The Night I Got Lucky (Red Dress Ink Novels) [Kindle Edition]

Laura Caldwell (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

At 32, Billy Rendell isn't exactly where she thought she'd be. She is still waiting, possibly in vain, for that promotion to VP at the PR company she works for, and her marriage to handsome Chris seems to be in real trouble. Billy pays a visit to her kooky therapist, Blinda, and leaves with a good luck charm, a small frog. The next day, when Billy wakes up, things are different. Her formerly distant husband is attentive and loving, and she has received the promotion to VP at work and already has a posh new office. Billy is puzzled but soon settles in by firing a snooty coworker, Alexa, and engaging in a flirtation with the office hunk, Evan, whom she has always had a crush on. But as her perfect life rolls on, Billy is nowhere near as satisfied as she thought she would be. Caldwell is one of the most talented and inventive chick-lit writers around, and her latest features a likable heroine in an unusual situation and ends with a clever resolution. Kristine Huntley
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review

"Caldwell is the new Chick Lit champ." -- Jerry Cleaver, author of Immediate Fiction

"Caldwell's debut is a fun, snappy read." -- Booklist on Burning the Map

"Caldwell's second novel puts an appealing heroine in a tough situation and relays her struggles with empathy." -- Booklist on A Clean Slate

"This fast read has a thought-provoking theme and an interesting medical angle." -- Romantic Times on A Clean Slate

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Format: Kindle Edition
• File Size: 225 KB
• Print Length: 256 pages
• Publisher: Red Dress Ink; Original edition (October 15, 2005)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services
• Language: English
• ASIN: B000MAHAFQ
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #375,324 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

More About the Author

Laura Caldwell: Former civil trial lawyer, now Distinguished Scholar in Residence at Loyola University Chicago School of Law, Director of Life After Innocence, published author of 10 novels, 1 nonfiction book, public speaker, daughter, sister, aunt, and friend.

Caldwell, lawyer, turned author who left the law behind, or so she thought. With 10 novels published in over 22 countries and translated into more than 13 languages, research on her 6th novel led her to the criminal case of Jovan Mosley, a young man sitting in a Cook County holding cell without a trial. After hearing about his case, Caldwell joined a renowned criminal defense attorney to defend him, ultimately proving his innocence and inspiring her first nonfiction book, Long Way Home: A Young Man Lost in the System and the Two Women Who Found Him (Free Press, Simon & Schuster).

Due to the Mosley case, she founded 'Life After Innocence' at Loyola University Chicago School of Law, a innovative program which aids exonerees--people who have been wrongful convicted and later found completely innocent--to start their lives over.

Her fictional works, began as chick-lit now turned mystery, includes a returning character, Izzy McNeil. Izzy a Chicago lawyer finds her way into a myriad of situations she must use her wit and legal skill to work through. Three books published the fourth due out March 2011, with at least three more on the horizon. Pick up an Izzy book now and travel through the streets of Chicago while solving crimes with her.

Laura is also a freelance magazine writer and has been published in Chicago Magazine, Woman's Own, The Young Lawyer, Lake Magazine, Australia Woman's Weekly, Shore Magazine and others.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Yet Another 5-star read from Laura Caldwell, August 27, 2005

By 

Rian Montgomery "Rian Montgomery" (Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Night I Got Lucky (Red Dress Ink Novels) (Paperback)

Ever wonder what your life would be like if you got everything you wanted? Jane, main heroine of this novel, sure does. With a currently passionless marriage, a catty coworker trying to edge her out of the picture, an unrequited crush on the handsome Evan, and a promotion that seems out of her grasp, Billy Rendell has plenty of things going wrong.

After a trip to her therapist Blinda, who gives her a ceramic frog that is supposed to make her dreams/wishes come true, Billy goes home, puts the frog on her nightstand, and promptly forgets about it.

That is, until her life changes overnight. Suddenly her husband is loving and passionate again, she has that promotion, and Evan can't seem to get enough of her. Billy is puzzled, but ecstatic. Things are finally going her way.

But Billy realizes too late that getting everything you want can also cause problems. Realizing she's in over her head, she tries to get rid of the magical frog. Problem is, she can't...

There is a reason Laura Caldwell is one of my favorite authors - her books have been a perfect 10 so far, and this one is no exception. With wonderful, real-life characters, and an original story line that somehow manages to be realistic despite its magical quality, The Night I Got Lucky was a fabulous read that I simply couldn't put down once I started. Characterization is one of Caldwell's greatest strength, and it shines in this novel.

I couldn't find anything in this book that I didn't like.

Overall, I highly recommend this novel to everyone, especially chick lit fans.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great chick lit!, September 2, 2005

By 

Little D (California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Night I Got Lucky (Red Dress Ink Novels) (Paperback)

This story is about Billy who thinks her life isn't all that great. Her husband barely notices her, and she hates her job. She goes to a therapist, Blinda, who she vents to about all the unhappiness in her life and says her life would be perfect if certain things changed. Blinda gives her a green frog to take with her and tells her it will bring good fortune to anyone who has it.
Overnight things change for Billy. She gets the perfect life she's been wanting all along. After some time has passed she realizes that things really aren't so perfect after all. She decides she wants her old life back, but how can she do that? I wont tell you anymore becasue I dont want to ruin the book.

I read this fairly quickly and anyone who enjoys chick lit will enjoy this chick lit with a little bit of surealistic fantasy element. I did like it, however it didn't meet my expectations compared to a few of Laura Caldwells other books.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Another fun read from Red Dress Ink, February 10, 2008

By 

Book Mama "Terri" (Alaska, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Night I Got Lucky (Red Dress Ink Novels) (Paperback)

Courtesy of CK2S Kwips and Kritiques

So what would happen if you woke up and suddenly everything you wished for was a reality? Sounds great, right? Your dream of that big promotion materializes and the next day you go to work and the Vice Presidents office has your nameplate on it. Your husband is suddenly much more attentive and romantic, surprising you with candlelight dinners and tender lovemaking. The guy at work you've had a crush on for years is making every excuse to get alone with you and flirts with you constantly.
That's just what happens to Billy Rendell. At first all that success and attention feels wonderful, but soon the repercussions of instant gratification change Billy's life in ways she never could have predicted. There are consequences that come with all your dreams coming true overnight. It takes her on a journey of self discovery that gives her much more than she even knew to dream of.

In a chick lit version of The Monkey's Paw, Laura Caldwell engages us with characters you can relate to. The saying "be careful what you wish for" has rarely been illustrated in a more modern-day example that hits close to home.

Billy has issues many women today struggle with. At first she may seem slightly shallow, but as she struggles to learn how to be happy, Billy becomes more substantial and sympathetic as a character. Billy is real.
A fable told in a light, first person style, THE NIGHT I GOT LUCKY is deeper than the typical chick lit novel.

My first read by Laura Caldwell, I'll definitely be keeping an eye out for more.