Only If You’re Lucky is another fantastic addition to Stacy Willingham’s lineup of psychological thrillers. It stands out from her other books with its strong dark academia vibes and a more character-driven plot.

The story kicks off with what seems like a perfect life, but as things start to fall apart, you quickly realize everyone has their secrets. This book will definitely pull you in with its mix of suspense and unknowns. Willingham does a great job of keeping you hooked with lots of twists and turns.

Out of all her books, I enjoyed Only If You’re Lucky more than All the Dangerous Things. The plot is more intricate and the characters feel more fleshed out. Plus, the dark academia elements (think secretive drama and a mysterious atmosphere) are really well done.

That said, it doesn’t quite beat A Flicker in the Dark for me. That one still holds the top spot with its intense suspense and emotional punch, but Only If You’re Lucky comes close and is definitely a page-turner.

If you're into psychological thrillers and love a good dark academia setting, you’ll want to check this one out. Willingham’s storytelling keeps getting better, and this book is another win for her.

Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the eARC!

Enter Lucy Sharpe - a charismatic, bold, enchanting college freshman that seemingly has it all - the girl gang, the looks, the attention from boys. And then there's Margot - a shy, cautious, introverted college freshman that avoids trouble at all costs. However, Margot has been fixated on Lucy and her friends the whole semester, and her opportunity to start a new life comes out of the blue when Lucy approaches her at the end of year inviting Margot to move in to their off-campus house. Margot hesitantly agrees, leaving her old roommate behind, and is introduced to Lucy's two best friends - Sloane and Nicole. While the friendship between these three girls is already deep rooted, Margot quickly finds herself intertwined in what she thinks is a dream come true. What she has always wanted. Especially since her best friend Eliza died three weeks after high school graduation. All is good and well until Lucy Sharpe goes missing and one of the fraternity boys from next door that the girls spend time with is murdered. But how lucky is lucky really?

I am a big fan of Stacy Willingham, so when I saw this become available on NetGalley, I was thrilled! Overall, I was very impressed with this book, and thought it was a wonderful mix of friendships, lies, manipulations, secrets, and more. It definitely caught my attention from the get-go, and had me guessing throughout. It's a worthwhile mystery/thriller that I would recommend to anyone, and I'm definitely looking forward to reading more from Willingham.

Thank you to St. Martins Press, Minotaur Books, and NetGalley for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

***A tantalizing thriller about the nature of friendship and belonging, about loyalty, envy, and betrayal—another gripping novel from an author quickly becoming the gold standard in psychological suspense***
****
Lucy Sharpe is larger than life. Magnetic, addictive. Bold and dangerous. Especially for Margot, who meets Lucy at the end of their freshman year at a liberal arts college in South Carolina.
Margot finds herself living in an off-campus house with three other girls, Lucy, the ringleader; Sloane, the sarcastic one; and Nicole, the nice one, the three of them opposites but also deeply intertwined. It's a year that finds Margot finally coming out of the shell she's been in since the end of high school, when her best friend Eliza died three weeks after graduation. Margot and Lucy have become the closest of friends, but by the middle of their sophomore year, one of the fraternity boys from the house next door has been brutally murdered... and Lucy Sharpe is missing without a trace.
****
Thank You NetGalley for an ArC of this title.
This one was a slow start for me, i couldn't connect with any of the characters to start with. The story picks up the further you get into the book. it switches between the past when Margot first moves into the off campus house and to the current time when Lucy is missing.
The ending definitely surprised me that's not where i thought the book was heading.
In my opinion i prefered flicker in the dark to this one but still a good paced thriller..

Special thanks to St. Martin's Press and Minotaur Books for an e=arc of this novel. Thanks to NetGalley too.

This is a thriller about friendship, loyalty and betrayal.

I think my expectations were a little high since I've always enjoyed this author's books. This one was more of a slow-burn and not as intense as her other mysteries.

I'll continue to read her books and this one was okay. Just a little too slow for my reading taste.

"Only If You're Lucky" by Stacy Willingham is a gripping psychological thriller that explores the dark side of female friendships and college life. The novel follows Margot, a shy college sophomore, as she becomes entangled in a web of mystery and obsession surrounding her charismatic friend Lucy Sharpe.

Willingham's writing shines in her ability to create a tense, atmospheric narrative that keeps readers guessing until the end. The story unfolds through dual timelines, skillfully weaving together the events leading up to and following a brutal murder on campus and Lucy's mysterious disappearance.

The author excels at portraying the intensity and complexity of female friendships, particularly in the college setting. The characters are well-developed, with Margot serving as an unreliable narrator grappling with her own past traumas and current uncertainties.

While the first half of the book focuses heavily on building relationships and setting the scene, the second half picks up the pace with a series of unexpected twists and revelations that will keep readers on the edge of their seats.

Some readers may find the heavy focus on college party scenes and substance use off-putting, as it doesn't resonate with everyone's college experience. However, these elements contribute to the overall atmosphere and character development within the story.

"Only If You're Lucky" stands out for its exploration of obsession, secrets, and the sometimes toxic nature of close friendships. Willingham's clever plotting and ability to deliver surprising yet plausible twists make this a satisfying read for fans of psychological thrillers.

I have read all of the books by Stacy Willingham since her debut novel A Flicker In The Dark. I appreciate her writing, strong characters, and thrilling twists and this one didn’t disappoint. While not my favorite of hers, this one is still full of twists, turns, and thrills. Definitely a must-read if you tend to like academic thrillers and those books that leave you feeling like you may have figured it out midway through, but still leave you guessing until the very end.

I really enjoyed Whispers in the Dark so I wanted to give Stacy Willingham another chance.

Only If You’re Lucky was only okay. I struggled with getting into the story. I didn’t care for Lucy’s character and the story was predictable. I don’t think I’ll read more by Stacy Wllingham.

"Only If You're Lucky" by Stacy Willingham follows Harper and her group of college friends as they welcome a new girl, Margot, whose arrival triggers a series of eerie events. Harper is a well-crafted, relatable character, and Margot’s mysterious charm adds an intriguing twist to the dynamic.

The themes of friendship, trust, and past trauma are woven into the narrative in a thoughtful way, making you reflect on the complexities of human relationships.

However, while it's definitely a good read, I found it to be my least favorite among Willingham’s books. It didn’t quite hit the same high notes as her previous works for me, but it’s still worth picking up if you’re a fan of her storytelling style. Overall, "Only If You're Lucky" is an enjoyable thriller that keeps you relatively hooked till the end.

Only If You're Lucky
4 stars

I am such a fan of Stacy Willingham and this book proves once again how she masters the art of mystery and suspense in her novels. I was completely engrossed from start to finish, trying to piece together the puzzle and I was not disappointed!

The story revolves around Margot, an upcoming sophomore in college grappling with the recent loss of her best friend Eliza. They planned to attend college together but sadly before freshman year, Eliza tragically died in an accident. Withdrawn, Eliza admires a fellow student, Lucy, who is the quintessential cool girl on campus. At the end of the year, Lucy asks Eliza to join her and two friends, Sloane and Nicole, to live off campus. Astounded by her luck to befriend and live with Lucy, Margot agrees and soon finds herself in a close-knit foursome.

Soon, through a series of events, the friend group reveals secrets that cannot be forgotten. A figure from Margots past comes to the same college and Margot has to explain what actually happened to her best friend, or more appropriately, who happened to her friend. Levi is a legacy pledging the fraternity who owns the house the girls are living in and was the boyfriend of Eliza. Margot says that Levi killed Eliza and Lucy makes it her mission to invoke justice.

As you switch from past to present chapters, it's revealed that Levi is dead and Lucy is the prime suspect in his death. As the pace of the book intensifies, the reader is immersed and propelled forward trying to put together the shocking twists and turns. Each scene ramps up the tension and the final reveal is jaw-dropping. You will be entertained, shocked, and in-awe of where this story takes you.

While I enjoyed the read, I will say that some of the reveals felt coincidental or even stretched at times. Granted it is fiction, but it seemed almost too perfect in parts where young adults would not be capable of pulling off such elaborate stunts. Each character was also so unlikeable that it was hard to feel empathy of them throughout the story.

[arc review]
Thank you to Minotaur Books for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review.
Only If You’re Lucky releases January 16, 2024

<i>“You’re only young once, and only if you’re lucky.”</I>

Margot is in her second year of college, and is still grappling with the loss of her childhood best friend. This proves to be difficult when she moves in with three other girls, and a fraternity pledge next door just so happens to be someone from her hometown who was linked to the death of her best friend.

Told through dual timelines is a college setting murder mystery in which the prime suspect is also missing.

Willingham’s third novel is a stark departure to what she has previously written.
It’s best to view this one as a character study on friendship, the types of personalities you might be drawn to and feed off of, and what it means to belong, rather than a suspenseful thriller.

A lot of other reviewers mention that this is extremely slow paced, and I do agree with that! However, as someone that tends to fly through too many books, I didn’t find it to be such a bad thing as it was a nice change of pace to find something that allowed me to slow down.

cw: SA

Friendships come and go but actions with consequences may live on forever. Loyalty, envy, lies, and betrayal are the driving forces in this thriller about the lengths one will go to for friends and the feeling of belonging. Sloane, Margot, and Nicole are “just a couple of harmless girls” brought together by the enigmatic Lucy. She is magnetic and captivating much like Margot’s dearly departed best friend Eliza. Both have secrets that eventually become contagious and deadly. The ramifications of murder or permanent.” One was an accident, one a mistake, and one a necessity.” Who is responsible and who will suffer as truths are revealed and deception uncovered? This is another beautifully written and character-driven emotive psychological thriller by Stacy Willingham. It's easy to get lost in her prose and captured by the original, gripping plot. Thank you, NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for my copy.

I've enjoyed Stacy Willingham's previous books, but unfortunately this one missed the mark for me. I found it to be very repetitive with not much happening along the way.

I am a Willingham fan, so I knew I would want to read this one.

Margot spends her first year of college hiding in her room after the unexpected death of her best friend Eliza. When popular girl on campus Lucy asks her to move in for the summer, she decides to take Lucy up on the offer and make some changes. The off campus house is located next to a fraternity, and Margot gets blindsided when Levi - Eliza's boyfriend - starts rushing that fraternity. Levi's appearance seems to jumpstart questions about Eliza, and Margot is concerned when Levi and Lucy start to form a close relationship.

The book shifts time periods between Now and Before. As readers, we know in the Now that someone has died and someone has disappeared, but we don't yet know exactly what the situation is. This book is very much a slow burn, driven more by character development than by actions moving the plot along. There were times when I almost forgot that I was trying to get to the bottom of a mystery and I was just invested in reading about the characters.

I enjoyed this book, but I took a star away because it felt like the book was a little longer than it needed to be in order to develop the story and the characters. If you're already a fan of Willingham or if you love a character-driven thriller, this one might be for you.

I really wanted to like this, but finishing the book was a struggle. I did love the premise and thought the story would be a slam dunk, but I was so bored. The first 80% of the book drags. Margot is insufferable as a main character. This book would have benefited from multiple POVs since the main character was so weak. I loved her first two books, so this is a disappointment.

Stacy Willingham is one of my favorite authors and was very excited to read this one. The college setting filled with secrets and lies was very fun! Some of the twists I did feel were predictable but still an enjoyable read!

This was more of a drama than it was thriller. Lots of character development. A little bit slower at times. I never knew I could like academia so much. That ending I don’t think anybody could ever see coming. I thought I knew what was going to happen and never would I have seen that twist come.

Another winner from Willingham. This is a great beach read thriller. I did not see the twists coming. I read a lot of thrillers and it’s hard to fool me. This had all the ingredients for a great read. Good character development, good plot and great twists. I will be recommending this one!

I absolutely loved this author’s previous two thrillers. Unfortunately, this one was not for me. I found the plot pretty boring and had trouble getting through it. I never connected to any of the characters. The ending had some action and twists I enjoyed.

This was way too slow to be a thriller, and it felt very young adult to me. Nothing really happens until the end, so it's just another waste of time to be let down.

This one was just average for me. I have really liked Stacy Willingham's previous books but this one was just OK. I felt Lucy was too over the top and Margot was flying way too under the radar. I had a hard time believing they would be friends. I think that's why it was just OK.