Money Shot

Money Shot is a fun, fun read. The characters are real, believeable and funny. I particularly liked Nick's basketball coach, Angela. After reading her advice to Nick on how to make his "Money Shot", my basketball game actually improved! I would recommend this book.

I like novels with happy endings. Not that I'm giving anything away here -- there's a fabulous little twist at the end where the outcome can go either way -- but give me fiction with a life-affirming conclusion over the typical mayhem and spiral staircase to the cemetery any day. Money Shot fits the bill. Like Brian Rouff's first novel Dice Angel, Money Shot is a fun read. It's lighter and breezier than DA, mostly because it's more slice-of-life, more realistic in the sense that, though not everyone gets a shot at launching a million-dollar basketball on national TV, some people do and many of us have seen it. We can all imagine what it must be like to stand there in the spotlight and go for it. The main character, Nick Nichols, could be any of us. His relationships with his wife, daughter, boss, co-workers, coach, and friends are typical, ranging from high drama to low comedy. And Rouff's tight style and witty voice are perfectly suited for keeping the day-to-day details of such characters entertaining and engaging. It all builds up to the final moment when Nichols is standing on the three-point line, taking his money shot. And the twist will make you sit back, shake your head, and smile at a great novelist at the height of his powers. And then ... everything works out OK in the end. Which is the way it should always be.

Everyone who has ever dreamed of a windfall can relate to this well-crafted novel about an ordinary guy whose soft drink bottle cap is a winner. There's a professional championship basketball game in several weeks, with some special half-time entertainment. Yes, because of the lucky bottle cap, he will appear at the game, and, with thousands of people watching, he will have the opportunity to make one single shot. If he makes it, he gets one million dollars. If he misses, he still will take home $50,000. He can't really lose. Or can he? Written in the first person, Nick Nichols is very easy to relate to. He's an ordinary guy who loves his wife and daughter, and feels stuck in a boring job. Now, all of a sudden, he's a celebrity. And he has only a short time to bring his non-existent basketball skills up to a credible level of performance. And so he quits his job and devotes this time to basketball with the help of Angela, a streetwise African American former basketball player from Detroit. Of course I was interested as I'm a basketball fan myself, especially following the WNBA. And now I was treated to an example of a basketball player's training, from the hours of shooting baskets to the mental tricks and attitude of being a winner. For example, he does a bungee jump to just conquer his own particular fear. And, later, there's a challenge on the basketball court from some intimidating teenage boys. Through this all, the narrator keeps up a lively banter, with clever dialog and funny insights. He especially had me laughing out loud in the way he described Las Vegas. And, in some other humorous scenes, both Angela and Nick sample each other's "soul food". He takes her to a Jewish Deli and she takes him a barbeque place called Fat Daddy's Chicken & Ribs. The tension mounts as the big day grows near and soon Nick, his family, and Angela are in Phoenix. But the ending is not simple as there are many more twists and turns of the plot and I found myself turning pages at a frantic pace, unwilling to look ahead to find out the conclusion just because I was enjoying the writing so much. And then, just when I thought I knew what happened, the plot turned again and I was left with the kind of satisfying conclusion that pulled all it all together. This is a wonderful and uplifting book and there's not a bit of violence or disaster in it. It's just a simple good story with universal appeal. Definitely recommended.

Alan Nichols is a guy just like me. Hell, he IS me! Brian Rouff has captured that special kick in the balls that life reserves for all middle class, middle aged, fair to middling guys who feel like they're doomed to play out the hand that life dealt them. But, he gives Alan a chance to get even.....and maybe, just maybe, make a BIG score. This book is smart, funny, and a perfect fit for its Vegas backdrop. I loved the characters in Alan's life, especially his wife, Pam ; daughter Amy and the unforgettable "coach", Angela. Hurry up and read this book before they make a movie out of it. I already have it cast in my middle aged, middle crazed mind. FUN, FUN, FUN!

Money Shot is the story of Alan Nichols, a successful Las Vegas advertising executive as well as being your typical family man, who finds himself in possession of the chance of a lifetime. On a day like any other, purchasing a simple bottle of Bigg Fizz soda, Alan discovers Lady luck smiling in the form of a winning bottle cap. The prize is one million dollars, but before he can start counting that green there's a catch. In order to win the million dollars, he must make a three point shot during half-time at a NCAA championship game, a feat made all the more difficult considering he hasn't touched a basketball since high school. With dreams of leaving the office job for good, Alan heads for the local gym to get some much needed practice only to injure his shoulder with his first attempt at sinking a basket and missing the shot by a number of feet. Even more trouble at the office when he asks for a well-deserved vacation to work on his shot, only to find himself fired after a confrontation with the boss. Now, unemployed, Alan needs to make that shot more than ever. With the help of his coach, a feisty former female player named Angela, Alan begins to train for that one life changing shot day by day, while with each passing day his life is becoming more crazy due to his new found fame. Money Shot is another hysterically witty novel by Brian Rouff, author of Dice Angel. Being a long time Vegas resident himself gives him a chance to write about `Sin City' from an insider point of view, a perspective absent from most other Vegas books and films. Brian Rouff's style is fast and energetic, you get familiar with Alan's character instantly and cannot help but be charmed by his never ending one liners. I especially liked the very authentic yet humorous family dynamic taking place in the Nichol's household throughout the story. Overall, Money Shot is a brilliant page turner, not only filled with wit and humor but also a little heart and an unmistakable character!