Funny, full of heart and easy to relate to, I absolutely loved Dawn O'Porter's latest book, So Lucky.
The book follows the stories of three women, Ruby, Beth and Lauren. Lauren is a social media influencer, she is about to be married to her business mogul finance, and on the surface everything in her life seems as perfect as her model body, at least as far as we can tell, since in the first half of the book all we know about Lauren is what we can glean about her from her social media posts, which are interspersed throughout the text. However, as everyone knows only too well, what we see on social media can be very far from the reality., and as well as the pressure to be perfect, Lauren has to deal with constant rumors of her husband to be's infidelity , and some complicated family dynamics with her overbearing mother.
Beth is a wedding planner, who has returned from maternity leave temporarily to organise Lauren's wedding, the opportunity was too high profile and too lucrative to turn down, and besides her husband has taken paternity leave to look after their new baby until after the wedding. But all is not as it appears in her seemingly perfect family, her husband can't bear to touch her and has gone off sex, leaving her frustrated and feeling increasingly lonely and rejected.
Ruby works from home as a photo editor, re touching and manipulating images , quite often of already beautiful young women, all the while wishing she could look like everyone else. She has a severe case of polycystic ovaries which causes her to be excessively hirsute. She has developed her own coping mechanisms but still tends to isolate herself, and this has cost her her marriage, and impacted on her relationship with her young daughter.
When Ruby is hired to retouch the photos for Lauren's wedding ,which is being planned by Beth, their three stories collide in a wonderful way.
This book is so relevant and important in today's world where image is everything and everyone seeks to be society's version of perfect, where women look jealously at each others bodies, lives etc and see them as being so lucky to be perfect, though no one really is. The author is not afraid to tackle difficult or sensitive issues, and I loved the body positive and sex positive messages throughout. Each of the three women were fully realised characters but I have to say that I wish the male characters had been fleshed out just a little more. I also liked that she flipped some of the expected gender norms, such as in Beth's story where it was her husband who shied away from sex. Despite the serious themes, the book is genuinely funny, and even hilarious at times and I enjoyed every word.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher , all opinions are my own.

So Lucky tells the story of three women, Ruby, Beth and Lauren, apparently leading very different lives. On the surface, all three appear to be "so lucky" but beneath the surface all of them are struggling with their own issues. In the course of the book the truths about each of their lives are exposed as they learn to accept themselves; ultimately their worlds collide with some very entertaining consequences.

What O'Porter does brilliantly throughout the book is combine real humour with some major and very current themes around the pressures of modern life - mental health, body image, relationship woes, self esteem and the impact of social media amongst them. As a result the book makes you laugh at times, at other times it makes you think hard and brings a lump to your throat as you reflect on the challenges women face. O'Porter ensures the book ends on a positive note with plenty of humour and a message about the power of sisterhood.

All in all a great fun read with a powerful message that will resonate with many and I wholeheartedly recommend reading it.

Thank you to Netgalley and Harper Collins for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

This is an interesting story. At the beginning, I found it hard to understand how the two main protagonists would connect - single mum, Ruby, with a body disorder which made her hide away from general society, and celebrity wedding planner Beth, who’s husband no longer wants to have any physical contact with her. Gradually the story comes together at the wedding of celebrity Instagram queen Lauren.

It was a slow start, but once I got into it, I couldn’t put it down. The changes each character made were big but understandable. I especially liked the changes in Ruby, in her relationship with daughter Bonnie, and in her acceptance of her body.

Worth persevering with, as overall a very enjoyable story.

A few pages in to So Lucky and I really wasn't sure I'd either like it or even finish it. I ended up loving all the characters, rooting for them and.left wanting more.

Ruby hates parenting, resents her child, and hates her body. Beth loves parenting, adores her son, but doesn't know how to make her husband want to have sex with her. Lauren's life is perfect - at least, on Instagram it is.

I follow Dawn on Instagram and she's always very funny and witty, and I knew that would translate well into her writing, but shamefully I hadn't read any of her fiction yet! So Lucky was my first foray into her work, and I loved it! For two main reasons:

she tackles some really real stuff. Body image, self confidence, social media, female masturbation, female sexuality, breast feeding in public, trust, privacy, the images of ourselves we portray online. I loved how everything she talks about is so relevant, especially to a lot of women's lives today.
I just really liked all of her characters. She has a way of making them relatable and familiar while still showing their bad days, their bad moods, their wrong decisions. I found them incredibly exciting to read about because they are so like women I know. 
Add both of these things together and you have one brilliant novel. I have never read a book with a main character with PCOS before, I find it particularly brilliant when writers make me squirm and feel manipulated by male characters in novels (and by brilliant, I mean their skill at making it so realistic), and I love how O'Porter brought Lauren to life and such an important part of the story while only telling her story through the eyes of Ruby and Beth.

I loved So Lucky so much and I shall be whipping The Cows off my bookshelf to read very very soon!

4/4.5 stars.

So Lucky is the latest novel from the author of The Cows, Dawn O’Porter. The book follows three main characters. Beth is a new mother who hasn’t had sex in a year but is working one last, big wedding before her maternity leave can continue. Ruby is the mother of a toddler who feels like she’s failing while she raises her daughter and tries to hide the biggest secret in her life. Meanwhile, Instagram celebrity Lauren, whose story is mostly told through descriptions of Instagram images, captions and comments, is about to get married to the famous businessman Gavin Riley but is her happiness just fake news?

In a short space of time, the characters and their stories slowly move together weaving within one another with small links, coincidences, and eventually one shocking event that unites them all. Ultimately, the characters, and perhaps the book’s readers, learn that no one is as perfect as they might seem.

“Everyone has their own shit. Everyone needs to be kinder to themselves… Everyone is fighting a battle you know nothing about.”

Dawn O’Porter’s So Lucky is an honest and fearless novel about body image, mental health, perpetuated standards of beauty, Instagram curated perfection, and the very human need to compare yourself to others who you perceive to be “So Lucky”. It tells the tale of three ordinary and relatable women who battle with their own self-worth, identity and moral compass whilst also fighting for their relationships and happiness. Throughout the novel, O’Porter also tackles several difficult and necessary topics including; female sexuality, mental health, and the under-represented condition of polycystic ovaries. By exploring these areas, Dawn O’Porter successfully shows women that their experiences are shared with many others and should not be shameful.

So Lucky is thought-provoking, perceptive and darkly funny novel full of sarcasm, sexually explicit content and timely quips, “I’ve been sent more NDAs for this wedding that Trump’s cabinet give to their female staff.” A fabulously feminist and empathetic read that reminds us that the struggle for perfection and the journey to self-acceptance is one we all share.

I’m a big Dawn O’Porter fan, I’ve read her other books and was so excited to read this. Thank you so much for the opportunity to read this early and review it.

I really loved the characters, Beth, Ruby and Laure- all three we’re relatable, believable and likeable. This book is all about the mirage we present of our lives, and how quickly that can fall apart. Funny, quick, witty and a book you won’t want to put down.

To be completely frank I found it dark, depressing, I disliked it and it made me angry. Why? Because O'Porter is just spot on with the portrayal of her characters. Too real. She hits the nail on the head when it comes to the judgmental and toxic atmosphere women live in and with. Believing they have to adhere to physical, emotional and psychological standards set by a patriarchal society, and what's often worse when those standards are demanded of them by other women.

As the story evolved I found myself nodding and snarking at the words 'so lucky' throughout. It's what society tells us we are supposed to be and supposed to feel. The implication being that we shouldn't dare to want more than we have or dare to ask for the fulfillment of our needs, wishes, dreams and desires. No, we should be lucky with our lot, no matter how that may look and regardless of whether we are happy or not.

Ruby is caught in a vicious cycle of emotional neglect, which she is repeating with her young daughter Bonnie. She hates her body, has no self-esteem and spends her entire life pushing people away and battling anxiety.

Beth has to cope with a husband who seems to have lost interest in her since she gave birth to her baby. She is a working mother with a raging libido. Is it only a question of time until her marriage starts to implode?

Watch out for the mother-in-law in Beth's part of the story. I would be burying the woman in the back garden - no doubt about it.

Then there is Lauren, the Insta-famous and Insta-perfect celebrity living her best life and well on her way to marrying a global celebrity. Interjected intermittently are her Instagram feeds and comments, which really set the tone for the level of perfection everyone expects and simultaneously are willing to fake to get followers, likes and fame.

O'Porter has her hand on the pulse of femininity, women, sexuality and also how conflicted women are at times. It's not easy being pulled in so many different directions at the same time or being judged for every choice and decision.

It's pithy and brutally frank women's fiction. The author takes no prisoners, and kudos to her for the honest approach. It's a gritty, moving and sincere piece of fiction. There is never a dull moment when you read a book by O'Porter. She wants her readers to laugh, to cry and to get angry. It's pure empowerment, even if it doesn't appear to be anything like that at the beginning.

A funny but thought provoking tale of modern life! As someone who doesn't do social media for the reasons included in the story, I totally get why this was such an addictive book. All 3 women in totally different situations and on different paths, but still so similar which is exactly how it is!!
Never read any of Dawn's books before but I'll definitely be sure to after this!

Loved this, Love Dawn O’Porter, she’s awesome. Will read anything and everything she ever writes. Keep it up Mrs O’P, your stuff is perfect.

There is a growing trend in fiction at the moment that I, for one, am loving. It is the trend of strong sassy writers writing realistic books about what it is like to be a woman. They are writing in a fearless way; it is a way that makes the average girl scream ‘Yes’ joyously at the book she reads because here potent among the pages are real honest to goodness women. Not women who are living life like a boss with a perfect instagrammable life but ones who are dealing with everyday problems such as being a mum, bad marriage, trying to keep up with everyone else.

Dawn O’Porter excels at this kind of writing and she shows it in her stunning new novel So Lucky. He three characters all have problems. Real problems. Some are easily managed and some are crippling in their difficulty. She shows these women – Beth, Ruby and Laura – as they try and deal with the mundanity of life and try and figure out who they are. O’Porter doesn’t always make her characters likable but she damn sure makes them relatable.

With the multiperspective style used by O’Porter, we get an insight into each of the characters problems and rather more powerfully an insight into ourselves. When you start to feel slightly enviable of their problems you know you belong to a select group of real women.

Dawn O’Porter, I salute you, you fearless word warrior.

So Lucky by Dawn O’Porter is available now.

For more information regarding Dawn O’Porter (@hotpatooties) please visit her Twitter page.

For more information regarding Harper Collins (@HarperCollinsUK) please visit the Twitter page.

Ruby, Beth and Lauren appear to have it all, but appearances can be deceptive. Beth’s sex life is non existent, Ruby has body confidence issues and Lauren’s faking her happiness on social media. The three are brought together by a single event and their combined truths are revealed.

All of the characters in the book are relatable. As a new mum I especially related to much of Beth’s newborn dilemmas and the exhaustion of breast-pumping!

A lot of growing, embarrassment and cringe-worthy experiences are to be found in this novel and I enjoyed the journey. It felt like I was really involved in the plot line which can be rare with books of late.

Dawn O’Porter is an extremely honest writer and the trials and tribulations of modern life are accurately depicted. It’s also extremely raw and honest, which I think is what makes it such a great read!

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Dawn O’Porter is back! I loved her previous novel The Cows so had high hopes for this and she didn’t disappoint.

In So Lucky we follow Ruth, Beth and Lauren; three very different ladies with very different lives but one key thing in common – they and their lives are not as they might appear on the surface.

Ruby has a condition that causes her extreme anxiety and shares a difficult relationship with her little girl. Beth has what appears to be a great marriage and a beautiful new baby – but underneath she is starved of affection and sex and is deeply unhappy. Lauren is a social media influencer who has it all; a multi-millionaire fiancé and an incredible wedding day on the horizon, but is she really as lucky as she seems?

With her usual wit, pathos and brilliant naughtiness Dawn takes us through these ladies’ lives towards a point where they will converge with explosive results. She touches on issues faced by many today, such as body image, sexual desire and the need to project a “perfect” life on social media. This is a novel about individuality, friendship and how sometimes it takes new people in our life to wake us up to ourselves. Give it a read!

Is everyone’s life as perfect as it looks? On the surface, business woman Beth has it all – an exciting career and doting husband and baby at home, Insta-famous Lauren is marrying her wealthy beau in the celebrity wedding of the year and Ruth is a straight-talking single mum who marches to the beat of her own drum… but nothing is really as it seems.

So Lucky is a brutally honest, relatable and laugh-out-loud funny tale of modern life and the issues that come with it. Dealing with confidence, body image, sex, parenting and friendship, these diverse and brilliantly developed characters highlight the ridiculous pressure we often put ourselves under and the unhealthy comparisons we make.

A fabulously funny read and a poignant reminder that us ladies are complex, flawed, thriving and bloody brilliant! Thank you Dawn! x

Brilliant and funny, un-put-downable! I read this over 2 days and thoroughly enjoyed it all. Great characters and very relatable.

Brilliant, hilarious and highly relatable I charged through this in a day. Can not recommend more highly.

I read this book in one day. The writing style and pace was perfect to keep me hooked.
The story starts with two storylines; Ruby and Beth. These two separate women have very different lives, both equally as fascinating and gripping.
About 80% of the way through the Beth and Ruby’s storylines begin to merge together and all the connections throughout become clear.
Both Ruby and Beth’s storylines touch on very interesting topics which really makes you put things into perspective. There are some beautiful poignant moments which really make you reflect. The golden thread message throughout is wonderful and uplifting.
I will not say anymore as I don’t want to ruin the experience for other readers other than I would definitely recommend this book!

Forget teenage angst, there's nothing more stressed, pissed off and downright angry than a woman and that is what this book is based around! The issues that make us grumpy, the pressures we all put ourselves under, the absurdities of life in the Instagram world we now live in - motherhood, relationships, body image, modern life - it's all here and perfectly pitched by the author in a savage but humourous story that I thoroughly enjoyed and ended up finding really touching and poignant!

The two main characters are Ruby and Beth. Both very different women, but both struggling! Ruby is struggling with motherhood - it's more downs than ups with her daughter Bonnie who she seems in a constant battle with! Ruby isn't the most patient of people so she seems to spend most of her days raging at the world and getting nowhere. As you learn more about her you understand she has always had a bad relationship with her mother which hasn't helped her confidence, and neither has a medical condition she has which means she' always conscious of her body. You can't help feel sorry for her and just want to give her a big hug at times to let her know she should go easier on herself! Her line of work sees her retouching photographs - very apt in the world we now live in where you can airbrush your lumps and bumps away - so the concept of body image is always playing on her mind. Is she being a good role model to her daughter or is just history repeating itself?

And Beth is a new mum to Tommy, and married to Michael who seems to have serious issues with sex (he's a weird one!!) and being cruel towards her about her weight and coming up with reasons not to have sex with her again. Not very happily married for a woman who is a wedding planner for the rich and famous!

Her newest client is an Instagram celebrity and this brilliantly allows that whole world be dissected and analyzed - the image doesn't always match up to the reality and I found that really fascinating to see portrayed especially as Beth starts to feel sorry for her client, Lauren, who posts amazing pictures and quotes but in reality she seems to be very unsure of herself.

As these women's lives wobble from bad to worse, I really enjoyed seeing and hearing their thoughts on issues that affect us all, and the fact that by talking to friends or a stranger in a park allows them to confront the realities in their life and how they can go about changing things, finding good in themselves and taking back control.

There were many laugh out loud moments when things went wrong, or got a little too graphic (there's a lot of sex talk going on!), but it was also very poignant when reality hits home for these women and I just loved how honest and frank it was. Nothing is sugarcoated!!

The story does a great job of showing just how complex life can be, especially as a woman, be it with relationships, friendships, work, and in general how we all view ourselves and how we all judge others. It's only when we get to know the person behind the image that we begin to understand that we're all messed up! No matter what image we try to share, there's always something that links us and shows us that the grass isn't always greener.

Whether it is society that makes us constantly pick holes in ourselves, or it's just the way we are, I found this to be an engrossing read that just got better the more it went on, and found it really empowering and thought provoking!

SO LUCKY; REFRESHING, FUNNY AND BRILLIANTLY RUDE

I’m telling you, So Lucky by Dawn O’Porter is going to zoom to the very top of all the bestselling lists as soon as it’s published on 31st October. Hilarious, candid and emotional, this book really celebrates the power of women.

Warning! This book is rude, so rude but in a comedy, honest way. It had me howling, and I mean really howling with laughter! It’s fun, refreshing and powerful. It’s simply brilliant.

So Lucky tells the story of Ruby, Beth and Lauren. Ruby is scary and hard; a prickly bitch. Beth has it all; the loving husband, the baby and the successful career. And then there’s Lauren, the celebrity who is just about to marry her gorgeous, famous and very rich fiance.

Oh, and I have to mention Risky who is one of my favourite book character’s of all time. She’s hilarious, loyal and truly believes in female empowerment. She also has the perfect cure to beat the afternoon slump which is apparently better than a Mars Bar. 😉

But believe me, not all is what it seems.

In an authentic and very funny manner, So Lucky skillfully examines why many women in today’s society feel the pressure to portray the mirage of the successful, beautiful life. Ultimately as we try to hide the things we’re ashamed of from ourselves and others (whether that be excess body hair or a husband not wanting sex etc), we beat ourselves up more and more, further enhancing our self-hatred.

Furthermore this frank, comedy read brilliantly exposes the role social media plays to further perpetuate the filtered, fake perfect image.

Dawn O’Porter doesn’t shy away from difficult complex issues – she examines them in a beautifully frank way. Yes So Lucky made me laugh loads, but it also brought a big massive lump of emotion to my throat.

This book is definitely one of my top reads of the year! It is such an intelligent read full of important messages. It reminds us not to judge our fellow women. “When women come together, the world gets better. We don’t know our own power sometimes.”

Different stories of women who lead very different lives and whose lives lead to them meeting each other.
Such a wonderful mix of emotions; funny, sexual, heartbreaking and moving.
We often believe that other people's lives are perfect and they are So Lucky, when in reality there is often more to their lives than meets the eye.
A thoroughly enjoyable read.