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A review by helen
Luck of the Draw by Kate Clayborn
5.0
OOF! This one hit me hard. Full of grief and regret and longing, but also hope and humour and love.
Aiden is a paramedic who’s grieving the death of his brother from a drug overdose. He’s shy and not a great communicator – a grunter. Zoe appears composed and unflappable under pressure but she’s plagued with guilt about her former life as a lawyer, which included a role in Aiden’s brother’s wrongful death settlement. When Zoe goes seeking forgiveness, Aiden asks her to pretend to be his fiancée for his own seeking forgiveness reasons.
A brilliant set-up that hooked me right from the beginning. At first their romance seems impossible, but Clayborn’s brilliant character-work makes you invested in these two likeable people who just want to be forgiven, who find peace and belonging with each other.
I cried thrice: once at the bleak moment (I typed “oh no” on my kindle and then Zoe said it out loud!); once when Zoe seeks comfort from Greer and Kit (the central female friendship is so wonderfully written. Also, it’s February 2021 and I just really miss crying on the sofa with my friends); and once during Aiden’s brilliant grovel.
Aiden is a paramedic who’s grieving the death of his brother from a drug overdose. He’s shy and not a great communicator – a grunter. Zoe appears composed and unflappable under pressure but she’s plagued with guilt about her former life as a lawyer, which included a role in Aiden’s brother’s wrongful death settlement. When Zoe goes seeking forgiveness, Aiden asks her to pretend to be his fiancée for his own seeking forgiveness reasons.
A brilliant set-up that hooked me right from the beginning. At first their romance seems impossible, but Clayborn’s brilliant character-work makes you invested in these two likeable people who just want to be forgiven, who find peace and belonging with each other.
I cried thrice: once at the bleak moment (I typed “oh no” on my kindle and then Zoe said it out loud!); once when Zoe seeks comfort from Greer and Kit (the central female friendship is so wonderfully written. Also, it’s February 2021 and I just really miss crying on the sofa with my friends); and once during Aiden’s brilliant grovel.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Grief
Minor: Addiction