Wild for You (The Wilds of Montana #1)

Release Date: January 30, 2024
POV: Dual POV
TON (Type of Narration): Dual by Emma Wilder and Sebastian York
Audiobook Length: 7h 52m
Genre and Sub Genre: Contemporary Romance, Westerns
Location: Wild River Ranch, Bitterroot Valley Montana; Bitterroot Valley Coffee Co.
Tropes: Age Gap, Single Dad x Nanny, Grumpy/Sunshine, Small Town, Cowboys, Found Family
TW/CW's: stalking, maternal death during childbirth (not MC), violence against women
On KU?: Yes
HEA: Yes
Story Rating: 2.75/5
Audiobook Rating: 4/5
Spice Rating: 2.5/5 (Open Door)

Summary:
Remington Wild, a single father managing the Wild River Ranch, reluctantly admits he needs help raising his two kids. Little does he know, the charming woman he encounters daily at Bitterroot Valley Coffee Co., Erin Montgomery, is the perfect candidate for the job. Erin, seeking reprieve from her bustling life in Seattle, takes on a part-time nanny position for Remington. Despite their instant connection, Erin is determined to keep things professional. As she becomes an integral part of the Wild family, Remington finds himself falling for her, and their happiness seems boundless. However, when hidden secrets come to light, putting his children at risk, the couple faces a challenge that could either strengthen their love or unravel it completely.

Review:
"Wild for You" by Kristen Proby incorporates a mix of some of my favorite tropes similar to one of my 5 star reads, "Heartless" by Elsie Silver, offering a light and easy-to-read experience. The connection between Remington and Erin feels a bit rushed and sort of insta-lovey, lacking the tension and banter that could have added depth to their relationship. The plot, while engaging, felt shallow and a bit lackluster, especially with a predictable stalker conflict that seemed to be added just for drama. Despite these drawbacks, the book serves as a solid foundation for the rest of the series, introducing many characters and possible love interests for the future. If you're in the mood for a simple and straightforward read with small town elements, "Wild for You" is the book for you.

Future Book Predictions:
Chase + Summer
Millie + Holden Lexington

Thank you to Netgalley an the publisher for giving me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was my first Kristen Proby book and I’ll definitely read more!
I enjoyed this story and the narration. This was a delicious age gap cowboy romance! I do wish it was duet narration but narrators were great!
I would definitely recommend this to friends!

I enjoyed the narration.
For a single dad/nanny romance, there was no forbidden element and no tension. Everything went so well between them from the beginning, and all the conflict was always external. The heroine is immature, endangering children's lives like that.
Overall, everything is rainbows and unicorns until the villain appears and it gets resolved super quickly.

If you took out the salty language and the spicy scenes, Wild for You would be completely wholesome and thoroughly heartwarming. To be clear, I’m not saying I wish this was a squeaky clean, sweet romance story - I liked it just the way it is! But there wasn’t an edgy or harsh vibe anywhere in this story and I was HERE for every bit of it.

This book is also a study in anti-cliched/non-stereotypical characters and storylines. And I LOVED it. The hero is a widowed single dad, but he’s not drowning in sorrow over his wife’s death. The heroine is running from a bad situation, but she hasn’t closed herself off from all relationships. There was no fighting the chemistry or avoiding the relationship. And both came from loving, supportive families. Watching this couple meet and fall in love was delightful, and meeting the sidecast of characters was just plain fun.

The narrators are excellent - Emma Wilder and Sebastian York could make a medical journal article entertaining! I’m certain I would have enjoyed reading this book, but listening to the audiobook was fantastic!

This story is a great start to Ms. Proby’s new series and I can’t wait for the rest of the series.

* thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Select for providing an advance copy of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review

I absolutely adore small town romance books and Wild for You is perfection! This one is set In picturesque mountains of Montana. Erin is wanting to start over and distance herself from her family. She moves to Bitterroot Montana and starts a job at a local coffee shop. It’s perfect, the town is so welcoming. During her shifts this cowboy keeps coming in to order plain black coffee and she nicknames him Grumpy- his real name is Remington. Or as I like to say the book version of Rip Wheeler from Yellowstone. He’s a single dad of two small kids and just trying to get by with the ranch and his kids. If you love small town life and a sweet cowboy romance read this book! Many thanks to Dreamscape Select, Ampersand Publishing, Inc and NetGalley for the digital review copy of this novel. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Short, quick & cute.

Sometimes I love how quick Kristen Proby’s stories are but in this case I could easily have listened to more of Remington & Erin!

Single dad/nanny might be one of my new favorite tropes. 💜

So pick this one up if you like
🏔️ Single dad/nanny
🏔️ Grumpy/sunshine
🏔️ Cowboys/ranching
🏔️Light romantic suspense

This is a great start to a new series and I can’t wait to read more from the Wild family.

And as per usual Sebastian York is an A+++ narrator. 😘😘

Special thanks to @dreamscape_media for the ALC. This one comes out on 1/30.

Remington is a broody and grumpy single dad of two well-adjusted kids. His wife died 5 years ago during child birth of their daughter.
Erin is a new girl in town working in a coffee shop. Her car breaks down and she's in need for some extra cash. Luck for her, her friend's brother needs a nanny. Unfortunately though, the father happens to be her least favorite customer.

I overall liked the story. It didn't "wow" me, but it was still enjoyable.

I just found a couple things a bit icky. Rem having a nickname "grumpy" is just so cheesy. And she was calling him that as he was a customer in the coffee shop? Kinda rude.
Erin didn't really have much going for her, to be honest. She was extremely beautiful, good with kids, and had a little secret. She was also very immature, but Rem was looking past her weird behaviour pretty fast.

This one's a bit of an insta-love, since they immediately had hots for each other, as they both are attractive. I like that they realized they don't know anything about each other rather than just going with a flow.

I liked the female narrator, she was well picked for Erin. I didn't like Rem's narrator as much, he seemed a bit too old.

Read if you like:
- single dad x nanny
- cowboy
- grumpy x sunshine
- age gap
- dual pov
- small town
- open door spice

This audiobook was absolutely delicious to listen to. Yes, delicious. Both narrators had dreamy voices which were perfect to help me immerse myself in the story.

I’m totally hooked onto the cowboy romance genre at the moment so this was a great add to that genre for books I’ve read. It’s a grumpy x sunshine book with a single dad and his nanny story so it’s set up with a great start. I will say as far as plot goes I didn’t find that there was a large plot to follow if much at all. There was one story of a previous stalker coming back however it only popped up into a few chapters and that was kind of it so this was mostly just a romance book focusing heavily on the romance and not a lot on the plot. But what was great was that there was no 3rd act break up!!! Yay!! Win for this book!

Thank you net galley for the opportunity to listen to this ARC.

Thanks to NetGalley and Dreamscape Select for the ALC. Releases January 30th!

Wild for You
by Kristen Proby

Narrated by Sebastian York & Emma Wilder

Story Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (0-5)
Narration: 🎧🎧🎧🎧🎧 (0-5)
Overall Rating: 4.5/5
Steam: 🔥🔥🔥 (0-5)

What I’m Starry-Eyed Over:
🤩 I’m so attracted to the single dad nanny trope and the forced proximity it offers.
🤩 Completely captivated and in love with this small-town and sweet family from the start.
🤩 Coffee shop and baked goods—take me to Bitterroot Valley Coffee Co.
🤩 Narrators are perfectly cast and such amazing entertainment.
🤩 The sibling banter and ribbing is so good. Gimme all the Wilds.
🤩 When an author can make slow-burn kisses feel like so much more, you know they’ve got the feels right.
🤩 And, yes, “that’s some spicy sh[tuff]!” Erin and Remington are so hot and good and wonderful.
🤩 Laugh-out-loud funny and oh so stinkin’ cute.
🤩 Gimme “a shift from lazy and slow to hot and urgent.”
🤩 Some oh my gosh stalker suspense in the plot.
🤩 The wildlife and beauty on the ranch. 🌄 🐄 🤠 🐻🐆

What I’m Wishing/Dizzy About:
💫 Ugh, nobody told me it was a widower, but no worries—nobody felt second best.
💫 I definitely wished for more steam toward the end.
💫 I’m totally here for more Bitterroot Valley and the Wilds family.

I heard the synopsis for this and knew I needed to read it. It’s single dad/nanny? Count me in.

This was as good as I was hoping it would be. The romance is done perfectly and the characters are easy to root for. I really liked their chemistry and dynamic. It kept the book interesting and well paced.

The narrator does a fantastic job bringing the story to life.

Once in a while, you would crave something sweet but not overly sweet, like a carrot cake with lemon cream topping
Something that would take your mind to a happy place and restore your faith in love

This was my carrot cake.
I enjoyed the story very much

⚜Genre: Contemporary Romance
⚜Theme: Small-town Romance
⚜Targeted audience: Adult
⚜Characters: Remington, Erin
⚜TW: stalking
⚜ tropes: Age Gap, Nanny/boss, Grumpy/sunshine
⚜ POV: double third person
⚜ spice 🌶🌶
⚜ rating 🌟🌟🌟🌟
⚜standalone: yes
⚜Ending: setting the mood for the next book

The story is not something new. Small-time single dad in need of a nanny. A girl escaping her city life in search of a quieter one. Dad meets Nanny and the romance goes.
However, many things distinguished this book from similar ones
1- The love was not instant. Yes, there was attraction. But it took them both to get to know each other for the love to simmer.
2- There was no toxicity in their relationship. Some of the books I've read in this genre have one of them do or say something horrible to have a third act breakup. The romance here was based on understanding and communication.
3- There was drama of course, but it did not take off immediately nor did it take forever to be resolved.
4- I loved that both characters were accomplished. Remington is a good ranch boss, and Erin is smart, educated, and down-to-earth.

I have to give credit to the narrators of the book. They did an exquisite job. But to be honest, I liked the female narrator better. She showed mastery in changing her voice to match the sex and age of her part. You could really hear a man or child or woman talking. Not so much for the male narrator. While he mastered the men's parts, his other ones felt a bit forced.

Overall, I enjoyed the book and definitely would continue reading the series

I am a sucker for almost every single trope that Wild for You offers, so I was incredibly excited to get my hands on this book. What I found was a sweet, sexy, compulsively "readable" romance.

This book was an audiobook experience for me, so the "readable" is in quotes, but I feel like the readability would be the same between audio and written formats. Of course, the lovely voices of Sebastian York and Emma Wilder didn't hurt either. The narration was perfect for these characters and this story and I feel like I listened to it in record time.

That said, there were some places where the story seemed to disconnect. Some moments where I wished Erin had been a stronger, smarter heroine. I adored Remington's growly alpha bit (honestly, I will never stop swooning over the protective alpha vibe), but the way the story played out sometimes felt like puzzle pieces not fitting just right together.

Of course, I still enjoyed the story. I think it just missed that little bit that would have pushed it from good to amazing for me. Still, it was incredibly entertaining, swoony, and fun to read. And I am very excited to spend more time with these fun new characters in this loveable small town as the series progresses.

This exceptional exploration unfolds the dynamics of single fatherhood, age gaps, nannies, and the interplay between grumpy and sunshine personalities. From the start, I discovered a unique reading experience that resonated deeply with my own sentiments.

The complications introduced added a layer of authenticity to the characters and their relationships, shaping a narrative that felt distinctly personal. Each element of the story was meticulously crafted, offering a fresh perspective on familiar themes and creating a genuinely distinctive journey.

As I navigated through the chronicle, the intricacies of single parenthood, the nuances of age differences, and the dynamics involving the nanny came to life. The interplay between grumpy and sunshine personalities added an intriguing dimension, surpassing conventional expectations.

The emotional resonance of the characters went beyond mere relatability, making their joys and struggles tangible. This isn't just a tale—it's my individual exploration of the complexities of love and relationships, reflecting my thoughts and experiences.

For those who seek a personal and authentic view of romantic elements, this chronicle provides an unforgettable journey into the depths of the heart, offering a profoundly individual and resonant experience.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Select for an advanced audio of this novel.

I loved this sweet small-town, age-gap set in Bitterroot Valley with a side of a mystery! This reminded me of one of my fave authors, Catherine Cowles. Our hero is a grumpy, single dad with two children. His wife is no longer with them, and he's struggling with keeping up with the kids and their ranch. Enter Erin, who currently works at the cafe in town but finds that her car needs some serious work, and she needs some money. She's told about the job and that it could be flexible enough to work around her current job. She shows up to interview and realizes that it's the grumpy customer who she's always trying (and failing) to get to smile.

This was a sweet romance, and I really like how she became one of the family. There is a little mystery on the side - we find out that she's running from someone.

I would expect nothing less than a perfect performance from Sebastian York and Emma Wilder. I felt like they really fit the roles well.

This was my first Kristen Proby book, and I'm looking forward to reading more from her! This is the first in a series, and the next book is already on my TBR on Goodreads.

I have been provided with a review copy of Wild for You from NetGalley for an impartial review. Awwww this was such a cute story. I was just captivated by everything that was taking place. It was just so easy to get into these characters lives and you just can't help but fall in love with them. I can't wait to see what's next from this author.

This was my first Kristen book in years! I am a sucker for small town romance with a single dad and a nanny. This one delivered everything I enjoy in those books and I know I will be reading more in this series. The audio was really good and I know that helped bring the story to life.

Erin is new in Bitterroot Valley and set to make a life on her own, aside from her successful family in Seattle. Remington’s hands are full with the family ranch and his two children. He needs a nanny and she needs a new job to pay for her car repair. Can they fight their attraction or will their differences and her secrets break them apart? The audiobook with Sebastian York and Emma Wilder will make your heart melt and fall in love with all the characters.

4⭐, 2.5🌶️

This was a cute and enjoying romantic suspense novel, and a great introduction for myself to Kristen Proby's work! I'm in my small town era, and truly enjoyed this book. It mostly got 4 stars because while I liked it, it felt a bit rushed or not fully developed at times, but that wasn't necessarily a bad thing, it just didn't make this 5 stars, ya know?

Narrators: Sebastian York (swoon) and Emma Wilder were perfect for Remington and Erin's voices!

Tropes:
💙Single Dad/ Nanny Romance
💙Age Gap Romance
💙Grumpy x Sunshine
💙Small Town Romance

I'm incredibly excited for the rest of this series, and looking more into Kristen's backlist - I felt like this book may have referenced other past couples!

Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape Select for an ALC of this book in exchange for my honest review!

Such a sweet romance! I loved the connection to the precious books by the author. Erin and Remington are such a sweet couple and the narrators matched the characters so well.

I really enjoyed getting to listen to this book. It was an easy listen that brought you into a peaceful place. The chemistry between Erin and Remington was strong with Remington's children. I am very excited for future books in this series.

I listened to this book everywhere and anywhere I could, and ended up listening to it entirely in three days! Such a fun book to read/listen to.