If you look up former lottery winners, you'll find stories of people who won millions, even hundreds of millions of dollars, and stories of people who lost millions, even millions of dollars. Some of the winners end up in far worse financial shape for having won. 

How is that possible, it's tempting to think. That would never happen to me! I would spend wisely, invest, save, donate. But are you sure about that? Do you really know how you'd react to suddenly having more money than you can imagine?

Rosemary Macindoe's The Toorak Jackpot is one story of coming to terms with unexpected riches. Set in Melbourne (Toorak is one of the wealthy suburbs, in case you're like me and lacking in Aussie info tidbits), this is one hard-working shoe salesman's adventure, when one day he is given the keys to all his dreams: a house in Toorak and ten million dollars. Out of the blue, from an anonymous patron. 

Just like that, his life changed. 

He invested, he redecorated, he bought things, he flirted with women. He thought the money and everything he could buy with it would bring him happiness. But did it? Did he find happiness in things, in having money in the bank? Or did he find out that he had to look somewhere else to find that happiness? 

The Toorak Jackpot is a charming short novel that blends humor and grace with a morality story about every one's lottery dreams and the true meaning of happiness. 

Galleys for The Toorak Jackpot were provided by the publisher through NetGalley.com.