ARC Review: Luck and Last Resorts

Luck and Last Resorts by Sarah Grunder Ruiz
Publication Date: 9 August 2022

I was very much looking forward to this follow-up to Love, Lists & Fancy Ships, and I was not disappointed. A second-chance romance with a bit of a twist, this time we dive into the life of snarky and strong-willed Nina and hot Irish chef Ollie. While Nina was pretty much just a sidekick in the first book, this time we get to dive into her backstory through a series of flashbacks to her first days working on the yacht. Ollie was the first person she encountered at her new job, and they were like oil and water right from the start. And while the first book hinted at their on-again, off-again relationship, this time we get the whole complicated, emotional story.

Once again, Ruiz brings us a beautiful love story with complex characters who make us feel all of the emotions. We get to laugh as Nina and Ollie engage in a battle of sarcastic one-upmanship. Their banter is some of the best I’ve read recently. And throughout the story, the reader can practically feel the chemistry between the two of them sizzling right off the page. But most importantly, you absolutely know that these two people are destined to be together. At its heart this is the story of two very broken people and their on-again, off-again relationship that has spanned nearly a decade. Both have deep-seated family problems that they are trying to come to terms with. There are enough trust issues and commitment issues here to fill a few dozen books, and if you saw that chapter four revelation coming, well, you’re a better literary sleuth than I am.

I highly recommend this beautiful love story to anyone who needs a good, angst-filled emotional roller coaster. I was in tears by the end (this seems to be a pattern with this series) and was sad when I ran out of pages. This book can be read as a standalone, but I would recommend starting with book one so that you can get a feel for the supporting characters and the setting.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.