Just My Luck is the story of Lexi and Jake, who after doing the lottery in a syndicate with friends for 15 years, suddenly find themselves sole winners of 18 million pounds. For a family with money worries the win is a godsend but as Jake begins to spend, spend, spend, Lexi worries whether she will be able to rein him in. The story follows Lexi and her family as they come to terms with the win and what effect it has on their lives.

A great read with plenty of twists and a surprising ending.

4* A great intro to this author. A tale with a plot and twists I couldn't see coming.

This is not a tale with nice characters; I didn't like anyone, though the kids were tolerable. It's a tale about greed and about money bringing out people's true colours and about how money doesn't necessarily change lives for the better. After reading this, I did feel different about possibly winning on the lottery and what it might reveal, a bit like in vino veritas.

Not having read AP before, I expected a bit of chick lit with intelligence and whilst I got the latter, I was glad I was mistaken about the former. The meshing of the lives and details, and especially the prologue that I wondered how would fit in with the tale, was impeccable. I was not that sad about the lives that ended up changed because tbh it felt like the lot of them had superficial values and lives, but some good came out of it, with one of the victims of the prologue part ended up not quite with justice being done, but with something fulfilling and life changing. I'm glad that the bad guys here - there were several - got what they deserved, especially the one who did something so stupid and despicable that I was almost in shock; that part was really satisfying and well done. Did I like the manipulation and the games and lies? No, but it was weirdly addictive to see everything unravel and fall apart.

I'm going to be looking out for this author in future.

ARC courtesy of HQ and NetGalley, for my reading pleasure.

I have read Adele Parks before and find her novels compelling and this is no different.

For fifteen years a syndicate of friends have played the same numbers on the lottery until one weekend when there is a fallout. Lexi, married to Jake has been responsible for buying the ticket and she continues to buy it. The very next weekend the numbers come up and Lexi and Jake appear to be close to £18 million winners as a couple.

This is the beginning of the dispute where the other two couples involved in the syndicate claim that they are entitled to their share and the accusations begin. This is not the only disagreement and difficulty and as the book continues there are plots, subplots and underlying lies and deceit.

‘Just My Luck’ is cleverly plotted with characters I liked, felt empathy with and those I did not like and felt they deserved nothing from the winnings.

Many thanks to NetGalley, HQ Mystery and Thrillers and Adele Parks for my ARC of ‘Just My Luck’ in return for my honest review.

Great read and recommended.

Well! This book was not at all what I expected! I know that Adele's books have taken on a darker twist recently, so I didn't expect sunshine and rainbows but this was DARK!

I think it's safe to say we all dream of winning the lottery jackpot, but few of us think about the downside of becoming multimillionaires overnight. Who can you trust? Do you know who your true friends are? How much would it change your relationships?

Lexi and Jake, along with their children Emily and Logan are an ordinary family, with an ordinary life. They have a small circle of friends they've known for years. But can they really be trusted? Do they really, truly know them?

When Jake and Lexi win £18 million, their lives instantly change. Jake and the kids are happy to spend and splurge. Lexi wants to do some good with the money. But their friends may not be so happy for them.

This book is a huge rollercoaster of emotion! The characters are strong and well written, the dialogue is so gripping and the twists are shocking.

I had no idea what was really going on and I'm still reeling! Bloody brilliant!

#JustMyLuck #NetGalley
Be prepared to put your life on hold with Adele Park's Just My Luck.
For fifteen years, Lexi and Jake have played the same six numbers with their friends, the Pearsons and the Heathcotes. Over dinner parties, fish & chip suppers and summer barbecues, they’ve discussed the important stuff – the kids, marriages, jobs and houses – and they’ve laughed off their disappointment when they failed to win anything more than a tenner. But then, one Saturday night, the unthinkable happens. There’s a rift in the group. Someone doesn’t tell the truth. And soon after, six numbers come up which change everything forever.Lexi and Jake have a ticket worth £18 million. And their friends are determined to claim a share of it.
Its Adele's twentieth novel and is not less than her others.
Go for this beautiful read this summer.
Thanks to NetGalley and HQ for giving me an advance copy.

Having just finished ‘Just my luck’ I feel like I have stepped off a rollercoaster! It is a great read! If you have ever wondered what it’s like to win the lottery, this book is for you!

This story really lets you vicariously experience the highs and lows of a big lottery win, and definitely reinforces that old adage that money can’t buy happiness.

Married couple Lexi and Jake win just shy of 18million .... the week after their syndicate dissolves. The syndicate is made up of 3 couples who have been friends since the birth of their eldest children 15 years previously.

It won’t come as any surprise that disputes over whether the syndicate really broke up feature in the storyline, but this is just one of many dramas that unfold through this book.

As I’d expected from an Adele Parks book, this one was well written with relatable characters and a storyline that really packs a punch.

A well deserved 5 stars and my thanks to Netgalley, author and publisher for the opportunity to review this book in exchange for an advance copy.

Thank you NetGalley for this advanced copy. This book started out strong, but in the middle it was just too slow for me. I ended up skimming the second half. The ending was really good, with some huge shocks, but the middle was just too slow.

Over the last 15 years Lexi and Jake have put their money down on the same six numbers with their close friends in a syndicate. During barbecues and dinner parties they have fantasised over what they would spend their winnings on, and then laughed off their disappointment together when they failed to win anything. And then one Saturday night an argument between the group erupts. Somebody is lying. Six numbers then come up that change the course of their lives forever. Lexi and Jake now have a lottery ticket for £18 million and their friends are determined to get their fair share. A story filled with twists and turns that are primarily based around the same moral theme of deciding between right and wrong. Absolutely fantastic and unputdownable!

I was eagerly awaiting Adele Park’s new book and it certainly did not disappoint.
The story is original and different from her other books and the main premise is about a family who have won the lottery.
The main character, Lexi is relatable and engaging. The plot kept me intrigued and I raced through it.

"It’s the stuff dreams are made of – a lottery win so big, it changes everything.
For fifteen years, Lexi and Jake have played the same six numbers with their friends, the Pearsons and the Heathcotes. Over dinner parties, fish & chip suppers and summer barbecues, they’ve discussed the important stuff – the kids, marriages, jobs and houses – and they’ve laughed off their disappointment when they failed to win anything more than a tenner.
But then, one Saturday night, the unthinkable happens. There’s a rift in the group. Someone doesn’t tell the truth. And soon after, six numbers come up which change everything forever.
Lexi and Jake have a ticket worth £18 million. And their friends are determined to claim a share of it.
Number One Sunday Times bestseller Adele Parks returns with a riveting look at the dark side of wealth in this gripping take on friendship, money and betrayal, and good luck gone bad…"
I REALLY enjoyed this book! The premise is great - and it plays out really well. It twists and turns dramatically - and at different points you're not quite sure who is telling the truth and who you should be rooting for - definitely the sign of a good book!
I liked Lexi - and at times wanted her to stand up for herself - but equally recognise it was a difficult and complicated situation.
The plots twists so much I don't want to put any spoilers in this review - you need to read it yourself and have the same 'OMG' moments and sharp intakes of breath that I had!
There are a couple of niggles though - which I know is me being a pedant - but......
The whole premise is that they've played the same numbers as a syndicate for the last 15 years - and that each number was chosen by a different person to represent something. Well - one of the numbers is 58 - and the National Lottery only increased to numbers higher than 49 in 2015 - so they couldn't have had the same numbers for 15 years. (Yes, I know it's only a work of fiction.)

The game loved by kids / teenagers is Fortnite not Fortnight. It is spelt differently at different times during the book. It might only be an autocorrect issue (and my autocorrect should know I never ever mean 'duck') but it's just a bit sloppy.

At one point it is mentioned that Lexi and Jake live in one village - and the other 2 couples live in the posher village a few miles away. Then at another point in the book the couples walk home as they are only a few streets away. Another minor inconsistency - but I am a knob.
Overall the niggles didn't take away from the fact that this is a very good book - but I think Ms Parks needs a slightly more anal editor!!
But I would thoroughly recommend you read this when it comes out in May 2020.

Lexi and Jake, along with their friends; the Pearsons and the Heathcotes, have been playing the lottery for 15 years, while never really believing they'd win.
But one day, their lucky numbers come up and land them a whopping win of almost 18 million. The only problem is that Lexi and Jake's friends have pulled out if the lottery the week before. Or have they?

This story follows Lexi's first-hand point of view and is interspersed with her daughter Emily's perspective.
I was really drawn in by the original premise, and as a result, the story hooked me pretty quickly. However, after some time, the story seemed to change direction and slowed down. At this point, I was considering it a 3 star read. But soon enough, more twists and turns were thrown into the mix, spicing things up again.
My suspicion as to who was behind what happened to Emily turned out to be partially right, but the ending was surprising nonetheless and contributed to the rating being pushed up to 4 stars.
This was my first book by Adele Parks, but it won't be my last.

This seemed like an intriguing premise - friends winning the lottery after everyone leaves a syndicate - but it didnt quite hit the mark for me. I do love Adele Parks' writing but her last few books just haven't been as enjoyable, for me, as her early novels.

I didn't really engage with any of the characters in this book - even ones I should feel sympathy for - and the final twist was a bit disappointing really. It was still a solid read but I just wasnt gripped as I might have hoped for with a writer of Adele Park's calibre.

I’m so sorry Adele for the one star review! I feel like such a monster since I’m normally such a big fan.

Did not finish. Put down around 48%
I thought Lexi was such a great character and I was rooting for her. I need to know how the man she was helping got on and how he spent his money.

What I couldn’t get past with his book was Jake. I hate him. He’s supposed to be an annoying character, I understand that but when you make the character so irritating that your readers would rather put down the story then read another word of Jake it’s not good. This just read like a wet dream lottery win.

When Lexi and Jake win £18m on the lottery it changes their lives forever. But not in a good way... Just My Luck is an unputdownable domestic thriller with lots of twists and turns. The plot builds quite slowly, but I was immediately drawn in to the lives of Lexi and Jake, and the two couples they've been friends with for years until the night it all went wrong. The twists were unexpected, and when the tension really ramps up at the party nearer to the end I couldn't read quick enough to find out what was going to happen. I found it interesting the way that Lexi and Jake dealt with their new found wealth. While Jake wanted to spend it all on flashy cars and designer clothes, Lexi wasn't as comfortable with it and there's an underlying moral theme in the book about wealth vs the value of life. It's also linked to one of the really clever twists in the plot. I loved the way it ended.

As a huge Adele Parks fan I was eagerly anticipating her newest work and, as per usual, I was not disappointed!
Lexi & Jake and their teenage son and daughter are an ordinary enough family who are suddenly thrust into an extraordinary situation when they win £18 million on the Lottery. A dream come true you might think but the dream soon becomes a nightmare when their lifelong friends - couples Carla & Patrick and Jennifer & Fred - come forward to claim that they were part of a syndicate that played the Lottery together with Lexi & Jake and should have an equal share of the winnings. Lexi & Jake however state that the couples all had a major fall out a couple of weeks before culminating in the other 2 couples leaving the syndicate agreement and that the prize money is all theirs. We follow the family through their battle to prove that the money is rightfully theirs, uncover secrets and lies and adjust to life when money is no object and anything can be bought for the right price. In typical Adele Parks style there are plenty of twists and turns, excellently written characters and a fantastic ending and even though Adele's characters are never clean cut and the lines between hero to villain are often blurred, this only enhances my enjoyment of the story and appreciation of the writing skill.
A stunningly good read which definitely left me with the feeling of 'be careful what you wish for'!
5 HUGE stars and massive thanks to Netgalley, Adele and the publishers for the ARC - it was a pleasure!

If you thought Lies, Lies, Lies was a good read, then you must definitely read this! Adele has produced a book that has an ensemble of characters that feel so real that you can almost imagine they are! Secrets, lies, manipulation and revenge abound, and lead you on a journey full of twists and turns. Just when you think you know exactly who did what, and why,a game changer is thrown into the mix!. A great, well executed plot and ending, make this a highly recommended read. I couldn't put it down! Many thanks to the Publishers and Netgalley for this ARC.

I have only read one of Adele Perks before and didn’t enjoy it so I was hovering whether to read another but I am glad I did. This is an excellent twisty novel with a great storyline. THe characters are relatable to modern day times and I have since spent a lot of time trying to decide what I would do with almost £18m!

I absolutely loved this! I’m a fan of all Adele Parks books but this really gripped me and kept my attention. The characters came to life and it kept me guessing right until the end. I’d definitely recommend

I really enjoyed this one!!! Having read many of Adele Parks’ books I knew that there would be twists and turns, but this managed to surprise me still!
The premise is good - everyone dreams of winning the lottery don’t they? So to read the story of a couple who win nearly 18 million was interesting. The characters are well rounded, though at times I found myself getting irritated by Lexi’s lack of inner fire and by Jake’s, frankly awful, attitude. I’m glad I carried on though, I stayed up late to finish and the ending was very satisfying! A definite should read.
Thank you to netgalley, the publishers and the author for allowing me to have this arc in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.

Im a fan of Adele Parks and have read all of her books! This one I thought was very different. It’s about a couple who win nearly £18 million on the lottery and then the story unfolds! Lots of twists and turns and unexpected parts! If just shows how quickly your life can change for the worse not the better!