I enjoyed my first book by this author. The setting of the book is what made me want to read it, as I am a sucker for a summer lake book. Enjoyed the storyline, with some romance and a little mystery. Would recommend.

Eliza is a planner in jail's Aspen. Actually, she sounds everybody when she up and moves across the country to a small town in Minnesota-of course it's by a lake, we have over ten thousand -- well, I was expecting more of a romance. It was definitely a book about Eliza figuring out who she is mixed in with a small town, cozy mystery and a really fun cast of characters that's super diverse. Very much like minnesota definitely recommend


Thank you, net galley for the arc.In exchange for an honest review

I have a feeling "Lucky Break" is going to be THE summer book of 2025. It has everything I love in a contemporary fiction story: a small-town setting, feel-good romance, and a cozy mystery subplot. I think this book is perfect for fans of Abby Jimenez's "Just for the Summer"!

One of my favorite things about this story is its small-town setting. The main character, Eliza, moves to a charming lakeside town in Minnesota. One of Eliza's goals is to explore her new town, which leads to her eating frozen custard at a local ice cream shop and trying cheese curds at a dive bar. As someone who has tried both, I can attest to the life-changing experience! Eliza also explores the scenery Minnesota has to offer, from going on romantic paddleboat rides around the lake to catching fireflies and listening to the June bugs. I think these go a long way in bringing the small-town setting to life!

I also like this book's close-knit community. Eliza's schemes to win over her neighbors had me laughing out loud! This book ruined biscotti for me, and I'm not mad about it. There's also a bit of a mystery surrounding Eliza's neighbors and the woman who lived in Eliza's house before her. I had to know what happened. I couldn't put this book down until the mystery got resolved!

And I have to end this review by talking about the romance. To me, "Lucky Break" isn't a magical, swoon-worthy romance. It's a realistic romance about two people who meet at a tough time and have to find themselves before they can find their way back to each other. And I love that! I love how messy Eliza's life is and her gradual acceptance that things don't have to be perfect to matter.

Overall, I'm giving this book 4-stars! I think "Lucky Break" is a perfect summer read for people who like small-town settings, relatable romances, and diverse characters. I can't wait to reread this book with a cool drink in hand on its July 15th release date. Do yourself a favor and preorder "Lucky Break" now!

I received an ARC of this book courtesy of the publisher and Netgalley; all opinions are my own.

This was my first read by Jaclyn Westlake and I really enjoyed it. Eliza has a meticulously planned life, until she comes on a batch of bad luck. Moving to a new town while trying to find the truth. This story was great!

Meet Eliza, a girl with a plan...until that plan begins to fail. Her engagement falls apart and she loses her home, she starts to panic about her future when she is randomly offered a chance to start over in Juneberry Lake! A program started to bring people from everywhere over to there small midwestern town. Relocating away from all her family and friends, she moves into a cute little lake house she purchased sight unseen. As she socializes with her neighbors and those around town, she realizes her goal of befriending the "loon lane gang" may be harder than she realized when they are holding a secret not even she could have figured out.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! I loved watching Eliza's friendships blossom and the mystery become solved. I loved loved the little sprinkle of romance with her new friend Joel. I love a good small town novel and watching her slide right into place in the coffee shop, around the lake, and with her neighbors was so enjoyable! I will say her actions did annoy me sometimes as she is a little nosey lol.. However, I do get the need to figure out that mystery!

It was a solid read for me and I would definitely pick up more books from this author.

Thank you to NetGalley, Avon Publishers, and Jaclyn Westlake for allowing me to read an eARC for this book!

Eliza is a planner. She has her whole life mapped out. And it's all going according to plan, until it's not. She and her fiance, Marco, have called it quits and then Marco tells her he is subletting their apartment. On a whim, Eliza decides to leave San Francisco behind and move to Juneberry Lake in Minnesota as part of their initiative to bring more people to the community.

Eliza purchases a home, sight unseen, right on the lake. Her goal is go immerse herself in community life, and she sets about that very quickly. Eliza is desperate to fit in, especially with the group of neighbors who live on her cul-de-sac, but it seems like they are resistant to open up to her and she can't figure out why. And then there is the mystery of the woman who lived in the house before her, Erica, who seems to have left mysteriously and who the neighbors are reluctant to talk about.

Eliza enlists the help of Joel, another implant to Juneberry Lake, to help her fit in. The book is full of a wide array of characters and they were all quirky but it worked. The book does contain a story related to infertility so keep that in mind if that is sensitive for you.

There was a small element of romance, but I would consider this more a women's fiction book. It was a light, easy read, and sometimes that just fits the bill. I definitely wanted to figure out all the secrets and see how it ended. I also enjoyed the story of empowerment that came for Eliza as she forged her own path even when it didn't make sense to others.

Thank you Net Galley and Avon Publishers for the chance to read this eARC!

Thank you to Netgalley, Avon Books and Harper Collins for the opportunity to read and review this advance copy of Lucky Break by Jaclyn Westlake.

This is the second book by Jaclyn Westlake. To be honest, I couldn't remember the genre of the book when I began reading it since it had been a bit since I had put in the request. I really enjoyed the story and was a little sad when I got to the epilogue because I was not ready to have the story end. My complaint was that the author did not seem to have a clear idea of where she wanted the story to go so the different plotlines were a little thin. Still, I could not put the book down and read it in 2 evenings.

Eliza Colletti is from a very close knit Italian family in San Francisco. Her family owns a bakery which is run by her parents and brother while she works in online promotions. Eliza has her life totally planned out and so far everything is going according to her timeline, until she and her fiancé breakup due to her coming to terms with her infertility while he was unable to do the same. I really enjoy cozy books that include restaurants or cooking as a main backdrop and was initially surprised when the bakery was not a major part of the book. Instead Eliza decided she needed a fresh start and looks to the Midwest. I was very pleased when Minnesota was mentioned, a favorite quote by one of her friends paraphrased as "It might even snow!" I had to laugh because 1) Duh! and 2) I read this a day or two after New Orleans received more snow in one day than MN had received all season. Once settled in her new town, Eliza discovers a mystery tied to her home. She pulled in her friend Justin who was also fairly new resident to the town in order to solve the mystery. I was excited to see where the mystery would lead but in the end it did not feel like there was enough substance to make the book a mystery.

After finishing Lucky Break I decided it was a very enjoyable, light, women's fiction about re-examining friendships, life choices, and how to make a fresh start without losing the past. The book is set to be released in July 2025. If you are looking for a quick summer read you will not be disappointed. I am interested to see how the author's writing will evolve as she continues to publish additional books.

Lucky Break is a heartwarming and charming read that feels like a comforting hug on a cloudy day. Jaclyn Westlake weaves a delightful tale of second chances, self-discovery, and the magic of starting over in an enchanting Midwestern lake town. Eliza’s journey from heartbreak to healing is relatable and inspiring, with just the right mix of humor, emotion, and charm.

Westlake’s vivid descriptions of Juneberry Lake will make you want to pack your bags and move there yourself, and the quirky, lovable townsfolk will stay with you long after you turn the last page. Perfect for fans of Beth O’Leary and Sophie Kinsella, Lucky Break reminds us that even when life doesn’t go as planned, there’s beauty in embracing the unexpected. This is a delightful pick for anyone in need of a feel-good story.

Lucky Break is a fun, lighthearted read! I enjoyed the summer lake setting, the quirky neighbors. and the mystery component! However, the writing and dialogue fell a little flat for me, and the romance felt a little forced.

My favorite part though would have to be Potato. 😌

This was my first book by Jaclyn Westlake and boy was I pleased. I fell in love with characters while trying to solve an atypical mystery. This is a book of friendship, of real talk and a side of who dun it. I loved the way she had her characters address hard situations with integrity. I hope this helps teach people how to be honest and true to yourself while still navigating complicated life situations.

ARC review- 07/15/2025 pub date

I actually loved this book. It was a perfect, cozy change from the thrillers I usually read. Also, let's be honest- all of us have, at some point, considered running away to a small town to start over. There is a touch of mystery and romance if that's up your alley too. This is just such a cute book that is definitely worth reading.

Thanks to NetGalley & the publisher for the advanced copy to review.

great book and I loved the action and the romance . I loved seeing the friends and family. I loved that they were able to figure things out. Overall a great book . loved the neighbors and the cute dog

Thank you NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for this e-ARC!

I loved this story for 1. The cover really caught my attention as I love the lake life. 2. I really have always felt the same about luck.
I enjoyed reading Eliza story and going on her journey, as a female also in a part of my life that I often think about starting again. I love the cozy small town vibes on a lake, and the atmosphere is picturesque described. Very easy quick read and has a little twist in the end. Enjoy!

Lovely. I love how effortlessly the author embraced a diverse range of personalities, backgrounds and events that profoundly affect lives. Erica uncovers a mystery and gets a lot more than she bargained for. What are the neighbours hiding? Lots of secrets to unravel as the story progresses. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I picked up Jaclyn Westlake’s debut novel, Dear Dotty, on a whim and it became a 5-star read for me. The main drawback was that this was a debut novel and I desperately wanted to read more of her books. When I saw that Lucky Break was an unreleased book by Jaclyn Westlake - I knew I had to read it asap. Luckily, NetGalley graciously provided me with an eARC, so thank you tremendously for that, and I was able to dive in to Jaclyn Westlake’s second novel, Lucky Break.

Lucky Break for me was a very easy read. As someone in her late twenties, I loved reading about this main character who is trying to figure her life out when not everything goes to plan. I did not foresee the mystery aspect of this novel and this was a welcome surprise. I know some people might be disappointed by the amount of romance within this book and I did expect more, but at the end I thought it was the perfect ratio. I think any more would have actually taken away from the main characters development. As she has experienced a recent break-up and is trying to make sense of what SHE truly wants out of her life.

I would absolutely read anything by Jaclyn Westlake again and hope she continues on writing these coming-of-age novels. Thank you again to NetGalley for the eARC.

We all need a Lucky Break now and then.
When her relationship comes to a brutal end, Eliza packs up her belongings and moves to small-town Minnesota. While the little house she purchased is the perfect fit, Eliza isn’t so sure about her neighbors in the cul-de-sac, especially when she notices the odd goings on. But, she finds fast friends with the coffee shop owner and the cute guy sent to give her a tour of her new town. And, of course, Potato, the sweet 3-legged dog. By the end, Eliza has found her Lucky Break.
A little bit mystery, a little bit romance, Lucky Break is a sweet, fast read that will make a great summer read.

Thank you NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for this e-ARC!

Lucky break by Jaclyn Westlake is a small town story about moving on from your past. The pace of the book is rather slow but I think it's not a bad thing for this exact story. The plot for me was a little bit flat.
The good thing - story has this mystery twist, it really was rather interesting in the end.

It started out slow but I felt like it was slowly building up to the excitement but then it just kind of went flat and I got bored quickly. The main character is kind of a basket case tho to be honest haha she’s completely planned out her entire life. Meet future husband by a certain age, get engaged in a certain time frame, have so many kids, get a dog at a certain time. Like she wants everything to happen a certain way and then it all falls apart and so she decided to be spontaneous and buy a house in a random small town far away and just see what happens and start over with her life. The idea was great but it just didn’t do it for me. I wish there had been more with the romance part of the story.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyage for allowing me to get an early read with this book. I could not set it down! I go weak for a small town romance and this one did it for me. I will definitely be recommending this one to anyone who asks.

I enjoyed this book, but wished the mystery and romance subplots were a little stronger. Neither fully grabbed me and I felt the plot moved a bit slow for my taste