A very wonderful story. I loved the essence of the plot, James being lost in the wilderness and returned to civilization after ten years. It set the stage for a real conflict to be overcome by the character as he tries to fit back into society. Jules is also living a lie by not being true to herself. The author really captures the inner conflicts of the characters as they battle their issues. There are are also some witty and funny moments throughout as James and Jules converses and gets to know each other. It is a story that is well written and worth reading.

This was def the most unqiue historcal I read. I thought this gave me both beauty and the beast vibes and also arrow vibes. I also loved the main character being a girl but having to pretend to be a boy. I also def loved the first half of this book more and liked the romance as well. I thought this was a fun read and it was a quick read!! Def want to read more by this author in the future

4.5 stars rounded up.

James Winters, the Duke of Wulverton, has been presumed dead for the past ten years, only to have survived the frigid Yukon wilderness and been returned to a world he hardly recognizes. After such a long time in peaceful silence, James is quickly overwhelmed by a family he’s tried to avoid thinking about and a noisy, artificial world that makes little sense to him. He has just three weeks to learn to present himself as a gentlemanly duke to the Queen or risk further scandal for his family and potential asylum for himself.

Up and coming psychologist Jules Southby is an expert at disguises, having lived as a boy since her birth. She’s taken full advantage of the freedoms offered to young men and has no idea how to be a lady, but when she meets the duke she’s thoroughly shocked by her visceral reaction to him, and by the fact that he seems to have immediately seen what she really is.

Jules doesn’t have much time to turn the duke into a proper aristocrat and it doesn’t help that his presence discomposes her. The attraction between them is undeniable but hopeless because loving the duke would mean giving up the life she’s known and the freedom it has allowed her to enjoy.

This book is nothing like anything I’ve ever read. The plot is completely bonkers, very old school, and definitely requires quite a bit of suspension of disbelief, but if you go in prepared for all that it’s totally worth it. I thoroughly enjoyed this respite from the usual ballroom formula for Regency/Victorian romance employed here. I’m sure we’ve all read a forbidden romance and one with a hidden identity, but I’ve certainly never read those elements in this combination before. Giving us this set up meant that James and Jules got much more alone time than couples usually do since Jules was believed to be a man and never needed a chaperone. The interactions between James and Jules were very well done and I loved the fact that they both saw through one another’s façade and became the safe space where they could be themselves.

Beneath the veneer of professionalism, Jules just wanted to belong and be accepted for the person she was, not who she’d been forced to pretend to be. Though she loved the freedom of life as a man, she wanted to have the chance to find love and that was being stolen from her within the confines of the life she’d been pushed into. For his outward stoicism and ferocity, James felt very deeply and was struggling mightily to cope with a return to his former life after ten years with no human contact whatsoever. Given how she’d had to limit human contact as well, this was something Jules was able to relate to on some level and once it was clear that James immediately saw exactly what she was, all bets were off. I loved that instantaneous connection and James’ devotion to Jules was like catnip to me. What I could’ve done without, however, was the brothel scene with the marquess. Yes, it served to show Jules’ and James’ devotion to one another, but it just felt creepy and the marquess came off as sleazy.

My only real complaint here is that the ending was a bit hasty. I was completely fine with how James and Jules came together and appreciative that it happened with fairly low angst. However, it did leave rather a lot implied off page when it came to their respective families and I really just wanted to see the duke put his family in their places one good time. His sister was the only one who made any sort of effort to understand him. Though it was clear that his mother loved him and wanted what she believed best for him, she wasn’t understanding at all of what he’d been through or the effect it had on him. She just expected him to go right back to the callow youth he’d been before he was lost and that just seemed crazy to me that she’d expect that. The rest of his family was even worse in their unrealistic expectations and demands on James and whilst staying, overstaying really, at his house. I just wanted him to assert himself as the duke a bit more, though I’m sure they would’ve found a way to make such behavior reflect poorly and perhaps James was aware of this and thus held his peace. Jules’ mother was just as bad. She was incredibly selfish and asked entirely too much of Jules because of her own fears, not giving any thought to the fact that it was Jules’ happiness at stake. Jules did at least stand up to her a bit, but not nearly as much as I wanted her to.

Overall, this book could’ve done with a more thorough epilogue to tidy things up, but I thoroughly enjoyed how unique and different this plot was with the Tarzan vibes, instant connection and hidden identity. It was a bit of old school craziness that I think I need more of in the future and just what I needed to read as a fun palate cleanse now.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I received an advanced copy of The Wolf and the Wildflower with a blank synopsis and I took a risk. The title sounded promising and I like historical romances, so I jumped in blindly. I had no idea what to expect and I was blissfully surprised in the best way. The Wolf and the Wildflower brings together two characters struggling with their personal identities and shows that love can overcome any obstacle. Whether it was returning to society after a decade in the wilderness or hiding your true gender your entire life, our couple had no shortage of secrets. The chemistry between these two was incredibly primal and it had me on the edge of my seat. After a tense chapter, I found myself holding my breath and my fingers in my hair waiting to see what happened next. I don’t usually have physical reactions to books, but this one certainly brought out my animal instincts.

In this book, our couple had an immediate connection. They saw through each other’s facades and recognized the truth hidden beneath it. I really appreciated their openness and willingness to share their emotions so early into their relationship. The hero embraced his beastly nature and relied heavily on his senses, namely his sniffer. He couldn’t stop sniffing the heroine and I was absolutely here for it. It was very primal and I could feel the secondhand intensity as the reader. My only critique was despite how monumental the conflict was throughout the novel, it was solved very quickly with little repercussions. It happened near the last fourth of the novel and it felt too expedient. I could have done with a few more sniffing sessions before we arrived at the novel’s denouement. Couldn’t hurt, right?

I’m so glad I gave a chance on The Wolf and the Wildflower despite knowing nothing about it. This was my first book by Stacy Reid and I plan to read more books from her catalog. I loved the emotional depth and uniqueness of her characters. Although I could certainly use a significant decrease in fake mustaches utilized by her heroines. It killed the mood and it was all I could think about whenever our couple kissed. Did Jules remember to take off her mustache this time? Secret disguises aside, I thought this was a lovely novel and I’m happy to have read an advanced copy. All I can say is The Wolf and the Wildflower certainly know how to make the best of hairy situations.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book via NetGalley and Entangled Publishing, LLC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Rating: 5/5 Stars
Publishing: February 27, 2023
Series: N/A
Pages: 286

Oh, how I love Stacy Reid as an author. She always brings interesting stories that makes my heart smile. “The Wolf and the Wildflower” is nothing short of just a wonderful and romantic historical read. This is one book that I found very different from my other historical reads thus far this year and it was so interesting.

The story kicks off with a father so desperate for an heir that he is willing to emotionally and physically kill his wife to get one. But before the sex can be announced, the father assumes he has finally gotten his heir and the wife does not want to break his heart nor risk her life trying again. The midwife comes up with a plan to allow the wife to heal physically and emotionally and thus, the daughter, Jules Southby becomes heir and raised as a boy from birth. What baffles the mind is that the father is a noted psychologist and is so blind to the fact that his own child is disguised as a man…hmmm.

Then there is James Winters, the Duke of Wulverton who had gone missing for 10-years and surviving on instincts in isolation in the wild until he is found and returned back to his home in England. His mother the Duchess is so distraught into believing he has barbaric tendencies that she enlists the aid of Dr. Southby and his “son” Jules Southby to help her acclimate him back into the ton in time to meet her planned ball, get the approval of the Queen, and find him a wife in the process. The family is so aloof about the situation that they do not realize that he is already of sound mind but has chosen to disregard their idiotic thoughts of what/who he truly has become as a person.

Is some of this story far-fetched…heck yes but it makes for a wonderful read that I could not put down. A girl apprentice dressed and raised as a man and a man who does not like to be touched but has a heightened sense of the feminine smell that he guesses who Jules is from the start. Well, all I can say is a handsome and virile duke who can make sensually smelling someone an arousing turnon has my attention. Both the H/h have something to hide but I loved the slight slow burn chemistry between the two. Jules and James are characters that are strong in character and convictions. At times, my heart ached and at times became teary-eyed for them and their plight.

As with all my historical reads, I do love a bit of spicy, heat and steamy between the H/h in the story and the author did bring it to the pages. 😊 Sometimes it was a bit overboard but the hot and heavy was just enough to make my heart smile for their relationship…although sometimes I was wondering how the author was going to make it work…i.e., the society looking at a duke having and interest in a man, when Jules is indeed a woman; what the ton will think when all is exposed, etc. In any case, it all came together, and this was a well-written, nicely paced story that focused on James and Jules. I had an enjoyable time reading this story and totally recommend the read.

4.5 Stars! Loved this book! Stacy Reid is such an amazingly talented author, you can NOT go wrong with one of her books! This book reminded me a bit of Tarzan. The main character are Jules/Wildflower & James/Wolfe/The Duke and they had great chemistry, I loved their banter and seeing the trust grow between them.
I wasn’t crazy with how the ending wrapped up so fast. I would’ve liked more on how it all came to be and the Dukes family’s reaction to the HEA ending. Would’ve liked to know more about what the Duke went through when he was lost in the Yukon, or more on how he was rescued. A longer epilogue would’ve been great.
Can I just say - I am so glad we don’t still follow the strict rules they used to follow back then, especially for women?! Why were they so scared of letting women go to university? Or having fun with friends - unchaperoned?! I’m not even going to get started on the unfairness of the 1800’s towards women.
Lying, a strong female character, secrets, torment, death, loneliness, trust, smooching, ‘sexy times’, family, deception, obligations, forbidden romance, love, happiness, and a HEA ending. Such a fantastic read! Highly recommended!
*I received this at no charge & I voluntarily left this review.*

I had the pleasure of reading this as an advanced reader copy.

This was the first book I've read by Stacy Reid and I can confirm that I would read more of her work again in the future. The concept of this book was riveting! A wife forced to lie to her husband due to the complications of childbirth. A daughter forced to continue that lie about her true identity to not just her father but to the rest of the world. A man lost to the wilderness for years, forced to live on his own for years thrown back into the world of nobility in England. This all leads up to an exciting convergence when Jules and her father are hired to ensure that the Duke is ready to enter the marriage market and be a presentable Duke within a month's time!

As far as the writing itself is concerned, the pacing of the book was great until the end and it sped up a little bit. I would have read more to have it paced a little more slowly. I think the author really did a great job of providing readers with an exciting new take on historical romance. I would definitely recommend this to my friends who enjoy this genre!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book through netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The Wolf and the Wildflower by Stacy Reid was an unputdownable read! Jules and James are fated mates, and their journey to that realization is epic.

Jules was raised as a boy from birth because her father was determined to have an heir, but her mother didn’t think she’d survive another pregnancy so Jules was it. How could a noted psychologist not be observant enough to realize their child is hiding something so monumental from them? This book does require that you suspend your disbelief for a bit, but the overall story is so compelling it’s worth it.

James has an amazing story of survival in isolation which helps explain why he doesn’t like or feel that he needs to follow all of the strict social conventions which bothers his mother, the duchess, to no end. She’s all about the family reputation and legacy. I applaud his ability to remain true to himself.

This book is outside of my norm. I usually read series because I enjoy getting to know the supporting cast of characters more in depth, but I’m very happy that I made an exception and read this book. Holy smokes, this is a hot read! I never realized that sniffing someone’s scent could be so sensual. Stacy’s world building is incredible. I was able to picture the various locations, hear the sounds, and smell the scents she was describing.

The Wolf and the Wildflower will be released on February 27, 2023. This book is an immersive experience that is not to be missed!

I received this ARC from Net Galley in exchange for an unbiased review.

Ahh Stacy Reid. You fill my heart with sweeping romances and in this case, smells and the Woods. This synopsis is so different from other historical romances thus far, and could be considered a bit bonkers but we all know that realistic plots are NOT what we are going for here. So suspend your disbelief and you will have an enjoyable ride.

James Winters, the Duke of Wulverton, has been found and returned back to England after being missing for 10 years in the Yukon. Jules Southeby, a cross-dressing pyschologist (or mind doctor), who is working with her father, accompanies him to help observe the Duke and acclimatize to life back in the Ton at the behest of his mother, the Duchess, who has balls planned and needs to prove to the Queen and all the world that her son is of sound mind. Pressure much?

Funnily enough, women disguised as men are not actually that far fetched as it has happened in history that there has been a medical doctor, though I believe he has been identified as a transgender man. In this case, Jules has had to hide her true sex AND gender from the world due to some fears her mother had after giving birth to her and pretending that she was a boy (SO SHE WOULDN'T DIE FROM POTENTIAL CHILD #3). This has all worked alright for Jules who has been able to live life comfortably as a man (a very delicate looking one), until she meets the Duke. And he smells her. And knows her to be a woman. And the attraction is immediate. and the nicknames. Sigh. Then comes the truth conversations and trust... and shared vulnerability. I think that's why I enjoyed it so much as they really had very clear communication between each other and hearing her validate his feelings when the world at large, especially his family, didn't understand. Stacy Reid was somehow able to make sniffing people sensual... as well as kissing a woman in a mustache. I think maybe my personal kinks were in play here but I think that ended up making the scenes more steamy than usual. There were also many moments where I was like "wait, is she still dressed as a man? Will people suspect the Duke of being gay now? Is this going to make the situation worse?" The answer to all those questions is yes. Their chemistry was incredible, and the issues at hand felt very real and very heartbreaking. I would have liked the ending to be a bit longer in terms of better understanding the impact of the HEA, but it was so sweeping and epic it didn't detract as much. The pacing was good and the story was very much focused on James and Jules. This felt very much like a standalone as there aren't too many secondary characters to consider.

Steam: 🔥🔥🔥
Heart Flutters: ❤️❤️❤️

Usually, the life of a young woman is full of balls and admirers. Not for Jules Southby. Pretending to be a gentleman since she was born, she lives a different kind of life.
As a prospective psychologist, there's this interesting case of the Duke of Wulverton.
He survived in the wilderness for 10 years and there are so many rumours about him... now he needs to be the respectable duke again with the help of Dr. Southby, who has his son as an assistant... but Wulverton senses that Jules hides something... and it's intriguing...

WOOOOOOW!!!
OKAY! I. AM. IN. LOVE! MY NEW FAVOURITE AUTHOR IS STACY REID!

The Wolf and the Wildflower by Stacy Reid is my second book of hers and it won't be my last.
I DEVOURED THIS BOOK!
Such a unique historical love story and all these feelings! OMG! BE STILL MY BEATING HEART!
Jules' life is so complicated and intriguing at the same time. Living the life of a gentleman although she's a woman?! Awww!
And James - the Duke of Wulverton - who survived in the wilderness and has to deal with his family and humans after all this time.
OMG!
So when I read the blurb I was so curious and now that I got the chance to read the whole book I'm soooooo happy.
The special love story of Jules and James was INTENSE in every possible way!
THEIR CHEMISTRY WAS PALPABLE!
OOOOH MY! 😍🔥❤️
SO MANY EMOTIONS! ATTRACTION AND LONGING. Feelings they can't even understand at first... 🥰🥰🥰🥰
And I loved their story line! Felt with them and now I'm in love. Yes. I can't say it often enough. I'm in love. With Jules and James and the whole book. ❤️
I ABSOLUTELY ENJOYED THE WOLF AND THE WILDFLOWER.

Thank you so much to Entangled Publishing and Stacy Reid for this ARC via NetGalley.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

There is a unique twist to this story that makes for a great read, plus it is well written and entertaining. The storyline is not your usual romance but it makes for good reading. This is a story that I enjoyed and would highly recommend.
I received a free copy of this book via Netgalley and are voluntarily leaving a review.

2.5 stars rounded to three. I have read several of Stacy Reid’s books and liked them, but this one did not work for me at all. The suspension of disbelief required for this book was monumental, given that both characters had back stories that were bananas. I enjoy a wild plot, but this one was too over the top, even for me. My other issue is that once the sex scenes started, they took over the book. I felt the story and character building mostly ceased, as it just became sex scene after sex scene connected by thin strands of plot.

Ugh, I hate to leave this review, because this book had so much potential. Around the midpoint, it just really lost its way.

3.5 stars rounded up: there's a lot to take in here. A woman who's spent her entire life disguised as a man (and completely getting away with it), a man who's spent a decade lost in the wilderness, a very tight deadline for her to assess him and see if he can be fit for civilisation according to Victorian standards... all of those in one plot meant I had to suspend my disbelief even more than I usually do for historical romances. But if you can deal with all that, there's plenty to like as well, not least two main characters who cannot be their true selves in society and find connection and solace in each other, and an interesting exploration of early psychology and the importance of the senses. Jules and James are strong, well-drawn characters, so much so that most of the supporting cast feel a touch one-dimensional and caricatured in comparison, but maybe that's a rather blunt commentary on the strictures of the time.

The Wolf and the Wildflower is the story of James and Jules, who meet each other under circumstances in which Jules - posing as a gentleman - comes with her father to help James after he's returned from the wild where he's spent the past ten years. James sees through Jules' facade straightaway and because of this leverage, he agrees to spend time with her, knowing she won't spill his secrets because she's got one of her own.

I really liked the two main characters. They were deep and well developed and the chemistry between them was incendiary. However, I found Jules' backstory difficult to accept, especially the duration for which she's carried her ruse on. Both James and Jules' families weren't endearing at all - except Felicity - and the way they behaved with James and Jules was terrible. That being said, this made for a compelling read with some beautiful moments between James and Jules.

Listen, Stacy Reid. I will read anything you write. But when you give me some bonkers tropes like a hero lost in the woods for 10 years and girl dressed up like a man her whole life, I AM ALL IN.

I started this book, messaged all of my friends, then worked as hard as I could to not binge in one sitting. I love how Reid thinks of the best twists and turns to bring two people together. I adore how she creates tension in unexpected places and I just think she is awesome. I am a life long reader now and won't ever apologize.

I did think the ending wrapped up rather quickly, but it wasn't enough to make me think less of the book.

Another compelling read from Stacey. This unique story takes a woman posing as a man her entire life and her personal sadness and triumphs. Jules has made the best of her situation in her family by pursuing higher education and devout herself to her career. Then she meets James, a Duke who has suffered a life altering challenge and will never be the same. James recognizes Jules immediately as a woman and he is the first to truly see her and her soul. Each has personal trials to overcome before they can even consider the consequences of being together.
It is easy to become emotionally invested in the story and had to go back to read it a second time to make sure I did not miss a single thing.

I devoured this book in one night. It was my first historical romance novel and I was fascinated by the story telling.

The plot was so unique and interesting, both characters facing their own struggles in life and coming together like they did was just so fascinating.

My heart literally ached as the characters fell in love. You know like how your heart skips a beat when you’re falling in love yourself, well it happened several times throughout the book when Jules and James fell in love, that’s how invested I was in this story 😝 I wasn’t sure how they’d ever make it work, which of course had me in tears several times throughout the story. And omg the heat 🔥🔥🔥 the whole scent thing was raw and so hot! Like wow. He could smell her scent and loved it. Doesn’t get more primal than that! I can’t wait to read more Stacy Reid books!

Stacy Reid writes stories with emotional depth intertwined with spice, that she has become one of my favorite authors. This book had all that and more! Jules and James were great characters and I loved reading their journey.

"That I want my Wildflower to touch me and that perhaps I wish to touch her as well. Skin to skin, without any gloves on our hands."
"You smell like apricot blossoms... it makes me want to lick you, everywhere. I have never given any thought to licking another before. I can tell this desire will follow me to bed and tease and torment my sleep.
I look forward to the experience of.. licking and tasting you."
I am absolutely in love !!! Once again I find that this author has an ability to make my heart feel alive and full of emotions !!
Jules and James’s story was absolutely marvellous and I can’t put into words how good I felt while I was reading it!!
The amazing way the author used to deal with the theme of misogyny in a regency era made the fake identity trope great.
I loved getting through the deception and the impossible relationship these two very complicated and very passionate people went through.
Such unrestrained and wild passion and hunger for each other … I loved it !!!
And James … he was wonderful !!! I’m so in love with him it’s insane!!!
The romance was so sweet and the spicy scenes were … oh so good!!! THAT MAN HAS A MOUTH ON HIM !!!!
Plus if you give me a possessive mmc … you will never hear me complain.
The plot in this book was unexpected and exciting. I found myself so intrigued by and addicted to the story that I couldn’t put it down for the life of me.
I was desperately trying to grasp anything I could about the characters’ exchanges or the way they were trying to make it all work in a society that didn’t want to accept them as they were: wild and untamed.
I’m in awe of this amazing novel and I am so grateful to the author and everyone who made my reading of this book possible !!!!
"Love can be affectionate, kind, tender, forgiving, and passionate, but it should never hurt or deliberately inflict wounds.
Love is healing...enchanting..even bewitching.”

I enjoyed reading this captivating yet sweet romantic mystery, it has an exciting and enjoyable storyline. I can't wait for more from this author.