Wild Child by Molly O’Keefe is the complete package. This is more than your simple romance novel, there is drama in a multitude of misunderstandings; deception in both internal (self deception) and external (deceiving others) forms; hope in the competition that could save the town; humour in many absurd situations and a rather comical looking dog; and complexity in all manner of relationships (familial, community and personal).
The characters are complex and have emotional baggage. Their issues run deep and at times I wondered if Monica and Jackson (the main protagonists) would ever resolve a thing. I despaired they would ever get together. It appeared that Monica’s (heroine) hangups would derail their budding relationship, fortunately the author recognised this as “point of no return” and Monica found herself struggling to rein in her anxiety levels before demonstrating an element of personal bravery. Thus began her journey to recovery.
Jackson (our hero) was a walking contradiction. After years of selfless service; he put his life on hold, first for his sister and then for his home town Bishop - he plans a future without either of those things. His superficial goals are the reason most of his relationships are shallow, they are also the impetus behind some rather poor decisions. Fortunately he too, comes to appreciate the town and its inhabitants and begins to make better choices than before
Without detracting from the main story, Molly O’Keefe introduces a series of secondary plot lines with characters who serve to enrich Monica and Jackson’s interactions and promote their personal development as they each begin to open up to themselves, each others and their friends.
A truly a well rounded book.
My Rating
❀❀❀❀+
Disclaimer
I obtained an ARC from the publisher (via Netgalley) with a view to providing an honest review. The thoughts expressed above, are entirely my own. I don’t really like the concept of rating novels as they are subjective and subject to change. A five star book today, may be re-evaluated when compared to future novels.
The Summary
Monica Appleby is a woman with a reputation. Once she was America’s teenage “Wild Child,” with her own reality TV show. Now she’s a successful author coming home to Bishop, Arkansas, to pen the juicy follow-up to her tell-all autobiography. Problem is, the hottest man in town wants her gone. Mayor Jackson Davies is trying to convince a cookie giant to move its headquarters to his crumbling community, and Monica’s presence is just too . . . unwholesome for business. But the desire in his eyes sends a very different message: Stay, at least for a while.
Jackson needs this cookie deal to go through. His town is dying and this may be its last shot. Monica is a distraction proving too sweet, too inviting—and completely beyond his control. With every kiss he can taste her loneliness, her regrets, and her longing. Soon their uncontrollable attraction is causing all kinds of drama. But when two lost hearts take a surprise detour onto the bumpy road of unexpected love, it can only lead someplace wonderful.
About The Author
Molly O’Keefe has always known she wanted to be a writer (except when she wanted to be a florist or a chef and the brief period of time when she considered being a cowgirl). And once she got her hands on some romances, she knew exactly what she wanted to write.
She published her first Harlequin romance at age 25 and hasn’t looked back. She loves exploring every character’s road towards happily ever after.
Originally from a small town outside of Chicago, she went to university in St. Louis where she met and fell in love with the editor of her school newspaper. They followed each other around the world for several years and finally got married and settled down in Toronto, Ontario. They welcomed their son into their family in 2006, and their daughter in 2008. When she’s not at the park or cleaning up the toy room, Molly is working hard on her next novel, trying to exercise, stalking Tina Fey on the internet and dreaming of the day she can finish a cup of coffee without interruption.
Connect with the Author
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