by Laurel Kerr
Blurb:
When
Katie Underwood discovers a litter of newborn cougar cubs, the last person she
expects to come to the rescue is her former crush―and high school nemesis―Bowie
Wilson. The worst part? He doesn't seem to remember the trouble he caused her.
As
a single father and owner of a cash-strapped zoo, Bowie struggles to balance
budgets while raising his pre-teen daughter and a host of rascally animals. He
considers himself lucky when Katie agrees to lend her talents to a publicity
campaign in support of the zoo's animal rehabilitation programs―until he learns
just what she's planning...
This
time, Katie is determined to resist Bowie's charm. But a lovelorn camel, a
matchmaking honey badger, and a nursemaid capybara have different plans. Can
they and the rest of the zoo's menagerie help Bowie break through the barriers
surrounding Katie's heart?
Themes: Contemporary
Rating: 3.75 stars
Heat Rating: 
Review:
I
love animals, what can I say they are my passion, so when my favorite genre of
reading combines my passion for animals there is no way I can resist the chance
to read the story. I had never heard of
this author until I say this story come up as a possible option in Netgalley,
but between the story synopsis, the title and the cover there was no
resisting. And I am happy to say I am
glad I gave the story a real shot; Wild on My Mind is a great first story
in a series that looks like it could be very interesting by an author that I
could really come to enjoy reading. The
story kicks off with Katie stumbling across three orphaned and cute-as-can-be
cougar cubs that are close to death and in serious need of help, in the wilds
behind her family’s farm. She is
determined to do all she can to make sure they survive, and calls for the help
of the local animal rescue/zoo, never knowing that the bane of her high school
years is about to crash back into her life as a fully grown man. Bowie is instantly and intensely attracted to
the sexy woman, but her just as intense and instant dislike for him is puzzling
because while she looks vaguely familiar he just can’t seem to place her. When the truth of her identity comes to
light, Bowie is horrified by the truth of the damage he caused as a thoughtless
youth, and determined to make it up to Katie, even as she seeks to humiliate
him as much as he once did her. Soon
they are working side-by-side to care for the baby cougars and find a way to
turn the zoo around and bring it back to life, and the closer they get the more
they both begin to understand that the past belongs in the past and the
feelings they are developing for each other now are deeper and more
important. Katie and Bowie have both
done a lot of growing up, and still have some to do, but each knows that the
character that they have developed and the hurts of their pasts have made them
into the perfect match for one another, as long as they can keep the outside
world from coming between them. Katie
was the quintessential nerd in high school, the girl that was picked on and tortured
simply because she was different, but her inner strength and light was apparent
to Bowie even then, though he didn’t know what to do about it. As she grew up and found her place in the
world, becoming the strong and determined woman that can find a way to forgive
the hurts of the past and embrace the love of a truly good man and father, she
became my hero even more. I also loved that despite Bowie’s ex trying to come
between them, once Bowie earned her love and trust, no way was Katie going to
give him up. Bowie was a kid that had so much going on that was hidden from the
world and he fought back in the best way he knew how, but when he was forced to
grow up quick, he found that he was a good father and man. The love that he was offered at just the
right time by his new family led him down a truly wonderful path and allowed
him to find a path that earned him the forgiveness of a woman that was meant to
be his all along. While the emotional turmoil they both had to deal with was
high, especially in the beginning of this story, the palpable energy and
passion between Bowie and Katie left them both confused and burning for one
another and reminded the readers that sometimes letting that passion have free
reign cane lead to some truly amazing connections. I am really looking forward to seeing what
comes next in this story and seeing the Katie’s bestie June fall in love.
Just
as an aside, being that I’m such an animal lover, it has to be mentioned that
while the story is written primarily from the POV of the H/h, there are also
snippets from another POV. That of the
spunky in-house escape artist, the honey badger that calls the zoo home. These passages were BEYOND HILARIOUS and had
me laughing so hard that I cried, especially the epilogue. I cannot wait to see if these continue in the
next book, or maybe we get the POV of a whole new animal, but either way this
was a fun and unexpected little twist to add to the story.
*ebook provided by publisher (via
netgalley) for the purpose of an honest and unbiased review. No compensation was provided.
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