The Lucky Shamrock

by Carolyn Brown

This contemporary romance is set in Shamrock located in west Texas. Nana Irene calls three cousins back to the town they couldn’t wait to get away from to work the summer in her flower shop The Lucky Shamrock when Irene’s best friend Ruby breaks her hip. The three cousins couldn’t be more different, but Nana Irene wants them to see the value of being united as a family. None of the girls are happy to work with each other and live together so it is interesting to watch what happens when they are put in situations that require them to cooperate with each other. Taryn is former Air Force and works with computers. Straight laced Jorja is a Kindergarten teacher in a Christian school. Anna Rose is looking for happiness in cowboy bars. All of their parents have relocated out of Shamrock.

Clinton is a nice man who has been hired by Nana Irene to work in the shop when he is not busy counseling vets with PSTD. Local ladies have a contest going to try to snare him into marriage even though he has made it clear that he is not interested. He is supposed to be quite a catch as he comes from a rich family and is a war hero. As he lives in an apartment above The Lucky Shamrock, everyone at the shop benefits from the foods the ladies bring to try to win him over. 

One of the vets Clinton is counseling has a baby, but is in no condition to care for her. Little Zoe is adorable. Clinton gets temporary custody of Zoe, and Taryn falls in love. But now she has to figure out if she is in love with Clinton or just Zoe. 

Along the way in this romance there are some bombshells as the girls work through traumas they have experienced. Former “mean girls” who have not changed are after Clinton. Aging residents see what happened in the past and is recurring. They have ways of influencing those situations.

Although some serious subjects are addressed, the book in general is light. It would make a good summer read.

I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Rating: 4/5

Category: Women’s Fiction, Romance

Notes: 1. The Lucky Shamrock includes humor and a sprinkling of swearing. 

Publication:  July 4, 2023—Montlake

Memorable Lines:

“You are right. Confidence is mostly bluff with a little ego and fear thrown into the mix.”

“Hey, we’ve all got a past,” Clinton said “But we have a million futures in front of us, and it’s up to us to choose which path is right.”

“We may fight and argue amongst ourselves, but Lord help anyone who tries to come between us.”