[Portia’s Review: Running Wild (Wild #3) by K.A. Tucker]

From the internationally bestselling author of The Simple Wild comes the story of a woman at a crossroads in her life, struggling between the safe route and the one that will only lead to more heartbreak.

Veterinarian Marie Lehr knows unrequited love all too well after pining for her best friend, only to watch him marry another woman. It’s a mistake she will never make again, especially not when she can practically hear the clock ticking on her childbearing years.

The trouble is, she can’t seem to find anyone who appeals to her even a fraction as much as that burly bush pilot did. Competitive musher Tyler Brady certainly doesn’t, especially not after the heated altercation with the handsome but arrogant, spiteful man.

Or so she thinks.

While volunteering at the Iditarod Sled Dog Race, Marie discovers that first impressions may have been false, and her attraction to Tyler is very real. But his heart belongs to someone else, leaving him with nothing to offer but friendship. Marie’s been down this road before and knows how that ends. Yet, no matter how hard she works to keep from falling for Tyler, it seems she’s doomed to follow her own trail once again.

I received this book for free from Author in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

I have been so excited to get back into the world K.A. Tucker created with her Wild series. Tucker is one of my favorite authors of all time! If you didn’t know, There are 2 previous books and a novella (The Simple Wild, Wild at Heart, Forever Wild) that take place in this series/world that follow a different set of characters, and introduce us to Marie, the MC in Running Wild.

I believe I, like other readers, had a hard time wanting to read about Marie based on what little I knew about her character from the original books. But I wasn’t going to let that stop me from reading this book. I had to set aside my preconceived notions in regards to Marie and just dive right in, hoping for the best.

It honestly didn’t take much for me to begin to love Marie. It took even less for me to begin to love Tyler (I mean, he’s no Jonah…. swoon). Marie is a hard working, no shit taking, big hearted gal. But loneliness has crept in on her as she gets closer to 40, and watches everyone around her fall in love, get married, and have kids. Based on her past, she has all but given up on love until she runs into Tyler.

Tyler strolls into town with a bunch of dogs and a whole lotta baggage. He is very much the sexy and brooding man you want him to be. Him and Marie easily have their love of animals in common, as well as their loneliness. While Marie falls fast, there are things holding Tyler back. Eventually, after realizing how much they can’t stand to be away from each other (and how much sexual attraction there is!) they give love a chance. Their love story is really about learning how to move on and heal, and how sometimes you can’t heal yourself. Finding someone who understands you, and your struggles, and loves you and holds your hand through those struggles, can change everything.

Aside from the love story, there is an entire crazy family there with Marie. The dynamics and drama are so realistic, I could literally imagine these same types of family dinners with my own family. One of her sisters was more of a bitch with no redeeming qualities (yet? will there be more?! who knows!) and that really bugged me, but not a big deal. Her mom and dad are just the sweetest, and her dads personality really was a shining little light in this book.

I also was REALLY FREAKING EXCITED to see more of Jonah, Calla and the gang! I love that we got an update on their lives and spent some time with them during this novel. It really made it feel attached to the whole world and setting.

Side note: This book is very heavy on the details on mushing and the Iditarod, ect. There were a couple times it felt info-dumpy, that went on just a little too long for me, personally. But I also have no interest in the sport. It is clearly very well researched and thorough!

I loved this book, and I really hope we get more characters stories in this world. I feel like there is so much that can still be explored with these characters.

Portia

Hi, I’m Portia! I’ve been an obsessive reader and pop culture addict my entire life, with a particular passion for horror and thrillers. I love being a part of the book community and can regularly be found working various book events. I’m an admin here at Ideally Inspired Reviews!

When I am not binge reading or obsessing over true crime podcasts and shows, I am a bar manager by night and a mom and wife by day. If I find any time after that, I love to travel, spend time outdoors, and fit as much live music into my life as possible. You can find me on Instagram @Ideally.Portia or TikTok @itsportiabitch.