Lux meets Nico and they decide to live out his dream - in Hawaii. But it seems like Lux is doing all the work while Nico is doing all the dreaming. Nico gets an offer he can't refuse - charter a sail to a remote island for 2 women best friends. The friends invite Lux along but all is not what it seems. The group meets up with random strangers and then people begin to die....

Really fun thriller, kept me engrossed throughout and I LOVE the Lux character.

I read Reckless Girls in 2 days. The book starts off Real good like when you buy a new book you’re unsure about then when you start reading it you’re like oh this book is good. The first night I stayed up till 3 AM then I finally had to put it down in my opinion this is a great book I would highly recommend

Lux wants nothing more than to sail to paradise with Nico, but life has gotten in the way. When an unexpected opportunity to put their dream back track comes their way, they leap at it. All they have to do is sail a couple of women they've just met to a remote atoll in the middle of the Pacific ocean. The atoll isn't completely idyllic, though, with its history of cannibalism, lack of potable water, and poisonous aquatic life. So Nico and Lux pack food and water and away they go. Imagine their surprise when they arrive and discover another boat has already dropped anchor, captained by a wealthy man and his girlfriend. Things long hidden are revealed tantalizingly slowly in this suspenseful tale perfect for fans of psychological fiction.

Livin the dream?

Well, not exactly.

A girl, Lux and her boyfriend, Nic decide to take up an offer to sail two women they meet to a remote island in the Pacific. Meroe Island was my favorite aspect of the story. It was picture perfect and gave off some eerie vibes of being off the grid.

Lux is the narrator and she could have used a call a friend life line more than once! The F word was Nic's favorite and I think he used it in every other sentence. I guess he had a limited vocabulary.

They encounter some other travelers and what happens on the island is predictable and preposterous. I'm not sure what the author was going for? Fantasy Island or Horror in Paradise.

A beach read perhaps? Just don't go sailing away without a care or a back up plan. Recommend if your looking for a quick read that won't require too much musing.

Another 5 Star read from Rachel Hawkins! Reckless Girls is the second book I've read by the author and, like The Wife Upstairs, I couldn't put the book down. This is an action and adventure story with raging storms on the high seas, danger lurking on a remote island in the Pacific, and deadly breaches of trust. The book is also a thriller, a mystery, a love story, and a feminist manifesto of sorts.

I didn't read the synopsis when the invitation came to review the novel; I accepted based on the name of the author and a favorite publisher. I'm convinced that decision enhanced my enjoyment of the story, since it allowed it to unfold naturally and without outside influences ( like reviews, Lol). Reading on the beach heightened my enjoyment too. Toes in the sand while reading about an island adventure created the perfect entertainment setting. The big difference--I was a whole lot safer than the characters in the book.

The underlying theme of the novel is loss and the grief that comes with it. Hawkins' s keen observation of the rage that often follows is perfectly summed up in the phrase "In The After." Anyone who has known unrelenting grief instantly understands the nuances of this phrase and its ability to connect others who also suffer.

Reckless Girls is brilliantly written, reminding us of the juxtaposition between the world we choose to see and its reality. Sunny skies and the promise of pleasure can also bring darkness and death if we're not paying attention. Even the characters transform from hero to anti-hero, seemingly with the flow of the tides.

Many thanks to NetGalley and St Martin's Press for providing an ARC to read and review. *NetGalley Top Reviewer* This review will be posted to Bayside Book Reviews at https://baysidebookreviews.com on release day.

Thank you Netgalley for the advanced copy of The Reckless Girls.
When Lux McAllister and her boyfriend, Nico, are hired to sail two women to a remote island in the South Pacific, it seems like the opportunity of a lifetime. Stuck in a dead-end job in Hawaii, and longing to travel the world after a family tragedy, Lux is eager to climb on board The Susannah and set out on an adventure. She’s also quick to bond with their passengers, college best friends Brittany and Amma. The two women say they want to travel off the beaten path. But like Lux, they may have other reasons to be seeking an escape.

Shimmering on the horizon after days at sea, Meroe Island is every bit the paradise the foursome expects, despite a mysterious history of shipwrecks, cannibalism, and even rumors of murder. But what they don’t expect is to discover another boat already anchored off Meroe’s sandy beaches. The owners of the Azure Sky, Jake and Eliza, are a true golden couple: gorgeous, laidback, and if their sleek catamaran and well-stocked bar are any indication, rich. Now a party of six, the new friends settle in to experience life on an exotic island, and the serenity of being completely off the grid. Lux hasn’t felt like she truly belonged anywhere in years, yet here on Meroe, with these fellow free spirits, she finally has a sense of peace.

But with the arrival of a skeevy stranger sailing alone in pursuit of a darker kind of good time, the balance of the group is disrupted. Soon, cracks begin to emerge: it seems that Brittany and Amma haven’t been completely honest with Lux about their pasts––and perhaps not even with each other. And though Jake and Eliza seem like the perfect pair, the rocky history of their relationship begins to resurface, and their reasons for sailing to Meroe might not be as innocent as they first appeared.

When it becomes clear that the group is even more cut off from civilization than they initially thought, it starts to feel like the island itself is closing in on them. And when one person goes missing, and another turns up dead, Lux begins to wonder if any of them are going to make it off the island alive.

A sun soaked setting, sailing to a tropical, secluded local, good food, drink and friends...this is quite the thriller. An atmospheric setting, interesting characters-complex and unreliable too, which i love, major twists and an ending that will blow your mind and that is creeptastically unexpected ! This one was fun!

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for my e-Arc. All thoughts are my own.

This author has been on my radar since I devoured The Wife Upstairs. This book did NOT disappoint! Luv, being a waitress is something I could identify with- since I am one. But then throw in the chance to head to Hawaii to a remote island with a boyfriend and 2 random girls? Sounds like the plot for mystery to me! And I ate up every word written.

I received Reckless Girls by Rachel Hawkins as an advanced reader copy. It was a different plot line than normal thrillers, and I was impressed. Each character had their own back story and each got what they deserved in the end. I was eager to pick it up each time to read, unlike some of the other thrillers I've read lately. It kept me guessing how it was going to end and how the characters were tied together, if at all. The story taking place most of the time on the boat/island was unique. Hawkins did a good job creating a different storyline and I look forward to reading more from her. I think she's hitting her stride.

The lede on this book is absolutely masterful—way to hook a mystery/history/deserted island-loving reader! Unfortunately, while I enjoyed this book, it didn't live up to the lede... at least, perhaps, until the last quarter. All through the majority of the book, I kept waiting for clues, dropped-in intrigue, some sort of mystery I could latch onto, and never found a thing. Very little buildup (in the present narration) to help us reach the finale.

OMG, HOW HAVE I READ MOST OF RACHEL HAWKINS BOOKS Yes I’m yelling, but at myself and at my own foolishness! this one had me so intrigued, not only by the blurb, but also on other readers recommendations . I am so glad I READ THIS, This book is SENSATIONAL!

3.5 stars.

Reckless Girls is going to be wildly popular. This was a fast-paced deserted island thriller with a cast of unreliable characters.

Lux and Nico are in a newish relationship when they decide to accept a massive amount of money ferrying two friends - Brittany and Amma - to a deserted island off the coast of Hawaii. Once there, the deserted island doesn’t stay deserted as they encounter a few others who show up hiding who could be new vacation friends or troublemakers. The claustrophic island and dense jungle setting have the potential to expose secrets the more they get to know each other.

This would have been a great beach read and I definitely enjoyed the island setting. I appreciated that I wasn’t always sure who to trust or what to believe. The ending was a bit wild and rushed but overall, I think it served it’s purpose to entertain readers!

I really liked this book. I loved Rachel Hawkins first book and this one was very different but I really liked it. The setting was really good and she did a great job of making it feel creepy and weird and building in all the characters backstories. I really liked it and would recommend it to anyone.

I’m not sure “reckless” is the correct adjective: revengeful seems more appropriate. But it takes a few chapters to come to that conclusion.

The paths of 5 people cross and they all end up at a deserted idyllic island that is haunted with a ghostly past. The reader superficially, and inaccurately, learns how this group met. None of their tales are true which we discover as their relationships evolve.

The reader sees obvious red flags being hoisted on every page and is led to wonder how this motley crew can’t see through all the deceptions and lies as well. I found myself wanting to shake a few characters into reality. Living on a desolate island, paradise or not, can change a person.

Lux McAllister lives on Maui with her boyfriend Nico. Lux dreams of a future with Nico free from the stress of day to day life. Nico promises her that as soon as he can get his boat, The Susannah, fixed they'll set out on an adventure. But it's been months and that plan seems more like a dream than a reality. But then Nico is approached by two girls, Brittany and Amma. If Nico sails them to a remote island in the South Pacific they'll pay him handsomely. Nico says he'll go if Lux does and she agrees. Upon arrival on the island they meet Jake and Eliza, a couple with a very nice boat. The six of them settle into a nice rhythm until a stranger comes ashore and things go from idyllic to sinister.

This book was so fun! I was intrigued right from the beginning. I loved the alternating timelines and viewpoints...it really rounded out all the characters and plotlines. No one was telling the full truth about themselves which kept things interesting. Each twist of the narrative caught me by surprise (until the very very end which was slightly predictable). But overall I devoured this book in no time and was very satisfied with this dark island mystery.

I was given this book in exchange for my honest opinion. Thank you St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for this ARC.

This was my first Rachel Hawkins book, but it definitely won't be my last! The plot of Reckless Girls pulled me in right away and the story moved along at a nice pace and was filled with tension and drama. There are a lot of characters, but each one is fleshed out nicely as we're given glimpses of their backstories and motivations. What prevented this from being a 5 star read was the ending, which was too far-fetched and riddled with plot holes. Despite that, I really enjoyed Reckless Girls and would definitely recommend, especially as a vacation/beach read.

When Lux McAllister's boyfriend, Nico, is hired by two college girls to sail them to Meroe Island for fifty thousand dollars, he jumps at the chance. For her part, Lux jumps too. She's just drifting through life at the moment, still grieving the loss of her mom, stuck in a dead-end Maui job, and alone except for Nico. This two-week trip could be just the thing she needs to find some peace and a fresh start.

When they arrive at Meroe, they're not alone. Already there are the dazzling Jack and Eliza, a beautiful Aussie/English couple with tons of money, food, and flowing wine. The six make fast friends and enjoy life on the island until Robbie shows up in another boat. Suddenly the seclusion of the island seems a bit too crowded for Lux's taste, and tales of the haunted nature of the place start to become reality.

As the group starts to fracture, buried secrets get exposed and someone on the island just might be willing to do anything to keep them hidden. And when the first body appears, Lux worries that no one will make it home alive.

Despite my biggest pet peeve being present (it's a personal preference, but it's so incredibly distracting when EVERYONE is a frat-boy-gutter mouth. It's why I didn't care for and didn't finish The Wife Upstairs) and there's a heavy handed "rich people are the devil" trope, I really liked this book. I hesitantly requested it because I am on the search for anything set in Hawaii, but having not liked this author's writing style before, I didn't have high hopes.

And after initially putting it down at the first chapter to finish a few other books (with a "here we go again" annoyance with the language) I flew through it. Once everyone is on the island, there's a great sense of claustrophobic atmosphere and danger lurking under the surface of the beauty--both the people and the place. The ending is explosive and I think fans of Lost will appreciate this one. I also like how Hawkins wove the various POV narratives (though Lux is the clear narrator) and past and present together pretty seamlessly. The cover's really striking too.

Special thanks to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for granting me an advance copy of this book in exchange for a review.

If a pair of young 20 somethings paid you to charter a tour to a deserted island, would you do it? Well Lux and her boyfriend Nico do, and boy was it complicated.
4 out of 5 stars

This was a captivating read that kept my attention until the very end. I will say that I felt like the ending was rushed and did not do the characters justice. It was just like a hurry up and end it scheme. I did enjoy this book overall. Now I need to hurry up and read The Wife Upstairs that has been on my TBR list for months.

Thank you Rachel Hawkins and Netgalley for this ARC.

Reckless Girls follows Lux and her boyfriend Niko as they sail two girls, Amma and Britt, on an adventure to a remote island in the Pacific. There they meet with two fun strangers, Eliza and Jake. Things are great until a new person turns up. Then all hell breaks loose. And you better watch your back.

I liked this one! The writing was beautiful and I loved the eerie scene of being stranded on a "haunted" island with no communication. There was so much mystery that kept me reading to know what would happen next. The first half was a bit slow, mainly centering around the six strangers and their first week at the island. The last quarter of the book really picks up, and I was dying to know what would happen next! So many twists I didn't see coming. So many lies it was hard to keep track. I never felt a connection to the characters and they were honestly all pretty shitty to each other. I am still not sure how I feel about that ending ...

Overall, I enjoyed this book and the writing. A solid, slower paced thriller for people who enjoy figuring out a complicated mystery.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review

I received this ARC from netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Y'all, don't hate me, but I loved The Wife Upstairs way more. I should have predicted this- I did write my undergrad thesis on Jane Eyre- but this book, while interesting, just didn't give me the same OOMPH. This book was certainly unsettling (#longpig), but none of the characters were even remotely likable enough for me to root for them! It certainly was, however, a book about reckless girls.