by Marissa Meyer
ASIN/ISBN: 9781250618931
Publication: February 13, 2024
Series: Fortuna Beach #2

**I received a copy of the book from the publisher. I voluntarily read and reviewed it. All opinions are my own.** (This post was supposed to go up yesterday but my laptop decided it would not cooperate.)

Jude has been in love with the same girl for years. When luck is suddenly on his side, he musters enough courage to ask her out. As he spends more time with her, he also begins to realize how complicated feelings can be. Maya is more than he expected and they get along well, but he cannot seem to stop thinking about his best friend Ari.

With a Little Luck is a sweet YA romance infused with magical realism. It contains unrequited love and friends to lovers, both tropes I adore. I wondered how the different love lines would be handled, but Meyer does such a great job of infusing each with different emotions. There is just enough for the reader to glimpse what Jude is not yet aware of. The transition from one to the other is relatively seamless although I wished Jude would have discovered his feelings a lot sooner. I liked this one. It’s a cute read about young love that I definitely would have squeed more over if I was still in high school.

While the romance is a major focus of the novel, there are a few things I want to highlight.

• Jude is aware he and Maya are apart of different social circles: he’s a nerd and she’s popular. While he does try harder to be what he believes she wants, he still attempts to remain as true to himself as possible. It leads to some surprising discoveries, which I loved.
• Being lucky allows Jude to overcome his fear of asking Maya out. It’s initially helpful but overreliance on it leads to unwanted consequences. Ultimately, you have to trust yourself and take some things into your own hands. This is slowly teased out and I couldn’t be happier when Jude realizes this.
• Jude is in love with the most popular girl in school and realizes later that he could possibly have feelings for his best friend. It just reminded me how sometimes you do not see what’s in front of you. Also, there are times you have to get of your own way.

This book is perfect for individuals looking for a light YA romance.