This was an excellent gangland crime  thriller that had me hooked from the first page,  I would highly recommend this book to fans of this genre,

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this book.

Firstly it was well written and easy to read.  The characters were ones you felt invested in from the beginning but it was uncomfortable reading and made me think ewwww why would you do that. I think that people who like this type of book would enjoy this story

What a brilliant book Reckless by Gemma Rogers was I was hooked within the first few pages and it was a real page turner just like her last book Payback which I enjoyed reading. I loved all the characters and it was well written throughout.......Great Story line and looking forward to the next installment.

I highly recommend Gemma Rogers Books.....Just Brilliant! 

Big Thank you to the Publisher Boldwood Books via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

Wow, this was quite a scary read, in the sense of, it clearly shows how quickly an innocent friendship can result into something out of your control.  I just loved this book, and can really recommend it to all and everyone.  
TB

3 for neutral.  I tried on a few occasions, but could not get into this book,  will update if able to at a later date!

this was an ok book for me , i found it quite slow and i didn't like the characters too much. I wouldn't class this a thriller for me

Brilliant thriller from a brilliant author.very fast paced and gripping storyline.would definitely recommend everyone to read books from this author.

4☆ A Taut, Suspenseful, Gritty Thriller!

Charlotte & her mum Isabel (aka Izzy) are involved in near miss car accident in the rain on the way to their new school.
Izzy and Charlotte are both starting at St. Wilfred’s Comprehensive, a fresh new start for everyone! 
After Charlotte got involved with a bad crowd at school and ended up being suspended. So Izzy and Hubby David decide it's time to move, to get her away and out of trouble!

Izzy has been hired to teach English, and After School Creative Writing and Charlotte would be going into year eleven. 
A big opportunity for them both.

But as Izzy gets to her class she bumps into ‘Nicky Steven's, the boy who nearly crashed their car & drove away, a student at her school!

However Nick has taken a shine to Izzy and ever since the accident, he is everywhere Izzy is. He's started to form a crush on her.
At first Izzy is weary she is his teacher after all. But as things between hubby David and her become frosty, she is flattered by Nick's attention!
But there is something not quite right about Nick! Why is he everywhere, watching, noticing! Has Nick's crush become a dangerous obsession? What lengths will he go to?

Reckless is a Gripping Taut thriller, it's a story that could very easily become a reality, it dangerously crosses over the teacher/pupil relationship line, it's devious, manipulative and very cleverly plotted.
Gemma Rogers is a very talented Author that isn't afraid to challenge difficult subjects and make then a reality. Her writing is Pacy, Gritty, Suspenseful and will keep you enthralled.

Overall a fantastic thriller I couldn't put down!


Thank you to Rachel Random Resources for this copy which I reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

Izzy and David's daughter Charlotte who is 15 has fallen in with the wrong crowd so they have had to move to start a new life.  Izzy has taken a post at st Wilfred's as the new English teacher at Charlotte's new school. 
where one of the six form students Nicky has taken a bit of a shine to Izzy and is harassing her, flirting with her at every opportunity and always around every corner she turns. He's very manipulative at getting what he wants, is good looking and knows it.
A year ago Izzy miscarried a baby and her and David have been living very different lives, she is in a delicate state after her miscarriage and not only shuns her husband's advances but is finding life a struggle. David works away from home at every opportunity or is home so late that Izzy is normally in bed asleep when he rolls in, neither of them has dealt with losing a baby properly, so when Nicky becomes persistent she melts and is taken by his advances. Which unbeknown to her is the biggest mistake of her life, 

Such a good book keeping me on the edge of my seat. Nicky is such a clever character and I wanted to know what his next nasty act was going to be.  I loved Matilda and Susan who made Izzy's life bearable at work. Stella Izzy's best friend was hilarious.
A really good read.
Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book. x

Reckless is a cleverly thought out thriller, and I certainly got a lot more than I bargained for when I sat down to read it. It is not filled with the multitude of twists and turns that a lot of thrillers seem to feel the need for these days, but this is not a bad thing. Knowing the “enemy” as it were means that you can become totally absorbed in the sinister, malevolent feel of the book without having half your attention on trying to figure out what is going on.

The two main characters posed something of an issue for me, as I found I quickly formed quite opposite opinions about them, and I am not entirely sure if these were the opinions that the author was aiming for.

On the one hand, we have Izzy, the main character, who, in all honesty, I struggled to like, never mind feel any sympathy for. For a large part of the book, I just wanted to shake her. Maybe it is because I am a similar age to her, and maybe it is because my oldest friend is an English teacher, but I struggled with the serious of insanely bad decisions she made, and the way in which she justified them to herself.

One the other hand, there is Nicky. Manipulative, narcissistic, and maybe even bordering on psychopathic, I found him to be a fascinating character and reading about him was utterly compelling. With Nicky, I found a character who I wanted to know more about, and although we discovered something of his past in Reckless, I would love to know the full story there, as well as what happens to him beyond the end of the book.

Despite my totally opposing feelings about the two main characters, or perhaps because of them, I found Reckless to be a gripping read, and I couldn’t wait to see how events unfolded.

Reckless is an intense thriller that will have readers on edge until the very end. It's a bit of a slow burn, but the tension that builds continues to do so until it becomes a powder keg ready to explode. 
Izzy and her family move to a new town to start over after a miscarriage. But then she meets Nicky, a student at the school, and things start going downhill fast. The events that play out are crazy and extreme, and it makes you realize that there really are people out there like Nicky. And that's a horrifying thought. 
I found Izzy to be a bit frustrating at times. She annoyed me by continuing to go back and forth with Nicky. Every time she tried to give him up, something would happen and she'd go back to him, even if it was just to tell him to leave her alone. And her carrying on with him just made her as bad as her husband, who was also dealing with his grief by having an affair. They were both in the wrong, but I feel like Izzy was worse in a way. Her husband eventually came clean, and she got mad at him, but then she continued on with Nicky without telling her husband. Hypocrite.
The story itself is a really well-written read, with believable characters and an engaging plot that pulls you in and doesn't let go until that explosive ending. 
4 stars from me!

Authentic characters, a believable scenario and some surprising twists make this an absorbing read. 

It's a story of two parts. Firstly the forbidden attraction.  Izzy behaves recklessly and betrays her position of trust. You understand her motivations, but she crosses a line that anyone with children finds hard to condone.  Nicky's manipulation of Izzy in a depraved narcissistic game makes the second part of the story dark and chilling.

This is an intense and immersive story well-paced and believable. 

I received a copy of this book from Boldwood Books via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

I have read Gemma Rogers before and I don't rate this one as highly as those.

The first part of the book I found repetitive and slow and the ending appeared rushed and I felt more time could have been spent developing this which in my eyes would have improved the story.

An exciting and exhilarating thriller with plenty of heart-pounding moments and hair-raising intrigue, chiller fans will not want to miss Gemma Rogers’ latest novel, Reckless.

All Izzy Cole wanted was a fresh start with her family. The English teacher had hoped that moving to a new town, getting a new job and living in a new house would help to vanquish past demons once and for all, put old history to rest and start afresh somewhere where nobody knows who she is. Izzy needs to look forward and to stop constantly looking over her shoulder. Things seem to be going well for her and when a sixth form student, Nicky Stevens, takes a special interest in her, Izzy cannot help but feel flattered. Yet, little does she realize that this special friendship is going to take Izzy down a dangerous and twisted path that could have devastating consequences.

Izzy and Nicky’s friendship develops from something innocent and ordinary to risky and dangerous. Although Izzy would normally heed the alarm bells and warnings in a similar situation, this time she seems determined to turn a blind eye. Yet, little does she realise just how hazardous her reckless attitude is going to be because her family, her career and her life are left hanging in the balance and she stands to lose everything that she holds dear to her heart – all because of a dark and twisted obsession by somebody determined to have her at all costs…

A fantastic page-turner guaranteed to shock, terrify and enthral readers, Reckless is a cautionary tale where the stakes are high, the dangerous repercussions life-changing and crushing and the tension and horror so acute it will have readers jumping out of their skin.

A gritty and gripping tale of fatal obsession and forbidden attraction, Gemma Rogers’ Reckless is one emotional rollercoaster ride readers won’t forget in a hurry!

“When sixth former Nicky Stevens sets his sights on her, he begins to reel her in at a time when she's most vulnerable. Soon Izzy is risking her family, her career and her life as she finds Nicky wants more than she ever planned to give.”
Izzy and her family have moved house and she has started work as an english teacher at a secondary school. She soon learns that the last incumbent left in rather a haste due to a tryst with a pupil. Her husband David hasn’t been so attentive since she had a miscarriage a while back and she suspects he may be having an affair. When she starts to get unwanted attention from a sixth former who first crossed her path when he almost drove her off the road, things get a little complicated to say the least. I cringed at some of this- that said it is a sensitive subject handled well. My cringing was at how Izzy threw herself into what could only be described as  a car crash relationship(every pun intended). She appeared to have little control over what was happening and pretty much let Nicky take control from the start. Don’t get me wrong- this is well written and I enjoyed reading it- it's just one of those subjects that may make some of us squirm. A clever, interesting concept  and one to keep you on the edge of your seat.
Amazon done- misfits farm

Reckless by Gemma Rogers is a standalone gritty thriller. This is the first time I have read anything by Gemma and after this I will be looking for her other work. The subject matter for this book is quite a tricky one, but, if you can get past this,then the story is an explosive one that kept me reading until the small hours.
The book revolves around Isabel (Izzy) Cole, David,and their daughter 15 year old Charlotte who make the decision to move from London to Rusper a small village in West Sussex. This is because Charlotte has been getting in with the wrong crowd at school and starting to get in trouble, as well as the fact that Izzy has recently suffered a miscarriage, so everyone needs a fresh start.
 Izzy has a job at the secondary school that Charlotte will be attending so her mind is at rest in that direction. On their way to school They almost end up in an accident due to a stupid driver. The driver turns out to be a 6th form pupil at her school, Nicky. He is the most cocksure pupil she has ever met! He proceeds to shamelessly flirt with her at every available opportunity. Izzy is in a vulnerable place due to believing David is having an affair and the miscarriage has changed their marriage more than she could have expected, so in the event of attention from a younger, good looking lad she is truly confused and is struggling to deal with it.
 The book highlights how the boundaries that are in place for everyone can be blurred on one moment of recklessness and the overreaching consequences for all involved. A thought provoking, fast paced gritty read. Nicky is a manipulator of top grade, a brilliant example of a narcissist at work! When Izzy comes to her senses he knows the best way to manipulate her and put her through the wringer emotionally and he goes for it! Making Charlotte his focus. It is really clear he has no conscience so is like a firework going of with no warning.
 In conclusion Reckless is a very well written, fast paced page turner.Thank you to NetGalley,Boldwood Books and Rachels Random Resources for letting me be part of this brilliant books Blog Tour.

I read this book for a blog tour, so thank you to the blog tour organiser for letting me take part in the tour and to the author, publicist and Netgalley for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange of an honest review. All opinions are my own. 

I don't generally read thrillers, and especially not like this one where a teacher and a student have an affair and things turn bad, it's not really my type of book and I wouldn't usually even bother, but this book reeled me in from page 1 and I just couldn't put it down because I wanted to know what was going to happen next. If a thriller can do that to a fantasy only kind of gal, it's obviously good. We follow Izzy, her husband and daughter as they have just moved into a new house, Charlotte (the daughter) is at a new school, the same one that her mother now teaches English at - they had to leave their old school and home because Charlotte got in with the wrong crowd. On the first day, after a near miss and a flying insult, Izzy realises that the culprit that nearly had them off the road on the way to school is actually a sixth-former that goes to St Wilfred's. One thing leads to another and soon, Izzy is having an affair with Nicky Stevens, until things start to turn ugly. 

I was really impressed by how this book captivated me, I couldn't put it down, I just wanted to know more. I definitely would have liked more character development and a couple of things ended up feeling a little too convenient for me, so that's why I rated it 4 stars. I read a lot of fantasy and science fiction, both are generally very complex, and I felt like this book was just lacking that little spark I look for. I thought that Izzy was acting rather immature for a 40-year-old wife and mother. There were a few things that didn't add up, or that bothered me a bit, but otherwise, I really enjoyed this book and I highly recommend to thriller readers. I liked how it ended, but again, it was a bit convenient and that part felt rushed, as well as a few other moments, whereas some scenes that I would have liked to see less of were really drawn out or there were repetitions, but again, this is just my personal preference for books and I'm sure that many people will love it. It was a really nice change for once and I'm quite happy with my reading experience.

Reckless is one of those stories that you read and think this could actually happen. And, it gives you the shivers. Izzy, along with her husband David and teenage daughter Charlotte, move to a new town in search of a fresh start. Sounds so idyllic doesn't it. Well that wouldn't be a good basis for a thriller would it? Let's throw in Nicky Stevens, an eighteen year old manipulative boy who's hell bent on getting what he wants. And, that my people is a good mix for this amazing story. 

Now, Izzy is a grown adult. She is a school teacher, therefore her job gives her a position of trust. You'd think she would have good judgement on what is right from wrong. You would think she wouldn't be so Reckless in her choices. But, there is more to Izzy. As the story develops we see that her background obviously mars her decisions. 

Anxiety, paranoia, new job nerves, concern over Charlotte and suspicions about David all contribute to reckless choices. 

Reckless is a fast paced thriller that you won't want to put down. It chills you to the core that people could easily make life altering decisions.

I read, loved and reviewed Gemma's previous two books and I had high hopes for 'Reckless'.  I got a copy of the book as soon as I could and settled down to read.  'Reckless' was a somewhat difficult read for me at times for reasons I will explain shortly.  However, I thoroughly enjoyed reading 'Reckless' but more about that in a bit.
I have to say that I didn't take to the lead character of Izzy one bit.  In fact I frequently wanted to jump inside the pages of the book to give her a slap or to shake her by the shoulders.  She wants a fresh start but at times makes some very questionable decisions.  I didn't really feel as though I could fully trust her either.  Nothing she did endeared her to me.
Now for the explanation as to why I found this book difficult to read at times.  In a previous work life, I used to work as a Decision Maker at what was then the Independent Safeguarding Authority but which is now the Disclosure & Barring Service.  Without giving too much away, cases such as Izzy's used to regularly land on my desk.  I have fixed ideas as to boundaries and what crosses them.  Plus the fact that I actually knew somebody who did similar to Izzy and who should have gone to prison but didn't.  For me there can be no excuse for crossing that line.  In other words, I had to read this book with two different hats on- my safeguarding hat and my psychological thriller loving hat.
I had my own suspicions as to what was going to happen in this book and of course I had to keep reading to see if my suspicions were going to be realised or not.  This wasn't a book that I could binge read over the course of a day because I found myself getting too annoyed at the behaviour of certain characters and wanting to give them a talking to.  In that sense I found myself trying to interact with the book as if the particular characters could hear me.  The pages turned over increasingly quickly as I raced my way through the story.
'Reckless' is well written but then I think that to be true of Gemma's other books too.  She has a way of grabbing your attention with an eye catching synopsis and she then draws you into the story from the very first word on the very first page.  Once Gemma has your attention, she won't let you have it back until you have read the last word on the last page.  For me, 'Reckless' is very tightly plotted with several twists and turns along the way.  Gemma has a knack of writing books in which she pushes the boundaries and challenges people's beliefs and perceptions.  Gemma has written a cracking psychological thriller that certainly kept me guessing and kept me on the edge of my seat throughout.
In short, I thoroughly enjoyed reading 'Reckless' and I would recommend it to other readers.  I will certainly be reading more of Gemma's work in the future.  The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 4* out of 5*.

Reckless is the first book I have listened to by Gemma Rogers and what a book it is! A family needing a new start and an excellent family dynamic. There are ups and downs and the beginning is enough to have me giving the novel 5 stars. Gemma Rogers has a talent for weaving mystery and suspense into Reckless that had me finishing the book in mere hours.

I definitely know I want to get the other books in the series because Reckless is so impressive.

The opening blew me away! 

When Izzy and her family move from London to Sussex, they really need a fresh start. But when an accident happens to Izzy while she's driving to her new place of work (and her 15 year old daughter Charlotte's new secondary school) she and Charlotte are shaken. 

Nicky Stevens is a student who Izzy recognises as having caused the accident. But he won't leave her alone....Then, he joins her extracurricular Creative Writing Class.......

I was going "no, Izzy, watch out!" many times throughout this novel and was as scared for Izzy as she was for herself. I was begging her not to let her guard down.

Izzy is quite level-headed for the most part and loyal to her family.

But her workaholic husband David is not the model husband or father he was since Izzy miscarried a year prior to the events in Reckless.

At times, I felt annoyed with David for being so focused on work because the small glimpses of "stable." family life we get (when they are all at home together), for example David's generosity in providing for his family which is shown by the details of the inside of the house, the quiet neighbourhood they live in and the occasional interactions with Mary the neighbour. 

I understand Izzy felt lonely and crushed after the miscarriage and that David's way of dealing with this was to immerse himself in work. I felt that Charlotte suffered the most, though and was glad that she had her friend Amy. I liked the way their friendship was described and it made me go back through memories of the good times with my own friends which gave me a warm, fuzzy feeling, 

Despite Izzy getting "sidetracked" with Nicky (or Nicky being manipulative), at times was hard to tell who to blame more, as in some ways both Izzy and Nicky are broken souls. 

This, to me, added mystery and deepended the suspense in the book. 

There's so much going on for all the characters though that they are all trying to just live their life whether they are mother, father daughter or lover that lines are blurred as to who is the "responsible party" here, and to me, it begs the questions "do we really know our family?" and "Are we really as mature as we make out or come across to others?". 

Izzy has a responsibility as a teacher but first and formost as a mother to Charlotte. Charlotte, although 15 and mature for her age, seemed vulnerable as she was also just a teenager and she also needed her mum at times. I thought Izzy fulfilled her responsibility as Charlotte's mum by looking after her wellbeing when David wasn't around. And there were fun moments in general (meals or film nights). 

Sometimes I did just want to meet Charlotte and give her a hug. But I wanted to meet Izzy too and give her a good talking to or other times let her confide in me. I wanted to tell David where abd why he was going wrong .And Nicky........I'm not sure what I would have done.....

Both Izzy and Nick have difficult personal circumstances whivh I thought were shown well although I did want more of Nicky's background. (his childhood/mother etc) and thought we spent too little time at his house (although I understood why that was). 


David had a responsibility as a father and husband. I did want to tell him to sit down and disconnect from work a lot and just felt he was absent (but that Gemma Rogers did a good job of showing his character and priorities too). 

Thanks to Gemma Rogers, Rachel's Random Resources and Boldwood Books for my ARC in exchange for an honest review. 

This is a fast-paced twisty novel that had me hooked. I had memories of my own time at secondary school because the setting was so vivid.

Reckless is a very "human" touching, realistic novel about the struggle of loyalties between those you think you know and those you don't. It makes us question how well we can ever know someone. It is about what and who are priorities, It is about choices and if those choices are right - and about the price we pay for those choices. 

A real page turner with likeable and not so likeable characters that will keep you up at night.


5 stars