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Wildflower Canyon #1
The Wrong Ride Home
She’s my first love. She’s also my father’s mistress’s daughter.
I’m Duke Wilder, and this is my story.
I left Wildflower Canyon and Wilder Ranch ten years ago away from my father and Elena—the girl I loved before I found out she was the daughter of my father’s mistress.
Now my father is gone, and he’s left the ranch to me. I come back ready to sell it off piece by piece, to destroy his so-called legacy, and finally get revenge on the land that failed my mother.
But coming back to the Colorado ranch country feels like stepping into a part of myself I’ve tried to forget. The wide-open skies, the mountains, the horses—it’s all still in my blood. And so is Elena, no matter that I’ve brought my girlfriend with me.
Elena never left the ranch. Even after her mother passed, she stayed, caring for my father until the end. They call her the horse whisperer, and it’s easy to see why. She’s incredible at what she does.
I should hate her. But I can’t. The fire we had all those years ago never died. Being near her feels like standing too close to the sun—and it burns just the way I like it.
I try to fight how I feel for her, but I give up when I realize that I want more than revenge. I want Elena. I want the ranch. But after everything that’s happened, she doesn’t trust me. Maybe she never will.
The Wrong Ride Home is a second-chance cowboy romance that features all your favorite
🐎 Second Chance
🐎 Cowboy
🐎 Other Woman Drama
🐎 Small Town
🐎 No Cheating
🐎 Complete Standalone
Trigger This book contains themes of miscarriage, suicide attempts, and emotional trauma. Please read with care.
I’m Duke Wilder, and this is my story.
I left Wildflower Canyon and Wilder Ranch ten years ago away from my father and Elena—the girl I loved before I found out she was the daughter of my father’s mistress.
Now my father is gone, and he’s left the ranch to me. I come back ready to sell it off piece by piece, to destroy his so-called legacy, and finally get revenge on the land that failed my mother.
But coming back to the Colorado ranch country feels like stepping into a part of myself I’ve tried to forget. The wide-open skies, the mountains, the horses—it’s all still in my blood. And so is Elena, no matter that I’ve brought my girlfriend with me.
Elena never left the ranch. Even after her mother passed, she stayed, caring for my father until the end. They call her the horse whisperer, and it’s easy to see why. She’s incredible at what she does.
I should hate her. But I can’t. The fire we had all those years ago never died. Being near her feels like standing too close to the sun—and it burns just the way I like it.
I try to fight how I feel for her, but I give up when I realize that I want more than revenge. I want Elena. I want the ranch. But after everything that’s happened, she doesn’t trust me. Maybe she never will.
The Wrong Ride Home is a second-chance cowboy romance that features all your favorite
🐎 Second Chance
🐎 Cowboy
🐎 Other Woman Drama
🐎 Small Town
🐎 No Cheating
🐎 Complete Standalone
Trigger This book contains themes of miscarriage, suicide attempts, and emotional trauma. Please read with care.
484 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 23, 2025
1830 people are currently reading
813 people want to read
About the author
Maya Alden
52 books1,145 followersA top 20 Amazon Bestselling Author, Maya Alden pens angsty contemporary romances.
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June 24, 2025
disgusting hero
I need to stay away from Maya Alden’s books. Duke is even more vile and disgusting than her usual heroes. He was just straight up gross. Elena was her usual doormat heroine who still loves him and wants him even after all the hideous things he’s done to her. There’s a disgusting scene in this book of Duke with his current girlfriend (who’s atrocious btw) that purposely happens right in front of the Elena and she STILL pines for him. I couldn’t take it.
I need to stay away from Maya Alden’s books. Duke is even more vile and disgusting than her usual heroes. He was just straight up gross. Elena was her usual doormat heroine who still loves him and wants him even after all the hideous things he’s done to her. There’s a disgusting scene in this book of Duke with his current girlfriend (who’s atrocious btw) that purposely happens right in front of the Elena and she STILL pines for him. I couldn’t take it.
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June 23, 2025Sadly this one didn't work for me.
Angsty story.
Cowboy/Ranch theme.
Other woman drama
Second chance romance I think 10 year gap.
The Hero returns to his father's ranch after the death of his father basically to sell the ranch and land. His parents lived apart and he hadn't had a relationship with his father for some time.
He brings his girlfriend/lawyer with him.
He says it was to protect him from falling for the heroine again.
I think my issue with this book is it isn't until just over 50% mark of the book that he officially breaks off his relationship with the other woman and sends her packing.
The circumstances of the split between the Hero and heroine are complicated and I think because that has to be sorted out which involves alot of discoveries it makes his grovel/redemption quicker than I'd like on page.
We do get that time passes of him trying to get an in with her.
Before he breaks it off there are also scenes with the girlfriend sitting on his lap, they are kissing and one scene a bit more and he knows the heroine is there and does it to hurt her. Also a bj.
All the while he feels he loves the heroine and never stopped... sigh.
The heroine has been with others, nothing permanent, she feels she can't do love again.
What I would say is they were very young when they had their initial romance and there was a lot more going on than the Hero knew.
Secondary characters introduced in the book, Maverick is up next.
HEA.
Trigger Warning: This book contains themes of miscarriage, suicide attempts, and emotional trauma. Please read with care.
Angsty story.
Cowboy/Ranch theme.
Other woman drama
Second chance romance I think 10 year gap.
The Hero returns to his father's ranch after the death of his father basically to sell the ranch and land. His parents lived apart and he hadn't had a relationship with his father for some time.
He brings his girlfriend/lawyer with him.
He says it was to protect him from falling for the heroine again.
I think my issue with this book is it isn't until just over 50% mark of the book that he officially breaks off his relationship with the other woman and sends her packing.
The circumstances of the split between the Hero and heroine are complicated and I think because that has to be sorted out which involves alot of discoveries it makes his grovel/redemption quicker than I'd like on page.
We do get that time passes of him trying to get an in with her.
Before he breaks it off there are also scenes with the girlfriend sitting on his lap, they are kissing and one scene a bit more and he knows the heroine is there and does it to hurt her. Also a bj.
All the while he feels he loves the heroine and never stopped... sigh.
The heroine has been with others, nothing permanent, she feels she can't do love again.
What I would say is they were very young when they had their initial romance and there was a lot more going on than the Hero knew.
Secondary characters introduced in the book, Maverick is up next.
HEA.
Trigger Warning: This book contains themes of miscarriage, suicide attempts, and emotional trauma. Please read with care.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 25, 2025
Imagine Apologising For Fiona's Behaviour When You Made Her An Unwitting Porn Star For Your Ex!! Maya, That's Sexually Abusive, Revenge Porn Without A Recording, Harvey Wenstein Fucker
His Ma may be a Narcissist but this Asshole is an absolute Sociopath.
Wow, you toxic five star Daddy Dick Mes really have zero standards.
He doesn't change at all.
He literally blamed her for something that wasn't her fucking business to begin with. Like doesnt matter if she knew, its not her business, you abusive cunt.
Ten years he calls her misogynistic names from a distance, for something that wasn't her business.
His behaviour also gets her abused at home because the books just misogyny and she has to pretend tension is love because the affluent are Trauma Tourists.
"is he allll in"
No He is very controlling the whole book, very abusive, the whole book.
And Never Not Hearing "Juicy Pussy" when he thinks of Elena, every gawddam time. You chose to make him irredeemable, and she just "loves" him anyway.
Thus, like most of Maya's books, this book is Ableist.
As the kid with the suicidal attempts mother, this book is ableist. The way its all done, is ableist.
He gets to impose a newly created grief for the pregnancy he deliberately ended.
Make no mistake, he wanted to drive her mad, he wanted her to have unnecessary cortisol, killing people faster than obesity and smoking by the way, and wanted her to suffer.
He was 20.
He wasn't 12.
He was well aware she could have been pregnant when he was abusing her. And he still chose to act.
And Maya lets this cunt, who killed his child, grieve.
Fuck. The. Ableists.
He gets to appropriate and feed on her trauma.
Hes SO Narcissistic.
'Omg, I forced you into miscarriage with misogynistic, ableist, classist abuse? Well Patriarchy lets me pretend this is my grief too.'
Abused both Fiona and Elena, sexually, like Harvy Weinstein and Russel Brand and Andrew Tate at the barn. Violated them both, without consent, and we are convinced my Maya's ableism that this toxic act was done out of love
Loverboy Method in print.
Stunned that her skin doesn't crawl every time he touches her.
This isn't love, its a toxic trauma bond.
Poor her, forever leased to men who disrespect her on fundamental levels.
I can't believe how he treats Fiona, hes so misogynistic for how he is so quick to blame the women in his life for his high conflict nature.
And gawd wasn't her wee Native token disgusting.
Why are Maya's characters always a collection of their diverse parts for the white people to have a Trauma Tourist session around, fucking white saviour complex.
Hey guys, Nash and Duke are the "good" settlers.
Laugh the ground down.
Misogynists, both of them, as was Maria and Gloria.
Able To Orgasm Down Other Womans Throat, And Maya Wants To Convince Me He's In Love With Elena, When The Body Is The Organ Of Emotion
He doesn't love her.
Lets see the tripe Maya pulls to try and convince us you can orgasm inside someone, while in love with someone else.
(well he went in to sexually abuse both Fiona and Elena so the Blow Job was just the start. dirty vile man)
Hes a narcissist just like his ma and da.
And the way they want to carve up the land, only Luigi Mangione is good enough for this man.
As a native Irish woman, and men like this raped and stole and famined my land, I do find it strange the type of men you are attracted to, Social Murderers of babies, selling off more and more land that could have fed babies.
But its ok, Maya brought her token Native American to pretend Nash was good for owning land that should belong to the Natives.
Americans are so disgusting and narcissistic the way they assume trauma is the cause for their brutality, because every movie lets them pretend.
Hes a cunt.
Orgasming down Fionas throat admitting he was cheating.
Oh you women who think he'd be cheating on Fiona because you are so dead inside you need words, not actions.
Get your dead, necrotic pussy slapped alive a few times.
"Inleft her alone in the dark and would have to live with that guilt and remorse."
That is a record on the narcissism. Framing his emotions over his choices to abuse her.
Every time he comes near Elena I have a "Get off me!" reaction, the love bombing and touching make it worse.
Elena, you should have healed. Instead, you got on your knees yet again. Why would Maya want you ro change the habit of a lifetime? Then Duke might actually have to learn to ger comfortable not nuancing his choices.
I dunno why hes pissed at her.
Its not her business.
___________
PSA FOR THE WHITE WOMEN
Takes a white woman from Ireland to know the self victimisation is real. So fucking real.
Anyway, this is why white women like Sabrina Carpenter who think being on her knees for a man is liberating.
Maybe it is personally liberating to a person with money, that this is all feminism is about to them, meanwhile, men use Sabrina's images to tell Neurodiverse and traumatised women that no, fuck their Oral Trauma, that "women like it", see? See? "Feminists" get on their knees too.
No.
Affluent bitches do, with barely any trauma.
Comorbidly traumatised women, women who have multiple systems against them, you know, rather than diversity just being a collection of diverse friends to dissect to the audience, all of them with fed bellies, speaking for people with actual long term trauma.
No, most of us struggle to eat after this level of abuse.
But Maya's characters only ever lists concepts of shit the reader can relate to, but never has them be physically impacted by the trauma unless convenient for the plot.
Hes a terrible person and he is always telling himself its everyone elses fault.
Shes such a fucking ableist doormat.
His Ma may be a Narcissist but this Asshole is an absolute Sociopath.
Wow, you toxic five star Daddy Dick Mes really have zero standards.
He doesn't change at all.
He literally blamed her for something that wasn't her fucking business to begin with. Like doesnt matter if she knew, its not her business, you abusive cunt.
Ten years he calls her misogynistic names from a distance, for something that wasn't her business.
His behaviour also gets her abused at home because the books just misogyny and she has to pretend tension is love because the affluent are Trauma Tourists.
"is he allll in"
No He is very controlling the whole book, very abusive, the whole book.
And Never Not Hearing "Juicy Pussy" when he thinks of Elena, every gawddam time. You chose to make him irredeemable, and she just "loves" him anyway.
Thus, like most of Maya's books, this book is Ableist.
As the kid with the suicidal attempts mother, this book is ableist. The way its all done, is ableist.
He gets to impose a newly created grief for the pregnancy he deliberately ended.
Make no mistake, he wanted to drive her mad, he wanted her to have unnecessary cortisol, killing people faster than obesity and smoking by the way, and wanted her to suffer.
He was 20.
He wasn't 12.
He was well aware she could have been pregnant when he was abusing her. And he still chose to act.
And Maya lets this cunt, who killed his child, grieve.
Fuck. The. Ableists.
He gets to appropriate and feed on her trauma.
Hes SO Narcissistic.
'Omg, I forced you into miscarriage with misogynistic, ableist, classist abuse? Well Patriarchy lets me pretend this is my grief too.'
Abused both Fiona and Elena, sexually, like Harvy Weinstein and Russel Brand and Andrew Tate at the barn. Violated them both, without consent, and we are convinced my Maya's ableism that this toxic act was done out of love
Loverboy Method in print.
Stunned that her skin doesn't crawl every time he touches her.
This isn't love, its a toxic trauma bond.
Poor her, forever leased to men who disrespect her on fundamental levels.
I can't believe how he treats Fiona, hes so misogynistic for how he is so quick to blame the women in his life for his high conflict nature.
And gawd wasn't her wee Native token disgusting.
Why are Maya's characters always a collection of their diverse parts for the white people to have a Trauma Tourist session around, fucking white saviour complex.
Hey guys, Nash and Duke are the "good" settlers.
Laugh the ground down.
Misogynists, both of them, as was Maria and Gloria.
Able To Orgasm Down Other Womans Throat, And Maya Wants To Convince Me He's In Love With Elena, When The Body Is The Organ Of Emotion
He doesn't love her.
Lets see the tripe Maya pulls to try and convince us you can orgasm inside someone, while in love with someone else.
(well he went in to sexually abuse both Fiona and Elena so the Blow Job was just the start. dirty vile man)
Hes a narcissist just like his ma and da.
And the way they want to carve up the land, only Luigi Mangione is good enough for this man.
As a native Irish woman, and men like this raped and stole and famined my land, I do find it strange the type of men you are attracted to, Social Murderers of babies, selling off more and more land that could have fed babies.
But its ok, Maya brought her token Native American to pretend Nash was good for owning land that should belong to the Natives.
Americans are so disgusting and narcissistic the way they assume trauma is the cause for their brutality, because every movie lets them pretend.
Hes a cunt.
Orgasming down Fionas throat admitting he was cheating.
Oh you women who think he'd be cheating on Fiona because you are so dead inside you need words, not actions.
Get your dead, necrotic pussy slapped alive a few times.
"Inleft her alone in the dark and would have to live with that guilt and remorse."
That is a record on the narcissism. Framing his emotions over his choices to abuse her.
Every time he comes near Elena I have a "Get off me!" reaction, the love bombing and touching make it worse.
Elena, you should have healed. Instead, you got on your knees yet again. Why would Maya want you ro change the habit of a lifetime? Then Duke might actually have to learn to ger comfortable not nuancing his choices.
I dunno why hes pissed at her.
Its not her business.
___________
PSA FOR THE WHITE WOMEN
Takes a white woman from Ireland to know the self victimisation is real. So fucking real.
Anyway, this is why white women like Sabrina Carpenter who think being on her knees for a man is liberating.
Maybe it is personally liberating to a person with money, that this is all feminism is about to them, meanwhile, men use Sabrina's images to tell Neurodiverse and traumatised women that no, fuck their Oral Trauma, that "women like it", see? See? "Feminists" get on their knees too.
No.
Affluent bitches do, with barely any trauma.
Comorbidly traumatised women, women who have multiple systems against them, you know, rather than diversity just being a collection of diverse friends to dissect to the audience, all of them with fed bellies, speaking for people with actual long term trauma.
No, most of us struggle to eat after this level of abuse.
But Maya's characters only ever lists concepts of shit the reader can relate to, but never has them be physically impacted by the trauma unless convenient for the plot.
Hes a terrible person and he is always telling himself its everyone elses fault.
Shes such a fucking ableist doormat.
October 18, 2025
This story...I didn't cry at all. No, my eyes were clear throughout this book from start to finish. My heart didn't ache for both Duke and Elena and their unfair up-bringings. Not a little. I didn't want to get in the book and slap some sense to their parents. And I don't like Hunt or Maverick.
OK who am I kidding? This story was amazing, so much so I couldn't put it down. And I got in relactantly because it is lengthy but at the end it didn't feel enough! It could go on and on and I would still be captured.
Talk about some drama, this book has plenty. It's a slow burn, friends to enemies to lovers with OW drama, lots of triggers so be sure you read them before diving in (though it has fair warnings throughout the book), hurt/comfort, angst and lots of suspense.
OK who am I kidding? This story was amazing, so much so I couldn't put it down. And I got in relactantly because it is lengthy but at the end it didn't feel enough! It could go on and on and I would still be captured.
Talk about some drama, this book has plenty. It's a slow burn, friends to enemies to lovers with OW drama, lots of triggers so be sure you read them before diving in (though it has fair warnings throughout the book), hurt/comfort, angst and lots of suspense.
June 27, 2025
My rating: 4 stars
What I loved: I liked how Duke(H) finally stood up to his mother. I liked how his mother and his ex went to jail. I liked how Elena(h) had lovers during the separation of her not being with Duke. Lastly, I liked how Duke did a will to make sure Elena and the ranch will always be taken care of.
What I didn’t like: I wish Elena made Duke grovel more. After everything she went through that man should have been on his knees begging for her forgiveness…calling her a whore when he knew she was a virgin and up and leaving her was a dick move. Also, him coming back and being rude to her and making sure she saw him with the ow was horrible. Elena was just too sweet. I also wished Nash would have at least left her money or something besides a letter.
***Major Spoilers/ Details/Triggers: OW drama, H says rude things to heroine, miscarriage and attempt suicide. H and h have a summer fling. During that time they fall in love. When the H finds out that the h’s mom is his dad’s mistress he accuses the h of knowing about it and seducing him. He calls the h a whore just like her mom. H ups and leaves and doesn’t return until ten years later when his dad dies. h has been at the ranch the whole time taking care of the H’s dad which treated her like crap, blaming her for his son leaving him and never returning. h stayed because she promised her mom before she died that she would take care of him (a mother that paid more attention to her lover more than her daughter). h is now a great horse trainer which everyone wants. When the H comes back to take the ranch and sell it, he comes back with a girlfriend. While getting everything ready to sell, the H treats the h like crap. Still blaming her for his dad and her mom. H even makes sure that the h sees him getting the ow off. h runs off and H sees her crying and realizes that he messed up. H also starts to see how the ow treats the ranch hands and doesn’t like it. H realizes he needs to break things off with the ow. H sends the ow away. When H talks to a friend of his father he finds out that his mother had an affair and left his father. When his mother felt like she was losing her son or when the H’s father asked for a divorce so he could be with the h’s mother she “attempted suicide” each time, to manipulate the father and son. H confronts mom and tells her he is done with her and he isn’t selling the farm. H also goes to talk to the h and tells her he wants her back and he will prove that she is the one for him. H goes about fixing things with the h. When someone tries to kill him but instead shoots the h, H works with a friend to help put the person or persons in jail. At the end the guilty parties are arrested and the H and h get their HEA.
Final thoughts: This was a good read. It took me a bit to like the hero but by the end he kind of grew on me.
What I loved: I liked how Duke(H) finally stood up to his mother. I liked how his mother and his ex went to jail. I liked how Elena(h) had lovers during the separation of her not being with Duke. Lastly, I liked how Duke did a will to make sure Elena and the ranch will always be taken care of.
What I didn’t like: I wish Elena made Duke grovel more. After everything she went through that man should have been on his knees begging for her forgiveness…calling her a whore when he knew she was a virgin and up and leaving her was a dick move. Also, him coming back and being rude to her and making sure she saw him with the ow was horrible. Elena was just too sweet. I also wished Nash would have at least left her money or something besides a letter.
***Major Spoilers/ Details/Triggers: OW drama, H says rude things to heroine, miscarriage and attempt suicide. H and h have a summer fling. During that time they fall in love. When the H finds out that the h’s mom is his dad’s mistress he accuses the h of knowing about it and seducing him. He calls the h a whore just like her mom. H ups and leaves and doesn’t return until ten years later when his dad dies. h has been at the ranch the whole time taking care of the H’s dad which treated her like crap, blaming her for his son leaving him and never returning. h stayed because she promised her mom before she died that she would take care of him (a mother that paid more attention to her lover more than her daughter). h is now a great horse trainer which everyone wants. When the H comes back to take the ranch and sell it, he comes back with a girlfriend. While getting everything ready to sell, the H treats the h like crap. Still blaming her for his dad and her mom. H even makes sure that the h sees him getting the ow off. h runs off and H sees her crying and realizes that he messed up. H also starts to see how the ow treats the ranch hands and doesn’t like it. H realizes he needs to break things off with the ow. H sends the ow away. When H talks to a friend of his father he finds out that his mother had an affair and left his father. When his mother felt like she was losing her son or when the H’s father asked for a divorce so he could be with the h’s mother she “attempted suicide” each time, to manipulate the father and son. H confronts mom and tells her he is done with her and he isn’t selling the farm. H also goes to talk to the h and tells her he wants her back and he will prove that she is the one for him. H goes about fixing things with the h. When someone tries to kill him but instead shoots the h, H works with a friend to help put the person or persons in jail. At the end the guilty parties are arrested and the H and h get their HEA.
Final thoughts: This was a good read. It took me a bit to like the hero but by the end he kind of grew on me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 24, 2025
This is a new generation Susan Fox channeling The Black Sheep, The Bad Penny, Wild at Heart and more. Romance complete with a downtrodden heroine that no one loves, a cruel hero, a dead paternal nightmare, an evil OW and an even more evil mama. I mean EVIL. Loved it.
This poor bland chick can't cut a break. I still felt sorry for her even when she got her happy ever after. Trying to think if he even attempted a grovel, and nope.
This poor bland chick can't cut a break. I still felt sorry for her even when she got her happy ever after. Trying to think if he even attempted a grovel, and nope.
June 24, 2025
DNF
I have read most of this authors work and enjoyed those books. This had truly the most unlikable Main Male character Duke that I have ever had the misfortune to read. The MMC, the father of the MMC and ever the heroines own mother treated her horribly so bad that there was no way they were worth saving. I couldn’t even finish this after her second trigger warning chapter I asked myself why I even kept reading this book? Not finding a good answer I quit.
Please note author no woman is as saintly as Elena and you go to far with the MMC he is not redeemable. Elena was a punching bag for Nash, her mother Maria never loved her enough to put her before a man. So disappointed. I can not recommend.
I have read most of this authors work and enjoyed those books. This had truly the most unlikable Main Male character Duke that I have ever had the misfortune to read. The MMC, the father of the MMC and ever the heroines own mother treated her horribly so bad that there was no way they were worth saving. I couldn’t even finish this after her second trigger warning chapter I asked myself why I even kept reading this book? Not finding a good answer I quit.
Please note author no woman is as saintly as Elena and you go to far with the MMC he is not redeemable. Elena was a punching bag for Nash, her mother Maria never loved her enough to put her before a man. So disappointed. I can not recommend.
June 24, 2025
Maya Alden’s formula works in this one, but my god, she really beats down her heroine. Maybe it’s to show her loyalty and inner strength. Honestly, when the asshole hero tells her to get out, she should have left.
June 26, 2025
DNF'D AT LIKE 70%
I spent like 9 hours of my day reading this book bc i was waiting for its release for awhile and i thought it would live up to expectations..but i just couldnt push myself after 70%. like dont get me wrong Elena is a bad ass strong fmc but...idk where the author went wrong but just with duke its like that strength went out the fucking window. SPOILERS⚠️AND TW
THIS GIRL HAD MISCARRIAGE AND ATTEMPTED SUICIDE...and so far the only bit of groveling or acknowledgment of that trauma is a scene where they both cry about it at their parents graves...he says sorry and...its like she basically acts like hey its water under the bridge lets get back together. wtf?! i just cant believe 70% into the book and theyre playing happy couple when all this sh!t went down and its never addressed. like ok he apologizes like twice and both instances shes like apologies arent enough. then he cries over not just what she went through but his own trauma and thats when shes like ok maybe we can work...did he not call you a wh@re and throw money at you when you had NO ONE? did he not leave when you needed him most? is that stuff just forgivable bc you love him still. and also i hate the ,,,"i still love him" in books cause if a dude is pulling this level of trauma inducing shit on me that love dies..even just a bit..it dies. maya alden may be losing her touch unfortunately. i had such high hopes for this book too.
if youre looking of a western contemporary romance where theres a bit of action near the end and not much angst or grovel this is for you.
I spent like 9 hours of my day reading this book bc i was waiting for its release for awhile and i thought it would live up to expectations..but i just couldnt push myself after 70%. like dont get me wrong Elena is a bad ass strong fmc but...idk where the author went wrong but just with duke its like that strength went out the fucking window. SPOILERS⚠️AND TW
THIS GIRL HAD MISCARRIAGE AND ATTEMPTED SUICIDE...and so far the only bit of groveling or acknowledgment of that trauma is a scene where they both cry about it at their parents graves...he says sorry and...its like she basically acts like hey its water under the bridge lets get back together. wtf?! i just cant believe 70% into the book and theyre playing happy couple when all this sh!t went down and its never addressed. like ok he apologizes like twice and both instances shes like apologies arent enough. then he cries over not just what she went through but his own trauma and thats when shes like ok maybe we can work...did he not call you a wh@re and throw money at you when you had NO ONE? did he not leave when you needed him most? is that stuff just forgivable bc you love him still. and also i hate the ,,,"i still love him" in books cause if a dude is pulling this level of trauma inducing shit on me that love dies..even just a bit..it dies. maya alden may be losing her touch unfortunately. i had such high hopes for this book too.
if youre looking of a western contemporary romance where theres a bit of action near the end and not much angst or grovel this is for you.
July 1, 2025
3.4 stars
After my first official completed Maya Alden read (re: Best of Me), I had promised myself that I wouldn't read another one until at least next year. Essentially, because reading and reviewing one of her books is taxing on my energy levels. Her writing sure reaches out to me and provokes me into high strung feelings - which is at the same time remarkable (not all authors make me react viscerally) but also irritating because the inevitable advent of 'The Snag'* will send me into a rant. Yet, here I am with a review of her latest book! Proof that plots with high dramatics are a vice of its own 😅😅!
Despite many things that annoyed me in the plot, I enjoyed this book a level better than Best of Me. Details below - under spoiler tags because feel free to skip as long rants ahead:
*sigh* See what my problem is? I know what to expect when reading MA books, but I still buy and read them because her brand of drama is addictive. I may be a fool, but I am still having hope that one day, there will come a book where there won't be any Snag, where the h will love herself so much that she will fight every inch with her loser beau before giving him a chance, and that said beau will show some humility and not resort to bulldozing tactics to get her back. Dream on, I guess 🙃
* What I named as 'The Snag' is that one point in the plot where Maya's heroines cave waaaay too easily and early and allow the assholish heroes back into their space without these undeserving assholes even breaking the hint of a sweat. The Snag happens inevitably in every Maya Alden book. Imho, the very existence of The Snag defeats the whole purpose of the heroines having suffered as martyrs under the relentless cruelty of their 'men'. Maya Alden obviously does not believe in heroines who stand firm on their feet and wait for their 'men' to prove themselves first before allowing them within breathing distance.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 25, 2025
To be honest, I have yet to finish the book. But I am having difficulty doing so. The MMC, Duke, is a terrible person, so it is difficult for me to understand why the FMC, Elena, loves him (to the point that she calls him "the great love of her life"). Though he might not be a racist, he hangs out with racists and doesn't call them out on their terrible behavior. His girlfriend treats the people "below" her like garbage - something he has known about even before the book begins. He blames the FMC for his father's affair with her mother (and calls her a "whore"), even though he repeatedly realizes that he does so to avoid blaming others. He allows himself to be manipulated by his shallow and toxic mother. He's a property developer who initially plans to pave over parts of Colorado (like we need any more ski resorts or McMansions). There is nothing appealing about him, which makes Elena's ongoing love for him inexplicable. I'm sorry, but "the heart wants what it wants" is the excuse that Woody Allen used to dignify his having an affair with his seventeen-year-old step-daughter.
I understand that the novel shows his character development, and as such, is in keeping with Alden's other stories. But sometimes Alden's "heroes" are so morally lacking that the FMCs end up looking like chumps. Some men aren't worth loving (at least romantically). If this novel were a realist study in toxicity and psychological damage, it would be interesting, but as it is, it barely fulfills the conventions of the romance genre. I know that an HEA awaits once I finish this hot mess, but as I know from having reading other novels by Alden, that HEA will not be believable.
I understand that the novel shows his character development, and as such, is in keeping with Alden's other stories. But sometimes Alden's "heroes" are so morally lacking that the FMCs end up looking like chumps. Some men aren't worth loving (at least romantically). If this novel were a realist study in toxicity and psychological damage, it would be interesting, but as it is, it barely fulfills the conventions of the romance genre. I know that an HEA awaits once I finish this hot mess, but as I know from having reading other novels by Alden, that HEA will not be believable.
November 2, 2025
Not safe. No grovelling.
Stayed for the drama.
Stayed for the drama.
Read
June 24, 2025I pretty much read anything by the author, often to shake my head and even laugh at how badly the h is treated because it is just so awful that it can’t be taken seriously. But this was just depressing. The h was betrayed by her abusive employer/pseudo father. Her mother, the employer’s mistress, betrayed her by making her take care of the abusive employer after her mother’s death.
One of the things that really just sealed it for me was that the abusive employer never visited the h’s mother when she was diagnosed with cancer. The mother never saw him again and she accepted that and forgave him.
I can’t even get into the H because he is such a basic posturing beta male, except to say that I don’t ever want to read another story where the H’s ex has sex of any form in front of or near the h.
I think we have forgotten what a love story or a romance is supposed to be. It’s not supposed to be a situation where you forgive your abuser and then let him sexually dominate you in a patronizing manner, all the while refusing to use your real name because your abuser has given you his own nickname. A happy ending also should also include freedom from the things in the past rather than choosing a life where there are always painful reminders of previous pain.
I mean, if that’s your jam as a reader, that’s totally none of my business, but sometimes I am sad for the world and for women that this is what love is depicted as in popular romantic fiction.
I think this is one of the reasons why grovel romances are so increasingly popular. Readers are tired of abuse and betrayal being romanticized without consequence. They don’t want a situation where there is a grand gesture or passionate declaration and that is supposed to make up for the h living in misery or being betrayed in the worst of ways. I also don’t think it’s a surprise that many of these grovel novels take care to upend tropes like traitorous body syndrome, where the h should be unwilling to have sex, but her body forces her to because she’s just that attracted, allowing the H to smirk at her afterwards because he knows he has full control of her despite his misdeeds.
I think I’m going to read the reviews carefully before I read another Maya Alden book. It’s not bringing me any real entertainment.
One of the things that really just sealed it for me was that the abusive employer never visited the h’s mother when she was diagnosed with cancer. The mother never saw him again and she accepted that and forgave him.
I can’t even get into the H because he is such a basic posturing beta male, except to say that I don’t ever want to read another story where the H’s ex has sex of any form in front of or near the h.
I think we have forgotten what a love story or a romance is supposed to be. It’s not supposed to be a situation where you forgive your abuser and then let him sexually dominate you in a patronizing manner, all the while refusing to use your real name because your abuser has given you his own nickname. A happy ending also should also include freedom from the things in the past rather than choosing a life where there are always painful reminders of previous pain.
I mean, if that’s your jam as a reader, that’s totally none of my business, but sometimes I am sad for the world and for women that this is what love is depicted as in popular romantic fiction.
I think this is one of the reasons why grovel romances are so increasingly popular. Readers are tired of abuse and betrayal being romanticized without consequence. They don’t want a situation where there is a grand gesture or passionate declaration and that is supposed to make up for the h living in misery or being betrayed in the worst of ways. I also don’t think it’s a surprise that many of these grovel novels take care to upend tropes like traitorous body syndrome, where the h should be unwilling to have sex, but her body forces her to because she’s just that attracted, allowing the H to smirk at her afterwards because he knows he has full control of her despite his misdeeds.
I think I’m going to read the reviews carefully before I read another Maya Alden book. It’s not bringing me any real entertainment.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 26, 2025
It’s a testament to Maya’s writing skills and style that I’m rating this 4.25 and rounding to 5.
First as always she did a great job in building and bringing to life the environment the characters are in. I enjoyed reading about ranch life and the realistic portrayal of the hard work it takes to run one. I loved the side characters like Hunt and Maverick.
I loved the h Elena. She was strong, honest, hard working, and deserved none of the shit tossed at her. I hated the H in the beginning Duke was selfish, spiteful, obnoxious, and clueless. He grew on me but even in the end I don’t think he fully deserved her. The OW the girlfriend Fiona was horrible like truly horrible. I’m glad she got what she deserved in the end for her crimes but I still don’t think she deserved Duke using her as a buffer and to hurt/get a reaction from Elena. That says it all about his character that he would use her in that way, but also to hurt Elena. He intentionally setup for Elena to see them to get a reaction and hurt her. Who he was already realized he still had strong feelings for. He never actually apologized for that. After he realized he needed to break it off with Fiona because he still loved Elena but continued to use Fiona like letting her set in his lap. Telling her during another conversation that Fiona is her boss sort of. He took way too long to break it off with her. His mother was even more of an evil person and I was glad to see him finally stand up to her. I can understand how torn you could be thinking your Mom wanted to hurt herself. She was a master manipulator. It still does not excuse Duke’s actions. He held onto his anger with a woman he professed to love. Putting her in his will and taking her on dates did not excuse all the hurt he piled on her. So while by some miracle Maya did convince me he loved her I still am not a big fan of Duke’s character. I did however truly love Elena so I was happy she got her HEA.
A lot of people quickly forgive the H when he does something nasty but want to see the OW burn. I’m all for the OW to get her just deserts but in this case Fiona was the girlfriend she was the one in a relationship with Duke regardless to the fact that she was not a good person Duke was in a relationship with her slept with her shared with her. In terms of relationships she was the wronged party here. I’m really glad she got what was coming to her but Duke played a huge role in how things turned out. He might not have smex her after coming to the ranch but he was with her and let her touch him and treat people badly for way too long. I don’t blame Fiona for Duke’s actions I blame Duke. Maya did show him wanting to change and do better but I really wished he had really did a heartfelt apology for staging Elena seeing him with Fiona. I am glad Elena was getting her needs met while they were apart and it burned Duke to know it. I just felt after all that had happened Elena really deserved more.
First as always she did a great job in building and bringing to life the environment the characters are in. I enjoyed reading about ranch life and the realistic portrayal of the hard work it takes to run one. I loved the side characters like Hunt and Maverick.
I loved the h Elena. She was strong, honest, hard working, and deserved none of the shit tossed at her. I hated the H in the beginning Duke was selfish, spiteful, obnoxious, and clueless. He grew on me but even in the end I don’t think he fully deserved her. The OW the girlfriend Fiona was horrible like truly horrible. I’m glad she got what she deserved in the end for her crimes but I still don’t think she deserved Duke using her as a buffer and to hurt/get a reaction from Elena. That says it all about his character that he would use her in that way, but also to hurt Elena. He intentionally setup for Elena to see them to get a reaction and hurt her. Who he was already realized he still had strong feelings for. He never actually apologized for that. After he realized he needed to break it off with Fiona because he still loved Elena but continued to use Fiona like letting her set in his lap. Telling her during another conversation that Fiona is her boss sort of. He took way too long to break it off with her. His mother was even more of an evil person and I was glad to see him finally stand up to her. I can understand how torn you could be thinking your Mom wanted to hurt herself. She was a master manipulator. It still does not excuse Duke’s actions. He held onto his anger with a woman he professed to love. Putting her in his will and taking her on dates did not excuse all the hurt he piled on her. So while by some miracle Maya did convince me he loved her I still am not a big fan of Duke’s character. I did however truly love Elena so I was happy she got her HEA.
A lot of people quickly forgive the H when he does something nasty but want to see the OW burn. I’m all for the OW to get her just deserts but in this case Fiona was the girlfriend she was the one in a relationship with Duke regardless to the fact that she was not a good person Duke was in a relationship with her slept with her shared with her. In terms of relationships she was the wronged party here. I’m really glad she got what was coming to her but Duke played a huge role in how things turned out. He might not have smex her after coming to the ranch but he was with her and let her touch him and treat people badly for way too long. I don’t blame Fiona for Duke’s actions I blame Duke. Maya did show him wanting to change and do better but I really wished he had really did a heartfelt apology for staging Elena seeing him with Fiona. I am glad Elena was getting her needs met while they were apart and it burned Duke to know it. I just felt after all that had happened Elena really deserved more.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 25, 2025
The wrong ride home is that book. That book that stays with you long after you have read the last word.
That book that pops into your mind when you are standing in the grocery isle or folding your washing. That book that causes you to tear up as soon as you remember that scene (there a quite a few of them in this book). That book that you are going to be talking about until your friends tell you to shut the hell up.
Elena is my hero. To still be standing after what she suffered through has me shaking my head.
Duke well I wanted to cut his hand off, you will know exactly when I felt that when you read the book.
In today’s world I know we love to get spoilers, but believe me it is best to go into this book blind, with a bottle of wine and tissues.
Maya Alden astounds me with each new book.
So remember ladies save a horse and ride a cowboy.
That book that pops into your mind when you are standing in the grocery isle or folding your washing. That book that causes you to tear up as soon as you remember that scene (there a quite a few of them in this book). That book that you are going to be talking about until your friends tell you to shut the hell up.
Elena is my hero. To still be standing after what she suffered through has me shaking my head.
Duke well I wanted to cut his hand off, you will know exactly when I felt that when you read the book.
In today’s world I know we love to get spoilers, but believe me it is best to go into this book blind, with a bottle of wine and tissues.
Maya Alden astounds me with each new book.
So remember ladies save a horse and ride a cowboy.
September 20, 2025
They are childhood loves and then the H finds out the fmcs mother is his father’s mistress. He dumps her. This H just looked ridiculous blaming a teenager for her Mothers issues.Theres horses and cowboys though so that rescued the book for me.
July 7, 2025
5 Surprising Stars
I love me some Maya Alden books but this is my first true and certifiable 5 Star read. I’m a picky bitch, what can I say. The story had the depth I was looking for and the mmc seemed to have a scosh more self realization than most.
ARC provided In exchange for an honest review
I love me some Maya Alden books but this is my first true and certifiable 5 Star read. I’m a picky bitch, what can I say. The story had the depth I was looking for and the mmc seemed to have a scosh more self realization than most.
ARC provided In exchange for an honest review
June 25, 2025
I just don’t know how to rate this, how I truly feel? I enjoyed it I did, I usually struggle with books over 300 pages because I tend to get bored, I did not get bored, I just struggle with how this poor woman was treated for 10 years from her mother, Nash and Duke. Yes it shaped her into the woman she is but FFS - and the blows kept coming for 50% of the book in the present. Duke was pretty horrible while his internal dialogue claimed he loved her. Do his circumstances with his parents justify it? That’s the main question, I just don’t know. But I do know something:
When he asked her to leave she should have.
When he asked her to leave she should have.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 4, 2025
This author’s books are always hit and miss for me; this one was a HUGE miss. First of all, the big betrayal took place off page before the book even started and was meted out in short, sporadic flashbacks so we never really felt the “gut punch” of the betrayal and the broken heart that the h suffered because of it.
Secondly, the conflict felt completely manufactured and actually made NO sense. Duke acknowledged to himself almost right from the start that he had been completely in the wrong when he accused Elena of knowing about the affair between his father and her mother and setting out to seduce him in the same way. Yet, for more than half the book, he continued to lash out at her in anger even though he admitted that he had no reason to be angry at her and she had done nothing wrong. He continued to punish her for something that he admitted she didn’t do.
Thirdly, the main characters were truly unlikeable. Duke was a cruel, nasty, arrogant a$$hole who treated Elena like $hit for a reason that he admitted had no merit. Elena was so weak and spineless that she took his abuse and continued to pine for him.
Most importantly, there was ZERO groveling from the H for the way that he had treated the h and the pain that he had caused her. He did nothing to earn her forgiveness; he barely apologized. He said, “I can’t even apologize, baby, because words mean horse$hit.” And “I’m sorry,” he exploded. Okay? I’m f*ckin’ sorry.” THAT was his idea of an apology?
When Duke decided that he wanted Elena back, she seemed to have some spine; she told him, “There ain’t enough forgiveness in the world to make up for what you did.” When he said that he would make it up to her even if it took a lifetime, she said, “…a hundred lifetimes wouldn’t be enough.” She told herself that at least she had some pride and that if she “let him back in”, she would “lose respect for” herself. Yet, after one conversation, she agreed to date him again. 🙄🙄🙄
DNF
Secondly, the conflict felt completely manufactured and actually made NO sense. Duke acknowledged to himself almost right from the start that he had been completely in the wrong when he accused Elena of knowing about the affair between his father and her mother and setting out to seduce him in the same way. Yet, for more than half the book, he continued to lash out at her in anger even though he admitted that he had no reason to be angry at her and she had done nothing wrong. He continued to punish her for something that he admitted she didn’t do.
Thirdly, the main characters were truly unlikeable. Duke was a cruel, nasty, arrogant a$$hole who treated Elena like $hit for a reason that he admitted had no merit. Elena was so weak and spineless that she took his abuse and continued to pine for him.
Most importantly, there was ZERO groveling from the H for the way that he had treated the h and the pain that he had caused her. He did nothing to earn her forgiveness; he barely apologized. He said, “I can’t even apologize, baby, because words mean horse$hit.” And “I’m sorry,” he exploded. Okay? I’m f*ckin’ sorry.” THAT was his idea of an apology?
When Duke decided that he wanted Elena back, she seemed to have some spine; she told him, “There ain’t enough forgiveness in the world to make up for what you did.” When he said that he would make it up to her even if it took a lifetime, she said, “…a hundred lifetimes wouldn’t be enough.” She told herself that at least she had some pride and that if she “let him back in”, she would “lose respect for” herself. Yet, after one conversation, she agreed to date him again. 🙄🙄🙄
DNF
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 20, 2025
In love with this story!!
I just loved how everything flowed. The angst was sooo good. I love to feel the heartache and Maya definitely knows how to deliver that. I love how we see Duke’s POV and his internal conflicts when it comes to Elena because I definitely hated him at first. The OW drama was chef’s kiss!
I seriously can’t wait for the 2nd book to come out!
I just loved how everything flowed. The angst was sooo good. I love to feel the heartache and Maya definitely knows how to deliver that. I love how we see Duke’s POV and his internal conflicts when it comes to Elena because I definitely hated him at first. The OW drama was chef’s kiss!
I seriously can’t wait for the 2nd book to come out!
June 25, 2025
OMG Maya Alden has outdone herself. I absolutely loved this book. The H was such a massive douche and basically bulldozed the long-suffering h and I loved every agonizing second of it! I love horses and cowboys.
✅Super cruel H
✅Strong h
✅Angst
✅Uncovered
✅Betrayal and grovel
✅Nasty OW
✅Soapy 🧼 goodness
✅Super cruel H
✅Strong h
✅Angst
✅Uncovered
✅Betrayal and grovel
✅Nasty OW
✅Soapy 🧼 goodness
June 28, 2025
??????? There’s no grovel?????
This is a miss for me. Please. She was fucked over a gazillion times and she stayed?! Please, Miss Maya, let the heroine go far and make the hero suffer more with that kind of shit. Disappointing. Duke is NOT it. WEAK
Spineless doormat heroine ffs I want to strangle someone (Duke)
This is a miss for me. Please. She was fucked over a gazillion times and she stayed?! Please, Miss Maya, let the heroine go far and make the hero suffer more with that kind of shit. Disappointing. Duke is NOT it. WEAK
Spineless doormat heroine ffs I want to strangle someone (Duke)
June 29, 2025
I hate to rate this book so low because there was a LOT of potential, however the issue I most commonly have with second chance romance is lack of grovel. That’s the BIGGEST issue here. If you’re going to give me second chance where the hero is both a prick in the past and the present, the grovel better be appropriate. She forgives him way too quickly and he really doesn’t do anything to earn it aside from asks her on dates. What this woman went through for him?? He should’ve given her the ranch, had some type of grand gesture, gone above and beyond. Duke is pretty unlikable. I only finished the book for Elena. Did I love that she was a doormat for a lot of the book? No but I understood. She was being the mature one. As always. Again the potential was there, Elena had the traits to be a phenomenal character, the side characters were great, I didn’t even mind that Duke brought his girlfriend. But we needed to see him earn her forgiveness for at least half of this book. Also if you’re looking for spice you won’t find it here.
June 23, 2025
This is how angst is done right .
Had there been more grovel and hero suffering I would have given it 5 stars !!
Had there been more grovel and hero suffering I would have given it 5 stars !!
July 23, 2025
I wasn't going to read this one but I got bored and felt like I'd read everything else in the world...
First of all, Duke is the name of a dog, or possibly a member of an MC. He was definitely a dog though.
Another eminently readable book by MA with a shitty hero, that when you finish, you just wish the heroine made different choices. And was less of a doormat for her entire life.
First of all, Duke is the name of a dog, or possibly a member of an MC. He was definitely a dog though.
Another eminently readable book by MA with a shitty hero, that when you finish, you just wish the heroine made different choices. And was less of a doormat for her entire life.
June 23, 2025
Maya Alden is a wonderful and captivating storyteller. Her landscapes are as immersive as her characters. Wildflower Canyon and Wilder Ranch are as integral as the characters who captivate us. I could feel myself at the feet of the rocky mountains and felt as invested in its roots as its caretakers were.
This is very much a story of legacy and stewardship. When Nash Wilder dies, the future of the ranch and its people is uncertain. His son and heir, Duke, has long been estranged from his father and building a name for himself in Texas as a land developer. He is determined to sell the place that holds his ghosts and regrets at the expense of those who have sowed and fed his land line it was their own.
Duke expects to come back to his father’s land for the last time to find it in disarray. But despite his father’s apathy towards the end, Elena and hunt have created a lucrative and well run ship. The past collides with the present and Duke finds an unwelcome home in the roaming fields he’d run from.
Elena is the heart of this novel. She has endured so much at the tender hands of those who were supposed to love her but it’s Duke’s callousness that shatters her completely. She is strong and incredibly guarded in the aftermath of her trauma and yet she remains selfless and deeply compassionate. Elena is quiet but has no qualms in speaking her mind when it’s requires. She does her best to guard her tender heart while doing her best to keep Duke at arms length.
A lot of work and self reflection (and recrimination) must be done as hard truths and cruel realities are brought to light. Duke and Elena must fight this time for each other and a future they both grieved. But the culmination of their story is as viscerally heartbreaking as it is redemptive.
I’m absolutely besotted with Wildflower Canyon and I cannot wait to learn more about its residents. Maya weaves such a beautiful story with sweeping landscapes and the people deeply rooted to its care. I hope you will take a chance on this new series when this first book drops on June 23rd.
There are some exceptionally difficult topics covered in this book and I urge you to check content warnings for discussions that might be triggering.
This is very much a story of legacy and stewardship. When Nash Wilder dies, the future of the ranch and its people is uncertain. His son and heir, Duke, has long been estranged from his father and building a name for himself in Texas as a land developer. He is determined to sell the place that holds his ghosts and regrets at the expense of those who have sowed and fed his land line it was their own.
Duke expects to come back to his father’s land for the last time to find it in disarray. But despite his father’s apathy towards the end, Elena and hunt have created a lucrative and well run ship. The past collides with the present and Duke finds an unwelcome home in the roaming fields he’d run from.
Elena is the heart of this novel. She has endured so much at the tender hands of those who were supposed to love her but it’s Duke’s callousness that shatters her completely. She is strong and incredibly guarded in the aftermath of her trauma and yet she remains selfless and deeply compassionate. Elena is quiet but has no qualms in speaking her mind when it’s requires. She does her best to guard her tender heart while doing her best to keep Duke at arms length.
A lot of work and self reflection (and recrimination) must be done as hard truths and cruel realities are brought to light. Duke and Elena must fight this time for each other and a future they both grieved. But the culmination of their story is as viscerally heartbreaking as it is redemptive.
I’m absolutely besotted with Wildflower Canyon and I cannot wait to learn more about its residents. Maya weaves such a beautiful story with sweeping landscapes and the people deeply rooted to its care. I hope you will take a chance on this new series when this first book drops on June 23rd.
There are some exceptionally difficult topics covered in this book and I urge you to check content warnings for discussions that might be triggering.
July 4, 2025
This book had me hooked. Some parts were definitely heartbreaking and brought a tear to my eye. The plot moved along nicely and I was sure it was going to be a five star read. I felt like this could be a new Netflix show to watch. The one thing that just didn’t land for me was Duke’s reaction when he found out she had been pregnant. It was a scene I was looking forward to and it ended up feeling anti-climatic. I needed more from Duke in that moment. Anyways, other than that I really liked this one and can’t wait for Maverick’s story.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 23, 2025
This was a well written powerful story. It was a good read, and very emotional.
However, I felt like Elena forgave a little too quickly, she went through so much and I wanted to punch Duke on the face sometimes but he got there in the end.
However, I felt like Elena forgave a little too quickly, she went through so much and I wanted to punch Duke on the face sometimes but he got there in the end.
June 24, 2025
The story is ok if you can get past 1) the lack of sufficient grovel by MMC, 2) the completely selfish parenting of Maria, the selfishness and cruelty of Nash (toward FMC), the horrific parenting of Gloria and the number of lives she was able to ruin in ways that weren’t by reparable (Nash’s loss of a relationship with his son, Elena’s suffering, Maria and Nash’s relationship being stunted), 3) Elena’s tolerance for being treated like crap by everyone and unshakeable love for someone who treated her worse than crap. Otherwise, it’s a bit of a frustrating read.
June 27, 2025
2.5⭐️
I usually enjoy Maya Alden's books, but not this time.
I cannot get behind a MMC who gets a bj from his girlfriend after reconnecting with the FMC, and later gets his gf off in front of the FMC just to cause pain. Which he did, btw, because she ran off somewhere to sob her heart out. He followed her and watched from the shadows like a creep to see what his actions did and then felt a little bad. Then this man had the ✨️audacity✨️ to interfere when the FMC was out looking for a ONS, ruining her plans and chasing the OM off. And she just let him. If I have to sit there and read about the H pleasuring his current girlfriend and giving our FMC some sort of pornographic show to inflict more emotional damage (which his gf did not consent to, btw) then I need our h to go out and get some as well and he can't do crap about it. What a loser.
The FMC is a doormat and folds immediately despite all the trauma she went through thanks to the H. There is no real work on his part to grovel. She let herself be treated like garbage by the H's dad for years after her mother made her second best to that poor excuse for a father figure. We keep hearing from side characters what an amazing boss bitch she is, taking no shit from anyone, but we never really see that. Very disappointing.
I usually enjoy Maya Alden's books, but not this time.
I cannot get behind a MMC who gets a bj from his girlfriend after reconnecting with the FMC, and later gets his gf off in front of the FMC just to cause pain. Which he did, btw, because she ran off somewhere to sob her heart out. He followed her and watched from the shadows like a creep to see what his actions did and then felt a little bad. Then this man had the ✨️audacity✨️ to interfere when the FMC was out looking for a ONS, ruining her plans and chasing the OM off. And she just let him. If I have to sit there and read about the H pleasuring his current girlfriend and giving our FMC some sort of pornographic show to inflict more emotional damage (which his gf did not consent to, btw) then I need our h to go out and get some as well and he can't do crap about it. What a loser.
The FMC is a doormat and folds immediately despite all the trauma she went through thanks to the H. There is no real work on his part to grovel. She let herself be treated like garbage by the H's dad for years after her mother made her second best to that poor excuse for a father figure. We keep hearing from side characters what an amazing boss bitch she is, taking no shit from anyone, but we never really see that. Very disappointing.
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