What the…. Ok, this was my first Lucinda Berry book so I have nothing to compare this to. I found it to be unputdownable, but the first half and the second half almost felt like two different books that were just interconnected.

There are a lot of dark and deep themes in this book and at points it was completely heartbreaking!

Please check trigger warnings on this one, lots of discussion of addiction and suicide.

Thank you to NetGalley, Thomas & Mercer and Lucinda Berry for this ARC!

ONE IN FOUR is a book that once you start, you can't put down. There was so much going on, it had my head spinning. I loved all the twists and turns. And I was very happy with the epilogue, it really was a big surprise. I truly enjoy Lucinda Riley's books, they are unlike any others that I've read before. I know I'll be thinking about this story for some time.

Many thanks to BookSparks for my gifted copy and Brilliance Audio for the ALC.

This review will be shared to my Instagram (@coffee.break.book.reviews) in the near future.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a gifted ARC of this novel!

For those who are familiar with Lucinda Berry’s writing, you’ll know that there is a scale from “Lucinda Berry light” to “Lucinda Berry dark”. I would classify this book as falling in the latter category, as it is not for the faint of heart. As with all of this author’s books, I found the pacing to be well done and couldn’t put the book down. There were several shocking twists that I for sure did not see coming! In the epilogue, there was a part that for me made me rethink everything I thought I had read, so much so that I went back and reread different scenes. This is not something that happens for me very often, and had me questioning my own sanity! Overall, I am a huge fan of this author and definitely recommend giving this one a read. Before doing so though, please check any relevant trigger warnings!

I haven’t read a Berry in a while, so I was excited. She always goes to the extreme with her subject matter and her background in Psychology really shines. The topic in this is very heavy (so check triggers) and she gives an extremely different perspective to AA and therapy which I really enjoyed reflecting on. It is told in Past/Present POV which helps the two storylines collide. My only issue with this was it felt too short and a bit disjointed. I still love Berry, this just wasn’t my favorite.

Anyone who has followed my reviews knows that I really struggle with giving ARCs in particular low reviews, but there's no way I can spin anything good out of this mess of a thriller. Fortunately, Berry is a popular author with a large following, which makes me feel less uncomfortable panning a book so completely. I only requested this ARC because it's in one of my favorite micro genres - fiction set in the world of reality television. Alas, this book is not remotely about the reality tv show that is in its description, in which former child stars undergo rehab in a group setting with 24/7 cameras. As always with thrillers, there's only so much I can write without spoiling the plot, what there is of it at any rate. This plot is full of holes and completely off the rails in so many ways. It deals with addiction and sexual assault but with some batshit crazy characters and motivations and "twists." On top of that, the writing is sloppy and inaccurate, with small nitpicks like a character talking about having a shared 401(k) with her wife (no, that's not a thing) and a rock bass guitarist busking with his "guitar" (highly unlikely; why not just make the character a guitarist?). Thank you (?) to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for a digital review copy.

Another banger from Lucinda Berry! I loved that this book is about a former child stars and reality TV. I loved the storyline of this book and Lucinda Berry executed it flawlessly. I would have never in a million years guessed the ending! Definitely worth the read.

This author really doesn't miss for me, and I knew I'd be especially interested in this one with the reality tv aspect. As always, she handles intense topics with great care while keeping me glued to the edge of my seat.

This book follows former child starts who have fallen from grace and are cast in a reality show exposing their demons and helping them beat their addictions. The show is housed in Crystal Meadows, an inpatient rehab center. Dr. Laurel Harlow is the lead therapist in charge of all the patients. After the youngest and most loved star/patient at Crystal Meadows dies on camera lots of questions are raised. How, Why, and Who?

This book sounded really good and I was really looking forward to reading it. This is my second Lucinda Berry book. I really enjoyed the first book by her that I read so I had high hopes for this one. Unfortunately, I felt that the plot kind of took a wrong turn and veered off course half way through.

This is a quick read at only a little over 200 pages, but I felt like the ending was rushed and the initial plot that grabbed me essentially disappeared. This left me feeling a bit unsatisfied when it was over.

I would definitely recommend checking your trigger warnings as there are a few that present for some.

Read if you like:
-Child stars
-Addiction stories
-Multiple POVs

Thank you @netgalley for the #gifted copy.

I love lucinda Berry books. I think she has a way of bringing the characters to life and you can really tell her background really plays a part in that. I liked this but it wasn't my fave. Somewhere it kind of went off the rails and the initial plot felt lost. I would still recommend.

This book was a fast-paced thriller but I felt that it lacked some character development. I enjoyed the read and would recommend to my book club!

Phantom Limb will always be my favorite but this one was interesting. I wish we would have gotten more of the girlfriend’s story. I wanna know why she did what she did!!!

Thank you Thomas & Mercer for the gifted digital ARC!

I was warned in advance that this one was bleak, but that really only scratched the surface. This is super dark, with very difficult subject matter. If you've read any of Berry's previous novels, that probably won't come as much of a surprise to you.

I have to say I did *not* enjoy the ending, it was brutal. BUT I give props to the author because it was realistic and she definitely went there.

I won't hesitate to read this author again in the future.

One in Four pub date is May 13.

Lucinda Berry has such a captivating way of telling stories about the subjects that are hard to talk about! My friends and I buddy read this and were immediately put off by the premise of a reality show of recovering childhood star addicts. This book is heavy. It has a lot of trauma and dealing with addiction, sexual assault and verbal abuse. It starts off right into the thick of the story and didn’t let up until the incredibly twisted end. I really enjoyed it and will always look forward to Berry’s books!

Always a fan of Lucinda! Middle of the book could have been better but kept reading because there was such a twist!

Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for my advanced readers copy. Unfortunately, for personal reasons, I DNF at 20% mark. Please label books lgbtq+ that have a main character that is gay. If I would have known, I wouldn’t have requested this one.
The writing style and the storyline was good and seemed interesting but due to personal reasons I chose to not finish.

One in Four is a gripping and emotionally resonant psychological thriller that explores the devastating ripple effects of trauma and the bonds—both broken and unbreakable—that tie women together. Lucinda Berry delivers a chilling, character-driven story that’s impossible to put down and even harder to forget.

From the first page, I was drawn in by the raw honesty and intensity of the narrative. Lucinda Berry expertly captures the emotional complexity of abuse survivors while building a suspenseful plot that kept me guessing the entire time. The multiple POVs worked seamlessly and gave each woman a powerful, distinct voice. The pacing is tight, the writing is sharp, and the reveals are executed with just the right amount of tension.

This isn’t just a thriller—it’s a layered exploration of resilience, fear, and the truths we sometimes hide even from ourselves. Berry handles incredibly tough topics with sensitivity and authenticity, making this both a compelling read and an emotionally important one.

First I will definitely say check your trigger warnings before reading.

This book touches on a lot of topics that are super close and personal for me which made me love this book even more. Lucinda Berry is an amazing author that touches on very intense topics which is one of the many things I love about her writing and this one was no different.

I was able to figure out the ending about halfway through and I feel as though the ending left a little bit to be desired but it was still a very wonderful read and I’d recommend it.

I love Lucinda as an author but the plot wasn’t appealing to me. It was somewhat predictable and I felt like the ending was rushed.

3.5/5
Thank you @amazonpublishing #partner for the gifted copy of this book!

I don’t watch regular TV so the thought of this being something that was loosely already created in real life makes my skin crawl. I found this out during my buddy read and all I have to say about that is…eek. Lucinda does what she does best in this one. She finds difficult topics and takes it up a notch. In this book we follow former child stars that are now in a treatment center turned reality TV. 😳 One ends up dead and then it’s on to find out what really happened. 👀

I will forever grab Lucinda’s books because ever since I read AND obsessed over The Perfect Child she has a fan in me. I did think this book was entertaining with its multiple points of view and general wildness however, I’d say buckle up for this ride because this book gets bonkers at the end and is quite unbelievable. If you’re one that wants a neat bow with events that could really happen, this book is not for you. I think Lucinda’s writing style is unique in the sense that she has a real background in mental health and illness which I think translates well into her books. This book is very disturbing at times but lucky for me…I am bothered by none of it. 😬 Make sure to check those triggers before braving this one as I know it will upset some. Overall, this book was a fast paced read and darkly thrilling however, not my favorite by her. This will never stop me from grabbing what she throws at us next!

I wanted to love this one because I generally really love Lucinda Berry books and I love a good reality star fall from grace kind of deal but this one just wasn't for me. I just didn't like (or hate, sometimes with Lucinda Berry books it's the characters I hate most that make it interesting) any of the characters and even after restarting it a couple times (I thought maybe I just need to be in a different mood) I just continued to struggle. Still love this author just not the story.