I must firstly apologise for the amount of time it has taken me to provide a review of this book, my health was rather bad for quite some time, something that had me in hospital on numerous occasions and simply didnt leave me with the time I once had to do what I love most.

Unfortunately that does mean I have missed the archive date for many of these books, so It would feel unjust throwing any review together without being able to pay attention to each novel properly.

However, I am now back to reading as before and look forward to sharing my honest reviews as always going forward. I thank you f0r the patience and understanding throughout x

I really really liked this one! It was a great romance read, and I loved the Wilder crew. Can't wait to read more by this author and the series within this family.

Serena Bell has written a super cute romcom in a fun setting! I loved the characters and the set up for future stories in the series. Overall this is an enjoyable story from cover to cover!

I received this arc for an honest review.

Gabe and his brothers own an outdoor business in Oregon. Unaware that his mother who really is the person that owns the business has hired a person from New York to look at their company and provide them with a way of making them more personable. Especially to women and or couples since their town has changed.
Enter Lucy who’s mother lives in Rush Creek Oregon and is happy to see her daughter. Gabe is happy to see her and the feelings that have stirred up in him he thought he put away years ago. He is not happy to hear the things that she is talking about. After a heart-to-heart talk with his mother. He also still needs to deal with the loss of his father and of the girl who he thought he loved.
With Lucy it is different. She does everything that he does even though she looks good doing it. People in town including his brothers and sister like which makes it even more difficult for him not to like her. On top of that everything she put into place actually is working and their business has turned around. So why after they each expressed their love for one another did she go back to New York and he stayed? You will have to read this very good story to find out.

Even though the main characters were a little stubborn to admit their feelings, there was plenty of chemistry, a few laugh out loud scenes, and a HEA.

Really enjoyed this and thank you for the advanced copy

As someone who dreams of just running away to the woods, I loved this premise of this book. It was such a cute and enjoyable romance and was the perfect cozy atmosphere.

What a fab read!

This author is new to me, but the synopsis appealed and I’m so glad I was able to read it.

The main characters, Lucy and Gabe have great chemistry and their story develops at a nice pace. I do love a good romcom!

The authors writing style was good and kept me engaged throughout the story.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for my advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review 📚

Such a great read! I loved both the romance and the outdoor setting - as well as the promise of additional Wilder adventure stories. Serena Bell is great at crafting HEA's with memorable characters and I look forward to the next in the series.

Loved loved this book! Serena Ball had me hooked in the first page to the last.

I voluntarily reviewed this book.

I NEED THE NEXT BOOK ALREADY!

Make Me Wilder is everything I love in a romcom.

Grump small town man who's a sercet teddybear? - check.
Polished New Yorker kickarse female lead? - check.
Nature, small town vibes that you next full in love with? - check.
Dual POV from the main characters - check.

This book reminder me of a perfect Hallmark film, but better and with a lot more spice... yes we got some serious spice! This is the first book in what I assume will be a good 5-6 book series centring around all the Wilder silbings, from second chance romances, friends to lovers etc which I am BEYOND excited to read.

This novel centres around Lucy and Gabe. Lucy is a killer marketing pro from New York who has some *serious* trust issues, after a very unforunet incident at work, Lucy heads Rush Creek to visit her mom and work on a marketing project with Wilder Adventures that could mean enough money to open her own marketing firm!

Gabe promised his dad he would take care not just of their family business, Wilder Adventures, but also to look after his mom, sister, and all his brothers (and also co-workers!!!). Gabe has the weight of his family on his shoulders, and isn't keen on the idea of change, espcially if it means cratering to the new tourists that are flocking into the tour for the hot springs, spa days and weddings.

Lucy and Gabe have INSTANT insane chemisty, but when Gabe finds out who Lucy is and that she is there to help his family business, he is less then impressed.

This book is a must for any romance fan.

This is 4.5 stars, rounded up to 5.

I really enjoyed it!

Let me start out by saying that the line which sold me this book, the first line of the synopsis:
This tent is too small for the both of us. And I like it that way.
was nowhere in this book. I checked. they were never even in a tent, though they were in a shelter made form sticks, but this line was not there and that was so disappointing.

But, moving on, I actually ended up enjoying this!

The sex and the inclination for this and literally thinking about sex for a lot of time in this book did put me off a bit (which is where some of the 0.5 stars I cut off went), but the emotions? God the emotions were amazing.

Heartbreaking angst and then ending with tooth rotting fluff; Serena Bell knows how to write a good romance. I just couldn't stop reading this once I started, finishing it in one day! It was so addicting, the way I like my romances written.

It was so good, in fact, that even though these two fell in love in under three weeks, it felt authentic and not insta-love. Which if you know me even a little, is one of my pet peeves. I could believe these two actually knew and loved each other.

And the final cherry on the top was their willingness to let each other go in order for the other to live their life as they wanted (for some reason I'm tearing up as I write this); that is one of my absolute favourite tropes when it comes to a romance: the fact that you love the other person so much, that you're willing to let them go in order to not pull them back. It really dials up the angst and makes for an even better ending when executed properly, which Serena Bell did!

That love declaration at the end really brought tears to my eyes, and while I didn't expect that surprise, and I also really wanted him to beg, like Amanda did (I really want to read Amanda's love story, because I think there's potential for a second chance romance there), but in the end it was just so sweet I let it go.

I also really loved the Wilder gang, and I'm pretty excited to read their stories as well. There was an excerpt for the next one, which is about Brody and Rachel from this book, who were behaving very puzzlingly, but seem to have an interesting explanation for all of it.

I also really enjoyed seeing the way Lucy worked on the marketing; I never really considered how important it is that brands advertise themselves to women for better sales, but I guess a lot of stuff makes more sense now. I also really enjoyed her way of working on details, the author did a really good job exploring her job.

On the whole, an amazing romance with the perfect angst to fluff ratio. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys romances with forced proximity, great angst, would not mind slightly sex heavy books (thankfully here lust did not try to pass off as love), and just a very enjoyable romance that ticked nearly all of my boxes.

This fun beach read is a novel of love, adventure and travel all mixed together. It is pure escapist fiction. I received this novel as an advanced reader copy from net galley in exchange for an honest review.

Absolutely loved Make Me Wilder by Serena Bell. Reminded me of The Tourist Trap by Sarah Morgenthaler but wayyyy more steamier. Lucy is from New York and goes to Oregon for a working opportunity. She meets the Wilder family and the oh-so-charming Gabe. I mean this man was dreamy as heck and the perfect grump! Really looking forward to other books in this setting. Can't rave enough about it!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the free ebook copy in exchange of a honest review.

Loved this book. I generally love Serena Bell, and this one does not disappoint. Lots of tropes here, and lots of fun. Lucy is escaping New York, a hectic city and lifestyle, and an embarrassing romantic SNAFU. She regroups in an adorable little mountain town, and right away meets Gabe. He's hot, a wilderness expert, and also completely into her at first. I like that they have chemistry with each other from the first moment. No playing coy. The circumstances that keep that apart have less to do with the two of them or their compatibility, and more to do with their work/life situations. The book is funny, sexy, and a very easy read. Highly recommend!

BOOK REVIEW:
Make Me Wilder by @serenabellbooks

4.5 stars
Smut level: 3/5

After reading the first two books in the Tierney Bay series by Serena Bell, I knew I just had to read this new series starting with "Make Me Wilder" and it definitely did not disappoint!
The story is about Lucy and Gabe. Lucy is a marketing specialist from New York and Gabe is an wilderness expert who lives in a small town. They could not be more different! Lucy is intelligent and confident but also closed off and insecure. She has so much to give and I loved seeing her let loose through the book. Gabe is a self titled "fixer" who has looked after his 6 other siblings since the age of 15 when his father passed. I love Gabe, he is so serious but also incredibly loyal and loving. I love how Lucy and Gabe help each other change for the better.
The romance is really great and the chemistry between the two characters is hot right from the first meet. The smut is decent although I could have done with just a little more. I actually wish there had been more Lucy and Gabe scenes where they are getting to know each other as I really enjoyed those.
The side characters are brilliant with Gabe's family being the majority. They are all very different so I cannot wait for the rest of the series! I love romance series that are based on a big family.
The storyline is simple but really well done with some fantastic humour. The writing is great and I couldn't put the book down!

I highly recommend this book to all romance lovers, it is such a great start to the series and I cannot wait for the next book!

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

I received this book for free for an honest review from netgalley #netgalley

Sweet fun romance. Adventure and love. Very fun unforgettable read.

Cute story, heavy on the family dynamics, which suits me fine. It also brings in characters from other Serena Bell series, always a plus. I am a total sucker for a book that clearly sets up a series exploring a HEA for all the sibilings in a series.. This first book didn’t have the heart or depth of some of her other series, but I have hope for more.
Our MCs have incredible sexual tension and chemistry, from their meet cute saving ducklings in a rain storm, all the way through the end.
Gabe, our hero, resents his attraction to Lucy as soon as he realizes she was brought in by his mother to change the family business behind his back, which of course happens after they almost hookup. Constantly fighting attraction is close enough to enemies to lovers to scratch that itch in my brain. Fun read.

It took me a bit to get into it but I found that I loved this story and the Wilder family! You had a rough idea who she would end up with but there were enough surprises along the way to keep it interesting! I look forward to more from this author!

This ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Holy hotness Batman!! I freaking loved everything about this book! Insert fancy New York girl into the Greta outdoors and you know it’s going to be amazing! Lucy works at a successful marketing firm in New York and following a one nightstand, she find out she unknowingly slept with her bosses on and off again boyfriend. To reset, she goes to visit her mom in small town USA and meets a tough and rugged hottie who she later finds out is, of course, her newest client.

Gabe runs an outdoorsy adventure business with his 4 hottie brothers after his dad died and they are struggling to keep up with the new up and coming atmosphere. So Lucy is hired to turn it all around, but the boys are hard headed and stubborn. Lucy agrees to accompany each brother on a trip that features their specialty, fishing, hunting, survival training, and white water rafting.

Over the course of her time with the family, her relationship with the family grows, everyone loves Lucy, even if they think her ideas are crap. And OF COURSE, she and gave fall for each other but refuse to do anything about it because they have both been hurt.

I LOVE mutual pining in romances and this one was done perfectly. It was refreshing to see that although Lucy and Gabe refused to ask each other to stay, they both acknowledged the fact that it was silly. It was just done so well.

And those smutty scenes...🌶🌶 ugh the chemistry between Lucy and Gabe is strong from the moment they meet and it shows. I loved watching their list turn to more, and watching Lucy break through that tough exterior Gabe has as the man of his family. It was truly beautiful watching them learn to trust each other enough to break down those walls.

There was just absolutely nothing I didn’t like about this book, it was amazing!!

I feel like Ms. Bell's novels always left me wanting more sexy-times, and I approached this one with a bit of trepidation because the last two novels I've read (not Bell books) needed more - LOTS MORE - steam, and a better romantic pairing. So imagine my surprise when the steam level hits a boil almost from the get-go AND the romantic leads have chemistry for days from the moment they meet. HAPPY DANCE.

Couple of take-aways: I'm clearly not remembering my Bell books correctly, or she has seriously upped her naughtiness game (me LIKEY LONG TIME), and chemistry can cover a lot of flaws in a not-so-groundbreaking story.

Anyway, Lucy is a marketing badass living the big life in NYC. Terrific at her job, flawless in her appearance and social media personae, but a hot mess when it comes to relationships/her personal life. Her dad was a total douche who screwed her and her mother over BIG TIME when she was a young girl, and the small town they lived in failed to support them when they needed it most. Lucy learned not to rely or trust on others - except her amazing mom, and has been keeping people (read: possible friends and boyfriends) at a distance ever since. She also dislikes small towns.

After the super awkward discovery that she slept with her boss's boyfriend (THEY WERE ON A BREAK) - [cue author admiration pause: this scenario is painful and plausible and cringe-inducing and brilliantly awful, but also absolutely perfectly rendered in this story] - she decides to flee her coworkers and career and start her own business instead. As one does.

Lucy winds up in rural, small town (omigod) Oregon after she's hired by the matriarch of the Wilder family to help turn their failing adventure business around. Also, conveniently, Lucy's mom lives in town with her new boyfriend. (she gave Lucy the hook-up with the Wilder's!) Only Lucy doesn't know that widowed Mama Wilder failed to mention her turn-around plan to the other business owners (her children!), and most significantly, to Gabe, the oldest son and the guy who keeps the lights on at Wilder Adventures. Oops?

Gabe discovers Lucy’s identity shortly after a meet cute over baby ducks. He spotted the beautiful stranger mid-failed-ducky-rescue, and started lusting after her based on her looks. Again, as one does. After convincing her to meet for a drink later that night, he starts putting his signature hot and handsome and capable and good smelling moves on her. She’s smart and fun and sexy and he’s feeling her. IN A BIG WAY. Lucy, his stranger lady, is into him, too. Obv. And since Gabe doesn’t do relationships (OF COURSE NOT!) and hot lady visitors are totally his jam, this night is going right in all the sexy-times ways. Until he asks her why she’s in town. Oh snap. She’s there to turn his business around. Surprise?!

Awkward.

Gabe’s pissed, his mom is stubborn, the other super hot Wilder brothers are not amused but are only bit players in this story (so they don’t do much), Amanda - the lone sister - is super friendly and helpful and open-minded, and Lucy is determined and not about to fail at the job that will allow her to start her own business. So Gabe and Lucy become frenemies/co-workers who not so secretly think lustful thoughts about each other non-stop. Full stop.

Look, here's my takeaway (and Lucy's too BTW): the Wilder’s are pathetically clinging to the “deserving” dudes that patronized their business (which includes rafting, hunting, survival skills living, skiing, AND MORE!) in the past, and aren’t so crazy about the new influx of visitors/tourists in Rush Creek that arrived after the discovery of a local hot spring. Lots of ladies, and apparently, dudes who don’t want to hire the Wilder’s and/or aren’t the kinds of dudes the Gabe targets as clients. Yep, I think we’re supposed to ignore Gabe’s casual misogyny because HE HAS A BADASS WOMAN WORKING FOR HIM, too, and he does love women. But I couldn’t. So, there’s that.

Unfortunately for Gabe, his deserving dudes/hardcore ladies aren't paying all the bills these days. The business might go under IF they can't pivot and engage all these new Rush Creek visitors. Bright and beautiful Lucy to the rescue. Because she's as smart and clever as she is lovely and fashionable, she recognizes that she has to learn the business to help save the business, and she takes the slow and steady approach. She agrees to sample all the adventures Wilder Adventures has to offer, and then make suggestions to help them grow their client base. Gabe is impressed. A woman with good looks and a big brain? A woman with a talent for helping failing businesses LIKE HIS succeed? A shark/sexpot who is TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS without a man second-guessing, mansplaining her job to her? WTF. Who is this unicorn? J/k. But for real. There are lots of us Gabe.

Anywho, moving on, small but pivotal plot detail: at the meeting, its REVEALED that Lucy is on the verge of homelessness - long story, you’ll have to read it to understand it - and she conveniently ends up neighbors/shower roomies with Gabe. OMIGOD #2. Fortunately, the lust is out of control. Also, Gabe’s possessiveness. Also, the chemistry between formerly unlucky in love Gabe and Lucy. Also, their pleasure in each other’s company.

Also, my genuine enjoyment of this story.

Look, Make Me Wilder has problems. Gabe’s misogyny is a big one. I'm also not into fantasy village/small towns where everyone knows everyone's business and loves it. But this is an easy, breezy contemporary romance that is entertaining, fun and filled with steamy loved up feelings, and this EXHAUSTED WITH MEH BOOKS AND SLIGHTLY BITTER AND RECOVERING FROM BRONCHITIS reader was here for it. All of it.

Hijinks and hang-ups from childhood and former failed relationships almost sabotage this love story, but they don’t. SPOILER ALERT.

It’s fiction. It’s romantic. It’s fun. It baits the hook for future stories. And I binged it hard.

Recommended.