Customer Reviews

Money Shot

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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!

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!

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.

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.

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.

I have had the good fortune of finding Brian Rouff completely by accident. I read "Dice Angel" first and fell in love with his writing style and his quirky characters (see my review).

When I received "Money Shot" I did not think I would like it nearly as much as "Dice Angel" -- I am not particularly a basketball fan -- But I thought a lot of Las Vegas was in it so it would be a good read from that perspective. Man, was I ever wrong!!

I LOVED "Money Shot" -- I fell in love with ALL the characters, Nick the hero of the story, a burned-out nine to fiver advertising exec drinks a soda and the bottle cap offers him the chance of a lifetime -- sink a three pointer at half-time during a championship game and win a million bucks -- Nick, being skeptical, lets the bottle cap drift aimlessly among the detritus of his car. Luckily, Jason, the young up and comer at the agency sees the cap and tells Nick it's the real thing -- the real deal and he had better call so he can win his million bucks.

From that point on, Rouff hooks the reader better than Hemingway hooked a fish -- You can't put the book down -- Nick is one of the funniest people in fiction -- his asides kept me in stitches -- as I turned every page of the novel dreading coming to the end of a GLORIOUS READ, I realized (after having devoured "Dice Angel" Mr Rouff's other novel) what a genius this writer is.

He seams the story effortlessly among his characters that live and breathe like humans -- but humans you want to know and get to know -- no card-board, stereo-typical archetypes in Mr. Rouff's writing -- He's a writer's writer and a great, great story teller.

His dialogue is brilliant as are his created characters. I read "Money Shot" in one sitting -- it's fast, complex, human, with more twists and turns than a New York pretzel -- And the surprise ending nearly makes you delirious -- Don't despair though -- Mr. Rouff's endings are one of his greatest fortes -- they do not disappoint!!

I highly recommend any novel Mr. Rouff writes -- You will not be despairing until you reach the last page where it says THE END.

A genuine delight to read, and sprinkled with humor throughout. You don't have to be a basketball "junkie" to enjoy this book. "Nick" Nichols, the main character, has some stellar non-basketball moments in the book with his wife (and his perceptions on married life); with his co-workers (both the good and the bad ones),and with his teenage daughter.

Brian Rouff has created a fantastic story illustrating how even the biggest skeptic can achieve his dreams. This book was fast-paced and a very comfortable and enjoyable read. It was refreshing to read a novel that engaged me yet did not weigh me down with material that was too dense.

I think this book is perfect for both the avid and casual sports fan based upon the subject matter involved. However, because of the sacrifices and the journey taken by the main character in the novel, even a non-sports fan will be captivated the idea of a person and his family taking a shot at a lifetime of financial security.

I am greatly anticipating Mr. Rouff's next book!

Money Shot
By Brian Rouff
Hardway Press
2004
ISBN # 0-9717148-2-7
Large Trade Paperback
261 Pages
$14.95 US


Alan "Nick" (to all his friends) Nichols is doing pretty well in Las Vegas as an executive at a Las Vegas advertising agency. Not that he is exactly proud of his career choices or his current employment. After several promotions, he isn't doing the stuff he liked to do but he has a good handle on what the job is these days.

"Today, my job consists of selling stuff nobody needs to people who don't know any better." (Page 2)

That and dealing with moronic ego driven clients, the occasional backstabbing coworker, a looming midlife crisis, a challenging teenage daughter and a wife that knows him way too well and still loves him anyway. He has his hands full and everything is rocking along at the usual pace until he unwittingly purchases the winning soda on his way to work. Under the bottle cap as helpfully pointed out by a co-worker is the secret code and chance to shoot a three point shot at halftime of the coming NCAA regional finals in Phoenix. Should he sink the basket, he wins a cool million bucks.

We have all seen those shots on television sports over the years to the point that such promotions have become commonplace. But what author Brian Rouff does is to take a commonplace event and then dive into the backstory. The book isn't so much about the shot but the four weeks leading up to the event and the pressures Nick feels from all sides. Not only his internal expectations in that he wants the money and doesn't want to look pathetic on television, but also the sudden expectations of others as he puts everything on the line in a single minded quest to make the shot. Unlike the advertising stuff, this is work and as he goes about his temporary job, he learns more about himself and others than he ever thought possible.

Like his extremely enjoyable first novel "Dice Angel" author Brian Rouff once again creates realistic likeable characters, an interesting plot and storyline, and several twists to keep the reader guessing until the very last page. His affection for the city of Las Vegas comes through, as does his offbeat sense of humor. This is another great read and well worthy of your consideration.


Kevin R. Tipple © 2005

Writers who work at their art are apt to improve their story telling ability over time, but Brian Rouff, who already scored a hit with me with his Las Vegas-based novel, DICE ANGEL, accelerated the pace with a fantastic follow-up with his second novel, laugh-out-loud-funny, root-for-the-average-guy-story, MONEY SHOT.

The story line has been well told in the other numerous reviews which have been posted for this expertly plotted book about an ordinary guy given the opportunity to score $1M with the toss of a baskeball, so I'll address the writing style and the quality of the story.

As a published author of several books, and an instructor in writing at the graduate school level, I sometimes find it difficult to get lost in a book and enjoy it just for ther story and the writer's skill without subconsiously critiqing it as I go alone. With MONEY SHOT, I got hooked by the first paragraph and never looked back; I enjoyed the story for quality the story. Rouff has that rare skill of being able to write an entire book without the dreaded "slow spots," and tell a story about average people and make it into a page-turner.

I look forward to the author's next novel, but wonder how he can possibly top this one.