Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book

Just My Merry Luck

Rate this book
Tis the season
                  . . . for losing your job.
                  . . . for getting scammed.
                  . . . for falling in love?

Self-proclaimed workaholic, Jemma Jones finds herself jobless twenty-five days before Christmas. With a push from her overly optimistic best friend and a pinch of fate, she does what every rational person would do. She impulsively books a last-minute, insanely overpriced flight to Paris, of course.

The next thing she knows, she’s at an airport, dodging a man dressed as an elf when she runs into a very handsome but frustrating Frenchman named Luca.

From that moment on, Luca seems to be everywhere, even when she finds herself without a place to stay.
When Luca offers his place, it’s perfect—he’s perfect. . . except for one tiny little detail: he might have a gorgeous girlfriend named Colette.

Will this holiday of mishaps turn into the most unexpectedly magical Christmas of all, or will her impulsiveness turn out to be a recipe for disaster?

If you enjoy sweet, funny romances sprinkled with a touch of serendipitous Christmas magic, then you’ll love this story.

Tropes:
Fated Lovers
Forced Proximity
Closed-Door
Christmas Romance

220 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 3, 2025

13 people are currently reading
2691 people want to read

About the author

Jamie Lee Fry

7 books86 followers
Jamie Lee Fry is the award-winning author of The Bloodline Curse, the first book in the Dark Magic Series. Her work spans multiple genres, including psychological thrillers, young adult fantasy, and festive sweet romance.

When she’s not busy plotting her next novel, Jamie enjoys hiking, stand-up paddleboarding, cross-country skiing, traveling, and consuming questionable amounts of coffee.

She currently resides in Bend, Oregon, with her husband, Jeremy, and their two furry companions, Zaria and Dexter.

Connect with Jamie:
Instagram: @author_jamieleefry
Author Website: www.authorjamieleefry.com

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?
Rate this book

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
42 (44%)
4 stars
29 (30%)
3 stars
15 (15%)
2 stars
7 (7%)
1 star
2 (2%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 64 reviews
Profile Image for Shelby Westerdahl.
118 reviews59 followers
September 19, 2025
This book was pure joy from start to finish! With the perfect mix of humor, heart, and a few unexpected twists, it kept me smiling and guessing the whole way through. The vivid Parisian backdrop made me feel like I was strolling the streets myself, soaking up every little detail. If you’re looking for a feel-good holiday read that will leave you both laughing and swooning, this one’s it. Huge thanks to the author for the ARC — I loved every moment!
Profile Image for Sharon.
391 reviews59 followers
September 23, 2025
Thank you to Jamie Lee Fry for the advanced copy of this book; all thoughts and opinions are entirely my own.

I don’t often pick up short stories or novellas, but when one of my favorite indie authors writes one, I simply can’t resist. Jamie has a rare gift—she can write across different formats and still keep readers engaged, invested, and falling in love with her characters every time.

This novella is a sweet holiday romcom, sprinkled with the magic of fate. Jemma, a meticulous planner who usually makes carefully thought-out decisions, finds her world turned upside down when she loses her job just before Christmas. At her friend Gretchen’s urging, she does something completely out of character—she books a month-long trip to Paris. From the moment she bumps into the infuriatingly handsome Luca at the airport (and finds him sitting in her assigned seat), the adventure begins. What starts as an annoyance quickly turns into a charming, fate-tinged romance set against the most romantic city in the world.

Jamie Lee Fry proves that big love stories can come in small packages—this novella is charming, witty, and pure holiday magic. Even if novellas aren’t typically your go-to, I highly recommend giving this one a chance. If you love romcoms, holiday stories, and the idea of fate working a little magic at Christmas, you’ll adore this book.
Profile Image for Hannah Rae.
238 reviews29 followers
November 9, 2025
Anything that Jamie Lee Fry writes I instantly grab! As finding her from the Bloodline Curse trilogy, I have found her venture into adult romance really refreshing and perfect to kick off the festive season. I’m still in the inbetween phase of slowly inching towards my festive books but also keeping my thrillers close so this was such a good short book to dip my toe into for 2025. This read so easily and well and as someone who has visited Paris before I can picture everything that Jamie wrote. Highly recommend as a fun little story to start the Christmas period with!
Profile Image for Kelsey H.
244 reviews29 followers
September 12, 2025
FMC - Jemma: 5 🌟
MMC - Luca: 4 🌟
Spice: Fade to black

This was such a sweet holiday novella!! My heart broke for Jemma, losing her job out of nowhere like that. But everything fell into place and became a romantic and magical story where she rediscovers herself, steps out of her comfort zone, and falls in love in Paris.

The characters' declarations of love came up awfully fast, but this is a novella, so there's so little time for in-depth plot and character and relationship development. But overall, this was a very cute romance that will not only put you in a Christmas mood, but you'll also want to book a flight to Paris for the holidays ☺️

Thank you to Book Sirens and author Jamie Lee Fry for the opportunity to read this ARC 💕
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Crystalclearwpg.
353 reviews8 followers
November 2, 2025
This was definitely a cute little read. From the minute I started reading it I couldn't put it down. Jemma lives for her job and that is all. Luca is a mysterious man Jemma literally runs into after her life if handed a blow and she needs to get away. Jemma is the part of us we all wish could just go and find ourselves again before life took over and Luca is there to help her. I found myself laughing softly while reading and routing for these two to figure it out. For a novella I found it moved smoothly and naturally which was a nice change with a couple of unexpected twists. It reminded me of our famous hallmark movies every Christmas I like to binge watch. This is definitely a holiday novella you should give a try!
This was a 4.5 ⭐ for me
I was given an ARC of this tale through BookSirens and I am leaving my review voluntarily.
41 reviews1 follower
December 19, 2025
This was an enjoyable, semi-quick listen—a swoon-worthy Christmas romance set in Paris with a lovely HEA. The narration by Reyna St. James was well done.
Profile Image for Gavin & Xayah.
31 reviews14 followers
October 24, 2025
Romance books are not my thing. I need action and/or spooky stuff to happen. But when Jamie writes anything, I want to read it ASAP. And I ate this book up, which completely surprised me! Jemma Jones, after getting laid off, decides to do something for herself and books a flight to Paris. I wish I was as spontaneous as her!

I felt as if I was watching a romantic comedy. It had the cute coincidental parts (same flight and seat, needing to use the bathroom at the same time) mixed with some sexual tension and sexy stuff "making cookies" and then the pivotal moment when things take a turn (Jemma finding out who Luca really is and his lie.)

Overall, this one was such a great rom com and I never thought I would say that. It was such an easy read that tugged at my heart strings, hoping that everything works out for Jemma. This is the perfect novella to read around the Christmas holiday season.
Profile Image for Emily LuGrain.
10 reviews1 follower
September 3, 2025
This book brought me to tears. I am not a person who normally likes reading romance novels but this one kept me not only interested but also guessing at what was going to happen next. This is my absolute favorite book by Jamie Lee Fry so far and if Hallmark doesn’t think about turning this book into one of their movies; they should. Well done Jamie, well done.
586 reviews7 followers
September 5, 2025
Such a fun read. This one is just sweet and beautiful. Fate just stepped in and took over both lives you would never think these two would not only meet but through serendipitous fate come to fall in love and become each others person. Lovely little holiday book with lots of feels.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Profile Image for holliehocks.
32 reviews6 followers
November 4, 2025
Thank you so much to Jamie Lee Fry for the ARC!

Rated 3.5, rounded up to 4 for Goodreads

It’s been awhile since I’ve read a novella, and probably even longer since I’ve actively wanted to read a holiday romance, but when I saw this ARC from Jamie I knew I had to read it as I absolutely adored her Dark Magic series. I was definitely not disappointed. We get to follow Jemma Jones, a workaholic who loses her job at the start of the holiday season, and instead of letting it get her down, she uses the opportunity to find herself – in Paris of all places. When her vacation gets off to a rocky start, Jemma finds a little help - and fate - that might just be what she needs to get her back into the Christmas spirit.

Admittedly, much of the plot is fairly predictable, but I expected that going in and I don’t feel like that took anything away from the magic of the story. Jemma, Luca, and all of the other characters we meet are so much fun, and there’s the perfect mix of humor and sweetness throughout. The twists were well-timed and everything moved at a well-kept pace to stay entertaining. The Paris background was well explored and being able to see the sights through Jemma’s eyes was so much fun. Also I adored Luca’s chapters even if I did feel like there was too few of them!

This story reads like the book version of a rom-com Christmas Hallmark movie, and who doesn’t love those around the holidays?
Profile Image for Chloë Blyth.
Author 7 books54 followers
October 7, 2025
Christmas magic in a book!

If there is such a thing as "festive goosebumps," then that's what I've got. This book is a festive romantic delight. I read it in one sitting and fell in love with "Jemma with a J," Luca, the city of Paris (which TBH I'm not even a big fan of IRL), and Gretchen - such a good, motivational friend.

This book delivers romance (sweet, closed door), Christmas spirit - the kind that tingles, especially at the end (I'm looking at you papa noël/the elf!), and that warming feeling that everything happens for a reason.

It's reminiscent of those Christmas movies I adore and watch too many of every year.

This is a book to read with a chocolat chaud or a vin chaud and a sugar cookie. It is perfect for Christmas, and I am so glad fate led me to request an ARC copy 🥰

I highly recommend this book, and some of my lucky friends/family may even find it in their stocking come Christmas Day.
Profile Image for Tenaya.
37 reviews2 followers
November 7, 2025
Firstly, I want to thank Goodreads for hosting a giveaway and for the author to be kind enough to participate.

Secondly, I wish Goodreads did half stars or quarters since I do rate this a 3.5 out of 5


Getting into the review…..

I love the pacing throughout the book, it is a very cute and simple read that you can finish in the day. I enjoyed the banter between our two main characters - Jemma (with a J) and Luca.

At first, I was annoyed with the constant miscommunication, but it overall helped the story grow.

The reason I didn’t rate it higher was that I felt the ending was a bit rushed and the overall plot flipped back and forth. The main characters were both going through family issues, but they never really discussed more than they needed to. I felt that if the book might have been longer we would have seen a less rushed relationship and a more balanced story between Jemma and Luca. Overall, I really did enjoy the book and it got me in the mood to make sugar cookies!
Profile Image for Emlynn McDermott.
Author 4 books19 followers
December 12, 2025
Just My Merry Luck by author Jamie Lee Fry is sheer seasonal delight. Her story about a chance meeting during the holiday season is simultaneously as comfortable as your old Christmas sweater and as fresh as new-fallen snow. When main-character Jemma, a relatable workaholic advertising analyst, loses her job, best-friend Gretchen suggests Jemma use her severance pay to spend the holidays in Paris. Add an impossibly handsome and grumpy guy named Luca, the mysterious Colette, a couple of well-timed “elf-man” sightings, and one oh-so-wise taxi driver, and you’ve got a classic Christmas story that might just remind you of a few holiday movies. Of course, there wasn’t a twist or turn I didn’t see coming, but that’s precisely the point. Like the present you hoped would be under the tree, Just My Merry Luck is exactly the story you long for at this time of year, only better than you ever dreamed.
Profile Image for RollTide.
210 reviews10 followers
December 15, 2025
This novella was perfectly set for a beautifully written sweet and spicy closed door winter romance novella. I dove in and didn’t want to stop reading. The “Emily in Paris” reference was on the nose and it was so fitting - the lights turning on in one scene on the Eiffel Tower was so on point with the times. I can’t tell you how viral those lights are and how quintessentially placed the setting of Paris was!

Jamie Lee Fry slayed with this novella. I fell in love with the FMC and MMC and loved the chemistry that was developed between them. It was natural and made you root for the coupling to happen! I liked how elegantly it was written but it absolutely read like a novella I would read. Perfect holiday vibes.

Five star read!

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Tima Nisbet.
45 reviews5 followers
September 25, 2025
What a delightful story for the festive season! Many thanks for the Advanced Reader Copy.

Jamie Lee Fry has crafted a charming holiday read. After suddenly losing her job, Jemma makes a spur-of-the-moment decision to head to Paris. And no, this isn’t Emily in Paris or Belly abandoning Jere. Jemma is refreshingly less annoying than either of them!

What begins as a nightmare trip, complete with being scammed out of her accommodations, quickly transforms into a heartwarming adventure. Enter Luca, a drop-dead gorgeous Frenchman who comes to her rescue. Their story unfolds with just enough twists and turns to keep you guessing.

I loved Jemma’s fiery, stubborn, and loyal nature, and her growth throughout the novel felt authentic. And Luca… well, let’s just say he makes me I want to book the next flight to Paris. Tomorrow, if possible!
Profile Image for Jessica Huntley.
Author 22 books407 followers
September 25, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Just how freaking cute was this!? Now I want to go to Paris. I already have a husband so won't find true love but still! 🤣

I was instantly absorbed by this story and the author had me convinced something dodgy was going on. I didn't trust Luca haha.

You know what you're getting with this book. Will they? Won't they? It's cute, festive and a quick read. Really enjoyed it and felt all warm and happy after finishing it. 😊
Profile Image for Tai LoveCoffeeBookCorner.
17 reviews6 followers
October 11, 2025
I knew from the moment I started reading this book I would devour it. This story has an Emily in Paris vibe, so if you're a fan of the series, you have to read this book. I loved the connection between Jemma and Luca from the beginning. It's a love story, full of forgiveness, closed-door romance, and a plot twist that will surprise you. It's the perfect combination of love and a little Christmas for your heart. I received this lovely advance review copy for free, and this is my review I do voluntarily, it's my own opinion based on my experience while reading this book.
Profile Image for Saga.
10 reviews
November 3, 2025
Just my merry luck is a sweet, adorable Christmas romance that swept me away to it's magical world. I could not put this book down once I had started reading. It sprinkled the romance with witty banter, and a generous dose of humor.

I found myself captivated by the story, the writing was excellent and in the end I was left wanting more!

Perfect cozy read for the Christmas season.

I received a free review copy of this book, and am reviewing it voluntarily.
Profile Image for Chia.
697 reviews11 followers
November 18, 2025
3.75 ⭐

After one too many holiday mishaps, a jaded heroine stumbles into the most unexpected gift of all: true love.

This was my first book bu Jamie Lee Fry. She blends humor, heart, and a bit of chaos perfectly. The story flows with warmth, charm, and laugh-out-loud moments which are also sweet, spirited, and festive.

Heartwarming and hilarious, Just My Merry Luck is holiday romance at its best.

Thanks for the copy, BookSirens!
154 reviews2 followers
November 29, 2025
I am really enjoying reading books based in Paris at the moment. This one particularly was beautiful.

From start to finish, I loved it. The characters were wonderful.

This story reminded me of a Christmas film, where the FMC lost everything, but it had to happen for everything to work out.

I would highly recommend this Christmassy feel good story.

I received an advance reader copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Profile Image for Jocelyne.
4,896 reviews22 followers
December 28, 2025
This was my first Jamie Lee Fry book, and it certainly won’t be my last. This warm and heartfelt holiday romance novella was a lovely listen from start to finish. The characters are engaging and easy to connect with, and the storyline flows smoothly while keeping you interested. Reyna St. James did a great job bringing this story to life with her narration. I truly enjoyed it. I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for MaryElizabeth.
145 reviews
October 12, 2025
This was a super cute and quick read. I really couldn't put it down. Jemma with a J loses her job and takes a leap of faith to travel to Paris for Christmas. There are some bumps on the way but fate keeps her running into Luca, a Frenchman with his own issues this Christmas. Jemma has to learn to let fate take her where it wants to lead her.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review from Book Sirens.
Profile Image for Dana Graves.
203 reviews2 followers
December 19, 2025
Cute anything that can go wrong does and fate/everything happens for a reason short story with holiday theme mixed in. Colette loses her job, decides to go to Paris on impulse and literally runs into Luca. The coincidences continue to happen.

Narrator Reyna St. James did fantastic job. My first listen of her and can say I will look for her in the future.
72 reviews3 followers
October 7, 2025
Such a great serendipitous story in Paris!😍

Jemma a workaholic lost her job just before Christmas and decides to go to Paris. This is a must read book such a great read!!

Received this as an advanced reader copy.
Profile Image for Amanda.
240 reviews
November 5, 2025
Just My Merry Luck by Jamie Lee Fry is a Fun Holiday Rom Com. This book is a sweet and fast read with Hallmark Movie vibes. Loved every minute of it.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
663 reviews9 followers
November 13, 2025
Romance

Life's journey is often guided by unseen forces, with each event unfolding as part of a larger, interconnected narrative. This captivating story draws readers in with its intricate plot and tantalizing revelations, compelling them to delve deeper and uncover the hidden meanings and connections that lie just beneath the surface.
Profile Image for Cheryl.
263 reviews2 followers
October 17, 2025
Loved this holiday story! Jemma and Luca are such wonderful characters. Lots of twists and surprises and a little Christmas magic make this a great read!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily
Profile Image for tre.wandereads.
446 reviews
October 21, 2025
I loved reading it to get me in the mood for the coming season! It was so light and fun to read and at the same time also really heartwarming. It was a delight to immerse myself in the book and get to know the characters and watch their story unfold. A different path from the other books I've read from Jamie.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 64 reviews

Can't find what you're looking for?

Get help and learn more about the design.