Just My Luck (The Kings)

4.5 | 8,706 ratings

Price: 4.99

Last update: 12-23-2024

About this item

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 . .

If ever there was a king...

Abel was it.

Single Mom
Marriage of Convenience
MMC with a criminal past
Workplace Romance
Spicy Small Town
Forced Proximity

What readers are saying...

"The chemistry between these two is EVERYTHING!!"
"INFINITY STARS! I couldn't get enough of this book!"
"I laughed, I cried, I SWOONED!"
"Abel 'my wife' King has entered the chat!!"

Top reviews from the United States

Sade Doyle

Great book!

Reviewed in the United States on November 20, 2024

I love this book, it was so easy to connect with the characters. Hendrix has quickly become a favorite author in my eyes. The stories are touching, there’s sadness and lots of laughter. I usually don’t like reading series, but I can’t wait for book 4. Highly recommend. I read book 3 on audio, I actually have 1 hr left of book 3. But book 2 is my favorite, then book 1. Book 3 is also really good, I love how the story grew, so many plot twist.

Jeeves Reads Romance

Great hero

Reviewed in the United States on July 17, 2024

Success! Though I like Hendrix’s writing style, I’ve never actually made it all the way through one of her books… until now. That’s because this small town is filled with a VERY large cast of characters, and I usually get exhausted trying to keep track of everyone (and their unusual nicknames). That was not the case here; either I’ve picked up enough knowledge of the town from my past DNFs, or this one simply wasn’t as full of side characters as usual. It’s much more streamlined, focusing on our couple from the start. I liked the grumpy/sunshine setup, and I LOVED the way this hero fell for his new family without even trying. He feels lucky to have a brand new wife and kids, and it was clear that he took the marriage of convenience seriously from the start. This man is pretty swoony, I’ve gotta say. He’s loving, fiercely protective, good in the kitchen (and the bedroom), and he loves those kids like his own. There were some great “my wife” moments, and the fast-paced storyline made it ideal for bingeing. A solid read!

The story follows Sloane, a single mom who moved to a new town a while back in the hopes of getting away from her ex-husband. While struggling financially, the best part of Sloane’s day is messing with her grumpy boss. Everyone in town knows Abel spent some time in prison, and while the details are murky, they’ve all decided it’s easier to keep their distance - except for Sloane, that is. She loves to get Abel flustered, and their interactions have recently taken a flirty turn. So when Sloane discovers that Abel is in need of funds to help his business, she has an idea. Sloane can access her trust fund only in the case of a major life event - like a wedding - and the money will benefit them both. Though Abel had resigned himself to being alone forever, he can’t say that he hates the idea of having a family. Living together as one happy family makes this fake marriage feel all too real, but there are still some obstacles ahead of them.

I recently read several excellent books back-to-back, so I was looking for something easy that would get me out of my book hangover. I loved the sound of this blurb,
but not having had much luck with Hendrix’s work in the past, I went into this with low expectations. It quickly grabbed my interest, and Abel’s swoon factor won me over. He’s this sweet grump of a man who isn’t necessarily alone by choice, and it was clear that he was in need of some love in his life. He is the sweetest with Sloane’s kids, and I loved peeling back the layers of him. The story is a little faster-paced than I’d like in the romance department, simply because there isn’t a whole lot of relationship development. They encounter a lot of obstacles, yes, but things between them move quickly. That’s really the only reason this doesn’t get a higher rating from me - I was entertained and engaged throughout, but there wasn’t a ton of substance to the relationship. I did like some of the more original components to the story though, particularly Abel’s background. It was also easy enough to read as a standalone, while still feeling connected to the rest of the series. It was just what I needed in an uncomplicated read, and satisfying overall.

Audio note: The audio was great! I’m not familiar with Sean Crisden, but I very much enjoyed his performance. His voice is deep, rich, and incredibly easy to listen to. Ava Erickson also does a great job with her performance. Her voice is so relaxing, and that worked for the vibes. The runtime (8-9 hours) was ideal for bingeing, and it really did fly by. I wouldn’t say that the book is overly spicy, but there’s enough that it’s not office appropriate. It’s an easygoing read though, and works well in the format.

Jennifer J.

Abel and Sloane

Reviewed in the United States on July 16, 2024

I love a good grumpy MMC and Abel King is one of the grumpiest. He wore his grumpy demeanor like a shield because of the guilt he carried with him. We finally got to see why Abel went to prison and it was every bit as devastating as I expected. Abel went through a lot as the King’s eldest sibling and didn’t know how to move on until Sloane burst into his life.

Sloane was a single mom who had broken away from a bad relationship and was still trying to find her way to a new start. She’d recently almost lost her son in a fire that destroyed her grandfather’s farm house and started working at Abel’s brewery. She made it her mission to poke at her boss and bring some light into his life. When she needs money to rebuild the farmhouse and Abel needs money to buy out his father, she cooks up a plan to get access to her trust fund.

When Sloane married Abel it was only supposed to be business, but the attraction between them burns brighter every day. She never expected to find such a tender heart beneath Abel’s gruff exterior, but she falls hard watching him live her twins the way their biological father never did.

I really loved the development of Abel and Sloane’s relationship. They formed a cute little family with her twins and made an excellent team. I loved Abel’s protectiveness and willingness to sacrifice his own happiness for Sloane and the twins. I loved the mending of his relationship with his siblings and begrudging acceptance of the Sullivans. This was an all around good book that had me laughing, crying and sitting at the edge of my seat.

JanfromNJ

This 2nd book in the King Family series grabbed me page 1 and never let me go.

Reviewed in the United States on September 2, 2024

A new favorite series. These characters, this family. I’m already anxiously awaiting book 3!

???????????????? ???????? ????????????????, the 2nd book in ???????????? ???????????????? ???????????????????????? ????????????????????????, grabbed me page 1 and never let me go. I knew I would enjoy Abel King’s story as he was introduced in book 1, ???????????????? ???????????????? ????????????????, as the super grumpy restaurant owner with a criminal past that the small town folks of Outtatowner, Michigan won’t let him forget. And then there’s his employee, Sloane who pushes all his buttons and drives him crazy with her smart mouth. Abel wants her. And Sloan is attracted to him too but she’s a single mom, running from her unstable ex, a past in ruins, just trying to survive. She’s his employee - and his sister’s best friend - totally off limits! And Able can’t believe she’d ever look at him as more than her boss. But then comes a financial opportunity for them both . . .

A marriage of convenience. A business arrangement. Yea sure until feelings are involved. I absolutely loved every part of the Sloan and Able relationship. The tension. The heat. They are both adorable and funny. Their pairing is steamy and off the charts hot! They each want MORE but. . . oh and he can’t stop saying ???????? ????????????????. Okay, time to swoon!

There’s an undercurrent of mystery and danger concerning both the King Family patriarch (as we discovered in book 1 and even MORE happens here) and Sloan’s EX. Russell King is quite the menace and fair warning; once you read the last page in this story you will be anxious for the next book because the mystery continues . . . I simply cannot WAIT!

Karleigh Graves

Able & Sloan

Reviewed in the United States on October 7, 2024

I’ve loved every book in this series, so good. I love how sweet Able is to Ben and Tillie and little Ben is the wisest soul. It was so sweet.

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