"The Youngest Wilde Man Gets His Woman"
Reviewed by S. Lyn Collins
Posted April 3, 2023
Romance Suspense | Romance Western
MAX WILDE'S COWBOY HEART is the final book in Jennifer Ryan's Wilde Brothers trilogy that is a spinoff of the Wild Rose Ranch series. Max Wilde and Kenna Baker were high school sweethearts miserably handling their break up from years ago in different ways. Max drank too much and slept his way through women while Kenna isolated herself and only recently started dating.
When Kenna is targeted by an unknown enemy seeking a cyber tool created by her brother and hidden in her apartment, Max's brother, Officer Hunt Wilde, decides to throw them together by putting Kenna in protective custody at the Wilde Ranch. The star-crossed lovers physically avoid each other until they finally talk through the misunderstanding and identify the person that caused their rift.
The espionage storyline involving the FBI, Kenna's brother Kyle, and the shadowy foe was confusing, thin in details, and never truly came to a satisfying conclusion. I felt the long-standing betrayal between Max and Kenna resolved too easily and early on in the book. It appeared that a big part of the book was for the sole purpose of setting up the next series focused on the Wilde cousins who own the Dark Horse Dive Bar in Black Rock Falls.
Although MAX WILDE'S COWBOY HEART could be read as a standalone, an uninformed reader would not follow the significant issues that the secondary characters go through because this book does give any details from the prior books. There's significant page time given to the couples from the prior two books including Hunt and Cyn's wedding. In all, the book was a fast, sweet read where the maincouple are together for the majority of the book but nothing too memorable, in my opinion. I will keep reading the series and the spin-offs because I am genetically unable to leave something unfinished, and I hope the next books are back to the level I have come to expect in this series.
SUMMARY
New York Times bestselling author Jennifer Ryan returns to the Wyoming Wilde series as the third Wilde brother finds himself entangled with his ex-girlfriend after she’s witness to a murder and the killer’s next target. Perfect for fans of authors like Maisey Yates, Joanne Kennedy and Carolyn Brown as well as Diana Palmer, Linda Lael Miller, and BJ Daniels.
And when Max Wilde reunites with his lost love, he’ll do anything to keep her safe and in his arms…
Max Wilde lived up to his last name and then some. Years ago, he fell hard and fast for Kenna Baker, thinking they had a love that would last for all time. When a horrible misunderstanding drove them apart, Max thought his chance to find the kind of love his brothers have is gone forever. He changed his bad boy ways, but he never got over the one who got away.
Now, their lives have collided once again, as Kenna is the only witness to a murder and needs a place to hide while in protective custody. Max is determined to keep her safe on the ranch, and also maintain an emotional distance, but as they spend more time together, the lies and half-truths that once drove them apart are also uncovered, bringing them closer than ever.
Kenna has always laid claim to Max’s heart—and soul—but will he be able to save her…and their love...before it’s too late?
Excerpt“Just let me go.”
He took a step closer. “I did that once. I can’t do it again. Not with things the way they are between us now.”
“Are you drunk?” That had to be the explanation for him saying something so crazy.
“I’m stone cold sober. Though after an eye-opening talk with my brother, I think I may be the stupidest man on the planet.”
That took her aback. “What?”
“Why did we break up?”
She tilted her head, totally confused that he’d even ask the question. “You know why?”
“I know I thought I knew why, but now I think I had it wrong.”
“What?” Maybe she needed a couple drinks to make this make sense.
His shoulders sagged. “Just answer the question. From your point of view, why did we break up?”
Tears gathered in her eyes. Her throat clogged, her chest went tight, and her battered heart thrashed in her chest. “Because I hurt you.”
He reached for her, but she stepped back. He sighed. “Kenna, talk to me.”
“It’s too late.”
His eyes filled with hope and a plea. “Maybe it’s not.”
Yeah, right. That was too much to hope for. Either way, she finally confessed. “I accused you of lying to me. I didn’t believe you. And then when I did, it was too late. I’d ruined it all and you’d moved on and never looked back.”
A pained look came into his eyes. “That’s not true.”
She remembered every time she’d seen him around town after the breakup. “You couldn’t stand the sight of me. You avoided me at all costs.”
Max hung his head, then looked at her again. “I did. Because it hurt too much to see you and want you and know that you didn’t believe in me.”
“Exactly. It was my fault. And I’m sorry. I was so sorry, but it was too late to tell you that because I hurt you.”
“Who hurt you, Kenna?”
She took a step back. “What? It’s not about me.”
“The hell it isn’t.” He closed the distance and stood so close she could smell the hay and horses and wind on him. “You lost me. I lost you. That happened to both of us. Now tell me exactly what happened.”
“It doesn’t matter now.”
“It does to me!” He’d never raised his voice with her. Not once. Not ever. This really mattered to him. “Please, Kenna,” he begged. “Start at the beginning and tell me what happened.”
She gave in to the desperate need in his voice. “The amazing happened. You loved me, and I loved you, and it was perfect.”
He rubbed his hand over his heart. “Yes.”
“I didn’t think anything would ever come between us.”
“I didn’t either.” He looked so sad. “But Hillary did. Didn’t she?” The anger came back. He knew. At least he thought he did.
“It was me. You said it then, you’ll say it again now. I didn’t believe in you.”
He shook his head and started talking again. “You walked into her place and saw me shirtless and her just out of bed. I can see where your mind would go.”
She sighed, feeling the inevitable about to happen. They’d relive this and still end up apart. He’d blame her again. Deservedly so. “You didn’t call or text me that you weren’t coming back to me. I woke up alone.”
Pain filled Max’s eyes. “I’m sorry.”
“You don’t have to be sorry. You didn’t do anything wrong.” The shame and regret filled her up. “It was me. All of it was me.”
“No. That’s not true. I know that now.”
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