For Luck's Sake

Sleighbell Springs #3

by Cozy DuBois

When fickle March weather comes to Sleighbell Springs, this Christmas town will need a little Luck.

Luck Alvarez misses the magic of their youth. Teaching dance is their calling, but year after year of Nutcracker performances has left Luck all twinkled out. With the long off-season ahead, they reignite their passion by teaching a class far sexier than they’ve dared in years: burlesque.

But mere weeks before their final performance, a spring storm damages their venue, and the Sleighbell Stage is at risk of closing for good. Luck turns the recital into a fundraiser for the beloved community theater. Eager for a showstopping number that will inspire Sleighbell Springs to tip generously, Luck asks Felix Kelly—their best friend and former dance team co-captain—to partner with them for the finale.

Grumpy construction worker by day and raunchy drag king by night, Felix has a heart of gold. Little does Luck know, that heart has belonged to them for years, and the sensual choreography reignites the scorching desire they tried to douse long ago. The community theater may not be the only thing in town falling apart; their undeniable attraction threatens to tear this lifelong friendship to pieces.

For Luck’s Sake is a childhood friends-to-lovers T4T MX romance set in the shared world of Sleighbell Springs—a small town full of charm, nosy neighbors, and slow burns waiting for a single spark to ignite them.

Kindle Edition

Published March 11, 2026

About the author

Cozy Dubois (they/them) thought writing fiction was a long-lost hobby. A longtime lover of romance novels, Cozy has renewed their love for writing by telling stories for and about LGBTQ+ people. They hope to bring more books into the world that represent the complex and entangled relationships between friends, lovers, and chosen family found in the queer community they love.

Based in Minneapolis, they enjoy life with their partner, two hound dogs, a regal queen of a cat, dozens of houseplants, and a garden that has seen better days. Find them with a beverage in hand on a patio anytime the temp is above freezing or planning their next vacation when it's not.

Reviews

[Heather Close · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had a such a good time in Sleighbell Springs! I look forward to reading more in the series. Every character in this book was so interesting and I was immediately smitten with Felix. I enjoyed learning how the friendship between Luck and Felix had grown and changed over the years and how much love there already was between them. I also adored their dance scenes. You could just feel the chemistry leap off the page!

[Meredith · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC Review

Childhood best friends to lovers in the Christmas obsessed small town of Sleighbell Springs, set against the backdrop of burlesque shows and a quest to save a local theatre.

I love Felix and Luck with my whole heart. Luck, our enby dance instructor and self-sacrificing caretaker, who feels everything with their whole heart but gives it up so that their family can have what they need. Felix, our transmasc handyman who pays the bills with tips from his side gig as a drag king so that his well meaning but incapable parents can live in a cloud. These two want nothing but each other and there’s so much yearning and mutual pining and slow burn.

When the roof of the local theatre collapses before the planned performance of a burlesque recital, Luck is forced to ask Felix for help. They don’t ask for themselves - they ask for their friends who own the theatre and it’s now in danger of closing. Luck would never ask for themself. But as Luck and Felix work to produce the best fundraising burlesque performance ever, they’re forced to confront their feelings for each other and embrace the love they’ve both felt all along.

As always, the cast of side characters and the rich world of Sleighbell Springs continues to grow. I loved the Backstreet Boys crew and the rest of the performers. This was very slow burn until it wasn’t and then BANG. And bang again. Beautiful, kink friendly bangs all around.

Thanks so much to Cozy Dubois and the Sleighbell Springs team for the ARC!

[Puppets & Paperbacks · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an ARC read

This is the third book in the Sleighbell Springs series, which means we get a new location ( Sleighbell Stage), new side characters, and of course new main characters who live in this town

Felix is the Trans-Masc handyman and they got it real bad for Luck the Enby dances instructor who’s trying to save the Sleighbell Stage.

This is a very adorable, hallmark-esqu, love story. Here’s why. It’s in a small town and so it has all that small town gossip, which is great and I live for that.

Okay, but also, the two main characters (Felix and Luck) were bffs in high school and then of course separated after. However, they clearly loved each other then, but never acted on it beyond a kiss, so NOW it feels like they’re getting that second chance to act on their love.

There’s also a town villain that I wish more than being shunned happened to that man. What a slimeball, and not in a good way. He’s a villain the whole town and of course our main characters are trying to fight.

There’s dry humping, kissing, and of course after that slow burn lots of spice. This is T4T spice which is done really well. There is lots of consent and playing with role reversals and toys.

I love Felix and Luck a lot. I am glad they’re finally together and I can’t wait to see them as side characters in future Sleighbell Spring stories

[Kaitlyn Corbin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the 3rd book in the Sleighbell Springs series. Luck and Felix have been friends for what seems like their entire lives. Felix is harbouring a (not-so) secret love for Luck and Luck is burying their feelings for Felix believing that Felix and their brother have feelings for each other. Yes, it’s messy.
When the roof of the local theatre collapses, Luck convinces the owners to let them put on a fundraiser burlesque show to raise the funds to fix the roof… and then convinces the introverted Felix to be part of the show.

Luck was so quirky, I immediately fell in love with them. As someone who is very superstitious, I loved the little things Luck had to do or avoid so bad luck didn’t haunt them. I felt like I would enjoy taking a walk down the street with Luck, us avoiding stepping on cracks or going under any ladders. But I also identified completely with Felix’s curmudgeon attitude. I, too, am a grump when asked to socialize or put myself on display.
Together, they make the perfect grumpy x sunshine couple.

There were a couple recurring characters in this book from previous Sleighbell Springs books and I was happy to see the lovely May North make an appearance. I want to see more from Luck and Felix’s brothers so I hope they make an appearance in the next books (like… I don’t know… maybe Estelle’s book? 😏)

[Nil · Rating 4 out of 5]

For Luck's Sake is the third book in the Sleighbell Springs series. If you are looking for a book that has LGBTQ+ rep then you definitely need to pick this up. Luck & Felix are quite the pair & they've been best friends since they were kids. I love a good requited love story & this delivers all of the angsty yearning turned steamy action. It's not just sexy times though. Like every other book in the series, For Luck's Sake deals with some real life issues. It's ultimately a story about overcoming grief & the lies we tell ourselves to avoid being vulnerable. Cozy DuBois sets us up to feel all of the feelings from the desperation, sadness & anger that comes with losing loved one & our dreams to the elation & joy of making a love connection in our soul. There's plenty of camp, because this is Sleighbell Springs after all, but it's always positive & makes you want to join in the fun. I love all the characters we get to meet and I want to hear their stories too.

[Heidi H. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cozy DuBois has given readers another spectacular story. This one is full of friendship, love, found family, healing, growth, burlesque, hot dancers, a cute dog, and more. But for me, the best part was the beautiful trans and genderqueer representation. It's important to the story because of who Felix and Luck (the MCs) are. But it isn't the point of the story. I loved that they could live their lives fully as their true selves. I adore the relationship between Felix and Luck and how it's changing and growing as they work together to save part of their town. They've both had to be in charge for so long, what if they can rely on each other? I am excited to read this entire series of stories about life in Sleighbell Springs during the off season.

Open door spice level 3/5

[Erica · Rating 4 out of 5]

As part of a shared world, this story is a second chance romance between childhood friends in a cute holiday town. Luck and Felix have it bad for each other and yet have stayed just friends for over a decade due to multiple factors. It features some steamy scenes, a burlesque fundraiser, and a sense of community. It was a quick, low stakes read with tons of representation and some well described dance scenes. Overall a fun time.

Although this was the first book I have read set in Sleighbell Springs, I am looking forward to others in the series and think it is a great way to explore new authors.

I received an advanced copy for free, and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Siân PJsAndBooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 rounded

Thank you, Cozy, for my copy of For Luck's Sake part of the multi-authored shared world of @sleighbellsprings . This is a MX Childhood Best Friends to Lovers romance. A calamity happens & Luck ropes BFF Felix into helping with a fundraiser. Including them dancing together in a St Patrick's Day Burlesque routine! For Luck's Sake is full of heart, hope, healing, heat and HEA.

"We are right on time for each other"

🍀 MX Romance
🍀 Dance Teacher/ Studio Owner
🍀 Drag King
🍀 Trans MC
🍀 Childhood Friends to Lovers
🍀 Pining
🍀 Grumpy Sunshine
🍀 Small Town
🍀 Grumpy Sunshine
🍀 Dual POV
🍀 Epilogue

[Pixie · Rating 3 out of 5]

While this is a good story, a good book, and a good cast of characters, it hit wrong for me at this point in time. I really respect and enjoyed the trans and genderqueer representation. That being said, the relationship conflict made me feel icky. The plotline conflict was fantastic, but the interpersonal stuff was too much for me right now. It's real, authentic, and relatable, and it made me want to throw my kindle. I honestly didn't take any pleasure from the ending because of what happened just before it. If I could have the story without the romance piece of it, I'd 100% take it. I would still recommend this book to people. Just because it hit wrong for me doesn't mean it was bad. It just wasn't right for me right now.

[Misty Bell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Heartwarming story of friends to lovers. Pining for each other for years but had to become who they were meant to be before ever being together. Luck is a ray of sunshine and the dance teacher everyone loves. Felix is a grump but so soft for Luck. The whole town is rooting for them to be together and a burlesque fundraiser pushes them in the right direction. Trans, queer, and ace representation 🌈 Love is love and that's that. Oh and fuck uncle Paul. That guy sucks.

Thanks to the author for this ARC!

[Mandie DeVito · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another amazing book in the Sleighbell Springs series. Felix and Luck have loved each other for years but are too scared to put their feelings out there in case something terrible happens. There is also a slight misunderstanding bringing a whole lot of humor to the situation. Watching Luck overcome all their fears to finally be with Felix was so special and I am so happy it all worked out for them. I love that some of my favorite characters returned in this book and cannot wait to read the next one in this amazing series!

[Charlee Lock · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had been in a reading slump and this book was absolutely the perfect read to pull me out of it!!

I absolutely loved all the queer representation in this story. I loved the open conversations about sexual orientation and preferences, the open dialogue on sexual situations.

Luck is brilliant and I felt their panic attacks in my soul. Felix is the short king we all need in our lives.

We love a man that years.
We love a man on his knees.


Love this festive little town!!