This very well written book, as are all Adele Parks books, highlights the good and bad, although mostly the bad, of winning the lottery. Greed, envy, deception and not much joy! Money really doesn’t bring happiness!
Many unexpected twists and turns that kept me guessing right to the end.

Adele Parks' latest novel, Just My Luck, looks at what happens when what many of us dream about comes true - winning big on the lottery. I think lots of people have mentally spent the millions they might win if their numbers come up. Well, imagine if you had been part of a syndicate, dropped out and the very next week the numbers came up. That's what happens in this story when Lexi and her husband Jake win just short of £18,000,000.

Adele Parks looks at how this big win changes her characters. There's what might be considered the obvious purchases of a Ferrari, clothes, expensive food and at least one of their children thinks there's no point in going to school any more. On the other hand, Lexi's initial idea of extravagance is buying Teapigs teabags and she thinks about what good she could do for charity and those in need with the money. We also find out how their friends and family react to the big win and I think it's fair to say that it brings out the best and the worst in people.

There are some interesting side stories too notably Lexi's friendship with Polish immigrant Toma who she has met through her work with the Citizens Advice Bureau. Then there is the issue of just why was there a falling out between the families and whether Lexi and Jake should be morally obliged to give the others at least a share of the money.

Just My Luck is a story of secrets, betrayal, envy and greed. There are plenty twists and turns, some of which I anticipated but there were others which were completely unexpected. It's is a really entertaining read which I think would make a great TV drama series. Usually, it's the kind of escapist read I'd enjoy on holiday (and doesn't that pool on the front cover look inviting?) but this year, I think it's a book to enjoy in your back garden!

Just My Luck by Adele Parks is a provocative and fun read though it does have moments of darkness. In this tremendous tale, the reader will no doubt be considering what it might be like to win £18 million for themselves.

When Lexi and Jake Greenwood win the lottery they and their two children, Logan, 13 and Emily, 15 start considering how they will spend their windfall. This vast amount of money is a complete life-changer and they all have their own ideas on what to do with it. The Greenwoods are friends with the Heathcotes, Jennifer and Fred who have a son, Ridley, as well as being pally with the Pearsons, Patrick and his wife Carla, their teenage daughter Megan, and their younger sons. For aeons, Lexi and Jake have played the same six numbers with their friends, commiserating when their winnings amounted to a paltry tenner between them. Then, one Saturday night, there’s a rift within the group... and Lexi and Jake have the dream ticket.

The story is told from the dual perspectives of Lexi and Emily Greenwood, encompassing all three families. As I fully expected, Adele Parks' characterisation was brilliant. All of her characters were masterfully crafted and the story was perfectly executed. With cracks appearing in the couples' marriages and friendships, whoever is entitled to the dosh has to also win a battle. Every person’s darker side soon emerges, taking them along paths and affording them choices that readers cannot foresee. While Adele Parks explores the murkier depths of winning the lottery, tropes of wealth, friendship, marriage, family, betrayal, infidelity and much more, are examined or laid bare. With twists and misdirections from beginning to end, Just My Luck is a highly addictive novel you won't want to miss.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from HQ via NetGalley and this review is my unbiased opinion.

Lexi and Jake win just over £17 million on the lottery but how will their win change their lives ?

They have always been a group of six since they met all those years ago during antenatal classes. 15 years later the three couples, Lexi & Jake, Jennnifer & Fred and Carla & Patrick, still met on Saturdays for a meal and a catch-up. They also have a syndicate for the lottery, for which Lexi buys a ticket every week but something has changed in the friendships and Lexi feels like she is being excluded.

After 15 years of playing the same numbers suddenly the numbers come up and the jackpot is £17.8million. However, two of the three couples pulled out of the syndicate just before the winning ticket was purchased. How will the couples take the news ? How will Lexi and Jake spend the money ?

The book shows how the couples relationships and friendships are pushed over the edge and how some people will stop at nothing to get their hands on some money. There are plenty of lies and twists to keep you entertained throughout the book and I have to admit I was rushing through this one as really wanted to find out what happens at the end !!

Thank you to HQ and NetGalley for a digital copy of this book.

The Win Of A Lifetime....
When the lottery win of a lifetime lands it comes with unforeseen and unexpected results. Engrossing from start to finish, written with a keen eye and exposing perhaps some of the worst traits of human nature, well observed and mostly unlikeable characters and plenty of twists along the way. Addictive reading from Adele Parks.

A cautionary tale of a lottery win, greed,jealousy and envy coupled with all the elements of a ‘Summer Poolside’ kind of read ( or in 2020 a garden or settee read! )

6 friends have done the lottery for 15 years, 4 friends decide it’s too ‘common’ and want to stop playing with immediate effect
Lexi and Jake carry on and BINGO ( and here as readers we need that pinch of salt ) the next week....they win!
The other 4 are livid and start legal action to ‘prove’ they hadn’t pulled out and that Jake and Lexi are making it up to keep the whole 18 million
Meantime Lexi, a virtuous ( sometimes painfully so ) CAB advisor feels guilty having so much whilst Jake is throwing caution, himself and money to the wind and spending as much as he can, their 2 kids are equally loving it and helping him spend
But there is more to this 6 than meets the eye and little by little secrets are revealed and after a ‘celebration party’ where someone is kidnapped things go from bad to worse and the extent of the lies, greed and inter tangled secrets of the 6 is uncovered, all leading to a multi shock ending that keeps on giving, shocks that is, there is also a very clever link to one of Lexi’s CAB client’s, to say more would give it away but its a real ‘I get it now’ moment

An exciting story, the characters are all unlikeable in their own way, in fact most are vile 🤓 sometimes the ‘preachy’ anti money sentiment got on my nerves but a great lockdown read that wont fail to please any reader who enjoys Adele Parks fab character cantered books, and in fact anyone who loves a good story, beware though your mind will wander imagining what you too would do with the winnings 🤗

9/10
5 Stars

It's only fairly recently that I discovered how flipping fantastic Adele's books are. I know where have I been all this time?? I haven't read all of her books yet but I try to keep pace with her new releases and then read one of her previous books when I have the chance. I read the synopsis for 'Just My Luck' and it certainly sounded like another cracking read from Adele Parks. I thoroughly enjoyed every single second of 'Just My Luck' but more about that in a bit.
I can honestly say that I didn't take to any of the main characters as they each irritated me in some way. Lexi is the wife of Jake. For many years Lexi has been in a lottery syndicate with her friends but for one reason and another the syndicate breaks up. Lexi doesn't stop putting the lottery on and she ends up winning the jackpot, which is when the trouble starts. Lexi is determined to keep the win under wraps and she still goes to work at the local Citizens Advice Bureau, where she comes into contact with a homeless chap, who has lost his family. Lexi crosses the line with him when she breaks all sorts of rules in trying to help investigate the death of his wife and child. I did think that she should have had more sense, kept things on a more professional relationship and at times I wanted to shake her by the shoulders. Her husband Jake, her son and her daughter just go mad when they find out about the win. Initially they agree to keep quiet but they end up drawing attention to themselves with their flaunting of their wealth. Jake annoyed me the most as they was something about him that I just didn't trust.
It didn't take me long at all to get into the story. In fact I became addicted to this story from the moment when I read the synopsis alone. To say that reading 'Just My Luck' was addictive seems to be the understatement of the year. I picked the book up only intending to read a couple of chapters but I was still say there reading over an hour and many chapters later. The book wasn't exactly glued to my hand but it might as well have been because it went everywhere with me. I couldn't bear to miss a single second of the story. 'Just My Luck' was the perfect distraction for a boring Sunday in lockdown. I immersed myself so deeply into the story that I managed to shut out all other distractions and my anxiety about COVID 19 was temporarily forgotten. I soon raced to the end of the story despite my best efforts to prolong my enjoyment of the book. I was totally gripped by the story and on the edge of my seat throughout.
'Just My Luck' is superbly written but then I think that to be true of all of Adele's books that I have read so far. She certainly knows how to write a tense and dramatic story which will keep you guessing and which will keep you intrigued. The author has a writing style that is easy to get along with. She drew me into the story from the first word on the synopsis, never mind from the first word of the actual story itself. This book was one of those books that had more twists and turns to the story than you could imagine. I felt as though I was part of the story myself and that's down to Adele's very vivid and realistic storytelling.
In short, I thoroughly enjoyed reading 'Just My Luck' and I would definitely recommend it to other readers. I will definitely be reading more of Adele's work in the future. Whilst I wait for her next book, I will definitely be reading more of her previous work. The scor eon the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.

I really liked the central character in this story but I wasn’t convinced that she would have had relationships with some of those around her. Her husband was too different from her for their relationship to be realistic. I did get very involved in the story and kept guessing until the end. I preferred the chapters narrated by Lexi (whose voice was very real) to Emily’s chapters as I found the teenage voice less believable. I hope it will receive a further edit before it is published as there were several errors that need to be ironed out.

Oh dear this book certainly didn’t make me envious of Lottery winners. I failed to understand by the end of the book why this strange group had remained friends for so long. It’s not a hard read and is very engaging but I didn’t enjoy the message and whilst there are enough twists and turns to keep even the best sleuth happy overall I would only give it three stars. Definitely a holiday read if anyone ever gets to go on holiday ever again.

At first I felt it was lightweight. However what it led to was a great mix of emotions from so many different directions. It brought out the best and worst in people and also showed the length individuals go to to get what they want. There are always consequences to this. I would recommend reading this book for a summer read.

What would you do if you win the lottery?

What happens when a person suddenly has a chance to be rich? Just My Luck by Adele Parks is a brutal book about bad luck, betrayals, friendships and most importantly – how life can change in just one moment.

For fifteen years, Lexi and Jake have played the same six numbers with their friends. Over dinners, they have discussed many important things over the years: kids, marriages, houses and jobs… But one Saturday night, there is an argument in the group. Someone is lying. And then, six numbers come up on the lottery that are about to change everything.

Lexi and Jake have the winning ticket for almost £18 million. And their friends want their share in it…

My Thoughts:

I dived into this book completely unprepared. I only knew that someone wins the lottery, but I wasn’t too familiar with the synopsis. And trust me – it was better for me to explore it all throughout the book.

We follow the story mostly focused on Lexi’s point of view, however, we also get a glimpse of other people’s stories as well, which I think for me was refreshing and kept the pace moving in a nice manner.

Not only do we meet different characters in this book, but we also meet different personalities, with different motivations, dreams and life goals. When Lexi and Jake realised they have won the lottery, they both behave in a very different way.

Lexi is the one that wants to keep things as normal as they are, plan for their future, have small luxuries and then keep the rest of the money mostly as savings, and donate some of it to charity and try to help other people.

Jake, on the other side, wants to enjoy the money they won, and spend it on a new house, new car, be part of the upper class and hire driver services for his children, when they move to a private school.

The relationship between Lexi and Jake will begin to change, as they both will change during this period. This book is a perfect summary of what money may actually do to people and relationships, and how it may help them or destroy them completely.

I loved the drama where the friends were involved as well, also when the children played their part as well into the whole situation. It is crazy to see how easily children can be manipulated by words and wealth too, in their own little worlds.

I really wished I have seen more of Toma’s story and point of view, and had a proper closure to his chapter. His story was definitely my favorite one for sure!

If you are a fan of thrillers and drama, you will definitely enjoy this book. It will keep you on the edge until the very last chapter. And that last chapter will change everything! Let me know once you’ve read it, because I am dying to talk to someone about that last revelation!

I am extremely lucky to be part of the blog tour organised by the amazing team at HQ! Thank you for this opportunity, and thank you for sending me this book in exchange for my review!

Gripping, dark & unpredictable!

Adele Parks is one of my must pick up immediately authors and I happy to report she doesn't disappoint with Just My Luck. I absolutely love this novel and the premise, what would you do if you won the lottery?

Told from multiple different points of view, we see the effects a lottery win would have on people, particularly greed and the lengths so would go to get everything. It was an addictive, fast-paced story that keeps you guessing throughout, perfect escapism.

Overall, fabulously written with a jaw-dropping twist! Not to be missed.

Thanks to HQ Stories for sending me this in exchange for an open and honest review.

Ps. Congratulations on 20 brilliant books in 20 years Adele, here is to the next 20!

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

This was such a good book – so good that I read it in just a few days. It had a storyline that could be overdone in the literary world but was handled with such character and talent that it felt extremely unique. It really made me think – what would I do? The unravelling of lies and secrets throughout the book was also brilliant.

Adele Parks is an amazing writer and I truly look forward to each publication that she releases. This was no exception!

As always a brilliant book ! 8/10.
When I first started reading it I thought that it was going to be the same old story where you’ve got 3 couples do the lottery together, the couples fall out, one couple wins the lottery, two other couples try to get their share, but I was so pleasantly surprised. It was all that but so much more !! Read it and find out !!!
I can’t believe it’s been 20 years and 20 books !
Well done Adele ! Here’s to the next 20 :)

Just My Luck by Adele Parks is a fabulous contemporary psychological thriller that will mess with your mind and emotions.
An ordinary house in suburbia. An ordinary family with an ordinary life – until a day that changes everything. Just My Luck examines the fall-out that happens when everything changes. What you thought you wanted, what you thought you knew, who you thought you were – the ground shifts and everyone envies you.
There is the huge question of truth and lies, and trust. Adele Parks has created a marvellous novel that will consume you as you try to separate the truth from the lies. There is a stark warning – be careful what you wish for. Be content with what you have.
The love of money, power and greed corrupts lives and hearts. When you take your eyes off people and look to your bank balance, you are in trouble. The totally pure in heart see money as a way to help others. The purely selfish see it as a way to feather their own nests.
Just My Luck was an all consuming read. I could not put it down. At one stage I literally gasped out loud.
An ordinary family. An ordinary life. A far from ordinary story. Adele Parks has created a marvellous, intricate and cleverly thought out plotline. This book will keep you up at night.
I received this book for free. A favourable review was not required and all views expressed are my own.

Well after reading this book I am glad I don’t play the lottery!!

Something that should be a happy, exuberant event turns out to be the catalyst to everyone’s lives being ruined.

Lexi, jake, Carla, Patrick, Fred and Jennifer have been friends for over 15 years, they have raised their kids together, moved out of London together and so you would think life was pretty good.

Every week they play the lottery together but one week Patrick wants to pull out. The next week their numbers come up. Of course there is a battle over who is entitled to a share of the win.

While everyone else appears set on spending as much as they can on material goods, Lexi wants to help others. In particular she wants to help Toma Albu who she met through her work and has been supporting as he comes to terms with the loss of her wife and child through landlord negligence.

The story unfolds into a rollercoaster of highs and lows, with twists and turns right up to the very end...

A lottery win does more harm than good

When the Greenwood family win they lottery, they think their luck is in. Little do they know! Lexi Greenwood has just discovered her husband's infidelity. This turns out to be the least of their troubles. The story takes a while to get into, mostly because the characters are selfish, unlikable types, except for earth-mother Lexi and Toma, the homeless man she helps. Worth persevering with, because the ending is a stunner!

'Just My Luck' is about wife and husband Lexi and Jake, who suddenly win over 17 million pounds in the Lottery, just one week after their four best friends pulled out of their syndicate. The story is told through the alternating POVs of Lexi and her daughter, Emily as they deal with the positives and negatives of winning the Lottery.

I expected quite a light-hearted read with some drama thrown in, but this book was quite the opposite. In fact, it was a tale of despair, with plenty of backstabbing and greediness.

I would give this book 3 stars out of 5. Barring one minor character, not of the characters were likable and, unfortunately, this book didn't really sparkle for me.

Oh wow, this was a rollercoaster. It seemed quite slow at first, but once things started happening, it didn't stop. What a web of intrigue - I did not see the ending coming. In fact none of the endings to each strand. Almost makes me not want to win the lottery!! Almost. You always feel you'd do differently, I certainly wouldn't be taking publicity!! The lottery win was the catalyst for the group of friends whole lives untangling- they were linked in ways that weren't obvious from the start. My heart is slowing down about now, I got really invested in Lexi's story. Her husband certainly didn't come out of it well - the lottery win didn't help anyone's relationships!! #netgalley #justmyluck

Just My Luck is the latest standalone twisty, domestic noir from bestselling Adele Parks. Each of her family dramas addresses some of the core concepts of familial relationships including scrutinising our concepts of family, our theories on love, parenting and fidelity. A cautionary tale of greed and getting ideas above your station/elitism. When Lexi and Jake discover they're in receipt of a winning £18 million lottery ticket every man and his dog emerge and suddenly want to know them. It explores human nature, envy, betrayal and the often devastating consequences when these turn deadly. Money really is the root of all evil...

I must admit I have a bit of a love-hate relationship with Addle Parks’s books and haven't enjoyed some of her most recent ones quite as much but I thoroughly enjoyed this and it was a totally gripping and addictive read pretty much from the start. Loyal long-time fans will no doubt find the same formula as we're used to seeing from Parks but I felt this was definitely one of her better crafted and thought through domestic thrillers with a potent mix of an interesting cast of characters, a well rounded and compulsive plot, plenty of twists, reveals and wicked surprises, an alluring premise, and suspense, action and drama by the truckload, making this the perfect escapist for the times we currently find ourselves in as it transports you to a world of decadence and glamour most can only dream of. Recommended to both domestic noir and women's fiction fanatics. All in all, this was a cracking page-turner that remains on the relatively light-hearted side and is a quick, easy and thoroughly entertaining story. Many thanks to HQ for an ARC.