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A Berry Bad Neighbor
She came to write a new chapter. She didn't expect him to rewrite her story.
Julia Willoughby's secret wild raspberry patch has been picked clean, and the evidence points straight to the annoyingly charming man next door.
Six months ago, she opened Fresh Chapter, a raw food café dedicated to providing healthy alternatives to the quirky, book-loving community of New Fable. Then Beckett Sadler hung a winking fiberglass pancake man above the storefront next door, filled every seat in the house, and started serving her wild black raspberries in his daily special.
As New Fable's summer festival season heats up, Julia discovers that Beckett is considerably harder to dismiss than she'd like, and that some ingredients, no matter how unlikely the pairing, have a way of complementing each other perfectly.
Nestled on the shores of Lake Cozy, New Fable is a book-themed town where Main Street welcomes everyone, love is always in season, and the romance is always sweet.
Julia Willoughby's secret wild raspberry patch has been picked clean, and the evidence points straight to the annoyingly charming man next door.
Six months ago, she opened Fresh Chapter, a raw food café dedicated to providing healthy alternatives to the quirky, book-loving community of New Fable. Then Beckett Sadler hung a winking fiberglass pancake man above the storefront next door, filled every seat in the house, and started serving her wild black raspberries in his daily special.
As New Fable's summer festival season heats up, Julia discovers that Beckett is considerably harder to dismiss than she'd like, and that some ingredients, no matter how unlikely the pairing, have a way of complementing each other perfectly.
Nestled on the shores of Lake Cozy, New Fable is a book-themed town where Main Street welcomes everyone, love is always in season, and the romance is always sweet.
154 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 17, 2026
About the author
Erin Lucy
13 books24 followersErin Lucy is partial to beaches and corn fields. She loves small towns, quaint cities, and places that feel cozy. Her social media of choice is Instagram. She’s also on Facebook, or you can stop by her website to see what she’s up to.
She has a day job, three kids, a husband, and some pets. If she’s not writing, she might be reading, going to church, going to the gym, or drinking way too much boba tea.
Long ago she received an English degree with Honors from a college in the Midwest.
She has a day job, three kids, a husband, and some pets. If she’s not writing, she might be reading, going to church, going to the gym, or drinking way too much boba tea.
Long ago she received an English degree with Honors from a college in the Midwest.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Author
⸻
A Berry Bad Neighbor was a total mood read for me. I wasn’t looking for anything deep or emotional. I just wanted something fun, light, and distracting for a couple of hours. This book delivered exactly that.
Thank you, Erin Lucy, for the ARC and the opportunity to read and review A Berry Bad Neighbor.
I’m pretty sure this book found me at exactly the right time. Last night it was 104 degrees at my house in Northern California. Not “summer is here” hot. More like “why does it feel like August already?” hot. Summer doesn’t even officially start for another week.
Needless to say, I wasn’t leaving the house.
Instead, I parked myself on the couch with the AC going, a cold glass of Pinot Grigio, and my Kindle. A few chapters later, I had completely forgotten how miserable it was outside.
Julia and Beckett are one of those couples where you know pretty quickly what’s going on, even if they don’t. Julia is trying to run her café and mind her business. Beckett is…well…being Beckett. The berry situation had me laughing because it felt like such a small thing to start a feud over, but somehow it worked. Their interactions felt playful and genuine instead of overly dramatic.
And Beckett? Let’s just say I understood the appeal even when Julia was trying very hard not to.
One quote that really stood out to me was:
“Some ingredients, no matter how unlikely the pairing, have a way of complementing each other perfectly.”
Honestly, that’s the whole book right there.
What I liked most wasn’t even the romance. It was the feeling of the story. New Fable feels like the kind of town that would somehow have a festival for everything. The kind of place where everyone knows everyone else’s business but still shows up when you need them. Reading it felt comfortable. Familiar. Like slipping into your favorite sweatshirt at the end of a long day.
And can we appreciate a novella that actually knows it’s a novella? Nothing dragged. Nothing felt stretched out. The story got in, did its job, made me smile, and got out before I could start checking how many pages were left.
By the end I was genuinely disappointed there wasn’t more because I would’ve happily spent another hundred pages hanging out with these characters.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Was it life-changing? No.
Was it exactly what I wanted while hiding from a 104-degree heat wave with a glass of wine? Absolutely.
If you’re into small-town romance, cute rivalries, summer festival vibes, and stories that leave you feeling a little happier than when you started, I’d definitely recommend putting this one on your radar.
Now I need to know… am I the only person who chooses books based on the weather, or does anyone else have a “too hot to function” reading mood?
#ABerryBadNeighbor #ErinLucy #ARCReview #BookReview #RomanceReader #CozyRomance #SmallTownRomance
A Berry Bad Neighbor was a total mood read for me. I wasn’t looking for anything deep or emotional. I just wanted something fun, light, and distracting for a couple of hours. This book delivered exactly that.
Thank you, Erin Lucy, for the ARC and the opportunity to read and review A Berry Bad Neighbor.
I’m pretty sure this book found me at exactly the right time. Last night it was 104 degrees at my house in Northern California. Not “summer is here” hot. More like “why does it feel like August already?” hot. Summer doesn’t even officially start for another week.
Needless to say, I wasn’t leaving the house.
Instead, I parked myself on the couch with the AC going, a cold glass of Pinot Grigio, and my Kindle. A few chapters later, I had completely forgotten how miserable it was outside.
Julia and Beckett are one of those couples where you know pretty quickly what’s going on, even if they don’t. Julia is trying to run her café and mind her business. Beckett is…well…being Beckett. The berry situation had me laughing because it felt like such a small thing to start a feud over, but somehow it worked. Their interactions felt playful and genuine instead of overly dramatic.
And Beckett? Let’s just say I understood the appeal even when Julia was trying very hard not to.
One quote that really stood out to me was:
“Some ingredients, no matter how unlikely the pairing, have a way of complementing each other perfectly.”
Honestly, that’s the whole book right there.
What I liked most wasn’t even the romance. It was the feeling of the story. New Fable feels like the kind of town that would somehow have a festival for everything. The kind of place where everyone knows everyone else’s business but still shows up when you need them. Reading it felt comfortable. Familiar. Like slipping into your favorite sweatshirt at the end of a long day.
And can we appreciate a novella that actually knows it’s a novella? Nothing dragged. Nothing felt stretched out. The story got in, did its job, made me smile, and got out before I could start checking how many pages were left.
By the end I was genuinely disappointed there wasn’t more because I would’ve happily spent another hundred pages hanging out with these characters.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Was it life-changing? No.
Was it exactly what I wanted while hiding from a 104-degree heat wave with a glass of wine? Absolutely.
If you’re into small-town romance, cute rivalries, summer festival vibes, and stories that leave you feeling a little happier than when you started, I’d definitely recommend putting this one on your radar.
Now I need to know… am I the only person who chooses books based on the weather, or does anyone else have a “too hot to function” reading mood?
#ABerryBadNeighbor #ErinLucy #ARCReview #BookReview #RomanceReader #CozyRomance #SmallTownRomance
June 29, 2026
This book is absolutely outstanding! Erin Lucy's storytelling consistently captivates! A Berry Bad Neighbor is a delightful, breezy summer read, ideal for unwinding on a lazy afternoon. Featuring engaging, relatable characters, humorous moments, and a swoon-worthy couple, readers are sure to enjoy a berry good time! I couldn't get enough of this hilarious and clever book! The dance for the hidden camera had me in stitches; I thought I would never stop laughing! It's such a delightful, feel good read! Julia and Beckett have vastly different perspectives on life, which adds a wonderful layer of banter and wit. This tale kept me grinning throughout, thanks to its clever jokes and amusing mishaps. New Fable is an enchanting small town that will capture your heart with its quirky characters, and I eagerly anticipate more stories from its vibrant residents.
Review of advance copy received from Author
It was good!
Beckett’s a goofball.
He and Julia can have joint custody of the blackberries, LOL.
I love Julia’s expectations of a stereotypical guy, haha 😂 She’s not wrong! But aren’t we both glad that there are exceptions to the stereotype out there.
Cats are great judges for bakeoffs. Honestly, they can’t have walnuts, though.
So romantic, Margie: “My friend…[watched the kiss], and she swooned so hard, she almost pulled a groin muscle.”
And whoever that was: don’t call him Becky! Just no!
Beckett’s a goofball.
He and Julia can have joint custody of the blackberries, LOL.
I love Julia’s expectations of a stereotypical guy, haha 😂 She’s not wrong! But aren’t we both glad that there are exceptions to the stereotype out there.
Cats are great judges for bakeoffs. Honestly, they can’t have walnuts, though.
So romantic, Margie: “My friend…[watched the kiss], and she swooned so hard, she almost pulled a groin muscle.”
And whoever that was: don’t call him Becky! Just no!
Review of advance copy received from Author
This book was berry good! The underlying humor in this book was adorable. The nutrition Nazi and the flapjack man. The catchy names of the establishments the town name is just so cute.
I loved the clean romantic story told. There was the fair share of drama but it was filled with humor, tropes and great characters. If you enjoy clean romance with an author telling the story the good old fashioned way this book is for you. It helps that I have been reading for this author for a while but she surprises me every time with her stories if romance.
I loved the clean romantic story told. There was the fair share of drama but it was filled with humor, tropes and great characters. If you enjoy clean romance with an author telling the story the good old fashioned way this book is for you. It helps that I have been reading for this author for a while but she surprises me every time with her stories if romance.
June 25, 2026
Erin Lucy's stories never disappoint! A Berry Bad Neighbor is a lighthearted and simple summer read perfect for a relaxing afternoon. With fun, relatable characters, funny moments, and a swoonworthy couple, readers are in for a berry good time!
Julia discovers her wild black raspberry patch has been raided, and she's sure her brand new neighbor, Beckett, is to blame. He opens a shop right next door, and the special item on his menu is, you guessed it, raspberries! As the summer heats up, so does the relationship between Julia and Beckett...
Julia discovers her wild black raspberry patch has been raided, and she's sure her brand new neighbor, Beckett, is to blame. He opens a shop right next door, and the special item on his menu is, you guessed it, raspberries! As the summer heats up, so does the relationship between Julia and Beckett...
July 4, 2026
A quick read that has all the sweet cozy vibes you can ask for. Two competing storefronts, one field of berries. And a bakeoff. There were cut oneliners and humorous moments. A nice feel good read.
The sugar to health ratio discussion is off-putting a little. Sometimes you understand the struggle that is watching your numbers and what you eat. And then sometimes the information provided is completely wrong and more of an opinion.
The sugar to health ratio discussion is off-putting a little. Sometimes you understand the struggle that is watching your numbers and what you eat. And then sometimes the information provided is completely wrong and more of an opinion.
June 19, 2026
I enjoyed this fun easy read from page one. Julia and Beckett have completely different outlooks on life which lends its hand to banter and wit. This story kept me smiling all the way through with the jokes and mishaps. New Fable is a charming small town that will draw you in with its unique cast of characters, and I look forward to reading more stories from its residents.
July 2, 2026
This was a cute, quick read. It definitely enforced the never judge a book by its cover saying. Julia was quick to judge Beckett but once she got to actually talking to him and not just judging, he surprised her and she found she liked what he saw. Only critique is I wish it had been written in first person rather than third.
June 26, 2026
I couldn't get enough of this book! It was hilarious and witty! That dance for the hidden camera! Oh my gosh I thought I would never stop laughing! Such a fun, feel good book!
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews