Book Review: Just Our Luck by Denise Williams

Official Synopsis: Who needs love? Not Sybil Sweet. After years of bouncing from job to job in search of something that feels right and from man to man in search of something special, Sybil is embracing her role as the directionless, floundering member of her family. All she really wants now is a little financial stability and carb comfort. Lucky for her, she’s got just enough in the bank to buy a lottery ticket, and the late-night donut store is open.

Kiran Anderson abandoned his dreams of becoming a doctor to take over running his family’s bakery, and after two years of fighting a losing battle to save the place, he’s exhausted and broke. But when a whirlwind of a woman sweeps in late one night, flirty energy gives way to more…until she runs out the next morning, leaving behind her winning lottery ticket.

Lucky for Kiran, his attempt to return the ticket looks like a grand romantic gesture and goes viral, sending sales through the roof. In an effort to keep the store afloat and to get Sybil’s family off of her back, they agree to fake a relationship for three months. Even with hundreds of millions of dollars, finding each other might end up being the sweetest bit of luck for both of them.

This is the first novel I've read by Denise Williams, and I'm excited to look into her other novels after it! I really liked her writing style and the way the story moved forward. I also am a big fan of dual POV romance novels, even though a lot of time I'm mad the characters aren't talking each other about how they fully feel.

This book has a lot of really great romance tropes, there is fake-dating, he falls first and then mutual pining. Both Sybil and Kieran have a lot on their shoulders and a lot of people who are watching what they do. Sybil just wants to prove to her family that she isn't the mess they all seem to think she is. She is definitely impulsive, but at times it feels like her mom and sister are truly looking down at her. Kieran deferred medical school to help out his grandpa, who is the owner of the donut shop. When they meet, and briefly hookup, it ends with Sybil leaving quickly, and leaving behind her winning lottery ticket.

In order to find the mystery girl, Kieran's sister has his post a video online about missing this perfect girl and wanting to make sure she gets the ticket. Suddenly, Sybil has more money then she could imagine and is hoping Kieran will let her help him out. When they decide to fake date to help the shop make back it's money after a break-in and make Sybil's parents believe she is finally in a good place after winning the lottery, they figure they just need to make it through Sybil's sister's wedding.

Their town is obsessed with their relationship, and the sudden support is keeping the donut shop afloat. Even if sometimes their fake dating does seem too fake. But as they spend more time together without people watching, they realize their feelings might be more real than the think. The problem is Sybil doesn't know her next steps and Kieran has every intention of going back to medical school in the fall, states away.

Overall, I really enjoyed the story and really liked the idea of the family run donut shop and that being a main setting of the story.

I rated this book 3 out of 5 stars.

This book is scheduled to come out March 25, 2025!

Goodreads