I loved WATCH ME DISAPPEAR and I was so thrilled to be asked by the author to be a part of her review team for THE LUCKY ONE. I finished it over the weekend and WOW! This author is so talented!!

Nora escapes a serial killer dubbed Hansel 10 years ago and has returned home after her father dies. Soon, people go missing and horrible things begin to happen around her. Someone knows Nora has returned home and begins taunting her. Has Hansel returned to finish what he started 10 years ago? What follows is a tense, heart pounding game of cat and mouse.

I literally could not put this down!! My heart was racing page after page!!!! Nora was such a strong female character, and I was cheering for her the entire time. Just like the serial killer, Hansel, the author does a great job of leaving a trail of breadcrumbs which has you scratching your head wondering who the killer could be. I did not have the culprit figured out and when it was revealed, I was thoroughly shocked. I thoroughly enjoyed this page turner and have no problem giving it 5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for providing me with this e-ARC.

Norah survived being captured by a serial killer ten years ago but now it looks like he's back! This was a wild ride! The action starts quickly and doesn't slow down. Jessica's writing sucks you right in and is perfect for the quick pacing needed in thrillers.

I enjoyed the two timelines, one contemporary and one ten years ago when the serial killer strikes on prom night. Norah as a MC was strong and multilayered and held her own as a protagonist. Good stuff. I look forward to reading more from Jessica Payne in the future.

Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture, and Jessica Payne for letting me read The Lucky One in exchange for an honest review.

3.5

A girl escapes from being kidnapped a few hours in because she convinces her capture to pet her go after flirting with him and watching her Bestfriend get murdered.
10 years later she returns to her hometown and similar murders are happening. Is it him or a copy cat?

I devoured this ARC in one sitting. It was so so good and had so much potential I felt 5 stars coming. The plot was amazing and the multiple options who it could be and why.
… but started falling short about 60% in.

My issues:

How we do to think the camera man in the park is this infamous serial killer. And that it was all fine and dandy? So unrealistic.

We know we her dad was murdered idk why it took 90% of the book to confirm.
The cops are useless as always in these type of books.

Then GUY?! Like come on it was clear as day NOT him.

It was the obvious guy who walked in the first chapter lol. I literally knew it was him all along but it felt WAY too obvious but I guess that made me think it WASNT him ??? I can’t tell if this was clever to make it the most obvious person? I just don’t see how she wouldn’t have know it was him all that time….

Reviewed for Netgalley:

Norah, a survivor of an attack from a serial killer, returns home, after the passing of her father.

While one of her friends was murdered years ago, once she returns home, another close friend is shortly murdered. What connection does Norah have to the murders, and is the serial killer still around?

I enjoyed the pace of the book, while some of the plot devices were somewhat predictable and outlandish.

This book kept me guessing until the very end and I liked the twist at the very end. This was a new author for me, thanks again for the ARC.

Thank you netgalley and publisher for opportunity to read and review this arc honestly.

Wooowee that was a gripping read from start to finish. It was so hard to put it down (note: don’t read this before bed if you have to get up early the next day). The storytelling was great, the characters were well developed. One made me mad often but that’s because I was invested overall. A lot of moving parts I just couldn’t put it down. Definitely recommend this book to others and will be reading more from her!

Ten years ago, Norah and her best friend August were snatched by a serial killer on their way home from their high school prom. August was brutally murdered, but Norah was “the lucky one” who escaped by using her wits. Norah has done her best to move on, becoming a renowned MMA fighter and coach so she’ll never be a victim again. Her father’s death prompts her to finally return home after all this time, but it seems like someone has some unfinished business. Could August’s killer be back too?

This is Jessica Payne’s second book, and she’s fast becoming a favorite of mine, devising twisty stories that grab you from the first chapter. Norah is a very appealing character, a tough cookie that’s still a little vulnerable. There’s no shortage of possible culprits, which kept me guessing until the big reveal. Speaking of the big reveal, it is a total “what the heck” moment – how on earth did Norah not figure it out? How did *I* not figure it out (ha ha)?!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for providing me an advance copy of this book.

The Lucky One follows the story of Norah, a woman who escaped a serial killer and has since become highly skilled in MMA, just incase. After her traumatic escape, she moved away and started a new life elsewhere; but the death of her father brings her back to the town she fled from all those years ago. One of her friends is murdered shortly after her arrival, has the serial killer been waiting for her to return?

This story was well written and fast paced; it kept me on the edge of my seat and cost me WAY too many late nights! There were a few times where it veered so far away from unrealistic but I didn't even care, I was so caught up in the story and the characters that it just didn't matter. Full of twists and turns, this book will keep you guessing right up to the very end.

My thanks to NetGalley and the Publishers for sending me this ARC in return for an honest review.

I could not put this book down! The characters were so well written, the plot was action packed and the twist (while I had predicted it) was still done in a shocking way.

Norah and her friend August were taken after leaving their prom. Norah is able to talk her way out of being killed by the mysterious Hansel but her friend is not so lucky. Shaken and ruined from the experience, Norah starts her life over as far away from Kansas City as she can: Los Angeles.

10 years later, Norah returns to bury her father and she's confronted with Hansel once more. Another friend dies, she's receiving weird messages from someone anonymous and turns out, her father's death may not have been so innocent. Is Hansel back? Is it a copycat? Who is he and how does he know her every move?

Told between the action after prom night as well as the present and filled with really fleshed out characters, this book grabs you and I ended up finishing it in 1 day! Can't wait to read another book by Jessica Payne.

Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC.

The Lucky One by Jessica Payne is a fast-paced, well-written thriller. Ten years ago, three friends went to prom night, but only two made it home. The story is shown from Norah's point of view and goes back between the present and 10 years ago.

The Lucky One had many twists and turns that kept the story moving forward. I liked getting to know the characters and the setting. The story was well plotted. However, it seemed to drag a bit in the middle and 3/4 of the way through. Therefore, I rated this a 4 out of 5 stars.

#TheLuckyOne #NetGalley @bookouture

One of the best books I’ve read this year. I wasn’t sure what to expect with this one but what I ended up finding was a really well written thriller. It’s fast paced but absolutely a well told story.

A fantastic crime thriller. Full of twists and so much suspense. The writing drew me in and the characters were so well written.

What a thrill ride that doesn't let you off till the end. Murders, romance, twists. Back story timeliness. Great overall thriller to add to your reading list.

Thanks to the author ,the publisher and NetGalley for an early release of this book

Wow, so many twists and turns! Couldn't put this great book down. Although I did figure out the ending of the book about 3/4 of the way in, that didn't keep me from enjoying this suspenseful tale. I loved all the characters and relationships. Will definitely look for more from this author.

Thank you NetGalley, Jessica Payne, and Bookouture for the ARC of The Lucky One in exchange for an honest review.

All I can say is WOW; Jessica Payne is an author to watch!

Right from the get go, we are hit with a chilling intro; a young girl named Norah escaping her friend's killer, her friend who lays dead only feet from where she stands.

Flash ten years forward and Norah has fled from her hometown with the need to escape her living nightmares. The threat of the killer's promise to have her forever still lingers over her, but she has trained and grown into a badass MMA fighter and coach. Her level of discipline surpasses anything I could ever see myself living, and it makes her all the more admirable. She is strength and determination, carrying the guilt of survival and the weight of knowing the killer could still be out there lying in wait for her.

Her father's death forces her to go back to her home town for the first time in a decade to handle his funeral and his home. What is meant to be an efficient visit of handling her father's assets and helping her best friend find the wedding dress of her dreams, turns into a horrible nightmare when another of their friends is found dead and the same detective who handled the case from ten years before, tells Norah not to go too far.

The twists and turns that I found myself reading had me unable to put this book down. I have never been great at solving mysteries or figuring out whodunit, but this was a wild ride of shocking twists, steaming romance, and gut wrenching surprises that left me shocked and in awe.

I found myself frustrated for Norah and with Norah on many occasions throughout this journey. The blatant negligence of the detective on the case, the total lack of self preservation from Norah in regards to holding her truth safe, but all these realities are very real and haunted me to the very end.

I highly recommend checking out The Lucky One, and seeing what other treasures Jessica Payne has to offer.

Synopsis:

Norah survived a serial killer on prom night, her best friend wasn't so lucky. A decade later she's back to her hometown after her father's death, and it seems so is the killer she escaped before.

Review:

I've read some really great books this year, but this was the first one I had a really hard time setting down. The prologue alone had me hooked.

Most psychological thrillers have a slow-burn. 'The Lucky One' is chuck full of action that holds your attention. Alternating present time and flashback chapters from prom night, there is drama spanning from kidnapping & murder, celebrity personas & corporate sponsorships, true-crime fanatics, all the way to sexual tension and budding romance.

If you enjoyed 'A Flicker in The Dark' or 'The Wife Upstairs' then this one will be right up your alley. Publication date is September 14th 2022.

Scream is one of my favorite slasher movies. It’s a classic. And reading this book made me think of Scream the entire time, I absolutely loved it. Jessica Payne is one of my favorite new voices in the thriller industry.

Talk about a psychological thriller! This really kept me on the edge of my seat! Something happened at prom ten years ago, and now the only survivor is back home. How long before her secret is revealed?

I highly enjoyed this book. It really kept me guessing as to who the killer was, and the main character was extremely likeable.

I think I will read the authors other book and keep an eye out for future ones

Blindsiding Bamboozlement! 😳😯🤯😳🤯

Holy fluff! Holy Fluff! HOLY FLUFF!!!! I mean for crying out loud! Talk about a suspenseful, thrilling cat-and-mouse game! Payne is easily becoming a queen of thriller writing among the greats! For only a second book, she's writing with such creativity and gobsmacking thrilling plots, she comes across as an old pro. I'm completely smuckered and lost for words right now because I can't believe what I've just devoured.

Mყ 𝐒ყɴ𝐨ρѕιѕ: Norah had somehow overcome the odds of being a victim of a serial murderer, Hansel, when she was a teenager on prom night. Her best friend, August, wasn't so lucky. Years later, Norah is coming back home to visit her close friends, Janie and Esme. But what's meant to be a joyous time, ends up becoming sinister when her father passes away, and then her past becomes the present all over again. Hansel remembers her promise and plans to hold her to it. Norah was lucky once, but can she be again?

I DID NOT see that ending coming for all that it was worth! I kept thinking I knew and then Payne throws not one but TWO gaslighting loops at you that give severe whiplash! She keeps the angst and suspense tight and tense as the plot progresses barely leaving you room to catch your breath. You keep cheering on Norah, begging her to keep doing what she's doing even if it seems crazy at times. This book is powerful, strong, absolutely spine-tinglingly suspenseful that will leave you with a heart rate after a steady workout. Divinely delectable!

Thank you to NetGalley & Bookouture for this ARC.
Release Date: September 14, 2022

𝐌𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐭: 4.5 / 5 Beach Waves! 🌊