Wild

By Margo Maguire

No woman could tame him . . .

He moves with the grace of a predator—savage, dangerous, wild. For Grace Hawthorne, the newly arrived stranger is unlike any man she has ever known. Proud, defiant, mesmerizingly masculine, he flouts convention and refuses to enter into proper society. Is he the real Anthony Maddox, heir to a glittering earldom? Or an arrogant imposter, sworn to claim what doesn't belong to him?

Including Grace. Practically engaged to another, the well-bred lady's companion is now entrusted with the task of civilizing the primitive nobleman. Determined to fulfill her duty and nothing more, she tries to ignore her growing desire for Anthony, but it is a futile endeavor. As they come together in a scandalous secret liaison, Grace must choose between the conventional life she was born to lead . . . and a future with a man as unpredictable as he is irresistible.

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Release date: Oct 6, 2009
• ISBN: 9780061977909

Margo Maguire

Margo Maguire is the author of twenty-one historical romance novels. Formerly a critical care nurse, she worked for many years in a large Detroit trauma center. Margo writes full time and loves to hear from readers. Keep up with news on Margo's latest books by signing up for her newsletter on her website, www.margomaguire.com, and looking her up on Facebook and Twitter.

Reviews for Wild

[jjmachshev_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Reviewed for queuemyreview.com; book release Jan09What is it about the ‘wild man’ that so calls to women? I’m sure there are probably as many answers as there are women but I think at least a few will admit to liking the idea of a man who doesn’t ‘hide’ behind a social face. If you’re his woman, he’ll do whatever is necessary to protect you because you mean so much to him. Is that it? Or is it the sheer unpredictability of what he’ll do…and when? Or maybe…heck I could do this all day. I just know that the untamed male has a draw and fascination that strikes some chord with many, many, many readers. In Margo Maguire’s “Wild”, we have the story of a boy who somehow survived a horrible ‘accident’ in Africa which separated him from his father and fellow traveling companions. For the last twenty-two years, he has made his living alone through strength and cunning. The story opens as he is being forcibly returned to the only family he has left, a Countess, very much against his will. You see, he remembers the ‘accident’ and assumes he was left in Africa to die. His motto for living is to distance himself from real care and emotions.Grace, on the other hand, is a woman who has already lived through pain and loss. Her almost-fiancé left her when her mother fell gravely ill. Then she lost her mother and father both which left her destitute. Luckily, the Dowager Countess had been friends with her own dead grandmother and offered Grace a position as her companion. But even so, Grace hasn’t given up on the idea of marriage and children and has done everything society demands to try and keep her ‘marriageability’ up to standard. She loves the Countess dearly and would do anything for her…even undertake the task of civilizing Anthony, the long lost Earl of Sutton, the grandson the Countess never lost hope would be found.The hero and heroine are two polar opposites with strong characters who come together with what are originally differing motives and objectives. There were a couple of things that bugged me in the course of this book: Anthony’s refusal to give up his dreams of returning to Africa, and Grace’s seemingly rapid surrender to passion. One took too long, the other not long enough! But neither really impacted my reading enjoyment or caused me to put the book down. Everything else flowed with amazing ease in a story that revolved around the thoughts and emotions of the two main characters. Margo Maguire’s choice of era did a good job of making the ‘wild boy’ story plausible. Africa was still mostly unexplored in the late Regency period and there was (and still is) a fascination with stories of children raised in the wild or by animals. One thing I must add is the author’s excellent love scenes, the attraction and heat just seem to jump from the page. And even with my minor gripes, “Wild” was a story that held my attention from start to finish.

[doxiemomx2 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This Tarzan-themed book suffers from weak writing and character development. It seemed like the story was merely a vehicle for the love scenes, but had very little substance of its own. The concept was interesting, but the delivery was not good.

[darkfaerietales_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie TalesQuick & Dirty: Sexy heartfelt story that was the perfect ending to a wonderful series. All new adult contemporary romance fans should pick this one up!Opening Sentence: “I’m sorry, Georgia, it’s just, just…”The Review:Georgia has just recently broke up with her long time boyfriend. They have dated since high school and she always thought that they would get married. When he dumped her he said some things that were hurtful, but unfortunately true as well. She has always been a good girl, and being wild has never been one of her traits. But just to prove everyone wrong she decides to attend a secret sex club with one of her friends. Upon arriving she runs into Logan, one of her good friend’s younger brother. He might still be in high school but when it comes to sexual experience he is well beyond his years.Right away Logan tells Georgia that she doesn’t belong and tries to escort her out, but she is tired of being the good girl everyone thinks she is. So to show him she can be just as wild as anyone else she decides to kiss him. Georgia has kissed guys but none of them made her feel anything close to what she felt when kissing Logan. One thing leads to another and before she knows it things are escalating faster than she was expecting. But even though Georgia knows that they couldn’t be more wrong for each other she just can’t seem to stay away from Logan!Personally, I really loved Georgia. I read in a few reviews that a lot of people found some of the things she did really annoying. While I did find her frustrating at times, I also thought that she was a very realistic character. Of course she is going to be scared to try something new. She has spent her entire life pleasing everyone else, and she has just finally realized that she was never truly happy. The boy she spent four years with ended up being a total jerk, and her parents are super controlling. Big life changes like Georgia experiences throughout the story take time to adjust to, so when Logan comes charging into her life with all of his wild ideas it made complete since to me that she would be very wary of him. Her journey of self discovery was heartbreaking, frustrating, and written perfectly. I felt a very strong connection with her character and I am so glad I got to read her story. Out of the three girls featured in the series, I think she was actually my favorite girl!From the moment I met Logan in Foreplay I was instantly intrigued by him. He is an 18 year old boy that has pretty much slept through most of the college girls at Dartford. He knows how sexy and charming he is and he’s not ashamed of it. At first you think that Logan is just a shallow guy that is just looking for a good time, but as you get to know him you realize that there is so much more to him. Yes, he has rightfully earned his reputation as a man-whore, but he is always upfront and honest with girls. He also had to learn to grow up a lot faster than most people because of his home life. His chemistry with Georgia is electric and man do they have seriously hot sexual tension between them. I loved how he was so opposite of her, but in so many ways they were perfect for each other. While I completely loved Logan, I would have liked to gotten to know him just a little bit better. I felt that some things about him were left unanswered which disappointed me, but I guess it leaves more to the imagination.Wild was a sexy story filled with heartbreak, love, and growing up. I was so excited to be back in the world of Dartford college, and all the wonderful characters that reside in it! I loved that we got glimpses into the past characters lives, but it was refreshing to see the story from a different POV. That’s one of my favorite things about companion novels, you get reacquainted with characters you love, but you also get to met new ones. Like the other books in the series this one was very steamy and emotional. Jordan’s writing is always phenomenal, and she really knows how to tug at your heartstrings. I am so sad that this is the ending to the series because there are some characters that I would love to know what happened to them, but in all honesty this was a perfect ending. I would highly recommend this entire series to all new adult contemporary romance fans, it is a must read!Notable Scene:I felt him move behind me before I felt his hands on my arms. “No, you don’t,” he growled. “You don’t et to run away again.”I squeaked as he hauled me back against his chest. My spine stiffened iron-rod straight against the wall of his broad chest. I felt my eyes go huge in my face. He was touching me. Again. And I was freaking out on the inside. I sucked in a deep breath, determined that my freak-out stayed internal only.“Let me go. They’re coming.” My heart hammered violently in my chest and I didn’t know if it was because we were about to get busted by my friends or because his body felt so unbelievable against mine. Okay, fine. It was both.FTC Advisory: William Morrow/Harper Collins provided me with a copy of Wild. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.

[jeracafite · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I received this free eARC in exchange for my honest review. I was extremely excited to read this book because I've enjoyed the other two books in the series. Also, I really wanted to read about Logan, especially since in the last book we found out he goes to a kink club. Totally not the picture I had for him, but it really worked for him!The only thing I had a problem with during this novel was Georgia. I know she wants to make her family happy and proud, but she wasn't being herself and was always denying herself things that SHE wanted. She's in college, She's a grown-up. She can do what she wants and can major in what she wants and can date whomever she wants. Just because her mother will be upset that she's not dating Cheating Harris doesn't mean that the world is going to end. And also? The fact that her mother wants Georgia to go back to a cheater is a horrible thing. Shows how much her mother appreciates image over loyalty. But anyway, I got really annoyed with Georgia when she was freaking out about her mother not paying her way through college and how Georgia couldn't afford it. Ever heard of financial aid? Loans? Come on, everyone does it now so it's not that foreign of a concept. And I think that Logan could do so much better than Georgia, to be honest. When they were in the moment, they were an amazing couple but once Georgia's mind started to work afterward she became a snob. He has had a lot of family issues with his parents that he needs someone who will be proud to call him their boyfriend, not say that it was a "fling". Overall, this was an okay book. LOVE Logan and all of the scenes with him. I wish we could have gotten his viewpoint in this novel. Glad I got a chance to read it early!

[b.j.o. · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I loved the heat level and chemistry of this new adult romance. I also enjoyed the interesting approach of pairing up the last remaining Ivy coed with her best friend's boyfriend's hot, baseball star, and kink club frequenting, younger brother who is still in high school! It's so rare to see a younger heroine get together with an even younger stud! You go girl! Moreover, although younger, Logan is wiser, in all the ways where it counts, so it really works in Wild!Georgia has always heeded her mother's advice and quelled any resemblance to her father's wild ways. She's perfected this art so much that she now is commonly labeled as boring, predictable, and tame. After her last debacle of a relationship, she is determined to, at least once, see how the wild half lives. Eager to break out of her shell, Georgia sets off for a night full of self discovery at a secret kink club. Imagine her surprise, when she finds herself staring at no other than Logan Mulvaney. Logan may be only a teenager and still in high school--not too mention the little brother of her best friend's boyfriend--but you wouldn't know it from the way he handles himself (and the two girls) she finds him with at the club. But when its clear that he can't keep his eyes off of Georgia, she is suddenly confronted with undeniably lustful feelings, so imagine her surprise when he warns her off by telling her that girls like her don't belong at the club and insists that she go home. She gets one kiss in before her embarrassment kicks in. How could she take advantage of the younger Logan? How could she live with herself? Moreover, what would her friends say?Pretty soon, however, it becomes clear who is really in charge, and when Logan makes it his mission to conquer Georgia this story really heats up. Will Georgia be able to let go of her initial impressions about Logan or will she succumb to the undeniable attraction that they share? I'm a sucker for athletes, so the fact that Logan is a hot shot baseball player is just the icing on the cake. I just absolutely loved everything about Logan. He is a man who was forced to grow up before his time and to protect others out of necessity, and Georgia is no exception. When he turns his alpha nature towards Georgia, it becomes clear that age is just a number. Moreover, his confidence and control in the romance department is intoxicating. I truly enjoyed this fun and sexy read! Makes me want to go back and read the two prior books in The Ivy League Chronicles!Source: Review copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.