Lucky 22

by Ashley Eckstein, Samantha Chase

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.

Genres: Romance, Sports Romance, Celebrity Romance

304 pages, Paperback

Expected publication September 8, 2026

About the author

Maria 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.

Reviews

[Madison Murphy · Rating 5 out of 5]

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!

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

[Gina · Rating 2 out of 5]

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.

[Brittany Profit-Rheinwald · Rating 4 out of 5]

**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.

[Marissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

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. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Breanna · Rating 3 out of 5]

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.

[Meaghan Elizabeth 🌙 · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

[Izzi · Rating 1 out of 5]

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%.

She fucking flies to Arizona??? For a man she met... A week ago. What the hell??? Has she not watched any kidnapping true crime episode? Babes this is not a proclamation of love this is a declaration of help.

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.

[Sam · Rating 5 out of 5]

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 ;)

[Laura B · Rating 2 out of 5]

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

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

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

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

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**

[Louise Hicks · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you so much for the ARC of Lucky 22 NetGalley in exchange for my honest review!
Lucky 22 is a sweet, feel-good romance inspired by Ashley Eckstein’s real-life love story, and it definitely leans into those dreamy, fairytale vibes. The story follows aspiring actress Ella Rose Holt, whose life takes an unexpected turn when she meets professional baseball player Christian Lucas after what feels like a series of perfectly timed coincidences. What starts as a chance meeting quickly turns into something bigger as the two try to navigate demanding careers, distance, and the realities of making a relationship work.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It was uplifting, easy to read, and had a lot of heart. The relationship between Ella Rose and Christian felt genuine, and there’s a warmth to the story that makes it hard not to root for them. That said, I did find the pacing quite quick at times — especially when it came to the romance — and I would have loved for certain moments to have been slowed down and explored a little more.
For me personally, I also found myself wishing there was a bit more spice in the romance, but that’s completely down to reading preference and didn’t stop me enjoying the story for what it is. If you enjoy wholesome romances, fated-meeting energy, and stories that leave you feeling happy by the end, this is definitely one to pick up.
You can also really feel Ashley Eckstein’s optimism woven throughout the book. While it’s clearly inspired by her own experiences, it still feels heartfelt and sincere rather than overly polished. Longtime fans will probably recognise that same warmth and positivity she’s known for, and it was lovely to see that come through in fiction.

[bookishWife · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't know how to put it in words, but this book is definitely different than your regular romance novel. It was more like a diary or documentary.

It follows about love story between an aspired actress and a MLB athlete. Ella views her lucky number 22, is.. well, bring her luck. Coincidentally it's also Christian's number in MLB. Both lives has been intertwined for a while, but then a PR campaign brought them together in some sort of blind-but-also-not date. Then the book follow their journey juggling between both career, the life that comes with it, the bad, the good, and whole journey.

It's kind of weird reading it, because it only has single POV and the writing is way different than what deemed normal. I keep waiting for the plot twist, but it never come. This what made the book felt flat and boring to me. Ella's POV also not exactly solving any marriage problem, since she's basically just dedicated herself to the marriage at the cost of her career. Despite constant suggestion from her trusted support system, she just keep complaining and bottled everything inside. Yet, somehow everything solved by themselves because of what? I have no idea.

Christian.. IMHO he's an asshat. He thought his career was better than Ella's. I do think he married Ella so she can do his chores. Seriously, I thought this book will be more enchanting than this.

Overall it's refreshing because it's different. But also there's no solution to the problem, despite the problems are the main focus of the book. Not only that, but I feel the book is mysogynistic in round about way. So not my favorite, but interesting.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC of this book. My review reflects my honest thoughts and opinions.

[Joanne Lui · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounded up, because the Cardinals fan in me is physically and mentally incapable of marking Ashley and David Eckstein's love story below four stars. And there-in lies the problem with this book!

Ashley has said that this fictional novel is inspired by their true love story. But it reads like a straight non-fiction memoir, just with the names changed ever so slightly. The St. Louis Cardinals became the St. Louis Archers. Star Wars became Galactic Wars. If you're even a little familiar with either of their stories, it's enough for you to wonder how much actual fiction is in the book, and with just a little googling, you can find out how much of it is not actually fiction at all.

The writing style feels like you're just sitting with Ashley as she tells her story, which is lovely and makes for an easy, pleasant read, but doesn't hit right as a fictional romance, and has a tendency to move quickly and gloss over details I'd like to know as a reader. It tries to straddle two genres, and I feel like it would have been more successful as one or the other. I would have loved a memoir from a successful, badass fashion designer and actress who had to navigate life as a baseball wife. Or I would have loved a romance filled with tension and spark. Instead, I feel like I got a little bit of option A and a little bit of option B.

I applaud Ashley for stepping out and telling trying this project. It's inherently a lovely thing. It just wasn't quite the book I was hoping it would be.

Thank you to NetGalley and Blue Box Press for providing this ARC in exchange for my honest opinions.

[vespersuniverse · Rating 3 out of 5]

thank you to NetGalley for the ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.
first off: ashley eckstein is a fantastic actress/VA and i adore her immensely, i have for years. i love this story at its core. it’s a timeless whirlwind adorable romance and i love romance. that being said, i had some issues with this story.
one of my biggest gripes is that it’s just so full of exposition. now, this may be a me thing since i feel like a lot of first person stories feel the same way to me. there was so much telling and almost zero showing and it got to the point where i kind of felt like i was reading a transcript of a life story, rather than a fictional text. the format got repetitive at around the 70% mark and i had a really hard time finishing it because of that.
the renamings took me out of it as well. i understand and sympathize with all of disney’s copyright laws, but in all honesty i would have preferred an alternate universe. and maybe it is because i know Eckstein and have a passion for The Clone Wars and Disney, but Galatic Wars and The Grand Brightwater, then having When You Wish Upon a Star named, it took me out of it and made the story harder to stick with for me.
something i did enjoy was the characters. i thought they were all down-to-earth and intriguing. i especially love Jess. i almost wish we had gotten more scenes of specific parts, instead of jumping around from day-to-day.
all of that’s to say: i really wanted to like this book. and there were points (no spoilers) that i did, but a lot of it was very repetitive and it got boring/stale after awhile.

[Victoria Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ashley Eckstein is too precious for this world.

Lucky 22 peaked my interest because Ashley Eckstein had talked about her book being based on her true life romance which she said sounded like a movie. Ella Rose and Christian are the main focus of the story and they meet and start dating in a unconventional way. Going into this, I often found myself thinking if this all actually happened-how crazy it was that everything fell into place in such a way. It lives and breathes the daydream whimsy romance just like you'd hope.

What I found the most interesting about this story is in how it's told. Though it is a fictional romance, it is almost written as a memoir or an autobiography. Throughout most of the book it felt like Ashley was talking to me versus narrating which made it feel more wholesome. I know some people wont like that aspect, however I found it charming.

The tone of the story is overly positive. At times it can feel too much but I did appreciate the doses of realism and challenges that Ella and Christian faced. It emphasizes that even the most loving relationship isn't always sunshine and rainbows. The insight into the lives of two successful individuals in famous industries was another thing that made this story stand out.

Christian's actions and decisions in this book didn't consistently sit right with me but I'd be interested to read the book that Ashley's husband, David, wrote at this same time to get his perspective.

This would also make the cutest rom com movie!

Overall rating: 🌕🌕🌕🌕
Vicarious jet lag rating: ✈️✈️✈️✈️✈️
Meant to be rating: 2️⃣2️⃣🍀2️⃣2️⃣

Thank you Blue Box Press for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

[Lexie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’m going to be totally honest I requested to read and review this book because I’m a huge fan of Ashley Eckstein. Her portrayal of Ahsoka changed my life so when I saw she was partnering with Samantha Chase I immediately said say less. Sadly, this book just didn’t quite live up to the expectations I had set in my head.

I think my biggest issue with the book is how it’s written. And yes I know that’s basically an oxymoron. But instead of this feeling like a romance story. It felt like I was ready a biography or interview. I kept waiting for a plot twist, or drama or heck even passion. But instead it really was a whole lot of nothing. The book felt flat and I was struggling to stay attentive on the storyline.

My next big issue with this revolves around our FMC. Girly I know you love your husband but I’m sorry my dreams should not be pushed aside or come second. Maybe it’s the feminist in me but Christian was a dick 70% of the time. He constantly thought his career was more important than Ella’s. And trust me Ella isn’t blameless in this. I found myself fighting not to pull my hair out at her blatant disregard to her support system telling her you should not do this.

Overall this book was definitely different and I can’t in good conscience recommend it. I wish I had a different outcome because again I love Ashley and Samatha. But sadly this just wasn’t it.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC of this book.

[Kate Lauder · Rating 3 out of 5]

Oh, this was a sweet little read 🤍⚾️🧢

Ella and Christian are a married couple navigating love, careers and the challenges that come with trying to make their relationship work. As their marriage is tested, Ella begins to question how much she’s willing to sacrifice for their relationship.

This one was just okay for me. I enjoyed the closed-door romance with no spice, and there were definitely some sweet moments throughout, but I found myself a little confused by the writing style!!!!

It reads much more like a diary or personal account than a traditional romance novel, and at times it genuinely felt like I was reading the author’s own story. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with that style, but I wasn’t expecting it because the book isn’t really presented that way, so it took me a while to settle into it….🤭

I also struggled with the feeling that Ella was constantly sacrificing more than Christian, particularly when it came to balancing their careers and relationship. It made some of the unresolved issues in their marriage stand out to me (EEEEEEE)!

Overall, it was a quick and enjoyable enough read, but I think the diary-like format just wasn’t quite for me (but may be for you)!

Tropes:
-Sports Romance
-Married Couple
-Closed Door
-No Spice
-Second Chance / Relationship Struggles

Out 8th Sept!
Thank you to NetGalley, Blue Box Press and both authors for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Living My Best Book Life · Rating 5 out of 5]

A love story that makes you believe in fate. Ella is a working actress who is waiting for her big break and Christian is a professional baseball player who is at the top of his game. One glance at a game and time stopped. Lucky 22 felt like watching your favorite comfort romance movie!

Ella always believes in the magic of her lucky number 22. And she knows it is gonna work overtime because her golden birthday is approaching. When she is invited to a baseball game, she wears a gifted jersey with the number 22 and when she locks eyes with the player who wears that number, it feels like its only the two of them in the midst of a packed stadium. But did he feel the same way too?

Christian and Ella meet on a blind date and hit it off. Everything seems to be pushing them together and sparks are flying. They are spending as much time as they can with each other and I loved how open and honest they are about their expectations.

I have already read this book twice and I still enjoy it feeling giddy and kicking my feet, rooting for this couple. I think readers will appreciate the ups and downs because it makes this romance feel authentic. Sometimes falling in love is the easy part, but keeping it together with busy schedules, careers, long distance, and everything in between is the complicated part.

[rosesreadsromance · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m so sad to say that I feel incredibly disappointed by this book 😢 Such a gorgeous cover made me expect an equally wonderful story, but unfortunately, that wasn’t the case 🥺

He’s obsessed with baseball, while she’s expected to do everything. She constantly has to sacrifice herself and adapt to his life, while he barely helps her with anything. Their relationship felt incredibly one-sided to me 🫤

The entire book is told from her perspective, and we never get a single chapter from his POV. And honestly, this didn’t feel like a love story to me at all. It felt more like a story about the life of an aspiring actress who happens to be married to a professional baseball player. What’s more, that life is portrayed in such a negative way that by the end, I was almost surprised that all baseball players aren’t divorced or single in real life 🤨

For me, the last few chapters were definitely the best part of the book, but unfortunately, a few good chapters can’t make up for an entire book that didn’t work for me 🙁

I regret to say that this book just wasn’t for me. It took me a long time to finish because I was already bored after just two or three chapters and had very little desire to keep reading. Unfortunately, this was a struggle for me from beginning to end 😓


⭐⭐✨ (rounded up)


📖 Lucky 22 by Ashley Eckstein & Samantha Chase (ARC) ⚾ 🎥

[Jen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lucky 22 is inspired by Ashley Eckstein’s actually fairytale romance. The number 22 means something to Ella Rose and she sees signs in it everywhere. When 22 brings her to Christian Lucas she knows the signs are pointing to what her heart is telling her, he’s the one. With her acting career and his baseball career, scheduling isn’t easy but they are determined to make it work. All it takes is a dream and a little bit of luck, but together they might just be able to make it work.

I have enjoyed other Samantha Chase books and love sports romance so when I saw this I wanted to check it out. Before picking up the book I didn’t know this was inspired by a true love story, but I was intrigued by that once I did know. The romance in this book was cute and gave off Hallmark romance vibes. Ella and Christian were cute together, but I didn’t feel the chemistry too much between them. This is a very clean romance and seemed somewhat childish at points. I did enjoy how this book delved into their relationship after they were married and the problems that arose with their two careers, but at times it seemed only surface level. I really wanted to love this book, not both everything connected for me like I wanted it to. I listened to the audiobook and it was good for the most part, but the giggle laugh got on my nerves. Overall this wasn’t a terrible read, I just wanted it to be different.

[Kimberly Roush · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book follows an actress and an MLB Player who meet by chance, fall in love, and have to navigate the busy schedules of their careers while young in their relationship. I was already excited for this book but then I found out it is actually based on the author’s life – these are real people! In the book, Ella Rose and Christian have a few chance encounters before Ella finally works up the nerve to “have her people call his people” and invite him on a date.

We get to read about their sweet romance as they navigate a long distance relationship full of travel, late night calls, schedule changes, moves, and career opportunities. Personally, I feel like the book stayed too surface level and all of the characters were portrayed to perfectly. I think this was probably because the author was writing her real life story and she had to be kind to all of the people she was basing these characters off of. I like a book that has a little conflict that the main characters have to work through. There was some conflict is this book, but everything worked out too quickly and too perfectly.

That said, this was a sweet, lighthearted, clean sports romance and is a perfect read for someone who likes insta-love and HEA’s. 2.8/5 Stars.

Thank you to Blue Box Press and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my review.

[Lexie Mackey · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thanks so much to Netgalley and Blue Box Press for this ARC of Lucky 22, all views are my own.

Firstly, let me preface and say I feel like this book just shows how sweet and kind Ashley Eckstein is. I’m a huge fan of hers, and that’s why I requested this ARC! Also, I love a book that has more “stardust than spice!” There are so many cute moments like how Ella and Christian meet and their first date (my fav!!). I also love the moment near the end between Ella and her agent. It’s a powerful moment!

However, I really struggled to read this book. I think there are a couple big flaws. The book feels like the Temu version of Ashley Eckstein. There are so much things are direct overlaps to Ashley’s life and they just feel so fake. Like That’s so Raven to That’s so High School, or The Clone Wars to The Echo Wars. If we’re going to follow her life so closely, let’s make it an autobiography, like a memoir or literary nonfiction. This way felt off and like I wasn’t getting the real thing. On the opposite side, this story is supposed to be fictional and just based on them so I think liberties should have been taken to condense the story. I felt like so many important things were glossed over in a paragraph while we got pages and pages of unimportant things.

I love love that this story is rooted in real life. I think that makes it more magical, but I really want to love it more.

[Brandi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lucky 22 is a cute sports romcom. Ella Rose is an actress and Christian is a baseball player. They have a meet-cute on a plane and a fake (real) date and the rest is history for them.

Ella is an actress and is literally workijhbhwr way through Hollywood for her big break meanwhile Christian is busing his bag to be a top baseball player. Together, it’s hard. They have scheduling conflicts, misunderstandings, multiple planes, hotels, and late night phone calls. But through their years; they somehow make it work. It’s not easy, but they try.

That’s what makes this story so real. It’s not sugar coated. When two people love each other, they will make it work as Ella and Christian do. Their story is not easy. They struggle like many young couples, but they learn to communicate and figure what is important to them. Learning are end that this based on a real story is even better..

The story itself is long, but it has heart at the end of the day. There is no spice or steam. It’s just sweet romance…a story of a couple finding their groove and finding their way back to each other time and time again.

The story was well written and engaging and I found myself rooting for the couple. Narrration by Ashley Eckstein was great. She really brought out the joy and life in this story.

Thank you NetGalley and Brilliance publishing for the opportunity to review this book.

[Lily · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this emotional new romance novel from Ashley Eckstein and Samantha Chase, readers follow actress Ella Rose Holt as a chance encounter, lucky number, and semi-blind date set her up with baseball star Christian Lucas. Trying to juggle two busy careers on top of their relationship, they do their best to grow their romance and choose each other when and where they can, but the pressures of their jobs means that sometimes they have to choose between their ambitions and their relationship -- and what that means for their happy ending and some of the big decisions every couple makes. Packed with details and great characters, readers will love seeing the long view of Ella Rose and Christian’s relationship, while the emotional beats really engage readers with the narrative and their changing dynamic. The characters are the emotional heart of the story, and readers will really enjoy seeing how they grow as characters and a couple over the course of the book. The pacing is great and the side characters help flesh out the tension between their relationship and careers. A charming and emotional read, romance fans will love the collaboration between Samantha Chase and Ashley Eckstein that brings this novel to life.

Thanks to NetGalley and Blue Box Press for the advance copy.

[Hannah Burke · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Blue Box Press for an ARC of this book!

This was such a sweet love story! I love how vulnerable this story was and how much Ashley was willing to share from her own experiences in her life and marriage into this story.

Ella and Christian are such an interesting match. I loved how the number 22 was special to them and kept coming up in unique ways through their relationship. I loved learning more about how difficult relationships can be to maintain in the Hollywood/Sports industries. I loved how the authors were detailed with explaining how challenging it can be to live out of a suitcase, traveling constantly to different states and countries, and not able to plant roots anywhere because you are constantly on the road. All while trying to maintain a new relationship.

I really appreciated Ella’s honesty towards Christian with her concern for his health and biting her tongue when she knew he wouldn’t receive the information well. At the same time, I loved how Christian got to a point where he realized that some of his decisions have been selfish because of the nature of his career. I felt that he had some deep personal development as well as Ella who really needed to contemplate what she valued and what was most important in her life.

[Jillian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley, Brilliance Publishing, Brilliance Audio, Ashley Eckstein & Samantha Chase for the chance to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

First of all-- if you're an outsider reading this book--- it's a sugary sweet fairy tale. Ashley gives us the heads up of that in beginning of her note from the author. If you love a story like that- I think you'll enjoy this book.

Second of all- if you're not an outsider--- and in my case, I live in St. Louis, remember the Eckstein years and also worked for the team in some capacity for.. awhile... Girl, just write your memoir. This did not need to be a fiction novel. All the name changes were did not protect the innocent, I'll tell ya that. They were the thinnest veil. (I'm still surprised Albert (Alejandro?) or Yadi (Javi?) didn't show up somewhere in the story.)

Live it! Shout it! I mean, you practically did.. but "Bus driver, MOVE THAT BUS!" ya know?

Also- I just googled "is David Eckstein's dad still alive?" because WOOF girl.. she did not hold back. And in case you were wondering too, nope, he died. In 2018. I mean, good for her speaking her truth- but Christmas might be weird this year....

Narration was great and added to the sugary sweetness and attitude of the story!

[Alice · Rating 2 out of 5]

If you like a sweet and clean romance, this is the book for you not a lot of tension or fighting not. A lot of spice, well 0 spice? The book was fine. I just thought it was going to be a little bit more something I can't really explain it. It was just very plain. The story was fine. I understand it was i've written on the author's true life.But I just felt like it was blah blah- ella as an actress, and she believes in the power of her favorite number 22, and she sees a baseball player at a game Christian. And they get introduced kind of through her publicist, but they end up having a spark, get married. And it's the story of how it works with her being an actress and him being a baseball player. And it's a fine story. I just knead a little bit more in my books. I guess I just don't. I thought it was plain. I really don't have any other words for it. I waited for Ella to stand up for herself sometimes. And it never happened. And I understand that's how she wrote her book. And that's fine. But if you like clean romances, this is the book for you.

Thank you, net galley for the arc in n exchange for an honest review

[Ariel Chernich · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley and Blue Box Press for an ARC of Lucky 22! I am a huge fan of Ashley Eckstein (my daughter is named after her), Ahsoka Tano (I have her tattooed on my arm), and Star Wars (my husband and I went to see Rogue One for our first date and got married on Star Wars Day) I also grew up in St. Louis watching the Cardinals win the World Series on my 9th birthday. So many invisible strings!!

When I heard Ashley Eckstein was writing a book, I knew I had to read it ASAP!! I appreciate that the author’s note mentioned “more stardust than spice” that was a very sweet touch, and yes there’s no spice, only kisses.

It was fun deciphering what shows and movies Ella was in based on Ashley Eckstein’s filmography and I’m disappointed with the people who treated her poorly.

Overall, I am a big fan of this book. I did notice a continuity error regarding Mr. Lucas’s health journey but nothing major.

Here are a couple of my favorite quotes from the book.

“In baseball, I put my teammates first, and you are now my most important teammate.”

“You’ve worked too hard to not walk through doors when they open.”