I was so excited (and honored!) to receive this ARC! I love Stacy Willingham’s other two novels (A Flicker in the Dark and All the Dangerous Things) and was so excited to dive into her latest work.

This book felt very “Pretty Little Liars goes to college” to me. It was very different from her other two works in that it was a lot slower-paced. It took me awhile to get into this book and the story, but the compelling characters are definitely its strongest point.

Only If You’re Lucky follows Margot as she enters college, where she was supposed to attend with her long-time best friend, but her friend tragically died the summer before. Margot quickly gets sucked into a new friendship group led by mysterious ringleader Lucy Sharpe and finds herself moving into a house next door to a fraternity with these three new friends. Things seem to be getting better for Margot when one of the fraternity boys is suddenly murdered and the attention turns to the four women living next door.

This book really focuses on the limits of friendship, betrayal, and how far hurt can take a person.

Thank you to NetGalley, Minotaur Books, and Stacy Willingham for providing me with this free e-ARC in exchange for a review!

Due to release on January 15th, 2024.

Audiobook and E-book review.
4/5 🌟🌟🌟🌟
The cover was amazing and made me want to give it a higher priority on my TBR list.

This book is different from her previous books 'Flicker in the Dark' and 'All The Dangerous Things', but I'm not mad about it. I have listened to both and loved them, but I have room in my heart for all three books. I didn't find it as dark as I was expecting, but it was more like a whodunit coming of age drama with moments that I found thrilling. I'm not saying there weren't any surprises, because there were. She kept me guessing, as she has done before, until the very end.

This is written from the POV of Margot, the main character, who is a young adult who is reserved and can be persuaded by others, and is a bit obsessive at times. She feels the loss of someone she loved in the past and is determined to change her typical, repetitive behavior and avoid repeating her past mistakes when she goes to college. You are given flashbacks to both the past before college and the present day in college. Fraternity brothers, mean girls, peer pressure, boy drama, murder, and a whole lot of mayhem can be found throughout. If you're not interested in that, then this book won't be for you.

I'm 53 and still love reading about the bad behavior of young adults and the life lessons one learns along the way to fully developing their frontal lobe. As a woman who was once young, I can relate to the desire to be the one girl who is noticed and doesn't seem to be scared of anything. It seems to me that we've all been there at some point. In that way, I could relate to Margot.

I enjoyed the ending and I thought it would be fun to look at some of these characters again later in their lives. You know after their frontal lobe has fully developed. In addition, I think that this book has the potential to become an entertaining movie or television series.

Thank you to @netgallery and the author, Stacy Willingham along with her publishers St. Martin Press and Macmillan Audio with supplying me with the ARC and ALC for my honest review. I read the Ebook and listened to this audiobook simultaneously. Reading several chapters and listening to them in bed at night. Something I have never done before, but it was a fun experience. In my opinion, Karissa Vacker did a great job of narrating the audiobook and giving voice to all the characters I had previously read.

While this one was more YA than her last two, I still enjoyed it so much. Stacy Willingham is definitely an auto-buy author and I was so excited when this one was sent to me. Alternating timelines, two murders to solve and the ending twists that were so satisfying even if a bit predictable made this one read so quick for me. Thanks to St. Martins Press for my ARC.

The lake water was cool on her skin, refreshing to the touch. The moon cast an ethereal glow on the water and the quietness of the night lingered around her. She was out here alone. She savored the moment, allowing herself this small moment of peace. But then she heard them approaching… and the silence was shattered.

Only If You’re Lucky is a thriller following Margot, a freshman at college who is trying to navigate life after the death of her best friend. She meets Lucy, who seems too good to be true, but Margot is desperate for a connection.

I was immediately intrigued by this book when I started it, but the middle really dragged for me. The writing was very prose-like and flowery, which isn’t what I typically like in a thriller. Especially when I loved this author’s other two books and they weren’t written that way. After the slow middle, the final third of the book really picked up and had me hooked again! The ending felt more reminiscent of Stacy’s writing in her first two books.

If you’re looking for a slow burn, college setting thriller, with some great twists and turns… then add this one to your list!

I just recently discovered Stacy Willingham, but I’ve been a huge fan since the first book. The way that she writes a story makes it not only easy to devour, but entertaining.

There is nothing I value more than a thriller author I can count on, and that is Stacy Willingham for me.
⭐⭐⭐⭐

Only If You're Lucky is a dual timeline, slow-burn thriller set at a college before and after a terrible accident at a fraternity party.

My favorite part of Stacy Willingham's novels is the writing. She brings such a unique voice that always captivates me from the first page. In the case of Only If You're Lucky, we get the perspective of our main protagonist Margot and by the end I felt like I really understood her motivations - even more so as the story and twists unfold.

I think readers will enjoy this one as much as I did - with the right expectations. This story is slow rolling. There's not a big reveal after every page and you need that patience in order to be satisfied with the whole story which is why you might be seeing some DNFs. But for me, it paid off in the end and Only If You're Lucky joins Stacy's other two novels as recommended thrillers from me!

Only If You're Lucky comes out January 16, 2024.

QOTD: What read are you most anticipating for 2024?

3.5⭐️

I absolutely love Stacy Willingham and her writing, but I struggled so hard to get through the middle portion of this book. It felt repetitive to me, and like quite a bit was unnecessary.

I absolutely enjoyed the twist and how everything came together in the end. A couple of the twists I predicted, but there were also some that I did not see coming at all!

Had the middle of this book worked better for me then it would’ve been a 4/4.5⭐️ read for sure!

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for the ARC copy!! Out everywhere Jan 16!

Only If You’re Lucky by Stacy Willingham
Narrator: Karissa Vacker
Rating: 4 stars
Pub date: 1/16

Margot arrives at Rutledge College devastated after the accidental death of her best friend, Eliza, months before. She’s shy and careful but wishes she could be more outgoing. Then she meets Lucy Sharpe, an enigmatic and free-spirited classmate who reminds her so much of Eliza that she can’t help but be drawn to her. The duo and two other contrasting friends share an off-campus house next door to a frat house.
As Margot starts to come out of her shell, the plot takes a chilling turn when a neighboring fraternity boy is found murdered, and Lucy goes missing without a trace. This sets the stage for exploring female friendships, loyalty, and betrayal.

This story is very different from Willingham's previous works, introducing a slower-paced, character-driven story with a touch of young adultish vibes. Things don’t start to pick up until the 70% mark, and that’s when all the clues and Easter eggs Willingham has left behind begin to make sense.

The dark academia atmosphere drew me in and reminded me of one of my favorite thrillers, In My Dreams I Hold a Knife. I loved the dual timeline as we hopped between past and present, and Margot explained how the events leading up to Eliza’s death came together with what was happening in the present.

The unexpected twists kept me fully immersed in the story, and I couldn’t put it down! I listened to this on audio, also, and the narrator did a tremendous job bringing all of the characters to life. Karissa Vacker is one of my favorite narrators, and I’ll listen to any books she narrates.

If you're a fan of psychological suspense or character-driven mysteries, this novel is a must-read. Thank you so much to Minotaur for my advanced copy and to Macmillan Audio for my complimentary audiobook.

This was great! Definitely a slow burn but I was gripped and couldn't wait to keep reading to discover what happened. The setting was fun and I kept trying to guess what would happen, but I didn't really see the twist coming.

Lucy is one of the campus "It" girls; Margot is quiet, reserved, blends in, and mourning the loss of her childhood best friend. So, it surprises Margot when Lucy takes an interest in her and invites her to be one of her roommates. Margot cannot believe her luck as the house they move into is in a fashionable part of town, and the rent is cheap. A fraternity owns it and the frat house is right next door. Living there, Margot is finally coming out of her shell, then everything changes. One of the fraternity pledges dies, and Lucy goes missing…

A slow-burn told in a dual timeline of "Before" and "After" Lucy's disappearance, the clues drip out, and we are dealt a few twists. Even though I guessed a few of them, I did enjoy this, and it is very well written. The author's writing style is engaging, and her characters, particularly the enigmatic Lucy, are vivid and memorable. This read almost YA to me for its depictions of the early years of collegiate life, and I think it was a good exploration of the lengths some characters would go to trying to fit in. Atmospheric, with skillful world-building, this definitely has dark academia vibes. There was a lot of setup, but every scene was rich in detail, from the Outer Banks, to the bowling alley Lucy worked at, to the frat house and the house next door that the girls lived in, which had a few creepy elements. Overall, I enjoyed this and I thought the Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde references peppered throughout were really fun. This was my first book by this author and I have heard good things about her previous books so I will be checking those out!

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press and Minotaur Books for the gifted eARC

Book review of Only IF You're Lucky by Stacy Willingham
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Thanks to @netgalley and @minotaur_books @stmartinspress for this early release. I have read several of @stacyvwillingham books and I love the twisty turns we take along the way!

Margot in her freshmen year of college at Rutledge in South Carolina is a bit lost. She has a roommate, Maggie, but they really haven't gotten involved in any of the things that all freshmen do! Margot lost her best friend, Eliza, whom she should have been rooming with three weeks after graduation. So at the end of freshmen year, when Lucy Sharpe takes notice of Margot, she's intrigued. Lucy asks Margot to room with her, and two other girls, Sloane and Nicole. On a whim, Margot accepts. The house is a character itself, with drafty rooms and unnatural noises. The girls landlords, it seems, are the fraternity boys next door. The girls become fast friends, especially Lucy and Margot. Lucy reminds Margot so much of Eliza! Now middle of sophomore year, and Lucy is missing without a trace and one of the fraternity brothers is murdered. Sloane, Nicole and Margot are being questioned by the police. Why do they have Lucy's phone and what do they know?
Great book, and super fast read, as I wanted to know where we were going. I love all the twists that came up as well!
This is out January 16, 2024, and you need to read it.

#NetGalley
#OnlyIfYou'reLucky
#minotaur_books
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#stacyvwillingham

Um, can this be turned into a movie ASAP? This was my favorite Willingham book so far. I couldn’t stop myself from reading it in one sitting.

This is one of those unrealistic young adult books that you can’t stay away from. College life, secrets, drama, and a murder mystery? Sign me up.

I thought I knew how it was going to end (and may have guessed some of it) but was still surprised at the end.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

We follow Margot, the quintessential 'good girl,' whose encounter with Lucy prompts her to break out of her shell. The storyline centered around Margot's best friend kept me engaged, and the addition of the fraternity college guys added a mysterious element that left me questioning the unfolding events and how they would play a part to the story. The unexpected plot twist took me by surprise, adding an extra layer of intrigue to the story.
The narrator, Karissa Vacker did a great job portraying many characters and kept me engaged till the very end. I felt like Karissa did a wonderful job portraying the guys as well.

I love Stacy Willingham, Flicker in the Dark was one of my absolute favorites so j was super excited to dive into this one by her.

Margot is a Freshman in college, and I’d bring a freshman in college isn’t enough, she’s also still grieving her best friend.

Enter a new friend with secrets of her own. And running into someone who knew hee best friend and really makes things interesting

This book did have a slower start hit the dang twist was worth it. Didn’t see it coming. At all


Thank you so much NetGalley, St. Martins Press & Minotaur Books for this ARC opportunity

“If You Knew You Could Get Away with Murder, Would You do it?”
There's something about Willingham's latest novel that didn't grab me as much as I had hoped. Yes, there are lots of lies and secrets, but unfortunately for me it read more like a YA novel, and that could be due to the fact that it's centered around late high school/early college aged students. The dialogues, the games they played and their overall unlikable personalities made it feel rather juvenile. The pace is very slow and not much happens until the end, but the author did an outstanding job creating an atmospheric setting and tone. Overall, I did enjoy reading this one, just not as much as I enjoyed the author's previous work. Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books and the author for a gifted ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

When will I get lucky with another Stacy Willingham read? 😩

I seriously loved A Flicker in the Dark (5 stars!), but since then have felt let down once and now twice over. Is it me? Hi? Am I the problem, it’s me? 🥲

While I continue to stand by her writing, which is top notch, this story and its main character were NOT for me. I felt so bored by it all.

It was completely character driven, which isn’t necessarily a nonstarter for me. However, the character has to be wildly interesting to keep me engaged. And Margot was not. 😳

There are a few big twists at the end, but the journey to get there didn’t feel entirely worth it. I truly wish I had more positive things to say, but the reality is that I simply haven’t been able to recapture what I felt with Willingham’s debut.

I loved Willingham’s first two books, A Flicker in the Dark and All the Dangerous Things; this one kept me turning pages but ultimately had me question too many things. The two lead characters, Margot and Lucy, were well developed and intriguing. A large cast of supporting characters pushed the plot line along, but I wanted some of them much more fleshed out, needed more motivation for actions, at least for me. By the end, however, I hit the Road of Implausibility with a few road signs of Melodrama. I did turn pages furiously though, and think many lovers of thrillers will appreciate the tension in this one.

I am a big fan of Stacy Willingham, however, this book fell short of her first two. While it had an unexpected twist, it didn’t feel like the plot picked up until 75%. Too much time was spent explaining the college parties and college friends, not enough dedicated to character development and the plot.

After reading A Flicker in the Dark, Stacy Willingham instantly became an “auto buy” author for me.

Yet again, she surpassed my expectations!

Margot’s character development throughout the story was amazing! Little by little, she came out of her shell with big steps along the way.

You see little development and history of the side characters. However, I found that refreshing. Many books focus too heavily on the smaller pieces of the puzzle.

One thing I love about Only If You’re Lucky is the twists are perfectly timed and placed. Not right when you WANT them but exactly where you need them.

The final twist blew me out of the water!

Thank you NetGalley for a chance to read another amazing ARC! Only If You’re Lucky is about 4 female college friends and the secrets they keep from each other and even from themselves. However, it’s more than just about secrets. It’s about jealousy, loyalty, envy, the guilt we hold on to, the need for acceptance, to belong, to be loved…but at what cost? You will have all the usual thriller feels while reading this one and add a bit of sorrow and sadness to the mix too. Willingham weaves this tale in the ‘before’ and ‘after’ and almost brilliantly brings the two so perfectly together. Two points finally meeting with multiple jaw dropping moments.

This book will not disappoint! Due out Jan. 16, 2024.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Time to choose my next book! Happy reading, y’all! 📚❤️📚

#StacyWillingham
#NetGalley