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The Beautiful and the Wild
The dangers of Alaska aren't limited to storms, starvation, and grizzly bears. Sometimes the most dangerous thing is the person you love.
It’s summer in Alaska and the light surrounding the shipping-container-turned-storage shed where Liv Russo is being held prisoner is fuzzy and gray. Around her is thick forest and jagged mountains. In front of her, across a clearing, is a low-slung cabin with a single window that spills a wash of yellow light onto bare ground. Illuminated in that light is the father of her child, a man she once loved. A man who is now her jailor. Liv vows to do anything to escape.
Carrying her own secrets and a fierce need to protect her young son, Liv must navigate a new world where extreme weather, starvation, and dangerous wildlife are not the only threats she faces. With winter's arrival imminent, she knows she must reckon with her past and the choices that brought her to the unforgiving Alaskan landscape if she is ever going to make it out alive.
A story of survival in the wilds of Alaska, The Beautiful and the Wild explores the question of whether we can ever truly know the person we love—or ourselves.
It’s summer in Alaska and the light surrounding the shipping-container-turned-storage shed where Liv Russo is being held prisoner is fuzzy and gray. Around her is thick forest and jagged mountains. In front of her, across a clearing, is a low-slung cabin with a single window that spills a wash of yellow light onto bare ground. Illuminated in that light is the father of her child, a man she once loved. A man who is now her jailor. Liv vows to do anything to escape.
Carrying her own secrets and a fierce need to protect her young son, Liv must navigate a new world where extreme weather, starvation, and dangerous wildlife are not the only threats she faces. With winter's arrival imminent, she knows she must reckon with her past and the choices that brought her to the unforgiving Alaskan landscape if she is ever going to make it out alive.
A story of survival in the wilds of Alaska, The Beautiful and the Wild explores the question of whether we can ever truly know the person we love—or ourselves.
297 pages, Hardcover
First published November 7, 2023
47 people are currently reading
17260 people want to read
About the author
Peggy Townsend
7 books201 followersPeggy Townsend is longtime newspaper reporter who has won state and national awards for her work. She has flown with pararescuers, taken a flashlight to a knife fight and narrowly missed being punched in the jaw by a mass murderer. She has rock climbed, run rivers, skied expert slopes, run half-marathons and fished in the Gulf of Alaska: all things at which she is only marginally competent. She is the author of three novels Her Run, The Thin Edge and The Beautiful and the Wild. Her newest book, The Botanist's Assistant, will release on Nov. 18, 2025.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 172 reviews
November 1, 2023
The Beautiful and Wild
by Peggy Townsend shows that despite the natural dangers in rural Alaska, sometimes it’s humans that are the most dangerous. Readers know immediately that Liv Russo is being held prisoner in a shipping container that is now a storage shed. She can see thick forest, mountains, and a dilapidated cabin from her prison. With secrets of her own, her focus is on protecting her young son Xander who is living in the cabin with its residents. She realizes she must do whatever it takes and lie so she can get out of her prison. While most of the book is set in rural Alaska, 50 miles from the nearest town of Cohut, part of the story is set in California.
Liv had an abusive childhood and craves attention. She likes bringing order to chaos and can be hard-headed. However, she is also insecure. Does she have what it takes to survive and protect Xander?
This book goes back and forth in time, which is not my favorite writing style. Additionally, there is some unneeded repetition. This is more of a survival story than a mystery or thriller. However, there are some action scenes towards the end of the novel. Difficult living conditions, fearful for her life and that of her son, and some unexpected resilience make for an interesting story, but it didn’t quite live up to my expectations from the synopsis. However, it is gripping and compelling at times and I wanted to know how it would end. Grief, fear, anger, trust, betrayal, secrets, lies, survival, and much more are themes that run throughout the story line.
Overall, I am glad I read this novel, which kept me turning the pages despite the format and the lack of action throughout most of the book.
Berkley Publishing Group and Peggy Townsend provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. Publication date is currently set for November 07, 2023.
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My 3.12 rounded to 3 stars review is coming soon.
Liv had an abusive childhood and craves attention. She likes bringing order to chaos and can be hard-headed. However, she is also insecure. Does she have what it takes to survive and protect Xander?
This book goes back and forth in time, which is not my favorite writing style. Additionally, there is some unneeded repetition. This is more of a survival story than a mystery or thriller. However, there are some action scenes towards the end of the novel. Difficult living conditions, fearful for her life and that of her son, and some unexpected resilience make for an interesting story, but it didn’t quite live up to my expectations from the synopsis. However, it is gripping and compelling at times and I wanted to know how it would end. Grief, fear, anger, trust, betrayal, secrets, lies, survival, and much more are themes that run throughout the story line.
Overall, I am glad I read this novel, which kept me turning the pages despite the format and the lack of action throughout most of the book.
Berkley Publishing Group and Peggy Townsend provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. Publication date is currently set for November 07, 2023.
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My 3.12 rounded to 3 stars review is coming soon.
September 27, 2023
I will admit to having a fascination with stories about dealing with nature and surviving in extreme conditions. So, the idea of a story that takes place in Alaska sounded like something I’d enjoy.
But, for most of the story, it could take place anywhere. Liv’s husband was suspected of committing suicide several years earlier by jumping off the Golden Gate Bridge. When her own financial hardships threaten to blow up just as she gets a clue that Mark is still alive in Alaska, she and her young son, Xander, head north. Mark is definitely alive and espousing some gobbledygook about free love and living off the land. Oh, and he’s living with another woman. When Liv threatens to leave and file for divorce, he locks her up in a shipping container.
This book didn’t appeal to me at all. The plot was basically one cliche after another. The vast majority of the book is Liz trying to figure out how to escape. Not only was it repetitive, it was boring. And slow. Do not go into this expecting a woman against nature story. You will be severely disappointed (as I was).
The book flits back and forth between Liv’s backstory (going all the way back to her teen years) and the present day. Liv is meant to come across as this strong woman. But I found her to be a little dim witted. She certainly didn’t think things through before heading to Alaska. And why do these women find Mark so alluring? To me, he came across as a typical egoist who thinks more with his little head than his big head.
My thanks to Netgalley and Berkley Publishing for an advance copy of this book.
But, for most of the story, it could take place anywhere. Liv’s husband was suspected of committing suicide several years earlier by jumping off the Golden Gate Bridge. When her own financial hardships threaten to blow up just as she gets a clue that Mark is still alive in Alaska, she and her young son, Xander, head north. Mark is definitely alive and espousing some gobbledygook about free love and living off the land. Oh, and he’s living with another woman. When Liv threatens to leave and file for divorce, he locks her up in a shipping container.
This book didn’t appeal to me at all. The plot was basically one cliche after another. The vast majority of the book is Liz trying to figure out how to escape. Not only was it repetitive, it was boring. And slow. Do not go into this expecting a woman against nature story. You will be severely disappointed (as I was).
The book flits back and forth between Liv’s backstory (going all the way back to her teen years) and the present day. Liv is meant to come across as this strong woman. But I found her to be a little dim witted. She certainly didn’t think things through before heading to Alaska. And why do these women find Mark so alluring? To me, he came across as a typical egoist who thinks more with his little head than his big head.
My thanks to Netgalley and Berkley Publishing for an advance copy of this book.
June 1, 2025
3.5 stars
This review was first posted on Mystery & Suspense Magazine. Check it out for features, interviews, and reviews. https://www.mysteryandsuspense.com/th...
Liv grew up in Texas, with a loud, mean mother and a quiet, browbeaten father who paid little attention to his daughter. So when adult Liv, working as a waitress in California......
.....meets kind, handsome, attentive Mark Russo in a country-and-western bar, she goes home with him and stays.
Mark is an award-winning documentary filmmaker, and the couple marry and live the high life, going to elaborate parties and rubbing shoulders with celebrities.
Then Liv and Mark have a son named Xander, whose genetic abnormality makes him a little awkward and slow to learn.
Xander's medical expenses, and the fact that Mark's filmmaking career takes a downturn, make things difficult. So Liv becomes a housecleaner and Mark takes odd jobs like stocking shelves, painting houses, and driving delivery trucks.
Then one day, San Francisco Police Inspector Louise Hardy shows up at Liv's door and tells her Mark committed suicide by jumping off the Golden Gate Bridge.
Liv doesn't want to believe Mark is gone, but years go by with no word from him. Liv is broke and about to lose her house when she gets a hint that Mark is alive and living in Alaska. So Liv and seven-year-old Xander make the long hard trek to Alaska, finally reaching an isolated compound by driving on a dirt track with potholes so big they threaten to swallow the car.
Liv parks near a river and she and Xander cross a shaky walkway to get to a cabin with a patched metal roof and smoke rising from a stovepipe.
After a few minutes, Mark comes out, looking rangy, thin, and weather-roughened, but still handsome.
It turns out Mark is living with a woman named Angela, a 10-year-old boy called Rudy, and a dog named Shadow. Mark says he's following the precepts in a book called 'Mind, Self, Love' by Kai Huang, which advocates "freedom to quit bowing down to those who try to stop us from being happy by creating rules about money and sex and relationships." In other words, Mark no longer believes in employment or monogamy, and he plans to live off the land. Moreover, Mark wants Liv and Xander to join his new family in the wilderness.
Shocked, Liv will have none of it, and says she's leaving and getting a divorce. Mark then locks Liv in a rusty shipping container, and says he'll let her out when she accepts the precepts of Kai Huang and agrees to stay. It turns out Mark is on the run from drug dealers who want to kill him, and if Liv reveals Mark is alive, this will put the thugs on his trail.
From here the book is partly an Alaskan adventure story, and partly a tale of Liv's plan to escape with Xander. The Alaskan frontier is a dangerous place with deadly bears, steep inclines, dense forests, and harsh weather.
For sustenance, some staples can be purchased in town, but residents must largely live off the land by hunting, fishing, snaring game, growing vegetables, drying and canning comestibles, chopping wood, and so on. Moreover, a harsh winter is approaching, and preparations must be made.
While pretending to accept Mark's lifestyle, Liv searches for ways to flee, but Mark has hidden her car keys, phone, and credit card, and he's suspicious of her activities.
The story is narrated by Liv, whose description of her current life in Alaska alternates with flashbacks to the past, where Liv reveals startling incidents in her life. I would have liked Liv to be a more strong-willed character, but this is a good adventure story in a rugged setting.
Thanks to Netgalley, Peggy Townsend, and Berkley Publishing Group for a copy of the book.
You can follow my reviews at http://reviewsbybarbsaffer.blogspot.com/
November 2, 2023
Books set in the state of Alaska are infused with a frontier spirit and the remote conditions. Liv Russo finds herself imprisoned in a refurbished shipping container -- by the husband she thought was dead. Told in Now and Then timelines, we learn about the secrets in Liv's past as well as the current situation. Will Liv find a way to escape? What about her son Xander who was with her on the trip from California to Alaska? The challenges of living in such a harsh environment are exacerbated by the cult-like beliefs being implemented around her. Not all the threats are from the environment. A compelling blend of adventure/survival and suspense.
Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.
March 21, 2024
What a wonderful and unexpected delight this book was!
I went in not knowing what to expect, thinking it might be your typical survival thriller, and while it was that at its' core, it was also much more. The Beautiful and The Wild is a book that will stick with me for some time!
Told in two timelines, this novel centers around Liv Russo, who as we begin reading is now being held captive in a storage container by her husband. This initial chapter immediately grabbed my attention, and I absolutely needed to know how she got there and if she would get out of the situation she was in!
Going back in time, Liv and Mark are a young couple raising a special needs little boy named Xander. Mark is a struggling documentarian/actor who is always looking for the next best thing, and Liv is a resilient woman who believes in her man and will do anything, including cleaning other people’s houses, to ensure her little boy has everything he needs and the best childhood possible. A childhood she herself never had. Liv has always had secrets from her past she’s kept hidden, but when an incident occurs those secrets are brought to light, and Mark disappears shortly thereafter, Liv is left devastated and destitute. Eventually she pieces together several clues that lead her to believe her husband is not dead as presumed and could be living off the grid at a former friends’ properly in Alaska. She decides she will find her husband and demand answers. When she does, she discovers that she’s not the only one with secrets, and her husband is not the man she thought she knew…not even close.
Undoubtedly, this was a character-driven story, and I immediately liked Liz, empathizing with her situation, and as she found herself in one precarious situation after the next, I became increasingly concerned and invested with her survival. While the other characters were initially very unlikeable, the more I read, the more complex they became and I began to understand their motivations and even like them, somewhat. Another major bonus was the atmosphere of living remotely off the land, in the wilderness of Alaska. As the novel progressed, there was a palpable and increasing sense of foreboding leading to an intense and unpredictable conclusion that I really enjoyed!
While this one wasn’t your typical action-packed survival thriller, I still felt it read very quickly, and I found myself finishing it in just two sittings! The fact that this wasn't what I expected was what made this that much more fun! Highly-recommended to those looking for something a bit different!
I went in not knowing what to expect, thinking it might be your typical survival thriller, and while it was that at its' core, it was also much more. The Beautiful and The Wild is a book that will stick with me for some time!
Told in two timelines, this novel centers around Liv Russo, who as we begin reading is now being held captive in a storage container by her husband. This initial chapter immediately grabbed my attention, and I absolutely needed to know how she got there and if she would get out of the situation she was in!
Going back in time, Liv and Mark are a young couple raising a special needs little boy named Xander. Mark is a struggling documentarian/actor who is always looking for the next best thing, and Liv is a resilient woman who believes in her man and will do anything, including cleaning other people’s houses, to ensure her little boy has everything he needs and the best childhood possible. A childhood she herself never had. Liv has always had secrets from her past she’s kept hidden, but when an incident occurs those secrets are brought to light, and Mark disappears shortly thereafter, Liv is left devastated and destitute. Eventually she pieces together several clues that lead her to believe her husband is not dead as presumed and could be living off the grid at a former friends’ properly in Alaska. She decides she will find her husband and demand answers. When she does, she discovers that she’s not the only one with secrets, and her husband is not the man she thought she knew…not even close.
Undoubtedly, this was a character-driven story, and I immediately liked Liz, empathizing with her situation, and as she found herself in one precarious situation after the next, I became increasingly concerned and invested with her survival. While the other characters were initially very unlikeable, the more I read, the more complex they became and I began to understand their motivations and even like them, somewhat. Another major bonus was the atmosphere of living remotely off the land, in the wilderness of Alaska. As the novel progressed, there was a palpable and increasing sense of foreboding leading to an intense and unpredictable conclusion that I really enjoyed!
While this one wasn’t your typical action-packed survival thriller, I still felt it read very quickly, and I found myself finishing it in just two sittings! The fact that this wasn't what I expected was what made this that much more fun! Highly-recommended to those looking for something a bit different!
November 7, 2023
THE BEAUTIFUL AND THE WILD is a compulsive domestic thriller set on a remote Alaskan homestead. The protagonist Liv is trapped there, held prisoner by her husband. As winter quickly approaches, she has to figure out a way to escape with her young son in tow.
I thought this would be a “chased through the wild” thriller, but it was quite different from what I was expecting, and I enjoyed it. Liv processes a lot of heavy secrets and emotional baggage as she struggles to survive on the homestead, learning much about herself and her husband. There aren’t a lot of big twists, and most of the action takes place at the very end, but I was still on pins and needles waiting to see how everything would play out.
I would recommend this introspective and engrossing survivalist tale to thriller readers looking for something a bit different.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me a copy of this book. Opinions are my own.
I thought this would be a “chased through the wild” thriller, but it was quite different from what I was expecting, and I enjoyed it. Liv processes a lot of heavy secrets and emotional baggage as she struggles to survive on the homestead, learning much about herself and her husband. There aren’t a lot of big twists, and most of the action takes place at the very end, but I was still on pins and needles waiting to see how everything would play out.
I would recommend this introspective and engrossing survivalist tale to thriller readers looking for something a bit different.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me a copy of this book. Opinions are my own.
October 1, 2023
A woman and her son travel to remote Alaska supposedly to find her "dead" husband. When she does she instantly wishes she hadn't as she is added to his Utopian vision of marriage and family.
Held captive and away from her son until she submits to being a sister wife she is always watchful for a chance to escape. A brutal environment, unforgiving living conditions and trying to do the best for her child make for a terrified yet resilient mom. This is perfect for readers of A CABIN IN THE WOODS , the adventure thrillers of Alice Henderson or stories of strong women banding together. My thanks to the publisher for the advance copy.
Held captive and away from her son until she submits to being a sister wife she is always watchful for a chance to escape. A brutal environment, unforgiving living conditions and trying to do the best for her child make for a terrified yet resilient mom. This is perfect for readers of A CABIN IN THE WOODS , the adventure thrillers of Alice Henderson or stories of strong women banding together. My thanks to the publisher for the advance copy.
December 28, 2023
Liv travels to Alaska to locate the man she once loved. When she arrives, she realizes he is not letting her leave. To protect herself and her son, she must survive the dangers of an Alaskan winter.
The Beautiful and the Wild is told from Liv’s point of view. She is a strong, yet flawed protagonist. She makes for a character that is easy to root for her.
An intriguing story with an interesting cast of characters. Recommended for fans of mysteries with harsh environments and strong female leads.
I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
The Beautiful and the Wild is told from Liv’s point of view. She is a strong, yet flawed protagonist. She makes for a character that is easy to root for her.
An intriguing story with an interesting cast of characters. Recommended for fans of mysteries with harsh environments and strong female leads.
I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
May 24, 2024
I have not heard anyone talk about this book before, and I picked it up on a whim for a Patreon Themed Reading Vlog I was doing (btw my Patreon is only $3 per month, join here: patreon.com/thevillagebyj)
I was pleasantly surprised how much I enjoyed reading this book. Imagine your husband has locked you away in Alaska. How will you survive, and why is he doing that?
I was pleasantly surprised how much I enjoyed reading this book. Imagine your husband has locked you away in Alaska. How will you survive, and why is he doing that?
July 14, 2023
Liv and her son, Xander, travel to Alaska on the quest to find her so called “dead husband.” What she stumbles upon is mind boggling and she finds herself held prisoner in a storage shed.
All she can think about is getting out of this storage shed and escaping her husbands clutches, but it’s going to be a lot harder than it seems.
Most of the book is her trying to figure out how to escape, so it does get a little redundant after a while. It was a little predictable to me, and that is why I knocked it a star. BUT it is a great book filled with suspense, a mothers instinct, murder, and even past secrets coming to light. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Loved this quote at the end, “The one thing I had learned, however, was that you couldn’t think too much about the past or the future. Instead, you had to live in the moment.”
TW:
Polygamy
Cult
SA/Rape
Honest review for an ARC provided by NetGalley
All she can think about is getting out of this storage shed and escaping her husbands clutches, but it’s going to be a lot harder than it seems.
Most of the book is her trying to figure out how to escape, so it does get a little redundant after a while. It was a little predictable to me, and that is why I knocked it a star. BUT it is a great book filled with suspense, a mothers instinct, murder, and even past secrets coming to light. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Loved this quote at the end, “The one thing I had learned, however, was that you couldn’t think too much about the past or the future. Instead, you had to live in the moment.”
TW:
Polygamy
Cult
SA/Rape
Honest review for an ARC provided by NetGalley
June 20, 2023
A story of survival in the wilds of Alaska, The Beautiful and the Wild explores the question of whether we can ever truly know the person we love—or ourselves.
This was definitely a wild ride. A first for me by this author and it did not disappoint. Told from a singular POV, by a wife & mother who’s been deceived and who has also suffered previous trauma. We witness her growth, her will and strength and love for her child in the Alaskan wilderness revealing the true nature of those you think you know along the way, only to discover the chilling truths and the layers of evil that are so easily hidden by those once trusted.
Recommend!
Thanks to NetGalley and BPG for this arc in exchange for an honest review.
Pub date: 11.7.23.
This was definitely a wild ride. A first for me by this author and it did not disappoint. Told from a singular POV, by a wife & mother who’s been deceived and who has also suffered previous trauma. We witness her growth, her will and strength and love for her child in the Alaskan wilderness revealing the true nature of those you think you know along the way, only to discover the chilling truths and the layers of evil that are so easily hidden by those once trusted.
Recommend!
Thanks to NetGalley and BPG for this arc in exchange for an honest review.
Pub date: 11.7.23.
December 1, 2023
I love books that feature surviving in extreme conditions in the wilderness. So when I read this book took place in Alaska, I thought it was right up my alley. But it quickly fizzled for me when Liv drives to the middle of nowhere to find her supposedly dead husband living off the land with another woman. At this point I would have turned my car around and said “I didn’t miss you anyway.” But instead she confronts him and wants a divorce, so he promptly locks her in a shipping container! I really couldn’t handle all the “free love” philosophy that the husband was spouting. And when the third woman shows up to form a family of three wives and one husband, I was done. I wanted an Alaskan survival story, not an episode of Big Love.
June 20, 2024
I won this book in a goodreads drawing.
A woman finds herself kept prisoner by her husband in Alaska. She escapes into the wilderness.
Never quite felt as urgent as it needed to.
A woman finds herself kept prisoner by her husband in Alaska. She escapes into the wilderness.
Never quite felt as urgent as it needed to.
July 20, 2024
Couldn't put it down! Loved the ending
September 24, 2023
Liv is being held hostage in a storage container in a remote area of Alaska. She had traveled here from California with her son, to find her husband. When she found him, alive and well with a mistress, she was thrown in the storage container for her safety. Liv vows to do anything to escape.
Liv is driven by the need to protect her son who has suffered from heart problems. Liv is forced to navigate a whole new world full of extreme weather, starvation, and dangerous wildlife. With winter coming, she knows she must reconcile her past and the choices that brought her to Alaska in order to survive.
The writing in this book is exquisite and very well done. I was captivated the entire time. My complaint is one that I am making all too often these days, this is not a thriller. This is more of a women’s fiction with maybe a slight mystery interwoven within the pages. This does turn into a really good, and very atmospheric Alaskan adventure and suspense book. I love reading books set in Alaska, and this one highlighted the perils and stakes of living remotely wonderfully. You have to rely on the land and very little on other things. A lot of time in this book is spent with Liv trying to escape, and it did get a little hard to read the same thing over again, but honestly if I were captured like she was, I’d be in a similar boat.
If you are looking for a beautifully written suspense book set in Alaska, then check this one out.
Thank you so much to the publisher, Berkley Pub, @BerkleyPub, and Netgalley, @netgalley, for this e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
Liv is driven by the need to protect her son who has suffered from heart problems. Liv is forced to navigate a whole new world full of extreme weather, starvation, and dangerous wildlife. With winter coming, she knows she must reconcile her past and the choices that brought her to Alaska in order to survive.
The writing in this book is exquisite and very well done. I was captivated the entire time. My complaint is one that I am making all too often these days, this is not a thriller. This is more of a women’s fiction with maybe a slight mystery interwoven within the pages. This does turn into a really good, and very atmospheric Alaskan adventure and suspense book. I love reading books set in Alaska, and this one highlighted the perils and stakes of living remotely wonderfully. You have to rely on the land and very little on other things. A lot of time in this book is spent with Liv trying to escape, and it did get a little hard to read the same thing over again, but honestly if I were captured like she was, I’d be in a similar boat.
If you are looking for a beautifully written suspense book set in Alaska, then check this one out.
Thank you so much to the publisher, Berkley Pub, @BerkleyPub, and Netgalley, @netgalley, for this e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
January 13, 2024
⭐️⭐️⭐️
𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙙𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙚𝙧𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝘼𝙡𝙖𝙨𝙠𝙖 𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙣'𝙩 𝙡𝙞𝙢𝙞𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙢𝙨, 𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙧𝙫𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙜𝙧𝙞𝙯𝙯𝙡𝙮 𝙗𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙨. 𝙎𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙚𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙢𝙤𝙨𝙩 𝙙𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙚𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙞𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙤𝙣 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚.
I’m so bummed I had mediocre feelings after finishing this. The cover is beyond stunning and the premise sounded so interesting. I was hoping this would be a new favorite, but unfortunately, I had mixed feelings.
This story demonstrates how sometimes not even the natural dangers of Alaska can compare to a human. Sometimes a human can be the real danger…
I was intrigued from the very beginning when we found out Liv Russo was being held captive. The atmosphere in this was beautifully written, there’s no doubt this author knows how to write and portray a beautiful setting.
The story goes back and forth in time, and I found it to be a bit messy. It also got way too repetitive. There are so many emotions throughout the book, and it took a while for me to get hooked on the story.
The book started off slow, but it did eventually pick up towards the end. I did, however, go into this with the wrong expectations. I thought this would be more of a domestic thriller, but some of the elements made it feel like a contemporary fiction novel.
Overall, this was fine! It took a while to pick up, but the writing itself was beautiful and I loved the details of the Alaskan setting. The chapters were also short and captivating, I would still say this is worth the read!
Thank you so much NetGalley and Berkley for the review copy in exchange for my honest review!
𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙙𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙚𝙧𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝘼𝙡𝙖𝙨𝙠𝙖 𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙣'𝙩 𝙡𝙞𝙢𝙞𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙢𝙨, 𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙧𝙫𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙜𝙧𝙞𝙯𝙯𝙡𝙮 𝙗𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙨. 𝙎𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙚𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙢𝙤𝙨𝙩 𝙙𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙚𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙞𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙤𝙣 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚.
I’m so bummed I had mediocre feelings after finishing this. The cover is beyond stunning and the premise sounded so interesting. I was hoping this would be a new favorite, but unfortunately, I had mixed feelings.
This story demonstrates how sometimes not even the natural dangers of Alaska can compare to a human. Sometimes a human can be the real danger…
I was intrigued from the very beginning when we found out Liv Russo was being held captive. The atmosphere in this was beautifully written, there’s no doubt this author knows how to write and portray a beautiful setting.
The story goes back and forth in time, and I found it to be a bit messy. It also got way too repetitive. There are so many emotions throughout the book, and it took a while for me to get hooked on the story.
The book started off slow, but it did eventually pick up towards the end. I did, however, go into this with the wrong expectations. I thought this would be more of a domestic thriller, but some of the elements made it feel like a contemporary fiction novel.
Overall, this was fine! It took a while to pick up, but the writing itself was beautiful and I loved the details of the Alaskan setting. The chapters were also short and captivating, I would still say this is worth the read!
Thank you so much NetGalley and Berkley for the review copy in exchange for my honest review!
December 13, 2023
4.5
Liv Russo is at the end of her rope. Her husband, who had an artistic proclivity for running off for a few days, has seemingly killed himself, their finances are barely covering the bills, and Liv cannot take on more work without losing more money paying for daycare for their special needs son Xander. As the obstacles stack against her, she follows a clue to Alaska with the chance her husband may still be alive. What happened to Mark? And why has he locked her in a metal storage container?
I really liked this book. I loved how the author explores the dynamics between Liv and how she must figure out how to survive. The plot has a lot of momentum, and there enough small puzzles to keep the reader guessing. I really like how
Liv Russo is at the end of her rope. Her husband, who had an artistic proclivity for running off for a few days, has seemingly killed himself, their finances are barely covering the bills, and Liv cannot take on more work without losing more money paying for daycare for their special needs son Xander. As the obstacles stack against her, she follows a clue to Alaska with the chance her husband may still be alive. What happened to Mark? And why has he locked her in a metal storage container?
I really liked this book. I loved how the author explores the dynamics between Liv and how she must figure out how to survive. The plot has a lot of momentum, and there enough small puzzles to keep the reader guessing. I really like how
October 29, 2023
The Beautiful and the Wild by Peggy Townsend. Thanks to @berkleypub for the gifted Arc ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Summer in Alaska and Liv is being held captive in a storage shed by her husband, her now jailer.
While it kept my attention, there were a few things that bothered me about the story. The main male character was the worse. Obviously since he’s held Liv captive, he’s not a great guy but this was fairly obvious from the beginning which made me lack in sympathy for how everything unfolded. Given the plot I thought it would be a fairly exciting survival thriller, but there was a lot of back history to get through. Even while in the storage shed, she tries the same methods to escape. There wasn’t much innovation and adventure to it. It was still an interesting story and I appreciated the uniqueness of the history and events, but it wasn’t a favorite.
“I don’t know how people fall for the idea that a sin can ever be truly forgiven. Even though I paid my price, the dark stain I carried never went away.”
The Beautiful and the Wild comes out 11/7.
Summer in Alaska and Liv is being held captive in a storage shed by her husband, her now jailer.
While it kept my attention, there were a few things that bothered me about the story. The main male character was the worse. Obviously since he’s held Liv captive, he’s not a great guy but this was fairly obvious from the beginning which made me lack in sympathy for how everything unfolded. Given the plot I thought it would be a fairly exciting survival thriller, but there was a lot of back history to get through. Even while in the storage shed, she tries the same methods to escape. There wasn’t much innovation and adventure to it. It was still an interesting story and I appreciated the uniqueness of the history and events, but it wasn’t a favorite.
“I don’t know how people fall for the idea that a sin can ever be truly forgiven. Even though I paid my price, the dark stain I carried never went away.”
The Beautiful and the Wild comes out 11/7.
November 6, 2023
A highly entertaining domestic suspense thriller set in the wilds of Alaska that sees a woman tracking down the husband she was told committed suicide with their young son in tow only to find him living off the grid with a whole other family hiding out from drug dealers.
Now that she's found him though he's not about to let her go and she soon finds herself trapped in a old shipping container forced to try to figure out a way to escape somehow with her son and no way to reach civilization.
Full of twists and turns and a shocking high octane ending. This was great on audio narrated by Karissa Vacker and perfect for fans of books like Room by Emma Donoghue or Quiet tenant by Clemence Michallon. Many thanks to @prhaudio for the complimentary ALC in exchange for my honest review!
Now that she's found him though he's not about to let her go and she soon finds herself trapped in a old shipping container forced to try to figure out a way to escape somehow with her son and no way to reach civilization.
Full of twists and turns and a shocking high octane ending. This was great on audio narrated by Karissa Vacker and perfect for fans of books like Room by Emma Donoghue or Quiet tenant by Clemence Michallon. Many thanks to @prhaudio for the complimentary ALC in exchange for my honest review!
November 13, 2023
We first meet Liv Russo who has a young son and is working as a housekeeper. She is still trying to get over the loss of her husband.
Would one day she receives a text that seems to indicate that her husband may not be dead, and he may be living in Alaska. So she packs up and takes her son to Alaska where she finds him living in a cabin in the wilderness with another family. This is where the story. Takes a big turn she wants to leave with her son but her husband wants her to stay and live with him and his family. However winters coming and their in the Alaska Wilderness.
This book is a thriller with big secrets and will have you thinking wow after reading.
Great Thriller
Thank you netgalley ,berkley publishing and penguinrandomhouse
Would one day she receives a text that seems to indicate that her husband may not be dead, and he may be living in Alaska. So she packs up and takes her son to Alaska where she finds him living in a cabin in the wilderness with another family. This is where the story. Takes a big turn she wants to leave with her son but her husband wants her to stay and live with him and his family. However winters coming and their in the Alaska Wilderness.
This book is a thriller with big secrets and will have you thinking wow after reading.
Great Thriller
Thank you netgalley ,berkley publishing and penguinrandomhouse
August 14, 2025
"I judge people for what they are, not what they were."
"You couldn't think too much about the past or the future. Instead, you had to live in the moment."
I really enjoyed this book and read thru it very quickly! I would recommend it if you love plot-driven books. 4 stars because the culmination of the story happens very abruptly and seems far fetched. Also, I feel like the title and the summary could be misleading. The wild nature aspects are more bonus add-ons, and is definitely not what the focus of the book is on.
"You couldn't think too much about the past or the future. Instead, you had to live in the moment."
I really enjoyed this book and read thru it very quickly! I would recommend it if you love plot-driven books. 4 stars because the culmination of the story happens very abruptly and seems far fetched. Also, I feel like the title and the summary could be misleading. The wild nature aspects are more bonus add-ons, and is definitely not what the focus of the book is on.
January 15, 2025
I’m not sure if a single thing happened this entire book. Picked it up as a filler and read it over the span of a month but never felt lost bc it repeats the same stuff until the last 10ish pages lol, busted in my opinion but like also not bad?
December 20, 2023
Weird but enjoyable book. It did keep my interest.
January 11, 2024
A fast, solid read.
February 22, 2024
A domestic thriller set in Alaska. Domestics aren't my favorite but this one was quick and cultish.
November 5, 2024
4.25 ⭐️
June 23, 2025
4.5 Stars
July 12, 2024
A solid, well-told story. The voice has a very nice pacing to it, which matters greatly as this is a character driven book with little action. However, the ending comes a bit too abruptly.
November 14, 2024
There are many ways to love. Very good story.
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