A really smart small town romance with a heroine worth rooting for. Sydney’s relationship with her mom was especially endearing, and I really enjoyed how she got the gruff mechanic, Sam, to open up.

The ending felt a little fast for my liking and I would have loved to see a few things fleshed out a bit more, but overall, Wild Love is an excellent start to a new series!

This was such a great read. I really enjoyed the characters and I could picture Sam and Sydney perfectly. If you love romance and books about books I would highly recommend grabbing this one! Thank netgalley for my free copy.

In this rugged romance, city girl Sydney returns home to the wilderness of Pine Ridge in disgrace, another victim to the “gave up a promising (law) career for a man who ended up cheating on me” theme. The meet cute has to do with her car being in need of repair. She ends up taking over her scattered mother’s failing bookstore (another trope), turning it into a local hotspot and tourist destination that specializes in romance novels that I would LOVE to visit.

Meanwhile, Sydney is wildly attracted to and trying to avoid falling for the bearded hottie she dubs “Mountain Man” who has a pile of baggage—Sam’s been supporting and parenting a former lover through her addiction struggles and needs to present a front that Liv has a support system or she’ll lose her kid.

The novel seems like fluff at first glance, perpetuating stereotypes about calorie counting women, but sucking down beers and chili burgers and still throwing on her running shoes while cleaning up the books develop Sydney into a well-rounded character. Solid female friendships further strengthen the novel as Sydney makes friends with the (shop)girl next door Jorie, repairs her relationship with her mother, and creates a sanctuary for local women. Recommended for larger library collections and romance readers who like their novels trope filled and a little meta.

I received an advance reader review copy of #WildLove from #NetGalley.

This premise is my small-town romance dream. After discovering her boyfriend cheating, a trip to Pine Ridge to visit her mother is the escape Sydney needs. While using her time to help her mother dig the local bookstore out of bankruptcy, a complicated attraction develops on the side with the rugged, mountain-man Sam Kirkland.

With the tension between Sydney and Sam truly palpable from the beginning, I adored this slow burn romance. From the healing relationship with her mother, to the friendships formed with secondary characters, I fell absolutely in love with Sydney finding her place in Pine Ridge.

And that’s why I’m conflicted. While there was plenty I loved, I had a difficult time with the conflict keeping Sydney and Sam apart. As Sam is tied heavily to a past promise, it was a strange dynamic to completely understand and support. With it being such a big source of drama within the story, it seemed too easily resolved in the end.

Oh wow! what a fun, banter filled, charming book. I loved this hate- to love small town romance. It had the perfect amount of adventure, laughter, and chaos. It had wonderful character development and awesome secondary characters. I am excited to start reading book two!
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The glass perspired under her grip, the droplets freezing the skin of her hands as the icy beer chilled the glass. She glanced around the bar and watched as people came and went, talked with each other, watched the game on the television. A soft snow fell outside as she smiled to herself, a warmth in her heart counteracting the cold of her drink. These people, this place… she finally feels like she belongs. She turns to lock eyes with the newest customer walking in the bar and her stomach flutters… he catches her eye and grins. She belongs here and he is her home.

Wild Love is a debut novel by Lauren and I’m thoroughly impressed! I was immediately drawn into the book when the main character, Sydney, was shouting at a football game on tv. Her character instantly felt like a friend.
A small town in the mountains, a failing bookstore, and a group of friends that feel like family, and you got a great recipe for a book.

Now, while I loved the characters and the setting, there were some conflicts and circumstances that felt a bit odd to me. I didn’t like that Sam, the other main character, had a problem with people drinking yet would be drinking himself. It was just hypocritical. I understood his past and the scenarios he was involved in, but that just rubbed me the wrong way… especially with the book’s final conflict.

If you’re a fan of small town romances, you may want to check this one out! I’m looking forward to reading the rest of the series.

WILD LOVE is the first book in the FOREVER ADIRONDACKS series and the debut novel by Lauren Accardo. I look forward to reading more in this series as well as more of her books.

When Sydney runs to her mother in the Adirondacks after catching her cheating boyfriend in their New York City apartment, things don’t go exactly as planned. She and her mother have always had their differences, but her longer than expected stay opens her eyes to why her mother did some of the things she did.

Sydney decides to help her mom resuscitate her bookstore that’s on the verge of being closed. When her ideas pan out better than expected, it’s like Sydney is reinventing herself as well as the bookstore. She’s making friends and becoming part of the community. If only her ex would stop trying to contact her.

Sydney and Sam, a mechanic in town, share some definite sparks, and it seems like Sydney might be starting a new romance. They both have a lot of baggage, but Sydney’s excessive drinking might be the one thing they can’t overcome.

The vivid descriptions of the small town and small town life really add to the story, in addition to wonderful characters that bring the story to life. The bookstore, and especially the romance books, play a major role in the plot. An uplifting romance with a colorful and gorgeous cover.

What a fun, witty, and charming book. Wild Love was just the type of romance book I needed to read. It gave me the perfect amount of adventure, amount of laughter, amount of chaos, and amount of romance.  
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Both main characters have a lot of baggage which we found out throughout the book. I wish there was a bit more at the beginning to really get to understand the characters but it all works out and makes sense.  
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Additionally, I cannot wait for book 2 as I’m really excited to read more about Jared, the mechanics brother.  
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Rating:  
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Thank you @netgalley & @berkelypub for the ARC in exchange of my honest review.  
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Get your copy of Wild Love now! Then stay tuned for book 2 out this fall!

The cover alone had me racing to read this one. (It reminds me a little of K.A. Tucker's Simple Wild series.) Plus it has a bookstore! I was sold on those two things alone. City girl down on her luck moves to a remote mountain town to save her mother's bookstore and ends up falling for the rough and tumble (and brooding, of course) mountain man. A very enjoyable read, but without much that made it memorable. Felt like reading a Hallmark or Lifetime movie, which at times I would just prefer to watch rather than read. Still, if that's your thing this is worth adding to your list.

I had a hard time deciding how to rate this book; there were many aspects of it I enjoyed but there were a lot of aspects that left me with questions so I feel like it was unfinished. I enjoyed this VERY small town romance and the characters including the quirky town residents, but to be honest I wanted more from this book.

Sydney Walsh finds her long time boyfriend banging a woman in their apartment and in their bed. She leaves New York City for the town of Pine Ridge in the Adirondacks of New York where her mother currently lives. Sydney quite frankly is a bit of a mess; she has a law degree but a year ago she left her firm and spent the time being the best girlfriend to her successful boyfriend (basically being arm candy). There was a bit of a hint that she had worked herself into a bad spot, but it was never really discussed and to be honest it needed to be because she ditches law totally, she apparently has no money to her name (?), and decides to revamp her mother’s failing bookstore in the small town. It all just felt “off” and like there was something big missing from the story because of it. On her first night in town after knocking back a couple of beers in a bar waiting for food she literally backs into Sam Kirkland the town’s mechanic and all around good guy.

Sydney and Sam don’t really get off on the best foot mainly because they are both fighting the attraction between them. Sydney is still reeling and likes the way Sam makes her feel but worries it’s wrong on the heels of her break-up. Sam fights it because he’s dedicated himself to a woman and her child because he feels gratitude to what she did for his dying mom and because he sees himself in the young boy. It takes way to long for that situation to come to a head especially when the woman was trying to remain sober for her son and not because she wanted to. This could have really been a great look at alcoholism and the consequences and treatment but it was glossed over and just became this big fog over what could have been a nice romance.

I did love that Sydney decided to turn her Mom’s bookstore into one that promoted romance books when she discovered so many people in the town enjoyed them as well as the tourists. I enjoyed watching Sydney and Sam’s friendship grow and turn into more. It was fun watching Sydney be accepted into the town and I was happy that she and her mother found their footing with one another which led to a much better relationship and a lot of understanding. I just found the actual romance lacking which was sad considering the whole romance bookstore theme, the time they spent together was in secret because of the promise Sam had made to his woman friend and considering most of the town realized something was happening between them I had to wonder why? Again that whole situation was dragged out way too long and instead of a satisfying romance, this was more of a small town women’s fiction novel with sex.

I’ve read a lot of first novels; some fantastic, some awful, and quite a few that were pretty good and that’s where Wild Love fell. I enjoyed the book but unfortunately the lack of character development, the lack of actual romance, and the unanswered questions left me feeling like something was missing. That being said, there was enough about this town that peaked my interest and I’d be happy to read the next book in this series.

Wasn't for me. The plot involving addiction felt judgmental and I wasn't held by the story. The writing was strong, but otherwise a miss for me.

I so badly wanted to love this one! I love contemporary romances with small towns set in beautiful places, and the synopsis sounded right up my alley. Unfortunately I could not get past the fatphobia and obvious fat shaming. That isn't even a trigger for me, but it really irked me in this book. I will try the authors second book in this series and hope for better results. DNF

Finally! Finally! A contemporary romance that partially takes place during autumn. Wild Love by Lauren Accardo caught my eye based on the cover and the foliage gracing the background. Friends I was so excited to pick this book up and read the heck out of it. Another vastly appealing part of it was that it's set in the Adirondacks which is about an hour from where I live. Books with settings that are practically my backyard always appeal to me.

Wild Love is about Sydney Walsh and Sam Kirkland. Sydney was living in New York City until she walks in on her boyfriend Connor cheating on her with some blonde. So, she escapes to stay with her mother in Pine Ridge, a small town in the Adirondacks. Sydney happens to run into Sam's car with her car and it turns out there are sparks there. However, Sam cannot act on those sparks as he feels he owes another woman. Meanwhile, Sydney learns that her mother is on the brink of bankruptcy with the bookstore she owns, The Loving Page. So, Sydney pours her energy into trying to bring The Loving Page out of the red. She's also adjusting to life in Pine Ridge versus the City.

There is a lot to like about Wild Love. The setting and description of the setting is perfect. I loved the residents of Pine Ridge and the group of friends that Sydney happens to find - particularly Jorie who is awesome. The spice level -- the adult scenes -- are really well written. This is kind of a good start if you are looking to read spicy books but don't want to fully commit. I really loved the chemistry between Sydney and Sam. However, I felt like the parts about Sam's commitment to the other woman, Liv was just illogical. Like he feels like he owes her because she was a hospice nurse who helped his mother before she passed. That's called doing her job and I just don't get it.

Then we learn that Liv is an alcoholic and pretending to be partnered with Sam to get her son back, but there's no feelings between them but then there somewhat is on Liv's side? That part was all a mess and I hated how judgmental the book was toward Liv and her addiction issues. I think even though this is romance, we can have nuance. It exists in plenty of romance novels. And well, to me, that part was just so shallow. So, I had to knock off a star, but otherwise, this was a decent book and I am sure I'll be back for the second Forever Adirondacks book from Lauren Accardo.

This was a very nice book! I really enjoyed the small town aspect of the novel and the romance was super sweet! I’m excited to read more books in this series!

New book in a series! If you love Hallmark movies, you’ll love this one! Sydney moves back home to upstate NY with her mom and literally runs into local mechanic Sam. While living there she ends up helping her mom at the bookstore. This book has a fun cast of characters and a sweet romance, recommended!

I seem to be on a streak of reading non-NYC, NY books - this was my third in a row! I really enjoyed this book - it had a strong sense of place and it made me really want to visit the Adirondacks. One of my favorite lines in the book is when Jared (Sam's brother) tells Sydney "You gotta stop fighting the cheesy-Hallmark-movie town that is Pine Ridge, Syd.". Up to that point I'd been thinking it was a town with strong Hallmark vibes, but way more complicated people and issues! The wrench in the relationship between Sam and Sydney was definitely never one I've encountered before, but I was really glad that she was as supportive of Sam as he was of her. In fact, the majority of the characters were so very supportive of each other it was amazing (Hallmark again!), and I'm very much looking forward to future books in the series and by this author.

Wild Love by Lauren Accardo is book 1 in the Forever Adirondacks series. This also is Lauren’s debut novel, so I'm definitely will be reading more from this author. If you love Hallmark or romance Lifetime movies, then Wildl Love is for you. Everything about the plot, the small town vibe and sweet romance and angst, is the perfect weekend read.

TW: alcoholism; fatphobia

City girl runs away to country life and meets grumpy, complicated dude. Sounds good right? I’m realizing more and more that as much as I want to love this dynamic, I haven’t seen it done right often.

I started not liking where this was headed when they were both essentially each other’s red flags from the beginning but it was never addressed. She’s drinking a bit too much and he has a complicated history with alcoholics. He’s in a weird dynamic with his ex that makes him emotionally unavailable and she’s just been cheated on by her ex. So why the attraction?

Then it really went downhill for me when their first sex scene was outside... in upstate New York winter. No, nothing is hot about that. The conflict at the end also felt forced and the factors keeping them apart (according to them) really were flimsy.

Throw in some fat phobic language that’s never corrected in narrative and a weird one off transphobic line that may (hopefully) not be in the final draft, and this flopped for me.

Wild Love is a debut novel so I went into it not knowing exactly what to expect but was mostly pleased with what I found. Sam and Sydney pulled me into their lives pretty quickly. I enjoyed the snappy banter between them and the friction that gave way to chemistry then, finally, deep feelings. Sam is such a good guy, deeply loyal and honorable. I understood the commitment he had made that prevented him from pursuing a relationship with Sydney but I was so angry with the character who took advantage of his loyalty, even as I was conflicted over my anger. Good character development there.

I enjoyed Sydney's journey, especially the evolution of her complicated relationship with her mother, and the self-reflection and growth that eventually brought her to the point where she understood and embraced the who, what, and where that brought her the most happiness. I became deeply invested in Sam and Sydney, both individually and as a couple. I hope we see their relationship continue to evolve in future books as, for me, the ending of Wild Love was a bit abrupt. Or maybe I just wasn't ready to say goodbye. I want more page time for this couple without the stress of a toxic individual between them. And I want to know why Sydney's mom calls her Suds.

The author's descriptive details brought the small town of Pine Ridge to life, including the forests, rivers, Sydney's mom's bookstore and other local businesses (picture one of those adorable, rustic, mountain towns in Hallmark movies). And many of her secondary characters added charm, a bit of quirkiness, and potential for future stories. I'm especially eager for Sam's brother, Jared's story. His book, Sweet Love, is scheduled to be released September 28, 2021.

If you're looking for a heartwarming, slightly spicy, small-town romance that tackles some serious topics and launches a new series, give this one a try. I enjoyed it enough to return to the Adirondacks for the next book in Lauren Accardo's Forever Adirondacks series.

Content Warning: Alcoholism
*ARC received for fair and unbiased review

Great setting and characters. There was a realistic dynamic between mother and daughter. Sydney arrives in Pine Ridge to escape her cheating ex-boyfriend. When Sydney starts helping out in her mother's bookstore, she faces a new challenge in trying to make it viable. She also meets Sam who provides a major distraction from her failed relationship in the city. But Sam has some complicating factors in his life...