Hmmm this is an interesting one. I liked the back story of both the leading characters. The play it safe, never step out of your lane woman who lives a small town life. The made a mistake when they were young due to grief ex-con woman who is all about living their best life free of the constraints of prison woman. It makes total sense why they might fall for each other. I also liked the lingerie and stationery shops that perfectly suited each woman. The romance was sweet and hot and overall the book worked well and I enjoyed it, but there was a lack of something that I expect from this author. I’m not quite sure what it was, maybe the snazziness was low key. Just not as uplifting as usual, but nevertheless this was still a good romance.

This was a really good story. The emotional turmoil throughout this book was often times heart breaking and uplifting. The main characters were really made for each other. At times this story was hard for me to read, because I got so teary eyed. Peyton was such a good main character, she could be very hard and unforgiving on herself, but had such a good heart. Juliette was great as well, but Peyton was my favorite. This was a different story from what the author usually writes, so I was a little bit worried. But she knocked it out of the park. There's quite a bit of angst and drama throughout this book and the supporting characters were well written and helped to make this an even better story. I would definitely recommend this book to my friends and family and I look forward to what's next from this author

Thank you, Melissa Brayden and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

In this book Lucky in lace, we are introduced to Juliette the uptight introverted owner of a stationery shop and wild Peyton. Juliette is struggling with her not well-paid job and on top of that her best friend and ex-husband are falling for each other. While doing her best to keep up with everything she gets to have a neighbour in her workplace. A lingerie shop with an extravagant owner who keeps exposing her to the charm of laces and secret kisses.

From the start we get to see the shade of Peyton who were imprisoned and struggled to get a job. She has a strong will and is determined to fulfil her dream of opening her own business. I enjoyed her character and the way she handles her unrelenting past. I wouldn’t mind if it was more centred on Peyton and her path with facing her background. The chemistry between the main leads is beautiful, however there is something about the writing that bothered me at some times.

My enjoyment of this book was kind of rough from the start and it was hard to pay attention to the narrator. I loved the fact that it didn’t end being a slow-burn up until the end but there was place her other features such as the redemption.

Finished ✔️ Lucky in Lace by Melissa Brayden

3.5 ⭐️‘s
Publish Day: March 14th, 2023
Kindle Unlimited: No
It’s an interesting story
It didn’t hold my attention like I thought it would
It also didn’t engross me like I thought it would
The characters were different I just kind of wanted more out of them.
This story was missing something for me but I’m not sure what
Yes, I’d recommend it because other readers might enjoy it more than I did!

#DeesReading #DeesRecs #DeesBookRecommendations #BookNerds #BookNerdProblems #BookProblems #BookProblems101 #BookNerds101 #Bookworms #BookwormProblems #BooksOfFacebook #DeeTheBookReviewer #DeesReadOfTheDay #DeesBookOfTheDay #DeesBookReviewsOfTheDay #BookReviewer #NewToMeAuthor #ReadOfTheDay #BookOfTheDay #MelissaBrayden #LuckyInLace #NetGalley

Melissa Brayden’s “Lucky in Lace” is a delightful and charming romance novel that will leave you feeling warm and fuzzy inside. The story follows Juliette Jennings, an uptight business owner of a stationery store, who is struggling to keep her conservative customers from being driven away by a scandalous lingerie shop next door. Enter Peyton Lane, the owner of the lingerie shop, who is determined to win over Juliette’s heart.

As usual, Brayden’s writing is witty, engaging, and full of heart. The characters are well-developed and relatable, and the chemistry between Juliette and Peyton is electric.

Overall, “Lucky in Lace” is a must-read for anyone who loves a good romance novel.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bold Stroke Books for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Lucky in Lace is the story of two very different women who end up owning businesses next to each other. Peyton, the ex-felon turned lingerie shop owner is as extroverted as you can find a person while Juliette is the sweet stationery shop owner who is as reserved and introverted as they come.
Naturally, as any good romance would do, they are forced to interact with each other and a spark just might fly.

I often have a hard time overly enjoying simple romance books because many have main characters whom I do not care about, which then leads me to also not care about whatever love story those books are trying to sell. Lucky in Lace was NOT one of these.
Maybe because I related to the way Juliette felt, maybe because I enjoyed reading about Peyton's character so much, maybe because I could feel the chemistry between the two of them through the pages.
I loved having both of their perspectives a lot because they both seemed differently written and were clearly identifiable as either Juliette or Peyton. There are so many scenes that I highlighted as related to Juliette’s perspective that, at times it felt like the author had stolen my diary.
The cast of side characters is also very refreshing, and while they did not play a large enough role to leave a lasting impression in my opinion I duly enjoyed all of them.

The only thing that I wish was just a little different is the story in itself, in parts it felt like the characters' potential was missed out on a cliche romance plot in predictable ways. I get that the charm of romance is its predictability but I just wish there would’ve been a little more variety in the last third of the book (which I still flew through though).

All in all, I loved this book and would recommend it to any romance lover (especially those who are looking for a good sapphic one).

thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-ARC of this book!

2.75/5 stars, rounded up to 3

lucky in lace was overall a sweet, breezy read. it was easy to read and the romance was sweet. however, it did take me until I was about 35-40% of the way through the book to decided I did want to keep reading because the story was developing SO slowly it was a little excruciating. the characters felt like they weren't very well fleshed out and they felt like they lacked depth enough to get me fully invested in them and their story. I wish we had gotten stronger character development with this story and maybe it would've been more entertaining.

also just small side note I did not like the idea Peyton kept reiterating that prison was something good for her, it kind of rubbed me the wrong way to push this idea that incarceration is a good thing for people who are incarcerated when it is NOT! anyways .

When Peyton Lane was younger she got herself in a whole lot of trouble, despite her older brother trying to set her on the right path. But like many others Peyton didn’t think her brother really gave a damn about her, especially when he broke off all contact with her. Now out and testing her wings again she finds it more than a little daunting trying to get a job, any job. It’s not until Candy, her mentor, gave her that chance by hiring her. Now her friend is retiring and suggests Peyton take over her business. That's when Peyton decides to move back to her hometown and open her lingerie business and with any luck maybe restart her relationship with her brother.
Juliette Jennings kept herself to herself, mostly. She hoped to make her mark with her art but in reality what it did give her was a stationery store. Now to just keep it running. Her ex husband, Thomas and her best friend Cherry are starting to give each other the ‘eye’. With her business in trouble the last thing she needs is someone opening a ‘lingerie’ store right next door. How her older customers react is something she doesn’t want to think about.
Ms Brayden has again given us a book that is not only fun, with great characters, main and supporting cast members. Two very different women she brings together to make this another winner for Ms Brayden. A Very, very enjoyable read.
ARC via NetGalley/ Bold Stroke Books

I eagerly awaited reading this book like all of Baryden's previous titles. The book sets up an exciting premise with Peyton's backstory. We then fast forward to the present day with Peyton starting afresh and attempting to establish her small lingerie store. Her store neighbor is introvert Juliette who, like Peyton owns a small business in financial trouble. They start off on the wrong foot but slowly we see their friendship blossom, eventually turning into love. I liked the idea of both MCs being small business owners but the rest of the book left me with mixed feelings.
I enjoyed Peyton thoroughly but could not understand Juliette's motivations. I felt her character wasn't very well fleshed out.
Overall, it was a breezy read.

I have been dissatisfied with the last couple of Melissa Brayden, but with Lucky in Lace, she redeems herself. I liked this book quite a lot.

The story is all about facing your past, admitting your mistakes, and moving on rather than running away. Peyton Lane is a pro at some of those things but tends to run away when things get too real. She found her match in her complete opposite, Juliette. The pair had chemistry from the start and I liked how their relationship developed.

The book was a nice length. At one point I felt like the book was wrapping up, but there was still a good deal left to read. It kept me guessing and I was happy with the way the story wrapped up.

First of all I wanted to thank Netgalley and Bold Strokes Books for providing me with a copy of "Lucky in Lace".

I chose this book because the summary was very appealing to me. I thought "oh this looks like a fun and cool rom-com with wlw characters" and went straight for it. I loved the concept and the idea but the execution not so much.

My main struggle with the book was the pacing. It was off somehow. Even when I was way into a 50% of the book I felt like the story hadn't even started. Nothing was happening really and I couldn't figure out what the plot or the conflict was about.

And then there were the characters: Peyton was good and actually the only reason I continued reading. I kept wanting to know more and more about her, but Juliette... I couldn't stand her. I get what the author was trying to achieve with her but the result was an annoying character. And the rest of them felt flat for me, like I couldn't care less about them. Their relationship with Juliette and Peyton was supposed to be very important but for me they were just there like mere viewers instead of taking a part in their friend's lifes. So, yeah, at the end of the day Peyton was the only one who I connected with.

Peyton Lane is moving her lingerie store to be closer to her brother and hopefully heal their fractured relationship. Her new neighbor is the owner of a stationary store and is as buttoned up as they come. Juliette Jennings is not enthused about her new neighbor and is very worried that it will drive away what little business she has.
I liked the last third of this book and I did like both characters, especially Peyton. I generally enjoy having an introvert character open up a bit but Juliette makes a 180 pretty quickly and the changes just seem a bit unbelievable. I loved the potential that Peyton had with her history and the storyline with her brother but it fell short of my hopes. I was hoping for a bit more back and forth with her brother and everything is resolved a bit too easily. I felt the final hurdle at 80% was also cleared a bit too quickly for me and most of the book was about Juliette and Peyton's initial stages of a new relationship and dragged on a bit. It's a solidly written book with two likeable characters but it wasn't as good as I've seen from Brayden in the past.

I enjoyed this. Melissa Brayden is one of my favorite authors for this genre and her latest novel does not disappoint. The dialogue in Lucky in Lace is fantastic. I love the witty one liners and innuendos. Great amount of backstory for both main characters. Could not put this book down and ended up finishing it way to quickly. Highly recommend.

Ugh, I adore mutual unrequited pining and I stayed up all night to finish this one! Peyton was my favorite kind of messy queer, but honestly that's because I am one myself. Lovely book that really hit a spot for me that I didn't quite know I needed!

3.5 stars. The last ~40% or so was the best part. The first part of the book felt somewhat slow. I didn’t expect it to take me as long as it did to finish reading.

I loved the relationship between Juliette and Peyton and I’m happy with the way their story ended. The conflict towards the end of the book could’ve been done better, I felt it was obvious who the actual culprit was.

Overall a good read but I probably won’t ever revisit it.

I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

I loved ‘Lucky in Lace’ - a gorgeous sapphic romance following the story of Peyton and Juliette who are neighbouring shop owners. It is a story of learning to fully enjoy life and opening yourself up to the world.

We first meet Peyton in the prologue, newly released from prison and struggling to find her way. I really liked Brayden’s exploration of the effects of prison on a person, the way it dehumanises those incarcerated, and how the system deliberately makes life after prison incredibly difficult. The long term impact of Peyton’s time in prison is evident throughout the book, particularly in her emotional isolation and alienation from other people.

Peyton’s emotional journey was moving to read. I liked how her storyline of opening herself up to real emotions was mirrored by Juliette’s one of opening herself up to the world. It was lovely to read as they helped each other to embrace life more fully. Both protagonists were incredibly relatable in their fears and desires, and you feel they really deserve their happy ending.

Despite the emotional themes, ‘Lucky in Lace’ maintained a strong comedic element. I loved the characters of Dolores and Candy - I think everyone needs an outrageous, flamboyant mentor.

This all added up to a fun, sexy, and heartwarming book. Melissa Brayden never misses!

Let me start by saying thank you to Netgalley and Bold Strokes for providing me with a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I used to be a big fan of Melissa Brayden—"Kiss the Girl" remains one of my all time favorite romances and one that I return to every year. So, I was extremely sorry to have to give such a low rating for this one.

Now, here's to the explanation:

First of all, the romance was quite bland. I didn't feel a strong chemistry between the characters and it was quite forgettable.

But it was still enjoyable, though. I'd have given it 3 stars, if not for the other problems I found—most importantly: character development and pacing.

Character development:
Peyton was nicely done and had an interesting, well-thought-out, and engaging arc throughout the book. Juliette, on the other hand, was just plain boring and often annoying. It was a bit hard for me to care about her and therefore to root for them as a couple.

But, honestly, the two of them were ok, much bigger issues were the side characters. They were so underdeveloped, so thin! A lot of them, like Cherry, Thomas, Candy and Caleb, were supposed to be these hugely important figures in the lives of the main characters but, for the most part, they were completely cast aside and ignored, appearing inconsistently and in a way that made me question their relationships. Example: Cherry is supposed to be Juliette's best friend, but I don't remember there being even one scene of Juliette confiding in her about Peyton (beyond the superficial). Or when it comes to Candy, Peyton's mentor; she's virtually forgotten from the moment Peyton moves to her hometown to the very end, when Peyton needs a shoulder to cry on.

Pacing:
The book's pacing was very off. The beginning was quite slow—it was only when I got to about 20% of the book that I really started to be engrossed in it.

But the ending... OMG, the ending... They got together at 75% and when I realized there was still a quarter of the book left, I honestly couldn't believe it. There was absolutely no need for the plot that came after that. It was overblown, rushed, boring and predictable. It honestly felt like the author had reached the HEA point but realized the word count was too low for a romance, so she decided to add another side plot as a way to get it to the page count she needed and tie a couple of the knots that had been left untied.

Between the slow beginning and the unnecessary last quarter, I can't help feeling that this would've been a good, solid novella that got undone in the need to make it into a novel.

There were also several mistakes that should've been caught by the author or editor, like wrong paragraph breaks, filter words, repetitive sentence structure and telling instead of showing. Another round of editing could've really been beneficial, in my opinion.

So, all in all, this was a promising book, that unfortunately left a lot to be desired. Not the one for me.

✨ SPOILER ALERT ✨
Firstly, I’m so grateful that I was able to read this arc. I genuinely enjoyed every page of Lucky in Lace and plan on buying a paperback. I absolutely adored this book. It was everything I was hopeful for, the HEA that I needed. To be honest, Juliette was relatable for me, and Peyton was loveable. I enjoyed the pace of the story, the dialogue, and I absolutely adore that we got more than a happy, hopeful moment at the end. I finished this story feeling satisfied with the journey I went on. It was nice seeing the way Peyton overcame adversity, and the way Juliette did in her own way as well. What I love most is that they really were the epitome of “Ying and Yang”.

In the beginning, Juliette is a character difficult to like, but Peyton, out of prison and trying to rebuild her life brings a different way of looking at things and I think Juliette gains her redemption after meeting the interesting Peyton.
Brayden has a variety of themes as a writer and I liked to read about an ex-con. I think that I had only read Worthy of Love, by Quinn Ivins, on the same topic.
Lucky in Lace is a great story!

Lucky in lace is about the buttoned up Juliette who runs a struggling stationary shop. When Peyton an ex-convict moves in with her lingerie shop next door Juliette's life is turned upside down.

This book had beautiful moments about redemption, getting out of your comfort zone and trusting each other. It's a beautiful, funny and sexy story.