Customer Reviews

Wild Heart (Zebra Debut)

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Ella, who spent her younger years at an orphanage, is hired as a governess for Leo Roberts. Now, don't get confused - Leo is a fully grown man, and his problem isn't that he doesn't know his lessons. He needs help behaving in polite English society. When Leo was young, he witnessed his parents murder in India. For years, he lived on his own in the jungle, having to perform horrendous things to stay alive. Now he is back in England, determined to find his parent's killers. His grandfather wants him to take over his estate and duties, and Leo is there just to go through the motions. But Leo is a very broken, tortured soul. He rarely speaks to anyone and often has violent temper tantrums and outbursts of anger.

When Ella meets him, she is overwhelmed with his feelings of anger and desperation. Ella is an empath, she can feel human and animal emotion. With the promise of freedom in six months if she can make it that long with Leo, she is determined to get through to him. Soon, her calming influence takes hold, and Leo starts realize he may have an ally and someone he can trust. With that, an attraction develops and together they try to untangle the web of lies and bring closure to Leo's tortuous past.

Wild Heart has one of my favorite types of heroes - the broken, tortured man. Leo is very damaged. When I first started the book I mentioned to a friend that I hope he stays tortured throughout most of the book - and he does. Not that I like to see a hero suffer, but Leo is so broken to begin with, I didn't want an overnight miracle. Lori Brighton makes Leo work in this book. He starts barely able to suppress his anger enough to talk, and by the end there is a very believable love story between him and Ella.

It works so well because Ella has no other life to return to at first. She forces herself to six months with Leo, and then she can be on her own. Yet, she soon sees a different side of Leo. He is still quick to anger, and hides behind a mask, but once she gets a quick glimpse of the real him, she knows he is something to work for. For Leo's part, many times he plays the arrogant ass, full well knowing it gets under Ella's skin. He is no dummy, and knows how to play her. But foremost on his mind is finding his parents murderer and that rage is what drives him in this story. The mystery plays a big role in this book and I liked the twists and turns it takes. There are a few times Ella puts herself in danger for silly reasons, but for the most part, I liked how Leo and Ella work together.

Wild Heart is billed as a paranormal romance, yet the paranormal aspect in very light and in my opinion is weak and I think this book would have been just as good, maybe better, if the paranormal is taken out. Her ability factors into the plot and mystery of the book, but for most of the story I forgot she had this ability.

Wild Heart has a very intense, lustful romantic feel. Terrific tension builds throughout this story, and Leo brings his wild, dark life into the bedroom as well. I really enjoyed this one and hope to read more from Lori Brighton.

Ella Finch hasn't had much in life, so being plucked out of the orphanage by Lady Buckley wasn't exactly a salvation, but it allowed her a semblance of a comfortable life as a governess. However, now Ella is being sent off by Lady Buckley to become the governess to Leo Roberts, the grandson of a powerful lord, but in this case it is a grown man, not a child. Leo spent his formative years in India, which in the eyes of society makes him seem uncultivated rather than exotic. He appears to be intractable and wild in unpredictable ways, plus he seems to strike a spark deep within her that she's unable to control. Still, the more that Ella gets to know Leo, the surer she is that Leo is not as mad as the world thinks, but that he is haunted by the ghost of his past that will not rest until he finds the truth.

Lori Brighton takes a unique path in her debut novel Wild Heart where she skillfully weaves traditional romance elements with the mysticism that India represents and a murder mystery. Ella is an interesting character as she has secrets of her own and even though she risks herself, she never gives up her faith in Leo. Leo is a man surrounded by mystery, contradiction, and lots of danger, while seemingly not trusting those he should - his family. However, as the plot progresses the romance moves at a fast clip, while leaving the mystery and mysticism lagging behind, which are, after all, the novel's allure outside of the romance aspect. I look forward to reading further contributions by Lori Brighton as I believe she will make her mark in the historical genre as she defines and refines her own writing style. Get yourself Wild Heart for an unusual read that will keep you turning the pages!

Sabella
Reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed

"A Paranormal Historical Romance"(with a mystery thrown in)! If that doesn't catch your attention, read on! When Lori asked me if I would be interested in reviewing her debut book, Wild Heart, I was very interested and intrigued. When she mentioned that it had paranormal aspects weaved throughout, I was excited and without hesitation answered a very firm "Yes!!". So onto my little Blackberry went Wild Heart and off my imagination flew on wings of days gone by.

Years ago, Historical Romance was a genre that I constantly read. Those covers of the ravishingly handsome men grasping the elegant and desire-ridden females where ones that graced my nightstand, coffee table and was seen held within my grasp on several occasions. After a time, I moved onto a broader range of genres including suspense, paranormal, non-fiction, and many more. Swimming in the literary sea of books, it has been a while since I have read much in the way of Historical Romance. There has been one here and there, but nothing such as Wild Heart. This story caught me from the very beginning; the paranormal and mystery aspects reeled me in for the long nights and the fact that my Blackberry never wanted to leave my hands (or rather I never wanted it to leave mine, so that I could continue my adventure within the story).

Ms. Brighton introduces readers to Ella Finch, a very timid, yet ambitious and strong-minded woman. Ella grew up in an orphanage with a very strict and unkind overseer. It is when she is hired as governess, for what she believes to be a young boy, that she escapes the confines of her current inhabitants and travels to a regal castle. It is not long until she learns that there is no young boy to be governess to, but rather a very viral and, at first glance, wild man. Ella is not sure what to think when she meets the stubborn Leo, she only knows that there is some kind of strange connection between the two.

Leo Roberts is a man who has come home after years of hiding and learning the art of self-preservation. As a young boy, Leo's parents were killed, brutally, within in the jungle, while he went to get help. It is Leo's one goal to avenge his parents' murderers by finding them and claiming justice. However, his grandfather has other ideas and wants Leo to become Earl and take his place. Thus, Ella is hired to "tame" Leo and make him "good enough" for society.

All of her life, Ella has had to deal with a special power that she beholds. It is the power to connect with animals, know their feelings and tame them with her mind and thoughts. This is a power that she has felt she has had to hide and one that is evil. What will Leo think if he knew the true Ella? What would Ella think if she knew that Leo's main goal and plan was to hunt his parents' killers down? As sparks fly between the two, tension builds and lives begin to hang in the balance. Will Leo and Ella be able to fully trust one another and allow their hearts to soar, or with death find them before it is too late?

Wild Heart is such an enormously pleasurable read. The romance between Leo and Ella is pulsating and pure, sensuously seductive from the start and never lets up - even as they try to deny it. In all honesty, there was just something about this story that grabbed me and held strong. I absolutely adored the characters of Leo and Ella. Ms. Brighton does a phenomenal job bringing their characters and personalities to life and really making the reader care for them. The mystery aspect keeps the reader in utter suspense, not wanting to leave the story until the scenes are fully played out. There are also a few excellent twists and turns that will bring a bit of surprise to the reader.

In addition to a great story, I wanted to also mention that I found Lori Brighton's writing style to be wonderfully done and incredibly flowing. I wanted to share a couple of passages that I highlighted while reading that I particularly enjoyed:

"Ella choked on a sob and dared to open her eyes. Gray dawn's boney fingers crept through the cracks in the drapes, warning of daylights imminent arrival. Nothing else remained... no bodies lying in pools of blood, no men fighting, merely a richly furnished room. Her head ached with exhaustion. No wild animal had provided her with such painful memories. Only a human could store such grief, such horror...horror that frightened her as much as it tore at her gut."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Ridiculous, yet lovely. Her body floated as if she danced on clouds and only Leo's solid presence anchored her to earth. She closed her eyes and allowed him to sweep heracross the floor. He pulled her closer, yet she didn't protest, didn't even bother to open her eyes, but merely took in the feel of his form."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I really enjoyed Wild Heart and can't wait to read more by Lori Brighton (there is a sequel to Wild Hearts coming up!!)!! I urge everyone to grab a copy of this book and truly lose themselves within its words!

I have an interview coming up with Lori and also a way to win 1 of 3 copies of this awesome book! So please be one the lookout for those!

***This review might contain spoilers - if you don't want to know - please don't read this!***

I did like this book - I love a tortured/brooding hero and Leo is definately tortured and brooding. I won't rehash the plot as other reviewers did a much better job with that than I could. I will just point out what caused me to give this book a 3 star rating.

The major problem I had was that Leo's past left me boggled! This might be a spoiler!

OK - let me see if I have this right - He went to India with his parents when he was around 12 - they got killed and he lived in the jungle for 4 years and then was captured and was a slave for 2 years and then went back into the jungle for 2 more years. What I didn't get was how did he end up in Italy? Where did he get the money - because if he had money - why did he stay in the jungle for 6 years? Also when exactly did he sleep with an Indian Princess - I would think someone who lived in the jungle for 6 six was not exactly on the guest list for royalty - not to mention - he also says he slept with Italian royalty - how did he meet them?

This whole gap in his past irked me, I found it very hard to believe that after living in the jungle (like an animal) he just walked out of the jungle and ended up in the highest social circles.

I am hoping the next book is about Colin and answers some of the questions left hanging in this book - because this book ended very abruptly and Leo seemed fine with just letting it go (another thing that I had a hard time swallowing - as he was so driven to find out who killed his parents). The bad guy got away - how was he OK with that? Also, I think Ella's "gift" was too understated - it almost felt like an afterthought to tie her into the villains scheme and wasn't really part of the story.

Putting that aside - I liked the story - it was very well written and I enjoyed that the plot kept me wondering until the end. Anyway - I will read the next book when it comes out and hope that it answers the questions left hanging in this story.

Wild Heart is a great debut. I loved the interaction and humor between Leo and Ella. Lori Brighton is an author to watch. Her writing style makes me yearning for more. I can't wait to read Wild Desire.

I read this book after reading Wild Desire and I wish I had read it first. It answered a lot of questions for me. The other reviewer is correct that this book leaves some unanswered questions. Wild Desire will answer them.

I enjoyed both books and highly recommend them.

This is Lori Brighton's debut novel, and what an awesome start it was! I adored this book and the characters. It was historical romance with a wee bit of paranormal thrown in to sweeten the pot. There wasn't a dull moment, with great action and mystery. And some steamy lovin' between two wonderful leads. I can't wait for Brighton's next book!

Mere minutes after finishing this book I am here writing about it....while it is fresh in my mind and my emotions are still racing. If you know anything about me you know I don't read a ton of historical romance. It's a genre I have only begun to scratch the surface of. I am so very glad for the opportunity to read and spread the word about this book.

Once again Lori has managed to draw me into a world of her making. The onslaught of feelings I felt while completely ignoring everything around me by reading all day long was simply amazing.

Ella wants nothing more than to be a proper functioning member of English society. Her life has been far from easy though. Swept from a orphanage at a young age and raised to be a governess by the cruel, unfeeling Lady Buckley, Ella has known nothing but servitude. When she is basically sold to the Lord Roberts to be a governess to his grown grandson Leo, she isn't sure how to respond. Manners win out in the end of course and she agrees to stay, if the Lord is willing to grant her a cottage by the sea and her freedom at the end of her tenure. Thrilled at the prospect of finally being free of society's binding hands she sets out to do the best with the uncultured Leo.

Seeing your family murdered and then being left in the jungle for years haven't made Leo simply uncultured. It has left him feral and watchful. Never letting anyone get close. He doesn't need or want a distraction from his sole mission...finding out who killed his family. His honed instincts scream at his own family for the murderous upheaval, and he will stop at nothing to get his man. The arrival of the lovely Ella not only un-nerves him but tempts him to finally let his guard down.

Can Leo afford to let this petite, wide-eyed, innocent into his life? Ella is hiding a secret of her own, he can sense it. Did she play a role somehow in the demise of his family? The strange incidents that happen in her presence with animals and the mysterious necklace she wears all point toward deception.

Wild Heart is set in the serene seaside fields of England. The smell of the salty air and the cool breeze will play with your senses. Whispering over your skin like a lovers caress. The waves lapping at the shore and the neighs of the bareback horses will assault your ears. Lori will set you down right in the middle of a field filled with flowers and you will smell their sweet fragrance.

The main characters heat scorched my skin with every page turn. I totally connected with these people so unlike me. I wanted to cry with Ella and felt her emotional rollercoaster as strongly as if it were my own. My heart beat frantically with her turmoil and the climax of not only the mystery but of the love scenes. Leo is so Alpha, so untamed and wild. Completely at her side every time someone dared come to close. Who doesn't want a white knight? Even if the armor he carries is a bit tarnished. Every woman wants to tame the beast. To be the one that soothes the pains and makes the nightmares recede. True, Leo was a bit gruff and downright mean at times. Ella was sometimes meek and she blushed a whole hell of a lot. I did not care. If the book was set today, maybe, but the period of the piece was totally done justice.

The secondary characters of Fran and Akshay were delightful as well as the late arrival of Ella's long-lost cousin Colin. The villains were underhanded and dark, just the way I like them. Unwilling to stop or be bested.

My favorite aspect was the slight paranormal ability by Ella to feel the emotions of animals and control them. And somehow to feel Leo as well, allowing her a look at the person he truly was underneath the rough facade. It fit into the story line perfectly and when the ending unfolded I was eager to learn more of her abilities and that of her families line. It isn't often a historical romance weaves in some paranormal activity. The voice is uniquely Lori Brighton.

In 1855 Lord Roberts worries about his adult grandson Leo, who will inherit the title and estate. When Leo was seven while living in India, he witnessed the murders of his parents and has not really recovered from the trauma. He lived alone until he was found and brought home to England to live with his grandfather. However, Leo taunts Polite Society's rules, which relegates him to being an outsider.

His grandfather hires Ella Finch to serve as a sort of governess teaching Leo how to behave amidst the Ton. Ella soon realizes Leo has been pulling a bit of a ruse as he is a lot more sophisticated than the feral beast he portrays. The teacher and the student are attracted to one another, but he remains obsessed with one goal: finding the individual who killed his parents.

With several interesting paranormal twists, this is an engaging Victorian romance starring a woman who can sort of talk to the animals and a man on a mission who has the "means" to block emotions. Their relationship evolves as she concludes her pupil is a sham when it comes to manners and he fears his attraction to her will deter his quest. Fans will brighten up with this charming whimsical mid nineteenth century tale of love.

Harriet Klausner

I picked up this book after enjoying two of the author's short stories. She entertained me so I was hoping for a repeated experience.
I like the hero, he came alive with all his baggage and charms - the few he showed the heroine at least. The heroine is as flesh out as well. The plot is enteresting and the mystery part overshadowed the romance - which I don't mind.
What I did mind is the long, drawn out pace. I mean I keep waiting for something significant to happened, instead the author kept on using over used scenes to halt the pace of the story like when the heroine was about to name names, here comes the villain butting in. When the heroine is about to give a crucial information, here comes the villain again to interrupt. What's frustrating is that the repeated interruption (there's more than two instances when possible forward motion on the story was halted) did not add at all on the plot except to show how rude the villain is. I have to get to the 80% of the book before the pace actually picked up. What I mean is if the author cut the interruptions, overused and repeated scenes - like the hero blackmailing the heroine to get what he wanted, the story would end up as a short story. And it would rock because the forward motion of the story is moving just fine.
Guess I'll just stick to the author's short stories.