The Reluctant Millionaire

By: Joseph Birchall

Narrated by: Matthew Lloyd Davies

Michael Irvine is 33 years old, drives a 12-year-old car, and lives with his parents. His job bores him, and his love is unrequited. Very few people pay attention to Michael, and that suits him fine.

Then one day, he finds himself the winner of the largest lottery in the history of Europe: €190,000,000. Under the weight of his newfound wealth and fame, Michael's life spirals out of control until he is forced to make a decision. A decision that will capture the imagination of the entire world.

©2017 Joseph Birchall (P)2017 Tantor

A gem of a novel

This is a carefully crafted novel that moves at a good pace and is carried along with well rounded characters who have believable motives and reactions. The author has resisted going into long introspective descriptions of the characters thoughts and feelings and let the reader discover them through the character’s actions and dialogue.

It’s a great story of what changes sudden wealth can bring and how it changes even a person who resists embracing it. It focuses on the changes of people surrounding the person and how those people force changes even more pressing than the money itself.

The book is in turn heartwarming, tender, funny, bitter and poignant. Some of the early one liners are real gems and get the reader engaged as quickly and firmly as a murder in the first few pages of a mystery. The story never drags, and it’s all very believable. A great ending is the cherry on top of a first rate Hot Fudge Sunday!

I’d recommend this book and look forward to more from this gifted writer who brings complex characters alive.