⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Pure, page-to-page, evil-good FUN! 😈
⏰ 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐒𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐫: Lux McAlister and her boyfriend Nico agree to take two fellow 20-somethings (Amma and Brittany) on a sail to isolated (and seemingly haunted) Meroe Island. But upon arrival there’s another boat there belonging to uber-rich Jake and his girlfriend Eliza, but everyone hits it off and thus a lively party ensues (cue the bro fist bumping)… until the party ends with the arrival of an unwanted interloper, and then the dead bodies…
💡𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬: Oh Ms. Hawkins, this is my 2nd novel I’ve read of yours and I’m thinking we could be BFFs, which probably means we shouldn’t hang out because I LOVE how your sinister, devious mind works, sister! 😂 Let’s put it this way – call me in the middle of the night if you need a shovel. I won’t ask any questions. 😂
This is the COVID society antidote right here – shameless, guilty-reading pleasure with paradise as the setting. Hawkins has found her stride in this novel and what I’m discovering is she takes RISKS in her writing (YES!!!!), and I’m in the front row applauding. She’s become a veritable Robin Hood of the “Domestic-ish Thriller” – those “it” books of the last 10 years with lavish lifestyles on display – beautiful people, tons of money, stay-at-home ladies who lunch? But Hawkins includes a character in the “have not” category and TWIST! She’s not afraid to make the reader question EVERY character and ask, “Who can be trusted here?”
Reckless is a breath of vindictive, vengeance-themed reading at the perfect time for me (post break-up, kinda in a “men suck” fugue). Everything happens in the last 30% of this book (no spoilers) so hang in for THAT ride and hold on tight. The anticipation, the suspense building in the first 70% is palpable and sets you up for all the weird feels you’ll have in the finale.
𝗔𝗹𝗹 𝗺𝘆 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄𝘀 𝗮𝘃𝗮𝗶𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗮𝘁 𝗦𝗰𝗿𝗮𝗽𝗽𝘆𝗠𝗮𝗴𝘀.𝗰𝗼𝗺 𝗮𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗽𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻.
📚𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐞: Mystery, Thriller, Psychological
😍𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨: Anyone who likes a good ol’ “hmmm, did they deserve that?” tale. Book clubs, fans of the genre. Especially good if you’ve had it up to here with lying dudes.
🙅♀️ 𝐍𝐨𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨: I suppose some might not like some anti-hero with their coffee. Easily offended rich people.
Thank you to the author, NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for my advanced copy in exchange for my always-honest review and for making me feel better about dumping my idiot boyfriend.
