His name? Chance White. If you were to look up the epitome of a bachelor you'd find his name. He has the ability to get any girl he wants effortlessly with that captivating smile. Making it painfully obvious that he has no intentions of ever settling down. Life is young and has yet to be lived. There are far too many places to go and girls to do. That is of course until he catches a glance of his best friend's soon to be sister in law, Lillian Grace Vincent.
I'm Lillian Vincent, a free spirit living my life as I see fit, unapologetically. I've spent the majority of my life attempting to please others to no avail. I've been through far too much to even entertain the idea of “dating" and with a psychotic ex, I intend to stay as guarded as possible, for as long as possible. That is of course until spending time with my sister, Kara, brought me in front of Chance White. Then I realize I may not be as strong as I'd like to believe. Fate begins to test my ability to remain strong enough to withstand the charming, unattainable, and captivating bachelor after I've been given fair warning to stay away.
Your first love teaches you lessons, a plethora of them actually. Eventually we learn to move forward from the heartbreak with a piece that they will forever hold. My heart will never be the same, no matter how hard I try. It will withstand the test of time leaving a piece of me unavailable to anyone in the future. When I search the depths of my soul for what I want in another lover I will always search for what we once had. A reminder of friendship and pain filled with vivid memories of the first glance, first kiss, and that first night under the stars that I’ll never forget.
After a summer of pure bliss, he was gone leaving me shattered into more pieces than I could ever fathom.
Even still, fate has a way of catching up with us…
Just let me begin with, YOU MUST read this book!!!! It is a "REAL life" type of book. What do I mean by that? It's based on everyday average characters. They are not billionaires, long lost royalty, movie stars or hot rock stars (which is also great to read at times)... Chance and Lily are realistic and defiantly able to pictures yourself in "their shoes".
I was given this as a Beta Reader for a honest review, because I know this fabulous new, up and coming author very well, I had to force my self to be objective. In all honesty, this book has risen to one of my all time stories. It has suspense, love, heartbreak and laughter all in one. Again, REAL LIFE!!
Chance will steal your heart and Lily will make you her new BFF!
Reward your brain and make sure to take a chance on Lucky!!
When I was asked if I wanted to read a debut book by a new-to-me author I wasn't sure...but once I read the prologue, I was hooked. Lucky is not my usual read (I like darker books with more sexual content) BUT it sure did hit all the feels and reminded of a time when life and love were much more dangerous to my own heart. The troubles and pain that Lily goes through navigating school, family, friends and a fear of romance, will make you laugh, cry, scream out loud and want to punch a few idiots before you are finished reading...but in the end, the fight is totally worth it. May contain some triggers for anyone who has been in an abusive relationship and deals with some heavy soul-searching along the way. Impressive debut novel with a few small issues.
***** 4.5 ***** "take a chance...you just might get lucky" stars
I didn't have to read it to know it was going to be a hit! But of course I read it.
This is Anastasia Marie's debut novel and one you are not going to want to miss and I say that because this book gives you all the emotions that you want to feel in a book.
1. Connect to the character - Check 2. Cry a little bit - Check 3. Smile - Check 4. FEEL the love - Check.
I will say that there was something about this book that brought me back to 19 - 20-year-old Amber. One that I try to forget and this is the reason why I feel like I connect to this book and the authors writing. When you are a victim of sexual and physical abuse it changes you. Makes you harder to fall in love with someone. You got those walls up and you do not want that guy to come in and shatter them. One night stands are easier than feeling something for someone. To trust someone. And this author made me feel all of those.
I had to stop sometimes during the scenes like this because the emotion was overwhelming but like the character Lily made me realize that I too had survived this and fell in love. Not the way I thought that I would with my own husband. Much like Lily, I had the same thing happen to me and found my husband.
This is also a SECOND chance romance. I love those. I eat them up.
Sí, llega el momento en que tanto va y ven quise golpearlos. Pero me gustó. No todo en los libroa debe ser sobre superar pleitos y demás y luego ser felices por siempre. Bastante diferente aunque con algunos clichés.
Summary: His name? Chance White. If you were to look up the epitome of a bachelor you'd find his name. He has the ability to get any girl he wants effortlessly with that captivating smile. Making it painfully obvious that he has no intentions of ever settling down. Life is young and has yet to be lived. There are far too many places to go and girls to do. That is of course until he catches a glance of his best friend's soon to be sister in law, Lillian Grace Vincent.
I'm Lillian Vincent, a free spirit living my life as I see fit, unapologetically. I've spent the majority of my life attempting to please others to no avail. I've been through far too much to even entertain the idea of “dating" and with a psychotic ex, I intend to stay as guarded as possible, for as long as possible. That is of course until spending time with my sister, Kara, brought me in front of Chance White. Then I realize I may not be as strong as I'd like to believe. Fate begins to test my ability to remain strong enough to withstand the charming, unattainable, and captivating bachelor after I've been given fair warning to stay away.
Your first love teaches you lessons, a plethora of them actually. Eventually we learn to move forward from the heartbreak with a piece that they will forever hold. My heart will never be the same, no matter how hard I try. It will withstand the test of time leaving a piece of me unavailable to anyone in the future. When I search the depths of my soul for what I want in another lover I will always search for what we once had. A reminder of friendship and pain filled with vivid memories of the first glance, first kiss, and that first night under the stars that I’ll never forget.
After a summer of pure bliss, he was gone leaving me shattered into more pieces than I could ever fathom.
Even still, fate has a way of catching up with us…
What I Loved: The thing about new authors, for me, is sometimes you stumble upon a secret. Or what feels like was kept a secret. Lucky, was a well kept secret from debut Author Anastasia Marie. Lilly and Chance take you on their journey, running the gamut of emotions. Their story is real, relatable and EXACTLY what draws me into a book.
Lilly: Cautious. Knew what to look for. Lilly, like most, had her hang ups, but her growth throughout the story was beautiful to visualize and experience. Learning to trust people again and overcoming fears, is something everyone can relate to. But that moment when you see a character bloom, and no longer carry that fear with her because she chose to be strong and her own person, is always pivotal in a book to me. The way that this was told or how it unfolded, was done perfectly.
Chance: Playboy. Knew how to yield his words as a weapon. Chance and I had a love/hate relationship. He is real. He reminds me of that guy we all have dated that pulls you in, then pushes you out. He had his jerky moments, but I think every man does. And when you read a relationship with such fire like these two had together, it is bound to have passion in every sense of the word.
Writing: I can’t speak about the writing in this book enough. I never would have known this was this author’s debut. The words flowed from the pages. Lilly and Chance were written in such a way that everyone can take something from this story. The prologue alone, about three loves, was something I just had to re-read a few times because I felt the truth to it.
What I Didn’t Love: I’m not sure my heart was ready for the emotional ride it went on. That is a bit nitpick-ish right? There really isn’t anything I didn’t love about this book.
Overall: Pick this book up. I was LUCKY enough (<—see what I did there?) to get an advanced copy. The book is well written, well developed, and the one-liners that came out of this story are classic. The best thing about it though, for me, is it wasn’t always perfect in situation, but always perfect in heart. Every time I read a story I love, and want more of, I get ridiculously giddy. I want to scream from the rooftops about this book. Anastasia Marie, WELL DONE! Can’t wait to see what is next from you!
Let me first start out this review by saying I cried all of the tears.
This is Anastasia's first novel and it was honestly amazing. You would never guess. This book is amazing for a hundred different reasons but I don't think anyone would like to sit through my love fest.
So, we will start with just a few. First and foremost, this book is REAL. What do I mean by real? It's not some overly made up love story about events that would never in a million years happen. This is real life.
The story was well-written. It wasn't something that I had to power through. I actually wanted to read more. I wanted all the words and I couldn't get enough. Her words just stuck with me. Example A: "We are all broken. That's how the light get's in." Is that not true? We are all broken in some way, shape or form. Some of us are more broken than others, and that's okay. This was also stressed in the book. I loved that. I loved that this book wasn't a heroine completely dependent on her hero. She decided to be her own hero in a cruel and unfair world. She was strong and independent, as one should be. Lily, is her name.
Lily, actually made me laugh out loud. Example: "'You're so tiny,' he says, putting me back down. "'Dynamite comes in small packages," I reply with a hint of cockiness."
Another quote that I loved from the book was "Mama always said don't play with fire but I was always the pyro."
But, the number one quote that stuck with me was "How the hell am I supposed to be able to love anyone when I don't even know why I should love myself?" I connected with this on a spiritual level. I feel like most of us can connect with this. It is probably one of, if not, the hardest thing in the entire world to love yourself. Especially if you grow up in a world constantly telling you all the reasons why you shouldn't.
I loved watching Lily grow throughout the story. At first, she was headstrong yet timid - a beautiful contradiction. She had her insecurities, but she was also very aware of who she was as a person. She knew her likes and dislikes. What she would and would not put up with. Then as the story continued, I watched her turn into a completely beautiful and very confident woman. She was no longer hesitant about being around new people, she knew what she wanted out of life. I was so damn proud of her.
But, let me back track a little. You must be confused. Why was she hesitant around new people? Lily, has an abusive and as the blurb states psychotic ex boyfriend. Naturally, after being in an abusive relationship, one would get hesitant around new people. It's the fear of not knowing. You just don't know what to expect from new people. I get that.
Enter meeting playboy, Chance White. Why should she give him the time of day? She's already had to deal with one as*hole, so why would she give another a chance? Even if he does have handsome good looks, and huge muscles...
And he does have a way with words.
There were times where I was honestly so mad at Chance that I wanted to reach through the book and punch him. But then there were other times I wanted to reach through and kiss the hell out of him.
"I promise to never fail you. I promise to never run,{Spoiler out}.I promise to restore your hope in humanity through me. I promise to be the best man I can be, plus some because you inspire me to do so. I promise to make your wildest dreams come true and fulfill your wildest fantasies."
Good Lord take my panties now, Chance White.
Chance and Lily's relationship wasn't all sunshine and roses. They had their differences, they had their problems but one thing was for certain, they loved each other. As long as two people love each other, everything else will fall into place.
Watching Chance and Lily's story was honestly an honor. I loved their story and I am praying for a second book!!
Thank you for your words, Anastasia. They are beautiful.
You are a wordsmith!!! Your words are absolutely magical!!! You wrote a love story that was so real and amazing. I have never read another book (and I have read over a thousand) where the words were so beautiful. You made Chance just the right amount of an ass, so his story had a background, but you simply let us figure out that Lily has a past that would not define her. Aaaaaaakkkkkkk......what does that mean " for now" ? Ugh!!!!! I also loved that way you added some lyrics from some amazing country songs! Awesome job and the cover is smoking hot!
This story could have been anyones story it was so true to real life. I related to many aspects of the book it was surreal. The fact that Lillian was so strong after what she was through and hiding from yet she still allowed herself to feel again. She took the risk and what a risk it was. Chance was the polar opposite of her yet she knew what she was getting into and went for it. Even after the heartbreak she still stays true to herself and when they find each other years later, which was bridged perfectly, She still goes in and does what she wants. This was a well written book it makes you want more. The characters meshed together perfectly and the story was flawless.
** I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review**
This book has left me breathless..... I was honored to get an advance copy from the Author ...and once I started; I couldn’t put it down. Lily’s story is of a beautiful broken woman who found healing and love through her soul mate truly touched my soul. Her characters came together, imprinted on each other’s souls then separated due to immaturity but thru growth and luck they got their second chance with each other... I cried, laughed out loud and felt warmth in my heart. Disclaimer; this story may have triggers for people who have been in abusive relationships.
This book is beautiful, sweet, it will take you on a rollercoaster of emotions. Some parts will break you and shatter your heart, then some put you back together again. Chance and Lily are unlike any couple I have read. Their story is deep, intense, intriguing, and heartbreaking; I could not put this book down. My emotions were all over the place I just can't describe how I am feeling!!!
This is Anastasia's debut book and I can't even tell. It is so well written! Anastasia has a way with words. You can feel what each character is going through including their struggles. Lucky is heartfelt, deep and will rock you to the core. My heart really went out to Lily, she is beautiful, caring and strong. What she had to go through will literally break you. I found myself broken reading her struggle then you meet Chance, and wow that man is so Swoon worthy!! He is one of my top book boyfriends, even though there were times I wanted to choke him, he was just amazing and exactly what Lily needed!!
The secondary characters and their development was also very well written. This story just flowed, I read it all in one setting! Watch out book world because Anastasia Marie is coming for you!!
This is a must read it is beautiful, ARC received in exchange for an honest review!!
I don't really know what to say when it comes to writing this particular review. This book is so unlike most in its genre. The main characters, Chance and Lily, are polar opposites. She believes in Disney-esque fairytale endings where "they all lived happily ever after". But Chance? He's not even convinced that love is something he ever *wants* to feel. His parents are the perfect example of a beautiful relationship, but Chance doesn't think he'll ever experience that for himself. When Lily and Chance meet, he's bowled over by her. She's a whirlwind, a breath of fresh air. She's not your typical "girl next door" and she isn't going to be an easy lay like the rest of the girls that throw themselves at his feet. Lily is intoxicating, captivating and he can't resist the urge to find out more about her, what makes her tick, what makes her laugh or cry. Lily is addicted to Chance like a junkie on crack. She's caught up in the romance of it all. The way he treats her, the way he makes her feel. What she doesn't anticipate is how much of a hole he'll leave in her life.
I fell for Chance hook, line and sinker. But then he pulled the rug out from under my feet and hurt that sweetheart of a girl. I felt he wasn't being truthful with himself and was emotionally stunted and closed off. They say women are the more emotional species and in the first half of this story, this was very true. Not knowing what the rest of the book had in store for me had me worried. Was Chance going to restore my faith in mankind or was he going to leave me with a gaping hole where my heart used to be? I say "me" and "my" because I made such an emotional connection with Lily that I felt like for a time, I was her. I ran a gamut of emotions and felt like one minute I was at the pinnacle of a rollercoaster, but the next I was in the dip after the adrenaline rush wears off and you realise that it was a brief experience of one of the highest highs. I almost wanted Lily to move on and marry a great guy, but there's something about first loves, they stay with you. Chance needed to redeem himself because he tore out my heart, put it through a wood chipper and then shoved it back into my chest cavity, broken and useless.
Did he redeem himself? Did he recapture Lily's heart? Did he ever open up to the idea of falling in love? That, my friends, you will have to find out for yourself. This book should come with a warning, so I'll give you one; grab a man size pack of Kleenex. Beware the tornado about to wreak havoc on your life as you live through Lily. I think she's amazing and I'm sure you will too.
If I hadn't already known, I wouldn't have been able to tell that this was a debut book. It flowed beautifully and the story was amazing. It really left me speechless that this was, in actual fact, this authors FIRST book. She captured the emotions of the college years so perfectly, but also the more grown up aspects of it. I loved the writing style. I found it to be unique and captivating, pretty much like Lily herself. Come and take a chance on Chance. I swear you won't regret it!
Home isn't a place, it's a feeling. That's just one of many amazing and inspirational quotes from this book. This book will make you believe in happily ever afters. That your hopes, wishes and dreams can all come true. I fell in love with Lily and Chance immediately. They have a very special love that is extremely rare. They definitely had bumps in the road and may have boarded a Rollercoaster or two but if you "trust the process" the end result can be EPIC. Anastasia Marie truly has a gift with words and those words will touch your heart and soul. Lucky will have you laughing till your sides hurt and crying till mascara runs down your face but every hurt and every tear will lead you on an amazing journey of love.
This book is an amazing read...just real life, real words, written plain and simple...every page is full of a glimpse into the story of these two characters...you are completely immersed into this book and hooked...until the end...there are sweet, sexy, and emotional times as well...I pick this as a best read of 2017 so far...
I have to admit this book has pulled at my heart strings in ways that is unthinkable. If there were more stars I would give more. Lily and Chance will have you wondering about what lies ahead for them. Will they ever connect? You need to read this book and find out!