I did not think that this premise would work for me: Duke surviving the wilds for ten years and coming back to society? I had my reservations (but still requested an ARC because I've read and loved Reid's books in the past).
I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it, and how I finished it in only a few hours (once I found a bit of down time to read).
This story is more moving that I thought it would be. How Jules is patient towards the Duke, how she allows him his emotions (or lack thereof) and the space he needs to breathe. How she's the only one who can understand him, and how she can be her true self with only him.
I have a fondness for portrayal of family ties in books: here with the Duke and his sister, and Jules with her parents. That shared moment between the Duke and his sister might have filled my eyes with tears. It was particularly fragile and poignant, and strong.
Another excellent story from Reid!

Thank you to the publisher and author for the ARC via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

(CW: child-birth, a bit descriptive)

4/5
Stacy Reid is an absolute legend when it comes to crafting bold historical romance heroines and romances that make your heart soar. The Wolf and the Wildflower is a novel teeming with passion and the kind of deep connection often fostered during unlikely circumstances. This was completely different than anything I have read from Reid so far, which I have come to expect as she never does the same thing twice. Loved the themes explored, several of which I hadn't encountered in the genre prior. Stacy Reid is really only getting better and better and I'm happy to be along for the ride.

Wow!!! I just LOVED this book, it was an amazing beautifully written story that I did not want to end. I have not read a book like this, and it hooked me. It is about James, who is a Duke who was lost in the wilderness and had to survive for 10 years. He is back in society and is having trouble feeling like he belongs. Jules and her father come to James’s house to help him. The minute James notices Jules he sees behind her mask to know she is a woman, and he is attracted to her, but more than that they are honest with each other. Jules is patient, kind and loving to James and together they each give each other what they need and want. I did not want to put this book down, it consumed me and even when I needed to put it down to sleep, it still filled my thoughts. Stacy Reid is an excellent writer who can make you feel the emotions that I felt reading this story.
I received an ARC of this book by NetGalley and am leaving my honest review.

Jules was born a female, but because her father wanted an Heir, her mother pretended that Jules was a male. Jules has gone through life as a male. She studied psychology and is now home with her parents. Her father, a doctor of the mind, is asked to aid the long lost Duke, who has returned after missing for a decade.
James, the Duke, is not formed to society’s standards as he has been lost since he was 18. James doesn’t trust anyone, only Jules. James quickly discovered Jules’ secret.
Jules and James start to fall for one another, but James is supposed to find a duchess, but he wants Jules.
Overall, this story was interesting, but it wasn’t for me. I think the idea is great and the story was well written, but I just wasn’t obsessed. I would recommend this to someone who enjoys books set in the 1800s, but also a romance fan. I wouldn’t read it again, but I’m not disappointed that I read it.

The following are my thoughts as I read this book. Jules Southby…related to Viscount Ramsey, has studied abroad, secretly lived as a son for 23 years. James Winters…Duke of Wulverton, Earl of Lydon, missing for 10 years. Wow the story opens with a secret even I am impressed and curious to know how it became successful. Now it must be determined what is more important society’s views and beliefs or a person’s peace of mind. Apparently society’s view trumps personal feelings. The h is one cool cucumber, she has to be to pull off what she is doing. The family is ridiculous. Uh oh the h is falling for the H. Oh no the h has a very bad idea, but she is going to do it anyway. Just a night on the town for the gentlemen, or is it. Things are getting deep and uncontrollable. Oh what a wonderful declaration. Well what is the purpose of being a duke if you can’t make your own rules. Good story, I really liked the background story of both the H and the h. I can honestly say I have never encountered this type before. There is also adult language and steamy steam.

3.25/5 stars! This was my first read by author Stacy Reid and whew, was it steamy! I really liked the main characters and thought they had a lot of potential. The portion of the story I struggled with was that there wasn't much depth to the story. The characters were there, but the story didn't back it up. I've heard good things about this author so will read another book by them before making a final decision.

I received an advance review copy for free through NetGalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily

I wasn’t really a big fan of this book. I enjoy a book with a little more spice and depth and this didn’t have what it took to keep it interesting. I couldn’t stay interested in the book. It turned into a DNF just because I just couldn’t focus or couldn’t connect with the characters

Stacy Reid wrote one of my favorites of 2022 so when I say this pop up on NetGalley I was thrilled.

The Wolf and the Wildflower has such a unique, interesting premise. I really liked how the two MCs felt like outsiders in society. We usually get the wallflower heroine and the rakish hero but I felt liked these two were true equals and could understand each other in a way that no one else could. This reminded me a bit of Tarzan but when he tries to return to civilized society.

I really loved the romance too. The attraction is instant and so is their connection. I thought it was adorable that James could see through Jules' disguise. I also liked that Jules didn't try to change James, but his perspective. I thought that was really clever and different from the traditional makeover a character gets. I also loved loved loved the nickname James gave Jules; I mean wildflower?!? Too cute and accurate. To put it plainly, these two clicked and I think that helped with the pacing of the story too.

This is a super unique, quick read that I think any historical romance lover is going to devour!

The Wolf and the Wildflower by Stacy Reid caught my attention immediately upon reading the summary. I was intrigued by the main characters and was interested in seeing how Reid would pull off the romance pieces based on the character's stories.

Jules has been raised as a boy (for reasons I won't disclose) and the only other person who knows she is actually a girl is her mother. I will admit...I don't love her mother and the things she says to Jules to pressure her and push her to feel guilty about wanting a life of her own made me pretty angry considering her mother is the one that put them in the situation and her only thought was about what her husband / society would think...not of what Jules might want / need or be missing out on.

All of that said, Jules actually values her ability to be seen as a man in the world and wouldn't change her situation for anything as it has allowed her to have schooling that as a girl she never would have been able to consider. And now she has an opportunity to work right along with her father to evaluate the Duke of Wulverton who has been missing for 1o years and it's an opportunity of a lifetime. Little does she know that her meeting the Duke will change everything.

James has spent 10 years on his own just trying to survive in the wilderness. Because of that, his friends and family don't know what to make of him when he returns to the fold and has to get back into Society. He's not comfortable in his role as Duke but he knows he has a duty and he will do whatever he needs to in order to fulfill that duty. When he is introduced to Jules, he immediately figures out who / what she is and they have an immediate connection. He decides that he doesn't want Jules' father hanging around him and will only speak with Jules.

As they start to learn more about each other, their relationship shifts and they eventually become more. When that happens, they both have to decide what they want out of life. Fulfill duty and have the ability to navigate life as a man or do what makes them happy and be together.

The writing was well done here and while I thought the whole reveal of the truth to Jules' family was slightly glossed over, I enjoyed this story. It was a slightly different twist and I thought it was done well. If you're looking for a new historical romance by an established author, consider picking this one up.

Big thanks to Entangled Publishing for the ARC of this book. This review is being given honestly and all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Stacy Reid has always been a standout author to me and her books are SO good and this one was no surprise, an absolute bonkers banger.

James is recently returned to society after being lost in the wild for 10 years. He no longer knows how to exist in this world and society fears he is forever changed and feral. Jules Southby is an up and coming alienist (psychologist) who has been enlisted in evaluating and helping the Duke to acclimate but has a scandalous secret of their own.

This was a pretty classic girl in pants book but I was absolutely amused and obsessed by the way James discovered her secret. Right away Jules and James have an undeniable connection that helps James acclimate to not only society but to his family and rebuilding the relationships he had to cut off in his mind in order to survive the loneliness. Jules was a great character and I lover her, especially loved how Stacy Reid used Jules and her father to address mental health/illness and the field of psychology to study it during this time period. Obviously there are mentions of having James committed if he is unable to act like a functioning member of society (he always did but people were just upset he wasn’t the exact same person before he was lost) but Reid really made an effort to include modern understanding of these things which was really great to see versus the actual horrible way mental health/illness was dealt with back then.

As far as a girl in pants romance goes this was one of tghe better ones I’ve read but after reading Unmasked by the Marquess by Cat Sebastian I have been spoiled by the hero giving up all his ideals of a scandalous free life and saying fuck society and having the MC live and dress as they please, so yeah James and Jules had a good solution but I’m spoiled 🤭

Overall the romance was great, def some open door scenes, and again I love an obsessed hero! This couple was really good together and their chemistry was 😋😮‍💨

Def recommend looking for this one on release day as it was a very fun and has an HEA!

If you like:
- quiet, wolfish heroes
- bold heroines who masquerade as men
- psychologists in historical romance
- forbidden love
- secret hide-outs
- lush countryside settings
this might be the book for you :)

This was such an enchanting read! I think what struck me the most about The Wolf and the Wildflower is how utterly original the premise is. If like me, you read a lot of historical romances set in 1800s England, you know how repetitive and formulaic the plots and characters can be, so I was immediately drawn to the idea of a heroine who has been masquerading as a man for her entire life. When this is paired with a reclusive hero who was lost for over a decade in the wilds of Canada, you get an intriguing and exciting novel chronicling two secretive souls discovering themselves while they learn about each other. I loved that the heroine, Jules, was a psychology specialist because this added another interesting dimension to the book as she tries to help James, the hero, open himself up more to his family and society.

When I saw how short this story was, I was worried because I feared we would not be able to see the relationship between the two develop enough to be convincing, but it definitely did. James and Jules have great chemistry together and the characters really spent time getting to know each other, making the ending all the more satisfying. My only complaint was that the last 10 or so pages seemed a bit rushed and they conveniently tied up any loose ends, but it still worked and the rest of the book was so good that I did not mind too much.

I cannot emphasize enough how refreshing this book was and how much I loved its originality. If you like unpredictable plots, emboldened heroines, and stoic heroes, you should definitely give this a try.

Thank you so much NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book. While I was granted advanced access to this book, this does not influence my reviews and all my opinions are my own.

It's one of those books that you wouldn't be able to put down. From the beginning, I was drawn in by the characters and the storyline. Both characters have such farfetched backstories that I doubted the author would be able to make it work, but she did. And I'm amazed at how well.

One was lost at sea and missing for ten years. He survived in the wilderness fighting both hunger and the cold. Without any human interaction, he lived for ten years among animals. Now, he is back in civilized society, but not as the same young man. Will society accept him and what about his family?

The other has been pretending to be a man. Her deception is so complete that even her father doesn't know that she is his daughter and not a son. She has been groomed since birth to take her father's place. It has shaped her life and now that she is ready to work beside her father, things are suddenly not as easy as they should be. Can she ever tell her father the truth and face the consequent disappointment?

They have lied to the people in their lives and pretended to be someone they are not, yet when Jules and James meet, they are nothing but honest with each other. Maybe it's easier, to tell the truth when they both have too much to lose. But what will happen when their hearts become entangled and they find it difficult to be apart?

This is a beautifully written story and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. I find Jules and James adorable and their story to be a real treat. I'd recommend it to all fans of historical romance.

2 🌟's

📝 tropes: fake identity, workplace rom, psychologist heroine x reclusive dukem forced proximity, forbidden rom
🌶 spice: 3/5
❌ CW: trauma, PTSD

eh, this was a miss for me. shocking bc i usually really love all of what Stacy Reid writes but this plot and fake identity did not do it for me. didn't feel any emotional connection to the MC's at all and i was just tryna to reach the end. which i only did bc stacy's writing remains superb. also, i felt like this would've worked better as a contemporary than a historical?? idk, just me 🤷🏽‍♀️

a bummer but 'tis ok.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to the publisher Entangled for the e-ARC via Netgalley. Releases February 27, 2023!

I enjoyed this novel. I’m always a sucker for a good historical romance, but some tend to run together with the same story. This one was a surprisingly bout of fresh air. I haven’t read one yet where the woman has duped everyone into believing she is a man. Of course there are stories of women masquerading in disguise to visit less savory places. Yet this woman was able to keep her identity a secret from her family (excluding mother), friends, and even those she worked with. I applaud her efforts because she was able to do so much that she wouldn’t have accomplished as a woman. Yet I felt bad that she never experienced the joys of being a woman (until she meets the duke).
And the duke! To be lost for 10 years! Living with wolves. Amazing. I feel really bad for him because he was so resilient, a survivor. And all of the sudden his family wants him to be someone else. In a matter of weeks. They can’t fathom what he went through to survive. And how the thought of a ball is “of most importance” when his importance when alone was how to not freeze or starve to death. Trauma can really damage your mind as much as your body. And it was terrible that his family didn’t see that. I’m glad Jules was there because she completely understand it and helped him through it. Everyone needs a person like that in their life.
All in all, an interesting read.

I'm a sucker for anything Stacy Reid puts out, so I went into this one without reading the synopsis or realizing it was a novella.

I liked Jules and James. They're both good people with an interesting past. I really enjoyed how they were able to be honest with each other like no one in their lives before and how the attraction was a slow build. There are a good amount of characters, but this story is firmly spotlighted on the couple.

Plot wise, it was okay. I think it would have benefited a bit more from being longer as parts of it did feel rushed. And even with the few future takes, there were things I wanted to know for sure, not assume.

Overall, it was a unique story with characters who were easy to root for.

**Huge thanks to the publisher for providing a digital arc free of charge**

Sometimes historical romances can be a bit predictable, but this story had a plot unlike any other that I've read before. Stacy Reid is a great writer and she did it again! I couldn't put this book down!

Ok, I wanted to like this book; it was undeniably sexy and the relationship between James and Jules was well written. It is fiction, but I just struggled with the implausibility of Jules living her whole life as a man with no one figuring it out, especially her father the renowned psychologist.

Rating: 4,5 ✨

If you are searching for a historical romance, with forbidden love trope, dashed with a lot of angst, pinning, secret identity and “came back from the dead” twist search no further, you will absolutely love this one!

The premise for this one is a unique twist to the presume dead and back to the ton trope. We follow James, Duke of Wolverton who disappeared at 18 and everyone thought dead and our beautiful Jules Southby who has been secretly living as a male her whole life (forced by her mother). They meet when Jules a psychology graduate is invited to analyse the lost Duke. Their goal? Help James behave like a duke in three weeks and be ready to re-enter society or else send his family into scandal. It gives me Tarzan vibes!

Since the very first meeting you can feel the deep bond they have. Their connection is beautiful to see develop. Both of them have demons, but I adored reading how they learned to navigate through them together.

The only thing I would say is that I would have liked the revelation at the end to be fleshed out more, to see more of the repercussions but it didn't deter from my overall enjoyment.

This was a beautiful and soulful story and I'd highly recommend checking it out!


Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the copy of the book in exchange for an honest review!

OMG! What a emotional roller coaster that was for me, I mean I literally had to force myself to take breaks…. That is not the kind of reader I am except for this book. Wow, I was bewildered, irritated, sweet high, slightly traumatized… I even had tears people! This such a breath of fresh air, outside the box writing I’m ashamed and excited that this the first book that I have read by this author and I now need a vacation just that I can binge read through a few other books they have.

A steep learning curve for all!

All of London is agog and aghast! The return of the lost Lord from the wilds of Canada! Missing for ten years, James heir to the Duke of Wolverton has returned home. His mother wants him presented to the Queen, acceptable to his fellow Lords, and ready for marriage—Yes! We’re talking the infamous marriage mart!
A tall order for the Duke who’s been living in isolation for ten years!
I’m unsure as to whether this is a contemporary presentation of Tarzan where wolves have replaced apes or what! What we are not witnessing is a feral child, raised by wolves, but a boy/man who demonstrates the will and determination to survive being lost in the wilderness for so long, now being overwhelmed by a totally different society. The noise, the crush of humanity even pared down to family must be, was, more than he can at times cope with.
Meanwhile Jules Southby has been called in with his father to try to work out if Lord James is insane, and if not, to get him ready for presentation. If that’s not enough, Jules is hiding his own secret, a secret our Lord of the Wilds discovers with a few sniffs it seems!
Having returned from four years study in Austria, Jules is itching to see what makes the lost lord tick. He gets more than he bargained for.
A highly improbable tale that titillates and delights as the Duke goes his own arrogant way. And why not I say? Jules discovers what he really wants from life. I’m left cheering the uncompromising person the Duke’s probably always was, but has been superbly honed by his circumstances.
I’m really not sold on the whole able to smell someone through a solid door but it did add to the drama. As the end drew nigh I wondered how it would be resolved. In the end, rather simply!

An Entangled Pub. Invite via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the author and publisher.