The Good Luck Sister: A Wildstone Novella (Wildstone)

by Jill Shalvis

• ISBN10: 0062463616
• ISBN13: 9780062463616
• Publish Date: 1 May 2018
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: US
• Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
• Imprint: Collins
• Format: Paperback (US Mass Market)
• Pages: 144
• Language: English

Reviews

[nitzan_schwarz]

My rating for this one, unfortunately, is more around a 2.5 stars than a three. I loved Dylan and Tilly in The Lost and Found Sisters, and I still really like them, but this novella was really really meh for me.

First of all, a third of this novells is reading exact scenes from Lost and Found Sisters. Not from a different pov or something, which could have been interesting, but almost word for word. The only difference was that some got cut down a bit. That was... so unnecessary. I guess I could see that it tries to connect people who haven't read the first one to this story, but I also feel like... why would someone who hasn't read the first one read this one?

Second, I felt like this was Shalvis rehashing plot-lines she has done before, and done better (for example, Rescue My Heart which I read earlier this year and is pretty much the exact same set up only far more fleshed out). I wrote this is my review for the first one - it was obvious that if Tilly and Dylan got their own story, it would be because they have separated, which I didn't really want to happen. And, of course, it did. And for the exact same reason, I feared it would.

Now, I feel like this COULD'VE worked as a full novel. Perhaps we could see scenes from their past that we HAVEN'T seen before. Dylan and Tilly were an item for at least two years before they separated - that gives us a lot of time to pool from that would let us understand and feel the strong emotions that they used to share--and still do. It would help explain it.

It would also give Tilly more time to accept Dylan's love. Like, she didn't want to be attracted to him. She was. She made his logo. She saw him with some kids. His friends told her the real reason he left and for an added bonus told her how bad he got hurt (which I feel like shouldn't matter? Why does the fact he got hurt change anything, like the fact he left without telling her?). Then everything is forgiven and suddenly it's the next morning but also "by this time she knew his routine" which is like, how? what happened? the timeline doesn't really add up?? Also didn't they become friends long before she was 15?? why did they suddenly meet when she was 15??? tHIS TIME LINE DOESN't WORK??? And it even ends with a proposal but it also feels like it has literally been two weeks or something and whaaa?

I really wasn't feeling it. I wanted more time for their relationship to develop--it's been eight years, for god's sake!--I wanted to see NEW things from their past and not the same things I've already read (like, for example, the FIRST time Dylan crawled through Tilly's window when they were kids because, hello, that would be awesome. Or the first time she found out about his abusive daddy, or their prom, or the day he left her, ect).

So, this one is kind of a no no for me. Definitely not Shalvis at her best....

[Nadz@Totally Addicted to Reading]

I remember when I first met Tillie, my heart bled for her. Losing one's mom is never easy, especially as a teen, which is the time when you would need her most. Tillie lost her mom when she was fifteen years old and things were never the same for her. Then she discovered she had a big sister who would become her guardian. This was too much for her to handle and she acted out as any teenager in her position would. Now ten years later she has grown into a responsible adult, but some things has not changed. She is still feisty, sassy and not afraid to speak her mind as Dylan, her best friend and first love, who had abandoned her ten years ago would discover. It was good to reconnect with her and see all she accomplished in the last ten years. When Dylan saw she was living her dream he felt he needed to reconnect with her, but he would soon find out it would the hardest task he would ever face.

The good thing about this novella is that it can be read as a stand-alone. The flashbacks provided sufficient details for one to understand the history, which Dylan and Tillie shared. Dylan wanted to rekindle what he and Tillie once shared, but she was not on board as the pain of his abandonment was still as fresh today as it was ten years ago. Will he be able to convince to accept him back in her life or will he be forced to live the rest of his life without Tilly?

They both deserved to have their happily ever after and I was glad see they had the chance to get it right the second time around. Dylan however was still struggling with deep-seated emotional wounds, which he needed to come to terms with if he hoped to regain Tillie’s trust.
Events developed fast, which is typical of novellas. Despite the fast development, their romance was believable and I could relate to them as a couple.

Conclusion/Recommendation

The Good Luck Sister is a well-written story, which was filled with funny, sweet, spicy and nostalgic moments. My only problem with the story, and I think everyone will agree me, is that I wish it was longer. I enjoyed the story and spending time with the characters, especially the adorable pup named Leo. I recommend this story to fans of second-chance small town romance. I am eagerly awaiting the next book in the series.

[stacey_is_sassy]

Sometimes begging works…

This story is proof that authors are sweet, generous and kind…well this author is. Jill Shalvis has listened to her fans and our wish is her command. With a bibbidi-bobbidi-boo (and a few hours in the hot seat thinking and writing, thinking and writing) we have Tilly and Dylan’s love story come to life in…dah…dah…dah…The Good Luck Sister.

I really enjoyed this little treat. Sure, I would have loved it to be longer but I was still satisfied with this sweet love story that took me through the highs and lows of their second chance at love. I don’t always believe in second chances at love. It’s hard to forgive heartbreak and hard to forget the pain. BUT…I think it’s a little different when the first time was in high school. Not, that I think high school romances are anything to sneeze at, it’s just that there’s still so much time for people to grow and mature. Mistakes are a little easier to forgive when they’re made by hormonal and inexperienced teenagers. Hopefully with time they learn and make better decisions about life and love.

So, Dylan’s runner into the army, I could forgive, especially considering he thought he was doing the right thing – AND – he didn’t have a good family support system in place to guide him. Yes, he hurt Tilly but it was easy to see that he never really moved on from her. By the end, I couldn’t help but admire Dylan for the man he became.

Tilly is still the quirky girl I came to love in Lost and Found Sisters. She’s obviously matured but I think in some ways, she’s still the vulnerable girl who thinks everyone will leave her. It takes her mistakenly making a quick judgement to realise that she’s always thinking the worst. Tilly starts to realise that the successes she’s always wanted are achievable, she just has to believe in herself.

I’m not normally a fan of time-jumping in my reads. In The Good Luck Sister it was a good reminder of stuff that previously happened while also helping us realise how young and immature they were. This time around they’re ready for all the feelings and have no doubts that the chemistry and connection they have is real.

A great chance to catch up with Quinn and Mick too. You could see that Quinn and Tilly's relationship has strengthened but you also see that Quinn forms a strong link to Dylan too. Mick is still AWESOME!!

If you’re a Jill Shalvis fan and enjoyed her first foray into Women’s Fiction with the Wildstone series, you will definitely enjoy The Good Luck Sister.

Stacey is Sassy, received a complimentary copy of this story. The copy provided is not the final copy and may be subject to edits and changes.

[Sam@WLABB]

I love revisiting characters from other books, and it was great catching up with Quinn and Mick, but it was also wonderful seeing Tilly finally get her HEA. I loved Tilly and Dylan together, and WOW! The flashbacks were really emotional and meaningful, and I loved that the universe brought them back together, when they were finally ready for one another.

This was a very satisfying novella, but I definitely think these two could have carried a whole book.

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[Linda]

This review was originally posted on (un)Conventional Bookviews
*I received a free copy of [title] from [publisher] via Edelweiss. This has in no way influenced my voluntary review, which is honest and unbiased *The Good Luck Sister is yet another feel-good romance from Shalvis! I really enjoyed getting to know Tilly and Dylan better!

Story:

The Good Luck Sister is short, but sweet. It's set several years after Lost and Found Sisters, and it shows Tilly all grown up. But still confused about life. And still sharing her wisdom at the beginning of the chapters.

I loved that while Tilly was now an adult, there were traits of her character she still had from her teens. She is not one to forgive easily, and if she feels like she's been faulted, she's stoic. The Good Luck Sister showed that she is capable of letting the past go, though. But not without the other person having to work for it.

Dylan has totally carved out a new life for himself. Starting a charter helicopter company with some of his army buddies, and trying to be better made my heart sing for him. The Good Luck Sister also included some snippets from the main characters' past, so even if you haven't read the first full book, you'd definitely enjoy this one!

Tilly's little dog, Leo, was also a full character in the story, and I just loved how Shalvis managed to share a dog with such a big personality with me.

Of course, I'm such a sucker for second-chance romances, and The Good Luck Sister gave me this in such a beautiful way. Young love can be slightly blind. Or it can make people do what they think is noble. And that's what Dylan did - until the day he walked back into Tilly's life with flair.

Feels :

All the good feels here! I read The Good Luck Sister a while ago, and just thinking of it now, writing my review makes me feel all happy again.



He was a destructo of the highest magnitude, and something else too. He had no idea how small he was. He went after her sister Quinn's twenty-pound cat and her neighbor's hundred pound black lab with the same fierce, fearless gusto. Turned out, the little guy had a bad case of small-man syndrome, which was how he'd earned his name. Leo, short for Napoleon.

She did not expect him to begin stripping out of his clothes. He kicked off his athletic shoes first, then his socks, which hit the floor with a soggy 'smack'. He pulled off his windbreaker, which had been suctioned to his chest and back and made a very wet pop as he freed himself of it, like the nylon didn't want to let go of hi. She kinda knew how it felt.

 

[kimbacaffeinate]

For those who loved Lost and Found Sisters, the first Wildstone story, there was a side thread involve teenagers Tilly Adams, Quinn's unknown sister, and Dylan Scott her troubled best friend and true love. Many readers wanted to know what happened to these two as the thread was touching, filled with domestic violence and it seemed the odds were stacked against them.

Ten years have passed, and Shalvis shares the story giving us both the past and the present as she updates us along the way. This was a touching, sweet story as Tilly begins her first day of teaching and discovers Dylan sitting in the front of the class. Since this was a short novel the romance in the present moves pretty fast once we get past the initial issues with Dylan having left town without saying goodbye. Shalvis took the time to explain and shared his history.

Shalvis brings a little heat, but it is mostly fade to black. Instead, the story focuses more on healing a love that has never really faded.

We get updates on Quinn and Mack that made me smile and laugh. I devoured The Good Luck Sister,  in a single sitting and while I wish it had been longer between Tilly's little dog Leo and getting their story, I was left smiling as only Shalvis can do. This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Reviewer