ON THE WILDE SIDE is a novella about the background of character General John Hamilton Wilde. It is the prequel to Sandra Marton's In Wilde Country series. The book starts out with the General in modern times. He's visiting the El Sueno ranch where he grew up. It then flashes back to his younger years as a teenager.

Johnny was an all star athlete and MVP of the local high school football team. He could have any girl he wanted, and he 'wanted' a lot. He lives in the moment and is carefree and reckless. He has no permanent plans for the future. That's all for his straight-laced brother, Alden. Alden is the apple of his father's eye, the honor student and scholar. He's always kept his nose in the books and plans on following in the family's warrior traditions by making a career as an officer in the Army. He will start it off by attending the prestigious West Point Military Academy. Just as other generations of Wilde men, he'd climb the ranks up and become a decorated soldier.

So many plans laid out, but one tragic night will end it all. A fateful accident steals the life of the beloved intellect. Although he is not at fault, Johnny blames himself. Their father also blamed Johnny. He then decides, because he doesn't know what else to do with his life, to follow the path his brother would have taken and make him proud. He gets his life on track as a West Point graduate and a well respected officer.

ON THE WILDE SIDE takes some crazy twists and turns. You find out what led him to the path of leading a double life, complete with two separate families comprised of multiple wives and several children. It then returns to modern day and the tangled web that has been woven when all of the children find out about the other family their father had been a part of. Don't expect a happy ending, because this one will leave you pondering what happens next with its cliffhanger ending.

ON THE WILDE SIDE is the first book I've read in the In Wilde Country series. It is a quick read. General Wilde is a very domineering character. There is a point where the author brings out a strong sense of sorrow for Johnny, which you can feel through the pages. I did see a few discrepancies in the book that may make the timeline of events confusing for a first time reader of the series. It will definitely be interesting to see how things turn out for everyone involved in the Wilde families.