Rating: DNF at 37%
Spice rating: 3 (The one scene I read was explicit enough to get a mid-level rating, but it wasn't anything to write home about.)

Welcome to Delulu Land, population: Sybil. Pro tip, babes - Petty theft combined with parking violations when you're already late to work is not the way to start the day if you plan to ask for a promotion. There's a reason you haven't managed to hold a job for more than six months and are living with your parents after being evicted. It's called being completely irresponsible. You might wanna grow up and work on that.

This is the sort of female main character I despise - zero ambition, zero work ethic, and zero plans to change. But she thinks she can coast through life on nothing more than her charm and fully expects good things to happen for her because she's "lucky." She knows everyone in her life thinks she's a flake and a failure, but she could be great if people would just give her a chance. Really! Except she's been given dozens of chances and has blown all of them because she genuinely doesn't see any reason why she'd need to do anything as radical as put in real effort. She's the poster child for "doesn't live up to her potential."

On the other hand, the male main character - Kieran - is the sort of person who has the self-discipline not only for medical school but to run his grandfather's business while his grandfather is recovering from a stroke. He's the definition of ambitious and dependable. But somehow I'm supposed to believe that a quick hookup between these two polar opposites leads to some fake dating and then a real happy-ever-after? I'd need a bridge cable to suspend my belief that much. Nope, sorry, not happening.

I struggled to finish this book and eventually gave up. I hate DNF-ing, but life is too short to read books I don't like. I hope others will enjoy it more than I did but I'd advise checking it out from the library rather than spending money on it.

I just really enjoyed this story and I just didn’t want it to end. I just lost myself in and I just couldn’t get enough of these interesting characters. I can’t wait to see what’s next from this author.

I love this book! This is my first book by Denise Williams, and it will not be my last. Since reading this, I have acquired most of her back list! She is a wonderful writer that brings you into a world full of hope, love, and engaging enjoyable characters

My rating is 3.75

I first want to thank NetGalley, the publisher Berkley, and the author for a review copy of Just Our Luck.

When I first started the book, I found myself frustrated to the point where I felt like I was going to just DNF it.

I could understand Sybil’s perceived aloofness, her tardiness, impulsiveness, and some other behavior was difficult to read. Simply because it felt like this character had a textbook case of ADHD. I was frustrated with her overly demanding family -how do you not notice that your child has behavioral issues?- led to some confusion and anger on Sybil’s behalf. Especially her mom. When Sybil was just such a kind, creative, and genuine soul. They were not helpful for her RSD.

Kieran on the other hand kinda felt like he had a stick up his butt for some time, he felt responsible for his grandfather and his sister. At some point, he gets frustrated with Sybil for her being late, then made some bold assumptions about her character based on that one time thing.

I love a good fake dating trope, this one made sense, and it was quite adorable once the romancing started becoming real. There is a third act breakup, and it was something that made complete sense based on the character traits. The reconciliation between Syb and Kieran was adorable and heartfelt.

I do think that the resolution between Syb and her family was rushed, because her mom was quick to change her mind which, let's be real, that is highly unlikely.

Overall, Just Our Luck by Denise Williams was heartwarming, funny, with a fair amount of banter between the MCs, some well-developed side characters. The focus on self-discovery, complicated family dynamics, caregiving, and hope made for a good reading experience.

This book started out really strong for me and I was intrigued. The banter was great as usual. The lottery ticket was an interesting piece of the plot. What lost me a bit was the fake dating. I didn’t buy into it that it was necessary, especially with the amount of chemistry that the author created at the initial attraction. For a good chunk of the book I just found myself wondering what was keeping them apart.

This book had potential to be a lot better. The story dragged on. The fmc is was a mess and the mmc was just unnecessarily mean I personally hate a third act breakup - very unnecessary. Overall I would've dnf'd but stuck around to see if it would get better.

This book was so funny to read. Some part felt very unrealistic but its fiction so I guess.
I enjoyed the fake-dating trope so much. Kiran is such a sweetheart.
My favorite thing about this book is the representation of a plus size FMC that doesn’t feel cringe. She loved the body that she is in and she is very confident
This was a quick read, funny, witty. I enjoyed reading this book

i really tried with this one. I just couldn't. I like this author; however, i think this book is worse than Technically Yours.
sigh.

Thank you Netgalley and Denise Williams for an arc in exchange for honest review.

I’ll admit, I wasn’t sure about this one at first and almost DNF’d, but I’m so glad I gave it more time! I ended up laughing, kicking my feet, and fully swooning over this relationship. I really enjoyed the dynamic between Sybil and Kiran, they complemented each other so well and had such great chemistry.

I especially felt for Sybil, being seen as the black sheep and feeling uncertain about her path in life. Her journey was relatable and emotional.

The reason I didn’t rate it higher is that I wish the ADHD diagnosis had been explored more deeply. It felt a bit rushed toward the end, and I think it would’ve been more impactful to see her process this earlier on including how it shaped her experience, whether she considered medication, etc. Also, I wouldn't have minded Kiran groveling a little more!

Overall, I truly enjoyed this book and would definitely recommend it. I’m looking forward to reading Denise Williams backlist!

um!!! genuinely just became one of my favorite romance stories ever. i loved sybil so much that just the thought of her and her beautiful brain and desire to do so much for everyone all the time... makes me so weepy. so grateful that this story was written.

This was pretty. cute but not my favorite romance I've read recently. I want to be very sensitive to the fact that this story is about someone who is discovering that they have ADHD and how they are moving through life before they're able to understand that aspect of their life. While some of the things that Sybil does or the decisions she makes are frustrating to a third party, I don't want to judge her or this book for that as I can only imagine is a very difficult thing to go through.

All that said, I did unfortunately feel like the pacing of the whole book was really inconsistent, there were times where I felt as though we had missed whole scenes or there would be a jump in time that wasn't wholly explained and it was confusing to keep track of everything. All that said, while I think this was okay it just wasn't a personal favorite of mine.

Thank you to Berkley Romance for the eARC - all opinions are my own.

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

This was my first read by Denise Williams, and for the most part, it was an enjoyable one. I love discovering new-to-me authors, especially when their stories include representation I can personally relate to. As someone who is plus-size and has ADHD, I really appreciated seeing a main character who reflected pieces of my own experience. That said, while there were so many moments that felt familiar and validating, I did feel like the book leaned a bit too heavily on constantly emphasizing those traits. I would’ve loved to see the character exist more naturally in her identity, rather than having it repeatedly pointed out.

There was also a bit of a disconnect for me with Kiran’s behavior. He was described as being instantly attracted to her, but his actions didn’t always match that—it shifted quickly into this awkward, platonic dynamic that didn’t quite make sense with how drawn to her he supposedly was. Still, I really enjoyed his POV overall. He came across as a thoughtful and genuine character, and I appreciated the way his layers unfolded as the story progressed.

The romance itself had a semi slow-burn feel, which I always enjoy, and the fake dating trope was a fun addition. Despite a few bumps along the way, the love story of acceptance and growth was sweet and worth the read.

4⭐, 2.25🌶️


This was a fun and cute romance! I always enjoy Denise's romance's and this was just adorable. A One Night Stand turns into fake dating when Sybil gifts Kieran with a multi-million dollar lottery ticket! It was adorable at times, super sweet at time, and just a dash of emotion (I just wanted to hug Sybil and hit Kieran over the head with a newspaper over the overdramatic third-act breakup). Definitely craving a donut now!

Thank you NetGalley and Berkeley Publishing Group for an eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!

Just Our Luck is a new opposites attract, fake dating romance from Denise Williams. It’s fun, steamy, and will have you craving donuts and wanting to go buy some lottery tickets!

When we meet Sybil, her life is without direction in terms of love and her career. All she wants is financial stability and some carbs, so she buys herself a lottery ticket and heads to a nearby donut shop. Kieran’s life had direction until he had to put his med school plans on hold to run his family’s bakery and take care of his ailing grandfather. The bakery is struggling so Kieran has the weight of the world on his shoulders when Sybil walks in late one night looking for donuts.

The attraction between Kieran and Sybil is instant and what is meant to be a one night stand becomes so much more when Sybil leaves behind what turns out to be a winning lottery ticket, and Kieran tracks her down to return it. After hearing his story the night they met, Sybil really wants to split it with him but Kieran says he couldn’t just take her money, so she comes up with a way he can help her in return. Pretend to be her boyfriend for a few months to get her family, especially her mother, off her back for a few months so she can regroup.

I loved the chemistry and the banter between Kieran and Sybil, and I think my favorite part of their relationship was that Kieran understands Sybil, and specifically Sybil’s neurodivergence, and that understanding and support really gives her the confidence to finally stand up to her mother and ultimately change their dynamic for the better as well.

This book had me hooked from the very beginning. I am always gonna love a fake dating trope and this one did it just as good as I expected the ending for me was a little disappointing because I believe that certain things that didnt need to happen, but other than that, I absolutely loved it. You donut want miss out on reading this book.

This is my first read by this author and while I did enjoy the overall premise of the story, it the story started to lose me pretty quick (I had to switch to the audio to keep myself engaged). I didn’t find the relationship between Kieran and Sybil believable at all. Honestly, Kieran didn’t even really seem to like Sybil all that much after their first meeting. I felt bad for Sybil at first, but she made so many questionable choices that eventually I was like “girl, you’re no longer getting the benefit of the doubt here”. And I actually hated the third act conflict. So much so that I almost DNFed at that point, but I pushed through. No way that specific conflict would be resolved as quickly as this one was. *eye roll*

Thank you Berkley Pub and NetGalley for the eARC.

Unfortunately, this book is not for me. Sybil was a hot mess and really didn’t seem to want anything in her life to change. Like, girl, take some responsibility for your life choices. Also, Kieran fell for her because of her looks and bad jokes. Sure. I’d rather not push myself to finish a book I’m enjoying.

I wanted to love this one so bad. I love Denise's work, but this just fell flat for me? I wasn't connected to either of them and I just felt like it lacked that signature Denise magic.

Kieran was just so mean to Sybil basically the entire time? And Sybil was just a hot mess? I don't know I just know this did not hit the mark for me and I'm incredibly sad about that.

Thank you Berkley for the ARC.

Another sweet romance with loads of chemistry from a favorite author of mine. I loved the plotline of this one and it had me wondering what I would do if I won the lottery. Sybil and "the donut man" are adorable together and it was nice to see her find her rock in him. I really related to Sybil and her daily challenges and finding the right support makes all the difference. The audiobook is narrated so well and really brings this love story to life.