Review: Wild at Heart by K.A. Tucker
“I can’t remember what it feels like not being in love with you, Calla.”
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The Basics
Title: Wild at Heart (The Simple Wild #2)
Author: K.A. Tucker
Published: 2020
Publisher: K.A. Tucker
Pages: 443
Format: Paperback
Genres: Fiction — Contemporary fiction, Romance, Contemporary romance, New adult
Book Synopsis
When Calla left Alaska two months ago, she was unsure if she would ever see Jonah again. Then, the burly bush pilot shows up on her doorstep one day asking her to move to Anchorage with him, and not wanting to spend another minute apart, she agrees. Anchorage, Alaska, however, soon becomes rural Alaska, and before Calla knows it, she finds herself moving into a log cabin that is way off the beaten track. Add to that Jonah’s increased flying and decreased time at home, and this move is not at all what Calla thought it would be. Will their relationship be able to withstand the strain, or will they suffer the same fate as her mother and father?
My Review & Overall Thoughts
TLDR: A so-so sequel to The Simple Wild.
The Simple Wild was one of my favorite reads of last year, but this sequel will unfortunately not be making the cut onto my favorite reads of this year. Whereas The Simple Wild grabbed my attention almost immediately, Wild at Heart failed to ever reel me in. The book was at times tedious, and on more than one occasion, I contemplated shelving it and picking up another book.
The primary issue with this book is that it feels drawn out. Some scenes go on for too long, and then other scenes feel a bit like filler. The book is over 400 pages in length, but I imagine everything of importance could be conveyed in 300 pages or less.
The protagonist, Calla, could also benefit from some reworking. She grew and matured over the course of The Simple Wild, but she appears to have regressed in this book. Namely, she has circled back to being annoying. While reading Wild at Heart, I frequently found myself rolling my eyes at her behavior. Her spendthrift ways are unreal (I mean, who spends several grand on a fake antler chandelier?), and her fear of every bump in the night and shadow in the woods is absurd. All of this made it difficult for me to relate to or care about her.
The good
Wild at Heart’s saving graces are its setting and secondary characters. The story takes place in a lush, picturesque corner of Alaska in a rural and very close-knit community. The more I read about the town of Trapper’s Crossing, the more I began to wish that it were an actual place that I could visit.
The secondary characters, namely the townsfolk of Trapper’s Crossing, bring the setting to life, and in many ways, they are more intriguing and complex than the protagonists. I particularly like Roy. He is a grey, multi-dimensional character with an interesting backstory and character arc.
Overall
All in all, I enjoyed Wild at Heart more than I didn’t; it just didn’t knock my socks off. If you’ve read The Simple Wild, it’s worth reading Wild at Heart to continue Calla and Jonah’s story – just don’t expect it to be as good as The Simple Wild.
Have you read Wild at Heart? What did you think of it? As always, share your thoughts with me in the comments section below.
