ARC, 299 pages
Release Date: May 8, 2018Published by: Simon Pulse
Read from: May 9-13, 2018Love & Gelato, #2 (Companion Novel)Source: TxLAFor fans of: Contemporary, Romance, Realistic Fiction, Adventure, Contemporary Romance, Realistic Fiction, Road Trips, YAAddie is visiting Ireland for her aunt’s over-the-top destination wedding, and hoping she can stop thinking about the one horrible thing she did that left her miserable and heartbroken—and threatens her future. But her brother, Ian, isn’t about to let her forget, and his constant needling leads to arguments and even a fistfight between the two once inseparable siblings. Miserable, Addie can’t wait to visit her friend in Italy and leave her brother—and her problems—behind.
So when Addie discovers an unusual guidebook, Ireland for the Heartbroken, hidden in the dusty shelves of the hotel library, she’s able to finally escape her anxious mind and Ian’s criticism.
And then their travel plans change. Suddenly Addie finds herself on a whirlwind tour of the Emerald Isle, trapped in the world’s smallest vehicle with Ian and his admittedly cute, Irish-accented friend Rowan. As the trio journeys over breathtaking green hills, past countless castles, and through a number of fairy-tale forests, Addie hopes her guidebook will heal not only her broken heart, but also her shattered relationship with her brother.
That is if they don’t get completely lost along the way.
*MY THOUGHTS*
“Dublin is seductive as hell.“pg. 8
Ian and Addie have been going through so many different fights all summer. So different from their normal sibling fun. But now they’ve gone off to Ireland and took their fight with them. Hopefully their time running all over Ireland will help them get back to the relationship they once had.
“This is the year that matters. This is my future.“pg. 25
I was so glad to be back in Welch’s words. And this time it was super cool to be in Ireland. I loved seeing so many different places that they visited. Especially since I’m not sure I’ll ever go to Ireland on my own. So many of the places mentioned are big in Ireland and were available to look at on the internet. It was great to visit those sites, even if they are forever away.
“courage + time = healed heart.“pg. 106
I also loved the characters. They were all different and they all complimented each other in their own special way. From the main characters to the supporting roles, they all played a special part and I loved the way they interacted together.
“Heartache came in all sorts and flavors.“pg. 171
The only thing I wasn’t completely sold on was the actual plot. In places it dragged quite a bit. Which seemed strange because the book itself was only 299 pages. (According to the ARC copy.) I just felt like the mystery about what had happened to her had dragged on and by the time I got to the end of the book I had made my own story up in my head. And of course, mine was so much worse than what had actually happened.
“If you want to get through heartache, you’re going to have to let your heart, you know, ache. And no matter how many distractions you pile on- cartons of ice cream, shopping binges, marathon naps- you can’t outsmart heartache. It has nowhere to be, nothing to do. It will just stand there, buffing its nails, waiting until you’re ready. It’s a persistent little devil.“pg. 180
I (Meaning me personally) was also was missing that romance aspect. In Love and Gelato, Lina finds her love when she doesn’t want to, but there is still a whirlwind romance and I loved it. But in this one, there wasn’t that much romance at all. I knew where it was going, but this story is mainly about Addie and her growing up. I missed that romance and sweetness that Love and Gelato had.(With a title like Love and Luck, I was just expecting it. I wish I had known that it wouldn’t be there so I wouldn’t have expected it. However, even though there was an absence of romance, I LOVED the family dynamic that was present. I can attest to the sibling rivalries and the way they helped each other when things happened to each other. It felt like such a real family.
“I’d never thought of connection that way- that hatered could be just as bieding as love.“pg. 264
I’ve been waiting on this book for a long time and I’m happy it lived up to most of my expectations. Some things were unexpected, but that’s what makes a good book in my opinion.
