She’s a fiery, smart-mouthed city girl and world-class swimmer – Small town intolerant, pepper-averse and allergic to unsolicited cowboy charm – about as cuddly as a cactus. So when I find myself in a store aisle, holding her red lacy underwear and giving her my best Cowboy drawl... She looks about ready to set me on fire instead of saying hello. It’s adorable. It’s a challenge and I accept. Because I live for the challenge. Heck, the Rodeo world calls me the main event. The town calls me trouble, but they don’t know my big ‘ol smile, hides a past that's got me rooted to this land. Mia might be here by mistake and can’t seem to leave my town soon enough. Too bad fate keeps shoving us into the kind of situations that make it real hard to keep a straight face…or keep my hands to myself.
She swears this is temporary. Says she’s leaving.
But I’m a man of action. I keep showing her exactly why she should stay.
Overall, an enjoyable read! Great banter, lovable characters, and that small-town charm you just can’t resist. This series shows a lot of promise. Can’t wait to see where it goes next…
Such a fun small town romance with a slightly chaotic meet cute that immediately pulled me in. I loved how the story kicks off with her landing in the right town but the wrong state. It set the tone perfectly and made everything that followed feel a little bit fate driven in the best way.
And then we get him… a slightly arrogant bull rider who crosses her path at just the right moment. Their dynamic had that perfect mix of tension and charm, and I couldn’t get enough of the way he kept finding reasons to be around her. Even when that meant not being fully honest, it never felt malicious, more like he just couldn’t stay away, which honestly made it even better.
The small town atmosphere really stood out to me. The nosy community, everyone being in each other’s business, and that cozy, close knit feeling added so much to the story. It made their relationship feel more immersive, like the whole town was quietly watching it unfold.
Both characters are working through past experiences that have kept them guarded, and I appreciated how that emotional layer was woven into their romance. Watching them slowly open up and move forward felt genuine and added depth to what could have just been a light romance.
I also really enjoyed the audiobook experience. It brought the characters to life in a way that made the story even more engaging. Huge thanks to the author for sharing it.
I loved Grant and his family and best friend, but Mia not so much. He showed her he loved her in so many ways and gave her/up everything. What did he get in return? Nothing. She didn’t have to make a single effort or compromise. And it dragged on and on, so much that I skipped entire pages through the last 25% of the book, which is easily a dozen chapters too long. Still, I liked the writing style and banter, and will give this author a second chance with Mason's book.
Cute, funny, spicy small town cowboy romance, grant is so swoony and has a sneeze smink? we listen and we don't judge 🤣 .... narration was so good Andi Eloise amazing as usual and new to me Narrator Thomas Oakley ooooff 😊😊
I loved this book. I was hooked from first chapter till epilog. This story had everything, the perfect amount of possessive/ obsessed mmc, sassy strong fmc, banter 🤭 that will make you laugh with tears, a golden retriever mmc with a filthy mouth 🥰 and spice 🔥 that will make you sweat 😉. Mia and Grant are 2 pieces matched in stars, they both battle similar past trauma but differently coping mechanism, they are perfect for each other. Grant’s family it’s amazing, daddy Eric is hilarious, has no filter and lives to embarrass his kids 🤭😉, and his siblings and best friend kiss chefs. Let’s say that after this story I will not look the same when somebody sneezes or seeing Deep Heat cream 😂😂😂. And of course the proposal had to be epic and epic it was 😂🥰.
Thank you Ellie Wilder for the opportunity to read this amazing story.
Grant
“You are chaos and peace in one impossible package. Olympic legend, conjurer of filthy poems, breaker of egos, woman of wit and wildfire. You’re the smartest pain in my ass, the fiercest heart I’ve ever known, my compass when I didn’t know I was lost and the love of my life.”
Holy cowboy, what a ride! From start to finish, I was completely hooked. Grant’s filthy mouth paired with Mia’s sass? Absolute perfection. The banter had me grinning the whole way through and the chemistry was just chef’s kiss.
I loved the found family element (always a favourite of mine), and the Taylor family have officially stolen my heart! I’m fully obsessed and can’t wait to read about the rest of the family.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I am officially ruined for other cowboy romances.
This book didn't just have me kick my feet and make me giggle like an idiot… it straight-up hijacked my entire personality for days. 🤠🔥
Grant Taylor? OH. MY. GOD.
This man is rugged, cocky, filthy-mouthed, fiercely loyal, emotionally wrecked in the hottest possible way, and so obsessed with Mia Bonney that I honestly need therapy after reading him. The way he looks at her? Speaks to her? Shows up for her? GOODBYE. I’m never recovering. I pray this kind of love tackles me!
And Mia? THANK YOU for finally giving me a heroine who’s ambitious, funny, emotionally layered, and doesn’t lose herself for the romance. She gives as good as she gets and their banter had me grinning like crazy at 2am.
Loved this so much I cannot wait for the audio too. Grant is a perfect male specimen and clearly no one like him exists but that is why we love him so much in this book. I cannot wait to see what happens with Mason next ...
I love this story. I like how Mia was stranded and Grant was basically her savior. There relationship had all the emotions. And all the things he did for her that is real love. And I love how they fought for each other and how it ended HEA
Basically Mia ends up in the wrong town where she runs into a charming Cowboy & it takes off from there. I really liked this one. It was giving meghan Quinn vibes. The Taylor family is hilarious with razzing our MMC. The circumstances that bring them together are chuckle worthy as well. But girlies the slow burn romance 🥵 well done. It's a little annoying with the back pedaling but it works with the story. Looking forward to the next one in the series.
Potential small spoiler for the next story in my last paragraph, names the couple.
I really loved Grant & Mia's story. It's really well written, has a depth which was a pleasant surprise and I just fell in love with the characters. Not just the main characters but the family & friends too. Eric, I'm looking at you and your cactus puns that had me cackling at 1am...
I laughed, I cried, I fell in love and I finished this in a few sittings. I've read so many cowboy stories now, but this one still got me, in a way I wasn't expecting. I can't put my finger on it, but I just loved it. Its a heartwarming story, that touches on some deep topics and does them justice.
I really enjoyed Ellie's style of writing and I found this book really refreshing, again I can't put my finger on why but it was just lovely. A perfect mix of spice, story & depth.
I found it so easy to read, really well written and I'm really excited for Mason & Bre's story. However, the one I really can't wait for is Ryan, I need his story and just more of him in general. And that's how I know it's a good book, I can't wait to read the rest of the series. I'll take a one way ticket to Portree please.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
I received an ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review… well, here it is… if you are a fan of Elsie Silver, or Lyla Sage and like a good old cowboy romance, with a bit of spice, then you’ll love this book.
Grant…. The way he says Darlin’ had me a little weak at the knees.
There are a lot of characters to absorb in the first few chapters. We are introduced to The MMC’s brothers and sister in the 3rd chapter, and their potential tropes are kind of outlined in their intro. I can see stories similar to Cade and Beau Eaton materialising here.
The writing flowed well and was quite humorous at times, the dialogue between the characters was good! This is definitely worth a read if you like drool worthy cowboys!
Wild love,cowboy started in December 25. Finished. 1/1/26
This book dragged from the beginning and I struggled to connect with it. I normally like a cowboy romance but I really struggled with this book. I nearly DNF it but thankfully it started to get good about halfway through and then I kept on going and actually enjoyed the rest. I don't know if it was because I've had so much going on over the festivities and didn't have time to read as much as normal leaving large gaps between reading this book. 3 ⭐️⭐️⭐️
From the minute I saw the very first TikTok for this series, I knew I was going to love every second of it. This may only be the first book in the series, but if the rest are as good as this one, you have just gotten yourself a loyal reader.
And Grant Taylor? Well, he just made his way onto my ever growing fictional book boyfriend list. I mean, who doesn’t love a cowboy who builds an Olympic sided pool for his woman?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Grant Taylor is the cowboy we all need in our lives, imperfect, cocky, confident but gorgeous and a romantic at heart!
I enjoyed Mia's character, however I did feel that I wanted her to push through her stubborn nature on times and give more.
The only reason this is 4* not 5* is because I noticed quite a few errors throughout the book of punctuation and slip ups where the author had changed the POV.
LOVED everything about it! The story. The banter. The yearning. The humor. The romance. The 🌶️. The MMC. The FMC. I’m excitedly waiting for the rest of the series! I will definitely be reading more from this author! If you love cowboy romance, this one is a must!
Give me a Grant Taylor any day! Loved this book, I've never laughed this hard in a book! Will never look anyone the same way who sneezes 🤣🤣 and the deep heat scene! 🤣🤣 Looking forward to the series!
Captivating & Heartwarming! Great Story, Narration & Listen🎧
Wild Love, Cowboy The Portree Cowboys Series, Book 1 By: Ellie Wilder Narrated by: Andi Eloise, Thomas Oakley
A fabulously entertaining small-town that captivates your attention and tugs at your heartstrings the entire time. My first book written by Ellie Wilder and I enjoyed her writing style, and the wonderful characters and storylines she created, which are realistic and relatable. Mia, when not competing at swim meets or training for the Olympics, is a writer working on travel pieces, and the story starts with her on her way to Portree, Maine, but on the plane she learns she is going to the wrong state, Texas and the wrong Portree. Her bad luck nor the chaos of her life at the moment ends there, with no immediate flights out, lost luggage, paperwork, hard to find hotel rooms, she is stuck in Texas, but she will make the best of her situation and write about cowboys instead. And for our cowboy, Grant Taylor is an award-winning bull rider, has in hat in several businesses, and is popular with the ladies, though none held his interest, until her, the one who was not there to stay. I loved how these two met, how quickly he was taken with her, and his determination to keep her in his life. The banter, witty dialogue, and push-and-pull between them were brilliant. His family was amazing and added a lot to the story too. The complexity of the characters and all the layers of this cleverly plotted story are fantastic, and I loved how it all unfolded, with the perfect balance of drama, angst, charming humor, heartwarming moments, heartfelt emotions, and steamy romance. It was also great how the author took something close to their hearts, meaningful for different reasons, yet similar, to bring this city girl and small-town cowboy on common ground or rather, water. Ellie Wilder, thank you for this wonderful story and the emotional rollercoaster ride.
🎧📚🎧 Andi Eloise and Thomas Oakley are the perfect cast to bring these characters to life, and did an amazing job voicing them, delivering a spot-on portrayal of each. Both embodied their characters completely, grasping every aspect of their personalities, with Eloise nailing it as Mia, sassy and fierce, and Oakley as the determined Grant. Both are just as fantastic performing the roles of the side/secondary characters, young and old. They set the ideal tone for the story, and their expressive performance conveys all the characters’ emotions, making you feel each one. These two are entertaining storytellers, and it is a pleasure to listen to their enthralling performance, a performance that hooks you to the story.
This is exactly how I imagine conversations in my head. Fast, witty, slightly unhinged. Mia’s inner voice especially felt painfully relatable. It’s like someone finally acknowledged that yes, some of us are walking around narrating our lives like a rom-com in real time… and we’re hilarious while doing it.
And then there’s that dinner scene. The sneezing. The chaos. The absolute loss of dignity.
I was already amused reading it but listening to it in the audiobook? With Andi narrating? Game. Over.
I don’t think I’ve laughed that hard in a while. The delivery made it ten times funnier, and the jokes that followed just kept building. It genuinely felt like being pulled into the family dynamic, like you’re sitting right there at the table, trying not to choke on your food while everything spirals. Also, that moment perfectly proved why I love doing audiobooks with subtitles, because I would have never fully appreciated the joke just by reading it. My brain simply would not have gone there on its own… and honestly? I’m glad it did.
What surprised me most is how funny this book is overall. I don’t even know if it was marketed that way, but it reads like a full-on rom-com with a cowboy twist. Light, chaotic, and genuinely laugh-out-loud funny.
Also, chapter 23 deserves a public service announcement:
Always. Wash. Your hands. After applying Deep Heat.
No further explanation needed. You’ll understand when you get there.
This was my first cowboy romance, and I genuinely enjoyed it. But what stood out to me most was the relationship dynamic. For once, we get a female lead who communicates openly, honestly, directly. No unnecessary hiding, no drawn-out misunderstandings. Just clarity… and support. It was refreshing.
And the ending? That’s where it really earned its place for me.
It could have gone the easy route, choosing love immediately, sacrificing dreams, wrapping everything up neatly. But it didn’t. She left. They were separated. They lived their lives, grew individually, had time to reflect, to miss each other, to become more. And only after all of that—after growth, after conversations, after truly understanding what they meant to each other did they find their way back.
That happy ending wasn’t handed to them. It was earned.
And the proposal? I’m sorry, I lost it. Completely.
The man literally fell off a cliff… to save the ring.
Wild Love, Cowboy by Ellie Wilder is such a fun, small-town romance that immediately pulls you in with a chaotic and charming meet-cute. The story kicks off with Mia, a fiery, smart-mouthed city girl and world-class swimmer, landing in the right town but the wrong state. She’s small-town intolerant and allergic to unsolicited cowboy charm—about as cuddly as a cactus—which sets a perfect, fate-driven tone for everything that follows.
Then there is Grant, a slightly arrogant bull rider and the local "main event" who crosses her path at just the right moment. Their dynamic is a perfect mix of tension and charm; the banter between Grant’s filthy mouth and Mia’s sass is absolute perfection. From the moment he finds himself in a store aisle holding her red lacy underwear and offering his best cowboy drawl, the chemistry is "chef’s kiss." Grant keeps finding reasons to be around her, and even when he isn’t fully honest about his intentions, it feels like he simply can't stay away.
The small-town atmosphere really stands out, with a nosy, close-knit community that makes the romance feel immersive, like the whole town is quietly rooting for them. Beyond the humor, both characters are working through past experiences that have kept them guarded. Grant’s big smile hides a history that keeps him rooted to the land, and watching them both slowly open up and move forward adds a genuine emotional layer to the story.
The found family element is another highlight, and the Taylor family will officially steal your heart. Although Mia keeps insisting her stay is temporary, Grant is a man of action who consistently shows her exactly why she should stay. It is a beautiful journey of two people fighting for each other, leading to a truly satisfying conclusion.
The audiobook experience, narrated by Andi Eloise and Thomas Oakley, brings these characters to life in a way that makes the story even more engaging. Their performances capture the grit of the rodeo world and the heart of the town perfectly. Huge thanks to the author for sharing this ride—I’m fully obsessed and can’t wait to dive into the rest of the family’s stories.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This book feels like warm nights, bad decisions, and a cowboy who knows exactly how to get under the skin. The chemistry? Immediate.
The tension? Constant.
The banter actually made me pause and laugh out loud. It has that effortless, flirty energy where everything feels a little reckless, but in the very best way.
It’s not trying to be heavy or heartbreakingly deep. Although it does have some past trauma to process, and heal. It set the tone for this story very well.
It’s here to entertain, and it absolutely did for me. I flew through it because I was having too much fun listening to the push-pull between them unfold.
You do have to go in knowing what you’re getting: this is more “late-night binge with a grin on your face” than “slow, emotional character study.” I read some reviews that mentioned pacing, but nothing that pulled me out of the story enough to matter. I love it. I loved the narrators.
The cowboy? Yeah… he’s the reason I kept listening.
If your ideal read includes: ✨ Fun AF banter 🔥 Immediate chemistry, He falls first & hard 🤠 Small-town cowboy vibes 🐴/🏊♀️ dual sports vibe
Then this one’s an easy, YES!
It left me wanting more from this world…and maybe one more scene I’m still thinking about 👀
I’ll start book 2 Reckless Hearts Cowboy tonight on kindle :)
From the moment Mia crash-lands in small-town Texas-stranded, sass-loaded, wearing bunny slippers and collides with brooding, dirty-mouthed rodeo star Grant Taylor, I knew I was in for a ride. And wow, what a ride it is.
This book is a slow-burn masterpiece. The tension between Grant and Mia? So thick you could rope a steer with it. The banter? Witty, sharp, and laugh-out-loud funny. The spice? Let’s just say you’ll never look at Deep Heat the same way again. But what makes this book unforgettable is its heart. It’s about healing, forgiveness, family, and learning to choose love even when it terrifies you.
If you like small-town romance with grit, heat, hilarity, and a cowboy who slowly crumbles for one woman? This is your book.
Unputdownable, unforgettable, and wildly romantic. Loved it!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ Absolutely obsessed with this book! Mia and Grant’s chemistry is Explosive. The slow burn had me feral. The tension. The banter. The accidental yoga. THE DEEP HEAT SCENE—IYKYK. (And if this book ever comes out in audio? I will personally pre-order just to hear THAT scene in a Southern drawl. Priorities.)
Ellie Wilder absolutely nailed the balance of hilarious, sexy, and emotional, and I already know I’ll be rereading this. If you love cowboys, forced proximity, chaotic heroines and hot men doing emotional labor in the kitchen, read this book immediately.
I know book 2 will be a while, but for now I’ll settle for the super hot TikToks of Grant (This got me hooked on the books before the series even got released and it was awesome to put a face to words in the book 🫠)…but please don’t take too long with book 2🙏🏻 Can’t wait for the next Taylor cowboy!
Grant Taylor is the blueprint for a cowboy book boyfriend—rugged, cocky, protective, and absolutely gone for Mia from the second she crashes into his life… literally while he’s holding her lacy underwear.
The chemistry in this book is unreal. The banter? Sharp, hilarious and so addictive. Loved the tension between these two. And beneath all the heat is a genuinely emotional love story about grief, belonging, and finally finding a place—and person—that feels like home.
Mia is ambitious, funny, and impossible not to love, while the Taylor family made me want to move to Portree immediately.
And the audiobook narration by Andi Eloise & Thomas Oakley? PERFECTION. Thomas Oakley’s voice as Grant Taylor should honestly be classified as dangerous.
If you love small-town cowboy romance with heart, humor, family chaos, and explosive chemistry—READ THIS.
This book💯!!! I laughed, I swooned, I highlighted the hell out of every spicy, emotionally devastating line. And the way this book balances heartfelt moments with steamy tension and unfiltered humor? PERFECTION.
Run! Don’t walk-to meet Grant Taylor and the whole Taylor family! This book had everything I love in a cowboy romance: ✅Hot AF Cowboy with such a dirty mouth, that SHOWS how much he adores his Queen FMC ✅A slow-burn that finally snaps in the most deliciously explosive way ✅ Chemistry that burns through the pages ✅ Banter that is so sharp and witty ✅ Found family, grief, healing, and growth
This book had me in a chokehold for 2 days! It had everything I look for in a cowboy romance, intense attraction, yearning, a rugged, capable man who falls first and hard, who isn't afraid to show how he feels about the fmc. Warning, don't drink anything whilst reading the bar scene, or the deep heat scene, or the sneeze scene...in fact, just don't eat or drink for a few days because you will spit whatever is in your mouth out laughing so loud!!! The chemistry and comedy in this book is incredible and I now belong to the Taylor family. 🤠❤️
I cannot wait to read Reckless Hearts, cowboy next!!!
I’m officially obsessed.🥰 Grant and Mia’s story isn’t just a romance—it’s a wild, slow-burn, emotionally loaded rollercoaster that grabs you and doesn’t let go. The banter? Hilarious. The chemistry? Off the charts. The emotional gut-punches? Perfectly timed. Grant Taylor is the cowboy who will ruin you for all other book boyfriends—rugged, loyal, a little broken, and absolutely feral for the woman he loves.
If you love small-town romance with depth, spice, and a cowboy who loves HARD? This is your next read.