Book Review: The Reluctant Millionaire: Author: Joseph Birchall

The Reluctant Millionaire tells the story of Michael Irvine, a thirty something ordinary young man, living a boring life, working in a boring job and living with his parents.

Going to the shop to buy two lollypops for his nieces, he ends up being forced to buy a Euro Jackpot ticket. When the results are announced, he is astounded to find himself to be the winner of Jackpot worth about 200 Million Euros

His life changes all of a sudden. Relatives whom he has never seen throng his house. Car dealers are
ready to lend him Lamborghini's for 'test drives'. Financial experts make a beeline for a piece of the lottery pie. Journalists want to interview him.

One journalist in particular, Zoe comes into his life and changes in fundamental ways. Initially she came in with the ulterior motive of getting an exclusive interview with the winner of the Jackpot, but end up becoming close to him and becomes his helper and supporter. Zoe gets Michael to write down his three worst fears and get him to work on them so that he becomes a better person.

His family is very supportive but his old parents become tired of all the attention and intrusion into their private life. The situation becomes very dangerous when the school bully and his father burgle his house to find the money, which everyone knew was stored in the bank.

Michael distributes part of the wealth to his near and dear ones.

Michael has a crush on Loreen the local barmaid who has a son Max from her previous marriage with the local bully, who burgled his house. He doesn't have the courage to ask her out. But with Zoe's help, he gets her to go out on a date with her. She has a dream of owning her on coffee shop on the beach and Michael helps her wishes come true.

In just about two weeks, Michael gets tired of his wealth and decide to give it all to charity. Zoe and Loreen helps him to achieve that objective.

With all his money donated to charity, Michael joins Loreen in the small coffee place that he helped her start. Also he finds that the investments that he had made with 10 Million of his winnings has yielded another 1.5 Million Euros. Talk of divine blessings !!!

That ends the story.

I started off this book with great enthusiasm. I wrote in my diary that 'The book promises to be a good read'. The story of a shy, introverted, 33 year old virgin who still lives with his parents winning a 200 Million jackpot promised a lot of potential. However, I was soon disappointed with the book. It flattered to deceive. There is no excitement in a person winning a lottery and then giving it all away. It is too lazy a plot.

In addition, this book is weak in characterization. No character stands out or carry their weight. None appeal to the reader emotionally. The plot is very thin. The story is too predictable. The potential love between Michael and Loreen is handled very casually. The reader never identifies with any character, never feels their pain, angst or happiness. 

And there are a lot of discontinuities in the script. For example, the burglary at his house is handled very casually. Half way into the description of the burglary, the plot shifts. Also, one is never made aware how Michael identified the identity of the burglars based on their 'white, canvas shoes with oil stains'. Where did he see it? Also, there are three burglars, but the book mentions only two as having been arrested.

I can go on, but I am not liking writing such reviews. 

This book almost feels as if the author read some of those motivational books that exhorted him to get the first draft as quickly as possible. Weak story line with too many loose ends do not make a good book.