A review by readers_sea
Lucky Shot by K. Bromberg

hopeful medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

 I can't lie; this one wasn't a hit for me :( 

This book starts off very promising with Whitney who has had a very hard past and the owner of a soccer academy in a low-income area and Hardy who is a professional soccer player who has been signed up to do a meet and greet situation at Whitney's academy to help his image. 

At first, I loved Whitney. I loved that she was cautious and aware while also being strong and taking pride on herself and her soccer academy. Hardy took a little bit to grow on me because of how arrogant and dense he was at times. Although both of them had a hard childhood, they both handled and grew up very differently. 

While the beginning I understood Whitney, I felt like it took her a very long time to have any sort of character growth. I understand why she was so hesitant to trust Hardy at first. but I think he proved himself to her time and time again while she continued to run away from him and blame her past. I understand that people deal with things in different ways but when she says things like "when someone shows you who they really are, believe them" - I just don't know what more Hardy could have done to prove himself to Whitney. I felt she was way too hard on him no matter his efforts and this lasting for more than 75% of the book, made it hard to root for them to be together. After a while, I started thinking this book wasn't going to have a HEA and that Hardy deserved better, but it is what it is. 

On the other hand, there were aspects that I did enjoy about the book. I loved Hardy's character growth and seeing him soften for the children at the soccer academy, seeing his realization that he needed to grow up, watching his confront his trauma and stand up for himself, among other things. I felt Hardy had the best character growth and I loved that for him. 

In the end, this one wasn't for me, but I did appreciate a lot of the aspects depicted in the book!