Merry & Wild: A Small Town, Holiday, Snowed-In Novella

The Wilds of Montana #0.5

by Kristen Proby

Merry & Wild is the prequel novella for The Wilds of Montana series. This can be read anytime, but fits before Wilds of Montana in the reading order.

Set in the mid-1980's, this is a holiday story. John Wild meets the love of his life, Joy, at a Christmas party in Bitterroot Valley, Montana. After being snowed in at John's cabin at the Wild River Ranch during a blizzard, the two spend a whirlwind, spicy weekend together, and John doesn't plan to let Joy out of his sight.

Genres: Christmas, Romance, Holiday, Novella, Westerns, Cowboy Romance, Small Town Romance

85 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 12, 2024

About the author

Kristen Proby is a New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of over seventy published titles. She debuted in 2012, captivating fans with spicy contemporary romance about families and friends with plenty of swoony love. She also writes paranormal romance and suggests you keep the lights on while reading them.

When not under deadline, Kristen enjoys spending time with her husband and their fur babies, riding her bike, relaxing with embroidery, trying her hand at painting, and, of course, enjoying her beautiful home in the mountains of Montana.

Reviews

[Katie Beasley · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was super short and sweet. Great intro to a new "world" and open to a ton of possibilities. We meet John Wild who is taking his sister in town for a dance. He runs into Joy who he knew in high school. She lets him know she had a crush on him in high school. He finds himself not wanting to leave her so invites her to get some dinner and come home with him. They have their night of fun full of connection and realize they are now stormed in. John lives on a ranch and has recently started taking over more and more for his dad. He has responsibilities that he needs to take care of and wouldn't you know it, Joy helps him. At the end of the long weekend, Joy has to go back to town so she can work. But John realizes he doesn't want her to go. He wants her around for a long time...maybe even forever!

Short and sweet. We meet baby Remington at the end who is the main MC in book 1 of Wilds of Montana. Looking forward to diving in soon.

[Briana smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was absolutely adorable and such a cute way to set up the next book🥹🫶🏻

[sunshine · Rating 3 out of 5]

cute story. just not into insta like/love thing

[CourtneyS · Rating 4 out of 5]

OVERALL: 🌟🌟🌟🌟/5
•Storyline: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
•Spice Level: 🌶.5/ 5
•Swoon level: 🫠🫠🫠🫠/5
•Re-Listen/Re-Read: No
•Recommend: Yes
•Platform: Ebook
•Trope: Small town, Novella -John and Joy's Story, Snowed in, Insta Love.

• Thoughts:
I can't believe it's taken me this long to read Kristen Proby. After riding this Novella, I am so excited to dive into the Wilds of Montana Series. This was an insta love and a Snowed in Novella of the Parents in the Wilds of Montana. John and Joy's story is so cute! I have a feeling the boys of this series will learn a lot from their dad. It is a quick and happy read. I highly recommend.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

John & Joy
Cute winter prequel. Set in the past (way back to the 80’s 🤣). This cowboy and his lucky lady are the parents in the new series.

I accidentally skipped over it originally and it did not interfere at all with reading book one. This is really just a little back story romance and it’s cute 🥰

Can read in an hour

[Jenna Kindinger · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute, very quick novella to introduce you to John and Joy!

[Rebecca Pickett · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute story and a quick read.

[Brittany Vezer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a cute prequel for the series!

If you’re interested in starting the Wilds of Montana series, jump into this quick holiday novella!

[Gabbie Machtan · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️

[Jess - Reader of Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

Merry & Wild by Kristen Proby 💙
The Wilds of Montana, Book 0.5
Prequel novella

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Adult • Romance
KU review
85 pages

💙snowed in holiday romance
💙small town
💙cowboy romance
💙close proximity

Getting to see John and meet Joy was straight out of my wildest (sorry 🫣) dreams 😁

They were as perfect as I knew they would be. You don’t get to make Wilds like that without good ingredients (oh boy, this review is going cringe so fast… alas, endure😜). Their love, their connection was so beautiful. I loved every page of this.

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this prequel novella! This is short & sweet. I have really loved this series so it was nice to see how the parents of all the Wild children met. John & Joy met and had an instant connection. That connection was able to be amplified when they were snowed in together. That snow storm changed their lives.

[Laetitia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a fun read! I love that it takes places in the 80's with a great soundtrack to boot. John Wild drives into town to take his little sister to a Christmas party at the fire hall and there he runs into Joy. John and Joy went to high school together and they hadn't seen each other in years so they decide to catch up for a bit. After getting some food, they continue their night back at the Wild River Ranch. Not only did Joy and John have great chemistry, they also had great banter and Joy seemed to fit perfectly with John. They spend their night having sex, talking, doing some work around the ranch because of a crazy snow storm. John wasn't expecting Joy to be so at ease at the ranch and Joy never thought that she would finally get to be with her high school crush. They end up spending the entire weekend holed up at John's cabin getting to know one another and one year later Joy and John Wild welcome the next generation of Wilds at the Wild River Ranch. I'm looking forward to this brand new series with some familiar characters.

[Longstoryshort.96 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book Review:

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️

If you know me, you know I always love the parents in small town romance books with all the kids! Most of the time you never get their origin story and I always want one because they are the head of the family. I absolutely loved this origin story. My only complaint is that it wasn't a full length story.

I just absolutley loved seeing a young John and Joy. John was a true gentleman and Joy was just the sweetest. Their relationship was so cute and sweet. If you've read the series you know John and Joy have a strong marriage and love. I've loved reading about them through the books but reading about how they met and fell in love literally just made my heart so happy.

Kristen did a wonderful job putting a full love story and history into this novella. I just love the Wild family. ❤️

[Cat Nunez · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was the perfect short story to introduce this new series and to know more about the Wild family, it was an easy read but I loved how John and Joy's relationship developed and how after a short time with each other they knew they belonged together.

Joy and John knew each other in high school but they didn't see each other until the present and I loved how they were both upfront about their feelings and weren't afraid to let the other know about their crushes. They both complemented each other so it was nice reading about how comfortable they were together and how in the end everything worked out in their favor.

We got to see them as a family and with baby Remington at the end so I can't wait to read his story and start reading more about the Wild family.

[Sharon A Shovan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a short story about instant attraction that clicks. John and Joy. John took his sister to a party and was going to stay till she went home because of the winter storm. Montana is known for them. He sees a pretty woman who looks familiar and finds out her name is Joy and they went to school together. The attraction is really strong and on both sides. After talking for a while he has the urge to get even friendlier especially when she tells him she has had a crush on him since school. Well okay then! Will she go with him? He does not feel like this is a one night stand but how to convince her?

[Alicia · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is basically an origin story of the current generation Wild family, and explains how their parents wound up together. It is super insta-love and high on spicy content for the number of pages. These two are basically the epitome of love at first sight (except they knew each other as teens. Love at first adult sighting?) and wind up trapped together during a snowstorm. We all know how that ends. There’s zero conflict, and it very much just an excuse to be sappy and get some characters naked.

[Mags · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25⭐

Merry & Wild is a supercute novella. Telling the story of John and Joy Wild. Who meet again at a holiday dance. Where Joy lets slip she's always had a crush on rancher John Wild.

And when John's younger sister, Melissa, says she is staying in town with a friend, John jumps at the chance to be alone with Joy.

Which begins a weekend neither will forget. As the pair end up snowed in at John's small cabin on the Wild family ranch. And the rest is history, as that weekend leads to a lifetime of love and laughter together.

[LecturesdeJenn ☾ · Rating 4 out of 5]

« Don’t worry. I won’t take you anywhere that it’s not safe. I know this ranch better than I know your body, and that’s saying a lot, seeing as how I spent a lot of time memorizing every single gorgeous line and curve you’ve got.»

4,5⭐️

This was so light hearted, romantic, swoony, warm and cozy. I’m just falling deeper and deeper in love with this family and reading the beginning was everything. Joy & John are made for each other and I just love the way everything falls into place so easily and perfectly without feeling rushed. Can’t wait now to read “Chasing the Wild”.

[Sonia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the 2nd book—well, really story, not “book-book”—I read by Kristen Proby, and I really liked it! It was more of a sweet, cute, little story than anything really “spicy”. 🥰 I previously only read the 1st book of “The Blackwells of Montoya” series, her newest book, and I really liked that, too. I just kinda wish it was just a little longer rather than just a “short story” . . . 🥹 But I guess I’ll learn more about the characters in other books in the series . . . Anyway, I am looking forward to continuing this series tomorrow! 👍🏻😊

[Michele A. · Rating 4 out of 5]

John and Joy happen to reconnect when he drives his sister to a party that Joy is attending. They reconnect and find themselves wanting to spend time together. When a snow storm comes and causes them to spend an entire weekend together, it seems fate wants them together for real. They start to get to know each other again and realize that they have real feelings for each other. It was a good start to this series. It was a quick, easy read and had a nice holiday spirit to it.

[Susan Hamann · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a prequel to the Wild series that is about to be launched. This story is about John and Joy, who have known each other since early school years, but they never had a relationship. Until one snowy night when John brought his younger sister to a dance in town. The sister stayed in town. Joy wanted to go back to John's ranch and the rest is sexy, loving, and a great intro to a sexy series. It's a quick read and if you like steamy cowboy stories, you may want to give this one a try.

[Jackie Wright · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the prequel to the new Wild series and for me this quick read is exactly want you want in a prequel. John and Joy’s story gives you just enough and leaves you wanting more.
John and Joy have known each other most of their life’s but it wasn’t until a snowy night did they act on their feelings and what follows is a fun, steamy read that sets you up for the new series. If you love cowboys and small town romances you will want to read this one.

[Sonia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! Set in the 80s with a fantastic soundtrack, it follows John and Joy as they reconnect after years apart. Their chemistry and banter were fantastic, and they spend a memorable, snowstorm-filled weekend together at the Wild River Ranch. The story sets the stage for a brand new series, leaving me eager for more. If you love cowboy and small town romances, this is a must-read.

[Readiculous 📚🖤👱🏼‍♀️ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I finished reading the first book in this series this afternoon and saw there was a prequel novella, so I had to get on that!
I’m glad that I picked this up. It’s a quick, christmassy, OTT, instalove novella. It’s the story of the parents of the siblings that feature in the other books in this series. It is set in the 80s and it has some funny references to 80s pop culture.

A great way to spend an hour or so!

Safety:
No OW/OM
No cheating
No separation / no third act break up
Mentions cancer

[Tiffany Adams · Rating 4 out of 5]

How did I not realize this prequel novella was the parent's book! This was such a cute, snowy holiday romance of when John & Joy Wild met and fell in love before you meet all the Wild children in the series. It's a quick insta love romance, snowed in at John's cabin with quite the hot and steamy moments!

This story is such a fantastic set up to the series as we don't often see the story of the parents. And even if you've already read the series, it was so fun to go back to!

[Tracy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a cute start to The Wilds of Montana series!

John drops his sister off at the town dance and runs into Joy, a girl he hasn’t seen since high school.

He takes her home with him and then there’s a storm that keeps her with him the entire weekend. Am looking forward to the rest of the series.

[Athanasia ♥︎ · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quick and cute read. I loved it. I wish I have read it during christmas. Regardless, I like it even more than Wild For You.

Tags:
Friends to lovers🤤😳 🥰
Cowboy MMC 🤠🤠🤠
Dirty Talk😈🎇🗣
Mitual pinning ❤️‍🩹💔
Possessive MMC💞 💓 💗
Parental death(mentioned) 🪔🩸💔
Christmas novel 🎅🎄❄️☃️🎁🦌
Prequel👤🤩 🥳
HEA🔔👰🏼🌠

[Kari · Rating 5 out of 5]

Merry & Wild is the prequel to the Wilds series by Kristen Proby. It's an amazing, quick read that has you not wanting to put it down!

It's always fun getting to know the parents before they are parents in these big family series, and this book did just that! John and Joy are fun and truly made for each other! This story just makes me more excited to get to know the rest of the Wilds better!

[Sandra Shipman ~ Two Book Pushers · Rating 5 out of 5]

So cute!! John and Joy’s origin story is not only cute but it is fun, sweet, and sexy! It’s a short story but it packs a bunch. I was going to read Wild for You first but this I saw that there was a prequel (can be read before or after) so I found the link at the end of Wild for You and I am so glad I did. I can’t wait to read the rest of the series!

[Kelsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved getting to know Joy and John and how they became John and Joy.
I struggled a little bit separating their younger versions from the versions in the series. Because mama Joy 🤭 ma'am. 😂
I don't typically care to read about the parents' back story, but I'm glad I read this one. I love the Wild’s. 🩵