WILDER

by Kayla D. Ward

Running was supposed to keep Isla safe.
Alive.
Free of her past.

In a remote Highland village, isolation feels like sanctuary, until it doesn't. When signs of a watcher begin to surface, Isla finds herself questioning her surroundings, her memories, and the reliability of her own traumatised mind.
As fear seeps into the quiet spaces she once trusted, Isla is forced to confront an unsettling she may not have escaped danger at all, only changed its shape.

Wilder is a psychological horror romance exploring trauma, obsession, and the terrifying cost of being seen.

312 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 13, 2026

About the author

Kayla D Ward writes dark psychological fiction set in the isolated Scottish Highlands, blending obsession, suspense, trauma and atmospheric dread. Her stories explore the spaces where fear, isolation and human darkness collide.

Reviews

[Neapolitan670 📚🖤 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Old houses creak!

Isla escapes to a small village, sets herself up in a secluded bothy hoping the peace will relax her nerves. She manages to find two jobs, one in a bookstore and one in a bar. The trouble with a secluded cabin, is there are always going to be noises; the trees rustling, the burn flowing, the wood creaking and the footsteps…no, no, they’re not noises you expect, neither are the little things that happen. Isla, is already a nervous, anxious and susceptible wreck but she plods on. Meeting Ciaran in the bar helps eliminate some of her anxiety but she is convinced her ex is stalking her…

𝙄 𝙢𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙞𝙢𝙖𝙜𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙙 𝙞𝙩.
𝙂𝙤𝙙, 𝙮𝙤𝙪’𝙧𝙚 𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙤𝙞𝙙.

For me it was slow burn to start, however the building up, the in-depth descriptions had you jumping on her behalf, you actually imagine what she’s feeling and shouting at the book…in your head obviously, people would think I was mad if it did it out loud 🤣 Honestly, it is one story that simmers in your head, the psychological aspect was great, leading you through traumatic times, and on to some kind of hope. I can’t lie, I slept on it one night and figured it out but it didn’t stop me from reading to the end because I enjoyed the narrative so much, do read the triggers as there are aspects of DV, major gaslighting, loss of autonomy and some real WTF moments 🫣

[amber.readslikealady · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wilder features a stalker MMC who follows, taunts, and eventually ensnares our broken-but-not-finished-fighting FMC Isla. However, this is not a stalker romance. It is a psychological thriller: dark, twisted, unsettling, predatory, and diabolical in all the best ways. Our stalker was patient, chipping away at Isla's sanity bit-by-bit, and I felt like I was being pulled right down with her into madness. Kayla's writing kept me on the edge of my seat, trying to piece together clues and guess what was coming next. Some of the descriptors became a little redundant, but overall did not take away from the story. I'm low key mad that she created a certifiably insane red flag of a man so sexy. I was as confused as Isla half the time.

Jo's narration engaged me in the story, taking me along with her in the whirlwind of emotions Isla experienced in this book. The panic, doubt, confusion; her fight and sense of defeat. It was all expressed beautifully. Knowing this story was set in Scotland and hearing it told in a Scottish accent was immersive and added to the story in a way reading words from a page would have missed.

[Holly Watson · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.75 ⭐️

Isla FMC
Ciaran MMC


This book is a dark psychology thriller and it makes you THINK. The first 60% had me hooked, I was scared to continue reading because it got under my skin so much....

This was written is such a fabulous way that it made you so uncomfortable in all the right and wrong ways.

The gaslighting, the coercive behaviour! The control and manipulation by this man was again so well written it made you want to scream at this woman to RUN.

What I found difficult was that there was zero context and backstory to this man. There no context as to why he did what he did. Why he made Isla feel the way she did, to the point where I was confused.

The book did its job of making me feel uncomfortable, and it was so hard to read it without feeling everything for the FMC.

But the overall experience, I felt like something was missing. There was also zero fight from her... not even when she initially figured it out, she just immediately melted into this man and clutched at him for everything - which I guess it what happens in real life!

[VI 📚🖋️ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fear ! Something so simple , and healthy , breaking and rewiring our whole body chemistry permanently , when it is constant to a point where obsession feels like love , and the cage of control feels like safety.
Have you ever been so terrified , to gaslight yourself that it is your paranoia , and everything is ok ? when everything in you scream danger .
Have you ever experienced starvation from love and understanding even from your family , utterly alone , in the darkness in your own head , suffocating by shame , allowing yourself to be caged by your own emotions ?
Have you ever experienced the moment when everything broke free ? Everything is too overwhelming , can't be caged , the numbness after , the void where emotions used to be , only to wake up on the next day and to start over .
Don't forget we all break beautifully !

If you want to explore all of this from the safety of the pages, pick up Wilder .

Short , chilling read for summer hot waves , psychological horror .

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a journey... It delves deeply into the ugly side of love; obsession, possession and ruin.

Isla's story was heartbreaking to read, tormented, broken and defeated, the thing that finds her and offers a semblance of healing, is also the very thing that could break those last threads of humanity.

Kayla did an amazing job at really delving into the phsyche of both parties, I felt every conflicting emotion as Isla did - a sign of a well written book! I was morbidly fascinated throught, wondering what direction the story was going to take. I still don't know how I feel about the events that transpired, and that only cements the fact that the author did exactly what she set out to do!

Well done 👏🏻

[NikosLotusFlower · Rating 5 out of 5]

From the very first page, I was hooked and found myself unable to put it down. The suspense kept building throughout the story, and I was constantly on edge, wondering what would happen next.

Kayla D Ward did a great job creating tension and weaving in unexpected twists that kept me turning the pages. While I don’t want to spoil anything, this is a dark and gripping story that explores abusive relationships, manipulation, and the lasting effects of trauma in a way that felt unsettling, compelling, relatable and important to acknowledge.

For a debut novel, this was seriously impressive, and I'm excited to see what this author writes next. If you like psychological horror, dark romance, and stories that keep you guessing, I'd definitely recommend giving this one a shot !!!!

[Lucid (Rachel) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don’t think cute is the right word to describe this, but I definitely thought it. 😂
Such a perfect little story to feed all those cravings to have a monster own and protect them. Author says this isn’t a love story, I disagree because I definitely fell in love with Ciaran.
I just have two questions:
What happened to Mark?
When can we have Ciaran’s backstory?

[Jo · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm so obsessed with this book. The perfect balance of suspense, thriller and a dash of romance. Kayla sets the perfect pace in the first half of the book to introduce the characters and set the scene all while building the tension. But once we hit the second half, oh wow, what a thrilling ride. If you are a fan of dark fiction and psychological thrillers, this is a must read.

[Jessica Figueroa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have literally just finished this book. If I could give this book 6 stars I really would. Every chapter kept me on the edge of my seat. The suspense, the plot twists, the tension, the spice. I loved every bit of it.

[Charlotte Stephens · Rating 4 out of 5]

Isla sought peace in the windswept solitude of the Scottish Highlands, believing the remote village would be the place to finally heal from her past. Surrounded by mist-covered mountains and silence, she thought she had left the shadows behind—until the feeling of being alone began to feel like a lie.It starts with small, impossible details: objects moved when her back was turned, lights in the distance where no house stands, the distinct sensation of eyes following her through the trees. As the line between reality and nightmare begins to blur, Isla wonders if her trauma is playing tricks on her mind, or if something far more sinister has been waiting for her all along. Because someone is watching. Someone who knows her deepest scars, who studies every breath she takes, and who believes that protecting her means possessing her. What began as a refuge has become a prison, and as the barrier between safety and danger collapses, Isla discovers that escaping the past was never an option. She didn’t outrun the darkness; she simply walked straight into its heart.
______
Genre:  Dark Phycological Romance
Pages: 306
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶🌶
Series or Standalone: Standalone
Tropes or Themes: New beginnings, Domestic violence, Drugs, Stalker, Obsession, Trauma, Fear masquerade as desire,  Morally Black MMC, "you were never alone", Manipulation, Gaslighting, Torture, Kidnapping

Check Triggers
______
I found myself completely wrapped up in the FMCs experience—almost reacting to things as if I were right there with her. You can really sense her emotions, which makes the whole journey feel intense and personal. At times, it’s frustrating in a very intentional way—you find yourself internally urging the main character to see what’s happening and get out.

The story lingers in your thoughts, especially with its strong psychological focus. It explores the character’s past struggles in a way that feels raw and honest. Even though I had a sense of where things were going, the way it unfolded kept me interested, and I genuinely enjoyed the storytelling throughout.  I do however wish we learn more as to why the MMC chose Isla and have more background story to him. Overall it was such a good read! Do Check Triggers