REVIEW: Lucky Girl by Cate Lord

Author: Cate Lord
Pages: 268

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Publisher: Entangled Publishing

Release Date: September 2011

Lucky Girl was kindly provided to me by Netgalley for Entangled Publishing

Synopsis (Goodreads)

Jessica Devlin isn’t looking for love. Heartbroken after being dumped by her unfaithful ex-fiancé, she’s determined to have a fabulous time during her vacation in England where she’ll be maid-of-honor at her cousin’s wedding. After working overtime as beauty editor of Orlando’s O Tart magazine, avoiding dating, and putting on ten pounds, Jess is ready to toss her past like an empty lipstick tube and party like a single gal.

But when she steps into the church on her cousin’s wedding day, she sees the one man who could sabotage her plan—James-Bond-gorgeous Nick Mondinello. She’s never forgotten the London marketing exec who held her in his arms after her beloved grandfather’s funeral two years ago. Ambitious, and lusted after by women everywhere, Nick is completely wrong for guarded, Plain Jane Jess.

Could Spy Man Nick ever fall for her? Nope. Not unless Jess is one lucky girl

REVIEW: 3 out of 5 stars

Lucky Girl was kindly provided to me by NetGalley for Entangled Publishing.

Jessica Devlin is fresh out of an engagement which left her heartbroken when she decides to take a much needed vacation from her Beauty Editor role for O Tart magazine in Orlando to attend her cousins wedding in London, acting in the role of Maid of Honor.

Jessica hadn't been to London since the passing of her grandfather two years prior where she met James-Bond-gorgeous Nick Mondinello who helped her out in an embarrassing situation, when she sights him in church as the Best Man, her insecurities return and she feels someone as good-looking as him could never want a plain Jane like herself.

Her ex-fiance left her doubting herself so she has vowed to have fun, party and leave all thoughts of the cheater ex behind, it is also a chance for her to unwind from putting in so many hours at the magazine. Jessica was a very real character, she had normal every day hang-ups about family, work, relationships and her body - I found it refreshing to read about someone not overly perfect or thin.

Lucky Girl was a story which showed the close bonds between family and friends, I enjoyed the relationship she shared with her cousins, her mother and of course Nick which didn’t happen until after a few misunderstandings.

What I didn’t like: I wish there wasn't so much emphasis and mention placed on Jessica's extra weight gain, at some stages I felt it was too repetitive -  the cover certainly doesn't reflect a woman with a few extra pounds. 
There was also way too much obsessing over Nick, it became tiresome, her reaction when she caught him in an awkward position with another woman when she had no claim to him was OTT (although it would be understandable if they were actually together as a couple but at this stage they weren’t).

All in all, an enjoyable, light, easy read which is well written, fun and quirky with plenty of humor and a nice HEA, I am pleased Jess was able to find love after getting her heart trampled and I also enjoyed their shared interest in Chicky Dee and Spy Man, their banter was sweet.

I will definitely look for more books written by Cate Lord in the future, she writes an engaging story.