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Lucky 22
Twenty-two was just a lucky number.
Until it wasn’t.
Ella Rose Holt believes in magic. Not always the fairy-tale kind, but the quiet kind that shows up when you least expect it. On the brink of her golden birthday, chasing acting dreams in Los Angeles, Ella’s life feels full of possibility…and just a little unfinished.
Christian Lucas has built his world on discipline, dedication, and the game he loves. As a professional baseball player, his life is carefully scheduled, a bit guarded, and rarely spontaneous.
When a chance encounter, a lucky number, and a not-so-blind blind date bring them together, neither is prepared for the connection that follows.
What starts as an unexpected meeting quickly becomes something deeper—an easy friendship, a steady trust, and a romance that grows quietly but undeniably. As their worlds collide under bright stadium lights and red-carpet flashes, Ella and Christian must decide whether love has a place in lives already full of ambition, sacrifice, and dreams in motion.
Because sometimes, the most extraordinary love stories aren’t loud or dramatic.
They’re built on faith.
On timing.
On believing that when the moment comes, you’ll be brave enough to say yes.
And a little bit of luck.
Until it wasn’t.
Ella Rose Holt believes in magic. Not always the fairy-tale kind, but the quiet kind that shows up when you least expect it. On the brink of her golden birthday, chasing acting dreams in Los Angeles, Ella’s life feels full of possibility…and just a little unfinished.
Christian Lucas has built his world on discipline, dedication, and the game he loves. As a professional baseball player, his life is carefully scheduled, a bit guarded, and rarely spontaneous.
When a chance encounter, a lucky number, and a not-so-blind blind date bring them together, neither is prepared for the connection that follows.
What starts as an unexpected meeting quickly becomes something deeper—an easy friendship, a steady trust, and a romance that grows quietly but undeniably. As their worlds collide under bright stadium lights and red-carpet flashes, Ella and Christian must decide whether love has a place in lives already full of ambition, sacrifice, and dreams in motion.
Because sometimes, the most extraordinary love stories aren’t loud or dramatic.
They’re built on faith.
On timing.
On believing that when the moment comes, you’ll be brave enough to say yes.
And a little bit of luck.
304 pages, Paperback
First published September 8, 2026
About the author
Ashley Eckstein
10 books118 followersMaria Ashley Eckstein (née Drane; born September 22, 1981), credited as Ashley Eckstein or Ashley Drane, is an American actress, voice actress, and fashion designer, known to audiences of Blue Collar TV and as the voice of Ahsoka Tano on Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Star Wars Rebels, and Star Wars Forces of Destiny. She also played a small role as Alicia in the film Sydney White and as Ms. Cole in the film Alice Upside Down, with both films being released in 2007. Eckstein also had a recurring role as Muffy on the Disney Channel sitcom That's So Raven.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 218 reviews
September 20, 2026
Review of a complimentary Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley and Blue Box Press.
Publication Date: September 8, 2026
3 stars ✨⚾️🎬
Lucky 22 was such a cute and no spice romance. I also appreciated how even after the MCs' marriage, the on-page romance stayed to sweet kisses and cuddles only!!! Ella Rose's spunk and heart felt so unique in this book, and it was genuinely inspiring to see how, even though the words may cut, she didn't let comments about her body, personality, and abilities make her change herself. Also, Ella and Jen's friendship was so special, and it was all the sweeter to know it's based on Ms. Eckstein's real-life friendship! Christian's character was quite different in the middle and latter half than in the beginning (though he did have a genuine character arc towards the very end), and he definitely put everything on Ella's shoulders and didn't always respect her feelings. Now, as someone with diagnosed OCD and having faced intense performance pressure with ballet, I do feel for Christian and some of the struggles with routines/rituals he had surrounding baseball.
The biggest thing, personally, was that because the book spans several years, much of it felt more like "telling" than "showing". There were many moments where we're suddenly five months later and are just briefly told about what happened. So, it gets to a point where it's difficult as a reader to connect to the characters because we don't get to experience these moments alongside the characters. For example, often we are just told that Ella attended Christian's game, or that she planned their whole wedding and now they are married. But I also understand the heart behind it, and it was beautiful to see their love story.
*No hate or ill-will is intended towards the author or anyone. Kindly, these are my honest thoughts/feelings, and the content considerations are not meant to condemn but to inform. Thank you!*
~Content~
Romance: No spice! Sweet kisses only, mild infrequent innuendo, and cuddling/lying in bed involving a married couple (nothing s*xual is present). While dating, they do stay in the same hotel, but do not share a room. Ella is temporarily in a role where her character is s*xualized and the show has heavy innuendo, however nothing is written out or described on the page.
Violence: Christian sustains mild to severe injuries from baseball, and a parent of one of the MCs (not naming due to spoilers) has a near-fatal health crisis.
Other: Past bullying, anxiety, strained marriage relationship, moderately toxic parent relationship, deception, fear, one use of "bada*s", mentions of luck/fate/magic (not witchcraft), and recklessness with an injury.
Christian: Not explicitly. Ella's mom is described as a "Christian", it’s mentioned that her parents attended Easter service, and it’s mentioned that Ella and Christian's wedding occurs in the catholic church Christian grew up attending. Uses of phrases such as "blessed" and "blessings”, and a couple times of praying to the “universe”. Also, there is a brief insinuation of an LGBTQ+ character, in which Ella assures her male friend that he will find his Prince Charming. So, Christianity is not the main focus, and it is not presented as Truth nor is it Biblically aligned.
~Final Thoughts~
Overall, this was a cute read based on a true love story! If you enjoy no spice, sweet, sports meets Hollywood, and unique characters, think about checking this book out!!!
Happy reading :)
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Blue Box Press for providing this complimentary e-ARC in exchange for a free, honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
Publication Date: September 8, 2026
3 stars ✨⚾️🎬
Lucky 22 was such a cute and no spice romance. I also appreciated how even after the MCs' marriage, the on-page romance stayed to sweet kisses and cuddles only!!! Ella Rose's spunk and heart felt so unique in this book, and it was genuinely inspiring to see how, even though the words may cut, she didn't let comments about her body, personality, and abilities make her change herself. Also, Ella and Jen's friendship was so special, and it was all the sweeter to know it's based on Ms. Eckstein's real-life friendship! Christian's character was quite different in the middle and latter half than in the beginning (though he did have a genuine character arc towards the very end), and he definitely put everything on Ella's shoulders and didn't always respect her feelings. Now, as someone with diagnosed OCD and having faced intense performance pressure with ballet, I do feel for Christian and some of the struggles with routines/rituals he had surrounding baseball.
The biggest thing, personally, was that because the book spans several years, much of it felt more like "telling" than "showing". There were many moments where we're suddenly five months later and are just briefly told about what happened. So, it gets to a point where it's difficult as a reader to connect to the characters because we don't get to experience these moments alongside the characters. For example, often we are just told that Ella attended Christian's game, or that she planned their whole wedding and now they are married. But I also understand the heart behind it, and it was beautiful to see their love story.
*No hate or ill-will is intended towards the author or anyone. Kindly, these are my honest thoughts/feelings, and the content considerations are not meant to condemn but to inform. Thank you!*
~Content~
Romance: No spice! Sweet kisses only, mild infrequent innuendo, and cuddling/lying in bed involving a married couple (nothing s*xual is present). While dating, they do stay in the same hotel, but do not share a room. Ella is temporarily in a role where her character is s*xualized and the show has heavy innuendo, however nothing is written out or described on the page.
Violence: Christian sustains mild to severe injuries from baseball, and a parent of one of the MCs (not naming due to spoilers) has a near-fatal health crisis.
Other: Past bullying, anxiety, strained marriage relationship, moderately toxic parent relationship, deception, fear, one use of "bada*s", mentions of luck/fate/magic (not witchcraft), and recklessness with an injury.
Christian: Not explicitly. Ella's mom is described as a "Christian", it’s mentioned that her parents attended Easter service, and it’s mentioned that Ella and Christian's wedding occurs in the catholic church Christian grew up attending. Uses of phrases such as "blessed" and "blessings”, and a couple times of praying to the “universe”. Also, there is a brief insinuation of an LGBTQ+ character, in which Ella assures her male friend that he will find his Prince Charming. So, Christianity is not the main focus, and it is not presented as Truth nor is it Biblically aligned.
~Final Thoughts~
Overall, this was a cute read based on a true love story! If you enjoy no spice, sweet, sports meets Hollywood, and unique characters, think about checking this book out!!!
Happy reading :)
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Blue Box Press for providing this complimentary e-ARC in exchange for a free, honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
August 11, 2026
I enjoyed this book because I love Ashley Eckstein as a person. It was really interesting to read her and her husband's story. (And even more fun to hear her narrate the audiobook)
Unfortunately, it felt like there was a lot of telling instead of showing in the writing - a lot of inner monologue explaining things that I felt like could have been achieved through character development and actions.
On a separate note, I went to the book launch in Orlando and got to meet the Ecksteins and find out which parts of the story were true and which were fictionalized. They are both such lovely people!
Thank you so much to Samantha Chase, Ashley Eckstein, & Blue Box Press for the opportunity to read and listen early!
Unfortunately, it felt like there was a lot of telling instead of showing in the writing - a lot of inner monologue explaining things that I felt like could have been achieved through character development and actions.
On a separate note, I went to the book launch in Orlando and got to meet the Ecksteins and find out which parts of the story were true and which were fictionalized. They are both such lovely people!
Thank you so much to Samantha Chase, Ashley Eckstein, & Blue Box Press for the opportunity to read and listen early!
June 28, 2026
Lucky 22 is a sweet romance novel with a dream fairytale vibe. Ella Rose is an actress and she meets and falls for Christian a baseball player. There is a lot of long distance and struggles to overcome which Ella works hard for.
Overall the book was good but it’s not to my tastes, it felt overly insta-love and I didn’t feel like we got to know Ella at all really before she met Christian and then he was her entire personality. I wasn’t a huge fan of the time skips, I felt like it was all very surface level and we didn’t get very deep into any situation that happened.
Christian wasn’t the most likeable character at all, in fact not many of the characters has enough time for us to like them. Though Christian was self centred and didn’t think of Ella until closer to the end of the story. I feel like the authors left a lot out and could have delved a lot deeper into conversations and feelings.
It was a lighthearted, summer vibes, easy read and I could see a lot of other people enjoying it.
Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Overall the book was good but it’s not to my tastes, it felt overly insta-love and I didn’t feel like we got to know Ella at all really before she met Christian and then he was her entire personality. I wasn’t a huge fan of the time skips, I felt like it was all very surface level and we didn’t get very deep into any situation that happened.
Christian wasn’t the most likeable character at all, in fact not many of the characters has enough time for us to like them. Though Christian was self centred and didn’t think of Ella until closer to the end of the story. I feel like the authors left a lot out and could have delved a lot deeper into conversations and feelings.
It was a lighthearted, summer vibes, easy read and I could see a lot of other people enjoying it.
Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
August 19, 2026
Thank you Brilliance Publishing, NetGalley, Ashley Eckstein, and Samantha Chase for this ALC!
This was only a four star read for me until I had about 10% of the book left. It bumped up to 5 stars real quick after that. This was a very sweet romance between two people who I felt were meant to be together! Ella is an actor and Christian is an MLB player. Two very different careers, with two people who are very career driven but also support each other 100% in the other’s dreams.
You could tell early on how much each one of our characters wanted this relationship to work. Lots of traveling, late night calls, and scheduling changes. It seems like a lot of work and we could feel that from our narrator when they were bringing Ella and Christian to life. Ella was beyond exhausted, and I am happy that Christian also thought of her at the end when making choices for their future! You could feel the raw emotions, this may be because it is based off her true love story, which I think is amazing!
This story felt very realistic as it isn’t always easy just because you are married. You still have to make time for the other person and I felt these two make it work even when it was hard! If you enjoy a sweet, sports romance with two very devoted individuals, this one is for you!! You will also see time jumps in this book, which helped us understand the main character’s relationship even more!
This was only a four star read for me until I had about 10% of the book left. It bumped up to 5 stars real quick after that. This was a very sweet romance between two people who I felt were meant to be together! Ella is an actor and Christian is an MLB player. Two very different careers, with two people who are very career driven but also support each other 100% in the other’s dreams.
You could tell early on how much each one of our characters wanted this relationship to work. Lots of traveling, late night calls, and scheduling changes. It seems like a lot of work and we could feel that from our narrator when they were bringing Ella and Christian to life. Ella was beyond exhausted, and I am happy that Christian also thought of her at the end when making choices for their future! You could feel the raw emotions, this may be because it is based off her true love story, which I think is amazing!
This story felt very realistic as it isn’t always easy just because you are married. You still have to make time for the other person and I felt these two make it work even when it was hard! If you enjoy a sweet, sports romance with two very devoted individuals, this one is for you!! You will also see time jumps in this book, which helped us understand the main character’s relationship even more!
July 29, 2026
Book Title: Lucky 22
Authors: Ashley Eckstein & Samantha Chase
Publishers: Blue Box Press + Brilliance Audio
Pub Date: September 8, 2026
Dates Read/Listened: July 16, 2026 – July 28, 2026
🗣️ 𝚀𝚞𝚒𝚌𝚔(𝚒𝚜𝚑) 𝚃𝚊𝚔𝚎: I’m ashamed to say I didn’t actually know who Ashley Eckstein was going into this book, but I had high hopes from the adorable cover. I can tell you that the interior is just as sweet as pie as you would expect, and I love that this is based on how she met her husband. I was expecting a bit more depth to the story, and I do think it was a little repetitive, but it also had me in my feels quite a bit. It is titled Lucky 22 for good reason, and you will quickly learn our FMC’s love for the number 22. I thought it was pretty amazing how everything kept coming back to that number, and it made me wish I had a lucky number! This would be a great pick if you are looking for something sweet and quick without the spice.
🎧 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘈𝘶𝘥𝘪𝘰𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬: N/A HOWEVER – Even though I read the book, the audiobook is narrated by the author (Eckstein), so I would be interested in listening to it at some point!
T͏h͏i͏s͏ B͏o͏o͏k͏ i͏n͏ 5͏ E͏m͏o͏j͏i͏’s͏ o͏r͏ L͏e͏s͏s͏: ⚾🎥🥰🌠
𝙱𝚘𝚘𝚔 𝚁𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐: ⭐⭐⭐💫
𝙰𝚞𝚍𝚒𝚘𝚋𝚘𝚘𝚔 𝚁𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐: N/A
𝙼𝚢 𝚂𝚙𝚒𝚌𝚎 𝚁𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐: 🚫 (closed door)
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Authors: Ashley Eckstein & Samantha Chase
Publishers: Blue Box Press + Brilliance Audio
Pub Date: September 8, 2026
Dates Read/Listened: July 16, 2026 – July 28, 2026
🗣️ 𝚀𝚞𝚒𝚌𝚔(𝚒𝚜𝚑) 𝚃𝚊𝚔𝚎: I’m ashamed to say I didn’t actually know who Ashley Eckstein was going into this book, but I had high hopes from the adorable cover. I can tell you that the interior is just as sweet as pie as you would expect, and I love that this is based on how she met her husband. I was expecting a bit more depth to the story, and I do think it was a little repetitive, but it also had me in my feels quite a bit. It is titled Lucky 22 for good reason, and you will quickly learn our FMC’s love for the number 22. I thought it was pretty amazing how everything kept coming back to that number, and it made me wish I had a lucky number! This would be a great pick if you are looking for something sweet and quick without the spice.
🎧 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘈𝘶𝘥𝘪𝘰𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬: N/A HOWEVER – Even though I read the book, the audiobook is narrated by the author (Eckstein), so I would be interested in listening to it at some point!
T͏h͏i͏s͏ B͏o͏o͏k͏ i͏n͏ 5͏ E͏m͏o͏j͏i͏’s͏ o͏r͏ L͏e͏s͏s͏: ⚾🎥🥰🌠
𝙱𝚘𝚘𝚔 𝚁𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐: ⭐⭐⭐💫
𝙰𝚞𝚍𝚒𝚘𝚋𝚘𝚘𝚔 𝚁𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐: N/A
𝙼𝚢 𝚂𝚙𝚒𝚌𝚎 𝚁𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐: 🚫 (closed door)
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
August 27, 2026
╔════════════════════════╗
💕✨ 𝓟𝓻𝓮-𝓡𝓮𝓪𝓭 ✨💕
╚════════════════════════╝
Thank you to netgalley, box blue press, and ashley eckstein for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
⭐⭐⭐
i loved ella and just like christian. i wish we had gotten dual pov so i could understand why he thought the way he did. over all i loved the aesthetic and the sports part of their romance. this was a quick and easy read.
💕✨ 𝓟𝓻𝓮-𝓡𝓮𝓪𝓭 ✨💕
╚════════════════════════╝
Thank you to netgalley, box blue press, and ashley eckstein for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
⭐⭐⭐
i loved ella and just like christian. i wish we had gotten dual pov so i could understand why he thought the way he did. over all i loved the aesthetic and the sports part of their romance. this was a quick and easy read.
September 20, 2026
As a big fan of Ashley Eckstein, I was thrilled to get an early ARC copy of this from NetGalley for review. Ashley is so great as Ahsoka in Star Wars, and I also love her brand, Her Universe. I even attended a Star Wars Mindful Matters event hosted by her while I was a cast member at Walt Disney World, so I was very interested in learning more about her story. I had no idea she was on a Disney Channel show in her early career or married a pro baseball player, so I learned a lot about her personal life and career through this book because it is so heavily inspired by her own life.
I do think that it reads more like a memoir than a fictional romance novel. There are many times when it either speaks directly to the reader or speaks about what's to come, revealing future knowledge and that this story is happening in the past. Rather than the typical romance story arc, this is more of an accounting of real life events and love letter to her husband. For example, most romance books are about how they fall in love and have a wedding as the epilogue, but Ella and Christian get married early on and then the rest of the book is mostly about their careers and marriage. Because of this, the characters' emotions as they go through challenges and events feel distant. The reader is often told how Ella feels instead of being shown. She always faces a challenge, then directly tells the reader how she feels, then tells them how she moves past it almost immediately. This made the writing feel simplistic and repetitive. It lacks emotional depth, which makes me doubt whether an average romance who isn't familiar with Ashley would enjoy this. I am interested to see more reviews from these readers come in to find out that reaction. Since the choice was made to make this a fictional story, I think it should be able to stand alone among fans of that genre without a personal connection to the author, and I am not sure that is the case. It was also quite tongue-in-cheek with all of the references to her career. The changes to the IP were so thinly veiled that it was a little eye-roll inducing and even distracting. (EX: Wonder Land = Disney World, Ashla in The Echo Wars = Ahsoka in The Clone Wars, Galactic Wars = Star Wars)
That being said, her and her husband's romance truly feels like a fairy tale. They both went through challenges and made sacrifices for the other, and it was very sweet to see how they were there for each other at different period in their marriage. I would definitely recommend this to readers who are Ashley Eckstein fans, but would hesitate for the average romance/fiction reader who is unfamiliar with her work and wouldn't pick up on or appreciate those elements.
I do think that it reads more like a memoir than a fictional romance novel. There are many times when it either speaks directly to the reader or speaks about what's to come, revealing future knowledge and that this story is happening in the past. Rather than the typical romance story arc, this is more of an accounting of real life events and love letter to her husband. For example, most romance books are about how they fall in love and have a wedding as the epilogue, but Ella and Christian get married early on and then the rest of the book is mostly about their careers and marriage. Because of this, the characters' emotions as they go through challenges and events feel distant. The reader is often told how Ella feels instead of being shown. She always faces a challenge, then directly tells the reader how she feels, then tells them how she moves past it almost immediately. This made the writing feel simplistic and repetitive. It lacks emotional depth, which makes me doubt whether an average romance who isn't familiar with Ashley would enjoy this. I am interested to see more reviews from these readers come in to find out that reaction. Since the choice was made to make this a fictional story, I think it should be able to stand alone among fans of that genre without a personal connection to the author, and I am not sure that is the case. It was also quite tongue-in-cheek with all of the references to her career. The changes to the IP were so thinly veiled that it was a little eye-roll inducing and even distracting. (EX: Wonder Land = Disney World, Ashla in The Echo Wars = Ahsoka in The Clone Wars, Galactic Wars = Star Wars)
That being said, her and her husband's romance truly feels like a fairy tale. They both went through challenges and made sacrifices for the other, and it was very sweet to see how they were there for each other at different period in their marriage. I would definitely recommend this to readers who are Ashley Eckstein fans, but would hesitate for the average romance/fiction reader who is unfamiliar with her work and wouldn't pick up on or appreciate those elements.
October 19, 2026
⭐⭐⭐ 3 Stars | Lucky 22 by Ashley Eckstein & Samantha Chase ⚾💕
I really wanted to love this one! A romance between an aspiring actress and a professional baseball player? That sounded right up my alley! Add in a little fate, a lucky number, and a love story inspired by real life, and I was excited to see how it would all come together.
Lucky 22 follows Ella Rose Holt, an aspiring actress chasing her dreams in Los Angeles, and Christian Lucas, a professional baseball player whose life revolves around his career. When their paths cross, what starts as an unexpected connection develops into a relationship that has to survive two demanding careers and everything life throws their way.
I really liked the premise, and there were definitely some sweet moments between Ella and Christian. I also appreciated that this was a romance about more than just falling in love. It explored what happens after the initial excitement and how two people navigate their dreams while trying to build a life together.
However, I struggled a little with the storytelling. The book covers quite a bit of time, and I felt like we were often being told what happened rather than getting to experience those moments with the characters. I wanted more of the conversations, the relationship development, and those little moments that make you fall in love with a couple.
I also found myself wishing we had Christian’s POV! I love a good dual-POV sports romance, and I think getting inside his head would have helped me connect with him and understand some of his decisions. At times, it felt like Ella was making more of the sacrifices in their relationship, and I wanted to see a little more balance between their careers and dreams.
One of the most interesting things about this book is that it was inspired by Ashley Eckstein’s real-life love story. Knowing that made me appreciate the heart behind the story, even if the execution wasn’t quite what I was hoping for.
If you enjoy:
⚾ Baseball romances
💕 Sweet, closed-door romance
✨ Fate, lucky numbers, and chance encounters
🎬 Hollywood meets professional sports
💍 Relationships that go beyond the initial romance
❤️ Love stories inspired by real life
…then Lucky 22 might be worth adding to your TBR!
⭐⭐⭐ 3 stars. A sweet and heartfelt romance with an interesting premise, but I wanted more character development, more relationship moments, and a little less telling and more showing.
Thank you to NetGalley and Blue Box Press for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
I really wanted to love this one! A romance between an aspiring actress and a professional baseball player? That sounded right up my alley! Add in a little fate, a lucky number, and a love story inspired by real life, and I was excited to see how it would all come together.
Lucky 22 follows Ella Rose Holt, an aspiring actress chasing her dreams in Los Angeles, and Christian Lucas, a professional baseball player whose life revolves around his career. When their paths cross, what starts as an unexpected connection develops into a relationship that has to survive two demanding careers and everything life throws their way.
I really liked the premise, and there were definitely some sweet moments between Ella and Christian. I also appreciated that this was a romance about more than just falling in love. It explored what happens after the initial excitement and how two people navigate their dreams while trying to build a life together.
However, I struggled a little with the storytelling. The book covers quite a bit of time, and I felt like we were often being told what happened rather than getting to experience those moments with the characters. I wanted more of the conversations, the relationship development, and those little moments that make you fall in love with a couple.
I also found myself wishing we had Christian’s POV! I love a good dual-POV sports romance, and I think getting inside his head would have helped me connect with him and understand some of his decisions. At times, it felt like Ella was making more of the sacrifices in their relationship, and I wanted to see a little more balance between their careers and dreams.
One of the most interesting things about this book is that it was inspired by Ashley Eckstein’s real-life love story. Knowing that made me appreciate the heart behind the story, even if the execution wasn’t quite what I was hoping for.
If you enjoy:
⚾ Baseball romances
💕 Sweet, closed-door romance
✨ Fate, lucky numbers, and chance encounters
🎬 Hollywood meets professional sports
💍 Relationships that go beyond the initial romance
❤️ Love stories inspired by real life
…then Lucky 22 might be worth adding to your TBR!
⭐⭐⭐ 3 stars. A sweet and heartfelt romance with an interesting premise, but I wanted more character development, more relationship moments, and a little less telling and more showing.
Thank you to NetGalley and Blue Box Press for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
I received a free advance copy of this book for review.
This contemporary romance is a fictional story based on Ashley’s real life romance with her husband.
I have been a fan of Ashley for years as she voices one of my all time favorite Star Wars characters Ahsoka Tano and I also love everything she’s done to make fandoms more accessible and being a mental health advocate. I was super intrigued to discover more of her story and see her journey unfold. I was unsure about the decision to release it as a fiction instead of a memoir since I was wondering the whole time what was true or not, but either way I was very interested in watching the journey play out.
I also loved that this romance covered more than just the initial falling in love and covered a lot of time in the early marriage years where they had to navigate life and schedules of two high demand jobs. It showed the exciting moments of life as an actress and a spouse to a MLB player as well as the not-so-glamorous and smooth accepts.
Available in all formats today! Including the audiobook narrated by Ashley herself.
Trigger/content notes: no strong language or strong triggers and spice level is closed door.
This contemporary romance is a fictional story based on Ashley’s real life romance with her husband.
I have been a fan of Ashley for years as she voices one of my all time favorite Star Wars characters Ahsoka Tano and I also love everything she’s done to make fandoms more accessible and being a mental health advocate. I was super intrigued to discover more of her story and see her journey unfold. I was unsure about the decision to release it as a fiction instead of a memoir since I was wondering the whole time what was true or not, but either way I was very interested in watching the journey play out.
I also loved that this romance covered more than just the initial falling in love and covered a lot of time in the early marriage years where they had to navigate life and schedules of two high demand jobs. It showed the exciting moments of life as an actress and a spouse to a MLB player as well as the not-so-glamorous and smooth accepts.
Available in all formats today! Including the audiobook narrated by Ashley herself.
Trigger/content notes: no strong language or strong triggers and spice level is closed door.
October 25, 2026
This was a sweet, closed door romance that's full of sacrifices, hard work, never giving up on each other, and celebrating the milestones and growth together; it's about finding your person and your HEA.
This book was so full of love and magical moments. It was so swoony! One of my favorite things was what their favorite evenings consisted of. Nothing extravagant, just simple time spend together enjoying a favorite meal and wind down activity.
I'll be honest. At first I only wanted to read this book because I seen Ashley Eckstein co-wrote the book and she voices my favorite Star Wars character as well as is the owner of one of my favorite fandom clothing sites.Then, after finding out it was a sweet, closed door romance, I immediately requested an ARC copy.
And it did not disappoint. I'm so thankful to have been provided the eARC from NetGalley and really enjoyed this book
This book was so full of love and magical moments. It was so swoony! One of my favorite things was what their favorite evenings consisted of. Nothing extravagant, just simple time spend together enjoying a favorite meal and wind down activity.
I'll be honest. At first I only wanted to read this book because I seen Ashley Eckstein co-wrote the book and she voices my favorite Star Wars character as well as is the owner of one of my favorite fandom clothing sites.Then, after finding out it was a sweet, closed door romance, I immediately requested an ARC copy.
And it did not disappoint. I'm so thankful to have been provided the eARC from NetGalley and really enjoyed this book
August 23, 2026
**Lucky 22** by Ashley Eckstein and Samantha Chase
Rating: 3.5/5 stars
Lucky 22 delivers a sweet, easygoing sports romance that leans into fated love timing rather than high drama. Ella Rose Holt and Christian Lucas make an appealing pair: her free spirited optimism plays nicely against his disciplined, guarded nature, and their connection develops with a steady, believable warmth rather than instant fireworks.
The story's biggest strength is its tone: hopeful, gentle, and rooted in the idea that love shows up when you're ready to say yes to it. That said, the pacing occasionally drags, with some sections feeling more padded than necessary to the emotional arc. Tightening the prose in places would have made the momentum more consistent.
The audiobook narration elevated the experience considerably, bringing warmth and personality to both leads that helped carry the slower stretches.
Rating: 3.5/5 stars
Lucky 22 delivers a sweet, easygoing sports romance that leans into fated love timing rather than high drama. Ella Rose Holt and Christian Lucas make an appealing pair: her free spirited optimism plays nicely against his disciplined, guarded nature, and their connection develops with a steady, believable warmth rather than instant fireworks.
The story's biggest strength is its tone: hopeful, gentle, and rooted in the idea that love shows up when you're ready to say yes to it. That said, the pacing occasionally drags, with some sections feeling more padded than necessary to the emotional arc. Tightening the prose in places would have made the momentum more consistent.
The audiobook narration elevated the experience considerably, bringing warmth and personality to both leads that helped carry the slower stretches.
September 14, 2026
Sweet Fate and Quiet Magic
Lucky 22 is such a sweet and hopeful romance, and I loved how it blends real life inspiration with the quiet magic of two people finding each other at the right moment. Ella Rose believes in possibility and little signs from the universe, while Christian lives by discipline and dedication to his sport. Watching their worlds meet felt comforting and real.
What I enjoyed most was how their relationship grows through small choices and steady trust. This story shows the real work that comes with loving someone who has big dreams and a demanding career. The long-distance moments, the juggling of schedules, and the determination to keep choosing each other made their connection feel grounded and sincere.
Ella’s optimism and Christian’s focus balance each other beautifully, and the significance of the number twenty-two adds a sweet touch of fate throughout the book. I also appreciated how the story continues beyond the initial spark and explores what it looks like to build a life together when both people are chasing goals that matter deeply to them.
Overall, Lucky 22 is a warm and uplifting romance full of heart. It celebrates timing, perseverance, and the courage to say yes when love shows up. If you enjoy sweet stories inspired by real life, this one is a lovely read.
Lucky 22 is such a sweet and hopeful romance, and I loved how it blends real life inspiration with the quiet magic of two people finding each other at the right moment. Ella Rose believes in possibility and little signs from the universe, while Christian lives by discipline and dedication to his sport. Watching their worlds meet felt comforting and real.
What I enjoyed most was how their relationship grows through small choices and steady trust. This story shows the real work that comes with loving someone who has big dreams and a demanding career. The long-distance moments, the juggling of schedules, and the determination to keep choosing each other made their connection feel grounded and sincere.
Ella’s optimism and Christian’s focus balance each other beautifully, and the significance of the number twenty-two adds a sweet touch of fate throughout the book. I also appreciated how the story continues beyond the initial spark and explores what it looks like to build a life together when both people are chasing goals that matter deeply to them.
Overall, Lucky 22 is a warm and uplifting romance full of heart. It celebrates timing, perseverance, and the courage to say yes when love shows up. If you enjoy sweet stories inspired by real life, this one is a lovely read.
August 3, 2026
I got this as an advanced readers copy off of netgally.
I will always be a dodgers fan. But I got excited because I love baseball and haven’t read a baseball/actor romance before.
The author takes her story and makes it into a book. I feel like she did really well on showing what two different careers feel like when married. The trials that each of us face.
This follows Christian a Major League Baseball Player and Ella an actor. The trials these two faced, the way they made their marriage work. It was truly a fun read. I enjoyed this book. I am glad I came across this book and the author gave me a chance to read her book!
Highly recommend this book. It’s a 5 star for me. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I will always be a dodgers fan. But I got excited because I love baseball and haven’t read a baseball/actor romance before.
The author takes her story and makes it into a book. I feel like she did really well on showing what two different careers feel like when married. The trials that each of us face.
This follows Christian a Major League Baseball Player and Ella an actor. The trials these two faced, the way they made their marriage work. It was truly a fun read. I enjoyed this book. I am glad I came across this book and the author gave me a chance to read her book!
Highly recommend this book. It’s a 5 star for me. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
June 29, 2026
ARC Review
The writing of this book was a bit weird for me. Maybe I’ve just gotten so used to dual pov that this threw me off but it almost seemed more like it was a journal and Ella was just writing all her thoughts and feelings down. Aside from that I disliked how it always seemed like Ella was sacrificing so much more than Christian ever did(I get he was in the MLB but her career was just as important as his). It always seemed like there was some unresolved issues in their marriage.
The writing of this book was a bit weird for me. Maybe I’ve just gotten so used to dual pov that this threw me off but it almost seemed more like it was a journal and Ella was just writing all her thoughts and feelings down. Aside from that I disliked how it always seemed like Ella was sacrificing so much more than Christian ever did(I get he was in the MLB but her career was just as important as his). It always seemed like there was some unresolved issues in their marriage.
August 31, 2026
This was such a sweet, feel good romance! I loved the baseball/actress storyline and the way the number 22 kept weaving itself throughout Ella and Christian’s relationship. Knowing the story was inspired by Ashley Eckstein’s real life love story made it even more special. I did wish there was a little more emotional depth and romance at times, but overall, this was a cute, fun, and uplifting read about love, timing, sacrifice, and finding your person.
September 26, 2026
clone wars au where ahsoka and lux bonteri actually get together and ahsoka is an actress while lux is a baseball player
I’d give this one 2 1/2 stars. I am a big fan of Ashley’s work with Ahsoka (and it was fun to hear a little bit about her journey in beginning to play that character in this story) and I’ve even had the privilege of seeing her speak at a convention! But, alas, this book was just a bit too over the top for my taste. I think I would have enjoyed it better if it was an autobiography because that’s what it felt like the tone shifted to at times. There were some cringy moments and then some moments that just didn’t sit right with me. One thing I do find pretty amazing and that I appreciate, though, is how hard Ashley fought for her marriage in those first few years while her husband was still a MLB player. That is very rare in the celebrity world. I genuinely do not know how she balanced being an actress while still supporting her husband’s career as an MLB player. That was pretty impressive.
I’d give this one 2 1/2 stars. I am a big fan of Ashley’s work with Ahsoka (and it was fun to hear a little bit about her journey in beginning to play that character in this story) and I’ve even had the privilege of seeing her speak at a convention! But, alas, this book was just a bit too over the top for my taste. I think I would have enjoyed it better if it was an autobiography because that’s what it felt like the tone shifted to at times. There were some cringy moments and then some moments that just didn’t sit right with me. One thing I do find pretty amazing and that I appreciate, though, is how hard Ashley fought for her marriage in those first few years while her husband was still a MLB player. That is very rare in the celebrity world. I genuinely do not know how she balanced being an actress while still supporting her husband’s career as an MLB player. That was pretty impressive.
September 30, 2026
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Spice: 🌶️
Language: a few curse said but not written out
Drug/Alcohol Content: 🍺
LGBTQ: One brief mention of the FMC having a friend who is gay
The first thing I would like to say is HOW DID I NOT REALIZE THIS WAS WRITTEN BY THE VOICE ACTRESS OF ASOHOKA!?!? I was putting everything together for throughout the whole book and was shocked to find out I was reading a book inspired by the real love story of the actress of one of my favorite Star Wars character!
Since I got that out of my system, let me say that is book was really good! I loved how it was inspired by a real love story and how the focus was on their marriage and not them falling in love. It was a fresh presepctive on a romance, and I absolutely loved it! It was sweet and wholesome, and I loved watching a married couple have to balance their careers and marriage in a way that worked for them. It also had a great message of sticking to your spouse and putting them first (even above your career) that I found to be really refreshing and inspiring.
Highly recommend picking this one up! 🫶
*I received an advanced review copy for free from Net Galley and the publisher/author, and I am leaving this review voluntarily; opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Spice: 🌶️
Language: a few curse said but not written out
Drug/Alcohol Content: 🍺
LGBTQ: One brief mention of the FMC having a friend who is gay
The first thing I would like to say is HOW DID I NOT REALIZE THIS WAS WRITTEN BY THE VOICE ACTRESS OF ASOHOKA!?!? I was putting everything together for throughout the whole book and was shocked to find out I was reading a book inspired by the real love story of the actress of one of my favorite Star Wars character!
Since I got that out of my system, let me say that is book was really good! I loved how it was inspired by a real love story and how the focus was on their marriage and not them falling in love. It was a fresh presepctive on a romance, and I absolutely loved it! It was sweet and wholesome, and I loved watching a married couple have to balance their careers and marriage in a way that worked for them. It also had a great message of sticking to your spouse and putting them first (even above your career) that I found to be really refreshing and inspiring.
Highly recommend picking this one up! 🫶
*I received an advanced review copy for free from Net Galley and the publisher/author, and I am leaving this review voluntarily; opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Unfortunately, this one just didn't hit the spot for me. In my opinion, the romance felt very insta-love and everything was just sooo sweet and perfect from the very first sight. I kept waiting for something—anything!—to happen.
Unfortunately, I never really connected with either MC. I don't feel like we ever got to know Ella—or Christian, for that matter—as individuals. They existed more as "Ella and Christian" than as fully developed characters. Because of that, I never truly felt the love, the attraction, or the tension. Everything just fell a little flat for me.
That said, if you enjoy sweet, low-stakes, insta-love romances, I think this could work for you!
Thank you Netgalley for an ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion 🫶🏽
Unfortunately, I never really connected with either MC. I don't feel like we ever got to know Ella—or Christian, for that matter—as individuals. They existed more as "Ella and Christian" than as fully developed characters. Because of that, I never truly felt the love, the attraction, or the tension. Everything just fell a little flat for me.
That said, if you enjoy sweet, low-stakes, insta-love romances, I think this could work for you!
Thank you Netgalley for an ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion 🫶🏽
Read
September 11, 2026Sometimes fate does it's job! Lucky 22 is sweet, hopeful, and SO easy to fall into. It has that cozy, comfort-romance-movie feeling where you know you're going to smile, swoon, and root for these two from the very beginning. And knowing this story was inspired by Ashley Eckstein’s real-life love story with her husband makes it feel even more special.
Ella Rose Holt is a working actress waiting for that big break, while Christian Lucas is a professional baseball player already living his dream at the highest level. Two ambitious people. Two wildly demanding careers. And somehow, the universe keeps finding ways to put them in each other's path.
And then there’s 22. Ella has always believed in the luck and magic of her number. With her golden birthday approaching, she figures that maybe 22 is about to work a little overtime. Then she ends up at a baseball game wearing a jersey with that very number, and across a packed stadium she locks eyes with the player wearing it. For one tiny moment, the entire crowd disappears. Just Ella. Just Christian. And a little bit of fate doing what fate does best. Was it coincidence? Was it luck? Or was the universe already making plans for them?
I LOVED how this relationship develops. This isn't really an instalove story, even though the initial connection is immediate. There is a genuine progression as Ella and Christian get to know each other, figure out what they want, and intentionally choose to make room for one another. Their first date kicks things into motion, and suddenly these two are stealing every bit of time they can find together between flights, games, auditions, late-night phone calls, and constantly shifting schedules. That was one of my favorite parts. Because this isn't a romance where falling in love magically makes everything easy. These two have BIG careers that demand a lot from them, and Lucky 22 actually spends time showing what happens after the butterflies. The travel. The exhaustion. The missed moments. The compromises. The reality of trying to build a life together when neither person can simply put their dreams on hold.
I especially appreciated how much they communicated about what they wanted. Ella and Christian are both incredibly driven, but neither expects the other to shrink their dreams for the sake of the relationship. They support each other, celebrate each other's wins, and keep figuring out how to make their lives fit together. That felt refreshingly grounded.
The time jumps worked really well for me too because we get to see more than just the beginning of their relationship. We get to experience pieces of their early marriage and watch them navigate the less glamorous side of building a life together. Because marriage doesn't magically eliminate the hard stuff. You still have to make time. You still have to compromise. You still have to choose each other when work is demanding everything you've got. It felt like a full picture of real love, and I loved that.
Christian and Ella have such a lovely balance. Ella has this bright, optimistic energy while Christian is more grounded and disciplined, and watching those personalities come together was just FUN. More than anything, though, you can feel how much they genuinely want this to work. Their love isn't built around one grand gesture. It's in all the little decisions to keep showing up.
The number 22 was also such a cute thread throughout the story. Every time it resurfaced, it felt like another little wink from the universe. It gives the story this almost fairytale quality without making the relationship itself feel completely unrealistic. And honestly, it had me wishing I had a magical lucky number of my own.
I do think I wanted a little more emotional depth in certain places. There were moments where I wished we could linger longer in some of the bigger emotional beats, and parts of the story felt a little repetitive. The pacing also slows in places, particularly when the story is covering the realities of their busy lives. But I think the overall tone is exactly what makes this book work. It's warm, uplifting, uncomplicated in the BEST way, and full of hope. The narrative structure is also not what I'm used it. It's a romance based in real life, but at times it almost reads like a journal. AND, it's fade to black, which I didn't realize lol.
But overall, it's just super sweet. Charming, feel-good, and filled with those little moments that make you grin. It isn't a high angst romance and it isn't trying to reinvent the wheel. Instead, it gives us two people who meet at the right moment, fall for each other, and then have to figure out how to build something lasting in the middle of two very demanding lives.
I was especially excited about the audio because it is narrated by Ashley herself. Which gave it a really nice added layer. This is definitely one I'd recommend experiencing on audio.
What to expect
⚾️ Baseball Romance
⚾️Actress Heroine
⚾️Sweet/Fade-to-Black Romance
⚾️Fate & Serendipity
⚾️ Feel Good Romance
⚾️Married Life
⚾️ Long Distance & Lots of Travel
⚾️Late-Night Calls
⚾️ Career-Driven Couple
⚾️ Mutual Support
⚾️ Lucky Number / 22 Theme
⚾️ Inspired by a Real-Life Love Story
Ella Rose Holt is a working actress waiting for that big break, while Christian Lucas is a professional baseball player already living his dream at the highest level. Two ambitious people. Two wildly demanding careers. And somehow, the universe keeps finding ways to put them in each other's path.
And then there’s 22. Ella has always believed in the luck and magic of her number. With her golden birthday approaching, she figures that maybe 22 is about to work a little overtime. Then she ends up at a baseball game wearing a jersey with that very number, and across a packed stadium she locks eyes with the player wearing it. For one tiny moment, the entire crowd disappears. Just Ella. Just Christian. And a little bit of fate doing what fate does best. Was it coincidence? Was it luck? Or was the universe already making plans for them?
I LOVED how this relationship develops. This isn't really an instalove story, even though the initial connection is immediate. There is a genuine progression as Ella and Christian get to know each other, figure out what they want, and intentionally choose to make room for one another. Their first date kicks things into motion, and suddenly these two are stealing every bit of time they can find together between flights, games, auditions, late-night phone calls, and constantly shifting schedules. That was one of my favorite parts. Because this isn't a romance where falling in love magically makes everything easy. These two have BIG careers that demand a lot from them, and Lucky 22 actually spends time showing what happens after the butterflies. The travel. The exhaustion. The missed moments. The compromises. The reality of trying to build a life together when neither person can simply put their dreams on hold.
I especially appreciated how much they communicated about what they wanted. Ella and Christian are both incredibly driven, but neither expects the other to shrink their dreams for the sake of the relationship. They support each other, celebrate each other's wins, and keep figuring out how to make their lives fit together. That felt refreshingly grounded.
The time jumps worked really well for me too because we get to see more than just the beginning of their relationship. We get to experience pieces of their early marriage and watch them navigate the less glamorous side of building a life together. Because marriage doesn't magically eliminate the hard stuff. You still have to make time. You still have to compromise. You still have to choose each other when work is demanding everything you've got. It felt like a full picture of real love, and I loved that.
Christian and Ella have such a lovely balance. Ella has this bright, optimistic energy while Christian is more grounded and disciplined, and watching those personalities come together was just FUN. More than anything, though, you can feel how much they genuinely want this to work. Their love isn't built around one grand gesture. It's in all the little decisions to keep showing up.
The number 22 was also such a cute thread throughout the story. Every time it resurfaced, it felt like another little wink from the universe. It gives the story this almost fairytale quality without making the relationship itself feel completely unrealistic. And honestly, it had me wishing I had a magical lucky number of my own.
I do think I wanted a little more emotional depth in certain places. There were moments where I wished we could linger longer in some of the bigger emotional beats, and parts of the story felt a little repetitive. The pacing also slows in places, particularly when the story is covering the realities of their busy lives. But I think the overall tone is exactly what makes this book work. It's warm, uplifting, uncomplicated in the BEST way, and full of hope. The narrative structure is also not what I'm used it. It's a romance based in real life, but at times it almost reads like a journal. AND, it's fade to black, which I didn't realize lol.
But overall, it's just super sweet. Charming, feel-good, and filled with those little moments that make you grin. It isn't a high angst romance and it isn't trying to reinvent the wheel. Instead, it gives us two people who meet at the right moment, fall for each other, and then have to figure out how to build something lasting in the middle of two very demanding lives.
I was especially excited about the audio because it is narrated by Ashley herself. Which gave it a really nice added layer. This is definitely one I'd recommend experiencing on audio.
What to expect
⚾️ Baseball Romance
⚾️Actress Heroine
⚾️Sweet/Fade-to-Black Romance
⚾️Fate & Serendipity
⚾️ Feel Good Romance
⚾️Married Life
⚾️ Long Distance & Lots of Travel
⚾️Late-Night Calls
⚾️ Career-Driven Couple
⚾️ Mutual Support
⚾️ Lucky Number / 22 Theme
⚾️ Inspired by a Real-Life Love Story
September 13, 2026
2.5 (should I rate this actually a 2.2?)- I want to first start by saying I am a big fan of Ashley Eckstein and was so excited to both request and receive this ARC so this is not the review I was hoping to leave it. As someone who has followed her journey for a while, and has had the chance to both meet her and work closely with her brand HerUniverse, I expected to love this. I don’t know if that is actually the reason I struggled though.
Billed as a romance piece of fiction, this book is quite literally a biography with thinly veiled names. I don’t know if the fact that I know her work made the fake names more jarring to me, but I found them incredibly distracting and broke me from the book 100% of the time. This would have worked better just being a biography, calling it non-fiction, and going from there. In Lucky 22, we read the love story of Ella and Christian, an actress and major league baseball player. The problem is I didn’t feel like we actually read the love story. This instead reads like journal entries and is pretty explicitly telling us and never showing us anything going on. I felt like we missed the entire love story part, along with every other major piece of life that could have resulted in conflict and conflict resolution. This story is not a story and that’s my issue with it. Every minor conflict is resolved within a page and every major conflict is skipped entirely. I still cannot believe that the time between the proposal and the end of the wedding was eight pages, including a paragraph that began with “10 months later…” We missed reading the actual plot.
I also greatly struggled with the character of Christian. Not only do I still have no personality for this character aside from baseball, but this character was written almost psychologically abusive. In a story that seems to have a moral of compromise and finding time for love, I feel like Christian did not do that until his hand was forced at the very end. I know the “journal entry” says that he decided to retire on his own, but it seemed a little suspicious that the scene directly before this was his new baseball team gaining his medical records and wanting to chat, which we never hear anything about again… But he suddenly retires and says it was his own idea. It just felt like he gave no compromise ever to Ella and she did everything with him in mind even to the detriment of her own dreams. I could not believe the end when she had to make a choice between her career and… spending time with him and she chose to throw away her career. She says in the book this is something he would do for her, but he has shown repeatedly in the book that he never would do that. Cue me screaming at the pages on my couch, “take the job!!”
Additionally, this book has no plot. Essentially, this is disjointed journal entries of Ella leading to an eventual ending entry, but nothing ever seemed to be happening. Every time something was building up, it was instead fully skipped. We spent a lot of time describing details that were totally unnecessary and a lot of time skipping all the details we actually wanted. Why do I know the top, middle, and base notes of a hotel fragrance, but nothing about the challenge of planning a wedding? I just felt like the writing could’ve been refined. Since this was supposed to be fiction anyways, it should have been more cohesive which again is why this doesn’t read like fiction and I don’t understand the choice of making a biography into faux fiction.
At the end of the day, this story is about Ella being very sweet and Christian liking baseball. It’s incredibly conflict free which makes for a breezy read in a park on a summer day but unfortunately is not what I was hoping for from this book. I wonder if audiobook would have been more enjoyable since we would at least have had the inflection from Ashley herself narrating, but the written form of this story just didn’t work for me. I’d be interested to know if people who are further away from the original source content had the same issues, but for me, this was a miss and I’m pretty bummed about it.
I was sent this ARC by Blue Box Press and GetRedPR in exchange for my honest review.
Billed as a romance piece of fiction, this book is quite literally a biography with thinly veiled names. I don’t know if the fact that I know her work made the fake names more jarring to me, but I found them incredibly distracting and broke me from the book 100% of the time. This would have worked better just being a biography, calling it non-fiction, and going from there. In Lucky 22, we read the love story of Ella and Christian, an actress and major league baseball player. The problem is I didn’t feel like we actually read the love story. This instead reads like journal entries and is pretty explicitly telling us and never showing us anything going on. I felt like we missed the entire love story part, along with every other major piece of life that could have resulted in conflict and conflict resolution. This story is not a story and that’s my issue with it. Every minor conflict is resolved within a page and every major conflict is skipped entirely. I still cannot believe that the time between the proposal and the end of the wedding was eight pages, including a paragraph that began with “10 months later…” We missed reading the actual plot.
I also greatly struggled with the character of Christian. Not only do I still have no personality for this character aside from baseball, but this character was written almost psychologically abusive. In a story that seems to have a moral of compromise and finding time for love, I feel like Christian did not do that until his hand was forced at the very end. I know the “journal entry” says that he decided to retire on his own, but it seemed a little suspicious that the scene directly before this was his new baseball team gaining his medical records and wanting to chat, which we never hear anything about again… But he suddenly retires and says it was his own idea. It just felt like he gave no compromise ever to Ella and she did everything with him in mind even to the detriment of her own dreams. I could not believe the end when she had to make a choice between her career and… spending time with him and she chose to throw away her career. She says in the book this is something he would do for her, but he has shown repeatedly in the book that he never would do that. Cue me screaming at the pages on my couch, “take the job!!”
Additionally, this book has no plot. Essentially, this is disjointed journal entries of Ella leading to an eventual ending entry, but nothing ever seemed to be happening. Every time something was building up, it was instead fully skipped. We spent a lot of time describing details that were totally unnecessary and a lot of time skipping all the details we actually wanted. Why do I know the top, middle, and base notes of a hotel fragrance, but nothing about the challenge of planning a wedding? I just felt like the writing could’ve been refined. Since this was supposed to be fiction anyways, it should have been more cohesive which again is why this doesn’t read like fiction and I don’t understand the choice of making a biography into faux fiction.
At the end of the day, this story is about Ella being very sweet and Christian liking baseball. It’s incredibly conflict free which makes for a breezy read in a park on a summer day but unfortunately is not what I was hoping for from this book. I wonder if audiobook would have been more enjoyable since we would at least have had the inflection from Ashley herself narrating, but the written form of this story just didn’t work for me. I’d be interested to know if people who are further away from the original source content had the same issues, but for me, this was a miss and I’m pretty bummed about it.
I was sent this ARC by Blue Box Press and GetRedPR in exchange for my honest review.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 31, 2026
1.25 stars
dnf at 43%
this couldve been a journal
its sweet. thats it
After spending multiple days forcing myself to push through, I have finally admitted defeat.
Nothing happens.
Absolutely nothing happens.
Okay, let me rephrase. Nothing happens that's worth happening.
This book is sweet. It's telling you a story (literally), with Ella Rose quite literally narrating her relationship as if she's writing in a journal. You don't see any of the events actually happening, just a brief mention in her internal dialogue.
Because of this, you quite literally don't see them fall in love at all. No, you just are told that Ella Rose is absolutely in love with Christian, who then proceeds to proclaim his never-ending love that will certainly be ending in marriage, all before the 40% mark.
At that point, I gave up, because there's only so many times you can read the words "he's the bestest!!!!!!!" without any evidence pointing to how he is, indeed, the bestest.
to be naive is to be free- wait no thats cringe
She's so fucking naive.
Her only personality traits are A) having a close relationship with her mom B) making terrible decisions because of "true love" and C) being "sweet".
The only thing she has is "sweet", which isn't great. Because again, the main character's defining personality trait is being "sweet".
Oh, and occasionally ridiculously reckless, which only succeeded in making me dislike her even more.
Note: Spoiler ahead, though it honestly isn't much of a spoiler because it happens around 10%.
Oh my goodness this was the only reaction that book managed to draw from me because I was almost in shock.
She's like that one girl that's just so nice to everyone but also makes such stupid decisions that you can't help but feel kind of bad.
and finally... there was no substance
Everything was flatter than the world of Flatland (its in the name). The characters had no fucking dimension whatsoever, no personality whatsoever. Half of the dialogue was in exclamation marks, with the word "adorkable" used multiple times by the same person. Christian bored me half to death as well, as I honestly cannot name one singular personality trait of his at all right now.
The refusal to show the story rather than tell did not help whatsoever. Instead, it only made things worse because Ella Rose is, frankly, not very good at having an internal monologue that makes things interesting to read about.
didn't hate it but didn't enjoy it
Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for this eARC in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
dnf at 43%
this couldve been a journal
its sweet. thats it
After spending multiple days forcing myself to push through, I have finally admitted defeat.
Nothing happens.
Absolutely nothing happens.
Okay, let me rephrase. Nothing happens that's worth happening.
This book is sweet. It's telling you a story (literally), with Ella Rose quite literally narrating her relationship as if she's writing in a journal. You don't see any of the events actually happening, just a brief mention in her internal dialogue.
Because of this, you quite literally don't see them fall in love at all. No, you just are told that Ella Rose is absolutely in love with Christian, who then proceeds to proclaim his never-ending love that will certainly be ending in marriage, all before the 40% mark.
At that point, I gave up, because there's only so many times you can read the words "he's the bestest!!!!!!!" without any evidence pointing to how he is, indeed, the bestest.
to be naive is to be free- wait no thats cringe
She's so fucking naive.
Her only personality traits are A) having a close relationship with her mom B) making terrible decisions because of "true love" and C) being "sweet".
The only thing she has is "sweet", which isn't great. Because again, the main character's defining personality trait is being "sweet".
Oh, and occasionally ridiculously reckless, which only succeeded in making me dislike her even more.
Note: Spoiler ahead, though it honestly isn't much of a spoiler because it happens around 10%.
Oh my goodness this was the only reaction that book managed to draw from me because I was almost in shock.
She's like that one girl that's just so nice to everyone but also makes such stupid decisions that you can't help but feel kind of bad.
and finally... there was no substance
Everything was flatter than the world of Flatland (its in the name). The characters had no fucking dimension whatsoever, no personality whatsoever. Half of the dialogue was in exclamation marks, with the word "adorkable" used multiple times by the same person. Christian bored me half to death as well, as I honestly cannot name one singular personality trait of his at all right now.
The refusal to show the story rather than tell did not help whatsoever. Instead, it only made things worse because Ella Rose is, frankly, not very good at having an internal monologue that makes things interesting to read about.
didn't hate it but didn't enjoy it
Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for this eARC in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
October 6, 2026
⭐️⭐️¾ — 2.75 stars
Thank you to NetGalley and Blue Box Press for providing me with an advanced copy of Lucky 22 in exchange for an honest review.
I really wanted to like this more than I did. Ironically, the thing that made Lucky 22 more interesting to me was realizing just how much of it was based on Ashley Eckstein’s actual life and relationship with her husband, former MLB player David Eckstein.
As a St. Louisan, I knew the Eckstein name and remembered David’s baseball career, so once I started making those connections, I did what any normal person does—I started Googling. 😂 And honestly? The real story fascinated me more than the fictional one.
That became my biggest problem with Lucky 22: I kept wishing it were a memoir.
There is a genuinely interesting story here about an actress trying to build her own career while married to a professional baseball player, navigating two demanding careers, injuries, marriage, and everything that comes with being a baseball wife. I wanted to know what that was actually like.
Instead, the fictionalization sometimes made everything feel more artificial. Calling Disneyland “Wonderland” and the St. Louis Cardinals the “St. Louis Archers,” for example, didn’t make the story feel like its own fictional world—it mostly reminded me that I was reading a slightly altered version of real events.
The characters themselves also lacked the depth I wanted. There wasn’t much dialogue or drama, and a lot of the story felt like Ella telling me what happened rather than allowing me to experience it alongside her. Even the romance suffered because of this. There was definitely a spark between Ella and Christian, but I never got enough of their relationship to make me think, “Yep, these two are absolutely made for each other.”
Ella also spends a lot of time questioning what she should do, but without enough introspection or character development to make those moments particularly compelling. There may have been some growth toward the end, but I didn’t really get to see it happen.
On the positive side, this is a very easy read. I could see it working much better for someone looking for a light, clean romance without a ton of emotional depth or drama.
For me, though, when I finally reached the end, my reaction was mostly, “Welp, that’s done.” 😂
And that’s a shame, because I think there’s a much more interesting story underneath this one. Give me the memoir where Ashley Eckstein really digs into being an actress, a baseball wife, and trying to build a marriage while both people are chasing very different careers, and I probably would have eaten it up.
Thank you to NetGalley and Blue Box Press for providing me with an advanced copy of Lucky 22 in exchange for an honest review.
I really wanted to like this more than I did. Ironically, the thing that made Lucky 22 more interesting to me was realizing just how much of it was based on Ashley Eckstein’s actual life and relationship with her husband, former MLB player David Eckstein.
As a St. Louisan, I knew the Eckstein name and remembered David’s baseball career, so once I started making those connections, I did what any normal person does—I started Googling. 😂 And honestly? The real story fascinated me more than the fictional one.
That became my biggest problem with Lucky 22: I kept wishing it were a memoir.
There is a genuinely interesting story here about an actress trying to build her own career while married to a professional baseball player, navigating two demanding careers, injuries, marriage, and everything that comes with being a baseball wife. I wanted to know what that was actually like.
Instead, the fictionalization sometimes made everything feel more artificial. Calling Disneyland “Wonderland” and the St. Louis Cardinals the “St. Louis Archers,” for example, didn’t make the story feel like its own fictional world—it mostly reminded me that I was reading a slightly altered version of real events.
The characters themselves also lacked the depth I wanted. There wasn’t much dialogue or drama, and a lot of the story felt like Ella telling me what happened rather than allowing me to experience it alongside her. Even the romance suffered because of this. There was definitely a spark between Ella and Christian, but I never got enough of their relationship to make me think, “Yep, these two are absolutely made for each other.”
Ella also spends a lot of time questioning what she should do, but without enough introspection or character development to make those moments particularly compelling. There may have been some growth toward the end, but I didn’t really get to see it happen.
On the positive side, this is a very easy read. I could see it working much better for someone looking for a light, clean romance without a ton of emotional depth or drama.
For me, though, when I finally reached the end, my reaction was mostly, “Welp, that’s done.” 😂
And that’s a shame, because I think there’s a much more interesting story underneath this one. Give me the memoir where Ashley Eckstein really digs into being an actress, a baseball wife, and trying to build a marriage while both people are chasing very different careers, and I probably would have eaten it up.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I don’t know about you, but I’m feeling lucky 22! Thank you so much to Blue Box Press for the ARC of Lucky 22 in exchange for my little review!
Lucky 22 is Ashley Eckstein’s first foray into fiction, having already published several non-fiction books including It’s Your Universe and Star Wars Everyday (as well as narrated the self-titled Ahsoka novel’s audiobook, based on her popular character). Her partnership with Samantha Chase proves a dream, and the two of them craft something utterly hopeful and tremendously charming. Lucky 22 is a fictionalized portrayal of Ashley’s love story with her husband, David Eckstein. The description promises something out of Hallmark or Taylor Swift’s Love Story, fabricated fantasy made into a real partnership and true love. And Lucky 22 delivers everything it promises.
We are introduced to Ella Rose Holt, a young actress who is at the beginning of her career. The last thing she expects is to fall in love, but it seems like the universe has some surprises up its sleeve, and a series of coincidences (or fate?) land Ella Rose on a date with baseball player Christian Lucas, and on her birthday no less. The fairytale romance doesn’t take long to get underway, but as the dream makes way for reality, both Ella Rose and Christian are challenged by their frequently conflicting schedules and busy lives. Through it all, what remains steadfast is their devotion to each other. Maybe having it all isn’t having it easy, but having something worth working for.
While I’m sure there are artistic touches to add flare or respect privacy, it’s very plain to see how much this story mirrors Ashley Eckstein’s life and career. And for those of us who have been around since… Ashla first came on the scene, it’s a welcome exploration of a genuinely spectacular person. If you’ve ever had the opportunity to meet Ashley, you know she is sunshine personified, as if someone bottled up a wish and made it a person. At times though, you do wonder how someone can retain that powerful sense of optimism and joy. Lucky 22 gives us a further peek behind the curtain, and thus makes her even more inspiring of a figure. Ashley has broken stigmas, normalized conversations about mental health, encouraged a generation of girls (and boys) to believe in their talents, and kicked a lot of butt with a lightsaber - why not add author to the list?
Ashley lives in all of us ;)
Lucky 22 is Ashley Eckstein’s first foray into fiction, having already published several non-fiction books including It’s Your Universe and Star Wars Everyday (as well as narrated the self-titled Ahsoka novel’s audiobook, based on her popular character). Her partnership with Samantha Chase proves a dream, and the two of them craft something utterly hopeful and tremendously charming. Lucky 22 is a fictionalized portrayal of Ashley’s love story with her husband, David Eckstein. The description promises something out of Hallmark or Taylor Swift’s Love Story, fabricated fantasy made into a real partnership and true love. And Lucky 22 delivers everything it promises.
We are introduced to Ella Rose Holt, a young actress who is at the beginning of her career. The last thing she expects is to fall in love, but it seems like the universe has some surprises up its sleeve, and a series of coincidences (or fate?) land Ella Rose on a date with baseball player Christian Lucas, and on her birthday no less. The fairytale romance doesn’t take long to get underway, but as the dream makes way for reality, both Ella Rose and Christian are challenged by their frequently conflicting schedules and busy lives. Through it all, what remains steadfast is their devotion to each other. Maybe having it all isn’t having it easy, but having something worth working for.
While I’m sure there are artistic touches to add flare or respect privacy, it’s very plain to see how much this story mirrors Ashley Eckstein’s life and career. And for those of us who have been around since… Ashla first came on the scene, it’s a welcome exploration of a genuinely spectacular person. If you’ve ever had the opportunity to meet Ashley, you know she is sunshine personified, as if someone bottled up a wish and made it a person. At times though, you do wonder how someone can retain that powerful sense of optimism and joy. Lucky 22 gives us a further peek behind the curtain, and thus makes her even more inspiring of a figure. Ashley has broken stigmas, normalized conversations about mental health, encouraged a generation of girls (and boys) to believe in their talents, and kicked a lot of butt with a lightsaber - why not add author to the list?
Ashley lives in all of us ;)
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Ella Rose Holt is an aspiring actress in LA soon approaching her golden birthday when a chance encounter with baseball player Christian Holt just might be the key to making all her dreams come true. What follows is an instant friendship that slowly builds to something more, as two people with demanding jobs focus on “putting family first.”
Lucky 22 claims to be a fictional book based on Ashley Eckstein’s love story with her husband, but in truth it’s written as a biography that as far as I can tell from quick research is Eckstein’s actual story. This threw me off. As a work of fiction, the use of made up baseball teams, movie franchises, etc. makes sense, but because it read so much like a biography, and not a work of fiction, the use of fictional names didn’t jive with the story line, especially as they were close to the real names of teams and franchises. In addition to struggling through the use of fictionalized names, I also struggled with the lack of conflict and conflict resolution in the story. The majority of the conflict was internal conflict, and it was all one sided based on the character of Ella Rose. Much of the conflict comes from her internal struggle with not being able to voice her true thoughts and feelings with Christian because she feels her thoughts and feelings are not supportive enough of him. This, after a discussion towards the beginning of the book between the characters where they agree that in order for their relationship to be true, they need to be completely honest with each other. Ella Rose’s character continually keeps silent and makes sacrifices for the benefit of her relationship with Christian, when Christian’s character seems to make his relationship with Ella Rose an afterthought. He never discusses life changing decisions with her, but rather continually springs big changes on her character time and time again. It isn’t until about 85% of the way through the story, when Christian decides to retire, that he finally begins to support Ella Rose. What is touted as a Hallmark Romance, feels very one sided and mentally oppressive, not what I would term a romance. This was a difficult read in which I had to pace myself to complete, especially as Ella Rose’s character never came to terms with how this was not a loving, supportive relationship.
2 Stars
Lucky 22 claims to be a fictional book based on Ashley Eckstein’s love story with her husband, but in truth it’s written as a biography that as far as I can tell from quick research is Eckstein’s actual story. This threw me off. As a work of fiction, the use of made up baseball teams, movie franchises, etc. makes sense, but because it read so much like a biography, and not a work of fiction, the use of fictional names didn’t jive with the story line, especially as they were close to the real names of teams and franchises. In addition to struggling through the use of fictionalized names, I also struggled with the lack of conflict and conflict resolution in the story. The majority of the conflict was internal conflict, and it was all one sided based on the character of Ella Rose. Much of the conflict comes from her internal struggle with not being able to voice her true thoughts and feelings with Christian because she feels her thoughts and feelings are not supportive enough of him. This, after a discussion towards the beginning of the book between the characters where they agree that in order for their relationship to be true, they need to be completely honest with each other. Ella Rose’s character continually keeps silent and makes sacrifices for the benefit of her relationship with Christian, when Christian’s character seems to make his relationship with Ella Rose an afterthought. He never discusses life changing decisions with her, but rather continually springs big changes on her character time and time again. It isn’t until about 85% of the way through the story, when Christian decides to retire, that he finally begins to support Ella Rose. What is touted as a Hallmark Romance, feels very one sided and mentally oppressive, not what I would term a romance. This was a difficult read in which I had to pace myself to complete, especially as Ella Rose’s character never came to terms with how this was not a loving, supportive relationship.
2 Stars
September 11, 2026
Ashley Eckstein and Samantha Chase’s Lucky 22 kept me company with my evening coffee, and this sweet baseball romance ended up being quite different from what I expected. Thank you to Blue Box Press for the gifted copy. Have you ever started a romance expecting one kind of story and realized halfway through that the book was doing something completely different?
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Ella Rose is an actress chasing her dreams in Los Angeles when a series of coincidences—and her lifelong belief that 22 is her lucky number—brings professional baseball player Christian Lucas into her life. And seriously, the number 22 just keeps showing up. At some point you have to stop calling it coincidence and let fate have this one.
What surprised me most was that this isn’t really a traditional sports romance. It’s inspired by Ashley Eckstein’s real-life love story with her husband, David Eckstein, and because of that, it often feels like someone sitting across from you telling you the story of their marriage.
I loved the beginning of Ella and Christian’s relationship: the baseball connection, their not-quite-blind date, the traveling, late-night calls, and those little moments when they kept choosing each other despite two careers pulling them in completely different directions.
But I’ll admit, Christian frustrated me. There were stretches where I felt like Ella was doing most of the sacrificing while his baseball career automatically came first. I wanted her to speak up more, and I REALLY wanted him to notice what she was giving up without needing a flashing neon sign. Knowing this story was rooted in a real marriage made those moments feel less like manufactured romance drama and more like the messy reality of trying to build a life together.
And that’s ultimately what worked for me. This isn’t about falling in love and riding off into the sunset. It’s about what happens afterward—when careers, distance, exhaustion, injuries, disappointment, and ordinary life show up too.
Sweet, hopeful, completely closed-door, and definitely more stardust than spice. ⚾️
What’s something you think a romance needs to show more often about what happens AFTER the happily-ever-after?
#Lucky22 #AshleyEckstein #SamanthaChase #Bookstagram #SportsRomance #BaseballRomance #RomanceBooks #BookReview
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Ella Rose is an actress chasing her dreams in Los Angeles when a series of coincidences—and her lifelong belief that 22 is her lucky number—brings professional baseball player Christian Lucas into her life. And seriously, the number 22 just keeps showing up. At some point you have to stop calling it coincidence and let fate have this one.
What surprised me most was that this isn’t really a traditional sports romance. It’s inspired by Ashley Eckstein’s real-life love story with her husband, David Eckstein, and because of that, it often feels like someone sitting across from you telling you the story of their marriage.
I loved the beginning of Ella and Christian’s relationship: the baseball connection, their not-quite-blind date, the traveling, late-night calls, and those little moments when they kept choosing each other despite two careers pulling them in completely different directions.
But I’ll admit, Christian frustrated me. There were stretches where I felt like Ella was doing most of the sacrificing while his baseball career automatically came first. I wanted her to speak up more, and I REALLY wanted him to notice what she was giving up without needing a flashing neon sign. Knowing this story was rooted in a real marriage made those moments feel less like manufactured romance drama and more like the messy reality of trying to build a life together.
And that’s ultimately what worked for me. This isn’t about falling in love and riding off into the sunset. It’s about what happens afterward—when careers, distance, exhaustion, injuries, disappointment, and ordinary life show up too.
Sweet, hopeful, completely closed-door, and definitely more stardust than spice. ⚾️
What’s something you think a romance needs to show more often about what happens AFTER the happily-ever-after?
#Lucky22 #AshleyEckstein #SamanthaChase #Bookstagram #SportsRomance #BaseballRomance #RomanceBooks #BookReview
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I’m going to start this review by saying this is not going to be the book for most people. It is also not going to be a go lucky, loving, sunshine and rainbows kind of book. For most, myself included I think it’s safe to say that Lucky 22 was not what I was expecting. Overall there was a lot of good and some bad. But I thank Ashley for being open and vulnerable with her story. My hope is that the readers who do decide to pick up this book will remember unlike most romances out there this one is real. This is what a lot of real romance relationships are like and that reminder that a strong and long marriage can be hard but worth the work is what drove it home for me.
While Ella and Christian’s story was beautiful it was also mentally exhausting. It’s a insta love story that tackles the struggles of marriage, miscommunication, and mental health struggles that comes with loneliness. The flow of the book was also a little hard to get through mainly because while reading it felt like I was reading journal entries so sometimes the flow wasn’t quite there. That being said I think this book gives us a little more of an insight as to who the Author is and why she brings some much light to the topic of mental health.
Ella and Christian’s story starts off as somewhat of a meet cute with a dose of luck. Both characters have such different lives but come from very similar upbringings which plays a lot into who they are.
Ella is every bit the supportive, loving, and optimistic girlfriend and later wife. However, we never get a sense of who Ella is without Christian. Every decision and issue she comes across she is careful to decide the outcome out of respect for her and her husband.
That being said, Christian while loving and supportive of Ella he is also very problematic at times. He does warn us along with Ella that being with a professional baseball player is quite difficult. That being said Christian was so focused on his dreams, proving others wrong, and the fears that came with his career ending that he didn’t notice the toll it was taking on Ella. But when he finally does it’s almost as if he steps into the supportive, optimistic, doting husband that Ella deserves
While Ella and Christian’s story was beautiful it was also mentally exhausting. It’s a insta love story that tackles the struggles of marriage, miscommunication, and mental health struggles that comes with loneliness. The flow of the book was also a little hard to get through mainly because while reading it felt like I was reading journal entries so sometimes the flow wasn’t quite there. That being said I think this book gives us a little more of an insight as to who the Author is and why she brings some much light to the topic of mental health.
Ella and Christian’s story starts off as somewhat of a meet cute with a dose of luck. Both characters have such different lives but come from very similar upbringings which plays a lot into who they are.
Ella is every bit the supportive, loving, and optimistic girlfriend and later wife. However, we never get a sense of who Ella is without Christian. Every decision and issue she comes across she is careful to decide the outcome out of respect for her and her husband.
That being said, Christian while loving and supportive of Ella he is also very problematic at times. He does warn us along with Ella that being with a professional baseball player is quite difficult. That being said Christian was so focused on his dreams, proving others wrong, and the fears that came with his career ending that he didn’t notice the toll it was taking on Ella. But when he finally does it’s almost as if he steps into the supportive, optimistic, doting husband that Ella deserves
September 8, 2026
This book features a sweet, serendipitous romance based on a real life relationship. Ella and Christian’s path crosses a few times before they finally meet and introduce themselves to each other properly. The number 22 is special to both of them for different reasons and continues to feature prominently in their relationship. Christian is a professional baseball player who wears the number 22 on his jersey. Ella is an up and coming actress who is about to turn 22 on the 22nd and has always considered the number to be lucky and for fortuitous. When Ella needs a date for a movie premiere, Christian’s name comes up and she readily agrees to have her publicist contact his to see if he is willing to be her date. He is hesitant until they make a plan to meet beforehand. That meeting changes everything. They feel an instant connection on multiple levels and converse for hours. From then on, they both make a concerted effort to keep in touch and to spend time together, even though both of their careers are very busy and their schedules do not really mesh. Love soon follows and both remain dedicated to their careers while also building a life together. Their careers mean they spend a lot of time apart, but they both make sure to stay in contact and support each other.
Their relationship illustrates the strength and power of love as well as how much work it can take to maintain it. Sometimes love means being willing to compromise and sacrifice something you have deemed important, but have discovered pales in comparison to being there for the person you love. Both Ella and Christian learned the importance of communication, being honest about what they expected from each other and about their feelings. Sometimes the balance between their careers was uneven, and sometimes one sacrificed more than the other, but both realized their love and their relationship was more important than their careers. They chose to fight for their love and a future together.
I am happy to recommend this very engaging book.
Their relationship illustrates the strength and power of love as well as how much work it can take to maintain it. Sometimes love means being willing to compromise and sacrifice something you have deemed important, but have discovered pales in comparison to being there for the person you love. Both Ella and Christian learned the importance of communication, being honest about what they expected from each other and about their feelings. Sometimes the balance between their careers was uneven, and sometimes one sacrificed more than the other, but both realized their love and their relationship was more important than their careers. They chose to fight for their love and a future together.
I am happy to recommend this very engaging book.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Firstly thank you Blue Box Press! I was so excited to get a PR box with Lucky 22 and Just Enough. My husband is a big baseball fan so the love of the game run through our house from spring training to World Series.
Honestly I love how the book romanticized the life of Ashley and David. It showed that even when you find your person life makes love hard and it’s a choice you make with your partner every day.
I love the conversations between Ella Rose and her mother, her mother felt like a ground presence through the entire story. Family was a major theme and I appreciate the little ways it was shown.
While a lot of the book was focused around Christian’s career and Ella Roses taking the backseat it was a testament to how marriage is give and take sometimes more one sided. I understand it’s not everyone’s cup of tea and they will see Christians character as more frustrating and selfish, and Ella’s as the one who sacrifices. But for me it’s relatable I’m a military spouse and my husband’s career drives where mine can go. I felt seen and understood. The lifestyle is hard and not for everyone.
I very much enjoyed the book and the audio narration by Ashley Eckstein. I love that she narrated the book inspired by her own life and love story. She brought the characters to life in a way that real and raw. Probably because she lived it so no one better could have done it. I laughed every time she laughed as the characters. I was frustrated when they were. The emotions were there. The production of the audio was clean as well.
I don’t know if Ashley will ever see my review but 22 is also my lucky number and was well before my daughter was born on the 22nd. I knew just the feeling you described when you said something about it makes you happy. Thank you for sharing your story with the world.
Thank you Brilliance Audio for the ALC to go along with my advanced copy. All opinions here are my own.
Tropes:
Sports romance
Actor x sports star
Instant love
Honestly I love how the book romanticized the life of Ashley and David. It showed that even when you find your person life makes love hard and it’s a choice you make with your partner every day.
I love the conversations between Ella Rose and her mother, her mother felt like a ground presence through the entire story. Family was a major theme and I appreciate the little ways it was shown.
While a lot of the book was focused around Christian’s career and Ella Roses taking the backseat it was a testament to how marriage is give and take sometimes more one sided. I understand it’s not everyone’s cup of tea and they will see Christians character as more frustrating and selfish, and Ella’s as the one who sacrifices. But for me it’s relatable I’m a military spouse and my husband’s career drives where mine can go. I felt seen and understood. The lifestyle is hard and not for everyone.
I very much enjoyed the book and the audio narration by Ashley Eckstein. I love that she narrated the book inspired by her own life and love story. She brought the characters to life in a way that real and raw. Probably because she lived it so no one better could have done it. I laughed every time she laughed as the characters. I was frustrated when they were. The emotions were there. The production of the audio was clean as well.
I don’t know if Ashley will ever see my review but 22 is also my lucky number and was well before my daughter was born on the 22nd. I knew just the feeling you described when you said something about it makes you happy. Thank you for sharing your story with the world.
Thank you Brilliance Audio for the ALC to go along with my advanced copy. All opinions here are my own.
Tropes:
Sports romance
Actor x sports star
Instant love
September 13, 2026
This is a beautiful, heartwarming romance about Ella Rose Holt and Christian Lucas. Ella has dreamed forever about becoming a movie actress. At nineteen she left home and dedicated her life to following that dream. Christian Lucas also has a long-term dream – he has always wanted to be a professional baseball player. He is currently on a team that he obsessively devotes his entire life to training, and working to be the best player on his team. Thus, neither of them have time for a social life.
Meanwhile, Ella has to attend a premier, and she needs a date for it. Her publicist and Christian’s decide set them up to for the occasion. They are both scared about this date, so the couple decide to meet ahead of time to ease the tension. They discover that they are very much alike and are very attracted to each other. They quickly fall in love after the premier, and get married
Soon, they discover that marriage between an actress and a baseball player is very difficult because they are always traveling and moving around. As much as they love each other, they rarely get to be together. They often live or work in different cities because of the perimeters of their careers. Ella is always lonely and is forced to do everything by herself – even make important decisions.
One of the major things the couple learn is that no matter how much you love each other, marriage is difficult and frustrating, no matter how much you love
There are two very amazing things about this story that impressed me. No matter how difficult their life is o no matter how disappointed they are, they never take it out on each other or give up on their marriage.
There are also two interesting facts that may interest the reader:
*This story is based on the true love story of Ashley, the author, and her husband.
*The title of this story refers to Ella’s lucky number which plays a very important role in their lives.
Meanwhile, Ella has to attend a premier, and she needs a date for it. Her publicist and Christian’s decide set them up to for the occasion. They are both scared about this date, so the couple decide to meet ahead of time to ease the tension. They discover that they are very much alike and are very attracted to each other. They quickly fall in love after the premier, and get married
Soon, they discover that marriage between an actress and a baseball player is very difficult because they are always traveling and moving around. As much as they love each other, they rarely get to be together. They often live or work in different cities because of the perimeters of their careers. Ella is always lonely and is forced to do everything by herself – even make important decisions.
One of the major things the couple learn is that no matter how much you love each other, marriage is difficult and frustrating, no matter how much you love
There are two very amazing things about this story that impressed me. No matter how difficult their life is o no matter how disappointed they are, they never take it out on each other or give up on their marriage.
There are also two interesting facts that may interest the reader:
*This story is based on the true love story of Ashley, the author, and her husband.
*The title of this story refers to Ella’s lucky number which plays a very important role in their lives.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Lucky 22 is by Ashley Eckstein and is a fictionalized version of Ashley's relationship with her husband, David. I think it is worth noting that David's own memoir, Just Enough, comes out the same day as this book and having read it before diving into this one definitely gave me a lot of insight into the story that Ashley and Samantha Chase told. His book is excellent and I would recommend it.
We meet Ella Rose Holt who is an aspiring actress living in LA. She is focused on her career and the last thing she is looking for is love but when the universe seems to work in her favor, she ends up being set up on a date to a movie premiere with professional baseball player Christian Lucas. The date is on her birthday and she is expecting big things from it given she's been looking forward to it and it is her golden birthday. Their romance begins fairly quickly even though they both have extremely busy jobs and spend a lot of time apart.
Due to their vocations, Ella and Christian find out very quickly how difficult it is to be in a relationship with their careers. They decide they will put one another first and focus on their relationship, but the reality of that is very much a challenge. They are determined to make their relationship work regardless of the outside influences and the strain of two very demanding jobs.
While I am certain there were some changes and liberties taken during the writing of this book, it isn't difficult to see how closely it mirrors what we know of Ashley and David's careers. I enjoyed getting this peek at the real life love story of what seems to be two wonderful individuals both in and outside of their respective jobs. This was a sweet and enjoyable read!
**I voluntarily read an early copy of this title courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review**
We meet Ella Rose Holt who is an aspiring actress living in LA. She is focused on her career and the last thing she is looking for is love but when the universe seems to work in her favor, she ends up being set up on a date to a movie premiere with professional baseball player Christian Lucas. The date is on her birthday and she is expecting big things from it given she's been looking forward to it and it is her golden birthday. Their romance begins fairly quickly even though they both have extremely busy jobs and spend a lot of time apart.
Due to their vocations, Ella and Christian find out very quickly how difficult it is to be in a relationship with their careers. They decide they will put one another first and focus on their relationship, but the reality of that is very much a challenge. They are determined to make their relationship work regardless of the outside influences and the strain of two very demanding jobs.
While I am certain there were some changes and liberties taken during the writing of this book, it isn't difficult to see how closely it mirrors what we know of Ashley and David's careers. I enjoyed getting this peek at the real life love story of what seems to be two wonderful individuals both in and outside of their respective jobs. This was a sweet and enjoyable read!
**I voluntarily read an early copy of this title courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review**
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