Wow 5 stars Stacy does it again.
Every book I’ve read written by Stacy hooks me and this is no exception - how does she do it.
Read this you won’t regret it.

A slower pace but I liked the build up and pay off.
Reads a little young I think due to the characters ages, but still an enjoyable read.
Have to suspend belief a little with this one.

Thank you for my copy!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advance copy of Only If You're Lucky by Stacy WIllingham in exchange for my honest review and opinion. Holy cow, this is one fantastic book! I loved absolutely everything about it! The only problem is it sucks you in on page one and won't let you do anything else until you finish this book! So many twists and turns that will keep you guessing until the very last page.

Thank you for the opportunity to review this new novel.

Sorry to say but I dnf:ed it. It was way too slow for me :(

Only If You're Lucky by Stacy Willingham is a dark, addictive, and razor-sharp thriller that plunges into the shadowy depths of female friendships, secrets, and betrayal. Tautly written and utterly hypnotic, this novel is an unmissable page-turner for fans of psychological suspense.

The story revolves around four college roommates: Lucy, Nicole, Sloane, and the narrator. Drawn together by Lucy’s magnetic charm, the group’s idyllic college life takes a sinister turn when Lucy goes missing, and a boy next door is found dead. As the police begin their investigation, the remaining friends are bound by an unspoken pact to protect Lucy’s secrets—and their own.

Willingham masterfully builds tension, revealing cracks in the friends’ seemingly tight-knit bond. The dynamics between the characters are richly layered, showcasing the intoxicating allure of Lucy’s persona while hinting at the dangerous undercurrents of jealousy, manipulation, and suppressed truths.

The pacing is relentless, with each chapter peeling back new layers of deception. Willingham’s prose is sharp and evocative, capturing both the shimmering excitement and the pitch-dark consequences of youth and freedom. The novel’s exploration of themes like envy, loyalty, and the cost of keeping secrets adds emotional depth, making it more than just a thriller—it’s a keenly observed study of human nature.

With its electrifying twists and haunting revelations, Only If You’re Lucky cements Willingham’s reputation as a master of suspense. The gripping narrative will leave readers breathless until the final, shocking page.

If you’re seeking a darkly addictive story about the dangerous ties that bind, Only If You’re Lucky is an absolute must-read. A chilling reminder that the line between loyalty and betrayal is often razor-thin.

stacy willingham!! the woman you are!!!! i love when i root for a character but get frustrated with them at the same time!!

Incredibly well developed characters in this one and a plot that keeps you guessing until the very end. Looking forward to reading more from the author.

A spine-chilling thriller. Student Margot is grieving the death of her best friend. Making a fresh start in her first year at college, she is invited to move into a shared house with new friend Lucy. Six months on, Lucy has disappeared. A dark intense read.

Stacy Willingham is one of my autobuy thriller authors because ever since her debut book she has always delivered! I really enjoyed the way she worked with timelines in Only If You're Lucky. Having the mystery woven through both timelines and including certain reveals in each was masterful and it kept me hooked from start to finish.

I always enjoy reading about a group of close friends and then figuring out why their little group fell apart. Give me the drama!

The atmosphere in this one was very well crafted. I felt like I was on campus with these students and attending the parties by the fire. I really enjoy the way Willingham writes her settings and sets the scene.

I can't wait to see what she comes out with next!

I enjoyed this book. Lots of twists and turns that keep you interested.. A great, suspenseful read. Recommended.

This one didn't work for me, which was so disappointing as I loved her first 2.
It was a slow burn & was bizarre 😭

Having read a previous book by Stacy Willingham and thoroughly enjoyed it, I was excited to read her latest novel Only If You’re Lucky which was published earlier this year.

One of the main contributing factors for me in any psychological thriller is that feeling of dread, that mounting tension and, of course, that unreliable narrator and Only If You’re Lucky has all that plus more.

Set in South Carolina, Margot has just started University. She’s struggling to fit it and find her place/her tribe and herself because her best friend Eliza tragically died three weeks after graduation and the girls had planned to go to University together and had their whole lives mapped out together.

Eliza was the outgoing one, the bubbly, beautiful and social butterfly and Margot was the quieter, more introverted one who relied on her best friend for everything. Now at University she’s completely adrift and spends the first year quietly in the shadows not really participating in student life.

Lucy Sharpe is in the same campus and she is larger than life, loud, bold and very confident with a magnetic personality which draws everyone to her, and when she approaches Margot and asks her to move in to a house with her 3 friends for their 2nd year, Margot can’t help but agreed despite not knowing Lucy or friends except from afar.

This is where the story takes a dark path, because there is an unexplained death, a missing housemate and so many secrets and lies which start to unfold.

I really enjoyed this book and wasn’t quite sure who, what and why things were happening from the opening page to the twisty reveals which were scattered throughout the story.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

A pretty easy listen, with some good twists at the end. I wouldn’t say it was my fave book by the author but I’d continue to come back for more everytime :-)

The k you to Netgalley and the publisher for my copy of this e-arc!

This book felt really predictable from the get go and I needed up DNFing it as it couldn’t get into the story as I also didn’t love the then and now timelines.

It felt like overly descriptive and really wordy.

This was quite a slow burner and it took me a while to get invested in the characters. When I did get into it and the story really got going - blimey. A real rollercoaster and I could not turn the pages fast enough. An excellent read.

I really enjoyed this new thriller from Stacy Willingham! It's full of complicated and kind of screwed-up relationships between people who clearly need a lot of therapy and have a lot of interesting perspectives on the truth, which is one of my favourite kinds of relationships between women! It's creepy and haunting and has plenty of twists, but there's also an emotional heart to the characters that keeps you engaged and turning the page! If you're looking for a good thriller that centres women with secrets, you'll definitely enjoy this one!

A chilling story. When Margot's best friend Eliza gets killed in a supposed accident she goes off to college where she gets involved with a group of friends and suddenly everything changes and it becomes quite dark and sinister at times.as she tries to work out how her new friend Lucy becomes so attached to her and wonders what her motive could be and if she really is who she seems. Well written with plenty of twists but quite disturbing in parts but holds your interest and gets better as you keep reading

I found this slow in places but deeply engaging. Margot has a secret past: her best friend died. Margot goes to college and is encouraged to share a house with Lucy and her friends. As the mystery unravels and darts from present to past, everything is not what it seems. It doesn't get a five-star rating, but it is a good book and worth a read.

Secrets and lies abound in this story set in a small American college. Margot is still grieving the death of her best friend when she attends college and meets up with the enigmatic Lucy and moves into a house with her and two other students. Secrets and lies abound in this twisty tale and nothing it what it seems. Lucy is manipulative and controlling and the others are drawn into her web with deadly consequences. This is a very well written book by an author I have previously read and enjoyed.

I thought this was an interesting book. The plot was surprising and continued to surprise. There were lots of twists and turns. The characters were, I thought, particularly well drawn. However I felt it a little contrived and a bit immature, more like YA. I would recommend as a light read but not as a great book.