For fans of Virgin River (but way less depressing), "Wild Love" is a captivating, steamy novel about a woman who flees her life in New York City to the small town where she grew up. Full of lovable characters that you'll wish were your neighbors, this will be a quick read for anyone who enjoys a love story. Highly recommend!

2.5 Stars

I just finished Wild Love and I'm still sitting here smiling. With my track record lately, seems everything I open turns into a flop. So I was wicked excited when the book immediately caught my attention and then kept it. Sam and Sydney were a cute, sweet, fun, and low angst read. I'm so glad I took a chance on this new author.

Speaking of Sam and Sydney, I adored the crap out of this duo. I couldn't get enough of them and was a little sad there was no epilogue. After that ending, I needed more. I wanted more. Don't worry, it's all good; although, a bit underwhelming. After all that Olivia crap, I just wanted to see them a few years down the road living their best life. Hopefully, since this is the first book in the series, I'll get to see more of them in future books.

I also really loved the small town vibe where everyone knows everyone, and being up in your business is their jam. You know what that means, right? *wink, wink*

Oh! And there was a bookstore with book club readings!! After Sam and Sydney, this may have been my favorite part!!

I do have to say, I struggled a bit with was the whole Liv storyline. For those wondering, this isn't OW drama, per se. While she plays a role in Sam's life, it isn't how you would think. Think more along the lines of a white knight type friend than anything romantic. Her part in the store felt drawn out and I was over it by 50%. Probably because I wanted all things Sam and Sydney and anything that kept them apart was of no use to me.

There were a few loose ends that weren't really explained or flushed out, such as how Liv got the photo of Jared taking care of Sydney. The characters could have been developed a bit more, but what Accardo had made for good bones.

Anyway, I thought it was a good debut! I'll definitely try another by this author.

4.5 Stars - Top Pick

Wild Love is the first book in the Forever Adirondacks series by Lauren Accardo. The story takes place in the small town of Pine Ridge, located in the Adirondack Mountains of Upstate New York.

Sydney Walsh flees New York City after catching her fiancé in bed with another woman. The only safe person she can think to run to is her mom who lives in the small-town Pine Ridge in upstate New York. On her first night in town, she stops at a local hangout to get takeout food. She meets a few locals, one of whom, Sam Kirkland, she backs into.

While in town, she decides to be useful and help her mom run her small bookstore. Sydney tries to make sense of the bills and while going through papers she finds that her mother, who was never a good businesswoman, is about to end up in bankruptcy. Since she feels she has no life back in New York City she decides to embark on a plan to get her mother’s quirky bookstore back in the black. Concurrently, Sam is drawn to Sydney but has challenges in his life which keep him from acting on his attraction.

This story starts out as a simple one of girl catches boyfriend cheating, runs away, finds someone new, and lives happily ever after. However, this story’s characters and situations are far more complex. They each have issues to overcome, and it makes the story much more compelling.

I really enjoyed reading about people overcoming difficulties in life. The author handled these situations with authentic feelings from the characters. They did not always react in the “perfect” way and that made them more relatable. I enjoyed the character’s senses of humor and funny situations they sometimes found themselves in. I think the author built a solid cast of supporting characters in this book, too. I think the follow up books in this series will be great if she continues to involve these people.

I highly recommend this book. It is truly a great story. There is great chemistry between the main characters, and they do burn it up in the sheets. The love scenes are not overly plentiful but are fairly graphic.

-Andrea

rating: 3.5/5 (rounded up)

Set in upstate NY, WILD LOVE is a sweet romance between two opposites who find love in the most unlikely circumstances.

I enjoyed seeing Sydney discover herself again, as she finds what actually makes her happy and finds peace with her past. And though Sam was fighting his own demons, he was the perfect support for Sydney on her journey.

this is the quintessential small town romance - town events, townspeople who get involved in everyone’s business, and a bit of drama.

I do feel like the drama pulled away from the romance a bit at the end, but overall I enjoyed this book!

I devoured this book very quickly. I was absolutely swept up in the small town vibe, the characters’s stories and fell head over heels for Sam. Funny, kind-hearted, super sexy Sam.

I felt like Sydney and Sam were very well flushed out characters. Their backstories were deep and their character flaws had depth. I really enjoyed both of their self-development journeys and the story itself moved at a good, fast pace.

The setting of Pine Ridge is so idyllic! I could absolutely imagine everything.

The romance was a very slow burn kind of romance that erupted into very open door kind of scenes. I want to highlight the way the intimate scenes were written. I read quite a bit of romance and find that it is still rare to discover more realistic intimate scenes. I thought the author did a really great job at incorporating all the things I care about: consensual exploration and a good portrayal of female orgasms (cause seriously there are some terrible ones out there).

Definitely one of my favourite romances this year. If you liked The Simple Wild but sort of felt like Jonah was too much of a douche at the start, you’ll like Sam so much more! Same small town, backwoods vibes but not petty.

Thank you @berkleypub @berkleyromance for sending this e-arc my way.

I’m not sure how I feel about this one. I don’t think it’s quite worthy of two stars, but it’s not deserving of three, so I’m thinking this is a 2.5-2.75. I saw some goodreads reviews comparing Wild Love to the Simple Wild, and when I heard that I clicked. ASAP. But frankly I’m disappointed in Wild Love.

I thought it started off strong with Sydney returning home to Pine Ridge. Her initial meet cute with Sam, aka running into his car, was fun, but I never quite felt the connection. The story felt very surface level. I was constantly wanting more from the interactions between Sydney and her mom and Sydney and Sam but I never felt invested in the romance. Quite honestly felt very stock romance like. I think the story had potential, but alas, it never did anything for me, and I read the last page feeing very meh.

Thanks to Berkley and Netgalley for an advanced copy of Wild Love by Lauren Accardo.

A small mountain town in upstate New York is the perfect setting for this small town romance with a little bit of a forbidden romance element and a grumpy mountain man.

Sydney has just left NYC after she finds her boyfriend cheating on her and escapes to Pine Ridge where her mom has a small bookstore in this mountain town. Seeing that her mom's bookstore is so close to closing, she decides to revamp it to try to save it. On her first night she has a run in with Sam, a local mechanic who has made a promise to his past so he can't date, but sparks are flying between the two.

I love the small town and the neighbors and friends that rally to help Sydney with the bookstore. This book had a few steamy parts too. One of the major plots was around alcoholism. This has a little bit of a R rated Hallmarky feel to it.

I'm excited this is book one in the series and there will be more to come from this town!

I had no idea what to expect when I picked up this book. I had once again gone on a #Netgalley requesting spree when this one landed on my shelf. And I’m so glad it did.

This book was wonderful. I read it in less than 24 hours and never wanted to put it down (I’ll be making up work for the next two days because of it).

What starts out as a heartbreaking story about a woman having her trust broken as she discovers her live-in boyfriend is cheating on her, this book turns into one about self-discovery, love, and reconnecting with not only yourself but with family as well.

OH! And there’s a bookstore involved. I’m starting to sense a theme with the books I request…

Overall, I definitely recommend this one. The only reason I didn’t give it a full five stars is because I wanted a bit more from the ending. I would have loved an epilogue or something. We find out exciting news about a minor character, but the main character never actually finds out about this news as far as readers know.

Additionally, I would have loved a BIT more background on the two main characters. What readers do learn makes sense and it all works well for the story – we learn the parts we need in order to understand what’s going on. But each character is more than these specific events that have taken place in their lives, and I would have loved to hear more stories about their pasts to help round out their characterization a bit more. Even still, like I said, it all works great.

I loved this title and would love to visit the bookstore! Sydney was a great character, as was Sam. Jorie is the best friend we didn't know we needed. The characters were likable, relatable, and the story dealt with serious issues as well as seriously hot chemistry. My readers will love it!

This was a great debut from Lauren Accardo!! A sweet small town, opposites attract romance that had me hooked from the very start! A classic romcom storyline of the fancy city girl down on her luck and returning to the small town where she meets the hot, sweet guy in flannel 😍 But, Accardo takes it to the next level with some very deep storylines of alcoholism, child custody, and money struggles. Oh, and some very steamy moments!! Sam was basically a dream man and I absolutely loved the bookstore storyline!!

While I felt like the magic of the romance was lost in the side stories/drama, I did finish it in less than 24 hours, so it’s safe to say that I really enjoyed it!

Thanks to @berkleyromance for the gifted ebook in exchange for my honest review!!

Thank you to Netgalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the ARC.

🌟🌟🌟🌟 4/5 stars

Wild Love is a sweet, banter-filled hate-to-love, small town romance. After walking in on her boyfriend cheating on her, Sydney escapes to the small town of Pine Ridge, where her mom resides. When she discovers her mom’s bookstore is in trouble, she decides to stay in town and try to save it. In between revamping the store and turning it into a romance book store and club, she begins to fall for the brooding town mechanic, Sam.

That plot is basically crack for a romance reader. Wild Love was so easy to read and I loved the characters of Sydney and Sam. You quickly become invested in their romance and the town. It was The Simple Wild by K.A. Tucker set in a Hallmark Channel-esque town and I could not stop reading.

Overall, Wild Love is an entertaining, charming romance. Give me the sequel. I checked to make sure it is about Jared and it is. Bless.

ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Full review to be posted closer to release date.

Lots of fun and a very cute story line! I thoroughly enjoyed this well written contemporary romantic comedy, with just enough drama to lend a touch a reality to the plot.

This book was like potto chips - I couldn’t put it down until I’d read the whole thing! Compelling, addicting, and oh boy do I want Ms Accardo to write more (and quickly!). I want The Loving Page to be my lock bookstore, but with less snow. Hurrah for a glowing new voice in romance!

Is there anything more exciting than finding a new author and a new series to love?!

That’s how I felt about Wild Love. The writing was so smooth and effortless. I fell easily into the story and was hooked by the authentic dialogue and snappy banter (my favorite). It was smart and engaging and I felt wholly wrapped up in this world with these characters. I would never have guessed this was a debut romance as it lit my heart up in all the ways I love: fluttering, aching, and filled with happiness. I was so impressed, so delighted, and so utterly charmed with this story!

Sydney and Sam were so easy to love. Their burn was slow, but the chemistry sparked between them immediately and I loved the heartfelt relationship they built while their physical attraction simmered. Sam was a nearly perfect hero – gruff, sexy, and unexpectedly sweet. But honestly it was Sydney who stole the show for me. It’s sometimes so hard to connect with heroines, but Sydney was the kind of person with whom I want to be best friends. A little bit broken, but with a whole lot of fight left in her and – more importantly – a whole lot of heart. I was crazy about her.

I also appreciated the secondary characters in here. Notably Sydney’s relationship with her mom – which was sweet and candid and, like so much of this story, felt so authentic to me. I also loved the friendships and the small town charm.

There were a couple of areas (particularly toward the end) where I felt like the pacing picked up and some things were glossed over. I also would have liked Sam’s personal situation (the main conflict in the story) fleshed out a little more (and maybe a little nod to the mental health toll that he was dealing with). It got a little bit choppy – but not at the sacrifice of my love for any of these people. I really enjoyed my time with these characters and have so much love for their love story. I’m excited to have discovered this new author and already have my hand up for the next book in this exciting new series!

After leaving her job and cheating boyfriend in NYC, Sydney goes to stay with her mom in Pine Ridge, a small town that couldn’t be more different than New York if it tried. On her first night there, Sydney literally runs into Sam, who lucky for her is also the town’s mechanic and offers to fix up her damaged vehicle. Sam is gorgeous beyond belief, but Sydney is freshly back on the market and it’s clear from the get-go that Sam has his own hang ups.

Sydney is staying in Pine Ridge to help her mother’s bookstore. It’s bleeding money and if Sydney doesn’t do something quick, her mom will have to close its doors for good. So with the help of the friendly people of Pine Ridge, Sydney is determined to save her mom’s bookstore. And maybe if she’s lucky she’ll win Sam’s heart along the way...

Wild Love by Lauren Accardo is book 1 in the Forever Adirondacks series. This also is Lauren’s debut novel, which it didn’t feel like an author’s first book. If you love Hallmark movies, I think this would be right up your alley. Everything about the plot, the town, etc. screamed sweet, Hallmark movie. There were some things I disliked within the storyline (cough cough, Olivia) and the third person POV isn’t my favorite and usually takes away from my enjoyment of the romance, but I still found this to be a cute read. 3/5 stars.

Thanks to NetGalley, Lauren Accardo and Berkley for my review copy.

This was a nice little small town romance, which also deals with themes of alcoholism and second chances. Not really my cup of tea, unfortunately.

Loved this. Sexy, funny, and heartfelt. The ending did feel rushed and abrupt though. And I wish there was an epolouge.

Even though summer is only getting started, I'm already ready for fall, and this book gave me all the fall feels I need and love. I love a small town setting! Throw in a hot mountain man and I'm ready to pack up my jeep and move there myself. 10/10.

***3.5 stars***After a traumatic break-up, Sydney escapes to the small town of Pine Ridge in order to be close to her mom and have a chance to find her bearings. She crashes into Sam (literally!) the first night of her arrival and they being to develop a friendship amidst their mutual attraction. Now, here's where it kind of lost me. I expected a small town romance - heartbroken girl seeks solace in small town while helping save her moms flailing small bookstore and falls in love with the local mechanic.... that storyline IS there... but it's surrounded by other plot lines that become a distraction.

The storyline with Olivia felt drawn out and built up forever, but then sort of fizzled. It was a lot of talk around a pretty simple explanation. I felt Jorie was a story on her own as well, but again - lots of extraneous details and not much substance. There were moments that I loved where Accardo took the characters and others that I wish had been omitted.

CW: parental death and alcoholism/addiction. In some instances Accardo recognized the severity of the disease of alcoholism, but in other situations she seemed to gloss over the seriousness of it. Overall I felt like the book could have been cut down and some of the side stories left out with more of the focus on Sam and Sydney.

Thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I was so happy to able to read an early copy of Wild Love. I loved it so much. I was expecting a sexy romance but what i got was so much more. Wild love is a beautiful story about a sexy forbidden romance. This book was STEAMY! Wild Love is also filled with charming and funny characters. The heroine Sydney was wonderful and you'll fall in love with her immediately. I also loved the small town setting it was the perfect backdrop to this romance.