The Simple Wild by K.A. Tucker was such a breath of fresh air in the romance genre. It was a slow-build of sexual tension told in an enemies to lovers tale that I will not soon forget. Though I can't put my finger on it, there was a special quality to this book that left my heart lighter in every sense of the word. The Simple Wild was a story of forgiveness and growth, and relatable on many different levels. I loved the imagery Tucker used, bringing to life a world unknown to me. I found myself longing for the simplicity of the lives these Alaskan natives lived, while also relishing in the comforts of my city home. In that sense, I could truly find my own thoughts in many of Calla's. Furthermore, there was no way that I could not fall in love with the sky cowboy, Jonah. He was loyal, down to earth, and a complicated man. Yet, with every new encounter, I found something to adore him for. Before I knew it, all the little things added up into loving every piece of him. Tucker continues to astound me with each and every new release she has. There is a way she writes that breathes life into her characters and what they are going through, resulting in a breathtaking journey from beginning to end. The slow build of The Simple Wild was absolute perfection and left me never wanting the story to end. I'm already looking forward to what this incredibly talented author comes up with next!

You’re going to have to give me a minute to get my emotions in check. I’m all over the board here because <i>The Simple Wild</i> had me laughing, sighing, aggravated, swooning, and sobbing pretty much all at the same time. And I’m not exaggerating at all.

From the first pages I was all in on this amazing tale of love, forgiveness, and self-discovery. Calla Fletcher knows only one life—the one she’s lived with her mother and step-father for the last twenty-four years in Toronto. She’s wanted for nothing materially, nor emotionally, except for the love of her father. A father she doesn’t remember. A father she hasn’t spoken to in twelve years. And now may never have the chance to see Wren Fletcher again unless she heads to Alaska.

Where she meets Jonah. And wow do the sparks fly! Jonah’s not exactly thrilled that it’s taken Calla all these years to make it to Alaska for a visit. Jonah is Wren’s right-hand man and is keeping Wren’s business alight. Jonah’s convinced that Calla won’t last the week she’s supposed to stay, but boy does she surprise him. Especially when they somehow manage to fall in love in between their witty barbs and practical jokes.

God, I absolutely loved the ebb and flow of the story of the relationships—yes, I mean multiple ones—in this amazing tale. There’s the father/daughter one between Wren and Calla. That there was so much that neither one knew and to see them develop their relationship was so very touching. *aw, man, here go the tears again* It was the forefront of the book for me—I knew that it would be beautifully devastating, but I was so thrilled to witness it unfold.

And then there’s the relationship between Wren and Jonah. Wren’s the father figure Jonah wished he had growing up. They’re as close as they can be, and count on each other as family does. I loved how Jonah helped Calla and Wren reconcile their differences and make their best future.

Now onto Calla and Jonah. I loved the slow-burn romance between the Yeti and the Barbie. It was smart, sexy, and fun. Their chemistry was undeniable, and their instant spark led to so much more than either of them ever anticipated—but they sure do need.

<i>The Simple Wild</i> is going to stick with me for a long time. It’s easily one of my top reads of 2018. I loved every minute I spent with this makeshift family in Bangor, Alaska. I’m ready to visit with them again soon.

I've read KA Tucker before and I knew it would be possible to pull some emotions from me, however, I wasn't expecting the emotional depth I reached.

There was SO much about this book that was appealing; from the blurb you know you're about to head off the beaten path. You think you know what you're in for, but really, it's just the beginning.

The banter between Calla and Jonah, I loved. There was no instant love here, it was a slow burn relationship that went from a spark to a full blown flame....over time.

It's easy to see how the little things add up when you're viewing from the outside and nearly impossible to see what they mean inside the moment, until you find yourself unable to live without it and wonder when it became that way.

KA Tucker delivers a wild tale on what it takes to be simple.

*Thank you to Netgalley for delivering an advanced copy for review*

It's always the worst torture to write a review for a book I loved...there are no words to convey all the feelings and emotions this book evoked in me. It's been almost a week and I still tear up when thinking about these characters and story. K.A.Tucker is one of my favorite authors and for years I've read all her works going in completely blind. I think the less you know about this story, the more it will impact you. For that reason, there will be no hints or storyline details in my review. Instead, I will say it's a mesmerizing story of forgiveness, love, community, and family. It's one of my top reads of 2018, and it's the book I'm gifting to all to friends and family.

While Ten Tiny Breaths will probably always be my favorite of Tucker's, I do believe Wild is her best work. READ THIS BOOK.

A huge thank you to Atria books for my advanced review copy.

K. A. Tucker is one of my favorite authors. She is a wonderful storyteller and she knows how to write an unforgettable story with remarkable characters. The Simple Wild made me laugh and cry and held me riveted from start to finish. I was taken on an emotional journey right along with the characters in this book. Even though this is a deeply layered emotional story, it is also fun and there is a lot of bantering between the characters.

Callie Fletcher is having a difficult time. She is fired from her job, she just broke up with her boyfriend and now, she is going to Alaska to see her dying father. Callie and her father have never been close and he has disappointed her on numerous occasions. Callie goes to Alaska apprehensive and not sure what to expect, never knowing how the trip will change and shape her life. Life isn’t easy for anyone living in Alaska and the people who live there are tough, simple and never complain. Callie arrives in Alaska clueless and self absorbed, but the people and the landscape change her perspective on life. Callie’s trip to Alaska forces her to expand her horizons and look at life differently and she grows from immature girl to insightful woman.

Jonah is a pilot working for Callie’s father in Alaska. He is a big, tough guy but he can also be funny and caring. He looks like a lumberjack and is the opposite of the type of guy Callie usually finds attractive. Jonah loves giving Callie a hard time and strives to have her look at the world differently. He is a simple man with simple needs and last thing he wants is to fall for a high maintenance woman like Callie.

I loved Jonah and Callie together. I enjoyed all their banter and practical jokes and how they help each other through a tough time. They learn about love, not only from each other, but by observing others around them. I was pulling for them to overcome their differences and somehow find a way to be together, but I was never quite sure how it would end. Their relationship slowly develops and they slowly fall for each as they go through an emotional time together. Jonah and Callie help each other grow into the people they are meant to be.

Deliciously witty love-hate romance

My heart and head are recovering from the slew of emotions! They have been squeezed, tortured, cut, bruised, broken, f**ked with, and taped together. The Simple Wild turned out to be anything but simple; it was a very unexpected and emotional read. Sure there’s the developing love story between the Calla and Jonah, but the main story and emotion stem from repairing the relationship Calla has with her dying father, Wren Fletcher. Wren is at the center. He holds the answers to so many questions, and develops into a significant part of this tale.

This book is part adventure, part love story, part coming-of-age.

It’s part Adventure with the vivid and detailed imagery used to describe life in rural Alaska. The Alaskan lifestyle is so unique, it’s not always easy to comprehend. Tucker does an amazing job in crafting scenarios that allows the reader to discover and understand it from an outsider’s eyes, Calla’s eyes. So much is incorporated in this story that relates to the remote location that the setting felt like it was its own separate character. It truly added an extra layer of depth to this story.

“Life up here may be simple but it’s not easy, and it’s not for everyone. Water runs out; pipes freeze; engines won’t start; it’s dark for eighteen, nineteen hours a day, for months. Even longer in the far north. Up here it’s about having enough food to eat, and enough heat to stay alive through the winter. It’s about survival, and enjoying the company of the people that surround us. It’s not about whose house is the biggest, or who has the nicest clothes, or the most money. We support each other because we’re all in this together.”

KA Tucker hits my gut again strong and distinctive characters. The enemy-to-lovers storyline between Calla and Jonah filled the pages with so much entertaining banter that I looked forward to their verbal ribbing! Their back-and-forth funny retorts only get better and progressively become frosted with sexual innuendos. They served as a much-needed antithesis to some heavily charged tear jerking scenes.

“You could have told me. Then I wouldn’t have assumed you were just being your usual dick self.”
“Where’s the fun in that?” He opens my door and holds it for me.
“So you do have manners,” I murmur, climbing into my seat. “I usually reserve them for ladies, but I’ll make an exception in this case,” he throws back without missing a beat, slamming my door shut before I have a chance to retort.
“Bastard,” I mutter, biting my bottom lip against the smile that threatens to form.

If you want to get lost or take a short vacation to the Alaskan wilderness, pick this one up!

4.5 STARS
Contemporary enemies-to-lovers romance told in female POV.
An ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review .

​

The Simple Wild, by K.A. Tucker is a funny, poignant, and emotionally gut wrenching tale of love, loss, regret and forgiveness. Tucker masterfully paints us a picture of the Alaskan wilderness, introducing us to the fictional town of Bangor, Alaska and its close-knit community of townspeople who are reliant on one another for friendship and sometimes survival. At the center is Wren Fletcher, owner of a cargo airline fleet and manager of a team of bush pilots.
Wren is in love with, yet estranged from, his ex wife and daughter who are living in Toronto. Distance, and extenuating circumstances make daughter Calla feel like she was shortchanged by her father, but she wants to attempt to reconcile with him in Alaska before his imminent death. Still, she has doubts. Calla departs Toronto and is flown to Bangor on the last leg by Jonah, one of Wren’s bush pilots. Jonah and Calla are oil and water due to lifestyle differences of the big city and the Simple Wild.
As you can imagine, author Tucker cultivates captivating romantic tension between these two. What holds them together besides physical attraction is their relationship and ties to Wren. Jonah helps Calla solve the puzzle of her own relationship with Wren just in time before Wren’s passing. The tragedy of reconciliation with little time left makes this an emotionally charged read. On the romantic side, the uncompromising lifestyles of Calla and Jonah seem to doom their relationship from the beginning, and author Tucker keeps us guessing and hoping for the best… that history won’t repeat itself.
The ending is full of surprises and emotion in all of these relationships, and the resolution of each is inspiring. What makes this book exceptional is Tucker’s exquisite character development throughout. Each and every character is both likable and memorable and a welcome addition to the story.

Calla and her mother left the small Alaskan town she was born in when she was barely two leaving her pilot father behind. Twenty-four years later Calla receives a call that her father Wren is dying and would she come to Alaska? She just recently lost her job and figures the timing works out. This Toronto city girl has no idea what she is agreeing to and has a hard time adjusting. One of father's young pilots is no help when he comes to pick her up. Calla and Jonah are at odds but both try to get along for Wren. Will this beautiful country capture Calla's heart or will she leave as soon as she is able? A fast, enjoyable read with plenty of banter, humor and emotion.

I have loved KA Tucker forever! Her writing is amazing and each book by her floors me and The Simple Wild was no different! This story affected all of my emotions, I was literally crying so much!
Callie never really had a typical relationship with her father when she was younger so she was shocked when he calls her and requested a visit from her. Part of her looks forward to fixing their relationship while they still have time but the other part of her feels like too much time has passed.
Then there is the storyline of Callie and Jonah <3 <3 The romance storyline was amazing! Jonah thinks Callie is an annoying high maintenance pain in the tush. The more time these two hangout the more Jonah looks beyond Callie’s prima donna ways and sees her huge heart!
As always KA Tucker give me a favorite of! Simple Wild is one of my top reads for 2018! I can’t wait for more from her!

I absolutely love everything that KA Tucker writes. The Simple Wild is a beautifully written story about love, loss and relationships. This is one of my top reads of 2018 and I highly recommend it!

Callia Fletcher has never had a relationship with her father, Wren She is quite surprised when she gets a call asking her to come to see him. She isn't sure how she feels about seeing him again after all these years but knows she needs to see him and hopefully build a relationship with him before it's too late. She never expected to fall in love with Alaska and the people who live there while she was visiting.

Jonah is a bush pilot for Wren who thinks Callie is a high maintenance girl who doesn't belong in Alaska. He understands why she is there spending time with her dad but he doesn't treat her very well. The more time they spend together he begins to realize that Callie has a huge heart. When tragedy strikes Callie and Jonah help each other cope with all the changes that take place.

I loved the deep connection between Callie and Jonah. The secondary characters added lots of depth to the storyline. I can't wait to see what KA is working on next.

As a child, Calla’s mother decided the harsh reality of living in Alaska was too much to bear. Wren loved the wilderness and had no plans to leave the rugged life in Alaska. So – Calla’s mother packed them up and headed to a new life in Toronto. There wasn’t a lot that Calla could remember about Alaska at 2 years old. A life left behind that holds so much depth to Calla’s past.



Fast forward to Calla’s current situation. Any 26 year old should be having the time of their life. For Calla – the reality of today’s work force has left her jobless. The boyfriend that should have been the one to lean on in a time of crisis was a huge ‘letdown’. Things become a little more insane when Calla learns that the father she never knew is declining in health. With a nudge from those that love Calla, the decision is made to head to the unknown land of Alaska to spend time with the father she never knew.



Nothing could prepare Calla for the rough edges that pull at the Alaskan wilderness. Not the stories that she heard from her mother or the information Calla could Google would live up to the reality of what she uncovered. Like turned upside down the moment that Jonah, a pilot for her father, came to pick up Calla and fly her to Wren’s home. The two were as opposite as they come. Yet – both found they couldn’t ignore the pull that existed between them. With Wren’s health on the decline, would the father and daughter find a way to overcome the years of absence? What part would Jonah have in Calla’s life during such a quick trip to Alaska?



When diving into a KA Tucker novel, you know that you will head on an adventure that will transport you into a story plot that will captivate you. The Simple Wild was no exception!! Calla is a character that you cannot help wanting to explore. Her situation is unique and holds a ring of truth that anyone can relate to. It’s not every day you head to Alaska to reconnect with a parent!!



Jonah….what an exciting and interesting hero!! The strength, knowledge, and hot factor about Jonah….well….you can’t help wanting to learn more about him! The back and forth banter between Jonah and Calla was exceptional. I loved the way their romance built upon the main focus of the story.



While this is a romance, I think the premise of this whole book is amazing. It’s a journey of forgiveness, trust, and uncovering the truth about the different paths we choose in life. Wren embodied what so many individuals face in life….the reality of mistakes that are made and how we choose to deal with them when the time comes. The Simple Wild is definitely a book that will hold a special place in your heart!! Kudos to KA Tucker for writing an amazing book that embodies the reality of life!

You guys, I'm a mess.  This wonderful, heart-wrenching, beautiful book got me.  It's a good thing I'm at work because I would be sobbing my eyes out right now.  It's been a long time since a book made me feel ALL THE FEELS.  I finished it about 15 minutes ago and had to come write about it right away.    I started this book on my commute this morning and finished it up at lunch.  All 400 pages of it.

When the book starts, it's a little jarring because it's years ago and the person narrating is actually the female main character's mother.  So it switches from Susan to Calla for the rest of the book.  I know I had to go back to double check so just be forewarned.  Anyway, fast forward to modern times.  Calla lives with her mom, Susan and her step-dad, Simon.  I want Simon for my dad but I digress.  Calla gets a phone call from Alaska that she tries to ignore but the calls are persistent.  Her biological father, who she hadn't seen since she was 2, has lung cancer.  And so, being laid off from her job at a bank, Calla goes to Alaska to see her father.

Here we meet Jonah also known as the Yeti.  Jonah works with Calla's dad and is an all around pain in the ass.  And of course, where we have hot guy who is a pain in the ass, we have romance.  Once Calla arrives in Alaska, everything goes wrong.  Her luggage hasn't arrived, none of the grocery stores have her soy milk, there are bugs everywhere and her dad doesn't seem to be to keen on the idea of having her there.

Over time as the relationships begin to progress and layers begin to peel away, Calla begins to adjust to Alaska and take time to get to know her father, Jonah and the rest of the cast of characters.  Of course Calla and Jonah strike up a relationship and of course there is trouble and unrevealed secrets and other roadblocks but in the end, the book is so much more than a romance.  Every relationship in this book changed and every character in this book grew as a person.  I don't remember the last time I could say that about a book and really mean it as much as I do for this story.  

Do yourself a favor and pick this one up.  It's out today.  Bravo Ms. Tucker, Bravo.  My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this one.

Once again, I’m taking my review to a cold location — certainly not by choice, but since The Simple Wild by K.A. Tucker is set in Alaska I will follow where the storyline leads me. For this beach girl, it gives me a chill just to read about ice and snow and the difficulties associated with life in the Alaskan wilds. Calla Fletcher isn’t a beach girl and even though she should be accustomed to the cold since she lives in Toronto, she is completely unprepared for life in the fictional town of Bangor when she flies to Alaska after learning of her father’s terminal illness. Time and distance have taken a toll on a father and daughter who once had a loving relationship and Calla is no longer the little girl whose mother left her husband for a less austere lifestyle. I had to smile at the author’s description of the amount and variety of clothing Calla packs for her trip. Every piece of luggage and every trendy outfit screams “I’m a pampered little rich girl.” Calla is also unprepared for the enigmatic Jonah, a pilot who works for Alaska Wild, her father’s charter plane service. As Calla and Jonah slowly work through their initial prickly relationship, readers will begin to wonder if Calla’s parents’ history is going to repeat itself. The conclusion was a bit of a surprise to me, but in the real world, it’s perfect!

K. A. Tucker’s fans will not be disappointed in The Simple Wild. It has the same well-developed and likable characters who are found in her other books and the author never shies away from serious themes. How do two people who love each other deal with the fact that one of them can’t live in a location the other calls home? How does one deal with an estranged parent who has a terminal illness and who lives in a primitive and isolated area? Can a young woman who has led a privileged life tolerate the bleak conditions and hardships she experiences in her father’s world long enough to find reconciliation? The Simple Wild is a touching journey to understanding the importance of second chances at love, forgiveness, and healing. Get out the tissues — you’ll need them!

The Simple Wild is unmatched for 2018! This is Tucker's best work to date.

These characters are some of the most well developed and consistent ones I've read in a long time. Calla, Jonah, Wren, even Susan and Simon. I loved them all. Between all of their character traits and beliefs you find the balance and compliment of themes of the story. Vanity & modesty, solitude & companionship, resentment & forgiveness, among so many others.

Can we talk about Alaska for a minute? We've all seen pictures or watched shows set in the Alaskan wilderness, but the experience that Tucker gives you with her imagery throughout this story is simply incredible. It was majestic, impressive, just this grand thing that is simple and beautiful but also a little bit dangerous. I wanted to reach out and grab a hold of it. Keep it locked inside a tabletop terrarium and marvel at it whenever I wanted. This book is true escapism.

And the love story! So, listen, if you're looking for something hurried and over the top sexy, keep looking because that isn't what you'll find between Calla and Jonah. I wouldn't call this an enemies to lovers story. Yeah, there's a bit of haggling between them, and Calla sure does have a sharp tongue towards Jonah at first, but...I don't know. It isn't malicious, its more of a displacement of emotions given their situation. It works for them and the product of that emotional displacement is something so lovely and tender. I want more of Calla and Jonah. I wonder if a novella is in the works? Can we petition that?

I can't wait for all of you to read this book. I recommend with 100% certainty that you will find it as fantastic as I have.

K. A. Tucker is one of those writers that I only need to see a new book, I take without even reading the synopsis and I was never disappointed so when I got this book and start reading, I was caught on a wonderful roller coaster of sweet, strong and unexpected emotions. Because even having a big and complete synopsis that I read after already having read 30% of the book, nothing, I tell you, nothing even prepared me for everything I felt with this plot.
Calla is a twenty- six years old and has open wounds of her lack of relationship with her father ,she has not spoken with him for twelve years and always has waited in the past for some movement from him to see her but never got one. Now she has to face not only the father she does not know but also a city with hostile climates and far from any form of civilization she knows.
On top of all this, she's going to face the rude way of the pilot of his father, Jonah, who is willing to make the girl's life hell. The guy without even knowing Calla creates in his mind the image of a city girl arrogant, bossy and spoiled and wants to do everything to make her not feel at home.
This whole hostility has a motive; he, like Wren, has regrets of the past that he can not correct, and when he comes across someone who is doing almost the same thing as he did, he does not accept it well looks in the mirror.
But as Calla comes to know the community, the life of his father, his friends and realizing his way of reacting to certain situations, she discovers what led him to act as he acted in the past and realizing how she still misses a connection with him.
Amid exuberant descriptions of Alaska's remote landscapes, the puzzle of the plot is mounting and with each piece the emotion inside me became stronger. I’ve lived since hilarious times that made me double from laughing at the expectation of revenge between Lilah and Jonah in the midst of their approach to heartbreaking moments when the prognosis of Wren's disease becomes clear and my tears simply fall apart without me controlling them.
A beautiful book about reconciliation and family love, about finding joy in small things and valuing each moment with the person you love, about learning to give a helping hand and taking the initiative of a simple conversation.
I do not even know how to describe everything I have felt with this book, how it touched my heart, my soul, how to explain that I have reread a book more than twice and every time I feel the same strong feelings.
Certainly, top 5 of 2018 so far. I was just sad because I expected an epilogue, just a few more pages to prepare me for the farewell and see more of Simon, Agnes, and Mabel. And I confess that I was very angry with Susan at various times and expected a more rounded closure of her with Simon, after all, he was a decisive part in the lives of all the characters involved and deserved a greater recognition on her part, I believe that I never fell so much in love with a secondary character as I fell in love with him. Only a few more pages, Katheleen, only a few more pages….
5/5 stars

The Simple Wild was one of my most highly anticipated reads of the summer. What could be better than sitting back and letting K.A. Tucker’s captivating storytelling transport you to the wilds of Alaska for a story of family, reconnecting, forgiveness, and love? This story didn’t just meet my expectations, it surpassed them. This book had my undivided attention from the very beginning and took me on an incredible adventure that I’ll never forget.

This book is the definition of a well-rounded novel. It had a little bit of everything that I enjoy when I’m reading. Between the story of a fractured relationship between a father and a daughter, the beautiful descriptive setting of the rugged Alaskan landscape, and the push and pull of an opposites attract romance, I was in my reading zone.

The Simple Wild is an emotional story that will undoubtedly tug at the heartstrings of its readers. I was immediately invested in the characters’ lives, feeling all of their emotions and living their realities right along with them. K.A Tucker portrayed these characters in a genuine light, making their interactions and feelings as authentic and real as possible.

You can take the girl out of the city, but you can’t take the city out of the girl. When Calla makes the decision to venture to Alaska to reconnect with her father, she’s traveling into unfamiliar territory. The desolate location is just as unfamiliar to her as her father is. I loved Calla. She swallowed her pride and took the step to mend fences with her dad. I wanted her to have this opportunity and to make the most of it. It certainly wasn’t an easy journey for Calla, and she had an antagonistic pilot who seemed to enjoy making her life that much more difficult.

Jonah and Calla didn’t exactly hit it off from the start. He was rugged, outdoorsy, and lived a simple life, while she was accustomed to the perks and ease that city life afforded. Their back and forth, banter, and tension offered up the perfect amount of humor to offset the more emotional parts of this story. I do love an opposites attract novel, and this one was done just right. It is a slow burn that allows the reader’s anticipation to build at the perfect pace.

The Simple Wild is a moving story that just hit all of the marks for me. It is a book that I can see myself rereading at a later time and still enjoying every single word as much as I did the first time.

*5 Stars

I really enjoyed this book! Sometimes with K.A Tucker's books, they are a hit or miss for me but I loved this one! I loved that the setting was in Alaska and how Calla's father owned a plane company. I loved the romance as well! Hate to love is one of my favorite romantic tropes so I couldn't get enough of this one!
I enjoyed watching Calla & her fathers relationship blossom and the ending was so sad but hopeful. I wish she would continue to write more about these characters and their travels, I would love a second book!

The Simple Wild by K.A. Tucker was such a smoothly written masterpiece. The characters felt immediately like old friends. The setting, small-town Alaska, was captured so vividly, I could see the modular house with the beat up truck sitting beside it. I could hear the airplane engines come to life from the hangar down the road. It was as comforting as hot chocolate and peanut butter pie. I absolutely fell in love from the very first words.



Upon hearing that her father, Wren, has a potentially fatal illness, Calla decides to make the journey back to the one-horse town in Alaska that she left when she was 2 years old. To say that the relationship between her and Wren is awkward is putting it mildly. Calla holds A LOT of resentment and I have to say that I don't blame her. Wren isn't exactly father material and has a better relationship with literally EVERYONE else than he has with his own daughter. It's painful and, like Calla, I have a hard time liking him for most of the book.



Next, we need to talk about the angry yeti, Jonah. Jonah works for Wren, flies for him, and he picks Calla up at the airport to fly her to the more remote area of Bangor. Jonah and Calla's interactions are so hateful it's comical. They both have preconceived ideas about the other and about how the other SHOULD be acting. Needless to say, they are both wrong, but it sure is fun to read. Their every encounter sizzles, whether with anger or repressed sexual tension and when they finally begin to get the true picture of the other, it is magical. They each provoke something in the other and eventually begin to bring out the good in each other.



This is unequivocally my favorite of Tucker's stories. The snark and sass are epic and amazing. The adventure is subtle yet exciting. My favorite part is how much I learned. It was such an educational book as well as entertaining. It’s about being human and making mistakes. It’s about forgiveness. It’s seeing another way of life and accepting it, even though you don’t fully understand it. It’s about finding who you really are, and then being true to you. I loved the question of 'Why would anyone live there like that?' And the simple answer of ‘its their home’. It was just a thought-provoking book in so many ways. It was simply awesome.

Thank you netgalley atria books and KA Tucker for my free review copy of The Simple Wild I was super excited to get a copy and I was not disappointed!

Calla and her mother moved from the Alaskan Wild when she was 2 and since she and her father Wren haven’t had much of a relationship. Now she’s 26 and on her way to visit him for the first time. Can Calla look past her disappointment with her father and forge a relationship? Can she brave a lifestyle she’s not accustomed in hopes of getting to know her father? Enter Jonah the man who helps Wren keep his charter plane business running. When Jonah sees Calla all he sees is an upity city girl... that is until they get to know each. Will Calla repeat her mother’s story?

I really like all the characters in this book. Swoon... Jonah. Where do I sign up for a rugged mountain man? Jonah was all gooey under that rough exterior. I loved Calla, her growth and how she grapples with what she wants from life. Let me also say the real MVP in this story is Simon!

I loved the story too KA Tucker did any amazing job in her description on the scenery and weaving her storytelling skills I was throughly engrossed.

Alright y’all, I’ll see you later. On my way to Alaska to find me a bush pilot named Jonah…

Not really, but I wish. Now on to my review:

I wanted to do a reread of this book, the minute I put it down. It is officially one of my top favorite reads of the year. This story was such a wonderful mix of humor and emotion. I actually found it much more emotional than I was expecting. The banter was seriously off the charts. It’s honestly the best banter between characters I’ve read all year, maybe ever. And the banter between the hero and the heroine in a book is one of my favorite things.

I’ll admit that it took me a few chapters to warm up to our heroine Calla. She is extremely privileged, living at her mom’s and stepdad’s extremely lovely home rent free, her mother gets food and meals delivered, and a maid comes multiple times a week. With all those living expenses paid for, she’s able to spend all that extra money on luxuries like clothes and beauty products. She has grown up accustomed to certain luxuries and doesn’t really give them a second thought nor realizes that they’re luxuries, not necessities.

Callas has an estranged relationship with her father. When she was just a toddler, her mother left Alaska while her father stayed behind. They tried to stay in touch, but when Calla is in middle school, her father cancels plans to come to see her effectively severing what little was left of their relationship. Years past, and when Calla learns that he has cancer, she decides she’ll regret it if she doesn’t fly out to Alaska and see him. It’s only supposed to be for a week, but of course, well-laid plans never seem to go unchanged.

While in Bangor (the almost-middle-of-nowhere town where her father lives and works) we meet a cast of characters. From Agnes to Mabel, Ethel to Bandit the raccoon, Calla slowly realizes that family doesn’t always mean you share the same blood.

We also meet Jonah. Who I honestly loved right from the start. His quick quips were literally the best and his unabashed caring heart, even if sometimes he went about it the wrong way, leaped off the page. He is 100% swoon-worthy even with his faults.

Calla learns a lot about herself and what she’s capable of during her time in Alaska. The book is about much more than her and Jonah falling for each other. It’s about love, loyalty, community, and above all family.

Tucker’s writing pulls you in from the first page. If you are looking to dip your toe into the romance genre, this would be a great book to do that with. I’d call it a mix between romance and women’s fiction. Yes, there’s a central love story, but it is also about Calla’s journey. If you’re curious about the more intimate scenes between our hero and heroine, they’re what I’d classify as mildly steamy; somewhere between open and closed door.

This book is a great summer read, as well as fall, winter, or spring. Read it on a plane, on a beach, at home, or on the subway. However or whenever, it is a worthy and must-read story. And be sure to let me know if you want to plan a trip to Alaska with me. We can search for our very own bush pilots.