Just Our Luck is a charming fake-dating romance that serves up sweetness, angst, and donuts with a side of financial irresponsibility.

We follow Sybil, who’s basically down to her last $20, last nerve, and last ounce of hope when she buys a lottery ticket that (spoiler alert) changes everything. Kiran, the reluctant cinnamon roll hero with a stethoscope in his rearview mirror and a donut shop dragging him down, is just trying to keep it together—for his grandad, for the shop, and for his own sanity. When their lives collide via winning ticket and viral fame, they fake a relationship to save face... and end up catching feelings. As one does.

Sybil and Kiran’s chemistry is soft, sweet, and just shy of sticky—like a good donut. Kiran, our reluctant romantic, is smitten early on, and it’s genuinely adorable to see him try (and fail) not to fall for Sybil. Their dynamic is opposites attract with a dash of “he falls first,” and it works.

That said, I’m conflicted. Sybil’s character? Whew. She is vibes-only. She’s floating through life, can’t hold down a job or a man, and when she does win the lottery? She basically says “neat” and then proceeds to buy her family a bunch of flashy, impractical jewelry and keeps sleeping on someone’s couch. No financial planner in sight. It’s giving “chaotic good,” but also “girl, what are we doing??” Her lack of direction, even after the win, was a bit maddening.

And let’s talk about Sybil’s mom: Ice Queen Supreme. She’s critical to the point of cruelty, and while some of her frustrations are understandable (Sybil really is lost), the complete lack of maternal warmth made their relationship painful to watch. The weight of that dynamic hangs over the book like a thundercloud that never quite breaks.

The fake dating premise had potential but didn’t fully deliver for me—it felt underdeveloped, and the resolution came in a hurry, like the book hit the 90% mark and realized it had places to be.

Still, there’s a lot to love here: delightful side characters, a sprinkle of humor, plus-size rep, slow-burn romance, and a truly good-hearted hero. It’s a cozy, feel-good story that tries to balance rom-com hijinks with deeper emotional beats—even if the follow-through wobbles a bit.

A sweet read with lovable moments, but the execution left me wanting more depth, more follow-through... and maybe a financial advisor for Sybil.

Just Our Luck by Denise Williams is another one of her romantic stand-alone novels. We meet Sybil Sweet, who continually bounces from job to job, unable to find a good job. She is a floundering member of her family, with little financial stability. Sybil stops at the donut shop one evening and buys a lottery ticket; and meets Kiran, who is hot and sexy. This will become an interracial romance, with she also being a plus-size female.

Kiran Anderson, was scheduled to return to med school for his next semester, but when his grandfather suffered a stroke, he deferred the semester to help his family run the donut shop; until his grandfather recovers. Both Sybil and Kiran find themselves attracted to each other.
The following morning, Kiran spots the lottery ticket that Sybil forgot to take; and sees that the ticket was a winning one. Kiran is determined to find Sybil, and is interviewed on social media requesting the help of finding Sybil, to give her the winning ticket; Sybil sees the video and returns to the shop. Sybil learns how much she won, which turned into millions; and she also wants to help Kiran and family to keep their donut shop business afloat.

Sybil and Kiran were totally different, as she was impulsive, cheerful and always does the unthinkable; whereas Kiran was a hard worker, disciplined and thrives on success. But a connection between them kept pulling them together, with her loving Kiran’s calm and he enjoying her wonderful personality. The chemistry between them was sizzling. Sybill convinces Kiran to appear on social media talking about their attraction to each other, with them hiding that this was a fake dating trope.

What follows is their relationship continues grow, even if Kiran, who is grumpy at times, still plans to return to med school. I really liked Sybil and Kiran together, with their chemistry making things even stronger; and sexy. With Sybil now very rich, she does gives donations to help businesses and others, but she does make mistakes. I loved so many of their friends and family, which was fun, humorous and enjoyable. I will say at times things were a bit slow.

Just Our Luck was a fun, exciting, entertaining and romantic story. Just Our Luck was written by Denise Williams.

"A lottery ticket + donuts = love in this steamy new fake dating romance" ...

If you are looking for a heartwarming romance, look no further.

I met these two pretty cool characters Kieran and Sybil, who took me on a roller coaster of emotions and I am left missing them both terribly.

Id like to take a minute to tell you about them and "Just Our Luck"

Denise Williams delivers a charming and heartwarming romantic comedy that explores themes of second chances, self-discovery, and the power of unexpected connections. Kieran and Sybil, are both well-developed and relatable, with their own insecurities and vulnerabilities. Their individual journeys of self-discovery and growth add so much depth to an already romantic narrative. The characters feel very real, and their interactions are very believable and engaging. The romantic development between Kieran and Sybil is sweet and believable, with genuine chemistry and emotional connection.

Cheers to fake dating, lottery tickets and donuts of course!!

Take a peak at this teaser :

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.

After a winning lottery ticket brings Sybil back face-to-face to her previous one night stand, donut-shop owner Kieran, you can expect a slow-burn, fake dating shenanigans filled read! These two had chemistry from the start but were determined to hold back due to their supposed lack of future together. I adored how they had each other’s back (even with not-so-great results) and how they just understood what the other needed.

This is also a book for anyone who wasn’t sure what they wanted out of life until later, or struggled with fitting into the box that their family placed out for them. Oh, and once the slow-burn falls away, get ready for more of their smoldering chemistry. I received an advanced reading copy, receipt of which did not impact my review.

denise williams books in the past for me have been a mixed bag; i've loved the airport novellas, but haven't had much luck (ha) with her full novels. i wanted to take a chance on this one because of how PRETTY and warm and pink the cover is, but this one just didn't hit for me. the meetcute and set up was really interesting, and then it kind of petered out. while both main characters were fine enough with traits that make the reader want to root for them, neither were particularly memorable.

3.5 rounded up! I love Denise Williams and the unique premise of this book was no exception. Sybil is so chaotically messy, and Kieran is her perfect counterpart. I’d recommend for someone looking for an easy, sweet romance.

I’ll be honest, I didn’t enjoy this one as much as some of the author’s other books. I had a hard time connecting with the female lead and the whole “winning the lottery thing” was just a little too over the top. Also, the ADHD portrayal felt off to me. Usually when I read a book with an ADHD character, there are at least a few aspects that resonate with me and the way I think or act. That was not the case here. I know that ADHD looks different for different people, but to me Sybil felt more like a manic pixie dream girl in her own life than an ADHDer.

All that being said, this is a fun, lighthearted romcom that center around a donut shop. If you don’t mind a few unlikely circumstances and a quirky heroine, then this might just be the book for you. It just wasn’t quite to my personal tastes.

It was such a beautiful, refreshing, and fun story. One of the best Denise Williams book yet and I can't wait to read what she writes next.

This book was such a cute romance! I loved both of the MCs, and I'm glad the author did dual POVs so that we could see inside each character's head. The premise that Sybil won the lottery is of course highly unlikely, but I don't care because this book was so fun. Sybil and Kiran had great chemistry and I thoroughly enjoyed their banter. I was expecting something to happen in the end that didn't (don't want to give it away), because of the microphone someone wore. It was hinted at but then never happened. So I was a little confused about why the hints were there. But I'm overlooking that because the story and all of the characters were so delightful.

I liked this one! This was a quick, cute and steamy read 🩷 and a really great palette cleanser. I’ve been really into thrillers lately and this was fun and sweet. I loved the characters and rooted for them. Sybil’s character was nothing like me but I also found myself finding her to be relatable. She was free-spirited but she wanted her family to take her more seriously. And her growth was my favorite part. She found inner confidence that I feel so many of us strive for. Kieran was grumpy and took himself seriously maybe a little too much. His love for his family was so admirable 🥹 I loved that they balanced each other out. I suggest this if you’re a fan of fake dating with a silly but cute backstory!

Can you manifest luck but be unlucky....until 🍩

Sybil is at an all time low in life, no job, no place to live and no luck in love. Till she manifests luck by stating after a night out "I don't need a boyfriend. I need 12 million dollars and a donut." So with a ticket in hand (paid with the little amount left to her name) she stumbles into Kiran's family donut shop.

After an insta-lust hook up Sybil leaves her ticket and Kiran behind. Koran wanting more and needing to return her mega million winner ticket our story takes off.

Sybil isn't as happy as she thought she would be with all the $$$ she still longs for her mother's acceptance. Kiran running the donut shop was only temporary but due to lack of $ it may become permanent. So Sybil and Kiran strike a deal with to fake date. She has a future doctor to bring home to family. He gets the money his family desperately needs to pay medical bills and get back to Med School.

The fun banter and grumpy x sunshine of these two was next level. The growth, support and fun they brought each other made the story great.

Some of what you get
🍩 Fake Dating
💜 Curvy FMC
🍩 Opposites attract
💙 Dual POV

Short synopsis: Sybil Sweet uses the last of her money to buy a winning lottery ticket, and ends up leaving the ticket with Kiran at his struggling donut shop. In a romantic gesture Kiran gives her the ticket back and they fake date to help his business, and her look good for her family.

My thoughts: I need a donut asap, pink frosting and sprinkles.

Sybil was such a great character, I loved how messy and complicated her life was. I loved her growth through the book and the ADHD rep presented here. She was such a great friend, fake girlfriend, and person in general. She cared so much for strangers, such a great quality!

Kiran was also struggling in his own way. He was hard to like at times, but I could tell he had a lot of inner battles he was fighting between being there to help his sister and grandpa and trying to fulfill his own dream.

One thing that really stuck out to me, was Sybil tried to fix everyone’s problems by giving them money. I think she spent so much of her life needing money, that she thought that’s what would fix all her problems. I liked that she was able to find out that while money can fix some things, it can’t fix everything!

Read if you love:
* Donuts
* Fake dating
* Winning the lottery
* Aspirations and dreams
* Lucky Pennies

This was such a welcome feel good read for me. I liked the fun backdrop of the donut shop, winning lottery ticket and fake dating relationship.
I felt both characters were well developed with flaws and all. Exploring their families added depth to their personalities and made it easy see why they were who they were. Kiran’s serious , guarded personality and Sybil’s emotional, fun, impulsive tendencies were definitely opposites attract.
Their friendship and mutual respect deepened, paving the way for a sweet and heartfelt love story with undeniable attraction and heat. I was shocked at Sybil’s action that caused conflict in their relationship and at the same time it did not seem insurmountable.
Representation of plus size , character and interracial relationship was well done. I look forward to her next book. 4.4 /5

The mount of this man is such a crazy thing. even tho I did hated him because he was asshole but I guess I love this type of man in books because in real life I would literarily go crazy and take them out.

I think this book was such a sweet story, and sybil its such a crazy an amazing character and I think she is such an inspiration.

Denise Williams never disappoints

thank you Berkley for the arc

At a glance:
- Dual POV
- Opposites attract
- Grump/sunshine
- So. Many. Donuts.
- Lottery winner
- Fake dating
- Curvy FMC
- ADHD rep

I adore many books by Denise Williams, but this one was a tougher read for me. Sybil is very ADHD-coded, almost to the point of feeling like a caricature of an ADHD woman early on. Those aspects of who she is are heavy early in the story. I want people to see representation, especially how ADHD can present differently in females than it does in males, but the flip side is that you also see how some of those close to Sybil respond negatively to her. And years of the people she trusts treating her like that has led to negative self-talk. Those moments are not easy to read.

Kieran has his own walls up. He’s been carrying big responsibilities for his family since childhood, and there are some caretaking aspects to his current situation as well. But he sees this as a pause or detour in his life plan, and since things are temporary, he doesn’t want to form serious attachments. Unfortunately, that means he’s not always warm and fuzzy, or even kind, to Sybil.

So, we get that initial spark of attraction between the two of them on the night that they meet, but then, in many ways, that spark goes on a back burner for a chunk of the book as does the tension and playfulness that can often be found as part of the fake dating trope.

This wasn’t the out-of-the-park hit for me that I was hoping, but I look forward to seeing what Williams writes next.

3.5⭐️

I received an advance copy of the book from Berkley. All review opinions are my own.

To be seen is to be loved and boy does Kieran see Sybil. At first he's taken aback through a chaotic experience, but as he gets to know her he begins to cherish her almost immediately and it's a beautiful thing to watch, While Sybil is loved by her family, I don't think she's ever felt cherished or a worthy member of the family. Her mom loves her but is so hard on her and her sister seems perfect by comparison. Kieran shows her that's okay to show up as herself in all of vivacious energy and sometimes chaos and with her big heart. She helps Kieran realize there's more to life than order even though order has protected him thus far. Denise Williams does such a great job at bringing characters to life and giving them real problems without bogging down the story or changing the tone aggressively. I loved this so much.

such a cute little rom com with a unique and adorable plot line! I have to say, the cute cover gives it some bonus points too. Now if only I could be so lucky as to find true love, eat endless donuts, and win the lottery all at the same time!

This was pretty cute. I think if you love Hallmark movie vibes then this will be for you. The concept is fun and I love the cover. There are a lot of cute moments between the MCs and I really liked Kieran.

However, the pacing was a bit off for me. I remember writing down at 20 percent that I felt like I knew all the side characters more than I knew the MCs. I also felt like the FMC was a little bit too much of a mess for me. I understand her and I want to be compassionate, but I ended up really frustrated with a lot of her decisions, especially that last mess up. And while some of the jokes made me laugh out loud, it started to get really cheesy after a while.

Overall, it wasn't for my preference but I can see a lot of people loving it if you're in the mood for a very light fluffy romcom.

I usually love Denise Williams stories and characters, but this one fell a little flat for me. I guess I just didn't buy the reason for the fake dating aspect of the story and that affected my opinion of the rest of the book. The best part of the story was the grandfather. Solid three star read, just not one of her best books.

Thank you Net Galley and publishers for the ARC!

This book hits all of the classic romance marks with the fake dating trope and quirky family/friends. What made it unique is the male protagonist how his chapters really explored layers of being apart of a family and a community. I feel like some chapters were a little rushed and I wish there was a little more depth to the female love interest but overall it was enjoyable!