#JustOurLuck: 🍀🍩💰⁣
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Thank you @prhaudio @berkleyromance for my gifted copies! #PRHAudioPartner #BerkleyPartner⁣
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“Let’s go change our lives.”⁣
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Oh Denise Williams, how you write these real characters that are so flawed and so real with compassion is beyond me. I felt Sybil so hard and just wanted to give her a little hug. Been there honey, done that. It’s so hard to feel seen and yet here Sybil is in all her glory with her trying and coming up short.⁣
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This was such a fun story honestly. I loved Sybil and Kieran separately and together. I felt they truly balanced each other out and just needed a little push here and there.⁣
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Obviously the stars of the show are Joe and Emi as secondaries. Y’all know I love a good secondary character. ⁣
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Audio was perfection. Teddy Hamilton did what Teddy Hamilton does well. Emma Ladji is new to me but they were so great as a dual POV narration. They just.. clicked and I am excited to hear more from Emma in the future.⁣
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I remember fangirling so hard when I met Denise Williams and she matched my energy. She radiates joy and I am so thrilled her new book will be out tomorrow for everyone to enjoy!

Thank you so much to Berkley and NetGalley for an opportunity to read this ARC!

I loved this book! It truly was such a cute quick read! As a plus size, neurodivergent woman I was especially excited to see a bit of myself represented in this book. It was also refreshing to see a plus size woman love herself rather than constantly questioning herself and her body size. I also love a good messy story and this one was nothing short of my usual must haves in a messy book. One particular part of the story that I loved was the FMC struggling through undiagnosed ADHD in adulthood. As someone who went through something similar it was nice to read about someone who truly understood what it was like for people who get diagnosed later in life. There was a lot about Sybil I could relate to. Kieran did get on my nerves a bit at the beginning, but I do love when characters deny their feelings for each other. Kieran's all of a sudden "let me just kind of be rude" act did throw me off a bit. All in all I think this book is great for someone looking to not only diversify their reading, but to also looking for Plus Size and Neurodivergent representation!

3.5 Stars! Sweet, cute, and entertaining!

Just Our Luck is a charming, character-driven rom-com that takes you into the lives of the adrift, kind Sybil and the hardworking, reliable Kiran as they discover together that there may be more to their relationship than just fake dating, surface feelings, and a one-night fling.

The prose is fluid and smooth. The characters are helpful, attentive, and charismatic. And the plot is an engaging mix of friendship, family, light drama, tender moments, awkward situations, snappy dialogue, introspection, support, romance, and new beginnings.

Overall, Just Our Luck is an amusing, captivating, fast read by Williams that was an easy, lighthearted read.

With a gorgeous cover and a fresh, intriguing blurb, I went into this fake relationship romance with high hopes and a lot of excitement. I’ve loved Williams’ work in the past, and was hoping this would be a new favorite. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case. It started out ROUGH for me, with a meet cute that made me physically cringe and an instant hookup that had me scratching my head. Once the lottery storyline was introduced, there were plenty of moments that pulled me into the story, smoothing out some of the rougher patches and staying lighthearted along the way. Ultimately, the plot is as chaotic as our heroine, a mix of sunshine and frustrating moments.

The story follows Sybil, a woman who is a bit of a mess. She’s wildly irresponsible, often late, and has only a few dollars to her name. When Sybil stops into the local donut shop one day, she meets a sexy guy working behind the counter. The two trade a few flirtatious lines and soon find themselves having a spontaneous hookup. Interrupted in the act, Sybil flees, leaving a winning lottery ticket behind. A responsible guy, Kieran tries to return the lottery ticket to Sybil, and the two wind up faking a relationship to benefit his family’s struggling donut shop (it’s complicated). As the two near strangers fake it in public, they get to know each other better and fall in love along the way.

I love a good strangers to lovers, fake relationship romance and I’ve enjoyed Williams’ writing in the past, so this seemed like it was going to be a major win for me. I also liked the opposites attract dynamic and that Kieran is such a sweetheart. I didn’t mind Sybil, even though she’s a handful. But some of the dialogue is just SO bad. Like… bad. I was completely turned off by their first encounter and would’ve DNFed immediately if not for my love of Williams’ work. I do think the story gets a lot stronger in the middle, as Sybil and Kieran’s connection grows. There are lots of funny and playful moments that keep it lighthearted. Just as I was considering bumping up my rating, the third act conflict hit, and it was a rocky one. So this was kind of all over the place for me, and I’ve got a whole lot of mixed feelings.

"Just Our Luck" is an opposites attract, fake dating, swoon-worthy romance. Kiran is running the family donut shop after putting his dream of becoming a doctor on hold to care for his grandfather. He meets Sybil meets after she was fired from her most recent job and they nearly hook up, A winning lottery ticket left behind by Sybil creates a scenario where fake dating can be the only answer. Both Sybil and Kiran have their own issues and struggles, but I like how the author gets them to bring out the best in each other. I also love it when a hero falls first and this romance definitely delivers on that score.

Sybil's struggles with ADHD were very relatable to me - I was not diagnosed until well into adulthood and spent my 20s going from job to job without finding a career until my 30s. I have been in her position where I have less than $100 in my checking account, so her struggles particularly moved me.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and Netgalley for the eARC of this incredibly sweet, sensitive, and sexy romance!

When opposites attract, why not throw in fake dating to complicate things? Sybil's life isn't where she wants it to be: jobless and without a boyfriend. She wants a change and has a lotto ticket that changes everything. Keiran, on the other hand, has deferred his dream to keep his family's donut shop afloat and to care for his grandfather. These two have a fun encounter, and we spend most of the book trying to see how they will make it work. It's a romance so they made it work.

Just Our Luck started out a bit slow for me, but I Iiked the character growth of Kieran and Sybil and enjoyed the progression of their relationship. However—the third act breakup was over the top and struck down Sybil’s character growth. It really seemed unnecessary and unrealistic.

Shout out to the side characters who kept things quirky and fun!

Thank you to Berkley and Denise for the advanced copy.

Rating: 3.5 Stars

Just Our Luck by Denise Williams caught me by surprise with how the beginning escalates real quick between Sybil and Kieran after their first meeting at Kieran’s grandfather’s donut shop. It set the stage for this sweet love story. Sybil is a bit scattered and unorganized, while Kieran is the steady, responsible one who has held his family together. Their contrasting personalities create the perfect balance, and it was a joy follow along as their relationship grows.

Although Sybil was a bit all over the place, she was a quick thinker coming up with the plan of fake dating to help Kieran as well as herself. One thing that stood out was how both characters kept their true feelings within, even as their fake dating arrangement clearly became something more. Kieran’s sweetness, as irresistible as the donuts he made, shone through although at times he can be a stiff, grumpy sunshine! I loved how he truly saw Sybil’s big heart and wonderful spirit despite her flaws.

🎧The audiobook was another highlight, with dual narrators perfectly capturing both Sybil and Kieran characters personalities and feelings. Overall, this is a delightful and fun read (and listen) that gave me every emotions there is, but also left me swooning and wanting donuts 🍩

I loved this book!! This was the cutest romance I have read so far this year, and it will be in my top 10 of '25! a I was hooked from the first chapter, and that doesn't happen to me often!
I just hope some of Sybil & Kieran's luck rubs off on me! They were just perfection, and their characters were beautifully written.
I was laughing, I did cry, and I was so hopeful for this story's ending! I genuinely felt all the emotions reading this one.

+fake dating
+plus sized neurodivergent FMC
+grumpy x sunshine

Just Our Luck by Denise Williams is the perfect mix of heart, humor, and just the right amount of grumpy-sunshine magic!
Have you ever had that one friend or family member where you know they have so much potential, but they just can’t seem to see it for themselves? That’s Sybil, our delightful but struggling FMC. She’s bouncing from job to job, drowning in bills, and constantly fumbling her way through tough family dynamics. It’s easy to get frustrated with her choices, but the ADHD representation is so well done—it makes her journey all the more satisfying to witness.
And then there’s Kieran, our grumpy, broody, cinnamon-roll-at-heart MMC. He’s running his grandfather’s failing donut shop while on leave from medical school, and let’s just say—he’s got a lot on his plate. When fate (and a fake dating scheme plus a lottery win) throws them together, the sparks fly in the best way possible. Their banter? Hilarious. Their chemistry? Off the charts. Their journey? Absolute perfection.
Denise Williams is an auto-buy author for me, and Just Our Luck is another hit! The way she crafts complex, lovable characters and swoon-worthy romance is unmatched. Do yourself a favor—grab this book, a sweet treat (preferably a donut in honor of Kieran), and get ready to fall in love.
Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley for the ARC! Just Our Luck releases on March 25!. 🍩💖

🍩 Just Our Luck 🍩

Thank you to Berkley for this ARC and including me in the blog tour!

A sugar sweet romance that starts in a donut shop? You got me, Denise Williams!

Sybil is down on her luck when a SWEET evening in Kiran’s family bakery takes her life for a turn. Kiran finds her winning lottery ticket, and in a return attempt that goes viral on social media as a romantic grand gesture, the two agree to a fake relationship that is bringing them both some much needed success. But as with all fake relationships, things are only fake for so long…

Check this one out for:
🍩 Plus size, neurodivergent FMC
🍩 Fake dating
🍩 Donuts!

My opinions are my own. Just Our Luck is on shelves March 25, 2025!

Happy book birthday to Just Our Luck by Denise Williams! Donuts, a winning lottery ticket, and fake dating make for a sweet and escapist romance between two total opposites. Although I picked up her first book, How to Fail at Flirting, a couple years ago, this is my first time reading Denise Williams, but not my last.

Why I Chose This Book:
I’ve been wanting to read Denise Williams’s books for a while, and there’s no time like the present! Just Our Luck caught my particular interest for its donuts and lottery win; who doesn’t like baked goods and the fantasy of suddenly coming into lots of money? It looked like a cute and fun romance to start with.

What I Liked:
- Sybil is so joyous and fun. As far as sunshine characters go, Sybil is spot-on. For all her faults, I enjoyed reading her in nearly every scene. She just lights up a room and I loved her character.
- Kieran is a grumpy Virgo. Her total opposite, Kieran is a responsible and structured guy who hates being late or bending rules. He’s grumpy but a good person. Kieran reveals that he’s a Virgo, and honestly, that sounds accurate. My husband is also a Virgo, and I can see the similarities!
- Winning the lottery. Anyone who’s ever struggled with money dreams of one day winning the lottery and no longer having those debts and worries anymore. It also made for a cute reunion for Kieran and Sybil.
- ADHD representation. Sybil comes across as absent-minded, irresponsible, impulsive, unreliable… things that she’s self-conscious about. But Kieran sees the good in her qualities and helps her believe in herself. Swoon! A late ADHD diagnosis puts a lot of her behavior into perspective.
- Donuts! I have a sweet tooth, so it was fun reading a book centered around a donut shop with delicious-sounding flavors.

What Didn’t Work for Me:
- Fake dating premise was a bit flimsy. Look, fake dating romances are often far-fetched. It’s not my favorite trope, and it’s easy to mess up, especially in contemporary romances. Unfortunately, the reasons behind the fake relationship here seem rather frail.
- Kieran’s so different from their first interaction to everything after. How does he go from their initial one-night-stand to the stiff and awkward fake boyfriend? His actions at the beginning don’t match how he’s characterized the rest of the book.
- Kieran’s goals suddenly shifted partway through. Speaking of Kieran’s inconsistencies, I didn’t like how his goal of going back to medical school is suddenly thrown out the window halfway through the book. Where did that doubt come from? I didn’t like it.
- Weird ending. The whole ending with Sybil’s good intentions causing a major issue, Kieran’s apologizing for justifiably being mad about that (seriously??), and the situation with the donut shop just… didn’t sit well with me.
- Lottery is kind of minimized. I thought Sybil suddenly being rich would be more than just a reason for her to get together with Kieran. Or a chance for more character growth.
- Kieran is a Virgo—he literally said so and it matches his personality throughout the book—so his birthday could not have been in early spring, i.e. Aries season. (And he’s so not an Aries!) It irked me, so in my mind I corrected it from a birthday party to just a random celebration.

Final Thoughts
While there’s a lot I liked about Just Our Luck, it had some plot and characterization issues, too. It’s a cheerful and easy read, and I enjoyed the style and characters overall, but some parts felt incongruous or insubstantial. That said, I would like to try more of Denise Williams’s books and hopefully will like them better.

Donuts.
Fake dating.
He falls first.
Diverse relationship.
Plus size representation.
A winning lottery ticket.
Steamy love story.

Thank you Penguin Random House Audio for the ALC of Just our Luck by Duel narration was the creamy filling - simply delicious. 10 hours 10 minutes and Berkley Romance.

This savory story is simply fun! Sybil & Kieran are complete opposites - one is messy and the other serious.
Together, they become the perfect pairing in this love story.

Thick thighs, sweetness in the sheets and glazed holes!

🍩 Just Our Luck by 🍩

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Start to finish Just Our Luck had my attention from the happy and very lucky FMC Sybil. To the broody, unlucky MMC Kieran! Complete polar opposites that are now tied together thanks to a lost lottery ticket! Kieran returns home to care for his grandfather and the doughnut shop after his grandfather is no longer able to run it on his own. Counting down the days until he can return to his medical program to finally become a doctor all comes to a halt when hurricane Sybil comes in late one night and turns his world upside down. Sybil is a hurricane trying to figure out where she is going in life and has the belief her luck is about to change! If you are looking for a romcom that gives you all the warm and fuzzies, look no further. Pick up Just Our Luck and don’t forget to grab a doughnut!

Thank you Berkley Romance & Netgalley for the opportunity to read Just Our Luck before its release date!

This book had me HOOKED from the very first chapter! I will be grabbing more books written by Denise Williams in the future. This is a dual POV romance with fake dating and a BIPOC FMC. I loooooooved it. I'd say that he fell first, but I think they both kind of fell at the same time. This book follows Sybil who feels like the black sheep of the family- she just can't quite ever get her life together or be taken seriously. Then there's Kieran- the aspiring doctor who is stepping in to take care of his grandfather's bakery after he falls ill. After some luck, Sybil finds herself the winner of the lottery, after she left a hasty note to Kieran on the back of it. AFTER they hooked up and she all but ran. Kieran uses social media to return the winning ticket to her- and everyone can see how much he adores her. Even if he is in complete denial. To help the donut shop's business, and to keep Sybil out of trouble, they decide to (obviously) fake date. But soon the lines are blurring between real and not real. Can Kieran stop being stubborn and admit how he feels about Sybil before it's too late? And will Sybil ever be able to see how amazing she is and how she doesn't ever need to change? This book has it all. Yes, including spice. The unique storyline and banter with side characters kept me invested the entire book. #NetGalley #NetGalleyARC #ARC

This is a sweet romance about a donut shop worker/med student on leave named Kiran, and a girl named Sybil who wins a multi million dollar lottery. Sybil has had a variety of jobs and is a little scattered, she actually leaves her winning lottery ticket at the donut shop by accident.
Kiran came to his grandfather’s donut shop to help out, but both the shop and Kiran personally are in deep debt.
Kiran goes viral trying to find Sybil to return her ticket, and their pretend romance captures the imagination of their town. As they spend time together their fake relationship turns real.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley, I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

The book starts when Kieran and Sybil meet for the first time in his late night donut shop, and they have very electric energy that leads to some wild things OK and that took me to by a surprise but I love how it kicked it up!!

When I first started this book, it took me a little bit to get into the authors writing style (structure and verbiage wise). Maybe it’s actually just the female main character energy that she gives off, but it took a bit of a readjustment.

Overall, the story was cute. I think the fun idea of Sybil winning the lottery and getting into a viral social media issue that leads to her fake dating Kieran and saving his donut show up is something that is written for romance books.
I did think in the end that the author continually wrote Sybil, as though she was a girl who didn’t know how to handle her own money and continually made her do silly things that fed into her being that type of character, and it became repetitive at the end of the story. It really gave her a light of I’m innocent and I don’t know how to do things vibe.

There was a jaw dropping moment at the end and I was mad for Kieran, but everything worked out in the end

I think a highlight of this book is how Kieran repeatedly sought out ways to cheer her up and he was great at observing how she dimmed around people that tore her down and I really appreciated this aspect of their relationship and they’re caring us for each other

Overall, it was cute. If you’re looking for a light easy read this would be it!

thank you to berkley publishing/berkley pub for the ARC!

This book had me kicking my feet and giggling along the way. The cover is absolutely beautiful, the sprinkles on each chapter in the e-ARC, I can imagine the physical copy! The meet-cute between the FMC & the MMC is so fun and chaotic it shows us just how wild and all over the place the FMC is. Boy was the FMC GRUMPY and RUDE early on in the book. But as they spent time together-it became cuter and spicy 🥵.

Just Our Luck is a light romantic comedy by Denise Williams set in small-town USA with fake dating, neurodiversity and donuts!

Sybil is about to get sacked from her job. Again. She drifts through work and different living situations, she hyperfocuses and struggles with commitment and money and. Essentially, with keeping it all together. To compensate, she tells herself she is lucky, and her ‘luck’ is the thread that weaves this gorgeous romance together.

Grumpy Kieran is running his grandfather’s failing donut shop. He’s on leave from medical school and is conflicted about whether medicine is his calling.

They connect when Sybil visits the shop and they have a steamy encounter in the back office. Sybil leaves him with a message scribbled on the back of a lottery ticket – “thanks for the orgasm”. What follows is a comedy of errors that begins when Kieran’s sister realises the ticket is in fact a winning ticket - $350 million! Kieran tracks Sybil down on social media but unfortunately. this makes her lottery win very public. As a buffer from her family and to keep the public at bay, Kieran and Sybil agree to the façade of fake dating, and they get closer as they try to make it believable. At the same time Sybil’s impulsivity and trusting nature make her vulnerable as she navigates the consequences of her lottery win. In the storm of confusion, Kieran is there for her. It is so nice to see is how - even though Kieran is a little bit overwhelmed - he thinks she’s the bomb!

The depiction of Sybil’s neurodiversity is fabulous, even though some of her actions are cringeworthy. I loved how Kieran sees her. He doesn’t mind her lateness or her scattiness; he sees her warmth, enthusiasm and decency, and just how uncomplicated and lovely she is. Even when she screws up (and she really does) he gets that she is just trying to help, however misguided or muddled she is. In turn, Sybil appreciates all of Kieran’s awkwardness and the way he follows the rules.

I ached for Sybil at times, and wished her family would appreciate her more, but they contrast with Kieran, who falls for her so completely, flaws and all. The massive lottery win is an added complexity in their lives – it doesn’t solve all their problems. With so many billionaire romances out there, it’s great to read about money not being everything. If you've enjoyed Denise Williams’ other romances – especially How to Fail at Flirting - you’ll love this!

LOVED this book so much!
Denise really built a wonderful setting. The City/town a vibrant back drop as well as a vivid supporting cast. Al siblings, friends, families feel so multidimensional.
Both characters have so many parts to relate to. I found myself rooting for both to win. Now the premise is so unique and so cleverly done! Something out of a wild dream.
I highly recommend this book!