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Chance of a Lifetime #2
Luck of the Draw
Luck of the Draw: A gorgeous and heartwarming romance by Kate Clayborn
A fake engagement to the man sworn to despise her. What could go wrong?
Sure, winning the lottery allows Zoe Ferris to quit her job as a cutthroat corporate attorney, but no amount of cash will clear her conscience about the way her firm treated the OLeary family in a wrongful death case. So she sets out to make things right, only to find gruff, grieving Aiden OLeary doesnt want her apology. He does, however, want something else from her.
Aiden needs a bride if he hopes to be the winning bid on the campground he wants to purchase as part of his beloved brothers legacy. Skilled in the art of deception, the cool beauty certainly fits the bill.
Only Aiden didnt expect all the humor and heart Zoe brings to their partnership or the desire that runs deep between them. Now hes struggling with his own dark truth that hes falling for the very woman he vowed never to forgive.
Emotional, uplifting and fun, this is a gorgeous romance for fans of Sally Thorne and Zara Stoneley.
A fake engagement to the man sworn to despise her. What could go wrong?
Sure, winning the lottery allows Zoe Ferris to quit her job as a cutthroat corporate attorney, but no amount of cash will clear her conscience about the way her firm treated the OLeary family in a wrongful death case. So she sets out to make things right, only to find gruff, grieving Aiden OLeary doesnt want her apology. He does, however, want something else from her.
Aiden needs a bride if he hopes to be the winning bid on the campground he wants to purchase as part of his beloved brothers legacy. Skilled in the art of deception, the cool beauty certainly fits the bill.
Only Aiden didnt expect all the humor and heart Zoe brings to their partnership or the desire that runs deep between them. Now hes struggling with his own dark truth that hes falling for the very woman he vowed never to forgive.
Emotional, uplifting and fun, this is a gorgeous romance for fans of Sally Thorne and Zara Stoneley.
336 pages, Paperback
First published April 24, 2018
720 people are currently reading
12112 people want to read
About the author
Kate Clayborn
18 books4,063 followersKate Clayborn is the critically acclaimed author of six novels. Her work has been featured in The New York Times, The Washington Post, Oprah Magazine, Entertainment Weekly, Bookpage, and more. By day she works in education, and by night (and sometimes, by very early morning) she writes contemporary romances about smart, strong, modern heroines who face the world alongside true friends and complicated families. She resides in Virginia with her husband and their dog.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 873 reviews
January 25, 2023
“I could remember the way that felt, to find Aaron in a room. Like the ground underneath me got more stable.
Book 2 in this series and I can’t say I loved it as much as book 1, but I still really enjoyed it nonetheless. Kate Clayborn’s writing is a treat, tbh.
Aiden is dealing with the loss of his brother who was dealing with addiction.
Zoe is plagued by the amount of mistakes she’s made in her past and can’t seem to move on from the shame and guilt that she has buried herself in.
Now, these two come together in an unconventional way. They form a ‘relationship’ that helps Zoe assuage herself of the guilt she’s caused Aiden and his family due to the actions of her company.
Aiden believes he’s ‘owed’ that favour and that this will help him move on from the guilt he feels for not being there for his brother.
So, this is heavy. It’s heavy because I found it difficult to connect to our characters at times. They’re closed off from themselves and don’t really want to face the struggles that they’re going through. They won’t allow their mind to go there. It does come out in snippets and those snippets are scattered throughout the story.
I was satisfied enough by the end of it though. I do wish we had more vulnerable moments, more moments where the characters connected through their guilt and shame, or talked it through with friends or a therapist. But I also get not wanting to talk about or face it, because they’re heavy burdens to carry.
It’s not that it was a bad book. I just needed more from it.
3.5 ⭐️
Buddy-read with Dab! 💛
Book 2 in this series and I can’t say I loved it as much as book 1, but I still really enjoyed it nonetheless. Kate Clayborn’s writing is a treat, tbh.
Aiden is dealing with the loss of his brother who was dealing with addiction.
Zoe is plagued by the amount of mistakes she’s made in her past and can’t seem to move on from the shame and guilt that she has buried herself in.
Now, these two come together in an unconventional way. They form a ‘relationship’ that helps Zoe assuage herself of the guilt she’s caused Aiden and his family due to the actions of her company.
Aiden believes he’s ‘owed’ that favour and that this will help him move on from the guilt he feels for not being there for his brother.
So, this is heavy. It’s heavy because I found it difficult to connect to our characters at times. They’re closed off from themselves and don’t really want to face the struggles that they’re going through. They won’t allow their mind to go there. It does come out in snippets and those snippets are scattered throughout the story.
I was satisfied enough by the end of it though. I do wish we had more vulnerable moments, more moments where the characters connected through their guilt and shame, or talked it through with friends or a therapist. But I also get not wanting to talk about or face it, because they’re heavy burdens to carry.
It’s not that it was a bad book. I just needed more from it.
3.5 ⭐️
Buddy-read with Dab! 💛
July 26, 2022
A sweet story of guilt, pain, regret, grief, forgiveness. A hate to love romance between a grumpy introvert and a smart, funny and guilt ridden ex lawyer. A painful, and yet funny story, which made me smile, but also want to strangle these characters at times 😂
Definitely recommend this series! 🏕️🏕️🏕️🏕️
Definitely recommend this series! 🏕️🏕️🏕️🏕️
May 3, 2018
This is second in a series, though not tightly tied to the first. Yeah, Zoe's friends are a significant factor in her life, but you really don't need to know details about Kit and Ben to get the full impact of this one. Still, it is nice having that backstory so I still recommend reading in order.
Clayborn knocked this one out of the park. I'm actually a little bit surprised with how much I was drawn into both main characters because they have kind of the same problem and it's one I'm not much of a fan of. I have a personal flaw in that I don't have much patience with guilt absent culpability. It actually took me a long time to understand why I don't much sympathize with many stories that rely on characters embracing a sense of guilt when it seemed everyone else thought it was just fine. For me, if there's no reasonable way that they're culpable in whatever happened that they feel guilty about then I just don't see it as a relevant emotion (and yes, I know that's a completely unreasonable attitude). The enhancement that makes that a personal failing, though, is that I get impatient with those who feel that way and kind of want to smack them, some.
Which makes it hard when authors create essentially good people who are working through a load of guilt. Mostly because most try to skate by with a backstory where that guilt is fully and obviously unfounded, so the characters are working through a thing that, I feel, is entirely in their head. So having a story where both main characters are feeling crushed by guilt would seem to be a really poor fit for me. Having seen my star rating above, that's obviously not the case.
Here's the thing that makes this work: the guilt isn't unearned. Yes, they're essentially good people. But good people screw up, sometimes. And they do things they regret, not because something out of their control turned out badly but because what they did was genuinely something that reflects poorly on them. Yes, the consequences were kind of worst case for each (moreso for Aiden, but Zoe has circumstance enhancers, too). But since the story is about them learning from their experiences and becoming better people and, better still, helping each other become better people, well, it turns out I find that rather outstanding.
So I was engaged with the story early. And I fell for both main characters completely. And it was an awesome plot with outstanding pacing and great side characters. And they even communicated! Like actual adults, I mean! And I might have preferred each to act quicker in some instances, at least they didn't double down on anything stupid, react unreasonably or out of character, or delay beyond what it'd take to make an informed, deliberate choice.
So yeah, this gets all the stars. I loved the characters. I loved how they grew. I loved their friends and family interactions. And I even liked the campgrounds setting. I really hope the third book is as good but even if not, this is strong enough to tilt this series into a favorite.
A note about Steamy: There are two explicit sex scenes of reasonable length so the middle of my steam tolerance. Better, though, they track very well with the intimacy of the relationship and I really liked how that dynamic paid off. So again, well done.
Clayborn knocked this one out of the park. I'm actually a little bit surprised with how much I was drawn into both main characters because they have kind of the same problem and it's one I'm not much of a fan of. I have a personal flaw in that I don't have much patience with guilt absent culpability. It actually took me a long time to understand why I don't much sympathize with many stories that rely on characters embracing a sense of guilt when it seemed everyone else thought it was just fine. For me, if there's no reasonable way that they're culpable in whatever happened that they feel guilty about then I just don't see it as a relevant emotion (and yes, I know that's a completely unreasonable attitude). The enhancement that makes that a personal failing, though, is that I get impatient with those who feel that way and kind of want to smack them, some.
Which makes it hard when authors create essentially good people who are working through a load of guilt. Mostly because most try to skate by with a backstory where that guilt is fully and obviously unfounded, so the characters are working through a thing that, I feel, is entirely in their head. So having a story where both main characters are feeling crushed by guilt would seem to be a really poor fit for me. Having seen my star rating above, that's obviously not the case.
Here's the thing that makes this work: the guilt isn't unearned. Yes, they're essentially good people. But good people screw up, sometimes. And they do things they regret, not because something out of their control turned out badly but because what they did was genuinely something that reflects poorly on them. Yes, the consequences were kind of worst case for each (moreso for Aiden, but Zoe has circumstance enhancers, too). But since the story is about them learning from their experiences and becoming better people and, better still, helping each other become better people, well, it turns out I find that rather outstanding.
So I was engaged with the story early. And I fell for both main characters completely. And it was an awesome plot with outstanding pacing and great side characters. And they even communicated! Like actual adults, I mean! And I might have preferred each to act quicker in some instances, at least they didn't double down on anything stupid, react unreasonably or out of character, or delay beyond what it'd take to make an informed, deliberate choice.
So yeah, this gets all the stars. I loved the characters. I loved how they grew. I loved their friends and family interactions. And I even liked the campgrounds setting. I really hope the third book is as good but even if not, this is strong enough to tilt this series into a favorite.
A note about Steamy: There are two explicit sex scenes of reasonable length so the middle of my steam tolerance. Better, though, they track very well with the intimacy of the relationship and I really liked how that dynamic paid off. So again, well done.
January 23, 2023
Again thanks Warda for buddy reading and for enduring my rants!
I’ve read a lot of enemies to lovers. Some were enemies because they were morons, some because of political reasons and some because the guy was disguising his crush so well that it came out as hate.
This was however my first enemies to lovers where I could not believe in the idea of a hea. Chemistry and a fling maybe, although that’s already a long shot, but for these two to overcome their history and be happy together forever? And his parents accepting her as a family member? Not buying it, sorry!
Zoe used to work in a cutthroat law firm that fucked over Aiden’s family after his brother’s death. She was the one who worked out the deal and signed all the papers. Now that she’s grown a conscience she wants to apologize to the grieving parents. But instead of them she meets their surviving son. Who just happens to need a fake fiancée. So I have a quick question here:
Srsly Aiden?? Out of all women in the world, this one??? Are you out of your mind, man???
His questionable taste in women aside, I loved Aiden and my heart was breaking for him and for his parents. I hated finding out that Aaron had been an addict. It was so placating, so belittling their grief, like saying “don’t cry, dear reader, he was just a junkie”. Ugh!!
The writing was as good as in the previous book and the romance was hot, but too much bothered me in this story to give it more than three stars.
TW loss and grief
I’ve read a lot of enemies to lovers. Some were enemies because they were morons, some because of political reasons and some because the guy was disguising his crush so well that it came out as hate.
This was however my first enemies to lovers where I could not believe in the idea of a hea. Chemistry and a fling maybe, although that’s already a long shot, but for these two to overcome their history and be happy together forever? And his parents accepting her as a family member? Not buying it, sorry!
Zoe used to work in a cutthroat law firm that fucked over Aiden’s family after his brother’s death. She was the one who worked out the deal and signed all the papers. Now that she’s grown a conscience she wants to apologize to the grieving parents. But instead of them she meets their surviving son. Who just happens to need a fake fiancée. So I have a quick question here:
Srsly Aiden?? Out of all women in the world, this one??? Are you out of your mind, man???
His questionable taste in women aside, I loved Aiden and my heart was breaking for him and for his parents. I hated finding out that Aaron had been an addict. It was so placating, so belittling their grief, like saying “don’t cry, dear reader, he was just a junkie”. Ugh!!
The writing was as good as in the previous book and the romance was hot, but too much bothered me in this story to give it more than three stars.
TW loss and grief
February 14, 2024
It's truly baffling how I can love this book so much when so many things about it bother me.
It's no secret that I'm a slave to Kate Clayborn and would beg on my knees to read her grocery list. Her writing is a dream and her books are my first comfort reads. And yet, this one is the pebble on my shoe, even though I could never bring myself to rate it any lower than 4 stars.
This is the second book in the Chance of a Lifetime series, and it focuses on Zoe Ferris, a badass lawyer who basically quit her job after winning the lottery with her two best friends. After months of dwelling on what her next steps should be, Zoe has a bad night involving booze and a lot of guilt, and it leads her to the terrible idea of making a guilt jar – it's like those Pinterest gratitude jar things, except, instead of filling it with things she's grateful for, she fills it with things she feels guilty about.
One of them is working on a case where she represented a pharmaceutical company whose medication killed a man with substance abuse issues. She was forced to face his grieving parents and negotiate a settlement for their son's death. Which, listen. I get that this would weigh on her, and that the man's family would project all their sadness and resentment on her because she was the one representing the company, but I did feel like the book made her out to be the pinpoint of all corporate cruelty when she was just a tiny clog in the machine. The pharmaceutical company, which was the true Bad Guy in this situation, was rarely even mentioned. So, you know. Just putting that out there.
Anyway. She goes out to apologize to the family all these months later – which is a very stupid, narcissistic move – and is faced with their other son, Aiden O'Leary, who basically blames her for every bad thing that happened to his brother (see what I mean?) and guilts her into pretending to be his fiancée so he can buy this campground from its very traditional owners and turn it into a Wellness/Wilderness retreat for recovering addicts in his brother's honor.
The book covers the six weekends she agrees to spend with him on the campground, which was a condition set by the owners so they can get to know the potential buyers.
Listen. I really like this book. Zoe is an amazing character who does come to realize she is not a terrible human being, and Aiden does realize his judgment of her was very unfair. But still! They spend a good chunk of the book with the strangest dynamic, where she feels forced to do this big thing for him out of guilt and he kind of holds his life's tragedy over her like she's the sole culprit, and it's… kind of maddening. I really don't like them both (especially him!) feeling like she has a debt to pay. It's frustrating on many levels.
I guess my point is, I hope everyone gives this book a chance because it's beautiful, but just keep in mind that you're going to want to clock the main characters over the head several times throughout. 😂
It's no secret that I'm a slave to Kate Clayborn and would beg on my knees to read her grocery list. Her writing is a dream and her books are my first comfort reads. And yet, this one is the pebble on my shoe, even though I could never bring myself to rate it any lower than 4 stars.
This is the second book in the Chance of a Lifetime series, and it focuses on Zoe Ferris, a badass lawyer who basically quit her job after winning the lottery with her two best friends. After months of dwelling on what her next steps should be, Zoe has a bad night involving booze and a lot of guilt, and it leads her to the terrible idea of making a guilt jar – it's like those Pinterest gratitude jar things, except, instead of filling it with things she's grateful for, she fills it with things she feels guilty about.
One of them is working on a case where she represented a pharmaceutical company whose medication killed a man with substance abuse issues. She was forced to face his grieving parents and negotiate a settlement for their son's death. Which, listen. I get that this would weigh on her, and that the man's family would project all their sadness and resentment on her because she was the one representing the company, but I did feel like the book made her out to be the pinpoint of all corporate cruelty when she was just a tiny clog in the machine. The pharmaceutical company, which was the true Bad Guy in this situation, was rarely even mentioned. So, you know. Just putting that out there.
Anyway. She goes out to apologize to the family all these months later – which is a very stupid, narcissistic move – and is faced with their other son, Aiden O'Leary, who basically blames her for every bad thing that happened to his brother (see what I mean?) and guilts her into pretending to be his fiancée so he can buy this campground from its very traditional owners and turn it into a Wellness/Wilderness retreat for recovering addicts in his brother's honor.
The book covers the six weekends she agrees to spend with him on the campground, which was a condition set by the owners so they can get to know the potential buyers.
Listen. I really like this book. Zoe is an amazing character who does come to realize she is not a terrible human being, and Aiden does realize his judgment of her was very unfair. But still! They spend a good chunk of the book with the strangest dynamic, where she feels forced to do this big thing for him out of guilt and he kind of holds his life's tragedy over her like she's the sole culprit, and it's… kind of maddening. I really don't like them both (especially him!) feeling like she has a debt to pay. It's frustrating on many levels.
I guess my point is, I hope everyone gives this book a chance because it's beautiful, but just keep in mind that you're going to want to clock the main characters over the head several times throughout. 😂
May 16, 2018
God, this book made me ache. LUCK OF THE DRAW is sweet and often funny, with a tense hate to love dynamic, but also heavily seasoned with pain and grief and regret and guilt. I felt so much for both these characters. I cried for them. And laughed with them, too. And I could have been frustrated by the one step forward, two back, ebb and flow of their relationship, but it was so so realistic. I think that's why it was so painful at times. But the presence of friendship, of healing, of forgiveness, is just as strong and just as powerful.
Aiden was hard to like in the beginning but so easy to sympathize with. His grief was epic, leaving him closed off and harsh, and occasionally altogether unlikeable; especially when he felt swayed towards humour, or attraction, by the woman he feels he has every reason to hate. And Zoe, oh Zoe. So convinced she had done so many people wrong, so committed to doing better for others, for trying to find her way. She was so strong, so sharp, so smart. And so achingly vulnerable. Seeing her evolve, seeing her uncover the person she was behind all her bravado, seeing her crumble in the face of the unwavering support of her friends when she confessed to feelings long hidden away.. it was heartwrenching and beautiful.
Which are two perfect words to sum up this book : heartwrenching and beautiful. Also, read it.
Aiden was hard to like in the beginning but so easy to sympathize with. His grief was epic, leaving him closed off and harsh, and occasionally altogether unlikeable; especially when he felt swayed towards humour, or attraction, by the woman he feels he has every reason to hate. And Zoe, oh Zoe. So convinced she had done so many people wrong, so committed to doing better for others, for trying to find her way. She was so strong, so sharp, so smart. And so achingly vulnerable. Seeing her evolve, seeing her uncover the person she was behind all her bravado, seeing her crumble in the face of the unwavering support of her friends when she confessed to feelings long hidden away.. it was heartwrenching and beautiful.
Which are two perfect words to sum up this book : heartwrenching and beautiful. Also, read it.
March 15, 2023
3.5*
I knew I'd struggle with the reason these two come to their agreement from the blurb but I do really like them as individuals, obvs their friends plus the journeys and growth they both undertake.
I didn't quite feel the build to the bonfire, that evening escalates way quicker than I'd anticipated, I actually went back to reread it after I finished in case I missed something 🤷♀️ but honourable mention to Paul & his cannonball that day + breakfast the next day 😂
Almost all the characters we meet are such gems and are totes extra incentive to pick this up. The other couples in the running, well especially Sherrie & Tom and obvs Paul & Lorraine are awesome alongside Aiden's colleagues and of course Kit + Greer (I legit cannot wait for her book 🤩) - all the 🌟 for the side characters
The feelings these two are wrestling with outside of whatever is happening between them makes it a diff pace read than the cutesy new covers hint at - we don't delve too deep here, but it is certainly an undercurrent vibe to the book and I'd have liked to see more conversations (I know I know always the same complaint) - the reveals dropped in the last one before the "blow up" really needed more meat & less steam as a reaction I thought...but what do I know?!
I'm prob in the minority 😅
I knew I'd struggle with the reason these two come to their agreement from the blurb but I do really like them as individuals, obvs their friends plus the journeys and growth they both undertake.
I didn't quite feel the build to the bonfire, that evening escalates way quicker than I'd anticipated, I actually went back to reread it after I finished in case I missed something 🤷♀️ but honourable mention to Paul & his cannonball that day + breakfast the next day 😂
Almost all the characters we meet are such gems and are totes extra incentive to pick this up. The other couples in the running, well especially Sherrie & Tom and obvs Paul & Lorraine are awesome alongside Aiden's colleagues and of course Kit + Greer (I legit cannot wait for her book 🤩) - all the 🌟 for the side characters
The feelings these two are wrestling with outside of whatever is happening between them makes it a diff pace read than the cutesy new covers hint at - we don't delve too deep here, but it is certainly an undercurrent vibe to the book and I'd have liked to see more conversations (I know I know always the same complaint) - the reveals dropped in the last one before the "blow up" really needed more meat & less steam as a reaction I thought...but what do I know?!
I'm prob in the minority 😅
October 31, 2024
A perfect book.
January 25, 2023
***4.75 Stars***
"In this story you're telling...we rescue each other."
OMG I FREAKING LOVED THIS BOOK!!! One of my favorite reads of the year!
So many feels...so many goddamn feels! And I loved every single one of them.
I don't know how to describe this story. It's a story of forgiveness. Of healing. Of love.
It's two people who are stuck in a spin cycle of sadness, grief, and emptiness. Two people yearning for the touch of connection, but fearing the need to reach out....to truly let someone in.
Zoe has been adrift ever since her father died while she was in college. She made mistakes. Made decisions that weren't thought through, or if they were, they were things done for the wrong reasons. She's built up a cold outer shell that hides the burning guilt swirling beneath.
Aiden is a man struggling with the grief of losing his brother. He's lost in a world where everything is the same, but nothing feels right. His family is forever changed. His life is aimless and he's just going through the motions trying to make it through one day at a time.
I'm not going to give anything else away because this story has so many layers to it, so many things that get peeled back as you're reading. Motivations. Insecurities. Vulnerabilities. Painful truths. Two people who are rediscovering themselves.
Reading this book is like awakening to spring after a harsh winter. Watching the leaves appear on trees. Flowers bloom. Clouds clear. The warming sun on your skin.
I can't even express how much this book grabs your heart and squeezes the crap out of it. It's such a beautiful story that tugs at every human emotion that makes us all relatable.
But there's also humor and a great balance of lighthearted moments to brighten up the story. The book doesn't feel heavy or sad...it feels hopeful. Like you're witnessing the first steps of two people who don't even realize they've veered onto a new path.
As is true with the first book in this series, the friendship between Kit, Zoe, and Greer is just as central to this book as the romance. And for that, I stand up and applaud Kate Clayborn.
And let me just say...that epilogue?!?! Deep, happy sigh from the core of this romance reader's heart. I closed this book looking like a swallowed a coat hanger....just the biggest smile.
This is a book that's going to stay with me for a very long time.
**Because I'm me, I have to mention my one tiny issue that kept me from giving this book a full 5 stars. I wasn't completely sold on the depth of Zoe's guilt for things she'd done in her life. Mistakes and bad decisions made? Definitely. But I just couldn't wrap my mind around how hard she was on herself.
March 23, 2018
Gah.
That's my official: akduirka;mv;l.
I just love stories of people with vulnerabilities and this has it in spades. These main characters moved me all on their own, and as a couple, I have to be honest--I loved them there too. I highly recommend the first in the series for the same kind of multi-layered, complex characters. For me, this one was so close and at times exceeding my feelings for the Beginner's Luck. It very much teeters on 5-star range. Sometimes the inner thoughts of the two of these characters made my eyes sting, which isn't easy. It was just that intense. The characters both were dealing with heavy grief and failed expectations of their own, thrown together as a result of Zoe trying to make amends for her prior evil corporate lawyer gig. What results is a distant, grieving brother thawing and being chipped away and a former corporate lawyer looking for adventure learning to forgive her past mistakes as part of herself. What I loved about Zoe is how hard she tried-always. Aiden was harder to pin down to just one thing other than his intensity. I felt Kate Clayborn deftly and successfully built a dynamic and intimacy between the characters without being heavy-handed. It was just a joy to watch unfold.
Really, as with the review for Beginner's Luck, I feel like this is just rambling gushy-ness. I really appreciated the slow growth for the characters as well as the relationship, and the sexy-times did not hurt matters one bit.
Thank you to NetGalley/publisher for providing me a free copy
That's my official: akduirka;mv;l.
I just love stories of people with vulnerabilities and this has it in spades. These main characters moved me all on their own, and as a couple, I have to be honest--I loved them there too. I highly recommend the first in the series for the same kind of multi-layered, complex characters. For me, this one was so close and at times exceeding my feelings for the Beginner's Luck. It very much teeters on 5-star range. Sometimes the inner thoughts of the two of these characters made my eyes sting, which isn't easy. It was just that intense. The characters both were dealing with heavy grief and failed expectations of their own, thrown together as a result of Zoe trying to make amends for her prior evil corporate lawyer gig. What results is a distant, grieving brother thawing and being chipped away and a former corporate lawyer looking for adventure learning to forgive her past mistakes as part of herself. What I loved about Zoe is how hard she tried-always. Aiden was harder to pin down to just one thing other than his intensity. I felt Kate Clayborn deftly and successfully built a dynamic and intimacy between the characters without being heavy-handed. It was just a joy to watch unfold.
Really, as with the review for Beginner's Luck, I feel like this is just rambling gushy-ness. I really appreciated the slow growth for the characters as well as the relationship, and the sexy-times did not hurt matters one bit.
Thank you to NetGalley/publisher for providing me a free copy
March 27, 2019
4+ stars. Kate Clayborn creates real characters with relatable challenges and it turns into an enjoyable romance. I liked the first a bit more, but this was very good.
September 23, 2020
I have heard sooo many good things about Kate Clayborn and I'm glad I finally read her for the first time! This was a really good faking dating romance with a fantastic girl friend group. Bonus: grumpy hero!
February 27, 2021
My first read by Kate Clayborn and I was seriously entertained and also loved this book enough...that I decided to purchase books 1 & 3.
Delicious slow burn....enemies to lovers...Aiden and Zoe were both characters that I not only liked but I also really felt the weight of their pain and guilt as well....I wanted them both to find the key to their own personal happiness and redemption. Good read.
Delicious slow burn....enemies to lovers...Aiden and Zoe were both characters that I not only liked but I also really felt the weight of their pain and guilt as well....I wanted them both to find the key to their own personal happiness and redemption. Good read.
March 19, 2018
Rewritten 03/17/2018
The premise of faking an engagement is already preposterous, but in other books, the people involved at least know each other because they are friends, co-workers, etc. Not so much here. The fake engagement trope exploded into utterly ridiculous territory. Aiden and Zoe are strangers and suddenly, because Zoe is there and Aiden needs to prove he is a reliable and stable man (for some reason, fiancee=stability), they are going to play a loving couple. Except they don’t even talk much to each other beforehand. Everybody must be blind. And clueless. And crazy too.
I usually forgive outrageous premises if they helped build a good conflict or interesting characters, but neither happened.
The characters are not that interesting. Zoe is full of guilt from her lawyer job at Evil Firm and quit her job after winning the lottery. She decides to go apologize to Aiden’s family about how she handle the settlement following his brother’s death. It is tough for me to be interested in a person who does nothing all day and wallows in her own feelings. And I don’t really know how apologizing would help the victims’ family.
Aiden is full of guilt about said brother’s passing. So he tries to buy a much beloved campground. Why does he need a fiancee? It turns out that the owners have a six-weekend interview process and want to make sure the campground is in the hands of responsible stable people with a good vision.
There isn’t much conflict either. Zoe wants to help Aiden. Aiden wants help. No conflict. Zoe says "You hate me". Aiden assures her "I don't hate you". No conflict. So all this time, the reader is just waiting for them to sort through their thoughts.
The few moments between Zoe and Aiden are good. I enjoyed when they talk to and start to know each other. The problem is that they were too few of them. Too much time is spent on silly campground activities (It's like camp adventure for grown-ups). There is too much inner dialogue - the characters keep thinking about their purpose, their past, their life. So overall, just ok and really slow and silly.
End of review.
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
The premise of faking an engagement is already preposterous, but in other books, the people involved at least know each other because they are friends, co-workers, etc. Not so much here. The fake engagement trope exploded into utterly ridiculous territory. Aiden and Zoe are strangers and suddenly, because Zoe is there and Aiden needs to prove he is a reliable and stable man (for some reason, fiancee=stability), they are going to play a loving couple. Except they don’t even talk much to each other beforehand. Everybody must be blind. And clueless. And crazy too.
I usually forgive outrageous premises if they helped build a good conflict or interesting characters, but neither happened.
The characters are not that interesting. Zoe is full of guilt from her lawyer job at Evil Firm and quit her job after winning the lottery. She decides to go apologize to Aiden’s family about how she handle the settlement following his brother’s death. It is tough for me to be interested in a person who does nothing all day and wallows in her own feelings. And I don’t really know how apologizing would help the victims’ family.
Aiden is full of guilt about said brother’s passing. So he tries to buy a much beloved campground. Why does he need a fiancee? It turns out that the owners have a six-weekend interview process and want to make sure the campground is in the hands of responsible stable people with a good vision.
There isn’t much conflict either. Zoe wants to help Aiden. Aiden wants help. No conflict. Zoe says "You hate me". Aiden assures her "I don't hate you". No conflict. So all this time, the reader is just waiting for them to sort through their thoughts.
The few moments between Zoe and Aiden are good. I enjoyed when they talk to and start to know each other. The problem is that they were too few of them. Too much time is spent on silly campground activities (It's like camp adventure for grown-ups). There is too much inner dialogue - the characters keep thinking about their purpose, their past, their life. So overall, just ok and really slow and silly.
End of review.
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
February 21, 2018
Holy bananas. That was even better than the author’s debut, Beginner's Luck, which was one of my favorite books of last year.
This is a very different story, but still told with great craft, immediacy, and heart. Modern “fake engagement” stories often feel forced and artificial, but this one does NOT. The reasons for entering into it, the slow slide of Zoe and Aiden away from antipathy (because yes, it’s also a bit of an enemies to lovers tale) toward intimacy and then love...oh, it’s good. It is funny and angsty and I cannot wait for people to be able to buy it.
I was provided with an Advance Reader’s Copy in exchange for an unbiased review.
This is a very different story, but still told with great craft, immediacy, and heart. Modern “fake engagement” stories often feel forced and artificial, but this one does NOT. The reasons for entering into it, the slow slide of Zoe and Aiden away from antipathy (because yes, it’s also a bit of an enemies to lovers tale) toward intimacy and then love...oh, it’s good. It is funny and angsty and I cannot wait for people to be able to buy it.
I was provided with an Advance Reader’s Copy in exchange for an unbiased review.
August 23, 2024
August 2024: I keep waiting for the magic in this book to weaken so I don’t cry like a baby. Kate Clayborn, how do you still do this to me???
Dramatics aside, I do really love coming back to favorite books repeatedly. The best ones are familiar but also find new ways to touch you because you’re in a different time of your life. This time, probably because I’ve been dealing with my own grief stuff this year, that’s what really got to me—the question of how you arrange yourself and your life after loss. I was also freshly moved by the way the romance heals but doesn’t cure; how love for a person can bring you back into the world and reconnect with it without being all that’s there for you. It’s maybe my favorite thing about Clayborn’s work—that the HEA isn’t the fix for a character’s brokenness, it’s the reward for the emotional work they do in putting their pieces together again.
March 2022: Yep, I read it again. Still watery-eyed. Still super emotional. Just a fucking masterpiece.
Update June 2021: I have now read this book four times and it still makes me cry. I've been trying for ages to figure out what it is about this book that has dug its claws into me, given that I don't share any specific trauma with Zoe or Aiden. I think it's something about how each of them have been trying so hard to be who they think other people needed them to be; but when we meet them they've gotten so used to only showing up as parts of themselves. Even with her best friends Kit and Greer, Zoe isn't always 100% authentic...and I relate to that. But because Zoe and Aiden start as adversaries with so much baggage between them, they already kind of expect the worst from each other and there's no pressure to be any better or different than they really are. They know each other, instinctively, an element that really stood out to me this time around. Gah. I still can't articulate it right. Someone called Luck of the Draw my book soulmate and really, that kind of love defies logic so maybe I should just stop trying to to explain.
Update Sep. 2020: I’ve read this book twice since my original reading and it’s made me cry each time, once in public. I’m pretty sure it’s the only romance that has made me cry like that, and it’s incredible to me that it doesn’t lose any of its impact when I know exactly what’s going to happen. This is solidly in my top 3 favorite books of all time.
Original review (8/30/19):
Oh, my God. OH MY GAWD.
Ignore me, I’m a puddle on the ground right now thanks to this book.
WAIT, NO! Don’t ignore me, obey my command: READ THIS BOOK AT ONCE.
When I say this book gave me feelings, I mean actual physical feelings. My sternum hurt. My throat hurt. My eyes hurt. That all sounds horrible, but trust me, if you like emotional angst, it actually means this book is the LITERAL BEST. I’m not even going to bother to take the time to step away and compose a rational review after letting it simmer because this book doesn’t deserve that. It’s raw, it’s heartfelt, it’s sexy, it’s gorgeous. It made me sob. Like, ugly cry. But in the best possible way, always.
In summary: One of my favorite books of all time.
Overall rating: all the stars in the sky and any neighboring galaxies
Hannah Angst Scale™ rating: 5+
Content notes: grief and depression, opiate addiction and death by overdose (MMC's brother died of overdose, description of overdose death encountered in his work as an EMT), past death of twin, past death of parent by heart attack, FMC married young and then divorced (during period of grief, possibly predatory behavior by her ex), other discussions of grief and loss (MMC attends support group during which other people share their grief stories), alcohol use, on page sex, use of gender essentialist language, ableist language (“drive me crazy”)
Dramatics aside, I do really love coming back to favorite books repeatedly. The best ones are familiar but also find new ways to touch you because you’re in a different time of your life. This time, probably because I’ve been dealing with my own grief stuff this year, that’s what really got to me—the question of how you arrange yourself and your life after loss. I was also freshly moved by the way the romance heals but doesn’t cure; how love for a person can bring you back into the world and reconnect with it without being all that’s there for you. It’s maybe my favorite thing about Clayborn’s work—that the HEA isn’t the fix for a character’s brokenness, it’s the reward for the emotional work they do in putting their pieces together again.
March 2022: Yep, I read it again. Still watery-eyed. Still super emotional. Just a fucking masterpiece.
Update June 2021: I have now read this book four times and it still makes me cry. I've been trying for ages to figure out what it is about this book that has dug its claws into me, given that I don't share any specific trauma with Zoe or Aiden. I think it's something about how each of them have been trying so hard to be who they think other people needed them to be; but when we meet them they've gotten so used to only showing up as parts of themselves. Even with her best friends Kit and Greer, Zoe isn't always 100% authentic...and I relate to that. But because Zoe and Aiden start as adversaries with so much baggage between them, they already kind of expect the worst from each other and there's no pressure to be any better or different than they really are. They know each other, instinctively, an element that really stood out to me this time around. Gah. I still can't articulate it right. Someone called Luck of the Draw my book soulmate and really, that kind of love defies logic so maybe I should just stop trying to to explain.
Update Sep. 2020: I’ve read this book twice since my original reading and it’s made me cry each time, once in public. I’m pretty sure it’s the only romance that has made me cry like that, and it’s incredible to me that it doesn’t lose any of its impact when I know exactly what’s going to happen. This is solidly in my top 3 favorite books of all time.
Original review (8/30/19):
Oh, my God. OH MY GAWD.
Ignore me, I’m a puddle on the ground right now thanks to this book.
WAIT, NO! Don’t ignore me, obey my command: READ THIS BOOK AT ONCE.
When I say this book gave me feelings, I mean actual physical feelings. My sternum hurt. My throat hurt. My eyes hurt. That all sounds horrible, but trust me, if you like emotional angst, it actually means this book is the LITERAL BEST. I’m not even going to bother to take the time to step away and compose a rational review after letting it simmer because this book doesn’t deserve that. It’s raw, it’s heartfelt, it’s sexy, it’s gorgeous. It made me sob. Like, ugly cry. But in the best possible way, always.
In summary: One of my favorite books of all time.
Overall rating: all the stars in the sky and any neighboring galaxies
Hannah Angst Scale™ rating: 5+
Content notes: grief and depression, opiate addiction and death by overdose (MMC's brother died of overdose, description of overdose death encountered in his work as an EMT), past death of twin, past death of parent by heart attack, FMC married young and then divorced (during period of grief, possibly predatory behavior by her ex), other discussions of grief and loss (MMC attends support group during which other people share their grief stories), alcohol use, on page sex, use of gender essentialist language, ableist language (“drive me crazy”)
March 15, 2018
I really liked this second book in Clayborn's series as much as the first, though neither main character is as likeable, or at least initially as likeable. Part of the joy of this book though is watching Zoe and Aiden grow, and change, and even learn from each other. By the end of the book, I completely believed in their character development and their future success together.
Guilt is the predominant issue driving this story for both characters, and it plays out in a number of sub plots. As a former high-powered attorney, Zoe dislikes the person she has become. At the start of the story she is attempting to rectify past mistakes that still plague her since quitting her job. A huge payout to Aidan's family on the death of his twin brother from a drug overdose is the first guilty memory Zoe wants to tackle. As a medic Aidan's own feelings of guilt at his brother's death are exacerbated since he feels he should have known how to intervene. Not wanting Zoe's apology, he does, however, see an opportunity in her to put his "blood money" payoff to use. Not surprisingly, Zoe is all in to help Aidan, even knowing he thinks the worst of her. Thus, the two set off for a campsite up for sale in rural Virginia where they will pretend to be a married couple in order to make a pitch for turning the site into a rehab facility. I have to admit that I detest camping and having roughly 70% of the novel set in a camp was not really my ideal location for a romance. Much of the novel uses this setting for Aidan to sort through his guilt and grief over the loss of his brother, and for Zoe to amend and reflect on a worthy way to live her own life going forward. Their separate but also integrated trajectories are touching and the buildup to their falling in love felt very believable.
Of note, as with Beginner's Luck this is a novel featuring a diverse cast of characters, of which I am particularly grateful. Not quite a 5-star read for me mainly because I do not see myself rereading this one, I still highly recommend it though. Also, at the very end, there is the first chapter of Greer's and Alex's book and that first chapter was so good. I am really looking forward to their story.
Guilt is the predominant issue driving this story for both characters, and it plays out in a number of sub plots. As a former high-powered attorney, Zoe dislikes the person she has become. At the start of the story she is attempting to rectify past mistakes that still plague her since quitting her job. A huge payout to Aidan's family on the death of his twin brother from a drug overdose is the first guilty memory Zoe wants to tackle. As a medic Aidan's own feelings of guilt at his brother's death are exacerbated since he feels he should have known how to intervene. Not wanting Zoe's apology, he does, however, see an opportunity in her to put his "blood money" payoff to use. Not surprisingly, Zoe is all in to help Aidan, even knowing he thinks the worst of her. Thus, the two set off for a campsite up for sale in rural Virginia where they will pretend to be a married couple in order to make a pitch for turning the site into a rehab facility. I have to admit that I detest camping and having roughly 70% of the novel set in a camp was not really my ideal location for a romance. Much of the novel uses this setting for Aidan to sort through his guilt and grief over the loss of his brother, and for Zoe to amend and reflect on a worthy way to live her own life going forward. Their separate but also integrated trajectories are touching and the buildup to their falling in love felt very believable.
Of note, as with Beginner's Luck this is a novel featuring a diverse cast of characters, of which I am particularly grateful. Not quite a 5-star read for me mainly because I do not see myself rereading this one, I still highly recommend it though. Also, at the very end, there is the first chapter of Greer's and Alex's book and that first chapter was so good. I am really looking forward to their story.
February 11, 2019
Luck of the Draw by Kate Clayborn is the second romance in her Chance of a Lifetime series. The first story, Beginner’s Luck, was on my best of 2017 list and I was highly anticipating this one. It was just as good as I’d hoped!
When three friends win a lottery prize together, they have to make some serious choices about what to do with the money.For Zoe Ferris, quitting her job as a cutthroat attorney is the first step. She says she want to take some vacation time off to plan a trip yet she finds herself stuck. She’s unable to move forward, paralyzed by guilt for a number of things, including the last case she had before she quit. She makes a ‘guilt’ jar, putting pieces of paper with names of all the people she believes she’s wronged and with whom she wants to make amends. As luck would have it, the first names she draws from the jar are the parents from her last case, that of a young man killed in a drug overdose for whom she had negotiated a cash settlement in a wrongful death suit. Mentally steeling herself, she heads to the address, encounters the son and brother of the young man who died – and promptly faints in his driveway.
Aiden O’Leary doesn’t know what to make of the lawyer who shows up on his doorstep except that she’s beautiful, and suddenly in need of medical help. A paramedic, he gets her back on her feet and when she awkwardly tries to offer to atone for what happened with his brother Aaron, Aiden knows just how she can do it. A summer camp that he and Aaron went to as boys is up for sale, and he wants to make a presentation to purchase it from the owners, long time family friends, to develop it as an addictions treatment center. But the owners are looking for a family to take over. He wants Zoe to pretend to be his fiancee, spend several weekends at the camp and help him sell the idea of his proposal. Zoe agrees, and despite an awkward and almost hostile start, they come to a truce.
Then things get more complicated because neither wants to deny the attraction simmering between them, even though getting involved is the last thing they should do. The heart and the mind don’t always agree though, and a heated affair ensues. As their time together ticks away, painful truths and confidences are shared, and a true friendship develops along with stronger feelings. But when their secret engagement is found out to be a lie, will it spell the end of something that was just becoming a lifeline for them both?
Emotional, heartwarming, and full of laughs and tears, Luck of the Draw is a compelling romance. From the first page I was drawn into this story of guilt, forgiveness and redemption. Zoe made mistakes when she was younger, and she is afraid of making those mistakes again. Coming into a decent amount of money makes her wary of making decisions too fast, to the point that she can’t make any at all. Aiden’s proposal, that she help him out with his camp presentation by pretending to be his partner is the impetus she needs to push herself forward.
Similarly, Zoe helps Aiden to look at the relationship he had with his brother Aaron and come to terms with the guilt he feels for not being able to prevent his death. It’s a slow realization that takes place over the course of their time together at the camp, Zoe’s willingness not to shy away from tough issues giving him the kick he needs to face things head on. He still makes mistakes but becomes a man able to forgive and accept things as they are. When they are unable to resist the attraction to each other they make a pact that they will keep sex separate from the rest of what’s going on around them, and they share several sexy and emotional love scenes. When that spills over into their time back home, it seems like they might be able to find something for themselves, until everything goes awry. It takes courage on both their parts to fix what’s broken and make it into something newer, stronger, and worth keeping.
The other aspect of the story I really enjoyed is the friendship between Zoe and her two best friends and fellow lottery winners, Kit and Greer. Zoe realizes that she’s been holding back from them, not giving them the same commitment to their friendship that they’ve given her. Her time with Aiden helps her see that she can open up to them and reveal her insecurities and that they will accept her as she is. Similarly, Aiden has two co-workers, Charlie (female) and Ahmed with whom his relationship at first is one of a more silent partner. As he reveals more of himself to Zoe, he also becomes better at being a friend to them and letting them in.
Luck of the Draw has lighthearted moments to balance the emotional ones, though readers shouldn’t be surprised to find themselves shedding a few tears too. The author draws you into a complex world navigating grief, friendship and love in a page turning and thoroughly enjoyable read. I highly recommend both Beginner’s Luck (Kit’s story) and Luck of the Draw and I’m looking forward to reading Greer’s story next!
This review also appears at Harlequin Junkie: http://harlequinjunkie.com/review-luc...
A copy of this story was provided by the publisher via NetGalley for review.
When three friends win a lottery prize together, they have to make some serious choices about what to do with the money.For Zoe Ferris, quitting her job as a cutthroat attorney is the first step. She says she want to take some vacation time off to plan a trip yet she finds herself stuck. She’s unable to move forward, paralyzed by guilt for a number of things, including the last case she had before she quit. She makes a ‘guilt’ jar, putting pieces of paper with names of all the people she believes she’s wronged and with whom she wants to make amends. As luck would have it, the first names she draws from the jar are the parents from her last case, that of a young man killed in a drug overdose for whom she had negotiated a cash settlement in a wrongful death suit. Mentally steeling herself, she heads to the address, encounters the son and brother of the young man who died – and promptly faints in his driveway.
Aiden O’Leary doesn’t know what to make of the lawyer who shows up on his doorstep except that she’s beautiful, and suddenly in need of medical help. A paramedic, he gets her back on her feet and when she awkwardly tries to offer to atone for what happened with his brother Aaron, Aiden knows just how she can do it. A summer camp that he and Aaron went to as boys is up for sale, and he wants to make a presentation to purchase it from the owners, long time family friends, to develop it as an addictions treatment center. But the owners are looking for a family to take over. He wants Zoe to pretend to be his fiancee, spend several weekends at the camp and help him sell the idea of his proposal. Zoe agrees, and despite an awkward and almost hostile start, they come to a truce.
Then things get more complicated because neither wants to deny the attraction simmering between them, even though getting involved is the last thing they should do. The heart and the mind don’t always agree though, and a heated affair ensues. As their time together ticks away, painful truths and confidences are shared, and a true friendship develops along with stronger feelings. But when their secret engagement is found out to be a lie, will it spell the end of something that was just becoming a lifeline for them both?
Emotional, heartwarming, and full of laughs and tears, Luck of the Draw is a compelling romance. From the first page I was drawn into this story of guilt, forgiveness and redemption. Zoe made mistakes when she was younger, and she is afraid of making those mistakes again. Coming into a decent amount of money makes her wary of making decisions too fast, to the point that she can’t make any at all. Aiden’s proposal, that she help him out with his camp presentation by pretending to be his partner is the impetus she needs to push herself forward.
Similarly, Zoe helps Aiden to look at the relationship he had with his brother Aaron and come to terms with the guilt he feels for not being able to prevent his death. It’s a slow realization that takes place over the course of their time together at the camp, Zoe’s willingness not to shy away from tough issues giving him the kick he needs to face things head on. He still makes mistakes but becomes a man able to forgive and accept things as they are. When they are unable to resist the attraction to each other they make a pact that they will keep sex separate from the rest of what’s going on around them, and they share several sexy and emotional love scenes. When that spills over into their time back home, it seems like they might be able to find something for themselves, until everything goes awry. It takes courage on both their parts to fix what’s broken and make it into something newer, stronger, and worth keeping.
The other aspect of the story I really enjoyed is the friendship between Zoe and her two best friends and fellow lottery winners, Kit and Greer. Zoe realizes that she’s been holding back from them, not giving them the same commitment to their friendship that they’ve given her. Her time with Aiden helps her see that she can open up to them and reveal her insecurities and that they will accept her as she is. Similarly, Aiden has two co-workers, Charlie (female) and Ahmed with whom his relationship at first is one of a more silent partner. As he reveals more of himself to Zoe, he also becomes better at being a friend to them and letting them in.
Luck of the Draw has lighthearted moments to balance the emotional ones, though readers shouldn’t be surprised to find themselves shedding a few tears too. The author draws you into a complex world navigating grief, friendship and love in a page turning and thoroughly enjoyable read. I highly recommend both Beginner’s Luck (Kit’s story) and Luck of the Draw and I’m looking forward to reading Greer’s story next!
This review also appears at Harlequin Junkie: http://harlequinjunkie.com/review-luc...
A copy of this story was provided by the publisher via NetGalley for review.
May 31, 2018
I'm so grateful for reader friends you know and trust. Mine always bring me the best finds, ones I would likely completely miss otherwise. Such was the case with Kate Clayborn's Luck of the Draw. I'd seen it floating about the 'verse for a little while now. But something about the cover inexplicably gave me country music vibes. And I just was not in the mood for that story right now, you know? But then the excellent Brie took to talking it up on Twitter, and thank heavens for that. Because I bought it on her word alone and am so very glad I did. Nothing about it has anything to do with country music. In fact, it is quite a serious tale about two wounded people who have no reason whatsoever to like the other person, but who are trying hard to improve themselves and the lives of those around them. If that sounds like something you're in the mood for, then by all means, read on.
Zoe Ferris and her two best friends won the jackpot. Literally. Jointly, they bought a lottery ticket and won. And nothing has been the same since. But while Kit and Greer are learning to navigate the ropes of their new lives, Zoe is floundering. A successful lawyer, she finds herself in deep waters as she tries to make amends to a family involved in a settlement she worked on. Which is how she finds herself of Aiden O'Leary's doorstep, hat in hand. For his part, Aiden would like to see Zoe suffer for every dollar of the settlement money Zoe brought his parents' way. In the wake of his twin brother's death, Aiden is alone and desperately trying to make something out of his suffering. If using Zoe is what it takes to do so, then so be it. And so Aiden convinces Zoe to pose as his fiance as part of his proposal to buy a wildness camp and turn it into a center for those struggling with addictions similar to the way his brother did. Zoe sees it as the least she can do, though pretending to love the wildly closed off Aiden stretches even her ability to sell something.
I expected something . . . lighter, perhaps? I'm not sure what I thought this might be. But I can tell you, I was in no way dissatisfied with what I got. Zoe and Aiden are rather magnetic. We enter the story at their collective and individual low points. Aiden is an EMT who isolates himself from his fellow colleagues and sees his dead brother's face in every body on the gurney. Zoe used to have everything effortlessly together, but one family's loss and a seemingly incongruent windfall of her own have thrown everything off kilter, and she can't find her way back. The two of them are in a bad way. And it's truly painful watching them try to put on a show for the owners of Aiden's precious campground. The contempt he holds for everything she represents, and the awkward way she forces herself to inhabit whatever role she thinks he wants her to is positively wretched. Meanwhile, Zoe's friends are increasingly concerned about her, Aiden's co-workers can see how tattered he's becoming, and the whole thing seems bent on breaking. But then. Then Zoe's innate verve dislodges something inside Aiden, and he is able to see clearly just long enough to lose grip on his frozen demeanor and realize Zoe may not be something he wants (or can afford) to let go. And that is when the humor and infectious happiness kick in. That is when things get real, in the best sense. And the whole thing leads up to one of the loveliest declarations I have had the pleasure of reading. I just . . . well done, Aiden. Truly. I had such a good time with this cast of characters, I immediately went and read the first book in the series after finishing this one. It, too, was a pleasure, and I am avidly looking forward to Greer's story in the third book, which is due out in November. Kate Clayborn writes stories full of emotional intensity and vulnerability that manage to keep both her characters and her readers afloat. I recommend them.
Zoe Ferris and her two best friends won the jackpot. Literally. Jointly, they bought a lottery ticket and won. And nothing has been the same since. But while Kit and Greer are learning to navigate the ropes of their new lives, Zoe is floundering. A successful lawyer, she finds herself in deep waters as she tries to make amends to a family involved in a settlement she worked on. Which is how she finds herself of Aiden O'Leary's doorstep, hat in hand. For his part, Aiden would like to see Zoe suffer for every dollar of the settlement money Zoe brought his parents' way. In the wake of his twin brother's death, Aiden is alone and desperately trying to make something out of his suffering. If using Zoe is what it takes to do so, then so be it. And so Aiden convinces Zoe to pose as his fiance as part of his proposal to buy a wildness camp and turn it into a center for those struggling with addictions similar to the way his brother did. Zoe sees it as the least she can do, though pretending to love the wildly closed off Aiden stretches even her ability to sell something.
I expected something . . . lighter, perhaps? I'm not sure what I thought this might be. But I can tell you, I was in no way dissatisfied with what I got. Zoe and Aiden are rather magnetic. We enter the story at their collective and individual low points. Aiden is an EMT who isolates himself from his fellow colleagues and sees his dead brother's face in every body on the gurney. Zoe used to have everything effortlessly together, but one family's loss and a seemingly incongruent windfall of her own have thrown everything off kilter, and she can't find her way back. The two of them are in a bad way. And it's truly painful watching them try to put on a show for the owners of Aiden's precious campground. The contempt he holds for everything she represents, and the awkward way she forces herself to inhabit whatever role she thinks he wants her to is positively wretched. Meanwhile, Zoe's friends are increasingly concerned about her, Aiden's co-workers can see how tattered he's becoming, and the whole thing seems bent on breaking. But then. Then Zoe's innate verve dislodges something inside Aiden, and he is able to see clearly just long enough to lose grip on his frozen demeanor and realize Zoe may not be something he wants (or can afford) to let go. And that is when the humor and infectious happiness kick in. That is when things get real, in the best sense. And the whole thing leads up to one of the loveliest declarations I have had the pleasure of reading. I just . . . well done, Aiden. Truly. I had such a good time with this cast of characters, I immediately went and read the first book in the series after finishing this one. It, too, was a pleasure, and I am avidly looking forward to Greer's story in the third book, which is due out in November. Kate Clayborn writes stories full of emotional intensity and vulnerability that manage to keep both her characters and her readers afloat. I recommend them.
October 31, 2018
4.25 stars
After winning the lottery, Zoe Ferris quits her job as a corporate attorney. She still wonders about what to do with the money when her guilty conscience hits her and she tries to make amends. One of them is a case in which her firm plays a part on, giving settlement towards a family who loses their son because of a drug trial side effect. But the other son, Adam O'Leary doesn't want her apology ... he does need something though, for Zoe to pretend as his fiancée for six weeks in order to win a bid on a campground he wants to purchase on behalf of his dead brother.
I am not the biggest fan of enemies-to-lovers trope... AND when it comes to fake marriage/fake relationship storyline, I prefer for it to happen between friends because it's so much fun watching the cookie cumbles that way.
Yes, maybe, the whole needing fake fiancée is a little not too convincing of a set-up (hey, the owners of the campground end up not as traditional as Aiden painted them to be in the beginning). And yes, at times there were too many internal monologues happening inside Aiden and Zoe's head. But while it's not perfect, but for me, it's so much better than book #1.
The background of Aiden and Zoe feels more serious, darker at times, but it also makes it more heartfelt as the two deal with loss, grief, and guilt. The story also presents a believable turn from 'enemies to lovers' that happens with a well-timed process, with exchanged conversations which makes both Aiden and Zoe realize that they have THINGS in common, and they actually help one another moving on and strives for the better.
Plus that love declaration by Aiden near the end needs a trophy of its own. Well said, Aiden, well said.
All in all, Luck of the Draw , the second book of Clayborn's Chance of a Lifetime series, delivers a well-written story using fake relationship/enemies-to-lovers trope with a couple you can easily wholeheartedly root for.
The ARC is provided by the publisher via Netgalley for an exchange of fair and honest review. No high rating is required for any ARC received.
After winning the lottery, Zoe Ferris quits her job as a corporate attorney. She still wonders about what to do with the money when her guilty conscience hits her and she tries to make amends. One of them is a case in which her firm plays a part on, giving settlement towards a family who loses their son because of a drug trial side effect. But the other son, Adam O'Leary doesn't want her apology ... he does need something though, for Zoe to pretend as his fiancée for six weeks in order to win a bid on a campground he wants to purchase on behalf of his dead brother.
I am not the biggest fan of enemies-to-lovers trope... AND when it comes to fake marriage/fake relationship storyline, I prefer for it to happen between friends because it's so much fun watching the cookie cumbles that way.
Yes, maybe, the whole needing fake fiancée is a little not too convincing of a set-up (hey, the owners of the campground end up not as traditional as Aiden painted them to be in the beginning). And yes, at times there were too many internal monologues happening inside Aiden and Zoe's head. But while it's not perfect, but for me, it's so much better than book #1.
The background of Aiden and Zoe feels more serious, darker at times, but it also makes it more heartfelt as the two deal with loss, grief, and guilt. The story also presents a believable turn from 'enemies to lovers' that happens with a well-timed process, with exchanged conversations which makes both Aiden and Zoe realize that they have THINGS in common, and they actually help one another moving on and strives for the better.
Plus that love declaration by Aiden near the end needs a trophy of its own. Well said, Aiden, well said.
All in all, Luck of the Draw , the second book of Clayborn's Chance of a Lifetime series, delivers a well-written story using fake relationship/enemies-to-lovers trope with a couple you can easily wholeheartedly root for.
The ARC is provided by the publisher via Netgalley for an exchange of fair and honest review. No high rating is required for any ARC received.
January 16, 2020
След ��олкова прочетени любовни книги, все още не мога да разбера и да си представя, защо квадратната челюст се смята за признак на красота у един мъж и какво е това , да му се не види. На мен ми прилича по-скоро на неандерталец. За мен красив мъж е АЛен Делон (като млад разбира се ) , а той май няма квадратна челюст.
Тази книга със сигурност е спечелила от превода направен по най-блестящия начин. Иначе си е клише. Даже имам чувството , че ги правят по някакъв калъп.
Де се е видяло и чуло , мъж да разбира всяка мисъл на жена и ей такива ми ти разни. То аз не се разбирам , та камо ли мъж да ме разбере. Трябва челно да го удариш , та да се сети.
Даже нямам идея какво да коментирам повече.
Тази книга със сигурност е спечелила от превода направен по най-блестящия начин. Иначе си е клише. Даже имам чувството , че ги правят по някакъв калъп.
Де се е видяло и чуло , мъж да разбира всяка мисъл на жена и ей такива ми ти разни. То аз не се разбирам , та камо ли мъж да ме разбере. Трябва челно да го удариш , та да се сети.
Даже нямам идея какво да коментирам повече.
January 4, 2021
Zoe Ferris, once a cutthroat corporate lawyer job defending a pharmaceutical company and now an unemployed lottery winner, thinks it is time to atone for all of the wrongs she did in her past life. She's even created a jar of her mistakes and sins, one she'll draw from to get started on her mission to make things right.
When she draws the name of one of the victims of her former employer, it brings Zoe smack dab into Aidan O'Leary, the brother of the man who died from an overdose in large part due to the the drug her company created.
Aidan, an EMT, is upset to see the cold lawyer who his parent's had to deal with to get the settlement money for his brother's death. The lawyer who helped put a price on his brother's life. But there's something about Zoe, even if she's passed out on his childhood home's front porch from nerves. Even if she's beautiful.
In Zoe, Aidan sees an oppotunity. She wants to make things right, gain his forgiveness? She can help him secure the property he wants to buy with the settlement money, the property he'll use to create a treatment camp for addicts. She can do that by pretending to be his fiancee, to impress and show the couple selling the land that he's a family man at heart, that he has his shit together, that he's wants this for the right reasons.
Zoe agrees, reluctantly, but also because she thinks it is the least she can do. As the weekends wear on, and Zoe and Aidan form a tentative friendship, a tentative attraction, the ghosts of the past continue to haunt them. Can they ever forget how they came to each other? Does Aidan truly want this camp, or is just something he feels he needs to do? Will Zoe ever forgive herself?
So utterly compelling, and such a lovely slow-burn with competely realistic feelings and problems. I fell in love with Kate Clayborn with Beginner's Luck, and Best of Luck was EVEN BETTER.
The audiobook is especially great, and I think Aidan may be my favorite book boyfriend of 2018. I imagined him as a Bearded-Chris-Evans EMT. Huzzah.
I have read this way more than the 2x Goodreads has me down for it, but whatever! It is my favorite contemporary romance of basically all time and wow I needed this re-listen as 2020 ended.
When she draws the name of one of the victims of her former employer, it brings Zoe smack dab into Aidan O'Leary, the brother of the man who died from an overdose in large part due to the the drug her company created.
Aidan, an EMT, is upset to see the cold lawyer who his parent's had to deal with to get the settlement money for his brother's death. The lawyer who helped put a price on his brother's life. But there's something about Zoe, even if she's passed out on his childhood home's front porch from nerves. Even if she's beautiful.
In Zoe, Aidan sees an oppotunity. She wants to make things right, gain his forgiveness? She can help him secure the property he wants to buy with the settlement money, the property he'll use to create a treatment camp for addicts. She can do that by pretending to be his fiancee, to impress and show the couple selling the land that he's a family man at heart, that he has his shit together, that he's wants this for the right reasons.
Zoe agrees, reluctantly, but also because she thinks it is the least she can do. As the weekends wear on, and Zoe and Aidan form a tentative friendship, a tentative attraction, the ghosts of the past continue to haunt them. Can they ever forget how they came to each other? Does Aidan truly want this camp, or is just something he feels he needs to do? Will Zoe ever forgive herself?
So utterly compelling, and such a lovely slow-burn with competely realistic feelings and problems. I fell in love with Kate Clayborn with Beginner's Luck, and Best of Luck was EVEN BETTER.
The audiobook is especially great, and I think Aidan may be my favorite book boyfriend of 2018. I imagined him as a Bearded-Chris-Evans EMT. Huzzah.
I have read this way more than the 2x Goodreads has me down for it, but whatever! It is my favorite contemporary romance of basically all time and wow I needed this re-listen as 2020 ended.
October 22, 2024
This was so painful for me to read, I swear to god.
I had really high hopes for this because not only was it advertised as an enemies to lovers, but I’ve read another book by the same author that I really enjoyed and I was disappointed by this.
I felt myself skipping some parts, then having to go back and reread them because I was so bored. I felt like I didn’t know anything about these characters and that the only thing that Aiden cared about was the death of his brother which is, of course, something very horrific. The way that his death (the brother) happened is obviously very awful but I did not know anything about Aiden. I formed absolutely no emotional connection to him and I really didn’t know that much about Zoe either.
I will say that I did enjoy the way that Aiden came to realization that he had felt so much guilt about his brother dying, and that he shouldn’t hold that guilt over his head but other than that, I was very bored by this and I literally did not enjoy this at all besides that.
What I thought was going to be an enemies to lovers was just not and I wanted it to be slow burn but it was basically like Insta love for me and I really didn’t think that they worked that well together. I just think that this was so boring and that’s just my personal opinion, but I wouldn’t suggest reading it if you get bored easily.
It might’ve been the way that this book was formatted, but the chapters were too long and there was too much description. There was too much describing and not enough dialogue and I just didn’t care about the things that they were doing. I wanted to know how they were feeling, and I really didn’t feel like I got that. There were so many unnecessary scenes that I just don’t think mattered at all but at the same time it felt like they just didn’t bond that much. I really wouldn’t say that you can fall in love with someone in six weeks like I just don’t think it’s possible based on the fact that they don’t know each other at all.
The way that this author use the word “probably” in so many sentences pissed me the hell off. Like it looks like somebody who is in the seventh grade wrote it.
I had really high hopes for this because not only was it advertised as an enemies to lovers, but I’ve read another book by the same author that I really enjoyed and I was disappointed by this.
I felt myself skipping some parts, then having to go back and reread them because I was so bored. I felt like I didn’t know anything about these characters and that the only thing that Aiden cared about was the death of his brother which is, of course, something very horrific. The way that his death (the brother) happened is obviously very awful but I did not know anything about Aiden. I formed absolutely no emotional connection to him and I really didn’t know that much about Zoe either.
I will say that I did enjoy the way that Aiden came to realization that he had felt so much guilt about his brother dying, and that he shouldn’t hold that guilt over his head but other than that, I was very bored by this and I literally did not enjoy this at all besides that.
What I thought was going to be an enemies to lovers was just not and I wanted it to be slow burn but it was basically like Insta love for me and I really didn’t think that they worked that well together. I just think that this was so boring and that’s just my personal opinion, but I wouldn’t suggest reading it if you get bored easily.
It might’ve been the way that this book was formatted, but the chapters were too long and there was too much description. There was too much describing and not enough dialogue and I just didn’t care about the things that they were doing. I wanted to know how they were feeling, and I really didn’t feel like I got that. There were so many unnecessary scenes that I just don’t think mattered at all but at the same time it felt like they just didn’t bond that much. I really wouldn’t say that you can fall in love with someone in six weeks like I just don’t think it’s possible based on the fact that they don’t know each other at all.
The way that this author use the word “probably” in so many sentences pissed me the hell off. Like it looks like somebody who is in the seventh grade wrote it.
March 30, 2020
4.5/5; 5 stars; A
This was the best one in the series in my opinion. The blurb is kind of misleading because the fake fiancé angle is not even important. What’s important is the raw and believable way that Aiden and Zoe get to know each other, through their pain and guilt and, eventually, friendship. It was plain as day, right from the beginning that Aiden was stuck in grief and denial and that the whole campground thing was part of that. I was not a twin but I lost a sibling a few years ago and could really relate to Aiden’s pain. I think Clayborn did a good job of delving into those feelings of persistent loss, especially when you are essentially a bystander in a loved one’s life as they crash and burn.
I really like the way this author shows her characters through their actions and conversations without too much inner monologue. Aiden and Zoe were likable characters and I enjoyed seeing their relationship develop. They really worked for their HEA.
This was the best one in the series in my opinion. The blurb is kind of misleading because the fake fiancé angle is not even important. What’s important is the raw and believable way that Aiden and Zoe get to know each other, through their pain and guilt and, eventually, friendship. It was plain as day, right from the beginning that Aiden was stuck in grief and denial and that the whole campground thing was part of that. I was not a twin but I lost a sibling a few years ago and could really relate to Aiden’s pain. I think Clayborn did a good job of delving into those feelings of persistent loss, especially when you are essentially a bystander in a loved one’s life as they crash and burn.
I really like the way this author shows her characters through their actions and conversations without too much inner monologue. Aiden and Zoe were likable characters and I enjoyed seeing their relationship develop. They really worked for their HEA.
December 1, 2018
4.5 stars!
December 11, 2018
4.25/5. 2nd book in the series about 3 girlfriends who shared a winning lottery ticket. The first one was solid, but this one was a bit better, more emotionally rich. The premise was slightly far-fetched to start with, but once we get past the concept, the story-telling is quite captivating and the flawed but likeable characters reel the reader in before too long.
Zoe Ferris unhesitantly quit her job as highly efficient and cool-under-fire corporate lawyer 6 months ago, following her unexpected windfall. Unsure of what to do with herself now that she is financially secure for a while, she spends a lot of time reflecting on her past deeds and the result is a shitload of guilt - guilt for the hurt she had contributed to or directly caused while acting in her legal capacity for her company and guilt over actions she were responsible for in her personal life. And so she sets about making amends starting with simple and heartfelt apologies. The intention sounded good when she initially conceived the notion, but then everything sounded good when one was a bit tipsy. In reality, the recipients of her apologies might not be so magnanimous.
Aiden O'Leary knows much about living with guilt every day of his life. He witnessed his brother's slow destruction over the years from drug abuse, helpless to stop it from spiralling out of control. As a paramedic, he saves countless lives as part of his job but was unable to save his brother from the clutch of opiate addiction and ultimately from his death as a result of the adverse effects of a drug that was prescribed for the addiction. So when Zoe turns up on his driveway dredging up the hurt all over again with her mere presence, he was not going to politely absolve her when he hasn't yet been absolved himself. He emotionally blackmails her into assisting him in his endeavour to atone himself for his failure as a brother, by trying to use the compensation blood money offered by the pharmaceutical company (as coolly negotiated by Zoe months earlier) to establish a wilderness addiction rehabilitation clinic in the site of the old summer camp, he and his brother attended for many years. The Christian owners have organised for the potential buyers to attend six weekends in a row to bond and promote their plans for the camp site and Aiden thought his chances might improve if Zoe pretends to be his fiancee. So though barely able to tolerate her presence, he nevertheless drags her along with him but of course, he soon struggles to maintain the distance and detachment when faced with Zoe's natural, unpretentious, bug-fearing charm.
There are some genuinely emotional scenes featuring internal and external struggles as they both deal with past regrets and move towards learning to forgive themselves before they can forgive others. Again very good narration told from dual first person POVs.
Zoe Ferris unhesitantly quit her job as highly efficient and cool-under-fire corporate lawyer 6 months ago, following her unexpected windfall. Unsure of what to do with herself now that she is financially secure for a while, she spends a lot of time reflecting on her past deeds and the result is a shitload of guilt - guilt for the hurt she had contributed to or directly caused while acting in her legal capacity for her company and guilt over actions she were responsible for in her personal life. And so she sets about making amends starting with simple and heartfelt apologies. The intention sounded good when she initially conceived the notion, but then everything sounded good when one was a bit tipsy. In reality, the recipients of her apologies might not be so magnanimous.
Aiden O'Leary knows much about living with guilt every day of his life. He witnessed his brother's slow destruction over the years from drug abuse, helpless to stop it from spiralling out of control. As a paramedic, he saves countless lives as part of his job but was unable to save his brother from the clutch of opiate addiction and ultimately from his death as a result of the adverse effects of a drug that was prescribed for the addiction. So when Zoe turns up on his driveway dredging up the hurt all over again with her mere presence, he was not going to politely absolve her when he hasn't yet been absolved himself. He emotionally blackmails her into assisting him in his endeavour to atone himself for his failure as a brother, by trying to use the compensation blood money offered by the pharmaceutical company (as coolly negotiated by Zoe months earlier) to establish a wilderness addiction rehabilitation clinic in the site of the old summer camp, he and his brother attended for many years. The Christian owners have organised for the potential buyers to attend six weekends in a row to bond and promote their plans for the camp site and Aiden thought his chances might improve if Zoe pretends to be his fiancee. So though barely able to tolerate her presence, he nevertheless drags her along with him but of course, he soon struggles to maintain the distance and detachment when faced with Zoe's natural, unpretentious, bug-fearing charm.
There are some genuinely emotional scenes featuring internal and external struggles as they both deal with past regrets and move towards learning to forgive themselves before they can forgive others. Again very good narration told from dual first person POVs.
July 14, 2019
This is a finalist in the Contemporary romance long category. I saved it for last (in my RITAs reading project)a because I wanted to end with a good book.
But I was wrong. It's a SUPERB book.
After winning the lottery, Zoe quit her job as a soulless corporate lawyer and has been rattling around for months, living off the winnings but not doing what she planned. She's mired in guilt over things she's done and decides to apologize to people she's wronged. Zoe goes to apologize to a couple who she mistreated as a lawyer, but instead meets their son. He reams her out and then says, "If you really want to help me, fake being my fiancee and help me win this campsite I want to turn into a rehab facility."
May I digress to tell you that all these different people vying to own and run a summer camp? Of all the things I read in the RITAs this year, that was one of the hardest things for me to actually believe! Do people like camping that much? #CityGirl
Pluses: This is the BEST of what romance does: a deep dive into feelings and how we change and grow when we fall in love. I think Zoe in particular, the way she struggles with guilt and regret? That felt very real to me, and so beautifully portrayed. Any romance reader could predict the low moment in a fake engagement: they will be found out. But it's a tribute to Kate's skill as an author that I was GENUINELY SHOCKED when it happened. Zoe and Aiden were so real with each other; I forget it was fake to everyone else.
Wishes: That I had read it earlier?
Verdict: Don't make my mistake. Read this immediately.
Copied & Pasted from Twitter as part of a project where I'm reading all the 2019 RITA finalists
But I was wrong. It's a SUPERB book.
After winning the lottery, Zoe quit her job as a soulless corporate lawyer and has been rattling around for months, living off the winnings but not doing what she planned. She's mired in guilt over things she's done and decides to apologize to people she's wronged. Zoe goes to apologize to a couple who she mistreated as a lawyer, but instead meets their son. He reams her out and then says, "If you really want to help me, fake being my fiancee and help me win this campsite I want to turn into a rehab facility."
May I digress to tell you that all these different people vying to own and run a summer camp? Of all the things I read in the RITAs this year, that was one of the hardest things for me to actually believe! Do people like camping that much? #CityGirl
Pluses: This is the BEST of what romance does: a deep dive into feelings and how we change and grow when we fall in love. I think Zoe in particular, the way she struggles with guilt and regret? That felt very real to me, and so beautifully portrayed. Any romance reader could predict the low moment in a fake engagement: they will be found out. But it's a tribute to Kate's skill as an author that I was GENUINELY SHOCKED when it happened. Zoe and Aiden were so real with each other; I forget it was fake to everyone else.
Wishes: That I had read it earlier?
Verdict: Don't make my mistake. Read this immediately.
Copied & Pasted from Twitter as part of a project where I'm reading all the 2019 RITA finalists
September 22, 2025
July 2022: Dropping it down a star on this re-read because I really hate that . It didn't bother me so much on my first read but it bothered me on this one.
That said, I still love Aiden and Zoe separately and together and it was so nice to see characters from the first book show up. This is such a good series.
September 2018:What a good book. I really enjoyed this book and the characters. Zoe and Aiden have lives and baggage and stuff, but they fit together really well in a way that made me root for them and their story. I know I'm not going to explain this well but it was nice to read a romance novel in which the two leads actually communicate and I didn't spend most of the book banging my head against the wall wanting them to talk or be honest with each other. Zoe and Aiden were (even with the whole "fake fiancee bit) open with each other and that was really refreshing to read. More books should be like that.
Can't wait to read Greer's story next!
That said, I still love Aiden and Zoe separately and together and it was so nice to see characters from the first book show up. This is such a good series.
September 2018:What a good book. I really enjoyed this book and the characters. Zoe and Aiden have lives and baggage and stuff, but they fit together really well in a way that made me root for them and their story. I know I'm not going to explain this well but it was nice to read a romance novel in which the two leads actually communicate and I didn't spend most of the book banging my head against the wall wanting them to talk or be honest with each other. Zoe and Aiden were (even with the whole "fake fiancee bit) open with each other and that was really refreshing to read. More books should be like that.
Can't wait to read Greer's story next!
August 27, 2021
Reread, August 2021: Jo was like “might fuck around and reread Luck of the Draw” and I was like “ALL RIGHT, BET.” I just love Zoe and Aiden so much. The whole thing about love being the thing that cracks you open and pushes you forward when you feel stuck just gets to me, man. Also on reread I really really loved Ben being like “if he hurt you I’ll fuck him up” to Zoe, I have a big soft spot for people being protective of their partner’s friends/family and Clayborn always executes that so well. Love Lettering/Love at First are probably BETTER books of hers, but this one holds a special place in my heart.
Original review, May 2018: Ugh, I loved this. I think the strength of this series is ultimately the friendship between the three women, which I appreciate, but this book also wrote the connection between Zoe and Aiden in such a real way, how they get each other and rescue each other in the most mundane but miraculous ways. I felt it RIGHT HERE *pounds chest*.
Original review, May 2018: Ugh, I loved this. I think the strength of this series is ultimately the friendship between the three women, which I appreciate, but this book also wrote the connection between Zoe and Aiden in such a real way, how they get each other and rescue each other in the most mundane but miraculous ways. I felt it RIGHT HERE *pounds chest*.
May 1, 2018
This was achyyyyyyyyyyy in all the best ways. What a good, complicated romance between people who are not at all equipped to be in that kind of relationship. I really, really liked this and I can't wait for book three. When do I get book three?
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