Aces Up

Seventeen-year-oldhighschoolseniorShannonCardneedsmoney.Andlotsofit.She'sbeenadmittedtoWellesley,butherdadjustlosthisjob,andsomehowshehastocomeupwithayearoftuitionherself.ButShannon'sdreamofmakingbigbuckswaitressingatthelocalcasino,theCollosio,disappearsfasterthanagambler'sluckystreak.Herbossisatyrant,hercoworkerisnuts,andherchancesofbalancingatrayfullofdrinkswhilewearinghigh-heeledshoesareslimtonone.Worse,timeisrunningout,andShannonhasn'tmadeevenhalfthemoneyshe'dhoped.WhenShannonreceivesamysteriousinvitationtojoinAcesUp,asecretnetworkofhighlytalentedcollegepokerplayers,atfirstshethinksNoway.Shehasenoughtoworryabout:keepingherjob,winningthecovetedmathscholarshipatschool,andtutoringhersecretcrush,Max.ButwhenShannonmustersupthenervetokissMaxandhedoesn'treactatall,theallureofAcesUpanditssexyeighteen-year-oldleader,Cole,issuddenlytoopowerfultoignore.SoonShannon'scaughtupinawebofliesanddeceitthatmakesworryingabouttuitionmoneyorahighschoolcrushseemlikekidstuff.Still,whenthemoney'sthisgood,isthefearofgettingcaughtreasonenoughtofold?Thisfun,sexy,recession-proofstoryisabubblysummerreadwithsurprisingdepth--greatforfansofSarahMlynowski.