Review: This couple is crazy and dysfunctional and I loved it.
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 01 22, 2014
Wild Ones is Kristine Wyllys' debut book... or novella? I’m not sure what to call it since it’s only 156 pages long. But what a jam-packed, drama-filled, sexy, and highly emotional 156 pages it was. Honestly, I was a bit hesitant to read this book at first. The ratings are all over the place and I think the problem is that the blurb is slightly deceiving; it doesn’t tell the reader what they’re truly getting themselves into. If I were to compare and that’s a big IF, I would say this couple falls into the same category of crazy and dysfunctional as Tristan and Danika from Bad Things or Travis and Abby from Beautiful Disaster. And if you don’t mind constant drama and fighting, then I would say give this story a try.Brianna “Bri” Martin grew up with an abusive father and, when things go too far one night, she packed her things and ran away from home. She lived on the streets for some time, until she met Jaxon Young, who helps her get her life together and becomes her BFF. They live together and work together at the same bar. I really like Bri, even if she can be a complete bitch sometimes - and she knows it! She’s also sarcastic and reckless yet also passionate and protective of what’s hers. Bri is a survivor, doesn’t do relationships, and doesn’t trust anyone but Jax. Then she meets Luke, who infatuates her – ensnares her, but she’s also afraid of him because he’s a boxer – like her father.Oh, Luke Turner, how I adore thee. He is my kind of bad boy hero. He’s an underground fighter, super sexy, all alpha, rough around the edges, broody, and intense but he melted me into mush with his patience and protectiveness with Bri. Luke is everything Bri didn’t want in her life yet Bri is utterly drawn to him like a moth to a flame. Luke is good for Bri--he never tells her how to live her life and accepts her wild and independent side. Though, he doesn’t put up with her crap and Bri dishes out a lot of bullcrap.Their sexual attraction and feelings for each other are untamable, undeniable - almost obsessive, which leads to an intensely passionate yet dysfunctional relationship. Together, they are an unpredictable hot mess. They’re both powerless against one another with their all-consuming desire and lust that brews between them. They fight with fervor. They make up with hot angry sex. They both have big issues that stem from their past, though Luke’s issues aren’t really addressed that much in this book. I wish there was more information given on Luke’s back story, which I’m hoping to learn more in later books. The main focus of the story is Bri’s issues with her past. Her fear of becoming like her mother has a tight grip on her. And, in order for Bri and Luke to stay together, she must come to terms with her past before she can move forward with her future.When I reached the end of this story, I actually had a moment where I wished there were at least another chapter or two or maybe an epilogue. I was enjoying this story so much that I wanted MORE. I really enjoyed the writing style with the rich descriptions of this world. While Bri and Luke’s crazy fighting might be a big turn-off for some readers, their dysfunction worked for me. There is something about crazy, mad love with tumultuous, raw emotion that I’m drawn to. And, while this is a romance story, it’s not romantic. It’s dark and gritty with some cringe-worthy violence where Bri is a victim of physical abuse more than once. There are several secondary characters written in this story and I’m happy to find out they’re getting future books. I’m anxious to know whose story is next. I’m hoping to get a book for Jax soon.Rating: B+Heat: Hot-- A Romantic Book Affairs Review