Review ~ Wild Man ~ Kristen Ashley #COYER #ShelfLove

Wild Man by Kristen Ashley
Dream Man #2
Release Date: December 11, 2012
Genre: Adult, Contemporary Romance
Source: Purchased on Nook
Rating: 4.5 Bookworms
Challenges: #COYER, #ShelfLove
Goodreads

Synopsis
She's about to walk on the wild side...

While filling the display case in her bakery, the bell over the door sounds and Tessa O'Hara looks up to see the man of her dreams. Within thirty seconds he asks her out for a beer. But after four months of dating, she discovers he's an undercover DEA agent - and he's investigating her possible role in her ex-husband's drug business. For Tess, this means their relationship is over.

Brock disagrees. He's committed to his anti-drug mission, but he's fallen in love with the beautiful woman who's as sweet as her cupcakes - and he'll do anything to win her back. Standing between Tess and Brock are their own exes, one of them a drug lord who's determined to get what he wants. Now as danger threatens, can Brock break the rules he's lived by and let loose his wild side to protect the woman he loves?

Wild Man was an unusual KA read for me. She delivered on all I'm used to - a riveting story, great MCs and supporting cast, action, suspense, grit and emotion. But it was a heavy read for some reason. There's a difficult topic for starters. Brock, although I met him in Mystery Man, still took awhile to grow on me. And there was something about Tess...at the start of the story something happens and when Brock shows up, finally, to talk it out, Tess immediately forgives him and it's never brought up again. Now, this is completely in character for Tess. She's a what-you-see-is-what-you-get kinda girl. No drama. And maybe that was my issue, but I missed the playful and/or snarky banter. It was...well, she was just an unusual heroine for KA, in my opinion.

I did, however, love her anyway. And once I warmed up to Brock, I fell for him as well. Their romance is a challenge thanks to the ugliness of their pasts not to mention meddling exes. And Brock's ex is a piece of work...a nasty one!

KA included a couple of kiddos. Brock's boys not only added depth, they also added a lot of fun. I appreciated that being incorporated along with the already stellar secondary cast.

There was so much going on in Wild Man so there wasn't a dull moment. I think I finished it just a few days. I still loved it but there was just a little something missing that kept this from being the typical spectacular 5-Bookworm KA experience.