Just Our Luck by Denise Williams
All the things to know:
POV: Dual 1st Person
3rd ACT BREAK-UP: Yes
TROPES: Fake Dating; Small Town, Bakery, Nuerospicy Heroine; Rom-Com; Slow Burn, He Falls First
TYPE OF SERIES: Standalone
RELEASE DATE: March 25, 2025
PoP: 75%
Just Our Luck brings together two compelling characters—Sybil Sweet, a neurodivergent, real-bodied heroine trying to find her footing in life, and Kieran Anderson, a man who put med school on pause to help run his family’s donut shop.
I wanted to love Just Our Luck. We’ve got a missing lottery ticket that leads into a fake relationship. But somewhere along the line, I found myself skimming every so often. That being said… I still did enjoy this story and the direction that Williams went.
Sybil is the standout of the story. She’s layered and relatable—searching for purpose while navigating the emotional minefield of a mother who doesn’t understand her. Those scenes were genuinely hard to read at times, and not always in a cathartic way. Thankfully, Sybil’s friend group is a bright spot; they love her fiercely and provide some of the book’s best moments.
Now, Kieran, on the other hand, was harder to connect with. While his devotion to his family is admirable, he often feels emotionally closed off and unable to see the bigger picture. That made it hard to root for him as Sybil’s person.
The fake relationship setup is cute and allows for some tender slow-burn moments, but the pacing drags. Overall, it feels longer needed with certain plot threads losing momentum before they reach a satisfying payoff. It’s not a bad book by any stretch—it just didn’t quite stick the landing for me. But the care that went into the nuerodivergent part of this story was executed excellently.
I love Sybil’s character, and relate to heroine so many ways.
If you’re here for a slower-paced story with awkward beginnings, and a heroine you’ll want to wrap in a blanket burrito, this might still hit for you. But I personally needed more.
⭐️⭐️⭐️ – A Donut, a Fake Date, and a Lot of Frustration
Want more Denise Williams?
Check out this Author Spotlight Episode
Check out this QSR for Fastest Way to Fall
Check out Becky’s Review of Just Our Luck
Check out Amanda’s Review of Just Our Luck
