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A review by peytonsreads
Just Our Luck by Julia Walton
3.0
TW: revenge porn, anxiety, panic attacks, alcohol usage, bullying, instance of slut shaming
Just Our Luck follows main character, Leo, who battled anxiety and has landed himself in some interesting positions. He is being forced to eat lunch with the kid who punched him, struggling in a relationship with his distant father, grieving his grandmother, and is also finds himself entangled in Evey Paros’ grand scheme to get back at her ex-boyfriend. Leo’s Greek heritage and knitting hobby are also large aspects of the book.
I was a little bit disappointed, actually. I was sure that Leo’s anxiety would be heavily discussed and would be a central element to the plot, given the description of the book, but it was more of a background element. The plot would drag, pick up, then drag again. For Evey’s ex being the central issue in the book, he did not get as much page-time as you would think. Evey and Leo’s budding relationship also seemed quite dry, as they really showed no chemistry or personal growth TOGETHER. Now, I absolutely adored Drake and Leo’s relationship. They went from disgruntled acquaintances to best friends and that development was one of the better parts of the novel. In reality, I loved all the characters. It was just that some of the relationships seemed underdeveloped.
The ending is where everything comes together and boy do I wish it would’ve been like that the entire book. Some more sensitive topics are brought in and resolved within the last 80ish pages. I think Just Our Luck needed a bit more intricacy in its plot to spice things up, more chemistry between Leo and Evey, and more commentary on Leo’s anxiety!
Overall, Just Our Luck barely missed the mark for me, but the relationships between characters can make this an enjoyable read.
**Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher who provided me an e-arc in exchange for an honest review**
Just Our Luck follows main character, Leo, who battled anxiety and has landed himself in some interesting positions. He is being forced to eat lunch with the kid who punched him, struggling in a relationship with his distant father, grieving his grandmother, and is also finds himself entangled in Evey Paros’ grand scheme to get back at her ex-boyfriend. Leo’s Greek heritage and knitting hobby are also large aspects of the book.
I was a little bit disappointed, actually. I was sure that Leo’s anxiety would be heavily discussed and would be a central element to the plot, given the description of the book, but it was more of a background element. The plot would drag, pick up, then drag again. For Evey’s ex being the central issue in the book, he did not get as much page-time as you would think. Evey and Leo’s budding relationship also seemed quite dry, as they really showed no chemistry or personal growth TOGETHER. Now, I absolutely adored Drake and Leo’s relationship. They went from disgruntled acquaintances to best friends and that development was one of the better parts of the novel. In reality, I loved all the characters. It was just that some of the relationships seemed underdeveloped.
The ending is where everything comes together and boy do I wish it would’ve been like that the entire book. Some more sensitive topics are brought in and resolved within the last 80ish pages. I think Just Our Luck needed a bit more intricacy in its plot to spice things up, more chemistry between Leo and Evey, and more commentary on Leo’s anxiety!
Overall, Just Our Luck barely missed the mark for me, but the relationships between characters can make this an enjoyable read.
**Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher who provided me an e-arc in exchange for an honest review**