Review posted on blog:books-are-a-girls-best-friend.com

Wildly Unique.

When Lux and her boyfriend Nico are hired to sail two strangers to Meroe Island, it seems like a dream come true. Best friends, Amma and Brittany are looking for an adventure. With Lux and Nico, they find it.

Meroe Island. A gorgeous paradise.

Upon arrival, the foursome meets Eliza and Jake, whose arrival on the island leads to frolicking in the sand, champagne, and really good times.

Yet Meroe has a history and it’s said to be sinister.

What starts out as fun and games quickly dissipates.

Taut and tense, Reckless Girls starts out as one totally wicked read. Filled with betrayal, jealousy, and murder, I was intrigued. The plot quickly becomes wholly far-fetched, however, and left me wanting more. While I didn’t quite love this one, I enjoyed it and look forward to Rachel Hawkins' next novel.

A buddy read with Kaceey.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press.

Rachel Hawkins is a go to author I will always pick up! A fun atmospheric quick read that sucks you in right away. I loved the island setting and the characters. Good solid ending w a few twists and turns. Overall a solid read and one I finished in just a few sittings!

FAVE THRILLER THIS YEAR!

By a major couldn’t put it down, neglected all my responsibilities, sucked in, emotionally involved landslide.

Books like this are why it’s so hard for me to rate thrillers ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️, so I thought I’d spell out 5 reasons why this gave me all the 5 star feelings!

1. The most important - I’ve never read this story before.
2. The characters were well developed and had a great dynamic while never sacrificing plot for a lengthy forays into history. Quick chapters are always a win.
3. It was genuinely funny! Lots of out loud chuckles and entertainment
4. The ending wasn’t predictable but also didn’t come from nowhere which I hate.
5. The setting in a sinister paradise- absolute fire! Like a beach read with spooky October vibes 🔥🔥🔥 All the good things!

And bonus points for the dark feminist overtones!

If you’ve read this talk to meeeeee. I have so many thoughts and commit to zero spoilers out here. 😂

So excited for this release January 4th, 2022.

#recklessgirls #rachelhawkins #arcreview #fivestarreview #thrillerreview #netgalley #stmartinspress

I love a locked room mystery, and that is basically what this is, except an island- no outside communication, and a feeling that nothing that happens here is "real life". Overall I enjoyed the story, it was fast-paced and fun to read, although the ending did have me wondering about what i considered a few loose ends/convenient things that tie it all up.

Do you trust me, reader of my reviews? Then simply stop here, go get a copy of Reckless Girls, and enjoy. But should you trust me? I mean, how well do you know me? Or anyone, for that matter? Well, now we’re getting to what Reckless Girls is all about.

Lux McAllister followed her new boyfriend Nico to Hawaii. Six months into their relationship, things seem good between them but not with other facets of her life. So Lux tags along when Nico is hired by two college besties, Brittany and Amma, to sail them to Meroe Island, a beautiful-but-dangerous (and fictional) remote island in the South Pacific. When they arrive, there’s already another boat in the cove, owned by a third couple, Jake and Eliza. At first, everything is great. Lux is happy, and bonds quickly with these new friends, even as she senses small problems between various people. But when a seventh person arrives on the island, the entire vibe changes, and soon events begin spiraling out of control….

The events in the present in Reckless Girls are told from Lux’s first-person perspective, which focuses the reader on her perceptions and feelings about the other characters. And as she begins to question those around her, there are occasional flashback chapters that fill in the backstory of other characters. The framework works nicely, keeping the reader one step ahead of Lux, at least for a while, as we learn the other characters’ secrets and how they will impact the present. And the pacing is very good, slowly building to an explosive, unexpected conclusion.

Because everyone has secrets, and the characters in Reckless Girls are no exception. Some small and others large. Some that would bring you closer to a friend if shared, and others that would tear that friendship apart. So how do you trust new friends—new love interests—when you know you’re only seeing a version of the other person? There are shades of Lord of the Flies here, and Hamlet too, but that question of who and how to trust others is the one that runs the deepest through this fun story of young, pretty people colliding in a secluded paradise. Recommended.

P.S. When I first read the description of Reckless Girls, it reminded me of And The Sea Will Tell, a non-fiction book about a criminal court trial written by Vincent Bugliosi (the prosecutor who convicted Charles Manson). I read that book in law school—it’s really good and also recommended—but I’d only ever met one other person who’d read it, and that was the person who loaned it to me. So imagine my delight when I got to the end of this novel, and the author’s note began: “This is the book I’ve been wanting to write since I was twelve years old and first came across a copy of And the Sea Will Tell in my local library.”

Sailing into the picture perfect , supposedly uninhabited island in the middle of the Pacific with Nico, the man of her dreams, was the adventure Lux McAllister had been looking for ever since she dropped out of college to care for her dying mother. Their trip to Hawaii on Nico's boat, the Susannah, was supposed to be the beginning of the adventure, but by the time they get there, the boat needs repairs to make it seaworthy enough to continue. So when two young American women they meet in Maui offer them a pricey charter for a two week fantasy of living off the grid on legendary Meroe Island, they're eager to get. there, despite a stormy passage. The island isn't totally deserted, though - they meet a friendly Australian couple with an elegantly fitted out yacht who welcome them aboard for a wine-filled dinner, and soon enough the five of them settle into an idyllic interlude of swimming, picnicking, and exploring the jungle interior. They've already made an unsettling discovery when another boat arrives, an interloper who makes them all uneasy and threatens to cast a pall over their idyll He's the catalyst for the disasters that follow, including the revelations of the secrets they've all been keeping from each other that turn their relationships upside down and threaten the safe harbor they think they've discovered.. There's enough sex and violence to bloody the narrative, and interesting enough characters to keep the reader on the journey from which only one survivor will return.

I flew through this thriller! I was immediately captivated by the lesser-told thriller setting of a deserted island in the Pacific Ocean and definitely got Leonardo DiCaprio's "The Beach" vibes in the beginning of the story. The characters were well-developed and intriguing. I loved how their personal stories were intertwined with the current story. Thank you to the publisher for an advanced copy of this book.

What I liked: Hawkins does a phenomenal job of building the atmosphere in this book. You can feel the *tension* from the very start and you’ll turn each page with a sense of foreboding. In an author’s note Hawkins says she always wanted to write a ‘boat murder’ story and I’m very glad she did. I thought Lux was a great narrator and liked the flashbacks from the perspectives of the other travelers. I enjoyed this book as much the Wife Upstairs.

What I didn’t like: The ending felt a little rushed. I can see how some readers would feel like the last piece of the book went off the rails a bit, but I still enjoyed it.

Five glowing stars! I absolutely LOVED this book! I'm a sucker for a tropical setting, beautiful yet terrible people, and a twisty mystery and this book produced all three in spades! The writing was perfection; Hawkins knows exactly how to keep her readers rapt and flipping those pages. If you're looking for an easy-to-read thriller that flows quickly and satisfyingly, look no further. Reckless Girls is such a fun ride!

One island. Six visitors. Countless secrets.

A quick fun read with a ton of unlikeable characters. The descriptions of the deserted island off the coast of Hawaii makes me want to plan a tropical vacation. (Just not to the ill fated Meroe Island!)

Before I started reading Reckless Girls, I perused a few reviews and one in particular called this a popcorn thriller. That term alone ensured that this was going to be the book I was to start immediately reading, and so I did. That term is the perfect description of this book because it was like once I started I couldn’t stop. I devoured Reckless Girls and I loved every. single. minute. of. it!

Lux is just kind of floating through life. Living in Hawaii with her beautiful boyfriend Nico, craving something more… When a couple of American girls, Brittany and Amma, hire Nico to charter them to Meroe Island, a remote deserted island with a dark past, the four of them head out on an adventure.

Upon arriving at the island, they are surprised to find another vessel, a yacht carrying Jake and Eliza, a glamorous couple, craving the same kind of adventure, all of them join together for what is supposed to be the vacation of a lifetime.

But this island hides dark secrets… and so do all of them. What starts out as a fun trip turns deadly. Relationships and friendships are tested, secrets are revealed and one thing is for sure. Not everyone will make it off Meroe Island at the end of the trip.

This was seriously addictive and heart pounding entertainment. This is for sure one of those books where the unlivable characters outweigh the likable ones and you are constantly dealing with the whiplash from the bombs being dropped and the betrayals unfolding. This is by far my favorite book from Rachel Hawkins.

Lux feels like he and her boyfriend, Nico are stagnating in Maui. They were supposed to be sailing the South Pacific on is boat together - instead they've gotten jobs and stayed put. But then two girls offer the couple $50,000 to sail them to a remote island with a mysterious past for two weeks. When the foursome get there, another couple is already there, but luckily the six people get along, at first. Soon tensions arise and a seventh explorer rackets things up. Is it the island itself pulling the group to a grisly end? Or is it secrets and lies pulling them apart?

This is my first Rachel Hawkins book, but let me tell you, it won't be my last. I absolutely loved this book and her writing style. It flowed really well and the suspense and tension just jumped off the pages. From the moment the group set foot on Meroe Island, you could tell things weren't quite right and you were waiting for the other show to drop, and boy when it dropped, it DROPPED.

As the book went on and more and more was revealed about each of the characters and the broader picture was revealed, I just could not put the book down. And when the action started, it really started. I was sucked in and had to know how things worked out, and I loved that ending. It really was perfect.

The thing that made it even better was that the author interspersed the current action with chapters that detailed each female characters' backstory, giving us a fuller picture of who they were and how they came to be on the island. That really helped to shape our understanding of things and added layers to the book, taking it from an ordinary "trapped in one place" book to a complex, multi-faceted suspense book.

I could really go on and on about what I liked about this book, but honestly, you just need to read it for yourself. If you like suspense-filled adventures and thrillers, this book is for you.

Interesting story of a 6 people on a island. The island seems too perfect and many bad things happen on it. I liked the romance that happened in the book in the beginning. The guests on the boat seemed so different and then another ship comes to island. Luckily this group all gets along but when another boat comes then all heck breaks loose. Then it almost seems like lord of the flies. Very good book. I did enjoy the back stories of all of the people on the island.

I escaped to the remote islands outside of Hawaii on a gloomy day here on the eastern US coast thanks to Rachel Hawkins' upcoming novel, Reckless Girls. This was an easy story to binge in under a day thanks to the exciting premise, short chapters, and multiple point of views (most of which were set in the past while the main character was the primary POV for the present). I have a strange fear of being on a boat in vast open space so everything these characters went through would be my worst nightmare!

I had no strong attachment to any of the characters. Some of them just felt like they never had enough time to be developed so when something in the book would occur to them I didn't feel a change in emotion and simply just kept going. It felt like it took almost three quarters of the book to get to anything thrilling, but once it did it was fun to see it all play out. I had a hunch that the ending would turn out the way it did, mainly because a certain character was introduced at a point in the story where you almost have to question, alright how do they tie into the overall plot? This one is going to be a fun summer thriller for those who wish to hold off reading it, or like me reading it in the colder months a nice escape to a warmer climate. I think this was a step up from Rachel's previous thriller, The Wife Upstairs, and I look forward to what she plans to write next.

Overall Rating: 3.5/5

Thank you to St Martins and Netgalley for a physical and digital advanced copy of Reckless Girls, one of the first thrillers anticipated to be published in the new year!

I found the beginning a little slow but once they were off to the deserted island the suspense started to build, the secrets started to spill and it was suddenly impossible to stop reading! I liked the way the story goes back in time throughout to give you background on each character and  what brought them to the island. This is my first book by Rachel Hawkins but I’ve heard many good things about her last book, which is now on my tbr. If it’s as good as this one there will definitely be a new author on my tbr!

Thank you to St. Martins Press and Netgalley for the early review copy.
⭐⭐⭐⭐-
This book was just as good as The Wife Upstairs. I love the twist and the story was awesome. I loved the back and fourth time line. Quick easy read that will keep you guessing.

Its was a nice paced mystery thriller! I really liked the setting it added to the creepy factor. The title of the book is a perfect fit. I didn't really enjoy the ending it felt like everything came too fast! But the book as a whole was a great read!

Great world building! The setting alone gives you that creepy feeling! Definitely a fast paced thriller with some odd twists.

This was a fast-paced thrill with some odd twists & a page turner! The mysterious creepy deserted island setting I absolutely loved! The world building, the suspense & the tension, & with so many twists it keeps hold of you! Plus, Rachel Hawkins writing is so descriptive you'll feel you're on the island with the scorching sun beating down on you! You want to keep reading because you can’t wait to see what way the story will go next!

Seven people

Seven people with something to hide,

A deserted island

One person missing

And another dead

Will any of them make it off the island?


This was a fast-paced thrill with some odd twists and a page turner! The mysterious creepy deserted island setting I absolutely loved! The tension that comes from just the setting is great and then you add because you just know something isn’t 100% with each character makes it even better! I have always enjoyed how authors can make you feel certain things, like you just know something is off about a person or place, but you can’t quite put your finger on what the problem is!

The flashbacks were great, but also a necessity. It's like those “AHA” moments when you understand why something is happening! Now the ending, this is just going to be one of those books where you either like it or you don't. As a group, we all had mixed feelings on this part. But we all agreed that overall we still enjoyed the book! The world building, the suspense and the tension, and with so many twists it keeps hold of you! Plus, Rachel Hawkins writing is so descriptive you'll feel you're on the island with the scorching sun beating down on you! You want to keep reading because you can’t wait to see what way the story will go next!

Thank you The Book Club Cookbook and St. Martins Press for sharing Reckless Girls with us!