A review by leilorenzo
Wild Love by Elsie Silver

emotional funny hopeful lighthearted reflective fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.75

Typical can't-she's-my-bf's-sister, but really I-can-loved-her-forever trope.

There are quite a bit of cliches in this one, but that is to be expected from a HEA romance, right? My issue was the MMC´s grumpiness, how "perfect" he seems to be perceived within the story when I felt there were some red flags (possessiveness mainly) and that he goes from 0 to 10000 in one second. He's the perfect guy until he isn't, and then he owns his actions way too fast and things are easily resolved.
I can see the appeal of having a hero when going through and dealing with the aftereffects of sexual assault, but things being so convenient and/or easy all the time made me lose interest.

Bits and pieces:

  •  Their relationship was this, all the time:
“Rosalie, when have I ever said no to you?” And I just stand here, stunned. I need a ride home from this party. I want to be alone. I need a job. Because try as I might, no matter how big of a dick he’s been, I can’t come up with a single instance of Ford ever telling me anything other than okay.

  •  cute moment: Rosie nicknaming Cora "my little storm cloud"

  • Rosie's character, and therefore chapters, seemed more fleshed out:
"But as much as I hate to admit it, I’m tapped out on handling my own shit. All of a sudden, it dawned on me that I am monumentally tired of having it all together."

"I love it here. It feels like home. The condo in the city doesn’t. That life doesn’t. It feels like I’m in a race that I don’t give a flying fuck about winning. One I’m signed up for just to say I took part."

Even if some of her interactions with Cora seemed improbable:
     “It’s because I told him about all the other perv dads eyeing you up.” I scoff. “Ford doesn’t care about that.” “Don’t re-create yourself as someone oblivious, Rosie. It doesn’t suit you.”   

  "She’s watching him, adoration and confusion warring on her doll-like features. Ford doesn’t realize he just told her he plans to be around for the rest of her life, but Cora heard it loud and clear."

     “If you think you’re going to barge in here and throw a tantrum because you weren’t privy to something you feel you should have been, you’re wrong. You can have your fit out here, and I’ll bring Ford to you so he can watch.” Willa stares at me, and I stare back at her.

  • This is what I mean about understanding how it can be enticing to have a hero for a partner

     no matter how much he infuriated me tonight, I’d be a fool not to recognize that the man kissing me right now would ride headfirst into battle with me. For me. He’d cut people down with his words. Scorch them with his glare. Humiliate them with his directness.

    “That’s the problem, Rosie. You’ve spent too much time around men who talk a big game but don’t possess the will to follow through.”

How much of her adoration and sudden revelation could be heightened by small case of hero-worship?

And he's entirely devoted
That expression of reverence—borderline disbelief—back on his face in full blinding force.

“Taking care of you.” [...] “You don’t need to do that.” [...] “But I want to.” I’m struck silent by such a simple sentence. 

But that is kind of what makes him flat, this is how he carries himself for the whole book:
“I had come to terms with the idea that you would never happen for me. You were a memory, not a goal.”
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