Cupidity by Patricia Wood

In a small town in the state of Washington, Tammy Louise Tyree is working herself to a frazzle. She provides for her erratic Uncle E. and her (maybe autistic) younger brother by working 4 jobs. She has to fend off her no-good cousin and annoying boss, balance her jobs, try to keep her uniform clean and arrive at work on time, and keep everyone fed. For Tammy and her family, there's no way but up. When she receives an email saying her missionary relatives in Africa have left her $5 million, she's ecstatic. But, there are conditions. She has to keep the news about the money to herself and turn over all sorts of information and fees. As she works feverishly to pay the fees that her new African friend is charging her and fill out the forms, the news slowly gets out that Tammy is about to receive a fortune. And, everyone wants in on it.

Only one person thinks Tammy is being scammed and Tammy's sure not going to listen to him. When Tammy suddenly has people all over the tiny hick town insisting on helping her out in the hopes that they can get in on the windfall, what will happen?

Highly recommended - I don't want to give away too much about Cupidity because it's far too fun experiencing the unfolding events but I found it absorbing, nervewracking, and funny. You can't help but admire Tammy Louise. At one point in the story, she asks someone what other jobs she holds and is shocked when the woman replies "This is my only job." Tammy is so accustomed to working 4 jobs that she has no idea it's actually possible to survive on a single income stream. She is the hardest-working, most likable character that you've ever worried about throughout a novel. I love her. Just as I still have not forgotten the names of the characters in Patricia Wood's first book, Lottery (that's extremelly unusual -- I never remember characters' names unless they're common knowledge like Elizabeth Bennett and Mr. Darcy), I doubt I'll forget Tammy, Uncle E., and Jar, anytime soon.


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