**Update 2/4/2022** I originally read and reviewed this book in 2019. I then bought a copy in 2020. I don't know when the content was updated but this review is based on the new and updated review copy of this book that I received from NetGalley in Jan 2022. My review is completely voluntary. The book blurb states "Formerly titled Wylde Fire and published in 2019. It has since received intense edits, scene additions, and a brand new cover and title!"

Sam's despicable younger brother Grady stole his fiance and is about to be married to her. Sam's family is basically urging him to forgive and forget and be a part of the wedding. (What a bunch of unfeeling jerks!) Sam meets Holly, who has a heartbreaking back story of her own, and is overwhelmingly attracted to her so he comes up with the idea to get engaged and take her to the wedding so people will quit talking about what happened. Then they will marry in a big splashy wedding all while keeping his heart uninvolved. Fat chance!

I honestly can't tell you specifically what is different between the 2019 version and the 2022 version but unlike my original review, I no longer feel like the author is trying to say the Wylde family is close knit and loving. The romance between Sam and Holly is great and I liked them a lot. Their story is engaging and very enjoyable. 4.5 stars.

“Sometimes I think wounds are magnetized. Even when they heal, there is something in them that pulls to other wounds. Those souls…they can sense one another. They need one another.”

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Formerly titled Wylde Fire, this novel has since received intense edits, new scenes and a brand new title.
Sam Wylde has just lost his event planner for the launch of Wyldefire Whiskey. He needs to put together a launch party that the small town will be talking about forever, and hopefully take some of the sympathetic looks away, from scandal of his brother and his cheating ex. Enter: Holly Glen. Event planner and badass chick. She needs the money, and he agrees to pay her triple, and then ups the stakes and proposes a fake marriage arrangement. But will their fake marriage stay fake?

This novel had me so emotional times, but especially the last few chapters. I’m not joking, I was absolutely balling my eyes out in front of my one year old daughter trying to read it. I would go to the ends of the Earth for Sam and Holly, I really would. I just don’t understand how they went in thinking there were no emotions on either side, when they’d been sleeping together!? I think they needed a serious reality check!

This book was fun and flirty, with lots of drama and tragedy, oh and SEX! The backstories were really well written, and both these characters deserved to be happy, finally. I just felt however there was a little something missing, I just can’t place what it was.

Thank you to Author Collective 2022, Sarah Robinson and NetGalley for providing me with a copy!

It’s a sweet, romantic read with an overabundance of family drama.

Sam Wylde’s dreams are about to come true. Wyldefire Whiskey is ready to launch, but with a mere three months to go the event planner pulls the plug. Sam is in a bind until he runs into Holly, who, very fortuitously, runs her own event planning business. Holly is in desperate need of money for her sister’s medical care and Sam wants his family to let him be on the eve of his brother’s wedding to Sam’s ex. The solution? A marriage of convenience. But Holly has had a crush on Sam since High School and Sam is discovering that Holly just might be exactly what he needs.

Sam was really struggling after his ex cheated on him with his brother, of all people. And then he had to attend their wedding and deal with all the pitying looks from everyone around him. I really felt for the poor guy. But the marriage proposal came a bit out of the blue. It was clear what Holly was getting out of the deal, but Sam didn’t have to marry her to get everyone off his back. They did have a great camaraderie between them and super hot chemistry. And it was fun watching them each open themselves up to more, despite their fears. I also liked that they never tried to keep their relationship on a more business-like level. It was as if they were really dating, only they had done the wedding first.

I wish Sam had more time or maybe just more opportunities to sort all the awkwardness out with his parents at least. It felt too much like he had to do all the introspective thinking and compromising to fix that fence. His parents just sort of expected him to get over it.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with a copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This review is also posted on my blog at hookedbythatbook.com.

Definitely heavy on the sex scenes, which isn't my thing. But overall the story is fun quick read. There were some repetitive bits especially towards the beginning that felt unnecessary and could easily have been removed.

This is the first novel I have read from this author and plan to back read all of her other works. Her writing keeps you intrigued until the very end. This was an unputdownable read.

The book is a fast-paced story with some very good written parts that I liked, even though I sometimes lost my focus and had the impression that I was waiting for something that didn't come. But maybe I will get some more answers in the next book as this is the first of a series. Curious to see where the second book will take the story.

This is very Quick and easy read. Pacing was good with engaging characters. There is not a lot of cliffhangers here. This is a new Author I have just discovered.
This is an honest review. Thanks the publisher via Netgalley.

Sam you are a way better person than me. Because there would be no amount of crying, no amount of begging, blackmailing that would get me going to my backstabbing, cheating brother's wedding, no he would be dead to me. And I find it cruel in your family's part that they would actually take his side and expect you to be there when you are the hurt party. I mean c'mon, how is that possible. Grady was your brother, and he was the one caught cheating with your fiancé, they were the wrong ones and now they are getting married, so why should you go... no no no.. I refused to find anything funny or acceptable after this storyline.

My review which I posted on Goodreads and Amazon as well as part of it for my Bookstagram post!

*****

My first work from the author but it was really good and I am excited to check out her other works.

I received a copy of this book for an honest review and it sounded interesting. Just what I was looking for. I didn't know a ton going in just a fake marriage to help both parties with different things. A troupe that always pulls me in and this was no different as mutual attraction leads both to question if this fake relationship could be the real deal. It's got some spicy bits and emotional tugs for sure and I couldn't put it down!

I loved getting to know Sam and Holly and what is driving them to where they find themselves when they meet (again). How life took them down different paths than they originally thought.   Each character had their own unique motivations but they knew what they wanted and went for it. The story moved very quickly with no lag.

Holly is an event planner. Sam’s event planner just quit. He needs Holly desperately so the launch of his whiskey will go off. When Sam comes up with a harebrained idea to get married, he is able to talk Holly into it.
Opinion
This was a good, quick read. It has the prospects for a series, and I do love series. Alas, it is currently only a stand alone.
It was previously released as Wilde Fire. Since the release under the old title, it has undergone some revisions and updates.
I was quite upset with part of the ending but overall enjoyed the book.
I’d like to thank Net Galley and Sarah Robinson for providing me with an ARC of this book.

I liked this book . it isn't the usual sort of thing I read so I found it a light relief. I will give it four stars as I can't really give it five but is a personal opinion. would try a book by her again.

This is the first book I read from this author and I absolutely loved this story!!
Sam and his partners are lunching Wyldefire Whiskey but a couple of months before the party, their planner cancelled. Now they need a miracle. But the answer to everything might just be Holly Glen. A party wrapped up in one tiny woman, Holly is tattooed, tempting, and exactly the event planner Sam needs to liven up his brand—and his life. He can give her what she needs, too.
All it will take is a ring on her finger. Falling in real love with his fake wife was not part of the plan—but one shot of Holly isn’t going to be enough.
Oh! How I enjoyed these two!!! And how I hated Grandy, his little brother who stole Sam’s fiancé and married her. Sam is still suffering and exhausted to be pitied. Holly lost her family in an accident and her sister is in a coma in a really expensive facility. She needs a miracle and he needs someone to help him. A match made in heaven.
This romance is absolutely hot and entertaining. I couldn’t stop reading. The chemistry between them is of the chart. It’s also funny with a lot of great sexy times. But also quite emotional and sweet.
I highly recommend this story, it’s a beautiful one.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I had read this book when it was published as Wylde Fire. This new edition is more polished. These characters are great. There's romance and humor with a bit of tugging on your heart strings. Sam draws you in and you start rooting for him. Holly is compelling right from the beginning. You will be so invested in their happy ever after. I want more in this series!

Sam Wylde is ready to prove he’s more than just the privileged son of a wealthy Southern dynasty.
Wyldefire Whiskey is poised to take Nashville by storm—and with any luck, overshadow the scandal of his cheating ex-girlfriend marrying his brother. But this gruff country boy has no idea how to throw a launch party that will get people talking. The answer to everything might just be Holly Glen.
A party wrapped up in one tiny woman, Holly is tattooed, tempting, and exactly the event planner Sam needs to liven up his brand—and his life. He can give her what she needs, too.
All it will take is a ring on her finger. Falling in real love with his fake wife was not part of the plan—but one shot of Holly isn’t going to be enough.
A fun, entertaining read which made me smile & also shed a few tears. I really liked both Sam & Holly & became invested in their fake relationship & was routing for things to turn out well for the pair. I devoured this lovely read in an afternoon as the pages just flew by
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

Sam Wylde is part of The Wylde family, but starting his whiskey company is his biggest goal, so he has no room for drama in his life right now. The last thing he wants to do is go to his brother’s wedding,( to his own ex- fiancé) as he needs to find a party planner for the opening of his whiskey brand, stat, after a little bit of karma and a parking fiasco Sam bumps into Holly, who might be the answer to all his prayers. Holly used to (or never stopped) have the biggest crush on Sam when growing up, so when he offers a relationship of convenience, both business and personal her heart goes a flutter, but keeping things professional should be easy right? Unfortunately, or fortunately depending on how you look at it, this fake relationship soon starts to become very real, but will their trust in each pull them apart before they ever really start? This story is a quick (really quick) insta relationship story with a whole lot of steaminess and heat that will have you reaching for a fan. My only concern was Sam’s slightly high handed ways but he definitely comes through in the end. 4.5 stars. I received an arc copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher for my honest review.

A great start to a new series, I really liked this one and the characters. What a crazy family. Sam was great, he was honest, sexy, and just all around great. Holly was amazing, she was strong and knew her own mind. I loved all the laugh out loud moments and also the very emotional ones. I can't wait for the next one.

This is an interesting spin on the fake relationship trope. Holly Glen is an event planner with a seriously ill sister and medical bills piling up. Sam Wilde has a Whiskey brand, Wyldefire Whiskey, to launch and just lost his event planner. He's tired of dealing with the fallout of his cheating ex who happens to be marring his brother, so why not offer to marry his new event planner. He gets everyone of his back and he helps with medical expenses, what could possibly go wrong? You guessed it, all that freaking amazing sex is gonna lead to feelings. You're not supposed to fall in love with the fake fiance.
There is more family drama to unpack, lordy these Wildes are a bit crazy. It was a quick read and keeps you engaged.

**ARC Provided by the Publisher via NetGalley***

2.5 Stars

Sam and Holly had fantastic chemistry and the scenes that are centered around them both work well and advance their attraction. I believed that they would be willing to see where things led.

I also thought there were a lot of extra characters in this one, which is often the case when it's the first book in a series. But, the result of this was me finding that I wasn't totally certain who someone was, or how they fit in, or why I was all that concerned about them...only to have them pop up rather abruptly later.

I didn't really think this is a fake relationship/wedding romance, as is indicated by the description. It's really more a marriage of convenience, and it's actually how Holly and Sam treat it as well. A fake marriage, at least in my opinion, is one where they pretend to be together in public, or if someone asks, but go their separate ways when at home, which was never their plan. Not really important to the story, but I think an inaccuracy in the blurb that may make certain readers feel like the book they were promised isn't the one they read.

The resolutions of some of the situations they encountered were a little quick, I think. There was a lot of build up and then it seemed like things just magically resolved themselves, which bothered me in some areas, but not as much in others as there were a couple of subplots that I found a little extraneous and was glad they went away quickly.

This one was a miss for me overall, although I struggle to say this as there were parts of it that I did enjoy...just not enough for me to be able to say that I recommend the title.

I love a country romance and this was no exception, i loved the main characters and the storyline can’t wait to read more by this author

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange of an honest review.

I really enjoyed Second Shot of Whiskey. This story was such a cute and quick read.
Instantly you are sucked into Sam and Holly's story. After reconnecting in a parking lot, sam is in need of Holly's help; Holly is also in need of Sam's help. Holly is hired as Sam's Event Planner for the launch of his Whiskey brand, and it is a job Holly desperately needs. But Sam also offers her more, a chance at a life with a happily ever after. Will she take it?


The banter between characters in this book had me laughing so hard at parts. And the spice between sam and Holly was on point. Sam and Holly have an instant connection that had me swooning.

My only issue was there wasn't more. I wish the book had been a bit longer and more detailed, as some of the scenes felt rushed through. But over all this book was great!

Thank you IMAG social media agency, NetGalley, and Sarah Robinson for allowing me a copy.
**Previous published as Wylde Fire in 2019**