Oh, Drat! How I wanted to love this and count my lucky stars, but alas, Count Your Lucky Stars by Alexandra Bellefleur was not quite for me. Stop the presses, however, as it wasn’t the plot or the characters I didn’t love, it was something else altogether..

The fact of it is, that “steamy details” don’t do it for me. In fact, “steamy details” make me cover my eyes and run screaming and the details in this one were a doozy.

While I love this author and the main characters of Margot and Olivia (and Elle, Darcy, Brandon, and Annie) and this series so very much, this book made me duck and cover.

What I did like, however, were the friendships and relationships between all of the characters and how everyone communicated. The issues brought up by Margot and Olivia when trying to figure out the ins and outs of their relationship are what romance is all about! If only this book had been less risque. Truth be told, if this author’s books were less racy, then I personally would enjoy them more as the storylines and her writing style is fabulous.

A romance for everyone, who loves love. If racy, steamy details are your thing, this book just might be right up your alley.
3.5 Stars

Thank you to NetGalley, Avon, and Harper Voyager for the arc.

Published on Goodreads and Twitter.

I have not read the other books in this series!! But I still definitely enjoyed this book! I loved the bi representation and I LOVE a good second-chance romance! It was very funny, but it is very much a romance novel so it isn't suuper deep. I am looking forward to reading the first two books in this series, but I'll defintely be recommending Alexandria Bellefleur books to people looking for a cute romance novel!

Count Your Lucky Stars is a romance novel following Margot after a series of events led her to living with her first love while the new roommate plans Margot’s best friend’s wedding. This book follows the story of the first two novels but could easily be read on its own.

This book is perfect for the hot mess queer person who wants an easy read that’s not about teenagers. I personally believe this is the author’s best work, having toned down the girlboss millennial vibe of the first two books. The characters were well thought out and relatable. My only complaint was that the ending seemed a bit abrupt. I would have loved to read more.

This book really, REALLY knew its audience. It’s written for a specific group of people, and I think it’s going to appeal to that specific group very well.

I hadn’t read the first two books in the series before reading this one, so that might color my responses to it somewhat. I do plan to read them, but after interacting with the characters from the first two, I’m guessing that this will end up being my favorite of the three.

Things I love that this book had:
Second-chance romance
Friends to lovers
A very chaotic cat
Lots of bi characters

It was fun and definitely sexy and it would probably be a good end to the trilogy if I’d read the other two first.

There were also a couple of scenes that genuinely made me laugh out loud, one involving the cat and one involving mayonnaise. You’ll know it when you read it.

Like I said, this book REALLY knows its audience. Unfortunately, that audience is white millennials and not really anyone else. The references to Friends and The Office, the leggings, and the all-white friend group composed mainly of feminine women really did make me wonder whether this book was REALLY written this year because it sort of felt like a sitcom from 2006 but made sapphic. And that’s fine! Just not quite my cup of tea.

(I have obviously read books that are whiter than this one, but most of them were set in England in the 1800s, not major US cities in the 21st century.)

Anyway, if you like sapphic romcoms and cats and you’re okay with a lot of astrology and millennial references, you will absolutely enjoy this book.

CW: sexual content, mentions of a heart attack

What I Liked:
-I love Alexandria Bellefleur's writing style and the representation her characters portray.
-This was a little twist on your average rom-com. I liked the "remeeting" over a decade later after some big life changes.
-I love how much we got to see the characters from the first book and how the plot kind of centered around events involving them!
-Margot and Olivia's relationship was beautiful to watch unfold.

What I Didn't Like/Wanted More Of:
-Some parts of this book felt very surface level - I feel like we never really got into too much depth.

You Should Read if You Like:
-Rom-coms
-LGBT+ books

Disclaimer - I have not read the other two books in this series, but was reassured that each book in the series can be read as standalones.

Count Your Lucky Stars follows Margot. Margot continues to feel like the 5th wheel in her friend group until she is reunited with her childhood best friend Olivia Grant after 11 years. Olivia needs a place to stay and Margot offers her the extra room in her place.

Instantly you can piece together that both Olivia and Margot have strong feelings for each other, that have been unresolved since their childhood and that becomes a major focus of the book (YAY for second-chance romances!).

I absolutely adored Olivia. She is always looking out for the wellbeing of others. She is passionate in her work as an event planner and is trying to sort through her own situation after moving to Seattle following her divorce. She just happens to take on the job of planning Brendan Lowell's wedding.

This was a fun read and also VERY funny! It's definitely a romance novel and follows the typical storyline of one.

I MEAN WHO DOESN'T LIKE SlOW-BURN ROMANCE, DIRTY TALK, AND THE ROOMMATE TROPE ALL MIXED TOGETHER? Yes - I needed to put that in all caps!

I definitely need to pick up the other two books in this series so that I can go more in depth with the other characters in the book!

Thank you to Netgalley and Alexandria Bellefleur for providing this ARC to me in exchange for my honest review.

I highly encourage anyone checking this out once it releases in February! Alexandria is an extraordinary writer and knows a thing or two about writing romance books!

Aww, Alexandria Bellefleur can do no wrong! She's such a wonderful author and I really enjoy this series! This was such a cute book with wonderful characters and a believable plot. You do not need to read the first two books in the series to enjoy this one! This is quite a spicy read, though, so do be aware if you are not into that sort of thing. But, you could always skip over those scenes and still really enjoy the adorable characters and feel-good plot. Have I made it clear how much I enjoyed this book? During these uncertain and scary times, we need more authors like Bellefleur who are writing feel-good romance and cheering us all up! Thank you for another fabulous book!

I loved Written in the Stars - Elle and Darcy’s story was by far one of my favorite reads of last year. Then, in Hang the Moon we got to know Brendan and Annie and their story was charming and lovely and I fell more in love with this group.

Now comes Margot’s book. I wasn’t sure what to expect. Margot is the take no shit friend that the entire group has relied on and come to love. Feeling a bit like a 5th wheel and trying not to worry about her friends needing her less with all the life changes, fate pulls a punch in the form of Olivia, Brendan’s wedding planner and former friend and flame.

My only slight complaint was the lack of communication (past and present) being a stumbling block for these characters. I can see it happening as new adults but as full fledged adults it was a bit frustrating.

If you love second chance, f/f, steamy as hell romance - look no further. All in all, this series has killed it. And I will auto buy anything this author writes.

Thank you to NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I bow down to the romantic genius that is Alexandria Bellefleur. Friends to lovers and second chance romance aren’t at the top of my favorite romance tropes list. But I absolutely loved the way they were handled in Count Your Lucky Stars. Margot and Olivia’s friendship felt totally formed and the way their initial try at romance failed seemed believable and had real consequences for their current attempt.

This book was hilarious, sweet, and sexy. Seriously, this book is so funny. Even thinking about some of the scenes now is making me start to laugh. On top of really great funny and steamy content, I thought that the fears Margot had about her friendships changing were really relatable. While she’s happy for Darcy, Elle, Brendon, and Annie she feels like a fifth wheel now that they’re all coupled up. Olivia’s journey of having to learn to stand up for herself and not put everyone’s needs ahead of her own was also great to see.

I’m super picky about romance epilogues and when I think that things progress too far too quickly. So I loved where Margot and Olivia were during the epilogue. It seemed just right for my Goldilocks-eque demands. Now I can’t wait to read whatever Alexandria Bellefleur writes next.

Margot does not do relationships. She beds them but never love them - all because she had been burned before. And the woman who set her aflame and had no contact with for the past 11 years is Olivia Grant, the wedding planner for one of her best friend’s wedding.

The shock was apparent on both ends when they meet again. The author really worked on the reveal and made the reasons they fell apart sting. Their inhabitations for getting too close again rippled through the book and you can feel how much the pair needed a chance but what stood in the way now were the same things that tore them apart. The delivery was smooth and engaging and easily conjured the intense feelings between the pair. The build up and actual act of the sex scenes were erotic and super charged. The friendships in the book were also good as gold. Olivia has a cat in the book, named Cat (lol) that has manipulative powers. She has threatened to steal the show at times and made me want a cat too. What would have made it a solid 5 was if we knew how much one wanted the other in the 11 years apart, which was evident in the depth of their love the second time around.

I just reviewed Count Your Lucky Stars by Alexandria Bellefleur. Thank you NetGalley and Avon for the ARC.

I would like to thank the publisher for providing me with an advance digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I would also like to note that I did not realize this book was part of a series, and it can definitely be read as a stand alone or out of order without confusion. It was very similar to Talia Hibbert’s Brown sisters books, in that main characters from all three books show up as side characters in the others.

I thought this book was YA when I received it, so the spice level was a bit of a surprise going in. However, once I realized I was reading an adult romcom, I found this book to be mostly a delight to read. The main characters are both bisexual, which is really unusual. Since finding bi representation in fiction can be quite difficult, I was really happy to see that this was a clear factor in this book, but it wasn’t thrown in your face or made a constant issue. No one really even commented on the characters’ sexualities—they were able to exist as characters who are developed in other ways without hiding their bisexuality or leaving it super vague, which is nice to see.

I will say, I felt the hook dropped just a few pages too soon in this version. If left up to me, Olivia’s commentary on the name M. Cooper in the first chapter would be left out, allowing the introduction to Margot in real time to stand on its own. It was one of the only moments in the book that I felt stepped on it’s own toes a bit, as this book otherwise steered clear of being too heavy-handed or cheesy in favor of relationships that felt genuine to me, if a bit rushed at times.

All in all, this is a super cute romcom, and if you are a fan of LGBTQ+ romance and not afraid of a little descriptive spice, pick up Count Your Lucky Stars when it releases in February!

Thank you Avon and Harper Voyager and NetGalley for this bad@ss novel!
Going to keep this short and sweet.....
Sadly I have not read the other books to this set but best believe I am now!
This was the best I've read in some time.
Couldn't put this down. Loved the characters. The writing was flawless.
Now I'm off to buy the Bellefleur's other books! 👋

Margot Cooper doesn’t do relationships, at least not the serious ones. Not anymore. As her friends couple up and start their lives together, Margot is beginning to feel like the left out fifth wheel. So, when she throws herself into helping plan Brendon’s wedding, she’s thrown off her feet when the wedding planner is her childhood crush and first love, Olivia Grant. Fresh out of a 10-year marriage, Olivia is starting over in Seattle, away from home for the first time since college. Running into Margot was unexpected, but when an unfortunate apartment issue leaves her (and her cat, Cat) homeless, Margot’s empty spare room is offered up. Eleven years of built-up feelings start to pour over. Will they both end up heartbroken again or will they finally get their happy ending?

Queen of the queer rom coms is back with the third novel is her companion series. Count Your Lucky Stars is Margot’s turn at love.

Margot has been my favorite character since her introduction in Written in the Stars. Fiercely loyal, unapologetic in her critiques, ever the pessimist about love. I’ve been anxiously waiting for her love story and it certainly didn’t disappoint. This book is such a good story of right person, wrong time. I loved the introduction of Olivia and how her character plays off of Margot and how she seamlessly fits right into the friend group. The author’s writing style is fantastic, fictional events and people that feel like they’ve been pulled off the Seattle streets. The characters are lovable and dynamic, the storylines and dialogue feel real.

This book was definitely the steamiest of the series and the tension between Margot and Olivia was phenomenal. For their history, I almost wanted more tension and animosity instead of falling right back into friendship after 11 years of estrangement.

Estranged best friends to lovers, forced proximity. You cannot go wrong with this book.

Thanks to the publisher & NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Count Your Lucky Stars is the third book in the affiliated series from Bellefleur (though I haven’t read the other two and you don’t need to in order to follow this one). It’s second chance romance between Olivia, divorced wedding planner, and Margot, co-owner of an astrology business. The two leads were best friends in high school, but drifted apart due to some big misunderstandings. Fate has put them back in close quarters again when Olivia is planning a wedding that Margot is in.

This is a cute, sexy romance with great LGBTQIA+ representation. If you like second chance stories, you will probably enjoy this quick read.

6/5 stars (the extra star is fur the cat)

Okay now that I got that cat pun out of the way, I loved this book. It brought me the same feelings of joy and laughter as the first two and I loved getting to know more about Margot’s character and flaws.

Margot and Olivia are both very believable characters with flaws that are relatable. They make you want to route for them both together and on their own.

I appreciate how all three of these books are tied together using the same friend group, as each book made me want to know more about different side characters. I was so excited when I found out Margot was getting her own book after I read Hang the Moon.

I also very much appreciated the theme of found family throughout the series showing that all different kinds of love are important and worth being celebrated

This was SUCH a cute sapphic romance! Alexandria Bellefleur truly gives everything she is supposed to give in her writing. As a sapphic, I feel indebted to her wholly. With written in the stars and now this!! And seeing all of the characters from the past two Written in the Stars books makes me so happy! Such good fluff & steamy scenes too. She does it for the sapphics, no one can convince me otherwise.

Alexandria Bellefleur strikes again!!! Since the first book, Written in the Stars, I knew Margot's story would be my favorite. Margot is a fierce and funny character who says what she thinks and she is who she is without regrets. Plus she's and Aries and what Aries sun and Aries moon doesn't want to read about a strong and unapologetically independet female lead who falls in love? ALSO Margot's dirty talk??? H O T. Yes ma'am I was very there for Margot's daddy energy.

Margot and Olivia are fun and easy to like as couple. I think they balance out each other perfectly, Olivia, a libra, is soft and someone who loves to care for others to the point where she rarely prioritizes herself and Margot, an Aries, just wants what's best for her friends and isn't afraid to speak her mind when she feels like something isn't okay.

Every romance novel has to have a conflict, we wouldn't read them if the couple didn't over come something and choose each other despite whatever the problem is, its part of the allure. One of my favorite things about her writing is her characters don't have the same argument a million times, there's not constant rehashing of the same issue and the characters never start feeling whiny. and I LOVE THAT!

I am not a fan of friends to lovers, it just has never been a trope I go to there is usually no spark or banter, just awkwardness. I can't do the awkwardness. With that being said, this is the second time that Bellefleur has made me reconsider my stance on friends to lovers.

Strongly recommend this being added to your TBRs along with Bellefleur's other two books in this universe: Written in the Stars + Hang the Moon

I’m a sucker for these characters and this series! Another great story from Alexandria Bellefleur and I hope she’s not finished with them.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc!

Thank you Netgalley and Avon Publishers for an advance copy of this book in exchange for a honest review.

This book is book three in a companion-style series. You don't actually need to read them in order but since the main characters of the previous novels are the most prominent side characters, you'll be slightly spoiled on the relationships. ***LGBTQIA+ REP IN ALL THREE NOVELS**

Written in the Stars, book one, was among my top ten of 2020. I love that book and it is one of my most favorite Sapphic romances ever.

Hang the Moon, book two, was an utter disappointment. I think I expected Margot's story that I didn't have interests in Brendon/Annie's story. Their chemistry didn't make sense to me but I loved the author's writing style so I persisted. Hang the Moon received three stars right before I read this ARC.

Count Your Lucky Stars, book three, was amazing! This story is an estranged friends to lovers with a teenage one night stand twist embedded. Olivia and Margot's conflict resided in lack of communication but the author nearly broke the fourth wall by having Margot recognize that in a straightforward manner. One of my favorite scenes was the cake tasting scene where Olivia knew what Margot liked. That scene and others like it were so adorable to see their past history. That alone made Count Your Lucky Stars so much better than Hang the Moon because it added to them truly loving each other.

THANK. YOU. FOR. THE. EPILOGUE. I loved everything about that epilogue. The six of them all finally happy and living life on three different rates of pace was so lovely to see. It brought the whole series full circle.

It's so difficult to write a review without spoiling this novel (and those before it) but I highly recommend you check out this series if you haven't done so already!

My one dislike for this novel is that I'm going to have to wait until next year to own a physical copy.

GO READ THIS SERIES!!

This was my favorite of Bellefleur's so far! I love a good friends to lovers story and it was awesome to see the other characters from the two previous books as well.