What do you think?
Rate this book
What's Luck Got To Do With It #1
Some Lucky Woman: Jana's Story
Some lucky women meet the man of their dreams and live happily ever after. Some lucky women focus on a career and make their own happily ever after. And then some women wake up after fifteen years of marriage and discover that their luck just ran out ... right into the arms of another woman.
Jana Embers isn't one to sit back, though. The first thing Jana realizes she needs to do is empty the joint bank account, then she's thinking she might take a tire iron to her soon-to-be-ex-husband's truck. After that, she's not sure what she'll do ... Maybe she'll adopt a cat.
After her divorce and a few too many crummy dates, Jana decides she doesn't need a man. A perfectly sized and shaped device and writing about the perfect hero will more than suffice. Determined to share her philosophy, she pens You Don't Need a Man, encouraging women everywhere to go out and experience life instead of waiting for a man to complete them.
Three years later, Jana has a New York Times bestseller and a contract for a movie adaptation, but she also has a shoulder injury, which has put a crimp in her new carefree lifestyle. Worse yet, she can't write. Her only hope is Dr. Adrian Kijek, a renowned physical therapist who hates her simply because she wrote a book about not needing a man, or so she thinks ...
WARNING: Although there are many adult situations in Some Lucky Woman, if say ... something crazy happened and a famous producer adapted this contemporary women's fiction into a movie, it would have a PG-13 rating. There are no erotic scenes, no graphic violence, and while there are a few allowed-on-TV curse words, there aren't a plethora of gratuitous foul words. Oh, and if you were looking for a cliffhanger, you won't find that here either. Please proceed at your own risk.
Jana Embers isn't one to sit back, though. The first thing Jana realizes she needs to do is empty the joint bank account, then she's thinking she might take a tire iron to her soon-to-be-ex-husband's truck. After that, she's not sure what she'll do ... Maybe she'll adopt a cat.
After her divorce and a few too many crummy dates, Jana decides she doesn't need a man. A perfectly sized and shaped device and writing about the perfect hero will more than suffice. Determined to share her philosophy, she pens You Don't Need a Man, encouraging women everywhere to go out and experience life instead of waiting for a man to complete them.
Three years later, Jana has a New York Times bestseller and a contract for a movie adaptation, but she also has a shoulder injury, which has put a crimp in her new carefree lifestyle. Worse yet, she can't write. Her only hope is Dr. Adrian Kijek, a renowned physical therapist who hates her simply because she wrote a book about not needing a man, or so she thinks ...
WARNING: Although there are many adult situations in Some Lucky Woman, if say ... something crazy happened and a famous producer adapted this contemporary women's fiction into a movie, it would have a PG-13 rating. There are no erotic scenes, no graphic violence, and while there are a few allowed-on-TV curse words, there aren't a plethora of gratuitous foul words. Oh, and if you were looking for a cliffhanger, you won't find that here either. Please proceed at your own risk.
356 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 29, 2016
691 people are currently reading
854 people want to read
About the author
Carmen DeSousa
43 books648 followersReader Profile: First and foremost, I am a reader. From the moment I could hold a book, I've been fascinated with the written word. I enjoy almost everything, but lean toward romantic-suspense and magical realism. If you're looking for poor reviews, you won't find them here. The reason...life's too short to read bad books. If a book isn't at least three stars halfway through, I stop reading, and therefore, don't feel as though I have the right to review it. That's my policy! Please don't send me requests, though. If you are one of my cyber friends, I will eventually find you. :)
Author Profile: I write stories that overflow with romance, mystery, suspense, a hint of paranormal sometimes, and of course, tragedy. After all, what would a great story be without a tragic event setting the stage? All of my novels are sensual but not erotic, gripping but not graphic, and will hopefully make you cry, laugh, love, and hope.
New Series: Midnight Sons
#1 Sam's Folly
#2 Alex's Atonement
#3 Vince's Chance
The Southern Collection:
#1 She Belongs to Me
#2 Land of the Noonday Sun
#3 Entangled Dreams
#4 When Noonday Ends
#5 Split Decisions
Creatus Series (Paranormal Romantic Suspense)
#0 Creatus (They Exist) The Prequel
#1 Creatus
#2 Creatus Rogue
#3 Creatus Eidolon
#4 Creatus Animus
#5 Creatus Talis
Author Profile: I write stories that overflow with romance, mystery, suspense, a hint of paranormal sometimes, and of course, tragedy. After all, what would a great story be without a tragic event setting the stage? All of my novels are sensual but not erotic, gripping but not graphic, and will hopefully make you cry, laugh, love, and hope.
New Series: Midnight Sons
#1 Sam's Folly
#2 Alex's Atonement
#3 Vince's Chance
The Southern Collection:
#1 She Belongs to Me
#2 Land of the Noonday Sun
#3 Entangled Dreams
#4 When Noonday Ends
#5 Split Decisions
Creatus Series (Paranormal Romantic Suspense)
#0 Creatus (They Exist) The Prequel
#1 Creatus
#2 Creatus Rogue
#3 Creatus Eidolon
#4 Creatus Animus
#5 Creatus Talis
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 115 reviews
Want to read
May 29, 2018💝FREE on iBooks today (5/29/2018)!💝
Blurb:
Some lucky women meet the man of their dreams and live happily ever after. Some lucky women focus on a career and make their own happily ever after. And then some women wake up after fifteen years of marriage and discover that their luck just ran out ... right into the arms of another woman.
Jana Embers isn't one to sit back, though. The first thing Jana realizes she needs to do is empty the joint bank account, then she's thinking she might take a tire iron to her soon-to-be-ex-husband's truck. After that, she's not sure what she'll do ... Maybe she'll adopt a cat.
After her divorce and a few too many crummy dates, Jana decides she doesn't need a man. A perfectly sized and shaped device and writing about the perfect hero will more than suffice. Determined to share her philosophy, she pens You Don't Need a Man, encouraging women everywhere to go out and experience life instead of waiting for a man to complete them.
Three years later, Jana has a New York Times bestseller and a contract for a movie adaptation, but she also has a shoulder injury, which has put a crimp in her new carefree lifestyle. Worse yet, she can't write. Her only hope is Dr. Adrian Kijek, a renowned physical therapist who hates her simply because she wrote a book about not needing a man, or so she thinks ...
WARNING: Although there are many adult situations in Some Lucky Woman, if say ... something crazy happened and a famous producer adapted this contemporary women's fiction into a movie, it would have a PG-13 rating. There are no erotic scenes, no graphic violence, and while there are a few allowed-on-TV curse words, there aren't a plethora of gratuitous foul words. Oh, and if you were looking for a cliffhanger, you won't find that here either. Please proceed at your own risk.
Blurb:
Some lucky women meet the man of their dreams and live happily ever after. Some lucky women focus on a career and make their own happily ever after. And then some women wake up after fifteen years of marriage and discover that their luck just ran out ... right into the arms of another woman.
Jana Embers isn't one to sit back, though. The first thing Jana realizes she needs to do is empty the joint bank account, then she's thinking she might take a tire iron to her soon-to-be-ex-husband's truck. After that, she's not sure what she'll do ... Maybe she'll adopt a cat.
After her divorce and a few too many crummy dates, Jana decides she doesn't need a man. A perfectly sized and shaped device and writing about the perfect hero will more than suffice. Determined to share her philosophy, she pens You Don't Need a Man, encouraging women everywhere to go out and experience life instead of waiting for a man to complete them.
Three years later, Jana has a New York Times bestseller and a contract for a movie adaptation, but she also has a shoulder injury, which has put a crimp in her new carefree lifestyle. Worse yet, she can't write. Her only hope is Dr. Adrian Kijek, a renowned physical therapist who hates her simply because she wrote a book about not needing a man, or so she thinks ...
WARNING: Although there are many adult situations in Some Lucky Woman, if say ... something crazy happened and a famous producer adapted this contemporary women's fiction into a movie, it would have a PG-13 rating. There are no erotic scenes, no graphic violence, and while there are a few allowed-on-TV curse words, there aren't a plethora of gratuitous foul words. Oh, and if you were looking for a cliffhanger, you won't find that here either. Please proceed at your own risk.
April 5, 2016
Was a truly beautiful book. Even though Adrian was a great guy, Howard was my favourite.
March 30, 2017
In Some Lucky Woman: Jana's Story the main character takes the highs and lows of life and finds the strength to grow stronger and independent. She faces a problem that is all to common on our modern world and that is a cheating husband. She quickly makes positive life changes, starts a reviewer's blog and then starts writing books and becomes a best selling self-published author.
She meets several men along the way and finally finds one that likes to do the things she likes and feels a deep connection to start a new relationship. Adrian keeps a big secret that nearly ends the relationship.
One of Jana's books is being made into a movie and she leaves to meet the famous director and consult with the making of the movie.
I loved the strong characters in the book. I loved how the story moved quickly and covered five years of Jana's life and her growth to independence. I loved her cat, J'Austen. I loved her relationship with her cousin and how smart both women were and how they supported each other. This was first a delightful plot and second a good love story.
She meets several men along the way and finally finds one that likes to do the things she likes and feels a deep connection to start a new relationship. Adrian keeps a big secret that nearly ends the relationship.
One of Jana's books is being made into a movie and she leaves to meet the famous director and consult with the making of the movie.
I loved the strong characters in the book. I loved how the story moved quickly and covered five years of Jana's life and her growth to independence. I loved her cat, J'Austen. I loved her relationship with her cousin and how smart both women were and how they supported each other. This was first a delightful plot and second a good love story.
September 6, 2018
This was an oddly written story that I don't believe I've ever seen before. The author skipped massive chunks of time between paragraphs with no lead in and also did a horrible job of explaining significant things that happened to the main character. The story begins with the main character finding out about her husband's infidelity and a page later, she's divorced. She starts a career as a book reviewing blogger and two pages later, she's a novelist with several books out. Then she suddenly has an agent and it's been five years. Out of nowhere, she's having PT because she had shoulder surgery with no clear explanation of what happened. Whatever happened to the hot lawyer guy from the library? Why is it that every man she meets is hotter-than-can-be-believed? What was with Howard? Being brought in just to get Adrian to his senses and faking a health scare? Just completely baffling.
July 27, 2017
A complex and entertaining storyline of how Jana not only found herself as well as her self worth after the heart wrenching loss of her marriage. Her personality and strength help a great deal as she not only finds true happiness in herself but the true love that she deserves! Wonderfully written...great read!
March 30, 2016
Loved it!
This was awesome! When life hands Jana lemons she makes lemonade. She went out and created a new life for herself, and made herself happy!
This was awesome! When life hands Jana lemons she makes lemonade. She went out and created a new life for herself, and made herself happy!
November 23, 2020
Jana found out that her husband got some other girl pregnant. After taking a bat to his truck, she files for divorce, leaving her with practically nothing. Without a dime and left on a tight budget to raise her son, she goes back to her love for reading in the hopes of starting a book blog that she could make money off of. She just had to learn how. Then she meets a man that loves to read? Interesting.
Soon, she starts offering services for book reviews and editing. Nice! Turns out that the library volunteer she’s been working with is a published author and tells her that she can get complimentary books directly from the author in exchange for an honest review. Even better!
It thought this was a pretty good read and totally relatable. But the story was too pedestrian. She goes on about the books she wouldn’t review if less than 3 stars or labeled as DNF. She even tells us what DNF means. Who doesn’t know what that means? This whole thing was almost like a how-to on getting your life started or put back together. I admired her persistence and go-getter attitude.
A pretty good read.
Soon, she starts offering services for book reviews and editing. Nice! Turns out that the library volunteer she’s been working with is a published author and tells her that she can get complimentary books directly from the author in exchange for an honest review. Even better!
It thought this was a pretty good read and totally relatable. But the story was too pedestrian. She goes on about the books she wouldn’t review if less than 3 stars or labeled as DNF. She even tells us what DNF means. Who doesn’t know what that means? This whole thing was almost like a how-to on getting your life started or put back together. I admired her persistence and go-getter attitude.
A pretty good read.
September 6, 2023
I thoroughly enjoyed reading the honesty that Carmen was able to portray in this book. Jana's life is like so many women's lives. Having a husband cheat and trying to figure out who you really are after the tears stop. Howard was also a very interesting character that most women would love to meet.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 12, 2018
Excellent
Loved loved loved this book! It was a great story. Loved the characters, the scenes, the plot. It was fantastic
Loved loved loved this book! It was a great story. Loved the characters, the scenes, the plot. It was fantastic
April 14, 2020
What can I say.
Thiß lady had a few issues cheating husband and some dates that were from hell. Had a lot of mixed emotion about this story.
Thiß lady had a few issues cheating husband and some dates that were from hell. Had a lot of mixed emotion about this story.
September 21, 2018
Very Relatable
I loved how relate-able this book was. Oh my heart broke for Jana. I wish that I would have been as strong and self sufficient as she was. This book is a great reminder to be true to yourself and to always strive to get to know who you are. When you are all alone.
I loved how relate-able this book was. Oh my heart broke for Jana. I wish that I would have been as strong and self sufficient as she was. This book is a great reminder to be true to yourself and to always strive to get to know who you are. When you are all alone.
July 4, 2017
This is a perfect example of the saying "If life hands you lemons, make lemonade." When Jana found out that not only had her husband cheated on her but the woman was pregnant, she divorced him. She hadn't held a job in her 15 years of marriage, so figuring out how to provide for herself and her teenage son was a challenge. She started a book blog and before you know it, she's writing a book! Several best-sellers, as a matter of fact.
I liked her spunk and determination. When she realized she could do the things she wanted to do now and not just what she was expected to do, she tried a lot of new activities. Kayaking was her favorite past-time so she spent as much time as she could doing it. During one of these adventures, Jana injured her shoulder, requiring surgeries and physical therapy. That's how she met a man who became very important to her, Dr. Adrian Kijek.
This story had a very sad beginning with Jana's marriage ending but became very positive when she wouldn't stand back and feel sorry for herself. Jana's story is inspiring showing a woman doesn't need a man to be a success. She just needs to believe in herself. That positive outlook, among other things, made her attractive to men. She had several wanting her. One of which was her ex, even though he was now with the mother of his baby. I loved the part where he was trying to get Jana to forgive him. He said, "It was a mistake, Jana. I didn't mean -" Her reply was, "A mistake?" ... "Wearing different color socks is a mistake. Sending a text to the wrong person is a mistake. Sticking your penis in the wrong woman isn't a mistake!"
I liked her spunk and determination. When she realized she could do the things she wanted to do now and not just what she was expected to do, she tried a lot of new activities. Kayaking was her favorite past-time so she spent as much time as she could doing it. During one of these adventures, Jana injured her shoulder, requiring surgeries and physical therapy. That's how she met a man who became very important to her, Dr. Adrian Kijek.
This story had a very sad beginning with Jana's marriage ending but became very positive when she wouldn't stand back and feel sorry for herself. Jana's story is inspiring showing a woman doesn't need a man to be a success. She just needs to believe in herself. That positive outlook, among other things, made her attractive to men. She had several wanting her. One of which was her ex, even though he was now with the mother of his baby. I loved the part where he was trying to get Jana to forgive him. He said, "It was a mistake, Jana. I didn't mean -" Her reply was, "A mistake?" ... "Wearing different color socks is a mistake. Sending a text to the wrong person is a mistake. Sticking your penis in the wrong woman isn't a mistake!"
October 14, 2018
I’m starting to see that there is a reason why certain books are offered for free on BookBub. But I’m in the middle of chemo, and light reading is all I can handle on some days. Even so, I’d like better than this. This book started out okay with a potentially interesting character rebuilding her life after her husband cheated on her.
But then it became choppy - the plot bounced ahead in time without warning or explanation of how the changes happened. There was an odd development with another library patron the protagonist liked enough to name a vibrator after who inexplicably disappeared from the book. And then there was the small matter of going from a very amateur blogging book reviewer to a bestselling author with a movie option with no sense of how that was humanly possible.
But what bothered me most was the over-the-top characters. The protagonist (the author?) made sure we understood she was effortlessly gorgeous, extremely athletic, a fearless thrill seeker and desired by virtually every man she encountered. And the men were all physical gods, by her account. Every last one of them. By the end, I had a hard time wishing for a happy outcome for anyone in he book.
But then it became choppy - the plot bounced ahead in time without warning or explanation of how the changes happened. There was an odd development with another library patron the protagonist liked enough to name a vibrator after who inexplicably disappeared from the book. And then there was the small matter of going from a very amateur blogging book reviewer to a bestselling author with a movie option with no sense of how that was humanly possible.
But what bothered me most was the over-the-top characters. The protagonist (the author?) made sure we understood she was effortlessly gorgeous, extremely athletic, a fearless thrill seeker and desired by virtually every man she encountered. And the men were all physical gods, by her account. Every last one of them. By the end, I had a hard time wishing for a happy outcome for anyone in he book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 7, 2017
I loved this book and couldn't stop reading. If I could give this book a 10, I would. Any woman whose husband has cheated on her can relate to some of Jana's experiences and take heart that her life isn't over. Jana's can do attitude and pick herself up and go again can give hope that there is something better around the corner. Maybe there won't be a best selling book in her future but just taking stock of her life and what she can do may give ideas to go onward.
July 5, 2017
Pleasantly Surpriseed
I actually clicked on this book by accident. I started reading it and was captivated by the mind of the author. This was a journey of a very smart women who can verbalize her feelings in a way that makes sense to the reader and didn't wallow in the "poor me" vein to the extent some books I've read do. I cried and laughed and cried some more. I usually read paranormal books but thoroughly enjoyed this journey. Great job.
I actually clicked on this book by accident. I started reading it and was captivated by the mind of the author. This was a journey of a very smart women who can verbalize her feelings in a way that makes sense to the reader and didn't wallow in the "poor me" vein to the extent some books I've read do. I cried and laughed and cried some more. I usually read paranormal books but thoroughly enjoyed this journey. Great job.
September 18, 2017
I really enjoyed this book which is actually 3 books in one and one book within another, one of them being sort of an auto-biography. I know it sounds confusing but it isn't. You have to read it to see. I found Jana's journey so relatable that I couldn't help but feel sad when she was sad and happy when she was happy. Very nice!
November 17, 2017
I really liked the beginning, but as the book went on, I got irritated. The whole relationship with Adrian, at first, was really weird. I would have noticed! I thought he was gay. He certainly never acted like any guy I ever dated.
Dhe is good with words and characters, but the plot needs work to be believable. Almost a 4 star, but not quite.
Dhe is good with words and characters, but the plot needs work to be believable. Almost a 4 star, but not quite.
March 2, 2018
Wonderfully engaging.
As I read this series I laughed and cried. A journey many have taken, not always with the same results. Finding out one's husband has bee unfaithful is devastating. Jana's journey of discovery is both exciting and difficult, but she persists. Well written and an author I will definitely follow. For anyone on a journey of rediscovery.
As I read this series I laughed and cried. A journey many have taken, not always with the same results. Finding out one's husband has bee unfaithful is devastating. Jana's journey of discovery is both exciting and difficult, but she persists. Well written and an author I will definitely follow. For anyone on a journey of rediscovery.
April 20, 2016
Great Read.
Nice romantic book about starting over. Loved the ending. Nicely done! Will look for more to come in the future.
Nice romantic book about starting over. Loved the ending. Nicely done! Will look for more to come in the future.
December 21, 2017
This is from my personal notes. May contain spoilers.
This book started with a scorned wife taking it out on her cheating husband's car. Yawn. Been there, done that, bought the t-shirt. Also, it was the 'nice' almost sanitized version, without evoking that same sense of bitterness you got in the book, 'Waiting to Exhale'. I wasn't feeling confident. Then the woman seems to magically be able to make money from setting up a blog and reviewing books, although I will admit it's not a huge amount of money. But then she starts writing books and makes actual, real, good money through self-publishing. What the??? I can only assume that this woman was doing it in the early days of ebooks where there was actually a possibility of making a good living as an author through self-publishing. Either that or she was just REALLY good.
This sounds terrible, right? And as though I didn't like the book because I found this all to be highly implausible, right? But that's not the case. The book was longer than I thought it would be. It was more complex than I thought it would be. I'd just read another book about getting revenge on a cheating ex and that one was a pretty straightforward story. This story wasn't about getting revenge. This was about one woman's self-empowerment journey and then how she empowers others through a book she writes on the subject. Yes, it's a romance but even that isn't straight forward. I really liked the MC, most of the time. I related to her and was a little jealous of some things about her. There was some redundancy in the story occasionally, being told again things we already knew, and in the second act one of the chapters seems to have gotten misplaced and situated a couple of chapters behind where it should be (which doesn't actually affect the plot!). Also, sometimes this book felt very much like wish fulfilment. I've read that kind of thing before in fan fiction and it reminded me a little bit of that, where things that seem implausible for most people actually occur for our MC and you suspend your disbelief over and over because 'plot' but you're also rooting for that character to take that journey so you can see how it pans out because it's a journey you'd like to be taking. But it was strangely better than I thought it would be.
This book started with a scorned wife taking it out on her cheating husband's car. Yawn. Been there, done that, bought the t-shirt. Also, it was the 'nice' almost sanitized version, without evoking that same sense of bitterness you got in the book, 'Waiting to Exhale'. I wasn't feeling confident. Then the woman seems to magically be able to make money from setting up a blog and reviewing books, although I will admit it's not a huge amount of money. But then she starts writing books and makes actual, real, good money through self-publishing. What the??? I can only assume that this woman was doing it in the early days of ebooks where there was actually a possibility of making a good living as an author through self-publishing. Either that or she was just REALLY good.
This sounds terrible, right? And as though I didn't like the book because I found this all to be highly implausible, right? But that's not the case. The book was longer than I thought it would be. It was more complex than I thought it would be. I'd just read another book about getting revenge on a cheating ex and that one was a pretty straightforward story. This story wasn't about getting revenge. This was about one woman's self-empowerment journey and then how she empowers others through a book she writes on the subject. Yes, it's a romance but even that isn't straight forward. I really liked the MC, most of the time. I related to her and was a little jealous of some things about her. There was some redundancy in the story occasionally, being told again things we already knew, and in the second act one of the chapters seems to have gotten misplaced and situated a couple of chapters behind where it should be (which doesn't actually affect the plot!). Also, sometimes this book felt very much like wish fulfilment. I've read that kind of thing before in fan fiction and it reminded me a little bit of that, where things that seem implausible for most people actually occur for our MC and you suspend your disbelief over and over because 'plot' but you're also rooting for that character to take that journey so you can see how it pans out because it's a journey you'd like to be taking. But it was strangely better than I thought it would be.
July 13, 2018
Ok story about a woman (Jana) who finds out her husband has cheated on her and is having a baby with another woman. She has a teenage son and now has to figure out what she can do for a living to support herself and her son. She starts a book blog on the advice of her cousin and with the help of a volunteer at the library who she discovers is an indie author.
She starts dating and soon figures out that she is happier just working on herself and what makes her happy without a man. She writes a book about this discovery and becomes a very successful author. One day she hurts her shoulder while she is kayaking and is referred to a physical therapist after surgery. Adrian seems to dislike her on sight and borders on rudeness to her. Eventually, they become friends and then more, but he never wants to take it to the next level. She then accidentally finds out the secret he is keeping and breaks up with him,
Meanwhile, her book is going to be a movie and the producer flies her out to consult. He seems to be interested in a relationship with her, but she is hesitant because she doesn't want to stay in California and she realizes she still has feelings for Adrian.
I have to say the girl power book of the story is very interesting and it does give some insight on what it takes to become a blogger and an author, but the romance part of the story is pretty lackluster. I never felt any connection from Jana with any of her romantic interests and I really didn't know who she would choose to be with. I honestly thought she was going to choose be single.
She starts dating and soon figures out that she is happier just working on herself and what makes her happy without a man. She writes a book about this discovery and becomes a very successful author. One day she hurts her shoulder while she is kayaking and is referred to a physical therapist after surgery. Adrian seems to dislike her on sight and borders on rudeness to her. Eventually, they become friends and then more, but he never wants to take it to the next level. She then accidentally finds out the secret he is keeping and breaks up with him,
Meanwhile, her book is going to be a movie and the producer flies her out to consult. He seems to be interested in a relationship with her, but she is hesitant because she doesn't want to stay in California and she realizes she still has feelings for Adrian.
I have to say the girl power book of the story is very interesting and it does give some insight on what it takes to become a blogger and an author, but the romance part of the story is pretty lackluster. I never felt any connection from Jana with any of her romantic interests and I really didn't know who she would choose to be with. I honestly thought she was going to choose be single.
November 7, 2018
I liked this book very much. It was well written. It was very interesting and I had a hard time putting it down. I actually understood where Jana was coming from. There was a statement that I took issue with. "I'm not saying that all men are pigs, or that all women are perfect, but I'd bet on average that men do the majority of the cheating." I used to believe that; but I have learned the hard way that it isn't true. I found that women cheat just as much as men do. I also find that many of the men that cheat the person he is cheating with most often is aware that he is married and vise versa. Before I was married I constantly dated women who hadn't finalized their divorce or even started it. Once I found out the situation I would drop them like hot potatoes. I was surprised at that. Also women don't always treat other women any better than men treat women. Also I have been on some jobs where the women didn't get along with other women. Especially if the work site started with only woman and later another woman joins the team. I have also heard men make the same statements about women as Jana made in this book. I don't think we should compare other people to each other. I think people she be looked as individuals. Its not fare to lump everyone or write to lump everyone in one pile.
May 17, 2022
A really surprising read!
This book has more heart than the cover led me to believe. If there were to be any changes, the book deserves a more sophisticated cover. The almost silly one it has now certainly doesn’t reflect that it’s about a woman’s life during most of her 30’s, or lead one into suspecting how insightful parts of this book are. The author really did some deep thinking when deciding upon the lead character’s motivation. I read hundreds of books a year (1-2 a day…I’m retired) but, oddly, I have no knowledge of how (the character’s) business could be developed from reading books and having a blog! If I weren’t so busy reading, that would be interesting to explore! The beginning of the book was hilarious. Part 2 had the most ‘heart’. I could clearly see that the character was giving herself time to grow. Parts of the last third of the book didn’t seem to work as well. I really couldn’t figure Howard out. And I would have rather seen her work things out with Adrian once they got home, rather than during 5 minutes in a hotel lobby. I guess my review would have been 5 stars if Part 3 had been spelled out a little more logically. And this is officially the longest review I’ve ever written! Thanks for a very interesting read, Carmen DeSousa.
This book has more heart than the cover led me to believe. If there were to be any changes, the book deserves a more sophisticated cover. The almost silly one it has now certainly doesn’t reflect that it’s about a woman’s life during most of her 30’s, or lead one into suspecting how insightful parts of this book are. The author really did some deep thinking when deciding upon the lead character’s motivation. I read hundreds of books a year (1-2 a day…I’m retired) but, oddly, I have no knowledge of how (the character’s) business could be developed from reading books and having a blog! If I weren’t so busy reading, that would be interesting to explore! The beginning of the book was hilarious. Part 2 had the most ‘heart’. I could clearly see that the character was giving herself time to grow. Parts of the last third of the book didn’t seem to work as well. I really couldn’t figure Howard out. And I would have rather seen her work things out with Adrian once they got home, rather than during 5 minutes in a hotel lobby. I guess my review would have been 5 stars if Part 3 had been spelled out a little more logically. And this is officially the longest review I’ve ever written! Thanks for a very interesting read, Carmen DeSousa.
April 21, 2018
I wanted to like Jana --and this book-- more than I did. Just a few thoughts:
1. I did like that she clawed back her spending and figured out that she had a one-year cushion before making a go of the book reviewer thing.
2. However, on the other hand, despite noting in one scene that she can't afford her one-a-day Starbucks habit and money is tight, she goes out and gets a pet. Pets cost money!
3. Yoga pants. I am not a fashionista by any stretch of the imagination but expand the wardrobe.
4. I disagree with her review philosophy a bit. If you love your readers, by all means steer them towards the good, but don't be afraid to steer them away from the bad. And a constructive bad review can help those authors improve the next time around (if they so choose to listen to the criticisms).
5. I hope for both Adrian's and Jana's sake she gets over being mad at him. Yes, what he did was wrong and he probably did it because he was chicken, but he apologized. If she's going to hold it against him even though she loves him, why should he stay?
I think that is enough for now.
1. I did like that she clawed back her spending and figured out that she had a one-year cushion before making a go of the book reviewer thing.
2. However, on the other hand, despite noting in one scene that she can't afford her one-a-day Starbucks habit and money is tight, she goes out and gets a pet. Pets cost money!
3. Yoga pants. I am not a fashionista by any stretch of the imagination but expand the wardrobe.
4. I disagree with her review philosophy a bit. If you love your readers, by all means steer them towards the good, but don't be afraid to steer them away from the bad. And a constructive bad review can help those authors improve the next time around (if they so choose to listen to the criticisms).
5. I hope for both Adrian's and Jana's sake she gets over being mad at him. Yes, what he did was wrong and he probably did it because he was chicken, but he apologized. If she's going to hold it against him even though she loves him, why should he stay?
I think that is enough for now.
February 16, 2020
OK, this book started off very intriguing and I almost couldn’t put it down. About halfway through the storyline and scenes became a little too farfetched for me. The opening scene begins with Jana taking a tire iron to her husband’s new truck and then driving away wondering if he’ll call the cops on her. That’s a believable scene. Not that I’ve ever witnessed something like that, but I do know it happens. Her reason? He cheated on her, after 15 years of marriage, and now has a baby momma. Yeah, Jana is divorcing him. Jana suddenly finds herself having to make her own income and she magically creates a blog that is an instant success. From there it seems everything she touches turns to gold. There was really no struggle for her in that area which doesn’t seem like reality. Then, history seems to repeat itself. The annoying part is that Jana really doesn’t seem to change at all through everything she goes through. She still has the same questions, insecurities, and handles everything in the same way. It wasn’t boring, it was just a little too redundant for me.
June 1, 2018
I read, Some Lucky Woman, which included all three parts of Jana's story, by Carmen DeSousa. The story starts when Jana tells her soon to be ex that "Sticking your penis in the wrong woman isn't a mistake, Dick!" Then she asks him, "Sorry because you got caught? Sorry because you didn't use a condom?" So after fifteen years of marriage, Jana Embers begins a new phase of her life. She gets a cat and understands why Tom Hanks started talking to Wilson! Then she has an epiphany! She doesn't need a man! She writes a blog about this to earn money and eventually writes an entire book. Then she gets a contract for a movie adaptation! Unfortunately, she also injures her shoulder which hampers her writing and outdoor activities, and introduces her to PT, Dr. Adrian Kijek. This is a very entertaining story about a strong heroine who "picks herself up, dusts herself off, and starts all over again!" This is chick lit romance at its best!
September 4, 2018
Got this as a free giveaway in BookBub and just read it.
The book has three parts and i think each of them have something different.
Part 1 I really really liked. Its about a divorced woman who has lost some of her confidence and is trying to pick up the pieces. Her actions, the way she goes about all were very very entertaining for me. Also felt i could really relate to the character, her thought process and stuff.
Part 2 This was more about romance. The characters and dialogues were still very interesting.
Part 3 In my opinion this was sort of not a required part. It took away from the experience of part 1 and part 2.
All in all it was an enjoyable read. First book i have read by this author and i am definitely going back for more. Another thing i really enjoyed about the book was it was a good clean book.
The book has three parts and i think each of them have something different.
Part 1 I really really liked. Its about a divorced woman who has lost some of her confidence and is trying to pick up the pieces. Her actions, the way she goes about all were very very entertaining for me. Also felt i could really relate to the character, her thought process and stuff.
Part 2 This was more about romance. The characters and dialogues were still very interesting.
Part 3 In my opinion this was sort of not a required part. It took away from the experience of part 1 and part 2.
All in all it was an enjoyable read. First book i have read by this author and i am definitely going back for more. Another thing i really enjoyed about the book was it was a good clean book.
March 4, 2020
Okay but not great, just my opinion. Jana starts off strong by beating the shit out of her cheating husband’s truck with a tire iron (yeah! You go girl!). She divorces him and spends part one of the book learning to love herself and find what she likes, and learns she doesn’t need a man to be happy. Then in part two she does an about-face and falls in love and decides she can’t be happy without this guy. The problem here? He lied to her. Now, there is a happy ending here, I won’t spoil it, and I like happy endings, but this was just a little too sappy for me. I should point out that this is not my usual genre, so it was like eating mashed potatoes when I really wanted mac and cheese. As I said, okay but not great. If you’re really into romance you’ll like it 🙂
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 30, 2020
Read don't listen. The narration is atrocious. So I liked that she picked herself up and started anew. Takes strength and temerity. She is definitely inspirational. What got me was Adrian and Howard. Didnt like either of them even a little and found it just silly and completely against what the book seemed to represent that she wound up with him. So yes, withholding the trust us the same as lying and I for one could and would never trust Adrian. Ever. As for Howard, though well meaning and well intentioned how he went about it was...self-serving and a little bit smarmy. Another, a user and lair. I'd have preferred she wound up with neither of them. Sorry, but to me it made he weak and like her "I want a man, but dont need a man" mantra a big old lie.
February 28, 2017
Meh....
At first I enjoyed reading this book, then I had to push myself to finish it; it hate not finishing books! For most of the book, Jana has conversations with her CAT!! At first it was cute, then it got annoying.
Then the whole debacle with dating her PT secretly for 2 months. Finding out that he was married, in the middle of a divorce, and he NEVER tells her. Even knowing what happened with her and her ex, with his lying. Shows no respect.
Then ending was terrible, being seduced and tricked by her movie producer--letting her believe that he was dying in order to choose him over Adrian. It wasn't what I expected when I first started reading this book.
At first I enjoyed reading this book, then I had to push myself to finish it; it hate not finishing books! For most of the book, Jana has conversations with her CAT!! At first it was cute, then it got annoying.
Then the whole debacle with dating her PT secretly for 2 months. Finding out that he was married, in the middle of a divorce, and he NEVER tells her. Even knowing what happened with her and her ex, with his lying. Shows no respect.
Then ending was terrible, being seduced and tricked by her movie producer--letting her believe that he was dying in order to choose him over Adrian. It wasn't what I expected when I first started reading this book.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 115 reviews