Lucky is a fast paced keep you on your toes read. From the first page you mount Lucky on a wild ride to redemption. This was enjoyable and I flew through it quickly. I highly recommend this to get you out of a slump or to binge on a sun lay day with a cocktail. Brilliantly written to keep you engaged and wanting more.

Contemporary Fiction | Adult
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What if you held a winning lottery ticket, but cashing in means you’ll go to jail? Luciana “Lucky” Armstrong has grown up learning how to scam, and she’s good at it. Her father taught her well, and in her teens, Lucky fell hard for the son of one of her dad’s co-conspirators. Turns out Cary is like his mum, and no matter how she has tried, Lucky keeps finding herself on the wrong side of the law. But when she finds herself on her own, for the first time in her young life, Lucky is determined to go straight. But she can’t use the degree she legitimately earned – it’s in the name of a fugitive. How does she get herself out of this mess? Who can she trust? And how does she make amends for all the wrongs? It’s going to take more than luck. I really liked this novel – Lucky is a gritty, determined, good-hearted person who is trying hard to do the right thing, but every time she turns around an obstacle gets in her way. I was afraid I’d start to dislike her for being weak, but nope – even when things are going from bad to worse, she managed to earn my admiration and even sympathy. The plot develops through flashbacks, to 1991, when she was born, into the late 1990s, then the 2000s, always return to Lucky’s current state in the mid-2010s. This allows Stapley (author of the captivating Things to Do When It’s Raining) lots of room for introducing characters and plotlines that all come together in the end in a moving and satisfying conclusion. It also offers appeal to older teens, since much of the story centres around Lucky as a young adult. Canadian Stapley set the story throughout the United States, with road trips from New York City and Maine to Las Vegas. It could use a bit more diversity – nearly all the characters are white (Lucky has red hair and distinctive green eyes) or Hispanic. My thanks to Simon and Schuster Canada for this captivating novel, provided digitally through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
More discussion and reviews of this novel: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57650760

Stapley’s personality jumps out from the page, exuding an effervescently crisp and dry wit that is delightfully hidden between the lines of the story. She has a delicious ability to paint image-filled scenes that resonate long after the page has been turned. Phrases include: “The world outside the phone booth was like a painting in varying shades of grey with the odd flash of colour. The purple and gold of the Seattle city buses, the green of a tree, the navy trench coat on a woman rushing by, the red of her umbrella,” had me slammed up against the Plexiglas of that phone booth, desperate to answer the call for help from Lucky.
Another metaphoric image in Lucky, (there are many), I found absolutely charming: “She added her lie like a matching earring.”

LUCKY is a a quick-paced road-trip novel about two talented grifters, Lucky and (her boyfriend), Cary. Lucky came early to the con game having being taught the ropes from an early age by her disingenuous dad, (at least that is who she believes he is), a man that, against all odds, you find yourself liking. After pulling off a million-dollar heist, one that was supposed to create a new, shall we say, ‘more respectable’ life for her and Cary, things go topsy-turvy for Lucky and she’s on her own and, on the run.
But, wait!
What about the winning lottery ticket that Lucky has in her pocket, one that is virtually impossible for her to cash, because if she does, someone might recognize her as one of the perpetrators of that big heist, and she will be arrested and put in the slammer for the countless crimes she has committed?

And who amongst us, with our ‘burning-a hole-in how-am-I-going-to-spend-it imagination,’ wouldn’t try to come up with a brilliantly devious plan in order to collect on the multi-millions dollar win?
Are you pondering as we speak how YOU might do it?
I thought so.

The plot, complexity, characters, and pace of Stapley's book is such that LUCKY has been optioned to Disney Studios as a television series, one that is already in development. Stapley is hands-on working with Carlton Cuse, (who worked on the television series Lost).

Read Cece's chat with Marissa Stapley at
https://www.cecescott.com/index.php/ceces-blog/chats-with-authors/item/109-volume-xiv-marissa-stapley-author-of-lucky

LUCKY is about a young woman who has just pulled off a con game with her boyfriend Cary that is worth millions. Ready to start her new life Lucky suddenly ends up alone and without any resources other than her survival skills.
Earlier Lucky purchased a lottery ticket which ends up being a mega winner. Cashing it in would solve Lucky’s problems but if she does her crimes will be discovered.
The story goes back and forth between Lucky’s past and the current time until the two timelines meet. We discover how Lucky’s life as a grifter began and how she ended up on the run.
LUCKY was an enjoyable read. Despite Lucky’s shady past there she was a likeable character.
I found myself hoping she would find a way out of her predicament.
LUCKY would be a good book to read on vacation. It was an engaging story. I would recommend LUCKY to fans of Catherine McKenzie, Ruth Ware and Gillian Macmillan.
Thank you to Simon & Schuster Canada for the opportunity to read an advanced
e-edition of LUCKY by Marissa Stapley.

I enjoyed reading this book. It had a good story to it. I liked the variety of characters in it. It was a well written book. I hope to read more books by this author.

Lucky Armstrong is a talented con artist. She’s ready to leave her grifter life behind and move away with her boyfriend, when he disappears and leaves her wanted by the police. Lucky goes on the run. Then she discovers that the lottery ticket she bought has won the jackpot. The problem is that she can’t cash it in since she’s wanted for scamming people out of millions of dollars. To avoid being captured, Lucky has to travel around the country to see her father who raised her, her mother who abandoned her, and other people from her past to figure out her future.

This was a gripping thriller from the start. I started reading it before going to sleep and I was tempted to stay up all night to finish it. There were twists that surprised me. Lucky’s past was full of secrets, which were revealed in flashbacks throughout the story. There were shocking reveals right until the last pages.

I loved the ending of this story. There was a part in the opening of the story that didn’t seem related to the rest of the story. I was hoping it would all come together in the end and it did. It was a great ending that left me satisfied with the whole story.

This is such a great thriller! I highly recommend it!

Thank you Simon and Schuster Canada for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I really wanted to like this book. The premise of the book had so much potential. I just found it hard to like the characters. I couldn’t relate.

Putting a new Marissa Stapley novel in my hands is a surefire way to bring a smile to my face. Her latest is Lucky and was just released this week. It is a well-written and compelling read that you won't want to put down. I loved it.

Here's the book's description:
What if you had the winning ticket that would change your life forever, but you couldn’t cash it in?
Lucky Armstrong is a tough, talented grifter who has just pulled off a million-dollar heist with her boyfriend, Cary. She’s ready to start a brand-new life, with a new identity—when things go sideways. Lucky finds herself alone for the first time, navigating the world without the help of either her father or her boyfriend, the two figures from whom she’s learned the art of the scam.
When she discovers that a lottery ticket she bought on a whim is worth millions, her elation is tempered by one big problem: cashing in the winning ticket means the police will arrest her for her crimes. She’ll go to prison, with no chance to redeem her fortune.
As Lucky tries to avoid arrest and make a future for herself, she must confront her past by reconciling with her father; finding her mother, who abandoned her when she just a baby; and coming to terms with the man she thought she loved—whose complicated past is catching up to her, too.
This is a novel about truth, personal redemption, and the complexity of being good. It introduces a singularly gifted, complicated character who must learn what it means to be independent and honest…before her luck runs out.

It's no secret that I love Marissa Stapley. She's a great human and a stellar author. I love how the plots of all her novels are quite different but there's always a well-written story that almost always has a strong family element and smart women at the forefront. With Lucky, there are a number of strong women in the background as well. None of them have an unblemished background (not even the nun) and they all (barring one who's just downright evil) seem to be trying to make up for past mistakes. Reading the story makes you wonder if things really can ever be black or white or if everyone's actions are coloured with shades of grey.

The story is told mostly from "present" day, which takes place in 2008 (it makes sense - I don't think there would be a way for the story to work in 2021, not with better surveillance and tracking) with flashbacks to Lucky's past as she grew up with a grifter father who taught her everything she knows. You can't help but wonder what Lucky's life would have been like if she had had a different family. You learn she's wicked smart, which makes her a very good grifter, but what if she'd been able to apply those smarts to a different profession? I definitely wished I could change things for her and give her a better story (but then we wouldn't have this fictional story that I was getting so invested in, now would we?).

I don't think I've ever read a story like this before. Which is silly since it reminded me a bit of the Ocean's movies which I LOVE so why am I not seeking out novels that feature con men or women with morals? What Lucky had been doing was, yes, illegal. You could argue that that's what she was taught to do growing up. She didn't have an average upbringing and her role model was a con artist. What's a girl to do? You can't help but root for her, though, even though you know she's done some questionable things in her past. You want redemption for her but the worry comes in when you don't know what that will look like - or if it will even be possible.

I love the look of this cover, with the lovely colours and all but...I have issues with it. Namely, it's too light and fluffy for a story that's full of grit and danger. The main character is on the run and fears for her life. Is a sunset coloured cover with a young woman on it really the best way to sell the story? Would this be the cover if someone named Max Stapley wrote the story instead of Marissa? I think not. Covers should match the story, not the name going on the front of it.

You're going to want to read Lucky. Buy a copy, clear your schedule, and dive into Marissa Stapley's stunning new novel. It will grip you with an expertly woven story with a main character you'll fall in love with. Read it, love it, tell all your friends!

*An egalley of this novel was provided by the publisher, Simon & Schuster Canada, via NetGalley in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*

Brought up by her grifter father, Lucky ( Luciano ) learns at an early age how to steal & con to get by. At the start of the book you get a glimpse of Lucky preparing to leave her nomadic life of crime and move to the Dominica with Cary ( her lover and partner in crime ) and set down roots. The night before they are to leave they celebrate at a glitzy hotel and in the am, the money and Cary are gone. On top of that her alias is wanted and in the news for stealing money from the elderly. Her shiny new future is gone.
Throughout the book the author does a wonderful job with dual timelines sharing both Lucky’s current day dilemma and parts of her past. You find out about the people she loved, the places she’s been, and her search for her mother.

Lucky by Marissa Stapley is a binge worthy and action-packed read. You cannot help but turn the next page to see what’s to happen next and see if Lucky finds the absolution she seeks.

This was my third book by the author and I absolutely loved it. I would definitely recommend treating yourself to a copy of Lucky today and checking out her backlist.

Thank you! Simon and Schuster via NetGalley and the author herself for my ARC in exchange for an honest review. I absolutely loved it!

Happy pub day to LUCKY by @MarissaStapley - a new-to-me Canadian author highly recommended by my incredible friend Kaley. I really, REALLY enjoyed this book and read it in just a few sittings which HAS NOT been the case in my reading life lately. 

Things I loved about Lucky:
1) A strong, resilient character who you just absolutely have to root for even if she's made some mistakes along the way2) A quick-moving plot with a major plot element about a third of the way in that you just have to see resolved3) Some very interesting characters and moments along the way4) A satisfying ending.

Lucky is a grifter - she was raised by a con artist father and has always wondered about her mother, whom she never met. THis book drifts back to Lucky's mid childhood while simultaneously following Lucky being on the run from the law due to a swindling long time boyfriend she planned to escape the country with after pulling off a huge heist. We learn a lot about how Lucky came to be who she is and how she wants her life to look in the future. This fast-paced, character AND plot driven novel is going to be everywhere this summer! I highly recommend it for a book you will not want to put down for a single second. (And after you read it, please, let's talk about it!!!) Finally...can we all just take 2 seconds to gush about this gorgeous book cover???

Lucky has an interesting premise - a young grifter (Lucky) who wins the lottery and thinks she can finally turn her life around but can’t claim the money as she is the run, wanted for embezzlement. Add to that a missing boyfriend, a mother she is trying to find, and an ailing father in jail, and you have an interesting adventure story.

The novel, for the most part, was well-done, interspersing Lucky’s plans to get the money with her life as a young girl being taught to grift by her father. Lucky is a plucky, likeable thief who just wants to lead a normal life but events and the people in her life make that difficult. I found myself rooting for her throughout. The plot moved along at a good pace but I found the ending to be too tidy and a bit rushed and not as strong as the rest of the book. However, I would recommend this book as it was entertaining and fast-paced. 3.75 stars.

Thanks to Simon and Schuster Canada and Netgalley for an advanced copy of the novel in exchange for an honest review. Lucky is out on April 6.

I was quickly sucked into Stapley's writing and devoured the novel. Stapley created a fast paced, page turner with interesting and complex characters that kept me engaged in the story the whole way through. Told in a converging dual narrative that really added to the novel. Stapley was even able to through in some twists and turns that really added to the storyline.

Lucky is a con-artist, it's all she's known since she was raised by one. Lucky and her partner Cary are set to start a new life in the Dominica when life takes a turn. Cary has taken off and Lucky and Cary are wanted and all over tv. Lucky isn't sure what to do or where to turn, maybe she won't be as lucky this time and finally get caught.

With its clever premise, Lucky delivers a spirited thief of a heroine that readers will find themselves rooting for. Told in alternating timelines between a child version and a present day adult version, this is a novel about truth, the complexity of doing what's right, and of redemption.

Stapley plays on the sympathy of her reader with ten-year-old Lucky. She is vulnerable yet competent and overall, a compelling lead. Lucky's father is both loathsome and charming, the quintessential con man.

Perfectly paced with shorty, punchy chapters, Lucky is a character-driven narrative that will hook readers until the very last page. It's smart, slick, and satisfying. And soon to be on the small screen—the TV rights to Lucky have been sold to ABC Disney. Congratulations, Marissa!

This was such an enjoyable and fast read! I would have read it in one sitting if I didn’t value sleep so much 😅 It was entertaining and compelling right from the opening chapter. Suspenseful, with a great female lead, the story follows Lucky as she navigates her life as a con-artist on the run, who ends up with a winning lottery ticket she can’t cash alone.

I would have loved to see the ending extended a little bit to see how Lucky goes on with her life, but really no complaints about this book! I would recommend to anyone, especially as a palate cleanser between heavier books.

“This is a story about a girl named Lucky”Britney Spears.

Lucky by Marissa Stapley is a binge worthy and action-packed story about a different girl named Lucky. Clear your schedules, because once you start this one, you won’t be able to stop!

Lucky Armstrong is a con-artist and grifter on the run. Down on her luck, she plays the lottery and comes up with the winning ticket and a chance to leave the con life behind. But to claim her prize and move on with her life, she has to come to terms with her past. And let’s just say, things are complicated.

Stapley does a great job at keeping the book full of action and richly developing her characters. Lucky is smart, feisty and vulnerable and I was rooting for her from page one.

The book is expertly plotted and the dual timeline narrative that spans the 80s to 2000s is rich, riveting and full of tension. I especially loved the glimpses into Lucky’s childhood.

Lucky is a refreshing and original take on the con artist story and I highly recommend adding it to your TBR!

Thank you to @simonschusterca and @netgalley for the eARC. All thoughts are my own.

I really wanted to like this book more than I did. While I was intrigued by the premise, and I loved the idea of the main character being a con artist/grifter, I couldn't get into this novel at all.

The main character, Lucky, was really poorly developed. I didn't connect to her because she didn't feel like a real person. Even her relationships with the other side characters felt really false.

The plot was extremely slow moving, and even though this book is quite short, I just didn't care about what happened to Lucky and so I DNF'd it about halfway through. This book wasn't for me, but it's gotten great reviews from others so it seems to be just a matter of personal preference.

Loved Stapley’s The Last Resort, and was thrilled to receive an advance copy of her latest release.

Lucky is a grifter, a gifted con-artist who has spent her entire life living off the ill-gotten gains of fraud, petty theft and swindles. With her boyfriend Cary, she has secured a future on a tropical island where they can hide away for the rest of their lives on the millions they have taken through a Ponzi scheme. Until Cary disappears, and her world crashes around her. As she runs for her life, she discovers that the lottery ticket in her pocket is a winner, a BIG winner, but how is she going to cash it, without turning herself in?

This story of life lived on the edge, and how you can pull yourself back from the edge and try to make things right is well-written and fast-paced. A definite page-turner, with all the twists and turns of a strong thriller. My only complaint, and it is a small one, is that the ending felt a bit rushed, and was wrapped up a little too cleanly. A quick, compelling novel that will keep you flipping pages, and rooting for Lucky to the very end.

So grateful to NetGalley, Simon and Schuster Canada, and Marissa Stapley for providing me with an advance reading copy in exchange for an honest review.

Lucky Armstrong is a con-artist who has just pulled off the biggest heist of her life, with her partner Cary. They are about to start a new life in Dominica when shit goes sideways, and Cary dissappears on her. Lucky finds herself abandoned with little to her name; will she have what it takes to survive on her own?

Down on her luck, Lucky realizes she has a multi-million dollar lottery ticket in her possession that could fix all her problems. Just one more problem... cashing it would involve turning herself in for her past crimes.

To avoid prison, atone for her past, and carve out a normal future for herself, Lucky must confront her past. Which includes her con-artist father and a mother who abandoned her as a child. Will Lucky's luck run out?

This is a binge worthy, unputdownable, action packed story you won't soon forget. With a worthy heroine that you will come to root for. This was my first book by Marissa Stapley, but I will definitely be checking out her others.
(⭐⭐⭐⭐💫/5)

I love Marissa's stories, and this one did not disappoint. A unique story about a girl named Lucky who was born into "grifting" and how that has affected her life. It gave some interesting insight into grifters and what their lives could be like. This story was fast paced and went back and forth between past Lucky and present Lucky. I thought the storyline was original and not something I have ever read before. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

Thank you to Simon & Schuster Canada and NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for a honest review.

This is a new release by a Canadian author. Her previous books include "The Last Resort" and "Things to Do When It's Raining". This one is a thriller that follow the life of a young woman named Lucky. Left at the door of a church as a baby, she ends up being raised by a con man who teaches her everything he knows. The book is told in two time periods, alternating between her unusual childhood pulling cons with her dad and her life as a 26 year old in 2008. She had plans with her boyfriend to take the money they had accumulated illegally and move to start a new life in Dominica, but he and the money have disappeared. To make things more complicated they are wanted by the police and their pictures are being shown on every newscast. When she finds out the lottery ticket she bought on a whim is a big winner, she is desperate to figure out a way to claim it without getting arrested. This is a fun read and reminded me of "Pretty Things" by Janelle Brown. It is a good recommendation for someone who wants a lighter thriller.