Lucky Leap Day by Ann Marie Walker
Standalone
Contemporary Romance (Found Love on Vacation)
Publication Date: January 18, 2022

It’s like the author plucked my vacation fantasy straight from head and made it come to fruition on page. I’ve been on several solo trips and to my disappointment I’ve never come across my dream man. Those trips haven’t been to Ireland, so maybe that’s where I’m going wrong because Cara’s adventure was a blast. I also learned some things about Irish history and culture as well as tips on what to avoid as a tourist.

This is a wholesome and cute romance. I do tend to gravitate towards spicier romances so if this is also something you prefer you should note the fun bits happen off the page.

It was all too easy to imagine this story as a film reel playing inside of my head. While the breakdown in their relationship was not something I saw coming I was kind of underwhelmed by it. I would have preferred slightly more drama.

I really enjoyed this book, however it kind of lost me at the epilogue. Reading a chapter from a dog’s perspective was weird and ruined the magic between the two characters. I would have preferred no epilogue than the one that was delivered.

Thank you to #SourceBooks and #Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Lucky Leap Day is a lighthearted, enchanting romantic comedy, unlike anything I've read before. It begins in Dublin, but the rest of the story takes place in Malibu after the first few chapters. This book will have you captivated from beginning to end. I haven't read anything by this author before, but this was phenomenal.

Cara Kennedy takes a solo trip to Dublin for a long weekend. Despite the fact that she planned to travel to Dublin with Kyle, her boyfriend at the time, the two split up before the trip. Why would you waste a perfect opportunity to visit Dublin just because you broke up? So she went out and discovered a rather unique Irishman, Oscar, and his dog.

After she books another Uber after her previous one was canceled, she meets this wonderful Irishman known as Finn. Finn gives her his sweater and gives her a tour of Ireland till her hotel room is ready because she is soaking wet. She tells him about her list of things to do in Dublin, and he informs her whether or not she should go.

On her last day before going back home, she goes to tour Kilmainham Gaol, and Finn happens to be her tour guide. He invites her out to the bar after the tour, and she accepts. Simple farewell drinks shouldn't be that bad, right? She does, however, have such a wild night. That night, she discovers everything there is to know about Leap Day. She proposes to Finn while intoxicated and on the spur of the moment. She doesn't recall what happened until the next morning when she wakes up in Finn's bed and discovers they're married.

Finn returns to Malibu with Cara to seek out how to solve things. However, now that they're back in Malibu, they continue putting it off as they get to know each other better. Everything is all fun and games until the truth is revealed.

I started Lucky Leap day on the train and finished it on the train.
Lucky leap day by Ann Marie Walker was an amazing read that kept me hooked from the start to the finish line. Fair to say that I was not ready for it to end.

It was such a cute and enlightening read that keeps you hooked from the start. The characters, relationships and plot were amazing!
I absolutely love this book!!

A romcom brought to life!
I fell in love with Cara, Finn and Oscar right from the start! I loved the backdrop of a woman taking a solo trip to Ireland and falling in love with a man she barely knew. These two just went together so perfectly that you couldn't help but swoon, even if they got themselves into a sticky situation.
This book had me laughing out loud, smiling, and falling in love right along with these two! While this was my first book by this author, it definitely won't be my last! The perfect escape you need from the real world!

Cara's boyfriend dumped her right before their Ireland trip but she decided to go anyway. Her uber driver from the airport is Finn, a quintessential Irishman who almost makes her forget her ex. On the last night of her trip, she drinks probably a dozen too many whiskeys and gets caught up in the Irish tradition of women proposing on Leap Day. After waking up married right before she needs to be at the airport, they decide that Finn (and his dog Oscar!) should come to US with her so they can sort out an annulment together while at least being in the same country. Of course Finn's charm doesn't fizzle out once they're back in California and Cara is starting to get swept away.

I was really, really enjoying this story until one day while Cara was at work (as 2nd assistant to a Hollywood agent), Finn shows up because Oscar was approached in the park to be in a movie. And then Finn was asked to audition for a leading role in a major upcoming movie. I know we typically suspend disbelief in any romance novel but for some reason this all struck me as too unbelievable and it was a little distracting. Once I got myself past this, I was back to really enjoying things. There were good side stories, fun supporting characters and the epilogue was written from Oscar's POV. I mean, how can you not love that??

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for the opportunity to review this book and give my honest opinion.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

After being dumped by her boyfriend, Cara, an aspiring screenwriter, goes on a whirlwind trip to Ireland where everything seems to be going wrong: they sent her luggage to London, she gets drenched by a careless driver speeding over a puddle, her first Uber driver cancels her ride... until Finn arrives. Her new ride has a sort of a dingy car, an adorable dog and he has all the Irish charm. Also add that he is a hunk. He's chivalrous too, as he offers her his sweater to wear as she's wet and shivering. They chat all the way to the hotel and he suggests a few non-touristy things for her to do in Dublin.

One thing leads to another and Cara sees herself touring Dublin with Finn and ending up in a bar on Leap Day and Finn is the guitar player in the band performing there. After witnessing a girl propose to her boyfriend and under the influence of quite a lot of whiskey shots and the vibe of Leap Day proposals, Cara proposes AND marries Finn! 

When they wake up next morning, which is also Cara's last day in Ireland, they decide to head to the US and sort an annulment there. What she doesn't expect is that Finn soon takes a liking to the town and is getting offers to play the role of a lifetime in an upcoming movie. That's when Cara starts to doubt everything: was this a plan all along to use her LA contacts or is this a true fairytale love?

This book is the hybrid child of The Devil Wears Prada/Leap Year/PS I Love You, but in a good way. Finn is adorable, Cara is relatable and the secondary characters are all fun, including the dogs. BTW, the epilogue is from the POV of Oscar the dog and it's adorable.  

I would have given this book the five stars of it weren't a closed door/fade to black book. It's hard for me to believe in the insta-love/lust when most is inferred.  Other than that, it's a nice low angst love story. 

Thank you, NetGalley, Sourcebooks Casablanca and the author for the advanced copy.

3.25 stars

Lucky Leap Day started out really strong for me. I mean, who doesn't LOVE an Irish leading man and an accidental wedding to set out the eventual love story? Sure, it did seem like a bit of a strange choice to start right after said accidental wedding and then do an extended flashback for what ended up amounting to a third of the book, but I was certainly still onboard.

However, the farther that I got into this book, the more I found myself wishing that there was...well, more to this book. The story certainly hit all of the typical beats, but I never felt like it went deep enough with our leading pair as individuals and as a couple. I could see where Walker was trying to build the relationship, but it still came off as very surface-level to me.

On top of that, the third act conflict frustrated me to no end! To me, what happened felt like a big deal and the characters around the couple pretty much glossed over it because of LOVE. I needed a lot more groveling for me as a reader to forgive what happened and I never really got it.

That being said, I did still enjoy the novel overall. It just didn't end up being the knockout that the opening made me think that it was going to be.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for an ARC of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review!

This was a fun book. I enjoyed it. What would have made me enjoy it more was if Finn was more developed. I never felt like he became a fully realized love interest. Also, the epilogue was a rather ridiculous.

Cara, who’s been ditched recently, decides not to give up on the Dublin trip originally planned with her now ex-boyfriend. She is set on going by herself and enjoying her time. Once there, she meets Finn Maguire, a charming and sweet Irish man. Three days, a lot of whisky and an Irish tradition later, Finn and Cara end up married. Not having enough time to figure this all out in Dublin, Cara goes back to the US with Finn in tow, ready to call whatever lawyer needed to divorce her unexpected new husband.

Overall, this book was a fine read. The accidental marriage was a change from the usual ‘marriage of convenience’ trope. The main characters were cute together and Julia, Cara’s best friend, was fun. Also, there was a dog— instant bonus point.

Cara was a pleasant MC but I didn’t really connect with her. There were a few moments during her inner monologue when I just had to roll my eyes, especially during her time in Dublin (no, Cara, having brown hair, blue eyes and some freckles doesn’t equal being Irish… I’m even close to certain that description could fit a fair amount of the world population).
I did relate to her on one part, though, regarding her self doubts about wanting to pursue a screenwriting career but not knowing if she’s cut out for it. This resonated with me.

On the other hand, I absolutely loved Finn who was sweet, caring, just a bit teasing and of course, charming! Therefore, I found myself a bit bored during the parts that didn’t directly involve him.

The execution as a whole was a bit frustrating for me— I was engaged in the story for the first half of the book, but the second half dragged a little and it didn’t feel like much was happening. The very end grabbed my attention again and was cute. The epilogue was also so unexpected and quirky, I actually laughed out loud.

Long story short, anyone who’s looking for a light, quick, angst-free and closed-door romance, will enjoy this book!
I’m settling for a solid 3.5 stars rating, rounded up.

Thanks to NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS for this opportunity!

This book initially drew me in due to the super cute cover and the guitar on the front. I love a good romance story with a musician! This story was about Cara's trip to Ireland, moving on from her ex, falling for the cute Irish man and everything that follows after a Leap Day get together at the local pub. Cara wake she up only to discover she proposed to Finn after a night of drinking and frivolity. The two then have to figure out how to maneuver through adjusting to married life, balancing two different home countries and potential career opportunities for them both before they can determine their happily ever after. I enjoyed this light and fast read, especially the peak into Irish culture and history. It was entertaining and enjoyable. This romance is closed door, so we hear about intimate moments throughout the story but they do not occur on the page.

Many thanks to netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book! All opinions are my own.

This book is super cute and I really enjoyed it. It had a really strong start and I really enjoyed the ending but the middle was a bit iffy. It felt as if I was just being told about how they were growing closer without actually seeing it. Why did they have their entire first date and we didn't see the actual conversations they had. Overall it was really cute.

I received an arc through netgalley.

Lucky Leap Day by Ann Marie Walker
Tags: Contemporary Romance; RomCom; Marriage of Convenience; Forced Proximity Romance; Vacation Romance

What better way to get over a recent heartbreak, then to take advantage of a long weekend vacation to Ireland? After an unexpected break up, Cara Kennedy does just that – and during her swift visit, she manages to meet charming Finn Maguire and his canine companion Oscar. After a few too many whiskeys on her final night (which also happens to be Leap Day) – Cara purposes and finds herself returning to LA with a new husband and pup in tow!

This was a delightful read – a perfect, classic romcom set up that had Leap Day and It Happened In Vegas vibes. I was all in on this one – Ireland, a charming Irish lad, a cute pup, and a whirlwind romance? Yes please! I could definitely envision this one as a RomCom and hope to see it adapted in the future (come on Netflix – help me out here!)

I loved the addition of the Irish phrases and bits that made it so you could just ‘hear’ Finn’s accent as you were reading. I really enjoyed both Cara and Finn from the beginning – this is for sure a classic romcom, with some over the top / far fetched moments, but it grabs you from the beginning and its fun, fast and perfectly lighthearted. As soon as I started, I just had to keep going, I was charmed by the premise and just couldn’t wait to see how things would play out for Cara and Finn as they gave things a go.

This was a sweet, fun escape read and makes me long to visit Ireland. I look forward to trying more reads from this author. Thank you to Sourcbooks Casablanca and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an early copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own and offered freely.

I was expecting so much more out of the story. It was probably because I had high expectations, but I am still disappointed. I felt like the characters lacked chemistry and I don't particularly enjoy instant romance. The whole story took a turn I wasn't expecting, which was still enjoyable (for some parts), but I wished they would have spent more time in Dublin. I think there were many unnecessary dialogues that didn't bring anything to the story. At one point, I just started skimming through the book.

What really saved it, more like the reason I'm giving 3 stars it because some parts of the books were really funny and Finn's loving personality restored my faith in men. Cara was alright and all of the other characters didn't make an impact on me.

It is enjoyable if you want a spice-free, one bed, instant romance book.

If you loved the movie Leap Day you will love this book. Lucky Leap Day is a sweet, meet cute rom-com with a HEA.

Finn and Cara meet through a rideshare app, and sparks instantly fly; the only problem is Cara is only in Ireland for the weekend. Two nights later, with too much whiskey and a lot of confidence, they tie Knot on leap day.

I loved this book and finished it one day. Such a light, fun read filled with fun characters. Thank you Netgalley and Source books for this ARC

In a word, cute!

This is the second book I've read this week that was set in Ireland, is the universe trying to tell me something?? Either way, I loved how this story started, the first chapter hooked me in and I was so ready for an Irish adventure! Even though it didn't last in Ireland, the story was a fun one, and Finn was very book boyfriend material too! Who doesn't want an Irishmen they accidentally married on Leap Day?

There is no steam in this one since it's a closed door romance, but the chemistry between the characters was more sweet and lovable. Loved the first chapter, loved the epilogue, the middle parts fell a bit short for me, but I still think it was a cute read! It definitely made me want to book an impromptu trip to Ireland!

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for the earc in return for an honest review

Lucky Leap Day is a sweet, meet cute rom-com with a HEA.

Finn and Cara were good but Oscar and Coco were the cutest MCs 😄

Liked the story and the characters in spite of it starting to feel like a mocktail of several cute movies at some point 😁.

Overall - 3.5 stars for an entertaining read!

I flew through this book in one evening and totally enjoyed it! Cara goes on a quick vacation to Ireland and accidentally gets married. Finn is so charming and fun. I absolutely loved the setting and descriptions! Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

“Back home she was definitely more wallflower than femme fatale. But in Ireland, Cara could be any version of herself she wanted, and apparently what she wanted was to kiss the cute guitar player.”*

After being dumped by her boyfriend, Cara decides to take the trip they planned together to Ireland solo. There she meets charming Finn, overindulges in Irish whiskey, and becomes inspired by the Leap Day tradition to propose. Along with several souvenirs, she returns to California with her new husband in tow—and his dog. Despite her desire for a divorce, as time passes, she becomes less tempted to part, yet everything about him seems to good to be true.

Cara, an aspiring screenwriter, works as an assistant to a high maintenance Hollywood agent, who keeps her on a tight leash while expecting Cara to cater to her pampered pooch. I liked how Cara’s job was shown to be a big part of her life as were her ambitions. The secondary characters, including sassy work friends, Jonathon and Julia, and silver screen star Penelope, were so well developed and delightful, they nearly stole the show. Cara’s boss made a great antagonist as did ex-boyfriend, Kyle. The grand gesture at the end was adorable, but I wasn’t a fan of the epilogue, mostly because while the rest of the book used Cara’s point of view, the epilogue was told in another character’s perspective. The choice was so odd, I wondered if this was something the author does as part of her brand, but it really didn’t work for me. Barring the epilogue, I really enjoyed Finn and Cara’s love story.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thanks to Sourcebooks Casablanca for providing an Advance Reader Copy via NetGalley.

*Please note that my review is based on uncorrected text.

Fairly cute rom-com. I just couldn’t connect with the characters for some reason.
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for an ARC OF this book.

If you're a nerd and loved the movie Leap Day as much as I did, then you are going to adore this book! Lucky Leap Day was bingeable, funny, and charming--basically everything I expected it to be and more.