Just My Luck

The Kings

De: Lena Hendrix

Narrado por: Sean Crisden, Ava Erickson

You might think it’s reckless for a single mom to enter into a marriage of convenience with her boss . . .You would be correct.

To make matters worse, Abel King is a grumpy local brewer with a criminal past. He also happens to be my boss and a total stick-in-the-mud. Every time I come to work with a smile and wave, I’m lucky if I can get a grunt in response.

When I accidentally-on-purpose overhear that he’s having trouble securing a business loan due to his criminal record, I hatch a plan to help the both of us.

The arrangement is perfect—a business transaction and nothing more. Like having a roommate without the hassle of other people bugging you for dates.

I will definitely not be falling in love with him—no matter how many times he says “my wife” and tingles dance in all the right places.

Trouble is, as time goes on, things stop feeling like business and start feeling a whole lot like pleasure . . . and really, that’s just my luck . .

©2024 Lena Hendrix LLC (P)2024 Lena Hendrix

My first Sean Crisden book and won’t be my last

After devouring Just This Once, I had to immediately dive into Abel's story - I knew it was going to be good and I am so glad I was right. Lena Hendrix creates these complex characters that just wrap you into their world and make you never want to leave. This is one of my favorite marriage of convenience stories and once again, leaves questions to be answered that have me itching for the next book ASAP.

ᴛʜɪꜱ ꜱᴛᴏʀʏ ɪꜱ ᴀʙᴏᴜᴛ ᴀʙᴇʟ ᴋɪɴɢ, ʙᴀʀ ᴏᴡɴᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴛᴏᴡɴ ɢʀᴜᴍᴘ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴀ ᴄʀɪᴍɪɴᴀʟ ᴘᴀꜱᴛ, ᴡʜᴏ ɪꜱ ᴅᴏɪɴɢ ʜɪꜱ ʙᴇꜱᴛ ᴛᴏ ɢᴇᴛ ᴏᴜᴛ ꜰʀᴏᴍ ᴜɴᴅᴇʀ ʜɪꜱ ꜰᴀᴛʜᴇʀ'ꜱ ᴛʜᴜᴍʙ. ᴡʜᴇɴ ʜɪꜱ ᴇᴍᴘʟᴏʏᴇᴇ, ꜱɪɴɢʟᴇ ᴍᴏᴍ ꜱʟᴏᴀɴᴇ, ɴᴇᴇᴅꜱ ʜᴇʟᴘ ʀᴇᴄᴇɪᴠɪɴɢ ʜᴇʀ ᴛʀᴜꜱᴛ ꜰᴜɴᴅ ʙʏ ᴡᴀʏ ᴏꜰ ᴍᴀʀʀɪᴀɢᴇ, ʜᴇ ᴀᴄᴄᴇᴘᴛꜱ ʜᴇʀ ᴘʀᴏᴘᴏꜱᴀʟ. ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ ᴡᴀꜱ ᴀʟᴡᴀʏꜱ ᴀ ᴍᴜᴛᴜᴀʟ ᴀᴛᴛʀᴀᴄᴛɪᴏɴ ʙᴜᴛ ᴛʜɪꜱ ᴛʀᴀɴꜱᴀᴄᴛɪᴏɴᴀʟ ᴍᴀʀʀɪᴀɢᴇ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴡɪʟʟ ʜᴇʟᴘ ᴛʜᴇᴍ ʙᴏᴛʜ ᴍᴏʀᴘʜꜱ Qᴜɪᴄᴋʟʏ ꜰʀᴏᴍ ᴀ ʙᴜꜱɪɴᴇꜱꜱ ᴀʀʀᴀɴɢᴇᴍᴇɴᴛ ᴛᴏ ᴏɴᴇ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ꜰᴇᴇʟꜱ ʀᴇᴀʟ...

This is not only a marriage of convenience perfection but the grumpy x sunshine banter is top tier. Abel is closed off but Sloane slowly chips away at his walls and his love for both her and her children really has him becoming that alpha protective MMC that I just adore. The "my wife" moments are so good and, just like his brother in book 1, the King men have a mouth on them that just get me riled up. The spice hit perfectly.

I absolutely adored Sloane as the FMC. She is so fierce and fun. The way she winds Abel up is priceless. She is the shoulder Abel needs to lean on but she also allows him to be her comfort zone too. Absolute SWOON!

Both plots - Abel's family dynamic & Sloane's ex-drama propel the story forward but it's Abel & Sloane's marriage that really takes center stage. The way their family unit bonds and the open communication between all of them really had me going through all the emotions.

🎧 I listened to this one and it was my first Sean Crisden book - he was SO GOOD! Loved both his and Ava Erikson's performances.

I am so invested in this story and there are still loose ends that I can't wait to see play out next. I just know Royal's book is going to be 🔥 and I can't wait!

🏘️ Small Town
💍 Marriage of Convenience
🍺 Workplace Romance
🏡 Forced Proximity
☀️ Grumpy x Sunshine
➶ Best Friend's Brother
👰‍♀️ "My Wife"
✌🏻 Dual POV

overall good story

I didn't love Sean Crisden's female voice. He made her sound like an idiot some of the times

Perfection

LENA! This was perfection from start to finish. Abel and Sloane were made for each other. Sloane, the ray of sunshine and Abel, the broody brewery owner.

I'll admit I was intrigued by Abel's story from the start but Lit wasn't the King brother I was most anticipated for... and it just completely blew my expectations out of the park.

Abel was so protective of Sloane and the kids but on the inside just a giant teddy bear who needed someone to love him.

Sloane and Abel BOTH had been through so much individually and there was a lot of emotional baggage but it was just written so dang well.

All of the King family secrets have had me on the edge of my seat and I can't wait for even more!

My Favorite King 🥰

Rating: ✩✩✩✩✩
Spice: 🌶🌶🌶
Narration: ✩✩✩✩✩
➛ Dual Narration
➛ Sean Crisden & Ava Erickson

TROPES:
♡ Marriage of Convenience
♡ Small Town Romance
♡ Grumpy/Sunshine
♡ Ex-con x Single mom
♡ Boss x Employee
♡ Forced proximity

♪ Song vibes ♫ "The Fighter" - Keith Urban ft. Carrie Underwood

Okay, THIS one is my favorite in the series! Abel caught my eye ever since I read Duke and Sylvie's story "One Night" and when I read the blurb I was hella intrigued! I love me a broody grump with a heart of gold. He was the most amazing MMC from this series! And I like Slone! And the kids!! They were all so multifaceted and charming and just so darn likeable! I loved Slone's strength and the light that just radiates off the page every time she was in a scene. She was so good for Abel and Abel was just what she needed! My favorite aspect of their relationship was how they ended up leaning on each other and supporting one another through each of their trials and tribulations.

"My right to happiness—the light in my soul—died on that dark highway, but somehow, you brought me back to life." - Abel King

It was so lovely to see the wonderful cast of side characters return and make a reappearance. Like I said in my "One Night" review, the rivalry between the two families reminded me so much of the Haven & Bailey feud from Claire Kingsley's small town universe of Tilikum! So yes, oodles of pranks and shenanigans... but even a King & Sullivan team up! *le gasp*

Audiobook wise, Ava Erickson was spectacular as always but this was my first time with Sean Crisden and he was just a delight to listen to! The texture of his voice brought so much life to Abel and it made the experience all the more special when paired with Ava's performance!

Overall, I had an amazing time! It was emotional, heartfelt, and uber romantic story of 2 souls finding that they are stronger together than apart and maybe in helping each other get ahead, they might find love along the way as well. I have a feeling that Abel will go down as my favorite of the King brothers and yet I am intrigued enough to maybe pick up JP's story...

Sloane and Abel

I am really enjoying this series on audio. This is a single mom, grumpy/sunshine, marriage of convenience romance. Can’t wait to listen to the next book.