Love & Luck (Love & Gelato, #2)

by Jenna Evans Welch

[Sam@WLABB]

Rating: 4.5 Stars

I didn't think Welch would be able to delight me in quite the same way she did with Love & Gelato, but she did! This book took me on a fantastic trip through Ireland, that was filled with friends, family, and fun.

Prior to their trip to Ireland, Addie and her favorite brother, Ian, had a falling out regarding her relationship with one of Ian's teammates. This relationship did not end well, and there was some fallout, which Ian believed required parental guidance. However, Addie was nursing her broken and betrayed heart. She just wanted to visit her friend Lina in Italy, and forget about the whole mess. A chain of events derailed Addie's trip to Italy, and put her on this "road to the Electric Picnic" with Ian and his Irish friend, Rowan. It may have started out as a trip to a music festival, but that road also led to a place of healing and understanding.

First and foremost, I LOVED being on this road trip. There were lots of snafus, which were amusing, but what really won my heart was the tour through Ireland. I got to revisit the sites I went to when I visited Ireland back in 2007. It was such a wonderful trip, and it was amazing being back there via Welch's story telling. Each location was incorporated into the story in such a meaningful way, and the addition of the guidebook just made each stop a little bit better.

The guided book excerpts were quite hilarious. Those snippets never failed to make me grin, but they also did a fantastic job setting the stage for the events that would follow. The tasks assigned at each stop by the "guide" helped us understand what really happened to Addie, little by little, and also served as a bonding point for her and Rowen. There's nothing like forming a friendship over shared heartbreak, and it was a really beautiful friendship that developed between Rowen and Addie.

There was an abundance of examples of fine friendships throughout this book. Of course, I cried when Addie or Lina talked about how vital their friendship was when Lina's mom was sick and later succumbed to her illness. I remember thinking what a wonderful Addie was to Lina, and later, Lina returns that friendship in a really special way. I don't want to say what happened, but there was this magnificent part at the Electric Picnic, which showcased this wonderful group of supportive and loving people Addie was lucky enough to have in her life.

Addie was not only blessed with amazing friendships, she also had a rather stupendous family. Her brothers were a lot of things, but there was no doubt that they loved their little sister. It was really sweet the way they wanted to defend and protect her, although she didn't really need it. I also fell in love with her mom. There were a few times in the story, where Ian and Addie shared some special memories of their mom, which were terribly sweet. Those recollections coupled with seeing their mom in action, solidified my feeling that Addie was truly blessed in the family department.

To summarize the things I found delightful:

☑️ A slightly broken, but fierce heroine
☑️ Amazing family dynamic
☑️ Incredible and scenic trip through Ireland
☑️ A serious issue that was handled quite well by the author
☑️ Robust friendships including a strong female friendship
☑️ Heartbreak, heartache, and eventually, healing
☑️ A fun musical journey

Overall: A beautiful story, which showcased the power of family and friends, and left me with a full and happy heart.


*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

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