After being magically gifted with incredible luck, a boy discovers this gift just may be a curse when it comes to love.

Jude just wants to draw comics, 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, 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 he can use to ask out the popular girl he’s been crushing on. But how long can Jude’s good fortune last? And if he has been dreaming of the wrong girl this whole time, does that mean he’s doomed to be unlucky in love forever?

This is the classic story of a nerdy boy’s love for a popular girl he seemingly cannot have but (this being fiction) is suddenly very much within reach. The over-used plotline is written in first person. The author did a tremendous job of expressing real emotions (as if the author herself has experienced such) and the tempo of an anxious teen dealing with puberty. Supporting characters are well introduced. There is a sense of camaraderie between reader and characters, an impressive feat given the main focus is the main character.

The only downside for me, I guess, is the story’s length. I understand that authors strive to be unique in this kind of genre, but there are subplots I thought should have been shortened or omitted. Nevertheless, the book was a joy to read. There is a right blend of humor, drama and adventure and a touch of music and arts. I highly recommend it for teens who love romance and a feel-good story.

-Kevin Velayo