This is a story that I am not going to say much about. Lux McAllister is waitressing, trying to keep a roof over her head when she meets handsome, charismatic, Nico, the black sheep of a wealthy family. He is planning to sail to Maui and asks Lux to go with him. He sets said and she follows shortly after using all her savings. She ends up cleaning motel rooms earning money to repair "The Susannah" who needs a new engine and a hull repair so they can said her around the world. Nico is approached by two college friends who ask him to sail them to a deserted island (atoll) Meroe Island for two weeks in paradise. The island has a history of shipwrecks, cannibalism, ghosts, murder and more, but it is a beautiful setting for a secluded adventure. When they arrive and drop anchor, they find another couple there before them, but they quickly become friends and spend all their time together, until they begin to pair off. What happens to this group on Meroe Island? The publisher generously provided me with a copy of this book upon request. The rating and opinions shared are my own.

This is one crazy story. I will say you need to give it time, it is not a quick moving story. There were a few times I almost gave up on it. There was some humor at the beginning with Lux sharing stories about her work, but I just didn't think the story was going anywhere. Lux is the narrator of the story, but there is also several flashbacks from the various characters setting up what was going to come. Secrets abound and I wasn't sure who to trust and what their agenda was. There are a lot of twists and turns in this one, so it did really keep me guessing. When the end comes, it had my jaw dropping. I still don't know what I thought about this one. I read about 6 spoiled twenty somethings who just wanted to party and relax for most of this book, 5 of them that I really didn't like a lot. Not much happened along the way, until it did for the last quarter or so of the book. I would be remiss not to mention the setting. Meroe Island was a character in itself. The descriptions of the various sections, the plants, the brackish water, and poisonous fish allowed me to feel the hints of danger to come. I was listening to this one while driving, so I let it roll and that is what I suggest you do, to get to the crazy but entertaining ending.

The second book I've read by Rachel Hawkins this year, and I liked this a whole lot more than The Ex Hex, mostly because this had tension and a plot that wasn't two people bumbling about lost in the aeshetics and boinking all over the place.

Overall, a solid read and a decent quick thriller that kept me engaged and entertained throughout the entire ride. Plus, there's boat intrigue! And a deserted island with a ~mysterious past~ and bad vibes.

I received this ARC from NetGalley for an honest review

Reckless Girls by Rachel Hawkins is advertised as being perfect for fans of Lucy Foley and Ruth Ware and I agree wholeheartedly as those two authors immediately came to mind once I started reading this book. Reckless Girls is a variation on the locked door mystery in the sense that it takes place on an isolated island in the Pacific Ocean and the characters in the book end up stranded there. We all know that no good can come from that and as the story unfolds, we get to see firsthand just how bad things can get.

The novel’s main character is Lux, a young woman who has recently been fired from her job and is temporarily crashing at a friend’s place with her boyfriend. In need of cash and eager for an adventure, Lux and her boyfriend accept an offer to earn a tremendous amount of money by sailing two women, Amma and Britney, out to a remote island in the South Pacific that they keep hearing about. What they don’t realize is that they’re about to get way more adventure than they had planned on, starting with a treacherous storm that nearly capsizes their boat before they even get to the island. When they finally make it to the island, they realize they won’t be alone because another man and woman apparently had the same idea they did. No worries though. The more the merrier, right? That is, until yet another stranger shows up and things take an ominous turn. Missing people, disappearing boats, sabotaged radio equipment, the list goes on and on. If they’re alone on the island, who is responsible?

I don’t want to give away any spoilers, but I will say that the most fascinating part of the book for me were the backstories we get on each of the other characters who are on the island with Lux. As their stories unfold, it becomes clear that no one is as they seem and there are definitely some hidden agendas as to why they have all converged on this island at the same time. I enjoyed watching all of their threads come together to give a complete picture, especially as we follow Lux who is trying to put all of the same pieces together we are. Hawkins definitely kept me guessing the truth about all of them until the very end.

Aside from the twisty mystery itself, I also really loved how atmospheric the story is. The island itself has an ominous, creepy history that we learn about as the story progresses. It reminded me a lot of the TV show, Lost. The story also has a Gothic, almost supernatural vibe to it at times.

One element that surprised me was that I didn’t really like any of the characters in the book. I guess Lux is probably the one I cared about the most, but even then, I wasn’t overly attached to her. Normally I don’t like books where I don’t feel like I’m rooting for anyone, but with this book, I was so curious about what bad things would happen next and whether or not they would all make it off the island alive, that not liking them didn’t really bother me.

If twisty thrillers, locked door mysteries, and Gothic settings are your jam, be sure to check out Reckless Girls.

“It’s the island, I tell myself. Nothing is real here. Nothing matters.”

I wanted to read Reckless Girls after enjoying The Wife Upstairs by Rachel Hawkins.

If you like suspense novels brimming with unlikable characters in a tropical setting, pick this one up. Most of the novel takes place on a gorgeous island thought to be cursed due to past tragedies on the island.

Readers of The Lion’s Den and The Siren by Katherine St. John may enjoy Reckless Girls; they have similar ocean/island thriller vibes.

Fans of thrillers and suspense in a tropical setting may want to read Reckless Girls on the beach this spring or summer break. If you really do not like unlikable characters, you may not want to read this one.

This was a quick, easy read. Enjoyed the then and now dusk timelines and how the groups all came together. While took a little while to get to the twist, still enjoyed the journey there.

This is the ultimate Beach Read Thriller! It’s all about 2 girls who hire a couple to charter them a boat to a deserted island. #partner @stmartinspress @ladyhawkins

But the island isn’t so deserted after all. As there relaxing trip turns deadly, we learn about the back story that brought each person to their destination.

It’s a wonderfully addicting read that is great in audiobook format as well. This will be one I recommend again and again especially this summer.

Thank you NetGalley and McMillan for the eARC and audio for Reckless Girls.

ONE ISLAND Beautiful, wild, and strange.
SIX VISITORS- Six stunning twentysomethings are about to embark on a blissful, free-spirited journey. COUNTLESS SECRETS When one person goes missing and another turns up dead, the remaining friends wonder what dark currents lie beneath this impenetrable paradise—and who else will be swept under its secluded chaos. With its island gothic sensibility, sexy suspense, and spine-tingling reimagining of an Agatha Christie classic, Reckless Girls will wreck you.

First I must say I loved the cover art and it is what drew me in. I was underwhelmed with the characters but thought the plot was right up my alley. I love Rachel Hawkins but this one missed the mark.

🌟🌟🌟

Lux has spent several years waiting. She was waiting tables, and that’s how she met Nico. He had a great smile, and Lux fell for him almost immediately. She was living in San Diego, but there was nothing tying her there since her mother died. So when Nico invited her to join him on his sailboat, she said yes. But when they got to Hawaii, the boat got injured, and Nico didn’t want to ask his parents for money. So Lux got a job cleaning rooms at a resort and Nico got a job fixing boats at the marina. And they waited.

And then Nico met Amma and Brittany. They wanted someone to take them to a small island (an atoll, actually) called Meroe Island. They offered Nico $50,000 for a 2-week trip to Meroe. At first Lux was concerned about the idea of his spending 2 weeks on the boat with these women he just met, but when she met them, she liked them a lot, and they liked her, and they said she should come along too. When Lux realized that they could get the friends to pay for the repairs on Nico’s boat, she agreed to come. Then when the trip was over, she and Nico could take the sailboat out on their own and go anywhere. No more waiting. They make their preparations, and set sail for Meroe.

Once they get to the island, they find out that they are not alone. There is another boat, a larger boat, already there. Jake and his girlfriend Eliza invite them all to a big dinner around a campfire. There are lots of fish, and there is plenty of wine, so they all become fast friends. Days slip by on Meroe, swimming and summing, eating and drinking, lots of drinking. But the island has a way of getting to you, Lux finds. The more she learns about it, the creepier it seems. It had been used as an airfield during World War II. There are jungles with dense vegetation and predators. The brightly colored fish that swim around the island are toxic, and there are sharks in the waters as well.

As time goes on, Lux sees some cracks in the life she’d been waiting for. There are moments that she’s reminded she doesn’t Nico very well, and she barely knows Brittany and Amma at all. But what else can she do? She’s stuck there on the island with them for the full two weeks, and beyond that, she doesn’t really have anything else. She lost her mother and doesn’t get along with her father. She has no job. She left college to care for her mother when she got sick. She lost touch with all her old friends. All she has now is Nico and his boat and his dreams of sailing to amazing places. She has new friends Amma and Brittany. And new friends Jake and Eliza. And her own wits and will to survive.

And then, when another boat shows up, and Robbie shows up on their beach, Lux has a bad feeling. She has a bad feeling about him, she has a bad feeling about Meroe, and she’s starting to question everyone else on the island. It seems like everyone has secrets, everyone has an agenda, and Lux will have to work to figure out who she can trust to get away from Meroe Island and on to her future.

Reckless Girls is a creepy boat thriller that makes for one amazing trip. Author Rachel Hawkins brought us last year’s The Wife Upstairs, a contemporary Jane Eyre that made almost everyone’s best lists for the year, and she’s back with another insightful look at money and class disguised as an unputdownable novel.

I got sucked in to Reckless Girls almost from the first chapter. As the tension went up a notch, I got pulled in deeper, over and over, until I had to race to the end of the book. I thought the characters were strong individuals, and the setting of Meroe Island lent the perfect threat to the vacationers. And as you get to the end and see how it all comes together, there is a true beauty to the underlying theme. This is a novel that will stick with me for a long time, in part because of the fantastic story and in part because of that thoughtful theme. Rachel Hawkins just keeps getting better!

Egalleys for The Reckless Girls were provided by St. Martin’s Press through NetGalley, with many thanks.

This book was WILD. I want to read it again already. 😂 In the beginning it felt like it was going to be a slow burn, and it sort of is for 50%. But even in that slowness, you can tell something is juuuust around the corner. And when everything hits the fan? BOY DOES IT HIT THE FAN. This book was so freaking fun!!

Thank you to NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for my honest review!

This book is like a piece of candy; addicting, sweet, and bad for you (in the best way)! I loved The Wife Upstairs and Reckless Girls kept me guessing until the last chapter. Hawkins has quickly become one of my new favorite thriller writers and I will pick up anything that she writes in the future. This book is perfect for someone looking for a quick read with lots of twists and turns.

This was a fun, fast-paced thriller that I devoured in 24 hours! Lux, the main character, is adrift after her mother dies from cancer. She meets her boyfriend Nico in California and follows him to Maui. The plan is to eventually sail around the world, but Nico’s boat needs repairs. Enter Brittany and Amma, who fund the repairs, and pay Nico and Lux to take them to an uninhabited island in the Pacific that has a creepy history, but once they arrive, they discover that they’re not the only ones seeking an escape. Not everyone makes it off the island…I loved the author’s use of individual storylines in the past to tie everything together. 4 stars because I figured it out and was hoping for one more twist

Lux, 25, shares a house with Nico in Hawaii. He has a boat called “Susannah” named after a previous girlfriend. The hull of the boat has been damaged and he is trying to make enough money working at the marine to have it repaired.

Lux lost her mother awhile ago and Nico is from very wealthy parents but he chooses to live his life his way.

Nico introduces Lux to Brittany and Amma who have asked him to sail them to a remote and rugged island in the Pacific called Meroe Island. While there are some unsavory tales about the place, Nico agrees when they offer him $50,000 to take them. That will be enough to repair his boat first. Lux is a bit hesitant but agrees.

After encountering a vicious storm on the way, they finally arrive at the island. There they discover another couple who appear to be very wealthy and friendly. They share good food and lots of alcohol. The days are filled with sunshine, swimming, and just relaxing. What a life.

The plan is to spend two weeks on the island and things appear to go well until a boat with a single guy on it shows up. Trying to be nice, the group welcomes him but he soon becomes a mooch and proves himself to be unsavory. In addition, Brittany and Amma haven’t been completely honest about their backgrounds. Are others keeping secrets as well?

The tension begins to build and as the heat of the sun on the island intensifies, so does the heat of the animosity of the group toward one another. Whom can they trust? But as dead bodies begin to mount, they wonder if anyone will survive.

The story switches back and forth in time giving the reader a bit of background on the characters. The author’s descriptions are well-written to make the tension grow more and more. I think readers will love this book and think twice before going on a sailing trip.

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Wow, let me start by saying that I think Reckless Girls was 100x better than The Wife Upstairs! A tropical island, a boat adventure, and deaths on a deserted island. This is the perfect recipe for a winter thriller. Once I started on this adventure with Nico and Lux, I could not stop reading. I loved the quick changing point of views and all the connected story lines that were woven in throughout the characters.

This one will have you wishing you were sitting by a pool drinking a cold cocktail while reading about the adventures on Meroe Island.

I would recommend this to anyone looking a good winter time thriller that will hold your attention!

3.75 stars rounded up to 4! I enjoyed reading this book so much but I found it semi predictable. I am usually never right about plot twists and had this one figured out. I also think there is a little big of a plot hole that doesn't ever get patched up... but you won't even know it exists until the last 5% of the book so it didn't ruin anything. This is my second Rachel Hawkins/Erin Sterling book I have read and I really like her simple writing style; it makes it easy to put down and pick back up throughout the day.

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the advanced copy of Reckless Girls.

this book is the definition of "well that escalated quickly." up until the 75% mark, this probably would've gotten 2 stars from me. but the last 20ish% was the thriller I was looking for. at the end of the day, I didn't find any of the characters particularly likeable or their motivations compelling. I appreciated the flashbacks, especially from Eliza/Brittany/Ammah's perspectives. if we had more of those and some of the action happened earlier, I would've enjoyed this more. but ultimately it's Rachel Hawkins's talent for atmosphere that's getting this the points I'm giving it.

Lux McAllister followed her boyfriend, Nico, to Maui in what she thought would be an adventure of a lifetime, sailing around all the little islands of the South Pacific. Only to find out when she gets there Nico’s boat has been damaged and they need to make money to save and repair it. Instead of living carefree sailing from island to island, Lux is now scrubbing hotel toilets while Nico works fixing boats and taking out charters. That’s until Nico is asked to sail two college girls, Amma and Brittany, to the island of Meroe, giving them enough money to repair their boat and begin their journey.

The island of Meroe has a disturbing past, a shipwreck that led to starvation and rumors of cannibalism, but now is supposed to be an uninhabited paradise, secluded and beautiful. However, they find they’re not the only travelers when they pull up to the island and soon their group of four turns into six, with Jake and Eliza, an attractive couple with a beautiful boat. They spend lazy days on the beach and dinners together and it all seems to be working out until another boat shows up.

While a lot of the characters were unlikeable, I was rooting for the main heroine/narrator, Lux. She wasn’t perfect either, but there was something relatable and compelling about her. She grabbed onto an escape, depressed after caring for her sick mother and then finally losing her. Unfortunately, Lux ended up led around by a self-absorbed man-boy. While at first, they were happy and in love, putting a relationship to the test in a stressful situation, like the one they were in, reveals whether it can go the distance or not. It wasn’t hard to see the writing on the wall with Nico, or with the entire “perfect paradise” situation.

There were flashes back to the past, giving glimpses into each of the character’s history, and it was soon apparent things were not as they seemed.

Reckless Girls turned out to be an addictive read, one I didn’t want to put down! It reminded me of a couple of my favorite movies: Dead Calm and A Perfect Getaway. I got a similar sinister vibe while reading/listening and I was on the edge of my seat wondering how everything would play out. I’ve read several of Rachel Hawkins YA books in the past, and then her foray into Adult Thrillers with The Wife Upstairs last year, which was entertaining but had a disappointing ending, IMO. I liked Reckless Girls quite a bit more.

I alternately read and listened to the story, and I’m happy I had the audio version, as well. Barrie Kreinik’s performance brought the characters to life in a way that wouldn’t have happened with just traditional reading alone. Her accents were spot on!

For some reason this was not a thrilling book for me.

I loved the setting and the idea. But the suspense just wasn't there for me. I could not feel the danger radiating from the group or the island. Only when Robert showed up did it mix things up, but still this didn't feel as sinister as I hoped.

The whole idea of Reckless girls, and the secrets they were hiding felt boring. The plot moved pretty fast, but nothing really exciting happened. This will definitely not be a memorable book for me.

Thrillers are hit or miss for me and this was a miss. It wasn't for me but some may like it. I maybe needed a little more plot and character development to be able to dive in and enjoy fully.

5 stars for enjoyment

I have to say that I didn't expect to love this book as much as I did, I knew I was going to like it, because Hawkin's debut thriller was a crazy ride I thoroughly enjoyed.

In Reckless Girls we follow some people who find that it would be a great idea to sail to this desserted Island with a somewhat eerie reputation. What I great idea, right? Gets better when they get to their destination, trust me.

The women in this book are fantastic - layered, grey, unreliable, some are kind of a hot mess, and completely magnetic. I wanted to be friends with them, even though I probably wouldn't trust any. The relationships between all characters as the tension rises is so thrilling. I really couldn't put it down. Unfortunetely, I feel that the men weren't as well fleshed out - they were very similar and honestly the kind of men I do not respect.

Hawkins narrative is so addicting and enjoyable. She has a natural ability to draw the reader in and keep them immersed in the world she creates. Her plotting is tight and even though she throws some fun twists, she always play fair.

Closed Circle. Isolated Setting. Strong Female Characters. Yes, please.

Disclaimer: In exchange for an honest review, I am thankful to St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of Reckless Girls.

Wow I read this fast. Not sure how or why but something was done right, and I had just really minor issues. Really enjoyed the experience throughout.

Thanks for this opportunity.