Love & Luck Paperback – June 4, 2019

What makes a book “supremely enjoyable” to read, as opposed to “spellbinding,” “rich,” or “charming?” For me, it has to be a mix of good writing, clever lines, fun characters, strong relationship building, and most importantly, heart. Jenna Evans Welch’s latest book Love and Luck is such a supremely enjoyable read because it has all of those things. To wit:Good WritingIt takes a very steady writer’s hand to dole out details of a relationship, world, or situation fast enough to keep the interest of readers with short attention spans but not so fast that a story becomes predictable one-third of the way in. At the core of Love and Luck is the relationship between the main character, Addie, and her brother Ian, right after she goes through a really rough break-up with her boyfriend, and during a family trip to the Emerald Isle. They’re there for her aunt’s destination wedding, but Ian keeps bringing up the break-up, which gets him into all kinds of trouble with Addie. Then, she’s more-or-less forced into a whirlwind road trip with him and his Irish buddy Rowan. Addie finds a guidebook entitled “Ireland for the Heartbroken: An Unconventional Guide to the Emerald Isle” at their hotel, and uses that as her survival mechanism, but finds that she doesn’t need to rely on it so much as she needs to learn how to trust Ian, own her mistakes, and rely on her friends and family. Welch peels back the layers of Addie and Ian’s relationship bit-by-bit, through revelations of details about her relationship with Cubby, then wraps it back up again using the chaotic stitchwork of their shared roadtrip experience and previous history. It’s endearing and heart-warming, that’s what it is.Clever LinesSome examples:(in a conversation with Ian and Addie’s older brother, Walt, and their mother):Walt leaned forward, shaking himself free of me also. “Mom, please stop swearing. You’re awful at it.”“You can’t be awful at swearing,” she said shakily.“You have single-handedly disproven that theory,” Walt argued. “There’s a science to it; some words go together. You can’t just throw them all out at once.”“I’m going to throw you all out at once,” Mom said.”r this:(as Addie’s getting into Rowan’s tiny car and beginning this forced road trip):I rushed over, eager to keep up the goodwill, but when I looked inside [the car], the glow that Ian’s smile had created instantly faded away. He had somehow managed to stack Rowan’s items into a teetering pile that almost touched the ceiling. The only actual space was behind Ian’s seat, and it was just the right size for three malnourished squirrels and a hedgehog. If they all sucked in.Fun CharactersAddie is a high-schooler in the swamp of murky self-identity, yet her narrative isn’t angsty or depressing. In fact, it’s anything but. Through her interactions with Rowan, who becomes a co-commiserator in the Land of Heartbreak, she is revealed (to herself and others) as a kind, impulsive, dedicated, angry, helpful Person. Through her interactions with her brother Ian, which could have shown her to be nothing but selfish and mean-spirited, she is shown to crave harmony. In the end, her biggest problem is her ability to own her past mistakes, which is a very relatable character flaw. Somewhat whimsically, she follows the advise of the writer of “Ireland for the Heartbroken,” making paper airplanes out of losses and standing in the waters of Inch Beach until her legs are numb. It’s a joy to follow her journey.Strong Relationship BuildingAll books, when it comes right down to it, are about relationships (all good books anyway), no matter the genre. To take a relationship–a sibling relationship no less–from a knock-down fist fight to a hug, realistically, is no small feat, but as I said before, it’s done in this book.Heart“What is heart?” you say. It’s that indefinable quality of (good writing + fun characters + strong relationship building) + emotion. The emotion has to be deep and woven throughout, not dramatically expressed in fits and spurts like a bas relief sculpture, just for show. It’s interesting to me that at the launch for this book, which I attended at Kings’ English in Salt Lake City, Utah, Jenna stated that this book came out of one of the toughest years of her life. It doesn’t feel like it; it’s too light-hearted for that. Or rather, maybe because of that, between the clever quips and mad dashes, the heart of this book reaches a very universal core: who we are as human beings and whether we’re sufficient by ourselves or need others.Who Would Like Love & Luck?If you liked Love and Gelato, it’s loosely-related predecessor which I reviewed at HeadOverBooks.com, you’ll like this book. If you’re going to the beach and want a light read, you’ll like this book, although there’s not much romance per se. If you want a book for your teenage girl to read, one that has no sex and very little language, you’ll like this book.Find more reviews of books like this on my website HeadOverBooks.com

After reading “Love and Gelato” I wanted to read anything by this author. So I search what else she had written only to find I had to wait one entire year...pure torture! To say I was excited to read this book is the understatement of the century! When I finally got it I was excited to start! The book was good! Not as good as love and gelato, but if you read the first book them you should definitely read this! The storie line was very interesting, and I found my self laughing at times at the scene that was taking place. This is just a good feeling book! When you finish reading you just feel good! The author did such a good job portraying what the character was going thew! The only reason I gave it 4 stars instead of 5 was because I liked the first better. But if you are looking for a book that will take you on a journey to find who a person really is, then I would suggest this book! And don’t worry, there is a romance in here.

Love & Luck is an amazing book that my 13-year-old really enjoyed! The story is about a girl named Addie who goes on a trip to Ireland with her family after things go wrong at home. While she’s there, she learns about herself, her family, and the importance of love and friendship.The book is full of fun adventures and cool places in Ireland. It’s really easy to read, and the characters are relatable. Addie’s journey teaches you a lot about dealing with tough situations and finding hope, even when things aren’t going well.If you like stories with great characters, a little romance, and lots of fun twists, you should definitely read Love & Luck! It’s a great book for anyone who loves a good adventure and learning about new places.

**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!!!

Item was in okay condition