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Tuesday, December 1, 2020

Review: Forever Wild


I knew we needed a final wrap up to Calla and Jonah's love story but I hadn't quite anticipated how perfect Forever Wild would be. I never want to say goodbye to characters I love but K.A. Tucker has completed her Wild series in a way that left my heart full and happy. 

Here's what the novella is about:
The holiday season is upon Calla and Jonah, and with the mistletoe and gingerbread comes plenty of family drama. Jonah is bracing himself for two weeks with a stepfather he loathes, and while Calla is looking forward to her mother and Simon’s arrival, she dreads the continued pressure to set a date for their wedding … in Toronto. Add in one bullheaded neighbor’s unintentional meddling and another cantankerous neighbor’s own family strife, and Christmas in Trapper’s Crossing will be anything but simple.
This is a true series so you can't hop into reading this one without having already read The Simple Wild (review) and Wild at Heart (review). I mean, you could, but you would be so confused and you'd have so much spoiled for you. 

Not only was Forever Wild such a perfect story to wrap up the series, but I loved that it's set at Christmas. Christmas stories lend themselves so well to novellas and short stories, given it's such a small part of the year overall, and Tucker used that to her advantage. It also made for the perfect reason for the whole family to be together, tucked into Calla and Jonah's house and cabin. The emotions were running high in the house and I liked seeing how all the traditions came together to create such a wonderful holiday for everyone.

While I can see why Tucker chose to make this a novella, I do wish it could have been a full novel. I think I needed a bit more pre-Christmas time with Calla and Jonah and there didn't seem to be enough (if any??) sightings of Zeke and Bandit - two animal characters that are as well loved as any Disney sidekick. I wanted more about their jobs too since that was a big thing they were trying to sort out in the last book - what, exactly, would give Calla purpose in Alaska? And, yes, I would have loved just more of this story, these characters, that setting. It was hard to say goodbye to Calla and Jonah but it was the right thing for the series. I will say that I'm not surprised that Tucker plans to expand the Wild universe a little bit and will be writing a story about Marie, a longtime vet friend of Jonah's who had a major crush on him. Mostly it's unsurprising because I found the hints pretty obvious in this novella. Not that I'm complaining - I'll read anything Tucker writes!

Multiple characters in the story had a lot of drama but it worked well, considering the novella is only just over 150 pages. Tensions always run high during the holiday season but once things settle, you're left with a group of individuals who care fiercely for each other, whether they're blood relatives or not.

There's not much more I want to say about Forever Wild because I don't want to give away any spoilers. I read this in one sitting on Saturday afternoon and absolutely loved it. I'm pretty sure I was the heart eye emoji come to life as I finished the last page. If you're a fan of contemporary stories, you should definitely pick up K.A. Tucker's Wild series. This is a romance series for those who don't think they're romance readers so keep it in mind this holiday season for gifts for others - or yourself!

Buy Forever Wild
Amazon * Apple * Barnes & Noble * Kobo * Indie Bound * Indigo

Not quite ready to buy it or haven't read the first two books? Add Forever Wild to Goodreads

About the Author
K.A. Tucker writes captivating stories with an edge.
She is the internationally bestselling author of the Ten Tiny Breaths and Burying Water series, He Will Be My Ruin, Until It Fades, Keep Her Safe, The Simple Wild, Be the Girl, and Say You Still Love Me. Her books have been featured in national publications including USA Today, Globe & Mail, Suspense Magazine, Publisher's Weekly, Oprah Mag, and First for Women.
K.A. Tucker currently resides in a quaint town outside of Toronto.

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*An egalley of this novel was provided by the author via Valentine PR in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*

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