When the author said something along the lines of "This is different," he wasn't joking. If you've read other works - this is a left-field tale. This isn't the same story, but it does bring Vanilla Sky to mind.
It took me a handful of pages to get into the flow, but after that, it was a pretty quick read. Mark Shultz struggles to live; everything he wants is out of reach. Through futile efforts toward normalcy and happiness, fulfilling relationships, and a career, he surrenders to fate; cursed by Lady Luck and she's a real bitch.
The list of characters is fairly small with Gabe Bhatt more of an antagonist than Lady Luck. Shultz has a sliver of happiness in Addison, but even that gets twisty. This story has plenty of turns and readers, in theory, will stick with it to see how it ends.In all - a fun read. ARC provided by the author 4 of 5 stars. Author provided copy.
From the Publisher:
Heartbreak is the toughest wound to heal. No one knows this better than Mark Schultz. He’s spent his life living under the thumb of certainty. The certainty that he will never live up to the dreams and aspirations he has, no matter what they may be. And this isn’t a story of depression, or righteous self-pity. It’s a story of a curse. One that’s haunted Mark his entire life.
This curse has followed Mark for 30 years, never allowing him to reach whatever it is he wants. Things will get in the way. Whether it’s a wall or a bolt of lightning all depends on the circumstances, and how hard Mark is willing to push back against it. However unfortunate this may be for Mark, there are people who appreciate the ability to control variables.
One of these people is Gabe Bhatt. He’s a gambler who’s just walked into Mark’s life, and he’s going to use Mark to bend the odds in his favor, on the racetrack, and everywhere else. Now Mark finds himself a slave again, this time not just to the whims of Lady Luck, but to this man who holds his fate and the fates of all who surround him in his hands.
Will Mark choose to sit on the sidelines like he has his entire life, or will he risk it all to fight against a force so powerful it could very well destroy him?.
