*Grabby Hands* Release - The Simple Wild by K.A. Tucker

Image and blurb from Goodreads

Title: The Simple Wild
Author: K.A. Tucker
Publication Date: August 7th, 2018

Category/Genre: Adult Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Atria Books

Calla Fletcher wasn't even two when her mother took her and fled the Alaskan wild, unable to handle the isolation of the extreme, rural lifestyle, leaving behind Calla’s father, Wren Fletcher, in the process. Calla never looked back, and at twenty-six, a busy life in Toronto is all she knows. But when Calla learns that Wren’s days may be numbered, she knows that it’s time to make the long trip back to the remote frontier town where she was born.

She braves the roaming wildlife, the odd daylight hours, the exorbitant prices, and even the occasional—dear God—outhouse, all for the chance to connect with her father: a man who, despite his many faults, she can’t help but care for. While she struggles to adjust to this rugged environment, Jonah—the unkempt, obnoxious, and proud Alaskan pilot who helps keep her father’s charter plane company operational—can’t imagine calling anywhere else home. And he’s clearly waiting with one hand on the throttle to fly this city girl back to where she belongs, convinced that she’s too pampered to handle the wild.

Jonah is probably right, but Calla is determined to prove him wrong. Soon, she finds herself forming an unexpected bond with the burly pilot. As his undercurrent of disapproval dwindles, it’s replaced by friendship—or perhaps something deeper? But Calla is not in Alaska to stay and Jonah will never leave. It would be foolish of her to kindle a romance, to take the same path her parents tried—and failed at—years ago. It’s a simple truth that turns out to be not so simple after all.

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Buy Link: Amazon

4.5  “Two love stories” Stars

Damn. How did I not know about this book before now?

The Simple Wild has quickly earned a place in my "best romance reads of the year" list, and I had the feeling that it'd get a spot after reading the first chapter. Funny enough, the first chapter isn't even about Calla's love story--nope, it's about her parents' tragic love, and that's why I say this is a book about two love stories.

First, let me say part of what kept me turning page after page so fast was that I wanted, NEEDED to know what would happen to Calla's parents. That love story tugged at my heart in a way that was actually painful (and it wasn't even the main love story). But it's not my fault the author decided to bring such angst with those two. I can't resist angst.

Everything was so tragic and messed up. I resented Wren, Calla's dad, for marrying a woman he knew wouldn't adapt to his lifestyle and still wanted to hug him because he loved Susan, Calla's mom, so damn much that he couldn't not marry her and take what little time they had together. Then I resented Susan for making Simon, Calla's stepdad, feel so much like "her second choice" when the man was amazing and so madly in love with her. But then, I wanted to hug her because I can't blame her for loving Wren so much two decades simply couldn't erase that love.

Damn... just thinking about them and how tragic and complicated and messed up the whole thing is makes me want to cry.

I did cry when that thing in the end happened. No spoilers, but it was beautiful and painful and I felt my heart breaking in tiny pieaces.

I was probably more obsessed with Calla's parents love story than anything else, but okay.

Now, Calla's relationship with her father sick father was another gut punch. Someone should've warned me this book would be that painful.

Wren was not an easy man to forgive, considering he was the one who decided to step back and not be in his daughter's life. Sure he later explained why, but it was still no reason to do what he did, so I got Calla's pain. Still, the man was dying and he was really, really good to Calla when she was there with him, so, yeah, again, I both resented and wanted to hug him.

Then comes Calla and Jonah and all the instant hatred and banter that was clearly just amazing chemistry and I'm dying because the romance is also slow burn and they're pranking each other and OMG, they finally kiss!

This book was almost too much. It was also almost a five-star read, if nothing for one little thing: I didn't like how Jonah was obsessed with poking fun at Calla's style and make-up obsession. Look, I'll be the first to say I don't understand how some people choose to wake up hours earlier so they can apply the perfect make up every single day before they step out of the house, but that's not my problem. Nor it's Jonah's, and the way he went about this was annoying and problematic. So, no, Jonah, you don't get to force Calla to wear less make-up just because you want her to by being an ass about it.

So, had that make-up BS not been part of the story, The Simple Wild would've been a five-star read for me, because it gave me two love stories to obsess over and it broke my heart and put it back together with that adorable ending.

*If you liked this review (or not), if you read the book (or not), come say hello and leave your comments bellow.