Baby, It's You(Clairesville,#1)

 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

   Thank you to the author,Nicole Mikell for E-ARC, in exchange for an honest review.

 

 

 

 RELEASE DATE: JULY 30,2025.

 

Olive has spent years managing Whiskey Jane’s- a local dive bar tucked in the Tennessee mountains, famous for its strong drinks, wild theme nights and walls covered in written memories. It might not technically be her bar, but it’s her home. 

When Jane, the bar’s elderly owner, is no longer able to run it, and her absentee son Tripp decides to show up with a plan to sell it off, Olive knows she must think fast. 

In walks Hunter, a skateboarding filmmaker with a YouTube channel and an eye for a good story. What starts as an awkward first encounter leads to an unexpected partnership as they hatch a plan to work as a pair and save the bar. Together, they uncover decades of love, loss, and unforgettable nights. 

In the process of saving a place full of memories, they might just create their own. 

 

 🌷

There are so many emotions that are going through me right now. This book made me feel every emotion felt by the main characters, Olive and Hunter. I loved both of those characters, even though I didn't always agree with Olive's choices. I adored their connection, and I liked how it took time to develop; it felt realistic. All the characters were realistic, and that was one of the things I admired about this book. There were only a few characters I didn't like, but that was because they were difficult to like; especially Tripp, if it were me, I would have lost patience long ago. I was rooting for Olive and Hunter, hoping that their plan would be enough to save Whiskey Jane's. 

I adored the community, particularly at Whiskey Jane's, and how they looked out for one another. When Hunter and Olive interviewed others, I enjoyed hearing about their experiences with Whiskey Jane's and how it affected them. I fell in love with the bar after listening to their stories. I was rooting from the moment I found out what Tripp intended to do with the bar. I liked how it was told from both Olive's and Hunter's perspectives, giving us a glimpse of each character and forming a connection with both. It was clear that Hunter fell first for Olive. I was rooting for two of them all through the book. 

I adored the friendship between Ivy and Olive. It reminded me of myself and my close friends. The two of them had a true friendship. The character development in this book was outstanding, particularly for Olive. She changed in so many ways from the beginning of the book. I'm so glad I got to read this book. I'm excited to read Ivy's story in 20206. I highly recommend checking this book out!

Beach House Rules.

 

 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

When Charlotte Sitterly’s husband is arrested for a white-collar crime, she and her daughter Iris are locked out of their house by the FBI and—what’s potentially even worse—thrust into the spotlight of @JuniperShoresSocialite, the town’s snarky anonymous Instagram account. Cut off from her bank accounts and feeling desperate, Charlotte takes up an acquaintance’s offer to stay at a beachfront former bed-and-breakfast that’s home to a community of single mothers and draws plenty of gossip in the small coastal North Carolina town. 

Charlotte and Iris find solace and are surprised by how much fun they’re having with the other families despite their circumstances. But when the women discover a secret link between them, it changes everything they thought they knew about the unconventional family they’ve created and leaves them wondering whether their coming together was a coincidence at all. Will the skeletons in the mommune closets help Charlotte and Iris reclaim their place in the Juniper Shores community—or shatter the sisterhood forever?

 

 🌷

 
I've been wanting to read Beach House Rules since I heard Kristy Woodson Harvey was writing a new book. In 2023, I discovered Kristy Woodson Harvey after reading her book, The Summer Of Songbirds. This is my third book by the author, and it will not be my last. I'm trying to find words to describe how this book made me feel; so many different emotions ran through my mind while reading it. I adore beach reads and have read several over the years; they are the type of books I can read all year. Beach House Rules was unlike other beach reads that I had read before, and that was one of the things that I liked about it; it was different. I liked the concept of mommune community and how all of those families came together and were always there for one another. I loved how Alice opened her home and tried to help others. Their bond and friendship reminded me of a few of my closest friends. 

I enjoyed reading Juniper Shores Socialite posts and how they developed throughout the story. However, just like everyone else, I couldn't help but wonder who was behind the posts and how they knew so much about everyone. I made a few guesses as I read the story. I enjoyed reading the book from three different perspectives, but it took me a while to connect with Iris' point of view. I thought it was slow at first, but as the story progressed, her point of view became more interesting, to the point where I couldn't put the book down because I was curious to see what would happen next. I was eager to see what would happen between her and Merit. I admired Iris' dedication to proving her father's innocence. 

I loved reading from Charlotte and Alice's perspectives; they were the two characters to whom I felt the most connected. I was hesitant about Alice at first, but as the story progressed, my views on her changed, and I found myself unable to believe the gossip about Alice. Within a few chapters, I was captivated by the plot and adored most of the characters. I felt like most of the characters in the mommune community were impossible not to love; they were all amazing in their own way. The setting was so vividly written, I imagined myself there with everyone. I’m so glad that I got a chance to read this book, and I cannot wait to check out rest of Kristy Woodson Harvey books. I know I'll be reading this author for years to come.

Atmosphere.

 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

 

Joan Goodwin has been obsessed with the stars for as long as she can remember. Thoughtful and reserved, Joan is content with her life as a professor of physics and astronomy at Rice University and as aunt to her precocious niece, Frances. That is, until she comes across an advertisement seeking the first women scientists to join NASA’s Space Shuttle program. Suddenly, Joan burns to be one of the few people to go to space. 

Selected from a pool of thousands of applicants in the summer of 1980, Joan begins training at Houston’s Johnson Space Center, alongside an exceptional group of fellow candidates: Top Gun pilot Hank Redmond and scientist John Griffin, who are kind and easy-going even when the stakes are highest; mission specialist Lydia Danes, who has worked too hard to play nice; warm-hearted Donna Fitzgerald, who is navigating her own secrets; and Vanessa Ford, the magnetic and mysterious aeronautical engineer, who can fix any engine and fly any plane. 

As the new astronauts become unlikely friends and prepare for their first flights, Joan finds a passion and a love she never imagined. In this new light, Joan begins to question everything she thinks she knows about her place in the observable universe. 

Then, in December of 1984, on mission STS-LR9, everything changes in an instant.

 🌷

 
Another beautifully written, yet heartbreaking story by Tayor Jenkins Reid. 

This book affected me in so many ways; there are so many emotions that are going through me now. I had a feeling I would enjoy this book, but I had no idea how much it would affect me. I'm still thinking about the story and what happened. My emotions were all over the place during the ending. I shouldn't be surprised because I've read a few of Taylor Jenkins Reid's books and haven't found one that I didn't love. Aside from The Seven Husbands Of Evelyn Hugo, this is my favorite. I believe that Atmosphere is one of her most emotional books. I loved that it was about female astronauts in NASA during the 1980s. I enjoy reading science and space-related books, and this is already one of my favorites. There is a part of me that wonders what happened after the final page. I can't get this story out of my head, especially the characters, Joan and Vanessa. 

Dual timelines worked very effectively for this book. I adored them all; I enjoyed reading about both the mission and the process that led them there. I found myself almost holding my breath during the December 1984 timeline. There were so many emotions running through my mind as I was transformed into that mission; I felt everything the characters felt, including their fear and hope. I can't imagine having such a terrifying experience. When I was reading that timeline, there was no putting the book down because I was constantly on the edge of my seat. I loved reading the timelines that led to Joan, Vanessa, Lydia, Donna, Hank, and Griffin becoming astronauts, as well as the bond that some of them formed as a group. I was curious to see if they would end up on a mission together or separately, and who would be chosen first. 

I adored Vanessa and Joan's relationship. It felt very real and raw. They had a special connection from the moment they met. I liked how their relationship progressed and how they looked out for each other. I think they're one of my favorite couples. I was rooting for the two of them since the beginning. Besides their relationship, I adored the relationship between Joan and her niece, Frances. I smiled at the most scenes between the two of them. Frances needed someone like Joan. I enjoyed learning about stars and NASA's astronaut selection program. I felt like I learned a lot more just from reading this book. I even did my own research after finishing the book. This is an inspirational book that you won't forget.

The Au Pair Effect(Big Shots,#2)

 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

 

Tallulah is smart, vivacious, and studying to be a marine biologist. She’s also twenty-six and broke. So when Burgess, a battle-scarred hockey veteran and newly single dad, offers her a job as his live-in nanny, she jumps at the opportunity to get paid while living in a super fancy neighborhood and being around Lissa, his cool but introverted tween. 

Her tween charge isn’t the only one who could use some help fitting in, though. According to…well, everyone except Burgess, he needs to get back on the dating scene, and adventurous Tallulah is just the girl to show him how. But as boundaries are slowly crossed and Burgess finds himself pulled between his daughter, who wants her parents back together, and his insane chemistry with Tallulah, a huge rift is formed, and Tallulah does the “right” thing—breaks her own heart and walks away. 

Though Burgess knows it’s for the best—he’s too jaded, with too much baggage—a chance meeting, and a new push from his daughter, forces him to put everything on the line and fight to prove he learned his lessons well and is worthy of a happily ever after with Tallulah. 

 

 🌷

 
I am officially in love with this series. I now understand why people are talking about Tessa Bailey; my only regret is that I did not start reading her books earlier. There is something about the way Bailey writes her books, especially the way she portrays the characters' emotions, that you cannot help but fall in love with. I have been curious about Tallulah since she appeared in the first book, Fangirl Down . When she accepted the job in the first book, I was already looking forward to the next one and wondering if she would regret working for a guy she barely knew. I could tell that there was instant connection between Tallulah and Burgess, even if Tallulah was too stubborn to admit. Burgess's dedication to Tallulah was charming, though he could be overprotective at times. 

I adored Lissa and Tallulah's relationship; Lissa clearly looked up to Tallulah. However, I was curious if her feelings for Tallulah would change if she knew how she felt about her father. I was relieved Lissa had someone like Tallulah; she needed someone like that in her life. I believe Tallulah and Burgess needed someone like that in their lives. I'm curious to see what happens to three of them after the last page, and where their lives will take them next. Tallulah is the type of character that you can't help but love, and I love the way she makes friends with others, such as Chloe. Tallulah had such an impact on almost everyone she met, particularly Burgess. 

Even though this was a fictional story, I appreciated how it addressed some real-world issues. I wish there was more hockey in the book; it was briefly mentioned, but not as much as I expected. I enjoyed the humor in the book, which made it much more enjoyable to read. I'm excited to check out Sig and Chloe's story in Dream Girl Drama; something about their connection in this book makes me curious about what happens next. Highly recommended for romance fans.

Heartless Hunter(Crimson Moth,#1)

 

 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

 

Spending her days pretending to be nothing more than a vapid young socialite, Rune spends her nights as the Crimson Moth, a witch vigilante who rescues her kind from being purged. When a rescue goes wrong, she decides to throw the witch hunters off her scent and gain the intel she desperately needs by courting the handsome Gideon Sharpe – a notorious and unforgiving witch hunter loyal to the revolution – who she can't help but find herself falling for. 

Gideon loathes the decadence and superficiality Rune represents, but when he learns the Crimson Moth has been using Rune’s merchant ships to smuggle renegade witches out of the republic, he inserts himself into her social circles by pretending to court her right back. He soon realizes that beneath her beauty and shallow façade, is someone fiercely intelligent and tender who feels like his perfect match. Except, what if she’s the very villain he’s been hunting?

 🌷

 
I heard about Heartless Hunter and picked up the book several times. However, I did not have a chance to read it until now. I was excited when Heartless Hunter was selected for my book club book for July. I was hooked on the story after only a few pages. I was eager to find out what adventures and challenges Rune encounters. I was curious about what would happen between Rune and Gideon. I was curious whether the two of them would be able to pretend or fall in love. At first, I didn't notice anything between the two of them, especially since I knew they were pretending. Then I noticed it: Gideon was acting differently around her, and I knew it wasn't an act anymore. I found myself rooting for both. I wanted them to end up together. 

Then there was Alex, and I loved their friendship. Although I could tell Alex cared about Rune, it wasn't just friendship. Part of me wanted Rune to end up with Alex instead; he was a safer option for her. However, I had a feeling she didn't feel the same way about Alex as she did about Gideon. I didn't feel the same connection between Alex and Rune that I did between Rune and Gideon. Yet, I was eager to see what would happen. I thought there would be more character development for Rune than there was. 

I enjoyed escaping into this magical world. I love books about magic and witches. I had read several books about witches. This was a unique perspective on witches and witch hunters. The end...I still can't get over that ending; it made me wish I had the next book to find out what happens next. I kept thinking about it after I finished the book. I liked how it was written from Rune's and Gideon's perspectives, giving us a different perspective on the story. I can't wait to pick up Rebel Witch and see how everything ends.

Counting Miracles.

 

 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Tanner Hughes was raised by his grandparents, following in his grandfather’s military footsteps to become an Army Ranger. His whole life has been spent abroad, and he is the proverbial rolling stone: happiest when off on his next adventure, zero desire to settle down. But when his grandmother passes away, her last words to him are find where you belong. She also drops a bombshell, telling him the name of the father he never knew—and where to find him. 

Tanner is due at his next posting soon, but his curiosity is piqued, and he sets out for Asheboro, North Carolina, to ask around. He’s been in town less than twenty-four hours when he meets Kaitlyn Cooper, a doctor and single mom. They both feel an immediate connection; Tanner knows Kaitlyn has a story to tell, and he wants to hear it. To Kaitlyn, Tanner is mysterious, exciting—and possibly leaving in just a few weeks. 

Meanwhile, nearby, eighty-three-year-old Jasper lives alone in a cabin bordering a national forest. With only his old dog, Arlo, for company, he lives quietly, haunted by a tragic accident that took place decades before. When he hears rumors that a white deer has been spotted in the forest—a creature of legend that inspired his father and grandfather—he becomes obsessed with protecting the deer from poachers. 

As these characters’ fates orbit closer together, none of them is expecting a miracle . . . but that may be exactly what is about to alter their futures forever.

 

 🌷

 
A beautifully written, yet heartbreaking story that you will never forget. 

Another astonishing story by Nicholas Sparks. I shouldn't be surprised given that I've been reading his books since I was 16 years old. He's the author who got me into romance books. I own most of his books and look forward to his new ones. I received Counting Miracles as a gift last year, and now that I finally had a chance to read it, I wish I had read it sooner. I loved most of Nicholas Sparks that I read over the years, but I think this one has become one of my favorites. My heart broke several times while reading Counting Miracles, but I couldn't stop reading; I wanted to see the characters find their happily ever after, or at least I hoped they would. 

Counting Miracles is told from three perspectives: Kaitlyn, Tanner, and Jasper. I knew there was a reason why Jasper's story was told separately, and I couldn't help but wonder how the two stories would connect. It came together in the most unexpected way; again, Sparks surprised me, and I loved it. His writing, particularly from Jasper's point of view, was so vivid and almost poetic that I could see the story playing in my head, like a movie. I was so intrigued by the white deer that I conducted my own research after finishing the book. I loved the descriptions of the setting; I felt transformed there. Reading Sparks' books, I feel as if I'm learning so much about North Carolina. 

At the beginning, I was as into Jasper’s story, I was more interested in what would happen with Kaitlyn and Tanner. However, as the story progressed; once Jasper heard about the white deer, his story got more intriguing for me. I adored Tanner and Kaitlyn's relationship, but I wondered how it would work when Tanner left. I couldn't get enough of this book; every page left me craving more. Even if you haven't read Nicholas Sparks but love stories about family, love, loss, and faith, I would recommend checking this book out! I'm already looking forward to his next one!

The Homemade God.

 

⭐️⭐️⭐️

  3.5★

 Thank you to publisher,Random House|Dial Press for providing me with E-ARC via  Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

 

 

World-famous artist Vic Kemp has relied on his four children ever since their mother died when they were young. Netta, the oldest, is a litigator who often serves as co-parent to her siblings; Susan, a housewife who cooks and cleans for both her husband and her father; Goose's own thwarted artistic ambitions have left him resigned to a job in Vic's studio; and Iris, the baby, drops everything the moment her father calls.

When Vic summons the siblings with the promise of big news, they hope their father is about to tell them he has finished the mysterious masterpiece he claims will be the capstone to his career. Instead, he announces he’s getting remarried. Bella-Mae, his wife to be, is apparently beautiful, a fellow artist—and twenty-seven to his seventy-six years. When his children dare to express concern, Vic decamps with Bella-Mae to his summer home in Italy. Six weeks later, he is found dead. There is no sign of his will, or his promised final painting. 

Netta, Susan, Goose, and Iris gather at the house on Lake Orta to piece together what happened and prepare to bring their father’s body home. They spend the summer in a waiting game, living under the same roof as Bella-Mae, and forced to confront Vic's legacy and the buried wounds they have incurred as his children. So who is Bella-Mae? Is she the woman their father believed her to be? Or is she the force that will destroy the family for good? How long can their old bonds hold? 

 

 🌷

 
This was my first book by Rachel Joyce, so I had no idea what to expect from the story. When I read the book's summary, it caught my curiosity enough to make me want to read it and find out what happens. Yet, The Homemade God wasn't what I had expected the story to be about; I thought it would be more mystery, but it mostly consisted of family drama. Even though I enjoy reading about family drama and have read a few books on the subject, I felt there was too much drama in this book. I understood why the siblings couldn’t seem to agree on some things, but it felt that all they did was argue. However, following the death of their father, they did come together and try to figure out what happened. I do think that siblings love each other, even if they don’t show it. 

I enjoyed how vivid some of the writing was, particularly while they were in Italy. I enjoy books that take place in Italy. I liked that the story had a bit of mystery in it, even if it wasn't the type of mystery I was expecting. From the beginning, I felt curious about Bella Mae; sometimes I questioned if she was real, given how he appeared to keep her hidden. I couldn’t help but wonder what Bella Mae’s story was. I felt for her; I couldn’t imagine that it was easy to lose her husband so fast. In the beginning, I had trouble keeping up with all the siblings because some of the transitions were a bit confusing. However, as the book progressed, it go easier to keep up with them. I enjoyed the premise of the story, but I found myself unable to connect with half of the characters. I felt that some of the characters were more developed than the others. 

I loved the end; it was one of my favorite parts of the novel. I liked how the author emphasized the complex connection between the four siblings. In overall, there were a few exciting events that kept me turning the pages, eager to see how everything would end. I'm thankful I had the chance to read this book.

The Layover That Changed Everything.

 

 

 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

  4.5★

 Thank you to publisher,The Author Agency & Author,Persis Lassier for providing me with E-ARC via  Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

 

 

 RELEASE DATE: JUlY 15,2025.

 

 

Two years after walking away from an eight-year relationship that left her shattered and uncertain of her worth, Delilah is finally ready to start over . 

 
With no ties left in Texas and a heart still healing, she sets out on a soul-searching journey across the country—one one-way ticket at a time—in search of something she’s never truly a place that feels like home. 

Flight after flight, city after city, she convinces herself she’s chasing freedom. But deep down, she’s running—from the ghosts of her past, from the ache of loneliness, and from the fear that home might not exist for someone like her. 

Then, during a routine layover in Raleigh, North Carolina, everything changes.
High above the clouds, on a nearly empty flight, Delilah meets Jon—a quiet, magnetic stranger with his own baggage and his own reasons for running. 

What begins as a casual conversation stretches into hours. Stories are shared. Secrets unfold. And somewhere between turbulence and touchdown, Delilah finds herself opening up in ways she hasn’t in years. 

Drawn to his kindness and intrigued by his silence, she begins to 

What if home isn’t a place at all? 

What if it’s a feeling—unexpected, consuming, and impossibly timed? 

 
And what if this unplanned detour is exactly where her story was always meant to begin? 

A heartfelt winter romance about second chances, the power of serendipity, and falling in love when—and where—you least expect it. 

 

 🌷

 
This book broke my heart on several occasions, only to put it back together again. 

The Layover That Changed Everything affected me in many ways. I'm still thinking about the story, and I've already suggested it to a few friends. I was hooked on this book from the first page, and I know if it weren't for school, I'd finish it sooner. There were a few times when I read after midnight because I wanted to see which adventures Deliah and Jon were going to experience next. You will experience all types of emotions while reading The Layover That Changed Everything , including rage, grief, laughter, and astonishment. That was one of my favorite things about this novel; the amount of time that I found myself laughing I loved the author’s descriptions in the book; it made me feel like I was there with Jon and Deliah. An adventure I will never forget. 

Of course, I couldn’t help but fall in love with Nacho; actually, I fell in love with all the animals. I loved how Nacho traveled with them. It reminded me of my dog, Lucy, when she was still alive; she had been everywhere with us. I adored the relationship between Delian and Jon and the special connection that the two of them shared right from the start, and how they took care of each other. I loved that it was based on a true story. It was unlike any romance story I’d read before. I’m very glad I got a chance to read John and Deliah’s story. I loved how each chapter had a playlist, and there were a couple songs I knew and loved. 

There were so many things that I loved about this book, but I don’t want to give too much away. The Layover That Changed Everything is type of story that will stay with you; long after you turn the last page. I’m already excited about the next book. I would highly recommend this book to any romance fans.

The Art Of Vanishing.

 

 

⭐️⭐️⭐️

  3.5★

 Thank you to publisher,Random House Publishing|Ballantine for providing me with E-ARC via  Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

 

Jean’s life is the same day in and day out. Frozen in time by his painter father, the legendary Henri Matisse, Jean observes the ebb and flow of museum guests as they take in the works of his father and other masters like Renoir, Picasso, and Van Gogh. But his world takes a mesmerizing turn when Claire, a new museum employee, enters his life. 

Night after night, Claire moves through the gallery where Jean's painting hangs, mopping the floors, talking softly to herself to stem her loneliness and gazing admiringly at the masterpieces above. The alluring man in the corner of the Matisse—is he watching her? Why does she feel a deepening pull to him, like he can see her truest self, her secrets? Did he just move? 

In an extraordinary twist of fate, Claire discovers she can step through the frame of Jean's painting and into a bygone era, a lush, verdant snapshot of family life in France in the throes of World War I. She and Jean begin a seemingly impossible affair, falling in love against the backdrop of the gallery’s other paintings come to life—glittering parties, exhilarating horse races, and windswept beach bluffs, that they can move through together and where Claire is seemingly the only modern visitor, alone in possession of this gift. 

But as their happiness is threatened by challenges both inside and outside the museum, Claire and Jean find themselves in a fight to preserve the love they’ve only dared to dream of. Will their extraordinary connection defy the confines of reality, or will the forces conspiring against them shatter their carefully curated happiness? 

 

 🌷

 
When I picked up The Art Of Vanishing, I wasn’t sure what to expect. I enjoyed the fact that it featured art, and from the summary, it sounded like a unique idea. I love the idea of someone who can travel through paintings, a unique twist on time travel. I couldn't help but be curious about the story and wondering how things would work out between Claire and Jean, given that Jean is part of a painting. I enjoyed the first half of the book, especially the relationship between Jean and Claire, even though I felt it moved too quickly. I felt Jean and Claire didn't really get to know each other, and the next thing I know, they're falling in love. However, I adored the bond that the two of them formed and the way they traveled through the other paintings. It always left me wondering where the two of them would go next. 

I loved the premise of the book, and the writing style. The Art of Vanishing reminded me of Night Of Museum; except this was on more romance level. I adored that it took place in museums, I adore art and museums. I loved how the author weaved together real artwork, which I ended up looking up once I finished the book. There was a connection between Claire and Jean, but I felt that there should have been more emotional connection between the two of them, and I felt that the dialogue between the characters was sometimes forced. I enjoyed the dual POV, which allowed me to feel more connected to each of the characters. I enjoyed both characters’ perspectives, but I felt a stronger connection to Jean's than Claire's. 

The second half of the book was slower and seemed rushed at times. There were some interesting points, but it didn't keep my attention like the first half of the book did. I loved the atmospheric vibes. I adored the concept of this book. The Art Of Vanishing was interesting enough to keep me turning the pages. It made me want to investigate other books that combine art, history, and museums. Readers who enjoy romance, magical realism, and art history will enjoy this book.

Lucky Break.

 

 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

 4.5★ 

  Thank you to publisher, Avon& Harper Voyager for providing me with E-ARC via  Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

 

 RELEASE DATE: JUlY 15,2025.

 

When a spate of bad luck upends her life, Eliza moves to a charming—and mysterious—Midwestern lake town, where she just might find herself while trying to find the truth.

 
Eliza has always had a plan—until her meticulously plotted life implodes, and her engagement falls apart. At thirty-two she suddenly finds herself second-guessing the picture-perfect future she'd always envisioned, one that included raising 2.5 children near her tight-knit Italian family in San Francisco.
Then she is offered the chance to start over in Juneberry Lake, a small Midwestern town eager to lure remote workers to their picturesque community. Shocking everyone, including herself, she packs up her apartment and buys a lake house sight unseen. 

Juneberry Lake is as delightful as it looked in the pictures. And the pictures didn’t even include Joel, a fellow new arrival who works alongside her every day in an adorable coffee shop. But if Eliza is hoping to spy her uncertain future in the shimmering waters of Juneberry Lake, she’ll find herself out of luck. Because her friendly Midwestern neighbors are keeping a marvelous secret—one that will help Eliza see that her recent spate of bad luck was never her fault…and that the tide can turn when you least expect it.

 🌷

 
Heartwarming. 

It's official: small towns have become one of my favorite tropes. Something about small towns appeals to me, and I find myself picking up books set in small towns. I adored the setting in Lucky Break Juneberry Lake, and that’s one of the things that grabbed my attention when I was reading the summary. Books set in a lake or beach house are my favorites. Lucky Break reminded me of a Hallmark movie, and I think this book would make a cute Hallmark movie. I loved almost all the characters in the book; there were only a few that I didn't like. I adored how welcoming everyone was to Eliza when she arrived at Juneberry Lake. There was one person who wasn't as friendly, but I suspected he had a reason for it. Despite how welcoming everyone was upon Eliza's arrival; I had a suspicion that they were hiding something. Like Eliza, I was curious about what they were hiding. 

The characters were extremely realistic, and I found it easy to relate to them. I loved that the book had both LGBTQIAP and Disability representation, and both of those were represented beautifully. I loved the names of the dogs, and I adored Eliza's instant bond with her dog, Potato. Everyone seemed to love that dog, and I couldn't blame them. I lost my dog last month, and reading a book about animals touched me in many ways. I liked the character development, especially Eliza's; I felt like she had matured significantly since arriving in Juneberry Lake. 

I occasionally wished Juneberry Lake existed so I could go there to escape while reading. It seemed real to me. The mystery aspect was what I expected, but I enjoyed all of the clues leading up to the reveal and found myself guessing several times throughout the book. Lucky Break was my first book by Jaclyn Westlake, and I'm glad I had the chance to read it. I'm eager to check out her other works now.