Louisiana Lucky

June 22, 2020
Pennell’s engaging latest (after The Young Wives Club) tracks the misadventures of three sisters who win big in the Louisiana lottery. Hanna Breaux, the oldest, longs to get her bully-beleaguered kids out of the public school in Brady, La. Hanna’s sister Callie nurses a longtime crush on fellow journalist Garrett while reporting on corruption for their local paper, the Brady Herald. Lexi, the youngest, lives modestly with her fiancé, Seth, and longs for the approval of her wealthy mother-in-law, Nancy. When the siblings hit a $204 million jackpot, Hanna buys a new house, sends her kids to private school, and is shunned by the new school’s gossipy, backstabbing moms. Callie is courted by handsome TV reporter Wynn, who convinces her to quit her job and join him at the station. Callie is soon disillusioned by the switch from investigative reporting to fluffy subjects, and is taken aback by the rapid pace of her new relationship with Wynn. Despite Seth’s warnings about his mother’s controlling nature, Lexi collaborates with Nancy on wedding plans, which drives a wedge between the bride and groom. While some of the narrative tension feels fabricated, the author credibly catalogues the way money changes everything, for better and worse. Pennell’s tasty treat doesn’t offer surprises, but it’s a welcome distraction.

Three narrators--Rebekkah Ross, Megan Tusing, and Nancy Wu-- portray three sisters who win $204 million dollars in the Louisiana lottery. Ross gives the youngest sister, Lexi, a nervous girlish voice as she plans her "perfect wedding." The brightest of the trio, middle sister Callie, portrayed by Tusing, struggles with a career change. Her voice resonates with doubt as she redefines herself as a television personality. The eldest sister, Hanna, is a stereotypical mom, worrying about her children's schooling, their social standing, and her own standing with a snobbish clique of mothers. Wu portrays her in a voice that is syrupy and emotional. None of the sisters has a Southern accent though secondary characters do. The plot is predictable, and the lesson learned is that money doesn't guarantee happiness. D.L.G. � AudioFile 2020, Portland, Maine