This is a tough book to review, because while I liked it, I didn’t love it, and it felt very different from the author’s previous work. I really enjoyed All the Dangerous Things (and A Flicker In the Dark is in my to-read pile), but I struggled with Only If You’re Lucky. This is a very slow-burn, character driven novel, and the lack of tension and urgency unfortunately made this a bit of a slog. I also felt this was a bit overlong and maybe could’ve been trimmed or tightened up a bit. However, I do enjoy Willingham’s writing and ultimately I liked how everything came together in the end. I’ll still be reading anything she writes in the future, even though this wasn’t a favorite.

ONLY IF YOU'RE LUCKY is a dark and chilling look into female friendships, the lies we tell, the secrets we keep and how much we can ever know those closest to us. It kept me engaged and I stayed up WAY too late to finish the story because I needed to know how it ended!

"Only If You're Lucky" by Stacy Willingham is a riveting and intense thriller that will keep readers hooked from beginning to end. The story follows a young woman who becomes entangled in a dangerous game of cat and mouse with a cunning and manipulative killer. Willingham's expertly crafted plot twists and turns will keep you guessing until the very last page. With its fast-paced action and suspenseful moments, this book is a must-read for fans of the thriller genre.

Thank you to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to preview and advanced copy of Only If Your Lucky. The opinion's expressed below are my own and this is my honest review.

Overall I enjoyed Stacey Willingham’s newest book, Only If Your Lucky. I previously read and enjoyed A Flicker in the Dark and All The Dangerous Things, so I went into this one with some idea of what I expected, but was surprised to find myself amidst a slow burn thriller, I did enjoy the story overall, but felt as though I were reading a YA/new adult story as opposed to adult fiction and think had I not had my own preconceived notions about what to
expect, I likely would have enjoyed it more. It wasn’t bad, just not what I’d expected.

This is the third book that I have read by Stacy Willingham. The first two were A Flicker In The Dark and All The Dangerous Things and I really enjoyed them both and highly recommend! However, this one was a slow burn for me that seemed geared more towards a younger audience with not a lot of suspense as the previous two that I have read. In this book there were little clues here and there that left you wondering why was that mentioned, but in the end it all made sense and wrapped up as a great ending. In my opinion, if the ending, which was more suspenseful, was consistent throughout the book, it would have been better. Thank you NetGalley, St, Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books, and the author for an ARC of this book!

This book did not feel like the same author of a flicker in the dark or all the dangerous things, but it could have been the environment for me. I still really liked it - and i do love books set in college (ahh takes me back to another time)
I was really surprised by the twist but i figured at some point there would be a connection! It did feel a little slow at times, which is why it was 4 instead of 5 stars!

LOVED this book! Can’t stop recommending it to friends and family, campus thrillers are a particular favorite genre of mine and this didn’t disappoint plus I loved the toxic female friendship theme.

3.5 STARS

Only If You’re Lucky was one of my most anticipated thriller releases of 2024 after reading and loving both of Stacy Willingham’s two previous novels. I would probably consider this one to be my least favourite of the three, but there was a lot I enjoyed in this one! I loved the dark academia vibes and college setting which was so vivid to me. There were a lot of characters, most of them were unlikeable, but it made for some drama.

I did find the first half of the book to be slow as it felt more character driven and building up the story. As a result, I wasn’t pulled into the story very quickly. That being said, once I got just past the halfway mark, I couldn’t put this one down! There was action, secrets being uncovered and a few twists. Some of the reveals I didn’t necessarily find surprising, but there were also some that I didn’t expect.

Overall, I like this one and rated it 3.5 stars. This is definitely not my favourite by this author but I will still keep reading all her work! If you are looking for a slower burn, dark academia mystery with a college setting with themes of friendship at the core, check out Only If You’re Lucky!

Thank you NetGalley, St.Martin's Press and Minotaur Books for the e-arc in exchange of an honest review.

[RECOMMENDATION] For fans of stories with "it" girls, with a darker twist - Pretty Little Liars comes to mind.

[SYNOPSIS] Lucy is THAT girl. She's magnetic, everyone wants to be around her. Margot... not so much. Margot is very much the best friend of the main character. However, Lucy notices her and brings her into her inner circle of close friends. So now Margot is living off-campus wit her, and two more other *chosen* girls, all orbiting Lucy's star energy.

Margot is dealing with some past trauma, as her bestie in high school died not too long after they graduated. And in current times, a frat boy from next door has been brutally murdered and now Lucy is missing.

[REVIEW] I thoroughly enjoyed how this was an interesting thriller, but with an interwoven story of friendship and the dark sides of what you'd do to feel like you belong. It kept me guessing, and intrigued, throughout. It was a bit slow paced for me in the beginning, but picked up in pace as I read.

[This book was gifted from Netgalley & Minotaur Books, thank you! All opinions are my own.]

SYNOPSIS: Margot is unassuming, NOT the center of attention, reeling from a trauma she endured right before college... but is asked by Lucy Sharpe, the bold, dangerous "it girl" to room together for their next year of college. Margot agrees. Margot and Lucy become great friends, and the four girls rooming in the off-campus house grow closer and closer. Then, one of the boys in the fraternity next door is murdered, and Lucy ends up missing.

REVIEW: Thank you to SMP as always for the opportunity to read and review these books! This was definitely a unique thriller, told in multiple timelines, and the twists are revealed slowly, bit by tantalizing bit. The characters aren't "likeable" per se, but you LIKE to not like them. They're real and dimensional and they illicit reactions out of you. This was not my favorite one of Stacy Willingham's, but she sets an incredibly high bar for herself with her current body of work. This one is perfect for fans of twisty thrillers, dark academia, "who is she, REALLY?" vibes, and good ol fashioned murder.

An engaging read that I thoroughly enjoyed! Creeped me out in the best ways. Highly recommend and will purchase several physical and digital copies for library collections. Thank you!!

Stacy Willingham is a must-read author for me, having been an enormous fan of her first two novels. I thoroughly enjoyed Only If You're Lucky, too. The dark academia, college vibe was creepy and fun. I loved all the twists and (mostly) didn't see them coming. I will be reading whatever Willingham writes next. Thank you to St Martins Press/Minotaur and NetGalley for my copy!

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC.

Stacy Willingham’s “Only If You’re Lucky” is a psychological thriller that delves deep into the complexities of friendship, loyalty, and the shadows that past traumas cast on our present lives. The novel follows Margot, a college student whose life intertwines with the enigmatic and charismatic Lucy Sharpe. As the narrative unfolds, Margot is drawn into a web of intrigue that challenges her perceptions of truth and tests the bonds of friendship.

Willingham crafts a world that is both familiar and unsettling, capturing the essence of college life with its vibrant social dynamics and the undercurrents of something darker lurking just beneath the surface. The characters are richly developed, with Margot’s introspective journey juxtaposed against Lucy’s magnetic allure. The supporting cast, including Sloane and Nicole, add depth to the narrative, each bringing their own secrets and motivations to the story.

The pacing of the novel is deliberate, with Willingham taking her time to build the suspense, layer by layer. The prose is evocative, often painting vivid scenes that linger in the reader’s mind. While some may find the buildup slow, the payoff is worth the wait, culminating in a finale that is both unexpected and thought-provoking.

“Only If You’re Lucky” is a testament to Willingham’s ability to weave a tale that is as much about the human psyche as it is about the mystery at its core. It’s a novel that invites readers to question how well they truly know those around them and at what point loyalty becomes a prison of its own making.

“Only If You’re Lucky” is a gripping addition to the thriller genre, offering a fresh take on the complexities of human relationships. With its blend of suspense, emotional depth, and a twist that will leave readers reeling, it’s a novel that is sure to resonate long after the final page is turned. Willingham has once again proven her skill in crafting a story that is both entertaining and insightful, solidifying her place as a notable voice in contemporary fiction.

Meh. I liked it but it wasn’t a favorite. It felt some parts kept re-iterating the same thing. I did like that even though it was college, the characters felt relatable.

I wanted to love this one but just took too long to get going for me, just too slow building up. The ending pulled it around for me with a good twist.

I have enjoyed all 3 books by Stacy. She writes suspense in small towns with mystery wrapped in it. The thing about Willinghams stories is that they could all be true. Only if you're lucky is no different. Margot as the narrator is interesting. A wallflower desperate for love. In the midst of grief. Sometimes a dual point of view. We watch her friendship with Lucy unfold as we also see what's happening after Lucy goes missing. By the end I was hating all the dead people. Which is wild to me. I was ready to riot for some side character. And honestly made me so glad I wasn't in college anymore. Her main characters are young here. And that's hard. I'd be interested to have read this story from Eliza's dad's point of view.

4 stars. I am excited to buy this.

Margot recently lost her best friend and now she’s going to the college they were supposed to go to together. She spends most of her first year coped up in her room instead of partying or doing any of the typical college things.

At the end of the year, ‘it’ girl Lucy invites Margot to move in with her and two others into an off campus apartment owned by the fraternity next door. Not wanting to go home for the summer, Margot accepts and moves in with them. She soon finds out that someone from her past is joining the fraternity and she is not happy.

As the summer goes on and the new semester starts things begin to change for Margot. She starts coming out of her shell more and gets really close with the girls, especially Lucy. Weird stuff starts happening and Margot starts questioning everything.

This book threw me to say the least. There were multiple times where I thought I knew what was going on but then BAM plot twist. This story was so well written. The characters were amazing - each playing the part needed to in order to make you think you knew the answers when you really had no idea until the very end. I could not put this book down. The story is written in a before and after format which I tend to enjoy because I’m always trying to figure out when the timelines will meet and if I have all the information yet.

This book is definitely worth the read if you’re into who-done-it, unpredictable plot, dual timeline type stories. I read another book by this author last year and really enjoyed it so I had high hopes for this one and was not disappointed.

Thank you, NetGalley and Minotaur Books for this arc in return for an honest review.

This book was a wonderfully twisty thriller. To keep me guessing until the very end is a tough feat but the author did it!

3 stars. This was a slow but that kept me entertained and wondering who was the killer and where did Lucy go. Compared to her other previous books, this one was ok. I think it was difficult to make a connection with some of the characters as we are told a story in a way that seems like we are in the middle of the "fog". I didn't like some of the characters, specially Lucy. There was something about her since the beginning that made me super uncomfortable. Also, they talk about how the guys "used them" but besides Nicole and her boyfriend I didn't see any other altercation. What rescues this book to be a lower rating is the plot twist at the end. I wasn't really expecting that!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and St Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books for the ARC of Only if You’re Lucky by Stacy Willingham.

Only my 2nd book that I’ve picked up by Stacy Willingham, but both times I’ve greatly enjoyed them. In this one, you learn about Margot and her best friend from high school. Introduce the boy, Levi, who comes between them. Then Margot goes off to college and you meet her new friends, and here comes Levi again. What is thread that times them together. How are all these players connected? The twist at the end is one I did not see coming. I had thought I knew how it was going to end, but was I wrong!!