Stroke of Luck

by Lorinda Faye

Ever since Asher disappeared at the beginning of their junior year of high school, Ember has had a hard time getting over him. She has questions about his disappearance when things don’t quite add up. She moves on with her professional life but has never moved on romantically from her one true, high school love. She has managed to keep Asher a secret from everyone except her best friend. Then Adam, the friend of Ember’s best friend’s husband, persuades her to give him a chance. When she finally gives in to his pressure, he moves too quickly and she panics, bailing on the relationship. Adam starts to drink heavy then begins to obsess about getting Ember back, hurting her in the process.
When Ember learns of Adam’s dark past, she decides she is going to take care of Adam herself before he really hurts her, or worse, he finds out about Asher. But when she gets to his house to confront him, she is too late. It appears that he has taken care of himself for her, or…was there foul play involved before she got the chance to do anything herself?
Visiting their special tree on the same day every year of Asher’s disappearance, she marks the tree for every year they have been apart hoping he will one day return. It’s been thirteen years and she has to ask herself, how long is too long to wait for the one you love?

266 pages, Paperback

Published March 1, 2025

Reviews

[Kasey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was so thrilled to receive an ARC of this book and am leaving this review voluntarily.

WHAT A DEBUT! I was immediately hooked on this book because of the characters. They navigate love and big emotions at such a young age that’s truly inspiring. I was rooting for both main characters from page 1 until the very end.

If you’re looking for an emotional read, look no further!

[Teresa Dallas · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was written by my niece! What a fabulous job for her first novel. I loved how she used some special names & dates throughout the book! It’s an easy read to be enjoyed by all.

[Chapters_with_VDKeck · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some loves never fade. Some questions never stop haunting you. And some secrets refuse to stay buried.

For thirteen years, Ember has carried the ghost of Asher in her heart. He disappeared without a trace at the start of their junior year, and though life has moved forward, her heart has remained frozen in time. Every year, she returns to their special tree, carving a mark for each year he’s been gone, hoping—waiting. But how long is too long to hold onto a love that may never return?

Enter Adam. Charming, persistent, and determined to break through Ember’s walls. Against her better judgment, she gives him a chance—only to realize too late that Adam’s affection hides something far darker. When his obsession turns dangerous, Ember knows she has to stop him before he destroys her. But when she arrives at his house, she finds him already dead. Did Adam take matters into his own hands, or was someone else there first?

Lorinda Faye masterfully blends romance, suspense, and psychological tension in Stroke of Luck. The emotions run deep, the twists keep you second-guessing, and the atmosphere hums with quiet, simmering danger. Ember’s longing, fear, and resilience are so vividly drawn that you feel every beat of her heartache and every pulse of her adrenaline. And just when you think you have it all figured out—think again.

This book isn’t just a love story or a thriller. It’s a beautifully tangled web of fate, loss, and the lengths we go to for the ones we love. A gripping, emotional read that lingers long after the final page.

[Victoria Meldrum-Young · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stroke of Luck by Lorinda Faye is a pretty solid read! The story keeps you hooked, always making you want to know what’s going to happen next. That said, I did feel like it could’ve used a bit more detail or extra scenes to really dive into Ember’s pain and struggles. It would’ve made the experience feel more intense and real.

The character of “Adam” really stands out. We’ve all known or heard of someone like him, and Lorinda does a great job showing how love bombing works and how easily someone can switch from being sweet to nasty. And it’s crazy how everyone around him only saw the good side of him, not the manipulative part. Which is how it works in real life a lot too!

I also really loved the theme that love can stand the test of time. Asher and Ember’s happily-ever-after was the perfect ending, and it was great to see them get there. The book shows everything Ember went through while she waited, but honestly, when I think about it, I’m not sure I could’ve waited that long myself!

All in all, definitely recommend giving this book a read!

[Bec · Rating 4 out of 5]

I actually enjoyed this book more than I thought i would when I first started reading it.
Personally for me there is some hard hitting stuff in here with Ember being so lost in so many ways and being in so much pain.
I've never actually read about anyone like her before so it was quite challenging to enjoy reading about Embers pain, the way she was clinging onto the memory of Asher and then the way she allowed certain other people to treat her. For me it was eye opening and a bit confronting.
I actually ended up enjoying it quite a bit and for me the ending was nicely resolved and I'm happy to rate it 4 stars.
Thank you to the Author for allowing me to read for you.

[Christie Bonny · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stroke of Luck - Ember a tortured soul pining for a lost love. Asher a boy who disappeared without a trace.

This book was a slow burn there was lots of yearning lots of angst but boy when the first plot twist dropped I was hooked. A mismatched coupling for Ember that made me unwell but quite a beautifully written HEA. A really fun quick read.

4⭐️
2.5 🌶️

Some dark content DV, abuse & death.

I can’t wait for what ever comes next from Lorinda.

[Megan Key · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this author’s debut novel. It is a fast-paced read. I liked the storyline. I did enjoy the dual POV. I think that adds a nice depth in books. I like to see how similar things are experienced from different perspectives. Please check your TWs before picking this one up though. It does deal with some heavy subject matter. Just as it stands for our characters, your mental health is important!

[Robin Shamp · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an amazing story. I truly enjoyed reading this book. It was well written and kept me reading as I wanted to know what would happen next. I hope you will write more as I would love to read more from you!

[Marine Riechert · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book follows the fmc who got hurt at a young age. And then a man coming in and using that to his advantage, hurting her in a different way.
What had me in this book is all the twists and turns. And the way mistery and suspence was worked into this romance. It all just works.
You will not be dissapointed if you give this book a try it will keep you on the edge of your seat.
Ohh and don't worry it does have a hea

[Cady Zimmermann · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an edge of your seat debut by Lorinda Faye. It will have you hooked from page one until the end. The characters are so relatable (hint) except one lol. The two main characters went through so much from so a young age. Let’s just say they deserved the ending that was given to them. Can’t wait to read more from this author.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was good, was a little confusing in the beginning I felt like a lot was happening without any details. As the book went on it was better as it started with more detail. Ember was dating Adam but still in love with Asher who left one day without a trace as a teenager. Adam is aggressive and obsessive and Ember is trying to navigate that and then Asher returns. It ends in a HEA which I love.

[Cassandra Nicholson · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC read!
Wow! I really wasn't sure what to expect going into this story. I, unfortunately, have had an 'Adam' in my life and am grateful to be safe in the other side of it. Don't be like Adam! I didn't expect it to end the way it did but I loved it and am excited to see what the author brings us next!

[Sarah Putrow · Rating 5 out of 5]

You had me on an emotional ride from the very first chapter! This book will definitely be having you feeling all the feels. Get that box of tissues ready. It was such a captivating story that I just couldn't put it down. Yes, I definitely may have stayed up into the early morning. Worth it!

This story is about never giving up on love, second chances, forgiveness and some hard emotional journeys. Ember never gave up on Asher coming back. A love so strong time, distance and the unknown couldn't shatter it.

This is such a powerful, emotional story that you are going to definitely want to add to your list of must reads.
Trigger warning -there is talk of abuse, alcoholism

Easily 5 stars! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Debut book hits the mark!

[Liz Brooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am grateful to have received a free advanced reader copy of this book, and am leaving a review voluntarily. This is a quick, enjoyable read that hooks you immediately and continues to build the plot in unexpected ways. It is a very sweet love story, a bit of a Romeo and Juliet romance feel, with some love triangle and domestic violence twists. Again, I was hooked right away and deeply enjoyed the character, plot, and subplot developments. I did not love the ending, as it showed a darker side of the characters that, while a fun surprise, also caused me to lose connection with them. However, I am confident many readers will love the climax of the story and thoroughly enjoy the ending. It is definitely worth reading!

[Rebecca Billman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holy crap, Stroke of Luck by Lorinda Faye was mind-blowing. I couldn’t set it down!

I feel so bad for Ember in the beginning with what we are told about her relationship with Asher. I was hoping that everything would progress and she would continue to move forward to achieve her hopes and dreams and I thought she had that when she met Adam, but could never fully get why she wasn’t swooning. After reading more about Ember’s view of Adam I totally got why! Then the unexpected happened and it couldn’t have worked out better. I will be reading more books by Lorinda and I loved the twists and turns throughout the book. I loved not knowing what was going to happen next!

[Shelby · Rating 5 out of 5]

🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
ARC review
Wow! I am speechless! This was amazing and so emotional! I feel so bad for Ember, she went years waiting for her highschool love to come back. While waiting, Ember and a mutual friend of her best friend's husband start seeing each other. I can get why she didn't want to date anyone, her heart belonged to Asher. Adam did Ember so bad! He needs help! I am so happy that things worked out in the end.. This was an emotional one!

[T Harris · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such an enjoyable, quick read. I finished it in a day! Filled with lost love and second chances, Stroke of Luck is a compelling story about how love can conquer even the most horrific adversities.

I'm excited to see what the author does next!

Thank you to the author for providing an eARC. I am posting this unbiased review voluntarily.

[Heather Bolin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love how well this story was written. The characters pull you in and won't let you go. I love the way it ends for our main characters. This has real life emotions in it and are written well. This was a little darker than I thought it would be. I was not excepting the ending in anyway.

[mid.nightmasterpiece · Rating 4 out of 5]

The timeline was a little confusing at first, the beginning just progressed kind of fast but overall it was a great story. I loved the main character and the type of love that this book represents. Truly amazing debut, I cannot wait to see what this author does next!

[reva luther · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easy read, kept my attention and left me wanting to read more. Some parts really hit home. I hope you continue to write more