The Good Luck Charm

Eight years ago, Ethan broke Lilah’s heart when broke up with her. Over the phone. They had been each other’s everything—childhood besties and high school lovers. But when Ethan got drafted into the NHL, he left her behind. Now he’s back and he wants her back, but she’s not the same girl he left behind and he has his work cut out for him. This had heartbreak, hope and fear of loss, as well as humor. At the core was the love of two souls who were broken apart and the seeking one another out. Tremendous read!

The story was what I have come to expect from this Author. It was emotional and funny. You could feel the emotional connection with Lilah and Ethan even when it was uncomfortable. Deep seated hurt feelings and regret are hard to overcome and Lilah wasn't sure she wanted to hear the whys. Once Ethan was able to have an uninterrupted moment to explain his thought process and reasons you could feel the instant the favor changes. This book had a few twists that were unexpected, however left you rooting for a HEA. Loved this story!!

Second chance sports romances are some of my absolute favorite stories to read, and ever since I was introduced to Helena Hunting’s books, I can’t get enough of her storytelling, writing, and characters, so the fact that Hunting’s newest release, Good Luck Charm, includes the tropes I love and is crafted by an author who never fails to entertain and indulge, I knew I was in for one great read. 8 years…that’s how long it’s been since childhood best friends and high school sweethearts, Ethan and Lilah, have seen each other after Ethan broke both their hearts, ending things between them just before he entered the NHL Draft, and while it would appear that they’ve both moved forward with their lives creating successful careers for themselves, none of their personal relationships have worked out because they gave their hearts to one another all those years ago. The circumstances that bring Ethan back home to Forest Lake, Minnesota, complicate his life and his future in significant ways, but Ethan’s biggest game changer is Lilah, which means coming face-to-face with the love of his life, the girl he gave up to follow his dreams, will either put even more pressure on his shoulders or allow him to make amends and work to win back her heart. What surprised me most about Ethan and Lilah’s story is the fact that, given their history and what they’re up against, it’s not as angst ridden as I thought it would be. Don’t get me wrong, there’s more than a fair share of drama and heightened emotions dominate many scenes throughout the story, but nothing is over-the-top, and for the most part, Ethan and Lilah work through things without overreacting and they find the words to say how they’re feeling, even if it’s not exactly what the other one wants to hear. I do have to admit that there were a few times in the story where Lilah’s reactions and actions frustrated me, and I felt like she wanted to blame Ethan for things that were very much in her control, even if he was constantly pursuing her and maybe pressuring things to move forward too quickly. I get that the love between them is intense and consuming and it’s easy to lose her own identity by focusing too much on Ethan, but she’s been an independent woman for the 8 years that Ethan was gone, so that balance she’s struggling with can be obtained, but she first has to acknowledge the real reason she keeps putting Ethan’s needs over her own. It’s absolutely essential to have Ethan’s point of view presented in Good Luck Charm. Being able to hear his internal musings and his true feelings about what happened when he gave Lilah up brings to light just how much he was affected by the break-up and why his feelings for her have never dissipated, regardless of his drive to achieve his goal of becoming a professional hockey player. Throughout the entire book, Ethan is working overtime to make up for the years he lost with Lilah, which more than proves he regrets how things ended and he’ll do anything to have her by his side forever. The secondary characters, especially Lilah’s sister, Carmen, and Ethan’s mom and dad play pivotal roles in the story line. They help the hero and heroine to work through their past, realize their mistakes, and figure out a way to move forward without allowing anyone or anything to get in their way, especially Lilah and Ethan themselves. I really enjoyed Good Luck Charm; the story is well paced; the characters are extremely likable and I’m all about couples getting a second chance at love, especially when it’s beyond clear that they belong together like Ethan and Lilah do. 4.5 Poison Apples (The Fairest of All Book Reviews)

I absolutely loved this book! Fun and flirty with past heartbreak to forgive and present and future love to share. Outstanding! And this can be read as a complete standalone. An awesome read!

"—an apology isn't going to change anything. He can never unbreak my heart." When I saw this cover I had no idea what deliciousness was lurking between the covers. If you are a fan of her #HockeyHotties then you are in for a treat, Ethan does not disappoint. But, I must confess, it's Lilah that I'm in love with. I want to have #SisterSleepovers and margaritas with her. The author managed to pull my heartstrings so tight they almost snapped while reading this amazing story. The intense and overwhelming young love that these high school sweethearts experienced set a bar that was impossible to match or exceed in the eight years after their breakup. And might I add that the devastation of sifting through the ashes afterward was a deterrent to Lilah's willingness to pick up where they left off. She has no desire to put herself in that position again. But as her coworker so accurately stated, she can't deny that he's an #EFF (Extra Fine and Fuckable). In case she wasn't sure, seeing him again confirmed that their chemistry was still there, stronger than ever. But she doesn't trust it, him, or herself. She's been burned and has learned her lesson about getting too close to the flames. Ethan broke both of their hearts by walking away from their love to pursue his career in professional hockey. She is his biggest regret and he wants a chance to make things right between them. He doesn't blame her for hating him. He deserves the misery he's feeling over her refusal to give him another chance. Will he be able to survive in the #FriendZoneas he attempts to earn her trust? Being around Ethan again is bittersweet. "Memories that I've worked to push down all these years keep breaking the surface, like the little bubbles in a glass of soda." Will she be able to push past the pain to give him another chance? Just when she's on the verge of risking her heart again she learns that he considers her to be the good luck charm that's responsible for his current winning streak. Knowing how superstitious athletes are about such things, she's devastated to realize that their relationship might be more about the game than their future. I became invested in this couple immediately. Being privy to their thoughts and feelings turned me into an emotional puddle of goo as I yearned for them to find their way back to each other. My heart ached for them. I wanted to reassure Ethan that he didn't have to choose, that he wouldn't have to lose the game or the girl, but I couldn't. Lilah might be a #SexualPsychic when came to Ethan, but he couldn't read her mind. Trust me, you don't want to miss out on this beautiful story. It will have you sighing and swooning and smiling. And, hopefully, we'll be seeing more of some of these amazing characters. I don't see a series name mentioned, but there are some very special support characters that are stories just waiting to be written. The line forms here...

The Good Luck Charm is nothing short of fantastic! This book had Helena Hunting written all over it and she nailed it with this second chance romance! Ethan and Lilah have known each other almost their entire lives, and like two pieces of a puzzle, just fit together so perfectly. Everything about their love was perfect and sexy, the two of them were complete fire. But when Ethan’s love of hockey sends him to the big leagues, their relationship comes to a crashing halt. A number of unfortunate incidents bring Ethan and Lilah back together, and it’s truly tough for Lilah to move past the heartache and see what could be. The Good Luck Charm captured my attention from the first page. Angst, love, sexiness, redemption and most of all, friendship, were just some of the emotions that poured out of this book. Ethan and Lilah were beautiful characters who showed what true love is. There is nothing better in this world than finding your soulmate <3

The Good Luck Charm is a complete standalone and while it does involve hockey, Helena did a great job making sure to make this story completely separate from what we have seen with the Pucked series. This book is slightly heavier than what we usually see from her, but there are some bits of humor sprinkled in at the right times. I find second chance romances interesting because I enjoy seeing how the characters run into one another again, how the past ties into the future, and what makes this go around better. And with strong dialogue and character depth Helena covers all of that in a very well thought out way. Definitely worth reading!

The Good Luck Charm is such a witty, sweet, and heartfelt romance. It is the fusion of some of my very favorite tropes. Sports romance - check Second Chance - check Childhood Friends to Lovers - check I was sucked right into Lilah and Ethan's story and couldn't wait to unravel their tangled history. You can feel the connection between these two immediately. 8 years may have passed, but it's clear that neither of them has truly forgotten the other. As the secrets of the past are revealed, my heart broke for all the lost time and pain these two caused each other. Though I wouldn't necessarily classify The Good Luck Charm as a romcom, there are still plenty of laughs and lighthearted moments to balance the more emotional scenes. I'll be honest that it took me a bit to warm up to Ethan. He seemed selfish and self serving for a good part of the book, and acted like he could just waltz right back into Lilah's life with some candy and a smirk. He's not fully to blame though since Lilah did enable his behavior for the most part (after some resistance), as a result of her own fears and insecurities. As the book progresses though, both characters mature and truly come into their own. I loved that Lilah recognized that they were headed down the wrong path and took steps (however painful) to create balance. As much as their past trauma and present day issues hurt my heart, I appreciated the honest portrayal of young and all consuming love and the message that in a relationship, both parties need to be fulfilled individually in addition to together. There were some fun secondary characters introduced in the book that I hope we will see more of in the future (ahem, Carmen and Noah!) and I wouldn't mind one bit if we ever got an extended epilogue ;) I really enjoyed this second chance romance and can't wait for everyone to fall for Lilah and Ethan too! 4.5 stars *I voluntarily read an advance reader copy of this book*