Just East: A Novel

by Haley Zaharia

A forbidden love. A second chance. And a sister who might be the one thing standing between them.

Cara thought she'd buried her past, thought she was over Adam. Thirteen years had passed since their whirlwind romance at the lake, and she’d moved on. But when her sister, Juliet, announces her engagement and invites the family to meet her fiancé, Cara is thrown into a whirlwind of emotions she wasn’t prepared for.

Because he’s there. Adam. The same man who once held her heart, now standing in front of her, looking just as irresistible as ever. And worse—he’s about to marry her sister.

Cara’s heart is a battlefield: her sister’s happiness versus a love that never truly faded. As old feelings resurface, Cara is forced to ask herself the hardest question of all—How do you fight for the one you love when they’re already entangled in someone else’s life?

Is it ever too late for second chances? And is it possible to reclaim a love that feels like it was meant to be?

A deeply emotional, heart-pounding story of love, loss, and finding the courage to fight for your heart's deepest desires.
Just East, is for the lovers, and anyone who’s ever wished they could regain something thought to be lost forever.
About the Author

Haley Zaharia is a writer of literary and contemporary fiction, namely, complicated and enthralling stories that always, without fail, include a hefty dose of love and drama. After living her entire life near the wild rainforest of Vancouver, Canada, she’s recently moved to Sydney, Australia with her family. To find out more, follow her on Instagram @justeastbook or @belugababy.

Genres: Romance

280 pages, Paperback

Published December 4, 2024

About the author

Haley Zaharia (Campbell) is a wildly successful entrepreneur and writer focused on enriching the lives of new moms through her business, Beluga Baby, and her gripping romantic novel. Her debut book, Just East, is for the lovers, and anyone who’s ever wished they could regain something thought to be lost forever. Haley has lived most of her life in Vancouver, BC, but recently moved with her husband and two young daughters to the beaches of Sydney, Australia. To find out more, follow her on Instagram @justeastbook or @belugababy.

Reviews

[BookishVibesClub · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVED this romance 🥹 such an emotional read with sweet tender moments mixed with family drama and broken hearts. I was nervous about how a love triangle like this would play out because I didn’t want it to break up the sisters, but I think the author did it well. Everyone seems to have a mutual love for each other and I liked how that played into everything.
This is a great romance read with lake vibes and nature feels. I got feels of The Notebook with a couple being torn apart and then reunited later in life. And then a little bit 27 Dresses feels with how it turns out for them. This 100% needs to be made into a Netflix movie so I can watch it!!

💗 Love Triangle
💗 First Love
💗 Second Chance Romance
💗 Summer Love
💗 Adventures
💗 Family Drama
💗 HEA

🫑🫑 (no spice, swoony and steamy feels)
Mild language: only used a few times: D, B

[Adi · Rating 1 out of 5]

I’m sorry this just really was not for me… it was almost written like a fairy tale with evil adults but then they weren’t evil and it’s a historical fiction romance of some sort??? The writing was very clunky for me and I think I don’t like this type of POV in romances because it leaves nothing up for your own interpretation.

[Jordan read.with.jordy · Rating 4 out of 5]

(3.5⭐️ rounded up)

“It was an inevitable rekindling of connection, two hears born knowing eachother, two halves of one whole.” 💕

read if you like;
+ love triangle (sisters 🤯)
+ second chance romance
+ canadian lake cabin setting
+ family secrets
+ debut author

Picture this: you meet the love of your life as a teenager, but your family moves across the country. Fast forward a dozen years, and you find out your sister is engaged to that man from your past. 🤯 Sprinkle in even more crazy family secrets, and you’ve got Just East by Haley Zaharia!

the premise of the book totally captured my attention! So unique. The first half of the story was a bit slow, but I enjoyed the second half. Zaharia’s descriptive writing was excellent throughout—I just felt like the pacing was a tad bit off so we missed some key elements to the story when we’d flash forward. The ending totally surprised me(!!) and I loved the message that nothing is beyond hope. 💕

thank you so much to Haley Zaharia for the gifted copy of this book! can’t wait to pass it on in my Little Library for other readers to enjoy!

[Kimberly Heyming · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the last half the most. I feel if the story could have been longer areas could have had more of a deeper story as some of the book felt rushed. Some things didn’t line up with the timeline—story happening in the 80s but he has a cellphone when she got in a car accident. The bones were there and was still a quick enjoyable read. 3 stars for the first half, 3.5 for the last.

[Lyna • lynasbookshelf · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just East follows Cara, Juliet, and Adam from their first encounters to the present. There is so much love between the sisters and romantic love with Adam that is evident from the start. Cara and Adam share childhood love from their time on the lake with her uncle, thirteen years ago. With their love story, there is a bit of unfinished business. Little did Cara know, that her Adam also happens to be Juliet's Adam. This book has the tender moments that make for an emotional read. I probably wouldn't have picked this had the author not reached out, but I'm glad she did since I enjoyed this book! Thank you to the author for the gifted physical book. All opinions are my own.

[Allie DeMars · Rating 2 out of 5]

Just East gave me all the summer-lake vibes I love. With a sprinkle of young love, messy family drama, and moments of genuine character growth. I liked the attempt to work through the love triangle, but it didn’t quite hit for me. No matter what, it felt like someone was destined to get hurt, and the emotional payoff wasn’t executed well.
I also found myself wishing for more depth and stronger connections between the themes. The ending, while fitting in some ways, didn’t deliver the kind of satisfying wrap-up I usually hope for in a standalone.
That said, I can definitely see the author’s potential and look forward to reading more of her future work. Overall, this was a sweet and heartfelt story, and perfect if you’re looking for a lighter vacation or beach read with a mix of romance and family complexities.

[Lisa Pires · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed Just East.

From the very first pages, I was completely invested in Cara and Adam's story. The lakeside setting felt so vivid that I could almost see it (even though I have never visited Canada), and the way Haley writes emotion had me feeling every bit of the longing, heartbreak, hope, and love alongside the characters.

One of my favourite things about this book was that I genuinely had no idea how it was going to end. Every time I thought I had it figured out, another twist came along and sent me in a different direction. It kept me turning the pages because I needed to know how everything would come together. I agree with other readers, the writing gets better as the book goes along, I almost thought this could be two books with a cliffhanger in between.

I especially loved the emotional depth of the story and the way the relationships unfolded. The characters felt real and imperfect, and I found myself thinking about them when I wasn't reading. I wasn’t sure how the story between the two sisters was going to unfold and I would have loved to read even more of that story. Maybe that’s something for part 2?

For someone who enjoyed The Summer I turned Pretty this was the perfect read after I finished that series.

If you enjoy contemporary fiction with romance, family dynamics, and a few unexpected turns along the way, I'd definitely recommend giving this one a go. An easy summer read by the pool for sure!

[hannahwells.books · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just East

Second Chance
Rich Girl x Poor Boy
Past Secrets
Coming of Age
Summer Romance

Adam and Cara spend an unforgettable summer together before it ends abruptly. Thirteen years later, preparing to meet her sister’s fiancé, Cara is stunned to lock eyes with the boy that stole her heart all those years ago.

Haley Zaharia’s debut novel Just East is a powerful story of young love, healing, and navigating through life’s unexpected surprises. Set in the 1970’s, Just East has all the summer vibes and grips you from the beginning. Adam, the poor boy with no one and the rich girl desperate for freedom. While the pacing did not flow as smoothly as I would have liked, Haley’s writing is beautiful and descriptive. I thoroughly enjoyed the journey this book took me on. It really picks up in the second half with twist and turns you do not see coming. A beautiful story of love, growth, and following your heart, Just East is an awesome debut novel and I cannot wait to read more from Haley.

“This place though, it feels like a dream.”

Thank you Haley for the gifted copy of Just East.

[Booked.withb · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Just East” by Haley Zaharia 🪵🌊

Thank you for the gorgeous gifted copy of Just East! It is such a beautiful summer romance story.

Summary: Cara and Adam have a whirlwind romance during the summer when they meet at the lake in the woods, they fall for each other hard and fast until life separates them…Cara returns home to meet her younger sister Juliet’s fiancé but it turns out she already knows him.

Tropes:
❤️‍🔥 First Love
🤝🏽 Second Chance
👀 Love Triangle
🤭 Dual Timeline
😅 Family Secrets
💌 Secret Letters

Thoughts: GIRLS if you LOVED The Notebook and The Summer I Turned Pretty I think this is the perfect summer romance story to read, I was enthralled with the chemistry between Cara and Adam and their young love relationship. My mind was BLOWN at their reconnection when meeting YEARS later after having no contact since their time at home. My heart was shattered when learning about the secret unread letters and this was such an important part of their story, the drama that takes place, the angst and longing they have for one another during this time and their connection that proves that absence makes the heart grow fonder was everything 🤭🥹❤️‍🔥

[LuluLobbesReads · Rating 4 out of 5]

I Wanted More Story 3.5 ⭐️

🌷This story has so many parts that it is a full-on emotional roller coaster. The amount of secrets and family issues is a lot and all equally shocking.

🌷I adored reading about Adam, Cara, and Shaun. Their dynamics and way of understanding each other were great.

🌷What made it a 3.5 for me rather than a 4 star is that I would have loved to know more about Adam and Julliet's relationship. It felt very one-sided and I wanted to feel more of the love triangle tug (weird I know). Also the bomb from Adam's life, I needed to know more.

🌷Spice:1: Kisses, desires, act mentioned but not shown.

🌷Language: 1: "D" word used around 5-7 times.

🌷Warnings: car accident, murder, anxiety, panic attacks, depression.

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I literally just finished this book a moment ago and I enjoyed it so much! I am a very slow reader, have a tendency to pick up a book and put it down over and over again over the course of, well, a year or 2 lol. This is the fastest in my adult life I have read a book (still took me about 2 months, but for me that’s amazing lol!) I won’t give anything away, but if you’re looking for the perfect beach or vacation read, something light hearted but captivating, romance and suspense, and nothing “adult” (read: inappropriate), just pure enjoyment that keeps you coming back to find out what happens - read this book! I can’t wait to see what else Haley has up her sleeve!

[Jenna (miss.jenna.reads) · Rating 3 out of 5]

There is so much to love about this book - the setting (especially the scenes in BC), the plot, the second chance romance. I think some of my favorite scenes from the book take place at that cabin and honestly, I think my favorite character in the book was Uncle Shaun. However, I feel like some of the major plot points could've been fleshed out more and I would've liked to get to know Adam, Cara, and Juliet better. Adam especially felt like he only existed to love Cara and there was so much to learn about him (his family before he came to live with Shaun, the reason behind his anger, what happened in those 13 years after meeting Cara). Overall, an enjoyable debut novel with a lot of heart!

[Beth · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the lakeside summer vibes, the young love, the family dramatics, and the character growth. I appreciate how the story tried to untangle the awkward love triangle but it kind of fell flat to me. There is no way not to feel bad because someone was going to get hurt. I felt this story needed more depth and needed to tie themes together. Also, the ending did not give me the happy closer that I crave from standalones. I look forward to seeing how this author develops and the stories that she creates. Overall, a good beach or vacation read that is heartfelt and entertaining.

[Andrea Aldridge · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Just East, is for the lovers, and anyone who’s ever wished they could regain something thought to be lost forever." This synopsis could not be more accurate, love the message that truly anything is possible, life can be wild! I genuinely could not put this book down, I needed to know what was going to happen next with this love triangle between sisters. Loved the Canadian lake cabin setting, it really set the mood. So proud of you Haley, what an amazing debut book! Can't wait to read what you do next.

[Emily Eisler · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! I read it in 3 days, couldn’t put it down (except I had to cause kids haha). I love the whirlwind romance in the beginning with the young love and the little twists in the story with the family drama. I wasn’t sure how the book could end happily but I was so glad with the way things worked out. Definitely give it a read!

[Hailey · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one took me on an emotional rollercoaster ride! I enjoyed getting to know the characters and feel they’ll stick with me for a long time. I appreciated the setting of the woods being where story mainly took place. It was very unique and refreshing. I also loved the many little twists and turns the story had. I can’t wait to read more by Haley in the future!

[Savannah Prescott · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was so grateful to receive a copy of this book from the author!! And if did have some super cute parts, but it was hard for me to wrap my head around the characters a bit! The story was fun, but as someone who is a sister I was like “OH YIKES!! That would be a hard to handle.”

But, I loved Sean SO MUCH, and this books had a wonderful summer feel!!

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

The only thing I didn’t like about this book is the fact that I’ll never again read it for the first time. I was captivated from beginning to end. I felt every bit of love, pain and turmoil that faced each of the characters. I really admired the authors ability to create a heart wrenching love triangle where all the characters lead with love. Easily a new favourite.

[Jessica Mckee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love love love this book. Haley does such an amazing job of capturing the feelings of love and strained loyalties. From the feelings of first love, to the internal battle when you are fiercely in love and can't act on it. I read it in 2 days! Highly recommend.

[Marcelle Falconer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don’t normally read romance novels, that said this one got me in the feels! Haley Zahalia- you made me cry. In a good way, Well done! I enjoyed this heartfelt story. An easy holiday read. Lots of complexities without being too heavy. I look forward to future books from this author.

[Ashley C · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not My Usual Read, But Glad I Picked It Up!
I don’t usually read books like this, but something made me grab itand I’m glad I did. Smart pacing, great characters, and a few twists I didn’t see coming. It kept me hooked start to finish. Sometimes stepping outside your usual lane pays off

[Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story. Could not put it down.

[Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. There is an innocence to these characters that brings you back to your own youth. Great for a weekend getaway read Excited to see more from this author.

[Haley Zaharia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my own book, and if I don't write it five stars....what are we even doing here?

[readbytaylah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a quick and easy read, I ate this up in one day!
The writing style is very similar to Emily Henry in that it’s very descriptive and almost poetic-like.
I loved the detail in the characters and how we were given so much background on their lives, knowing their trauma really explained a lot of their actions and why they were how they were at times.
Overall, a really enjoyable and pleasant read!

[Stacey | read.with.stacey]

Thank you to the author for sending me a gifted copy of the e-book and the paperback.

Unfortunately I just couldn’t connect with the writing style or get invested in the characters. DNF at 25%.

[Laura Pearce · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved every min of this book.

[Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a nice book. Thanks you Haley. I loved it!

[Lori Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great read that I couldn’t put down. The description of the back woods made me feel like I was there and the tension between those two young people was almost painful! The kind of read that makes you really want a happy ending somehow - even when it seems impossible! Sizzling!

[Tabetha (tabsbooknook) · Rating 3.5 out of 5]

3.5⭐️