This Wild Heart

Wilder Family #5

by Karla Sorensen

Who forgets marrying a football player? Me, apparently. Turns out countless shots and a bad breakup lead to questionable decision making. But waking up in Vegas with a ring on my finger beside a hot, naked man is hard to ignore. I married Parker Wilder. Thanks to our quickie nuptials, I’ll get my inheritance, and he’ll get his family and their well-intentioned meddling off his back.

Forgetting the wedding was the easy part. Being married to him is a whole different story. Parker is too … everything. Chiseled by the gods good-looking. A heartbreaking kind of broody. The kind of man you know will wreck you for all others. Good thing this is all pretend. And oh, how we pretend. We pretend ourselves right into me ripping the clothes off his body.

It’s all fun and fake marriage until the day he gets a knock on the door with the surprise of a lifetime. Until the bomb goes off and we’re left to pick up the pieces. Until the pretending stops and we’re left with only one question: was any of it real?

Genres: Sports Romance, Sports, Romance, Marriage Of Convenience, Contemporary Romance, Contemporary, Football

386 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 7, 2025

Reviews

[Kristina · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a punch to the feels! 😭

What a great ending to the series. This had twists and turns and ripped my heart out several times. I was so mad at Parker from ~ 35% to ~90% point, but he really redeemed himself in the end. 🤐

Caveat: This book is the ending of the Wilder Family series but also a crossover of the Ward sisters with appearances from characters from both the Washington Wolves series and the Wolves Dynasty series. It’s blended pretty well and was great for me as I’d read every one of those, but the mind boggles with all the different connections and cameos in the first part. 😵‍💫 But hey, maybe it will inspire everyone to go read the rest.

Note: a lot of people are not going to like this twist and even though I ended up loving the book it felt like a slap to the face so be wary if you hate the surprise love child trope

Ugh I’m going to go roll into a ball now for a few weeks.

Thank you to Karla Sorenson for the advanced copy.










******************


This beauty showed up in my inbox today! Woohoooooo!

[Rachael*Caribbean*girl*bibliophile · Rating 1 out of 5]

Spoilers ahead note to self never ever ever read anything from this author without checking actual reviews and not reviews from ARC readers 🙄




Paused at 42%

My dumb ass didn't wait for reviews, arc reviews of course don't mention anything.

Somebody confirm for me please, is the child his?



ETA

This is a massive spoiler that I did not see coming but....there I am enjoying this push/pull between Anya and Parker, after counting down the days to getting their book, after the couple had sex for the first time, after Anya went through the public embarrassment of her fiancé cheating on her multiple times, after Parker said he'd stopped sleeping around......after I settled in for a nice quiet ride to the HEA......instead I got.......


Spoilers


Spoilers


Spoilers

A fucking baby!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! A baby left at his fucking doorstep like a cliche from every manwhoring book around! A fucking baby! At 42% into the book!!!!!! Lmfao it's ironic because if you follow me reviews you'd know I love me some kids in my romances in any form, accidental pregnancy, baby from a ONS, single parent, I love them all.....BUT I didn't expect this. Anya was already humiliated by her cheating fuck face of an ex.....to have her brand new (fake to them) husband pop up with an unexpected baby? Wtf 😂

The baby was from the last ONS parker had which was ten months previously. She left the baby with them and gave Anya permission to adopt him in the end.

Absolutely mf not I'm so pissed off man


ETA
Safety details

They met when she was engaged and he'd already decided to be celibate. He was reeling from the death of his father.
He's drawn to her but she's engaged so the leave it at that
Months later he accidentally meets her and her friend in Vegas
She's just found out her man if four years was a cheater, they get super drunk and get married for *reasons*
They move into the same house, slow burn to them actually getting together.
Her ex was her only
He'd fucked around a lot, lots of ONS especially since his dad died.
His last ONS was ten months previously, she's the baby's mother 🙄

[Lilyya ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

“loss doesn’t ever go away, Parker. we build our lives around it, and eventually, it feels just a little bit smaller. you’re trying to get rid of it, and you can’t.”

parting ways with a beloved series, and the fictional family that feels like home is never easy, yet here we are. for years, I’ve followed the Wilders, each book exploring a new chapter of their lives, each sibling offering a different lens into the grief they carried for their father. with every story, I felt their sorrow, their healing, their love. and now, closing this final book feels like saying goodbye to family.

”she wasn’t scared of my grief, and that unlocked something in my chest, giving it just enough air that the words escaped. “do you know how easy my life used to be?””

Parker’s book was everything I hoped for, and it made perfect sense as the series’ conclusion. he was a complicated character, to say the least, but I loved watching him finally choose his own happiness over the weight of his guilt. Anya was equally compelling; layered, endearing, and a reflection of her parents in ways that made her feel all the more real. seeing them in her added an emotional depth that made their story even more special, to me.

“I’m glad it was you. even if it didn’t last long, even if you don’t remember it, I’m glad you were the one I married first, golden girl.”

the romance was beautifully sculpted; two strangers bound by a marriage of convenience, each standing to gain, yet neither prepared for the slow-burning desire that would bloom between them. I loved how they waltzed with each other, tension crackling in the spaces between, until resistance became unbearable. but beyond the passion, it was the way they showed up for each other, the quiet, unwavering support, that made their love story so compelling, their chemistry undeniable.

i loved revisiting the Ward family in this novel, as well. Karla Sorensen’s interconnected universe holds a special place in my heart, and I only hope it never fades.

many thanks to the author for providing an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review

——————
GOT THE ARC 🥂🥂🥂imma devour this beauty 🤭

(Parker with Anya (Aiden & Isabel daughter aka my fav couple ever) THIS IS A DOUBLE WIN 💋)

[Em (semi-hiatus) · Rating 1 out of 5]

Free my girls from the ‘I can fix him’ mindset for these broken, man-child heroes. I’ve had enough of heroines playing free nanny and slave for these men.

[Dab]

Dnf. I can’t get over the fact that he married her when she was so wasted she didn’t know what she was doing. He refused to sleep with her because she was too hammered, but MARRYING her was okay?! Please.

[Alia ✩ ♬ ₊.🎧⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.75/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
This was the final book in the series 🐾📚. It was okay... I didn’t love it that much 🤷‍♀️. I really loved the first 30% of the book—it had me excited and hopeful for the rest! But after that, it just didn’t hit the same for me 😕.
The cat in the book? LOVED it 🐈—such a fun and adorable addition that made me smile every time it appeared. And seeing the couples from the previous books again? My heart! 🥹 It felt so nostalgic and bittersweet knowing this is the last time we’ll see them all together.
This wasn’t my favorite in the series, but it had its moments, and I’m glad I got to finish the Wilder family’s journey.Going to miss them so much 😭🫶.

[BookReader53 · Rating 1 out of 5]

No, just no. I hate the “surprise the hero had a baby with another woman” trope.

[abby :) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.75/5

very, very conflicted right now

when i randomly discovered this series i felt like the luckiest person alive. watching all the wilder siblings get their happy ever afters has been so rewarding for me as a reader. the first four books in this series are top tier romances and top tier couples for me. i have been waiting for parker to finally get his book and i am sadly underwhelmed. i still think this series should be on everyones tbr but parker and anya may not top the list of couples.

parker has been going through it for all of the four books before this one. i was hoping to see a story of healing and finding love when dealing with loss, instead we got a fake marriage a (spoiler) random surprise baby, and a rushed ending. anya and parker met once and had an attraction but she had a shitty fiancé so when said shitty fiancé got dumped, anya went to vegas and married parker. unless fake marriage is done perfectly, i.e. play along and jasper vale, i don't want it. i didn't really have fun while reading this because i felt like we didn't connect enough with our characters and it sometimes felt like anya was in love with a parker we didn't see.

even though i haven't really said nice things thus far, i did like it... i swear. it was so sweet to see not only the wilder clan but also anya's family. if you've read this authors backlist you will know who they are and i had a blast being reunited with them! the family elements held this book together and i will miss my chaotic siblings. i wish this book was better for me but i feel so complete by parker finding his happiness that i can let it slide. please, please, please, pick up this series because it needs to be in more peoples hands... immediately!

[Wildflower Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gah....This book. It was everything I wanted for Parker and Anya and so much more than I ever imagined! It's Sorensen perfection.

Parker and Anya's story is a fake relationship, vegas marriage, sports romance that at its very core shows the raw vulnerability required to truly love and be loved.

Anya, fresh from an embarrassing, public break up at the hands of her cheating footballer ex is your quintessential Sorensen FMC; a total bad ass in her own right and a woman you want to sit down with and have a glass of wine in the hopes she becomes your friend. And as for Parker? The rawness you feel emanating from him after the loss of his father and the way he behaved before makes for a complex MMC who is alpha hot and Sheila Wilder raised. (That boy respects his women and ensures their needs are met in every way possible...I'm swooning 🥰)

What sets this novel apart is Sorensen's talent for capturing the intricacies of relationships, not just in terms of romantic love but also in the way people connect with family, friends, and their own sense of identity. It's her gift as an author. Her pacing is steady, allowing for moments of reflection and deep emotional resonance, but it never lingers too long to make the narrative feel stagnant. You would be mad to swipe past this book in any capacity. It's sweet, stirring and sheer perfection!

[amelia · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75

This was more trope than book and it worked like a charm on me

[ivona 𓈒ㅤׂㅤ𐙚 ࣪ ⭒ · Rating 4 out of 5]

ˋ°•*⁀➷4.5☆

”i pledge my love, devotion, faith, and honor as i pledge my life to yours. you are my person—my love and my life, today and always.”

this series will always have a special place in my heart—it feels like a hidden gem. the stories, the couples, and the greenest flag men make it so special. more people need to know about it.

i was so excited for parker’s book and to see how his journey would unfold. he’s such a complex character with a lot to work through, and watching him finally choose his own happiness is so precious. anya is such a lovable and mature character—always there for him while respecting his boundaries. she understands him in a way no one else does. their romance was beautiful, filled with passion, tension, and quiet, unwavering support that made their love story so captivating.

i’m sad to say goodbye to these characters but definitely not this universe. i need to go back and reread the previous books, especially after those glimpses of aiden and isabel. karla, the woman that you are!

”loss doesn’t ever go away, parker. we build our lives around it, and eventually, it feels just a little bit smaller. you’re trying to get rid of it, and you can’t.”

”of all the things i couldn't have predicted out of this, you were my favorite surprise."

[RateTheRomance · Rating 5 out of 5]

HOLY HELL
this book is EVERYTHING

I love this entire series but THIS WILD HEART is next level amazingness. Anya and Parker have insane chemistry, sweet moments, difficult situations, and hot spicy scenes.

This book adds so many characters from the series without the reader feeling overwhelmed of lost. And the way this story tackles grief and love and family is perfection.

READ THIS BOOK. You will love it!

SPICE LEVEL: Rated R / 2-4 descriptive sex scenes, may have harsh language.
CONTENT WARNING: cheating ex, past death of parents, parental abandonment
FEELS: 4/5 - Tackled some seriously tough topics.
POV: Dual - M/F - 1st Person

[kay · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm rounding this up because I got to see all my faves, Aiden and Isabel, Sheila, Logan and Paige. Parker's story was a lot more grief centered than the others. While they were all sad, this one had a lot more sadness than lightness. The surprise turn near the beginning wasn't my favourite either. It was still a good book, just not what I was maybe expecting for Anya. 3.5★

[Taylor Gonser · Rating 4 out of 5]

twas pretty good. also the man’s bicep on this cover here is huge. goddamn. i’m at the end of my rope so i don’t have much more to say on this. sos

[Michelle Claypot_Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! What a way to finish a much beloved series. I was a little sad going into this one, knowing it’s the last in the series. It kinda felt like leaving family, I knew I’d miss these Wilders and worried if I would love this final book enough to give the series the send off it deserved.

My answer is unequivocally YES!!

I laughed, I cried, I swooned and then I cried some more. I absolutely loved catching up with all my favourite characters while also finally getting to spend some time with the elusive Parker. His love story wasn’t without its bumps, but it was still so very beautiful.

[ertisakalaci · Rating 5 out of 5]

- 𝑻𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝑾𝒊𝒍𝒅 𝑯𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒕 𝒃𝒚 𝑲𝒂𝒓𝒍𝒂 𝑺𝒐𝒓𝒆𝒏𝒔𝒆𝒏, 𝒓𝒆𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒔𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑭𝒆𝒃𝒓𝒖𝒂𝒓𝒚 𝟕𝒕𝒉

𝘛𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘴:
✰ 𝘧𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱
✰ 𝘝𝘦𝘨𝘢𝘴 𝘸𝘦𝘥𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨
✰ 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘤𝘦𝘥 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘹𝘪𝘮𝘪𝘵𝘺
✰ 𝘴𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘴 𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦
✰ 𝘩𝘶𝘳𝘵/𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘵

What a beautiful end to such a beloved series!
It really feels like I grew up with these books because I have been reading up through so many years now. Reading this last book felt bittersweet because these huge found family in Washington Wolves has always been comforting to me as a reader and this cast of characters felt like friends i would catch up with with each release. But I guess it can't last forever.

Anyway as for This wild heart, I adored it. It's not a surprise because Karla is a favorite author of mine. She genuinely is one of the few romance authors that still gives my that gushy feeling with her romance that I used to get back when romance wasn’t so huge. She's so good at writing slowburn romance and angst and in this book she delivered again.
As a reader i have had mixed feelings about Parker but reading from his pov was gut-wrentching and I really liked his journey, healing and growth in this book.
As for Anya, she was always my baby. She's so fierce. I just adore her!

I will not spoil the big thing that happens in this book but overall I really liked how everything came together throughout the story and how beautiful their journey as a couple was.

I am very repetitive but this is genuinely one of those books I will always recommend so you might as well pick them up now.

*arc kindly provided in exchange of an honest review

[Jeeves Reads Romance · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not one of my new favorites from the author, but still a strong read. I love a Vegas wedding/marriage of convenience between strangers and I’m a big fan of Sorensen’s work, so I had a lot of excitement going into this story. I also kinda loved that it’s essentially a crossover between two series, so we got to see beloved characters from the past. However, there was something missing for me, a lack of chemistry or connection that left me feeling detached from the couple. Throw in an unwelcome trope that was introduced halfway through (spoiler below), and this sits somewhere between three and four stars for me.

The story follows Parker, a pro athlete who has been spiraling since the loss of his father. He’s made plenty of bad decisions in the last year, and he feels low a lot of the time. But when Parker runs into a gorgeous woman in Vegas and discovers that she’s newly single - and in need of a husband to receive an inheritance - he wastes no time. The two wake up hungover and married, which Parker can’t regret because Anya helps distract him from his grief. As the two navigate the complexities of their fake relationship in the public eye, they’re thrown plenty of curveballs along the way.

Sorensen is one of my favorite authors for a reason, so there’s no doubt that there are some great moments here. The exploration of grief was really interesting, with Parker getting set back every time he tried to move forward. I think that’s part of the reason why it was difficult to get emotionally invested in them as a couple - Parker’s primary focus was elsewhere. That’s also why the surprise trope halfway through (a baby from a hookup several months before meeting Anya) was particularly unwelcome here. Their relationship was already taking a backseat to the grief, and adding a baby to the mix was one more layer of separation. I liked how they were ultimately able to form a family, but the journey to get there wasn’t as enjoyable as I’d hoped. Storyline-wise, this was closer to three stars for me, but Sorensen’s writing makes everything feel emotional and compelling - the quality overcomes some of the shortcomings in the plot. And I’m definitely looking forward to seeing what’s next from the author.

[Alesia Pruitt · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Ending We All Deserved!!

I have to start by saying I’ve read all 14 of the previous books in Karla Sorensen’s incredible world, and This Wild Heart—Parker Wilder’s story—is hands down my favorite one yet! If you love books that make you feel completely connected to the characters, with flirty, funny banter and moments so raw and heartfelt they hit you right in the soul, this book is perfect for you.

Here’s a little taste of what you’re getting into: Parker Wilder is the youngest son (but not the youngest child) of Tim and Sheila Wilder. When they got married, they created this amazing, blended family full of talented kids who either crush it in sports or thrive in the family’s construction business. But they’ve also faced a huge family tragedy. Throughout the series, you really see how each sibling handles it in their own way, but Parker? He’s been hit the hardest. He’s been carrying so much grief and disappointment in himself, and he’s made some not-so-great choices trying to numb it.

In This Wild Heart, Parker reconnects with his best friend and teammate’s cousin through a marriage of convenience. Both of them have their reasons for going through with it, but over time, they end up helping each other work through so much more than they ever expected. Of course, Parker’s past comes back to threaten all the progress he’s made, and for a second, you wonder if it’s all going to fall apart. But instead of breaking him, it’s what finally helps him heal for good.

I don’t even know how to put into words how much I loved this story. While you could technically read this one on its own, I’d seriously recommend starting with at least the four other Wilder siblings’ books so you can fully appreciate Parker’s journey. Trust me, you won’t regret it. This book has everything—heart, humor, love, and the kind of depth that sticks with you long after you’ve finished.

[Amanda (Romance Reviewed) · Rating 5 out of 5]

(ARC Review) 4.5 stars

This world Karla Sorensen has created is one of my very favorites and I’m so sad our time here has come to an end (unless it hasn’t? I’ll take a million more books please). It feels appropriate the series would end on a Ward/Wilder combo, because those two families have been the heart of this world and it was such a joy to see them come together.

Parker Wilder is still grieving the loss of his father, running away from his feelings, and trying to avoid his family when he not-so-accidentally marries Anya Ward in Vegas. The two barely know each other outside their familial connections, but Anya needs to be married in order to inherit her trust so who better than the guy she’s drunk with in Vegas (the start to all great relationships)

I just really loved them together! We’ve seen Parker in his sibling’s stories, but he’s been avoiding them so they don’t find out how not-okay he is after his father’s death, so I don’t feel like we got to know him until now. Anya helps pull him out of his funk, and gets him to face everything he’s hiding from. Anya was a great character, strong and competent and not afraid to stand up for herself.

I loved seeing the Wards (and Hennesesys) again, along with the Wilders we’ve been following more recently. I loved the first few series in this world but the Wilder Family has really become an all time favorite for me. I’ve laughed with them, I’ve cried with them (A LOT. A LOT OF CRYING) and it’s been a joy to watch them all fall in love. While I am personally devastated to leave this world, I’m so excited to see where the author goes from here.

[Bailey Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Parker’s book is finally here and did not disappoint! I got an ARC so I cannot give any spoilers.

Parker has met his match with a beloved character, Anya, from Forbidden (Ward Sisters series by Karla Sorensen). I smiled and was giddy through most of this book.

A lot of the Wilder family makes an appearance in this book and I’m here for it. Greer, as always, has some shining moments :)

We’ve seen Parker grow with this series and take some dark turns. Anya’s character does a great job with this (no spoilers!) I also love the parallels parker and Anya can bond over, it adds substance to their romance. The sexual tension between Parker and Anya is palpable and the banter is top notch!

This book was definitely worth the wait!

[Elle ♡ [semi-hiatus] · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’ve been reading this book for like 3 weeks so it’s hard to be coherent with my overall thoughts, definitely liked it though so 3 stars.

I love the Wilder family and I’ve been waiting so long to get this broody, moody football player’s story. This book also connected another series of this author’s that I love so that was a fun surprise to see the next gen as a heroine here!

Now why this took so long to get through if I liked it…I picked this up on a trip to the arctic circle where I was freshly recovering from the flu then turns out the arctic isn’t a good place to recover from the flu so I got a sinus infection. Then when I finally got home I was still recovering from that and got conjunctivitis 😅 which is almost gone. So. Travel and a million illnesses left little time for reading, but contrary to some negative reviews I saw I actually liked the 40% in surprise 😂 it really shook things up and got me a bit more invested to see how the fuck that would unfold. I didn’t really understand Parker’s motivations for the fake marriage so before that surprise I did enjoy their push and pull but the premise was a little random for me.

I also love an emotionally unavailable hero, that’s romance bread and butter so that didn’t piss me off either. Overall, lots of good tension, meddling family members, cute kids, fun cross overs and catching up with old characters. I enjoyed this and under normal circumstances would’ve finished it way quicker. It didn’t blow me away or anything but I had a good time.

[HappyKT · Rating 3 out of 5]

He is a professional football player that wears grief in the shadows under his eyes. She is an illustrator that is recovering from a toxic relationship.

Parker lost his father a few years ago. Although part of a big loving family, he felt like he couldn't share his grief with them. Instead he retreated from them and buried his broken heart. When a beautiful woman stirs his mostly dead feelings he can't help but feel the pull to her.

Anya is nursing humiliation with a touch of heartache from a toxic relationship. In the aftermath she has lost her security in her gut to make good decisions. So when the handsome football player wants to forget about their real lives for one night, she accepts against her better judgement.

Waking up in a hangover in Vegas with wedding rings sounds like a cliche until it isn't one. Now in the aftermath they both realize this could benefit them both and agree on a fake temporary marriage.

Anya is living in a dream and forgets to protect her heart from her handsome husband. For a moment she forgot about his demons keeping him from wanting loving relationships in his life. But when something huge comes at them both, suddenly their fake marriage is the least of their problems.

Dual POV, Vegas marriage, open door love scenes.

********SPOILERS********

This was my least favorite of the series. Sorry. I did not understand the first 25 percent of this book. I was able to put it down. Then the big surprise turn in the plot I almost gave up. No thank you. One cliche turned into a huge specific cliche that this series is extremely guilty of. (Spoilers!! There is only one book in this series of 5 books where children are not the glue that keeps these couples together. Surely we can use another detail) Parker is a sweet guy but his red flags are flying and he is not in a healthy place, especially for a relationship. I appreciate he has the self awareness to call himself out on that. Anya wasn't that interesting as a FMC, I literally do not remember anything about her. I do like that she is the adult child of another series by this author but I read too long ago to remember. I'm all for a tie in. But how many times are we going to use the same plot devices and tropes in the same series?! Fake relationships? There can only be so many. We gotta come up with something else. These two fumble their way through avoiding any kind of emotional maturity until the end. Which some would call growth. But I call 3 stars. Loved the ending and Epilogues. But I expected better from this author.

[Marian. · Rating 5 out of 5]

📌 I received an e-arc, and this is my honest opinion/review of it.

Este libro me recordó porque no solo amo la forma de escribir de Karla Sorensen si no, el porque amo leer romance. Parker y Anya fueron mucho más de lo que me pude imaginar y sin duda este pasa a ser el libro favorito del año (si, como leen).

El romance es tan lindo, crece lentamente pero a la vez rápidamente que solo te deja un buen sabor en el alma, la historia no solo te atrapa si no que te transporta dentro del libro, sientes cada sentimiento, cada palabra, TODO, sin duda pase mi mejor vida leyéndolo y solo quiero volver a leerlo. Los problemas de Parker me llegaron tan profundamente, que solo tenía lágrimas para él, ese final fue espectacular, como todo transcurrió, como todos los hermanos Wilder se reunieron, como toda la familia de Anya apareció, solo… uno de los mejores libros de la vida.

Esta historia me llegó tan profundamente que solo puedo decirle gracias a la autora por escribirla, porque fue lo que necesitaba leer en estos momentos donde no la estoy pasando nada bien.

Estoy triste de que terminara esta serie pero a la vez, feliz de ver que futuro libros nos traerá la autora.

---

This book reminded me why I not only love Karla Sorensen's writing, but why I love reading romance. Parker and Anya were so much more than I could have ever imagined and without a doubt this is going to be my favorite book of the year (yes, as you read).

The romance is so sweet, it grows slowly but at the same time so fast that it just leaves a good taste in your soul, the story not only grabs you but it transports you inside the book, you feel every feeling, every word, EVERYTHING, without a doubt I spent my best life reading it and I just want to read it again. Parker's problems touched me so deeply, I only had tears for him, the ending was spectacular, how everything happened, how all the Wilder brothers got together, how all of Anya's family showed up, just... one of the best books ever.

This story touched me so deeply that I can only say thank you to the author for writing it because it was just what I needed to read at this time when I'm not having a good time at all.

I am sad to see this series come to an end, but at the same time I am excited to see what future books the author will bring us.

[Lala_lovebooks · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ☆

Este libro marca el final de una etapa. No solo es el cierre de la familia Wilder sino que reune a varios personajes que veníamos conociendo desde la serie de Washigton wolves por lo que se sintio como un mimo al alma pese a la nostalgia de darle un cierre no a una sino a 4 series de la autora(al menos por ahora, con Karla nunca se sabe 😆)

Enfocandonos en este libro fue de mis favoritos de la autora sin dudas, si bien recicla cliches que ya vimos en varios libros no se sintio como una copia o algo repetitivo tiene su propia escencia.

Parker y Anya son todo lo que esta bien en una pareja , el como se apoyan y acompañan y se impulsan de manera incondicional. Fue el romance que mejor se desarrollo y pese a las circunstancias el que senti mas real y para nada forzado.

Sabía que iba a amar a Parker desde que lo conocimos en el libro de Erik. Pero ver este lado de el tan vulnerable le sumo muchisimo al desarrollo del persona. Me hubiera gusta ver mas escenas con sus hermanos sobre todo Cameron e Ian.

Como punto negativo me hubiera gustado ver un poco más a los ward. La verdad siendo prima de Emmet esperaba verlo un poco más.

Debo darle un plus a la autora por haber resuelto bien la concordancia con el epilogo de poppy ya que se solapan las líneas temporales.

Sin dudas voy a extrañar a clan Wilder!!

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Love was never convenient, was it? Not true love. The real thing was the most disruptive force on earth because you couldn’t hide behind anything to avoid it—not fear, not grief, not the lies we tell ourselves.”

What an ending to this series!!! This story felt like the culmination of so many of my favorite series from Karla all coming to an beautiful end! I have loved the Wilder’s from the first moment that we met them and then add in the fact our heroine is Anya from the Ward Sisters series and I was full of so many emotions! I knew Parker was going to be a tough nut to crack but his love story was worth it all.

“He was going to rearrange my world, and oh, I couldn’t wait.”

On a vacation to recover from a cheating ex, Anya made a drunken decision in Vegas that changed everything, she was now Mrs. Parker Wilder, and the whole world knew it. I loved the accidental marriage and how they both just decided to go with it, what harm could it do? And oh my were they in for the surprise of a lifetime!

“I didn’t want to breathe. I just wanted this. Just wanted him.”

Parker had closed his heart of to being hurt again after losing his Dad and he truly wasn’t prepared for the way Anya would absolutely upend his carefully crafted life. I loved watching them navigate the consequences of that one drunken decision and seeing them embrace the chemistry that sparked between them. Their story was the perfect ending to the series and Parker’s grand gesture had me absolutely smiling, so big! I definitely got emotional at the epilogue and wish this series could go on forever! Bravo Karla!!

“I’ve spent too many years waiting for something this good, and I swear, if you make me wait any longer, you’ll live to regret it.”

[Ashley (Kindled Souls Book Blog) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Real talk: I love this author, but I didn’t want to like this book. Going in, I knew what the big twist was, and it’s something I really dislike, so I didn’t want to like this book. But I did. An author who is able to incorporate some of my least favorite tropes/content and make me fall in love is an artist indeed.

‘This Wild Heart’ is the final story in the Wilder Family series with a lot of crossover from the Ward Sisters series. Like the rest of the Wilder series, this one deals heavily in grief. Parker is still mourning the loss of his father and feeling pretty bad about the way he handled that loss. Anya is handling her own kind of loss.

But while this book has some heavy moments, readers won’t feel like they’re drowning in the characters’ grief. There’s plenty of laughter and love in this book as well. Readers even get one chapter that’s from the point of view of Parker’s stepmother, and that is a treat.

Overall, this was a lovely, emotional, fitting ending to the Wilder Family series. Both characters are very easy to love.

I’d be remiss if I didn’t also mention that the duet narration of this audiobook is fantastic. The narrators do a nice job of bringing the story to life.

[Ashley Lutz · Rating 4 out of 5]

What an ending!! This book was SOOO good. I have been waiting for Parker’s book!! Who can believe his marriage of convenience is to none other than Anya!!! You will go through ALL the emotions in this one. You will laugh, cry, rejoice! It is sooo good! Bittersweet when you love a series and book family so much that it ends!! If you haven’t started this series DO THAT  before you read book 5! It will make the ending that much sweeter!!

[Amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful ending to this series.

I have been looking forward to Parker's book since we first met him. Then I found out that his love interest was none other than Anya Hennessy?! Sign me the heck up! If there is a family I love on the same level as the Wilder family, it's the Ward family! So you know I'm going to eat this crossover up! (Not that it's the first time they've crossed over (I'm looking at you Emmett & Adaline... LOL), but you know what I mean. We first meet Anya in Forbidden, when she's just a wee little child, so seeing her all grown up was WILD!

Parker & Anya were truly a beautiful couple. Their marriage may have started as a convenience, but it was pretty obvious from the beginning that these two were meant to be together, no matter how unconventional it began. Parker is dealing with a lot of demons and he needed a fiercely strong female lead to help him through all of the surprises that life threw at him.

I won't go into details because SPOILERS, but this was yet another masterpiece that's going to stick with me for a long, long time. I'm so sad to say goodbye to this family, but I am looking forward to whatever comes next from Karla.

Thank you to the author Karla Sorensen for an early copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. :)

[Sadie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm not going to lie, between being busy and knowing this one was going to wreck me I put off reading it until last night (also I'm just so sad this series is ending) and then I stayed up way too late reading be per usual, Karla hooked me in from page 1

Oh my heart! We've known from book 1 of the Wilders that Parker's book was going to be something else given his avoidance of his father's illness at first then dealing with his grief later. And then we meet Anya who is so strong but also has her own stuff that is very much heartbreaking too. I love love love them together. And the twist about halfway through? (How often do you get to say that in a romance?) omg, it's inspired and that's all I can really say without spoilers but I loved it.

AND we get Isabel, Aiden, and PAIGE AND LOGAN cameos! The OG Washington wolves couples.

If you haven't checked out this series, I highly recommend it. I'm so sad this series is over but I hope Karla has some more families in this universe she's got ideas for up in her head be it's one of my all time favorite romantic universes.

[Kim Whitehead · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heartwarming!