Just My Luck by Adele Parks

 

I received an ARC of this book thanks to NetGalley and publisher HQ in exchange for an honest review.

Just My Luck is a fantastic domestic drama book about what happens when one family wins the lottery. That sounds like a fairly simple premise and it is, but therein lies the strength. When Lexi wins 18 million in the lottery, she can't believe her luck. Unfortunately just the week before, she was part of a syndicate with her friends who now feel that they are owed a share of the money. On top of that, her husband seems unable to control his spending and it is causing cracks in the relationship. Determined to use the money for good, Lexi must weigh her own values and desires against those of the people around her.

I wasn't sure going in if this book was a thriller or not, and to be honest I'm still not entirely sure. It lacks 'someone messing with the main character' or other hallmarks of a thriller, but there are definitely twists and turns to be found here and many of the characters have secrets. I think if you usually enjoy thrillers then you should check this out, although be aware it's not entirely typical of the genre.

This book had a great sense of pace and it always felt like there was something going on which was very engaging. The main drama of the book is actually not entirely focused on the syndicate and I very much appreciated that as it would have been a bit weak to drive the whole story. Instead there are a lot of different intricate personal dramas going on and plenty of stories driving the plot, with each character feeling fleshed out and like they had their own motivations. I never quite knew how things were going to play out and that was very enjoyable. My only complaint is that one particular plot point is benched for most of the book and I kept thinking about how interesting it would be to see how the characters involved in that were reacting to what was going on. It felt like a bit of a missed opportunity.

Overall, Just My Luck is a great summer book and a gripping story with a lot to offer a reader. It's not too heavy if you're not a thriller fan but it still manages to create a sense of tension and keep you invested with the story. I'm very glad I took a chance and requested it.

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