Reviews

Wilder With You by Serena Bell

mommasaystoread's review

5.0

It's a fake dating romance for Clarke Wilder, but there's nothing fake about the chemistry between him and Jessa. This is the third Wilder romance, and I've loved all three, but Clarke has a special place in my heart. Some of that is because I understand him, having walked in those same grief-ridden shoes. So, when he waffles here and there because of those feelings, I got it. Of course, Serena Bell gives us lots of hilarious situations and a completely crazy family to keep things from getting too heavy. And as the relationship built between Jessa and Clarke, so did my love for this couple. They are just so good together even if it does take a little time for Clarke to work all that out. So, I may have shed a tear or two over Clarke's angst and anguish over his late wife, but I also felt hope as he started working through things (with some help). Let's not forget that he and Jessa can't keep their hands off each other, and things do get steamy. I also got to enjoy catching up with the rest of the insanity that is the Wilder family, which was kind of like visiting friends I haven't seen in a while. To sum it up, Clarke and Jessa's romance is a terrific combination of sweet, swoony, and sexy with plenty of laughs thanks to Serena Bell's wit and humor. Like the first two in the series, this one is wonderfully written, and the characters practically leap off the page. We also get a little bit of a teaser about the next Wilder romance, and I cannot wait!

vpalmer0508's review

emotional lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

mibookobsession's review

adventurous emotional funny lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

lianareadsblog's review against another edition

4.0

I loved this book as much as I loved the first ones in the series. It’s more unique and the humor just made it all a perfect read while keeping it true to the more serious matters as grief and heartbreak.
Fake dating is probably one of my favourite tropes and this book ticked all the boxes in my case.
So looking forward to read more in the future.
Very grateful to the publisher for my review copy

lynnfrance's review

hopeful lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

giovanagarcia_m's review

fast-paced

2.5

rhodesee's review

4.0

I loved this! Wilder With You is my first Serena Bell read but won't be my last. This book has a great cast of characters, is fun, sexy and very sweet. The premise is based on a "fake-dating" situation and it works so well here. I really loved the chemistry between Clark and Jessa. The way their relationship developed felt very real. I like that there isn't really much external conflict, the stumbling blocks that they encounter are all related to the the emotional baggage that they each have and that felt very genuine and when well-written, is the perfect kind of romance for me. I wasn't aware of this series before picking this one up but now I'm all in and will be reading the others for sure.

I received a copy from the publisher through NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.

bookish_spoonie's review

5.0

5 Stars
Smut level: 4/5

Serena Bell does it again! I am a HUGE fan of this "Wilder Adventures" series and was so excited to read Clark's story and it definitely did not let me down!

Firstly, I highly recommend reading this series from the beginning. Although it could be read as a standalone, you will miss out on a lot of the detail if you don't read the other two books first...plus they are amazing!!
This book is about Clark Wilder, who is a widow still grieving for the loss of his wife two years on. He is an outdoor survival expert, bearded, has muscles for days and is the strong and silent, mysterious type of man. I was so excited to get to know Clark more and I adored him even more than I expected. He is so much more than first impressions show and I loved wafching his kindness and vulnerability show.
Our female lead is Jessa, a wedding planner who goes on one of Clark's glamping survival trips. I lov Jessa! She is so sweet and understanding but also has a naughty side to her. She is a divorcee after her ex husband cheated on her and left her. I loved watching her confidence grow through the story.

The book is a fake dating trope which isn't usually my favourite but I loved this version! Serena Bell is a master at making you love her characters and also completely made me wish I was a part of the Wilder gang! I love this kind of book series where you see how characters in past books are also continuing. It is a great story, with a lot of emotion and heartfelt moments as well as a ton of steamy scenes!

Overall, I loved it! Such a fun read which I read in a day as I couldn't put it down. If you love romance with smut and rugged men with beards, this series is for you!

Please note that I was gifted this ebook in exchange for an honest review.

natashab912's review against another edition

5.0

Another Wilder brother to love! Neither Clark nor Jessa go into this thinking they are ready or willing to fall in love, but we all know where that’s going to go. I loved seeing them (mostly Clark) work through their issues to get to the end. Seeing the Wilder family dynamics is wonderful. I love seeing glimpses of what’s to come. I can’t wait for more!

plantsandromance's review

funny lighthearted medium-paced

5.0

Clark and Jessa find their unexpected love after Jessa finds herself in one of life's crappy "when it rains, it pours" situations. Clark comes to Jessa's rescue and Jessa returns the favor to get Clark's mom off his back. But that's it. When Jessa moves back east to be with her siblings, there won't be any love lost, right?

I loved this book! A while back I was actually looking for a "love after death" book, but I wasn't satisfied by the suggestions I was receiving, so I kind of just gave up. This is becoming one of my favorite series and I'm glad this book is part of it. 

It doesn't get overly repetitive like some series do. Love the non-binary sibling shout out. The chipmunk made the whole camping trip. Clark schools a writer on Thoreau. Scouting out his brother's wedding venue. Learning that you don't have to run away from all your problems.

I think I literally yelled when I saw the chipmunk in this book because I was hoping there would be another animal involved like the other two. I was just too oblivious to notice it on the cover probably because my kindle just went straight to chapter one.

Who will be in the next book? Ask Buck, the dog who can see the future. 

LOVED: Clark coming to Jessa's rescue.

OMG: Clark's freak out.

FAVE QUOTE: "I'm pretty sure girl code isn't till death do us part, but forever."

AWW: "They think I'm moving on. I'm not moving on, I tell Emma in my head. I'm doing this because I'm not ready to move on from you." 

BEST SPICY SCENE: In the truck after the hot spring.