This book was pure joy and made me so nostalgic for my trip to Ireland ten years ago. The characters are so likable and I loved the sibling bond at the heart of the novel. It was also just really funny and heartfelt; I pretty much read it in a single sitting.

Pack your bags for another traveling romance. What I love about Jenna Evans Welch is that intertwined in her books are all kinds of amazing places that she describes for her readers. Travel along with her characters, through Ireland, and through heartbreak.

I loved reading Love & Gelato, so I was excited to read Jenna Evans Welch’s follow-up novel, Luck & Luck, and I think I enjoyed it even more than I did the first! While there is a tiny romantic subplot, this story is firmly about two siblings—their love, friendship, and coming back together after hurt. Addie messed up big time right before her trip to Ireland. And now not only is she heartbroken, her once close relationship with her brother is ruined. The novel literally starts with her and her brother Ian in a fistfight at the Cliffs of Moher in the middle of their aunt’s wedding. After that, they must be on their best behaviors or face consequences when they return home.

As her family leaves to tour the rest of the country, Addie and Ian are supposed to head to Italy to meet up with Addie’s best friend (the main character from Love & Gelato). But suddenly Ian’s picked up by a Irish friend for a road trip to see their favorite band perform for the last time. Addie is forced to tag along when she tries to stop them and misses her flight. As the siblings travel in a too small car, their many secrets come to the surface and they work on mending their relationship. I loved this focus as sibling relationships can be hard and complicated but also so close and rewarding. The backdrop was lovely and now I want to take a road trip through Ireland (and of course stop at all the place they did). While this isn’t a rom-com, there were still totally Leap Year vibes to it, so fans of that movie will definitely enjoy this novel.

This was your typical predictable YA romance. There wasn't anything to write home about. I didn't love it; I didn't hate it. I did, however, love the setting of Ireland and revisiting some of my favorite places but our main character was super annoying and dramatic most of the time that I wanted the story get to the point most of the time. I did appreciate the sibling relationship but the fact that this was the main drama throughout the book we didn't get to see that great dynamic much.

I received an ARC of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

After absolutely falling in love with Love & Gelato, I knew I HAD to read this when it came out and I was not disappointed. Jenna Evans Welch has this magical way of painting the setting so vividly that you feel like you're there, and this time it was the beautiful country of Ireland through the incredible forests and castles that come along with it.
I felt like I related to Addie in many ways and it was a beautiful journey to see her evolve not only within herself but with her newfound love-interest. An even greater story was the mending of her relationship with her brother. Absolutely heart-warming and it just added another layer to an already great story.

I think it's pretty unrealistic for teens to be traipsing around Europe on their own. However, I liked the characters, drama, and touch of mystery.

I really enjoyed this novel! The characters were witty and well developed. I also loved the setting! Having traveled to many of the Irish locations myself it was very nostalgic to read about.

I wanted to love this book because I loved her other one Love and Gelato so much, but I just couldn't get invested in the characters. I wanted so much more out of this read.

I’m crying so many happy tears right now. That was such a great book that was more about romance. It had a different type of love—the power of being best friends with your sibling. Addie and her brother, Ian. They had a falling out and don’t seem to know how to get back to the the way things were before. Can it be done? What secrets are Ian and Addie hiding?

I adored that the story took place in Ireland—it’s on my bucket list of places I want to visit. After something terrible happened with the boy Addie’s been in love with for years, life as she knows it won’t ever be the same. Her family is in Ireland for a wedding and then Addie will be visiting Lina, her best friend. Many of you that have read Love & Gelato and met Lina when she moved to Italy.

Upon leaving for the trip to Italy—with Ian in tow—things don’t go according to plan. Do they ever? We’re taken on a roadtrip in the beautiful Irish country; where secrets come out and maybe, just maybe Addie and Ian could resolve their issues.

The sibling relationship is what really sold and made the book what it was. Yes, the romance aspect of the story took the backseat but I didn’t care. I wanted Addie and her brother to mend their relationship so bad—you could clearly tell they were best friends and cared so much about each other. It was beautiful. I liked the way the book ended and is it too soon to ask the author for another story set in the same world?!

This author does some fun things with her characters and there are many laugh out loud moments. It is a little zany but lots of fun.

Give me all of the YA travel/contemporary romances, because I am obsessed with them. There’s something about reading a book that features travel that I just love to read in the summer. I love a good summer vacation as much as the next person, when I get the chance to take one, I jump on it. And for the times that I can’t, I read as many books with a travel story as I can.
I thought the idea of Addie following this guidebook for getting over heartbreak while in Ireland was absolutely hilarious. The fact that such a guidebook would exist was oddly specific and I found the whole concept to be ridiculously funny. I think that some of the advice in the guidebook actually wasn’t half bad, either.
This book focuses on a real issue that a lot of girls, and sometimes guys, face all too often. She trusts someone with something incredibly personal and private, and that trust is betrayed, and shared with everyone. It’s such a terrible thing to have happen, and Love & Luck shows how difficult it can be to deal with, and not just from Addie’s perspective.
While I was really hoping to love this book just as much as Love & Gelato, it didn’t quite live up to all of my expectations for it. That’s not to say that I didn’t still love this book, but I had really high hopes for it that just weren’t quite met. That being said, I still gave Love & Luck 5/5 stars because I really enjoyed the story and the setting, though it did feel a bit ultra-touristy at times.

5 OUT OF 5 STARS

I read this book in the span of a few hours. That's how captivating it was, and is.

It's a sweet story about love and family, adventure and road trips.

Big fan!

This book is a companion to Love and Gelato but can also be read as a standalone.
Addie and her family are in Ireland for her aunt's wedding, which goes awry when Addie and her brother Ian get into a fight and tumble down a hill. As punishment, Addie and Ian must get along without fighting for several days while they go to Italy to visit Lina, Addie's best friend, or be forced to quit sports (which Addie believes she needs to participate in to get a college scholarship). When Addie's plans suddenly change, she goes on a road trip through Ireland with Ian and his friend Rowan. Along the way, all three of them learn valuable lessons about life, love, and themselves as they endure unforseen circumstances that will either bring them together or drive them apart.
I absolutely loved this book! First of all, you can't go wrong with a book set in Ireland. The setting, characters, and events were so descriptive and realistic that I felt like I was experiencing everything firsthand. The characters were lovable, yet flawed, but I also learned some things through them about leaving the past behind and embracing the future. I laughed out loud many times because the characters and situations were so funny, but I also teared up a little bit towards the end because I related to Addie and her feelings of rejection. I didn't care for the profanity, but it was relatively mild compared to most books these days. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a sweet, funny story!
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. A positive review was not required, and all opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Initial Thoughts:

I don’t read enough books with road trips in it, and I’ve never read any book that takes place in Ireland so when I heard about Love & Luck I was really intrigued. It sounded like such a fun contemporary read in a gorgeous setting so I had to read it ASAP. I had no idea it was a companion novel to another book by Jenna that I’ve had on my TBR for the longest time, Love & Gelato but that didn’t take away from reading this as a standalone. Having read Love & Luck now, I definitely need to read the previous one next!

Things I Liked:

I’ll admit that Addie was a bit annoying in the beginning because of her misplaced anger and quick temper, but once she started changing and working on things later on I really found her endearing. Her fierceness and strong relationships with her family and best friend Lina really made me admire her. And, okay, I’ll admit that I probably found her annoying with her quick temper because I can be the same sometimes. Haha

I absolutely adore sibling relationships in books and my favorite in this one definitely had to be Addie’s relationship with her brother Ian. As terrible it was to see two siblings who used to be so close now constantly butting heads and at odds with each other, it was also so amusing to witness. I found myself constantly wishing throughout the book that Ian and Addie would mend their broken siblings relationship, more so than anything else because the little flashback excerpts of what led to Addie’s broken heart and her fallout with Ian really highlighted their closeness. Ian was her other best friend and it was such a shame to see such beautiful sibling camaraderie reduced to short tempers and petty arguments. The entire dynamic in Addie’s family was so fun and always full of energy. It actually made me kind of wish I had a bunch of older brothers, too.

There is romance in this book, however, it’s more of a slow pace and takes a backseat to family and friendship, which I actually didn’t really mind. Rowan is such a nice and sweet character and I instantly liked him a lot. I loved how his and Addie’s relationship gradually developed throughout their adventure and that it started from both characters bonding over broken hearts.

I had no intentions of ever visiting Ireland, but going through this road trip with these characters has definitely changed my mind. All the places that the guidebook Addie was following mentioned sounded amazing and I’d really love to visit them myself one day now! Speaking of the guidebook, when I first started reading the book I was a little confused because it opened with an excerpt from it instead of immediately jumping into the story but it didn’t take me long to realize why. Certain excerpts from the guidebook helped set up the upcoming events in Addie’s journey in Ireland, and also aided in mending her broken heart. It was really amusing to read the story that way.

Things I Disliked:

I wish Rowan sounded more Irish because the way his dialogue was written just made him sound American. I had to keep reminding myself he had an Irish accent and go back and read his dialogue again in the correct accent in my mind, but that just got tiresome really quickly.

Final Thoughts:

Love & Luck is a wonderfully fun and light contemporary that highlights familial love and friendship, and takes you on a road trip through gorgeous historical landmarks in Ireland. Now I can’t wait to finally jump into Love & Gelato! I’ve heard lots of good things about it and that the romance is more prominent in that book, so I’m really looking forward to it.

Love & Luck is the story of Addie and Ian, two siblings in a family of six, who are taking a non-Mom-sanctioned road trip around Ireland. With Ian's friend Rowan and his falling-apart (literally) car Clover, they are in for a bumpy ride. What ends up happening, though, is less bump and more soothing. It turns out that Addie and Rowan are trying to get over heartbreaks while Ian is on the trip of his lifetime. Will the trip help Addie and Rowan heal? And will it help Ian kickstart his dream?

Bonus cameos from Lina and Ren!

I went into Love & Luck thinking it was going to be like Love & Gelato: a sweet romance in a foreign country. Alas, it wasn't. However, that doesn't mean it was a good and/or noteworthy story. Unlike Love & Gelato, it's focus is on philia love, specifically love between siblings and close friends --and getting over heartbreak for Addie and embracing your true love/passion for Ian. It's a sweet story and an empowering one for those looking to get over heartbreak. Love & Luck is your Ireland for the Heartbroken: A Fictional Guide to Realizing You're Not Alone.

The sense of place is extremely strong in Love & Luck. I constantly felt like I was visiting all of these stops in Ireland, and was thinking jealous thoughts of Jenna Evans Welch's probable working trip to Ireland to prepare for this book.

Give this book to those who are trying to get over disappointment in love and/or who dream of visiting Ireland.

Love and Luck has several elements going on and they all work together to make richer reading experience. Siblings with secrets, destination wedding, European vacation, mistake in past for revealing and reckoning, brother’s cute friend, obsession with a pop culture thing, road trip, and of course, one of my favorites: book within a book!
The book within a book—Ireland for the Heartbroken: An Unconventional Guide to the Emerald Isle— is worth picking up this YA travel romance to read even if the rest doesn’t appeal. The strongly opinionated and quirky voice in “Guide” tells her own story and gives both Maeve and the reader a framework of relationship advice to react to and move on from. The inclusion of this second book allows Maeve to be inspired to grow and change beyond her years— think of the book as a replacement for an older female role model for Maeve to confide in and trust.
I recommend this fun adventure in Ireland for the characters who will stick with you and the vicarious fun you can have along their journey!

While I didn't *love* LOVE & LUCK by Jenna Evan Welch as much as I did LOVE & GELATO it was still a very fun read. Road trip + Ireland + a cute boy = um... yes please! Some of the best and funniest scenes, however, didn't even involve said cute boy, but Addie and her brother Ian. The story, after all, opens with them falling off a cliff. Seriously, they were like slapstick comedy in book form.

The guidebook excerpts were a nice addition and just as much fun to read as the main story.

As fluffy as LOVE & LUCK is, it did have a serious side. Addie, Ian and Rowan each had drama they were dealing with and secrets they were reluctant to share. Still, if you are looking for a quick, fun summer, road tripping read, give it a try!

Review will be posted week of 6/11/18
Addie's always been just Ian's little sister that is until she starts growing up. Ian's friends from football start to notice her, especially charismatic Cubby. Ian has warned Addie about Cubby, but she doesn't listen. Her family travels to Ireland for their aunt's lavish wedding and while there, Addie has planned a mini-trip to Florence to visit her friend who has recently relocated. All the while she has been fighting with Ian the entire trip over Cubby and over secrets. It's driving the family crazy as Ian and Addie were once very close. Addie's plans for a side trip to Italy are thwarted and she finds herself exploring Ireland along with Ian, Ian's friend, and a guidebook for the brokenhearted. Addie's whirlwind trip through Ireland will sure be a memorable one, but can she repair things with Ian and will readers find out exactly what happened between Addie and Cubby? Jenna Evans Welch's Love & Luck is a delightful read for young adults or anyone who can appreciate an adventure in Ireland.

Addie is a charming character who I enjoyed from the beginning in Love & Luck. She is an athlete and her sport comes first, but her mom says that in order to play next year, she must get along with her brother. Her relationship with her brother, Ian, is a complicated one. As readers find out more about what happened between Addie and Cubby, things start to make more sense.

I loved how Welch shared excerpts from the guidebook within Love & Luck. It was a nice touch and can be especially appreciated by the reader if he/she knows the various landmarks mentioned, such as the Cliffs of Moher, Connemara, the Burren and more.

Obviously, the setting of Ireland was my favorite aspect of Love & Luck. It was so fun to revisit one of my favorite places and take part in some armchair traveling. Nothing beats an Irish road trip, right? It took me back to my own Irish road trip with friends.

I also appreciated how Welch portrayed dating and the issues that many teens face regarding social media. I don't want to give too much away, but Addie has to deal with an issue that I think many teenagers can appreciate and Welch handled it very well.

Welch's books always make me have a serious case of wanderlust! I can't wait to find out what she is writing about next and go along on the trip from the comfort of my sofa.

Addie is in Ireland with her 3 older brothers and mother, for her aunt's third wedding. This destination wedding starts off with a fight with her favorite brother, and rolling down a steep Irish hill during the filming of the ceremony. Ian and Addie's fight continues as they prep for a side trip to see her best friend in Italy, Lina. When Ian tries to ditch Addie on the morning before their flight to Italy, Addie interrupts his road trip plans with his friend Rowan, and ends up joining them for a hilarious and healing trip.

I feel so lucky to find another book that I love!

In Love & Luck, Addie escapes to Ireland for her aunt's over-the-top destination wedding and to visit her best friend in Italy while trying to forget about a relationship gone wrong. Her plans change, however, when her brother Ian and his online friend decide to travel the country side and visit landmarks from their favorite band before the band's final performance. 

I really enjoyed Love & Gelato, specifically how author Jenna Evans Welch made you feel like you were actually in Italy. Nevertheless, I went into Love & Luck with high expectations... and I was not disappointed. In the end, I actually loved Love & Luck even more than Love & Gelato, even though there were a few aspects of the book that frustrated me. 

Like with Love & Gelato, the author painted a picture in your head of every landmark Addie, her brother, and his friend visited. It made me want to plan a trip to Ireland! Not only did she incorporate vivid scenery, but also lore and legends from Ireland history. The road trip in this book definitely helped showcase the scenery.

I also loved the overall message of this book. In Addie's past relationship, her trust was really broken and her future is potentially at risk. I think there will be a lot of girls that are Addie's age that will relate to her story. This book really focuses on Addie coming to terms to what happened to her and being confident in who she is as a person. 

That being said, I really wasn't a fan of how her brother handled what happened to Addy. I appreciated that he wanted to support Addie and find justice for her, but I think he pushed Addie a little too hard and came off across as too judgmental. Addie was still trying to process what happened to her and I think he added too much unnecessary stress, pressure, and "I told you so"s for my taste. 

Overall, Love & Luck will take you on a scenic, but also emotional journey with a good message for young readers. I give Love & Luck five out of five stars.