After living life lost after her mom's death, Lux meets Nico who offers to take her away to paradise and sail around the world. But all boats need maintenance and repairs and to earn the money Nico convinces Lux to come along on a charter sail to a deserted island, romantic right?!? Brittany and Amma are the guests and an interesting friend pair built on their own tragedy. All four set sail with a few storms brewing ahead. When they arrive at the beautiful and wild atoll, they are quick to make friends with another couple. Can this vacation survive this island's horrific history and a curse that starts to play out as this adventure continues?

"you can cling to the before, or you can try to live in the after" (epilogue)

Dipping your toes in the water, this book moves back and forth from the before to now, developing each characters unique reason for being on this island's Sandy beach. Everyone has their own drama and past. I enjoyed reading from beginning to end. It was the perfect beach read to finish my summer reading or could warm you up on a cold winter night. A little more steam and detail would have been preferred and would have added to the heat of the island.

'Reckless Girls' was an amazing, unpredictable thriller. This is the first Rachael Hawkins book I read. I will definitely check out 'The Wife Upstairs'. The world Hawkins builds in Meroe Island reminds me a lot of the TV series LOST. The characters are well written, they are fake, pretentious, flawed and totally messed up. This makes the plot more interesting and a nail biting read.

What I liked? Unpredictability, Flawed characters and plot

What I didn't like? Drags a little in the middle before picking pace, Ending wrapped up a little too quickly

I rate 'Reckless Girls' 4 stars. This was overall a great read.

I loved The Wife Upstairs - it was one of my first bookstagram reviews. Thank you to St. Martin's Press for providing an ARC on NetGalley!

Pub date: January 7th

One sentence summary: When Lux and Nico take a job sailing to an isolated Pacific island with two rich girls, trouble and secrets are sure to follow.

I've already talked about my love for "locked door" mysteries, and this island equivalent has plenty of tricks up its sleeve. I enjoyed seeing the dynamic among the various characters and seeing the tension bubble up in paradise. You do have to suspend reality a little bit, but I was pleasantly surprised by how well everything came together at the end.

I think this will be a great winter read when it's snowy and we're dreaming of summer (rather than the current wishing for fall!)

Who doesn’t dream of the perfect island getaway. You know, that one where you’re all alone with water that’s so perfectly clear, sun on your skin, beverage in your hand, peace and relaxation everywhere around you …

Yeah, so that is not so much what you will find here. Taking girls out to an island that remains abandoned, hostile (like almost everyone that goes here … dies… sounds like a dream vacay to me) … a young couple has no idea just how much mind twisting craziness they are about to be immersed in.

This book took so many turns, so many “bad” characters that all were suspect, and just enough “OH NO!!!” factor to it to keep a thriller reader pleasantly surprised. This is a fantastic follow up to Rachel Hawkins first novel <i>The Wife Upstairs.</i> I highly recommend this twisted castaway gem as a treat to start your new year off right - as it’s release date is set for Jan 4, 2022. This is one that you won’t be stressed to spend your money on! A definite 4 out of 5 star read for me and one I’m already alluding to the release of and recommending to people as a win in the reading world.

Thank you so much to #NetGalley, the publishers, and the author Rachel Hawkins for sending me an electronic ARC in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion.

You can follow all my reviews at www.oceansofbooks.com and hope you’ll join in on my journey of finding and sharing books you won’t feel bad spending your money on. Happy reading my friends!

Every now and then you come across a story like this one that sticks with you after awhile. Not necessarily because of the characters but because of the whatif's. What if that had been you, what would you have done? What if something like this has really happened and we just don't know. What if people really are this scheming? What if. What if, what if.

This truly was a classic Hawkins story with wonderful writing, an engaging story line and one that was absolutely hard to put down and kept me eagerly turning the pages and wanting more. I thought about it when I wasn't reading it and I thought about it long after it was over. I truly just had so much fun with this one and I hope Hawkins continues to write in this genre because she truly does do wonderfully well in it.

Reckless Girls by Rachel Hawkins grabbed my attention from the very first page, and I was hooked throughout the book.

Lux is living in Hawaii and dating Nico, and their plan is to set sail and travel together as soon as they can afford to do so. When a pair of friends approach Nico to sail them to the remote island of Meroe, he and Lux can’t turn down two weeks in paradise and the money which will allow them to continue traveling once they return. Once at Meroe, they meet a wealthy and fun couple and form a friendly group enjoying the island together. However, the remoteness of the island which initially seemed to hold so much freedom soon starts feeling confining once they are cut off from civilization and cracks start to form in people’s perfect facades. Mysterious events start to occur and people aren’t as they appear, and perhaps the perfect paradise is anything but.

This is the second book I’ve read by Rachel Hawkins, and she is quickly becoming a new favorite author of mine. Her writing kept me turning the pages and staying up later than I intended. I loved the jungle island setting of this book, and I think it would be especially enjoyable to read in the cold months of winter. If you are a fan of gothic suspense, Reckless Girls deserves a spot on your TBR!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read an ARC of this novel and provide my honest feedback!

Like so many other people, I've had a difficult time lately, and I had to force myself to sit and begin reading again. This was a PERFECT book to start with, thankfully. I was sucked in from the very beginning, and rooting for Lux from the minute I was introduced to her. The descriptions the water, the deserted island.... all were so well written that they did what I had hoped reading would do- take me to another place and time. I didn't see ALL the twists coming, and I was constantly entertained. I will 100% recommend this book to others, and may reread it myself, next time I need another escape. 5 out 5, easily.

Put me on a beach and I’m game!. Apparently this even applies to thrillers. Very much The Beach with Leo DiCaprio vibes. Beautiful and suspicious people everywhere. I was never sure who to trust and suspected everyone at some point. The reading flowed well and kept my attention. I could have easily finished this in a day if I didn’t have to adult. I enjoyed the twist even if I was (sometimes) on the right track.

This was fast-paced and fun, centered on Lux, who sails to a remote island in the pacific with her entitled boyfriend and 2 strangers who hired him to guide the trip. The book alternates between the current timeframe and flashbacks from earlier times in the characters’ stories, as well as the history of the island itself. The weaving together of storylines was engaging.

The story moves at a fast clip and provides lots of drama between the characters. Turns out there are a lot of secrets and ulterior motives and the author does a good job at keeping a heightened sense of both action and suspense throughout. The descriptions of the areas on the island were immersive and atmospheric.

The end of the book was both dark and satisfying. The story reminded me a bit of Frank DeFelitta’s Sea Trial, which is one of my favorite books.

Overall, this was a fun read for me and I’d recommend it to those that like horror and mysteries. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

If you were stranded on a deserted island, could you survive? In this suspense filled story, you actually have six young adults who choose to be there. Life is one big adventure or at least that is their dream. But as we all know, dreams can become nightmares. Who can you trust?

Reckless Girls is aptly named as in this story, they certainly are at that. Lux is a floundering 25 year old, who after recently loses her mother and follows a guy she meant to Hawaii to seek out an adventure. Nico is a wannabe sailor, entitled at birth, but striking out on his own in his sailboat. Meet the girls, Brittany and Amma, friends since college who hire Nico for $50,000 to sail them to a random and remote island rich in history of shipwrecks and cannibalism for an adventure and have Nico’s girlfriend Lux join them. What else does she have to do? Upon arrival on the island of Meroe, another boat is moored with Eliza and Jake, they become a party of six free spirits. But all of a sudden, a mysterious stranger Robbie arrives that throughs a wrench into this adventure. Each person has a secret and aren’t who they seem. Tensions rise, and it feels as if the island is closing in. Suddenly someone goes missing and someone ends up dead. Maybe the choice to sail to Meroe was not so random after all.

As the story builds, the tensions rise with twists and turns at every moment. Will they all survive to make it back to civilization safely? With lies and betrayals, who can you trust? This book is one you won’t want to put down but be sure to leave the lights on. The story is told between present day and past which breaks up the building suspense. I would have like the ending to be a bit less predictable though and for that I would rate this book a 3.5 out of 5. It’s a quick read too.

Many thanks to #netgalley #recklessgirls #rachelhawkins #st.martinspress for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I loved Hawkins, “The Wife Upstairs,” but something about this book was weird. Two friends set out to find this mysterious island and hire a guy and his girlfriend to take them. When they get there, there are already people there. Through lots of hook ups, drugs, and alcohol it comes out that two of the people already knew each other. I really have no clue what the point of the story line was.

Several years ago, I read Vincent Bugliosi’s And The Sea Will Tell, the true story about two couples who sailed to a deserted island in the Pacific. Only one couple came back alive. Was reminded of that book when a friend recommended Reckless Girls. I immediately snatched up an ARC.

Lux and her boyfriend Nico want to sail the seas. They get stuck in Hawaii when their boat needs repairs. Two friends, Amma and Brittany hire them to sail to the deserted island of Mereo. When they arrive another couple, Jake and Eliza, are already there in a luxurious cataraman. But the six people strike up a friendship. Each character has baggage from the past.

Mereo has a dark history with tales of marooned soldiers and cannibalism. It was last used by the navy in WWII, but all goes well until the arrival of a third boat carrying a single passenger. That’s when strange things begin happening, smashed radios, people disappearing, dead bodies.

The author weaves in timelines from the past which begins to reveal the secrets of Lux, Brittany, Amma, and Eliza. While I did figure out one part of the mystery, the ending was a total surprise.

This is a quick read and one you won’t want to put down. Perfect for fans of page-turning psychological fiction.

Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and Net Galley for an advanced reader copy.

remote, uninhabited island in the Pacific is the perfect setting for Restless Girls, a deliberately slow moving, suspenseful thriller that will catapult Rachel Hawkins to the top of the best seller list!

Lux McAllister has followed her charismatic boyfriend Nico to Hawaii where they plan to travel around the world on his sailboat Susannah. Needed repairs are funded by Amma and Brittany who want to charter the boat for a two week trip to Meroe Island. There are many stories about things that have happened there, none good. But it is an island paradise and will provide the adventure that all four are looking for. Well, maybe not that one. But an adventure for sure. There is another boat anchored at Meroe and on it are Eliza and Jake, a gorgeous and somewhat mysterious couple. They provide an endless supply of gourmet meals and fine wines and all become instant close friends until another sailboat arrives. Escalating trouble ensues, secrets are revealed and violence is threatened.

You know from the prologue that something bad has happened and Rachel Hawkins keeps the tension building with anecdotes about Meroe and flashbacks that slowly reveal what each character has been hiding. All the characters, especially Lux and Eliza, are well described. The plot is sizzling and the island location is exotic and creepy at the same time. 5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press and Rachel Hawkins for this ARC.

OK so this was my last fling of summer read and MAN I loved it! I haven't read this author before but have The Wife Upstairs on my shelf. Whelp, I will definitely be reading that one soon!

I haven't read an island type mystery/thriller like this and this has all the fun vibes of The Island movie. There is backstabbing, lies, deceit, bonfires, partying and of course murder. Who doesn't love a good beachy murder 🤣🤣🤣

There were so many ways this one could have gone and I did figure out some of it BUT it did not end anywhere close to what I was thinking and I was so there for it!! I LOVED the way this ended because who wants the usual expected ending 🤣🤣🤣

Anywho! If you are looking for a twisty and fun murderous beach read PICK this one up. You won't be disappointed. It doesn't release until January 4, 2022 so make sure to mark those calendars!

I sincerely appreciate the publisher and NetGalley for providing me a review copy. All opinions expressed herein are mine and mine alone.

Lux is a 25 year old woman who, after taking time off of college after her mother’s death, ends up in Hawaii with her boyfriend Nico after promises to sail the world together. Things aren’t really going to plan, but then the couple meets Amma and Brittany, two college girls looking for an adventure to a deserted island, and willing to pay well too. Lux and Nico take up the opportunity and find themselves sailing with strangers. Upon arrival, they meet Jake and Eliza, a rich couple who have a similar search for adventure, or so we think.

I enjoyed the past and present set up of this book that allowed us to see past pieces from all of the women. Each “before” chapter explained a tiny piece of tension that was occurring in the present, but still left you wondering if your theories could be correct. The male characters in the book are just the right amount of unlikable, they’re pushy, full of themselves and slightly degrading. Throughout the middle of the book it’s really just building tension and anticipation, and you’re just waiting for something to happen. The ending is a little strange, definitely slightly shocking even though I had a theory throughout the book.

St. Martin Press I freaking love y'all! So much thanks to you and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this second novel by the amazing Rachel Hawkins.

After I read The Wife Upstairs I instantly fell I love with her writing.
So when I seen Reckless Girls I had to try and get my hands on her newest baby!.

A few things first on why I loved this book so much....
-It grabs your attention from the first page.
-I flew through this book (not necessarily a good thing) because I didn't want this book to end!
-Characters were freaking amazing!
-Filled with secrets and lies
-Hawkins never disapoints

Well plotted on a mysterious and island in the South Pacific and people start going missing and bodies start to turn up, this twisty gothic novel will have you addicted.
This is a fast-paced thriller with well-developed characters set in a beautiful island setting.
So compulsively readable and intriguing, I could not put this one down until I knew how it ended. Oh the twists and the turns and the theories that I had, that were all wrong by the way!

Wow! Ok so many thoughts. I enjoyed this novel. I will say, the first 50-60% was a little slow in terms of action. The novel flips from the before and now. Before Lux and Nico go on their sailing trip with Amma and Brittany and meet Jake and Eliza. And then the now is while they are on their boat at this deserted island. I liked Lux and she really shocked me at the end! All the characters were hiding secrets from each other and some were a little easier to figure out. Without spoiling, I will say I predicted a few of the twists but it all came together nicely! I will definitely not be traveling to any deserted islands after this one!

If you've ever dreamed of sailing off to an uninhabited island in the Pacific...well you might change your mind after reading Reckless Girls. Lux and her boyfriend Nico accept a job to sail college girls Amma and Brittany to Meroe Island for an off the grid adventure. Meroe is an island with a mysterious and dark history, but Lux views the trip as a means to make the money that she and Nico need to begin having adventures of their own. Once dropping anchor off the coast of Meroe, they meet Jake and Eliza, two obviously wealthy fellow adventurers. The five settle into a leisurely life of swimming, relaxing and enjoying life, until another boat arrives, bringing an unwelcome addition to their group and setting off a chain of events that ends in murder.

Each character in the story is not who she or he appears to be at face value, and Hawkins does a fantastic job of revealing each of them through flashback chapters. The mystery and the twist of the story was unique and unpredictable and I really enjoyed it. Hawkins expertly described the setting which quickly transitioned from paradise to a misery for everyone involved. In some ways I felt that the conclusion was a bit rushed, but overall I found Reckless Girls to be an addictive and enjoyable read.

Lux McAllister moves to Maui with her boyfriend, Nico with the promise of sailing around the Pacific on his boat The Suzannah to take her mind off of her mother's recent death, but not everything goes as planned. After working on a hotel cleaning crew for months while the boat gets repaired, Lux and Nico are finally ready to set out on the experience of a lifetime when they ferry two young women to the deserted island of Meroe. Living the lifestyle as the young and free people that they are, the ominous island of Meroe has a dark secret that is not giving up anytime soon.

First of all thank you so much to Netgalley and the publisher, St. Martins Press for the eARC of Reckless Girls.

I throughly enjoyed The Wife Upstairs by Rachel Hawkins so I was eagerly anticipating this new thriller of hers set to release on January 4, 2022.

I love a locked room mystery and the island/ship setting instantly drew me in. Unfortunately, the middle fell a bit flat for me. I found it hard to follow at times as it flipped from past to present among several different characters.

I did appreciate the straight forward writing style. That combined with wanting to know what was going to happen at the end helped to move the story along.

However, the ending left me a bit confused and wanting more. I had figured out the main twist about 60% in so I was hoping for more little ones thrown in or a bigger grand finale.

Overall, I’d recommend this if you are a fan of atmospheric, suspense reads.