Remind me to never travel to a deserted island with this crew! PHEW!
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I devoured this audiobook in just under 24 hours - I simply could NOT stop listening! (Thank you to Netgalley for the copy!) I just HAD to know what was going to happen!
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Lux and Nico want to travel the world via Nico's boat, the <i>Susanna</i>, but before they do so, they need to make money to pay for the boat's repairs. This has left them stranded on Maui (not a bad place to be stranded imo) working odd jobs for cash. However, luck comes to them one night in the form of Amma and Brittany, offering Nico an exorbitant amount of money that will fix his boat, if only he takes two weeks and charters them to the island paradise, Meroe.
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This is one of those stories where you are suspicious of everyone and everything. No character is particularly likable, but you wanna believe the best in someone. I found it engrossing and unputdownable, and while I guessed some of the twists, I didn't guess them all. This was also very atmospheric - Hawkins does a nice job bringing that creepy island to life - I felt stifled and suffocated throughout my "time" on the island.
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This was the perfect thriller to start 2022 with - I rec this one to anyone looking for a creepy, atmospheric thriller!

Barrie Kreinik did an amazing job, as always. She is quickly becoming one of my favourite narrators.

There are loveable characters and ones you want to smack across the face.

I'm just lucky this one has not deterred me from boats or remote islands.

Don't always trust people you meet on vacation is the takeaway from this one! It also made me reflect on people we have met while out of country.... you always want to hope for the best.

I am a fan of Hawkins's past books, but I was disappointed by "Reckless Girls". I never felt like I got to know Lux, and I never cared about her or the other island inhabitant. Also, the pacing of the novel didn't work for me. I felt like most of the book was waiting for something to happen. I am still a fan of Hawkins's writing, and I'll keep reading her books, but this one is not for me.

I really enjoy the setup for this book. I thought all the characters were interesting, but sometimes hard to tell apart when it came to their POVs. I enjoyed Lux as a character the most. That scene with the shark piqued my interest in the whole story. All these characters were shady and unreliable and I loved it. Also, this setting was amazing. I haven't read many books that take place on boats or on islands. Those suspenseful scenes, like the shark one, kept me reading.
I think the ending is a bit over the top, but most everything else I liked. This cover is really pretty and vibrant, but I don't think it says thriller, at least not to me. This is my 2nd book by the author and I can't wait to read more from her in 2022.

One of the big must-read books of 2021 was Rachel Hawkin's novel The Wife Upstairs. That buzzy domestic thriller was the kind of popcorn read that begged to be read in one sitting. The plot veered a bit too far into the unbelievable for my tastes, but I couldn't help but be sucked into the wild story that Hawkins concocted. This year Hawkins is back with another twisty thriller, Reckless Girls. I jumped at the chance to accept a copy of the audio version of the work from her publisher in exchange for this review. What I found was another wild narrative that completely sucked me in from start to finish.

Hawkins trades the suburban setting of her previous work in favor of a tropical paradise in this one. We meet Lux McAllister in Maui where she's living the not so glamourous life as a housekeeper in one of the island's luxury resorts. This isn't the life she dreamed of when she moved to the island, but she has come a long way from her meager life before. Lux's boyfriend Nico comes from a completely different background. His wealthy family has ensured that Nico has never lived without. Still, the young man is more interested in living a life of independence, spending his days tending to a ramshackle boat that he purchased than he is in continuing his family's legacy. Unfortunately for Nico, this means the gravy train may be slowly drying up.

The couple's transient lifestyle is further threatened when Lux loses her job. Nico, however, may have the perfect answer to their troubles. Brittany and Amma, two young women who have been traveling together in search of adventure, have chartered Nico's boat for a trip to the infamous Meroe Island. The remote isle has a dark past dating back to WWII, a reputation that continues to deter regular travelers to this day. Lux and Nico share a brief hesitance in traveling to the island, especially with two strangers, but the money the girls offer them is too good to pass up. The foursome soon travels to the isolated island, destined for either the vacation or nightmare of a lifetime.

As she did in her previous novel, Rachel Hawkins employs shifting perspectives and jumping timelines to tightly wind the suspense in Reckless Girls. She reveals just enough information to keep the narrative moving while never fully revealing her cards until the last possible moment. I was a bit apprehensive about the tropical paradise gone awry story, but I couldn't help but be sucked into it. Each of the characters is hiding something. Hawkins strings us along as they all work to maintain their own secrets. As was the case in her previous novel, there isn't really a traditionally "good" character in the bunch. Still, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't invested in their story, especially as the different perspectives and timelines came together. Barrie Kreinik's pitch-perfect narration captures all of the deceit as the novel propels to a devilishly twisted ending. There's an epilogue to the book that, in my opinion, didn't need to be there, but otherwise, Reckless Girls is a fantastic popcorn read that is sure to be another must-read thriller from Rachel Hawkins.

Oh, Reckless Girls, how I dislike your name but like your story. There are no girls here and pretty much everyone is reckless. Lux and Nico are a couple. She follows him around while he decides how they will live their lives. He decides they will take two women to a deserted island for a week or so of fun in the sun. They sail for days only to get there and find another boat already there.

None of the characters seem to have a very distinctive voice to begin. Their personalities are basically stereotypes. Women who view each other with both sisterhood and suspicion, both pretty quickly. Nico is a basic dude. A bro.

I started to think that this was all on purpose. Everyone was really hiding what and who they were. At first they all melt together and when they start to solidify again they all are different. Some have seemed to become each other. It’s the difference between how people behave around new people. Their public face. Then, they all seem to come together again.

So is the island evil or are we just talking about people? Interspersed throughout are reports through the decades and centuries from different people who visited the island. Everyone had the same feeling of dread. The island itself is filled with and surrounded with dangers. There is a reason it is uninhabited. But is it evil? That’s left to the reader. What is not left is that people surely are. The secrets being kept here are not harmless.

What’s also left with the reader is to decide what exactly makes the women the reckless ones? Is it reckless merely for women to travel the world? Whether alone or with men? Are they always just “girls”? Helpless and reckless.

The narrator was very good at differentiating the characters and their accents.

Reckless Girls is a fast paced, compulsive book that I actually did not enjoy but I am grateful for the opportunity to re5view it, none the less. I found it to be TOO repulsive and cringey, to the point where the book wasn't enjoyable, I just couldn't stop listening. I thought at the end it felt like a monty python movie, where everyone was dying and it was just a giant comedic blip. This book did make my skin crawl though, I was frustrated and annoyed and pissed off while reading it, so that's a feat within itself.

“What am I when you strip everything else away? I’m a motherfucking survivor.”

LOVED this one! Engrossing plot, flawed characters and exotic settings. Plus the unparalleled narration of Barrie Kreinik!
Lux is adrift in her life when she meets the charismatic Nico who invites her sail with him on his sailboat, the Susannah. Nico is from a wealthy family, while Lux had to struggle and drop out of school after her mother became ill. They couldn't be from more different backgrounds. Nico is offered a large sum of money from two young women to sail them to the remote Meroe Island, and soon the group departs together on Nico's boat.

The story is told in flashbacks and from the points of view of serval of the main characters. It becomes clear that none of them are who they appear to be. Once they arrive on Meroe, the tension really ramps up. There have been strange occurrences there for decades and while the island might be beautiful, it is also very dangerous.

The group soon meets up with other sailors and lots of sun, drinking and partying follows. Each of the characters has a hidden agenda. Lux never knows who she can trust, and neither did I! Lux realizes that really didn't know Nico at all before she agreed to sail with him to the remote locale, and that his other passengers might not be as friendly as they seemed to be at first. I could not wait to see what happened next in this story.

“You can cling to the before, or you can try to live in the after, you know?”

I liked this book much more than the author's earlier thriller which I found to be a bit over the top. Reckless Girls is thoroughly engrossing and Barrie Kreinik's narration of the audiobook is fantastic. Her different accents are perfection! This is just a wonderfully dark thriller with a twisty ending that will definitely entertain you and keep you guessing. It is the perfect diversion!

(Thanks to the publisher for providing an audiobook listening copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.)

Lux and her boyfriend are hired by two girls named Amma and Brittany to sail them to a deserted island as part of their vacation. When they arrive, they discover another boat anchored in the cove with two mysterious but friendly strangers. They all bond and form a group of six but their harmony is disturbed when cracks begin to show after another less desirable young man arrives on the island as well.

I started last year with Hawkins’ The Wife Upstairs as my first read so it only felt fitting that I started this year off with her newest novel. I was not disappointed! Reckless Girls transported me to a tropical paradise which was a nice escape given I live in Canada which is not having a nice winter. The characters were really well developed and I loved reading all of their back stories in the ‘before’ sections. There was lots of action and it was the perfect length! It didn’t drag at all. I just found a few questions I had logistically, like Lux’s ability to sail (where did that come from?) Thanks to @netgalley and @stmartinspress for my review copy!

This audiobook was full of tension from the beginning, everything weaved together in a way that kept me wanting to listen more to find out what was really going on and who these people really were.
The atmospheric setting of the island and tight quarters of the ship gave a great backdrop to the suspenseful story - but MAN a lot happened.
People with secret identities, drugs, multiple relationships falling apart due to cheating, murder - it just felt like a lot and the big reveals were overtaken by everything else going on.

I wish the story had just focused on one item instead of trying to stretch too far to make all these characters intertwined. Overall, a solid read. I'd really rate it 3.5 stars if possible - just right in the middle.

I would recommend it to a friend, but wouldn't reread.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review.

This book started off a little slow and did not really pick up for me. I was annoyed by the main character, Lux. I also was not a fan of her boyfriend, Nico. It seemed like a great storyline but I could not get into it. I honestly almost did not finish.

Lux's life is in limbo, so she decided to sail the world with her boyfriend, Nico. Boat trouble leaves them stuck in Hawaii for months. Then, two college girls offer to pay Nico to take them to a deserted island- one with a dark past. The four set out and find the island isn't as deserted as they thought. Then strange things start to happen.

So, I did like this better than The Wife Upstairs. Like The Wife Upstairs, I found it predictable. I had every aspect figured out well before it happened. But I still mostly enjoyed it. The epilogue could have been much, much better. It would have been better without it, to be honest. There were also opportunities for a much better one. My other problem is either I missed something while listening to the audiobook (the one thing I hate about audiobooks- it is way harder to go back and find something, lol) or there is a major plot hole.... [ How did Amma not recognize Eliza/Chloe? Or, if she did, how did Eliza and Britney explain her presence? It doesn't make sense. It also doesn't make sense that Amma knew before they went- what reason would they have for meeting up instead of going together? (hide spoiler)]

The audio narration is fine. I listened at 1.25 and it was not distorted. Nothing exciting, but also not annoying.

I received an audio copy in exchange for an honest review.

3.5/5 My last book of 2021 🥳 Reckless Girls is a story that starts with a young couple living in Hawaii, trying to scrape together enough money to make their boat seaworthy with dreams of sailing to Australia. An opportunity to make some quick cash comes up when 2 young women traveling together want to go to a deserted island but don’t have anyone to take them. The women pay the couple $50K, the boat is fixed and off they all go…

The plot has a couple different timelines, with loads of sexual tension, blue lagoons and all 😏 The characters are young & make stupid decisions left & right but I was still thoroughly entertained the entire time. It’s quite a page turner once they get to Meroe Island & Barrie Kreinik does a nice job narrating. As long as you’re not looking for anything with a lot of depth, I think most will have a good time with this one. Available 1/4

Thanks so much to NetGalley & MacMillan Audio for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed the twists and turns of The Wife Upstairs so I was excited for this one and it didn't disappoint. It started off with a feel reminiscent of The White Lotus for me and then the twists that Hawkins has become known for took it in a very different direction while maintaining an atmospheric quality. I enjoyed the audiobook version and the cliffhangers really kept me listening. This will be another popular thriller for Hawkins in 2022.

Reckless Girls by Rachel Hawkins
Listened to the Audiobook courtesy of NetGalley—ARC

Reckless Girls was immediately intriguing set on isolated Meroe Island near Hawaii. This booked hooked me in from the beginning with a twisty ending that I didn’t see coming. The middle was a lot of character building and didn’t necessarily see where this story was going. Around 60% in, I could not put it down! The ending seemed rushed trying to wrap up all the twists going on. It seemed like it was implausible and hazy. Overall, it kept me on my toes and was a quick read for me!

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Likes:
🌴 Isolated island setting
🌴 Surprising twists that I did not expect
🌴 Then-Now was intriguing
🌴 The narrator hit it out of the ball-park!!! Barrie Kreinik mastered the different accents, different genders, and the differing voices for each character.

Dislikes:
🌴 How many f bombs there were. Felt like they were used just because
🌴 Rushed ending with inaccuracies

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this audiobook!

I was beyond excited to be approved for Reckless Girls because I LOVED Rachel Hawkins The Wife Upstairs. I could not wait to start listening! First of all, Barrie Kreinik, the narrator was amazing! I loved how she was able to flawlessly change between six different characters voices and two characters had accents.

I thought this story was interesting and suspenseful. It was definitely a slow burn and the dark twists didn’t come around until the last 10 chapters. I’m not a huge fan of slow burns, but the narrator was so captivating that I wanted to keep listening. I had no idea what to expect for the ending, and was really surprised!

If you enjoy slow burns and a suspenseful island adventure, I highly recommend this book!

I will post this review on my Instagram account: @thrillersandcoffee

While this was an entertaining, easy read, I fear it will ultimately be rather forgettable. The plot was engaging enough, but I didn't connect to any of the characters, and as such a character driven reader, that matters to me. Also, how many times is too many times to mention that one woman isn't as pretty as the other? I'd say one is plenty, but the author felt the need to repeat it again and again, which had me rolling my eyes. I hate these kinds of observations, especially in books written by women, particularly ones set in the present day, and when they add nothing to the story. Can we not do better? Anyway, this helped me pass another cold pandemic weekend, so for that I appreciate it, but if you're looking for a thrilling mystery, this may not be the place.

Thanks to the publisher for providing be with a copy of Reckless Girls in exchange for an honest review.

Ooh this is a twisty, twisty book, so hang on to your deck shoes! I don't want to give any spoilers, so let’s just say it starts out with six hotties, two boats, and one deserted island with a gruesome history and goes from there.

Lux McAllister and her boyfriend Nico have been working in Hawaii, trying to save enough money to fix up their boat. When two college girls hire them to take them out to a remote, and deserted, island it sounds like an adventure too unique to pass up.

When they arrive at Meroe Island they’re disappointed to find that there’s already another couple there. They soon become friends though, and spend their time together on the beach and each other’s boats. Until things start to go very wrong.

You have elements of locked-door mystery because of the secluded island setting. Although do you ever really know what or who else might be lurking in the thick jungle interior of the island?!

Meroe Island was named after a ship that was wrecked there in 1821 and while it looks like the perfect paradise it is deadly. From its lack of fresh water, to being surrounded by poisonous fish and sharks. HMS Meroe wasn’t the only ship to wreck in the coral reefs surrounding the island either, and there are rumors that crews had to resort to cannibalism to survive.

The audiobook was sooo good! It was expertly narrated by Barrie Kreinik and was 7 hours and 43 minutes long. I thought she did such a great job bringing all the characters to life but also adding to the suspense through her performance.

I really wish we could put 1/2 stars. I give this 3.5 stars. While I enjoyed this one, I was waiting on a plot twist that never happened. It was weird because the author kept bringing this up a few times. Maybe I missed it. 🤷🏻‍♀️ But I don’t think I did. I can say that the ending was perfect. And let’s just talk about how amazing that cover is!!! I will be reading more by Rachel. I did love The Wife Upstairs.

Everything seems to be looking up for Lux, her boyfriend Nico gets hired to sail to the deserted Island of Mereo by Amma and Brittany. Money is no problem with the new job, boat gets repaired and everything seems to be wonderful. They all get along great. Even when the deserted island already seems to be occupied by another couple they make the best of the situation. Slowly we get glimpses into the backstories of our main characters. Sinister things are happening. First a visitor that makes himself at home and suddenly disappears; any communications with the outside world are no longer possible with the equipment been gone or destroyed. Second it looks like Nico took his boot and deserted them. After that everything happens very fast with a lot of twist. The ending is probably not what you suspect but you might be close. This is a fast read and very enjoyable. Barrie Kreinik the narrator was a pleasure to listen to.