Holy cannoli!! What a wild ride! Creepy and twisted and oddly addicting. Tiffany knows how to wield the pen and create fantastical stories that grab you from the very first page. From the moment I opened this book, I was sucked in and couldn’t put it down. I found myself talking out loud, and often, in order to make heads or tails about what happened. And I should pat myself on the back, because I was right!! Well, my first gut feeling was right. The more I read, the more I changed my mind, but I kept coming back to my original thought. Yay, me!

Allison goes back to house she grew up in, only to confront her past ghosts. Something happened that made her leave and she is determined to find out what really happened. She meets up with all her past family and finds out that there were more secrets than she ever imagined. But she will stop at nothing to uncover what really happened.

This book made me uncomfortable, and not because it’s made up, but because it’s probably real. While the story itself is made up, the finer points I’m sure happened. Sick and twisted, but forgiving and hopeful. That is all I will say. I want you to go in this with an open and clear mind.

The Lucky Ones is a standalone that will keep you engaged and guessing till the very end. I hope you love it as much as I did! Plus it has a character, from another book, that many may get excited about. I know I did. And it made me love this book even more.

It's hard to know how to classify "The Lucky Ones," because it blends so many genres into one succinct package: mystery/thriller, drama, romance. As a fan of all of those categories, I really enjoyed this book and think anyone else who enjoys a multi-layered book will too.

Allison was just a child when she was fostered by Dr. Capello, a rich man with a beautiful home along the Oregon coast. She loved every minute of her life in the house with the other children taken in by the doctor - until she was possibly pushed down a flight of stairs and was whisked away by an elderly aunt, never to hear from the people she thought of as family again; that is, until Dr. Capello is dying and Allison is invited to the house to say goodbye. Will the visit bring back memories both good and bad? And will she finally find out what happened all those years ago?

I really enjoyed the setting of this book - the Dragon, a beautiful Victorian-style beach home filled with secrets and misfits. It was the perfect place to set this book, where things begin to not add up as time goes on. The slow-burn atmosphere blends well with the setting.

I also loved that there was enough foreshadowing to figure out some things, but not the entire big picture. There were some revelations I gasped out loud at (hint, without spoiling: Allison's role in the house). I also liked that the big picture made you think. I was, and still am, very conflicted about everything and would love to chat with others who have read it to see what they think.

It's a complicated book with a complicated plot - but I enjoyed it so, so much. It would be a great spring/summer read out on a porch with a glass of tea by your side.

That actually sounds really nice...

Not even remotely the direction I was expecting, and it kept me guessing and turning pages throughout! I love that while there are certain hallmarks of a Tiffany Reisz book, there's also always something new or unexpected. I mean really, who would have thought?!

I never quite know what to expect when I pick up a Tiffany Reisz book not in her Original Sinner series. I absolutely adore her writing voice, so I have to read everything she writes. The Lucky Ones was a great story that I struggled to pick the right category to classify, so I went with gothic mystery, as Allison was trying to solve a mystery from the moment she received a letter about her former foster dad.

Dr. Vincent Capello took in the children it seemed no one wanted and made them a family. Allison came to live with the family after an altercation with another foster child in a new foster home. Allison seemed to fit in pretty much from the start and I loved how she slowly started to remember things from her childhood the more time she spent with her "siblings." Since Allison was never officially adopted by Dr. Capello, it was more of an emotional family connection, and the more time Allison and her "oldest brother" Roland spent together, it was obvious they were a perfect match for one another.

I pretty much figured out what had happened to Allison long before she and Roland began investigating the other children who had lived there before Allison lived there and even a couple while she was there. While I didn't know all of the backgrounds of the kids until the reveal, I did figure out Dr. Capello had something to do with each of his kids being there or the kids that weren't there any longer. I loved seeing Allison reconnect with her siblings Thora and Deacon, and the humor that came from those 2 had me laughing out loud anytime they appeared on the page. The story was pretty serious, so I needed the levity I felt with them at times to get through some of the more serious and upsetting scenes.

While the Original Sinners series of books will always be my favorite from Ms. Reisz, I have to say I've enjoyed each of her gothic mysteries she has put out each year as stand alone books. The Lucky Ones was more of a mystery than a romance, but I loved there were still elements of romance throughout, and has been my favorite of her stand-alone books to date.


Rating: 4 Stars (B)

This book was so inappropriate, but I really enjoyed it. I should be completely embarrassed to admit that, sort of like watching reality tv, but I'm not. The writing was good, the story was new, and I found it entertaining. I wanted to know what was going on in this strange, dysfunctional family and what happened all those years ago.

Depending on your moral stance, there may be several scenes in this book that are difficult to take. For one thing, if socially unacceptable relationships make you cringe this is not going to be the book for you. There are sexual relationships between several different people which will make you uncomfortable. In addition, there are ethically questionable medical practices and child welfare practices at different points in the book. There are discussions and decisions that are not easy and may ay make you think or they may just disgust you.

“She'd known nothing but love here, nothing but kindness. But someone must have left a door open a crack and evil had snuck in when no one was looking.”

I had no idea what I was getting into with this book and I simply enjoyed the ride. It was fun. It was interesting. It kept me wanting to go back for more. The twists weren't super shocking, but fairly realistic for the most part. Definitely worth a read.

The Lucky Ones
by Tiffany Reisz

Disturbing, dark and very intriguing read

It took me a little bit to get into this book. I'm glad I did. It was definitely a good read. It's title is so fitting. It opens with Allison finding out that man she'd know as her father for a short period of her life is dying. She's just getting her life on track after being a mistress for a rich man who's found someone a little younger than her to marry. The trip back home to see her father Dr. Capello opens up secrets and lies about the life she thought she lived with the doctor who took in troubled children and healed them. It brings a lot of the past to life for her as well as the others who grew up in the house as Dr. Capello's children.
The story has a bit of a gothic mystery feel and the history of the doctors past and the house they all lived in was really engaging. This is my review for netgalley for allowing me to read an advanced copy.
I've also shared my review on Amazon. It has not been approved yet.

The Lucky Ones by Tiffany Reisz
Source: Netgalley and Purchase
My Rating: 5 HUGE stars

Dear Tiffany Reisz,

Is it absolutely necessary and/or mandatory for you to break my brain every damn time I read one your luscious, sick, twisted books? Yes? Really? FINE! Then I shall continue to buy your books and know my brain is going to be melted at the end, and you shall be giggling manically somewhere in the world 😊

Sincerely,
RoloPoloBookBlog

Now that I’ve gotten that out of the way . . . .

I always know Tiffany Reisz’s books are going to be dark and twisted, but even I didn’t see this business coming. At its core, The Lucky Ones is a morally squishy tale of an ethically squishy medical doctor whose intentions may have been good and right, but his actions, well, ethically squishy.

To all the world, Dr. Vincent Capello is a saint, a doctor/surgeon who often works for free to help the less fortunate. Additionally, Dr. Capello has taken in several of his charity cases over the years, adopted more than a few, and fostered many others. Oh, yes, to the world, Dr. Capello is a saint. To his adopted children, Dr. Capello is no different, and perhaps even more; to his adopted children, Dr. Capello is a savior, a man selfless and giving, kind and caring, and patient beyond belief.
But there are two sides to every story . . . .

Allison was meant to be one of Dr. Capello’s adopted kids, but thanks to a freak accident, she was taken away and raised by her aging aunt far, far away from the home and foster siblings she had come to know and love. In the years since, Allison has often wondered about her foster family and the accident that took her away from the one place she thought she would always be safe and loved. It isn’t until her “boyfriend” dumps her and her favorite of the foster siblings reaches out with devastating news that Allison considers going home. But, going home is never easy, and Allison has some serious questions and concerns about her time in her former foster home.

As soon as Allison arrives at her former home, she is forced to face not only her feelings from the past, but the irksome feeling that she has forgotten something vitally important about her past, her time in the Capello’s home. Every encounter with her former foster siblings answers a few questions, but leaves her with many, many more. In fact, it doesn’t take more than a day for Allison to figure out the Capello home is full of inconsistencies and lies, a situation she just can’t tolerate. Not one to let a lie go, Allison begins poking around in the past, asking questions Dr. Capello would rather never have asked. With every new path of inquiry, Allison discovers sinister goings on that involve her far more deeply than she could have ever imagined. In fact, when the truth comes to light, Allison isn’t at all sure she’s safe in the home she once loved so dearly.

The Bottom Line: I knew this story was going to be twisted, but I had no idea it would be the kind of twisted it is! I listened to this book on Audible and am fairly certain my mouth was hanging open the whole time the big, ugly truth was being revealed. Here’s the real dirty secret: like the fictional serial killer, Dexter, you know you’re meant to disapprove of the information being given and the actions that have been taken, but you also understand the logic and reasoning behind the actions. In fact, by the time I finished this book, my own sense of morality over the information and actions in this read felt squishy. I’m fairly certain that was the author’s intention and ultimately loved every second of this read. I have said it before and I am saying it again, Tiffany Reisz doesn’t just write, she crafts, she weaves, she winds, she twists and turns, and she leaves you wondering what the hell just happened by the end of the read. By the way, you LOVE every second, every minute of her madness and often can’t put the book down. Hands down, Tiffany Reisz is one of the most gifted and twisted among her contemporaries and I am absolutely certain I will be taking many, many more trips down the rabbit hole with her.

P.S. Tiffany Reisz and Colleen McCullough are the only two authors out there who can make sleeping with a man of the cloth not only acceptable, but also sexy 😊

My feelings for this novel are very confusing, but I'm going to try to work through it here in this review. This was an interesting story but it left me with mixed feelings. 

Right away, this novel began with Allison breaking up with her lover. As the breakup is happening, she receives a package from her foster brother, Roland, and she decides to act upon it. Thus begins a journey that defines family, and the lengths one will go to protect it. 

The plot has 2 components to it: romance and suspense. I really liked the suspense angle, but the romance was not as great for me. The mystery of this entire novel revolved around Allison trying to figure out what happened that fateful night of the "accident" and who could have done it. As she works to understand this, she realizes there are a whole lot of other secrets that need to be uncovered. I quite liked this part because there were a lot of psychological terms and concepts. It's nothing too difficult to understand but it was an interesting perspective on a controversial area of psychology. I enjoyed watching Allison piece things together, and I liked that she felt conflicted about the issues raised in the story. It gives the reader some food for thought, and that is always a great thing. 

And then comes the romance angle. In the beginning of the novel, we are told that Allison used to be a mistress for a very rich man for 6 years. This fact is reiterated multiple times in the story. Now, I didn't have a problem with her being a mistress. But I did have a problem with the nature of her relationship with her ex-lover. Throughout the novel, she keeps in touch with this character, and while he does play an important role as an information-finder, their friendliness with each other just felt odd. Even if you are a mistress, even if you knew that it was about sex, it doesn't negate the fact that you would have feelings for this person and feel bitter about the termination of the relationship. But I saw none of that. It didn't seem realistically portrayed and so, every time it was brought up, it took me out of the story.

I didn't mind the new romance that developed but it was a little quick for my taste. The author's attempts at humor through sex jokes were ... well, a little lame. It kind of took away from the development of the new relationship.

I think that the one thing that half-worked and half-didn't work for me was the ending. I liked most of it, but then there comes a crucial point where Allison has to make a decision about where she is going to go in her future. I don't necessarily think that the choice she ultimately makes is a bad one ... but I wish it had been better developed; the way it was done in the book made it seem like she was too weak to make the other choice. 

Overall, this book gave me mixed feelings. On the one hand, the mystery was intriguing and I liked the interesting debate it brought up. But the romance and conclusion were just okay for me. However, I did enjoy the book as a whole. For this reason, I'm giving it a 3/5 stars and would recommend this to fans of the author and to those who like romance and suspense!

Of course I adore this author and how she strings words together. I feel like I was reading how you watch a scary movie - with my hand covering my eyes and looking through my fingers. Lol. It’s unsettling, but it also makes you think... the lines between right and wrong are often blurry.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

Honestly, this book took a little time to digest so that I could decide what it really was - mystery, suspense, thriller, romance - it's mash up is what it is. There's a dash of forbidden romance, there's an air of mystery surrounding the house and family, and there is a touch of thriller/suspense when the horrific details are untangled.

The secrets that bind these people together are just creepy and some are downright terrible. These kids suffered and were all brought together by Dr. Capello who tried to heal them and give them a family. The back stories for each of the kids are interesting and how they came to be in the care of Dr. Capello is at first heartwarming, but then takes a dark twist.

The forbidden romance part of the book felt a little Flowers in the Attic at times, but then again there are no blood siblings in the family so... but still ick! I guess their lives could have been eve more messed up than this. Interestingly enough, though they each know more than they let on to the others, they seem pretty normal on the outside. Perhaps it's the deep down emotional side that's hidden and will one day surface, unless the truly are The Lucky Ones.

Were these kids really The Lucky Ones? I guess in one sense they were, but in another they might not have been. Who's to say if the life they ended up with is the best one.

My other thoughts on this story were about good versus evil and what people consider to be evil. Or how evil is presented. I think in this book there were a few versions of evil presented. Not all can agree on the correct pursuit of curbing this so called evilness. I think that's where this story falls - into the undecided.

I thought I would have connected with the main character, Allison, more, but the one character that truly stood out to me was Deacon. He was hilarious, chivalrous and compassionate. I think he balanced out the quiet Roland, the impulsive Thora and the brave Allison.

The cover of this book is well suited to the creepy feel of the story of the kids in the house of hidden horrors.

“Sometimes you slay a dragon. Sometimes you cut off its head and three more grow in its place.”

This book had us up all night reading; we could not put it down. It was compelling, tragic, addictive, thrilling and sensual. Tiffany Reisz truly has a way with words that are uniquely hers. You are never unsure of just who’s book you’re reading when you pick one hers up. It was intense, humorous, sarcastic, devastating and full of heart and soul.

‘Too many secrets in this house. So many they were starting to feel like…Lies.’

When Tiffany Reisz writes a character, by the end of the book you feel as if you know them. You go on a personal journey with them. The depth and complexity of the characters is second to none. The weight of friendship and love in her stories is remarkable; the characters make her stories what they are: wonderful and unique with an individual sense of tragedy and realism. She always touches upon issues that spark numerous debates yet she does so with care, attention and sensitivity.

‘…in those ten seconds, Allison felt completely and utterly and unconditionally loved and accepted and home. Her home. Her family.’

This story is told by twenty-five year old Allison and it begins with a breakup from the –quite frankly- delectable Cooper McQueen the naughty cad. We immediately recognised Allison; she’s a wonderfully typical Tiffany Reisz heroine; what with her sense of humour, her vulnerability, her inner strength and her bright sensibility. Her story begins when she’s handed a letter from her past which sets her on a life changing journey of a much needed but devastating discovery and supressed revelations. Love was snatched away from her at a young age; is a journey back to where it all began going to give her a second chance or will it horrify and haunt her forever?

“I dreamed you’d come and find me,” she said.

“Why me?”

“Wishful thinking,” she said. “You were always my favorite.”

“Favorite sibling?”

“Favorite person. Ever. On earth. I was a little in love with you. And maybe a little in lust…”

Allison has no one to call family; until Dr Capello enters her life when she’s seven years old. Dr Capello; is a man who’s seen as a saviour of children. Not only is he a skilled neurosurgeon; he’s also fostering children who are either ‘problem children’ or have no real place to call home with loved ones. He’s one of life’s game changers for vulnerable children. When he fosters Allison she’s given an instant family through Foster Dad Vincent Capello and his foster children: Roland, Thora, Deacon, Kendra and Oliver. A family that proves to be more than what she initially thought and then she’s suddenly sent away. Secrets, lies and obsessions, the walls of The Dragon house holds them all as Allison discovers when she makes her journey back ‘home’. Do not hesitate, this is one of those books you’ll be thinking about for days after you’ve read the last page.

‘She’d known nothing but love here, nothing but kindness. But someone must have left a door open a crack and evil had snuck in when no one was looking.’

I'm soooo glad that I read this book. I wasn't expecting the plot to unravel the way it did and it leaves me sitting here feeling sort of all over the place. That was an intense read for a variety of reasons because of all the drama sending you all over the place but what a rush of anticipation this book pushes you to have to know what happens. Let's chat about The Lucky Ones.

Allison was the youngest of a group of kids that were taken in by this beloved doctor. The kids were troubled and he seemed to have the cure to make them better. When her mother died and she was placed in a foster home, Dr. Capello came along and thought she would be the perfect addition to his new family. Everything seemed to be perfect until one day an accident happened and she never returned. One day out of the blue, thirteen years later, she received a letter from one of the kids about Dr. Capello's impending death. She was asked to come there and with the past colliding with the present, she needed to get closure and with that brought her past crashing down. As what happens in the dark comes to light, secrets are revealed that rewrite the past and changes the course of their lives forever.

Did I say how much I loved the book? I don't want to ruin it for you but I can't really explain it. The suspense build up in the book if you want to call it that was crippling because as you learn more about the characters and the way the plot unravels, you don't want to put the book down. Some things will hit you like whoa but then you will realize, it's not as bad as it sounds. For example, I was not feeling Allison in the beginning when I found out she was someone's kept woman. Then I started to warm up because I felt bad for her and she really was a victim of her circumstances. Just like the other characters, you learn their past and there's less judgment from getting to know them. Then when you read about her and Roland, at first I was like, is this wrong? But technically, it not considering. I'll leave that up to you to decide. The secrets, the lies, the love and family all bind this book up to be one heck of a ride. The overall book was paced just right. The characters were great. The plot worked itself out to be what it needed to be. Now, if all her books are as good as this one built up to be, I need to back read. So, here's one to add to the reading list.

Interesting but weird, this is a very unique book! It really delves into some uncomfortable areas to really make you think about things-like what would you do to protect your child? What if the person you are protecting your child from is one of your other children?

Can Tiffany Reisz do no wrong? This author seems to knock it out of the park with every single book, even when I go into the book unsure as to whether I will like it or not. I always end up instantly gripped by her words, and her storylines have me devouring the pages and constantly desperate for more.


For the first half of The Lucky Ones, I was convinced the Capello's were the most perfect family in the world. It was impossible not to love each one of them wholeheartedly, but as I read more, I became very unsure and torn between "I love them so much" and "they're all crazy!!!" No matter what happened, that soft spot I had developed for them remained, and I won't say which side won out by the end, I'll leave it up to you to discover for yourselves.


There were some absolutely fantastic characters with intriguing back stories which I would love to see more of in any possible future books, though I'm not sure how likely that is.


What I do know for definite, is that I will continue to read every word this author puts out there, and no doubt I will love each and every one.

“The Lucky Ones” was my first read from Tiffany Reisz. The blurb was interesting, I love stories filled with secrets and lies!

We meet Allison Lamarque in the present day as she struggling to hold it together. Her lover is breaking up with her….though he prefers thinking they had a “friendly business arrangement”

“So you’re not dumping me, then. You’re firing me.”

As he is leaving, Allison notices a small package addressed to her in the box that he brought with him. It’s postmarked from Oregon. When she sees the name and return address she almost passes out from shock.

Roland Capello

Her brother….Sort of.

When Allison was young her mother passed away and Allison ended up in foster care. Somehow she was one of the “lucky ones” taken in by Dr. Vincent Capello, a famous brain surgeon in Oregon. Dr. Capello was known for helping needy children and even adopted some of them. Allison loves her new family. But then something happens and she’s taken from Oregon and never hears from any of the Capello’s again.

That is…until now. Thirteen years later.

The letter from Roland informs her that Dr. Capello is very ill and doesn’t have long to live. Allison isn’t sure what to do. She has tried hard to forget those days in The Dragon House, but memories of her time there never left her entirely, “it felt like a good dream with a nightmare ending”.

Allison decides to go back to see Dr. Capello and her “siblings”. She is determined to find out what happened that last day before she was sent away. And why is she also missing an entire week of memory from that time?

From the moment Allison arrives in Oregon, she wonders if coming back was a mistake. Memories flood in... The house has a dark history of madness, violence, and more going back decades. What is waiting for her in this house filled with secrets and lies?

Is Allison still in danger?

Well… this was certainly a dark and thought-provoking read. As I mentioned, this was my first read from Tiffany Reisz. Although it may not have been exactly what I was expecting, it was definitely a page-turner that I’m glad I had the chance to read. A twisted tale with turns I never anticipated. The storyline was gripping…secrets and lies, forbidden relationships, medical science, ethics and morals, nature vs. nurture, and more. Allison and her “siblings” Roland, Thora, Deacon, Kendra, Oliver, and Anthony had stories that were both intriguing and disturbing.

“The Lucky Ones” was a suspenseful and edgy read. While there were a few parts that made me a bit uncomfortable, overall I found this to be quite an absorbing and unique read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Mira for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

I love Tiffany Reisz – she’s an auto-read for me, because her storytelling and writing never disappoint. She doesn’t write traditional romances, and honestly I wouldn’t even categorize The Lucky Ones as a romance, but I love her books despite, or even because of, that. This latest book of hers is set along the coast of Oregon – you almost feel as if you’re transported to the Gothic mansion and can feel the breeze of the Pacific. The Lucky Ones honestly gave me the chills as I was reading – it’s mysterious, suspenseful, Gothic… TR constantly kept me on the edge of my seat. I highly recommend this book if you love the author or anything related to mystery!

Too many secrets in this house.
So many they were starting to feel like…
Lies.

Thirteen years ago, Allison was living the perfect life with her adopted family, the Capellos. Dr. Vincent Capello was a renowned brain surgeon with a habit of fostering and adopting troubled children and giving them a life they never thought they’d have – becoming “the lucky ones.” But one mysterious night, Allison was shoved down the stairs and nearly died. She was taken away to live with her aunt, never to contact her beloved family for thirteen years. Now, she gets a letter in the mail from her foster brother, Roland, telling her that Dr. Capello is on his deathbed. She returns to the home she had the happiest days of her life in – and the darkest. Will she discover what truly happened the day she nearly died… or was murdered?

This was the kind of suspenseful novel where I literally had no idea where the author would take me next. It’s a wild, chilling, mind-blowing read – I couldn’t put it down! I won’t tell much more of the story because this is one you have to experience for yourself. Just know that Tiffany will take you on a thrilling, wild, mysterious adventure along the Oregon coast.

After binge reading all of Simone St James’s books, I was eager to read another gothic style, romantics suspense/thriller. This one was coming up on my review calendar and I was super excited to check it out since it was tagged as ‘romantic suspense’ on Goodreads.

The summary hints at so many promising pieces of the plot…..past secrets, romance, and thrills. Plus it’s set on the Oregon coast, as an Oregonian how could I possibly pass up a book set in my home state?

They were seven children either orphaned or abandoned by their parents and chosen by legendary philanthropist and brain surgeon Dr. Vincent Capello to live in The Dragon, his almost magical beach house on the Oregon Coast.

Allison was the youngest of the lucky ones living an idyllic life with her newfound family…until the night she almost died, and was then whisked away from the house and her adopted family forever.

Now, thirteen years later, Allison receives a letter from Roland, Dr. Capello’s oldest son, warning her that their father is ill and in his final days. Allison determines she must go home again and confront the ghosts of her past. She’s determined to find out what really happened that fateful night–was it an accident or, as she’s always suspected, did one of her beloved family members try to kill her?

But digging into the past can reveal horrific truths, and when Allison pieces together the story of her life, she’ll learns the terrible secret at the heart of the family she once loved but never really knew (summary from Goodreads).

Ok so after reading the summary for your self, it sounds like it should be placed firmly in the thriller category. Reisz is a completely new author to me, I have no idea what other books she’s written or what genres she writes in. But after about 10 chapters into this book I found myself wondering why there was so much sex?

I have no problem with erotic literature or trashy bodice ripper romances. So sex in books is not a big deal to me in the least but I like to know what I am getting before I start reading. I was no expecting so much sex in this book. When we first meet Allison, she is going through a break up of sorts and there is a lot of reference to their sexual past–which ok fine. But when she gets to Oregon and meets an old flame–things take a turn for more than just a subtle kiss.

Again, I am not prude nor do I have any issues with this, it was just unexpected in this book. While the focus wasn’t necessarily the sex, there was a lot of it and I found myself feeling like I was reading something that should actually have been more in the romance section that what was alluded to in the summary and other category tags.

So warning, this book contains graphic sex. Point made.

The romance between Roland and Allison is steamy and complex. I won’t give away too much but let’s just say he’s a different kind of unattainable. Not a married man or anything but something else entirely which was surprising and added an interesting layer to the story.

The mystery part was ok. In some ways I actually liked the romance better. I went into it thinking I was getting a thriller but ended up caught up in Allison’s love life because that was so strongly written and enjoyable. I found myself frustrated by the mystery because I wanted more of the romance. Sometimes it works to blend the two genres together but sometimes when someone is such a strong romance writer such as Reisz, it’s hard to blend the two. Side note, Reisz does write erotic novels as her bread and butter–after reading some reviews of those novels, they sound well done.

While at times the mystery frustrated me, it doesn’t mean that I didn’t find it well written. I personally felt that the romance was stronger so that’s the plot that I liked best. The mystery has eerie elements and there were some intensely suspenseful moments. While I didn’t know that I loved this book, I did find it dark and compelling and I kept reading because I had to know how everything was going to mesh in the end.

Challenge/Book Summary:

Book: The Lucky Ones by Tiffany Reisz

Kindle Edition, 368 pages
Published February 13th 2018 by MIRA
ASIN B073ZFLPWJ
Review copy provided by: Author/Publisher in exchange for an honest review
This book counts toward: NA

Hosted by: NA
Books for Challenge Completed: NA
Recommendation: 3 out of 5

Genre: Suspense, thriller, mystery, romance, erotica

Memorable lines/quotes: NA

The Lucky Ones is another book that I have recently finished that I needed to really think about before deciding if I like it or not. In the end, I did like some of the book. However there were parts that I thought unnecessary that kind of ruined the book for me. The story involves Allison, who was fostered by Dr. Capello for a few years when she was a child. After an accident, she went to live with her aunt. Now Dr. Capello is dying and she has been asked by her foster brother to return to the house to say her final goodbyes.

I did enjoy the mystery aspect of the book. The truth of what happened was kind of shocking yet interesting. I thought the reveals and twists were well planned out and the ending was a surprise. I actually liked Allison's character despite some of her choices. She was kind of apologetically a breath of fresh air.

What I didn't care for was the "romantic" part of the book. It's hard to talk about without giving away spoilers. I'll just say that two of the relationships in the book really didn't sit well with me. They made me really uncomfortable and had a certain "ick" factor that I couldn't dismiss. I'm not even sure they were necessary for the book at all. It would have been fine without them. So I'll chalk this one up to "liked it, but didn't love it".

THE LUCKY ONES is Tiffany Reisz’s latest novel that explores human boundaries and social structures, with romantic elements and one heck of a suspenseful plot.

Writing a lengthy review without spoiling the plot is tricky, so I’m going to address a few things very quickly.

- There is no pedophilia
- There is discussion of psychopathy and children doing awful things
- Themes; what is family?, what is the soul?, forgiveness and regret, secrets versus pain, ethics, science, Love.

While there is definitely some content in this book that won’t be for everyone, it avoided several traps. I do wish Reisz had taken a moment in the book to discuss psychopathy that isn’t violent, as there are people who don’t follow laws out of empathy but for other reasons (self-preservation, lack of urges, etc).

This novel quickly rose to the top of my TBR pile when I happened to stumble over a few publicity releases for this novel that compared it to Flowers in the Attic by V.C Andrews. Now, anyone who knows me, knows that Flowers in the Attic happens to be one my favourite books; I am a sucker for the gothic vibe.

Now that I have finished reading, I can attest that The Lucky Ones does have a gothic vibe but, other than that, this novel was absolutely not what I was expecting at all.

The Lucky Ones opens when Allison is called back to her foster home when her foster father, Dr. Vincent Capello, is about to lose his battle with terminal cancer. Heading back to the idyllic beach home after thirteen years away (known as The Dragon) gives Allison mixed feelings. Her memories at The Dragon were positive but short-lived after an accident forces her out of the home and off to live with her great aunt. Known as “the lucky ones” after they were saved by Dr. Capello, Allison is reunited with her foster siblings and if forced to confront her past, but, in doing so, she begins to uncover horrific truths about the family she thought she knew.

First thing first, I did really enjoy the writing style of Tiffany Reisz. This was my first experience with this author and I found her prose easy to become lost in. I had no trouble diving into this novel and settling in. The first chapter gave me a sort of Fifty Shades vibe and I was actually really intrigued to how this was going to tie in with the rest of the novel (it didn’t really…). I still appreciated the ominous tone and the mysterious element surrounding Allison’s childhood.

Once she arrived at The Dragon, the novel sort of began to take a strange turn. It was fairly obvious she was going to have a relationship with one of her foster brothers almost immediately. I didn’t mind that at all. They are foster siblings, not related by blood and, let’s get real; I don’t really have any issue with any sort of strange familial relations in my thrillers. However, I just could not get past the brother/sister references throughout. After they have begun their relationship, they still continuously referred to themselves as brother and sister and that started to really give me a WTF vibe.

Initially, with the bits of mystery/suspense blended in with some romance elements, I thought maybe this would become more “thrilling” as the plot developed but this absolutely teetered more into the romance genre as the novel wore on with the mystery moving into the background. I didn’t actually mind this because I do like a romance novel every now and again and, by the end, I ended up enjoying how unique the tale was; I truly have never read anything remotely like this before. However, I think that readers expecting a mystery will be disappointed.

So, if you are a fan of dark romance, then this may be up your alley but if you are looking for a hard-hitting, suspenseful mystery, this may be lacking.