| Title | : | Wild |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | - |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Kindle Edition |
| Number of Pages | : | 341 |
| Publication | : | First published September 1, 2017 |
| Awards | : | Lambda Literary Award Gay Romance (2018) |
Lost in the Alaskan wilderness, August doesn’t stand a chance.
No sane man would choose to live in the Alaskan bush unless he had something to hide. And Keegan Brooks has secrets darker than night, more dangerous than wolves, more brutal than an Alaskan winter.
Every day was a fight for his life until he stumbled upon a downed plane with a lone survivor. Now it’s no longer just Keegan’s life teetering on the edge of survival.
It’s his heart.
Wild Reviews
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An untamable emotion.
Raw.
Real.
Wild.
Well,the opening scene certainly packs a punch.This is an extremely well thought out story and executed well.It's edge of the seat stuff,these days I'm finding a lot of books I read have a certain predictably about them.....well,not here.I had no idea how this story would play out for the majority of the book.
August is a successful model.He's on route to a photo shoot when the plane he's on crashes over Alaska.I kind of expected him to be a bit spoilt and pampered but he wasn't and he's actually one of the reasons this book worked for me.Not just gorgeous to look at,he also had a beautiful soul....I adored him.
Keegan has been living in the Alaskan Bush for ten years,due to events in his past he has no choice but to stay hidden from civilization.When he comes across the wreckage of the plane and it's one survivor he has no idea his world is about to be rocked.
-August may have been thrust into an alien environment but I loved his strength and determination.
-the scene setting was extremely well portrayed,you could definitely feel the full effects of a harsh Alaskan winter.
-the relationship between August and Keegan develops at just the right pace and the sex scenes are very erotic and their placement in the story was just right.
-Daisy,the wolf (trust me,you'd have to read it to fully understand ), I loved her relationship with August.
Slight niggles,
-while I fully understand it was necessary for the story,as an animal lover,I did find some scenes difficult to read.
-I found some descriptive passages a bit long and drawn out.
-while the Epilogue was satisfactory,I just felt I needed a little bit more.
Conclusion:
It's gritty,
It's gripping,
A totally believable connection between August and Keegan and most definitely a love story.
A recommended read...
Available on KU.
-----------------------------This review has been posted on
DirtyBooksObsession
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~4.5~
WILD is one of the most intense books I've read in a long time. It's raw and cruel and hauntingly beautiful.
This is a survival story where the Alaskan wilderness reigns supreme: grizzly bears, wolves, and an endless landscape of snow and ice.
But the conflict isn't just Man vs. Nature; it's also Man vs. Man and Man vs. Self.
Keegan does everything he can to make sure August, the man he pulled from a plane wreck, makes it out of the wilderness alive. And if there's one thing Keegan knows, it's how to survive.
I fell head over heels for Keegan, his kindness, his strength. The flashbacks to Keegan's past were horrific and brutal, far, far worse than any present danger.
When August finally sees Keegan's heart, his quiet courage, he realizes that what he had before was just a surface scratch on his capacity to love.
Violent, sexy, achingly tender, WILD is a book you read through your fingers because you can't bear to miss a moment but are too terrified to go on.
Despite the angst and ongoing battle to survive, the romance never felt diminished.
The HEA is there, although the epilogue is short and rather unsatisfactory considering everything the men have gone through.
I wept with joy for 63 Days Later, a novella set 63 days (and 18 months) after the events of WILD, which was everything the original epilogue wasn't and made the story complete. -
4.5 Daisy stars!
Wow! If you're in the mood for something different I highly recommend this book. I am so mad at myself for waiting so long to read it. I've been picking books to read by random so far this year because I am at a loss for what I want. It's been working out OK so far. LOL
Wild was an absolutely thrilling tense ride. From the first page I was hooked. I mean with an opening like that it would be hard for anyone to not continue turning the pages. Wolves, bears, and poachers, oh my. The thrill and heart-stopping moments were plenty. The description this author gives you puts you right in the scene. I was literally on the edge of my seat throughout the book.
August and his boyfriend, Dan are a couple of popular models who are on their way via private jet to their next photo shoot in Paris. It's Dan's birthday and August has an important question he want's to ask. But before he can Dan drop's the "lets see other people" bomb and lets slip he's already got a head-start on it with one of the stewardess on the plane. August is heartbroken and straps himself in for a long awkward flight. Well until a flock of birds takes the plane down crashing it in the mountains of Alaska.
Keegan has been in hiding for over 10 years in the Alaskan bush. He hasn't had any human contact with anyone besides an doctor he knows that owns the cabin he sometimes uses when weather conditions get rough. But he only see's this man once a year and sometimes not even that.
When Keegan comes across the crash and finds August alive, being the only survivor, he makes the choice to save him. Little did these men know that in the end they'd be saving each other.
August turned out to be a character I really loved. I was worried how his behavior was going to be living in the mountains when he had been so used to the finer things in life. But he surprised me in the best of ways. He had all the right reactions to his new surroundings. He was scared of course but determined to make himself useful.
Keegan... This man stole my heart and has yet to give it back. Keegan is quite the mixture of hard, soft, tender, and rough. The lengths he goes to make sure August survives is unfathomable. The love he has for August knows no bounds. I was in awe of his strength and courage.
These men go through hell and back for each other. They fight hard and love harder.
Daisy the wolf.. I loved this wolf. I loved the relationship her and August shared and she totally stole the show whenever she was on page. I adored this mangy wolf pup.
Don't miss out on this story. You will regret passing this by like I did for so long. READ IT!!!
Happy reading dolls! xx -
**** 4.5 Stars ****
Riiiiight..., don’t count on me to tell you what this story is about, but get ready for my ramblings!
Ramblings I - Not so long ago I read a book where the story was also set at the Wilds of Alaska. Sadly, I was left with an awful impression by its poor characterization and ridiculousness. Colour me surprised when a few weeks later this title popped in my feeds. Similar titles, same background but this is it. Thank God, they were nothing alike.
Back to the story
Wild kicks off with a plane crash. It’s not pretty as the fella you are looking at, in fact it was gruesome, but you cannot stop reading.
From there on, we embark in an implacable journey. Brutal weather, long walks in search of shelter, fresh wounds, mountains, snow, wolves, bears, muskeg, more snow and I need to emphasize that again - a cold that you could feel in your bones. It was real, so fucking real! The author was ruthless picturing what it takes to survive in a place like that.
Ramblings II - I thought that I loved winter. I’m reconsidering that. Not without electricity, heat, hot water and other little things that brighten up my winter, like central heating on, a few candles, a glass of wine, my kindle and a kitchen stocked up with food.
I’m NOT a kind of “hunting my next meal” lady.
Needless to say, in that scenario I would be toasted. I mean, I would be as dead as a frozen chicken in a refrigerator or a tasty meal for a beast.
Back to the story
I think the author did an incredible job regarding her/his research upon the info that made this story so believable. There were details about rifles, guns, illegal hunting in Alaska, smuggling, and so on… and I really appreciated that as I am a reader who likes it when an author keeps it real.
Ramblings III - Out of curiosity I did a little search online about brown bears and grizzly bears hunt in Alaska. The number is frightful and it pains me big time. Out of season or not, if they are cubs and females with offspring, it really shouldn’t matter. Why should any of them be killed? They are there in their habitat. Let them be. The cruelty of humans occasionally shocks me.
Back to the story
Harsh life, right? But it all comes to a balance, for the relentless of the story was softened by the romance.
There were moments of caring, tenderness and passion. There was also an unexpected suspense, a thrilling feeling that made me hold my breath a few times in the story with my heart in my mouth. Most of these moments were Daisy's fault - damn her! and for that I’ll add half a star and round it up to 5*.
August, the model, was a sweetheart.
Daisy, gave me countless “almost heart attacks”.
And Keegan with his massive size and barbaric look (covered in fur and skin) was at first sight scary. But it was all deceiving. He had the most kindred soul tortured by a dark past.
The last 20% of the story solidified Wild as a winner. The author made sure to tie all loose ends, from August’s struggle to get back into his life in the city, the suffocating and overpowering feeling of what he was used to, but not anymore, to the way Salvatore was thrown back into the story. Genius.
Ramblings IV – The she-bitch – Am I the only one who was touched by her despair? I can’t blame her. I am a mother too.
Loved this!
Available on Kindle Unlimited. -
*4,5 stars*
Not very long, if it was me. That’s for sure.
And we are not talking about Alaska in the summer, but in the midst of bitter winter, where snow, ice and wind turn surviving into an art form.
Adrienne Wilder describes the conditions in so much detail, and so vividly, it felt real. I had to get a cup of hot tea and a woolly blanket at one point! ‘Cold’ and ‘freezing’ take on another meaning. They are synonymous with death and pain. And holding them at bay is the name of the game.
It’s a game Keegan has played for 10 years and he is darn good at it. He has survived on the bare minimum, but has he lived? Certainly not. Although he is capable of beating the elements, he is starved of human contact. Of touch, of feelings, of love.
He thinks he deserves this fate because of the dark past he has tried to leave behind.
Keegan broke my heart on many occasions, most of all because he is such a kind soul, such a good man, but he can’t see that at all. The way he feels about the animals in the wild, not even killing his arch nemesis, the ‘she bitch’, at one point when he has the chance, the way he cares for the welfare of the wildlife, the prize he is willing to pay for August’s survival show what he is really made of.
August is a model. When his plane crashes in the wild, I expected a spoilt ‘boy’ learning a lesson in humility. Well, I was seriously wrong.
Let’s face it, August is as tough as door nails. And bloody determined. He copes with unimaginable pain and lives through the most severe conditions whilst showing an iron will worthy of a Navy Seal. I was more than impressed (and so is Keegan, btw.)
But I loved how we got to see his desperation, too, and the lengths he is willing to go to just to survive.
Most of all I love his innate goodness, his openness and acceptance of Keegan.
What can be more romantic than a story…
… in which one MC is nursed back to health by the other?
… where one MC is willing to give everything, even his life, to make the other one better?
… where human warmth and affection turn someone‘s life round?
… where sheer grit and single-minded determination triumph in the face of the most extreme adversity?
It is a beautiful story, brilliantly written. Real, intense, wild and thrilling. Adrienne Wilder has a habit of doing that. And to top it all off, there is one secondary character, I seriously drooled over (and no, it was not two hot guys making love, melting some of the snow around the cabin).
How can you possibly resist that? I fell hook, line and sinker, and darn, Daisy definitely gave Keegan and August a run for their money. You’ll see what I mean.
Only little regret - I really wished the epilogue was a little longer. I was craving for a bit more of happy Keegan and August.
It's a fabulous book and something completely different. Read it! -
Tag team with
R
Ermmm... Hello, Angst.
While I thought it was really good, it’s not for the faint of heart and will keep you on the edge of your seat 99% of the time. If you’re squeamish about human and animal death/cruelty, you’ll want to avoid this book.
The stage is set with the gruesome details of a plane crash that August has survived. August is a male model flying on a private jet to Paris for his next shoot. The plane goes down in the extremely unforgiving, Alaskan Bush.
Shortly after the plane crash, we are introduced to the wild looking Keegan. Keegan saves August from the wolves and bear that have already started feasting on the buffet the crash site offers.
Keegan has been living in the Alaskan wilderness for nearly a decade. He survives day to day in this uninhabitable land because the only alternative is certain death from those who wouldn’t hesitate to torture and kill him. He rescues a severely injured August and does everything to get him to safety.
Much of the book details their journey of survival. They have to fight, stay alert, and heal. Both MCs at multiple points, are knocking on death’s door because the bush is a cruel bastard. “The bush always took more out of a man than they could get back.” August has a lot to overcome due to his injuries from the plane crash and Keegan gives everything to ensure August lives with all the odds stacked against them. Wolves. Evil grizzly bears. Freezing temperatures. Life-threatening injuries. August has such a strong will to live and makes the best of his circumstances. He could have been a whiney celebrity and instead he had the mental strength to compensate for what he lacked in physical strength. Keegan represented life, survival, strength and eventually became home. He was in awe of August. In him, Keegan found a reason to do more than just survive.
I wasn’t fully on board with how their relationship began. BUT, I absolutely loved watching them fall in love. Their love was bittersweet and heartbreakingly beautiful because they both knew it would end. There was a pureness to it that made me feel everything along with them. Injuries aside, they got down! A lot. It was hot.
“If you can wrestle bears you can fuck me harder than that.”
One of my favorite characters was Daisy, the wolf.
She was the freakin’ bomb.com. She loved her humans hard and would live or die for her “pack.” She provided much needed tension relief when she was just a pup and my blood pressure/heart fully appreciated the break in intensity. The girl had a thing for Keegan’s underwear. Can’t. Blame. Her. All big and burly, Keegan. *Mmmm* Yes, please.
Let's talk about the epilogue.
By the time I made it to the end, I felt like I’d been through a battle right along with the MCs. They literally fought tooth and nail to survive and all we get is a teeny tiny itty bitty little window into their life. Not. Cool. The book was extremely detailed UNTIL they got their HEA. Their lives were finally about more than surviving moment to moment and I WANT MORE MOMENTS that aren’t laced with potential death. *ends tantrum*
I still dug it. I'd definitely recommend this book. It was intense. It was an adventure. It was Wild. -
4.5 Stars - Another fretful BR with
LiaB!
Geezus. F. C. (Scuse my language)
*wipes proverbial sweating brow*
My gawd.
This is literally a nonstop ride that will get your heart pumping in all the best ways, leaving you at the edge of your seat, biting your nails, and hiding behind your hands.
As you know by the blurb, August has had the unfortunate luck of being in a plane crash. He survives with some grave injuries and is saved by a man who is as feral as they come. However, there's more to Keegan than meets the eye, and August can’t help but slowly fall for him.
Keegan is certainly not in the Alaskan wilderness for his health. He’s hiding from a terrible past, and though saving August becomes the best thing he’s ever done in his life, it also puts Keegan’s very existence in danger. However, he’s willing to do anything and sacrifice much to keep August alive at all costs.
Chock full of action, the suspense and harrowing situations these two get themselves into never seems to end! Mostly, it’s a no holds barred battle against nature (she’s quite the fickle bitch), but add in a relentless evil bad guy, and toss with plenty of emotional angst, and this book will fray your nerves while keeping you rapt with anticipation of how things will ultimately play out.
Suffice it to say you won't be bored. This is not for the weak of heart nor the stomach. This is raw, this is brutal, and it’s a desperate adventure of love and redemption. Crazy smexy hot and intense to the max, this garners that extra half star because this is one story I definitely won’t soon forget!
Thank you to the author/publisher for a copy in exchange for a honest review
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This was an incredibly WILD adventure!
So many of you recommended this and I can see why. It is a truly powerful story.
August Vallory is a male model. And I mean, he's a real celebrity. He and his male model boyfriend are on their way to a shoot when their private jet crashes in the Alaskan wilderness.
August opens his eyes to a nightmarish scenery. Dead bodies and body parts all around him. His foot is badly broken and buried underneath the seat in front of him while freezing snow surrounds him. Just as wolves and bears come in to salvage the carnage, a creature just as wild and untamed rescues him from amidst the debris and carries him to safety.
Keegan is on the run. Having betrayed a mafia boss, he's been hiding in the wilderness of Alaska for the last 10 years with only minimal contact to the outside world. He eats what he kills and his clothes are the fur of the animals he eats.
Only once a year during the coldest winter days he seeks shelter in a cabin in the woods that belongs to a friendly retired vet.
Keegan sets August's broken leg (and God, how I felt for the poor guy) and nurses him through the long recovery process where fevers and inflammation threaten the poor model's life.
Sadly, the next town is far away and Keegan knows that August wouldn't survive the trek on foot, so he hides out with him in the remote cabin, hoping that the vet might return by plane at some point and take August with him to safety.
Most of the book is indeed those two guys waiting in the cabin. And here is also where things dragged a bit. Sure, this being an excellently written mm novel, they were attracted to each other and spent most of their time with sex (when Keegan wasn't out hunting).
However, I had a few issues with the story:
All in all, I loved it as a powerful and also meaningful story. I could have done with a little less rifle cleaning, a little less sex, but by the end of this book, I can definitely say:
They deserve their happy ending!!
4 stars! -
Before I start my review I have to say I've been really cold the entire time I've been reading this book so grab a blanket before you start.
I don't know if I can even say I enjoyed this book I do know I was hooked from the very first page.
It's a mesmerising read, gripping at times and it's strange to find myself reading a book when at times I'd no idea where it was going, so often these days I know how a book will end even before I finish the first page.
August Vallory is a successful model flying to his next shoot with his boyfriend and colleagues when the plane crashes in the Alaskan wilderness. The start of this book is gripping and while we know August will obviously survive we've no idea what condition he will be in.
August is saved from certain death by Keegan, a man who lives a solitary and unbelievably hard life and has for the past ten years.
I quickly fell in love with Keegan, a man who's never had a chance at a normal life, his path was set out for him from birth and he's done the impossible the best way he possibly could. My heart just went out to him and I really wanted him and August to work out because if anyone needs love and happiness it's Keegan.
August is also a great character, I liked that he wasn't spoilt and useless and I really wanted him for Keegan.
I can't write a review without mentioning Daisy I absolutely loved Daisy.
This is a book I'll never forget, the beginning gripped me and the end was really good although personally I would have liked more at the very end. I felt since we'd been with these guys for so long, for every step of their journey that we deserved a longer epilogue or is that just me being greedy.
I also felt it was over long in the middle and while I appreciate the incredible descriptions (hence my need for a blanket) there was too much at times although having said that I never once considered skimming. -
4.5 Snowy Stars
August, his boyfriend and their camera crew was in a plane crash and this plane crash was in Alaska’s woods! Apparently, August was the only survivor. But now that he survived of the crash, he stuck between seats and wolves and bears are gonna eat him. But no, he has a savior! Some collage of animal with a human face, name Keegan! August is in a bad shape, his leg is in a bad form, the cold of Alaska is going to kill him… He needs professional doctors but Keegan can’t and wont call for docs. Can’t because he tried times ad times and didn’t succeed and because of what he did in his past the authorities and the cartel is after him. He lives there to escape his past and what’s after him. He wont because he didn’t want to lose him, because he didn’t want to be alone anymore, because before August he didn’t know how to live (just survive) and now…
What a great journey to Alaska and its wilderness! Snowy weather, Grizzlies, Wolves, Caribous… I always loved emotional reads and this one wasn’t an exceptional. It was full of fear of being dead/ alone, remorse/guilt for what you did or going to do, love, angst (low on it), being brave… It was so well-written and I liked the characters. It was my first read by this author but I have two of her other works in my mind to read in future, hope they will be great too, like this one. It was slow-paced and it was strange that I didn’t want it to end! Haha! Told in multiple POV, 3rd person. It’s a standalone novel. The story alternates between the past and the present (but not so much). All in all, I really enjoyed it and hope you like it as well! -
From the very first gruesome page this book grabs a hold of you and doesn't let go. It's gripping, raw, and wild just like the Alaskan wilderness portrayed. Wilder has a way of describing things to make you feel like you're right there. The fear, the desolation, the soul deep exhaustion that makes you want to give up, and above all else the desire to survive that burns everything else away.
There was a lot of the book that I found highly improbable but I just went with it because the writing and the characters were just so well written I couldn't be fucked enough to care. Though I didn't really like how the romance began between the two and August's reasons behind it, as the story progressed I absolutely loved them together. Especially Keegan. And then there was Daisy....beautiful, wild Daisy who defends her pack, loves her humans and gets her kicks off of stealing Keegan's underwear.
The epilogue sucked and left a lot of unanswered questions but overall I enjoyed this book and the walk on the wild side.
Warnings: This book portrays survival in a wilderness. If hunting animals is a trigger, this is not the book for you. From page one, the book starts out rather gruesomely for those who are squeamish. However, I didn't find it as descriptive and horrific as it could've been given the circumstances. -
Simply put, that was my face when I finished speed reading through this book.
I am not quite sure how I feel about this one to be honest.
As far as the story goes, Keegan is someone who's running away from his past and he went all the way Alaska to stay alive from people who wants to kill him. August on the other hand, was a model, whose plane crashes in Alaska and was eventually saved by Keegan.
That was the opening scene and I was immediately pulled into the story. For the first half, it was all fine and dandy. Keegan taking care of August, August getting better, their relationship develops into something more, yada yada yada. And then, for the other half, I don't know. It was as if, the first one has my interest and attention by the balls (okay, I don't have balls, but you know what I mean), gripping it so tightly I can't think of anything else other than wanting to read more and never stop.
Then the other half just...flopped. It was like as if the writer's muse suddenly fly away and left her with all these words and she doesn't know what to do about it, so she just keep writing. And in her goal of trying to prolong the book, she starts describing everything in detail. I kid you not. She literally started describing trees, water, plates, spoons, how these two shower.
And the interest that I had with this book slowly fade away until I contemplated on DNF-ing. But I didn't, for some reason unbeknownst to me.
And so I started skim/reading through the book, and it was boring. Nothing really happens from 50% to around 85%. It was just them living happily and having sex, Keegan hunting and cooking. Add that to the detailed description on every molecules of atoms surrounding Keegan and August, you get yourself a very bored Wynne.
And yet again, I find myself still not wanting to give up on the book. And lord behold, the book did pick up speed towards the end, there was some good action and stuff going on but the ending was very abrupt. It was as if the author got too tired to write anymore and she just cut the ending short.
And the reason I'm giving this book a 3 star rating despite me just going on a full on rant and skimming most part of the book, is because the story was actually good. The characters have depth and the plot was good. It's just that, I really, really, really, really think, the author could do without all those long descriptions. Here's an example :
It was night beneath the trees. Wind cut through the branches, turning the silhouette of the forest into an ocean of black. With the sun refusing to crest much higher than the mountain ridge, it always seemed like night in the woods. Mid-day was more like early evening, the rest a perpetual twilight darkening every hour till the sky was broken up by stars and the Aurora Borealis. Even now the lights had begun reaching out overhead, dancing in waves of green, yellow, pinks, and blues.
Tracks led him to where the edge of the woods met the flat area at the mouth of the valley, giving him a clear view of the next couple of miles to the muskeg. Two lines scraped a path over the ice. A Twin Otter fitted with skis sat next to the bank. The plane had been taxied at an angle, and there was a ramp leading from the door to the ground. Ruts and track marks in the snow ran up the slope and around the patch of woods at the top of the hill. There was no telling how long it had been there. With five miles and patches of thick forest between the cabin and the muskeg, the valley might as well have been insulated. A fifty-foot plane was used by bush pilots making rural deliveries, or professional tour guides who took groups on expeditions to hunt.
Tell me you didn't just start skimming through those two paragraphs. And that was just two paragraphs, imagine reading that for the whole entire book.
I'm just sayin', it would have done the reader a lot good if she would just cut down on those descriptions by half. I am no writer, but I am pretty sure there are a lot of simpler and shorter ways to get your point across without having to write 2 pages just to describe something.
For more of my reviews, click :
here -
***3.5 Stars***
Boy, I hate to be the odd one out. Again. Everyone around me loved this book, and I only ended up liking but not loving it. At least there was one absolute highlight and guess what or rather who it was?
Yes, of course, Daisy... She is the main reason I gave this book 3.5 stars in the end.
Okay, this probably won't go over well, so I try to keep it as short as possible.
I really loved the setting. The Alaskan wilderness in all its brutal beauty, without sugarcoating anything, provided for an awesome background and I really adored Keegan, although some of his decisions -even if I get why he did it- left a somewhat bitter taste.
I had a hard time warming up to August, though, actually for more than half of the book. I totally get that he is in the middle of a traumatic experience and never in my life I would want to switch places with him, but for me he behaved like a spoiled brat and when he perceived it himself at some point, the least he could have done was to apologize, but no such thing.
I also didn't really feel the connection between August and Keegan. For me, their relationship was more born out of necessity (a 'marriage of convenience' of some sorts, as Karen, one of my BR partners so aptly called it) than real feelings. I totally get that Keegan was lonely for such a long time and of course he had to fall for the one gorgeous guy who virtually fell into his lap. And August? It seemed like he was only keen on not being left alone, so his feelings were more than sketchy for me. I guess I would have understood it better if we got to see more of them getting to know each other, but these guys practically didn't talk. There were some time leaps - one of my pet peeves - which I actually found necessary this time around, otherwise this book would have reached the proportions of the Holy Bible, but I couldn't help but wonder what happened in between. I can't even say there was more telling and not enough showing, because not even the telling was there.
Another pet peeve of mine are flashbacks which usually tend to rip me out of a story and it was not much different here. Sometimes they are necessary to contribute to the storyline, but not in this case.
I might be picky, but there were also some inconsistencies in the story that threw me.
The last 25% or so got a little bit more exciting, but it was also OTT, coincidental and predictable to some extent. The mystery part was wrapped up a tad too nicely, or should I say it was too easy and convenient to buy it completely? And don't get me started on the epilogue, where just too many things were left in the wind...
Sorry if my rant doesn't make any sense. For me, this book was okay, but not more than that. No one is more disappointed than me that this was not the epic read I expected it to be.
But at least I had my BR buddies Karen, Josy and Christelle at my side. Thank you so much for your support, my lovelies. I'm glad I'm not the only one in my assessment of the story, but I'm more than happy that at least one of us had a blast with this book. ;-) -
It took me a long time to read this one. It *was* a long book. Well long-ish....for me anyways.
It's weird...it's like not much happened but at the same time I did. Maybe I say nothing happened because the setting never changed. They were always in the wild of Alaska.
But there were near death experiences throughout the book. So stuff did happen. I don't know, it's hard to explain. It was slow placed, until it wasn't.
But in the end I really liked it. It was different, and interesting.
I can't imagine living in the wild of Alaska for a decade. No thanks. -
What an incredible story this was! I was gripped from the first paragraphs and then completely riveted, reading until the wee hours to finish it. In its simplest terms, it's a story of survival and love but it takes surviving the environment of a northern Alaska winter, against predators of all kinds and surviving the fall into hopeless love. Keegan was living as a survivalist, in near-isolation for years, when he finds August. Initially, August would appear the least likely person to survive a paper cut, much less everything he does go through. A few flashback scenes of memories from each character, provide the backdrop for the plot. Not too many and no confusion as the POV switches throughout the narrative.
Keegan and August were marvelous together as their characters morphed and bloomed under each other's influence. Was there sex at some unlikely points in the story? Yes, but it fit into the narrative anyway, even the Crisco! (No, there's no kink.) There was snow, ice, hypothermia, illness, injury, bears, a wolf named Daisy, and then throw in some poachers and a cartel. It just works, meshing together as the scenes unfold, paced perfectly from chilling start to pulse-pounding finish. There were well-timed lulls in the excitement, as Keegan and August developed their romance, since the story has a time frame of several months.
It's rather scary in places and I was occasionally squeamish over details of various injuries but I'm a big wuss about that kind of stuff. It certainly wasn't anything that stopped me from devouring every word. I highly, highly recommend this to anyone wanting an unusual romance pairing, an exciting, suspenseful plot that's a little edgy but not too dark. This book will be one of my favorites for this year!
*An ARC was provided to me by the author via Jessie G Books Reviews in return for an honest opinion* -
I seriously enjoyed this book! Improbable as the story may be, I just went with it and pretty much devoured it. Well done!
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3.5 stars
I know why so many readers love this book. It’s exciting and completely action-packed without forgetting about the romance. But while I definitely liked this, I was also exhausted when I was done. These guys could not get a break! Well, they finally did, on the last page. By then I had so many heart attacks that I’m sure even my neighbors heard me yelling to my Kindle.
This entire book screamed ‘desperate’. I could just feel August’s need to survive, to stay warm, to make it out of there. And Keegan’s fear of losing August, but also his love for him. Even the way they got together wasn’t out of lust or love at first, it was to ground them both, to feel that they were still alive. I can't say I was disappointed in the romance, but I do prefer my romances a bit more.... romantic, I guess I could say. There was so little time for these guys to just be together(without them being in mortal danger).
And even though I definitely loved these guys, I’m not a fan of action from the first to the last page. I read this book with my heart in my throat the entire time, and that was quite tiring.
So while I appreciated the writing, the environment, and even the romance, I won’t be re-reading this any time soon.
And now I’m grabbing more blankets, because I’m cold.
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4.5 stars
I love a story where the MCs are forced into a situation where it’s just the two of them for good part of the book, and that was just the case with this book. In the middle of nowhere Alaska, a lone man rescues another from a plane crash. While they are dealing with injury, sickness, wild animals and inclement weather they find love. Although, I think the author did an incredible job with this story, at times the details were a bit much.
After everything August and Keegan go through surviving the wild and later, Keegan’s past catching up to them, I would have appreciated a longer epilogue. It’s like I took a breath and it was over. I would have liked to be able to take a nice long sigh while enjoying their HEA.
Overall I thought this was wonderfully suspenseful and sexy story! -
**4.5 well deserved stars** for this wild ride.
Whoa, it was quite raw, intense, gruesome and totally captivating. Here are links to GR friends' reviews that reflect my enthusiasm so appropriately :
Judith’s review and
Ariana’s review.
Buckle your seat belt : it starts right from page 1 and from then on, it’s relentless up until the last chapter.
The setting is of course not the usual one : it’s winter time in a remote part of Alaska where dealing with the elements, the environment and just having a meal and keeping warm is purely a matter of life or death.
Keegan has been living away from civilization for his own safety for a decade in a remote part of Alaska, surviving through sheer skills in living under extreme conditions.
Until a plane crash changes everything and he rescues one badly injured survivor : August.
Nothing has prepared August, a famous model leaving in LA, for this life-altering event : a plane crash in the middle of nowhere, the dead bodies of his friends around him with wild animals ready for scavenging, brutal coldness and searing pain coursing through his body not enough to obliterate the despair of his situation.
Until Keegan appears and takes upon himself to save August's life : from the crash, from his injuries and the debilitating pain and the threatening infections and delirium, fighting each day just to go through another day until summer and a possible way to reach civilization could happen.
**Let's be honest, I would never have been able to endure so much pain and despair and adjust like August in such extreme conditions**
And all throughout this shared ordeal, August and Keegan come to rely on each other, each enthralled by the strength and determination of the other, the daily little actions and touch that could seem meaningless in a modern world but mean so much more when there are absolutely no artefacts, leading to incredible moments of mutual appreciation, raw passion and tender protectiveness.
This is sometimes very gruesome but nicely sweetened with Daisy, the pup wolf, bringing a new meaning to loyalty and family.
This is so well written, fascinating and gripping, with a suspense that left me on the edge of my seat (the last 20% were excruciating in the best way), not knowing where it would lead me and desperate for August, scared but fierce to the core when it counts, and Keegan, with such a huge heart hidden through the layers of fur skins and so ready to throw his life away for August, to find a more than deserved happy place.
My only niggle : the epilogue, even though satisfactory, was too fast. After such a breath-taking and wild ride, I wouldn’t have minded for more relaxing and loving moments for August, Keegan and even Daisy.
HIGHLY recommended.
BR with my besties Karen, Josy and Simone : sorry for being so far ahead : I just couldn't put this one down !!
EDIT : the ending of August and Keegan is released with
63 Days Later: A Holiday Tail -
This is an excellent book! I loved every word! To set the scene imagine, if you will, that you are with your boyfriend and modeling crew flying to location for a photo shoot. It's something you have done millions of times.
You're not worried about the travel, the shoot, or where you are staying...it's all been arranged by your people. Instead, you are flying high above the Alaskan wilderness and heartbroken because you just asked your boyfriend to marry you...he said No. Before you guys can even talk however there is a loud noise, screaming, terrible pain -- then nothing as you float away to blackness. When you wake it's freezing cold, your leg is in agony, and you see something moving next to you. You try to move but the something, a man dressed in animal skins, tells you "Don't move!" That's when you realize you are not alone with this man-beast, no - there is a really big, scary looking, bear with huge teeth and claws, rummaging through scattered belongings and eating...your dead friends.
This is the way author Adrienne Wilder introduces us to our MC in Wild. August Vallory had it all. A modeling career, a man he loved, and the extended family he’d acquired in the business. He is a bit wrapped up in himself in the start of the book, but he quickly gets over it. Keegan Brooks has secrets darker than night, more dangerous than wolves, more brutal than an Alaskan winter. Keegan as we find is living in the wild in order to survive. He has some very bad enemies -- and if they knew he was still alive, living in the wild, they would do everything in their power to fix that. Then, I would be remiss to not introduce "She-Bitch" as Keegan has coined the grizzly bear which makes frequent appearances throughout the story.
Keegan isn't really sure why he is rescuing and saving this stranger, it will be another mouth to feed, another person to keep safe, and on top of that -this man, August, is injured from the plane crash. It will be a miracle if he survives the injury without a hospital, rescue team, or any means of immediate communication. Keegan knows the only chance August has is if he can get him safely to the old vets cabin where he can keep him warm, fed, and wait for Doc to show up in the spring. He also knows that putting himself in anyone one place too long is risky and he isn't sure Doc would appreciate them essentially moving in to his cabin. It's August's only chance though, so the choice is made. Keegan treks across miles of wilderness while pulling August on a quickly made sled, all so he can save this strangers life.
Once they get to the cabin, which turns out to be very minimalistic even if it does have the luxury of an indoor toilet and water. August is so out of it, delirious with pain and infection, it isn't until he wakes up that his primadonna attitude starts to show. He wants to go home. He wants to go now. He is used to getting what he wants. He doesn't understand that the only means of communication are an old two way radio with a missing antennae. He wonders if he is doomed to forever in this small cabin, with a man who smells like dog, and wears dead animals for clothes. He wonders why he was even saved if he is doomed to this life.
During this part of the story I tried fo remain epathetic towards August, but his attitude and lack of gratitude got a little old. He does however pull his head out of his arse rather quickly.
Keegan on the other hand comes to enjoy having someone else around. He finds himself admiring Augusts amazing body and wouldn't mind exploring it a bit, with his tongue. The sexual tension builds between these two rather nicely. I mean what else is there to do when you are stuck in a cabin all alone? I think these two put great use to their idle hands and other body parts! Let me tell you Keegan is all top - he may have been living alone for the past few years but he still knows how to turn a man inside out!
The things these two do to each other by the light of the fireplace is pure, animalistic, pleasure - Wilder knows how to write smut worthy sex scenes!
I loved the relationship that grows between these two. They literally have nothing else to do but to survive, take care of each other, and get to know one another. If it wasn't for being stranded and in danger I would say it is the perfect way to fix a relationship. There are little things that Keegan does which annoy the hell out of August, but they move forward and work it out. Even if they are not in an official relationship -- its always in the back of their minds that if they can't get word out via the radio, when Doc Anderson arrives -- August will go home. Theirs is a temporary love. It has an expiration looming in the background, which is maybe why they both fall so deep, so fast.
Then one day while out hunting Keegan finds Daisy. He brings her home against all his better judgement. He knows when the wolf-pup grows up she will leave. He knows that even though she fits in the palm of his hand, she is still a wild animal -- still will answer to the call of the wild. But he brings her home anyways. August melts.
Daisey & August become inseparable and even if she puts holes in Keegan's long johns -- he loves her too, in his own way!
August, Keegan, and Daisy settle in to life as best they can and Keegan is content. Trouble comes to the wild though and life changes quickly as Keegan, August, and Daisy fight to survive. While Keegan fights to both hold on to August and let him go so he can be happy.
I loved this book! The world building was excellent and I felt like I was right there in the small cabin with Keegan and August or hiking through miles of treacherous terrains to help August get back to civilization. I experienced every emotion while reading this story and seriously didn't want it to end! There is so much that happens in this book, but I felt like I could read about this couple for another 300 pages and still not get enough! I don't know how realistic Wilder was with the depictions of Alaskan Wild terrains-- but I don't even care, because the world building in my eyes was spot on. I loved it.
I was able to empathize with both MC which is not always possible. I felt Augusts pain and adjustment problems as he was shuved into this new world. I felt his anger and self-pitty as he adapted to his new reality. I also felt Keegan's longing, desire, his need for companionship, his drive to do what was right warring with his want to keep August forever. I loved it all even if it left mean emotional wreck!
I highly recommend this story ~ bring a warm jacket and welcome to Wild!
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I expected a survivor tale in the wilderness. This was exactly that. But at the same time, it was totally not what I expected. Confused yet?
It was real and gritty. Frostbite. Lost toes. Injuries. Fever. Infection. No doctors, no civilization. Grizzly bear attacks. Wolves. Washing with a pot of water. Pissing in a jar because you can’t walk. Eating caribou, that they shot and carried back. Blood. Lots of blood.
It was also romantic and hot. Sexual in a raw deep basic need way. Beautiful.
I loved Keegan. I loved August. They were real and flawed. I loved Daisy (which is also my dog’s name and I’m on a beach vacation without her and I miss her).
I didn’t care so much for the Salvatore story and got bored a little around 70%. But I skimmed a little and still really enjoyed myself. -
![Imme [hiatus] van Gorp](https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/users/1671306786i/101358081._UX200_CR0,0,200,200_.jpg)
DNF @43%
Holy shit, this was so boring. And so annoying. I do not understand why so many people seem to love this one.
This entire book is just a bunch of snow, snow, snow and even more snow, with the occasional animal attack or some hunting.
And meanwhile, one of the characters was constantly sick and hurt, unable to really move or do anything. So you have an adventure-type book with a person who is pretty much completely immobile. Fun, right?
*sigh* I guess it’s what you get with a book about surviving in the Alaskan wilderness after a plane crash, but I simply just couldn’t be bothered. I definitely skimmed a lot, yet it still felt like way too much.
And seriously, August was so rude to the person who was literally trying to save him, and somehow I’m still supposed to like him? I think not. He was also incredibly dumb and very very selfish.
August and Keegan did not ever really talk or do anything other than sit in silence, so how that is supposed to become a loving relationship, I don’t even know. The chemistry is definitely non-existent so far.
Actually, I kinda feel like Keegan was completely creeping on August. I mean, he was literally lusting after a nearly dying man who’s constantly either unconscious or damn near hacking up a lung. Like.. um. Okay. Kinda weird to jack off to that, dude.
And later on, he 100% took sexual advantage of August needing him. It genuinely disgusted me. But then again, Keegan was also just really really pathetic.. So I don’t even know what I’m feeling about it all at this point.
Anyway, I’m mostly just so freaking bored. Nothing is keeping my interest, so I’m tapping out. -
3.75 STARS!
The idea of starving wasn't nearly as terrifying as the idea of being abandoned.
Lots of action and adventure and romance in this one!
Plot in a nutshell: Keegan is on the run/hiding out in the Alaskan wilderness. After witnessing a plane crash, he goes to investigate and finds a survivor, August, who's been badly injured among the wreckage. He saves his life.
I really liked both of the main characters. Keegan was a great tortured yet vulnerable alpha with a very rough exterior.The years of isolation had taken something from him, and August was giving it back.
Keegan's darkness was nicely balanced out by August's sweeter, lighter disposition.He simply wasn't made for the brutality of the Alaskan wilderness.
The setting and the circumstances injected a palpable sense of desperation into the story that I really enjoyed. I actually think Alaska could be considered a third main character; the harsh terrain, the extreme weather, and the dangerous wildlife all had them hanging on by the skin of their teeth and me on the edge of my seat.August had considered himself strong until he'd met Keegan, now he knew his strength had been a lie shored up by modern amenities, comforts, and environment.
Though a lot of the story was taken up with heart-stopping action, there was definitely a love story woven into the mix. I just wished the author had made dialogue between Keegan and August more of a priority. I felt like a lot was revealed through inner thoughts instead of conversation which I'm not a big fan of.
I also suffered from a smidgen of disbelief because all of the events of the story took place in such close proximity to each other. But if you're not a stickler for very small-print details, this shouldn't be a problem for you.
This was my first read by this author and it won't be my last! -
Whoa, whoa, whoa. I avoided this book like the plague. Even getting guarantees from my trusted friends had me keeping my distance. That doesn’t mean that I didn’t want to read this book because I did. I just kind of knew maybe I shouldn’t?
It's like this. I saw this movie one time and I wish I could erase it from my brain. Alas, I cannot and this book has made that movie flash over and over in my head. This is not a good thing. The similarities are few but in my head they are enough to freak me out. So, I have no idea why yesterday morning, I got on the bus, flipped through the million books sitting on my Kindle and the next thing I know I am reading this. And I couldn’t stop.
This was a ride. From the first page to almost the last, it was a nonstop ride. There were parts I honestly couldn’t stomach. Well, I mean, I just had to kind of lalalalalalala my way through them. There were parts that were so painfully emotional I had to look away and breathe. There were parts I was so frightened I was afraid to keep reading.
This was a fantastic book. Not my norm, and not necessarily something I want to find more of but something I am so happy I finally subconsciously gave in and read even if some of it I wish I could be unseen, kind of like that movie. Whew! -
Fun story about a guy (Keegan) in deep sh... snow (Alaska) who saves the life of another young guy (August) whose plane crashed not far from Keegan's friend's log cabin and a not so friendly she-bear.
It made me think of the movie The Revenant with Dicaprio.
Typical love story (happy end included) though, with a difficult beginning and climax (that of the story). -
OMFG!!! This book! This book was just so, so, so incredibly packed with....Tension...Fear...Feels...Love...Ache...Pain...Glory...Heart...Cold...Heat...Revenge...Survival...Loss...Healing
Argh!! It was amazing and I loved every second that these two men spent together, especially when filled with love, but even when filled with bone-aching Pain.
The pacing was spot on. Things happened. There was a plot that came full circle. The men had histories and depth. The setting was a character all its own-a deadly one. The dialogue lacked pithy and trite declarations of love, thank god. No insta-love here.
Yes, there was lust and attraction, and the two were hot, but this was not a book about sex. This was a book about survival, redemption, and healing. Of course, Love paves the way for all of that to happen.
If you’ve been putting off reading this book, do so no longer, I say. You will not be disappointed in this incredible story of Keegan and August fighting for survival in the Alaskan bush in the middle of winter. -
*4,5 stars*
This was good. It was so exciting at times, I had to take a breath to calm down. Loved the setting. Had all these images going through my head the whole time.
It was intense. Keegan and August were intense, so was their love for each other.
An untamable emotion
Raw
Real
Wild
But the absolute hero of this story is Daisy!!!! Loved her. Loved how she saw the men as her pack.
Was awesome to see how man and beast can work together.
August
Perfect book with a pot of tea by the side and lying on the couch under a blanket,. Cause it was bloody cold.
something like this? good gawd, if I had something like this, I would never come out of bed...
All in all, a very enjoyable book. I would certainly recommend it. I would've loved more closure at the ending though!! The ending was imo too hastly, too conviniently. I would've loved more of Keegan, August and Daisy!!
But I could totally see them living here!!
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Review originally posted at
Sinfully.
4.5 stars
I absolutely love the cover of this book and as mesmerizing as those eyes are, this isn’t a hearts and flowers romance. Adrienne Wilder pulls no punches. Surviving a plane crash is just the start of fashion model August’s challenges. August’s life as he knew it is over. The Alaskan wild is unforgiving territory and even though Keegan has spent more than a decade living rough, it doesn’t make it easier. The threats are varied and everything is stacked against August’s survival, but Keegan is determined to save him. Weather, beasts and medical threats are the most predictable issues. Keegan is running from a dangerous past that he knows will eventually catch up with him.
Keegan has a backstory that he is not proud of. He’s a good man who has done bad things and trying to make things right has forced him off the grid. When he comes upon the wreckage of the plane and finds August alive and trapped in his seat, he doesn’t hesitate to help him. August is living the jet setting fashion model lifestyle, but just before the plane goes down his life is unexpectedly turned upside down.
Over the next weeks and months Keegan nurses August through the worst of his injuries, nearly losing his own life in the process, but becoming more and more attached to the beautiful man as he realizes just how lonely he has been. August relies on Keegan for everything until he is strong enough to start to walk again and contribute. When August recovers enough to finally be able to start to function, the two grow even closer. Their relationship builds and the chemistry ratchets up. Through it all August isn’t what you expect him to be. He’s good hearted and determined to not be a burden. Any chance August has to return home hinges on surviving the winter, but he is soon wondering when the time comes, how will he be able to leave his wild man behind?
Wild is firmly set in the present, but there are a few flashbacks that shed light on both August and Keegan and who they were before. There are a lot of scenes that take place in the wild and they were well-detailed and brought the landscape to life. I could hear the mud squishing and feel the cold seeping into my fingers. The harshness of the surroundings and the ugliness of what needs to be done to survive are a sharp contrast to those tender moments the men manage to steal. Keegan is a complex character and he will have you laughing, crying and cheering. August’s character could get lost next to the larger than life hero, but his strength and compassion keeps that from happening.
The story will keep you on the edge of your seat. Keegan’s been playing a cat and mouse game with a grizzly that seems hell bent on murder and that’s not even the biggest danger he faces. There are people out for revenge, poachers, unrelenting cold and snow and falling in love. Keegan never expected it and knows it’s doomed come the warmer weather when August will surely leave him, and he’s afraid that when August leaves he will leave Keegan broken. Keegan and August are a great team and the emotions are strong, especially when each time someone steps out the door there’s the heart wrenching possibility that they might not make it back.
Wild is a fantastic read with a little bit of everything. It’s gritty, with a touch of darkness - fair warning that the men are living off the land and hunting is a necessity for survival. It’s a love story, it’s hurt-comfort, it’s a thriller and it’s a story about redemption. August and Keegan (and Daisy!) burrowed their way into my heart and I was thrilled to see them get the happy ending they so deserved.
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I’ve had this out on KU for ages, I even returned it and then downloaded it again before I eventually got round to reading it. And I’m so glad I did because I loved it! August, Keegan and Daisy – what a trio!
This one starts off with one hell of a bang! The suspense (and c-c-c-cold) kept me on my toes, though I did feel the middle dragged a bit. Maybe because the setting never changed from the freezing wilds of Alaska for the majority of the story and the mind-bogglingly hard life Keegan had been living wasn’t riveting reading after a while? Hmmm, not sure BUT it didn’t take away from the story so no stars lost there.
There’s a fair of blood and gore, and some pretty hairy flashbacks on Keegan’s part. My heart broke for that man at times.
I loved Keegan and August together, they sizzled yet their feelings and love for each other was fabulous to read. Keegan was prepared to die for August if need be, he just loved him that much. Be still my beating heart.
What did lose a half a star was the very short and rushed epilogue. After the long hard slog K&A had to get to a good place I really wanted to see more of them living their happy rather that the little taster I got.
4.5 stars. -
Well this was an intense adventure into the absolute wilderness.... cold and unforgiving. August is rescued after a plane crash. He has major trauma to his leg and suffers a dangerous compound fracture. He is delirious and devastated to also find out his partner of five years had cheated on him and wanted to see other people. Life for August was st rock bottom. As luck has it, Keegan happens to be in the right place and rescues August from the wolves and bears and manages to splint his leg as best as he could. They both spend months recovering in an old cabin and learn more about each other. In this harsh environment they need to work together to survive. A range of incidents occur including the return of the selfish ex boyfriend, poachers & their guns and the cartel ! Seriously these guys deserve a medal - I think the bloody snow was bad enough ! This was a really good read.
