Jess Thomas is a 27-year old single mother raising two children; Tanzie, a 10-year old math prodigy and Nick, her teenaged stepson (Dad's moved on). Tanzie has an opportunity to attend a special school but money is an object. Ed Nicholls is a wealthy tech whiz who's in big trouble, facing possible insider trading charges for inadvertently trying to help out a friend. Jess and Ed's paths cross as he tries to help her get Tanzie to a big math contest with a monetary award to the winner.
what I loved
Jess represents every ordinary parent who's trying to do the best for her children and struggling to make ends meet. Despite her imperfections and failures, her resilience had me rooting for her throughout the story. Ed initially comes across as self-centered and superficial, which kept me from seeing any potential romance between these two. There are extremely hilarious moments as they contend with all the obstacles on the way to the math contest. There are also tough moments as the issues both face are realistic for their circumstances.
romance?
I categorized this as contemporary fiction because most of the story falls in this category. There is a romantic element but it's not the primary focus so I'd recommend you read (or listen) through this lens.
narration
There are four narrators to represent the voices and points of view of Jess, Ed, Nicky and Tanzie. This my first time listening to a story with more than two and it was a highlight of my reading experience. All of these characters are so distinctly drawn and having distinctive voices for them made the performance more effective. I loved it!
the bottom line
I enjoyed this story immensely, especially the audio experience. Jess is a wonderful character who goes the distance for her children and puts her pride aside for their sake. You'll laugh, cry, get angry and tense (there are some dicey moments), which are hallmarks of a really good book. So plug in and enjoy.