This book intrigued me from the very beginning…I was leery at first wondering if I was going to be bothered by the oddness of the story line, but I was pleasantly surprised! It took a bit for me to get involved with the characters, but once I did, it was a sprint to the finish line. I couldn’t put it down! Jules Southby was told she was a boy from the moment she was born until she shockingly got her period and her mom had to explain everything to her. I understand why Jules was kind of okay with the deception because, as a man, so many more doors were open to her. But I can’t imagine the sense of loss she must have felt to keep that part of her hidden from everyone. She was very lonely. But when she meets James Winters, she finds someone who is very similar to her, lonely and hiding a large part of who he is to everyone. I LOVE that they could be that safe haven for each other and share that common understanding. I was rooting for them to figure out a way to be together! The steam was amazing, there was a bit of angst, and I has deeply invested in the happily ever after!

The cover’s gorgeous. This is a historical romance. I had a hard time with this story. I like main characters but not together. I just didn’t feel the vibes or sparks or connections between them. It felt lukewarm to me. I’m sorry. I truly did want to like this book!

I so appreciated reading this ARC, Netgalley and Entangled Publishing. My views are purely my own.

James is a duke thought to be lost in the Yukon years ago. He was living with wolves and has no idea about polite society. Jules is a psychologist with a secret of being a female but living as a male all her life. She is tasked with making James ready to be a Duke in just three weeks time or his family will lose their fortune. The attraction between the two is strong and James instantly knows Jules is a woman. An interesting read with a different twist for a historical romance.

I received a copy of this book via Netgalley.

Loved it! What can I say about this book. James and Jules had to look inside and learn to love and trust each other in order to end up in their HEA. Jules had lived in like her whole life and until she decided that she was worth stepping outside herself is when she truly found happiness. James has survived but needed to learn how live again. They both came together and helped each other heal, live and love.

Stacy Reid never disappoints! Really liked this book - a fun fresh perspective that merged the best of the historical romance tropes with a new story!

The FMC is a total badass and hiding a secret. The MMC has been lost in the wilderness for a decade and is readjusting back to life in civilization.

And woooooooo that spice! Trust me, you will never think about smell the same way again!

Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this e-book and this is my freely given opinion...

This seems to be my week for stories that have really unbelievable premises that take a fair suspension of belief to get into. This is the story with two MCs with quite fantastic backgrounds, in Victorian England. First, there is Jules Southby. Because of interesting family dynamics and a deception perpetrated by Jule's mother at birth, Jules was born a girl, but raised as a man, given the opportunities to be a man, including studying abroad to follow her father's footsteps. Dr. Southby is a renowned doctor of the mind/alienest, who, as many men in his time, yearned to have a son to pass his legacy onto.

James Winters, the current Duke of Wulverton, has recently found his way back to England, after being lost for 10 years. He had engaged in an adventure with friends in the frozen NorthWest edge of North America and appeared to be on a mountain or glacier climbing expedition when he was lost. Despite his families many efforts to find him, he disappeared for the decade. It turns out that he was able to survive in frozen wilderness as a lone human until one day making his way back into civilization and back to England. By then he had changed a great deal from the youth he had been, causing his mother and family to be concerned about his ability to be Duke, especially considering his changes in behaviour and personality. It does not help that there are rumours swirling about Society about Wulverton being a savage and insane.

The Southbys are invited by his mother, the Duchess, to visit the Wulverton estate to assess the Duke and aid in getting him ready for his introduction to Society at her annual ball, in 3 weeks time, and to prove his sanity/suitability to be Duke when he meets with Queen Victoria, and takes on his duties.

As part of his struggle to survive in isolation, James had mentally isolated himself from his memories and his desires for his past relationships. He has become very isolated and off putting to his family, and it is a struggle for him to relate to them and his home, after being in the wilderness. He finds solace in being alone, outdoors, in silence, etc, and it is difficult for his family to understand and relate to him, and vice versa. He is willing, to a certain extent, to try to meet some of his mother's wishes, but not beyond what he can tolerate.

When he meets Jules, he is able to recognize the real her beyond her disguise as a young man, and recognizes someone else who is isolated and hiding their true self. He is intrigued and is only willing to engage with Jules in any kind of relationship or communication - which becomes a friendship of sorts. Then that quickly becomes an attraction, especially as Jules does yearn to be able to express and be appreciated as her true self, and does not need to hide that from James.

There is a lot of suspension of belief to be done to accept the premises of this story, but it was a fun, romantic, interesting, and passionate romance. They are both two souls who recognize each other's isolation and yearning to be accepted as they are, and they find solace and acceptance in each other. Also James is such a primal, sensual character - the entire nose/scenting thing seemed rather off-putting to begin with, but it grew on me and I really appreciated that primal sensuality.

There are a lot of parts of the story I have to question - how on earth did James stay away from humanity for 10 years, living with a wolf pack, and surviving as he did. There were NO other opportunities to meet with any other explorers, other peoples, indigenous groups???? How was he able to eat with the wolves and that kind of diet and not suffer any health issues over the 10 years - issues such as parasites, digestive issues, scurvy, adult rickets, malnutrition, dental issues? Why did the wolves accept him... what about ticks, fleas, etc. What about other health issues with a lack of supplies and resources - falling without injuries, frost bite, infection, etc. Then suddenly he goes in another direction finds humanity and actually makes it home recognized as the prodigal son of a duke? No need to prove his identity etc? What about clothes - he did not have the training to tan skins, but was able to skin a bear and preserve it. I doubt his clothes would have survived 10 years. Then there was Jules - REALLY, no one in that family every figured out she was a female in over 2 decades??? REALLY?????? Not even servant gossip - after all, they would be private to private things such as when she had her menses, cleaning her clothes, seeing the bindings, the make up, the fake whiskers... REALLY?!? I would have to question how good of a doctor of the mind Southby Sr. was if he was taken in by such a ruse under his own nose for so long! Talk about unobservant.

BUT - I was willing to accept the storyline, even with the holes and questions, and go on this ride because the two MCs were very compelling and interesting characters, and I thought the story was fun, well written, passionate, and very different from what I have read in the past.

4.5 stars out of 5

This book was amazing. The premise was so good and Stacy Reid just delivered on all of my hopes for this, and considering she's my favorite historical romance writer, they were high indeed. I loved the main characters and how both of their secrets brought them together. The anxiety that all the secrecy gave me just made all the beautiful moments more meaningful and their relationship more beautiful. This book was also paced perfectly in my opinion, which made it a very quick read. I could not put it down. If you like historical romance even a little bit, you'll adore The Wolf and the Wildflower.

I have enjoyed Stacy Reid's historical romances, and the premise for this book was intriguing. The main characters are a Duke who has been lost in the wild for over ten years and an aspiring psychologist who disguises herself as a man. The first time the main characters meet, there are instant intrigue and sparks. The story is captivating, and you are on the edge of your seat with the will-they-wont'-they plot.

Stacy Reid’s “The Wolf and the Wildflower” sounds either interesting or terrible: a duke who has been lost for 10 years returns and needs to learn proper social manners conveniently by a psychologist who is secretly a girl. However, diving into it quickly promises the former rather than the latter.
Bringing to mind the authentic surgeon who dressed as a man in Regency Era London James Barry, Reid’s female lead, Jules Southby, has grown up masquerading as a man to save her mother from yet another pregnancy, a decision forced upon her that potentially saved her mother’s life. It would be easy to vilify Jules’s father in this scenario, yet Reid successfully rounds him out by making him a likable character who truly loves his family and his profession, and was rather uninformed about the trauma his wife suffered in the very first chapter.
Thus, Jules is a budding psychologist who is seen as a man but feels frustrated by this need to hide who she really is, which creates an extra layer of struggle that allows the male lead, James, the Duke of Wulverton, to be a catalyst for change.
The dialog is intriguing, the scenes vivid and the story captivating until the end. Even when Reid’s characters almost get a little too weird (Jame’s smelling is a bit intense) Reid pulls it back, skillfully balancing on pushing the boundaries of cozy regency romance while not going too far. I’ll be looking for some of her other books!

ahhhh I'm so sad - unfortunately not my favorite Stacy Reid book but still had one of my fave tropes (girl passing herself off as a boy). I find it hard to believe her father didn't figure it out but this random stranger did.

Enjoyed but didn't love - THanks for the chance to read early!

This is one of my new favorite historical romances.
A long lost Duke returns from Alaska after living with wolves for ten years. His return is met by his family thinking he is insane from his experiences. Jules, who was raised as a boy from birth works with her father, a phycologist, as an assistant to help study and acclimate James to his new role.

Such a unique, excellent story.

This is a voluntary review of an advanced copy.

Interesting story if you can just go along with a Duke that is lost in the Alaskan wilderness for ten years, living with wolves and the woman who has lived as a man for her whole life!

When they meet, the story gets interesting because they are so different yet they have much in common. Not sure why the Duke let all the extended family hang around and harass him!

I enjoyed the story and Jules and James progress toward their HEA which at times did not even seem possible but liked their story.

Stacy Reid is THE historical romance author for me. The way she can sweep you up with her romances is unmatched. The characters, the world building, the emotion...it's like you're there with them!

3.5 stars. This historical romance requires a suspension of disbelief that I couldn’t quite get to. The hero is a duke who was lost in the wilds of Canada for a decade, where he survived by befriending a pack of wolves. The heroine is a woman who has been disguised as a man for her entire life for reasons. They meet when her father is hired to evaluate the duke’s mental fitness to take on the responsibilities of the title, and he sniffs out (literally) that the doctor’s “son” is not as he seems.

These two outsiders have more in common than you might think, and are drawn together in ways that surprise both of them. The book is well written. But I just couldn’t get over the outlandish premise.

Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for the ARC to review. All opinions are my own.

This is a 10 star book. In the mood for something totally different. Then this is your read. A renown doctor who is not what they seem. A lost Duke who has been found and now must be prepared for Society. Sparks fly and passions get heated. A stunning book by a brilliant author.

First off, suspend your disbelief, then proceed to enjoy this book for the interesting characters and steamy romance.

James survived years in the wilderness on his own with the help of wolves. Jules is a psychologist who has been living as a boy since birth. When Jules meets the grumpy duke, their attraction is instantaneous. There is plenty of conflict to overcome, not the least of which is Jules’ father is unaware Jules is his daughter and not his son. It is a nutty plot, but very entertaining.

This was a creative twist on the sunshine/grumpy trope with a little Jungle Book/Twelfth Night thrown into the mix.

3.5 rounded up

The synopsis of the book was better than the actual book, I did not like the characters and the story was not drawing me in. Overall an ok read.

An exquisite love story about seeing behind our masks

Reading this book felt like a lover’s breath on my neck, sensual and full of promises. Every time James leaned in and smelled along Jules’s neck, I was here for it!

I have always enjoyed Stacy Reid’s books but this story was on ANOTHER LEVEL. This reading experience has it all, the slow burn angst, the sensuality via the author’s employing all of our senses), the emotional tug of the main characters secrets, familial and societal expectations and most of all, passion!

I found many things about this story unique. First of all, Jules Southby’s backstory like was an interesting plot. I was on the edge of my seat anticipating how it was going to be exposed. In addition, Jules and father Dr. Southby were hired as psychologists to analyze to James Winters, The Duke of Wulverton, and the Earl of Lydon. James was recently reunited with his family after being lost in the wild for years. This family feared he was “not suitable” for the ton and would not be able interact respectably with people in the social standing.

We all know the ton is all about appearances and the Duke was freaking them out! I found Jules and James’s understanding and agreement with each other to be intriguing. This book really established with TRUST and GRACE looked liked in a working and later romantic relationship. I really appreciated the author letting their journey to play out without some villain outing them before they were ready. It didn’t cheapen the thrill of their discovery of each other. How I loved the author created the intimacy between Jules and James. It’s was so authentic and visceral that all around them noticed even when they thought they were being discreet.

This story was a juxtaposition of family expectations versus personal desires. What a battle of what’s more important and what a sexy journey to claiming one’s future. It was very angsty and intense, I just loved the energy. An amazing read.

This was an okay read. The language was a little too florid at times and I found some of the plot points stretched the bounds of reality. There were some inconsistencies I felt would have been better resolved with a longer book.

Wow! What a story. This has to be
my new favorite book & author. I was absolutely hooked from the beginning to the last page. What amazing writing & storytelling. I felt like i was in a spicy tarzan type story. You know the kind with the wild savage man who meets the civilized lady and passion takes over. It was hot and spicy while at the same time deep & full of emotions every reader can connect with, especially introverts like me. It had twists & turns you never expect. And the connections between the characters were perfect, Add to that some amazing writing that the story practically jumped off the page that I
felt like i was part of the story, like I was there with then living in that moment.
I do not want to give away any details because this is a story that you just have to discover on your own.
But I will give you a little hint to the story: James Winters, the Duke of Wulverton, was missing for 10 years. Most everyone given up for dead. He survived the harsh wild a now returns and wants to try and do his duty to step up as the duke & all its responsibilities. He secretly actually misses his wild life but is trying to be a proper Duke for his mother. Wolverton's mother calls in help from a renowned Psychologist Mrm Southby & his son, Jules Southby. They arrive to access & help the duke return to to normal life. However there is more than just a Duke with secrets. Jules is keeping a secret, he is not the son of Mr. Southby but rather his daughter. This is a secret that Jules and her Mother have kept from her Dad & the world since her birth.
When Jules starts to evaluate Wulverton things really begin to change. They find a connection to each other because  of the secrets they must endure and they truly understand why each other is hiding. When feelings and passion become involved things really get interesting.
Now you have to go out we and discover this story before I reveal to much. Once you start this story you will be hooked.
I look forward to many more adventures by Stacy Reid, especially if they are as amazing as this story.