First, let me shout out Netgally and author Jaclyn Westlake for providing this ARC.

I've bumped it up to 4, but really it was more like a 3.75 star for me.

Now, where to begin.... overall, this book was nice? The low stakes, little bit of hallmark romance paired with mystery, was a decent vibe, but this was definitely a read once type piece for me. There were great things about this read, don't get me wrong! For starters, there is a large crew of diverse characters (love a read that has a relatable crew). Also, the cozy small town setting (my Midwestern-girl self, currently transplanted on the coast felt some homesickness for sure!), as well as the authors heartfelt representation to infertility. Buuuuut the romance left me a bit wanting (there was a little bit of fun, snappy, chemistry dialog where I was wishing for more) and the final "hurrah" of the mystery resolve fell a bit flat for me. While I'm not disappointed that I spent time with this read, I also felt like it took an unusually long time to get myself to finish it for no longer than it is. All in all, its cute enough; and if slow, cozy mysteries are your thing, you'll probably enjoy it.

3.5 stars.

Slow and sweet: I didn’t feel hugely invested in the characters but I enjoyed the hallmark vibes. If Christmas movies had a summer equivalent… this might be it.

Thank you for the ARC! In full transparency, I am DNF’ing the book at 42%. The beginning of the book was really strong for me and I felt like I could really see Eliza uprooting and beginning anew — learning to let go of the preconceived plans she set for herself. I’m now almost half way into this book and I am struggling to see the real plot of it all. So far, Eliza has been far too worried about her neighbors liking her and far too curious about the previous tenant, Erica. I, as the reader, just do not care about what happened to this gal and struggling to really connect with the FMC.

Again, thank you for the opportunity to read Lucky Break and to provide my personal feedback on this book.

“Lucky Break” by Jaclyn Westlake was such a charming book! It touched on some serious topics but had a wonderful ending. It was inclusive for all types of people. I loved getting to see the main character explore a new relationship and her learning to be more open about her past. I can’t wait to read more books by this author!

ALL the stars for Jaclyn Westlake’s second novel, Lucky Break! Dear Dotty soared to the top of my favorites of 2024, so I had very high expectations for this one. It did not disappoint! I love her writing style and the flow is captivating. Easy to read and enjoyable. I’ll be imagining myself in Juneberry Lake the rest of the summer. What more could you want in a book or an author? Very excited to have had the chance to read this early. Big thank you to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for the advanced copy. Publication date July 15, 2025.

This was such a good summer read! I had such a good time reading this and I absolutely recommend it to anyone who needs a summer read!

I read this book in one day. There was so much more intrigue than I expected and I didn't want to wait to see it all come together. While a good bit of it was predictable, there were still a few things I didn't see coming. The characters were so quirky but realistic, which is a hard balance to strike. It also tackles some hard, real life struggles in realistic ways, like growing apart from long time friends, among others. There's not a lot of melodrama.
I felt things along with Eliza. Her confusion and frustration with her neighbors was mine. Her curiosity and relief, too. She was well-written and easy to sympathize with.

What I loved about this one was the midwest vibes. Juneberry Lake was a wonderful setting. What I didn't anticipate was the layers of this story - While it was a quaint Midwest town, it was full of so many emotions and secrets in both depth and breadth. For me, what I thought I was getting into was a light read, and I found this to be much, much deeper. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the look at this July 2025 release.

This novel was cute and heartwarming, with a deeper flashback story than I expected. Overall it was an easy read with a delightful cast of characters. The romance was more of a subplot which felt a little like false advertising, but I still enjoyed it. Pub date July 15, 2025.

For fans of Sarah Penner, Witch You Would, Sarah Adams

4⭐️ When I started reading this book, the cover made me think I was going into a contemporary romance, but I was wrong, in a good way. This book has so much to tell , and I enjoyed it. You will find romance, but you will also read about other challenging topics that our FMC faces. It does contain so much inclusion; you meet so many great characters that make the story flow so well. It is a small town, found family, even a small mystery aspect story.

The book follows our FMC Eliza who has decided to take a leap of faith and move across the country to a small suburb and start fresh after a horrible break up. Eliza loves to always have set plans with specific timelines, which she of course creates one to make sure she makes her new place a true home. But, it doesn’t work out as she would have hoped.

The mystery aspect had me intrigued, but I did feel it was dragged a bit too long. Loved so many of the twists thrown through out the whole book that connected all the characters. My favorite part had to be the romance between Eliza and Joel. It was so sweet and wholesome. He was exactly the person she needed to come into her life. This is a close door romance. The ending felt to quick. Left some topics open for so much more.

Overall enjoyed the story. Thank you Avon and Harper Voyager as well as Netgally for the ARC

Reading Lucky Break felt like a vacation! It was everything you needed for a great getaway from reality! Cozy with a little mystery and romance added in for your enjoyment.

Eliza desperately needs change in her life, so she ups and moves to the quirky town of Juneberry Lake with a cast of characters and backstories that live up to the name. Juneberry has secrets, misunderstandings, illusions and flaws, just like life. And circumstances often determine our perceptions and reactions. Eliza eventually realizes that life is not always an orderly “to-do” list. You might need to adapt and reorganize.

This is a heartwarming story of friendships, family and trust. It’s never too late to reinvent yourself, no matter the circumstances. I loved Lucky Break and think you will too.

Thank you to Avon and Harper Voyager and NetGalley for the complimentary eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

3.5. I liked it but wasn’t always sure what tone it was going for. I was expecting a lighter rom ala hallmark but at times it seemed it was going for a slightly heavier one ala hallmark mystery/lifetime. I did like them teasing a mystery and while reading I really wasn’t sure if it wasn’t going to go a darker mystery than I anticipated. Again this isn’t a major criticism it just kind of confused me as I was reading it.

A little bit of romance and a little bit of mystery? This book was not at all what I thought it was going to be, but the more I got into it, the more I liked it. I'm not a huge fan of overly spicy books as I feel like it gets repetitive, and this book definitely does not have the spice factor.
It was a very cute, cozy, summer easy read.

This one really wasn’t for me. I didn’t care for the FMC at all. Her ex-fiancé was so rude and disgusting that I had no respect for her heartbreak. The neighborhood pals didn’t draw me in, and I wasn’t intrigued by the mystery surrounding the “missing” ex-resident.

Thank you to NetGalley and publisher for the e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

2⭐️ I had a really hard time getting into this book. Lucky Break follows Eliza as she flees life in the city to move Juneberry Lake Minnesota. She’s ready for a quiet small town life but soon realizes there are big secrets all around her. I enjoyed the inclusivity and representation within the characters and appreciated the look into Eliza’s struggles in her relationships with fertility and finding community. Unfortunately, I felt so disconnected from the characters and the plot, while a bit chaotic, was just so low stakes that I honestly didn’t care what the big secrets were. I found it to be predictable and a little boring. The romantic subplot felt awkward and lacked chemistry. This book just wasn’t for me but if you enjoy cozy mysteries and a book with a little bit of everything but, in my opinion, not enough of any one thing, this is for you.

Did I think this was a small-town romance every time I saw the cover? Yes.
Is it? Not really. Though there is a romance subplot, it’s more of a cosy mystery.

After her engagement ends and blows up her throughly planned-out future, Eliza leaves San Francisco’s sky-high rents to buy a lake house in a Minnesotan town seeking remote workers. The town is picturesque but something is off with her friendly-ish neighbours… and everyone wants her to stop asking questions about the house’s previous owner. Thankfully she has another recent transplant, Joel, to help her figure things out. Filled with beautiful scenery, interesting characters and a twisty mystery, this light-hearted read is hits all the notes for a great summer read.

I loved the pacing, the serpentine plot unravels over the course of a summer and it’s glorisouly plot-heavy. It had a great sense of place, I was practically ready to move to Juneberry Lake myself! The author did a brilliant job at writing diverse and layered characters -all of which felt well-thought out and not forced.

Please note, some delicate topics do crop up, grief, infertility, cheating and addiction . These are handled sensitively but do be aware and read at your own discretion.

Thank you to Avon and Harper Voyagerand NetGalley for the complimentary galley in exchange for an honest review.

Lucky Break was a fast read and an original plot. I liked the cover, I found it fitting and an artistic departure from the monotonous covers I've seen lately. I thought the book was well written but I felt as though the slow build-up behind the mystery and Eliza's past with her ex-fiance warranted more on the back end. I felt the book wrapped up a little too quickly, given the drawn-out introduction setting the stage. I liked the characters very much. I thought they were deep but not too deep to take away from the main characters. I loved Eliza's relationship with Enzo. Thank you to Jaclyn Westlake, Avon Publishing, and NetGalley for the ARC.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for the advanced copy!

Eliza is what you'd call a Type A person. She has lists upon lists, goals laid out for years in the future, and basically has her entire life planned out. It all goes wayward when her fiancé breaks up with her and kicks her out of their shared apartment. What's a girl to do but move to a charming Minnesota neighborhood? We're met with kooky neighbors, a town that feels like a mini version of Duluth, and a cute man also new to the town. However- there's just something odd about her neighbors and the house she bought. No one wants to bring her up and why she left. So Eliza starts trying to figure it out for herself, while also trying to come to terms with life can't always be planned out.

I enjoyed the book, but the mystery behind Erica was.. eh. I also felt like her epiphany at the end about how she's living her life wasn't maybe the best way to look at it? There were definitely some surprises but I felt like some of the characters could've been more fleshed out. I loved the neighbors and getting to know their personalities. The third act "breakup" (if that's what you'd want to call it), felt like it was only there to serve as a reminder of what we usually get in romance novels. It felt unnecessary.

Overall, I thought it was a cute lil romance and it reminded me of going to the lake in the summer (Minnesota girl forever). Also- how the HELL can you hate cheese curds????

This was such a good book. I loved the story and the writing so much. The characters were great and the story flowed smoothly. Will definitely read more books by this author in the future.

Thank you to NetGalley, as well as Avon and Harper Voyager for this advanced digital copy in exchange for an honest review.
Eliza has always had a plan. That is until her engagement falls apart and her ex- fiancé sublets their apartment out from under her. Now, her life is off track, she has nowhere to live, and everything is imploding. While apartment hunting, Eliza comes across Juneberry Lake. An idyllic, Midwestern community, with picturesque views, and a cash incentive to remote workers like herself for moving there. Eliza shocks herself, friends, and family by committing to the Join Juneberry Lake Initiative. She purchases a cabin sight unseen, ships her life in boxes, and relocates to Minnesota from San Francisco.
Juneberry Lake is exactly like it was portrayed. Eliza tries to settle into a new life and routine. She makes friends with Initiative Director Tricia, who also owns the local coffee shop, and handsome Joel, another remote-working transplant. Everything is going well for her, except she can't seem to get in good with her new neighbors. They are a tight-knit group, and she is most definitely an outsider. It also seems they are harboring a secret about the previous cabin owners' whereabouts. When a pushy and intimidating PI keeps lurking around her new property, Eliza decides she needs to get to the bottom of it. Plus, she so desperately wants to be in good with her new neighbors.
I really enjoyed this low-stakes beach read. It wasn't your typical rom-com because it also had that cozy coffee shop mystery vibe. This book is perfect for a beach day or cozy day at home. It had some valuable lessons and reminders:
Life doesn't always go as planned - sometimes it works out even better.
Know your worth.
It's okay to set boundaries.
Advocate for what you want.
Letting go doesn't mean forgetting.

I really loved Eliza's relationship with her brother. It was an important and stabilizing element to the story.
This book also provided a realistic view of how relationships, namely among friends, can ebb and flow, change, and grow.
This was one of those reads you just did not want to put down because you HAD to find out how it all ended up.