St. Patrick’ Day 2024 is almost upon us, so I thought a little stroll through Ireland felt timely…
Summary: I wanted this to be real life, not a detour…
Addie is visiting Ireland for her aunt’s over-the-top destination wedding and hoping she can stop thinking about the one horrible thing that left her miserable and heartbroken — and threatens her future. But her brother, Ian, isn’t about to let her forget, and his constant needling leads to arguments and even a fistfight between the two once-inseparable siblings.
But when Addie discovers an unusual guidebook, Ireland for the Heartbroken, hidden in the dusty shelves of the hotel library, she’s finally able to escape her anxious mind — and Ian’s criticism.
And then their travel plans change. Suddenly Addie finds herself on a whirlwind tour of the Emerald Isle, trapped in the world’s smallest vehicle with Ian and his admittedly cute, Irish accented friend Rowan. As the trio journeys over breathtaking green hills, past countless castles, and through a number of fairy-tale forests, Addie hopes her guidebook will heal not only her broken heart, but also her shattered relationship with her brother. That is, if they don’t get completely lost along the way.
(Summary from book flap – Image from goodreads.com)
My Review: Love & Luck is the second book in a trio of ‘Girl Abroad’ stories written by Jenna Evans Welch — the first being Love & Gelato and the third, Love & Olives, neither of which I have read. I don’t normally read the second book in a series before the first, but as I’d already seen Love & Gelato on Netflix (before I knew it was a book), I figured I could skip ahead and be just fine. Also I’m a sucker for just about any story set in Ireland and didn’t want to wait.
Addie is fresh off a break-up and somewhat stuck in Ireland for her aunt’s destination wedding, when she finds a peculiar guidebook that all-but-guarantees it will heal her broken heart. She’s supposed to be headed to Italy to visit a friend, but when plans change Addie makes the best of a bad situation, grabs the guide, and tags along with her brother Ian and his friend Rowan on a once-in-a-lifetime tour of the Emerald Isle. Along the way, she and Rowan (who is nursing his own form of heartbreak) use the guidebook to complete a series of tasks designed to help travelers let go of the past, find their true selves, and move forward.
Love & Luck has an uplifting and empowering message of strength, love, and resilience. It was nice to see a YA book that focused more on repairing a familial relationship than seeking out a romantic one. I also enjoyed the ‘voice’ of the guidebook Addie found, which was insightful and humorous. Above all, I loved that the overall story was — GASP! — appropriate for the target age demographic, which feels hard to find these days.
While I appreciate the message of the book and I straight up adore the idea of traveling Eat, Pray, Love-style across the Irish countryside, the story and the ‘adventures’ contained therein didn’t quite meet my expectations. The descriptions of the Irish countryside weren’t as vivid as I expected and the story didn’t feel as monumentally life-changing as I hoped. As far as pace is concerned, it just, sort of, moseyed and I never felt hooked.
Long story short, this grand Irish adventure fell short of the mark for me. It scratched the surface of interesting and I loved the concept, but the story didn’t have enough depth for me to feel invested. However, I am not the target audience. A younger reader might not be bothered by the shallow(er) storyline and would certainly benefit from the message.
My Rating: 3.5 Stars
For the Sensitive Reader:
Language: A few instances of profanity.
Sexual Content: A little hand holding (M/F). Some discussion of the dangers of sexting.
