, Fahmidan Journal, Roi Faineant and others. She has won prizes such as the Exeter Story Prize, the Fish Short Story Prize, The Danahy Prize for Fiction, Quiet Man Dave and others, and shortlisted for the Edinburgh Story Award, Exeter Novel Prize, The Alpine Fellowship, Oxford Flash Fiction Prize, Bath Short Story Award, Bridport Prize and the Commonwealth Short Story Prize. 

Her novel How to Lose the Lottery will be published with HarperFiction in Spring 2026. 

She has a penchant for knitwear and lives with her husband, daughter and too many cardigans. She has a dog called Duck.  

Photograph and Biographical Information courtesy of the following sites.

Facebook Profile.    Instagram Profile.  Jay McKenzie - Official Author Website

A Satchel of Richards by Lee Taylor

                                            

Ebook:  366 pages                                                                            

Genre:  Romantic Comedy, 

Publisher: January 20, 2026 by Periwink Press

Source: NetGalley

First Sentence: I pick my way across what could best be described as a moor.

My Opinion: 

'A Satchel of Richards' is the debut novel from Lee Taylor. It is a romantic comedy with frankly a ridiculous title.

Bridget an aspiring author and Josh a male model are the protagonists. Josh has dreams of becoming a script writer, so when Bridget's publisher recommends she spices up her writing , he is recommended as someone who may be able to help. Initially Bridget and Josh have rather different expectations of just how this help could be achieved! Their relationship is a confusing and chaotic roller coaster.

At times this was ok, at others so annoying. It feels like the basis of a good novel is there amongst all the confusion.  Lee Taylor is going to be an author to watch as one feels she could do so much better.

With thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read and review.

 

Précis Courtesy of Goodreads:

Novelist Bridget Stanton’s life needs a massive rewrite. Between the mortgage on her first home, a perfect if teensy beach cottage, and the cost of feeding her horse-sized dog, she’ll never be able to quit her day job. Until it quits her.

Suspended for teaching the suddenly and inequably banned A Wrinkle in Time, her childhood favorite, she is desperate for a book advance. So she throws herself at the mercy, literally, of her brand new, witty, suave, unflappably charming agent, who has reluctantly inherited her.

His skip the Lit Fic and write steamy romance instead. Has he met her? Actually, no. But Bridget knows nothing about passionate sex. Ever ready with advice, he proposes a research—she needs to get herself a satchel of Richards.

Enter Josh, a wildly successful romance cover model with Hollywood screenwriting dreams. His vivid descriptions have helped numerous authors navigate their spiciest scenes, but Bridget, it seems, needs a more hands-on approach.

As their "research" heats up, she offers him credit on the book—a big break that could help launch his wished-for career. But her publisher balks. The God of Abs cannot share the byline.

Now, Bridget must do it their way and save her way of life or risk it all for a real-life love story.

Author Profile: 

                                                  

                                                                    Courtesy of Amazon

Lee Taylor lives and writes in one of the most bewitching forests in the Appalachians. You will find her most mornings before dawn in her "Yome Sweet Yome" (think yurt but better!) loving all the tropes, particularly the ones she turns on their heads. When not writing or hiking, she travels for a day job she loves, always on the lookout for an indie bookstore and if the city in question has a romance-only one---all the better!

Photograph and Biographical Information courtesy of the following sites.

Amazon Author Profile.     Goodreads Profile

Boleyn Traitor by Philippa Gregory

                                         

 Hardback: 488 pages

Genre: Historical Fiction

Publisher: Harper Collins 2025

Source: Tywyn Library

First Sentence:  In the hammered silver of the mirror, we look like two headless ghosts - our black hoods hiding our faces.

Series: https://www.goodreads.com/series/187905-the-plantagenet-and-tudor-novels

Review Quote:  ‘An immersive visit to the Court of Henry VIII with its magnificence and machinations, its pageantry and plotting' Saga

My Opinion:

I have been a fan of Philippa Gregory for many years although I have not read any of her books in the last few years. When reading her novels it is very easy to forget that they are works of fiction as her extensive research brings history alive on the printed page.

 'Boleyn Traitor,'' is the story of Jane Boleyn who became a Boleyn when she married Anne and Mary Boleyn's brother George. It is the eleventh book in her series about the Plantagenets and the Tudors. Once thought of as a high spirited eccentric Henry VIII is these days seen more as a tyrant, a throughly unpleasant man who abused women. It is whilst living in his court that ambitious Jane survives in the service of five Queens, guiding  them as a lady in waiting  whilst watching the decline of the Kings health.  As a voyeur for Thomas Cromwell she was somewhat protected by him, so it was only after his death and later her fateful decision to help Katheryn Howard meet her lover that we witness her downfall.

If you want to read a fictional but well researched account of Jane Boleyn's life at the court of Henry VIII, then I recommend Philippa Gregory's take on the treachery of the court during this period of history, through the eyes of this lesser known Boleyn. 

Precis Courtsey of Goodreads:

#1 New York Times bestselling author and “queen of royal fiction” (USA Today) Philippa Gregory returns with a dazzling historical novel of ambition, betrayal, and survival in the court of Henry VIII.

Jane Boleyn watches from the shadows of the Tudor court, where secrets are currency, every choice is dangerous, and even the faintest whisper can seal the fate of queens.

For Jane, survival demands playing every role required of a loving wife who conceals her doubts, a devoted sister to Anne Boleyn at the height of her power, and an obedient spy who carefully wields her words. But in a court ruled by ambition and a tyrant’s sword, Jane must rely on her sharp wit and skillful maneuvering to outthink those around her, knowing that one wrong move could cost her everything.

Philippa Gregory masterfully shines a spotlight on the untold story of Jane Boleyn, peeling back the myths to reveal a complex portrait of a woman who dared to survive at any cost. Perfect for fans of thrilling historical drama and readers captivated by the intrigue of the Tudor period, Boleyn Traitor is a must-read.

Author Profile:    

                                                              Courtesy of Amazon

                                                      

DR Philippa Gregory was born in Kenya. She  studied history at the University of Sussex and was awarded a PhD by the University of Edinburgh where she is a Regent and was made Alumna of the Year in 2009. She holds an honorary degree from Teesside University, and is a fellow of the Universities of Sussex and Cardiff. Philippa is a member of the Society of Authors and in 2016, was presented with the Outstanding Contribution to Historical Fiction Award by the Historical Writers’ Association. In 2018, she was awarded an Honorary Platinum Award by Neilsen for achieving significant lifetime sales across her entire book output. In 2021, she was awarded a CBE for services to literature and to her charity Gardens for the Gambia. and was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society.

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The biographical information and photo used in this post are with thanks to the following websites, where you can also find more information about the author and her writing. 

Goodreads Author Profile   Amazon Author Profile  Facebook Profile.   Philippa Gregory - Official Website
 

The Homemade God by Rachel Joyce

                                                       

Hardback: 372 pages

Genre:  Literary Fiction, Contemporary Fiction, Italy

Publisher:  Doubleday 2025

Source:  Tywyn Public Library

First Sentences: That was the summer they wore flip-flops. Everywhere they went, they wore them.

Setting: Lake Orta, Italy

Favourite Quote:  “The fact is,” she said, “we’re all born. We’re all going to die. So the only interesting question is what we choose to do with the middle.”            

Review Quote: A masterly and deeply satisfying exploration of art, grief and familial bonds. -- Hannah Beckerman- Author

My Opinion: 

Having enjoyed the previous novels I have read by Rachel Joyce I was keen to read her latest offering 'The Homemade God'  

The protagonists are four siblings Netta, Susan, Gustav(Goose) and Iris. Now adults, they were brought up by their widowed artist father with whom they have a tempestuous relationship. Their world is torn apart when Vic meets and marries, in a very short space time, a much younger woman. This seems to them out of character and they are suspicious of her motives. To make matters even worse, Vic dies within weeks of the marriage leaving them reeling with doubts. Obviously they need to find out what happened to their father and the process completely screws up even more the family dynamics as secrets are revealed.  

An absorbing and emotional novel with complex characters. Highly recommend this novel to everyone as it is a superb read from a talented author.

Précis Courtesy of Goodreads: 

Goose and his three sisters gather at their father's home by Lake Orta in Piedmont, Italy. Their father, a famous artist, has recently remarried a much younger woman and decamped to Italy to finish his masterpiece; now he is dead. There is no sign of his new wife and no sign of a painting.Always close, all that the siblings come to understand, about themselves, their father and their new stepmother, Bella-Mae, will drive them apart before they can come to any kind of understanding of what their father's legacy truly is.

Previous Reviews:  Miss Benson's Beetle.  Perfect.   Maureen Fry and the Angel of the North   The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry

Author Profile:         

                                                          Courtesy of Goodreads 

Rachel Joyce was born in London in 1962. She has written over 20 original afternoon plays for BBC Radio 4, and major adaptations for both the Classic Series, Woman's Hour and also a TV drama adaptation for BBC 2. In 2007 she won the Tinniswood Award for best radio play. She moved to writing after a twenty-year career in theatre and television, performing leading roles for the RSC, the Royal National Theatre, The Royal Court, and Cheek by Jowl, winning a Time Out Best Actress award and the Sony Silver.

For a full profile visit her Website

Photographs and Biographical Information courtesy of the following sites:

Goodreads Profile   Rachel Joyce - Official Website   Instagram Profile

Amazon Book Page