Unfortunately I didn’t enjoy this book, as much as I was hoping for. While originally what caused my attention was the cover, and I for one want to say that I really appreciate that there was plus size representation, especially because we do not see enough of that in books. The storyline felt a little flat, now the setting of the book was cute, but I just could not connect with either character. It felt like their needed to be a little more character growth.

Williams’ writing shines with wit and heart, capturing the ups and downs of love and life with refreshing honesty. It’s the kind of story that’ll make you believe in real love, fate, and maybe even that a lottery ticket and a donut could lead to happily ever after. I found myself smiling through every chapter, and just when I thought I couldn’t love them more, the story deepened in the most unexpected ways. The balance of romance, humor, and personal growth in this book is something really special. The fake dating trope is used to perfection, and I couldn’t get enough of watching Sybil and Kieran navigate their feelings amidst all the chaos. It’s sweet, steamy, and absolutely addictive by the time I reached the last page, I was already craving more.

I was lucky enough to win a copy of JUST OUR LUCK by Denise Williams in a Shelf Awareness giveaway. Thank you for the early look, and have a safe holiday season!

This book was so cute! I loved how Kieran and Sybil were able to help heal each other and see their value. The banter was so fun and the jokes made me laugh. I love how practical Syb was in obviously spending the money she won in the lottery on some extravagant things but that she used the money for so much food too. Tom and granddad were staple characters for me too. Such a fun read!

let me start by saying this was not for me. i didn't really enjoy the fmc, i don't understand how she had a hard time keeping money in her account and then what all of a sudden she has money? yikes. idk. i didn't think the fmc and mmc had any chemistry, the pacing was off, the beginning was so weird to me too. if i heard about the penny one more time i was gonna lose it. it's one thing to set something up but to shove it down your throat and it's anticlimactic? well. not fun.

This book started off great. We meet Sybil who is an unemployed hot mess express and Kiran, an organized doctor in training/donut maker. The 1st 20% caught my attention and seemed like it was going to cut to the meat and potatoes with minimal fluff. I was wrong! Once I got to the 30% mark the story dragged and was overly descriptive.

I did not enjoy the banter between the 2 main characters and I felt that their chemistry was unrealistic. I didn’t see much character growth. Sybil really irked my nerves and at times I wanted to smack her upside her head for lacking common sense.

Overall the story was cute and predictable. Thank you Berkley Publishing Group for this Advance Readers Copy ebook in exchange for my honest review

One of the main things about this book that just was not there was the chemistry between the two main characters. I also did not really like the male main character that much either and I think that lead to me not really liking the book. But don't get me wrong, I think the plot with the lottery card was unique and the representation in this book was great (plus size fmc, neurodiverse rep).

ARC review!

Came for the plot. Stayed for the plus size FMC, neurodiverse rep, and burnout rep. I enjoyed this book for the dialogue and character development. This is my first book by Denise Williams and I’m excited to have a new go-to romcom author to read! Recommend this for lovers of HEA, insta-attraction, and open door scenes 😏

This was super cute! The plot felt a little convoluted and a bit slow at the beginning; it took a while for the premise to get fully in place. But the pacing for the rest of the book felt really smooth. I really liked having a FMC whose mistakes were well-intentioned blunders that had real consequences.

Unfortunately this book did not work out for me.
I’ll start with things I liked: plus size/BIPOC FMC, I
Always love and appreciate in a book. I love the setting/vibes of pending a donut shop. I loved our FMCs bubbly personality.
But sadly a lot did not work for me. The premise of winning the lottery seemed promising but fell flat for me. Our FMC didn’t have much character growth, and the conflict at the 85% mark was a HUGE thing that, if she HAD had some character growth, could have been avoided.
I also think the MMC was a bit boring. He started off so nice and flirty, but then had a personality transplant when finding out about the lottery which was so odd to me.
Overall this did not work for me but I can see how someone else may love it!

Just Our Luck by Denise Williams is pure joy to read! This is my first read by Williams and it will not be my last.

She's down her luck and needs some good luck but after meeting the hot donut maker and a lotto ticket, life is gonna change. There's fake dating shenanigans and so much steam and chemistry. I thought that their chemistry was instant. They needed each other more than they thought. He was the calm to her storm. They were opposites attract but both with family issues and one thing I loved was how relatable it is when you have difficult family dynamics and how life doesn't always turn out and how you overcome that and find your path and I thought their story was sweet, fun, hard at times because her mother was her worst critic but I love that they had each other and they found their happiness with each other and their individuals journey and growth. Such a fun book!

Thank you, Berkeley romance, for the e-arc!

I’m a huge Denise Williams fan, so you know I immediately requested this and gave up my current read to read it, and it did not disappoint!

We meet new characters Sybil and Kiaren. Sybil is messy, fun-loving, and a risk-taker. Kiaren is on a straight path, serious, and trys to anticipate any risk. After Sybil loses her job and goes out for drinks with her friends, she ends her night at a donut shop, where she meets Kiaren. Kiaren is on the path to becoming a doctor, but because his Grandpa is sick, he’s back home running his donut shop. I don’t want to spoil the rest, but there’s a winning lottery ticket, fake (but is it really fake?) dating, tough family dynamics, great friends, and a whole lot of donuts.

Although my life is nothing like Sybil’s I found her character relatable. The two had great chemistry, banter, and I just found myself smiling while reading this. It’s got the usual Denise charm and made me realize how much I missed her writing!

This wasn't quite what I needed it to be. there are so many romances any more, and this cover promised something so special! But ultimately it just fell flat. The banter was nice, the vibes were there, but the chemistry was lacking.

this was my least favorite denise williams so far 🫣 i could chalk it down to disliking the main characters, but i thought what would make a super unique lottery premise was underutilized and i simply never shipped out mc’s!! will def be reading her next release though!

I don't know. I didnt connect with either character very much. They felt shallow and very mean. I love the cover but overall not my favorite.

A book about a plus sized woc in an interracial relationship who loves donuts? That’s literally me, but I was so extremely disappointed in this book. The lack of character development is damning. She starts off as a bum who doesn’t know how to handle money and ends up as a bum who doesn’t know how to handle money. The best part about the book was the chemistry between the two main characters, but the actually plot was meh and the main characters themselves were annoying.

I thought this was overall so cute. I loved the plus sized POC FMC representation! However Sybil's character felt a little immature, she made choices that I just couldn't get behind. I don't want to list them out as to not spoil, but she just wasn't for me. I do think she could definitely be somebody else's cup of tea though, so I would still say give this a shot! I really liked our MMC; he falls first! That's a trope I adore! And the relationship had heartwarming moments which I liked. Thank you to Netgalley and Berkley for the ARC in exchange for the honest review!

thank you to netgalley and denise williams for an advance copy of this book!

ੈ♡˳ rating: two of five stars

ੈ♡˳ thoughts:
let me start by saying denise williams is one of my favorite authors. as someone who is a plus sized black woman in an interracial relationship with a white man, i love her. however this book did not hit the mark for me.

i began writing this review while still reading the book so obviously i don’t know how it ends. but as of right now, i’m conflicted. the fmc is like, a bum? can’t keep a job, can’t keep a man, can’t keep more than $100 in her bank account? then she randomly wins the lottery and it doesn’t feel like it’s a big part of the story at all. like she becomes a millionaire and is literally like, “yeah that money was transferred in my account this morning.” just like nonchalantly as hell. and then she does win and still has no clue what she’s doing with her life at all. just sleeping on someone’s couch and vibing. like first chapter she literally said i am so bad with money and then won the lottery and didn’t get a financial planner and just started going around buying her entire family thousands of dollars worth of useless jewelry like girl.

the fmc mom is like a bitch. and for good reason she doesn’t believe in her daughter making any good decisions in her life but like calls her out on it all the time. she’s so unloving to her daughter it’s insane.

mmc eats fmc cat on the first date and is insanely attached to her and then the next day he’s super awkward and doesn’t like her and acts like he doesn’t and is like scared to touch her? confused.

^^ written at 50% in the book.

fmc is actually just dumb? i fear she doesn’t think before she does anything. she doesn’t ask for opinions, she just does things that are going to ruin everything. i would have dnf’d this if i wasn’t 85% through with it already. she’s just jarring. it really seems like she can’t do anything right, girl you are grown. time to GROW UP. but at least at the end of the book she can keep a man.

spice level - 3/5

ੈ♡˳ tropes
ꕥ fake dating
ꕥ plus sized fmc
ꕥ he falls first (ish)
ꕥ interracial relationship

ੈ♡˳ fave quotes
“ೃ⁀➷ no quotes because an arc is always subject to change!

◡̈ ◡̈ ◡̈

Just Our Luck was fun, rom-com. Sybil’s sense of humor and grit are endearing. I wish there was more background or development of some characters. Some plot points were resolved too easily, but overall it’s a cute and fun love story.

4 stars!

I was originally drawn to this book by the STUNNING COVER! I still cannot get enough of it, then I read the synopsis and fell in love with the unique premise and had to read it - and newsflash, I loved it!

I loved Sybil and Kieran together and as individuals, and their banter was ADORABLE! My only complaint was there felt like a lot of filler dialogue and even filler inner monologues. It made it feel long and arduous at times. But honestly this is an easy recommendation for me. Despite my hang ups I still had a great time