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Chance of a Lifetime #1
Beginner's Luck
When three friends impulsively buy a lottery ticket, they never suspect the many ways their lives will change—or that for each of them, love will be the biggest win of all.
Kit Averin is anything but a gambler. A scientist with a quiet, steady job at a university, Kit’s focus has always been maintaining the acceptable status quo. A sudden windfall doesn’t change that, with one exception: the fixer-upper she plans to buy, her first and only real home. It’s more than enough to keep her busy, until an unsettlingly handsome, charming, and determined corporate recruiter shows up in her lab—and manages to work his way into her heart...
Ben Tucker is surprised to find that the scientist he wants for Beaumont Materials is a young woman—and a beautiful, sharp-witted one at that. Talking her into a big-money position with his firm is harder than he expects, but he’s willing to put in the time, especially when sticking around for the summer gives him a chance to reconnect with his dad. But the longer he stays, the more questions he has about his own future—and who might be in it.
What begins as a chilly rebuff soon heats up into an attraction neither Kit nor Ben can deny—and finding themselves lucky in love might just be priceless...
Kit Averin is anything but a gambler. A scientist with a quiet, steady job at a university, Kit’s focus has always been maintaining the acceptable status quo. A sudden windfall doesn’t change that, with one exception: the fixer-upper she plans to buy, her first and only real home. It’s more than enough to keep her busy, until an unsettlingly handsome, charming, and determined corporate recruiter shows up in her lab—and manages to work his way into her heart...
Ben Tucker is surprised to find that the scientist he wants for Beaumont Materials is a young woman—and a beautiful, sharp-witted one at that. Talking her into a big-money position with his firm is harder than he expects, but he’s willing to put in the time, especially when sticking around for the summer gives him a chance to reconnect with his dad. But the longer he stays, the more questions he has about his own future—and who might be in it.
What begins as a chilly rebuff soon heats up into an attraction neither Kit nor Ben can deny—and finding themselves lucky in love might just be priceless...
246 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 31, 2017
About the author
Kate Clayborn
14 books3,799 followersKate Clayborn is the critically acclaimed author of six novels. Her work has been featured in The New York Times, The Washington Post, Oprah Magazine, Entertainment Weekly, Bookpage, and more. By day she works in education, and by night (and sometimes, by very early morning) she writes contemporary romances about smart, strong, modern heroines who face the world alongside true friends and complicated families. She resides in Virginia with her husband and their dog.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,051 reviews
January 16, 2023
I’m winning with my 2023 reads so far.
I don’t really know how to review this because emotions. They’re scattered but they’re also connected.
This reads like a small town romance, though it isn’t one. But the community of people we get introduced to in this story all felt so real and intimate and we get to know them up close and personal.
Not only do our main characters carry this story, but so do the side characters.
There are so many elements to explore that I don’t even know where to begin, but here’s a list of sorts of things I loved about this book:
• Our heroine, Kit, is longing for a place to call home. And when I say longing, I mean close to desperate. Obviously, this doesn’t come from nowhere. It stems back to what it always stems back to: childhood trauma. She’s had a rough upbringing.
• I love how much she loved her work, her friends, her brother, her loyalty, her caring nature.
• Seeing how much she hates change felt relatable.
• Our hero, Ben, not only shined because he’s the softest thing going, but his relationship with his dad was precious.
• Can we talk about River? 🥹 He’s someone that they take in after he’s found destroying Ben’s father’s car and the relationship that ensues between the three of them? I adored.
• The humour was great in this book!
• Kit and Ben. Ben and Kit.
• Clayborn’s writing swept me away.
• The junkyard of sorts that was Ben’s father’s business. He had a collection of all things collectibles.
• The house renovation segments.
• And so much more.
There was something really comforting about this story even though it was depressing at times. Our characters are going through a lot and you’re right there with them and quite frankly, these are the only types so stories I want to read.
I can’t wait, wait, to read more from Kate Clayborn.
Buddy-read with Dab! 💛
I don’t really know how to review this because emotions. They’re scattered but they’re also connected.
This reads like a small town romance, though it isn’t one. But the community of people we get introduced to in this story all felt so real and intimate and we get to know them up close and personal.
Not only do our main characters carry this story, but so do the side characters.
There are so many elements to explore that I don’t even know where to begin, but here’s a list of sorts of things I loved about this book:
• Our heroine, Kit, is longing for a place to call home. And when I say longing, I mean close to desperate. Obviously, this doesn’t come from nowhere. It stems back to what it always stems back to: childhood trauma. She’s had a rough upbringing.
• I love how much she loved her work, her friends, her brother, her loyalty, her caring nature.
• Seeing how much she hates change felt relatable.
• Our hero, Ben, not only shined because he’s the softest thing going, but his relationship with his dad was precious.
• Can we talk about River? 🥹 He’s someone that they take in after he’s found destroying Ben’s father’s car and the relationship that ensues between the three of them? I adored.
• The humour was great in this book!
• Kit and Ben. Ben and Kit.
• Clayborn’s writing swept me away.
• The junkyard of sorts that was Ben’s father’s business. He had a collection of all things collectibles.
• The house renovation segments.
• And so much more.
There was something really comforting about this story even though it was depressing at times. Our characters are going through a lot and you’re right there with them and quite frankly, these are the only types so stories I want to read.
I can’t wait, wait, to read more from Kate Clayborn.
Buddy-read with Dab! 💛
November 17, 2020
I'm giving this 5 stars for the sheer enjoyment, right-book(s!)-at-the-right-time factor.
I tore through the whole Chance of a Lifetime trilogy, about three friends whose lives are changed after they go in together to buy what turns out to be a lottery ticket, in a week—and had so much fun doing it.
This series opener centers Kit, a steady scientist who, because of her peripatetic childhood, wants to use her winnings to create a home for herself and develop roots in her community. So when Ben shows up in his role as recruiter her to entice her to leave it all behind and move to Texas ... well, it's a disaster of a meet cute. But as they keep talking, their connection grows.
I loved watching Ben and Kit work through their respective baggage over the course of the story. And this book had so many fun details: science labs! Local dives! Architectural salvage! I also appreciated the large cast of well-developed secondary characters; it really gives this book (and the whole trilogy) life.
(I gotta say, I prefer the updated ebook covers to the edition shown here on Goodreads.)
I tore through the whole Chance of a Lifetime trilogy, about three friends whose lives are changed after they go in together to buy what turns out to be a lottery ticket, in a week—and had so much fun doing it.
This series opener centers Kit, a steady scientist who, because of her peripatetic childhood, wants to use her winnings to create a home for herself and develop roots in her community. So when Ben shows up in his role as recruiter her to entice her to leave it all behind and move to Texas ... well, it's a disaster of a meet cute. But as they keep talking, their connection grows.
I loved watching Ben and Kit work through their respective baggage over the course of the story. And this book had so many fun details: science labs! Local dives! Architectural salvage! I also appreciated the large cast of well-developed secondary characters; it really gives this book (and the whole trilogy) life.
(I gotta say, I prefer the updated ebook covers to the edition shown here on Goodreads.)
December 9, 2018
Well...yay!
This feels like it belongs on that shelf with Act Like It or The Hating Game (if anything belongs on that shelf with the Hating Game) in terms of contemporary debuts. There were so many many great things about this book.
The heroine and her relationships: I'm including her relationship to her job, her friends, her town, her brother (they had me tearing up-sibling relationships are so crazy deep and this was well done IMO). What was wonderful is this all gave us a great idea of who Kit is. And who she wanted to be. And girl, I'm all for comfort zones and an ambition of having a stable, content life. That said, it was truly wonderful how this STEM heroine was portrayed, for that piece wasn't at all glossed over and I even noticed subtle and wonderful things by the author--For example, there was no assumption by the hero that a doctor was male-and then the heroine describes her-things like this make me giddy. It is a sign of a wonderful feminist author. I lamented a few weeks ago about someone telling us how competent a STEM heroine was (again!) and how a book tried to have such a feminist feel that it actually weakened this point for me. This was not the case in Beginner's Luck. Our heroine is competent, and they continually show us.
So the secondary characters were all wonderful and I want to befriend every one of them. I cannot wait to read on for the next installment of (or maybe the one after that as I have high hopes for Greer)
And then there's the hero. And the hero's dad. And the hero's, well everything felt very purposeful here too. He had me when he told her upon first meeting "I like you." And that first kiss..whew...He's not perfect. He holds his hopes and wants close, but it is clear from the outset that he begins to care deeply about Kit. He humors and even adores her friends for being who they are to her, he LISTENS. I kept finding myself thinking how adored that makes people feel to have someone who pays such careful attention to them. And there's that heartbreaking fuck-up
Maybe I should've come down from this book a bit, it was such a delightful surprise (despite two reviewers I follow closely adoring it as well!). My review feels unfocused and gushy, but it just makes me so happy to read a great book with excellent secondary characters and a love story that feels totally fresh.
This feels like it belongs on that shelf with Act Like It or The Hating Game (if anything belongs on that shelf with the Hating Game) in terms of contemporary debuts. There were so many many great things about this book.
The heroine and her relationships: I'm including her relationship to her job, her friends, her town, her brother (they had me tearing up-sibling relationships are so crazy deep and this was well done IMO). What was wonderful is this all gave us a great idea of who Kit is. And who she wanted to be. And girl, I'm all for comfort zones and an ambition of having a stable, content life. That said, it was truly wonderful how this STEM heroine was portrayed, for that piece wasn't at all glossed over and I even noticed subtle and wonderful things by the author--For example, there was no assumption by the hero that a doctor was male-and then the heroine describes her-things like this make me giddy. It is a sign of a wonderful feminist author. I lamented a few weeks ago about someone telling us how competent a STEM heroine was (again!) and how a book tried to have such a feminist feel that it actually weakened this point for me. This was not the case in Beginner's Luck. Our heroine is competent, and they continually show us.
So the secondary characters were all wonderful and I want to befriend every one of them. I cannot wait to read on for the next installment of (or maybe the one after that as I have high hopes for Greer)
And then there's the hero. And the hero's dad. And the hero's, well everything felt very purposeful here too. He had me when he told her upon first meeting "I like you." And that first kiss..whew...He's not perfect. He holds his hopes and wants close, but it is clear from the outset that he begins to care deeply about Kit. He humors and even adores her friends for being who they are to her, he LISTENS. I kept finding myself thinking how adored that makes people feel to have someone who pays such careful attention to them. And there's that heartbreaking fuck-up
Maybe I should've come down from this book a bit, it was such a delightful surprise (despite two reviewers I follow closely adoring it as well!). My review feels unfocused and gushy, but it just makes me so happy to read a great book with excellent secondary characters and a love story that feels totally fresh.
June 15, 2022
This was my third book by Kate Clayborn and I enjoyed it! Sweet, hot and fun with great secondary characters (who I can't wait to meet) and some thought provoking topics on family, ambition and addiction.
🔬🔬🔬🔬
🔬🔬🔬🔬
May 2, 2018
Well crap. I finished this and forgot to review it for a week or so. Fortunately, the couple stands out and the situation was unique enough that I retain at least some details.
I liked the main couple very much throughout most of the novel. Ben's conflict of interest was interesting because he had some big career plans riding on convincing Kit to join his company—an act that would require major changes for her, including upsetting the comfy little nest that had been years in the making. Which means that Kit's motivation should have been a huge pile of negative*. It wasn't, and this book could stand as a textbook for how a subtle shift can alter negative motivation into positive impulses that drive plot. You see, it isn't just that she doesn't want to do things and just wants everything to stay the same. Rather, Kit is motivated by the need for stability and safety that she lacked growing up. She wants a steady home and is loyal to her employer because she needs that security. In other words, her comfort is carefully crafted and guarded and is a result of both thought and effort. Even better, because her motivation isn't based on "no", she is capable of considering Ben's offer through the lens of her motivational need and arises naturally out of who she is and doesn't require either breaking out of a rut or falling back into one. Because she isn't in a rut at all.
And I'll admit this is a subtle read of a phenomenon that is already subtle to begin with. But I think it holds. At any rate, Clayborn does a fantastic job with the characterization for this story. Until the end. Where she loses a ton sympathy and drops a star or more.
Actually, Clayborn sets up Ben's broken response relatively well because we can see him making choices that put a subtle barrier between himself and Kit that eventually blows up in his face. And I hated the hints even more than I hated the great misunderstanding that it eventually lead to. And I really, really hated the decision by everybody not to talk to anybody else. They had done so unstereotypically well with communication to that point. They had reached a level of understanding that I practically wallowed in. So having that yanked out from under me at the last moment kind of sucked. A lot.
So this ends with a really weak 3½ stars that I'm rounding down even though Kit(!) pulls off an excellent grand gesture . . . eventually.
A note about Steamy: While I remember the details about stuff I wanted to mention in a review, I forget how much steam this actually had. I remember thinking it was the middle of my steam tolerance. So a couple explicit sex scenes of moderate length? Maybe?
* Negative Motivations: I kind of hate that the term "negative motivation" isn't widespread, yet. Since it isn't, I'm going to save off this little jag to append to my reviews that feature the term. Jennifer Crusie blogged about it a bit back and it changed how I understand story. The problem with the term is that if you've never heard it before, you'd assume it meant motivations that are harmful or immoral. Not so. What it refers to is motivations not to do something. The thing is that many of us are motivated to not do things for a lot of different, perfectly valid and reasonable, reasons. The problem is that in a story motivations to not do things are a huge drag on the plot—particularly considering the fact that most negative motivations are overcome by the character simply deciding they don't care any more (or, rather, that they do care and are now motivated to do the thing). So not only do you have a counter to action but you also have a situation where to overcome it, all a character has to do is change their mind. Which means eventually, the reader is rooting for the character to get over him/herself already and do the thing we want them to do. Conflict drives story. Conflict between a reader and a main character drives readers away from story.
I liked the main couple very much throughout most of the novel. Ben's conflict of interest was interesting because he had some big career plans riding on convincing Kit to join his company—an act that would require major changes for her, including upsetting the comfy little nest that had been years in the making. Which means that Kit's motivation should have been a huge pile of negative*. It wasn't, and this book could stand as a textbook for how a subtle shift can alter negative motivation into positive impulses that drive plot. You see, it isn't just that she doesn't want to do things and just wants everything to stay the same. Rather, Kit is motivated by the need for stability and safety that she lacked growing up. She wants a steady home and is loyal to her employer because she needs that security. In other words, her comfort is carefully crafted and guarded and is a result of both thought and effort. Even better, because her motivation isn't based on "no", she is capable of considering Ben's offer through the lens of her motivational need and arises naturally out of who she is and doesn't require either breaking out of a rut or falling back into one. Because she isn't in a rut at all.
And I'll admit this is a subtle read of a phenomenon that is already subtle to begin with. But I think it holds. At any rate, Clayborn does a fantastic job with the characterization for this story. Until the end. Where she loses a ton sympathy and drops a star or more.
Actually, Clayborn sets up Ben's broken response relatively well because we can see him making choices that put a subtle barrier between himself and Kit that eventually blows up in his face. And I hated the hints even more than I hated the great misunderstanding that it eventually lead to. And I really, really hated the decision by everybody not to talk to anybody else. They had done so unstereotypically well with communication to that point. They had reached a level of understanding that I practically wallowed in. So having that yanked out from under me at the last moment kind of sucked. A lot.
So this ends with a really weak 3½ stars that I'm rounding down even though Kit(!) pulls off an excellent grand gesture . . . eventually.
A note about Steamy: While I remember the details about stuff I wanted to mention in a review, I forget how much steam this actually had. I remember thinking it was the middle of my steam tolerance. So a couple explicit sex scenes of moderate length? Maybe?
* Negative Motivations: I kind of hate that the term "negative motivation" isn't widespread, yet. Since it isn't, I'm going to save off this little jag to append to my reviews that feature the term. Jennifer Crusie blogged about it a bit back and it changed how I understand story. The problem with the term is that if you've never heard it before, you'd assume it meant motivations that are harmful or immoral. Not so. What it refers to is motivations not to do something. The thing is that many of us are motivated to not do things for a lot of different, perfectly valid and reasonable, reasons. The problem is that in a story motivations to not do things are a huge drag on the plot—particularly considering the fact that most negative motivations are overcome by the character simply deciding they don't care any more (or, rather, that they do care and are now motivated to do the thing). So not only do you have a counter to action but you also have a situation where to overcome it, all a character has to do is change their mind. Which means eventually, the reader is rooting for the character to get over him/herself already and do the thing we want them to do. Conflict drives story. Conflict between a reader and a main character drives readers away from story.
February 23, 2023
I can see why so many enjoyed this fun sweet read.
Give this a whirl if you’re looking for a strong woman in STEM without rehashing Kylo/Ren *again* and/or boob swallowing + inner mouth licking 🥴
(I obvs still cannot get over these descriptions iykyk 🤦)
I really liked that Kit knew what she did and did not want from her career + how Ben respected this when they get to know one another. She was adorkable in how she geeks out over metals & microscopes - so cool to see on page.
As someone in a similar role in work (altho I'm not smart enough for STEM) I love seeing this representation of ambition; it is healthy to like the work you do and not feel the need for more just because society sometimes makes you feel like you should always keep pushing. There's more to life than work - especially if you've found a good work/life balance and stability 🤗
(I'm working on resetting these boundaries for myself)
The third act was an interesting spin even if I saw part of it coming. I would have liked a scene of reconciliation or to get J's thoughts on the way things shake out. This made the ending feel a little rushed for me yet weirdly the separation seemed somewhat drawn out at the same time - I cannot quite put my finger on it...I had been toying with rating this 4.25* but going to stick with a straight 4*
I loved all the scenes around the salvage yard and the house refurbishing storyline, I lowkey hoped that multi-coloured chandelier thing would make a reappearance – sounded fab!
Henry & River are such favs and I am excite to see what’s to come for the BFFs especially Greer as I have an inkling as to who her beau will be but up first - Zoe 😇
Thankfully my hold came through on book2 already, so my weekend is looking even better now 😎
Give this a whirl if you’re looking for a strong woman in STEM without rehashing Kylo/Ren *again* and/or boob swallowing + inner mouth licking 🥴
(I obvs still cannot get over these descriptions iykyk 🤦)
I really liked that Kit knew what she did and did not want from her career + how Ben respected this when they get to know one another. She was adorkable in how she geeks out over metals & microscopes - so cool to see on page.
As someone in a similar role in work (altho I'm not smart enough for STEM) I love seeing this representation of ambition; it is healthy to like the work you do and not feel the need for more just because society sometimes makes you feel like you should always keep pushing. There's more to life than work - especially if you've found a good work/life balance and stability 🤗
(I'm working on resetting these boundaries for myself)
The third act was an interesting spin even if I saw part of it coming. I would have liked a scene of reconciliation or to get J's thoughts on the way things shake out. This made the ending feel a little rushed for me yet weirdly the separation seemed somewhat drawn out at the same time - I cannot quite put my finger on it...I had been toying with rating this 4.25* but going to stick with a straight 4*
I loved all the scenes around the salvage yard and the house refurbishing storyline, I lowkey hoped that multi-coloured chandelier thing would make a reappearance – sounded fab!
Henry & River are such favs and I am excite to see what’s to come for the BFFs especially Greer as I have an inkling as to who her beau will be but up first - Zoe 😇
Thankfully my hold came through on book2 already, so my weekend is looking even better now 😎
March 24, 2018
Quick and dirty review because it's midnight and I am le tired.
This book has been highly rec'd in my feed for a while now and did it measure up in giving me a well-written romance, from a debut author!, that was both smart, sexy, sweet, and engaging? Yes on pretty much all counts. I'll admit that I struggled with Kit basically throughout the whole story but could appreciate that Clayborn created this kind of heroine; a woman who is all brains and a little (lot) emotionally bruised. I liked that about her. I liked that she was hesitant, yet unapologetically intelligent, but also confused about ambition, longing for stability. But she was also snappish, and jumped to conclusions, and standoffish and it's like everything I liked about her had an opposite that made me dislike her.
As for Ben.. yes, all aboard the Ben train, I am. He wasn't perfect but I felt for him in a completely different way. I respected how self-aware he was, even when he didn't say the right thing at the right time, or open up, and that made me forgive him more than I could forgive Kit.
Combined they were their best selves, I think, and I absolutely adored that despite the insta-attraction these two had, there was a solid foundation of friendship that was built up first.
The supporting cast really won me over, too, and helped keep this read enjoyable when one half of the main characters made it less so. I loved every additional personality included in BEGINNER'S LUCK, except maybe Jasper, and all the dynamics that made up the story; especially the tender and hilariously delightful relationship between Ben and his dad. Beyond the writing and well-drawn hero, it's those personas that have me excited for more from this series.
This book has been highly rec'd in my feed for a while now and did it measure up in giving me a well-written romance, from a debut author!, that was both smart, sexy, sweet, and engaging? Yes on pretty much all counts. I'll admit that I struggled with Kit basically throughout the whole story but could appreciate that Clayborn created this kind of heroine; a woman who is all brains and a little (lot) emotionally bruised. I liked that about her. I liked that she was hesitant, yet unapologetically intelligent, but also confused about ambition, longing for stability. But she was also snappish, and jumped to conclusions, and standoffish and it's like everything I liked about her had an opposite that made me dislike her.
As for Ben.. yes, all aboard the Ben train, I am. He wasn't perfect but I felt for him in a completely different way. I respected how self-aware he was, even when he didn't say the right thing at the right time, or open up, and that made me forgive him more than I could forgive Kit.
Combined they were their best selves, I think, and I absolutely adored that despite the insta-attraction these two had, there was a solid foundation of friendship that was built up first.
The supporting cast really won me over, too, and helped keep this read enjoyable when one half of the main characters made it less so. I loved every additional personality included in BEGINNER'S LUCK, except maybe Jasper, and all the dynamics that made up the story; especially the tender and hilariously delightful relationship between Ben and his dad. Beyond the writing and well-drawn hero, it's those personas that have me excited for more from this series.
January 25, 2024
Ugh, I CANNOT with how much I love this book!!!!
I've been having a really stressful month and I needed a comfort reread, the warmest, coziest possible romance, something outside of the rom-com realm but also very far away from any kind of angst. Enter the one, the only, the great Kate Clayborn.
Kate is famous for her latest novels, Love Lettering and Love at First, which I LOVE, but her Chance of a Lifetime series is so underrated and I find so much joy in it.
The premise of the series is that three best friends buy a lottery ticket together and win the jackpot. They each get enough money that they can change the course of their lives, but not so much that they can just kick back in the Maldives and never work again.
The heroine of this first book, Kit Averin, is a brilliant scientist who's very overqualified for her position as a lab tech, which doesn't faze her at all, since she completely loves her job and her life in the somewhat small town of Barden, Virginia. Her lottery money went towards buying a beautiful, if dilapidated, historic house, her lifelong dream of stability and sameness finally within reach.
Enter Ben Tucker, a gorgeous recruiter – essentially a sports agent for scientists – tasked with convincing Kit to leave her beloved job + house + friends + city in order to move to Texas and work for his company, Beaumont.
Kit has a hard time handling any kind of change in her life due to her unstable childhood and is very much not interested in taking the job, which leads her and Ben to have a very fiery, somewhat combative dynamic from the start. Ben has his own personal reasons, as well as strictly professional ones, for wanting Kit to take the offer, and his approach is pretty much relentless – yet very smooth after he gets his shit together, lol.
Ben and Kit fall in love gradually, through his convincing speeches as to why she should upend her entire life for Beaumont and also through his helping her restore her new house, since his dad owns a salvage yard full of unique, historic pieces.
The supporting characters are incredible and fully fleshed out, and Kit's best friends – who are the heroines of the next books – are amazing. I could go on and on, honestly.
This is one of my favorite books. Every interaction Kit and Ben have gives me butterflies, plus Kate's voice is so precise and lyrical and beautiful. This is the perfect book to wind down with, and I can't wait to reread it – again! – soon.
I've been having a really stressful month and I needed a comfort reread, the warmest, coziest possible romance, something outside of the rom-com realm but also very far away from any kind of angst. Enter the one, the only, the great Kate Clayborn.
Kate is famous for her latest novels, Love Lettering and Love at First, which I LOVE, but her Chance of a Lifetime series is so underrated and I find so much joy in it.
The premise of the series is that three best friends buy a lottery ticket together and win the jackpot. They each get enough money that they can change the course of their lives, but not so much that they can just kick back in the Maldives and never work again.
The heroine of this first book, Kit Averin, is a brilliant scientist who's very overqualified for her position as a lab tech, which doesn't faze her at all, since she completely loves her job and her life in the somewhat small town of Barden, Virginia. Her lottery money went towards buying a beautiful, if dilapidated, historic house, her lifelong dream of stability and sameness finally within reach.
Enter Ben Tucker, a gorgeous recruiter – essentially a sports agent for scientists – tasked with convincing Kit to leave her beloved job + house + friends + city in order to move to Texas and work for his company, Beaumont.
Kit has a hard time handling any kind of change in her life due to her unstable childhood and is very much not interested in taking the job, which leads her and Ben to have a very fiery, somewhat combative dynamic from the start. Ben has his own personal reasons, as well as strictly professional ones, for wanting Kit to take the offer, and his approach is pretty much relentless – yet very smooth after he gets his shit together, lol.
Ben and Kit fall in love gradually, through his convincing speeches as to why she should upend her entire life for Beaumont and also through his helping her restore her new house, since his dad owns a salvage yard full of unique, historic pieces.
The supporting characters are incredible and fully fleshed out, and Kit's best friends – who are the heroines of the next books – are amazing. I could go on and on, honestly.
This is one of my favorite books. Every interaction Kit and Ben have gives me butterflies, plus Kate's voice is so precise and lyrical and beautiful. This is the perfect book to wind down with, and I can't wait to reread it – again! – soon.
January 17, 2023
First of all thank you Warda for buddy reading this with me, it was so much fun 😊
Second, I’d like to make it clear that I’m in love with Ben Tucker. ❤️
Here, I said it, we can move on to the actual book review.
Kit had never had a real home, so when a bought on a whim lottery ticket makes her a millionaire, a house is her most important purchase. She loves her job, her friends and the town, as well as the sense of security that being part of a community gives her.
So when a handsome stranger offers her a job in another state she doesn’t consider saying yes even for a second.
Ben knows that Kit would be an excellent asset to his company and he is determined to convince her to accept the offer. However, since he hadn’t made the best first impression, he needs to amend that before all else. Conveniently he just happens to have the know-how and resources to help her out with her fixer upper…
I’m not sure I can even express how much I enjoyed this story and how much I admired Kit’s spirit and dedication to build a life on her own terms. And Ben my man? He was so perfect!!! He noticed immediately how brilliant Kit was, and he was so proud of her and supportive 🫠🥰 On top of that, there’s something incredibly sexy about a man who can fix everything around the house😍
What I didn’t love? Yep, you guessed it right, the unnecessary events of the third act breakup… Ben did not deserve it, people! 😭😤
But I’m afraid I have to let it slide because all in all I absolutely adored this book. So 4.5 stars rounding up because of all the feels!
Second, I’d like to make it clear that I’m in love with Ben Tucker. ❤️
Here, I said it, we can move on to the actual book review.
Kit had never had a real home, so when a bought on a whim lottery ticket makes her a millionaire, a house is her most important purchase. She loves her job, her friends and the town, as well as the sense of security that being part of a community gives her.
So when a handsome stranger offers her a job in another state she doesn’t consider saying yes even for a second.
Ben knows that Kit would be an excellent asset to his company and he is determined to convince her to accept the offer. However, since he hadn’t made the best first impression, he needs to amend that before all else. Conveniently he just happens to have the know-how and resources to help her out with her fixer upper…
I’m not sure I can even express how much I enjoyed this story and how much I admired Kit’s spirit and dedication to build a life on her own terms. And Ben my man? He was so perfect!!! He noticed immediately how brilliant Kit was, and he was so proud of her and supportive 🫠🥰 On top of that, there’s something incredibly sexy about a man who can fix everything around the house😍
What I didn’t love? Yep, you guessed it right, the unnecessary events of the third act breakup… Ben did not deserve it, people! 😭😤
But I’m afraid I have to let it slide because all in all I absolutely adored this book. So 4.5 stars rounding up because of all the feels!
April 14, 2019
2.5 stars
I did a buddy read for this one, so for all my thoughts, comments, and quotes (plus you get the insight from someone who really loved this) - Buddy Read Beginner's Luck
So, right off the bat, I have to say, this is written in first person pov with dueling chapters from the heroine and hero and in present tense. I am not the biggest fan of either, especially romance in present tense, this obviously, hurt my enjoyment of the story. If you don't have such qualms, then your mileage with vary.
This was a little slower pace with a very good realness tone to it. Our hero and heroine, Ben and Kit, deal with real life issues regarding trust, bitterness, pain, and hurt. Ben's stems from his mother leaving him to be mostly raised by his dad and Kit's from her father being an alcoholic with a gambling problem.
I was a little shocked, because of how the series synopsis seemed to highlight that Kit and her two friends won the lottery, how much it wasn't a focus. Kit buys a house to fix up and it gives her the money to do that, which in the prologue, we know Kit wants.
The feel of the story gave a strong women's fiction but if women's fiction focused on a hero as much as heroine. The friendship between Kit and her two friends was lovely to read about. Like I said, this deals with real life issues. I felt like the story ended up feeling a little uneven to me because of how it was hard for me to get into in the beginning, then the slower middle, and then the last 30% was fast moving with a Big Misunderstanding, family drama, and relationship upheaval.
A lot of people loved this story and I ended up bumping it up a star because of a wonderfully written emotional moment and generally the last 30% was heartaching emotion. If you don't mind first person and present tense, you'll probably want to check this one out.
I did a buddy read for this one, so for all my thoughts, comments, and quotes (plus you get the insight from someone who really loved this) - Buddy Read Beginner's Luck
So, right off the bat, I have to say, this is written in first person pov with dueling chapters from the heroine and hero and in present tense. I am not the biggest fan of either, especially romance in present tense, this obviously, hurt my enjoyment of the story. If you don't have such qualms, then your mileage with vary.
This was a little slower pace with a very good realness tone to it. Our hero and heroine, Ben and Kit, deal with real life issues regarding trust, bitterness, pain, and hurt. Ben's stems from his mother leaving him to be mostly raised by his dad and Kit's from her father being an alcoholic with a gambling problem.
I was a little shocked, because of how the series synopsis seemed to highlight that Kit and her two friends won the lottery, how much it wasn't a focus. Kit buys a house to fix up and it gives her the money to do that, which in the prologue, we know Kit wants.
The feel of the story gave a strong women's fiction but if women's fiction focused on a hero as much as heroine. The friendship between Kit and her two friends was lovely to read about. Like I said, this deals with real life issues. I felt like the story ended up feeling a little uneven to me because of how it was hard for me to get into in the beginning, then the slower middle, and then the last 30% was fast moving with a Big Misunderstanding, family drama, and relationship upheaval.
A lot of people loved this story and I ended up bumping it up a star because of a wonderfully written emotional moment and generally the last 30% was heartaching emotion. If you don't mind first person and present tense, you'll probably want to check this one out.
January 15, 2019
I really just enjoyed this. The narration was great. I loved the characters. Kit and Ben were well suited and well drawn. It was just so good. One of the best contemporaries that I have read. Can’t wait to read/listen to more in this series.
July 15, 2021
Sweet and and a bit sappy with main characters that are annoyingly gorgeous and predictable. I needed a mindless novel and this was certainly it.
June 7, 2024
Review from 2018
B+ for both narration and content, so that's a solid 4.5 stars
Kate Clayborn’s Chance of a Lifetime series is a trilogy about three friends who, on impulse, buy a lottery ticket and end up winning the jackpot. The books published so far – Beginner’s Luck and Luck of the Draw (the final book, Best of Luck, will be released in November) – have been highly recommended, and that, together with the combined appeal of two experienced narrators who have both received praise at AudioGals decided me on giving this one a try. I’m glad I did; Beginner’s Luck is an enjoyable, sexy romance between complex, well-defined characters who grow as individuals throughout the story; there’s a small but fully-rounded secondary cast and the various relationships – friendship and familial – are skilfully drawn.
Ekaterina – Kit – Averin is pretty happy with her life. She has a job she enjoys at the local university, good friends she loves… and although she wishes she was able to see a bit more of her older brother Alex, a globe-trotting photographer, life is good. After the lottery win, she decides to use some of her money to obtain something she’s always desperately wanted, but never really had – a home. Her mother left when Kit was a baby and her father was – is – addicted to alcohol and gambling, so her childhood wasn’t particularly stable. Alex, who is her half-brother, was only five at the time her mother left, but he took on the responsibility of caring for Kit and pretty much raised her. Now, Kit craves stability and wants to make herself a home; she falls in love with an old house in need of a lot of TLC and refurbishment and buys it.
Ben Tucker grew up in the same town, but after a bit of a tumultuous young adulthood, left as soon as he was able and now lives in Houston, where he works for a large pharmaceutical company as a head-hunter. He doesn’t return home to Barden often, but his father has recently broken his leg in a fall and Ben takes leave from his job to help care for him, which also provides Ben with the opportunity to approach a local scientist that Beaumont Materials is interested in recruiting for their research and development department.
On arrival at the university lab where E. Averin works, Ben realises he’s gone into the situation woefully unprepared, because said E. Averin is obviously annoyed by his unexpected visit, not at all receptive to the idea of moving from academia to the private sector… and a lovely young woman to boot. She’s prickly and highly intelligent and makes clear her disinterest in his offer right away, sending Ben away with a flea in his ear – but he can’t stop thinking about her afterwards. Even though he’s got his hands full looking after his father and helping to run the family business – a salvage yard that specialises in furniture, building materials and household fittings – he decides he owes Kit an apology for his behaviour when they met and also sets about finding out as much about her as he can.
Kit hasn’t been able to put Ben out of her mind either, no matter how annoyed she was at his attitude and assumptions she’d be keen to turn her back on everything she knows and loves. So what if he was the handsomest man she’s ever seen? Men like him are overbearing, presumptuous and ruthless, just like the sorts of corporations he represents. But still, when a package from Ben arrives at the lab, she can’t help but be curious to see what it contains – and is surprised to discover it’s an apology. An incredibly thoughtful apology. The box contains a couple of drawer handles that will match the rest of the ones on one of her old lab cabinets, the originals having long-since fallen off or broken. Kit can’t help but be touched by the gift and impulsively calls Ben to thank him; and it’s this call and the fact that Ben’s family business deals in exactly the sorts of things Kit is going to need to fix up her new house that provides the springboard for their romance. Even though Kit is still somewhat suspicious about Ben’s motives for helping her, those start to melt away as they begin spending more and more time together and getting to know each other better. The romance is really well done; Ben and Kit become friends before they become lovers and the warmth and affection between them is genuine and palpable.
But of course, the elephant in the room isn’t going to stay in quietly in the corner forever, no matter how hard they try to ignore it. With his Dad well on the road to recovery, Ben is going to have to return to Houston soon – but Kit has no interest in leaving her job and certainly not her new home… can they make a long-distance relationship work while they figure out what comes next?
Beginner’s Luck is a warm, sexy and thoroughly entertaining romance between two attractive, relatable characters who aren’t perfect but whose obvious love and affection for each other is ultimately going to carry them through. Kit is super smart, dedicated, loyal and loving, and Ben, oh, Ben is a total dreamboat. He’s thoughtful and caring, and somewhat bewildered at all the feelings Kit is evoking in him, and when he falls, he falls hard. The only reason I’ve not given this one a higher content grade is that I wasn’t wild about the Big Mis the author throws in near the end, and about the way Kit treats Ben while she’s labouring under that misapprehension. She does redeem herself, and the eventual HEA is simply wonderful, but I hate eleventh-hour contrivances, and had to knock off half a grade because of it.
I’ve listened to Will Damron before, and although Carly Robins is new-to-me, she’s received some positive reviews from my fellow Gals so I was fairly confident I was in for an enjoyable listen all round. Ms. Robins has an attractive, nicely-modulated voice pitched in the mid-range, so she’s suitably convincing when delivering Ben’s dialogue at a slightly lower pitch, and I liked the gravelly, grouchy note she adopts to portray Henry, Ben’s father. Her character differentiation is good all-round; Kit, Zoe and Greer are easy to tell apart (even though I found the sort of “surfer-girl” accent she gives to Zoe a bit irritating!) as are the various secondary characters who add colour and depth to the story. Mr. Damron is equally adept in terms of pacing, characterisation and differentiation; he’s able to portray the various female characters believably and does a great job of conveying the warmth and affection in the relationship between Ben and Henry. Both narrators are as proficient at bringing out the more humorous aspects of the dialogue as they are in the more emotional and intimate moments and love scenes; as a narrator team, they’re very well-matched (there’s nothing worse than a dual narration where one narrator isn’t as good as the other) and I thoroughly enjoyed listening to them.
If I hadn’t known in advance, I’d never have pegged Beginner’s Luck for Kate Clayborn’s début novel. It’s beautifully written and characterised, the romance is sigh-worthy and Ben is a hero to die for. The expert narration provides a strong argument for picking up the series in audio.
B+ for both narration and content, so that's a solid 4.5 stars
Kate Clayborn’s Chance of a Lifetime series is a trilogy about three friends who, on impulse, buy a lottery ticket and end up winning the jackpot. The books published so far – Beginner’s Luck and Luck of the Draw (the final book, Best of Luck, will be released in November) – have been highly recommended, and that, together with the combined appeal of two experienced narrators who have both received praise at AudioGals decided me on giving this one a try. I’m glad I did; Beginner’s Luck is an enjoyable, sexy romance between complex, well-defined characters who grow as individuals throughout the story; there’s a small but fully-rounded secondary cast and the various relationships – friendship and familial – are skilfully drawn.
Ekaterina – Kit – Averin is pretty happy with her life. She has a job she enjoys at the local university, good friends she loves… and although she wishes she was able to see a bit more of her older brother Alex, a globe-trotting photographer, life is good. After the lottery win, she decides to use some of her money to obtain something she’s always desperately wanted, but never really had – a home. Her mother left when Kit was a baby and her father was – is – addicted to alcohol and gambling, so her childhood wasn’t particularly stable. Alex, who is her half-brother, was only five at the time her mother left, but he took on the responsibility of caring for Kit and pretty much raised her. Now, Kit craves stability and wants to make herself a home; she falls in love with an old house in need of a lot of TLC and refurbishment and buys it.
Ben Tucker grew up in the same town, but after a bit of a tumultuous young adulthood, left as soon as he was able and now lives in Houston, where he works for a large pharmaceutical company as a head-hunter. He doesn’t return home to Barden often, but his father has recently broken his leg in a fall and Ben takes leave from his job to help care for him, which also provides Ben with the opportunity to approach a local scientist that Beaumont Materials is interested in recruiting for their research and development department.
On arrival at the university lab where E. Averin works, Ben realises he’s gone into the situation woefully unprepared, because said E. Averin is obviously annoyed by his unexpected visit, not at all receptive to the idea of moving from academia to the private sector… and a lovely young woman to boot. She’s prickly and highly intelligent and makes clear her disinterest in his offer right away, sending Ben away with a flea in his ear – but he can’t stop thinking about her afterwards. Even though he’s got his hands full looking after his father and helping to run the family business – a salvage yard that specialises in furniture, building materials and household fittings – he decides he owes Kit an apology for his behaviour when they met and also sets about finding out as much about her as he can.
Kit hasn’t been able to put Ben out of her mind either, no matter how annoyed she was at his attitude and assumptions she’d be keen to turn her back on everything she knows and loves. So what if he was the handsomest man she’s ever seen? Men like him are overbearing, presumptuous and ruthless, just like the sorts of corporations he represents. But still, when a package from Ben arrives at the lab, she can’t help but be curious to see what it contains – and is surprised to discover it’s an apology. An incredibly thoughtful apology. The box contains a couple of drawer handles that will match the rest of the ones on one of her old lab cabinets, the originals having long-since fallen off or broken. Kit can’t help but be touched by the gift and impulsively calls Ben to thank him; and it’s this call and the fact that Ben’s family business deals in exactly the sorts of things Kit is going to need to fix up her new house that provides the springboard for their romance. Even though Kit is still somewhat suspicious about Ben’s motives for helping her, those start to melt away as they begin spending more and more time together and getting to know each other better. The romance is really well done; Ben and Kit become friends before they become lovers and the warmth and affection between them is genuine and palpable.
But of course, the elephant in the room isn’t going to stay in quietly in the corner forever, no matter how hard they try to ignore it. With his Dad well on the road to recovery, Ben is going to have to return to Houston soon – but Kit has no interest in leaving her job and certainly not her new home… can they make a long-distance relationship work while they figure out what comes next?
Beginner’s Luck is a warm, sexy and thoroughly entertaining romance between two attractive, relatable characters who aren’t perfect but whose obvious love and affection for each other is ultimately going to carry them through. Kit is super smart, dedicated, loyal and loving, and Ben, oh, Ben is a total dreamboat. He’s thoughtful and caring, and somewhat bewildered at all the feelings Kit is evoking in him, and when he falls, he falls hard. The only reason I’ve not given this one a higher content grade is that I wasn’t wild about the Big Mis the author throws in near the end, and about the way Kit treats Ben while she’s labouring under that misapprehension. She does redeem herself, and the eventual HEA is simply wonderful, but I hate eleventh-hour contrivances, and had to knock off half a grade because of it.
I’ve listened to Will Damron before, and although Carly Robins is new-to-me, she’s received some positive reviews from my fellow Gals so I was fairly confident I was in for an enjoyable listen all round. Ms. Robins has an attractive, nicely-modulated voice pitched in the mid-range, so she’s suitably convincing when delivering Ben’s dialogue at a slightly lower pitch, and I liked the gravelly, grouchy note she adopts to portray Henry, Ben’s father. Her character differentiation is good all-round; Kit, Zoe and Greer are easy to tell apart (even though I found the sort of “surfer-girl” accent she gives to Zoe a bit irritating!) as are the various secondary characters who add colour and depth to the story. Mr. Damron is equally adept in terms of pacing, characterisation and differentiation; he’s able to portray the various female characters believably and does a great job of conveying the warmth and affection in the relationship between Ben and Henry. Both narrators are as proficient at bringing out the more humorous aspects of the dialogue as they are in the more emotional and intimate moments and love scenes; as a narrator team, they’re very well-matched (there’s nothing worse than a dual narration where one narrator isn’t as good as the other) and I thoroughly enjoyed listening to them.
If I hadn’t known in advance, I’d never have pegged Beginner’s Luck for Kate Clayborn’s début novel. It’s beautifully written and characterised, the romance is sigh-worthy and Ben is a hero to die for. The expert narration provides a strong argument for picking up the series in audio.
April 18, 2019
***4 Stars***
WOW!! What a terrific debut! I absolutely fell in love with Kate Clayborn's characters, relationships, and writing style.
Ben is part of what home means to me now - he's not everything, but he might be the biggest thing, and he's going to change every careful arrangement I had set up in my life, but for once I'm so excited about that prospect.
There's so many wonderful nuggets of awesome to love in this book:
-A swoony slow burn romance centered on home repairs and butterflies and attraction and humor and fun
I can feel the way my smile changes, from laughing pleasure to flattered surprise - and he's watching it, watching that transformation.
There it is again, that feeling: I want to kiss her so bad that I can feel it in the palms of my hands, at the backs of my knees.
-Female friendships that are all about the support and love
-Family relationships that come in all different kinds of packages. As much as I loved Kit and Ben in this book, I was also head over heels in love with Ben's relationship with his dad
-A writing style that's easy and effortless and sucks you in from the prologue. You feel like you already know these characters but at the same time you can't wait to get to know the characters. That's definitely not an easy thing to pull off!
-Feels! From the romance butterflies, to the relatability, to the swoon, to just the right amount of heat...GAH!! So damn good!
...this rush of - heat, happiness, fun - coursing through me, this way I feel only when I'm around Kit....Kit makes me want everything, makes me want to be her best friend, her safe place, her family, and the guy who can fuck her until she can't remember her own name.
I can't wait to dive into the rest of the series and read Zoe and Greer's books!
This was a fantastic beginning to what looks to be an amazing series and the first book in what definitely looks to be a promising writing career for Kate Clayborn. She can count me as "One and Done!" One book is all it took to make a fan out of me!
She gives me a crooked smile, all mischief, a smacking kiss on my chin before pulling away. "Practice, Ben. For whatever comes."
Then she winks at me, twirling away, calling to Zoe and Greer for a dance, and I stare after her, stupid and stunned and more settled in my own skin than I've ever felt in my life.
January 26, 2023
"You’ve got to take your luck when it comes.”
This was very sweet...
(WARDA, LOVE YOU. LOOK AWAY.)
.
.
.
But a little boring :( I didn't really connect with the heroine much, which I think was the problem.
The moments I found myself more engaged were the parts about the couple's childhoods. While these were sad things, like how Kit grew up with a deadbeat dad, it made me look at more than just some stubborn girl. I was really intrigued by Kit's brother Alex who apparently is the H in Best of Luck. They had such a hard life growing up, and I love a male lead that has that grown-up, caretaker personality in them so I may give his story a chance.
On the flip side with Ben, I liked him pretty much all the time since he was so earnest. Pining is a win for me always, but him making his plea to Kit towards the end really sealed the deal for me, with him being my favorite. Kit wasn't horrible, I just couldn't really get her issues or why she overreacted all the time.
At the end of the day; Beginner's Luck is a cute and, as I mentioned above, sweet story that you should give a chance if you're in the right mood for it. It just wasn't a knockout for me.
This was very sweet...
(WARDA, LOVE YOU. LOOK AWAY.)
.
.
.
But a little boring :( I didn't really connect with the heroine much, which I think was the problem.
The moments I found myself more engaged were the parts about the couple's childhoods. While these were sad things, like how Kit grew up with a deadbeat dad, it made me look at more than just some stubborn girl. I was really intrigued by Kit's brother Alex who apparently is the H in Best of Luck. They had such a hard life growing up, and I love a male lead that has that grown-up, caretaker personality in them so I may give his story a chance.
On the flip side with Ben, I liked him pretty much all the time since he was so earnest. Pining is a win for me always, but him making his plea to Kit towards the end really sealed the deal for me, with him being my favorite. Kit wasn't horrible, I just couldn't really get her issues or why she overreacted all the time.
At the end of the day; Beginner's Luck is a cute and, as I mentioned above, sweet story that you should give a chance if you're in the right mood for it. It just wasn't a knockout for me.
May 10, 2023
I’ve read Kate Clayborn before and enjoyed her writing. Unfortunately, this one was marred by a heroine I didn’t care for. It wasn’t a case of a character arc situation where the protagonist starts off weak, victimized, flaky, selfish, man-crazy, or whatever and grows and learns in the course of the plot, eventually gets her head on straight, and demonstrates how she has changed. This one stayed in her lane until the very end. I became more and more frustrated and hostile toward her as the book went on.
Because of her dysfunctional upbringing, our heroine, Kit, a scientific genius in the field of metallurgy is bound and determined to remain a lab research assistant so she can stay in her community and her new home and not be separated from her two best friends. She craves stability. If she fulfilled her potential, including just taking credit for her work, it would disrupt her life. Ok. You know what? I can relate to and even respect someone who prioritizes home, community, and personal life over career and money. But here’s the thing. Except for her two best friends, who have lives of their own, she doesn’t really have a family or a personal life. She has no hobbies, causes, or interests other than her work and fixing up her old house which winning the lottery allowed her to buy. The premise of this little series: 3 friends who win the lottery and how it changed their lives sounded intriguing and fraught with possibilities. But despite this novel’s marketing, winning the lottery doesn’t change Kit or her life at all. It just gives her something to do and a bonafide neighborhood to live in. She would still have the same "maintain the status quo at all costs" attitude she has now, but would be living in an apartment with nothing to do after work. I am re-reading a book now, A Spring Affair, by Milly Johnson, in which a down-trodden woman sorely in need of a new lease on life transforms her circumstances by moving all the detritus of years out of her house. As she "cleans house", she gets out from under the thumb of her husband, re-establishes a relationship with an old friend, starts a business, loses weight, and falls in love with the bin-man. And a lot of other things as well. It is a slow but very sure progression throughout the novel. It provided a real contrast and insight into why this plot didn't do it for me. Anyway, back to Kit. As far as family, she has a beloved globe-trotting photojournalist brother who brought her up and loves her, but whom she rarely sees. And that is because she has all but alienated him by her constant nagging to accept part of her lottery winnings as a gift. When he finally comes home for a visit, she starts right back in on him again. She forces him to be harsh with her and he cuts his visit short leaving her bereft but none the wiser.
Kit’s genius and accomplishments have come to the notice of a huge corporate research laboratory. Ben, our hero, has been sent to recruit Kit to Houston Texas with promises of a big salary, top-of-the-line equipment, fabulous working conditions, fame, fulfillment, and prestige in her field. Of course, it’s a big “NO” from Kit. She is happy where she is. She doesn’t want the pressure or hassle, would have to move, and is afraid that her work will be used to do bad things like making weapons. (That I can respect, but she doesn’t even entertain the possibility that her talents could also contribute to the good of mankind as well.) Anyway, while attempting to woo her to his company, Ben and Kit fall in love. Also, it doesn’t hurt that Ben’s father, whom he is temporarily caring for, owns a salvage yard in her home town which has lots of cool stuff for Kit’s House.
It doesn’t take long for Ben to realize that Kit is deadly serious about not moving, and he quits trying to make her. The love story precedes predictably until the big misunderstanding that drives them apart. Kit’s nice boss who Kit loves and esteems is offered his sorely needed funding by the corporation Ben works for if Kit comes to work for them. She immediately jumps to the conclusion that Ben used her private confidences to blackmail her into changing her mind. Of course, he is not capable of any such thing. Kit ignores what a good person Ben has proven himself to be, believes the worse, and doesn’t give him any chance to defend himself or deny her accusation. She just coldly freezes him out.
When her derelict addict father has a stroke in another state, he drops everything to jump on a plane to be by her side in the hospital. Nope. She is not having it. She will not even listen to him. To her shock and dismay (!), she learns her father has gotten sober, stopped gambling, got a job, and is in a relationship with a nice lady, Candace, whom he met at an AA meeting. He has been saving all of the money that Kit has been sending him to supposedly keep body and soul together in order to pay it back on the one-year anniversary of his sobriety. Her reaction? She is angry and resentful. “Given that Alex and I both have been sending checks, it would’ve been nice to know that Dad himself could have supplemented…Maybe this should make me feel warm and fuzzy inside...But it makes me mad…to hear he has been going along, getting better at his life, making some grand gesture…when all we’d really want was a bit more kindness.” She looks on his sweet intention as self-indulgent. I just didn’t get the reaction and was even more fed up with her. Plus she was snippy with Candace, who, though she lived in a trailer park (horrors!), was a peach.
In the end, Kit gets tired of waiting for heartbroken Ben to come back to try to change her mind, realizes he is not, and finally takes action. No big epiphany, no growth, no lessons learned, she just got tired of waiting for him to beg her for another chance (to not do anything wrong.) In the epilogue, we find out that she has finally decided not to waste her talents career-wise and flies up and down the east coast consulting and training. Why? Search me.
So it’s another case where protagonists make themselves miserable and almost ruin their lives for no good reason until they choose otherwise for no good reason. I am weary of that but I can put up with it if the protagonists have enough redeeming qualities or a good heart underneath all the flaws. Kit is not a bad person. She had a tough childhood. But she's not a great person either. So this was a fail for me. 2 stars.
https://rebekahsreadingsandwatchings....
Because of her dysfunctional upbringing, our heroine, Kit, a scientific genius in the field of metallurgy is bound and determined to remain a lab research assistant so she can stay in her community and her new home and not be separated from her two best friends. She craves stability. If she fulfilled her potential, including just taking credit for her work, it would disrupt her life. Ok. You know what? I can relate to and even respect someone who prioritizes home, community, and personal life over career and money. But here’s the thing. Except for her two best friends, who have lives of their own, she doesn’t really have a family or a personal life. She has no hobbies, causes, or interests other than her work and fixing up her old house which winning the lottery allowed her to buy. The premise of this little series: 3 friends who win the lottery and how it changed their lives sounded intriguing and fraught with possibilities. But despite this novel’s marketing, winning the lottery doesn’t change Kit or her life at all. It just gives her something to do and a bonafide neighborhood to live in. She would still have the same "maintain the status quo at all costs" attitude she has now, but would be living in an apartment with nothing to do after work. I am re-reading a book now, A Spring Affair, by Milly Johnson, in which a down-trodden woman sorely in need of a new lease on life transforms her circumstances by moving all the detritus of years out of her house. As she "cleans house", she gets out from under the thumb of her husband, re-establishes a relationship with an old friend, starts a business, loses weight, and falls in love with the bin-man. And a lot of other things as well. It is a slow but very sure progression throughout the novel. It provided a real contrast and insight into why this plot didn't do it for me. Anyway, back to Kit. As far as family, she has a beloved globe-trotting photojournalist brother who brought her up and loves her, but whom she rarely sees. And that is because she has all but alienated him by her constant nagging to accept part of her lottery winnings as a gift. When he finally comes home for a visit, she starts right back in on him again. She forces him to be harsh with her and he cuts his visit short leaving her bereft but none the wiser.
Kit’s genius and accomplishments have come to the notice of a huge corporate research laboratory. Ben, our hero, has been sent to recruit Kit to Houston Texas with promises of a big salary, top-of-the-line equipment, fabulous working conditions, fame, fulfillment, and prestige in her field. Of course, it’s a big “NO” from Kit. She is happy where she is. She doesn’t want the pressure or hassle, would have to move, and is afraid that her work will be used to do bad things like making weapons. (That I can respect, but she doesn’t even entertain the possibility that her talents could also contribute to the good of mankind as well.) Anyway, while attempting to woo her to his company, Ben and Kit fall in love. Also, it doesn’t hurt that Ben’s father, whom he is temporarily caring for, owns a salvage yard in her home town which has lots of cool stuff for Kit’s House.
It doesn’t take long for Ben to realize that Kit is deadly serious about not moving, and he quits trying to make her. The love story precedes predictably until the big misunderstanding that drives them apart. Kit’s nice boss who Kit loves and esteems is offered his sorely needed funding by the corporation Ben works for if Kit comes to work for them. She immediately jumps to the conclusion that Ben used her private confidences to blackmail her into changing her mind. Of course, he is not capable of any such thing. Kit ignores what a good person Ben has proven himself to be, believes the worse, and doesn’t give him any chance to defend himself or deny her accusation. She just coldly freezes him out.
When her derelict addict father has a stroke in another state, he drops everything to jump on a plane to be by her side in the hospital. Nope. She is not having it. She will not even listen to him. To her shock and dismay (!), she learns her father has gotten sober, stopped gambling, got a job, and is in a relationship with a nice lady, Candace, whom he met at an AA meeting. He has been saving all of the money that Kit has been sending him to supposedly keep body and soul together in order to pay it back on the one-year anniversary of his sobriety. Her reaction? She is angry and resentful. “Given that Alex and I both have been sending checks, it would’ve been nice to know that Dad himself could have supplemented…Maybe this should make me feel warm and fuzzy inside...But it makes me mad…to hear he has been going along, getting better at his life, making some grand gesture…when all we’d really want was a bit more kindness.” She looks on his sweet intention as self-indulgent. I just didn’t get the reaction and was even more fed up with her. Plus she was snippy with Candace, who, though she lived in a trailer park (horrors!), was a peach.
In the end, Kit gets tired of waiting for heartbroken Ben to come back to try to change her mind, realizes he is not, and finally takes action. No big epiphany, no growth, no lessons learned, she just got tired of waiting for him to beg her for another chance (to not do anything wrong.) In the epilogue, we find out that she has finally decided not to waste her talents career-wise and flies up and down the east coast consulting and training. Why? Search me.
So it’s another case where protagonists make themselves miserable and almost ruin their lives for no good reason until they choose otherwise for no good reason. I am weary of that but I can put up with it if the protagonists have enough redeeming qualities or a good heart underneath all the flaws. Kit is not a bad person. She had a tough childhood. But she's not a great person either. So this was a fail for me. 2 stars.
https://rebekahsreadingsandwatchings....
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 10, 2018
So I thought this was an especially interesting read given my sojourn into Grovel Porn last week. This was the opposite of that. The hero did mess up here, but his efforts at fixing his mistake made the entire book empowering for the heroine.
As illustrated above, I love those dramatic books where the dick hero crawls across broken glass to make up for his multitude of mistakes. I like the swooping emotions that come with hating the hero and then loving him. I enjoy my righteous indignation on the part of the heroine. "Maybe she shouldn't forgive him!" It's just so delicious to even comprehend.
But those books are fantasy. As enjoyable as the action flicks I adore where everything blows up - and just about as realistic.
There is something special, and rather magnificent, about an author that can do something without the tricks and smoke-and-mirrors of unrealistic, high-drama romance. I won't call this book "authentic" bc pretty much all stories have to have some flair injected to keep a reader's interest. No one wants to hear about the 890 texts my husband I exchanged in the beginning of our relationship. It's mundane.
However, this is one of the most tangible portrayals of two smart, successful, and slightly-damaged people falling in love. You know when you read those sassy, snappy, successful gal-about-town falls for the businessman with a huge penis and a giant bank account but a million relationship hang-ups? And you think "this is entertaining, but this doesn't really happen." These people who are perfect except one-magnified-for-the-story-hang-up aren't substantial.
Kit and Ben were concrete. This was Cerebral Porn at it's finest. A smart, strong heroine - not in the cheesy that authors generally think are "strong women" because they bitch and bicker with the hero or have a super power or some one dimensional simplification of feminine strength.
Kit took care of herself. She got counseling. She voiced when men were pushing their agenda under a cloak of "looking out for her well-being." She was strong in that she put herself first and, when she needed to, she made the grand gesture. From the first page to the last Kit and her dynamic with those in her orbit was refreshing.
I don't think I'm right or wrong in liking either of these kind of books. Or in liking any kind of books. Someone asked me what I read this week, and then instantly dismissed my answer when I said "romance." But when I look back on what I've read over the last month I'm proud. Proud of our community and our diversity. Proud to be a romance reader.
As illustrated above, I love those dramatic books where the dick hero crawls across broken glass to make up for his multitude of mistakes. I like the swooping emotions that come with hating the hero and then loving him. I enjoy my righteous indignation on the part of the heroine. "Maybe she shouldn't forgive him!" It's just so delicious to even comprehend.
But those books are fantasy. As enjoyable as the action flicks I adore where everything blows up - and just about as realistic.
There is something special, and rather magnificent, about an author that can do something without the tricks and smoke-and-mirrors of unrealistic, high-drama romance. I won't call this book "authentic" bc pretty much all stories have to have some flair injected to keep a reader's interest. No one wants to hear about the 890 texts my husband I exchanged in the beginning of our relationship. It's mundane.
However, this is one of the most tangible portrayals of two smart, successful, and slightly-damaged people falling in love. You know when you read those sassy, snappy, successful gal-about-town falls for the businessman with a huge penis and a giant bank account but a million relationship hang-ups? And you think "this is entertaining, but this doesn't really happen." These people who are perfect except one-magnified-for-the-story-hang-up aren't substantial.
Kit and Ben were concrete. This was Cerebral Porn at it's finest. A smart, strong heroine - not in the cheesy that authors generally think are "strong women" because they bitch and bicker with the hero or have a super power or some one dimensional simplification of feminine strength.
Kit took care of herself. She got counseling. She voiced when men were pushing their agenda under a cloak of "looking out for her well-being." She was strong in that she put herself first and, when she needed to, she made the grand gesture. From the first page to the last Kit and her dynamic with those in her orbit was refreshing.
I don't think I'm right or wrong in liking either of these kind of books. Or in liking any kind of books. Someone asked me what I read this week, and then instantly dismissed my answer when I said "romance." But when I look back on what I've read over the last month I'm proud. Proud of our community and our diversity. Proud to be a romance reader.
April 21, 2018
Where do I start? I saw the love for this book from various bloggers I trust, so I decided to add it to the Mountain (aka my TBR). There it sat, waiting for the day. My loss, because I could have loved this sooner. But no matter. I love it now, so let’s dive in. Oh and you might want to get comfortable, this will take awhile.
When the story begins, Kit and her two best friends went in together to buy a lottery ticket, and holy heavenly windfall, they won! They never imagined the changes it could wreak in their lives, especially Kit, who abhors change. She’s fought for all she’s had in her life and she’s made her place in her little college town with her job as a lab technician at the College of Engineering. She does not handle change well, so she’s not about to pick up and move stakes anywhere because of anything.
Enter Ben, who is a headhunter for Beaumont Materials, looking for E.R. Averin, a brilliant experimental scientist that will be a big feather in his cap if he can recruit him for his company. He’s and his best friend are trying to branch off on their own, and they need every thing to line up perfectly so they can finally be their own bosses. Guess what happens when he realizes E.R. Averin is actually Ekaterina “Kit” Averin? Yes, to all awkward thoughts you’re having right now. But along the way, hell to the yes, romance happens.
The Good
I’m in love with the hero AND the heroine. I’ve certainly had my own moments when reading many a romance where I’ve loved one half of a couple more than the other. But not with Kit and Ben. They each have such good character arcs, and their scenes were just as strong on their own as they were together.
Ben, on paper, could be deemed the perfect hero. He’s (of course) gorgeous, kind, considerate, and taking care of his injured and elderly father. He could have been the second coming (heh), but thankfully, he’s a well rounded character, not just a prop to the romance. Frankly, perfection is boredom to me. That he stumbles at times, struggles with his own recklessness, and he has his own past mistakes to regret and learn from is sexy AF. His journey is just as nuanced as Kit’s and the way he loved, made me mushy. So, gorgeous well rounded hero? Check.
Now, Kit was a struggle. Not to read, but to write about. Let’s talk about the stereotypically high and unforgiving standards that readers can impose on their heroines. The need for her to not be challenging, to not give the hero a hard time, to automatically forgive and to be “there” for the perfect hero. Y’all KNOW what I’m talking about. Kit, isn’t that and I loved her for it.
She’s not always easy in manner nor in tone. She’s fierce, loyal and protective, and she’s also she’s difficult at times, judgmental, inflexible and scared as hell at change. She’s the type of heroine that I see getting shyte on all the time. She’s used to working in a male-dominated field, dealing with condescending, mansplaining scientists who see her as a lab tech, not a brilliant metallurgist. But she’s the best to me because she’s so complicated and flawed, yet loving and when the time comes, she steps UP. She learns and grows without changing who she is at her core, and her path is strong and clear.
The Bad
Welp. Can’t think of anything I didn’t love, so...nothing. Um, ok, I say this - this book is a true character-driven romance, so it’s not fast paced, and it’s not about the twists and turns and the excitement of plot. It doesn’t start off with a bang, so if that’s more your cuppa, this may not be the book for you.
I, on the other hand, am a HUGE lover of all things character-driven, so
Everything in Between
From Ben and Kit, to their friends, his father, River, Betty, River’s family, even Kit’s neighbors, all of the characters play their part to make this ‘verse come to life. When it would have been easy to go for the stereotypical, Ms. Clayborn was determined to do anything but. That’s the mark of a great story.
Just in case you were wondering after my War & Peace length review, yes, I LOVED Kit and Ben’s romance. Ms. Clayborn has managed to take a fairly fantastical premise (what if you and your friends decided to buy a lottery ticket….and you won?) and ground it in a realistic core group of characters, lead and supporting. That’s something to be applauded. As a reader, I saw glimpses of each character’s inner journey in their little part in this ‘verse and I wanted to know more about them. I cannot wait to visit it again. If you love character driven romances, I would definitely recommend this to you.
For more reviews, visit
When the story begins, Kit and her two best friends went in together to buy a lottery ticket, and holy heavenly windfall, they won! They never imagined the changes it could wreak in their lives, especially Kit, who abhors change. She’s fought for all she’s had in her life and she’s made her place in her little college town with her job as a lab technician at the College of Engineering. She does not handle change well, so she’s not about to pick up and move stakes anywhere because of anything.
Enter Ben, who is a headhunter for Beaumont Materials, looking for E.R. Averin, a brilliant experimental scientist that will be a big feather in his cap if he can recruit him for his company. He’s and his best friend are trying to branch off on their own, and they need every thing to line up perfectly so they can finally be their own bosses. Guess what happens when he realizes E.R. Averin is actually Ekaterina “Kit” Averin? Yes, to all awkward thoughts you’re having right now. But along the way, hell to the yes, romance happens.
The Good
I’m in love with the hero AND the heroine. I’ve certainly had my own moments when reading many a romance where I’ve loved one half of a couple more than the other. But not with Kit and Ben. They each have such good character arcs, and their scenes were just as strong on their own as they were together.
Ben, on paper, could be deemed the perfect hero. He’s (of course) gorgeous, kind, considerate, and taking care of his injured and elderly father. He could have been the second coming (heh), but thankfully, he’s a well rounded character, not just a prop to the romance. Frankly, perfection is boredom to me. That he stumbles at times, struggles with his own recklessness, and he has his own past mistakes to regret and learn from is sexy AF. His journey is just as nuanced as Kit’s and the way he loved, made me mushy. So, gorgeous well rounded hero? Check.
Now, Kit was a struggle. Not to read, but to write about. Let’s talk about the stereotypically high and unforgiving standards that readers can impose on their heroines. The need for her to not be challenging, to not give the hero a hard time, to automatically forgive and to be “there” for the perfect hero. Y’all KNOW what I’m talking about. Kit, isn’t that and I loved her for it.
She’s not always easy in manner nor in tone. She’s fierce, loyal and protective, and she’s also she’s difficult at times, judgmental, inflexible and scared as hell at change. She’s the type of heroine that I see getting shyte on all the time. She’s used to working in a male-dominated field, dealing with condescending, mansplaining scientists who see her as a lab tech, not a brilliant metallurgist. But she’s the best to me because she’s so complicated and flawed, yet loving and when the time comes, she steps UP. She learns and grows without changing who she is at her core, and her path is strong and clear.
The Bad
Welp. Can’t think of anything I didn’t love, so...nothing. Um, ok, I say this - this book is a true character-driven romance, so it’s not fast paced, and it’s not about the twists and turns and the excitement of plot. It doesn’t start off with a bang, so if that’s more your cuppa, this may not be the book for you.
I, on the other hand, am a HUGE lover of all things character-driven, so
Everything in Between
From Ben and Kit, to their friends, his father, River, Betty, River’s family, even Kit’s neighbors, all of the characters play their part to make this ‘verse come to life. When it would have been easy to go for the stereotypical, Ms. Clayborn was determined to do anything but. That’s the mark of a great story.
Just in case you were wondering after my War & Peace length review, yes, I LOVED Kit and Ben’s romance. Ms. Clayborn has managed to take a fairly fantastical premise (what if you and your friends decided to buy a lottery ticket….and you won?) and ground it in a realistic core group of characters, lead and supporting. That’s something to be applauded. As a reader, I saw glimpses of each character’s inner journey in their little part in this ‘verse and I wanted to know more about them. I cannot wait to visit it again. If you love character driven romances, I would definitely recommend this to you.
For more reviews, visit
May 27, 2018
MY REVIEW FOR BEGINNERS LUCK WAS ORIGINALLY POSTED ON MY BLOG, CLICK HERE TO SEE IT
I think everyone can agree that winning the lottery is everyone’s dream come true. I know for a fact it’s my literal dream because easy money is always great. Added on to this is the fact my mum almost bloody won the lottery one time! I was 8 and I remember sitting outside while she got her ticket checked, we were one (1) number off. But, we did end up with almost three grand and my mum bought my sister and I all new furniture.
Moving on from my tale of the lottery, Beginner’s Luck is the story of Kit. Kit and her two best friends won the lottery. Kit is a scientist; I can’t really speak too much on this part because I understood exactly 0% of the discussions that revolved around Kit’s job. I literally am just so bad at science. Anyway, Kit didn’t have the easiest life. Her mum left when she was young and her father’s an alcoholic gambler. Her older brother is basically the one that kept her grounded and tried to make every house they lived in a home. I moved a lot as a kid so this was something that I related to with Kit. The other perspective in this book, aka the love interest, is Ben. Ben has returned home in order to take care of his father who has had a fall. He works for a company that recruits scientists to help with their work and while he’s helping his father his best friend rings and wants him to recruit Kit. It’s a bit of a mess honestly, the pair bicker a lot as Ben struggles to recruit Kit.
On top of Ben and Kit’s struggles to get to know each other, but struggling with the work side, Kit has bought an old historical home to renovate and put down roots in the town. I absolutely love house renovations so I absolutely adored this inclusion in the plot.
The overall message of this book is doing things for you. You have to make yourself happy and to allow yourself to say no.
Anyway, I should jump into my detailed likes and dislikes of Beginners Luck.
L I K E S
✗ KIT & BEN ARE SO CUTE!!
They were so sweet, their chemistry and back and forth had me giggling. Individually they were both great characters as well, they were very fleshed out and both their perspectives throughout the novel brought something different, which I appreciated greatly. The relationship between the pair of them was very organic and naturally coming as well. There were moments where I was a little bit uncomfortable due to some weird dialogue but I feel that happens in all books for me.
✗ KIT’S PAST WAS SO FAMILIAR AND WELL DONE
Kit’s past was a bit of an intense one. She grew up with an absent mother and a father who wasn’t the best at any given time. Her brother was the only one who was there for her and now that she is older she wants to settle down. I definitely related to the brother more in this situation, as he was someone who didn’t want to settle down, but overall Kit’s past was one that I know well and was able to connect to. Moving a lot was apart of my childhood. One year we moved schools four times. It was hard, never easy, and it was something I have yearned to see in a book for a while and I am beyond happy to finally have it, especially with it being executed so well in this particular novel.
✗ FAMILY FIGHTS ACCURATELY DONE
Sibling fights are messy. Especially when the siblings are extremely different. I know this for a fact because my sister and I struggle so badly. Kit and her brother had one of the most realistic arguments I have seen. Both incredibly stubborn and refusing to relent, it made me beyond happy to see something like that represented throughout the text.
On top of his, Ben and his father fight quite a lot. The pair of them butting heads as Henry, the father, wants to refuse help and be back to his old self. It was an interesting dynamic I feel isn’t common enough in any genre of books that I read, fights between the male characters and their parents. It was an insight I haven’t gotten before.
✗ CLOSE FEMALE FRIENDSHIPS MAKE MY CROPS GROW
If I had crops they would be thriving after reading the friendship in this book. I adore non-toxic female friendships where there is no competitiveness and everyone just supports one another. This book has that perfectly. Kit and her two best friends are so different but come together and have the most beautiful friendship that dreams are made of. I know I’m being dramatic but it was just so incredible. If you pick up this book for any reason, do it for that. Or pick it up because it explores the gender bias in science.
D I S L I K E S
✗ STORY GOT A BIT SLOPPY AT THE END
Miscommunication is the bane of my existence. I will die from it. It made the end of this book incredibly sloppy. At times it felt like it had completely fallen apart and I even wanted to DNF due to it. It just wasn’t necessary honestly. We don’t need the dramatic break up to make the HEA even sweeter, it just is a waste of time honestly. Plus, the complication coming so close to the end just kind of gave the book a strange format.
✗ LOTS OF TIME JUMPS
I hate time jumps, honestly. I want all the nitty-gritty details and to see every relationship form. I don’t want to jump periods of time and have the book tell me what happened rather than show me. It gets annoying and at times feels as if I missed something really important.
✗ TOO MANY WORDS
This one is pretty simple, at times this book was very wordy and I was annoyed by it. I feel it could have been shorter if some things had been cut down quite a bit.
Overall, Beginner’s Luck was on the way to becoming a new favourite of mine. The ending was just unfortunately what let it down and dropped it to a three star for me. I do still recommend this book, I think it explores a lot of important topics. While simultaneously being a smart and sexy romance with a lovely couple that you will be rooting for. I am very excited to read the following books in this series!
I think everyone can agree that winning the lottery is everyone’s dream come true. I know for a fact it’s my literal dream because easy money is always great. Added on to this is the fact my mum almost bloody won the lottery one time! I was 8 and I remember sitting outside while she got her ticket checked, we were one (1) number off. But, we did end up with almost three grand and my mum bought my sister and I all new furniture.
Moving on from my tale of the lottery, Beginner’s Luck is the story of Kit. Kit and her two best friends won the lottery. Kit is a scientist; I can’t really speak too much on this part because I understood exactly 0% of the discussions that revolved around Kit’s job. I literally am just so bad at science. Anyway, Kit didn’t have the easiest life. Her mum left when she was young and her father’s an alcoholic gambler. Her older brother is basically the one that kept her grounded and tried to make every house they lived in a home. I moved a lot as a kid so this was something that I related to with Kit. The other perspective in this book, aka the love interest, is Ben. Ben has returned home in order to take care of his father who has had a fall. He works for a company that recruits scientists to help with their work and while he’s helping his father his best friend rings and wants him to recruit Kit. It’s a bit of a mess honestly, the pair bicker a lot as Ben struggles to recruit Kit.
On top of Ben and Kit’s struggles to get to know each other, but struggling with the work side, Kit has bought an old historical home to renovate and put down roots in the town. I absolutely love house renovations so I absolutely adored this inclusion in the plot.
The overall message of this book is doing things for you. You have to make yourself happy and to allow yourself to say no.
Anyway, I should jump into my detailed likes and dislikes of Beginners Luck.
L I K E S
✗ KIT & BEN ARE SO CUTE!!
They were so sweet, their chemistry and back and forth had me giggling. Individually they were both great characters as well, they were very fleshed out and both their perspectives throughout the novel brought something different, which I appreciated greatly. The relationship between the pair of them was very organic and naturally coming as well. There were moments where I was a little bit uncomfortable due to some weird dialogue but I feel that happens in all books for me.
✗ KIT’S PAST WAS SO FAMILIAR AND WELL DONE
Kit’s past was a bit of an intense one. She grew up with an absent mother and a father who wasn’t the best at any given time. Her brother was the only one who was there for her and now that she is older she wants to settle down. I definitely related to the brother more in this situation, as he was someone who didn’t want to settle down, but overall Kit’s past was one that I know well and was able to connect to. Moving a lot was apart of my childhood. One year we moved schools four times. It was hard, never easy, and it was something I have yearned to see in a book for a while and I am beyond happy to finally have it, especially with it being executed so well in this particular novel.
✗ FAMILY FIGHTS ACCURATELY DONE
Sibling fights are messy. Especially when the siblings are extremely different. I know this for a fact because my sister and I struggle so badly. Kit and her brother had one of the most realistic arguments I have seen. Both incredibly stubborn and refusing to relent, it made me beyond happy to see something like that represented throughout the text.
On top of his, Ben and his father fight quite a lot. The pair of them butting heads as Henry, the father, wants to refuse help and be back to his old self. It was an interesting dynamic I feel isn’t common enough in any genre of books that I read, fights between the male characters and their parents. It was an insight I haven’t gotten before.
✗ CLOSE FEMALE FRIENDSHIPS MAKE MY CROPS GROW
If I had crops they would be thriving after reading the friendship in this book. I adore non-toxic female friendships where there is no competitiveness and everyone just supports one another. This book has that perfectly. Kit and her two best friends are so different but come together and have the most beautiful friendship that dreams are made of. I know I’m being dramatic but it was just so incredible. If you pick up this book for any reason, do it for that. Or pick it up because it explores the gender bias in science.
D I S L I K E S
✗ STORY GOT A BIT SLOPPY AT THE END
Miscommunication is the bane of my existence. I will die from it. It made the end of this book incredibly sloppy. At times it felt like it had completely fallen apart and I even wanted to DNF due to it. It just wasn’t necessary honestly. We don’t need the dramatic break up to make the HEA even sweeter, it just is a waste of time honestly. Plus, the complication coming so close to the end just kind of gave the book a strange format.
✗ LOTS OF TIME JUMPS
I hate time jumps, honestly. I want all the nitty-gritty details and to see every relationship form. I don’t want to jump periods of time and have the book tell me what happened rather than show me. It gets annoying and at times feels as if I missed something really important.
✗ TOO MANY WORDS
This one is pretty simple, at times this book was very wordy and I was annoyed by it. I feel it could have been shorter if some things had been cut down quite a bit.
Overall, Beginner’s Luck was on the way to becoming a new favourite of mine. The ending was just unfortunately what let it down and dropped it to a three star for me. I do still recommend this book, I think it explores a lot of important topics. While simultaneously being a smart and sexy romance with a lovely couple that you will be rooting for. I am very excited to read the following books in this series!
November 14, 2017
Things I liked about this:
1) Scientist heroine.
2) The devoted friends group between Kit, Greer, and Zoe.
3) The complicated families, with underlying affection, however badly displayed. And the things that were hard to forgive, and impossible to forget.
4) How much Ben liked Kit's brain and his form of woo.
5) Home restoration, ftw.
Things that momentarily made me want to tear my hair out:
1) The major conflict at the end. TALK TO EACH OTHER, YOU WERE ALREADY DOING THAT, WHY DID YOU STOP. I mean, I did get it, Kit has lots of very justifiable issues, but man it was disappointing.
Thing that made me insane:
1) My ebook was/is defective. I had to page through it backwards and it was really frustrating and hard to remember and I don't understand because I have downloaded books since and they worked like normal, so it was JUST THIS ONE and I bought it and I was so mad. So if the publisher sees this, fix your book as sold on amazon!!!!!!!
But in sum, I really liked this and have already pre-ordered book two.
1) Scientist heroine.
2) The devoted friends group between Kit, Greer, and Zoe.
3) The complicated families, with underlying affection, however badly displayed. And the things that were hard to forgive, and impossible to forget.
4) How much Ben liked Kit's brain and his form of woo.
5) Home restoration, ftw.
Things that momentarily made me want to tear my hair out:
1) The major conflict at the end. TALK TO EACH OTHER, YOU WERE ALREADY DOING THAT, WHY DID YOU STOP. I mean, I did get it, Kit has lots of very justifiable issues, but man it was disappointing.
Thing that made me insane:
1) My ebook was/is defective. I had to page through it backwards and it was really frustrating and hard to remember and I don't understand because I have downloaded books since and they worked like normal, so it was JUST THIS ONE and I bought it and I was so mad. So if the publisher sees this, fix your book as sold on amazon!!!!!!!
But in sum, I really liked this and have already pre-ordered book two.
May 24, 2022
I've been saving this series for a rainy day and it was definitely worth the wait! It made me laugh and it made me cry. Kate Clayborn is such a thoughtful writer and her characters are richly developed. I adored Kit and Ben from the moment of their first disastrous meeting.
Kit’s desire for a permanent home and place in her community comes out of her unstable childhood and moving 16 times before she was 18. Winning the lottery means she can buy a fixer-upper. This is directly at odds with Ben recruiting her to move to Houston, all the more so because she has ethical concerns around the company. I found it refreshing that she didn’t necessarily have big ambitions career-wise; she was thoughtful about the life she wanted and being a lab tech was her chosen path. Some of that was rooted in fear and we get to see her work through it but at the end of the day, Kit knows what’s most important and orients her life around those things.
The circumstances around why they met matter less and less as their connection grows. Ben is in town to take care of his dad who’s recovering from a bad fall. He hasn’t spent this much time in his hometown since he went away to college and I loved how being back helped him rediscover a part of himself and make peace with his past. Ben’s dad Henry owns the local salvage yard, which has plenty of parts for Kit’s house. There’s a lot of symbolism around the house in general and I ate it all up. Plus, Ben fixes stuff around the house for her! What a guy.
The secondary characters were fantastic, especially Kit’s best friends. I can’t wait to read their books. I also loved Henry and River (I’m curious about River’s representation as a teen with a hearing aid.) The plot didn’t quite live up to the characters—loose threads, underdeveloped storylines—but this was Clayborn’s debut and you can see how much promise there is. There was also a line or two that gave me pause. I’m not sure if they’re offensive or just didn’t age well.
I struggled with Kit and her brother’s codependent relationship with their father. Plenty of people maintain relationships with bad parents, I get that, but he really had no redeeming qualities and it was hard for me to understand why I also didn’t understand why Ben went through the motions of a relationship with his mother. I just want people to be free of subpar familial relationships! There is no obligation there, no matter what. I wish the codependency had been better addressed.
I super enjoyed this overall. Clayborn’s books suck me right in. I only wish I could be friends with this crew.
Character notes: Kit is a white lab technician in her 20s. Ben is a 31 year old white recruiter. This is set in Barden, VA.
CW: hero’s father is recovering from a bad fall and multiple injuries requiring a wheelchair at first and later a cane, secondary character has a hearing aid, codependency, heroine’s father is an alcoholic and gambling addict, heroine’s father has a stroke (recovers), past child neglect, past juvenile delinquency, past arson, hero’s parents divorced when he was 9 and his father had sole custody, heroine’s mother left when she was a few months old, minor character has only one eye from an accident and owns a bar called One-Eyed Betty’s, diet culture, ableist language
Kit’s desire for a permanent home and place in her community comes out of her unstable childhood and moving 16 times before she was 18. Winning the lottery means she can buy a fixer-upper. This is directly at odds with Ben recruiting her to move to Houston, all the more so because she has ethical concerns around the company. I found it refreshing that she didn’t necessarily have big ambitions career-wise; she was thoughtful about the life she wanted and being a lab tech was her chosen path. Some of that was rooted in fear and we get to see her work through it but at the end of the day, Kit knows what’s most important and orients her life around those things.
The circumstances around why they met matter less and less as their connection grows. Ben is in town to take care of his dad who’s recovering from a bad fall. He hasn’t spent this much time in his hometown since he went away to college and I loved how being back helped him rediscover a part of himself and make peace with his past. Ben’s dad Henry owns the local salvage yard, which has plenty of parts for Kit’s house. There’s a lot of symbolism around the house in general and I ate it all up. Plus, Ben fixes stuff around the house for her! What a guy.
The secondary characters were fantastic, especially Kit’s best friends. I can’t wait to read their books. I also loved Henry and River (I’m curious about River’s representation as a teen with a hearing aid.) The plot didn’t quite live up to the characters—loose threads, underdeveloped storylines—but this was Clayborn’s debut and you can see how much promise there is. There was also a line or two that gave me pause. I’m not sure if they’re offensive or just didn’t age well.
I struggled with Kit and her brother’s codependent relationship with their father. Plenty of people maintain relationships with bad parents, I get that, but he really had no redeeming qualities and it was hard for me to understand why I also didn’t understand why Ben went through the motions of a relationship with his mother. I just want people to be free of subpar familial relationships! There is no obligation there, no matter what. I wish the codependency had been better addressed.
I super enjoyed this overall. Clayborn’s books suck me right in. I only wish I could be friends with this crew.
Character notes: Kit is a white lab technician in her 20s. Ben is a 31 year old white recruiter. This is set in Barden, VA.
CW: hero’s father is recovering from a bad fall and multiple injuries requiring a wheelchair at first and later a cane, secondary character has a hearing aid, codependency, heroine’s father is an alcoholic and gambling addict, heroine’s father has a stroke (recovers), past child neglect, past juvenile delinquency, past arson, hero’s parents divorced when he was 9 and his father had sole custody, heroine’s mother left when she was a few months old, minor character has only one eye from an accident and owns a bar called One-Eyed Betty’s, diet culture, ableist language
April 15, 2022
I enjoyed this sweet, heartwarming romance a lot. Both Kit and Ben are likable and their characters are developed well. Kit is a smart, beautiful scientist with strong principles and work ethic. It was her dream to settle down and call a place home and she accomplishes that when she buys a fixer-upper. Ben is in town to take care of his dad after his injury. I loved his relationship with his dad, Ben is so sweet and caring with him. The minor characters in this book were all interesting and likable as well and I look forward to reading the sequels. My only complaint about the book was how it got a bit too melodramatic with Ben at the end. It was a bit too much for my liking.
November 7, 2017
The idea behind the Chance of a Lifetime series by Kate Clayborn caught my attention. It’s about three female friends who win the lottery and decide what’s best for them in how to deal with the money. I took a chance on this new to me author and got lucky indeed with the first novel in the series, Beginner’s Luck, as it turns out that this one is definitely going on my top ten books for this year!
Kit Averin is a materials scientist, with the money in her pocket to fund any number of new adventures. But what she really wants is stability, including maintaining her lab tech position even though she’s overqualified. When Ben Tucker, a recruiter for Beaumont Materials comes knocking, she turns him down flat. She has no interest in leaving her job and her friends to move away to Texas to work in the industry. Plus, she’s just bought a fixer-upper home that she’s excited to start renovating.
Ben knows he made a mistake with his approach to Kit, including assuming she’d be a man (ouch). But he’s got time to soften her up because he’s not going anywhere. His dad had an accident, and Ben is staying with him for the foreseeable future, helping him get better and working at their family’s salvage business – a place that just so happens to have some of the antique fixtures Kit is looking for to renovate her new house. Getting to know ‘jeans and Henley’ Ben is a lot different than ‘suit and tie’ Ben, and Kit finds herself reciprocating his honest friendship and eventually giving in to the attraction between them. But Ben’s home is back in Texas, and his future will be impacted by whether or not Kit takes the job. Will they find a compromise that will let them get the happy ending they both want?
There are so many things to like about this story that I found myself slowing down as I was reading it because I didn’t want it to end! Family, friends, co-workers – all the major relationships in one’s life play a part in this story. Both Ben and Kit have some positive and negative family relationships. Kit grew up with a gambling-addicted father and a brother who was her main caregiver. After spending years hopping from place to place, she’s determined to stay put in a home of her choice. For Ben, a divorce between his parents ended with him staying with his dad, and though he has contact with his mother and her new husband periodically, he doesn’t have a strong bond with her. But he does have a very strong relationship with his dad and didn’t hesitate to come home to help him with his shop and be his caregiver while he recuperates. Seeing Ben with his dad is a whole different side of him than he presents to Kit at the beginning, and as the story progresses the strong, confident, businessman shows both his flaws and his sweet side to Kit (and the reader).
Kit’s two best friends with whom she won the lottery, Zoe and Greer, play a significant role in this story. They are her sounding board for any and all things that she needs to talk to someone about, including Ben and his job offer. I loved the conversations that they have, how Zoe and Greer interact with Ben when they meet him, and the strong affection they have for each other. They’ve gone different routes with their money (and I am excited to read Zoe and Greer’s stories too!) but it hasn’t changed their friendship.
This is a slow burn romance since Ben and Kit get off on the wrong foot and work their way towards friendship before getting in any deeper. But their first kiss (swoon-worthy!) leads to an understanding that they’ll keep business out of the mix as they explore a more physical relationship. There are some sexy scenes between them and soon it’s clear that they’re going to want to find a way to make things work for them in the long term, but not without some ups and downs and soul searching first. The end result is a lovely happy ending for them and a delightful epilogue to tie things together. On another positive note, Kit’s enthusiasm for her scientific field is delightful to see. The scenes involving her job, and the scientific discussions that ensue are interesting and believable. As much as I didn’t want this story to end, I’m excited to see where the series will go next! Beginner’s Luck is a rare gem, a debut novel that will have the reader impatiently waiting for more.
This review also appears at: https://straightshootinbookreviews.co...
A copy of this story was provided by the publisher via NetGalley for review.
Kit Averin is a materials scientist, with the money in her pocket to fund any number of new adventures. But what she really wants is stability, including maintaining her lab tech position even though she’s overqualified. When Ben Tucker, a recruiter for Beaumont Materials comes knocking, she turns him down flat. She has no interest in leaving her job and her friends to move away to Texas to work in the industry. Plus, she’s just bought a fixer-upper home that she’s excited to start renovating.
Ben knows he made a mistake with his approach to Kit, including assuming she’d be a man (ouch). But he’s got time to soften her up because he’s not going anywhere. His dad had an accident, and Ben is staying with him for the foreseeable future, helping him get better and working at their family’s salvage business – a place that just so happens to have some of the antique fixtures Kit is looking for to renovate her new house. Getting to know ‘jeans and Henley’ Ben is a lot different than ‘suit and tie’ Ben, and Kit finds herself reciprocating his honest friendship and eventually giving in to the attraction between them. But Ben’s home is back in Texas, and his future will be impacted by whether or not Kit takes the job. Will they find a compromise that will let them get the happy ending they both want?
There are so many things to like about this story that I found myself slowing down as I was reading it because I didn’t want it to end! Family, friends, co-workers – all the major relationships in one’s life play a part in this story. Both Ben and Kit have some positive and negative family relationships. Kit grew up with a gambling-addicted father and a brother who was her main caregiver. After spending years hopping from place to place, she’s determined to stay put in a home of her choice. For Ben, a divorce between his parents ended with him staying with his dad, and though he has contact with his mother and her new husband periodically, he doesn’t have a strong bond with her. But he does have a very strong relationship with his dad and didn’t hesitate to come home to help him with his shop and be his caregiver while he recuperates. Seeing Ben with his dad is a whole different side of him than he presents to Kit at the beginning, and as the story progresses the strong, confident, businessman shows both his flaws and his sweet side to Kit (and the reader).
Kit’s two best friends with whom she won the lottery, Zoe and Greer, play a significant role in this story. They are her sounding board for any and all things that she needs to talk to someone about, including Ben and his job offer. I loved the conversations that they have, how Zoe and Greer interact with Ben when they meet him, and the strong affection they have for each other. They’ve gone different routes with their money (and I am excited to read Zoe and Greer’s stories too!) but it hasn’t changed their friendship.
This is a slow burn romance since Ben and Kit get off on the wrong foot and work their way towards friendship before getting in any deeper. But their first kiss (swoon-worthy!) leads to an understanding that they’ll keep business out of the mix as they explore a more physical relationship. There are some sexy scenes between them and soon it’s clear that they’re going to want to find a way to make things work for them in the long term, but not without some ups and downs and soul searching first. The end result is a lovely happy ending for them and a delightful epilogue to tie things together. On another positive note, Kit’s enthusiasm for her scientific field is delightful to see. The scenes involving her job, and the scientific discussions that ensue are interesting and believable. As much as I didn’t want this story to end, I’m excited to see where the series will go next! Beginner’s Luck is a rare gem, a debut novel that will have the reader impatiently waiting for more.
This review also appears at: https://straightshootinbookreviews.co...
A copy of this story was provided by the publisher via NetGalley for review.
April 29, 2018
4/5
This review was originally posted here.
I’m kind of kicking myself for putting off reading this for so long because I really enjoyed myself while reading this! This has been highly recommended on my twitter feed lately and that definitely pushed me to pick it up sooner than I would have otherwise! Plus, the sequel has also just come out so I thought it was the perfect time to jump in. For the first 50-60% of the book, I totally thought this would be a new fave, that’s how much I was loving it. Unfortunately, it didn't quite make it to my new faves list, but I certainly still liked it.
I absolutely adored Kit and Ben.As individual characters they were both fleshed out and so realistic. I loved their relationship with each other, with their family and friends. Kit and Ben’s relationship development felt really real and authentic, and I loved seeing them get to know each other and ultimately fall in love. I loved that Kit stood her ground for what she believed was the right thing for her future and I liked Ben for respecting that. I appreciated that Clayborn explored gender bias in science, even if my eyes glazed over when Kit started nerding out.
I thought the family relationships in this were really interesting and well explored. Kit grew up with an absent mother and an addict father, so her elder brother was her guardian growing up. Learning about Kit moving from home to home and more of her family history really made me connect and understand her need to stay rooted in one place. I think once Alex’s book comes around, it’ll be interesting to see how their upbringing affected both characters so differently! For Ben, the divorce between his parents is what impacted his relationship with them. The divorce ended up with Ben staying with his father, and while he sees his mother and her new husband semi-regularly, his relationship with his father was much stronger. I loved Ben and Henry’s relationship and adored seeing them work in the salvage yard together. Again, I loved that his relationship with his parents really impacted parts of his personality and thought it was all well-developed.
Also can we talk about the fact this has an awesome, non-toxic female friendship because Y E S. Soooo many romance books have such toxic female friendships and it was so refreshing to see not just a healthy one, but one where they were so supportive and loving of each other. I thought Greer and Zoe could have done with some more character development, but knowing they have their own books coming up, I wasn’t too mad about it.
There were only a couple things I wasn’t a fan of with this book. 1) I didn’t like the conflict at the end. I am not a fan of assumptions and miscommunication in romance novels, and that’s exactly why the conflict happened. Kit was so stubborn, and whilst I understand why she thought what she did, she was too stubborn to even talk to Ben to try to understand his side of things. If they’d just had a conversation and Kit let him explain, she would’ve understood that it was all a misunderstanding & that Ben didn’t do what she thought he had. 2) On a related note, I thought the ending was kind of rushed. Like, I knew they’d get back together and get their HEA because it’s a romance novel, but it literally all happened in one chapter???? I would’ve liked to have seen them talking things over more, but once they see each other again everything is all forgiven and forgotten in like two seconds so it seemed like the weeks they spent apart were a waste.
Overall, Beginner’s Luck is a sweet, smart, sexy romance with great writing and lovely relationship development. Whilst the conflict at the end annoyed me, overwhelmingly I enjoyed myself while reading this and very much look forward to continuing the series!
This review was originally posted here.
I’m kind of kicking myself for putting off reading this for so long because I really enjoyed myself while reading this! This has been highly recommended on my twitter feed lately and that definitely pushed me to pick it up sooner than I would have otherwise! Plus, the sequel has also just come out so I thought it was the perfect time to jump in. For the first 50-60% of the book, I totally thought this would be a new fave, that’s how much I was loving it. Unfortunately, it didn't quite make it to my new faves list, but I certainly still liked it.
I absolutely adored Kit and Ben.As individual characters they were both fleshed out and so realistic. I loved their relationship with each other, with their family and friends. Kit and Ben’s relationship development felt really real and authentic, and I loved seeing them get to know each other and ultimately fall in love. I loved that Kit stood her ground for what she believed was the right thing for her future and I liked Ben for respecting that. I appreciated that Clayborn explored gender bias in science, even if my eyes glazed over when Kit started nerding out.
I thought the family relationships in this were really interesting and well explored. Kit grew up with an absent mother and an addict father, so her elder brother was her guardian growing up. Learning about Kit moving from home to home and more of her family history really made me connect and understand her need to stay rooted in one place. I think once Alex’s book comes around, it’ll be interesting to see how their upbringing affected both characters so differently! For Ben, the divorce between his parents is what impacted his relationship with them. The divorce ended up with Ben staying with his father, and while he sees his mother and her new husband semi-regularly, his relationship with his father was much stronger. I loved Ben and Henry’s relationship and adored seeing them work in the salvage yard together. Again, I loved that his relationship with his parents really impacted parts of his personality and thought it was all well-developed.
Also can we talk about the fact this has an awesome, non-toxic female friendship because Y E S. Soooo many romance books have such toxic female friendships and it was so refreshing to see not just a healthy one, but one where they were so supportive and loving of each other. I thought Greer and Zoe could have done with some more character development, but knowing they have their own books coming up, I wasn’t too mad about it.
There were only a couple things I wasn’t a fan of with this book. 1) I didn’t like the conflict at the end. I am not a fan of assumptions and miscommunication in romance novels, and that’s exactly why the conflict happened. Kit was so stubborn, and whilst I understand why she thought what she did, she was too stubborn to even talk to Ben to try to understand his side of things. If they’d just had a conversation and Kit let him explain, she would’ve understood that it was all a misunderstanding & that Ben didn’t do what she thought he had. 2) On a related note, I thought the ending was kind of rushed. Like, I knew they’d get back together and get their HEA because it’s a romance novel, but it literally all happened in one chapter???? I would’ve liked to have seen them talking things over more, but once they see each other again everything is all forgiven and forgotten in like two seconds so it seemed like the weeks they spent apart were a waste.
Overall, Beginner’s Luck is a sweet, smart, sexy romance with great writing and lovely relationship development. Whilst the conflict at the end annoyed me, overwhelmingly I enjoyed myself while reading this and very much look forward to continuing the series!
May 5, 2021
I thought this was lovely. I wasn't a huge fan of the way the angst at the end came about , but I loved all the rest of it, including the focus on their careers, and all the supporting characters. It all felt very adult, and I liked the way the premise wasn't heavily relied upon. Excited to read the next two in the series.
December 26, 2017
Such a pleasant surprise to read a debut novel from a promising new author and at the very end of the year too. I liked so much about this first book in Clayborn's series, but as a heroine-centric reader I was surprised by how much I enjoyed the hero in this book more than anything else. In the wrong hands Ben Tucker could have been a smooth operator in the worst sense as he has many of the accoutrements, including a corporate job as a headhunter, a handsome face and body decked out in expensive suits, and a history of brief liaisons with numerous women who are purposely chosen for their willingness to walk away with no strings attached. When Ben returns to his hometown to care for his father and to make a rather uncharacteristically clumsy career pitch to a quiet university research scientist to come join the corporate world for profit and status, first appearances confirm the brief details we have about Ben. However, he is slowly revealed to us through small encounters with family, friends, and the heroine as a much deeper and caring person, and all of the traits that are initially attached to him are indeed paper thin. Ben is in some ways two people for much of the novel. On the one hand he is a devoted son of a single dad who raised him after a divorce, a man who embraces a hands-on craft trade of antique restoration and home repair, and he is a person recovering from a troubled youth for which he feels enormous regret about his childhood actions. He was, in other words, an at-risk boy, and there are hints too that there are underlying issues that could be labeled as ADHD. On the other hand, Ben has tried to leave his past behind him by embracing a high flying corporate job that is presented as the novel progresses to be sterile and superficial even though it has provided him with much-needed stability and focus. Ben's attempts to straddle two worlds as he embarks on an unexpected romance with Kit is doomed to fail, but which way he decides is open to speculation even though as a romance we are assured somehow Kit and Ben will find a way.
The romance is sweet and I appreciate the way the author allows it to unfold slowly to build a sustainable foundation for the couple. Kit and Ben are convincingly friends before and after they are lovers. The restoration of Kit's old home is a nice factor too in the book for those who enjoy home projects. I definitely felt the excitement of Kit's hunt for door knobs and hinges and the Salvage yard is a great and unusual setting for a novel. I could envision it so clearly from the descriptions. Kit's home restoration work also allows Ben to tap back into his roots and engage in humane and meaningful labor, which presents a helpful and clear contrast to his alienated life as a corporate headhunter. I have to say too that in a subtle and convincing way, this is a book that includes a number of people with disabilities in a way that few romances do and in the process offers a loving picture of a different kind of American culture that deserves to be embraced. Betty, who owns the local pub, has only one eye from a childhood accident, River is a young hearing-impaired teen with a penchant for getting into trouble, Henry is aging and recovering from an accident and in a wheelchair for much of the story, and Alex, Kit and Ben all suffer from childhood emotional traumas that shape their choices as adults. The closest thing to a family for Kit is her Indian-American mentor and family rather than her own biological one. Henry and Sharon are an older couple who constitute a fun secondary romance. How wonderful to read about all of these complex characters who feel so real and valued.
I have to say though that I did not love Kit nearly as much as I loved Ben. She is a sympathetic figure for her struggles to find stability given the lack of roots she experienced as the child of an absentee mother and an alcoholic mother. And she is also an admirable figure too as a woman excelling in a predominantly male world of science and research. A number of times in the book, however, she cuts people off without allowing them a chance to defend themselves, including her brother and Ben on more than one occasion, so I had trouble warming up to her. I also felt a little annoyed with the conflict that briefly separates Ben and her at the end of the book because it relies heavily on a misunderstanding and one that precludes constructive dialogue.
Kit's two girlfriends, Zoe and Greer, are depicted clearly here and I have every intention of reading their upcoming books. I love the town created in this series and look forward to returning to these characters in 2018. The writing is strong in this book and I am eager to see how Clayborn develops as an author.
The romance is sweet and I appreciate the way the author allows it to unfold slowly to build a sustainable foundation for the couple. Kit and Ben are convincingly friends before and after they are lovers. The restoration of Kit's old home is a nice factor too in the book for those who enjoy home projects. I definitely felt the excitement of Kit's hunt for door knobs and hinges and the Salvage yard is a great and unusual setting for a novel. I could envision it so clearly from the descriptions. Kit's home restoration work also allows Ben to tap back into his roots and engage in humane and meaningful labor, which presents a helpful and clear contrast to his alienated life as a corporate headhunter. I have to say too that in a subtle and convincing way, this is a book that includes a number of people with disabilities in a way that few romances do and in the process offers a loving picture of a different kind of American culture that deserves to be embraced. Betty, who owns the local pub, has only one eye from a childhood accident, River is a young hearing-impaired teen with a penchant for getting into trouble, Henry is aging and recovering from an accident and in a wheelchair for much of the story, and Alex, Kit and Ben all suffer from childhood emotional traumas that shape their choices as adults. The closest thing to a family for Kit is her Indian-American mentor and family rather than her own biological one. Henry and Sharon are an older couple who constitute a fun secondary romance. How wonderful to read about all of these complex characters who feel so real and valued.
I have to say though that I did not love Kit nearly as much as I loved Ben. She is a sympathetic figure for her struggles to find stability given the lack of roots she experienced as the child of an absentee mother and an alcoholic mother. And she is also an admirable figure too as a woman excelling in a predominantly male world of science and research. A number of times in the book, however, she cuts people off without allowing them a chance to defend themselves, including her brother and Ben on more than one occasion, so I had trouble warming up to her. I also felt a little annoyed with the conflict that briefly separates Ben and her at the end of the book because it relies heavily on a misunderstanding and one that precludes constructive dialogue.
Kit's two girlfriends, Zoe and Greer, are depicted clearly here and I have every intention of reading their upcoming books. I love the town created in this series and look forward to returning to these characters in 2018. The writing is strong in this book and I am eager to see how Clayborn develops as an author.
November 19, 2020
4.5 Stars!
In a nutshell, I loved this story. I loved the characters. All of them. I loved how they were written and carefully developed. It's thorough. Not a stone unturned. Zoe and Ben's relationship developed at a natural pace, the dialogue was authentic, and the character issues were realistic and not loaded or manipulating. It's hard for me to explain, but it wasn’t the type of swoon-inducing story that usually garners my highest rating, but it was compelling and driven by the realistic romance of two very lovely people. Zoe and Ben were perfectly flawed and perfectly suited. I simply loved being immersed in their lives along with those they were closest to and/or encountered along the way. Beginner's Luck was also laden with the kind of detailed writing that I crave. Never unnecessary and always used intelligently to show the empathy, loyalty, and mind set of both Kit and Ben. I truly, truly enjoyed this story, but I most especially loved the writing. Not a wasted word or moment to be found.
December 1, 2018
This was such a fantastic debut!
October 9, 2018
Приятна, лека и неангажираща история, с която човек да изкара няколко часа свободно време, но и която няма да запомни дълго след това. История между двама души - Кит и Бен, които се запознават при условия създадени от обстоятелствата - Бен агитира Кит към нова по-престижна работа - и една любов пламнала съвсем плавно и предсказуемо, но също толкова силна като всяка друга. Сюжетът няма драми, непредвидени обрати или пълни изненади, дори краят е ясен от самото начало, но не стои толкова клиширано като някои други. Става за приятно разпускане.
February 1, 2018
3.5 stars
I appreciated A LOT about Kit being a woman in STEM field -- and one who is really competent in her job, despite Kit's unwillingness to, well, challenge herself more. I was wholeheartedly in love with how Ben loves Kit's brain. Yep, her smarts, not just her physical appearance. Them connecting over finding the right items for her new house is wonderful to read.
I loved the layers in this romance -- especially in Kit's case. I think it's easy to think that Kit is being stubborn, that Ben only wants to see Kit excels, and getting credits for what she can actually does for herself, not having to share spotlight. I too, kind of wish Kit to not describe herself only as lab tech when she clearly is more than that.
BUT at the same time, I can put myself in Kit's position. I have never been an ambitious girl. I can say that I had good grades during my school years. Sometimes I also get that question, "I know you can do better, why don't you give it a try?". They don't understand that for me, I don't need that. I like my life as it is, my happiness doesn't depend on proving myself and my ability.
I understand that for Kit, at the moment, what's important for her is to finally can call a place her home... being with her friends, renovating her house, getting familiar with her neighbors... putting down roots. She doesn't want to have to move again to another city, to start again even if that gives her more opportunities. At that point, Kit as a character really resonates with me.
On top of that, I LOVED Ben's relationship with his father, as well as Kit's friendship with the other two women. I must say that Ben's father steals every scenes he's in. I loved that man. The other secondary characters from Ben's father's beau, Kit's older brother, and this teenager, River, whom Ben's father seems to practically adopt to work on their salvage yard are also wonderful characters.
Having said that, this book did feel way too long. At times I lost my focus and had to try getting back again. I was also a bit frustrated because let's face it, with Ben working for the Big Business, and Kit so determined to not accepting, the HUGE conflict will be about that.
Ben and Kit have good rapport before that, they actually talked about things, and somehow this book STILL ended up with misunderstanding made me want to knock my head to the table. PLUS, the whole winning the lottery thing didn't feel like adding something significant to the plot somehow.
Beginner's Luck is a good start of the series (and a lovely debut from Kate Clayborn). I look forward reading about the love stories from the other two women.
I appreciated A LOT about Kit being a woman in STEM field -- and one who is really competent in her job, despite Kit's unwillingness to, well, challenge herself more. I was wholeheartedly in love with how Ben loves Kit's brain. Yep, her smarts, not just her physical appearance. Them connecting over finding the right items for her new house is wonderful to read.
I loved the layers in this romance -- especially in Kit's case. I think it's easy to think that Kit is being stubborn, that Ben only wants to see Kit excels, and getting credits for what she can actually does for herself, not having to share spotlight. I too, kind of wish Kit to not describe herself only as lab tech when she clearly is more than that.
BUT at the same time, I can put myself in Kit's position. I have never been an ambitious girl. I can say that I had good grades during my school years. Sometimes I also get that question, "I know you can do better, why don't you give it a try?". They don't understand that for me, I don't need that. I like my life as it is, my happiness doesn't depend on proving myself and my ability.
I understand that for Kit, at the moment, what's important for her is to finally can call a place her home... being with her friends, renovating her house, getting familiar with her neighbors... putting down roots. She doesn't want to have to move again to another city, to start again even if that gives her more opportunities. At that point, Kit as a character really resonates with me.
On top of that, I LOVED Ben's relationship with his father, as well as Kit's friendship with the other two women. I must say that Ben's father steals every scenes he's in. I loved that man. The other secondary characters from Ben's father's beau, Kit's older brother, and this teenager, River, whom Ben's father seems to practically adopt to work on their salvage yard are also wonderful characters.
Having said that, this book did feel way too long. At times I lost my focus and had to try getting back again. I was also a bit frustrated because let's face it, with Ben working for the Big Business, and Kit so determined to not accepting, the HUGE conflict will be about that.
Ben and Kit have good rapport before that, they actually talked about things, and somehow this book STILL ended up with misunderstanding made me want to knock my head to the table. PLUS, the whole winning the lottery thing didn't feel like adding something significant to the plot somehow.
Beginner's Luck is a good start of the series (and a lovely debut from Kate Clayborn). I look forward reading about the love stories from the other two women.
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