Molly's Millions

Victoria Connelly
Hard-up florist Molly Bailey has just won a fortune in the National Lottery. And she wants to get rid of it… fast!
Tom Mackenzie is on the verge of losing his job. He needs one hell of a story if he hopes to secure his future in journalism. And his luck may have just come in…
With a strong belief that sharing her good fortune is the only way forward, Molly unwittingly becomes the most sought-after person in the country as she distributes her wealth to the masses. With only her terrier pup, Fizz, and her trusty Beetle for company, Molly embarks on the journey of her life. But with Tom hot on her heels, will she succeed before her family and the media catch up with her? And, with Tom leading the pack, would that really be such a bad thing…?
I picked this up needing a little light relief after reading a more weighty tome and this was the perfect antidote!This story is chick lit at its best; a funny, romantic, well-paced ride through the English countryside with a bit of substance as well.
Molly Bailey is a lovely girl who has managed to stay lovely despite the un-loveliness of her family. She owns her own florist shop and has escaped the family home and all the scrimping, saving, penny pinching men who live there. Her brother Marty,(married to her friend Carolyn) is a chip off the old block however. Molly’s mother, Cynthia, left when Molly was still a child and Molly still has many unanswered questions about what happened.
On a whim one day Molly buys a lottery ticket and Bingo(!) hits the jackpot coming away with £4.2 million. Despite Lottery advice to do nothing too quickly Molly knows that once the Bailey men discover the news about her win there will be no stopping them dividing it up and packing it off to the bank, never to be seen again. Molly wants none of this so she decides she is going to give it away, the only problem…to who?
So Molly begins her journey in her brilliant, bright yellow VW bug. She shuts up shop and leaves discovering good causes as she drives through England. She begins anonymously leaving donations with a calling card; a yellow sunshine daisy and having a wonderful time. She gets into some hilarious situations and meets fantastic people. But the fun really starts when those Bailey men find out what’s happening and come after her. Molly is desperate to stay one step ahead and the ensuing chase around the country is fabulous.
In addition to all this Molly is also being chased by Tom, a journalist, and his 10 year old daughter Flora who is along for the ride. He is the reason her family discover she has the money and causes a fair bit of friction until Molly figures out how to use him to her advantage. He also provides the will they/won’t they part of the story.
During all this there is depth too, Marty and Carolyn’s rocky marriage is really put to the test, Marty learns some valuable life lessons about money (its too late for the older members of the family!!) and Molly does get to find out more about her mother and what happened long ago.
Verdict:The ending is great, literally the high point of the book. This is definitely a story I will re-read, it would be a brilliant cheering read if you were a bit down too. Very funny and I loved it.
Reviewed by Helen