Ruby's books: Blog Tour Book Review: The Good Luck Sister by Jill Shalvis

Author: Jill Shalvis
Series: Wildstone #1.5
Audience: +18
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publisher: HarperCollins
Release Date: May 1st 2018
My Rating: 4 Cups
Source: Publisher
Blurb (from Goodreads):

This summer, romance blooms again in Wildstone!

After a difficult few years, Tilly Adams is ready for life to start going right. Though she has a case of first day nerves teaching art at the local community college, she knows it isn’t anything a few snuggles from her rescue puppy won’t cure. Until she sees Dylan Scott again, her one time bff and first love sitting in the front row.

Dylan knows he should’ve left well enough alone, but when he sees Tilly living her dream, he can’t help but make contact. Ten years ago, he left Wildstone and everything in it behind, including Tilly. He had his reasons, but now he wants her back in his life, anyway he can get her.

When Tilly agrees to design the logo for Dylan’s new helicopter touring company, it’s business only…until she finds herself falling into his arms once again. Can she possibly open her heart back up to the only man who’s ever broken it? But soon they’re both realizing the truth -- love always deserves a second chance.

*Disclaimer: I received an eARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not influence my rating or the content of my review in any way.

This was such a sweet story about second chances, growing up, best friends and love. I have come to love anything I read by Jill Shalvis and this book was no exception.

Tilly is a young woman who is trying to become something. She had a pretty hard childhood, becoming an orphan at the tender age of fifteen, and being raised by an older sister she didn't know she had didn't make things very easy. She was a young girl who wanted to lash out at everyone, which she actually did, but thankfully she had the best friend everyone wishes they had. This friend knocked some sense into her, gave her strength and inspired her to become someone, even using methods she didn't exactly agreed with initially. It was an interesting experience to learn more about Tilly by having two contemporary timelines. The flashbacks were short, but that doesn't make the scenes less important. It showed how Tilly went from what seemed like a rebellious teen to a strong, yet slightly lonely young woman, one who, no matter her personal feelings about a person, was a lot more professional than I expected. She surprised me, really. I loved that about her.

Dylan was, at one time, a really angry, really hurt young boy, and at the same time the best friend Tilly had and needed. The flashbacks I was talking about previously are all scenes involving both Dylan and Tilly, and it was such an amazing friendship they had when they were growing up. It was based on love, true, honest, unselfish love. It's rare that I get to read about such a friendship, and I was so happy that they managed to find their way back to each other. Dylan grew from that angry young man to a strong, amazing man. He always had it in him, but had he not done what he did, chances are he wouldn't have survived his ugly family situation. Because it was ugly, painful. It's amazing what he went through and how he managed to not only survive, but thrive.

The ending was a little bit rushed, but I understand that this story being a novella kind of required a fast, almost too abrupt ending. I only wished I could have had more time with Tilly and Dylan, as I absolutely loved reading their story. Every new book I read by Shalvis is one that makes me fall in love, and I am very, very excited to see what comes next in this series.

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Chapter 1

“I’ve finished my free trial of adulthood and am no longer interested, so please cancel my subscription.” From The Mixed Up Files of Tilly’s journal.

Tilly Adams sat in the vet’s office staring at the doctor in shock. “Say that again?”

Dr. Janet Lyons smiled. “I think Leo faked being sick. Probably so you’d stay home from work today.”

Tilly looked down at Leo. “You do know he’s a dog, right?”

All six pounds of him smiled up at her. About a month ago, she found him on a street corner hiding beneath a bus bench; wet, dirty, cold, hungry and matted. He’d been Dobby meets Gremlin meets neglected, abused Care Bear. Tilly had looked around for an adult, and then had to remind herself that at twenty-five years old, she was legal herself. So then she’d searched for an adultier adult, but she’d been the only one in sight.

So she’d scooped the little guy up and had brought him to the SPCA, who’d said he was about five weeks old, a possible Maltipoo, which meant he came by his care bear look naturally. He was malnutritioned and suffering from mange. They’d said they’d do what they could, and Tilly had turned to go. That had been when she’d seen all the eyes on her from an endless row of cages … and she’d realized her care bear would soon be sitting in one too. Then she’d heard herself offer to foster him until they found him a forever home.

They’d found him one too. Tilly had signed the adoption papers last weekend in spite of the fact that just that morning he’d escaped his crate, eaten her favorite sneakers, destroyed her favorite pillow, and then yakked up the stuffing from the pillow.

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-plus 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.

And now on top of Leo’s impressive chewing skills, his escape artist skills, and his ability to get up on her bed and yet still not understand why stepping in his own poop was annoying, he had a new skill.

He’d faked being sick.

Proud of himself, Leo smiled up at her. Smiled. An hour ago he’d been coughing and limping and acting all sorts of odd. Now he just kept smiling up at her while sending her meaningful glances at the open dog biscuit bin between her and the doctor.

Dr. Lyons laughed and gave him one.

“Dogs can’t fake sick,” Tilly said while Leo inhaled the biscuit whole before licking the floor to make sure he got all the crumbs. “Can they?”

Dr. Lyons scooped him up and gave him a kiss on his adorable snout. “Yours did.”

Tilly sighed. It was too early for this. She’d had a crazy late night. Not hanging at Whiskey River, the local bar and grill. Not at a club with friends. Not working on her designs for he upcoming graphic art showing.

Nope, she’d been on a serious stress bender -- a marathon of Game Of Thrones. She hadn’t fallen asleep until after two and her alarm had interrupted her in the middle of a really great dream starring Jon Snow.

Dr. Lyons handed Leo over. He immediately snuggled into the crook of Tilly’s neck and dammit, her cold heart melted on the spot and she hugged him close. “You’re sure he’s okay? He was coughing. And then he limped funny. And then he wouldn’t eat.”

“But he hasn’t coughed once that I’ve seen. And he’s not limping either. And you said all his food vanished while you took a quick shower.”

“Yes,” Tilly said.

Dr. Lyons waited for her to catch up.

Tilly sighed. “He really did fake me out.”

New York Times bestselling author Jill Shalvis lives in a small town in the Sierras full of quirky characters. Any resemblance to the quirky characters in her books is, um, mostly coincidental. Look for Jill’s bestselling, award-winning books wherever romances are sold and visit her website, www.jillshalvis.com, for a complete book list and daily blog detailing her city-girl-living-in-the-mountains adventures.