This is a story of family. Families are complex and often flawed, which is absolutely the case of Eldora and her twin daughters, Gypsy and India.

Gypsy has gone missing, and this isn’t the first time. Diagnosed with schizophrenia, she sometimes disappears for lengths of time, much to the worry of her mother, Eldora, and her twin sister, India. Eldora and India’s relationship has been on rocky ground for quite some time. However in the common desire to find Gypsy, they set out on a familiar road trip to find her. With road trips comes confined spaces, long hours and heaps of time to talk. All of this time together urges Eldora to open up about her past and allows India an opportunity to better understand her mother. Equally, India will get the chance to confide in her mother, if she is willing to take that chance. This trip comes with a fair share of bumps, twists, turns and road blocks. Will the final destination be everything that Eldora, Gypsy and India needs?

I have read very few books that touch on schizophrenia, so I appreciated learning a little bit more about it and the impact it has on an individual’s family. Also, I grew up in western Oklahoma and took several road trips through some of the New Mexico locations. It was a treat to imagine Eldora and India’s journey through my travel experiences.

Thank you to Lake Union Publishing for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley in exchange for my honest feedback. All opinions are my own.

Another heart felt and intense novel about learning that there are no perfect lives and that we all make mistakes. I loved Eldora and all that she did to change her circumstances and yet didn't become bitter or self righteous. I also like that Eldora finally told India about her life, it explains her persona around others and her own heart ache she endured. I loved seeing how India becomes more open to others flays and that the love of Jack conquered her fear about having a child. I also like that the story talks about mental illness and how the women both took care of Gypsy not by putting her away but by understanding her and her condition and helping her, it was very loving.

I always loved road trips and I was actually at the hotel in Gallup that the book talks about it was really cool and eerie at the same time and the hotel had the best Huevos Rancheros I've ever had. I also liked that the book talks about the old Las Vegas Hotels and the strip that was very small but very cool, and it felt like the Wild West. I actually stayed at the Dunes and played at the kids section of the Circus Circus, those were the days.

Finally, I love Barbara O'Neal's writing style, the story is so intense that it immerses you into someone else's life until you feel like you know the characters personally and the plot is so descriptive that you can hear and see everything.

I want to Thank Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for an advance copy of this novel from Barbara O'neals earlier works.

I was excited to read this "new" novel from Barbara O'Neal only to be disappointed that this was written by her 20 years under a different last name. Although it would be enjoyable as a beach read, it didn't have the same depth as her recent books.
In this novel India goes on a wild road trip with her mother Eldora. We learn hidden truths about Eldora's life.

I really enjoyed getting to know the women in this story, the characters felt like they were supposed to and enjoyed the overall feel of this story. Barbara O'Neal always does a great job in writing this and having realistic people and glad this was just as good.

This book caught my attention with its cover and title.

Once I started reading jt, I was hooked. Great story of a mother and her daughters, full of secrets, scandals, mental illness and most of all forgiveness and redemption.

Release date is June 18, 2024.

Great book!!!!!!

#ladylucksmapofvegas
#netgalley
#lakeunionpublishing

This is a story of womanhood, sisterhood, and motherhood taken place on a road trip with a daughter and mother trying to find the twin that has schizophrenia. It took a little to get into this book but I am glad I stuck with it and saw it to the end. it was a good story painting the picture of life and the struggles they are facing. Worth the read once I got into it.
Thank you NetGalley, Lake Union Publishing and the author for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Lady Luck’s Map of Vegas by Barbara O’Neal is a road-trip inter-generational story. Eldora is 63 and “should” have been a movie star. Her life was adventurous, and when she finally settled down, she tweaked the story of her what her life was like before family. Now her husband is gone and Gypsy, one of her twins, has run away. Eldora demands that she and India, the other twin, must repeat the road trip down Route 66 they took when the girls were 11 to find Gypsy, who is schizophrenic. Eldora has decided that on the road trip, she will tell India the true story of her life before children. Well, most of the truth. Of course, India has a secret of her own. This book caught my eye because as an older reader, I always appreciate when one of the main characters is at least in her 60’s (Eldora), and because I love stories containing twins (Gypsy and India, Eldora’s 40-something daughters). In my opinion, the ending wasn’t quite what I wanted. It wasn’t tied up in a neat bow, especially India’s story. I did take a star off for that. But overall, the characters are likable and real, the story and setting are engaging, and that kept me reading to the end.

Another good read from Barbara o Neal. Twins India and gypsy grew up with interesting mother elodora and their father Don. The book is told by alternating chapters of elodora past in Las Vegas and indian current life. Gypsy is the artistic twin who frequently disappears because of her schizophrenia. India and her mom take a great road trip from Colorado on route 66 to search for gypsy and back to Las Vegas to uncover secrets from elodora past. A fun read with a good ending.

Fans of women’s fiction will Lady Luck’s Map of Vegas by Barbara O’Neill. this book kept me turning the pages until I was finished. Don’t miss out.

O’Neal uses luxurious, lyrical language to paint a beautiful portrait of motherhood, sisterhood, and womanhood. I could not put this one down!

This is a classic example of not judging a book by its cover…or its title! I don’t think either does the story itself justice. This is not a light read but it has a hazy romanticism and an underlying hopefulness amid difficult discussions of mental illness, infidelity, and the lengths we go to survive.

Overall, I loved this story!