lindaunconventionalbookworms's review
4.0
*I received a free ARC of Wild Child from Bantam via Netgalley in exchange of an honest review*
This and all my other reviews are originally posted on my blog (un)Conventional Bookviews
Wild Child surprised me, because I thought I would only get a quick, light and superficial chick-lit based on the blurb, what I got was a complex story with characters who had to fight their demons in order to move forward in their lives.
This and all my other reviews are originally posted on my blog (un)Conventional Bookviews
Wild Child surprised me, because I thought I would only get a quick, light and superficial chick-lit based on the blurb, what I got was a complex story with characters who had to fight their demons in order to move forward in their lives.
agrutle's review
1.0
I couldn't get past the main characters constant sparring. I know that sometimes that makes for an intense build up for their attraction it just was annoying. Couldn't get past 20 percent.
donttakemybooks's review
4.0
The kind of romance I dig- messy people with flaws and pasts. Sexy and gritty. Definitely will read this author again.
hannas_heas47's review
4.0
Thanks librarything for a paper copy, in exchange for my honest opinion. The book was ok in the romance department but the punch line was just off center for my tastes. Monica plays a woman with a reputation for playing hot and loose with some bad boys and writes a tell all book. In my opinion though she really is a grown woman who didn't have a true stable home in growing up and acted out in her teenage years. Trading sex for love and finding life empty. Her mother is a tv show host and had been the person to kill Monica's father in a self defense shooting. So after Monica's only friend dies of ovarian cancer and leaves a stack of medical bills for her to pay. She goes to the town where her father was killed to do a tell all book. Bishop, Arkansas is the town that's slowly going under. The only plant in town shut down and no new jobs are opening up. The town mayor is Jackson Davies, and he has a sad tale of his own. His parents died after his first year in law school and he's had to come home and take care of his eleven year old sister. The town is dying and Jackson enters a contest for a new factory to bring some work in. The book was good but it was just a bit on the boring side for me. I felt depressed that nothing was going great even though the town had great spirit. It wasn't until the last pages that we got any hope of saving anything. The chemistry between Monica And Jackson was all right and probably a good indication that they were rusty when it came to relationships.
kbranfield's review
4.0
4.5 stars.
As I have come to expect from Molly O'Keefe, Wild Child is a deliciously steamy romance that has plenty of substance. It is a light read in the sense that there is no angst but there is definitely a lot of depth to the characters and the plot.
At first glance reality star turned author Monica Appleby and small town mayor Jackson Davies share little in common. Monica's sordid past and wild teenage exploits have been vividly detailed in her auto-biography Wild Child while Jackson leads a pretty quiet and rumor free life raising his teenage sister, Gwen. Their two very different worlds collide when Monica returns to the small town of Bishop, AR to write a tell all novel about a tragic event from her childhood. Negative publicity is the last thing Jackson needs while Bishop is participating in a nationally televised competition for a relocating factory that will resuscitate the town's dying economy.
The similarities between Monica and Jackson are apparent at their first contentious meeting. Both are very different than their public personas and they are very good at hiding who they really are from other people. Neither of them had very little choice in the direction their lives took. Monica's mother dragged her into the limelight while the unexpected death of Jackson's parents left him in charge of his teenage sister.
Monica and Jackson quickly enter into a very hot and incendiary sexual relationship but their pasts soon derail their relationship. Jackson's relationship with Gwen is distant and things between them are becoming increasingly rocky. Monica has successfully avoided her mother Simone for several years, but Simone's unexpected arrival in Bishop lead to several unpleasant confrontations between the two.
Wild Child is a delightfully charming romance and while Jackson and Monica are flawed and imperfect, they are very appealing. Their problems are not glossed over, and the resolution of their issues is handled in a realistic manner. The secondary cast of characters adds another layer to this intricately plotted story and hopefully Molly O'Keefe has plans to bring us their stories in the future.
Another fabulous book by a very gifted author that I highly recommend to anyone who enjoys contemporary romances.
As I have come to expect from Molly O'Keefe, Wild Child is a deliciously steamy romance that has plenty of substance. It is a light read in the sense that there is no angst but there is definitely a lot of depth to the characters and the plot.
At first glance reality star turned author Monica Appleby and small town mayor Jackson Davies share little in common. Monica's sordid past and wild teenage exploits have been vividly detailed in her auto-biography Wild Child while Jackson leads a pretty quiet and rumor free life raising his teenage sister, Gwen. Their two very different worlds collide when Monica returns to the small town of Bishop, AR to write a tell all novel about a tragic event from her childhood. Negative publicity is the last thing Jackson needs while Bishop is participating in a nationally televised competition for a relocating factory that will resuscitate the town's dying economy.
The similarities between Monica and Jackson are apparent at their first contentious meeting. Both are very different than their public personas and they are very good at hiding who they really are from other people. Neither of them had very little choice in the direction their lives took. Monica's mother dragged her into the limelight while the unexpected death of Jackson's parents left him in charge of his teenage sister.
Monica and Jackson quickly enter into a very hot and incendiary sexual relationship but their pasts soon derail their relationship. Jackson's relationship with Gwen is distant and things between them are becoming increasingly rocky. Monica has successfully avoided her mother Simone for several years, but Simone's unexpected arrival in Bishop lead to several unpleasant confrontations between the two.
Wild Child is a delightfully charming romance and while Jackson and Monica are flawed and imperfect, they are very appealing. Their problems are not glossed over, and the resolution of their issues is handled in a realistic manner. The secondary cast of characters adds another layer to this intricately plotted story and hopefully Molly O'Keefe has plans to bring us their stories in the future.
Another fabulous book by a very gifted author that I highly recommend to anyone who enjoys contemporary romances.
jasminekelp's review
2.0
It was ok
It took too long to get to the point of the story but the ending was pretty good. It was a fast read.
It took too long to get to the point of the story but the ending was pretty good. It was a fast read.
bbraden's review
3.0
(I received an ARC copy of this book from Netgalley)
"Monica Appleby is a woman with a reputation. Once she was America’s teenage “Wild Child,” with her own reality TV show. Now she’s a successful author coming home to Bishop, Arkansas, to pen the juicy follow-up to her tell-all autobiography. Problem is, the hottest man in town wants her gone. Mayor Jackson Davies is trying to convince a cookie giant to move its headquarters to his crumbling community, and Monica’s presence is just too . . . unwholesome for business. But the desire in his eyes sends a very different message: Stay, at least for a while.
Jackson needs this cookie deal to go through. His town is dying and this may be its last shot. Monica is a distraction proving too sweet, too inviting—and completely beyond his control. With every kiss he can taste her loneliness, her regrets, and her longing. Soon their uncontrollable attraction is causing all kinds of drama. But when two lost hearts take a surprise detour onto the bumpy road of unexpected love, it can only lead someplace wonderful."
3 out of 5 stars.
This book reads as an expanded novella- maybe from an established series with 14 books and more to come. I say that because this world was so developed, so rich, so layered that it simply cannot stand alone. I want to know more about these characters and their shady secrets that weren't fully fleshed out. If was judging from the way O’Keefe created a world, I would be giving this book 5 stars. My problem was that I found the plot a bit broken, like the main characters. Everyone loves a good "hero" figure, but somehow he came across desperate, mean and weak. The "wild child" here was so troubled and confused that I felt she was being taken advantage of yet again. The relationship between the two was not believable and overall disturbed me. Furthermore there were disconnects throughout the book and not just between the two main characters. The plot jumped around and I felt as if I was missing chunks of the story. And the way O'Keefe switched POV's made it even more confusing. What started out as a light fluffy read took unexplainable twists and left me feeling bereft. I was more interested in the town and it's history/future than I was with it's present.
"Monica Appleby is a woman with a reputation. Once she was America’s teenage “Wild Child,” with her own reality TV show. Now she’s a successful author coming home to Bishop, Arkansas, to pen the juicy follow-up to her tell-all autobiography. Problem is, the hottest man in town wants her gone. Mayor Jackson Davies is trying to convince a cookie giant to move its headquarters to his crumbling community, and Monica’s presence is just too . . . unwholesome for business. But the desire in his eyes sends a very different message: Stay, at least for a while.
Jackson needs this cookie deal to go through. His town is dying and this may be its last shot. Monica is a distraction proving too sweet, too inviting—and completely beyond his control. With every kiss he can taste her loneliness, her regrets, and her longing. Soon their uncontrollable attraction is causing all kinds of drama. But when two lost hearts take a surprise detour onto the bumpy road of unexpected love, it can only lead someplace wonderful."
3 out of 5 stars.
This book reads as an expanded novella- maybe from an established series with 14 books and more to come. I say that because this world was so developed, so rich, so layered that it simply cannot stand alone. I want to know more about these characters and their shady secrets that weren't fully fleshed out. If was judging from the way O’Keefe created a world, I would be giving this book 5 stars. My problem was that I found the plot a bit broken, like the main characters. Everyone loves a good "hero" figure, but somehow he came across desperate, mean and weak. The "wild child" here was so troubled and confused that I felt she was being taken advantage of yet again. The relationship between the two was not believable and overall disturbed me. Furthermore there were disconnects throughout the book and not just between the two main characters. The plot jumped around and I felt as if I was missing chunks of the story. And the way O'Keefe switched POV's made it even more confusing. What started out as a light fluffy read took unexplainable twists and left me feeling bereft. I was more interested in the town and it's history/future than I was with it's present.
jonetta's review
4.0
Molly O'Keefe is one of my favorite writers. You can count on her to create characters that will test you and take your emotions for a spin, one moment loving them the next wanting to give them a good shake. Well, she didn't let me down with this story!
The set up
Monica Appleby returns to Bishop, Arkansas to write her next book. She was the unwilling reality TV star growing up and labeled the teen-aged "Wild Child." Bishop is where her father was killed when she was five years old and she wants to reconcile her memories with those who witnessed the events. Meanwhile, Mayor Jackson Davies is preparing the town to show it's best face in a contest to woo a major conglomerate to move their factory operations to Bishop. He's not sure the Wild Child fits into the scenario.
The issues
Monica has her own agenda and gets prickly when Jackson balks at what she plans to do. He can't afford to have anything (or anyone!) foil his plan to save this town because he plans to leave as soon as the town recovers. Jackson hasn't had a chance to explore the world since being forced to return to take care of his much younger sister following his parents' deaths. His sister is rebelling and pulling further away from him every minute. He also doesn't want to give in to the obvious attraction he and Monica have for each other.
What I loved about the story
Having both Monica's and Jackson's individual points of view kept me in the romance because these two did a dance with each other that kept me off balance. They were so true to their emotionally battered selves when dealing with each other I thought it might take forever for them to come together. There was no instant love here but the lusting didn't hold them back. The dialogue is clever, the sexual tension high and the secondary characters/story lines pitched perfectly to add even more conflict. The writing is some of the finest I've seen in this genre.
But what I REALLY loved was the complexity of these two characters. Monica is really damaged and I liked how she didn't seek sympathy nor made any excuses for her past behavior. She owned her identity, flaws and all, and disarmed her detractors. It pained me sometimes to see her be so exposed while at the same time be incredibly private about the real depth of her pain and loneliness. Her prickliness with Jackson could be maddening at times. He, on the other hand, masked his pain and disillusion behind a pleasing facade..."I've got it handled" so no one ever saw the real Jackson. And yet, these two saw straight through each other and their relationship was as complicated as they were individually.
Why not 5 stars?
I usually complain about a book needing to be pared down, maybe 50 fewer pages and it would be a more nimble read. Here it was just the opposite. The story deserved just a little longer ending as I think the issues involving Monica and her Mom were resolved too quickly and neatly. It didn't ring true to the rest of their story and they deserved more time. I would have been thrilled with 50 more pages.
The bottom line
This is not chic-lit or some light and breezy romance. This is a serious story, meaning the writing is spectacular and meaningful, the story has depth and the characters EXTREMELY interesting and true to their designed nature. I make no bones about O'Keefe being one of my favorite writers and, even though I was prepared for a good book, I was blown away by this one. It's not a light read and it should be one you make a point to include on your shelf. Just make certain that you take the time to savor this story when you do read it. 4.5 stars
(I received an ARC from Edelweiss)
The set up
Monica Appleby returns to Bishop, Arkansas to write her next book. She was the unwilling reality TV star growing up and labeled the teen-aged "Wild Child." Bishop is where her father was killed when she was five years old and she wants to reconcile her memories with those who witnessed the events. Meanwhile, Mayor Jackson Davies is preparing the town to show it's best face in a contest to woo a major conglomerate to move their factory operations to Bishop. He's not sure the Wild Child fits into the scenario.
The issues
Monica has her own agenda and gets prickly when Jackson balks at what she plans to do. He can't afford to have anything (or anyone!) foil his plan to save this town because he plans to leave as soon as the town recovers. Jackson hasn't had a chance to explore the world since being forced to return to take care of his much younger sister following his parents' deaths. His sister is rebelling and pulling further away from him every minute. He also doesn't want to give in to the obvious attraction he and Monica have for each other.
What I loved about the story
Having both Monica's and Jackson's individual points of view kept me in the romance because these two did a dance with each other that kept me off balance. They were so true to their emotionally battered selves when dealing with each other I thought it might take forever for them to come together. There was no instant love here but the lusting didn't hold them back. The dialogue is clever, the sexual tension high and the secondary characters/story lines pitched perfectly to add even more conflict. The writing is some of the finest I've seen in this genre.
But what I REALLY loved was the complexity of these two characters. Monica is really damaged and I liked how she didn't seek sympathy nor made any excuses for her past behavior. She owned her identity, flaws and all, and disarmed her detractors. It pained me sometimes to see her be so exposed while at the same time be incredibly private about the real depth of her pain and loneliness. Her prickliness with Jackson could be maddening at times. He, on the other hand, masked his pain and disillusion behind a pleasing facade..."I've got it handled" so no one ever saw the real Jackson. And yet, these two saw straight through each other and their relationship was as complicated as they were individually.
Why not 5 stars?
I usually complain about a book needing to be pared down, maybe 50 fewer pages and it would be a more nimble read. Here it was just the opposite. The story deserved just a little longer ending as I think the issues involving Monica and her Mom were resolved too quickly and neatly. It didn't ring true to the rest of their story and they deserved more time. I would have been thrilled with 50 more pages.
The bottom line
This is not chic-lit or some light and breezy romance. This is a serious story, meaning the writing is spectacular and meaningful, the story has depth and the characters EXTREMELY interesting and true to their designed nature. I make no bones about O'Keefe being one of my favorite writers and, even though I was prepared for a good book, I was blown away by this one. It's not a light read and it should be one you make a point to include on your shelf. Just make certain that you take the time to savor this story when you do read it. 4.5 stars
(I received an ARC from Edelweiss)