Good Luck

by Whitney Gaskell

Lucy Parker wins the lottery on the worst day of her life. But can all the money in the world make up for a cheating boyfriend, a derailed career, and ending up in the middle of a media circus? Everyone wants a piece of Lucy…and all she wants is to escape from it all.

After life as she knows it falls apart, Lucy heads off to Palm Beach to hide out at the home of an old college friend. There, living in a tropical paradise of millionaires, Lucy acquires a new hair color, a new social set, and enough anonymity to put her notoriety behind her. Soon she's courted by two men who don’t know her history. But just as Lucy begins to envision a new life for herself, the past catches up with her. Lucy would give up every penny to have her old life back—but just as she’s ready to cash it all in, fate has one last surprise in store for her…one that will show her exactly what she’s worth.

Genres: Chick Lit, Romance, Fiction, Adult, Contemporary Romance, Contemporary, Womens Fiction

385 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2008

About the author

Growing up, Whitney Gaskell always wanted to become a writer. Then for some unknown reason, she went to law school. TABLE FOR SEVEN is Whitney's eighth book. She also writes the Young Adult GEEK HIGH series under the name Piper Banks.

Reviews

[Aditi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another cheesy chick-lit novel. "Good Luck" is all about love, friendship, family and a little bit of luck! Even this plot sounds so chessy, girl winning lottery on worst day of her life.

Yeah this is about, Lucy winning $87million as a lottery on a day when she was fired from her job because she was accused of sexually harrassing a student in her school leading to a media circus around her and what else, she caught her love of her life with another woman. And to brush it all off from her mind, she gets way from all this drama to Palm Beach and spends it all. She figures out that in her worst day her so-called 'friends' and her own family has turned their backs on her. And also she realizes that it would require something more than money to make everything all right in her life. Eventually she hit it off very bravely and also able to find one true love and yeah, that's all, "they lived happily ever after".

The author has given us a slice and first-hand insight into the life of a lottery-winner, how they at first loses thier identity, and then when everything goes wrong, they come back to being themselves. On a day when you're feeling lonely and you happen to win a lottery, yes, it makes you happy for a fleet second, but eventually it makes you feel more lonely. That's what the author was trying to say.

From the beginging of the book, the story was very engrossing and a compelling one. The writing was also very fantastic, and the author has made Lucy, a very relatable character to every women. So whoever reads it, you can easily feel the plight of Lucy. Well it was a fun-read and if you want to feel rich, do grab this book, it'll definitely hook you to feel richer and happier.

[Just - The romance reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall a fun, fairly light read. A good chick-lit novel. I enjoyed that the story was a bit of a departure from the standard boy meets girl, girl falls for boy, drama occurs, things work out and they end up happily ever after.

Lucy is a sweet, if a bit naive young woman who succeeds in having the worst possible day and at the same time perhaps the best day of her life all rolled into one. I enjoyed reading about the exciting, dramatic and yet sometimes sad and painful whirlwind that was Lucy's life over the following months. Some of the supporting characters truly deserved to be slapped, but that was the sort of thoughts I believe Gaskell was attempting to evoke in the reader, not all characters are supposed to be likable right? In the end, Lucy grows as a person and seems to come out of the chaos with her life on the right track.

My biggest complaint about the book? That there was no epilogue. When I like a book, I enjoy reading that whole "such and such amount of time later.." and finding out where the characters lives go down the line.

[Becky R. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm sure it's the English teacher in me that's all freaked out by the premise of this book, but I have to say that the range of emotions I felt ran the spectrum! After being accused of sexual harassment by one of her students upset over a bad grade, Lucy Parker's life only goes from wretched, to unspeakable. She walks in on her live-in boyfriend with another woman, loses her job (obviously), and is being hounded by the press. In the midst of it all, she flippantly buys a lottery ticket that lands her the winner of a cool 34 million dollars.

While this is a story about finding oneself and not losing the core of who you are to money, there is a sweet romance embedded in it. Lucy has been hurt and betrayed, which leaves her not feeling like she's the best at picking men to be in a relationship with. So will she recognize a good guy, even if she judges on all accounts that he's bad?

I really enjoyed this novel, even though I was thoroughly freaked out by the sexual harassment charge landed against her. As a teacher, I try to take measures to ensure that someone couldn't annihilate my career in one fatal swoop, but hearing stories like this can be really unnerving. I think this connection to another teacher, and feeling for her after having so many hard knocks, I was more engaged in the story and really enjoyed it. In fact, I couldn't get through the last 100 pages fast enough!

[Hong Trang · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 sao - ưu ái chick-lit và 'mê' nhân vật nam chính dã man!
Kết thúc chick-lit thường luôn thỏa mãn cho khát vọng được trở thành 'Lọ Lem' của mỗi cô gái:, nhân vật nữ chính - ban đầu có một cuộc đời an toàn nhưng nhàm chán bỗng rơi vào khủng hoảng vì bao nhiêu bất hạnh đổ xuống đầu - gặp khúc ngoặt cuộc đời, đổi vận nhờ tấm vé số độc đắc và cuối cùng hạnh phúc với 'The One' người đàn ông của đời mình. Luôn là như vậy: cảm giác khi có một kết thúc tốt đẹp luôn mang lại một sự lạc quan và hài lòng nhất định cho cuộc sống lặp đi lặp lại nhàm chán của một nữ nhân viên vp (như mình). Chỉ một điều bất lợi là, nhân vật nam chính quá là 'siêu thực', chỉ trong tiểu thuyết mới có một chàng trai hoàn hảo đến mức ấy. :) Dẫu biết vậy nhưng sẽ không từ bỏ chick-lit, đặc biệt là khi phải trải qua những tháng ngày 'bấn loạn' bất định của cuộc sống, đọc chick-lit chắc cũng 'cứu rỗi' được vài phần. :)

[Chelsea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay, I know I said I was going to do some more grown-up books and give the chick-lit a rest...but I lied. However, this book was much better than those I've been reading. IT actually had some plot, heart and no lurid sex scenes (hooray!). The language was a little strong for my personal tastes, but not absolutely horrid. Like I said, it had heart and a good overall message and I enjoyed that. I've kind of been fascinated with lottery winners since watching a True Hollywood Story on them last Christmas...how most of them end up committing suicide, or bankruptcy, or murdered. So it was interesting to read how the lottery wasn't necessarily a blessing in this woman's life and there are better things to use your money on than yourself.

[Kourtney · Rating 4 out of 5]

With going through money problems of my very own, I decided to read this book to see what it would be like if my dreams came true and I won the lottery. Now granted, I wouldn't have a student claiming sexual harassment that would ruin my career, but this book does make a great story to show how money can change lives, friendships, and relationships. This book has some great laugh out loud moments and the relationship dynamic between Mal and Lucy had me laughing everytime they were together in a room. Some parts were a little predictable, but in life we all have those moments where everyone else can see things clearly except us! All in all I highly recommend for a great read to take you away from your life for a while.

[KCM73 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was light and fun but was not entirely without substance. The book begins on the worst day of the main character's life. Lucy is fired from her job, her car breaks down, her long-term relationship ends.....everything that can go wrong, does go wrong. On her way home, she buys a lottery ticket and ends up winning $87M. This sets off a series of events that will change Lucy's life forever (for better or worse). Lucy is a great character, interesting and complex and real. I enjoyed watching her navigate her way through the many trials and tribulations that follow her lottery winnings. Although many of her friends and family can't imagine how life could be difficult after winning the lottery, Lucy realizes that it will take more than money to turn her life around.

[Jessie Payne · Rating 2 out of 5]

I loved the book at the beginning. The storyline was new and fresh and the pace was quick and attention-grabbing. But the story grew more and more predictable after a while, until the book culminated with the classic girl ends up with the guy who was not the better catch but - surprise - has a huge, secret redeeming quality that made her choice right all along. The writer also pulled a move that gets on my nerves with a lot of TV shows and books: the main characters are the only lovable ones. The rest are clumsy, selfish, shallow or - this author's most damning curse - bland.

[Kary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just read for the second time for Women wine and words February 2017 book club. Just as good the second time around but still haven visited the stores and restaurants must do that soon! Good read. Author lives in Stuart, Florida the next city over. From reading this book I want to go down to Palm Beach and visit the places that were written about for shopping.

[Ramona · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really cute book. Fast and fun with an unexpected ending. I like this author. :)

[Tera · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was GREAT!! It had me laughing out loud all through it and I didn't want it to end.

It's about a woman who wins the lottery on the worst day of her life...

[Chloe (Always Booked) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a fun women's fiction romp. This book is about Lucy. Her world falls apart on her in the matter of a day. She loses her job as a teacher when a student falsely accuses her of sexual harassment, she walks in on her boyfriend cheating, etc. She ends up buying a lottery ticket and wins $80+ million. Of course, the press hounds her, her boyfriend begs for forgiveness etc. So she escapes from her small Florida town to stay with a friend in Palm Beach and lives the good life. She starts shopping a bit, goes out a lot, and gives her best friend, parents and sister $500k. She meets a guy named Drew who doesn't know who she is and they start a relationship but its meh. She also meets a guy named Mal who seems to be a player. They strike up a friendship too. I loved seeing her explore who her true friends were and I just had a fun time hanging out with Lucy. It could've been a little shorter because there is definitely some time in the middle that got a little redundant, but overall this was a fun time!

[Laura Bulawski · Rating 4 out of 5]

An easy and fun read. The characters deal with various social issues popular when the book was written in 2008. The plights of the characters are woven together cleverly enabling a tightly wrapped "happily ever after" plot. About 1/3 of the book was unnecessary page filler but easily skipped over.

[Sheri · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the premise and the mystery of where the school teacher who is fired mistakenly or because a parent accuses her of something, goes and buys a lottery ticket. She wins, the press stalks her and waits outside her home. Where she goes and what she does to escape the people wanting her interview and what she will do with the money was an interesting tale and lots of fun to read.

[Autumn Fritsch · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to give it 4 stars, and I almost did, but the last few chapters are a bit underwhelming. SPOILER: I wanted more juiciness between Lucy & Mal. I wanted to know more about their story & what happens next. I felt that the book ended rather abruptly.

[Tori Rhodes · Rating 1 out of 5]

okay this book def has potential but it took me so long (too long) to get into that it lost all the momentum leading up to the end. The ending was great w Mal but I felt like the storyline jumped around too much. I def didn’t suspect that Mal owned the Drum Roll though.

[Paula · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun beach book, even if you don't have a beach. Interesting characters, especially the bridezilla sister and too-cool-for-school friend.

[Tammy Adams · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 1/2 stars

[Jennifer Guerra · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a cute book!! I loved Lucy and all her fiascos and Mal seemed to be their perfect fit for her!

[Katrina · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an interesting read. It was quick and to the point.

[Mayra Leon · Rating 2 out of 5]

meh. It started off pretty good but it kinda fizzled towards the end.

[Crystal Rivera · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun beach read! Felt so bad for this poor girl for about 75% of the book. Predictable but entertaining premise.

[Jami Ruszkai McQuain · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not bad, just a bit predictable. And I still want to win the lottery :-)

[Joanne Van · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun read. Oh what would it be like to win millions of dollars.

[Debbie Wroblewski · Rating 2 out of 5]

The story had promise and could have been really good, however, all issues were tied up in nice, neat, predictable bows at the end. Total waste of a potentially good story.

[steph (librarianish) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Kind of cute pool read. #43 in 2018.

[Kristi · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the premise of a woman winning the lottery on the worst day of her life. She loses her job and her career when a student falsely accuses her of sexual harrassment. On her way home, her car breaks down. She decided to walk the rest of the way home, stops at a gas station and buys water and two lottery tickets. She gets home only to find the boyfriend who recently moved in with her having sex with a fake-breasted woman in their bed. She throws him out of the house and gets drunk. She wakes up to find out that she won an 87 million dollar jackpot lottery. Her life changes drastically, a media circus surrounding the supposed sexual harrasser of a high school student winning a huge amount of money. She has to deal with family and friends and their varied reactions to her financial windfall. She also ends up finding love. Yes, this is a romance novel.

I quite liked it, though. The main character felt very relatable to me. Of course, winning the lottery when one lives in south Florida would have a different effect than if one lived in Montana. So, that felt a little convenient. But I quite enjoyed this book and would recommend it to any of my chick lit loving friends.

[Karina · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is another fun and enjoyable chick lit from one of my favorites, Whitney Gaskell, and although it wasn't my favorite of hers, it was definitely fun reading (despite the major printer error which left several too light to read pages throughout the book).

Imagine that everything in your life has gone bad--you're fired from your job for the worst reason, then you walk in on your boyfriend of several years, with another woman, on your own bed. And then when you've hit rock bottom, imagine winning $87 million dollars, having to sneak out of your own home to avoid the press, and then remaking yourself into a wealthy Palm Beach woman who does nothing but shop, eat out, and go clubbing.

All this and more happens to our heroine, and then when the press track her down again and she doesn't know what next to do with her life, she has to decide who she really is, despite all her newfound wealth, and what and who is really important to her.

Definitely pick this one up if you're a fan of chick lit and/or Whitney Gaskell (but flip through the copy first to ensure yours isn't a dud).

[Preet · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lucy Parker is having a nightmare of a day. She gets fired from her job as a teacher and gains a reputation for being sexually involved with her students AND discovers her boyfriend of three years having sex with another woman in her house. So when she wins the lottery, she takes the lump sum and gets out of dodge and heads to Palm Beach. Oddly enough, Lucy notices right away how her relationships with family and friends changes overnight once the news gets out.

Sometime I think winning the lottery would be great. I'd be able to pay off loans and finally give something to my mom, but then I read about lottery winners real and fictitious and change my mind.

Whitney Gaskell has done a great job at showing what the life of a lottery winner can be like. It was harsh, but full of lessons. The saddest thing was seeing how the people closest to her turned on her and felt deserving of the money she had won.

I'm pretty sure I've other books by Whitney Gaskell before. Or at least have a few in my tbr pile. I'm going to go and find them sooner than later.

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was fun, a top-notch summer read! Protagonist Lucy goes from having the worst day of her life (fired from teaching due to a student's lies, car broken down again, and to top it all off, boyfriend caught in the act of cheating), to winning a huge lottery jackpot! To escape the press people who have taken up residence on her front lawn, Lucy flees to Palm Beach, where she attempts to live under the radar while spending over the top. I was nervous this book would become excessively shallow with all the shopping trips and afternoon cocktails, but the heroine manages to maintain her social conscience and recognizes just how her winnings take their toll on her personal relationships.