New Release Review and Giveaway! CHASING LUCK by Brinda Berry (Serendipity #1)

Synopsis:

Sometimes surviving doesn’t feel lucky. Especially when you’re a sole survivor…

At the age of seven, Malerie walked away from a bombing that left hundreds dead—including her mother. When a crazed gunman kills her guardian on her eighteenth birthday, Malerie suspects there may be more to her survival than luck. A mysterious code holds the key to her future, and a reluctant white knight holds the key to her heart.

A loner wearing emotional armor…

Ace is a twenty-year-old entrepreneur focusing on two things in life: financial security and a life without ties. A life that doesn’t risk losing the ones who matter. When Ace is hired to secretly act as a bodyguard for Malerie, he faces an unwanted attraction that threatens to sabotage his heart. Can Ace find the courage to love a girl with a death wish?

Review:

Chasing Luck was an entertaining read with a likable hero and heroine. Ace (short for Achilles–how awesome is that?) and Malerie have a rocky start–which leads to much snarky conversation between the two. So fun to read! I’ve got about a page and a half of favorite highlighted lines, and they’re pretty much all antagonistic we’re-going-to-snipe-at-each-other-until-we-start-kissing dialogue.

Awesome.

Chasing Luck also has an intriguing mystery and a bit of a suspense plot–though be warned, it’s easy to forget about the suspense bit until bam! it’s right there in your face for the big finale. The mystery is pretty engrossing, especially since it too culminates in a pretty intense scene.

The romance is nicely done, and the sexytimes are pretty much closed door. No complaints here, because there’s a lot of simmering chemistry and delicious romantic tension along the way. Ace is Mal’s first, and there’s a nice touch of sweetness right before the big moment–a blow-by-blow description is definitely not needed. Plus, I can pass this one along to Mini Moe #2 and still feel like a decent mother. 😉

Not everything is explained in the end–I’m not sure the mystery of the boxes needed to be, so I was okay with that–but some explanation for the uncle’s decision to give them to her would have been nice. They apparently weren’t originally picked with her in mind (or were they???), so it would have been interesting to know why he had them commissioned in the first place and what significance (if any) there was to waiting until this particular birthday to give them to Mal.

That’s the only bit that truly felt like a loose end–though it did leave me curious (and there was a perfect vehicle for JT to explain it, but oh well…) it didn’t make me feel cheated to not have it explained.

I really enjoyed Mal and Ace’s story and am looking forward to reading Collin’s (book two: Tempting Fate ). Chasing Luck was a quick and satisfying read.

Rating: 4 stars / B+

I received a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.

Goodreads