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Lucky
‘I devoured it.’ Erin Kelly
‘An exhilarating voice’ Adele Parks
‘Unbelievably tense and twisty.’ Laura Marshall Lucky
Rachel Edwards The more she wins, the more she loses… ‘Absorbing, unsettling, unflinching. I’ve been thinking about it for days and I’ll be recommending it to everyone.’ Caz Frear, author of Sweet Little Lies Someone is watching Etta. Footsteps in the night, the security light coming on at strange hours … is it all just her curtain-twitching neighbours, who seem to monitor her every move? Or is her little online problem making her paranoid? Because Etta needs to win big. She joined a gambling website to get a bit of cash, hoping to convince her boyfriend Ola that they can afford to get married. And she was so good at it … until she wasn’t. Luckily, she’s made a friend who hit the jackpot and if she plays her cards right, he could lend her the money to win everything back. Easy. So why does she feel so afraid?
‘An exhilarating voice’ Adele Parks
‘Unbelievably tense and twisty.’ Laura Marshall Lucky
Rachel Edwards The more she wins, the more she loses… ‘Absorbing, unsettling, unflinching. I’ve been thinking about it for days and I’ll be recommending it to everyone.’ Caz Frear, author of Sweet Little Lies Someone is watching Etta. Footsteps in the night, the security light coming on at strange hours … is it all just her curtain-twitching neighbours, who seem to monitor her every move? Or is her little online problem making her paranoid? Because Etta needs to win big. She joined a gambling website to get a bit of cash, hoping to convince her boyfriend Ola that they can afford to get married. And she was so good at it … until she wasn’t. Luckily, she’s made a friend who hit the jackpot and if she plays her cards right, he could lend her the money to win everything back. Easy. So why does she feel so afraid?
320 pages, Paperback
First published June 24, 2021
26 people are currently reading
3567 people want to read
About the author
Rachel Edwards
46 books47 followersRachel Edwards is an alumna of King’s College London where she read French with English BA (Hons).
She won an Arts Council award for her fiction and worked as a freelance writer for over 12 years prior to publishing her debut novel 'Darling' with Fourth Estate, HarperCollins. Her articles feature in the national press, including The Guardian and The Sunday Times, and she is a regular guest at literary festivals and on BBC radio.
She won an Arts Council award for her fiction and worked as a freelance writer for over 12 years prior to publishing her debut novel 'Darling' with Fourth Estate, HarperCollins. Her articles feature in the national press, including The Guardian and The Sunday Times, and she is a regular guest at literary festivals and on BBC radio.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 93 reviews
May 8, 2021
*4.5 stars *
OMG, what an absolute mess Etta manages to get herself into! But forgive me, I’m getting ahead of myself.
Etta wants to get married, she’s in her 30’s and wants to get on with it, she doesn’t want to wait much longer. Her partner Ola, says he wants to marry too, but he’d rather wait until they have a £30,000 deposit to buy their own home. Therein lies the problem. They can’t save quickly enough, so Etta thinks she can make enough money by gambling the online slots - she won’t take it too far like some people do, she knows she’ll stop before it gets out of hand. However, it DOES get out of hand, and Etta becomes a statistic, one of the many for whom gambling becomes an overwhelming addiction, and a complete nightmare!
Author, Rachel Edwards, has great skill when it comes to her characters - bringing vividly to life their personalities, motivations, goals and problems. In ‘Lucky’ she manages to create the kind of tension and intensity, that reels her readers in with an ease of which she should be justifiably proud. The way in which she portrays Etta’s downward spiral is both gripping and sad.
Wow! I could feel the pressure mounting, the overwhelming tension that Etta’s online gambling caused, the blind panic, the guilt, the need to quell that panic and guilt, using drink as a crutch, as ever increasing amounts were spent on trying to win back the sums she’d already lost, and all this with her bank balance at £0.00. Think it can’t get any worse? Oh, it can, it really can!
‘Lucky’, is about so much more than gambling addiction, it shines the spotlight on race, immigration, blackmail and betrayal. Etta comes into contact with some dreadful individuals and situations, but there were some great twists along the way. There were times that I wanted to scream at Etta “ No, don’t do it Etta” She didn’t listen! However, she took this reader on a roller coaster ride that made ‘Lucky’ hard to put down. Highly recommended.
* Thank you to Netgalley and 4th Estate for my ARC. I have given an honest unbiased review in exchange *
OMG, what an absolute mess Etta manages to get herself into! But forgive me, I’m getting ahead of myself.
Etta wants to get married, she’s in her 30’s and wants to get on with it, she doesn’t want to wait much longer. Her partner Ola, says he wants to marry too, but he’d rather wait until they have a £30,000 deposit to buy their own home. Therein lies the problem. They can’t save quickly enough, so Etta thinks she can make enough money by gambling the online slots - she won’t take it too far like some people do, she knows she’ll stop before it gets out of hand. However, it DOES get out of hand, and Etta becomes a statistic, one of the many for whom gambling becomes an overwhelming addiction, and a complete nightmare!
Author, Rachel Edwards, has great skill when it comes to her characters - bringing vividly to life their personalities, motivations, goals and problems. In ‘Lucky’ she manages to create the kind of tension and intensity, that reels her readers in with an ease of which she should be justifiably proud. The way in which she portrays Etta’s downward spiral is both gripping and sad.
Wow! I could feel the pressure mounting, the overwhelming tension that Etta’s online gambling caused, the blind panic, the guilt, the need to quell that panic and guilt, using drink as a crutch, as ever increasing amounts were spent on trying to win back the sums she’d already lost, and all this with her bank balance at £0.00. Think it can’t get any worse? Oh, it can, it really can!
‘Lucky’, is about so much more than gambling addiction, it shines the spotlight on race, immigration, blackmail and betrayal. Etta comes into contact with some dreadful individuals and situations, but there were some great twists along the way. There were times that I wanted to scream at Etta “ No, don’t do it Etta” She didn’t listen! However, she took this reader on a roller coaster ride that made ‘Lucky’ hard to put down. Highly recommended.
* Thank you to Netgalley and 4th Estate for my ARC. I have given an honest unbiased review in exchange *
May 14, 2021
Etta wants to marry Ola but he’s insistent they save £30,000 for a house deposit and they’re a few grand short. Etta reasons that there’s no harm committing a few hundred pounds to play online bingo in order to achieve the magic number. To start with she’s lucky and then you can guess the rest .... but some things you won’t see coming!
This is a good character driven domestic thriller with Etta and Ola in particular being very well portrayed though you sense something is off in their relationship. You want to yell ‘No’ at Etta as her addiction to gambling grows, with the spiralling out of control descent into a pit of debt and despair that leads to huge risks in more ways than one and makes you gasp in horror. She’s lost in the game, she’s so immersed in it she’s lost herself to it and is in a ginormous hole. To start with you feel annoyed with her but end feeling sorry. I think the second half is way better than the first which I find to be repetitive but later the pace and tension picks up considerably and becomes compelling reading. Apart from the addiction theme there are a number of issues that emerge such as racism, blackmail, betrayal and lies heaped on top of lies.
Although there’s much to praise in the novel the pace initially is slow and there’s a thread running through the narrative in Croatia from 2015 onwards which is very confusing though it does make sense at the end. I also question in these days where you have to be so online savvy whether Etta would have been so foolish with some of her decisions. Possibly by then she’s in so deep that she loses her faculties of reasoning.
Overall, though the last 40% is very good which outweighs any reservations. It’s a well written book and one of the stand out features is how believably Etta’s addiction and emotions are depicted.
With thanks to NetGalley and 4th Estate for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.
This is a good character driven domestic thriller with Etta and Ola in particular being very well portrayed though you sense something is off in their relationship. You want to yell ‘No’ at Etta as her addiction to gambling grows, with the spiralling out of control descent into a pit of debt and despair that leads to huge risks in more ways than one and makes you gasp in horror. She’s lost in the game, she’s so immersed in it she’s lost herself to it and is in a ginormous hole. To start with you feel annoyed with her but end feeling sorry. I think the second half is way better than the first which I find to be repetitive but later the pace and tension picks up considerably and becomes compelling reading. Apart from the addiction theme there are a number of issues that emerge such as racism, blackmail, betrayal and lies heaped on top of lies.
Although there’s much to praise in the novel the pace initially is slow and there’s a thread running through the narrative in Croatia from 2015 onwards which is very confusing though it does make sense at the end. I also question in these days where you have to be so online savvy whether Etta would have been so foolish with some of her decisions. Possibly by then she’s in so deep that she loses her faculties of reasoning.
Overall, though the last 40% is very good which outweighs any reservations. It’s a well written book and one of the stand out features is how believably Etta’s addiction and emotions are depicted.
With thanks to NetGalley and 4th Estate for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.
January 8, 2023
3.35⭐
Featuring ~ single 3rd person POV
This one was very slow going for me and I considered not finishing it, but I chose to stick with it. It did ramp up about 1/2 to 2/3 of the way in and I was eager to finish it quickly.
Told by Etta in 2018 who lives with her boyfriend, Ola. She's eager for him to propose, but he wants more money in their bank account first. Thus sets forth Etta's addiction to online gambling. It's so easy to get sucked in and have a feeling that the next round will be the jackpot win. As Etta sees the winnings go up and down and back again she gets sucked in even further and reaches out to a fellow gambler. Soon she realizes that that's not the only mistake she'll make.
She was really frustrating me with all the crazy decisions she was making. Not only was she addicted to gambling, but her need for alcohol was taking over her life too. She was losing friendships and her work was suffering.
There are some chapters that are labeled Risk I - VIII that I was totally lost about for quite some time. Some of the phrasing was difficult for me to understand too. I didn't see the twist coming, but thinking back I should have smelled something fishy.
Overall, I'm not too sure about the ending, but I'm happy I stuck with it.
*Many thanks to Sophia at Harper Collins 360 for sending me a paperback ARC. I am voluntarily leaving my honest review*
Follow me here ➡ Blog ~ Facebook
Featuring ~ single 3rd person POV
This one was very slow going for me and I considered not finishing it, but I chose to stick with it. It did ramp up about 1/2 to 2/3 of the way in and I was eager to finish it quickly.
Told by Etta in 2018 who lives with her boyfriend, Ola. She's eager for him to propose, but he wants more money in their bank account first. Thus sets forth Etta's addiction to online gambling. It's so easy to get sucked in and have a feeling that the next round will be the jackpot win. As Etta sees the winnings go up and down and back again she gets sucked in even further and reaches out to a fellow gambler. Soon she realizes that that's not the only mistake she'll make.
She was really frustrating me with all the crazy decisions she was making. Not only was she addicted to gambling, but her need for alcohol was taking over her life too. She was losing friendships and her work was suffering.
There are some chapters that are labeled Risk I - VIII that I was totally lost about for quite some time. Some of the phrasing was difficult for me to understand too. I didn't see the twist coming, but thinking back I should have smelled something fishy.
Overall, I'm not too sure about the ending, but I'm happy I stuck with it.
*Many thanks to Sophia at Harper Collins 360 for sending me a paperback ARC. I am voluntarily leaving my honest review*
Follow me here ➡ Blog ~ Facebook
July 6, 2022
This book completely threw me for a loop. Within the first chapter, I totally wanted to DNF it. However, I committed to reading the ARC through NetGalley, so I persevered. Why did I want to initially (and for a lot of the book) give up on it?
1. The writing. Totally not my style, and I don’t mean because it was super British (with slang I understand but don’t use constantly), but because it seemed like the author looked in the thesaurus … like, a lot. I love big words, but this author is quite the sesquipedalian.
2. When reading the book, I think the whole stalker premise mentioned in the synopsis started too soon. Without spoiling anything, she was feeling a stalker before anything happened. Why? It would have come in time and been just fine.
3. I knew a small part of the ending, because it was mentioned at least a half dozen times. I also guessed a few other spoilers along the way.
4. This had so many (sometimes incomplete) stories that it probably could have been two or three books (don’t worry though, it’s not a very long book). There is a third person’s story mixed up in this, and at first, it annoyed me, but then it turned out to be really clever…
That last sentence is basically the story of the whole book. It started out annoying me with the loose slang and substantial verbiage, then confusing me with a mystery third party, but as I continued to read, it either got better or I got used to it, the writing improved, and the other things made more sense.
I was originally going to give it two stars, but I’m glad I saw it through, because I’m giving it 3.5. Here’s why:
1. This is a stark look at an addiction that is overlooked: gambling, specifically online gambling. In just a few months, our protagonist, Etta, becomes a full-fledged gambling addict (and pretty much an alcoholic), and you see how quickly her life unravels and becomes out of control. It’s a grim picture of addiction, and that alone could have sold this book.
2. I didn’t have to finish this book in one day, but I did because I wanted to - that’s got to mean something. I became pretty invested in the characters, and I was really interested in seeing where everything was going. It’s a quick, relatively short read.
3. My jaw dropped FOUR times, and that’s always a good thing. That has to mean it’s a good book, right? There were plenty of twists and turns, and though I had to fight to get through writing that I didn’t particularly care for, it all turned out great in the end.
This is when I’m glad to get the ARC, so I feel obligated to keep reading when at first I’m not loving it. (Thank you to Harper 360, 4th Estate, Rachel Edwards, and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my review.)
1. The writing. Totally not my style, and I don’t mean because it was super British (with slang I understand but don’t use constantly), but because it seemed like the author looked in the thesaurus … like, a lot. I love big words, but this author is quite the sesquipedalian.
2. When reading the book, I think the whole stalker premise mentioned in the synopsis started too soon. Without spoiling anything, she was feeling a stalker before anything happened. Why? It would have come in time and been just fine.
3. I knew a small part of the ending, because it was mentioned at least a half dozen times. I also guessed a few other spoilers along the way.
4. This had so many (sometimes incomplete) stories that it probably could have been two or three books (don’t worry though, it’s not a very long book). There is a third person’s story mixed up in this, and at first, it annoyed me, but then it turned out to be really clever…
That last sentence is basically the story of the whole book. It started out annoying me with the loose slang and substantial verbiage, then confusing me with a mystery third party, but as I continued to read, it either got better or I got used to it, the writing improved, and the other things made more sense.
I was originally going to give it two stars, but I’m glad I saw it through, because I’m giving it 3.5. Here’s why:
1. This is a stark look at an addiction that is overlooked: gambling, specifically online gambling. In just a few months, our protagonist, Etta, becomes a full-fledged gambling addict (and pretty much an alcoholic), and you see how quickly her life unravels and becomes out of control. It’s a grim picture of addiction, and that alone could have sold this book.
2. I didn’t have to finish this book in one day, but I did because I wanted to - that’s got to mean something. I became pretty invested in the characters, and I was really interested in seeing where everything was going. It’s a quick, relatively short read.
3. My jaw dropped FOUR times, and that’s always a good thing. That has to mean it’s a good book, right? There were plenty of twists and turns, and though I had to fight to get through writing that I didn’t particularly care for, it all turned out great in the end.
This is when I’m glad to get the ARC, so I feel obligated to keep reading when at first I’m not loving it. (Thank you to Harper 360, 4th Estate, Rachel Edwards, and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my review.)
May 23, 2022
What would you risk for the life you want? For the man you want? Etta’s boyfriend insisted they could not marry until they had $30,000 saved up for a down payment on a house. Etta can’t wait another year. An advertisement for online gambling catches her eye. It was worth a try. They offer free money to start with, after all. What could she lose?
Etta is drawn into a rabbit’s hole of hope and despair as she wins and loses, tapping into the savings and borrowing money at high interest. Trapped in a prison of her own making, she desperately bets on one more chance–a friend from the gambling chat group who has just won big. Perhaps he would help her get out of the hole. Will Etta lose everything?
I have never bought a lottery ticket. Gambling has no attraction for me. But I have known those who loved to gamble and could not step away, whose idea of a vacation was to go to Vegas. Lucky takes us into the mindset of a woman who becomes entrapped by online gambling the lure of easy money. The highs and lows of winning and losing, the inability to think of anything else, how it separates people from their loved ones. It is terrifying.
Etta is a complicated, well drawn character. Her backstory of her life in Jamaica and as an immigrant to Britain adds a richer layer to the story. She tries to help a friend whose mother is threatened by deportation after fifty years as a productive citizen. Etta volunteers at a nonprofit that offers information and assistance. Her coworker and neighbor demonstrates anti-immigrant behavior.
Lucky is a page-turner suspense novel, a good ‘summer read’ that I read in two sittings. But those who enjoy character-driven novels will also be pleased with this one.
I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for a fair and unbiased review.
Etta is drawn into a rabbit’s hole of hope and despair as she wins and loses, tapping into the savings and borrowing money at high interest. Trapped in a prison of her own making, she desperately bets on one more chance–a friend from the gambling chat group who has just won big. Perhaps he would help her get out of the hole. Will Etta lose everything?
I have never bought a lottery ticket. Gambling has no attraction for me. But I have known those who loved to gamble and could not step away, whose idea of a vacation was to go to Vegas. Lucky takes us into the mindset of a woman who becomes entrapped by online gambling the lure of easy money. The highs and lows of winning and losing, the inability to think of anything else, how it separates people from their loved ones. It is terrifying.
Etta is a complicated, well drawn character. Her backstory of her life in Jamaica and as an immigrant to Britain adds a richer layer to the story. She tries to help a friend whose mother is threatened by deportation after fifty years as a productive citizen. Etta volunteers at a nonprofit that offers information and assistance. Her coworker and neighbor demonstrates anti-immigrant behavior.
Lucky is a page-turner suspense novel, a good ‘summer read’ that I read in two sittings. But those who enjoy character-driven novels will also be pleased with this one.
I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for a fair and unbiased review.
July 2, 2021
‘The more she wins… the more she loses…’ ❤️❤️❤️
Etta and Ola are in love; living together and saving up for a house deposit. But Etta is in her 30s, The clock is ticking and she wants to get married, but she needs more money. So she turns to online gambling. And discovers that she is surprisingly quite good at this. And as the winnings increase she spends more and more time squirrelled away in the spare room hoping her luck will continue - without Ola finding out what she’s up to.
But we all know how the story ends, right? Winners always become losers don’t they? Gambling, it’s a mug’s game, yeah? Well, this was such a mesmerising read that I could see how easily gambling can turn so quickly from fun to an addiction. Etta’s gambling had me on the edge of my seat. I was delighted when she won and crushed when she lost. And there is so much more than gambling to think about within these pages - race, immigration, friendship, deceit and betrayal. You’ll be intrigued from start to finish.
Thanks to 4th Estate for my ARC. All views my own.
Etta and Ola are in love; living together and saving up for a house deposit. But Etta is in her 30s, The clock is ticking and she wants to get married, but she needs more money. So she turns to online gambling. And discovers that she is surprisingly quite good at this. And as the winnings increase she spends more and more time squirrelled away in the spare room hoping her luck will continue - without Ola finding out what she’s up to.
But we all know how the story ends, right? Winners always become losers don’t they? Gambling, it’s a mug’s game, yeah? Well, this was such a mesmerising read that I could see how easily gambling can turn so quickly from fun to an addiction. Etta’s gambling had me on the edge of my seat. I was delighted when she won and crushed when she lost. And there is so much more than gambling to think about within these pages - race, immigration, friendship, deceit and betrayal. You’ll be intrigued from start to finish.
Thanks to 4th Estate for my ARC. All views my own.
April 30, 2021
Lucky is Rachel Edwards second book. Etta lives with her boyfriend Ola and is frustrated because he will not marry her until he has saved £30,000 for a house. He’s almost there, at £22,000 and Etta is looking for a way to make things move faster.
Etta is a sensible woman with an office job, she volunteers one day a month, providing benefits and rights advice to mostly migrants, but as she gets involved deeper and deeper in online gambling websites, things spiral out of control.
Lucky is an interesting read. I cannot say I enjoyed the journey, perhaps because when you can imagine yourself so easily on a similar one, there is a sheen of sweat on your upper lip throughout.
The horror of Etta’s predicament is laid out in a way that describes the insanity of gambling but it is disturbing and even darkly funny at times rather than harrowing.
There is an enormous amount going on in this book, including a confusing back story from two years earlier which is ultimately resolved, but the subplot about the puzzle man was not, for me anyway.
I really struggled to like Ola and the relationship between Etta and him and nothing came as a surprise on that score.
So, did Lucky prove a point and did I enjoy it? Well, I like this method of point proving and it’s a book that I will remember.
With thanks to Netgalley UK and Fourth Estate
Etta is a sensible woman with an office job, she volunteers one day a month, providing benefits and rights advice to mostly migrants, but as she gets involved deeper and deeper in online gambling websites, things spiral out of control.
Lucky is an interesting read. I cannot say I enjoyed the journey, perhaps because when you can imagine yourself so easily on a similar one, there is a sheen of sweat on your upper lip throughout.
The horror of Etta’s predicament is laid out in a way that describes the insanity of gambling but it is disturbing and even darkly funny at times rather than harrowing.
There is an enormous amount going on in this book, including a confusing back story from two years earlier which is ultimately resolved, but the subplot about the puzzle man was not, for me anyway.
I really struggled to like Ola and the relationship between Etta and him and nothing came as a surprise on that score.
So, did Lucky prove a point and did I enjoy it? Well, I like this method of point proving and it’s a book that I will remember.
With thanks to Netgalley UK and Fourth Estate
June 19, 2022
Etta will do whatever it takes to get the money for a deposit on a home. When they have enough Ola has said they will marry. This is all she wants in life and Online gambling seems like a quick and easy way to get it done.
This book was extremely uncomfortable to read. I felt constantly anxious wandering what she would do next. Etta's spiral into a gambling and drinking addiction was quick and brutal. Her thinking was disoriented and delusional. Where I could blame addiction for the drinking and gambling her interactions with her fellow gamblers could only be thought of as naive and stupid.
I was surprised in the direction this book went and it did keep me interested in what would come next.
I voluntarily read and reviewed a copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
This book was extremely uncomfortable to read. I felt constantly anxious wandering what she would do next. Etta's spiral into a gambling and drinking addiction was quick and brutal. Her thinking was disoriented and delusional. Where I could blame addiction for the drinking and gambling her interactions with her fellow gamblers could only be thought of as naive and stupid.
I was surprised in the direction this book went and it did keep me interested in what would come next.
I voluntarily read and reviewed a copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
August 5, 2021
Well if you have ever considered, or are considering, online gambling please read this book.
This compulsive story revolves around Etta, a 30 something with a boring office job and an uncaring boyfriend. For some reason Etta is desperate to marry this man but he wants to wait until they have £30,000 saved up. Etta is getting impatient and turns to online gambling. She is sucked in to Cozee Bingo with their offer of a newbie bonus of £50. When she wakes up to find £175 in her account there is no turning back. She believes she will not become addicted as she is a sensible woman and knows when to stop but having spent all their savings she is soon stealing and resorting to payday loans to feed her addiction, telling herself she will make it all back.
She tells herself she will not get involved in chat rooms but is drawn to the charismatic StChristopher75 who befriends her and they arrange to meet. I know - this should ring alarm bells but she is so involved in her new world she takes what he says at face value never once doubting he is who he says he is.
She resorts to alcohol to get her through the day; the odd bottle of wine soon making way for neat spirits.
Her life spirals out of control and she hits rock bottom and ends up in a police station.
There is a back story going on about her boyfriend and something that happened in Zagreb which is cleared up as we continue through the book.
Not only does Rachel explore addiction predominantly online gambling but also alcohol addiction, she also cleverly weaves in other issues such as racism, immigration, blackmail, betrayal, friendship, online grooming and even sadly The Windrush scandal. My heart broke for 75 year old Cynthia who had received a letter from the government and was now terrified they would deport her back to Jamaica.
I thoroughly enjoyed the book and will be reading more from Rachel.
This compulsive story revolves around Etta, a 30 something with a boring office job and an uncaring boyfriend. For some reason Etta is desperate to marry this man but he wants to wait until they have £30,000 saved up. Etta is getting impatient and turns to online gambling. She is sucked in to Cozee Bingo with their offer of a newbie bonus of £50. When she wakes up to find £175 in her account there is no turning back. She believes she will not become addicted as she is a sensible woman and knows when to stop but having spent all their savings she is soon stealing and resorting to payday loans to feed her addiction, telling herself she will make it all back.
She tells herself she will not get involved in chat rooms but is drawn to the charismatic StChristopher75 who befriends her and they arrange to meet. I know - this should ring alarm bells but she is so involved in her new world she takes what he says at face value never once doubting he is who he says he is.
She resorts to alcohol to get her through the day; the odd bottle of wine soon making way for neat spirits.
Her life spirals out of control and she hits rock bottom and ends up in a police station.
There is a back story going on about her boyfriend and something that happened in Zagreb which is cleared up as we continue through the book.
Not only does Rachel explore addiction predominantly online gambling but also alcohol addiction, she also cleverly weaves in other issues such as racism, immigration, blackmail, betrayal, friendship, online grooming and even sadly The Windrush scandal. My heart broke for 75 year old Cynthia who had received a letter from the government and was now terrified they would deport her back to Jamaica.
I thoroughly enjoyed the book and will be reading more from Rachel.
May 27, 2021
The opening of ‘Lucky’ introduces us to Etta and Ola, living in London but originally from Nigeria. From the outset it is clear that Etta thinks it is time they were married, but Ola insists that they must have £30,000 with which to buy a house. Ola works on scientific research and hopes that eventually this will lead to employment at the University. He works hard on his research and devotes many hours to socialising and developing contacts which will help him. Etta is very aware that it is her work in an office that is actually providing the bulk of the savings. She is a traditional woman, giving due respect to her man; he is the one who loves her, supports her and she in turn keeps a good home for him, cooking good traditional food and generally concedes to him, in and out of the bedroom.
Etta’s place of refuge is the spare room, which Ola used as a study but slowly Etta has taken over the space whilst she works at home. However, one evening as she puzzles how she can get hold of the £8,000 to boost their savings she hits on an on-line bingo site and from then on she is lost.
Ms Edwards’ descriptions of the bingo site is amazing; she conjures the simplicity of the graphics, a sophisticated simplicity with music, vivid colours, bright images, quick paced, literally with bells and whistles, with the promise of more excitement, more opportunities, more wins, more bonuses. To help Etta enjoy the full experience of the website she sips a little wine, a little gin and as the compulsion takes hold, she sips some more, and some more.
I do not know how these sites work – clearly they must entice you in and they must do this by allowing you to win, but I did feel some doubt about just how much Etta did win – and lost. This in turn made me cautious about her character, how stupid is she? Her life becomes a roundabout of lies, booze, gambling, stealing and stress, mega stress. It affects her friendships, her work, and her relationship with Ola. Speaking of which, what a thoroughly unlikable person he is; lord and master, stuffing his face, totally unaware of poor Etta. Run Etta, run!
I didn’t like the book at the start, the rhythm of the prose was unsettling – strange to my ear. As the plot became more interesting and I had a stake in what was happening to Etta I enjoyed it more and I settled into the tempo. Whilst reading I kept thinking of how I would review the book, and it went from a tepid reception to a more positive one. The situation, the characters, description all captured my thoughts, the most profound of which is – ‘is this what it is like – oh these poor people enslaved by gambling.
There is more, much more to cover about the plot; racism, blackmail, even the Windrush scandal!
A very unusual book, domestic in its setting, but absolutely outstanding in its perception.
Thank you to the author, publishers and NetGalley for providing an ARC via my Kindle in return for an honest review.
Etta’s place of refuge is the spare room, which Ola used as a study but slowly Etta has taken over the space whilst she works at home. However, one evening as she puzzles how she can get hold of the £8,000 to boost their savings she hits on an on-line bingo site and from then on she is lost.
Ms Edwards’ descriptions of the bingo site is amazing; she conjures the simplicity of the graphics, a sophisticated simplicity with music, vivid colours, bright images, quick paced, literally with bells and whistles, with the promise of more excitement, more opportunities, more wins, more bonuses. To help Etta enjoy the full experience of the website she sips a little wine, a little gin and as the compulsion takes hold, she sips some more, and some more.
I do not know how these sites work – clearly they must entice you in and they must do this by allowing you to win, but I did feel some doubt about just how much Etta did win – and lost. This in turn made me cautious about her character, how stupid is she? Her life becomes a roundabout of lies, booze, gambling, stealing and stress, mega stress. It affects her friendships, her work, and her relationship with Ola. Speaking of which, what a thoroughly unlikable person he is; lord and master, stuffing his face, totally unaware of poor Etta. Run Etta, run!
I didn’t like the book at the start, the rhythm of the prose was unsettling – strange to my ear. As the plot became more interesting and I had a stake in what was happening to Etta I enjoyed it more and I settled into the tempo. Whilst reading I kept thinking of how I would review the book, and it went from a tepid reception to a more positive one. The situation, the characters, description all captured my thoughts, the most profound of which is – ‘is this what it is like – oh these poor people enslaved by gambling.
There is more, much more to cover about the plot; racism, blackmail, even the Windrush scandal!
A very unusual book, domestic in its setting, but absolutely outstanding in its perception.
Thank you to the author, publishers and NetGalley for providing an ARC via my Kindle in return for an honest review.
April 8, 2021
Rachel’s first book, Darling, was excellent, so I was happy to be invited to read an advance copy of Lucky.
Etta wants to get married, have nice holidays and so on, but boyfriend Ola insists they save for a house deposit first. But that’s taking forever. Etta needs to find a way of making more money, quicker.
Etta isn’t the kind of sad person who gets addicted to online bingo. That’s not who she is at all. She’s confident she can beat the odds and make the money they need. And initially, it goes mainly according to plan. But before long, things get a bit out of hand.
What seemed initially like quite a simple story of a spiral into addiction ultimately turned into something more unexpected and complicated - there were twists here I really didn’t see coming. In the end I wasn’t entirely sure I had my head around it all, but I definitely enjoyed the journey.
It’s a story which has various things to say about modern Britain, some of it via Etta’s voluntary work at First Welcome. Her neighbour Jean illustrates a certain type of emboldened racist - though clearly has issues of her own.
And the Windrush scandal shows its ugly face here in the shape of Etta’s friend Joyce’s elderly mother, Cynthia, faced with the threat of deportation back to Jamaica after fifty years.
Edwards writes evocatively about the dizzying, beguiling lure of online gambling, the early wins and devastating losses.
Etta was alarmingly reckless at times - not just with the gambling, but giving away far too much information to a stranger on the internet. Surely we all know better than that, nowadays.
I loved the dialogue - Etta, like the author, is half-Nigerian, half-Jamaican, and Ola is of Nigerian heritage - and their voices emerged very clearly.
Lucky is an engaging read about... well, about lots of things really. Race, addiction, money, deception, the risks people take and the lengths they are prepared to go to. An interesting and surprising read.
Etta wants to get married, have nice holidays and so on, but boyfriend Ola insists they save for a house deposit first. But that’s taking forever. Etta needs to find a way of making more money, quicker.
Etta isn’t the kind of sad person who gets addicted to online bingo. That’s not who she is at all. She’s confident she can beat the odds and make the money they need. And initially, it goes mainly according to plan. But before long, things get a bit out of hand.
What seemed initially like quite a simple story of a spiral into addiction ultimately turned into something more unexpected and complicated - there were twists here I really didn’t see coming. In the end I wasn’t entirely sure I had my head around it all, but I definitely enjoyed the journey.
It’s a story which has various things to say about modern Britain, some of it via Etta’s voluntary work at First Welcome. Her neighbour Jean illustrates a certain type of emboldened racist - though clearly has issues of her own.
And the Windrush scandal shows its ugly face here in the shape of Etta’s friend Joyce’s elderly mother, Cynthia, faced with the threat of deportation back to Jamaica after fifty years.
Edwards writes evocatively about the dizzying, beguiling lure of online gambling, the early wins and devastating losses.
Etta was alarmingly reckless at times - not just with the gambling, but giving away far too much information to a stranger on the internet. Surely we all know better than that, nowadays.
I loved the dialogue - Etta, like the author, is half-Nigerian, half-Jamaican, and Ola is of Nigerian heritage - and their voices emerged very clearly.
Lucky is an engaging read about... well, about lots of things really. Race, addiction, money, deception, the risks people take and the lengths they are prepared to go to. An interesting and surprising read.
April 26, 2021
This is the first novel I have read by this author, but it won't be the last. Not only is the premise original, and beautifully executed, the writing itself is sparky and fresh - I found myself excited by the prose even before anything had happened!
"Lucky" is the story of Etta, who desperately wants to marry her partner, Ola. But Ola insists that they need to save enough for a deposit on a house before they can think about spending on a wedding, and is working all hours to secure them financial independence. Then Etta stumbles on a genius scheme: she'll win some money gambling online, using a strict system to make sure she stays ahead of the casino, and saving her winnings. And it turns out Etta is good at gambling - at first. But slowly, irrevocably, things start to spiral out of control, and Etta is soon in deeper than she ever could have imagined, and taking even more desperate measures to undo what she has set in motion...
This is exactly the kind of thriller I love, where a normal person finds themselves in an abnormal situation, so I knew I was probably going to enjoy it, but it's the quality of the writing that really elevates this novel into something beyond just another enjoyable but forgettable thriller. The prose is dazzling, and the characters were beautifully realised - I was rooting for Etta even as I was internally screaming at the decisions she was making. I am so excited to see what will come next from this author - I'll be first in line on publication day!
Thank you to NetGalley, and to the publisher, who granted me a free ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
"Lucky" is the story of Etta, who desperately wants to marry her partner, Ola. But Ola insists that they need to save enough for a deposit on a house before they can think about spending on a wedding, and is working all hours to secure them financial independence. Then Etta stumbles on a genius scheme: she'll win some money gambling online, using a strict system to make sure she stays ahead of the casino, and saving her winnings. And it turns out Etta is good at gambling - at first. But slowly, irrevocably, things start to spiral out of control, and Etta is soon in deeper than she ever could have imagined, and taking even more desperate measures to undo what she has set in motion...
This is exactly the kind of thriller I love, where a normal person finds themselves in an abnormal situation, so I knew I was probably going to enjoy it, but it's the quality of the writing that really elevates this novel into something beyond just another enjoyable but forgettable thriller. The prose is dazzling, and the characters were beautifully realised - I was rooting for Etta even as I was internally screaming at the decisions she was making. I am so excited to see what will come next from this author - I'll be first in line on publication day!
Thank you to NetGalley, and to the publisher, who granted me a free ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
May 16, 2022
Etta lives a moderately simple life in England. She hopes to soon marry her longtime boyfriend Ola, but he is dragging his feet until they save a decent nestegg. Etta becomes desperate to raise the funds and turns to online gambling for a quick fix, the first of her many dangerous mistakes.
A slow burning domestic thriller filled with secrets, lies, and betrayals, Lucky is not a book you will soon forget. Follow Etta as she tumbles through a downward spiral of mistakes. Rachel Edwards is a master at describing the feelings and tensions as she slowly turns the screws on Etta's life. This book will burn your hands as you read it! It's so entrancing and so provoking! #Harper360 #Lucky #RachelEdwards #Netgalley #NetGalleyreads
A slow burning domestic thriller filled with secrets, lies, and betrayals, Lucky is not a book you will soon forget. Follow Etta as she tumbles through a downward spiral of mistakes. Rachel Edwards is a master at describing the feelings and tensions as she slowly turns the screws on Etta's life. This book will burn your hands as you read it! It's so entrancing and so provoking! #Harper360 #Lucky #RachelEdwards #Netgalley #NetGalleyreads
August 5, 2023
This was hard to read,Etta destroyed her life for a stupid reason. I don’t feel any temptation to gamble but this should be a handbook for anyone thinking about gambling. I was mentally shouting at Etta,it was frustrating how stupid she was,I know she was addicted but she just went from bad to worse! The drinking,the stealing,letting people down,it was a realistic and sad portrayal of an addict. I’m glad the Windrush scandal and immigration was touched upon,both wrong and sad. I felt sorry for Medina and I was actually glad Ola ended up with her. I can’t believe how they were all connected to Nadia.I did want a happy ending for Etta and I hope she got away. I would have liked Jean to suffer,nasty women.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 14, 2022
Oh man.... I haven't binged a book like this all year and it was exactly what I needed! This book is a WILD RIDE and I could not stop. You know that sound byte on TikTok that's like "don't do it girl", "I'm not gonna do it..... I did it"??? That is how I would sum this book up because Etta is.... ugh. She's that friend you keep telling her what to do and she literally never takes your advice and she drives you nuts but by god, you're going to watch that train run right off the rails.
It's a fun read, pick this one up if you need something to to binge! Thank you to Harper360 for sending me a copy to review, this is maybe one of the best of this summer and it's only June.
It's a fun read, pick this one up if you need something to to binge! Thank you to Harper360 for sending me a copy to review, this is maybe one of the best of this summer and it's only June.
May 19, 2025
If I could give it a zero I would. Should have DNF this book
June 8, 2021
Etta and Ola have been together for a while and she would like to get married. Unfortunately, Ola doesn’t agree, as he wants them to wait until they have saved £30k for a deposit on a house before even considering marriage. But he does offer her a trip to the Maldives – someday. Etta is not happy and, as she loads up the ‘asthmatic washing machine, in her rented house she starts to think about ways in which she could make some extra, easy money to put towards the £22k that they have already saved. She has already found her dream house near to her home at 31 Aspen Street.
But, at their anniversary meal, in an uninspiring local restaurant, Etta realises that their relationship is crumbling. She works in a dead end job and Ola is always away at conferences and seminars to build his career. As she’s alone a lot, Etta soon exhausts legitimate moneymaking avenues and is tempted by an ad for an online bingo site on her phone. Despite it being a ‘low rent and embarrassing source’, she is intrigued by the thought of being able to win extra money to help them out. So, Etta signs ups and before long she is hooked. She is excited by winning good sums of money but not so thrilled when she losses it all on other games. And fellow Cozee Bingo fans are so friendly and helpful as they advise her about other upcoming big money games and chat to her online. One soon becomes her ‘virtual best mate at the virtual party’. Ette is thrilled to become a VIP and the Cozee Bingo party is never ending. It isn’t long before Etta progresses onto the slots and is congratulating herself on being so savvy as to win over £1000.
In the meantime, real life intrudes on Etta’s gaming world. Cynthia, the elderly mother of one of her best friends, Joyce, has been threatened with deportation as part of the Windrush scandal. Etta writes a letter to the Home Office on her behalf. She volunteers at the First Welcome Project where she helps and advises people with problems like Cynthia’s.
But who sent Etta a large box of rotten flowers to her home late at night? They’re sending her a message but why?
Gambling is taking over Etta’s life more and more and like a true player she thinks that she can win it all back again. But she doesn’t, instead she ploughs it all back into more games and loses it all. Soon she has gambled away the £22k house deposit money before taking out payday loans. And then she discovers that her online pal isn’t all he seems as she begins to drink heavily and sends indiscreet messages about her situation.
When will Etta stop? Can she stop? Does she even want to stop? Too late she realises that she’s about to lose everything.
What I liked about this book is the skilful way in which the author took me into Etta’s new world of online gambling. I’ve visited arcades full of gambling machines with flashing lights and noises and could see how they lure people in. Online gambling is less visible but just as enticing. It was the way in which a lonely woman was seduced with flashily titled games and visuals and the belief that she could win all the time. Eventually, she does admit that she is an addict and that nothing else matters in her life.
I was intrigued how the subplot involving a Croatian illegal immigrant would become part of Etta’s world which she did. In a way, she was also a gambler.
However, the ending felt very abrupt, and I wondered how Etta was going to get out of the terrible mess that she had created with her addiction. It was as if the author had run out of steam which was a shame as she had so successfully combined all of the plot elements and made Etta into such a believable character. I had my suspicions about Ola early on.
The dialogue was good and also the way in which the author depicted their different backgrounds. Ola is Nigerian and Etta is half Jamaican and at times there was a culture clash between them.
Lucky is a novel with a dark theme in how Etta’s life completely unravels due to her desire to make some money for their future. It was also about how easy it is to fall into a world of bright, shiny graphics and the rabbit hole of money that you think you’ve won but was never real in the first place.
My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an ARC.
But, at their anniversary meal, in an uninspiring local restaurant, Etta realises that their relationship is crumbling. She works in a dead end job and Ola is always away at conferences and seminars to build his career. As she’s alone a lot, Etta soon exhausts legitimate moneymaking avenues and is tempted by an ad for an online bingo site on her phone. Despite it being a ‘low rent and embarrassing source’, she is intrigued by the thought of being able to win extra money to help them out. So, Etta signs ups and before long she is hooked. She is excited by winning good sums of money but not so thrilled when she losses it all on other games. And fellow Cozee Bingo fans are so friendly and helpful as they advise her about other upcoming big money games and chat to her online. One soon becomes her ‘virtual best mate at the virtual party’. Ette is thrilled to become a VIP and the Cozee Bingo party is never ending. It isn’t long before Etta progresses onto the slots and is congratulating herself on being so savvy as to win over £1000.
In the meantime, real life intrudes on Etta’s gaming world. Cynthia, the elderly mother of one of her best friends, Joyce, has been threatened with deportation as part of the Windrush scandal. Etta writes a letter to the Home Office on her behalf. She volunteers at the First Welcome Project where she helps and advises people with problems like Cynthia’s.
But who sent Etta a large box of rotten flowers to her home late at night? They’re sending her a message but why?
Gambling is taking over Etta’s life more and more and like a true player she thinks that she can win it all back again. But she doesn’t, instead she ploughs it all back into more games and loses it all. Soon she has gambled away the £22k house deposit money before taking out payday loans. And then she discovers that her online pal isn’t all he seems as she begins to drink heavily and sends indiscreet messages about her situation.
When will Etta stop? Can she stop? Does she even want to stop? Too late she realises that she’s about to lose everything.
What I liked about this book is the skilful way in which the author took me into Etta’s new world of online gambling. I’ve visited arcades full of gambling machines with flashing lights and noises and could see how they lure people in. Online gambling is less visible but just as enticing. It was the way in which a lonely woman was seduced with flashily titled games and visuals and the belief that she could win all the time. Eventually, she does admit that she is an addict and that nothing else matters in her life.
I was intrigued how the subplot involving a Croatian illegal immigrant would become part of Etta’s world which she did. In a way, she was also a gambler.
However, the ending felt very abrupt, and I wondered how Etta was going to get out of the terrible mess that she had created with her addiction. It was as if the author had run out of steam which was a shame as she had so successfully combined all of the plot elements and made Etta into such a believable character. I had my suspicions about Ola early on.
The dialogue was good and also the way in which the author depicted their different backgrounds. Ola is Nigerian and Etta is half Jamaican and at times there was a culture clash between them.
Lucky is a novel with a dark theme in how Etta’s life completely unravels due to her desire to make some money for their future. It was also about how easy it is to fall into a world of bright, shiny graphics and the rabbit hole of money that you think you’ve won but was never real in the first place.
My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an ARC.
June 26, 2021
My thanks to Fourth Estate for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘Lucky’ by Rachel Edwards in exchange for an honest review.
This novel is about something that I consider much more frightening than creepy clowns, serial killers or lurking monsters: the lure of online gambling sites.
Etta is a black British woman in her mid-thirties. Aside from her job, she volunteers at the Welcome Project, giving assistance to those seeking asylum or residence in the U.K.. She is a kind and compassionate woman, who is also keen to get married and put down roots. Her partner, Ola, claims to be of the same mind, though insists that they continue to save so that they have enough for a house deposit before marrying.
Hoping to hasten that day Etta is seeking ways to increase their nest egg. She comes across a snazzy online advert: ‘Deposit £10 today and get £50 more to play with!’ Temptation! She talks herself into registering with Cozee Bingo, justifying it: “if you could see through all the snazzy tricks and do it anyway? You could study the odds, research, insulate against losses, cogitate, calculate, speculate, win. Had to be worth a try. Each win would inflate their savings and confirm her cleverness, someday, to her grateful husband.”
So it’s no surprise that this turns out to be a slippery slope. She plays in secret - she wins, she loses, she is lucky one day and not the next. The more she loses, the more she convinces herself that she’ll win it back and hit the jackpot in the next round. She also makes a male friend on the site, who says she sounds hot and encourages her to meet up with him at a VIP party organised by the gambling site. Oh Etta!
While Etta seems to have plenty of savvy when it comes to dealing with Nigerian princes and cold call scammers, her inability to stop herself from getting deeper and deeper into trouble is truly frightening.
There is also a heartbreaking subplot linked to the mother of Etta’s best friend, who came to Britain from Jamaica fifty years ago as part of the Windrush Generation. She now finds herself threatened with deportation.
I found Etta a sympathetic lead, which made her fall into addiction and the denial of her situation, so much more harrowing. I genuinely felt afraid for her. While aware that this was a fictional situation, there are those whose lives are ruined by such addictions.
There are elements of suspense and threat within the story, such as Etta being aware of someone trying to spook her with odd gifts, etc.. There is also a series of short chapters, interspersed throughout, that are flashbacks to someone’s experiences in Croatia. Their significance does become clear eventually.
I found ‘Lucky’ a cautionary tale that not only addresses the dangers of online gambling, payday loans, and various scams but highlights the racism that people of colour routinely encounter in modern Britain. This includes the insidious question put to Etta by a white policeman in the opening chapter “Where are you from, originally?”. As Etta shares with her readers: “He does not get to ask that question. But of course, he does.”
While listed as Women’s Fiction, ‘Lucky’ struck me as being multi-faceted. It considers the issue of a woman seeking to attain her goals, and also mixes in some comedy with its drama, has elements of suspense and is subtly hard-hitting in terms of the various social issues it considers.
It is definitely a novel that I feel will appeal to reading groups given its strong characterisations, its various aspects that provide plenty of topics for discussion and yes, being a very good read.
4.5 stars rounded up to 5.
This novel is about something that I consider much more frightening than creepy clowns, serial killers or lurking monsters: the lure of online gambling sites.
Etta is a black British woman in her mid-thirties. Aside from her job, she volunteers at the Welcome Project, giving assistance to those seeking asylum or residence in the U.K.. She is a kind and compassionate woman, who is also keen to get married and put down roots. Her partner, Ola, claims to be of the same mind, though insists that they continue to save so that they have enough for a house deposit before marrying.
Hoping to hasten that day Etta is seeking ways to increase their nest egg. She comes across a snazzy online advert: ‘Deposit £10 today and get £50 more to play with!’ Temptation! She talks herself into registering with Cozee Bingo, justifying it: “if you could see through all the snazzy tricks and do it anyway? You could study the odds, research, insulate against losses, cogitate, calculate, speculate, win. Had to be worth a try. Each win would inflate their savings and confirm her cleverness, someday, to her grateful husband.”
So it’s no surprise that this turns out to be a slippery slope. She plays in secret - she wins, she loses, she is lucky one day and not the next. The more she loses, the more she convinces herself that she’ll win it back and hit the jackpot in the next round. She also makes a male friend on the site, who says she sounds hot and encourages her to meet up with him at a VIP party organised by the gambling site. Oh Etta!
While Etta seems to have plenty of savvy when it comes to dealing with Nigerian princes and cold call scammers, her inability to stop herself from getting deeper and deeper into trouble is truly frightening.
There is also a heartbreaking subplot linked to the mother of Etta’s best friend, who came to Britain from Jamaica fifty years ago as part of the Windrush Generation. She now finds herself threatened with deportation.
I found Etta a sympathetic lead, which made her fall into addiction and the denial of her situation, so much more harrowing. I genuinely felt afraid for her. While aware that this was a fictional situation, there are those whose lives are ruined by such addictions.
There are elements of suspense and threat within the story, such as Etta being aware of someone trying to spook her with odd gifts, etc.. There is also a series of short chapters, interspersed throughout, that are flashbacks to someone’s experiences in Croatia. Their significance does become clear eventually.
I found ‘Lucky’ a cautionary tale that not only addresses the dangers of online gambling, payday loans, and various scams but highlights the racism that people of colour routinely encounter in modern Britain. This includes the insidious question put to Etta by a white policeman in the opening chapter “Where are you from, originally?”. As Etta shares with her readers: “He does not get to ask that question. But of course, he does.”
While listed as Women’s Fiction, ‘Lucky’ struck me as being multi-faceted. It considers the issue of a woman seeking to attain her goals, and also mixes in some comedy with its drama, has elements of suspense and is subtly hard-hitting in terms of the various social issues it considers.
It is definitely a novel that I feel will appeal to reading groups given its strong characterisations, its various aspects that provide plenty of topics for discussion and yes, being a very good read.
4.5 stars rounded up to 5.
May 22, 2021
A tangled and dramatic story of the gambles we take with high stakes.
I was hooked at the twists and gobsmackingly shocking depths that the character went to due to addiction. It explores the criminality and exploitative practices involved in online gambling as well as scams and the multilayered desperation of immigration & asylum.
A very clever book, I just felt sometimes the online games descriptions went a bit over my head and I got a bit lost with it, but the deceptions were very well written.
I was hooked at the twists and gobsmackingly shocking depths that the character went to due to addiction. It explores the criminality and exploitative practices involved in online gambling as well as scams and the multilayered desperation of immigration & asylum.
A very clever book, I just felt sometimes the online games descriptions went a bit over my head and I got a bit lost with it, but the deceptions were very well written.
February 22, 2022
This ARC was provided to me via Kindle, Harper360 and by #NetGalley. Opinions expressed are completely my own.
Entertaining, hard to put down. Thrilling, twists and turns.
Entertaining, hard to put down. Thrilling, twists and turns.
July 5, 2021
Etta wants to get married to Ola
Ola wants to save for their future
Life can be a gamble…
Rachel Edwards’ dark, debut novel, Lucky, is a modern-day story exploring the important themes of love, race, displacement and loss (in more ways than one). Etta is good at fixing other people’s problems, so why not fix her own? All Etta and Ola need are 8K to make up their saving funds and realise their future plans. Etta comes up with a ‘quick fix’: play online bingo, win the money, get married and buy the house of her dreams. But what starts out as a light-hearted, fun way of achieving her goals soon becomes a twisted, tormented fall into darkness and addiction, as Etta’s scheme unfolds and spirals out of control with each buy, click, spin, buy, click, spin of the online wheel. Pound by Pound, Etta’s hopes and dreams are chipped away, causing devastation for those around her too. When it comes to Life, Etta soon realises that not everyone is Lucky.
Lucky starts out as a light-hearted, easy going read, but soon plunges the reader in to a dark, nerve jangling, tense observation of an ordinary woman’s life which is spinning out of control, like the roll of a slot machine game. We are lulled along by the easy rhythm and wonderful flowing narrative, only to experience the dizziness and helplessness of Etta, as we watch her gamble away and begin to lose all. The different storylines within the book are destined to collide, as Etta is drawn further into an addictive cycle of online betting, pay day loans and frantic subterfuge in order to cover her tracks. Lines are blurred: desperate means entail desperate measures, testing friendships old and new. Her new online friend, St. Christopher75, appears to be the answer to her troubles. But are they who they seem to be?
Lucky is a rollercoaster read that takes us and the characters to depths that no one wants to go down to. We may shout and despair at Etta’s actions, but the real truth remains: how far and at what lengths would any of us go to in life to make things right/back to how things were?
Lucky is a brilliant debut book. It’s a story calling out for a TV company to commission. Move over, Happy Valley and meet your new neighbour, Line of Duty – Lucky is here and this is one lucky token we all want to get our hands on and see.
Ola wants to save for their future
Life can be a gamble…
Rachel Edwards’ dark, debut novel, Lucky, is a modern-day story exploring the important themes of love, race, displacement and loss (in more ways than one). Etta is good at fixing other people’s problems, so why not fix her own? All Etta and Ola need are 8K to make up their saving funds and realise their future plans. Etta comes up with a ‘quick fix’: play online bingo, win the money, get married and buy the house of her dreams. But what starts out as a light-hearted, fun way of achieving her goals soon becomes a twisted, tormented fall into darkness and addiction, as Etta’s scheme unfolds and spirals out of control with each buy, click, spin, buy, click, spin of the online wheel. Pound by Pound, Etta’s hopes and dreams are chipped away, causing devastation for those around her too. When it comes to Life, Etta soon realises that not everyone is Lucky.
Lucky starts out as a light-hearted, easy going read, but soon plunges the reader in to a dark, nerve jangling, tense observation of an ordinary woman’s life which is spinning out of control, like the roll of a slot machine game. We are lulled along by the easy rhythm and wonderful flowing narrative, only to experience the dizziness and helplessness of Etta, as we watch her gamble away and begin to lose all. The different storylines within the book are destined to collide, as Etta is drawn further into an addictive cycle of online betting, pay day loans and frantic subterfuge in order to cover her tracks. Lines are blurred: desperate means entail desperate measures, testing friendships old and new. Her new online friend, St. Christopher75, appears to be the answer to her troubles. But are they who they seem to be?
Lucky is a rollercoaster read that takes us and the characters to depths that no one wants to go down to. We may shout and despair at Etta’s actions, but the real truth remains: how far and at what lengths would any of us go to in life to make things right/back to how things were?
Lucky is a brilliant debut book. It’s a story calling out for a TV company to commission. Move over, Happy Valley and meet your new neighbour, Line of Duty – Lucky is here and this is one lucky token we all want to get our hands on and see.
July 9, 2022
Lucky by Rachel Edwards is a psychological thriller that delves into the darkness of addiction. In this case, it’s Etta, a 30 year old woman, who wants to marry her boyfriend, Ola, but they are trying to save 30,000 pounds first. With 22,000 already saved up, Etta becomes desperate to come up with the final 2,000 to walk down the aisle. She sees an advertisement for Cozee, an online Bingo game, if she wins that could be some quick money for her. But like all addicts, online Bingo turns into slot machines, and other online gambling games, and before she knows it, she has cleared out their savings. While she is gambling, she starts to drink heavily as well, all the white strange things start happening to her, to befriends someone online and thinks he may help her out of this situation before her boyfriend finds out, but like everything else in her life, nothing is that easy.
Etta’s boyfriend Ola seems to be a shady character as well. Something seems off in their relationship, but it’s difficult to figure it out. Etta is so wrapped up in trying to hide her gambling problems, and her bottles of gin and wine, she lets down her best friend when she needs her the most and she’s on the verge of losing her job. Of course she doesn’t think Ola is up to anything, which works for him. There are other things going on throughout the book, but it was honestly difficult to keep up with everything.
The story didn’t seem to flow for me. With so many situations happening at once, not to mention all the characters with a “J” name, which was hard to follow…I’m not really sure if everything was tied up by the end. A few things were, but I am still very confused. The author seems to like using many big ‘thesaurus’ type words, which weren’t necessary and I’m not sure they even made sense. I was really hoping to like this, and have a better review, but I couldn’t even find a character I liked, I really had to force myself to finish.
I would Ike to thank Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I’m giving it a 1.5 stars, I wish I liked it as much as some other readers did, but I didn’t.
Etta’s boyfriend Ola seems to be a shady character as well. Something seems off in their relationship, but it’s difficult to figure it out. Etta is so wrapped up in trying to hide her gambling problems, and her bottles of gin and wine, she lets down her best friend when she needs her the most and she’s on the verge of losing her job. Of course she doesn’t think Ola is up to anything, which works for him. There are other things going on throughout the book, but it was honestly difficult to keep up with everything.
The story didn’t seem to flow for me. With so many situations happening at once, not to mention all the characters with a “J” name, which was hard to follow…I’m not really sure if everything was tied up by the end. A few things were, but I am still very confused. The author seems to like using many big ‘thesaurus’ type words, which weren’t necessary and I’m not sure they even made sense. I was really hoping to like this, and have a better review, but I couldn’t even find a character I liked, I really had to force myself to finish.
I would Ike to thank Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I’m giving it a 1.5 stars, I wish I liked it as much as some other readers did, but I didn’t.
May 12, 2021
Genre: Adult Fiction | Mystery
Release Date: Expected 24th June 2021
Etta wants nothing more to marry her boyfriend, Ola. And while he says he does too, he's always focused on the next step and insists they need to save enough for a house before they even think of walking down the aisle. Etta is a sensible woman, working a steady office job, volunteering for a charity helping people facing deportation and injustice - but they still don't quite have enough.
So she tries something new - online gambling. And she likes it. Pretty soon she's playing all the time and lying to Ola about it - but she's sure the win is coming soon, even if there's a few losses along the way. And her new friend on the site, StChristopher75 seems to be supportive. He's won big recently ... and he thinks she's hot. Etta knows she's going to get lucky soon. She has to.
Lucky took me totally by surprise - this was so much more than it appeared to be. It was a an enthralling, tense story about the terrifying decent into addiction, as we watched Etta succumb to the temptation of gambling and trying to convince herself she's okay. It delved into the world of scam artists and conners and just how devastating they really can be.
Brimming with betrayal, deception and desperation - this story felt almost like being inside Etta's head and feeling every twisty emotion she did. While not much happened in the story until the end, the journey of the characters was where the spotlight was through the whole thing.
Alongside the very real dangers of gambling addiction, this gave a very real insight into the terrifying truth of deportation and racism that just isn't given enough gravity.
Lucky is Edwards second ever release, and I definitely can't wait to see what literary gold she brings next.
RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Thank you to Rachael Edwards, Fourth Estate and Netgalley for this ARC in return for an honest review.
Release Date: Expected 24th June 2021
Etta wants nothing more to marry her boyfriend, Ola. And while he says he does too, he's always focused on the next step and insists they need to save enough for a house before they even think of walking down the aisle. Etta is a sensible woman, working a steady office job, volunteering for a charity helping people facing deportation and injustice - but they still don't quite have enough.
So she tries something new - online gambling. And she likes it. Pretty soon she's playing all the time and lying to Ola about it - but she's sure the win is coming soon, even if there's a few losses along the way. And her new friend on the site, StChristopher75 seems to be supportive. He's won big recently ... and he thinks she's hot. Etta knows she's going to get lucky soon. She has to.
Lucky took me totally by surprise - this was so much more than it appeared to be. It was a an enthralling, tense story about the terrifying decent into addiction, as we watched Etta succumb to the temptation of gambling and trying to convince herself she's okay. It delved into the world of scam artists and conners and just how devastating they really can be.
Brimming with betrayal, deception and desperation - this story felt almost like being inside Etta's head and feeling every twisty emotion she did. While not much happened in the story until the end, the journey of the characters was where the spotlight was through the whole thing.
Alongside the very real dangers of gambling addiction, this gave a very real insight into the terrifying truth of deportation and racism that just isn't given enough gravity.
Lucky is Edwards second ever release, and I definitely can't wait to see what literary gold she brings next.
RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Thank you to Rachael Edwards, Fourth Estate and Netgalley for this ARC in return for an honest review.
June 15, 2021
I haven’t read anything by Rachel Edwards, but I’m totally blown away by this complex tale which explores so many issues. Addictive behaviour, racism, Windrush, love, friendship, betrayal; it’s difficult to know where to start.
The heart of the tale is Etta; she wants more; a better life, marriage and happiness. She has a job plus a boring and soul destroying fiancé. He promises much, but never delivers. She wants to kickstart things for a better future. Easy, peasy solution; online gambling. Just a big win or two would make dreams come true and how difficult could that be?
There were moments in this story when my heart was almost literally breaking for Etta. Beguiled by the demon spins and empty promises, she moves into self destruct, aided and abetted by her only good friend, alcohol.
This is such a unique tale. Etta has a very distinctive voice; she’s intelligent perceptive and helpless. Her partner, Ola, is apparently sympathetic and supportive, but there’s a whole backstory to their relationship.
There are so many reasons I absolutely love this book. Rachel Edwards not only spins a convincing and engaging yarn, she explores addictive behaviour, inherent racism, betrayal, love, payday loans… Her use of imagery is compelling; I could feel, hear and see the slot machines beguiling her into hope and desperation. Her prose is lyrical and alliterative. It’s just so well written, I was swept from one page to the next, desperate in my hope that things would work out for Etta. This is a story of our times. I enjoyed it immensely and I’m certainly hoping for more from this author. Simply brilliant.
And congratulations to 4th Estate for delivering a dynamic and intriguing cover. Never judge a book, etc, but I have to say the cover of thistitke is dramatic and drew me in to exploring the content. Excellent. My thanks to the publisher for a review copy via Netgalley.
The heart of the tale is Etta; she wants more; a better life, marriage and happiness. She has a job plus a boring and soul destroying fiancé. He promises much, but never delivers. She wants to kickstart things for a better future. Easy, peasy solution; online gambling. Just a big win or two would make dreams come true and how difficult could that be?
There were moments in this story when my heart was almost literally breaking for Etta. Beguiled by the demon spins and empty promises, she moves into self destruct, aided and abetted by her only good friend, alcohol.
This is such a unique tale. Etta has a very distinctive voice; she’s intelligent perceptive and helpless. Her partner, Ola, is apparently sympathetic and supportive, but there’s a whole backstory to their relationship.
There are so many reasons I absolutely love this book. Rachel Edwards not only spins a convincing and engaging yarn, she explores addictive behaviour, inherent racism, betrayal, love, payday loans… Her use of imagery is compelling; I could feel, hear and see the slot machines beguiling her into hope and desperation. Her prose is lyrical and alliterative. It’s just so well written, I was swept from one page to the next, desperate in my hope that things would work out for Etta. This is a story of our times. I enjoyed it immensely and I’m certainly hoping for more from this author. Simply brilliant.
And congratulations to 4th Estate for delivering a dynamic and intriguing cover. Never judge a book, etc, but I have to say the cover of thistitke is dramatic and drew me in to exploring the content. Excellent. My thanks to the publisher for a review copy via Netgalley.
June 21, 2021
Etta lives with Ola and dreams of marrying him. They have quite a bit of money saved but Ola insists they just need a little bit more before they can tie the knot. She is desperate to be married though and desperate people tend to often do, well, let's call them risky things and Etta is a desperate as they come so she decides to try her luck with online gambling. Oh dear... we all know how this is going to go - as Ella gets sucked in, as she chases that last loss, hoping to turn her luck. As her savings start to dwindle, egged on by her new VIP status on the site, teased by her online friend having just won big. If it can happen to him...
And then it all starts to unravel...
Oh my days. Parts of this were car crash reading at its best. You know what is going to happen. Most of it is inevitable. But there was lots of other things going on around and about Ella that it wasn't all plain sailing reading wise. She really gets herself into more of a pickle than I ever thought possible. There is so much more than just gambling addiction in this book. So many nefarious characters. And a few good ones thrown in for balance. All very well crafted and easy to connect to in some way. But seriously, there are a few quite important issues discussed in this book alongside Ella's downfall. Which makes this book quite an important read all told. The author has the ability to really get under your skin as a reader and suck you in. Grabbing your emotions and wringing you out. Pretty much what she did to me when I read Darling - which I also recommend.
All in all, although not quite what I was expecting going in, this was a good solid read that kept my attention nicely throughout, leaving me satisfied at the end. My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.
And then it all starts to unravel...
Oh my days. Parts of this were car crash reading at its best. You know what is going to happen. Most of it is inevitable. But there was lots of other things going on around and about Ella that it wasn't all plain sailing reading wise. She really gets herself into more of a pickle than I ever thought possible. There is so much more than just gambling addiction in this book. So many nefarious characters. And a few good ones thrown in for balance. All very well crafted and easy to connect to in some way. But seriously, there are a few quite important issues discussed in this book alongside Ella's downfall. Which makes this book quite an important read all told. The author has the ability to really get under your skin as a reader and suck you in. Grabbing your emotions and wringing you out. Pretty much what she did to me when I read Darling - which I also recommend.
All in all, although not quite what I was expecting going in, this was a good solid read that kept my attention nicely throughout, leaving me satisfied at the end. My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.
January 25, 2025
|| :Lucky
By Rachel Edwards
Chapter Eleven Page 210
Thursday, 2nd August 2018
4.5 🌟🌟🌟🌟💫
The only problem was, she needed more funds; she needed another pay day loan. This time it was no joke.. Wise was here, around, waiting. Was he handing in the garden now? She edged up to the spare room window, pushed her cheek flat against the curtain and looked out sideways. Grey sky and sun, slow-moving air and cloud. The flowerbed appeared to be fertile with secrets, the lawn seeded with intent. The bushes that hugged the fence, keeping the backfields out, what did they hide?
focus :||
The book “Lucky” is focused around Etta Oladipo and her life as a struggling woman in a man's world, and her lack of marriage despite the man she is in love with, promising it will happen soon.
As do we all she became charmed and seduced by the many websites who claim to offer a big pay out for very little. We have all been there at one time or another, and the odd game of bingo here and there, or the lottery or even a raffle down at your local church!
Temptation is everywhere but when that temptation becomes a whisper, the whisper a sound, the sound a scream, the scream a feeling, the feeling anything itch and all while telling yourself you are not an addict.. It is easy to blind yourself to the damage an addiction can cause to your world.
As you were planning to build it up.. it could crumble down without you.
Not Etta though. She was no addict.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was heartwarming and funny in places, I certainly felt and could relate to the threat of feeling like you are not in control of things. I found myself sympathising with Etta. All while assuring myself I would have done things differently, but this was written in such a brilliant way.. I'm actually not sure I would! Loved this book
By Rachel Edwards
Chapter Eleven Page 210
Thursday, 2nd August 2018
4.5 🌟🌟🌟🌟💫
The only problem was, she needed more funds; she needed another pay day loan. This time it was no joke.. Wise was here, around, waiting. Was he handing in the garden now? She edged up to the spare room window, pushed her cheek flat against the curtain and looked out sideways. Grey sky and sun, slow-moving air and cloud. The flowerbed appeared to be fertile with secrets, the lawn seeded with intent. The bushes that hugged the fence, keeping the backfields out, what did they hide?
focus :||
The book “Lucky” is focused around Etta Oladipo and her life as a struggling woman in a man's world, and her lack of marriage despite the man she is in love with, promising it will happen soon.
As do we all she became charmed and seduced by the many websites who claim to offer a big pay out for very little. We have all been there at one time or another, and the odd game of bingo here and there, or the lottery or even a raffle down at your local church!
Temptation is everywhere but when that temptation becomes a whisper, the whisper a sound, the sound a scream, the scream a feeling, the feeling anything itch and all while telling yourself you are not an addict.. It is easy to blind yourself to the damage an addiction can cause to your world.
As you were planning to build it up.. it could crumble down without you.
Not Etta though. She was no addict.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was heartwarming and funny in places, I certainly felt and could relate to the threat of feeling like you are not in control of things. I found myself sympathising with Etta. All while assuring myself I would have done things differently, but this was written in such a brilliant way.. I'm actually not sure I would! Loved this book
May 19, 2021
"Unbearable: the rotting smell still hung in the kitchen, and the hall. She fought down a tremor of nausea... She suspected it emanated from the spare room. Above the stench, a screaming from within: You deserve this, skank! It was not OK to help herself to their joint money as if it were all hers for the taking. This was bad."
In the fictional town of Rilton, Etta Oladipo, in her mid-thirties is bright and ambitious; she wants to marry boyfriend, beloved but set-in-his-ways, Ola. He wants this too, but wants them to save for a house deposit first. Etta despairs this will never change, so finds a secret way to make extra money - online gambling with 'Cozee Bingo' in the spare room. She's lucky, she happens to be good at it, but keeps it a secret. Until she isn't and finds herself in a fix. Her online bingo buddy, StChristopher75 has just won big, and thinks Etta is 'hot', so he'll help her, won't he?
Etta's plight is oh-so relatable as she wants to settle down and have a family with the man she loves. The author portrays the lure of online gambling with what feels like accuracy (I have no experience of online gambling, but imagine this is how it can be). There is a parallel storyline with an event for Ola in Zagreb, that I didn't take to. However the storyline with Etta's friend, Joyce and her mum's threatened deportation, is heartbreaking, but enables the reader to understand the context of Etta's life, along with her generous nature. Tense and secretive, this is pacey, as we experience Etta's slide into further difficulties, as her online bingo habit and bad decisions get out of hand. I was rooting for Etta all the way because this was more character than plot based. I liked it it, but didn't love it.
In the fictional town of Rilton, Etta Oladipo, in her mid-thirties is bright and ambitious; she wants to marry boyfriend, beloved but set-in-his-ways, Ola. He wants this too, but wants them to save for a house deposit first. Etta despairs this will never change, so finds a secret way to make extra money - online gambling with 'Cozee Bingo' in the spare room. She's lucky, she happens to be good at it, but keeps it a secret. Until she isn't and finds herself in a fix. Her online bingo buddy, StChristopher75 has just won big, and thinks Etta is 'hot', so he'll help her, won't he?
Etta's plight is oh-so relatable as she wants to settle down and have a family with the man she loves. The author portrays the lure of online gambling with what feels like accuracy (I have no experience of online gambling, but imagine this is how it can be). There is a parallel storyline with an event for Ola in Zagreb, that I didn't take to. However the storyline with Etta's friend, Joyce and her mum's threatened deportation, is heartbreaking, but enables the reader to understand the context of Etta's life, along with her generous nature. Tense and secretive, this is pacey, as we experience Etta's slide into further difficulties, as her online bingo habit and bad decisions get out of hand. I was rooting for Etta all the way because this was more character than plot based. I liked it it, but didn't love it.
December 27, 2022
"A true love is always worth it."
What constitutes as true love? Should you self-sacrifice to give love a chance? If your name is Etta Oladipo, I for one believe you should reconsider, especially if the love you seek and crave is one that is controlled & dictated by money.
Etta, wants to marry Ola, however Ola will only consider marriage once their savings have hit the target mark of £30k to buy a house. Something about this just did not sit right with me. Etta, as you can imagine is dismayed by another year of their relationship passing with no prospects of marriage materialising. Etta is fed up and decides to take matters into her own hands, with online gambling to increase their joint savings. This was a very bad idea. Etta wins a lot, but loses even more. With her gambling addiction spiraling out of control, Etta seeks out an online confidante who does not have her best interests at heart.
This story had the premise to be a great one, with awareness of gambling addictions & alcoholism, I really had high hopes but it fell flatter than a flat bread.
The protagonists choice to begin gambling to entice her partner to propose to her was quite simply absurd to me. There was no noticeable "spark" between the couple, thus I struggled to see why Etta was so hell bent on becoming Ola's fiancé. Whilst the author captured the desperation of Etta once she was in the depths of a gambling crisis, I felt the "thrilling" aspect of the story was missing. IMO it needed to be much darker, more gripping, more everything.
I skipped quite a lot of pages towards the end and I am glad I did, because the last 5 pages were diabolical & unrealistic.
⭐️.75
What was the last book you read that fell flat for you?
What constitutes as true love? Should you self-sacrifice to give love a chance? If your name is Etta Oladipo, I for one believe you should reconsider, especially if the love you seek and crave is one that is controlled & dictated by money.
Etta, wants to marry Ola, however Ola will only consider marriage once their savings have hit the target mark of £30k to buy a house. Something about this just did not sit right with me. Etta, as you can imagine is dismayed by another year of their relationship passing with no prospects of marriage materialising. Etta is fed up and decides to take matters into her own hands, with online gambling to increase their joint savings. This was a very bad idea. Etta wins a lot, but loses even more. With her gambling addiction spiraling out of control, Etta seeks out an online confidante who does not have her best interests at heart.
This story had the premise to be a great one, with awareness of gambling addictions & alcoholism, I really had high hopes but it fell flatter than a flat bread.
The protagonists choice to begin gambling to entice her partner to propose to her was quite simply absurd to me. There was no noticeable "spark" between the couple, thus I struggled to see why Etta was so hell bent on becoming Ola's fiancé. Whilst the author captured the desperation of Etta once she was in the depths of a gambling crisis, I felt the "thrilling" aspect of the story was missing. IMO it needed to be much darker, more gripping, more everything.
I skipped quite a lot of pages towards the end and I am glad I did, because the last 5 pages were diabolical & unrealistic.
⭐️.75
What was the last book you read that fell flat for you?
June 13, 2022
This was a slow burn suspense thriller. With the name you’d think this book has some type of positive vibe somewhere in it but the Author skillfully plays on the word Lucky when the the main protagonist, Etta believing to be doing something good by helping earn money by playing an online Bingo game. Seeing an ad with free money was a no brainer especially if it meant getting the extra money her and her boyfriend need to buy a home in order to get married.
The Author shows how a simple online game can turn into an addiction; a gambling problem in which Etta must now lie, cheat and steal to cover up for what she’s secretly doing. When it leads to taking out loans, drinking, meeting men and ultimately her life begins to landslide and it’s no longer possible to keep a secret. Especially when someone is now blackmailing her and after her life.
She must confess the truth before it’s too late, they hurt someone she loves, her boyfriend finds out about the money she stole or one of the winds up dead. But what she discovers is there is more to this story then originally thought and those business trips her boyfriend spent away may not really have been business.
Who is behind all this and why does it seem like this was all a set up?
This was a very well thought out read and I was impressed until the ending where it was vague and I felt details were left out and major plots unexplained.
The Author shows how a simple online game can turn into an addiction; a gambling problem in which Etta must now lie, cheat and steal to cover up for what she’s secretly doing. When it leads to taking out loans, drinking, meeting men and ultimately her life begins to landslide and it’s no longer possible to keep a secret. Especially when someone is now blackmailing her and after her life.
She must confess the truth before it’s too late, they hurt someone she loves, her boyfriend finds out about the money she stole or one of the winds up dead. But what she discovers is there is more to this story then originally thought and those business trips her boyfriend spent away may not really have been business.
Who is behind all this and why does it seem like this was all a set up?
This was a very well thought out read and I was impressed until the ending where it was vague and I felt details were left out and major plots unexplained.
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