by Julia Walton
Quick Overview:
Overall: 3.5
Characters: 4
Plot: 3
Writing: 4
~
First of all, I think Julia Walton has officially become an auto-buy author for me. Words of Bathroom Walls was one of my favorite books I read in 2020, and Just Our Luck was another fun, great read.
I adored Evey and Leo’s relationship. Friendly-ish rivals to lovers is an obscure trope that I simply ADORE and can never get enough of. Their banter, the awkward angst. Leo’s pining. I love it. Leo was such a relatable character. Some of the things he did kind of felt like a personal call out—but in the best way.
On a related note, Julia Walton’s portrayal of anxiety was one of my favorite that I’ve read. It was real and a part of the story without taking over the story or being sensationalized. It hit on all the ways it affects you and plays into your life. Leo and my anxiety presents in different ways, his triggers the fight response and mine the flight, but I still felt so seen in his character.
The plot, however, was wanting. Evey’s plot didn’t seem very well thought out, and everything seemed to fall apart in a very unsatisfactory way that felt disconnected from the lead up. Likewise, the “curse” was just such a weird aspect. Like it had the potential to make the book so much better, but it was barely touched on. It was mentioned in the beginning, brought up barely in passing in the middle and always made me go “what? Oh, right. There’s a curse.” And then tied up neatly in a bow at the end. It just didn’t tie into the story at all, and I felt like it even distracted from it. It definitely shouldn’t have been one of the major points mentioned in the blurb.
All in all, if you’re looking for a book that tackles mental health, Greek American culture, and a dash of romance—you should definitely pick up Just Our Luck.