Most Helpful Customer Reviews
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
4 Klovers - Courtesy of CK2S Kwips & Kritiques, October 22, 2007
This review is from: Born to Be Wilde (Berkley Sensation) (Paperback)
Ex-marine Joel Wilde can't say no to his old buddy when Zach calls in a favor. After all, you don't turn away the man who saved your life, at no small risk to his own. Once Joel scopes his new mission, he knows it will be much more difficult than he originally anticipated. Oh, he has no doubt about his ability to keep his friend's sister safe from the thugs threatening her, but he is pretty sure that he will have tremendous trouble keeping things on a totally impersonal level.
The beautiful Lora Marshall stirs feelings in Joel that the confirmed bachelor never expected to feel. Even still, he knows his life and career don't allow for long-term relationships, and Lora has forever written all over her.
Born to be Wilde is the sixth book in Janelle Denison's Wilde Series, but speaking as a reader who has never read any of the other stories in this saga, Born to be Wilde definitely works as a standalone novel. This was my first read by this author, but I had no trouble at all understanding this story, never once feeling as if I were missing key information from the other books.
Joel Wilde is the kind of hero who wants everyone to believe he is a bad boy and has somehow managed to convince himself that he isn't cut out for love and marriage - until he meets the love of his life. Once he sets eyes on Lora, the fun starts as we watch Joel begin to unravel when she effortlessly gets under his skin.
Lora is a wonderful heroine, with a big heart and a determination to help those she loves that wins the reader's heart from the first chapter. It is no wonder that Joel can't help falling in love with her.
I enjoyed Denison's characters in Born to be Wilde immensely, but was a bit disappointed in the lack of action in this story. Casting the hero as an ex-marine who is now a security specialist acting as a bodyguard to the heroine sets expectations for a certain level of action, but there really was only one scene that might qualify as action, and Joel wasn't a part of it. In fact, it was simply a scene where the heroine was directly threatened by the bad guys, with no fighting at all. I would have appreciated a few scenes that give Joel the chance to defend Lora against the bad guys and show his military training.
That said, this was a good read, and I was very impressed by Janelle Denison's talent. Fans of Denison's work will surely appreciate this new installment in her Wilde Series!
Series Order:
I Brake For Bad Boys (Something Wilde)
Wilde Thing
Jingle Bell Rock (All She Wants for Christmas)
Bad Boys To Go (The Wilde One)
The Wilde Side
Perfect For The Beach: Some Like it Hot/Blue Crush/My Thief/Hot and Bothered/Murphy's Law (One Wilde Weekend)
Too Wilde to Tame (Wilde)
Born to Be Wilde (Berkley Sensation)
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Tamest of the Wilde books, September 17, 2007
This review is from: Born to Be Wilde (Berkley Sensation) (Paperback)
Born to be Wilde is the final book in the Wilde siblings/cousin anthology. This book deals with Joel Wilde - the brother we've only seen casually mentioned in other Wilde books.
Joel, an ex-marine, along with some of his Marine buddies have started a security company, Elite Security Specialists. One marine buddy who didn't join in the firm is Zach Marshall. Zach is having problems dealing with life since leaving the Marines - gambling and alcohol have taken over his life. In fact, Zach has gotten in over his head with his gambling debts and now the bookie to who he owes a lot money wants it now and is willing to threaten Zach's sister Lora.
Zach asks Joel to watch over Lora and Joel agrees as Zach saved Joel's life in Baghdad. He and his team will watch Lora 24/7. To help with the effort, Joel decides that casually dating Lora will make it easier to watch her. He refuses to get involved with her as she's his responsibility. And even if that weren't the case, he doesn't "do" love. He keeps women from getting too close to him as having a committed relationship is something he doesn't want.
Lora has her own issues. She got burnt in a previous relationship, but unlike Joel is willing to give love another try. She knows that what she could have with Joel is something special. She understands why Joel is afraid of having a relationship but is willing to give him the space he needs.
A nice addition to this book is the romance between Sydney, Lora's close friend and boss, and Daniel, Sydney's daughter math teacher. Sydney wants nothing to do with having a relationship. She's been burned in the past and has no interest in having a "relationship" (she can't even bring herself to say the word). Daniel isn't interested in casual sex - he wants a relationship with Sydney. Reading about these two trying to get together was a lot of fun and for me - as enjoyable if not more so than the Lora/Joel story line.
Someone noted in the review of Too Wilde to Tame that the "heat" was considerably lower in that book than in the previous Wilde books. I found that Born to be Wilde had even less heat that that book. This is pretty tame stuff in comparison to the other Wilde books.
This is a good book, but not a great one. I enjoyed reading it and it was great fun to see the final Wilde sibling meet his mate. And the series will continue (in a way) with the new books dealing with Joel's friends/co-workers of Elite Security Specialists. But unlike some of the other Wilde books, this one won't find its way onto my keeper shelf.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Born to Be Wilde, September 4, 2007
This review is from: Born to Be Wilde (Berkley Sensation) (Paperback)
Semper Fi. Always faithful. Marine code for having a friend's back at all times. That is what Joel Wilde is called upon to do by his friend and ex fellow Marine, Zach Marshall. Since leaving the Marines, Zach has gotten himself into a bit of trouble with his gambling addiction and has no other choice but to call Joel. The trouble could mean harm to the one person that loves Zach, Lora, his sister. Zach implores the help of Joel to watch her and keep her from danger until he is able to do something about the debt he owes a bookie. Joel agrees to help Zach not knowing how much Lora will change his outlook on life and love.
Lora Marshall has pretty much shut down since the ending of her engagement a couple of years ago. Not in the mood to date, she rarely is attracted to anyone and spends most of her time working. When Joel Wilde comes into her friend's bar over and over and asks for her, Lora can't help but be intrigued by this totally blatant ploy to get her attention. It doesn't hurt that Joel is built, good looking, and sexy as all get out. Finally agreeing to meet him for coffee, Lora has no idea how much she will come to love Joel.
Lora and Joel begin a relationship of sorts. Each is scared of voicing the word commitment and each has their own ghosts to deal with. The one thing that is evident between the two is the sparks that fly when they are together.
I adore this entire series. From the first Wilde story, Something Wild, to Born To Be Wilde, I have engulfed every character's story. Janelle Denison has the ability to keep every story new, intriguing and completely captivating. For a man afraid of commitment, Joel sure knew how to be the perfect gentleman and lover. His affection and loyalty to Lora was very interesting to watch. As for Lora, she wore her heart a bit more on her sleeve and while she loved Joel, I like how she put everything on the line for him to grasp on his own without any pushing from her. I don't know if I could have been so patient.
Janelle Denison once more will entice and enthrall readers with Born To Be Wilde. I know I was.
Talia reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
|
