Reckless

Dauntless Island #3

by Lisa Henry, J.A. Rock

227 pages, Kindle Edition

Expected publication October 5, 2026

About the author

I like to tell stories. Mostly with hot guys and happily ever afters. They gotta work for it though. No free lunches on my watch.

Reviews

[Dani]

I swear that with every Dauntless Island book my urge to go live there gets stronger! A remote island with barely any people sounds blissful...

Robbie was so worryingly naive around his health and wellbeing, and it was pretty sad when he was deliberately putting himself into such dangerous situations. His struggle to understand himself and his needs was hard, but seeing him figure things out was really great to see. I hated the last time he went to Newcastle because it was escalated to the most reckless behaviour all because he couldn't have a conversation!!!

Alastair was funny with his tea obsession (I'm English, I totally get it) and his journey to working out how to open up to a partner was a fun one to be on. I loved the way he took care of Robbie, but that he also learnt how to let Robbie take care of him too. His bewilderment at being paid for his medical services with crabs and tomatoes was really funny, but it was devastating seeing him there for Anna's end of life care. I absolutely cried my eyes out...

Their relationship was definitely a quiet one, but I liked how low key everything was for them because it really suited who they are as people. There was no announcement or gossip, just a solid acceptance by Mavis in the briefest interrogation she's ever conducted.

Button John continues to amuse me endlessly and I really, really hope that he'll be getting a book of his own!!

The next book up though... I am VERY curious to see what happens because I was not expecting that MC at all!!!

*****
I received an ARC of this book from Lisa Henry, and this is my honest review

[PalenMisha]

I haven't read the other 2 Dauntless Island books and had no issues with this lovely read so I'd say it can safely be read as a stand alone. I did like this enough I'll have to go back and check out the other 2.

There was some really good character development in this one and I really liked following along as Robbie and Alastair both worked out what they wanted in a relationship. They were wonderful together and I really liked that they took the time to talk to each other and just be themselves in each other's company.

There is a healthy dose of hurt/comfort and grief in this story which was really well written (and made me cry a couple times). This was because a secondary character dies due to cancer so please take care if this is something you need to pass on.

Definitely worth reading if you like a relationship that develops across multiple interactions (vs insta-love) and like when love interests see the person underneath what the rest of the world gets to see.

[Heather Brocklehurst]

As always, Dauntless Island is such a gentle place & this was a nice gentle read. Robbie is very quiet & almost naive in a lot of ways, and had no idea there was another way he could get what he needed. Alistair, a newcomer to the island, was more than happy to show Robbie & they quietly & gently fell in love. Can't wait to go back to Dauntless island for the next book!

I was lucky to receive an arc of this book and this is my honest review.

[Edga]

I love this series with my whole heart, and I highly recommend the first two books if you haven’t already read them yet. Reckless by Lisa Henry and J.A. Rock is such a lovely tale and completely blew me away.
My absolute favourite part of the book is how Alistair and Robbie come together (unintentional pun 😉) and grow as a couple. Their relationship is beautifully written and definitely isn't a case of insta love. Instead, they take their time, allowing you to see how they truly help each other change for the better. What makes them so good for one another is how perfectly they balance each other out. Robbie has a vulnerability that opens Alistair’s heart, while Alistair provides a safe, steady anchor for Robbie. They meet each other exactly where they are without judgment, and their incredible communication allows them to heal from past wounds together.
Fair warning though, this is a super emotional story and a real tear jerker. Be aware that there is a deeply sad death from cancer that broke my heart. However, Alistair is simply the best, despite the clinical detachment you might expect from a doctor, he is incredibly kind and caring throughout the entire ordeal.
The side characters are also as wonderful as ever. I adore Button John, and I love the islanders' pragmatic attitude toward life. Plus, the way Lisa and J.A. describe the setting makes me want to pack my bags, up sticks, and move there right now!
Even though it’s a sad story in places, the ending is gorgeous, heartwarming, and happy. It left me feeling happy for the guys and quietly content. A massive five stars from me!

[Laura Chambers]

It is so good to be back on Dauntless. I love this island and the characters. Reckless is the 3rd book in Lisa Henry and J.A. Rock's Dauntless Island series. I absolutely loved this installment.

Robbie is a local farmer on the island along with his sister. Alastair is new to the island and just setting up his medical clinic. He’s a soft spoken physician who used to work as an ER doctor but came to Dauntless looking for a change. As usual, the locals are wary of him like they are with every newcomer.

Alastair was previously married. He husband passed away but their marriage was ending at the time of the accident. Alastair is still working through all of that.

Every month Robbie would go to the mainland for sex. He knows he likes his partners to be dominating but not really why. When Alastair begins to show him all about a D/s dynamic it’s eye opening.

Robbie is such a sweet soul. We need to protect him. Both men are so sad. They think they are alone. They needed time to discover they aren’t alone, especially with each other.

I loved how the romance between Alastair and Robbie was soft and quiet but kept getting stronger. There was so much gentleness in their story.

TW: there is an on-page death of a secondary character. It is in several chapters. Please take care of yourself if that may be hard.

This book broke me and then put me back together and I loved it!

Thanks to the authors for providing an ARC and this is my honest review.

[Leandra]

I haven't read the first two books in the series, but I never felt like I was missing important information. This book works well as a standalone, so you can definitely enjoy it without having read the previous installments.

Dauntless Island is a really interesting setting with a cast of very individual and intriguing characters. I would have loved to get to know some of them better, although maybe that's something that happens in the previous books.

One thing that didn't quite work for me was the development of Robbie and Alastair's relationship. The transition from barely knowing each other, to having sex, to developing deeper feelings felt a little too quick and wasn't always completely understandable to me. This was especially noticeable because the book uses dual POV and gives us plenty of insight into both characters' thoughts and feelings. I would have liked a little more development in between these stages.

That said, Robbie and Alastair worked really well together in their own quiet and understated way. I enjoyed their dynamic and how they gradually became important to each other.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and the world of Dauntless Island. Despite a few things that didn't completely work for me, it was an engaging and enjoyable read, and I think I will now read Book 1 and 2.

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Dual POV
Strangers-to-lovers
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Thank you to the author for the ARC

[Lee Pederson]

Reckless is the third book in the Dauntless Island series, and follows Dr Alastair Jones as he arrives on the small island, seeking a quiet new beginning after the death of his husband. He meets Robbie Finch, a closed off farmer and native islander, who has been periodically leaving the island to fulfil his rough desires with strangers. After a chance encounter uncovers Robbie's secrets, Alastair wonders if they would be able to give the other what they each want, while keeping Robbie safe. Can Robbie unravel his desires while maintaining his carefully constructed place within the tightknit community? Can Alastair truly reckon with his past and give himself the grace he needs to open himself up again?

The story evokes the isolation and insularity of a remote island community, populated with colourful characters and animals. The dual POV weaves a picture of the evolving connection between Robbie and Alastair, and the challenges and joy of opening oneself up to love. Reckless is a tender and vulnerable story of growth from pain, intimacy and connection, and finding love in unexpected places.

[Andrea Smedley]

I love everything these authors do and this series set on a remote Australian island has me enthralled. It's a quieter book than books 1 and 2, as the leads are a bit quieter and more serious themselves. But that doesn't make it less impactful. It really strikes home about the reality of living in a small place, and how the people are all there for each other. Anna's situation made me cry, as it is so true to life and heartfelt. And Robbie and Alastair's journey to their own relationship is beautifully done. Glad to know there is more to come in this series and like others, I really think Button John needs his own story, ideally with someone to take charge of him and help him come into his own!
I received an ARC

[Vicki]

It’s always a pleasure retuning to Dauntless Island and this time farmer Robbie gets his story told. Robbie finds that he needs the services of the new “incomer” doctor Alastair after one of his monthly trips to the mainland gives him more than he bargained for. The connection between doesn’t take long to morph into more anda good mix of sweet and spicy times soon follow. These two very likeable men manage to find their way to an HEA without much interference from the locals at all. That doesn’t mean that the locals didn’t have me smirking at some of their antics as they are prone to do. This heartwarming read had happy mixed with grief but left me smiling at the end.

[Tanya Blue]

Dauntless Island is an interesting place. They wish the government would leave them alone. First, they send a copper then a doctor. What next a teacher? Robbie doesn't understand his needs, so once a month he takes the ferry to Newcastle to find someone to beat the crap out of him to get off. The last time he came back with a little something extra. A quick trip to the new doctor for antibiotics and that is cleared up. Alastair sees something special in Robbie, and his mission is to get Robbie to be kind to himself. He introduces a new way for Robbie to get his needs met without being harmed. The D/s relationship is definitely on the light side, but it gets the job done.

[Helen Smith]

Reckless is the third book in the Dauntless Island series. When I first started the series, it didn't really resonate with me, but it grew on me with each new book in the series. In Reckless, Robbie and Alastair's story was laced with a pervasive sense of melancholy and loss. The story was surprisingly introspective, but although it wasn't my usual fare, I really enjoyed it thanks to the excellent writing by the authors. I enjoyed the power dynamic between the two MCs, and seeing all of the Dauntless islanders again was a lot of fun, especially Button John.

[Lauren]

Robbie is a farmer on dauntless Island who lives a quiet life, barely speaking to those around him. Once a month he visits the mainland to get what he can't on the island, until a new doctor arrives on the island and shows him he doesnt need to be risky to get what he wants. This was a lovely hurt/comfort story with a second chance at love for Alistair and a chance for Robbie to find someone who gets him better than he does himself. This was my first dauntless Island read and I will be catching up on the first 2 novels while waiting for the next one.

[CatOnABlueBackground]

Farmer/milkman Robbie and the new doctor Alistair are attracted to each other. As they get closer, Robbie figures out that he doesn't need to go to the mainland to get what he needs. Dr. Alistair has a much easier time assimilating to the island than the cop (from the previous book) did.

Lots of old friends from the other Dauntless books are here, and a bit of kinky spice. These islanders are always so interesting to read about.