Rounded to 4.5 stars. It took me about 48% to get into the book but once I got the halfway point I couldn’t put it down. I guessed some of the plot twist but the big one at the end had me shook. I didn’t see that coming at all and it redeemed the book for me.

I received an eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This might be my new favorite Stacy Willingham - probably because I am a sucker for dark academia and complicated friendships. For once I am not going to complain that Megan Abbott would have done it better.

Margot and Eliza were best friends, planning on going away to school together. But then Eliza died, at the last party of the year, not long before they were supposed to leave, and now Margot feels rudderless. She goes away to Rutledge anyway, because that was always her plan, but she and her roommate Maggie never really clicked in the same way. She’s just longing to find what she lost when Eliza died.

Enter Lucy. She’s the campus (or at least the dorm) enigma. Everyone’s heard some wild rumor about her, but Margot is drawn to her. And when Lucy suddenly shows up in Margot’s room and offers her a place in an off campus house for sophomore year, with Lucy and two other girls (Nicole and Sloan), Margot is sold. She ditches the boring roommate and immediately moves in with three strangers. Because there’s just something about Lucy - she has the same quality Eliza had, to make you immediately want to be around her. The house is right next to a fraternity - connected by a backyard shed that the boys use alternately for drying tobacco and bleeding out deer carcases. If you’re into that sort of thing it seems like a sweet setup - they have an automatic in for all of the parties and their rent is super cheap, since the boys technically own the house. (to me it sounds like a damn nightmare, but I would have said that at 19 too!)

When the novel opens, we know two things - one of the frat boys is dead and Lucy is missing. The story weaves around through the past and present, showing us the school year leading up to the death/disappearance, and also a few well timed flashbacks to Margot’s last summer before college, when things weren’t quite as perfect as they were initially painted.

I really, really liked this. It’s well paced and well plotted. The multiple timelines are executed extremely well - very often that’s a patch for a thin plot or cheap twist, but I didn’t feel that way here. Much like her last book, I saw some twists but was surprised by others, and the ending is reasonably satisfying. I also enjoyed Margot as a narrator. I feel like I’ve read a handful of books recently where I either found the narrator annoying or wished someone else were telling the story instead (or at least in addition). Margot’s definitely the center here, and I’m glad we didn’t have to hear from anyone else.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

This book was difficult for me. I've read Stacy Willingham's other books and really enjoyed them. This one - while I enjoyed at the end, took over half the book for me to get into it. I found the main character to be a bit annoying and too much time was spent setting the scene. I desperately wanted more events to happen. .

That being said, it turned around for me as I got to the second half! As the twists and turns started to come through, I was hooked. Ultimately - I'm glad I stuck with it. I fully recommend reading this, with the caveat that it may take a minute to warm up. If you do - you will not be disappointed.

When I tell you I was floored when I got the approval for the advanced copy of "Only If You're Lucky" by Stacy Willingham, I definitely wasn't lying.

Willingham quickly shot into my "Favorite Author" category with her strong debut "A Flicker in the Dark" and her follow-up, "All the Dangerous Things." Her most recent novel, "Only If You're Lucky," is strong but lacking a little of what made the first two so special. Still, it is a great third entrance into her collection.

"Only If You're Lucky" focuses primarily on female friendships and just how deep they can go. It is more geared towards the younger generation, with characters in their first few years of college where their focus is partying and just trying to fit in. The dual timelines made for a little confusing move at first but once I settled in, they were cut off perfectly, leaving me wanting to skip ahead to know what happened next.

Willingham definitely has a way with words and this novel is no exception. She also left things pretty open-ended and while that usually bothers me, I loved it because it left everything open to our own interpretation.

Looking forward to her next novel as soon as possible...please.

Thanks to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the ARC copy!

Unfortunately I was pretty underwhelmed with this novel. The college aged characters left it feeling a bit YA for me with none of the spunk YA normally carries. I found the twists to be a bit clunky and the ending didn't flow well. The way the stories wrapped up felt more convenient than anything and I had a hard time buying in to it.

I will say that my opinion of the novel was actually improved after reading the acknowledgments where the author describes how she was inspired to write about the setting based on her own experiences. I can imagine anyone who lived in this house with her had fun reading this novel she crafted with the house as the base.

This might be my favorite Stacy Willingham read!

Dark, slow burn thriller about friendships, fitting in and the balance of good and evil. I will say the beginning of the book felt slow and a little wordy, a lot of feelings that felt repeated, but it all tied together beautifully at the end. The finally twists were worth the slowness - this was a great read!

**This book gave me ‘The Craft’ vibes without the witches/black magic.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this arc.

I’m rounding up to 4 from 3.5 stars. I am a Stacy Willingham Stan, however, while I really liked the twist in the end- I felt there was a lot in the middle of the plot that could have been deleted.

This one was a little slower than the authors usual novels. I definitely didn’t consume this one like I normally did but still a decent story. Just not one of my favorites.

3.5 stars rounded up

Going off to college to start your dream life. Meeting a friend eerily similar to the one who recently died. All the pieces of your ideal life falling into place. Then you see your roommate kissing the boy who you suspect murdered your best friend. Things unravel from there in this twisty thriller from one of the queens of suspense.

Would have rated this higher but felt the beginning a little slow.

Thanks to St Martins Press, Minotaur Books, NetGalley, and author for the arc of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for my ARC of Only If You're Lucky by Stacy Willingham! I am rating this book 3 out of 5 stars. As a fan of Stacy Willingham's previous novels, I was excited to dive into this thriller centered around the complexeties and complications of friendship, love, loss, and trauma.

What I liked was the imagery and atmosphere created in both the past and the present and the ways in which both timelines were woven together. This book was a slow burn of suspense. While I enjoyed the building storyline, I felt that the slow burn didn't ever speed up in pacing and I struggled to find the climax. It was at times, difficult to understand why I was going to continue reading. Overall, I would definitely recommend this one, without the expectation of a fast-paced thriller.

3 stars. I was really looking forward to reading another book from this author, as I flew through her other books. The book started out very slow, and was very wordy and descriptive, I think a lot of the book could have been edited out. The last 20% of the book was amazing and I didn’t see the twists coming. I just feel it was a very slow book to get into.

My favorite novel from Stacy Willingham to date! This one’s a slow-burn, but chilling and suspenseful at the same time.

The setting was so relatable - it brought back memories of my own sorority days and the camaraderie we shared as sisters and with other fraternities. Those care-free summer days enjoying one another’s company in an all-but-abandoned college town. The simple days before the responsibilities of adulthood came knocking.

Despite the slow pace, I was hooked throughout the entire novel. Every twist a surprise, leaving me eager to know more. Highly recommend!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

Stacey Willingham’s latest is excellent as has become the standard for her works! Only if You’re Lucky is very well written and atmospheric with a lyrical quality. I enjoyed reading about the dynamics of female friendships and the challenge of figuring out who you are once you’re uprooted to attend university, I believe this book is best entered into knowing little about it.

Thanks to St. Martins Press/Minotaur Books for the advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

I will read EVERYTHING Stacy writes. This book was amazing, I am so excited for it to be released to the world! So twisty, so gripping. Ugh just loved it and can’t wait for her next!

I'm not sure what it says about me that a novel about multiple murders, some casual stalking, and very messed up relationships made me feel nostalgically warm and fuzzy inside, but hey. It's Stacy Willingham's (genius) world, and I'm just living in it. There are so many thrillers out there, and so many authors who have perfected the art of the twist. Willingham has perfected her characters - in this novel, a group of college-aged young woman who are so real they jump off the page. She writes female friendship so beautifully that there were moments I forgot I wasn't reading a feel-good novel...which means the twist at the end caught me even more off guard. If you're going to read one thriller in the next few months, make it this one.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

★ ★ ★ ★ //5
Only If You’re Lucky
by Stacy Willingham

THOUGHTS:

I want to thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for giving me the opportunity to read an e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

Ooweeee folks! This book was a dark and chilling wild ride. Sit down and be prepared for whiplash from the twists and turns. My heart was pumping fast from start to finish. Pay attention all the way to the end. I never expected the end and I’m loving how this one ended and I am sure you won’t either.

Do you love a book that has :
-Dual Timelines
-Multiple POV
-Slow Burn
-Murder & Mystery
-Twists & Turns

This book is most definitely for YOU!

Being a huge fan of Stacy Willingham’s previous two novels I was beyond excited to get an ARC from Netgalley to read her newest book. While different than her previous two books it was just as engaging and wonderfully written.

The book goes between “before” and “after” with focus on Margot who at the start of the book is finishing her first year of college and dealjng with the loss of her best friend, Eliza. When Lucy invites Margot to live with her and her two best friends off campus Margot sees it as a way to reinvent herself. As the book continues I saw really quickly that no one could be trusted.

Thank you to the publisher and to Netgalley for letting me read this wonderful book.

This is the third Stacy Willingham book I've read and it is by far my favorite one. It is a story about friendship, secrets, lies, and loyalties . It is about four college roommates living off-campus next door to a group of fraternity boys. Margot is trying to escape the sadness of her best friends death. It is filled with mystery and betrayals.
Many thanks to NetGalley, St Martin's Press and the author for the advanced copy of this book. Publication date is January 16, 2024. Don't miss out on this one!

On,y If You’re Lucky
Stacy Willingham
Jan. 16, 2024
Minotaur
Thriller - my favorite genre
Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion,
I have rated Willingham’s previous novels 5 stars, but this one was a bit different from the other two- a slow burn and not at all fast paced, I would recommend this to a younger reader- its a good character study on wanting to fit in and belonging.
4 stars

Not one of my favorites. This book just was way too slow paced for me especially as a thriller. I found myself very bored and my mind wondered while reading. Some of the time could have been better spent on tying together the ending.