👶👶👶 The Simple Wild, by K.A. Tucker

I must admit, this one was a tricky one for me to rate. To be honest, I'm just not a huge fan of romance, but this novel received such tremendous ratings, that I thought I'd give it a go. Honestly, @thereadingwelch said it best, "My sometimes overly practical brain has a hard time appreciating grand romantic gestures and cheesy lines." And with quotes such as, "a handsome though stern-looking man, with a jawline that could crease paper," I really struggled through the spoiled, beautiful girl meets the rugged, no-nonsense guy trope. In addition, Jonah's initial demeanor was so off-putting - and yes, I understand that was by design - but when he would say callous, disrespectful comments to Calla such as, "I'm here to get your high-maintenance little ass to Bangor, not soothe your ego," it irritated me to no end.

But don't condemn me just yet, romance fans... because, as much as it pains me to admit, about 2/3 of the way through, I actually began to enjoy it. Yes, it is true... the storyline became more authentic and yes, I'll be honest, I even shed a tear (just a little one). I found myself rooting for the once shallow, unlikable characters and suddenly the plot turned a corner. And sure, the ending was tied up with a perfect little bow, but I've come to realize something... in this oh-so-serious, terribly tangled world of ours, sometimes it's good to read something with a little levity, no matter how fanciful it may seem.

So, this one's for you my dear "engagedtobooksta" friends: I know this was a fave for many of you - thanks for convincing me to take the plunge! Will I read another one? "I guess you'll just have to wait and see..."

Read: 10/31/20