ARC Review!!!

This was such a fun read! The concept was really cool and flowed really well. There was one big plot but a couple of other little subplots within but it was really well done. Eliza is realizing her life might not turn out to be how she planned it and makes the biggest change there is. She decides to move to the Mid-West from San Francisco. Her engagement is over and she finds out she can't have kids. What other option but to start over elsewhere. She meets Joel, new townie as well, Trish and her new neighbors. Eliza realizes it's harder to be welcomed into her neighborhood when she discovers they all might be finding something from her. Eliza finds it weird that the lady who previously owned her new house left without a trace and no one conveniently knows anything about her after finding proof they were clearly close. Eliza is trying to uncover the secret while finding ways to fit it.
4 Stars!!!

📖 Book Review 📖 There’s a special place in the burn book for jerks who mess up so bad that in the throes of a breakup that readers are seeing red for Eliza. When the lady who always has a plan has no plan left in San Francisco, her one-third life crisis sends her packing to start fresh on a lake in Minnesota. A beautiful fully-furnished house awaits her.

In the land of 10,000 lakes, hot dishes, and transplants like herself, Eliza finds an aura of intrigue in her new neighbors and it’s harder to break into this close knit community than she anticipated. A mystery slowly unfolds amidst the tranquility of this new landscape and Eliza is captivated by it all….and so was I!

LUCKY BREAK – Jaclyn Westlake
A Perfect 10
Avon
ISBN: 978-0063340763
July 15, 2025
Contemporary Fiction

Juneberry Lake, Minnesota – Present Day

Eliza had her life all mapped out. She would get a great job, find a good man, and have his child. But she fizzled at the childbearing part when she learned that she may not be able to bear children. For her fiancé, this was the end of their relationship. To start anew, Eliza spots an ad looking for people to move to Juneberry Lake, a small town in the middle of nowhere. With the opportunity to buy a furnished home, she jumps at the chance. The home sits in a small cul-de-sac, and Eliza looks forward to meeting her new neighbors. Except they aren’t as friendly as she expected. The neighbors have a weekly BBQ on Sundays, but haven’t invited her yet. They also seem close-mouthed, especially when it comes to the woman who lived in the house Eliza bought. The former resident left practically everything behind, which makes Eliza curious as to why. Is there a connection between her neighbors’ reluctance to become friends with her and the other woman’s disappearance?

LUCKY BREAK is a cleverly drawn-out tale about a woman starting over, only to find herself involved in a bit of a mystery. Eliza wanted to remain engaged to Marcus, but he broke off their engagement after it became apparent that she wouldn’t be able to bear a child. They remained living together, but now she has to move. Her job, luckily, can be done remotely, so the chance to relocate—to start over—appeals to her. Eliza soon meets the local bakery owner, Trish, and starts to devise a plan to help her bring in more business. She also meets Joel, a nice man who recently moved to the area. Like her neighbors, he is a bit secretive. As for her neighbors, Bob is sullen and not happy she moved in. Marge and Gal take in injured rescue dogs and are a bit reticent when it comes to Eliza. Lynette and her husband, Allan, are more friendly. Stuart is a writer with writer’s block. Each of these characters provides a colorful picture, and we get to see them throughout this tale.

As for Eliza, she is a determined person. She wants life to be perfect, and when it’s not, like her inability to have children, she feels like a failure. In LUCKY BREAK, she will have to come to terms with the fact that the journey of life is not always the plan we want. She adopts one of the rescue dogs and soon settles in. Eventually, she does get to mingle more with her neighbors, including being invited to the BBQ. But Eliza senses they are hiding something from her. When a private detective comes to her door asking questions about the previous tenant, Erica, the mystery deepens. Are her neighbors telling the truth when they say they don’t know where Erica is? Meanwhile, two other things happen. Her friendship with Joel deepens, and her ex is trying to contact her. She wants to ignore him because the breakup is still painful. Will what he has to say help her decide her future?

The deeper I got into LUCKY BREAK, the more intrigued I became. I suspected that the neighbors knew more about what happened to Erica. The private investigator is relentless, but so is Eliza. Will she find out the truth? As I became engrossed in this tale, I began to realize that it was a perfect read and needed to get a Perfect 10 (RRT’s highest honor). While there is some romance, the main story is about Eliza’s journey to find answers about her neighbors, but also to learn more about herself. If you love a story that keeps you glued to the pages, then you must pick up LUCKY BREAK. You won’t be sorry.

Patti Fischer
Romance Reviews Today

Lucky Break by Jaclyn Westlake is filled with various types of love and affection, as well as different friendship groups, families, and some friends who become like family.

When Eliza decides to move from San Francisco to a small lake town in Minnesota after she and her fiancé call it quits, everyone seems to think she’ll be back. Little did they know how she’d embrace her new life, make her house a home, become a part of her new community, and even maybe find a new love. I loved the inclusion of all the special needs rescue dogs.

The story alternates between her current life and her past life with Marco and her college friends. She gets to really know herself better and even realizes why she became such a control freak. We get to know her neighbors a little at a time and learn their history. There are secrets too numerous to count, confessions, apologies, and lots of planning. I love how the neighbors finally embrace her after a few rough spots. There is closure when her life seems to settle on all fronts—professionally and personally —and she seems to really fit into her new life.

Lucky Break is a contemporary romance filled with new friends and wonderful descriptions of the lakeside community.

I rated the book 4.5 stars but rounded to 5 stars here and on other sites.

The review is posted on NovelsAlive..

This one had all the ingredients for a cozy, feel-good reset: small town charm, a fresh start after everything falls apart, and just a hint of mystery to shake things up.

Eliza’s life is in full meltdown mode—engagement over, future plans scrapped, and a spontaneous move to Juneberry Lake feels like her best shot at getting it together. I liked how real her character felt. She’s messy, a little lost & trying to figure out who she is without the life she spent years building. There’s also some really thoughtful fertility rep woven into her backstory, and it added a layer of emotional depth that made her feel even more human.

butttttt… I needed more.

The mystery? Super low-stakes. And not in a “cozy whodunnit” kind of way.. more like a soft whisper of conflict that wrapped up without much impact. If you're someone who prefers a lighter, no-stress mystery, that might be your thing, but I was left wanting a little more bite.

Same with the romance. Joel was sweet & the dynamic had potential, but it sat way in the background. I kept waiting for their relationship to move forward or bring more spark to the story, but it never quite got there. If you’re not big on romance being front and center, that could be a plus—but I missed it.

Nothing about this book was bad, it just moved a little too slowly for me. I wanted higher stakes, quicker pacing, and a bit more tension to keep me turning the pages. That said, if you’re in the mood for a gentle, slice-of-life story about starting over—with a sprinkle of mystery and some heartfelt moments—this could be the low-key escape you’re looking for.

Thank you to Avon and netgalley for the arc!

Thank you Harper Collins Publishers for the ARC of this book.

This book had it all. Facing yourself, taking risks, learning not to judge a book by its cover, a cute romance, and even a bit of mystery. All the characters were uniquely their own with their own secrets and flaws. It was really nice to read a “coming of age” story from the perspective of someone a bit older as I’m used to them being written as more late teen ages when we never really stop growing and adapting. If you want a cute small town story with just a hint of romance and a cozy mystery I would say this book is a must pick up!

I went into this book thinking it would be just a summer romance and instead it was so much more. It handles harder and uncomfortable topics regarding infertility and how some people you think are the closest in your life don't understand. The found family trope resonates hard in with book and handles the topic of moving away from home and being alone and finding your home away from home. Meddling family and neighbors bring a fun aspect to the book. Additionally, going from a relationship where the love fizzled away and finding new love is written very well. I found the book to be very fun and emotional with me laughing out loud and also tearing up.

Thanks Avon Books and Harper Audio for the gifted copies!! 4.5 stars

The first thing you should know about Lucky Break is that it’s not a romance. There’s a romantic thread for sure, but it’s not the main story. The cover and marketing don’t make that super clear, and I think it’s going to throw some readers off…

Now that we’ve cleared that up… I freaking loved this book. It’s not a romance, and I dislike the term “women’s fiction”, so I’ll call it a “third-life crisis” story (ha). Set in a small lake town in Minnesota, it’s full of Midwestern charm —cheese curds, a SKOL chant (that made this Packers fan squirm), an adorable three-legged dog, and semi-friendly neighbors who might just be hiding something major.

This book has something for everyone:

-Romance
-Small-town coziness
-A little mystery (seriously, WHAT are the neighbors hiding?!)
-Deeply relatable personal growth

The heart of this story is Eliza navigating life when it doesn’t go according to plan — dealing with infertility, drifting apart from old friends, and feeling stuck while everyone else seems to be moving forward. It’s written with humor and heart, and I found it so incredibly relatable. I didn’t want to put it down. I wish I could just move to Juneberry Lake and LIVE inside this story. A++

The audiobook is narrated by Amanda Ronconi. She’s not one of my all-time faves, but she does a solid job here — I enjoyed the parts I listened to and would definitely recommend the audiobook to fellow listeners!

The most perfect book for summer! Easy to pick up and put down. Funny, with a little mystery and a side of romance. When life gets hectic, this is the kind of book I like to have in my bag. Jaclyn Westlake has quickly become my go-to author for one-click reads when traveling.

This book was a refreshing breath of summer air. I loved how Jaclyn weaved themes of family, friendship, trust, and romance in the perfect summer read. But the. To top it off, she added a dash of mystery to keep me on the edge of my seat. I loved that while the romance was there (and so sweet without over-the-top spice), it wasn’t the main point of the book. I now want to move to Minnesota and spend my days on my back porch eating bear claws and reading.

Spice: just kisses!

Thank you Jaclyn and Netgalley for this ARC copy!

I really enjoyed this book. I was invested in the FMC story and really liked her. The little plot twist and mystery had me guessing. Additionally, I really did feel like I was in that town and on the lake with them. Excellent pool side read.

This review is based on an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) provided by NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

This review may contain mild spoilers

This was a solid 3 -star read for me.

This book had a little bit of everything, friendships, romance, mystery, family dynamics, found family and small-town vibes and I enjoyed all of it. This book also had disability, queer, and infertility representation included in the story. The romance was a slow burn and not necessarily the main plot so do not expect there to be a lot of spice. Also, this book had amazing side characters, and I loved every single one of them!

Our MFC, Eliza, moves to a lake town to reinvent herself and we get to go on her journey of rediscovery. I was sucked in and could not stop turning the page to see what was going to happen next. Because there were so many sub-plots this book was an easy quick read. Joel, our MMC was just so sweet and endearing and I enjoyed that I did not have to suffer through another alfa male MMC.

I would recommend this to anyone looking for a heartwarming book with a dash of mystery about a women finding herself and falling in love with all the things in life, herself, her new friends, and her adopted 3-legged dog Potato, and so much more!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. #LuckyBreak #NetGalley.

Juneberry Lake brings some luck and the charm of small town living to Eliza. She is in desperate need of a fresh start after her life implodes. This place has exactly what Eliza needs - a cast of unique side characters, a leading man who works alongside her from an adorable coffee shop everyday, and a place to call home. I absolutely adored all the side characters and thought they added a lot to the story. I would recommend this for a lakeside read this summer! Thank you the author, publisher, and author for the gifted eARC. All opinions are my own.

Instagram post will be live week of 07Jul25

This book was such a delight and an easy read. You follow along as Eliza embarks on a journey of self discovery and a fresh start. Then she discovers a mystery in the small town she’s moved to and she is determined to figure it out. Everything in Juneberry Lake may not be quite what it seems.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon for the advanced copy.

Lucky Break takes us from San Francisco, where Eliza and her fiance have recently split, to a small lakeside town in Minnesota. Facing a new adventure and a cozy mystery, Eliza embraces her new life the same way she does everything - with items to check off a premeditated timeline. Each of her new neighbors has a backstory, but there seems to be something they are all holding back. Along with her new friend Joel, who’s got a few secrets of his own, Eliza is determined to figure out what everyone is hiding. Equal parts romance and mystery, Jaclyn Westlake’s novel is a solid summer read.

Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.

3.5⭐️
This is a book that will be perfect for folks who love Hallmark Movies and mysteries as that’s what it reminded me of. I guess it could also be considered a “beach read” or better yet “lake read” but for popcorn thriller? It’s really hard to classify it. It was hard to stay engaged and I kept starting and stoping which affected my enjoyment of it. It was very descriptive at point of things that were boring? I hate using that word but that’s what it was at times.

What I liked? It had great disability representation as well as Queer representation. It also had infertility rep by way of a miscarriage, romance, found family and the small town vibes when the Adam’s relocated to start her life anew.

Now having all the above made for so many subplots! To me it was too much and made the book lack focus. I am really digging the surge in romance-thriller mash-ups but this one fell a bit short. But over all it was a fine read and I am glad I read it.

It comes out July 15th so it’s in perfect time to add to some vacation/ summer reading especially if you want a low-stakes mystery. One thing I’ll mention is that I think this would make for a good small screen adaptation.




I am thankful to have gotten a complimentary eARC from Avon through NetGalley to read which gave me the opportunity to voluntarily leave a review.

My rating system since GoodReads doesn’t have partial stars

⭐️ Hated it
⭐️⭐️ Had a lot of trouble, prose issues, really not my cup of tea (potentially DNF’d or thought about it)
⭐️⭐️⭐️ Meh, it was an ok read but nothing special
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Really enjoyed it! Would recommend to others
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Outstanding! Will circle back and read again

Thank you Netgalley & Avon and Harper Voyager for the ARC of this book! Lucky Break was such a cute and cozy read. It took me a little while to get into, but once I did, I had a hard time putting it down. I loved the sweet town Juneberry Lake and its community, and found myself wanting more of the story and the relationships within it! I also really enjoyed the mystery elements of this story, and genuinely look forward to reading more by Jaclyn Westlake!

Reeling from a divorce, Eliza suddenly decides to move from San Francisco to Juneberry Lake, Minnesota. As she begins to settle in her new home, she discovers that this small midwest town is holding on to secrets. As she embarks on a journey of self-discovery she must also unravel the mystery surrounding her new hometown. Along the way, she forges new friendships and slowly begins to find her happiness again.

This was such a great story and I really enjoyed it. I loved how this was more about finding yourself than about finding your next romance. There is a little mystery thrown in that added to the events happening in this small town. There is romance in this, but I thought it was really well done and not at all spicy.

Thanks to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager | Avon for the ARC for this book! I really enjoyed reading from this author.

Lucky Break had a lot of great potential for me, but unfortunately fell just a little short. Taking place in a midwestern lake town, it had the characters you wanted - mix of neighbors, love interest and family back home. Eliza was likeable in her perfectionist ways and I did really like her and was rooting for her. At the end of the day, I just wanted a more depth in the plot lines with less characters. The neighbors and love interest were my favorite parts, and I enjoyed the mystery element in the story. There were a lot of characters and a lot of little plot lines that made me either confused on who was who or wanting more. Even the element of mystery (which was a fun add) had me confused on if this was a romance or mystery book. Again, overall good just a little too much going on for me. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the early read.

The cover of this book, and the title, implored me to read it and I’m very glad I did. Eliza is experiencing a lot of change in her life and as a strict planner this isn’t ideal. I feel like a lot of the emotions Eliza was experiencing were common for everyone at some point in life. We question what the heck we are doing and how we got to where we are. Sometimes “life planners” drive me a little nutty, I don’t feel like we can control everything, but the more the reader learns about Eliza the more you understand her way of thinking and empathize with her character. I loved the town of Juneberry Lake and all the characters that came with it. I feel like a large part of this story is the mystery’s Eliza is trying to solve once she arrives in Juneberry Lake. There is definitely romance (closed door) inter-woven throughout, but I felt more invested in what her neighbors were up to and some of their stories than Eliza’s romantic life, although I definitely wanted her to have a HEA. Overall, I really enjoyed this story, I truly didn’t know how it was going to end. There is good character growth, from Eliza and the side characters, that I loved throughout. Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book.