Review: Just Out Luck by Denise Williams
Thank you Berkley Romance for my copy! All thoughts are my own.
I have been a fan of Denise Williams since her debut so this was a must read for me. It definitely made me laugh and smile, like Denise’s work always does, but it also felt a little different. I think a lot of readers expect perfection from characters. And if we read for escapism, I guess I can understand that. But I read for a human experience. When I want perfect and easy, I’ll turn on Hallmark channel movies.
Synopsis:
“Sybil Sweet has always been lucky, but lately she can’t catch a break. After years of bouncing from job to job in search of something that feels right and from man to man in search of something special, Sybil is worried that she’s the directionless, floundering daughter her family thinks she is. All she really wants now is a little financial stability and carb comfort. Lucky for her, she’s got just enough in the bank to buy a lottery ticket, and the late-night donut store is open.
Kieran Anderson put his dreams of becoming a doctor on hold to take over running his family’s bakery, and after fighting a losing battle to save the place, he’s exhausted, broke, and no closer to getting back to school. But when a whirlwind of a woman sweeps in late one night, flirty energy gives way to more…until she runs out the next morning, leaving behind her winning lottery ticket.
Lucky for Kieran, his attempt to return the ticket looks like a grand romantic gesture and goes viral, sending sales through the roof. In an effort to keep the store afloat and to convince Sybil’s family she can make good relationship choices, they agree to fake a relationship for three months. Even with hundreds of millions of dollars, finding each other might end up being the sweetest bit of luck for both of them.” —NetGalley
What I Liked:
The Tropes—Fake Dating will always be superior to me. And there was a lot of natural tension between the characters that I think made this trope feel fresh.
The Writing—I’ll forever be a fan because I just love how she crafts her words together.
The Banter—Excellent.
What Didn’t Work for Me:
The Set Up/First Act—Things happened very fast and then cooled to a slowwwww burn. I don’t know if I loved that.
Conflict/3rd Act Break Up Resolution—Oof, the ending was a big deal. I was cringing so hard and felt so upset for Kiran. I felt like we didn’t get enough exploration into Sybil’s diagnosis and I don’t know how I would have bounced back to trusting someone after such a large betrayal. I will say, I didn’t see it coming and was wondering what the conflict was going to be.
Character Authenticity: 3/5 Spice Rating: 3/5 Overall Rating: 3.75/5
Content Warnings:
medical content, gaslighting, emotional abuse, abandonment