Warm romance with some angst in which a down on her luck woman wins the lottery and gets to start living her life on her own terms.

Serena: Serena had to grow up early to care for her younger sister as they grew up with an alcoholic mother. Caring for her sister has been her core motivation in life, and she has worked several jobs simultaneously to be able to provide and care for her.

Gabrielle: Gabrielle grew up with a supporting family, and have always been career driven. She's at the stage in her career where she's close to reaching her career goals.

Pro:
Hilarious secondary characters which made me laugh out loud.
Dogs!
Likeable characters with good chemistry

Con:
A tad abrupt in the end.
I didn't really get the big gesture.

This review is based on NetGalley ARC provided in exchange for an honest, unbiased opinion.

It's more a 3 1/2 book for me, but I rounded up since the writing is still good. I just didn't like the story all that much.

It's pretty tame for a Kris Bryant book. That was my thought about 75% through the book, so I'll start with that. The better sex scenes are between one of the leads and someone else. Which leads me to...I kinda found the two main characters together rather boring. Serena in particular was just a nice person. Nice is well...nice, but it doesn't lead to dynamic scenes.

I will say that Piper and Shaylie from "Falling" are back, so fans of that book may really enjoy seeing them again.

Overall, it was an ok book. I personally like more action happening, other than business meetings and talking about a pet hotel. Maybe others will like the slowness more than I.

I'll still read the next Kris Bryant book since I'm normally more of a fan. Can't win them all!

Serena has had a rough life. She had to practically raise her little sister, Faith, because her mother was busy being an alcoholic. A spur of the moment decision to buy a lottery ticket and her luck changes instantly. As the newest lottery winner in Vail, Colorado, she decides to open a pet hotel for rich vacationers the town attracts.

Gabrielle is an architect on the fast track to making partner. Her life has been filled with family, love, a great friend group, and wealth. She is put up against a peer for the partner position and now she must knock her next project out of the park to ensure she secures the job. Why did that next project have to be a animal daycare of all things?

I really enjoyed this story. There were a lot of fun things and situations happening. Hiking, waterfalls, quaint coffee shops, fancy restaurants, rich estates, backyard bbqs, etc. It was fun to not have the same backdrop for every interaction that happens in so many books that I read. I felt like I wanted to be in Vail, Colorado with them.

I wasn't so sure about Serena and Gabrielle at first. They seemed a little bit too opposite for each other. Gabrielle's reaction toward animals alone seemed like a neon sign flashing 'STOP.' But as the story progressed, I could see the chemistry and the mutual want to grow and compromise in order to pursue things further.

I love the 80% drama, and this delivered. There was a reveal that I wasn't expecting which elevated this book up a notch. It is so fun to get surprised in a story when you are not expecting it. And while I wasn't a big fan of how the conflict resolved so easily, I have to admit that it seemed appropriate for the character.

I recommend this to people who like to read romance, winning the lottery, difficult families, opposites attract, animals, and spin class hookups.

Lucky is a sweet story about hitting the jackpot in money and love. Serena has had a hard time in life. When she finds herself struggling to make ends meet, she impulsively buys a lottery ticket that changes her life. And because of her new fortune, she decides to start her own business. When Serena hires Gabrielle's architecture firm to help design her business, sparks between the two of them. As they try to pursue a relationship, can they trust each other?
I absolutely like Kris Brant's writing. I am never disappointed whenever I read any of her books. This was a good read.

Serena is a down on her luck woman who had hopes and dreams but since has all but raised her sister and put her through school, putting her dreams on hold. One day quite unlike herself she buys a lotto ticket then forgets about it until she is doing laundry days later only to find it and discover she has won. Suddenly her whole world opens up and she decides on a plan… Gabrielle is an architect who is desperately trying to make partner at her firm. She has been given a pet daycare to design. She can’t understand why someone is willing to sink tons of money into such a thing but who is she to question… When the two of these women meet things get interesting quickly. Will Gabrielle be able to envision Serena’s desires or will everything be left on the drawing board?

This is such a sweet and wonderful story. I really enjoy the way Ms Bryant writes. Her style is more relaxed and easy to read, it’s great if you need to put the novel down for a bit, even if you really, really don’t want to. Spoiler alert, I wasn’t able to put it down!! I loved all the characters in this story! The leads were complex and so different but that works for them. The secondary characters… I wish I had such wonderful friends! I loved how there was such a sense of family in this book. All the friends got along well and they accepted the other set and love interests into the fold naturally and seamlessly. I adored how Serena and Gabrielle had such chemistry from the start but had such turmoil over the project they were working on. The angst in the book was good although I would have liked to see more of Gabrielle overcoming her fears. The romance was so lovely. I got the mushy awwws while watching them get to know each other, the nervous blushes, the eye glances, the tentative hand holding and hugs…Huge happy sighs!! This tale is just another of Ms Bryant’s brilliant stories and not to be missed!

Serena Evans struggled to keep her life afloat. Never did she ever dream of actually winning the lottery when she purchased one ticket on a whim. Suddenly with millions at her disposal, she decided to build Pet Posh Inn to fulfill her dreams of running a pet daycare. When dog-averting Gabrielle Barnes landed the job of designing the inn, she had to stay professional and suck it up if she wanted to make partner at her firm. But to understand her client more, she needed to learn to get closer to dogs. The side effect? She found herself falling for this dog-loving client.

What stood out to me at first was that Bryant only switched POVs at chapter breaks, alternating between Serena and Gabrielle. Having read many books with unclear POV alternations, "Lucky" had never once made me wonder whose thoughts I was reading at any given moment. It did not read like someone who had never published a third-person narrative novel. I'd say Bryant nailed it on the first try.

I really liked that there were many extremely lovable characters in "Lucky." Or maybe they were especially lovable because they were all wonderful lesbian couples. Serena's besties Chloe and Jackie were always there for her, before, during, and after she won the lottery. Gabrielle's besties Rosie and Anne and their three kids and pets were very supportive of and helpful to her. Her close friends Piper and Shaylie and their daughter and pets were adorably friendly. This last pair was from "Falling," and though I have not read their story yet, I am definitely intrigued after meeting them in "Lucky."

Serena and Gabrielle were an unlikely pairing. I did not feel their initial chemistry but along the way I was convinced that they needed to be together. We got to know our mains as they tried to understand each other, and Bryant delivered a great relationship building. The sex scenes were surprisingly sexy. Their emotions and thoughts bounced off the pages and I could feel nothing but trust and love.

As most romances, there were fallouts. While the timelines post-fallout were a little off but still acceptable. I guess everything went too fast after the lottery win and they both just needed some time. All their disastrous situations were very understandable, and I think we also got a glimpse of their power balance. Their relationship felt sufficiently balanced with Gabrielle trying to appease Serena a little more than the other way around, but it worked and very reasonably so. Serena was done putting everyone else before her in life after her difficult childhood and ongoing strained relationship with her mother Diane. I was glad that her mom did not do anything too horrible to take away the pleasure of this reading as I was definitely anxious over the possibility.

One slightly odd thing was that Serena's family plot line gradually disappeared as the story progressed. Even though her relationship with her mother was bad, the fact that Diane sort of vanished after their last encounter without much explanation felt a little incomplete. The secondary romance going on with Serena's sister Faith also faded away, leaving me wondering how everything was going for her.

Apart from the actual story, I have so many questions about the cover of this book. And also the synopsis. I don't think Gabrielle couldn't figure out why anyone would spend a fortune on a pet project. She was just terrified of the idea of dogs. And I am not even going to start on the cover aesthetics.

Lucky, a cute story between a down-to-earth lottery winner and a relatively privileged architect, is worth reading. It is impossible not to feel drawn toward Serena and Gabrielle, and all the fur babies involved.

Kris Bryant is always a "must drop everything in order to read her new book" kind of a writer! Her latest attempt has a slightly different format than what we were used to till now from her plus it's a classic slow burn.
Serena Evans works in a bookstore trying to support her little sister when a spontaneous decision to buy a lottery ticket changes her life forever. Having a lot of money she decides to invest in a dream of hers which is to build Pet Posh Inn for visitors that come to visit her hometown of Vail Colorado.

Gabrielle's dream is to become partner in her firm. In order to prove she is worthy of the position she needs to impress her bosses by assuming the new project in Vail and make their new client happy that she chose their firm for the construction of Pet Posh Inn.
Both Serena and Gabrielle carry a lot of baggage that makes them hesitant to pursue a relationship with each other. To be honest I was not very fond of Gabrielle until the very end of the book and usually for me when I'm not able to connect with a character, the book doesn't work for me but because of Bryant's writing and good character development in the end I was ok with how everything unfolded.
Highly recommended even though I liked her previous book more.

*An ARC was provided to me via NetGalley in exchange for a honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and the publishers, Bold Strokes Books Inc., of “Lucky" for affording me the opportunity to read the book and review it.

There are more than a few instances of the characters being Lucky in this engaging and easy read lesbian romance from Kris Bryant. And the story as it unfolds is testament to the fact that sometimes good things really can and do happen to good people! If you are in the mood for an easy going fluffy lesbian romance, where hope and honesty triumphs, then this is the book for you.

The main characters, Serena and Gabrielle not only have fabulous names but they are multidimensional engaging intelligent women from different backgrounds but who have their own supportive networks of friends and family. It's a feel-good story. There are gorgeous dogs, kindness abounds and the bumps in the road are negotiated around and over.

I did get exasperated by Chloe and Jackie. Nothing more tedious than friends turning up at the most inopportune times. But then we probably all know these well-meaning characters in our own reality. I'm not usually a fan of so many lesbian characters featuring in one storyline, but it works here. Lovely read. 4+stars

Four Stars for this pleasant, easy reading romance by Kris Bryant. The two main characters are Serena Evans and Gabrielle Barnes. Serena has had a difficult life but through it all, she has remained a caring, generous, and kind person. Serena has cared for her younger half-sister, Faith since she was teenager because their Mother was addicted to alcohol and drugs. She lives pay check to pay check working at a bookstore, having given up on her dream to be a veterinarian. The day before payday, she used her last four dollars on a hot dog and on a whim, a lottery ticket. The pot is 42 million dollars.

Gabrielle is a talented architect who is in line for partnership at her firm. All she has to do is impress her bosses on her next project to beat out another architect, who has the advantage of being male. Not being a pet person (she especially has an aversion to dogs), she is less than thrilled that she has been assigned to design a pet daycare (Pet Posh Inn) for the latest lottery winner – yes, you guessed it – Serena. This is definitely a slow burn romance. Bryant excels as she navigates the two becoming friends and eventually more.

I really liked the supportive group of friends they each have and eventually share. Serena’s BFF, Chloe who would regularly drop off leftovers at Serena’s before her windfall and lending moral support especially when Serena had to deal with her mother. Gabrielle has a larger support group, including her family and her circle of friends. Her BFF is Rosie and also in her circle is Piper and Shaylie, from Bryant’s book, Falling. You get an update on the couple. I haven’t read Falling yet, but I wouldn’t call it a spoiler. If anything, it makes me want to read more about the couple. Piper befriends Serena, who seeks Piper out for advice.

I really enjoyed this romance. As to be expected there are a few bumps in the road for the couple, but have no fear, they do get an HEA. That’s not a spoiler? A spoiler would reveal that they don’t get an HEA.

How much luck does one need to win the lottery, find the perfect dog and fall in love. Ask Kris Bryant because she has written a lovely romance about finding all three of those things. Serena Evans has had a tough life so far. Her mother wasn't there for her growing up and she was forced to take care of her younger sister. All of her money goes to live. She takes her last bit of money until payday, buys a hot dog and a lottery ticket. A few days later, she is the winner of a 42 million jackpot. She can finally breathe. When she decides to build a posh doggy day care she mets Gabrielle Barnes who will design her project. Gabrielle is focused, driven, attractive and doesn't have time for a relationship because she is a workaholic. The only problem in this whole setup is that Gabrielle is afraid of dogs.

Lucky is sort of a follow up to Falling as the mains from the story are in this one. It was good to see those characters in this story. I have read a few of Bryant's romances and this one is a solid as the others that I have read. The story line is interesting, the mains are likable and have chemistry. Not only that but the story is well told and well written. When it comes to the sex scenes steamy and just the right amount. The angst that some live for is here, but not dragged out. It was appropriate. As I read, I sort of figured out what the angst would involve but I was kept guess and how. I thought Lucky for sure was a solidly written romance.

4.25 stars

There was no way I was going to miss reading Lucky by Kris Bryant. To begin with, I know that any novel written by Ms. Bryant is going to be good. She is a great author after all. The blurb also sounded really interesting, and made me want to read the story. However, nothing can beat the face of that gorgeous dog on the cover of the book. I admit it. I’m a sucker for a cute puppy face.

Lucky is a very well written contemporary romance. The story is told in third person, which is a not the usual POV that the author uses, but she did a great job with this style. The term “lucky” actually stands for a number of elements in the story. The main character, Serena Evans, is lucky because she wins the lottery and is now able to fully fund and run Pet Posh Inn. She has always wanted to work with and around animals, and now she can with her own business. Lucky also applies to her new rescued pet, a sweet dog named LB (Lucky Baxter). Of course Lucky may also apply to Serena’s love life after she meets Gabrielle Barnes, the architect hired to create the building for Pet Posh Inn.

This book has everything you need for a sweet romance. The main characters are beautiful and easy to fall in love with, even with their little quirks and flaws. The settings (Vail and Denver, Colorado) are perfect for the story, and the romance itself is satisfying, with just enough angst to make the book interesting. There is also LB and all the other animals you will meet in the tale. This is the perfect novel to read on a warm, lazy summer day, and I recommend it to all romance lovers.

I received an ARC from NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for an honest review.

'ARC provided by both NetGalley and The Publisher in exchange for a honest review'

**'Within the first pages of a story readers can judge the relative skill of the writer simply by noting how they handle exposition..And characters should be individualised, but functional..'

3.5stars!
I had a difficult time in trying to decide how impartial my opinion should be after finishing this book. I did feel a little deflated because after reading Ms.Bryant's previous book (Temptation) which was so well written that my anticipation was one of anxiousness towards this book. Also expectations might play a role in how others respond to 'LUCKY' because of it's extraordinary premise.
Even though the blurb is just two and a half paragraphs, it does chronicle the most important context of what this storyline is really about with a little extra. For instance, the generosity and support from all their (both leading characters) close friends and families -- also their tense filled moments and many encounters.
Despite the slower paced in this third person storytelling, 'LUCKY' can be read as a compassionate story where both main characters constantly consider not only their own well-being but also the thoughts and feelings of others. Then in a different scenario, 'LUCKY' seems like a cross between intriguing and a tenable story that I do believe deserves to be read by her many reading fans.

I received an ARC copy of this book from the Publisher via Netgalley and voluntarily leaving my review.

Serena loves all animals but didn’t have best life growing up she basically had to be a parent to her sister Faith who a senior in high school because her mother is a alcoholic. She works at a bookstore when on spur of the moment bought a lottery ticket and won she finally able to open up a Posh Pet Inn that she always wanted.

Gabrielle enjoys working for ten years at Denver architect firm now she running to become partner there and to prove she right for it more then her colleague they have six months to prove it but when assigned to Pet Posh Inn she have to overcome her fears of dogs because a accident happen when she was young.

This was a delightful read the secondary characters were great how they were supporting. It was so cool to see Shaylie and Piper from Falling make a appearance.

This was a lovely read. It's classic lesbian romance mixed with a generous amount of canine involvement and just enough conflict to keep it from becoming saccharine. I have a dog named Elbie (different spelling) so that made it extra special. I really liked the lottery twist as it's such unusual content for lesfic. It was a great change of pace. I would be happy to recommend this book and read it again too. I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Serena, 30, was a fan of all animals. They loved unconditionally and were also there when needed. The same could not be said for her mother. She often was drunk and disappeared on her and her stepsister when they were younger. Often times, Serena had to step into the role of mother. She put her life on hold to support her sister’s dream of going to culinary school. After winning the lottery, Serena was finally able to enjoy life with financial security and open up her very own Pet Posh Inn.

Gabrielle, 33, had her sights set on being made partner at the architecture firm she worked at and in which she enjoyed 10 successful years. But her male colleague was also competing for that very same coveted position. They each had 6 months to prove their worth to the partners on the current assignment given to them. Gabrielle was not too happy about being assigned the Pet Posh Inn project. She was not a fan of dogs since she was badly injured by one when she was a child. Fear of dogs, and Claire’s dog, Lucky, were obstacles Gabrielle needed to overcome in order to win not only the partnership, but Claire’s heart.

The characters, main and secondary, were likable with engaging personalities. The scenes in which the friends gathered to offer support or simply engage in playful banter were very entertaining and well written. I did, however, have one constructive criticism regarding a relationship that should have been explored a little more because of its effect on Claire’s life and especially after she won the lottery. This was the relationship between Claire and her mother. When her mother came back for Faith’s graduation party the scene was passively described instead of being actively written. This was a critical moment in their relationship and we really didn’t get to see that emotional confrontation. This was a little disappointing, but other than that, this was another very entertaining story by one of the best writers in this genre.

An ARC was given for an honest review.

Serena Evans had an unfortunate upbringing, her mother was an alcoholic, they had no money and she was left to care for her half sister and had to put her career on hold. Thirty and employed in a bookshop with a mean boss, Serena's luck changes when she wins the lottery.
Gabrielle Barnes, architect, is gunning for partner at her place of work when she's given the job of designing Serena's new petcare business in Vail. To secure her place as partner, Gabrielle must come up with a winning design for her bosses but Serena is proving to be her most difficult client.
It's such a pleasure to read Kris Bryant's books, she just knows how to write lesfic so well. Her characters are always likeable , usually there's loads of angst and she knows how to write a good sex scene,  unfortunately the angst level was a little low from what I expect from Bryant but there was still great chemistry between Serena and Gabrielle. I enjoyed this book, it's not Bryant's best but definitely still worth reading.

An honest review thanks to NetGalley. I love Bryant's books and this one was great. I love the idea of the Pet Posh Inn, it was a great idea and I loved each step of the design process, it was pretty amazing. I loved Serena but for some reason could not connect to Gabrielle throughout the book which is why my rating is only a three. The secondary characters all of Gabrielle and Serena's friends were amazing and continued to move the plot forward with some laughs and heartwarming scenes.

I loved this novel! I liked that their story was a slower development, I liked how the characters were described in details and that there was a solid build-up in their relationship.

Kris Bryant has written a fantastic book! I love Gabrielle and Serena. This book is about Serena wining the lottery and all the changes that come into her life, including Gabrielle. The book takes place in Colorado and has an honest, emotional story that weaves in overcoming our individual trauma and letting ourselves move beyond into a loving experience of life. The book doesn’t spend to much time on the past, but rather the present and taking action, like Gabrielle going over to her friend’s to finally face her fear. It’s graceful, funny, and warm a terrific read!

It’s funny how some things I always notice in books while others don’t really register. I’ve read quite a few books by Kris Bryant and never paid attention to the fact they were all written in first person. I probably never would have realised this one was different if other reviewers hadn’t pointed it out or if the author hadn’t mentioned it in the acknowledgements, crediting Melissa Brayden for pushing her. Lucky is such a smooth read, it never felt like Kris Bryant was challenging herself. So yeah, Ms Bryant, not only can you say you did it, you can also say you did it remarkably well.

Serena Evans’s life so far has been really tough. She grew up with an alcoholic mother, had to forget about higher studies so she could be there for her half-sister and is still reeling from breaking up with her toxic girlfriend. On a whim, she buys a lottery ticket with the money she would usually spend on a Diet Coke and promptly forgets about it. Then wins an insane amount of money.

Gabrielle Barnes is in the running to become the new partner at the Denver architect firm she’s worked for for a decade. The pet hotel project she’s been assigned in Vail is her chance to prove herself. She won’t let anything get in the way of her dream, neither her dog phobia nor the phenomenal chemistry with her sweet and sexy client. Until said chemistry turns into irresistible attraction.

I’m going to keep this review short: this book is delightful. I don’t have much else to write about it. It’s a pretty straightforward story told very efficiently, evoking pretty straightforward feelings. It’s well-written as are all Kris Bryant’s books. The characters – both main and secondary, including the furry ones – are wonderful (I loved coming across Piper and Shaylie from Falling), there’s just the right amount of angst and the sexy scenes are really hot. It’s Kris Bryant, you guys, no surprise there.

So be kind to yourself, buy this book, get a cold drink or a mug of tea depending on the weather where you are and let yourself enjoy the warm, tender and fluffy bubble you’ll be surrounded by in no time.

I received a copy from the publisher and I am voluntarily leaving a review.