This book was sent to Traveling With T for review consideration.

Luck, Love and Lemon Pie

Summary from Goodreads:

When Milwaukee-area wife and mother MJ Boudreaux notices her husband Chris seems more interested in the casino than her, she’s more bothered that she isn’t upset than by her husband’s absence. She picks up poker as a way for them to spend more time together—and reignite their marital flame.

Although the game doesn’t give her the quality time with Chris that she’d hoped, MJ finds she has a knack for it. Increasingly unhappy at home, she turns to the felt top of the poker table for comfort. Intoxicated with newfound freedom, MJ begins spending more time at the gambling tables and less with her family, finally carving out for herself a place outside her role of wife and mother.

After a string of great wins, MJ finds herself in Vegas, attracting the attention of a certain magnetic poker star. But when she’s forced to choose between her family and her new exciting lifestyle, the stakes may be higher than she thought and MJ will have to play her hand carefully…or risk losing it all.

 

Traveling With T’s Thoughts:

I absolutey LOVED The Coincidence of Coconut Cake by Amy E. Reichert. It was foodie-licious and so cute. And made me want to visit Milwaukee (like right now!) So, as soon as I saw relentless stalked Netgalley till the e-ARC of Love, Luck and Lemon Pie appeared, I requested and began reading shortly after approval.

But LEMON PIE is different than COCONUT CAKE (and I have to sadly admit that I did not LOVE (hearts, jazz hands, dance moves, and glitter)  Lemon Pie like I thought I would- though it is good!)

When we meet MJ, she’s waiting on her hubby, Chris. You, the reader, can tell that she’s unhappy- her marriage is evolving into something she can’t recognize, her children are almost grown, and Momma needs a night out. She needs to remember that she’s more than just a mom, than a wife. She’s a woman- with desires and needs that go beyond the roles she’s finding herself playing. In her attempt to work on her marriage, to remind her husband that she’s a woman who is hot stuff- she actually begins to find herself ( although not in the way that she had imagined at first!)

So, there is the basis of LEMON PIE- a marriage that has gone stale and woman trying to get the magic back in her marriage, but actually finding the magic in her new hobby playing poker.

When I read about husband’s taking their wife for granted, it just makes me want to scream. Listen, I know they are just books and they are just situations- but still. Hubby, pay some attention to the wife. For the love of all things!

I liked that MJ found her a hobby, found a way to blow off steam- to feel better. When you feel better, you give off some type of appeal- which leads me to:

THE MAGNETIC EYE CANDY (that wasn’t).

True story: Back in the early 2000’s, the whole damn world was obsessed with World Series of Poker. My dad and brother would watch a good bit of time (and we would watch when were together). I never became a good poker player- but I did learn some of the players/legends. One was Doyle Brunson and I’m not sure if Amy picked the name Doyle because of the real one or what- but each time book Doyle was mentioned (and he’s supposed to be hot, charming and Irish) all I could picture was real Doyle with his big cowboy hat.

While Lemon Pie is a lot different than Coconut Cake- it’s still a good read. It’s got funny parts, thought-provoking parts and lesson to husbands everywhere: Don’t ignore your wife. She might go learn poker and get to play with the charming poker stud.

Quick thoughts:

-Loved the cover

-Loved references to Coconut Cake in Lemon Pie

 

*This book was requested by Traveling With T from Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine alone. It’s also a July Futuristic Friday selection from Traveling With T.*

 

Happy Reading and Bookishly Yours,

T @ Traveling With T