Publication Date: May 2, 2022
They each hit the trail solo in search of themselves…
Overworked entrepreneur Jules Martinez is sick and tired of men leaving her for their exes. Determined to wipe the giant, scarlet R for rebound off her forehead, she kicks off a yearlong vow of celibacy with five, blissful weeks backpacking her favorite trails through Washington State. Solo.
Out-of-work financial analyst Evan Davenport hasn’t been happy since camping in Scouts as a kid—before his wealthy parents and now ex-fiancé made all his major life decisions. Hoping to find joy and purpose, he buys all the latest ultralight backpacking gear, flies to Washington, and sets off alone on a weeklong speed hike through the wilderness.
Mother Nature has other plans, though, and keeps shoving Evan and Jules in each other’s paths. Usually naked. When sparks fly, can they find what they’re looking for in life together instead of apart?
I’m so glad to see that Wild at Heart by Stacy Gold is the first book in the Wild Love series. I’ve previously read Ms. Gold’s Emerald Mountain series and enjoy her writing.
Wild at Heart held my interest from the first page to the last, even though I’m not the outdoorsy type. But I could visualize the hikes and the scenery with such vivid descriptions penned by the author as we are in the Seattle area.
Jules and Evan cross paths while hiking, and she saves him more than once as they keep running into each other in the mountains. He’s hiking on a whim due to his life back home in Boston, but it’s probably the best thing he’s ever done for himself, although his parents don’t think so. She’s hardcore and loves going solo into the mountains.
There are twists and turns to the story and Jules freaking out when she feels she and Evan get too close. They seem to balance each other, but that doesn’t make a difference to Jules due to her history with guys. I enjoyed watching them work through their friendship, or is it more?
There were some steamy moments along with sweet ones. I liked Jules’s relationship with her two best friends and Evan’s with his brother. The ending took a while to get to, but it was sweet, and there was nice closure. I was happy to see the excerpts from the series’ following two books.
Wild at Heart is a fun romp in the wilderness with stunning vistas and witty dialogue. I look forward to reading the next book in the series!
Award-winning author Stacy Gold gave up her day job as Communications Director of a nonprofit mountain biking organization to write sassy, steamy, contemporary romance novels. Her stories are packed with independent, kick-butt women finding love and adventure in the great outdoors. When Stacy’s not busy reading or writing, you can find her dancing, laughing, or playing hard in the mountains of Colorado with her wonderful hubby and happy dogs.
