I love Stacy Willingham and I really love a campus setting, so I knew from the beginning I would enjoy this one! This one seemed a little slower to me than others, and the ending was just a smidge disappointing compared to her other books. However, I still really loved it and would recommend!

Margot is a shy first-year student at her South Carolina university when she meets bold and magnetic Lucy Sharpe. When they become roommates for the summer, Margot breaks out of her shell, but when Lucy ends up missing and one of their friends is murdered, Margot begins to realize Lucy wasn’t who she said she was and there is so much more behind why Lucy befriended her.

Stacy Willingham writes amazing psychological thrillers so I was really excited to read Only If You’re Lucky. I love dark academia thrillers, and I really enjoyed this story of four college roommates, dark secrets, and a summer that will change all of their lives.

Margot, Lucy, and their friends were the girls we all loved to hate growing up. Their characters weren’t likable, but I was completely drawn into the sorority house feel this book gave me. While reading I had total Mean Girls meets Heathers vibes, and I was here for it! With that said, this book read a bit more YA than Willingham’s previous novels. As a big fan of YA thrillers, I was okay with that, but I can see others not enjoying it as much.

I loved the campus setting and the unreliable narrator worked so well for this story. The book is told in multiple timelines which was perfect. I enjoyed the past and figuring out what happened to Margot’s best friend, then the months leading up to Lucy’s disappearance, and finally the police investigation in the present. All of the timelines worked well and came together perfectly in the end.

I listened to the audiobook narrated by Karissa Vacker. As usual, Vacker did a great job of telling this story. She made me feel like I was living with these girls, and her inflections put suspense where it was needed.

The middle of the book dragged a bit, but I never lost focus and loved every single twist thrown in. I was surprised with the ending, and I’m not sure I would have ended it the way Willingham did, but overall I really enjoyed this book.

Thank you Minotaur Book and Macmillan Audio for advanced copies in exchange for my honest review.

“If you could get away with murder, would you do it?”

Only if You’re Lucky is a twisted psychological thriller that transports you into a complex and absolutely twisted story that will take you down the rabbit hole.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆?

The suspense and the mystery. I was forced to live in the moment while reading this riveting book and having absolutely no clue or even inkling of how everything was really going to come together and play out in the end.

𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗼𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸?

I am so thankful that I went with the audio version. Karissa Vacker knocked it out of the park with her narration. She was able to ratchet up the tension and suspense even more, which kept me wanting more.

Listening Speed: 1.75

𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗶𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲:

Dual POV
Myself
Dark Academia
Twists
College Life
Unpredictable Characters
Psychological Suspense

𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗲?

The audio is definitely the way to go! It helps pick up the pace for this slow burn story.

3.5 stars

Thank you, MacMillan Audio, for my gifted copy in exchange, for my honest opinions.

The twists and turns in this one gave me the best kind of whiplash. Lost track of all of the times I gasped out loud! I loved Willingham’s first two books, and enjoyed this one as well. The audiobook is narrated by one of my favorite narrators, @karissavacker .
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Margot has always been a bit of a wallflower, content to let a best friend shine, with hopes of being swept up in her glow. When magnetic Lucy Sharpe notices Margot and asks her to move in with her and two friends at the end of their freshman year of college, Margot jumps at the chance. Lucy is the sun that everyone seems to revolve around. She reminds Margot of her best friend from high school, who died tragically. A trauma that Margot has worked hard to leave in the past. But when one of the fraternity guys in their friend group is brutally murdered at a party, Margot’s traumatic past begins to catch up to her. How well does she truly know these guys and girls? And will the murderer be caught before striking again?
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Part psychological thriller, part dark academia, Willingham grabs your attention and doesn’t let go. I couldn’t read it fast enough! I loved her exploration of female friendships. Vacker blew me away again with another stunning narration. Thank you @macmillan.audio @minotaur_books for the ARCs!
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Only if You’re Lucky- Stacy Willingham
4.5/5⭐️
Pub Date: 🎉Today!🎉
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“I don’t like the way he says that—Girls—like we’re children being scolded. Some words should be ours to own, at-times-vicious yet tender terms of endearment we toss around like glitter that suddenly taste sour in the mouths of men.”

AUDIOBOOK ARC REVIEW
Rating: ⭐️⭐️
Read How: 🎧
Narrator: Karissa Vacker
Setting: South Carolina


Even though I didn't finish this book however I read enough to have an opinion.
Majority of this book nothing NOTHING was happening other than partying, playing games, and drinking. Margot was a terrible friend which honestly didn't affect how I feel about this book because I like terrible main characters. I just wish everything wasn't drawn out so much.
I also think the transition between the timelines didn't happen smoothly.
I did listen to the audiobook and I didn't mind the narrator.

Thank you, NetGalley, St Martins Press, and Macmillan Audio for a copy of this book/audiobook in exchange for an honest review

Thank you @minotaurbooks and @macmillan.audio for my gifted book. My thoughts are my own.

As Margot is mourning the death of her high school best friend, Eliza, she reluctantly goes off to a small college in South Carolina. Margot struggles through her freshman year and even though her roommate is nice, she is not Eliza. At the end of her freshman year, Lucy Sharpe notices Margot and invites her to live in a house she shares with 2 other girls. The house is owned by a fraternity and the girls can live there inexpensively because one of them has a boyfriend in the fraternity. As Margot becomes almost obsessed with Lucy, she is stunned when Eliza’s boyfriend Levi moves into the frat house next door and Lucy becomes involved with him. Before the end of the school year, Lucy goes missing and one of the frat boys next door is murdered.

I don’t usually enjoy novels that take place during college (unless I am reading a YA book), but I did enjoy this one. The slow-burn story unfolds through alternate timelines and we gradually learn surprising truths about all the main characters. The conclusion is stunning.

I enjoyed both the audio and print versions. The narrator does a great job bringing the characters to life.

I really enjoyed this one from Willingham. This may be geared towards a younger audience being that it is set in a college. A little bit of a slow burn at first, but then it really gets going and doesn’t let up. I have read Willingham’s two previous novels. I hated “A Flicker in the Dark,” but loved “All the Dangerous Things.” I definitely recommend this one!

Stacy Willingham does it again!! Every time I pick up a new book from Stacy, it’s better than the last.

The entire time I was following the story (I read along and listened), I was trying to figure out what was going on. I knew I wasn’t going to guess the exact details, but the way it was unfolding was very easy to follow and make guessing. Stacy gave us all the pieces of the puzzle with the final picture, but let us put it together chapter by chapter. I LOVED it. I was invested in the MC’s role and story, wanting her to tell me more and as much as possible.

The twists felt effortless! I didn’t feel the story became too much or unrealistic. Everything fell into place perfectly. Highly recommend.

Thanks so much NetGalley and Macmillan audio for the ARC audiobook.

3.5 ⭐️

I always love a dark academia thriller! There were times I felt like the story was a little too slow, specifically the first part of the book, but the second half was full of twists I didn’t see coming. It made up for the slower beginning.
It wasn’t my favorite Willingham novel, but it was still very enjoyable.

Thank you to NetGalley for this audiobook.

Only If You're Lucky is a slow burn and I know it won't necessarily be for every Reader. For me, though, there is no denying the rich-quality of Willingham's writing. She pulled this one off in the end, big time. It took me a minute to settle into the story, not gonna lie, but once I did I was swept up into the drama like a nosy neighbor.

In this story we follow Margot, who is a Freshman at a small Liberal Arts college in South Carolina. It was Margot's dream to attend this particular college with her childhood best friend, Eliza. Unfortunately, Eliza's life was taken in a tragic accident just prior to that dream becoming a reality.

Freshman year, Margot is obviously still coming to grips with the loss of her best friend. She feels like a ship without a port and therefore, plays it very safe. She befriends her new roommate and they barely ever leave the dorm.

At the end of the year though, she gets approached by a girl she's been watching from afar all year, Lucy Sharpe. Lucy is magnetic, bold and popular and for some reason, she wants Margot as a friend. Lucy offers Margot the chance to move in with her and two other girls in an off-campus house. Unable to refuse a golden opportunity, the chance for a new life, a fresh start and a position amongst the it-girls, Margot accepts, thus changing her fate forever.

As Margot is folded into this new group of girls, she begins to think that perhaps Lucy isn't quite who she thinks she is. The other two girls, Nicole and Sloane, seem a bit hesitant to discuss Lucy behind her back. Are they just loyal friends, or is there more to it than that?

By the end of Sophomore year, these girls are completely embedded in one another's lives, rarely apart. Then a boy from the fraternity house next door ends up dead and Lucy goes missing without a trace. Circumstances have shifted. As the police dig into an investigation, it's clear Margot, Nicole and Sloane know more than they're letting on. Are they helping Lucy, or do they really not know where she is? You'll have to hang in until the very end to find out.

As mentioned before, this is a slow burn. You have to be patient as Willingham sets the stage, introduces our characters and fills in some of Margot's backstory. As the relationship with Margot and her new friends begins, that's when things start to pick up. It's hard to get a read initially on the other girls and you wonder just what exactly Margot is getting herself into.

I did really grow to care for Margot and the other girls over the course of the story. A lot of the things they were doing and going through, I could relate to and through Willingham's writing, it really took me back to that time in my own life, when I met my best friend, Nichole.

Once I was hooked into the characters, I started to fly through this and I loved how the different aspects of the narrative tied together in the second half.

I think some may be disappointed by this because while it's pitched as Adult, I would actually classify it as New Adult. Some Readers are going to pick this up and find that the storyline reads a little young for them, and I get that. I read a ton of YA stories, personally, and love them; particularly YA Mystery/Thrillers. While I was a little surprised initially, I still feel like this is a strong story. In fact, I think this would be a great transitional book for Readers moving from the YA to Adult category.

Also, I know the synopsis states they're in college, but I rarely read the full synopsis for a Mystery/Thriller, and I think the same can be said for a lot of Readers. You don't want to spoil yourself, so if you see a favorite authors' name on the cover, you just give it a go. These are the people I think are going to be the most surprised.

If you go into this with the right mindset though, knowing this is a story involving young women in the early stages of college, going through all the things young women in college go through, you could really enjoy it.

I did have the pleasure of listening to the audiobook and absolutely recommend that format. It's narrated by one of the best narrators of all time, Karissa Vacker, and per usual, she brought life to this story.

Overall, I think this was a bit of a change for Stacy Willingham. Her earlier stories have been well and proper in the Adult category. It's nice to see her stretch her legs a bit and I feel she was successful in this story. It's well-constructed and contains a full cast of nicely-fleshed out characters.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Macmillan Audio, for providing me a copy to read and review. Willingham is a must read for me. I will continue to pick up all her work!

Margot is a freshman and she is heading to school without her best friend, Eliza. Eliza was mysteriously killed 3 weeks before they were supposed to head to college. Her life is pretty boring until she meets Lucy, a mysterious girl with a magnetic and powerful personality. Not much is known about Lucy which makes her more appealing to others. While they are living together, a murder happens. Who did it? This reminded me so much of Pretty Little Liars.

Only If You’re Lucky
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Author: Stacy Willingham

I requested a digital advanced readers copy from NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press and Macmillan Audio and providing my opinion voluntarily and unbiased.

Synopsis: 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 is the shy one, the careful one, always the sidekick and never the center of attention. But when Lucy singles her out at the end of the year, a year Margot spent studying and playing it safe, and asks her to room together, something in Margot can't say no—something daring, or starved, or maybe even envious.

And so 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.

My Thoughts: This was a gripping, captivating, creepy psychological thriller that kept me wanting more, even at the determinant of my own sleep. I have been a fan of Willingham with Flicker in the Dark and have been reading every book she publishes every year. This story follows a group of girls as they navigate college life, or so it seems. Margot meets Lucy at the end of her freshman college year and is attracted to Lucy, as she reminds her of her best friend from home. When Lucy invites Margot to live with her and two other girls, Margot cannot say no. They life off-campus next to a fraternity of boys. Margot is finally coming out of her shell after losing her best friend the year after high school graduation, and just as she does, a boy next door is murdered and Lucy is missing. What could have gone wrong? This follows a slow burn, classic whodunit mystery that is full of twists and turns, with more than enough suspects.

The story was narrated by Margot, in her POV, in a before and after narrative. Margot is shy, reserved, and always plays it safe, she sometimes care too much. Lucy is bold, dangerous, eccentric, and is a natural born leader. Lucy’s famous question, “If you knew you could get away with murder, would you do it?” rings loud throughout the novel. Then there is Sloane, who is always sarcastic and the glue that holds the group together. Lastly, we have Nicole, the nice, shy girl who is dating one of the fraternity boys, which allows them to have this rental off campus. The storyline embeds a true Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, a true struggle between good and evil. Does a person do evil to promote the good? Or are inherently evil people always evil? The characters were developed well, with our female characters being unreliable, dark, mysterious, and intriguing. The supporting characters that also starred alongside our female friend group brings the story to another level. The author’s writing style was complex, suspenseful, had expert timing of revelations, with a cyclone plot, with a structure of the story was brilliant. The plot twists were well created with secrets, lies, and accusations, with an ending that was jaw dropping and maybe a bit stretched, however, still was entertaining.

I had the pleasure of having the digital and audio ARCs. I mostly listened to the story. The narrator (Karissa Vacker) does a good job with pitch and flow, I was able to listen at 2x with no issues. She has great voice variation that was distinctive with the character voices. The narrator was easy to follow and really gave the characters life. Willingham is a master storyteller that can deliver twists embedded in twists and has a knack for keeping the reader invested from cover to cover. This book was different from Willingham’s first two books and fell a little short of the high bar she set, but I would still highly recommend this story.

I was one of the few people who did not like Willingham’s debut so I skipped her sophomore novel BUT after seeing good early reviews for this one I decided to give another shot!! And shocker?! I really liked it!!

✨college setting
✨power dynamics in friendships
✨past and present timelines
✨multiple mysteries at hand 🤔
✨great on audio - narrated by one of my favorites Karissa Vacker!
✨I didn’t see the twists coming + the ending was twisty twisty 🌪️

Lots of reviews noted that the first ~60% was slow and it was BUT the audio reallllly helped move it along! And the ending was definitely worth it!

Margot enters colleague shy and reserved, missing her best friend from high school who didn't make the leap to adulthood with her. Then, without any real explanation as to how/why it happens, she's ensconced among Lucy, Sloane, and Nicole--living in the middle of college parties, friendships, and secrets.

Soon, though, Margot's past collides with her present in world shattering ways. The life she's been trying to build for herself dangling precariously on edge... and then more and more things start to pique her attention as "off": these relationships, those stories, this event... It's not adding up.

Several solid twists throughout the story to sustain it despite a few obvious turns. A solid, page turner that is definitely worth the hype.

Narration at 2x speed was still easy to comprehend. Narrator did a nice job helping to keep all the girls separate.

Overall: 4 stars (I really liked it!)

I'll tell my students about: language, drugs, alcohol, sex, mental health, physical abuse, violence/graphic imagery/murder

**Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the free ALC. All opinions expressed are my own.**

4.5 🌟’s (rounding up).
Imagine a story that's brimming with murder, obsession, dark secrets, and wild college parties, all with a strong undercurrent of female friendship. Sounds exciting, doesn't it? Well, prepare to be swept away by the gripping tale of "ONLY IF YOU’RE LUCKY".

The story takes place in the present, with flashbacks of the past. Where Margot, a depressed loner, lost her best friend just before they were to attend college together. That is until Lucy enters her life, inviting her to join her and two other girls in a rented house. Lucy is everything Margot wants in a friend. She’s vivacious, full of life and reminds her of Eliza.

The story begins at the end of this magnetic tale, with a murder investigation and Lucy’s disappearance. The narrative takes us through the twisted events that lead to this point, the author masterfully weaves insane twists and small mysteries into the larger one.

Despite the intricate plot, the author manages to deliver a satisfying conclusion that is both shocking and rewarding. Trust me, if you're a fan of thrillers, you won't want to miss out on this captivating story by the talented Willingham. Get ready for a rollercoaster ride of suspense, drama, and intrigue that will leave you breathless!

#OnlyIfYoureLucky #StacyWillingham #KarissaVacker #NetGalley #MacmillanAudio #HonestReview #ReadersOfTheLateArc #TalkWordyToMeTeam #LoveToRead #BookAddict #ThrillerBookLovers #BookReviewer #Thriller #LoveBooks #ThrillerBookLoverPromotions #ThrillerFriendsUnite #ThrillerObsessedBookishClub #Bookstagrammer #BookReels

Stacy Willingham kept me guessing. This is the third book of hers of listening to and I'm ready for the next.
The narrator of this audiobook (narrated by Karissa Vacker) also hits.

Only If You're Lucky is an academic thriller which I considered to be a bit of a slow burn. There was a lot more focus on character development rather than an action packed plot. It had me trying to dissect the characters to figure out who I should have my eye on. Although this is not my favorite Willingham novel, it still delivered fairly well as far as thrillers go, but just had more of a young adult/new adult vibe.

🔥Book Review🔥

Only If You’re Lucky
Stacy Willingham
Release Day: January 16, 2024 TODAY

I was very excited to have the chance to listen to this book early. A small town college mystery immediately piqued my interest!

I have to admit this definitely had me guessing up until the very end. I’ve seen this said other places, there was a mean girl vibe to the book, which I did like!
I read another one of Stacy Willingham’s books this past year and love both of the storylines but somewhere along the way the final twist fell a little flat for me. Maybe it was the reasoning behind some of the twists that just didn’t do it for me.
However, she does do a great job writing some twisty/creepy characters.

I really enjoyed the narrator as well. Karissa Vacker was great and I flew through this book. She was very easy to listen to and understand at 2X speed.

Read this book if you like:
✨Dark academia mystery/thriller
🔥Dual Timeline
✨Small town college
🔥Female friendships
✨Multiple twists

Thank you @netgalley and @macmillan.audio for the advanced copy.

3.5 rounded up to 4 stars !

'Only If You're Lucky' toooootally gave me Pretty Little Liar vibes. Although it was a little on the slower end and the characters gave me some immaturity characteristics, it was still pretty enjoyable. I'm glad I took the advice to listen to the audiobook for this one rather than reading it cause the narrator - Karissa Vacker - really added that extra factor of making the story engaging and entertaining.

I'm kicking myself in the butt as I am realizing I still need to read Willingham's 'Flicker in The Dark', maybe I'll try that one on audio too at some point!

Honestly, I wouldn't recommend this one to everyone. It's definitley a slow burn. Personally, I really enjoyed it though. Stacy Willingham is definitely becoming one of my favorites, and I was beyond happy to be given the opportunity to read the ARC! Thank you Macmillan Audio, NetGalley, and Stacy Willingham.

The story's main characters are named Margot and Lucy which made me giggle. My nieces names! They are younger, college age women. There are many meantions of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, and the story has you considering the different parts that make us who we are. There is definitely coming of age elements, jealousy, girl power, relationships, college life, and mystery. The last 30% or so is full of twists that I loved!

I also want to say that Karissa Vacker is a great fit for Stacy Willingham's characters. She does so well everytime!