The Good Luck Charm is custom made for second chance romance lovers. Helena Hunting gives us some tension mixed with humor, and adds hockey to satisfy sports romance addicts like me. It’s a great combo.

Ethan and Lilah fell in love in high school. Ethan had his sights set on the NHL even back then, and they had their lives planned out together. Unfortunately, Ethan changed the rulebook after graduation and abruptly broke things off with Lilah. Eight years later, circumstances give them a shot at a do-over, but Lilah isn’t eager to hand over her heart to Ethan again.

I respected Lilah for picking herself up after having her heart trampled on and pursuing her own dreams. Her life hasn’t been the easiest, but she seems to have endless compassion. Her connection with Ethan’s parents is heartwarming. I really related to Lilah’s struggle to balance work and her own needs with the demands of those she loves.

What female doesn’t love to feel wanted by their man? Ethan makes it clear that he both wants and needs Lilah in his life. However, he’s too needy for my taste. A little vulnerability is sexy; desperation is not. He loves so intensely to the point of suffocation. I can’t deny the fact that Ethan is a total romantic, though, and his incredibly nurturing nature ups the swoon factor tremendously. I loved the wooing, even though I wouldn’t have minded more groveling on Ethan’s part.

Ethan and Lilah have wonderful chemistry, and I savored their romance reboot. At the same time, Ethan’s strained relationship with his father creates some nice tension.

Some elements of the plot are glossed over and rushed, which is a shame because I think they could have made the story more impactful. In the end, though, this is a very enjoyable second chance romance with lots warmth.

I adored this book. It was fun. Sexy. Lovely. The characters were delightful and I loved the writing style. Highly, highly recommend it!!

When her man doesn't take no for an answer, Lilah gets some bite to her, "I hold up a hand. “You’re not hearing me. I can’t do this with you right now. I can’t handle this conversation, and you can’t handle the things I want to say to you.” Ethan is a problem solver, “you’re panicking again, so unless you want my tongue in your mouth, I suggest you take a seat.” I loved this book, and it was a great start to hopefully a new series by Helena.

This is a sweet second chance love story, about all consuming love, and the struggle to not lose one's self in the process.

As a spinoff of the author's popular Pucked series, this story features Ethan, an NHL player with a career on the downturn, who has returned to play for his hometown team in Minnesota. That return, and the coinciding medical emergency of his father, puts him squarely in front of his high school sweetheart, who he abandoned eight years prior.

Sometimes I struggle to feel sympathy for the plights of romance heroines, but that was not the case in this book. Not only does Lilah's father abandon her as a child, she is forced to feel those same feelings when Ethan leaves her for big dreams in the NHL. What's worse than that:
* He breaks up with her over the phone!
* He cuts off all contact with her for eight, yes eight years!!
So yes, I may have felt like Lilah and wanted to punch him. Repeatedly.

As the story unfolds, Ethan reveals why he left in such an awful way. Part of it was stupidity, part of it was the belief that it was the right thing for both of them. While his explanation did tone down my anger, I sympathized with Lilah's feelings of anger and hurt.

But what is a girl to do, when a first love/true love, comes back into your life, and begging for a second chance? The reunion is inevitable. And once Lilah gives in, Ethan begins to overtake every facet of her life. Which could be viewed as good or bad.

What I liked about this story was how it explored the impact a player's success on their partner. For Lilah, this rekindled love was something she relished but also struggled with, as time with Ethan began to impact her work and schooling. I'm not sure I would have handled things exactly like Lilah, but I thought it was a smart thing for her to get herself get back on track and not get lost in the love story.

"She needs to be your equal, not a charm you stick in your pocket and carry around with you."

Like the Pucked series, this story captured the sport of hockey realistically, while at the same time, adding fictional elements, both sexy and sweet, to appeal to every romance reader. If you are looking for a light and fun read, this is worth checking out!

I love sports/hockey romance and I love second chance romance. Helena Hunting did a fantastic job bringing both of these romances into The Good Luck Charm! I loved that this one had the perfect mix of emotion and humor.

Lilah and Ethan dated in high school. They were in love and it was serious. That is, until Ethan left her to focus on his professional hockey career. Lilah has stayed in town and stayed close to Ethan's family. Now, it's 8 years later and he's back. The attraction is still there between them, so are the feelings. But Lilah is having a hard time trusting Ethan will be there for her when she really needs him. And it seems Ethan will never stop trying to win the one he got away back.

Ethan and Lilah were both great characters. I loved them both from the start. Lilah is a nurse with a huge heart and Ethan is a pro-hockey player who loves his parents and never truly moved past the one love of his life, Lilah. You could feel the chemistry between them. It was like that 8 years never passed. I couldn't wait to see how things would turn out.

If you're looking for a fantastic second chance romance that brings the feels, the laughs, and the steam, pick up The Good Luck Charm! I adored this book!

The Good Luck Charm is nothing short of fantastic! This book had Helena Hunting written all over it and she nailed it with this second chance romance!

Ethan and Lilah have known each other almost their entire lives, and like two pieces of a puzzle, just fit together so perfectly. Everything about their love was perfect and sexy, the two of them were complete fire. But when Ethan’s love of hockey sends him to the big leagues, their relationship comes to a crashing halt. A number of unfortunate incidents bring Ethan and Lilah back together, and it’s truly tough for Lilah to move past the heartache and see what could be.

The Good Luck Charm captured my attention from the first page. Angst, love, sexiness, redemption and most of all, friendship, were just some of the emotions that poured out of this book. Ethan and Lilah were beautiful characters who showed what true love is. There is nothing better in this world than finding your soulmate <3

5 star Review The Good Luck Charm by Helena Hunting

This is a second chance at love story, a genre I have come to enjoy more and more this year.
I love Ms. Hunting's style of writing, she ensures that her characters are not “perfect”. I was entertained and captivated from the start.

Ethan Kane left Lilah 8 years ago to pursue his hockey dream, yet now he has returned, determined to win her back at any cost. Will Lilah be open to rekindling their romance?

This was a solid romance with angst, passion and a great deal of emotion. Ethan and Lilah’s passion, friendship with years of knowing and loving each other easily translates onto the page. .

The Good Luck Charm is a story of redemption, of love and commitment, of forgiveness, of taking a chance and knowing that when it is right, it is right. The drama and conflict were offset by humour and steamy scenes.

As I have come to expect from a novel from Helena Hunting it was extremely well written with strong and relatable characters and was thoroughly enjoyable.

Once click now I don’t think you will be disappointed.

I received an ARC of this book through the publisher and Netgalley.

Let me first start off by saying I love Helena Hunting books.
This was an amazing story. A bit of angst, a bit of heat and a bit of humor. Perfect!

I’ve been burnt out on YA contemporary for a while now; all of my reads this year have kind of suffered as a result. However, when most of my TBR falls in that category, I end up continuing to read them. Every once in a while I try to mix in an adult or new adult title to keep things interesting. THE GOOD LUCK CHARM did the trick for me!

The story follows Lilah and Ethan, who were once best friends turned high school sweethearts. When he went off to college and was inevitably going to be drafted to the NHL, he ended the relationship with Lilah (we learn why during the story). She had since gotten married and divorced, never really giving her heart away. He never bothered with serious relationships when moving to new cities. Ethan returns home to Minnesota because he was traded to their local NHL team, and immediately discovers his father suffering from a stroke. Lilah, a nurse at the hospital and still close family friend to Ethan’s parents, is there to help. They are immediately pulled together again.

One of my biggest pet peeves in romance novels is when the main issue is a result of miscommunication or general lack of communication. If the climax or driving issue in the book could be fixed with one conversation, the whole book suffers. I like the “inevitable breakup” part of the story to have higher stakes. However, that doesn’t mean I love a lot of drama and angst in my reads! I definitely don’t. I avoid many new adult stories because there’s always more of those two things and I hate them. This book was easily the lowest drama story I’ve read. The couple had great communication skills and chemistry; their issues were a bit larger I guess? Even then, they didn’t have too much to work through. I don’t want to say the story was bland, because there were a lot of steamy scenes mixed in with emotional reconnecting that I enjoyed, but if you need a lot of angst – skip this one. There was almost zero.

Another random issue with this one, for me, is that the whole “good luck charm” thing didn’t really come up until the last 1/4 of the book. I wouldn’t say that the title and synopsis are spoilery, because it’s not a big deal really, but it was kind of odd. The drama in the last part of the book was sort of related to it, but not really? I liked seeing Lilah stand up for herself and recognize that Ethan was using her a crutch (and sort of good luck charm).

I really enjoyed this story overall and the lack of angst definitely appealed to me, but there was SOME tension missing as a result. I wish there was a little more to it in that way. I loved the family dynamics and the second chance romance trope. I’d recommend this one if you want something low-key.

Totally relatable, a sexy, new adult romance that transcends age.

In the Good Luck Charm, Helena Hunting builds on her trademark hilarity and heat and steps up with a second-chance romance that is much more than a rekindling of an old attraction. It's also about Lilah's struggle to put herself first, and it's handled in a way that makes it relatable for women of all ages.

Ethan and Lilah were high school sweethearts who broke up when Ethan is drafted into the NFL. When he reappears in their hometown eight years after their breakup, Lilah finds herself reverting to old patterns, shaping her life around his. I was so invested in Lilah that at times I just wanted to shake her and say, "Girl, you know what you need to do. Just do it!"

Highly recommend.

This book is so cute! This was my first Helena Hunting title, but definitely not my last! I really enjoyed it!

3 stars!

You only get one soulmate.

Here's the thing about second chance romance novels, they only work for me if the reason the need to be another chance is not utterly weak and bullshit. See, people tend to not leave shit alone, and in fiction characters almost never bother to question stuff, like why would their bf/gf break up with them. And most the time, in fiction, the reason is so weak it's ridiculous. That's where The Good Luck Charm falls under. A weak excuse to justify the break up and an instant second chance almost a decade later.

Ethan and Lilah were perfect together, until Ethan's career opportunity tore them apart. Because you can't have it all, and because his dad is a bit of a dick. Or because Ethan is stupid. Either one works for this case.

Years after their break up, Ethan is back in town for good and Lilah has just been served with divorce papers. Great timing is everything. They run into each other and after a while, agree to be friends. Which obviously works for every fictional couple. They quickly start dating as Ethan begins to adjust to his new team, being back in town and dating his old girlfriend while Lilah is trying a failing to balance work, school, Ethan and the sudden media attention.

The story moves at a rapid speed for my taste with very little drama and angst - and a totally irrelevant subplot at the end that adds nothing to the story but a few more pages. Not my favorite HH book but she did throw in Randy Ballistic and Alex Waters as a nod to Pucked fans.

The Good Luck Charm is such a witty, sweet, and heartfelt romance. It is the fusion of some of my very favorite tropes.

Sports romance - check
Second Chance - check
Childhood Friends to Lovers - check

I was sucked right into Lilah and Ethan's story and couldn't wait to unravel their tangled history. You can feel the connection between these two immediately. 8 years may have passed, but it's clear that neither of them has truly forgotten the other. As the secrets of the past are revealed, my heart broke for all the lost time and pain these two caused each other. Though I wouldn't necessarily classify The Good Luck Charm as a romcom, there are still plenty of laughs and lighthearted moments to balance the more emotional scenes.

I'll be honest that it took me a bit to warm up to Ethan. He seemed selfish and self serving for a good part of the book, and acted like he could just waltz right back into Lilah's life with some candy and a smirk. He's not fully to blame though since Lilah did enable his behavior for the most part (after some resistance), as a result of her own fears and insecurities. As the book progresses though, both characters mature and truly come into their own. I loved that Lilah recognized that they were headed down the wrong path and took steps (however painful) to create balance. As much as their past trauma and present day issues hurt my heart, I appreciated the honest portrayal of young and all consuming love and the message that in a relationship, both parties need to be fulfilled individually in addition to together.

There were some fun secondary characters introduced in the book that I hope we will see more of in the future (ahem, Carmen and Noah!) and I wouldn't mind one bit if we ever got an extended epilogue ;) I really enjoyed this second chance romance and can't wait for everyone to fall for Lilah and Ethan too!

4.5 stars

*I voluntarily read an advance reader copy of this book*

My first book by this author. I enjoyed it. It was an easy, quick second chance romance. The writing was okay. The characters were likable.
Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC.

Good Luck Charm is a great summer/beach read. The characters had depth and a wonderful connection. The story was emotional without being too emotional. Lilah and Ethan had a wonderful second chance live story.

With plans for a future with Ethan, Lilah had her dream life ahead of her. Years later she’s crossing paths with the love of her life, her best friend and the one that shattered her heart. Now she’s angry, but the closeness they shared as kids is still in her bones. Their friendship was everything and she doesn’t know if she can handle it being taken away again. She’s finally back on track with her life plan. She had goals within her reach and Ethan’s return puts a big hurdle in her path.

With the seconds chance Ethan and Lilah are given, she’s happy and euphoric to be with the love of her life again. With plans to move slowly she feels things are good. But Ethan’s presence and love are so consuming she finds herself getting lost in their time together. Seeing the sports star in his element and how his status has changed him in ways, she’s highly attracted to the before and after Ethans. And for Ethan having Lilah back in his life is the best thing to him since he was drafted. And now she’s his Good Luck Charm...but with that status comes a level of stress Lilah can’t handle at the moment. Being held as the reason for a win or possibly blamed for a loss?? That’s too much weight on anyone’s shoulders.

Good Luck Charm was a wonderful story of second chances and friendship. The characters shared a deeply layered connection filled with emotion and passion. Their story was a relatable one; in which one partner sacrifices so much of themselves to support the other and also showed strength when Lilah made it clear she couldn’t hold that burden. When she realized she needed to put herself first and Ethan needed find his strength in being his own “good luck charm”.

This was s wonderful story and the perfect summer/beach read.

AN ADDICTING SECOND CHANCE HOCKEY ROMANCE

CAUTION: This story may form irrational habits, build superstition, and create a strange craving for Hot Lips candy.

YAAAS!!!! I found the perfect filler to ease my off-season hockey blues!!!

Good Luck Charm is an endearing second chance romance about two high school sweethearts separated by misunderstandings, and driven by fear and obsessions with superstition and Luck. Lilah and Ethan grew up together. They were best friends. When Ethan gets drafted to the NHL he breaks it off with Lilah. Years later, fate intervenes when Ethan is sent back to play on his hometown’s pro hockey team , inevitably thrown back into Lilah's life.

In Helena’s classic way, the angst of their initial reunion is met with so much humor and a lot of sexy tension. I appreciated that Ethan & Lilah's re-connection wasn’t instant. Certainly their chemistry is prominent, but the book spends a good amount of time of slowly re-building their relationship that it felt real. The lessons they learned about themselves, their pasts, and their family along the way built a solid foundation that I believed and bought into their love; that they would last.

And side note: Holy intense sexy scenes! There was just the right amount of dirty talk, skirting the edge of kink, with super vivid imagery <wink, wink>. *fans self*

“Perception is such a strange, illusive concept. Especially when perception is steeped in youth, inexperience, and heartache. So learning the reasons behind Ethan’s actions all those years ago creates a new ache in my chest.”

What I adored most about this story is the close-net relationship the secondary characters, who are mostly family members, had with the main couple. Everyone is considered family, and I could immediately feel the support an protectiveness they had for each other. It’s because of that close bond that I was immediately cheering for an HEA.

And I really appreciated those characters, like Ethan's dad or Lilah's sister, when I was yelling at Lilah or Ethan to get a freaking clue!!! The secondary characters provided a voice of reason, often playing devils advocate and expressing what I was feeling. I wanted to give each of them a high five.
If you’re a hockey fan, you’ve got to read this book! Even if you're not a hockey fan, there’s lots of humor, fun, and swoon to fill your heart. You'll want to read it again, you know, just for luck. ;)

4.5 STARS !!!

I was provided an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

The Good Luck Charm by Helena Hunting was full of the author's signature wit, sass and well loved style of sexiness. The dialogues and more than one escapades made me chuckle, snort and laugh out loud. It was the perfect blend of light hearted fun while being also emotional and poignant.

I absolutely loved the couple's chemistry. TGLC is a second chance romance and the level of comfort shown by the couple was endearing and heartwarming. Ethan and Lilah just fit together, and knew each other so well it was palpable and genuine. There was no doubt that they belonged together. They were soulmates. And obviously they couldn't keep their hands off each other - very much in line of the authors signature PUCKED series. And throughout the book I did a lot of smiling and chuckling because of their light hearted antics.

Now, let's get into the nitty gritty.

TGLC is a sports and second chance romance, and it tackled a topic that is often mentioned but not usually called to attention in a way as it was in TGLC. As the title suggests, hockey players are notorious for being superstitious. Most pro athletes are, but hockey player might just take it to the OTT level. In this novel, it's not just the athlete who is forced to acknowledge this fact, but the heroine as well. I can only imagine how much pressure pro athletes face, and they fight tooth and claw to hold on to their winning streak, and do whatever is necessary to stay on top. Even if that means steamrolling over someone else's life.

The author described both sides in an emotional and interesting way. I honestly could see both sides, where they were coming from and how hard it was to let go. I also understood how easy it was to slide into such a habit, and the following repercussions.

Because of that I did not always agree with some of the couple's decisions. But it made sense. They stayed true to themselves, and in the end they figured it out and found a way to make it work for both of them which I can only admire.

All in all this novel was a wonderful light hearted but also thought provoking story, with excellent supporting characters that I hope will get their own HEA. A few hints promise for future books - which I'll be eager to read.

"—an apology isn't going to change anything. He can never unbreak my heart."

When I saw this cover I had no idea what deliciousness was lurking between the covers. If you are a fan of her #HockeyHotties then you are in for a treat, Ethan does not disappoint. But, I must confess, it's Lilah that I'm in love with. I want to have #SisterSleepovers and margaritas with her.

The author managed to pull my heartstrings so tight they almost snapped while reading this amazing story. The intense and overwhelming young love that these high school sweethearts experienced set a bar that was impossible to match or exceed in the eight years after their breakup. And might I add that the devastation of sifting through the ashes afterward was a deterrent to Lilah's willingness to pick up where they left off. She has no desire to put herself in that position again. But as her coworker so accurately stated, she can't deny that he's an #EFF (Extra Fine and Fuckable). In case she wasn't sure, seeing him again confirmed that their chemistry was still there, stronger than ever. But she doesn't trust it, him, or herself. She's been burned and has learned her lesson about getting too close to the flames.

Ethan broke both of their hearts by walking away from their love to pursue his career in professional hockey. She is his biggest regret and he wants a chance to make things right between them. He doesn't blame her for hating him. He deserves the misery he's feeling over her refusal to give him another chance. Will he be able to survive in the #FriendZone as he attempts to earn her trust?

Being around Ethan again is bittersweet. "Memories that I've worked to push down all these years keep breaking the surface, like the little bubbles in a glass of soda." Will she be able to push past the pain to give him another chance? Just when she's on the verge of risking her heart again she learns that he considers her to be the good luck charm that's responsible for his current winning streak. Knowing how superstitious athletes are about such things, she's devastated to realize that their relationship might be more about the game than their future.

I became invested in this couple immediately. Being privy to their thoughts and feelings turned me into an emotional puddle of goo as I yearned for them to find their way back to each other. My heart ached for them. I wanted to reassure Ethan that he didn't have to choose, that he wouldn't have to lose the game or the girl, but I couldn't. Lilah might be a #SexualPsychic when came to Ethan, but he couldn't read her mind.

Trust me, you don't want to miss out on this beautiful story. It will have you sighing and swooning and smiling. And, hopefully, we'll be seeing more of some of these amazing characters. I don't see a series name mentioned, but there are some very special support characters that are stories just waiting to be written. The line forms here...

I was so excited to read Good Luck Charm. It’s a new hockey romance by Helena Hunting. Where the Pucked series is definitely more of a romcom, Good Luck Charm is more contemporary romance. I enjoyed it just the same.

Lilah and Ethan were childhood sweethearts. Eight years after they broke up, Lilah is working as a nurse in their hometown and Ethan just got traded to a hockey team close to home. What if your first love is your soulmate?

I really like liked that this story showed that there are other important areas of life than just romance. To be truly happy, you have to be fulfilled in each. There was definitely a twist or two that I didn’t see coming. Overall, I had fun reading this book. I can only hope that I one day read the story before Carmen and Dr. Lovely.



I voluntarily read an early copy.

Lilah has had some tough breaks in life. And at the end of one of the worst days the man who broke her heart and walked away, walks back into her life. Ethan knows he made a huge mistake and nothing in his life seems to have gone well since he left Lilah. After 8 years, he’s moving back home and wants Lilah back if she’ll have him.
This is a cute second chance romance. Lilah and Ethan were childhood friends and high school sweethearts. After Ethan broke off their relationship so he could pursue his hockey career, his parents became Lilah’s surrogate family. Lilah has worked hard, adjusted her goals and made a solid life for herself even if her relationships haven’t been so successful. Ethan has been traded to the home team, just in time to help with a family emergency that throws he and Lilah together often.
Watching them work out their relationship is fun. What I really enjoyed about this couple is how they didn’t communicate well but learned to be honest and improve their ability to talk about what was important to them. And I liked Ethan’s fixation with luck and ritual and how he learned that skills and hard work are the best good luck charm.
This was a quick, fun, light read and I recommend it. 4 stars.
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.