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How to Lose the Lottery

Not yet published
Expected 26 Mar 26
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'Heartwarming, nostalgic and poignant' Lucy Clarke

'Both achingly funny and poignant' Sally Page

'Tender and uplifting' Kate Storey

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.

400 pages, Kindle Edition

Expected publication March 26, 2026

65 people want to read

About the author

Jay McKenzie

12 books4 followers

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
Profile Image for Julia Rice.
181 reviews4 followers
December 4, 2025
Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read an advance copy of the book.
All Edie ever wanted was a family. She grew up without a Dad and her Mum just wasn't there for her, as she had mental health issues. She meets Ron and falls in love. Eventually she has her twin boys , Sean and Colin but times are hard and her marriage isn't as she'd hoped.
This story jumps between before, meaning before the lottery win and after. I loved Edie and felt so sad for her. Her life before the lottery win was one hard slog and I hated her husband for not being there for her. The lottery win comes later in life when I presume Edie is in her 60's and it doesn't seem that money really is the answer to her problems. Her husband doesn't want to spend time with her and she suspects an affair. Something has happened with Sean her son but we don't find out until the last quarter of the book.
I really did enjoy this book and became very invested in the characters. It was very well written and I will definitely look out fir more by this author.
Profile Image for Lucy.
168 reviews8 followers
November 15, 2025
Although Edie and Ron are living as husband and wife, winning the lottery sends them off on very different journeys.  The story weaves together themes of privilege, friendship, family secrets, honesty, identity, and quiet courage. I was reasonably engaged throughout, though I did find parts of the book a little slow at times.

That said, there were some genuine surprises in the plot that caught me off guard and made me feel unexpectedly emotional. It’s not only really a story about the lottery win; it’s also about what truly matters beneath the surface.

I enjoyed it and would recommend it.
I received an advance review copy from NetGalley and the publisher.
Profile Image for Linda Wilson.
728 reviews10 followers
November 25, 2025
I really loved this book. Edie and Ron have been together for 50 years. They've always struggled financially so it's a miracle when they win the lottery and can now have everything money can buy. But the one thing Edie wants more than anything is to be reunited with her estranged son. The story takes us right back to the beginning of Edie and Ron's relationship and is a wonderful story of love, friendship and loss. I loved the characters and I recommend this as a great, heartwarming read.
Thanks to NetGalley for a preview copy.
23 reviews
Read
March 24, 2026
Edie and Ron have spent nearly fifty years together, keeping each other afloat through an "ordinary" life until a winning lottery ticket changes everything. But for Edie, the jackpot is a complication. For the last twenty years, she and Ron have been running from a secret that tore their family apart, and she quickly realizes that the one thing she truly wants—reconciliation—is the one thing money cannot buy. Alternating between the "Before" and the "After," the story follows Edie as she finally decides to stop playing the hand she was dealt and risks everything to take control of her future.

My Review
I had a bit of a rocky start with this one. The narrative structure alternates every other chapter between the past (Before) and the present (After). In the first half of the book, I found this back-and-forth made the pacing feel quite slow, and I nearly stopped reading a couple of times. However, I am so glad I stuck with it, because the second half was a complete page-turner.

The story provides a deeply intimate look at Edie's life, following her journey from her 20s all the way through to her 60s/70s. I found the portrayal of Edie incredibly moving and her story truly poignant. She represents the "invisible" woman—the one who is ready to do absolutely anything for her family, even if it means losing herself in the process. There were so many moments where I wanted to shout at her family to open their eyes and actually listen to her, and just as many moments where I wanted to shout at Edie to make herself heard. She was right, and she had the power to stand up for herself all along.

The "Before" chapters also offered a fascinating look at the "battle" between the working and middle classes in the 60s/70s, which added a great layer of social tension to her history. While the buildup to the reveal of the family secret was quite long, it kept me completely gripped. It led me to imagine so many possible stories, and I found myself racing through the pages just to find out the truth.

This quote from the book really stayed with me, as it captures the emotional core of her journey:
"I doubted you, Edie-Eves. I doubted you and I'm sorry. You are the kindest strongest, bravest person I know, and I let myself forget that. Can you forgive me?"

Ultimately, I found her story to be both dramatic and sad. It was a powerful read that made me look at my own life and reflect on the sacrifices we make for those we love. It is a thought-provoking exploration of identity and the heavy secrets we carry over a lifetime.

Thank you to NetGalley, HarperCollins, and Jay McKenzie for providing an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for Books Before Bs.
130 reviews1 follower
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
February 24, 2026
From the synopsis, ‘How to Lose the Lottery’ ought to have been an easy four- or five-star read for me, and I wanted to like it—really, I did!—but, honestly, even putting aside the characters changing names halfway through and the author clearly not having even the slightest grasp on basic punctuation, this book is a total mess. It reads like a zero draft—the stage of writing where the author is just spewing any ideas onto the page before coming back to form a first draft, and then a second, and then a third… Forget rewrites, it’s hard to believe this novel has even been reread.

The biggest let-down for me is that the lottery win, which is such a central part of the synopsis—and is in the title, no less!—is completely irrelevant to the story. You could take it out easily, without the core plot being affected.

Then, there is the second part of the synopsis’s promise: a big family secret that they’ve been running from. This never manifested, and the secret that does come out at the end isn’t believable. Plus, the climax in which it is revealed feels incredibly forced, not to mentioned clichéd (the classic 'I don't know how to end this, so here's a car crash' trope), and it is mired with plot holes and implausibilities.

The problems do not end there. Rather than focusing on forming a tight, coherent, and believable central plot, the author chose to throw in dozens of random subplots, which—like the lottery win—have no bearing on the story, and often feel just as implausible as they are unnecessary. The main character is dull and whiny at best, while the others are often cheap caricatures. And the constant switching between timelines, which is handled so well in other books, is just confusing here, perhaps because the sections do not rejoin where they left off and the plot isn’t strong enough to give the reader hooks to cling to and reorient himself.

I could go on, but I don’t really think there is any need. TL;DR: It’s giving me less ‘How to Lose the Lottery’ and more ‘How Not to Write a Book’.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Jay McKenzie and HarperCollins for the ARC.

⚠️ Infertility, miscarriage, death of a parent, mental illness
Profile Image for UKDana.
521 reviews28 followers
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
March 16, 2026
Edie and Ron have won millions on the lottery, changing their lives forever. While Ron is embracing his new lifestyle, Edie is struggling to come to terms with the change in circumstances. Something in her past is holding her back from enjoying her newfound wealth.

In How To Lose The Lottery, author Jay McKenzie has combined three things that I love seeing in novels: a positive change in circumstances, older protagonists, and a north-east setting. When we first meet Edie and her family, the lottery win is behind them, and they are settled in their new home on an exclusive housing estate. Both husband Ron and son Colin are making the most of their newfound fortune. Edie, however, is still living as if nothing has changed in her life.

Wealth is not something Edie has ever dreamt about. As chapters alternate between the present and the past, we learn about Edie's troubled childhood, the struggles to make ends meet throughout her married life, and the love she has for her twin sons.

Present-day Edie is lonely. Having relocated from her little terraced house, she has lost contact with the friends she had. Not being able to drive makes things even more problematic. But underneath everything is an overwhelming sadness; having raised twin sons, only one is ever mentioned and the reader is left wondering what happened.

As we follow Edie through all the stages of her life, we meet a host of engaging characters. We're also embroiled in a couple of mysteries. Firstly, what happened to her other son? Secondly, why is husband Ron acting so secretively? My heart constantly went out to Edie; her life had been a difficult one, I desperately wanted her to find some happiness. The book just goes to show that while money can buy nice things, it can't bring about contentment.

If you enjoyed my review please check out my book blog, Reading For Leisure
https://readingforleisure.blogspot.com/

or follow me on:-
Twitter; @Debbie_Hart_UK
Instagram; @reading_for_leisure_blog
Profile Image for Helen Haythornthwaite.
257 reviews9 followers
March 2, 2026
This book is so much more than I was expecting. It’s a family saga, with Edie at the helm, which spans the decades from the 1960’s into the 21st century.

The story is told from Edie’s perspective, and begins when she and her husband, Ron, have just won the lottery - becoming multi-millionaires overnight. What follows is a narrative divided into six sections - one for each of the winning numbers - with each chapter alternating between ‘before’ and ‘after’.

The ‘before’ chapters go all the way back to when Edie and Ron started courting in the 1960’s, and living as a poor, working-class family. The ‘after’ chapters see a new Edie emerging, but not quite in the way you might think…

I absolutely loved Edie, and just wanted her to find peace and happiness within herself throughout the pages of this book. She had such a tough childhood and grew up lacking in self-confidence and belief. She’s torn between looking after her mother and following the career of her dreams, or starting a life leading to a family of her own. She struggles to believe someone will love her, doubts her own judgement and finds it hard to communicate her own feelings and needs.

But slowly, we see another Edie emerge. One who dips her toe in the water and begins to make her own decisions, before plunging right in and putting her own happiness and desires first for once. She doesn’t enjoy a lottery win in the way you might expect, but it does mark a turning point in her life.

It’s a nostalgic read, and I did enjoy reminiscing while reading the parts set in the 1960s and 70s. While it is a tough life for the family, and they go through some terrible times, there are some humorous parts which had me laughing out loud. I think it’s a brilliant debut novel!


I was sent a proof copy by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.


Profile Image for Gill.
334 reviews9 followers
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
January 20, 2026
We all dream of winning the lottery and all the things we’d buy, with a new home probably being first on the list. We join Edie and Ron in their new home. It’s luxury, especially in comparison to their old terraced home where they brought up their children and struggled along trying to make ends meet. But now Edie has moved, she can’t help missing her old place and it’s taken a move to realise she was happy there. Their son Colin lives with them after his divorce and both Ron and Colin are enjoying themselves living the dream with a new luxury car each. Edie on the other hand can’t help feeling lonely and there’s still a missing piece to the jigsaw, that would really make her happy.

The book then goes back and forth in time through alternating chapters as Ron and Edie’s story is gradually revealed, from the time they met in the 60’s right through all life’s ups and downs. Personally I preferred the present and would have liked to have heard more about that and a little less about their past. Once you approach the end of the book it all comes together and you can understand the reason for such a detailed backstory but I did find some aspects of the book incredibly slow to move along.

Once all the reveals came and for perhaps the last quarter of the book, for me the story really started to pick up and move along at a faster pace and I became quite engrossed. By the end I found it quite a thought provoking story and think it would make a good book club read. Highlighting the far reaching effects of less than perfect childhoods, sibling rivalry and tensions, class diversity and social disparities, there is more to this book than first thought. There aren’t many books I would re-read but I think this one does merit a second read to gain a deeper insight into earlier parts of the book. This is one book where perseverance, if you’re finding it a little slow, really does pay off.
Profile Image for Stephanie Bull.
149 reviews4 followers
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
March 24, 2026
How To Lose The Lottery is a poignant, character driven novel told through the eyes of Edie across two timelines. In one, we follow Edie as she meets Ron, full of hope for a bright future that turns into a difficult and draining reality. In the other, their lives are dramatically altered when a lottery ticket Edie buys for Ron's birthday wins the jackpot. As their circumstances change overnight, Edie is forced to confront whether money can truly fix what is already broken.

This is an emotional read, with Edie's voice carrying the story in a way that feels both raw and authentic. Her journey is marked by disappointment and quiet despair. Jay McKenzie captures her inner world with sensitivity and realism. The contrast between a fresh start and the reality of life with Ron, whose priorities quickly turn to cars, adds a layer of frustration and heartbreak that is hard to ignore.

What makes this novel stand out is how it subverts expectations. Rather than following a straightforward 'rags to riches' story, it develops into something more complex and layered. The author explores themes of mental health, loss and emotional isolation with care, creating a narrative that lingers long after the final page.

The supporting cast adds both warmth and lightness, with Verushka providing some wonderfully humorous and uplifting moments. Her presence, along with others who rally around Edie, offers a welcome balance to the heavier themes and highlights the importance of connection and support.

Perfect for fans of family sagas with real grit and emotional depth. It does include sensitive themes such as mental illness and miscarriage.

Many thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK for my advance reader copy in return for my honest and unbiased review.
Profile Image for Mags Schofield.
386 reviews8 followers
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
February 12, 2026
I loved this book for so many reasons.
I live just a couple of miles from Darras Hall where Edie, Ron and Colin buy the home of their dreams. My mother was born and bred in a mining village in County Durham, very similar to Boldon Colliery, where they started out, and I knew virtually every setting in the book. I could identify with the fiercely independent and hard working people who live in the area. Brought up to fight and work hard for everything they had, or do without. They had little or nothing, but shared with each other. They worked hard and loved hard.
Edie and Ron are powerfully written, as is Hilda, but we have some humour thrown in too with Carol and Pats, and later Jade and Verushka.
The story works on so many levels. Does money buy happiness? Can we be happy with what we have? Should we regret what's in the past? Can we make ourselves better? Does money makes us better?
Edie has so many regrets. About her mother and father, and a brother she never even knew about. She is determined to do better. But all anyone can do is their best.
The story of the past and present unfolds in two timeframes as we learn about her romance with Ron, the birth of her babies and her life after the big win. The lesson we learn is never to give up.
I really couldn't put this book down as I learn more about the McVey family.
Great thanks to Jay McKenzie, the publishers and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
10 reviews
March 2, 2026
How to Lose the Lottery is a warm, thoughtful novel that moves between past and present to explore how money changes a life — and how it doesn’t.

The story centres on Edie and her husband Ron, alternating between their humble beginnings and present day, where they have won the lottery. I really enjoyed this structure; the time jumps are handled smoothly and allow the characters to deepen gradually. Edie in particular feels very real — flawed, funny, and emotionally honest. Her friendships in her “new life” are one of the highlights of the book, especially her relationship with Jade, a pregnant soon-to-be single mother. These moments are warm, funny, and grounded, and they bring a lot of heart to the story.

There is also a quiet mystery running through the novel. Edie and Ron have two sons, Colin and Sean, yet only Colin appears in the present day timeline. This absence is slowly unravelled through the flashbacks, which reveal Edie’s upbringing in the shadow of a mentally unwell mother and her deep fears about her own ability to be maternal. This emotional thread is handled with sensitivity and adds real weight to the novel.

Overall, this is a character-driven story with believable relationships, emotional depth, and just enough mystery to keep you turning the pages. I found it engaging, moving, and very readable, and I would happily recommend it.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advance copy of this book.
103 reviews5 followers
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
March 22, 2026
I usually don't enjoy a character driven novel but there was just something so compelling about Edie that I devoured this one. The more I read, the more I wanted to know about her life and how it had shaped her to be who she is today. It's told over multiple timelines, starting with Edie's life in the 1960's before they won the lottery, then life after their win.
From the start you can see that Edie's friends and family are acting differently after the win and Edie is longing for something else which leads her to making new friends. I love the unlikely friendship Edie forms and the growing aqua aerobics classes. Jade was a great character with so much going on and it was great that a friendship bloomed despite the large age gap. Verushka was my favourite character and provided the more comedic elements of the story.
As the story progresses we learn more about her husband and her twin boys in both timelines. It was such an interesting situation to explore the differences in how the twins are treated. Edie was a character who always tried her best despite the bad hands she was dealt.
Thank you to @netgalley and @harpercollinsuk @harperfiction for sending me this copy in exchange for my honest review.
Profile Image for Jill.
356 reviews4 followers
December 1, 2025
A very slow and dull start to this novel. The timeframe switches between before and after winning the lottery for Edith and Ron; having married the couple originally lived with Ron’s mother Hilda until Edith is left a run down miners cottage. Raising twin boys, Sean and Colin, played heavily on Edith who felt inadequate as a mother, but persevering to give both boys the opportunity normally denied to a working class family, Sean won a scholarship only for him to be offered a home by the parents of a school friend. Ron’s subsequent financial troubles only added to the equation until they won the lottery and their lives changed forever.

It’s only when three quarters of the way through this book did the story become interesting. The background and story line are well written and this pulls the earlier chapters together, displaying the human elements and characters. Money might not buy love, but the wealth did not affect Edith’s kind heart, generosity and friendships of those she loved.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publishers HarperCollins for this ARC for review.
Profile Image for Maggie.
2,036 reviews63 followers
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
January 8, 2026
Edie and Ron have struggled financially all their lives. Struggling to keep his garage afloat kept Ron working day and night. Edie longed for a proper family. She had been brought up by her mother, her father having gone from their lives. Her mother struggles with her mental health. They lived with Ron's mother for many years and Edie had twin boys.

When they were in their sixties they won the lottery. Suddenly money was no problem. However money can't buy you happiness and whilst Ron spent his time on cars, she mourned the loss of the people in her old life.

Told from two perspectives, before and after the win the contrast is stark. What did happen to Sean- the clever twin? Has Ron been cheating? How will Edie make a new life for herself? I loved Edie and the strange group of friends she managed to gather around her- especially the eccentric Russian lady!

This was a very enjoyable read that makes you count your blessings. Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for letting me read & review this book.
Profile Image for LindyLouMac.
1,023 reviews79 followers
December 4, 2025
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.
Profile Image for Anne.
773 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
December 19, 2025
How to Lose the Lottery follows Edie and Ron's life after they met in the 1960's. I initially struggled with this read at the start, I really wasn't too keen on the characters and found them quite hard to like - Edie came across as very selfish to say the least. The more I read though and found out more of their upbringing (particularly Edies) the more they slowly grew on me. The authors writing is good and engaging. I liked how the story moved from past to present easily and found it easy to have empathy for Edie after their lottery win. Ron and Colin, not so much though. The story follows Edie and Ron's relationship over 40 years and how their friendship circle changes after their win. I loved Veroushka. The ending gives the story good closure and considering this is a book I would say I didn't much like at first, it did get better as I was reading it.

3 stars
Profile Image for Toni.
140 reviews2 followers
February 5, 2026
This was a really touching book about the life and love of couple, Edie and Ron. It charts their relationship before and after a life-changing lottery win, focusing on family and friendships.It's fair to say that Edie and Ron's relationship had lost its way over the years, partly due to a challenge in the family, Edie's insecurity and their financial challenges. They moved homes after winning the lottery, and they thought that would make a positive difference, but it actually seemed to do the reverse. Edie and Ron grew more distant, and Edie lost contact with many of her friends as they no longer had anything in common.

What was nice about it was that Edie uses the experience to come into her own and make a new group of friends and they address the bigger issues. One thing that surprised me is that the lottery win doesn't really have a focus in the book.

Thanks to Jay McKenzie, Harper Collins and NetGalley for this ARC in return for an honest review.
Profile Image for Hilary Mcfaul.
52 reviews4 followers
March 16, 2026
This book stole my heart! This is the story of female friendship, hard times and what happens when you can’t believe in yourself. Edie (Edyth) and Ron win the lottery later in life but money doesn’t solve their struggles or change the past. We get to learn about their past and current lives in alternating chapters (before and after the lottery win) Edie is the main character and the book explores the impact of being raised by a mother with mental health challenges, poverty and the misconceptions of the rich. It’s about the damage caused by lack of communication in a marriage and low self-belief. I LOVED THIS BOOK! I laughed and I cried. It handles the complex issues so very well and the writing style draws you in and keeps you reading.
Thanks to Netgalley and HarperCollinsUK for this ARC.
3 reviews
February 21, 2026
This was a thought-provoking story about making the most of the important things in life, whatever the circumstances. The story is dual timeline and I much preferred the chapters set in the past, exploring working class family life in the late 20th century. With this in mind, I’d say this book would be perfect for fans of The List of Suspicious Things. I did feel that the impact of winning the lottery (spoiler?) wasn’t sufficiently explored and perhaps this aspect wasn’t even necessary for the story to work. I was a bit disappointed as this was the element that drew me to the book, but, still a good read!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Patricia Williams.
479 reviews14 followers
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
February 23, 2026
I loved this book! It made me laugh and cry so many times. I live in the North East and Edie and Ron's timeline is very similar to my own so I found it easy to empathize with everything she was going through except perhaps winning the lottery! I enjoyed the dual time line and the sensitive way themes like mental illness, post natal depression and women's lack of autonomy in the mid 20th century were handled. An exceptional debut novel. I will certainly be watching out for more from this author.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy. All opinions are my own.
Profile Image for Keely.
42 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
March 1, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and the author for letting me read & review this book before its release.

I thoroughly enjoyed this story, flicking between before and after the lottery win. Although we get the happy ending, there are plenty of ups and downs before we get there. Serious issues such as baby loss, bereavement and a marriage on the rocks for example. Not always easy to read but very much part of lots of people's lives. It certainly makes you think about your own life and what you've personally been through.

One thing is for sure-we all need at least one good friend to help us carry on and fight our corner.
420 reviews13 followers
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
March 7, 2026
I adored this story, it goes back and forth between present day and way back to when Evie and Ron first met, telling us the story of their life up to the lottery win. This book has everything, love, friendship, family, joy, loss and sadness. It’s one of those books that will stay with me.

Set in the north east of England in an area I love, I didn’t just read this book. I saw it. I saw the places, heard the voices and felt it all. A truly wonderful story and a very easy five stars, This is one to buy for my bookshelf.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC in return for my honest and unbiased opinion.
Profile Image for In Good Books.
31 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
March 15, 2026
I’m crying at the end of this book. A story of hard times and the relationship between Evie and Ron who have been together for 50 years, a story of the ups and downs of life, family, friendships and love. The book flicks between before the lottery win and after the lottery win and I could feel the struggles of Evie and Ron, so relatable for any family doing their best in life. I loved the 90’s nostalgia! I would recommend this book, very heartwarming and a reminder that a lottery win doesn’t necessarily solve all of life’s problems… or does it? Thank you to Netgalley and Harper Collins for the advance copy in exchange for my review.
Profile Image for Karen Farrow.
742 reviews11 followers
March 16, 2026
Edie is a regular woman, mum of twin boys and married to Ron. The story takes you, almost backwards, from winning the lottery to where it all began with Edie & Ron.

This is a good story although there were times I wanted to give Edie a big push and tell her to “man up”. We learn of the breakdown of the family relationships and how Edie deals with becoming a millionaire.

Eventually, Edie who has always done everything for her family starts to do things for herself.

This book was a story of realisation and I would like to say “coming of age” if you do that in your later years and shows that it is never too late for anything.
244 reviews2 followers
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
February 6, 2026
I found this novel a slow burner - however once I was absorbed I wanted to know what secret divided the family.

Edie and Ron win the lottery but not all is well - Ron is obsessed with his new cars and Edie is feeling lonely and out of sorts.

Edie decides to take action - she makes some new friends, starts an aqua fit class in their indoor pool and decides to find Sean - the twin she feels she lost.

She looks back at her life - at all the mistakes she feels she made and how she was affected by her mother’s mental illness. She uncovers evidence of Ron’s contact with Sean but it is Colin’s accident - the other twin- which proves to be a catalyst for bringing the family back together.

An interesting read - I found Edie quite hard to relate at first but she definitely grew on me.

A story about what truly matters in life.
Profile Image for Claire.
70 reviews2 followers
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
March 25, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK for a digital ARC of this book.

*SPOILERS*

A really interesting story that looks into the life of Edie and her family before and after winning the lottery. What really got me about this story is actually how sad and lonely Edie felt after winning the lottery. Edie is a very complex character and I think the author did a brilliant job of creating her. It felt a bit of a slow start but the more characters which were introduced the more I understood why it was written the way it was.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
809 reviews25 followers
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
December 21, 2025
I was so invested in How to Lose the Lottery by Jay Mckenzie that I was disappointed when I finished it.

It is a well written, heartwarming and poignant tale of Edie and her husband Ron, who having struggled financially for years, win the lottery.

Written in two different time lines, before and after, it is a story that will make you laugh and make you cry. It is a story of family, love, forgiveness and new beginnings.

Highly recommend!
Profile Image for Chrissie.
895 reviews5 followers
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
January 14, 2026
This is a lovely cosy Family drama .Eddie and Ron have always struggled in life with little money and twin boys to bring up .Then a miracle happens and they win millions on the Lottery and suddenly for Edie her life is turned upside down .Told in two timelines before and after the win. A heart warming story of family ,love forgiveness and new beginnings ,a compelling story that is hard to put down .Thank you to NetGalley for my ARC.
Profile Image for Frances.
422 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
March 11, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley, author and publisher for an arc of 'How To Lose The Lottery'. This is a well written family story set around Evie and Ron winning the lottery. It flits between before and after the win which gives great insight into both family's history. Jay McKenzie has dealt with some sensitive subjects in such an empathic way allowing me to become truly invested in Evie's life. I enjoyed it immensely. Highly recommended!
Profile Image for Hayley Wiggins.
232 reviews8 followers
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
March 21, 2026
A lovely book about Edie and Ron. This book really makes you think. As a couple they have always struggled financially and then theu win the lottery amd money really isnta problem any more. All Edie would like is her som to be back in touchas they had become estranged.
This book is a love story, a book of freindship and loss.
A great 5 star read!
Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for a copy to enjoy.
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