Lizzy Guidry is having the worst day of her life, thanks to newspaperman Martin Taylor, whose editorial has raised the ire of Lizzy’s boss, the mayor of Santa Helena, California. Martin is on the verge of losing his newspaper, which is why he’s buying yet another lottery ticket the night he runs into Lizzy. Still fuming, Lizzy beats him to it, nabbing the last ticket before the machines close. Topping off Martin’s worst day, Lizzy’s ticket wins. Only she doesn’t know it.

As Martin attempts to romance his way to five million dollars, will he lose his heart in the process? Will they both realize that love, more than money, is the ticket to paradise?

The Cajun Embassy series follows three Columbia journalism coeds homesick for Louisiana who find comfort at school in a bowl of Cajun gumbo. Each book — Ticket to Paradise, Damn Yankees and Gone Pecan — follows these dedicated friends as they make their way into the world. Because love — and a good gumbo — cures everything.