2.5 rounded down. Tragic because the premise was unique but both MCs were annoying. The third act break up actually made me gasp because ngl I'm not sure how you just move on from a mistake like that? Especially after she did it once before? All the FMC needed was an adderall and a financial advisor and this entire book could've been different lol (I say this as a fellow ADHDer it's fineee)

There is something about the way Denise Williams crafts a story that’ll always make me want to read her books. The concept of this was so fun and I love the representation we got here. Plus, the idea feels fresh, not something I e read about before - so I quite enjoyed that!

I think if you enjoy Denise Williams’s books then this feels much like her others and offers a dose of grumpy/sunshine and fake dating, which are tropes that’ll never fail me.

Thank you so much to Berkley for my ARC!

4/5⭐️

Y’all… I love a good scratch-off ticket, and this romance was the ultimate jackpot. Just Our Luck by Denise Williams had me hooked from the moment Sybil stumbled into a donut shop, clutching a lottery ticket and some big feelings. This book is sweet, steamy, and full of second chances, plus, it made me crave both powdered sugar and a life reset 😅

Sybil is messy in the most relatable way, figuring out her path, trying (and failing) to meet family expectations, and just needing a break. Kieran? The cinnamon roll baker with a med school dream and the weight of the world on his shoulders. Their chemistry? 🔥 But what I loved most was the heart beneath it all, grit, growth, and figuring out how to believe in yourself again… even when it feels like you're out of luck.

Also, fake dating that starts with a real viral moment?! YES. Denise Williams nailed this one! Fun, flirty, and full of feels.

I loved this as a physical read thanks to Berkley Publishing and the audiobook from PRH Audio!

This was such a sweet read! I loved the setting of the donut shop and complex backgrounds and family dynamics of both main characters, which added some depth to the story. Sybil has a short attention span and has the best intentions but often fails at execution, which I think could be relatable for many people. I think Kiran as well, trying to be there for his family while putting his dreams on the backburner is pretty relatable too. Their romance was a bit of a slow burn but oh man, was it worth it! Of course, I had to run out immediately and buy donuts after reading this!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy.

I enjoyed this sweet (pun intended) romance. It starts off with Sybil leaving a lottery ticket at Kieran's donut shop and the lottery ticket ends up being a winner - for a huge payout!

I loved the meet cute in this story. I was hooked from the beginning. I liked both main characters and their quirks and I was rotting for them. I didn't think the fake dating story line was necessary. I get that it was a way for the characters to come together but I just didn't care for it. The chemistry was definitely there without it!

3.5 Rounded up

Thank you so much to Berkley and NetGalley for the digital arc!

Just Our Luck by Denise Williams is a steamy, fake dating romance about when life turns around and surprises you in the most unexpected of ways.

Sybil Sweet is a quirky, positive, and hopeful woman who believes in luck despite all the times life has knocked her back down. Meanwhile, Kiran Anderson is more cautious and logical with his approach to things, especially since he had to drop out of medical school to take over his grandfather's donut shop after a medical emergency. The two end up meeting through a winning lottery ticket that changes things around for both of them. Thus, they get caught in a fake-dating scenario as Sybil deals with her newly-won wealth while helping Kiran to hope and dream and find the joys in life instead of just simply getting by. I ADORED how they interacted with each other and I also enjoyed the side characters, especially Joe and Kiran's sister. I know some people didn't enjoy Sybil that much, but I saw myself in her as someone who's also (probably) ADHD and doesn't have everything together in life at the moment.

Shout out to Denise Williams for helping my pessimistic ass believe in love for the duration of 300+ pages ❤️

Let me start by saying the cover os adorable. I like Denise williams and would be her covers based off of cute covers alone. But the cover is the highlight for me. The read was just ok. I think that stemmed from the fact that the FMC just pissed me off thru the whole storyline. I wanted to live her but her not thought thru ideas turned me off. Sybil was jobless and homeless, lucks up with winning the lottery but still makes the worse decisions without consulting people knowing she doesnt make the best decisions. Maybe this was too realistic read when it comes to people throwing money at problems not thinking in some cases money isn't the solution and can cause real life consequences. And sure that helped in Kieran make the decision. But if we are expecting Sybil to be an adult the same is expected for Kieran. Kieran was more likable or at least i saw more of his character than we saw Sybils. At the end there was an HEA. But this was a long tead for not much character development.

First, I just want to mention this cover. The color scheme, the details, the eye contact...perfection. Also, all the donut talk will make you hungry, so grab some donuts while you read this one.

Overall, this was an ok read. It's not my favorite of Denise William's books, and some of that has to do with the ending and some of it I just needed fleshed out a little bit more.

For our main characters we have Sybil, who has adhd (mentioned far too late in the book to really be addressed and dealt with) and a string of bad to stellar luck. She is aimless in life and her family is actually pretty mean to her, which really detracted from my enjoyment of the story. Every time I would start to get into it, I would be mad all over again over their snide comments or comedic anecdotes at Sybil's expense.

Then we have Kieran who is sweet, but very socially awkward in a way that comes off as rude sometimes. He is also lost, though very driven and kind of pushing forward on a path that isn't working, but he doesn't know what else to do. For someone so smart, he could be really dumb.

Once we really got into it, I was enjoying myself for the most part, but the end really detracted from my enjoyment. Sybil makes the dumbest decision and that honestly made it really hard for me to see around that.

I will still read anything Denise Williams writes, and while this book didn't fully work for me, I did have parts that I loved. My favorite was Sybil's friends or Kieran's grandpa and his friend. They were such great side characters, absolute gems. I want to have coffee and donuts with his grandpa.

Kieran and Sybil are opposites, Sybil is who one would outwardly call a mess, Kieran is always logical and responsible. Sybil and Kieran have a chance meeting at Kieran’s grandad’s donut shop after Sybil has a failed date, and they have an instant attraction and connection. After their sudden tryst is interrupted, Sybil runs out, leaving a signed note on a lottery ticket. Beginning their lucky love story, their fake one to help give Joe’s Donuts a popularity boost, help with their debt and for Sybil to have a date to her sister’s wedding. They are on fire together, you can feel the goosebumps they give each other through Denise Williams’ writing. The chemistry between Kieran and Sybil is so natural that no one is convinced their love is fake, even those that know it was originally for show. As they continue to be around each other, they fall deeper in love with each other. I enjoyed that there was a strong focus on the side relationships within the character’s lives. Sybil is a relatable character, and the development of the relationship between her and Kieran is relatable, the progress in their relationship feels natural and you fall in love with their passion for each other.

𝚁𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐: 4⭐️
𝙶𝚎𝚗𝚛𝚎: contemporary romance 📚

𝙼𝚢 𝚃𝚑𝚘𝚞𝚐𝚑𝚝𝚜:
A cute and fun read. An entertaining read that will leave you wanting a donut!

𝚁𝚎𝚊𝚍 𝚒𝚏 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎:
Fake dating
Grumpy/ sunshine
Found family
Fun donut shop setting
Slow burn romance
Great chemistry
Forced proximity
Dual POV
Instant lust

𝚃𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚜 𝙸 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎𝚍:
ADHD rep
Character growth
Relatable characters
Kieran’s grandfather

𝚃𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚜 𝙸 𝚍𝚒𝚍𝚗’𝚝 𝚌𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚏𝚘𝚛:
Started off strong but then the pacing slowed a little
The conflict felt a little rushed
The third act breakup was a little crazy

Just Our Luck is a cute grumpy/sunshine, fake dating, and opposites attract read. Sybil is a hot mess that learns to love herself and embrace her strengths through Kieran’s eyes. Kieran also learns to let go of control and embrace the unexpected.

I’m in love with Kieran !

I LOVED the banter and granddad. The lottery ticket was a fresh love story and the supporting characters were perfect. I’d hope for more from the mc but I loved her personality and hoped she would secretly take over the shop. The epilogue allowed me closure I needed.

I was so annoyed at the half a million dollar consequence that I had to take a little away. Half a million is a crazy amount for a new millionaire.

There were multiple times while reading this book where I felt like it could have had so much potential but really missed the mark. I wanted to enjoy the plus size rep and generally liked the premise but it really missed the mark and led me to wanting to DNF on multiple occasions.
I found the female main character to be indelibly unrelatable, her attitude toward life was incredibly unlikeable and I genuinely became so frustrated by her and never say any character growth or progression on her end. The ending didn't feel like there was resolution enough, practically forcing the mmc to change his entire career choice, going from wanting to become a doctor to just accepting some career in research?? Because of one of her immature little slip ups? This man was way too forgiving, if I were him I would NOT be taking her back. NOT IN a million years

I picked up this book because I love a romance with a WOC main character. Unfortunately, this book was not a hit for me. I’ve decided to DNF at 60%. My reasoning for choosing not to continue comes down to 1) pace and 2) characters.

For pace, I’ve found this book to be very slow. I’m not sure if it’s just the premise lending to the slow pace or what, but I found the pace too slow and I wasn’t interested in what was happening. The stakes did not feel high enough.

Characters. I found Sybil a bit much. Which is funny, because she mentions that people tend to say she’s a lot. But I don’t get the vibe they Sybil is going to do any self reflection, which feels very needed to me. Her irresponsibility was not fun to read about and I found her more infuriating than endearing. I also thought Kieran was a jerk. Where I got to in the book, I was really not feeling him and his attitude!

Overall, I think this book just wasn’t my cup of tea.

From the very first chapter, Just Our Luck hooked me with its witty dialogue, relatable characters, and one of my favorite tropes — fake dating with a side of mutual pining and found family goodness. The chemistry between the leads was instant, and I was rooting for them SO hard from the jump.

What I especially loved about this book was how it balanced laugh-out-loud moments with deeper emotional arcs. Both characters had their own growth journeys outside of the romance, which made their relationship feel earned and layered. The way Williams writes about grief, career struggles, and the sometimes messy road to self-acceptance felt so authentic.

Also — shoutout to the supportive best friends and meddling family members who added so much warmth and chaos in the best way.

Unfortunately this book was just not for me. I found the FMC to be extremely dislikable . I also really struggled with the romance. The constant switching between liking each other and not was exhausting. I just didn’t believe the chemistry after while.

I feel so bad reviewing this. For all the time I was so excited about this and told people to read it, I was appalled with the outcome. This is probably my least favorite Denise Williams book because of this one thing that happened. And maybe I’m being too harsh, but I guarantee, if you think that, you haven’t read this yet lol

So the reason I didn’t like this was the ending. And I mean it was the end, end. There was only like 35 minutes left in the audio. But Lordt it was so dumb. And to blame it on ADHD’s blurting? My ADHD was offended. And I know everyone’s ADHD isn’t the same, but like bffr. She’s a grown adult. If she didn’t know not to do what she did, that’s on her. I think that was more of a common sense issue tbh.

Ok so other than that terrible ending, I also didn’t like the main characters. The FMC had little to no character growth. She was a mess the entire time. And to be so anxious about the money and not knowing what to do with it, I was surprised that she didn’t immediately get a financial advisor. Maybe it was because it would have messed up the plot and the ending conflict because they would have said not to say that crazy bs. And the MMC was ok, but he let her do too much. And like that ending? None of them were mad enough for me.

The romance was ok, but also a little disappointing. I thought the one night stand was hella promising and it was going to make their banter throughout the rest of the story top tier. And it did. And her carefree ways went well with his stern over the top ones. But she did way too much at the end. And in my opinion, I just don’t feel that they should be together. Their fake dating always felt fake and it just didn’t give the fun fake dating vibe that I love. I thought it would be fixed at the end, but that obviously didn’t work either. It…. was a lot.

A delightful romance that hits all the right notes!

This was a breezy, entertaining read built around a jackpot-winning premise that feels unexpectedly original. The story kicks off with sparks flying between the leads, but then veers into fascinating territory as their initial attraction morphs into something more complicated and tension-filled.

Sybil captured my heart with her beautiful disaster energy. Her ADHD representation was thoughtfully portrayed, and I appreciated seeing how she navigated life’s obstacles and family dynamics. Kiran presents as this multifaceted puzzle…tender with his grandfather yet surprisingly standoffish with Sybil. Their dynamic had me scratching my head at points wondering about their compatibility, but their flawed connection somehow resonated deeply.

The fake relationship angle gets a refreshingly honest treatment here. Rather than the typical too-perfect performance, these two fumble their way through the charade so unconvincingly that nobody’s fooled. There’s something wonderfully authentic about how their pretense mirrors the beautifully imperfect nature of their actual relationship. Watching Sybil’s complicated relationship with her mother transform while Kiran balances his grandfather’s care anchored the story amid the wilder fame elements.

About that bombshell moment near the end… I gasped! Kiran deserves a medal for his forgiveness because that conflict pushed boundaries I wasn’t expecting. The aftermath felt slightly rushed given the magnitude of what transpired.

“Just Our Luck” delivers a romance with rough edges that thoughtfully portrays neurodiversity while providing an engaging escape. It might not linger forever in my memory, but it certainly brightened my reading week!

Thanks so much to NetGalley and Berkley for the opportunity to read this ARC.

This is a cute book! I had to put it down after first starting it because I thought it was going to be too cheesy, but I'm glad I decided to pick it back up. It was sweet but also felt real. I loved the characters and the romance, and the lessons that they learned. I will definitely be recommending this to my fellow romance lovers. Thank you Berkley and NetGalley for this ARC!

Thank you @berkleyromance #berkleypartner and @netgalley for the gifted digital arc! I read this yummy romance back in January and let me just say, it’s as sweet as can be.

Sybil is a fly by the seat of her pants, sometimes directionless, sunshine and wonderfully herself kind of girl. When Sybil decides to splurge on a lottery ticket and a sweet treat, she meets the man behind the dough and sparks fly. Enter Keiran, our grumpy former med student, helping to run his family’s donut shop. He has plans and family obligations that most certainly don’t include the cute girl who loves his late night donuts.

I LIVED for this opposites attract, instant chemistry, fake dating romance. From the moment they met, I was giddy and dying for more interactions.

I really enjoyed this story, easily a solid four star read for me. As a chaotic neurodivergent plus size girly myself, I love to see the representation!