Wild Nights
By Katherine Garbera
Published by Entangled: Brazen
Jokers Wild Series
Master illusionist Nicholas Pine has learned the hard way that nothing—
and nobody—is what they seem. So when he runs into sexy antique shop owner, Zelda Quincy, he knows there’s more to her than meets the eye. Still, what he sees is very, very intriguing…and he can’t get her out of his head.
Zelda has spent her whole adult life running away from her family’s reputation. She’s changed her name and tried to move on. The last thing she wants is to return to the world she left behind, even with someone as hot as Nicholas by her side.
But after one hot night––she’s addicted––and so is he.
Too bad the skeletons in Zelda’s closet won’t stay hidden for long...
Genre:
I was given a free ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
I was drawn to this book for three reasons: the cover is great, and not cheesy like some romances, the title doesn't turn me off, and I typically like books published by Entangled. Unfortunately, that is where the allure ends for me.
Right away, I knew I wasn't crazy about Wild Nights. It's written in past tense, making it difficult to truly immerse myself in the story, and Zelda and Nicholas didn't have the kind any chemistry. Their interactions with one another seemed awkward. The sex between them wasn't bad, and if anything, that is the only times they seemed comfortable around each other. I am not sure if it was the intent of the author to write them this way because they are both eccentric people, or if this was just a miss for her.
Wild Nights brings Zelda and Nicholas together, and right away they feel a connection. This is very annoying to me in any book. I get characters who are attracted to one another. It's normal to be instantly attracted to someone. What annoys me is when its an instant connection, where they feel they were brought together for some purpose. I feel its a shortcut to not explore two characters to get to know one another before feeling something past lust.
Another issue I had, was that everything was laid right out there. I didn't have to think about what I was reading. Anytime Nicholas or Zelda thought something, or did something, I was told why. It's not necessary to lay out all that information. Many times, it was repetitive to the extreme.
Besides some small editing errors, (specifically when they are having a sexual encounter at his house, one paragraph states he pauses for a moment to put on a condom, and the next paragraph, she is putting one on him.), there were things I liked. Wild Nights could have been great. The bones of the story are solid. A lot less repetitive inner dialogue, way more attention put into the characters and their chemistry with one another, and the dialogue, and perhaps a different writing tense would have really made this a solid book. Perhaps a little more mystery for us readers as well. I like to think about what I'm reading, and think about the characters. I had no desire to in this book. I had no need to. It was all there in the story.
Wild Nights was a miss for me, but the story is original. I haven't come across a book to date that centers around the magic community ... at least in the romance category. The story itself would have been awesome if Zelda and Nicholas had chemistry together. While I don't personally recommend it, if you are familiar with Katherine Garbera's other works, and are a fan, give it a shot. What doesn't work for me, might for you!
Wild Nights will be for sale on February 10th, 2020
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