I loved this book! It pulled me in and I just wanted to flip the pages until I reached the end. And, man, what an ending it was. As much as I Enjoyed the Wife Upstairs, this had a bigger twist as it's not a chilling retelling of a classic. This is Hawkins at her most creative and delving in her wondrously twisted mind.

This is my second book by this author. I really enjoyed her thriller that came out in 2021, so decided to give her another try.

This follows a couple that is having some financial difficulties so take on a job of sailing two girls to a deserted island for a lot of money. When they get to this mysterious island, there is already another couple there. They get to know this couple and then another bot comes ashore with a lone passenger. Then weird stuff starts to happen.

My problem with this book is that none of the characters are likeable. So, I didn't care what happened to them. There was a lot of needless drama, and the plot twist wasn't even that interesting.

Overall, 2 stars. But, I am not done with this author!

Does escaping to a remote island sound exciting to you? Then you will enjoy this book! Lux has a boyfriend and a job in Hawaii. Two girls approach them to take them to Meroe Island, which is unfortunately not a real place. The island has a strange history with people being shipwrecked there and it being used as a WWII stopping point. The group lands on the island and quickly befriends another couple. Things seem to be going well when a stranger comes and upsets the vibes.
Get yourself a cup of tea and give yourself plenty of time because you won’t want to put this down!!!
I need to read “The Wife Upstairs” by Rachel Hawkins next. I want to thank the author, St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

Lux has had a tough life, but things are finally getting better. She has found the love of her life, Nico, and they are living in Hawaii until they can set sail the world. There are a few bumps in the road, though, as their boat needs repairs, but then a new opportunity comes up. Two young women hire them for a very large sum to visit a deserted location, known for its beauty and its danger (and a history of shipwreck and cannibalism).

Their idyllic visit to Meroe Island becomes complicated as they are forced to share the island with strangers. From there, the story gets very twisty and I can't share much more. The story alternates between the present and the backstory of different characters. Overall, I really enjoyed the bulk of this story, but then I found that it spiralled out of control towards the end...so the ending didn't work for me.

Thanks to the author, St Martin's Press, and NetGalley for an opportunity to read an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

I really wanted to love this. I was a big fan of her work at Erin Sterling and I love a good thriller. I wasn't a huge fan of her last one (The Woman Upstairs) but I tried to write that off as "well, you've never like Jane Eyre so maybe that's why this didn't work for you," but unfortunately I think I have to just admit that maybe Hawkins thrillers just aren't for me and I should stick to her romances and Sterling.

I do think this has some good RA potential for the right reader, but honestly, even that would be a bit of a struggle because there are much stronger thrillers I think could pull from to recommend.

Reckless Girls by Rachel Hawkins is the story of an adventure of a lifetime... Or it was supposed to be. Lux and her boyfriend Nico escort two girls to a deserted island for a little remote vacation. While there, they meet another couple that's been staying there too. Quickly, everyone becomes friends and they're partying every night, exploring the jungle, and swimming off the coast. Everything is smooth sailing until another stranger arrives and people start dying. Suddenly, everyone has secrets and no one is who we thought they were. This quick paced thriller will have you turning pages until you finish the book.

Overall, I'm giving this a 3/5 stars. I really did not like the characters, and I kept getting annoyed with them. They're awful people. I understand they have money, but living off the grid and travelling around the world just feels too unrealistic for me to get behind. The overall explanation for the story was solid in its own rights, but it wasn't enough for me. I was left with a couple of questions unanswered. Lastly, the epilogue was a big nope. Redeeming factors: I was addicted to this book and was flying through it. I absolutely loved the flashback chapters for the characters. The location of Meroe Island was a fantastic choice, and it was well thought out. I love these kind of books where all of the characters are stuck in one location. It was even more interesting that they did have boats to potentially escape on. I loved having that as a tempting offer.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced ecopy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

So I went into Reckless Girls with an optimistic mindset after liking The Wife Upstairs but not totally loving it. This one was about on par with The Wife Upstairs. I will say I enjoyed the pacing of this book a lot more and thought the scene building was great. I felt like I was on the island while reading the book and loved that! Talk about a cast of unlikable characters though. I think that was totally the point though. Lux, Nico and their island mates all have secrets, histories and past lives. I liked how it came together at the end even though I saw the ending coming a bit sooner than I would have liked to. This was definitely a page turner though! The second half of the book is super fast paced.

When a group of strangers finds themselves stranded upon a supposedly cursed island, their hopes for a beautiful escape quickly fall apart.

This was a fun, entertaining, fast-paced thriller. While none of the "twists" were too surprising and the premise was borderline absurd, <u>Reckless Girls</u> is just so easy to consume in a matter of a few sittings. In the vein of Lucy Foley's <u>The Guest List</u>, it quickly becomes one of those who-dunnits where everything just deliciously devolves into chaos. The perfect beach read/book club pick, but in the most enjoyable way possible.

In Reckless Girls what might have been a fun adventure on a deserted island instead takes a deadly turn. The book is filled with twists and turns. The author draws the reader in and goes back in time to Before to give us a little more information, then on to Now with our newfound insight. Reckless Girls is a well crafted and fast paced success.

Nico and Lux have dreamed of leaving Hawaii and sailing away to tropical destinations around the world. Before going on a trip of their own, they decide to charter a trip to Meroe Island for Brittany and Amma. This will only take a few days and they will make some money to help with their own adventures.

Upon arrival at Meroe Island, they soon learn they aren't the only people on the deserted island. Jake and Eliza have also found this island and taken up here for a few days. Days turn into weeks because of one mishap after another. Dark secrets and betrayal come out when you are deserted on an island with someone for so long.

Hawkins has written another page turner that will keep you up all night. I have always wanted to go to a deserted island. This book makes me rethink who I would take with me on the trip.

There is much tension on this atmospheric island. Everything starts off pretty good but then someone else shows up. Things take off from there. It was very hard to put down.
Many thanks to St. Martins Press and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

“I’m a mother fucking survivor”

This was a fun beach read mystery and it would be such a perfect book to bring to any upcoming beach vacations you have planned.

Going sailing to an isolated mysterious island for a couple weeks when you are in your twenties with your boyfriend and a group of 6 sounds ideal, however, when you are off grid you must watch your back.

RECKLESS GIRLS for me fell into the “popcorn thriller” category which legit meant I could not put it down.
It opens with Lux getting fired from her job as a maid in a luxurious Hawaiian hotel. Fine by her because she and her boyfriend Nico plan to sail the world on his boat “The Susannah”. The only kink in the plans being that the boat is in need of repairs and they’re broke.
When Nico meets two college besties, Amma and Brittany who want to pay him to sail to the small island of Meroe, and give him the money to fix the boat, how can he turn them down?
Lux is reluctant but talks herself into their “adventure”.
Pulling into Meroe they see another boat, its occupants a gorgeous couple; Jake and Eliza. They have plenty of food and libations for the group and soon they’re the fab six.
When a new stranger, Robbie comes onto the island, they’re all nervous. Bad vibes.
But it’s paradise, what could go wrong?
Every damn thing.
That ending! Seriously I fiend for books like this that keep me feverishly turning pages and take me out of reality. This is one of my favorite thrillers in a while.
It publishes on 2/4/22, so put it on your wishlists. Thank you so much to @stmartinspress for my gifted copy.

I will say, I didn't quite enjoy this as much as Hawkins' previous novel, "The Wife Upstairs." However, "Reckless Girls" was still a good thriller.

A deserted island and a trip of a lifetime? Yes please!

"Reckless Girls" begins with Lux, a unique character trying to figure out what to do with her life. She has a sad background but when she found her boyfriend Nico, she hoped that things would change.

When Nico meets two girls that want to sail out to Meroe Island, he decides to offer to take them so he can get some cash. He brings Lux along, who has reservations about sailing with two very pretty girls, but she's excited for the adventure.

What starts as a trip to a beautiful island soon turns into a nightmare. The group of four meets another couple on the island, and at first all seems tranquil. But when an unwanted stranger shows up, all bets are off.

This book had me guessing until the very end. I enjoyed the characters, although I did find Lux a little too willing to take the backseat at times. The setting of Meroe Island was really fun, the slow burn from great vacation to something more sinister really held my attention!

Definitely a fun read for this time of year, or maybe while on vacation.

The Reckless Girls by Rachel Hawkins is a gripping mystery that falters at the end. Although the characters are well-rounded, they can be hit or miss, and the prose is excellent. Unfortunately, the conclusion falls short and leaves you unsatisfied in some ways.

FINALLY! A female author who has written about a strong female protagonist that isn't an alcoholic, stupid or doesn't act like a complete doormat! Thank you for giving us Lux, a smart and strong woman. This was an incredibly fast read because the was entertaining, engaging and smart. It was a bit twisty, but honestly, I had most of it figured out long before the end. I didn't mind, though, because I was pleasantly entertained.

This review was also published on Goodreads.

“𝑰 𝒍𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝒂𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒅 𝒂𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒆𝒂 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒋𝒖𝒏𝒈𝒍𝒆 𝒃𝒆𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒅 𝒖𝒔, 𝒘𝒐𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒉𝒐𝒘 𝒂 𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕’𝒔 𝒔𝒐 𝒐𝒑𝒆𝒏, 𝒔𝒐 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆, 𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒇𝒆𝒆𝒍 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝒔𝒖𝒄𝒉 𝒂 𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒑.”

My first book of 2022 was a wild fun bingeable read. After having really enjoyed Rachel Hawkins’ The Wife Upstairs last year, I knew I had to read Reckless Girls ASAP.

First of all, this cover is GORGEOUS. There’s something about it that really made me excited for the island setting of the majority of the book; Meroe Island became like a character itself, especially as our six characters had no one else to depend on but each other and their resourcefulness. The mounting tension felt like a tightening of a noose as secrets are revealed, and Hawkins’ writing draws you in. I also loved the vibes that were similar to And Then There Were None, both the island and the characters that all had secrets they were trying to hide. There were a couple clichés that I didn’t love (one reveal involving Nico in particular) and the last third of the book really amps up in terms of action, but it almost moves too fast - especially with a few plot holes.

Overall Reckless Girls is a fun escape-ist popcorn thriller perfect for the cold winter weather. I really like Rachel Hawkins’ writing and will definitely read her next book. A big thanks to St. Martin’s and NetGalley for the ARC.

I just really enjoy Rachel Hawkins' writing. This time she has given you a story that draws you in and drags you along. Some twists and turns. I couldn't connect with all the characters but overall a decent read. My appreciation to NetGalley for a review copy..

This has all the elements of an Agatha Christie murder book. Deserted, remote island. Strangers thrown together who don’t know anything about the others and who they can trust. Starts off well, but quickly spirals into chaos. Loads of secrets, keeps you guessing until the end.