What a short but sweet love story! I'll say I was honestly a bit disappointed that we didn't get to see the progression of their love, nor did we get to read about the fallout with Abby, but it was a nice, quick read that was fully enjoyable and well-written.

Leprechauns and lucky clover in this novella are key to the storyline. St Patrick's Day was the grand re opening of a bar, so green was the default colour along with Irish folklore.
We also have a f/f love interest and fake marriage and humour. And a snake, just read it for a most unusual pet.. Not to mention wedding.

Mall Out of Luck is a cute St. Patrick’s Day themed novella. Nell James is a scientist in Michigan. She believes people make their own luck and doesn’t believe in luck for the sake of things. When she discovers the local bar has been sold to a woman from Nebraska, Nell makes it her mission to meet the new business owner.

Saoirse Walsh left Nebraska for the small town in Michigan to start over. Her expectations of success with the bar are high, and the time has come. The bar opens the very night the reader meets Saoirse. What she wasn’t expecting was Nell James to walk into her bar and save her from a ruthless journalist. Sparks fly and Saoirse and Nell find love.

Saoirse and Nell’s story was fun and flirty but also rushed. The novella doesn’t have a lot of depth or character development. Their quick romance was light and enjoyable, and the setting was described well. Readers looking for a short and sweet St. Patrick’s Day themed f/f romance will enjoy Mall Out of Luck.

I was provided a copy of this book to read.

Mit seinem humorvollen und lockeren Schreibstil ist "Mall out of Luck", einfach eine gelungene, süße Geschichte für Zwischendurch.

An adorable second entry to the Mall romance series. This one felt a good bit shorter than the first story, but it hit all the right notes and a unique unintentional triangle of exes and meetcute moments. Thankful for some solid queer rep that goes to the effort of making everyone more than just their orientation, and the sidestepping of common plot pratfalls.

The end of the rainbow never looked so golden as in this standalone St. Patrick’s Day themed quick and queer novella meant to leave the reader feeling so darn lucky.

I had so many hopes for this sapphic novella but finished the reading experience feeling like i'd wasted my time. I just wasn't invested or believed the romance and felt the characters were flat.

This novella follows Nell and Saoirse as they find their pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.

Although I didn't love this book, reading a sapphic romance is always fun. I loved that this book featured a classic small world queer dating element for the drama.

Again, contrary to popular belief, eye and hair colour are not sufficient character descriptions. The writing in this novella was at times so unnecessary and I suspect it might have had to do with word count, but it made the reading experience feel so redundant and like the author questioned the reader's intelligence.

I just needed more development of the characters and their attraction on paper. There was not enough description, not enough attraction or tension for me to believe that they were attracted to each other. Some points had these elements, but the rest fell flat in giving that romantic, sexy atmosphere.

I loved the runaway bride element and again felt something was missing in that development of the arc and growth for the character. There were a few paragraph's from the characters that just info dumped that I think could have been resolved better.

The novella sets itself up with the end event being the grand opening of the bar but we never see it and just jump to an epilogue that I didn't really appreciate. I really think we should have ended with the opening as it would have closed that narrative expectation well if that makes sense. Romance authors love an epilogue, but I don't think an epilogue at the sake of having a story with so many loose ends is worth it. I think my main critique is that the author put too many elements in the novella that just couldn't be treated and addressed the way they needed to be. In an attempt to add depth to the story and characters, we just ended up with a muddled flat mess.


Thank you to #NetGalley and the publisher for this eARC in exchange for this review.

This entertaining read was really what I needed during this time. This was just lovely and I just highly recommend this story to anyone who enjoys a good book.

I love Nell and how she just steps in when she notices Saoirse needing a little help. Saoirse has never had luck when it comes to love and hoping her new bar will have all the luck she needs. This is a sweet read that you will not be able to put down.

This book is different than any of the books I have read. It is part of the LGTBQ+ community and it does mention that. If you are uncomfortable with that then this book is not for you. It was a nice difference seeing a book in this community. The romance was there and it was a direct story. I enjoyed it. I think this author writes great books and so far I have enjoyed two of her books.

I don't usually read short stories, but I gave this sapphic story a go, and loved it. My first Sarah Robinson book, and I'll definitely seek out more. Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was a fun and cute book! Very nice and queer, although nothing too memorable or special. Enjoyed the quick read but probably wouldn't pick it back up again.

Thank you to Netgalley for this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

"Nell was a customer from the bar - a beautiful one. And they'd gone shot for shot until the bar closed. Had they kissed? Had they done more than kiss? Saoirse took inventory of her clothes, but everything seems to be in the right order, no indication that she'd taken anything off. Maybe they'd just passed out ..."

Saoirse does not need any more complications. Her reputation as a "runaway" bride is not one she truly wanted. Now that she has bought a bar in a new town, she's hoping she can turn a new leaf. But here she is, waking up with confusion - but not regret.

Nell stumbles across the new owner of her favorite bar. She definitely didn't anticipate her immediate attraction to Saoirse. Before she knows it, she's making drinks with her new friend and making a huge lie to try to save her from the past coming to haunt Saoirse!

I loved this little novella. Great story and the characters really clicked.

Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher/author for providing me with an e-copy in exchange for my honest review.

This book was exactly what I wanted it to be! I loved it. I will make sure to check out other books by this author. When I requested this I was just intrigued by the concept of it and I loved how it turned out. This story had a great plot and if you have read this and enjoyed it, This was so much. It was such a great story. I would say give this one a try. I will continue to follow this author. Way to go to this author for not letting me down.

Mall Out of Luck by Sarah Robinson is another of her novellas about merchants in the mall and their love lives. The newest merchant has bought Throwback Jack's, her favorite bar, right before the Pot O'Gold, the big darts tournament. Being a scientist in a high-pressure vaccine lab, Nell needed something to take the pressure of. Darts was it. She needed to see what was going on. When she entered the bar she saw an attractive redhead behind the bar. At that moment a reporter entered and started berating the woman, Saorise, not about the bar, but about the fact she had had three fiancés she had left shortly before the weddings. Did she have a commitment problem? Nell hated it, so she stepped behind the bar and told the guy there was obviously no commitment problem as they were married. Where had that come from?

Sarah's stories are cute, if somewhat lacking in depth. This was no exception. I was a situation some people of been in, queer or not, and it evokes in them the same emotions it evoke in Saorise. Not only self-recrimination, but doubts. A queer person, opening a new business doesn't have enough to worry about? Reports too often seem to go for the salacious rather than the important things. A good story.

I was invited to read a free e-ARC of Mall Out of Luck by IMAG Literary Agency, through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #netgalley #imagliteraryagency #sarahrobinson #malloutofluck

Anyone wanting a quick read with all the feels should pick up a Sarah Robinson book!

The characters are strong women with a connection that reveals itself in a truly wonderful way! Saoirse and Nell are excited to move on and explore their future!
A fantastic sassy romance with just the right amount of spark!

I loved being able to read and review this book from the publisher, NetGalley and Sarah Robinson.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
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I picked this book not knowing it was apart of a series but I had no issues following the story. Mall Out of Luck is a short and sweet story. I enjoyed the main characters, Nell and Saoirse but I wish their story was fleshed out a bit more. I’m definitely going to go back and check out the other books in this series because I did enjoy this!

This is the St. Patty’s themed installment of the AT THE MALL series. I don’t normally read F/F BUT OMG! I had faith in Ms. Robinson and she did not disappoint. I loved Nell and Saoirse’s story. Fast, fun, flirty and just enough drama.

Mall Out of Luck (A Mall Holiday Standalone Romance) by Sarah Robinson
Publisher: Author Collective 20
Published March 11 2022
Genre: LGBTQIA, OwnVoices, Romance

Mall Out of Luck is a standalone romance set within the At the Mall series by Sarah Robinson. This standalone romance is a quick, heartwarming read.

This is a fun read, set with a St. Patrick's Day theme. The characters were interesting and likable. The story was quick and enjoyable to read! I enjoyed the storyline and the chemistry of the characters.

I loved that this was a quick, light read, with the perfect happy ending! (Swoon!)

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Quick and short novella about a new bar owner and one of the regulars. It's perfectly themed for the St. Patrick's Day celebrations coming up, and it has both lesbian and bisexual representation.

This story moved a little too quickly for me, and I don't know if it's because it's a novella, so it kinda has to move at a certain pace, but I'm not a fan of the insta love happening here, although I am a fan of the fake dating/pretending to be married.

And just something that annoyed me: when one of the characters is described as having red hair, why on earth is it two dark haired people on the cover?

I requested this ARC based on the cute cover and my wish to read more wlw, but it just fell short of really gripping my attention

This was cute but I feel it was underdeveloped.
Like a lot of things happened but we didn't see a conclusion of those things.
I liked both main characters and the plot was fun but I wanted more of it.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review.