From the author of the âclever, creative, and sweetly deliciousâ (Kirkus Reviews) The Coincidence of Coconut Cake and The Simplicity of Cider comes a novel about an exasperated wife and mother who makes a play to reignite her marriageâand risks everything in a gamble she hopes is a sure bet.
When Milwaukee-area wife and mother MJ Boudreaux notices her husband Chris seems more interested in the casino than her, sheâs more bothered that she isnât upset than by her husbandâs absence. She picks up poker as a way for them to spend more time togetherâand reignite their marital flame.
Although the game doesnât give her the quality time with Chris that sheâd hoped, MJ finds she has a knack for it. Increasingly unhappy at home, she turns to the felt top of the poker table for comfort. Intoxicated with newfound freedom, MJ begins spending more time at the gambling tables and less with her family, finally carving out for herself a place outside her role of wife and mother.
After a string of great wins, MJ finds herself in Vegas, attracting the attention of a certain magnetic poker star. But when sheâs forced to choose between her family and her new exciting lifestyle, the stakes may be higher than she thought and MJ will have to play her hand carefullyâŠor risk losing it all.