2.5 stars

I don’t think I really liked this… I haven’t read any other books by Rachel Hawkins, so maybe this is just how her books are. I didn’t hate it, there were just a few things that didn’t work for me, and I guessed quite a bit of what was happening, which is always disappointing.
Some things I liked:
•The setting. I love the South Pacific and would love to do more travelling there (it’s one of the few areas of the world that I actually have done a bit of travelling in). I liked that it was set on a possibly cursed atoll (I liked that they specified that it was an atoll and not an island).
•That the chapters set in the past are only told from the POV of the female characters. I like how this helped to develop their backstories while leaving the male characters fairly one dimensional (because the story really wasn’t about them).
Some things I didn’t like:
•That the start of the book is set on Maui. This location didn’t seem very believable to me. Okay, maybe things have changed, but when I visited Maui it was almost solely old retired folks who owned timeshares, not one of the islands where the cool, young folks were.
•The fucking around. This has nothing to do with being sex-negative or being horrified by cheating or anything, it just felt like it didn’t need to be there, it didn’t really add anything to the story. The ends could have been achieved via other means. Plus, beach sex? Wouldn’t that be rather gritty?
•The loose ends. Maybe not exactly loose ends. But, there were lots of comments about characters not acting like themselves and it was just kind of never explained or expanded on? Plus, we don’t really know enough about any of the characters to know if they actually were acting out of character.
•The ending. I just didn’t really get it. It seemed excessive and not overly satisfying to me.

Lux has suffered a personal tragedy when her mother passes away from cancer. She decides to start over by going to Hawaii for a change of pace. While working at a bar she meets Nico and they instantly hit it off. Nico meets a couple girls at the bar who ask him to take them on a tour on his boat. They all decide to travel together and head to a deserted island.

Island life at first blush seems perfect and there is even another couple already at the island. Everyone seems to be having a great adventure. However, secrets and their past start to haunt them all and things turn dark quickly.

This was my first book by this author and it won’t be my last. This book is highly anticipated and I was excited to get early access to it. This book was certainly different in a good way and I haven’t seen another book with this premise. The story unfolded in a perfect way with the layers just peek my away bit by bit. I didn’t predict the ending until the last little bit. There was a bit of a lag in the build up but the ending is quick hitting and highly entertaining. This one was definitely worth the read.

I absolutely LOVED this one. The vibe, the plot, the characters. EVERYTHING. The way that the story unraveled was perfectly paced and kept me interested.

I absolutely loved this book! I was so engrossed by the characters right off the bat. Rachel Hawkins's writing is out of this world, if you've been in a reading slump this is a great place to start, it absolutely blew me away!

Thanks to NetGalley & St. Martins Press for the advance copy of this book.
I haven’t read Rachel Hawkins other thriller but the premise of this one sounded interesting so I figured why not give this one a try. Honestly I didn’t end up liking it very much. I didn’t like it but I also didn’t hate it. The whole time I just kept imagining the movie The Perfect Getaway. It’s not the same but I mean some couples on an island and murder. My real complaint is that I just never got into the characters. Lux maybe but the rest weren’t that deep for me. I did appreciate who the one behind the murders ended up being. If thrillers are your thing and a tropical Murder sounds fun check this out. The release date is January 4th!

Thanks so much for the Arc!

Suspicion.

Twists.

Secrets.

Identity.

Scandal.

Lies.

Reckless Girls by Rachel Hawkins is full of all of those themes and more! This book gave me “White Lotus” vibes. It starts in Hawaii and had tropical aspects. You’re not sure what is really going on, who knows what, etc but you’re completely captivated.

Lux is pretty much a lost soul. She meets Nico who quickly becomes her whole world. He takes a sailing gig which will have him bringing two adventuring girls to the deserted island of Meroe. He won’t go without Lux so she joins the trip. The island has a gruesome history as it’s hard to survive there and many have died or been eaten by fellow travelers. Brittany and Amma, the paying guests, seem to have a weird tension between them.

They are quickly joined on the island by Jake and Eliza. Their journey is spent exploring, basking in the sun, drinking, and trying to figure each other out. Each character has a story much deeper than it seems. Some are even intertwined.

I was shocked a few times while reading and just when I thought I had figured things out- I’d be wrong! Some parts seemed a bit hard to follow as we jumped back and forth from present to past. The past parts were of course so important but you’re also trying to stay in the “present” and figure out what is going on. This book had such a creepy aspect too and I could easily picture it as a movie. Glad I read this story and I feel like it will be lingering in my mind for a long time!

What a twisty, messed up group of "friends". LOL I had to keep reading this to connect everyone and see what was going to happen next on this island!

Side note: I have to admit I did not like The Wife Upstairs. I was nervous about this one, but really wanted to give the author another shot. I'm glad I did! I enjoyed the writing in this a lot more and it kept my attention way more!

Thanks to St Martin's Press and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for an honest review.

Unfortunately, RECKLESS GIRLS was just... not for me. It had thrills, suspense, drama, death, etc, and I didn't like it at all. It was an incredibly convoluted thriller; I usually am into those, but they have to make like 1% sense! There has to be foreshadowing, clues scattered about... Not a ridiculous twist dropped out of nowhere. Blah.

On top of that, I hated every single character. All seven of them. I wasn't rooting for any of them and was actively hoping certain ones would die! What kind of reading experience is that?? They also didn't feel real. I am the same age as some of them (29) and therefore a bit older than the main character (I think she was 25?) and NOBODY SPEAKS LIKE THAT!!!! "I was drunk as fuck" — nobody says this!!! MAYBE someone will say this to their friend, like "wow I'm drunk as fuck" but nobody's inner monologue/narrative says shit like this! I am definitely a fan of swearing, I'm not against it at all in life or in literature, but my god. Every single sentence these characters uttered had 'fuck' in it. As someone who does swear, this got incredibly annoying incredibly fast.

Also the ending sucked in general because nothing was really explained after the info dump. How did [redacted] get away? I wasn't aware they knew how to sail. Nobody missed them in their old life at all? Their family? Their roommates?

In the end this becomes a 'locked room mystery'. I love those, but only when the author does it justice. It just did not work in this thriller, which is upsetting because the setting and overall premise was great.

Lux has had a hard life after her mom dies of cancer and her dad abandons them for his secretary; however, all that is about to change she hopes when she meets Nico. Handsome, laidback -- Nico is Lux's opposite in many ways -- rich as well, but he is estranged from his family, so he doesn't live the "rich" boy life. Lux latches onto Nico's dream of sailing around the world on his boat The Susannah. After making in to Hawaii, the pair run into trouble -- The Susannah needs fixing. Lux works a few dead-end jobs to make ends meet. Nico runs into besties Amma and Brittany who have been traveling the world escaping their grief. The pair are looking to charter a boat to Meroe Island, a deserted paradise in the middle of nowhere with a haunted past. Nico and Lux readily agree as the two girls are offering a large sum to do so. As they approach the island, another boat can be seen -- The Azure Sky. It is occupied by beautiful couple Jake and Eliza. The six people instantly get along and have fun days and nights full of drinking and partying. Lux feels free and at peace here -- something she hasn't felt in a long time. Things take a turn when an interloper makes his presence known and cuts off all communication between the boats and civilization. Will they make it off Meroe Island alive?

Wow! I did not see that ending coming. I didn't find myself connected specifically to any one character, but enjoyed the overall group atmosphere that was going on. I found some aspects a bit far-fetched, but like the quick pace at the end -- I HAD to know who would make it out alive. A solidly entertaining read.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the eARC.

Reckless Girls by Rachel Hawkins was the perfect thriller! Fair warning cancel your plans once you get your hands on this one because you won’t want to do anything else once you start it! The best way to sum this one up is trouble in paradise. What should be a fun trip goes south and then some.

A good read for me but not my favorite. I don't know why I didn't connect with the story or feel like it moved at the right pace for me. Writing was pretty good, just didn't hit out of the park for me.

An adventure gone wrong. 6 people, 2 boats and a remote island with some bad juju.

Lux and Nico are hired by two girls to sail to a remote island near Hawaii called Meroe Island. Once they get there they learn that they aren't they only one’s on the Island. Lux's soon discovers everyone isn't exactly who they say they are and everyone is keeping secrets.

I found it to be extremely slow paced. I would say that things only began to happen around the 70% mark. With all of that build up, I was expecting something more at the end. I also honestly didn’t really care for the characters.

You can tell Rachel Hawkins did her research with all the boat lingo. And I did enjoy the setting of the story.

I think I am going to stick to her romances under the name Erin Sterling because I like those!

Even though this one didn't work for me, I absolutely loved the audiobook. I think that Barrie Kreinik did an amazing job. I honestly kept pushing through with this on because of her. Each of her voices for the six characters who are different genders and have different accents was fantastic.

Thank you to Netgalley, McMillian Audio and St. Martin's Press for the advanced ebook/audiobook.

A tropical island with salt air, crystal blue seas, and abundant sunshine. Sounds idyllic. (Especially considering the current temp where I am are hovering at freezing.) Pack me a suitcase full of books and bathing suit!

Reckless Girls starts off with exactly the kind of good time you’d imagine. Booz, barbeques, bathing suits, and beautiful people. Our main character, Lux, and her boyfriend, Nico, were hired to sail two friends, Brittany and Amma, to deserted Meroe Island for two weeks. Upon arriving, they meet Jake and Eliza who had already been enjoying the island paradise. Unlikely friendships begin to form between the six as they embark on the vacation of a lifetime. But all the fun and games quickly come to a halt when another visitor arrives. Quickly it’s apparent that secrets abound, and everyone has the propensity for deviousness.

"These people are basically all strangers to me, and I am alone with them in the middle of the Pacific Ocean."

Hawkins adeptly creates the atmosphere for Meroe. On one hand, it’s the destination we all dream of. Gorgeous flora and fauna. Waterfalls and swimming holes. Sandy white beaches. But it also emanates an eeriness from its ugly history of shipwrecks, cannibalism, and deaths. There’s an ominous claustrophobia to Meroe that you can’t quite shake no matter how sunny or beautiful the island seems.

The storyline kept me hanging on, and I never could decide exactly who to trust. Marks of a good read to be sure. But the ending let me down. Some pieces of the culmination were ones I had expected. But the way it was executed and the big twist… it just didn’t work for me. Too far-fetched. Too many loopholes. And ultimately I wanted more from the ending.

In order to enjoy this island mystery to the fullest, put aside your need for plausibility, and sit back and enjoy the creepy vibes mixed with sunshine skies.

Thank you Rachel Hawkins, St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an advanced copy of this book.

Reckless Girls is a riveting suspense read that you'll find hard to put down!

Lux and her boyfriend Nico live in Maui, Hawaii. Their dream and plan had always been to sail away on Nico's boat, travelling to places they'd never been, living a life of adventure. Instead they're stuck working in dead-end jobs, with no adventure in sight.

That changes when college best friends Brittany and Amma hire Nico to take them to Meroe Island in the South Pacific. They want to go somewhere isolated where no one else will be and enjoy spending some time in their own little piece of paradise. The island has a history and reputation that keeps most people away, which makes it even more attractive to the girls.

The last thing that the foursome expects to see as they approach the island is to see another boat. The boat's owner, Jake, and his girlfriend Eliza are so friendly and outgoing that the foursome soon puts their disappointment aside. The six of them enjoy each other's company as well as the beautiful island.

But then another boat arrives with a creepy looking (and acting) guy who has a dark agenda. His arrival changes everything.

This book has wonderful twists and turns, and the ending is a shocker! If you're looking for a book that will carry you away, this one fits the bill. I highly recommend it.

My thanks to Ballantine Books for allowing me to access an ARC of this book via NetGalley. The book is scheduled to be published on 1/4/22. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and are freely given.

Reckless Girls by Rachel Hawkins had a lot to live up to in my mind. I really enjoyed The Wife Upstairs and was hoping I’d feel the same about this follow up. Turns out, I sure did. While I found a few parts to be predictable, there was definitely stuff in there that I did not figure out. The characters were fun to hate and figuring out just how deep their flaws went was a unique experience. If you like locked room mysteries, this is definitely for you.

Lux meets Nico at the perfect time in her life. Since losing her mother, her life has seemed to be in limbo. Nico offers Lux the opportunity to literally sail away with him to Hawaii. From there, the sky is the limit. It's a different story once the pair arrives in Hawaii. Nico's boat needs some repairs and they are barely making ends meet. When Nico is approached by two girls wanting him to charter a trip to a remote island AND pay for the repairs to his boat, he can't turn the offer down. Lux is a bit apprehensive at first, but she can't say no to this adventure either. The island they're sailing to has a morbid history that was easy to forget once they arrived - it truly seemed like paradise. There was even another ship docked at the island and the foursome quickly made friends with the two other visitors. When another visitor arrives, the fun times end. What's more, Lux and Nico have no idea that every person on the island is harboring secrets. It seems that the island's dark history may repeat itself...

I took a cruise many years ago and there was no Wifi on the ship. We were all a little panicked at first, but it was actually kind of nice after we got used to it. So I totally understand the appeal of wanting to go off the grid and focusing on what's going on around you instead of what's happening on social media. Reckless Girls is definitely more intense than not having Wifi on a cruise ship. It also explores how your thoughts can change when you're out on your own with no contact with the outside world and what you need to do to survive. This one was a page-turner full of suspense that kept me wondering how it would end.

In the upcoming release “ Reckless Girls” by Rachel Hawkins , Lux follows Nico Johansson to Hawaii with the promise of travelling the world on his sailboat, “ The Susannah.” Six months later, she is working as a housekeeper in a hotel - The Susannahs’ engine had gone out on the journey from San Diego and while loading it for repairs, it was further damaged, leaving a gaping hole in the hull. Susannah resents the fact that Nico could ask his wealthy family for help but refuses while they are living in a home they share with six other people. Lux has just been fired from her and hopes this will be the catalyst for Nico to finally finishes the repairs so she can begin the life she dreams of. He tells her that he was approached by two girls that afternoon that want to charter his boat for a few days. They agree to meet that evening and introduce themselves as Brittany and Amma. The two have a map of a remote island called Meroe Island, named after a ship that wrecked there. They are willing to pay 50k for two weeks and while Lux is at first leery, she sees an opportunity. If Nico will add the costs of repairs to the trip, Lux agrees to being his sailing partner. One job and she and Nico can finally set off on the adventure she followed him for. When they arrive on Meroe Island, they are not alone. Jake and Eliza are a glamorous couple and they are welcoming, sharing extravagant meals and wine. The six of them spend blissful days in the sun until another boat brings Robbie, an unwelcome newcomer. The intrusion divides the group and soon betrayals lead to confrontation and Robbie disappears after smashing their radios leaving them cut off from calling for help. As lines are crossed, trust is broken and tensions rise. The story is told in alternating timelines and we learn that each of the characters is hiding a truth from not only their new acquaintances but from the friends who thought they knew them.
This is the follow up to one of my favorites last year “ The Wife Upstairs” and the author does a great job at weaving intricate plots and well timed reveals. What at first seems like a “ locked room” mystery is thrown into question after a discovery made while exploring the island. What started off as an beach escape turns into an escape from a beach.
Thank you to # netgalley and # stmartinspress for the advanced e-copy in exchange for my honest opinion. “ Reckless Girls is scheduled for January 4, 2022 release.

I really enjoyed The Wife Upstairs and I wanted to enjoy this one too. It just didn't have the twists or suspense I was craving from Rachel Hawkins. This one was incredibly slow at the beginning and then moved super fast at the end, so the pacing could have been more even. If it was another author I may not have picked it up again in after not getting into it at the beginning. It wasn't realistic enough either. It could have been better executed.

It was supposed to be a fun boat ride to an idyllic, secluded island. A way for Lux, Nico, and the two girls that hired them, to go off the grid for a little R&R.

Well, you know being stuck on secluded islands never turn out well!

At first, it's all fun and games when another couple shows up on their luxurious boat. Jake and Eliza are the golden couple, all tanned and blonde and eager to share their high-priced wine and gourmet food. The couples and Amma and Brittany, the rich tourists enjoy a few sun-fueled days, swimming in the ocean, exploring the jungle and drinking beside bonfires at night.

Enter Robbie. The cozy little group is thrown off by this interloper and that's when things start to go off the rails.

Reckless Girls had just the right amount of creep factor, suspense, and atmosphere. It was a quick read that I still can't stop thinking about.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this advance reader's copy from one of my favorite authors!

Let’s get reckless and do a math review, shall we?

+15 points = That cover! You’re going to pick this up with the expectation that it’ll be a page-turning beach read, right? Well good news! What you see is what you get.

+15 points = The setting. Reckless Girls is a “locked island” thriller that plops seven 20-something characters on a remote South Pacific island where some creepy things have happened in the past. It’s like “Bachelor in Paradise” meets “The Island of Doctor Moreau” (minus Marlon Brando in pancake makeup and a mumu, praise jeebus).

+70 points = Length + suspense. This book can, and easily might be, binged all in one go. I had a hard time putting it down after I started and finished it in a day.

-5 points = The colorful-yet-uncreative language. So many F-bombs are dropped it’s a wonder the entire island doesn’t explode. 206 of them to be exact.

-5 points = The title. Fine, I guess the girls here are reckless, but the men sure aren’t any better. It just as easily could have been called D-Bag Guys. Not a good one in the bunch.

-10 points = The ending. After a very twisty and complicated plot, readers are left with a final act that wraps things up The Lamest Way Possible. (See my Goodreads bio for hint/spoiler.) Seriously??? Sigh.

3.5 stars