This is an incredibly funny and moving book. I have never come across a combination before where in the same novel I laughed hilariously and then cried for the burdens the characters were carrying.
The characters, all women, from different walks of life, at different stages in their lives, are strong, vibrant, endearing, vulnerable and real. We follow their individual journeys of self-discovery and ultimately their acceptance of themselves, in separate stories that are clearly linked but speak of different trials. There is Ruby who has polycystic ovaries and hides from the world because of the resulting body hair. She is a single mum to Bonnie, not managing to be a very good parent and trapped in a life where she is determined that no-one will discover what shames her.
There is Beth, meant to be on maternity leave but organising the celebrity wedding of the year to famous businessman Gavin and his Instagram perfect fiancée Lauren. She is breastfeeding, her husband is looking after the baby and Beth is wondering why her husband is avoiding her.
Lauren posts about her perfect life on Instagram in a bid to escape the pain of personal loss. In doing so she avoids confronting the thing that matters most.
Risky is Beth's assistant and incredibly honest when it comes to sexual practices. She also advocates the Sisterhood and believes herself to be an ardent feminist.
Dawn O'Porter uses serious issues and the conflict women can face being mothers, the fallout of not having a good mother, juggling a career with parenthood and what constitutes a happy and thriving marriage with a huge amount of hilarity and yet at the same time sensitivity.
By the end, when the women meet and join together to support one another, the reader is swept away by Ruby's bravery, Beth's determination, Lauren's attempts to start again, and Risky's reassessment of perfection in relationships. It is such a brilliant read, and one you do not want to put down. It is very hard to say goodbye to the women of this story and I found myself wishing each one of them well for the future. I felt like they were my friends too and I only wanted the best for them.
Would definitely recommend reading this book to others and as this was the first time I have read anything by Dawn O'Porter I am most certainly going to read whatever else she has written. Dawn O'Porter could quite possibly become one of my favourite authors!

I really enjoyed Dawns last book 'The Cows' so was looking forward to reading her new book!
So Lucky focuses on two main characters, Ruby and Beth with Instagram posts of a third character Lauren also featured throughout.
Ruby is a single parent to feisty 3 year old Bonnie and spends her days hiding away working as a photo editor, photo-shopping photos for models and celebrities while dealing with serious body image issues of her own.
Beth is a new Mum who has gone back to work sooner than she wanted to to deal with a celebrity wedding. Dealing with the realities of working while breastfeeding and the change in her home life is proving very difficult for her.
Lauren's Instagram account shows that she seems to have it all - gorgeous fiance, beautiful home, money, fame etc. But is it all just a front for social media?
This was a brilliant look at the pressures women face when they want to still work and have a family, as well as the realities of social media and how you shouldn't always believe what is portrayed.

My crush on Dawn O’Porter just upped into full scale adoration. Her writing is so witty, smart and keenly observed. I absolutely devoured this book and find her reflections on social media and influencer culture really insightful, without being preachy and losing any entertainment factor. Brilliant.

Could not put this down! Fantastic story full of twists, humor and the message of loving yourself. Loved it but now I want to sequel, I need to keep reading about Beth, Ruby and Lauren

Loved, loved, loved this! It was so real and can 100% empathise with the characters and feel like I know them.

Dawn O'Porter has made this into a story that everyone can relate to which is also full of laughter and emotion.

So Lucky has a timely concept as it’s focus which the author manages to explore in sharp & funny ways. This isn’t the kind of book I would normally pick up, which may explain why I couldn’t relate strongly to any of the main characters. That said it was a light and entertaining read exploring social media & it’s effect on the female psyche.

This is my first read by Dawn O’Porter and hopefully not my last.
The three main characters, Ruby, Beth and Lauren, lead completely different lives, all of which, on the surface appear to be happy and content, enviable even! As the story unfolds and truths emerge, this is not the case. Fantastic read with a satisfying ending. Highly recommend.
I read this book in record time (for me!) just couldn’t put it down.
Thank you to Dawn O’Porter, NetGalley, and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review.

This was enticing enough that I read it in one day. It was an enjoyable read and the story was engaging. It was light but felt relevant to the currently climate of Instagram lifestyle and body image, the ever existing desire to compare your life to others and what you see online.

Like many I follow Dawn O'Porter on Instagram and LOVE her, she's so funny and real. This was the first book of her's I've read and I was expecting a little more of her Instagram humor to translate to the book but unfortunately it didn't BUT this is in no way in saying I didn't like this book. I totally did - just wasn't what I was expecting.

A wonderful summer read and I would highly recommend to those looking for an light entertaining read.

Thanks to netgalley for providing me a preview copy.

Go and buy this book and immerse yourself in the everyday life of some amazing and wonderful women!

I was so excited to read this book,given my love for the author. Dawn is such a creative,funny and lovely person and such an amazing writer!

I was so immersed in the book that I literally lost the notion of time, I couldn’t put it down.

I love the fact that the story depicts the life of women. They are strong and weak at the same time and I found myself crying,hoping,feeling happy and cheeky (yes,really!) with them,

Life is not always perfect as we see it from the outside. I particularly appreciated the fact that Dawn is portraying the power of social medial in both a positive and negative way.

I would totally recommend this book as it is a fantastic and funny journey into the lives of the characters,you really feel like you are being catapulted into their world,experiencing the same feelings and laughing with them.

Love this book!
I know what goes on behind the closed doors of my home, so its no stretch to imagine that life isn't all cupcakes and roses behind the doors of our friends' and neighbours' homes too, yet we are all so unwilling to talk about the difference between reality and the front we put on that it's easy to imagine that everybody else's life is perfect. Social media, where we all love to show how we're #livingmybestlife really doesn't help either.
In this novel, Dawn takes the lid off the lives of three outwardly very successful women and reveals the self-doubt, the willingness to put up with shit (both from third parties and self-inflicted) and the power that can be released when women come together to support one another.
In no way is this a diatribe against men - there are more great men in this book than there are rotters - it's simply a prod and a push to the women that read it to recognise that life is hard, that nobody has it perfect, and that being kind to one another is the bare minimum we should seek to achieve.
Dawn takes a dig at society's adoration of the female body - but only when it adheres to some impossible form, leaving ALL women feeling lacking. Her insights into how we tick are beautifully presented and always circle back to one thing - accept your flaws, accept the flaws in others and simply make the very best of what life has for you. Really, we are our own worst enemies!
If you're looking for a funny and insightful read, this is it. Very clever, Mrs O'P!

Contemporary, laugh out loud funny and relatable story of three women navigating motherhood, careers and friendships. This book taps into the zeitgeist of living your best life in the same way that Helen Fielding did with Bridget Jones and singletons. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It is an undemanding, enjoyable read without being superficial or twee, This is the first Dawn O’Porter book I’ve read but it definitely won’t be the last.

I’ve loved Dawn O’Porter’s previous books so was thrilled to receive this one.

Happy to say that it’s just as witty, fun and raucous as her previous books. I feel this genre is hard to perfect but O’Porter nails it every time.

I’m recommending it to everyone. 5 stars.

So Lucky tells the story of three women. Ruby and Beth, through 1st person accounts, and Lauren, through the eyes of others (which is quite apt).

Ruby is consumed with shame. Ashamed of her body and her skills as a mother, she’s pushed almost everyone in her life away. Whilst not a very likeable character, her personal growth is gripping, and as she goes through a series of personal developments, she becomes a woman to root for.

Beth it’s trying her best. To others, she has it all; a fantastic husband, a career as a wedding planner and a gorgeous baby boy. Having just given birth, she’s put her maternity leave on hold to plan the wedding if the year. Social media princess, Lauren will wed entrepreneur, Gavin. What she didn’t expect was the strain this decision would put on her marriage, which is crumbling behind the scenes. With a mother-in-law you want to strangle added in the mix, Beth understandably acts out.

I enjoyed how the women, who didn’t know one another, all cane together through the mutual connection which was the wedding. There are some very current issues tackled in the book and despite being a ‘light read’ there is a little bit of grit too. I enjoyed this one, even though some parts made me feel a little uncomfortable. I loved the modern day ‘girl power’ message and the theme of women coming together to be stronger plus the other ‘on point’ themes addressed in the book. My only criticism is that I didn’t quite get Michael’s behaviour and don’t feel like there was enough closure of this thread.

Genre: women’s contemporary fiction
Rating: 4.5⭐️

A lovely, thought provoking, original story, beautifully written by the fabulous Ms O'Porter.

The sort of book all young women should be given to read in this internet age when so many are under pressure to look perfect and have enviable lives.

Thank you so much for allowing me to read and review it.

In a nutshell, So Lucky is about that familiar phrase: 'Everyone is fighting a battle you know nothing about . . .' People might seem like they have it all and are 'so lucky' but the reality is quite different. This book has a lot in common with Dawn's previous novel, The Cows: both have three lead female characters with a lot more to them than meets the eye, all navigating life in this judgemental digital era. Both books have a similar cheeky, knowing, funny tone but I felt So Lucky worked so much harder with plot and character development than its predecessor, which meant I enjoyed it a lot more.

We meet Ruby Blake, Beth and Lauren Pearce. All women told - at various points in the narrative - how lucky they are, despite being in situations that they feel are anything but. Beth owns a wedding planning business and finds herself back at work 4 months after giving birth due to organising the celebrity wedding of the year. Well, an influencer is marrying a very rich, handsome man (who had a stint on Dragon's Den) so that qualifies as top level celeb these days. Beth is struggling with her sex-less marriage and has a truly fab assistant called Risky who brings many comedic moments. Risky is a representation of every millennial feminist who makes a point of talking openly about sex, spends all their time on Instagram and lives for inspiring quotes, but her openness is a much needed contrast to the issues the other characters have that make them clam up.

Lauren is the aforementioned influencer who we initially get to see (a version of) through her Instagram posts. Beth and Risky get to know her and discover her social-media-ready relationship might not be quite so perfect.

Ruby was my favourite, I always looked forward to her chapters. She has the most character development and a real individual spark to her, this quote sums up her distinct character nicely: "‘Up yours,’ I say, crossing the road. It’s a retro phrase I use a lot. Firm, offensive but not sweary enough for people to ring an alarm." She has a toddler, Bonnie, and issues with her sense of self due to a condition that means she feels she has to hide her body away. Ironically, she works as a retoucher and this leads to interesting observations and a moral conflict which is nicely explored, "I hate how the male gaze is still more powerful than a woman’s self worth."

The characters start the novel not knowing each other, then all three women's lives end up intertwining in a clever, unique way that I didn't expect. There is also a sub plot exploring how hard and tricky motherhood and parenting can be, which - being a mother - resonated and added extra depth to this read for me.

So Lucky is a funny, warm, super-engaging book that I always looked forward to dipping into. It celebrated female friendship (I'm fully on board with any novel that's going to do that), while also making good points about how we unconsciously judge others, the power of false perception and - most importantly for me - delivered a set of characters that I ended up caring about - especially Ruby.

Thoroughly enjoyed this book!

I love the way the characters develop and interact and it’s genuinely funny in parts.

I would recommend this book and I imagine it’ll be in a few Christmas gifts this year.

REVIEW | I knew this was going to be brilliant before opening the cover. I LOVE Dawn O'Porter. I've followed her on Instagram for ages and her stories are an absolute hoot! I loved #TheCows and have been eagerly following her writing process for this newbie through her stories and was desperate to get my hands on a copy of it!

Everyone thinks that Ruby, Beth and Lauren are #SoLucky! A comment that comes so easy when you are only seeing someone through what they post on social media or hold back from sharing the truth. You'll deep dive into each of the characters lives and learn there's more to it than what you assume it to be.

Each one of the girls are so different and it was Ruby that I enjoyed reading about the most. She seems cold and unloving at first, but you soon learn that she's battling with a condition, family issues and trying to be a good mum for her three year old. Learning more about her condition and the struggles coming with that, you soon sympathise for her, gain more of an understanding and wish her happiness.

Thank you to Netgalley, Harper Collins and Dawn O'Porter for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for a review.

It was brilliant to read more of O'Porters writing and it to follow a similar writing structure to The Cows. This book made me laugh out loud, smile, gasp and to keep reading into the night as I couldn't put it down. I'd give it a strong 4.5/5 and recommend it to many, it's an easy and totally enjoyable one.  ⭐⭐⭐⭐✨/5

I loved this book, and couldn’t put it down.

I am blown away by Dawn O’Porter’s wonderful characterisation, enabling me to ‘know’ the women and men who inhabit this story. I could picture everyone of them. Ruby, the complex, tense single mum to a difficult toddler; Lauren, the social media star who is planning her dream wedding to the man of her dreams; Beth, new mum and wedding planner, who is undergoing a marriage crisis, amongst other things; and lastly Risky, Beth’s young assistant, who really sums up the title ‘Millennial’.

The story is so well written, and very much a novel for our current times. The subject matter discussed by the women is sometimes very frank and graphic, but also very funny. This is handled so well and so honestly that this 70 year old reader did not find it shocking - but some readers might, so be aware.

How I laughed with Beth and Risky, every woman needs a Beth in her life, and probably a Risky too!
I worried about Ruby, and her toddler Bonnie and their relationship with each other.
I held my breath at times as Lauren’s wedding preparations came together on the big day, and the drama that played out then.

I was so saddened at times that these women all feel the pressure so much to conform to a particular ‘acceptable’ image, often bearing no resemblance to the reality. And all for different reasons, and from a variety of influences exerted on them to do so.

The male characters are very well described each in their own way, both the decent guys who care about their women, and the selfish immature men who don’t care enough about their women.

Ultimately it is an uplifting and honest depiction of women supporting each other through the very difficult situations that are explored in the story.

A very insightful and honest book, I will look for more of Dawn O’Porter’s work. My thanks to the author, the publisher and Netgalley for my advance copy of this book.

I’m so glad I was accepted to read and review this particular title.

When I saw that Dawn O'Porter had a new book out I knew I had to read it. I wasn't really sure about the book to be honest mainly for it's apparent lack of story. I deliberated long and hard over what rating to give it and I settled on 4*. Ultimately its uncomfortably perceptive, outrageous and a brilliant commentary of the state of modern life.

I don’t think the cover art is especially representative of this book, nor the description.

Dawn O’Porter does a really great job of differentiating between the way that women might appear in the external world and their often wildly contrasting states of mind.

I was a bit concerned that this book would feel a bit saccharine and have a strong moral message which was a bit preachy, but it turned out to be anything but. The characters are really well rounded and ‘human’ - flaws and all.

This is fiction with a soul. Really enjoyed it.