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ClareR (5879 KP) rated So Lucky in Books

Sep 25, 2019  
So Lucky
So Lucky
Dawn O'Porter | 2019 | Fiction & Poetry
10
9.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
I’ll be going back to read more of Dawn’s books after this!
So Lucky by Dawn O’Porter starts off with the main characters, Beth and Ruby, feeling anything BUT lucky. In fact, Ruby in particular starts off as a pretty insular, unapproachable character. She has shut other people out, including her daughter and ex-husband, because of a medical condition that affects her appearance (and only bothers her).

Beth has a husband who is struggling with Beth’s roles as a mother and a wife and consequently won’t have sex with her. The final main character, Lauren, is a model and seems to have it all. At least that’s what her Instagram posts tell us (and by the way, some of the comments on her Instagram posts are so funny. Not very nice, but very funny!).

These are all very relatable women, we may not have ‘been there’ but we can understand and relate to where they’re coming from. Beth’s employee, Risky (and what an appropriate name that is!) was such a good character - she seemed to be there to remind the reader that everything is normal, and we should support and empower one another as women. And she was hilarious. Because I both laughed out loud and I cried at this book. Parts were just heartbreaking, saved by a healthy dose of black humour.

This is the first Dawn O’Porter book I’ve read, and it’s thanks to The Pigeonhole that I got the opportunity to do so. She’s not an author that I’d immediately think of reading, but I’m so glad that I did. This is an excellent book, and I’d highly recommend it.
  
Guaranteed to Bleed
Guaranteed to Bleed
Julie Mulhern | 2015 | Mystery
9
9.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Guaranteed to Entertain
Ellison Russel is spending this particular Friday night in September 1974 at a high school football game. Not because she loves the sport, but because her daughter, Grace, is a cheerleader. Unfortunately, early in the second half, she stumbles on Bobby Lowell who begs Ellison “Tell her I love her” before he dies. Bobby and Grace grew up together, so the murder hits close to home. Ellison isn’t trying to solve things, but she can’t help but figure it out as she tries to figure out who the mysterious woman is. Will she pass on Bobby’s message? Will she find the killer?

I’m glad I was finally able to return to Ellison’s world. The story is strong. It doesn’t unfold in typical cozy mystery fashion, but that didn’t bother me. I got more and more involved the further into the book I got. Ellison is a great main character, and I loved watching the growth in the character here. The rest of the cast is also great, although I wish her Mother weren’t so focused on everything being perfect. I find it funny at times, but it can be annoying. The book walks a fine line between humor and more serious themes, and the result is rich. The book does venture into some PG-13 topics, but know that going into the book and you’ll be fine since it never gets too graphic. I do recommend reading book one before you read this one since it includes fallout from the events of that story. Hopefully, it won’t be so long before I visit Ellison again.