Nope. Unfortunately, that’s the bulk of my response if you want to skip the overall review. When this landed in my inbox I said yes and had such high expectations because the cover looks well done and the premise was a great idea.* Unfortunately, the execution was lackluster at best.
Lucky Match is the tale of Lucky McGuire, a cocky student who started a dating service near his college campus, and Hayes Brantley, his recently divorced professor who’s decided to lean into his bisexuality and date a man.
Both Lucky and Hayes could’ve been great characters, but they weren’t. Lucky was too much of everything and, ultimately, came off as manipulative, insincere and, to be frank, annoying AF with all of the Irish adages from his aunt. It’s fine to sprinkle them in here and there, but this was overkill by multiple deaths. Hayes, on the other hand, was quite possibly worse because of his complete lack of spine and 1950s exclamations (more on that later).
Don’t get me wrong I can read and get into a D/s relationship or even just a more controlling main character, but the way these two were written just wasn’t right. Lucky didn’t have chemistry with ANYONE, let alone Hayes, and Hayes between the hokey exclamations and complete lack of confidence and spine just fell flat.
Two things were flat out NOs from me, and ultimately were the reason it got a 2 star review on Goodreads from me:
- So many plot holes that were never closed or are being trailed for later books in a series that I will not be reading: the random angry guy at Thanksgiving at the rehab place, the Dean, the Dean’s brother, Griffin’s boyfriend, Hudson’s sexuality, the coming-out letter/parade, the other professor’s relationship status, Riley and Ryan, seriously I could keep going but these were the most egregious. Oh, but the BIG one that stood out was apparently Hayes went through a phase in his undergrad days where he was with men, but then apparently he’s a total virgin/innocent with Lucky—something doesn’t add up. Riley really needs a good copy editor and beta reader to ask all of the questions and help tie up these random asides or at the very least make sure they’re there for a very specific reason.
- The sex scenes. Don’t get me wrong there were definitely good parts about the sex scenes (oh he verse characters), but when one of the main characters says things like the following and completely rip the reader out of the moment, it’s a huge mark against the book for me:
- “And then he rimmed me. Sweet suckling baby piglets, he rimmed me.” (Chapter 19)
- “Sweet honeybees! That tongue was magic.” (Chapter 21)
- “Sweet sassy molassy, to feel my dick slide into Lucky’s tight heat . . . ” (Chapter 21)
- “‘Peas and Parsley!’ I never imagined toe fucking was a thing, but I was loving it.” (Chapter 24)
Seriously though, the closer I got to the book’s end I was waiting for Hayes to say “Gee golly willikers Mr! You’re called Lucky but I’m the lucky one getting plowed like this” or some-such other nonsense. It was just BAD and I got so annoyed by the end of the novel.
Other things were annoying too like the fact that Cyan and Lucky seemed to know everything about each other but having only just met as first-year roommates, the weird jumps in time where conversations must’ve happened off-page but were alluded to on-page, or even the hyperbolic declarations of love that in a better-written book wouldn’t have stood out.
“No, you’re cute, Hayes. Especially when you smile like that and your eyes light up. And when you’re holding knitting needles and chatting up old ladies, you’re fucking irresistible.” (Chapter 7)
So it’s not all doom and gloom, I will say though that there were bright spots too! I loved that Lucky was apparently a knitter and took Hayes on a knitting date, I mean come on swoon, right?! I say apparently because at no point before or after the class even when Hayes is knitting does Lucky ever once pick up needles and yarn to knit. Why have them always watch a film, why not have them knit together? And there were moments, like the karaoke contest, that were fun to read and Riley made visualizing them effortless because she kept the reader in the moment. Unfortunately, those moments were few and far between and not enough to make me want to continue the series.
Recommendation: Pass. This reads like a poorly edited debut novel from an author with WAY too many ideas. Many of the ideas could’ve been great with more effort, cutting out 1/3 of the random asides (including but not limited to the adages, Lucky’s internal monologues, the various loose ends, the introduction of random characters) and A LOT of editing to take the mediocre characters and plot to great characters with a decent plot. Riley has potential as an author, the ideas were there—too many if I’m honest—but the execution fell short, and I may revisit their work in the future, but not until they get quite a few more books under their belt and a higher rating than what the average currently is on Goodreads because I’m not sure it’s representative.
*I received a copy of Lucky Match via Gay Romance Reviews in return for my honest opinion. No goods or money were exchanged.
Opening Line: “Shit! I was never going to find my way around this place.”
Closing Line: “She’s the wisest woman I know.” (Whited out to avoid spoilers, highlight to read.)