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A review by hoardingbookwyrm
Lucas by Jay McLean
5.0
Whenever I get ready to read a Jay McLean book, I have to prepare myself. I need a glass of wine or a bottle of hard apple cider, a box of tissues and a cuddly blanket. And maybe a teddy bear. I know that she is always going to rock my world with her words. Lucas was no different. In fact, it crept up there to snuggle in close to Where the Road Takes Me as my favorite McLean novel.
I’ve made no bones that friends to lovers stories are my favorites. And this is one of the best I’ve read. Lucas and Laney have known each other since they were eleven. They became best friends. You get glimpses of both their past and present, helping to give insight into their relationship. I love this in books with this trope. It adds to the depth and history. And I like that, as with all of her novels, the characters don’t become relationship savants overnight. They have to work at it and often make mistakes.
The characters were fantastically written—complex with flaws. They both make mistakes. Laney is introverted and into crafting. She’s a natural caregiver and fills that role with ease and grace. Lucas has become the glue that holds his family together. He assumes the leadership naturally. He’s got a bit of bad boy inside. But he’s mostly all heart. It was great seeing the More Than gang again, even if in a secondary manner.
This book will grab hold of your heart, play with it a bit, bruise it, shatter it and heal it all before the story is done. It’s an emotional read that is raw, real and heartbreaking. It pulls the feels out of you. I laughed, I cried, I wanted to throw my Kindle off the highest mountain. I was fully immersed in the story.
This is an absolutely breathtakingly beautiful book. It’s definitely one of my favorites of the year and is hitting my re-reads list.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book.
For more reviews, visit
I’ve made no bones that friends to lovers stories are my favorites. And this is one of the best I’ve read. Lucas and Laney have known each other since they were eleven. They became best friends. You get glimpses of both their past and present, helping to give insight into their relationship. I love this in books with this trope. It adds to the depth and history. And I like that, as with all of her novels, the characters don’t become relationship savants overnight. They have to work at it and often make mistakes.
The characters were fantastically written—complex with flaws. They both make mistakes. Laney is introverted and into crafting. She’s a natural caregiver and fills that role with ease and grace. Lucas has become the glue that holds his family together. He assumes the leadership naturally. He’s got a bit of bad boy inside. But he’s mostly all heart. It was great seeing the More Than gang again, even if in a secondary manner.
This book will grab hold of your heart, play with it a bit, bruise it, shatter it and heal it all before the story is done. It’s an emotional read that is raw, real and heartbreaking. It pulls the feels out of you. I laughed, I cried, I wanted to throw my Kindle off the highest mountain. I was fully immersed in the story.
This is an absolutely breathtakingly beautiful book. It’s definitely one of my favorites of the year and is hitting my re-reads list.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book.
For more reviews, visit