Love & Luck

Love & Luck

A New York Times bestseller

From the author of the New York Times bestselling Love & Gelato comes a heartwarming tale of a road trip through Ireland filled with love, adventure, and the true meaning behind the word family.

Addie is visiting Ireland for her aunt’s over-the-top destination wedding, and hoping she can stop thinking about the one horrible thing she did that left her miserable and heartbroken—and threatens her future. But her brother, Ian, isn’t about to let her forget, and his constant needling leads to arguments and even a fistfight between the two once inseparable siblings. Miserable, Addie can’t wait to visit her friend in Italy and leave her brother—and her problems—behind.

So when Addie discovers an unusual guidebook, Ireland for the Heartbroken, hidden in the dusty shelves of the hotel library, she’s able to finally escape her anxious mind and Ian’s criticism.

And then their travel plans change. Suddenly Addie finds herself on a whirlwind tour of the Emerald Isle, trapped in the world’s smallest vehicle with Ian and his admittedly cute, Irish-accented friend Rowan. As the trio journeys over breathtaking green hills, past countless castles, and through a number of fairy-tale forests, Addie hopes her guidebook will heal not only her broken heart, but also her shattered relationship with her brother.

That is if they don’t get completely lost along the way.

Review

**Originally posted on my blog, RemmingtonReads**

Last summer I picked up a book called Love & Gelato expecting a cute, summery read, as fluffy as cotton candy. To my surprise, not only was that book all those things, but it was packed with so much meaning! I was amazed by how much I loved it and quickly determined that anything Jenna Evans Welch writes has to be on my shelves!

And then, how lucky was I when I heard there was a companion novel coming out soon?! I, of course, bought it and finally got around to reading it this week! OH MY GOODNESS!! What a beautiful piece of art! I adored Love & Gelato, but I think I might like this new one even more! While Love & Gelato focuses on romance, at the root of Love & Luck is family, which I loved even more than I thought I would!

What makes this book sparkle is how realistic the characters are. Addie is one of four kids, having three brothers, and I just loved reading about their relationships! They fought with one another, of course, but at the end of the day, they had each other’s backs. I love a good story of siblings! 🙂 Addie is a teenager trying to figure out the rollercoaster ride that is high school and all the hills and valleys that come along with it. As a high-schooler myself, I can attest to the fact that the problems she faces are very real today. The cause for her heartbreak is something that happens far too often at school, and it was nice to read about something that actually happens inside the walls of high school.

As I mentioned earlier, romance is not the main focus of this book. And that was totally okay! I’m a sucker for a swoon-worthy romance, but it just wasn’t needed in this book. There was a little sprinkle of romance towards the end, but it was just the right amount! The family aspect of this book far outshines the need for romance!

For being a contemporary book, the plot moved at the perfect speed! Not too slow, not too fast! You start out not knowing the cause for Addie’s broken heart, but as the story progresses you slowly fit the puzzle pieces together! It kept me on the edge of my seat wondering what had happened! I also loved how they made stops all throughout Ireland to mend Addie’s broken heart. I would recommend listening to some of it on audiobook because the “Guidebook Lady’s” attitude was hilarious!

By the end of this book, my soul just felt cleansed, if that makes any sense at all? It was refreshing to read and just the perfect spirit-lifter! If you’re looking for a cute, summery read but also a book with depth beyond just romance, this is the book for you! I give it all the stars!!!