The Beautiful and the Wild is Peggy Townsend's newly released novel.

This descriptor caught my eye - "The dangers of Alaska aren't limited to storms, starvation, and grizzly bears. Sometimes the most dangerous thing is the person you love."
My preconceived idea of what path Townsend's plotting would take was oh so wrong. Which I was quite happy with! It's refreshing to come across a narrative I hadn't expected.

Our lead character is Liv. She's likeable and readers will immediately be behind her. That first chapter is a doozy! There's a supporting cast in the 'now' chapters that will have you shaking your head. But the premise is not so far from reality.

Liv's tale is told from a now and then narrative. And again, my perspective on Liv changed with each 'then' revelation. There's more to Liv than you'd think. What impact will that past have on the present? Townsend does a great job of ramping up the tension and danger with every chapter in the present.

It was easy to imagine the setting with Townsend's detailed descriptions.

Bottom line? I really enjoyed The Beautiful and the Wild. The past and present storytelling style is one of my favorites and Townsend did a great job of keeping my curiosity piqued in both narratives. I couldn't put the book down! And I thought the ending was perfect.

The pace of this novel is very slow and methodical, which fits with the actions taking place. There is a bit of set up and flashbacks to Liv and Mark’s previous life, but in present time, locked in a container, there isn’t a lot of action. This may bother some people but I must’ve been in the mood to read a psychological thriller because this pace helped me settle in and get into these character’s heads. While Liv isn’t the heroine that I normally root for, her situation of being trapped and separation from her special needs child, Xander made me curious to see where this author was going to take this story. I will admit, I didn’t expect it to head in the direction it did.

Usually flashbacks annoy the heck out of me, but it was a great tool to show the difference between Liv as she was when she and Mark met, and the woman who came to Alaska and found herself in this situation. The flashbacks also showed contrasts between what Liv thought of as charm but should have been warning signs in the man she came to love. Mark’s slow dissolution from loving husband to what he becomes later in this novel was deftly written and if you have the patience, I think worth the slow build up to the conclusion.

This was not the type of thriller where people are in chases, fights, etc. This is a true psychological thriller that was slow paced and very well written.

Special thanks to Berkeley and NetGalley for the ARC of this book.

I gave this book a rating of 3. This book gives a little too much away in the beginning and it left me feeling unsympathetic at the way things turned out. I also wasn't crazy about the over amount of back story to get through. What I mean by unsympathetic, Liz is kept prisoner in a shed by her husband in Alaska in the summer. Another thing I didn't like was how Liz tried to escape using the same methods over and over to get out.

Positives....it was written well and did manage to keep my attention, but not a favorite.

Liv couldn’t believe her luck when she met and married celebrated documentary Director Mark Russo and things were wonderful even when their son was born with missing chromosomes and heart difficulties ShE and Kevin couldn’t have loved Xander more. Even when Mark due to no fault of his own became blacklisted from movie making he got a 9 to 5 and they made the best of their life even buying a cozy little cottage. one day while walking with Xander down the street she saw a pink bundle falling out of the window and her automatic response was to catch it only to find out it was a two-year-old little girl this is how she became a overnight household name. To Liv’s horror Mark wanted to use Livs new celebrity to get his career back on track but a few days later live would get a call saying he had jumped off the bridge and committed suicide. As soon as she heard the news she doubted its validity but whether he was alive or not she still had to go on with life and tend to their son Xander until the day she was proven right but that would just be the beginning of the story and oh what a story it is! This is a smart deathly plotted the realer it is ashen packed and OMG good! I didn’t know the story was going to go the way it did and boy was it a great story what more can I say if you love twisty thrillers with great OMG moments then you definitely love the story it’s not really a whodunit but there is lots of drama and lots of heart palpitating moments I really enjoyed this book especially the ending with Mr. Martin and all that entailed. Peggy Townsend has written a very entertaining book in one I am so glad I got to read. I want to thank Berkeley publishing and NetGalley for my free arc copy please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.

Books set in the state of Alaska are infused with a frontier spirit and the remote conditions. Liv Russo finds herself imprisoned in a refurbished shipping container -- by the husband she thought was dead. Told in Now and Then timelines, we learn about the secrets in Liv's past as well as the current situation. Will Liv find a way to escape? What about her son Xander who was with her on the trip from California to Alaska? The challenges of living in such a harsh environment are exacerbated by the cult-like beliefs being implemented around her. Not all the threats are from the environment. A compelling blend of adventure/survival and suspense.

Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.

A woman being held captive in a shipping container on an isolated Alaskan homestead struggles to free herself and rescue her son from the man who is keeping them both there. The author really captures the setting and Liv's desperation. I might have questioned a few of her decisions, but I stayed up way too late to see how it would all turn out.

Summer in Alaska and Liv is being held captive in a storage shed by her husband, her now jailer.

While it kept my attention, there were a few things that bothered me about the story. The main male character was the worse. Obviously since he’s held Liv captive, he’s not a great guy but this was fairly obvious from the beginning which made me lack in sympathy for how everything unfolded. Given the plot I thought it would be a fairly exciting survival thriller, but there was a lot of back history to get through. Even while in the storage shed, she tries the same methods to escape. There wasn’t much innovation and adventure to it. It was still an interesting story and I appreciated the uniqueness of the history and events, but it wasn’t a favorite.

“I don’t know how people fall for the idea that a sin can ever be truly forgiven. Even though I paid my price, the dark stain I carried never went away.”

The Beautiful and the Wild comes out 11/7.

Books that make me uncomfortable and protagonists who make bad decisions are books I tend to steer clear of. So I was surprised to find myself compulsively reading The Beautiful and the Wild. It is told in the first person by Liv, a woman who is being held prisoner in remote Alaska by the husband she’d believed dead. Following a lead indicating he was still alive, Liv and her young son drove north to be reunited with Mark. Liv makes the best of the situation she’s in, while never losing sight of her goal to escape from the homestead and its occupants. It is a quick, suspenseful read. Recommended!

The book starts with a woman held prison by her husband - set in Alaska during the coming winter - it is about survival and secrets

When I first started reading this book, I really didn’t know what to think, but as I continued to read, I enjoyed the story more and more. I found this book to be a very compulsive read. Though there isn’t much action until the end of the book, I found myself on the edge of my seat waiting to see how it would all come together.

I enjoyed the dual timelines with then and now. It was interesting to see how Liv’s history progressed. The unreliable nature of all of the characters in the story really kept me guessing until the very end. Parts of the story were a bit over the top and unbelievable, but it didn’t take away from my enjoyment.

I definitely recommend this book to readers who enjoy compulsive domestic “thrillers”, unreliable characters, and nature.

The Beautiful and Wild by Peggy Townsend shows that despite the natural dangers in rural Alaska, sometimes its humans that are the most dangerous. Readers know immediately that Liv Russo is being held prisoner in a shipping container that is now a storage shed. She can see thick forest, mountains, and a dilapidated cabin from her prison. With secrets of her own, her focus is on protecting her young son Xander who is living in the cabin with its residents. She realizes she must do whatever it takes and lie so she can get out of her prison. While most of the book is set in rural Alaska, 50 miles from the nearest town of Cohut, part of the story is set in California.

Liv had an abusive childhood and craves attention. She likes bringing order to chaos and can be hard-headed. However, she is also insecure. Does she have what it takes to survive and protect Xander?

This book goes back and forth in time, which is not my favorite writing style. Additionally, there is some unneeded repetition. This is more of a survival story than a mystery or thriller. However, there are some action scenes towards the end of the novel. Difficult living conditions, fearful for her life and son, and some unexpected resilience make for an interesting story, but it didn’t quite live up to my expectations from the synopsis. However, it is gripping and compelling at times and I wanted to know how it would end. Grief, fear, anger, trust, betrayal, secrets, lies, survival, and much more are themes that run throughout the story line.

Overall, I am glad I read this novel, which kept me turning the pages despite the format and the lack of action throughout most of the book.

Berkley Publishing Group and Peggy Townsend provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. Publication date is currently set for November 07, 2023.

3.5*
Ignoring the fact that I'm laying on a tropical beach and this is the second snowy book this week..LOL.. The setting is summer in Alaska, but the chilling winter is on its way. Liv Russo was living her life in California with their son Xander when her husband Mark jumped off the Golden Gate Bridge. Years have passed and she finds out he is still alive and living in Alaska in a remote cabin living off the land.
Xander and her travel to find him. He is living with another woman and her son and is devoted to living his life based on a book "Mind, Self, Love" by Kai Huang.
Mark has a different plan. He locks her away in a shipping-container-turned- storage shed. He wants her to conform to his needs and wishes. Living a nightmare, as she plans her escape with Xander that he is keeping from her. She needs to leave before winter sets in as the conditions worsen, but the fear of snow, bears and starvation and traveling with a seven year is not the best situation. This was a race for time. It is a frustrating read and not one of my favorites, but I still enjoyed the suspense.
Thank you Netgalley and Berkley Publishing Group for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

A woman is held captive with her husband, her son and his two mistresses in a remote part of Alaska where they are cut off from all people and live off the land. Mixed in a are some interesting back-stories of all three women. Overall, the story was just too much to swallow--especially why any of these women were with this guy in the first place.

This wasn't what I expected but I enjoyed it. I started this one thinking it was a mystery/thriller. There wasn't a lot of thrilling action moments though. The last few chapters felt a bit more like a thriller but the rest was a survival story. If you're expecting twists and turns like most thrillers, this won't deliver.

A woman and her son travel to remote Alaska supposedly to find her "dead" husband. When she does she instantly wishes she hadn't as she is added to his Utopian vision of marriage and family.
Held captive and away from her son until she submits to being a sister wife she is always watchful for a chance to escape. A brutal environment, unforgiving living conditions and trying to do the best for her child make for a terrified yet resilient mom. This is perfect for readers of A CABIN IN THE WOODS , the adventure thrillers of Alice Henderson or stories of strong women banding together. My thanks to the publisher for the advance copy.

The Beautiful and the Wild is a captivating and thrilling tale set in the untamed Alaskan wilderness. This gripping narrative not only explores the challenges of survival in a harsh environment but also delves into the complexities of a dysfunctional family dynamic. Townsend's brilliant insights and compelling storytelling had me eagerly flipping through the pages at an exhilarating pace.

I will admit to having a fascination with stories about dealing with nature and surviving in extreme conditions. So, the idea of a story that takes place in Alaska sounded like something I’d enjoy.
But, for most of the story, it could take place anywhere. Liv’s husband was suspected of committing suicide several years earlier by jumping off the Golden Gate Bridge. When her own financial hardships threaten to blow up just as she gets a clue that Mark is still alive in Alaska, she and her young son, Xander, head north. Mark is definitely alive and espousing some gobbledygook about free love and living off the land. Oh, and he’s living with another woman. When Liv threatens to leave and file for divorce, he locks her up in a shipping container.
This book didn’t appeal to me at all. The plot was basically one cliche after another. The vast majority of the book is Liz trying to figure out how to escape. Not only was it repetitive, it was boring. And slow. Do not go into this expecting a woman against nature story. You will be severely disappointed (as I was).
The book flits back and forth between Liv’s backstory (going all the way back to her teen years) and the present day. Liv is meant to come across as this strong woman. But I found her to be a little dim witted. She certainly didn’t think things through before heading to Alaska. And why do these women find Mark so alluring? To me, he came across as a typical egoist who thinks more with his little head than his big head.
My thanks to Netgalley and Berkley Publishing for an advance copy of this book.

Liv is being held hostage in a storage container in a remote area of Alaska. She had traveled here from California with her son, to find her husband. When she found him, alive and well with a mistress, she was thrown in the storage container for her safety. Liv vows to do anything to escape.

Liv is driven by the need to protect her son who has suffered from heart problems. Liv is forced to navigate a whole new world full of extreme weather, starvation, and dangerous wildlife. With winter coming, she knows she must reconcile her past and the choices that brought her to Alaska in order to survive.

The writing in this book is exquisite and very well done. I was captivated the entire time. My complaint is one that I am making all too often these days, this is not a thriller. This is more of a women’s fiction with maybe a slight mystery interwoven within the pages. This does turn into a really good, and very atmospheric Alaskan adventure and suspense book. I love reading books set in Alaska, and this one highlighted the perils and stakes of living remotely wonderfully. You have to rely on the land and very little on other things. A lot of time in this book is spent with Liv trying to escape, and it did get a little hard to read the same thing over again, but honestly if I were captured like she was, I’d be in a similar boat.

If you are looking for a beautifully written suspense book set in Alaska, then check this one out.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Berkley Pub, @BerkleyPub, and Netgalley, @netgalley, for this e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

The Beautiful and the Wild by Peggy Townsend was an crazy good look at being in pure survival mode. This book had mysteries inside mysteries and Liv was a great narrator to tell the story. The beginning scenes of her locked in the shipping container had me filled with anxiety as I got completely claustrophobic but I had to finish reading just to see what happens. Recommend!

Links to follow.

3.5 stars

Liv grew up in Texas, with a loud, mean mother and a quiet, browbeaten father who paid little attention to his daughter. So when adult Liv, working as a waitress in California, meets kind, handsome, attentive Mark Russo in a country-and-western bar, she goes home with him and stays.

Mark is an award-winning documentary filmmaker, and the couple marry and live the high life, going to elaborate parties and rubbing shoulders with celebrities. Then Liv and Mark have a son named Xander, whose genetic abnormality makes him a little awkward and slow to learn. Xander's medical expenses, and the fact that Mark's filmmaking career takes a downturn, make things difficult. So Liv becomes a housecleaner and Mark takes odd jobs like stocking shelves, painting houses, and driving delivery trucks.

Then one day, San Francisco Police Inspector Louise Hardy shows up at Liv's door and tells her Mark committed suicide by jumping off the Golden Gate Bridge.

Liv doesn't want to believe Mark is gone, but years go by with no word from him. Liv is broke and about to lose her house when she gets a hint that Mark is alive and living in Alaska. So Liv and seven-year-old Xander make the long hard trek to Alaska, finally reaching an isolated compound by driving on a dirt track with potholes so big they threaten to swallow the car. Liv parks near a river and she and Xander cross a shaky walkway to get to a cabin with a patched metal roof and smoke rising from a stovepipe.

After a few minutes, Mark comes out, looking rangy, thin, and weather-roughened, but still handsome. It turns out Mark is living with a woman named Angela, a 10-year-old boy called Rudy, and a dog named Shadow. Mark says he's following the precepts in a book called 'Mind, Self, Love' by Kai Huang, which advocates "freedom to quit bowing down to those who try to stop us from being happy by creating rules about money and sex and relationships." In other words, Mark no longer believes in employment or monogamy, and he plans to live off the land. Moreover, Mark wants Liv and Xander to join his new family in the wilderness.

Shocked, Liv will have none of it, and says she's leaving and getting a divorce. Mark then locks Liv in a rusty shipping container, and says he'll let her out when she accepts the precepts of Kai Huang and agrees to stay. It turns out Mark is on the run from drug dealers who want to kill him, and if Liv reveals Mark is alive, this will put the thugs on his trail.

From here the book is partly an Alaskan adventure story, and partly a tale of Liv's plan to escape with Xander. The Alaskan frontier is a dangerous place with deadly bears, steep inclines, dense forests, and harsh weather.

For sustenance, some staples can be purchased in town, but residents must largely live off the land by hunting, fishing, snaring game, growing vegetables, drying and canning comestibles, chopping wood, and so on. Moreover, a harsh winter is approaching, and preparations must be made.

While pretending to accept Mark's lifestyle, Liv searches for ways to flee, but Mark has hidden her car keys, phone, and credit card, and he's suspicious of her activities.

The story is narrated by Liv, whose description of her current life in Alaska alternates with flashbacks to the past, where Liv reveals startling incidents in her life. I would have liked Liv to be a more strong-willed character, but this is a good adventure story in a rugged setting.

Thanks to Netgalley, Peggy Townsend, and Berkley Publishing Group for a copy of the book.