WILDE LOVE – Jennifer Ryan
A Dark Horse Dive Bar, Book 1
Avon
ISBN: 978-0063319714
September 26, 2023
Romantic Suspense

Lyric Wilde helps run her family’s bar and in her spare time, she writes and sings songs. She has a YouTube channel with lots of followers and occasionally she goes to Nashville to demonstrate her songs. One day while working in the bar, someone comes up behind her and covers her eyes. Lyric was hoping it would be the hot biker dude she knows as Viper but instead, it’s a man named Rick who is obsessed with her music. Now he is obsessed with her. Rick arrives in town uninvited and wants Lyric to co-write a song with him—and wants much more from her. Lyric isn’t interested in the “more” with him as her heart lies with Viper, a man who lives a dangerous life and appears out of reach. Even with her family’s protection Lyric feels the need to reach out to Viper to tell him about Rick.

Viper gets the text from Lyric and senses there is something she is not saying. He has been off getting healthy after a gig turned into bruises for him. What Lyric doesn’t know is that Viper (aka Mason Gunn) is an undercover FBI agent who has embedded himself into a motorcycle club in order to find out who is responsible for some recent “murders for hire.” Viper has tried to avoid Lyric for the past several weeks because he doesn’t want to endanger her, but when she needs help, he is on his way. Of course, he needs to be careful, but there is no way he wouldn’t be there for the woman he’s falling in love with.

There are two plots going on in WILDE LOVE, the first tale in the Dark Horse Diva Bar series. There is Lyric’s obsessed fan, Rick, who gives off creepy vibes. He is pushy and insists that she wants him there and that she should drop everything and work with him. The more she tries to shut him down, the harder Rick pushes. Her family is aware of the issue and because Rick has no criminal record and hasn’t done anything to Lyric, there is nothing she can do. But of course, it is Viper she turns to for help. He has come into the bar numerous times in the past several months and she has become attracted to him. She isn’t sure exactly what he does, but his mysterious vibes only turn her on more.

The second plot in WILDE LOVE is Viper’s investigation. He is deep into his undercover assignment at the motorcycle club and another deadly deal is about to come down. But he learns that the person he thought was responsible for the murders for hire isn’t the leader of the motorcycle club. It’s the man’s sister, Maria, who is also trying to hook up with Viper. But he only has eyes for Lyric. As he juggles back and forth between his assignment and protecting Lyric, will his cover be blown? After reconnecting with Lyric, they voice their mutual attraction, but it has to be kept secret due to Viper’s undercover work. He doesn’t yet tell her what he is really doing but she accepts that he is a good guy. Will her trust in him be rewarded? Can Rick be dissuaded from his pursuit of Lyric, or will hell all break loose, and she will have to be rescued by Viper? Can he close out his undercover assignment and finally claim his lady?

An entertaining romantic suspense that will keep readers on the edge of their seats, WILDE LOVE is a tale that I highly recommend.

Patti Fischer
Romance Reviews Today

I was lucky to get an advance reader copy of Jennifer Ryan's, Wilde Love: A Dark Horse Dive Bar Novel, the first book in a new series, and having read some of her previous Wilde family novels in the past, some of the characters were familiar, but this novel worked well for this reader as a standalone, and it was impossible not to love the main characters, Lyric Wilde, who has a heart of gold, is a singer/songwriter, as well as the owner/chief cook at the Dark Horse Dive Bar, and Viper, the handsome and intense mystery MC club hero who comes to the bar/restaurant/night club, never says a word but is always fixated on Lyric. Is he a good guy or a bad one? I'm not telling, but this is one very good romantic suspense novel and it gets 4.5 stars from this reader.

Lyric periodically heads to Nashville to perform and collaborate with other singer/songwriters. She also has an on-line Youtube presence where she uploads her song videos and communicates with
her fans--one of whom shows up at one of her Nashville gigs and wants to collaborate with her. She has enough on her plate, so she eventually brushes him off with a "soon," but that's clearly not soon enough for Rick Rowe, who then shows up in her hometown in Wyoming and expects her to drop everything and work with him on a song. Make that songs--as the one she finally agrees to help him with wasn't enough for this creep turned stalker.

It's Viper who really catches her attention--he comes into the Dark Horse and just stares at her, and although he looks like a MC thug, Lyric has the unique ability to see the good behind the bad in everyone, and her instincts are correct when it comes to Viper. Although she knows little about him, she's attracted to him, a man who won't even tell her his real name, or much of anything else about himself, and she ends up calling him "M," for "Mine." I just love a mystery man hero!

There's a lot going on in this novel, most of which would be spoilers, so I won't go into great detail, in this review, but as romantic suspense novels go--this is a very good, very solid, hard to put down novel, with well-drawn characters, a plot that keeps you guessing, and one that doesn't sacrifice the suspense in favor of the romance, or the romance in favor of the suspense All in all, a very satisfying, romantic, suspenseful read, with an HEA ending, and I'm happy to recommend it. Now I can't wait to get my hands on the next novel in the series, and I think you'll feel that way too.

As stated at the outset, I voluntarily read an advance copy of this novel. The opinions stated are my own.

Even though this is the first in a new series by Jennifer Ryan, there are a few familiar characters in this book. Mason, who appeared in the Wyoming Wilde series, is actually an undercover agent in a motorcycle club. Having been undercover for years, Mason is ready to start a new chapter in his life, hopefully with Lyric at his side. But he has one last mission to complete while undercover before he can start that new chapter. But he just can't resist Lyric, especially when he finds that she too is danger. Once again, Jennifer Ryan has written an enjoyable romance with a touch of suspense, the perfect start to a new series!

Sigh… I loved this romance. It was so beautiful. It may have bordered on insta love but honestly I didn’t even mind that. Just about everything in Wilde Love worked for me and I see myself rereading this in the future.

WOW!
This is a great book; loved the story line.
Lyric Wilde helps run the Dark Horse Dive Bar; Viper has been coming in for months now. They have been eyeing each other; but neither making a move to further the relationship. Lyric is a song writer and has just returned from Nashville. It seems a guy has followed her back wanting to write songs with her. She doesn't know him, and he gives her the creeps.
Viper is actually an undercover FBI agent working a murder for hire group. The motorcycle group he infiltrated hasn't let him in on actually who is the leader for the murders. After being undercover for years Mason is ready to give it up and Lyric is the one for him.
Can Lyric get rid of the creepy guy, and can Mason keep her safe? This is a great suspense romance. Can't wait for more!

This is a new spin off series from the Wyoming Wilde brothers. Lyric Wilde is a songwriter who works at her family’s bar. She has a flirtation going on with an undercover agent, which turns into a serious relationship just as she gains a stalker.
I was unsure about the premise and how thus would work, but it did. I really loved this book and can’t wait to read more in this series.

Well a great series continues on. Jennifer Ryan’s series Dark Horse Dive Bar moves right along with WILDE LOVE without missing a beat. WILDE LOVE is Lyric and Viper’s story.
Sure it is a love story after all it was created in the mind and heart of the wondrous Jennifer Ryan. Once again this author combines joy with angst, love with fixation, compassion with distance, and safety with conflict. All between the covers of one great novel. The thing between Lyric and Viper seems to be a game of magnets. Viper comes and goes in Lyrics life. Larger than life when present at her bar. A gaping chasm when not. Viper has been jumping into Lyrics life for months now. She candidly hates his name but sees through that façade to envision a man who is so much a departure from his image.
Then there is this really creepy guy Lyrick. Rick wants to be a song writer like Lyric but without the talent. So he follows her on the web. And then he goes the extra mile, where the creepy part comes to play. Rick shows up at her bar thinking he is visiting a friend. See that is where the web gets you. Any time you innocently answer someone they can totally get the wrong message. Lyric just wanted to let him down easily, but instead fed into his delusion that she liked him and was eager to become a writing partner. Unpleasant right?
As you can imagine life became complicated between running bar, envisioning lyrics to songs, opening the door for possible time with folks that meant so much and of course sidestepping the minefield of overtures with an incredibly determined stalker.
Viper is torn between his job responsibilities and responding and protecting a woman who has opened a new door for his, dare we suggest, future.
The difficult part is getting Lyric to comprehend the potential danger of a guy like Lyrick. As the element of danger increases, as it was bound to happen, Lyric finds herself truly in need of help from Viper. And that means spending more time with this man who was good at keeping his distance.
Sometimes it takes a huge leap of faith to allow yourself to lean on someone to keep harm at bay. In Lyric’s case she already finds herself falling for Viper even though a real relationship does not seem in the cards.
In WILDE LOVE the line is drawn in the sand. Jennifer Ryan delves into a societal problem that can be larger than life. Stalking is a real thing. Being mindful of your social platform is a necessity. WILDE LOVE portrays that reality well. But Jennifer Ryan also reminds us to keep our heart open for possibilities that seem out of reach. The coupling of Viper and Lyric is the stuff romantic novels is made of and of course Jennifer Ryan flexes her literary muscles much to the enjoyment of her fans.

It was a bit confusing at first not having read the previous series. But once it settled down to Viper and Lyric it was an enjoyable story. Looking forward to Nick and Aria's story.

The relationship seems pretty easy between Lyric and Viper/M/Mason. It's everything else that is difficult. Both of their lives made it hard to be together. I like how they make every minute that they are together count. The trust that they have for each other speaks volumes.

I found this book a bit tedious. It’s obvious that Mason is an undercover agent. For someone trying to keep his role undercover as a member of a motorcycle gang, he seems to tell people a lot of oblique comments that make it obvious that he’s some sort of police or federal agent working to uncover some crime in the gang. And the guy who shows up out of the blue to meet Lyric so that she can write songs with him is so clearly a delusional stalker. Lyric is portrayed as just so sweet that she can’t shut him down right away. So everyone around her, her family and the local police, just let this guy move into her life and bug her without saying anything to him. She really came off as TSTL as she keeps giving her stalker another chance.

Then we have Lyric and Mason basically already in love without Lyric knowing much about him. She just senses that he is a good guy after exchanging a lot of significant looks when he’s at the bar where she works. And then they discuss over and over how much they love each other. I just found myself skimming through so I could see how it all turned out. I didn’t buy any of these characters.

And I got sick of how repetitive it was.

I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book that I received from Netgalley; however, the opinions are my own and I did not receive any compensation for my review

Lyric Wilde is much to beautiful and sweet for the dark world he is currently living in, chasing criminals and being in a biker gang screams trouble and the last thing he wants to do is get her mixed up in his world. But his sweet and innocent girl manages to find trouble all on her own, she has caught the attention of an obsessed fan that will stop at nothing to get his hands on her... and he just so happens to have ties to Mason's world. Which also means Mason is about to be spending a lot more time with the beautiful songbird that secretly makes his heart skip a beat!

The pages of Wilde Love read like a suspenseful movie on the small screen, from the the get-go it'll have you fully invested and hooked on it's every word. Lyric and Mason are pure literary perfection, they have this feisty playful thing going on that just adds fuel to the fire that's simmering between them. With each interaction you can feel their attraction for one another grow, along with their unexpected feelings. I loved watching these two fall for one another, they kept me captivated and blushing the whole way through!! Highly recommend this one it's the perfect romantic suspense escape!

I requested an advanced copy of this title from the publisher, via NetGalley request, and I am voluntarily leaving my honest and unbiased opinion.

I am so in love with this series, and could not put this latest book down until I finished.
Finally, Lyric and Mason get their story, and all the hidden truths about him come out. Lots of action, many secrets, and a whole lot of love. A must read!
I am hoping Nick and Aria get a story soon!!!
I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Entertaining book. It was well liked and I happy to read. I enjoyed this story and liked this story. Glad i got to see more of this Wilde Famikly. This was a good one. I will try to read more.

I received an arc from NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.

I love the strong reserved man finds love story. Mason keeps Lyric at arms length but there comes a time that he can’t stop his feelings for her. Pressure from his mission and a stalker bring some tense times for the two.

Great summer read and I certainly had a hard time putting this one down. I can’t wait to read more about Nick, Hawk and the others

Could there be a more dumb FMC? Could the MMC have repeated just one more time to trust him because despite how he looked he was not a bad person. Ugh. This book was like a record on repeat with some other words thrown in for fun.

I’ve made no secret of my love for Jennifer Ryan’s books in the past, so it would be silly to try and play it cool here and say I didn’t love Wilde Love. By virtue of being one of her books alone, this book was always going to steal my heart, especially since it’s a return to one of her tried-and-true pairings—sexy, protective undercover federal agent and beautiful, talented, stalked woman. It’s Escape to You (one of my favorites of Ryan’s) with different players and all the same feels.

That’s not to say Wilde Love is perfect. It was occasionally repetitive and had a couple of jarring “do I really think this character would say/do that?” moments, yet it was also everything I look forward to in this author’s books. Fast-paced and action-packed suspense; tight-knit families who care about each other and those around them; strong heroine not simply waiting to be rescued; and a gruff hero with a soft center who isn’t afraid of their feelings when it comes to her.

Of course, I wouldn’t be so remiss as to neglect to mention my number one favorite thing: tension that is external to the romance. There’s no forced drama or basic miscommunication. It might be bordering on instalove, but we’re also dealing with characters capable of saying what they want and following through. (FYI, Donna Grant also does this well in her Heart of Texas series.)

So, yeah, I’m more than a little wild about Wilde Love and already deeply invested in the rest of this new series. Mason’s brother and cousins, Lyric’s sisters and brother are all still on the lookout for happily ever after . . . and I’ll be on the lookout for their books to come out (hopefully) soon.

A great story and I loved the setting and Jennifer Ryan kept me glued to Lyric and Mason’s story. The book held me with suspense and romance with the two. With a stalker, Lyric needed help and ”M” was there along with her family. I Jennifer has given us strong characters who aren’t afraid to fight for themselves, friends, and family. This is one series I will be watching for new releases and reading.

Finally Lyric and Mason's story!!! I've been waiting for this Wilde story to unfold and was not disappointed. I love this series and the Wilde family + cousins, and was charmed by the inclusion of the Gunn story. I loved the musical touches and can't wait to see who's story is next.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC

so good. such a fun, good, spicy and lovey read. will definitely be reading more of this author in the future!!!!!

This review may contain spoilers, so fair warning, upon reading the review.

Book Evaluation:
Plot: 🎞️🎞️🎞️🎞️🎞️
World Building:🌎🌎🌎🌎🌎
Cover:📔📔📔📔📔
Hero: 🦸🏻🦸🏻🦸🏻🦸🏻🦸🏻
Heroine:🦸🏻‍♀️🦸🏻‍♀️🦸🏻‍♀️🦸🏻‍♀️🦸🏻‍♀️
Intimacy Level: 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Relationship Building: 💒💒💒💒💒
Heart & Feels:💞💞💞💞💞
Witty/Banter/Reaction of Laughter: 😂😂😂😂😂
Page Turner Level:📖📖📖📖📖
Ending:🧧🧧🧧🧧🧧
Overall View: ✨✨✨✨✨


First Impressions
Wilde Love is the first book in the newest series by Jennifer Ryan. This is a series that I am very excited for. Of course, Jennifer Ryan, so anytime that she has a new release I get excited. Jennifer Ryan is an author that will appeal to both contemporary and suspense fans. She does so well with these elements in bringing together such balance and if you love a good small town romance than look no further than Jennifer Ryan. In Wilde Love, this pairing was teased in the previous series in "Max Wilde's Cowboy Heart" and I was very excited. I was curious to see how this was elemented with the hero being a biker, I never know what this author will do and yeah it was very unexpected on how this is worked on but she made it work in such a beautiful way.

First Line
A pair of warm hands covered her eyes.

The Main Protagonists
The Hero: Mason Gunn
Mason, undercover FBI agent, dedicated to country service and his family. He is a badass but sweet with the woman he loves. A alphamellow/cinnamon roll

The Heroine: Lyric Wilde
Lyric is the daughter than helps run the Dark Horse Dive Bar, she is a aspiring songwriter and singer and loyal and true to those she loves.

Summary
When Lyric Wilde first met Mason Gunn also known as "Viper" she felt a strong connection. But she knows he is part of the MC and dangerous, but there is something that resonates deep within her that helps her to know that she can trust her instincts on this and trust in Viper. But when she has a fan that starts stalking her, the danger to her only rises. And when other events start happening that shows that her life is being put in danger, her stalker is the #1 possibility. But as Viper and Lyric build their relationship in secret, as their relationship being public could put their lives in danger from the enemies at the MC. But Lyric is willing to risk the danger in being with Mason, and will fight just as fiercely as he will to keep their love alive.

What I Loved
Wilde Love was a brilliant romance and is probably my favorite romance that this author has ever written. I can't believe how much she was able to blow me away with this one here. This was a story that was beyond endearing and poignant and I adored the way that these two just come together so early in the story. Its highly refreshing and I adore a story with low inner conflict. In this one, they establish their relationship very quickly, although they keep their relationship a secret, for the most part. Lyric's family senses that there is more between them while also trying to keep her stalker at bay from her. The family connections on this one are brilliant. We see both relationships with Lryic's famly and Mason's family. I am curious to see where the author takes the series, because there are options for both the Wilde family and the Gunn family.

As far as the plot that comes into play, there is some great mystery and intrigue and the stalker aspects really added a unique aspect to the story though. I really found it interesting to see if it would connect to the hero with the storyline that was building with the motorcycle club and I have to say that Jennifer Ryan really thew me off for a bit trying to figure out the true villain, but once the true colors are shown I just wanted justice to be brought to the villain in the worst way and Jennifer Ryan fully satisfies where that is concerned.

One of my favorite aspects of this story though is how the heroine is with our hero. The way she fights for him and their relationship just as much as he does just delivered on all the feels for me. I adore a heroine being willing to put all into the relationship and be so invested, especially so early in the relationship, really impressed me. I appreciate that this author was willing to write such a endearing heroine I could go to bat for.

Now let's talk the actual workings of the romance. Our couple get together very early on in the story, they aren't afraid of what they are feeling for each other, but there is an outside conflict to keep them from sharing that in public. So, they have to together in secret and there were aspects of this that were so hard to read at times just seeing how tough it was hard on our main characters not being able to be "together" when they wanted to be or in those moments when they needed it and had to keep themselves separate from each other. But we see how much this really tested their relationship in positive ways and how their bond only strengthens through the adversity of these challenges. Their hearts are so aligned together, and they make such a wonderful partnership. My soul just melted reading this book here and this pair is one that you want to cheer on in finding their HEA. And that ending??!!!! Was beautiful in every way and satisfies on every level in a way that only Jennifer Ryan is able to execute.

What I Struggled With
Nothing! haha This book was perfection!

Overall View
Wilde Love is a stimulating romance that digs deep into heartfelt emotion, thrilling feels, and a epic love that breathes life into the soul!

Book Details (also in my shelves)
Sub Genre: Contemporary Romance, Romantic Suspense
Character Types: Law Enforcement, Biker, Singer/Songwriter
Themes: Small Town, Tear Jerker, Danger/Suspense, All the Feels, Couple Together Early On, FAmily Bond, Love Language, Stalker, Western
Tropes: Epic Love, Instant Love, Secret Relationship, Secret/Mistaken Identity

Book Perspective
3rd POV

Relationship Conflict vs Plot Conflict
Plot Conflict!! The relationship conflict is minimal.

Song This Book Inspires
Come Over by Kenny Chesney
Angel Eyes by Jeff Healey Band
When You Love Someone-Bryan Adams

Recommendation For Reading Order
Yes