With a Little Luck

by Marissa Meyer, Chuck Gonzales (Contribution by)

Overview

AN INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER!

After being magically gifted with incredible luck, a boy discovers this gift just may be a curse when it comes to love, in this sweet romantic comedy by #1 New York Times-bestselling author Marissa Meyer.

Jude is determined to fly under the radar. He just wants to draw comics, host D&D night with his friends, work at his parents’ vinyl record store, and escape high school as unscathed as possible. That is, until the night he finds himself inexplicably gifted with a bout of supernatural good luck.

Suddenly, everything Jude has ever wanted is within reach. His art is being published. He helps his friend’s song become a finalist in a songwriting competition. And he wins a pair of coveted concert tickets, which he can use to ask out the popular girl he’s been crushing on since elementary school.

But how long can Jude’s good fortune last? And why does he find himself thinking about Ari, his best friend since forever? If Jude has been dreaming of the wrong girl this whole time, does that mean he's doomed to be unlucky in love forever?

With a sprinkle of magic, this sweet beachside romance is perfect for fans of To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before and Love & Gelato, as well as anyone who has ever swooned over Marissa Meyer’s beloved characters.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781250618931
Publisher:	Feiwel & Friends
Publication date:	02/13/2024
Pages:	368
Sales rank:	40,904
Product dimensions:	6.10(w) x 9.10(h) x 1.30(d)
Age Range:	12 - 18 Years

About the Author

Marissa Meyer is the #1 New York Times–bestselling author of the Renegades Trilogy, The Lunar Chronicles series, the Wires and Nerve graphic novels, and The Lunar Chronicles Coloring Book. Her first standalone novel, Heartless, was also a #1 New York Times bestseller. Marissa created and hosts a podcast called The Happy Writer. She lives in Tacoma, Washington, with her husband and their two daughters.

Chuck Gonzales is a Brooklyn-based illustrator who works internationally in publishing, animation, editorial, packaging, and advertising projects. He has illustrated many books for children, and created works for animated projects for Nickelodeon and ESPN.

Editorial Reviews

11/27/2023

When 16-year-old artist Jude discovers a mysterious red 20-sided die that grants him an impossible run of good luck, it seems as if everything is finally going his way. His family’s struggling record store starts turning a profit, his favorite gaming magazine accepts his art submission, he’s acing schoolwork without even trying, and Maya, the popular girl he’s loved from afar for years, agrees to go out with him. Nothing can go wrong—or so he believes. Because when Jude accepts that he and Maya would be better off as friends, he realizes that he’s been overlooking his best friend Ari, whom he’s never thought of in a romantic way before. And when his good luck starts swinging toward misfortune, Jude discovers that getting things the easy way may have a cost. In this companion to Instant Karma, Meyer presents a breezy and fun romantic comedy that cycles through predictable beats with good-natured charm. While there aren’t many surprises, Jude’s self-aware narration entreats to readers like a trusted confidante, and the chemistry between Jude and Ari is so palpable, it’s a wonder it took them so long to realize it. Jude is white, Ari is Latinx, and Maya has “dark skin.” Ages 12–up. Agent: Jill Grinberg, Jill Grinberg Literary. (Feb.)

Publishers Weekly

03/01/2024

Gr 6 Up—Jude has always been allergic to the spotlight. Literally. The Dungeons & Dragons fanatic, comic-drawing introvert breaks out in hives when he gets called on in class. But when he finds a poster signed by Sir Paul McCartney, publishes a comic in his favorite magazine, and wins tickets to meet his longtime crush Maya's favorite musician, he starts to believe he has found luck in the form of a magical dice. However, when the dates with his dream girl are less than dreamy and he loses the dice, Jude starts to wonder if he blew everything. And why does it bother him so much when best friend Ari accepts their obnoxious friend's prom-posal? Meyer's newest novel following the brother of Instant Karma's protagonist stands on its own. This sweet, character driven, friends-to-lovers romance is full of diverse and supportive friends and family. Readers will cheer and feel for Jude as he struggles with social anxiety and his evolving feelings. Refreshingly, Maya and Jude's relationship fizzles not because she is a villain, but because she simply doesn't fit the image Jude built up in his head. His struggles to let go of the dream he held for so long and accept his feelings for Ari are realistic and relatable. VERDICT There's no shortage of humor and heart in this one. Sweet and slightly magical, this romance is guaranteed to please fans and newcomers alike.—Elisha Sheffer

School Library Journal

2023-11-17
Fortune favors the nerd in this heartwarming novel by bestselling novelist Meyer.

Sixteen-year-old Jude is content to live a quiet life, creating art, waging Dungeons & Dragons campaigns, hanging with his best friend (a girl named Ari), and pining over Maya, his unrequited crush. One night, while working at his parents’ record store, Ventures Vinyl, he stumbles across a ruby-red 20-sided die, which he pockets for later use. Suddenly, Jude conquers coin flips, slays a pop quiz, and vanquishes a vending machine—and starts to wonder if perhaps his new die has magical powers. After snagging a pair of VIP tickets to a sold-out concert, Jude seizes the opportunity to ask Maya on a date. But as the two get to know each other better, Jude starts to wonder whether his vision of her aligns with reality. And what about the feelings Ari unexpectedly stirs in him? When Jude loses his precious die, and his luck takes a turn for the worse, he’s forced to face a terrifying fact: His fortune may well depend solely on his own choices. This humor-infused romance features a likable cast of racially diverse characters, both main and ancillary: Jude is coded white, Maya is Black, and Ari has Mexican heritage. Noah, a sparkly side character, uses they/them pronouns. Jude’s breaking of the fourth wall to address readers adds charm to the story, as do his comics, which are interspersed throughout.

Wonderful, witty, and as sweet as spun sugar. (Romance. 13-18)

Kirkus Reviews

AN INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER!

"Fortune favors the nerd in this heartwarming novel by bestselling novelist Meyer. ...Wonderful, witty, and as sweet as spun sugar."—Kirkus Reviews

"[A] breezy and fun romantic comedy ... Jude’s self-aware narration entreats to readers like a trusted confidante, and the chemistry between Jude and Ari is so palpable, it’s a wonder it took them so long to realize it."—Publishers Weekly

"This sweet, character driven, friends-to-lovers romance is full of diverse and supportive friends and family. Readers will cheer and feel for Jude as he struggles with social anxiety and his evolving feelings. .... There’s no shortage of humor and heart in this one. Sweet and slightly magical, this romance is guaranteed to please fans and newcomers alike."—School Library Journal

From the Publisher