Lucky Break: A Novel

by Jaclyn Westlake

Overview

When a spate of bad luck upends her meticulously planned life, Eliza moves to a charming—and mysterious—Midwestern lake town, where she just might find herself while trying to find the truth. Perfect for fans of Beth O’Leary, Kate Clayborn, and Sophie Kinsella.

Eliza has always had a plan…until her seamlessly plotted life implodes, and her engagement falls apart. At thirty-two, she suddenly finds herself second-guessing the picture-perfect future she had always envisioned—one that included raising 2.5 children nearby her tight-knit Italian family in San Francisco.

Then Eliza is offered the chance to start over: in Juneberry Lake, a small Midwestern town eager to lure remote workers to their picturesque community. Shocking her family and friends (and herself), Eliza 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. With the help of her friends and family, new and old, Eliza is finally ready to build a new future that’s entirely her own. 

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780063340756
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	07/15/2025
Sold by:	HARPERCOLLINS
Format:	eBook
Pages:	352

About the Author

Jaclyn Westlake is the author of the novel Dear Dotty and an alumna of the Stanford Continuing Studies novel writing program. A recruiter turned career advice columnist, her work has appeared in Forbes, Business Insider, and Inc. She lives in California with her husband and their dachshund mix, Indiana Jones (but you can call him Indy). 

Editorial Reviews

I wish this book had been around in my 20s! It is THAT good and poses the ultimate life question (in the most funny, warm, hilarious and heartfelt manner): what is it I should be doing with my life vs. what is it I NEED to do with my life? Literal laugh out loud dialogue, romance that will give you tingles, family dynamics that leap off the page in the most genuine fashion, an unforgettable octogenarian who steals any scene she’s in, and last but not least a cast of lovable animals that will melt you!” — Ellen Won Steil, bestselling author of Becoming Marlow Fin and Fortune, on Dear Dotty

“Dear Dotty is a joy to devour! Westlake gives us compelling characters, a page-turning plot, and laugh-out-loud humor. But it’s also a novel with a huge heart, thoughtfully exploring the difficulty in finding our authentic way in the world and the power of our chosen communities. A remarkable debut!” — Stacey Swann, author of Olympus, Texas

"Dear Dotty is a delightfully layered story of grief, love, and self-discovery. A charming debut that is sure to keep readers turning the pages as they fall in love with these wonderfully quirky characters!" — Zara Raheem, author of The Marriage Clock and The Retreat

"I loved this funny, thoughtful, tender story about growing up and growing into yourself. Rosie Benson is all of us in our shaky, uncertain early twenties, and Dotty is the ruthlessly honest, unconditionally loving mentor we wish we'd had." — Sarah Chamberlain, author of The Slowest Burn

“Rosie Benson is one of the most relatable heroines I’ve read in a long time—I loved spending time with her on the page and in my head. Dear Dotty is charming, heartfelt and utterly absorbing.”  — Suzanne Park, author of One Last Word

From the Publisher