Wilde for You by Jennifer Ryan was a very sweet and wonderful story!
I couldn’t put this book down. It has very relatable characters who are each strong people in their own way.
The chemistry in this book is off the charts! Layla and Jax are amazing together.
The characters are fully evolved and the town is filled with respect and compassion.
I enjoyed reading this small town story filled with suspense, intrigue and romance.
Wilde for You was a good read from cover to cover. Well thought out plot and relatable characters.

Thank You NetGalley and Avon for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

This is one of those stories that when you are finished, you “sigh” and want to read it all over again. Artist Layla Brock is recovering from the death of her husband and the damage that he left behind. She needs to get away from the memories and his brother who has continued to harass her. Arriving at Wilde Wind Ranch, she feels as if she has found the beauty that was missing from her life. Meeting the owner, Jax Wilde, is giving her thoughts that she should not be having so soon after her husband’s death. Jax is immediately attracted to Layla. He has always wanted to find that someone special for him, is Layla that someone? As he works closely with her, he begins to yearn for the permanency that he has never desired. Layla has never met someone like him, so caring and a man who gives his all for his family and community. Introduced to his “family” at the Dark Horse Dive Bar adds a new dimension to her work and life, but trouble seems to have followed her to Wyoming, but who and why? A book that I couldn’t put down until the very end! I received an advance review copy at no cost and without obligation for an honest review. (paytonpuppy)

Second in this series does not disappoint. These two are both finding something in each other that they didn’t know they were missing. Some secrets and a bit of suspense leads to a hard fought hea.

Wilde for You by Jennifer Ryan is a steamy contemporary cowboy romance featuring rich and famous artist, Layla Brooks and rancher and bar owner, Jax Wilde. Jax’ parents owned Wilde Wind Ranch but Jax mostly had the running of it. He worked twenty hours a day between it and the family bar, Dark Horse Dive Bar, which he ran with his three sisters working at both spots. Lyric was a singer/songwriter and she was good. She sang at the bar often. She also had a boyfriend, Mason, who was an FBI agent and loved her to death. Jax was sick of being alone. He had broken up with Helen several years earlier after a major betrayal and had only very casual relationships since then. When he saw Layla, he knew. She was for him. But, she was a widow. Was she ready? She had been brought to Wyoming by her manager and best friend, April, for two reasons: she had a commission that required this scenery and she needed to heal from her husband’s suicide.

To say Jax is an overachiever is ridiculous. He invented the term. Layla was much the same. April had purchased a small building and sent it on ahead for Jax to build for use as Layla’s studio. That had never happened before, but she was writing big checks so he was all in. Things progressed between them. There were some hurdles but what ever goes smoothly? This was a very hot book with plenty of interaction. Jax whole family was happy as it had been a while for him. They liked him happy. The two had a good relationship, opening up more and more as time went on. It was a wonderful romance, as only Jennifer Ryan can write. There was an element of thriller in it as well, which just added to the spice. Loved every minute of it. Thanks, Jennifer Ryan!

I was invited to read Wilde for You by Avon and Harper Voyager. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #AvonAndHarperVoyager #JenniferRyan #WildeForYou

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Ruthie – ☆☆☆☆
This is the second book in the series – and I loved it!

The moment Jax and Layla see each other, they are smitten, and somehow the filter is off and they tell each other how they feel – completely out of character for both of them, but they just can't help it... such fun and original when most books thrive on lack of communication.

That is not to say that they don't have issues from their past relationships, and struggle to trust, but they both recognise that this is special and so are patient with each other and affirm their attraction and constancy.

I found Layla's artist's eye a refreshing way for us to imagine Wyoming, and the beauty around her; this is undoubtedly down to the talent of the author, that this is so vivid and compelling. I liked the touch about not being her work until she signs it, and that happens only as she is about to deliver the work. It was such a strong contrast to Jax's world of running a working and holiday ranch and a lively bar with his family.

This was a really good story with lots of layers, with a passionate romance for a super hot and sexy couple at the middle of it.

I enjoyed going back to the Dark Horse Dive Bar, but the book can completely enjoyed without reading the others in the series. The connection between Layla and Jax was instant. Both have had some pretty horrible experiences with past relationships. I enjoyed how their relationship grew through the story. They just fit together so well. The suspense in the story fit well and had a good amount of build up as well as a good twist. I look forward to the next story in the series. I received an advance copy from NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Jennifer Ryan is back with the second installment of her Dark Horse Dive Bar series, Wilde for You, a subtle romantic suspense wrapped up in a small-town cowboy romance. It’s the first Ryan novel I’ve read, and I liked this standalone enough to delve into her backlist as soon as I was finished.

Layla Brock is a world renowned landscape artist from California rebuilding her life in the shadow of her husband’s suicide. His death, coupled with a tumultuous emotional period leading up to it as well as his brother Michael’s attempt to take what he feels is his inheritance, has wrung her out emotionally. The experience challenged her creativity and left her artistically barren for long enough, so when a commission for a stunning Wyoming landscape comes her way, Layla jumps at the opportunity.

Fate guided her to the Wilde Wind Ranch, owned by Jax Wilde and his sisters, and one of the pretty little guest ranches overlooking the beautiful countryside. Jax has his own emotional baggage following the end of his most recent relationship, and rather than turning to art he threw himself into punishing work schedules at the Dark Horse Dive Bar they also own. Like Layla, he’s ready to move on from the emotional wringer he’s been through.

Michael rears his ugly head often enough to be problematic, though his interference doesn’t win against the weight of Jax’s love and support that’s just weighty enough to give Layla hutzpah and triumph over the final vestiges of her past. There’s a big cast of characters who interject themselves regularly, as is the habit of a series about a large family, and the instalove Layla and Jax experience feels a little rushed, but Ryan tempers both by peppering in the small nuances of life and inspiration between Layla and Jax as the story unfolds.

Wilde for You is a mature, contemporary love story with universal truths that everyone, in every situation, can relate to. It’s timeless in its conflict and motivation and approach to finding love again. Starting over is scary, and taking chances requires bravery we don’t always know is within us. Layla’s motivation speaks for the man she loves now, as well: “Somewhere out there was the new life she wanted to make for herself.” Layla may have found it at the Wilde Wind Ranch, but Jax also finds it in her.

WILDE FOR YOU – Jennifer Ryan
Dark Horse Dive Bar, Book 2
Avon
ISBN: 978-0063319769
March 26, 2024
Contemporary Romance

Wyoming – Present Day

After being betrayed by her husband and his subsequent suicide death, landscape artist Layla Brock only wants to find tranquility to paint. Her manager has set her up to stay for several weeks on a remote Wyoming resort ranch. On Layla’s arrival, she is introduced to one of the ranch’s owners, cowboy Jax Wilde. There is an instant spark of interest between them. While Layla didn’t come to Wyoming to have a fling with a hot sexy cowboy, she is not averse to the idea. Jax is friendly and accommodating. They soon hit it off and are seeing a lot of each other. Has Layla found the perfect way to mend her broken heart? Will she be thinking about staying on longer at the ranch?

Layla once thought she had a good life. Christopher was a loving husband and though they went through losing a baby, she was slowly healing. Then she discovered he was leading a double life with another woman and their baby. Shattered, Layla left him, but while he apologized for what he did, his ultimate response was to kill himself. Christopher’s brother, Michael, fought hard for a bigger share of the estate and isn’t happy that he ended up with nothing per a clause in the will. Michael has been hounding Layla for money, which is one reason why she needed to get away. Wyoming turns out to be a good place. It brought her to Jax.

Midway through WILDE FOR YOU, things begin happening in Layla’s life. Her home in California is broken into. Michael keeps texting/calling her. Her car tires are slashed. Is Michael responsible? Whatever is going on and whoever is doing it, it only makes Jax more protective of Layla. They are now in love, and he will do anything to keep her safe. Much of this tale is about Jax and Layla getting to know each other and growing closer. Readers will enjoy their interaction and seeing both find happiness. While much is not said about Jax’s romantic past, we soon learn that he was burned by a woman and why. Layla will quickly have him changing his feelings about love.

WILDE FOR YOU is a bit of a whodunit with the mysterious things happening to Layla, but it is mostly a good-feel romance between two people who once were burned by love. Second chances are earned, and love is given. Will Layla and Jax find a happily-ever-after together? Don’t miss WILDE FOR YOU.

Patti Fischer
Romance Reviews Today

This was a beautiful story that I really enjoyed reading.
I loved everything about the main characters, Layla and Jax. It was fun going on their journey to heal.
The romance aspect was sweet.
There is a mystery aspect to the story that was intriguing.
Though part of a series, this can definitely be read as a stand-alone.
Thank you NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Wilde for You, Dark Horse Dive Bar book two, by Jennifer Ryan has Jax Wilde at the very center of it. This man deserves a happy ever after. He may not be working undercover like his future brother /-in-law was doing in the first book but he works the ranch, the bar, and has his family at the very center of his heart. A real hero in my eyes.

Landscape artist, Layla Brock has loved and lost, now coming to the Wilde Ranch to paint and recover. However, not everyone believes Layla should recover and live again, so danger follows her from California to Colorado. A romantic suspense story taking place in a wonderfully portrayed setting that you love along with well-developed characters that you love even more. Hard to believe but this sensitive serious story is even better than the first one in the series.

Layla & Jax sent my kindle aflame!
This book was fantastic. So many twists and turns with a wonderful romance too. The mystery was intriguing and I was kept on my toes. I was invested in what was going to happen. The writer does a good job of keeping the reader guessing!
The romance was perfectly built up. It’s instant attraction for these two but they’ve both been burned by past lovers so it takes a bit to let each other in. Once they did it was beautiful & hot. Plus I love a grumpy protective man, so Jax definitely did it for me.
This is why I love romantic suspense! The perfect blend of scorching romance and a good mystery.

Wilde for You is the second Dark Horse Dive Bar novel by Jennifer Ryan. Centered around the Dark Horse Dive Bar and the Wilde Wind ranch, both owned by the Wilde family, this story revolves around Jax Wilde, only son of the family. A single workaholic, Jax hasn’t been involved in a relationship for years, ever since his former girlfriend’s betrayal. His family is concerned about the hours Jax puts in, both on the ranch and at the bar.

Layla Brock, a Southern California widow, is a renowned artist specializing in large landscapes. Putting the trauma of her estranged husband’s death behind her, Layla travels to Blackrock Falls, Wyoming, near her patron’s getaway. Having rented one of the cabins at Wilde Wind ranch and having a structure built to house her art studio, Layla arrives with her best friend/business agent April Hendrix. Awaiting the guest’s arrival, Jax and his sister greet the new visitor. When Layla gets out of the vehicle and meets Jax’s perfect blue eyes the connection is almost palpable.

In the days and weeks to come, Layla and Jax begin something special. First, through the activities April had signed Layla up to do, then through other meetings, including dinner, drinks, and dancing at the Dark Horse. As the story unfolds, criminal acts are committed against Layla’s California home, her rented vehicle, and her new studio. Already together, these incidents bring them even closer.

This was another well written story and part of an excellent series. I did enjoy this book and I do recommend it!

Jennifer Ryan's second novel in her Dark Horse Dive Bar series is aptly titled Wilde for You, which describes perfectly the meeting of sexy but bitter rancher, Jax Wilde and world-famous California-based landscape artist, Layla Brock, who has been commissioned by a fabulously wealthy LA producer to paint a half-million dollar landscape showing the beauty of Wyoming. Her best friend and agent, Alice, found that the Wilde guest ranch was very accommodating to her needs, and her open-ended reservation, extened even to setting up the glass greenhouse studio Layla purchased and Jax helped erect at the back of her cabin. And while I'm generally not big believeer in love at first sight, in this novel it somehow worked.

Both Jax and Layla were burned and betrayed by their significant others, Jax's ex-fiance and Layla's husband, now deceased by his own hand, so in addition to this beinga love at first sight, second chance at romance, there are a number of triggers in this story, cheating, abortion, deception and betrayal, as well as stalking, and quite a dash of mystery and well-kept secrets to be revealed as well, so be forewarned.

After the unexpected death of Layla's husband, Christian, she and Christian's brother, Michael, were the beneficiaries of his estate, which wasn't all that much, since the house was bought and paid for by Layla, thanks to her very lucrative art career. However, Michael thought it should all be his, since it was no secret that Layla was planning to divorce her husband, and so Michael contested the will, losing everything in their court battle. He's bitter, grieving, and angry, and he hasn't stopped bugging Layla for what he feels is his due. Getting away from him, and getting out of California, was a way to escape his constant harassment and demands, and since he had no idea where Layla was headed, aside from texting her his demands, she was free of his constant presence, and once she got to see more of the beauty of the Wilde Ranch, and sexy rancher, Jax, her artistic juices reactivated and so did her sex life.

But, like all good novels of romantic suspense, there's trouble to come, painful secrets to be revealed, and up close and personal danger ahead. To say more would would spoil this novel for you, so I'll just state that, as usual, Ms. Ryan has written a novel with all the feels, lots of romance memorable characters, and steamy scenes, but I would have preferred a bit more suspense, and a more detailed and drawn out denouement, nevertheless this novel was still a solid and satisfying read.

I voluntarily read an advance reader copy of this novel and the opinions stated are my own.

You will fall in love with Layla and Jax!

Widowed landscape artist Layla Brock intended to use her time painting a commission piece in Wyoming to figure out her future after her husband’s suicide. But she never expected that Wyoming would be the place that she would find new love and new inspiration for her paintings.

Rancher/bar owner Jax Wilde had closed off his heart to love after his last girlfriend had shattered it but he never expected that the new guest at the ranch would open his eyes and make his realize that she was perfect for him just the way she was.

I absolutely loved Wilde for You because I wanted to keep reading and not put it down. So put it on your list to read because you will fall in love with Layla and Jax and all of the Wilde family.

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

There's nothing like a sexy cowboy romance to get me out of a reading slump, this book was just what the doctor ordered! I loved the rural setting of the book and the way that this impacted how the character's viewed their own lives outside of this rural place. I love how the characters had to really communicate with one another and their relationship was portrayed in a realistic and unfiltered way.

Emotional, suspenseful, and romantic.

I was hooked on Jax and Layla as soon as they met. Layla is on the Wilde Wind Ranch to paint landscapes, and when she and Jax Wilde meet you could feel the connection snap into place. There was trouble following Layla and I enjoyed the suspense, emotion, and how they find their way to each other. I love the Wilde family and can’t wait to see what happens to the rest of the siblings.

There are a ton of details in this story. While it is an instant attraction story it is also on a slow burn. I love how Layla pushes through her uncomfortable-ness in letting her heart love again. I also love how she is so enthusiastic about the ranch and her surroundings. I love how she falls not only for Jax and the ranch and the area but also for his family. I love her friends. The suspense and mystery adds so much to the story. The emotions feel real. Her loyalty to her dead husband and his brother is admirable and leaves a lasting impression. The story is well told, easy to read and follow.

I really enjoyed the previous book in this series, so I wondered if Jax and Layla's story would be as good. It really was. Both had previous relationships that broke a part of them and shattered their trust in a partner, but I loved the way they were always there for each other from the beginning. Slowly building that trust between the two of them. This book was excellent and I highly recommend it. Thank you NetGalley for an advanced copy!

We are back to Wyoming for this second book. We get a landscape artist that comes to work with a client and pain the beautiful landscapes of WY and Jax the rancher falls for her hard at first sight. He moves around his busy schedule to spend time with her. Ryan does a good job with the darker subjects and more of them as we move through the story. We also get a mystery woven through this one and Mason and Jax’s family come to help them. We get more of his fun sisters as well.
Really enjoying this series! Can’t wait to see what sister is next!

Great addition to the series. Love the Wilde family and getting reacquainted with them in this book was fun. The instant attraction when Layla arrives on the ranch goes both ways, but she has a lot of baggage from her previous marriage. It's revealed throughout the story and Jax is patient and understanding. When her past collides with the present and a little mystery is introduced, it is a surprise who the culprit is.

There is love surrounding them and they've both learned from past relationships the importance of truth, commitment, and understanding. All in all a magnificent story of the resilience of true love.

Although I received a free ARC ebook from net galley and the publisher, all thoughts and opinions ate my own. Hoping book 3 reveals the mysterious man messaging Melody, Jax's sister.