Review - - Wilde Abandon

Wilde Abandon

by Jennifer Ryan

A Dark Horse Dive Bar Novel

Publisher: Jennifer Ryan

Release Date: August 6, 2024

Reviewed by PJ

Broken and betrayed, Fox Bridges escaped Blackrock Falls 16 years ago, vowing never to return. But when his mom is diagnosed with terminal cancer, there’s no escaping it. Making the best of a bad situation, he goes back to face his past and set up a program to help foster kids who age out of the system like him. But more importantly— to reunite with the best friend he had to leave behind.

Melody Wilde never got over the loss of her childhood best friend. She saved his life… but it cost her Fox. He left town and never looked back, hating her for revealing his secret.

So when Fox walks back into town—right through the front door of her bar—she realizes he’s the man she’s been falling for online. He could be her chance at forever.

But Fox has secrets, and there are those who will do anything to bring him down. They’ll exploit any weakness. And he’s just given them the biggest one yet—Melody.

PJ'S THOUGHTS:

Wilde Abandon showcases everything I love and have come to expect from a Jennifer Ryan novel: well-developed, relatable characters, family dynamics, heart-tugging romance, and breath-stealing suspense. 

Fox and Melody pulled me in and refused to let go, immersing me into their lives from the get-go and keeping me hanging on every word right up until the end of their journey. I pulled so hard for these two. They certainly didn't have an easy path to their HEA but that's the emotional depth - and complex family dynamic - that Ryan brings to her stories. She doesn't hold back when it comes to life-threatening and life-altering obstacles that life sometimes throws in her characters' paths. 

As with the earlier books in this series, Wilde Abandon brings readers a twisty, danger-filled, contemporary romance story that took me on an emotional journey while also delivering a satisfying, hard-earned happily ever after. 

I'm deeply invested in this close-knit, Wyoming ranching family and eager to discover what Ryan has in store for her next Wilde couple.

*Wilde Abandon is the third book in Jennifer Ryan's Dark Horse Dive Bar series and the first to be self-published. The first two books (published by Avon) are Wilde Love (read my review) and Wilde for You (read my review). Avon opted to not continue the series. I'm thrilled that Ryan has decided to continue the series on her own. There's at least one more couple begging for their story to be told and I'm looking forward to reading it in Wilde In His Arms, due to be released later this year. 

Content Warning:

Child abuse, sexual assault, kidnapping

Review - - Wilde for You

Wilde for You

by Jennifer Ryan

Dark Horse Dive Bar - Book 2

Publisher: Avon

Release Date: March 26, 2024

Reviewed by PJ

Welcome to the Dark Horse Dive Bar, where the Wildes throw one hell of a party and love could be a barstool away!

Landscape artist, Layla Brock, knows what it feels like to love someone so completely you’d do anything for them—even take their secrets to the grave. Widowed after her husband’s betrayals and tragic death, Layla is searching for a new scene to paint, a new life to live. And Wyoming feels like the perfect place to get lost and find herself again.

Jax Wilde runs the family ranch, but has a few side hustles: wrangling his sisters, covering shifts at the Dark Horse Dive Bar, and renting out cabins to tourists looking for the ranch experience. His busy schedule, plus a bad breakup, equals no personal life. And then she showed up. And the woman he thought he had nothing in common with turned out to be his perfect match.

Layla knows what it feels like to lose everything. Jax is a man who wants it all—a wife, children, a life filled with happy memories. It’s a beautiful picture of a life Layla thought she’d had but turned out to be a lie. This could be her second chance…

Until her secrets begin to unravel and a new threat is revealed. There’s one difference this time: she has Jax Wilde on her side…

PJ's Thoughts:

Wilde for You is another book by Jennifer Ryan that kept me up reading well past my bedtime. Whether it's contemporary romance, romantic suspense, or women's fiction, this author has the ability to pull me into her stories and hold tight until I turn the last page. Even then, her characters linger in my mind for days after finishing their story. 

This is the second book in Ryan's Dark Horse Dive Bar series and one of my favorites from this author. She always brings her western settings to life on the page but especially so in Wilde for You. Maybe it's because Layla is an artist and we see the scenery through her eyes but I found the sense of place to be exceptionally immersive and vividly depicted. I felt like I was right there with her as Jax showed her all the special places on his ranch, absorbing the soul-stirring majesty of nature's beauty. 

The setting wasn't the only thing that captured my attention. Ryan has given readers a cast of characters I want to be friends with. I love the Wilde family and am totally invested in their happiness and well being. I want to stay at one of the cabins on their ranch, ride horses, go fishing, and dance the night away at their bar. These are characters it's fun to be around, characters who make me feel good, which is a large part of why it was so heartwarming to watch Layla be absorbed into the warmth of their family after coming through her two years of grief. 

Ryan excels at weaving suspense into her stories, as is the case with Wilde for You. I liked that that portion of the story didn't show up until later in the book, devoting necessary time to growing the relationship between Jax and Layla before introducing the danger. Once it became part of the story though, I was on my toes trying to figure out what was going on and who was behind it. 

If you enjoy contemporary romance with a western flavor, a thread of suspense, and a couple it's easy to cheer for, pick up a copy of Wilde for You. I loved it.

While Wilde for You is the second book in a series, it stands well on its own. You should be aware, however, that Lyric and Mason (the main couple from book one, Wilde Love, feature prominently in this book as well. 

Content warning: suicide, abortion, miscarriage, adultery (all occur off page and before the story begins)

Review - - Wilde Love

Wilde Love

by Jennifer Ryan

Dark Horse Dive Bar - Book 1

Publisher: Avon

Release Date: September 26, 2023

Reviewed by PJ

Welcome to the Dark Horse Dive Bar, where the Wildes throw one hell of a party and love could be a barstool away!

When Lyric Wilde’s not whipping up the best food in town at the Dark Horse Dive Bar, she’s making a name for herself as a rising singer-songwriter. And if any of her online followers cross the line from friendly to fanatical, well, Lyric figures it goes with the territory—and she can take care of herself. But there’s one fan she wants to get to know better—a silent, sexy biker named Viper. A man who makes her think mine every time she looks at him. But who exactly is “Viper?”

Undercover FBI special agent Mason Gunn has been hiding in plain sight and alone for far too long. And while he fantasizes about a peaceful life with beautiful Lyric by his side, he knows that until his mission—to take down a murder-for-hire network—is accomplished, his dark world is no place for her. But when frightening encounters and threatening text messages from a stalker bent on keeping Lyric all to himself and his most wanted criminal target his sultry songbird, he will stop at nothing to protect the woman he loves…

PJ's Thoughts:

Jennifer Ryan is one of my go-to authors when it comes to swoony romance perfectly blended with twisty suspense and her newest book, Wilde Love is a great example of why her books keep me reading way past my bedtime. I couldn't put this one down. 

There's so much chemistry between Viper (Mason) and Lyric and a soul-deep connection that only gets stronger the more time they spend together. He's such a good guy even though he looks like a bad guy. I love his sense of honor, his protective nature, his determination to keep Lyric safe and separate from the dangers of his work. And I love that while others take one look at him and make judgments based on appearance, Lyric takes the time to look beneath the surface. She instinctively knows that there's more to this man who keeps secrets, who won't even tell her his real name, and she's willing to wait until he can. 

Lyric is the kind of character I want to be friends with. She has a great relationship with her family, is caring and kind (sometimes a little too kind), a magician in the kitchen, and always ready to step in and help someone in need, even if it puts her in the line of fire. I was cheering her on every step of the way. She and Mason together make me smile. I love how she gives him the support, trust, and space he needs as someone who is dealing with the effects of too many years undercover. She brings light into the darkness of that life, changing his life for the better even as he brings trust, respect, and a deep well of love into hers. And kudos to an author who treats mental health therapy as a natural, accepted avenue to travel. It's an aspect of Ryan's books that I've always appreciated. 

There's great family dynamics in this book too, both in Mason's and Lyric's. I loved the sibling relationships within Lyric's family and the rowdy but heartfelt relationships among the all-male siblings and cousins on Mason's side. I especially enjoyed the bonus of watching Lyric interact with Mason's cousins, one in particular. That man has hidden layers and what I expect is more than a little emotional baggage. I do hope we'll be seeing more of him - and the rest of them - in future books. 

Review - - Summer's Gift

Summer's Gift

by Jennifer Ryan

Publisher: Avon

Release Date: June 20, 2023

Reviewed by PJ

A DNA test tells you who you come from, not who you are.

All her life, Summer Sutherland felt like the missing piece in a puzzle, left out and looking for the place she truly belongs. And when an at-home DNA test reveals her selfish mother and well-meaning grandfather lied about her father, Summer sets out to discover the truth.

Her new instant family comes with two half sisters: one who accepts her with open arms, the other resistant to the stranger staying in their house. But somehow Summer senses this is where she is meant to be—so she settles into her father’s Carmel home, ready to get to know them and find her place in the family she always wanted.

But while her newfound parent is thrilled to get to know Summer—and her romantic connection to his business partner, Cody, heats up—tensions rise within the family.

Will she ever fit in? Or should she return to her other life before tearing all their lives apart?

PJ's Thoughts:

If there was a competition among authors for queen of dysfunctional families, Jennifer Ryan would definitely be in contention for the title. This talented writer is an expert at guiding her characters through the many peaks and valleys of this particular situation, as evidenced by her newest novel, Summer's Gift. 

Imagine you've spent your entire life believing - being told - your biological father wants nothing to do with you. Imagine discovering in your early twenties that he never knew you existed. Now imagine a happy, successful family unit - father, mother, two teenage daughters - whose lives are turned upside down with the discovery of the existence of a previously unknown family member. How would you feel discovering your husband had a child with another woman (before you met him), a child now competing for his love with your own daughters? As the previous (spoiled) first child, how would you handle a new sister not only stealing the spotlight from you on the eve of your high school graduation but also the affections of your secret crush? And what about Summer? Not only does she need to navigate the shark-infested waters of a new family but there's also the feelings of betrayal for the family members who lied to her for so many years. 

I love how Ryan drops this bombshell into the lives of these characters then deftly navigates them through the debris as they each begin to slowly stitch the pieces of the fabric of their family back together. Will it ever be the same? No. Will it be better? Stronger than before? Quite possibly. 

I really liked Summer. She's smart, accomplished, and well respected in business. She's a kind person with a good heart, the mediator in her family, taking care of everyone else while never having known true unconditional love herself. She's so deserving of love. I couldn't help but be in her corner rooting her on the entire way. While Summer is the central figure of the story and the character most fully explored, each of the surrounding characters impacted by the DNA test is also explored individually. It's fascinating to follow their reactions as their new reality sinks in. Some react better than others. Some create chaos. Ryan does a wonderful job of developing each of them, so much so that I feel as if I actually know them, became invested in them, in their growth and happiness. They are just all so real. There's also a strong romantic thread in the story (with a HEA) that I thoroughly enjoyed. This is Summer's story of growth and change with her romantic relationship being a key element of that evolution. 

If you enjoy women's fiction with well-defined, relatable characters, strong romantic elements, and family at its core, check out Jennifer Ryan's Summer's Gift. I highly recommend it. 

Review - - True Love Cowboy

True Love Cowboy

by Jennifer Ryan

McGrath - Book 3

Publisher: Avon

Release Date: August 24, 2021

Reviewed by PJ

 

Cowboys live by their word, their wits, and their loyalty.

Jon Crawford has returned to Montana, determined to take over his father’s ranch and raise his daughter in Big Sky Country, leaving the big-city life behind once and for all. He doesn’t have time to fall in love, but he doesn’t count on stubborn but beautiful Trinity McGrath, who arouses his protective instincts even as she tries to push him away.

Life hasn’t always been easy for Trinity, but now she has everything she needs—her family, friends, and a safe and secure life. With a business to build, Trinity doesn’t have time for romance…until Jon comes barging into her life and all her intentions are turned upside down! 

Still, an attraction like theirs is too powerful to deny, and sometimes true love comes along when you least expect it. But when someone from Jon's past comes back with a vengeance, Trinity and Jon will have to do everything they can to save themselves and their new love...

PJ's Thoughts:

I've been eagerly anticipating Trinity's story. The past few years have not been easy for her and she's still dealing with the PTSD effects of the trauma she experienced. Jon is exactly the type of man I hoped would enter her life and the fact that he has an adorable four-year-old daughter is a sweet bonus. But, these three will have some major hurdles to overcome before they reach their happy ending. 

Ryan is so good at creating suspenseful stories that engage my emotions and keep me on the edge of my seat and this one is a doozy. My heart was in my throat at so many points during the book. There were times I cried, times I was so furious I wanted to scream, gut-wrenching scenes that had me ready to do bodily harm to a certain secondary character, and sweet, poignant scenes that captured my heart. The book is very realistic and difficult to read in certain parts. The villain gets what's coming to them in the end but the pain they cause along the way might be a trigger to some readers. 

As always, I enjoyed the McGrath family coming together to support one another. I always have fun watching the siblings and their partners interact. It was lovely to finally meet their parents, see the relationships of each of the earlier couples progressing, and cheer their happy endings. I enjoyed the solid relationship Jon and Trinity built with one another. I especially appreciated the respect they had for each other, the deep caring, and how they both put Jon's daughter, Emmy first. And I loved how Trinity finally regained her confidence and turned the tables on Jon in a sweet twist at the end. If ever a family had earned a happy ending, it was Trinity, Jon, and Emmy.

This is a book that could be read on its own but for a better understanding of what Trinity endured, I strongly recommend reading the books in order. Or, at the very least, reading Waiting On a Cowboy, the book where Trinity's trauma occurs. If you want to read the stories of all of the McGrath siblings in order, the books are: Tough Talking Cowboy (Drake McGrath and Adria Holloway), Waiting on a Cowboy (Tate McGrath and Liz Scott), Love of a Cowboy (Declan McGrath and Skye Kennedy), and True Love Cowboy (Trinity McGrath and Jon Crawford).

Content Warning: Readers should be aware this book contains child abuse, PTSD, and violence.

Review - - Love of a Cowboy

Love of a Cowboy

by Jennifer Ryan

A McGrath Novel - Book 2

Publisher: Avon

Release Date: March 30, 2021

Reviewed by PJ

Skye Kennedy has always loved the close-knit community of Sunrise Fellowship—but when she witnesses the commune’s new leader commit a terrible crime, she flees…and finds herself in Montana, on the McGrath ranch, and drawn to the stoic yet kind man determined to help her.

Declan McGrath has always handled things himself and focused more on work than his love life. With his newlywed brothers distracted by their beautiful wives, Declan has even more work on his hands. But when Skye arrives at the ranch starving and desperate for work, his loner days are over.

Skye wants to keep her distance and protect Declan from the deadly threats facing her, but soon their relationship morphs into something much more than either of them expected. When she fights back against those out to destroy Sunrise Fellowship, Skye and Declan will have to do everything to protect not just Skye's community, but also their new love...

PJ's Thoughts:

I love a tightly-plotted, romantic suspense novel and that is exactly what Jennifer Ryan offers up in her newest McGrath novel: Love of a Cowboy. This book kept me on the edge of my seat, eagerly reading from the first page until the very end. 

At the center of the story are Declan McGrath, a hard-working, good-hearted rancher and Skye Kennedy, a smart and determined young woman who has been sheltered from the world at large. Considering Skye's upbringing, her lack of knowledge about the world outside Sunrise Fellowship, and the fact that Declan rescues her at the beginning of their story, one might expect a power imbalance between Skye and Declan but I never felt that. Ryan handles the dynamics of their relationship with a deft hand, displaying Skye's strength of will and leveling their romantic playing field nicely. Their feelings develop quickly and I enjoyed them together, believing in their happy ending. However, I wanted more exploration of them as a couple. I liked them as individuals and was happy for their HEA but didn't feel as invested in their relationship as I have with previous McGrath couples. 

The suspense, on the other hand, is spot on. Ryan has created a villain who is chilling in his authenticity and a situation that could easily be occurring in many pockets of the country today. The tension kept me on the edge of my seat, wondering which direction the author would take as that part of the story twisted here and there throughout the book, right up until the explosive conclusion. 

Love of a Cowboy can be enjoyed as a standalone though I do recommend getting to know the entire McGrath family through their individual stories. Next up is Declan's sister, Trinity. I'm eager to discover what Ryan has planned for her. That book, True Love Cowboy, is scheduled for release on August 24, 2021. 

Review - - Waiting on a Cowboy

Waiting on a Cowboy 

by Jennifer Ryan 

McGrath - Book 1 

Publisher: Avon  

Release Date: August 18, 2020

Reviewed by PJ

Tate McGrath just didn’t get it. Why was Liz Scott, his best friend—and the person he relied on and trusted most—suddenly avoiding him! When he finally tracks her down, he finds her with a man he knows nothing about and she’s been dating for weeks. Suddenly, he can’t make himself ignore her tempting curves and deep green eyes, and all he wants to do is keep her all to himself. What was going on? Could he possibly be…jealous? 

Liz had made the decision: stop carrying a torch for Tate and find a guy who wants to be her everything. Tate had always seen her as honest, dependable, smart, kind…Best friend, not girlfriend! And she needed to give up the dream of marrying the man she’d loved since preschool and move on. 

But when Liz’s boyfriend turns dangerous, Tate steps up to help and soon realizes he’s the cowboy hero she’s been waiting for him to be all along. 

PJ's Thoughts:

Liz Scott has loved Tate McGrath since they were children but Tate has always kept his best friend firmly in the friend zone, not willing to risk that friendship by bringing romance into the mix. Until the day Liz moves on with someone else. Of course, Tate's entire family has always known he loves Liz as more than a friend but those blinders he's been wearing are pretty thick. It was always going to take something drastic to open his eyes. And the actions of the new man in Liz's life certainly qualify when his Prince Charming persona fades and the evil lurking beneath rises to the surface. With Liz's life in danger, Tate quickly realizes exactly how much she means to him, not as a friend, but as much, much more. But, after a lifetime of unrequited love, will Liz be willing to give him one more chance?

One of the things I most enjoy about Jennifer Ryan's romances is how she combines steamy romance with edge-of-the-seat suspense to reel me in and keep me eagerly turning pages from beginning to end. Waiting on a Cowboy has plenty of both. It's fast-paced, with sizzling romance, heart-tugging emotion, and a race to a surprising, life or death conclusion. It stole my breath and my heart. I can't wait to find out what she has planned for Tate's brother and sister! 

~~~~~~~~

Do you enjoy a blend of suspense and romance?

Have you read any of Jennifer Ryan's romances?

Do you have a favorite?

  

Review - - Tough Talking Cowboy

Tough Talking Cowboy
by Jennifer Ryan
Wild Rose Ranch - Book 3
Publisher: Avon
Release Date: March 31, 2020
Reviewed by PJ
 

Ex-Army Ranger Drake McGrath has come home to Montana, locked in a battle with himself, lashing out at those who love him most—driving away his ex-fiancée and alienating his family. But Adria Holloway sees beyond Drake’s tough talk to the raw pain beneath.

Raised with her twin sister Juliana by a neglectful mother at the Wild Rose Ranch, Adria also struggles to put the trauma from her past behind her. To help them both, she makes Drake a shocking deal—a no-strings relationship that’ll help them both face down their demons. Maybe it’s a way for her and Drake to heal each other, one sizzling night at a time…

The heat between them is instant and incredible. But the biggest challenges are yet to come. With Juliana battling her addiction and Drake working on his issues, Adria realizes she can’t save everyone. But Drake and Adria discover love can survive tragedy and loss—and they can have the life they never thought possible if they just hold on.

PJ's Thoughts:

Jennifer Ryan excels at dragging me through emotional quagmires and Tough Talking Cowboy is no exception. Forget keeping a tissue close to hand. I needed the whole darn box for this story. The hands life has dealt Drake and Adria are not just heartbreaking, they're heart crushing. Ryan takes them to some very dark places and, at times, the reader has to wonder if light, and love, will ever find its way into a tortured soul. It's a testament to the author, and the resilience of the human spirit, that even in the midst of these times, she never allows the reader to lose hope. 

Drake and Adria captured my heart and I'm not sure they're ever going to let go. Only a woman who had survived Adria's past could have looked beyond the barrier of Drake's anger, guilt, and grief to the love and hope buried deep inside. The example she sets with the future she is building for herself, and the courage she shows in the way she reaches him is remarkable. And only a man as strong as Drake could have reclaimed the life, and love, he so desperately wants, to be there for the woman he loves when her world is turned on end. 

I shed a lot of tears while reading this book but I also turned the final page filled with hope and joy for a couple whose love triumphed over tragedy and was stronger for it. Tough Talking Cowboy is a testament to the strength of the human spirit and the healing power of love. I will not soon forget these characters, or their story. 


Content Warning: child pornography, addiction, PTSD

Review - - Restless Rancher

Restless Rancher
by Jennifer Ryan
Wild Rose Ranch - Book 2
Publisher: Avon
Release Date: November 12, 2019
Reviewed by PJ
    

One minute down-on-his-luck rancher Austin Hubbard slept soundly, the next, a sassy spitfire dumped a pitcher of water on his head and woke him up—in more ways than one. Hired to help him rebuild his ranch, Sonya Tucker ends up helping him put the tattered pieces of his life back together. The capable, all-business accountant is on a mission to get the ranch up and running, but can he convince the temptingly beautiful woman to take a chance on him?

Sonya was dismayed that Austin had lost it all: money, family, respectability. Things she—who’d been raised by her mother at Nevada’s notorious brothel Wild Rose Ranch—only dreamed about. But working with the long, lean cowboy shows her that Austin is honorable to his core. Together they slowly grow to see what the love between them might bring.

But then Austin’s powder keg of a family feud explodes, exposing long-buried secrets, and threatening their new-found love…

My thoughts:

With each book she writes, Jennifer Ryan further solidifies her place on my list of favorite romantic suspense authors. Restless Rancher is another fast-paced story with snappy dialog, heart-tugging romance, well-placed humor, an intriguing mystery, and enough twists and turns to keep me guessing, and eagerly flipping pages, from beginning to end. I love a good redemption arc and Austin's evolution certainly fits that bill. I enjoyed the connection between him and Sonya, how their relationship slowly progresses, how they work together to restore Austin's ranch and solve the mystery of why his father's so desperate to steal his land. I love their fiery chemistry and the deep emotions that tie them together. I was all-in for their romance and happily ever after. Ryan excels at creating realistic, complex characters and she's on her game once again with Austin and Sonya. Ryan also excels at creating truly nasty villains and she's done so again in this book. She's also thrown in a surprise twist that I didn't expect, but thoroughly enjoyed.

Restless Rancher is the second book in Ryan's Wild Rose Ranch series. It stands well on its own but characters from book one play significant roles. While I think readers could enjoy this one without reading book one, that enjoyment deepens with the knowledge that's imparted in the first book.