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.

2.5⭐️’s: Lucky Break follows Eliza, a meticulous planner whose life derails when her engagement ends and she impulsively relocates from San Francisco to the charming small town of Juneberry Lake, Minnesota. Hoping for a fresh start, she buys a house sight unseen and tries to integrate into her new community, only to discover the neighbors are hiding something about the mysterious woman who lived there before her. As Eliza navigates her new life, she builds tentative relationships, including a potential romance with fellow newcomer Joel, and begins to question what “the perfect life” really looks like.

I loved the inclusive cast, the adorable pup Potato, and the charming town that gave total Hallmark vibes. The initial San Francisco setup was strong, and I appreciated the themes around infertility, starting over, and community. That said, the tone felt uneven, swinging between cozy small-town romcom and light mystery without fully landing in either. The romance lacked spark, the plot dragged in parts, and the final reveal felt anticlimactic. I often found myself unsure of the genre, and while there were wholesome moments, I just didn’t feel invested in Eliza’s journey.

Thank you to Avon Books and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review🫶🏼💕

3.5 stars. I enjoyed this book and it kept me interested throughout. I felt like some of the issues Eliza was facing as a 30 something regarding her life plans, friends, and career could be very relatable to readers of a similar age. This book also touched on a lot of topics that I wasn’t expecting like infertility, death and disabilities/handicaps. My one gripe with it is that it did feel a little unrealistic for Eliza to be so invested in getting “in” with her neighbors and figuring out Erica’s story. I’d definitely read more from this author in the future.

Thank you, NetGalley, for this uncorrected eproof ARC of 'Lucky Break' by Jaclyn Westlake - expected release date of 07/15/2025.

ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was a good book! It was it's own niche, not romance (but kinda), not mystery (but kinda) - I can see this being a perfect beach read. I enjoyed her writing style and the characters, I will put her debut novel on my to-read list. If you're looking for a fun, quick, easy read, this is it!

This book was cute, but I couldn’t get past grammar mistakes. Also sometimes it really didn’t feel natural the way these characters talked to each other, a lot of the time I felt like I was reading something that someone wrote instead of being submerged into the book. Regardless, it was cute if you’re wanting a short romance story.

I enjoyed this story of Eliza essentially coming into her own with a fresh start. However this book had me confused. Was it supposed to be a mystery? Or romance? Or something else? Because there were elements of multiple genres and nothing felt right. The pacing was off and plot points were off too. Cute and wholesome story but fell flat in execution.

I am obsessed with this book and author! This is the perfect summer read, and I think it was amazing, and put me in a summer reading mood!

Summary in Brief

Eliza’s life has always been meticulously planned, that’s how she maintains control. But when everything begins to unravel, she escapes to a lakeside cottage in the small town of Juneberry Lake to gain perspective. There, she finds herself surrounded by charming neighbors, an unexpected mystery, and a cute stranger she keeps running into.

Genre + Plot

Tropes: Small Town Romance, Found Family, Cozy Mystery, Animal Companions

This was exactly the kind of summer read I’d been looking for: a Midwestern small-town romance set in a cozy lakeside cottage? Sign me up! Our main character, Eliza, has just broken off her engagement and moves to Juneberry Lake in an attempt to get away from everything and break free from the rigid plans that have always defined her life. I loved the premise, but overall, it fell a bit flat for me.

The central plot is more about a woman rediscovering herself in a new environment, processing past trauma, building new friendships, solving a low-stakes mystery, and finding a bit of love along the way. The romance is more of a subplot than the main focus, which left me a little disappointed since I personally love when you can feel that mutual pining and tension. Unfortunately, this book didn’t really deliver that for me.

What I did love were all of Eliza’s quirky and endearing neighbors. There’s a subtle tension surrounding the woman who used to live in Eliza’s cottage, Erica. No one really talks about why she left, and Eliza becomes intrigued, slowly uncovering bits and pieces of Erica’s story. During her investigation, she meets Joel, another newcomer to town, and the two bond over their shared sense of displacement and curiosity. Joel is the quintessential nice guy—pleasant, optimistic, and easy to like.

My favorite characters, however, were Eliza’s three-legged dog, Potato, and her brother, Enzo. Enzo was so supportive and consistently there for her. He was the kind of sibling everyone would want. Their relationship was incredibly sweet and probably my favorite in the entire book, which is interesting since it wasn’t the main focus at all.

While I enjoyed the characters and their dynamics, I didn’t find myself deeply invested in most of the relationships (with the exception of Eliza and Enzo). Joel and Eliza’s romance felt a bit slow and lacked spark, and her interactions with the neighbors were clouded by the mystery surrounding Erica. I was intrigued by the mystery itself and genuinely curious about what happened to Erica, but the resolution ended up being a letdown. I know it was meant to be “low-stakes,” so I wasn’t expecting anything wild, but when the reveal came, my reaction was pretty much, “Oh… that’s it?”

While the book wrapped up with a happily-ever-after for everyone, I found myself more interested in a story focused on Enzo and Potato!

Final Thoughts

Overall, this was a slower-paced read centered on self-discovery, with romance playing a background role and a low-stakes mystery driving the narrative. While I appreciated the cozy setting and enjoyed some of the relationships, most of them didn’t fully capture my interest. That said, I did read through it quickly, and the mystery kept me turning pages—though I was ultimately a little underwhelmed by the ending.

Lucky Break by Jacklyn Westlake is a book about starting over and was a fun read.

When Eliza's engagement ends she's got to move, so she decides to try a whole new start and moves from California to Minnesota to the surprise of her friends and family.

The quaint town of Juneberry Lake helps Eliza get over her ex-fiancé, find out who she is and who she wants to be and throws a romance in along the way.

It was more a coming of age book than anything else and that's just find. It was a sweet book to read on a dreary afternoon and I look forward to more from this author.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC. All opinions are my own.

This is such a technically well-written book, and I have to comment that because I’ve recently read books that shouldn’t have made it past the second editing round. I appreciate the author including such thoughtful sections on infertility and women not being certain about whether they want/need to have kids. Also, I love the descriptions of the town, the houses, the cafe etc. I felt like I could be in Juneberry and wish it was real. But honestly, it was way more “vibes over plot” for me, but it was also pretty boring. I don’t know how else to put it. It felt kind of unfinished or rushed. Another thing I really disliked was the cheating addition. It felt incredibly unnecessary. Actually, a lot of added details/plot points felt like this. It’s still a good summer read for sure.

This was such a cute story. This story is centered on Eliza after she breaks up with her fiancé Marco. She has been living a very rigid and timeline driven life after she experiences a life-changing loss in high school. Due to her strict way of living, she finds herself having to re-plan and re-think her whole life which leads her to a new state and town where she buys a house in a small community that is filled with very interesting neighbors. After befriending some of the people in her town, she finds herself immersed in their lives and discovering how her life is connected to theirs. She also meets Joel and is a charming guy who is also on his own journey.

This was such a cute and feel-good summer read. Kind of like a palate cleanser after a heart-breaking book or a reading slump. It moves at a decent pace and touches on some sensitive topics really well. The other characters here are likable and although this may be a little forgettable in the future, it was truly enjoyable.
Thank you to the #HarperCollins and #Netgaley for this ARC. #LuckyBreak

Lucky Break was a cute book about a fresh start. Eliza’s engagement ends and she has to move out of their apartment so she takes a leap of faith and moves across the country from San Francisco as part of an effort to lure remote workers to a quaint lake community (Juneberry Lake) in Minnesota. For the rest of the book, Eliza works to break into the tight knit neighborhood community that she moved into. I kept thinking there was going g to a mystery element to this book, but there wasn’t really. It was an easy read that kind of makes you want to live in a small community like Juneberry Lake. Thanks to #netgalley, #AvonBooks, and #HarperVoyagerUS #LuckyBreak

This story is a fun mix of general/contemporary fiction, mystery, and romance. I wasn’t a big fan of the story behind the mystery, and I thought the balance between this and the MC’s other arcs was off (the mystery detracted from the emotional impact of everything else), but in the end these were minor issues for me. Eliza is likable and I found her journey to embracing change, chance, and life beyond achieving goals to be relatable and interesting. Juneberry Lake and most of its residents are charming and there is a dog named Potato. How can you not want to give this book a try? 🙂

Lucky Break was cute, but kinda mid.

Eliza’s “whole life fell apart so she impulsively moves to a tiny town” vibe is a trope I usually love, and I did enjoy the cozy small-town energy, the coffee shop coworking, and the sweet moments of self-discovery. It had some really wholesome themes about starting over and not letting one bad chapter define your whole story, which I think a lot of people will relate to.

That said… it dragged in parts. The pacing was off…like, the emotional payoff took forever to hit and when it did, it didn’t feel as big as it should’ve. I also wanted more chemistry between Eliza and Joel?? He was cute and all, but their romance felt kinda background-y for a book that hinted at something swoony.

Also not gonna lie, the whole “town has a big quirky secret” thing was kinda underwhelming. I was expecting something way more impactful than what we got.

Overall: not a bad read, just didn’t totally wow me. It’s like a warm cup of tea when you were hoping for something a little stronger. I’d say this is a good palate cleanser between heavier reads, just don’t go in expecting a new fave.

Thank you NetGalley and publishers for the ARC

Disclaimer: I only read half this book which I never do. I could not tell if this book was a romance, a mystery or just a fiction book. The premise of the book was cute and I really thought I would like it. However, I couldn't finish it because I couldn't see it was going and it didn't interest me enough to finish the book and see.

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book.

I loved this! Part romance, part mystery, it was so much more than I was expecting. I loved the writing style. The chemistry between Liza and Joel jumped off the page - their scenes will make you smile. I loved how Liza came to terms with the circumstances surrounding her best friend's death. I loved her brother, Enzo, and how he helped her after her heartbreak. Great sibling representation there. This is a pretty quick read but I didn't want it to end. Highly recommend.

I definitely enjoyed this book! It had me guessing trying to figure out what this group of neighbors were hiding. For a minute I thought this might take a turn and be a thriller, but it was adorable. I could relate to the main character beginning on the very first page!

Jaclyn Westlake is going to become an autobuy author. I fell in love with Dear Dotty, and this one was another exceptional one. Westlake has this way of perfectly capturing real life emotions and things that people go through in their lives. Her books pack a punch, and I don't fully know how I feel about them until I'm crying at the end. I read Dear Dotty last year at the perfect time, and I truly think I read this at the perfect time. I related to Eliza so much and I fell in love with her small Minnesota town. She has to have her whole life planned out, and I felt that so hard. She's also learning how to go with the flow, and again, something I am learning right now. Her and Joel were so good together, and truly needed each other in different ways,

LUCKY BREAK
-Friends to lovers
-mystery vibes
-fresh start

Everything about this book was a delight! A few years ago, I left the only life I ever knew in Ohio and moved to Georgia to start over. Best choice I have EVER made. After Elizas perfect relationship with her token italian fiance implodes, while trying to gather the pieces, she applies to a program for Juneberry Lake, Minnesota, where they stipend 10k toward your purchase of a home if you meet certain requirements. Eliza finds her place quickly in the small town and makes friends with her neighbors but things arent always what they seem. Along with another Juneberry transplant, Eliza sets out to discover the secrets hidden in her little circle, while coming to terms with the Infertility diagnosis that ended her engagement and finding new love in the process. I adored her relationship with her brother, Enzo, who has Aspergers and copes with his sister moving away in his own quirky and perfect Enzo ways, and her family desperately wishes she would move home (its been 3 years and my family still does!)
Thank you so much to Jaclyn Westlake, Netgalley and the Publisher for allowing me to review ahead of time!