Book Review: Reckless by Lauren Roberts

 

Reckless by Lauren Roberts

Quote: 

"Tell me you hate me, and I'll still count every heartbeat, every freckle, every shiver of your body, only if you say it with a smile. I may be a monster, but if you cut me, I'll bleed. And if you break my heart, Pae, you'll break me. So, if even a silver of your soul longs for mine, I'll spend the rest of my life trying to deserve it."  

 

Blurb:  Ordinary-born Paedyn Gray has killed the King, and kick-started a Resistance throughout the land. Now she's running from the one person she wanted to run to. 

Kai Azer is now Ilya's Enforcer, loyal to his brother Kitt, the new King. He has vowed to find Paedyn and bring her to justice. 

Across the deadly Scorched, and deep into the hostile city of Dor, Kai pursues the one person he wishes he didn't have to. But in a city without Elites, the balance between the hunter and hunted shifts. How far will he go for duty, and what will she do to survive?

Book Tropes: 

• Enemies to Lovers
• Forbidden Love
• Morally Gray Characters
• Slow Burn
• The "Hunter & Hunted" Dynamic
• Cliffhanger Ending
• Young-Adult Fantasy
• Book 2 in Trilogy

My Personal Views: 

Reckless is the second book in the Powerless Trilogy by Lauren Roberts. The first book, Powerless, was one of my five-star reads last year, so naturally, I had high hopes—and a lot of excitement—for the sequel. Unfortunately, I didn’t enjoy the second book as much as I loved the first.

In Reckless, the story continues to follow Paedyn Grey and Kai Azer (my man!). Paedyn is on the run from Kai, the enforcer of Ilya, after killing not only the king of Ilya but also his father. How will she save herself? And how will she deal with her growing feelings for the man hunting her down?

Reading about Paedyn and Kai is always a treat, and that remains true here. Their chemistry is indescribable—it's beyond words. Kai Azer already has my heart, and the forbidden love brewing between them only amplifies their connection. Both characters have held a special place in my heart since the first book.

That said, my main issue with Reckless lies in Lauren Roberts' writing. I became such a fan of her writing style after Powerless—it was magical and flawless. But in this book, that magic feels absent. I don’t know what changed—did she switch editors?—but she needs to bring back that spark.

I noticed the same issue in Powerful (an extension of the first book-Powerless). The "magic" in her storytelling seems to be missing in her last two books. At times, the writing feels forced, as if she’s trying too hard instead of letting it flow naturally.

Now, about the plot: the first book had an incredible, well-paced storyline. This time, though, the plot felt less impactful. A significant portion of the book is spent with Paedyn and Kai either chasing each other or running away. It felt repetitive and dragged in places.

But all of that fades away in the last few chapters. That confession scene?

Oh. My. God.

Their final moments together in the poppy field? Pure perfection. The confessions, the anger, the monologue, their raw emotions—everything was executed beautifully. Lauren’s old magic shines through in these chapters, and it reminded me why I fell in love with her writing in the first place. And that cliffhanger?

Oh. My. God.

I cannot wait for the final book in the series, Fearless, releasing next year. I’m counting down the days until I can get my hands on it. I just know it’s going to be epic!

Ratings: ⭐⭐⭐/ 5

Until the next read,

Aditi.