Cover Image: Chase Wilde Comes Home

Chase Wilde Comes Home

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Member Reviews

A beautifully written love story of two broken souls finding each other and thriving. When their families and town had written them off, Chase and Shelby discovered their dreams and made them happen. We follow the journey of support and the shared love of a little girl that heals them both.

Shelby understands Chase like no one else. She sees his big heart with how he treats her and his daughter, she does what she can to make sure he has a chance. But, are his demons too big? She is not immune to her emotional baggage.

Add a few twists, slow-building suspense, and an ending to warm your heart.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for the advanced copy; this is my voluntary review.

Review posted to Barnes & Noble under Julie Booklover

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After one-night years ago with Shelby Payne, Chase Wilde became a father. Shelby and his baby daughter helped keep him sane as he served overseas in the military. Now he is home, a bit broken and suffering from PTSD. Does he have a chance with Shelby and his delightful daughter, Eliza? A moving and emotional story of a man facing his demons and a woman who loves him, but has never felt that she is good enough for him. His family believes that Eliza may not be his daughter, but Chase knows the truth and will do all that is necessary to be the man and father that he needs to be. Shelby’s father has recently been released from prison for the rape of her mother which resulted in Shelby’s birth. Her mother committed suicide years ago and Shelby has born the stigma of her family disgrace, feeling unloved and unwanted, except by Chase. When her father begins stalking her, is he harmless or more dangerous than they believe? A climatic ending to this heartfelt novel. I received an advance review copy at no cost and without obligation for an honest review. (paytonpuppy)

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A deeply emotional and seriously sexy romance, CHASE WILDE COMES HOME will put your heart through the wringer before leaving a smile on your face. If you’ve read Jennifer Ryan before, you may be familiar with Chase—he was a pivotal, if small, part of TOUGH TALKING COWBOY—and this is a rewarding payoff for those who survived the sucker punch that was the ending of that book.

Seriously, I am still not over that one. I’ve read it three times; I cried every single one of them.

Chase and Shelby’s relationship is born of a one-night stand that resulted in a baby, and while it shouldn’t work, it does. Shelby is a sweet, supportive partner to Chase as he’s recovering from PTSD, battle injury, and addiction, willing to put her daughter first and risk hurting the man she loves to help him. She has strength without being so brittle that she is afraid to be vulnerable and has herself a lot to overcome from her tumultuous past. I just plain liked her. A lot.

As I mentioned above, my heart ached for Chase at the end of TOUGH TALKING COWBOY and continued to do so as he navigated life after service and rehab. I liked Chase all the more for trying to do the right thing for the women he loved, even to the detriment of his relationship with his brothers and father. I can’t wait to get into the minds of Max and Hunt when they get their own books, that’s for sure.

Ryan is a go-to author for me for many reasons, including the way she deftly manages her stories. She gives them an edge as the suspense builds while also making sure the love story grows in strength from page to page. It’s a joy to read her books, even when they’re liable to make you (me) cry.

All in all, this was a great start to a new series with a hero trying to get his life back on track, a heroine with a big heart, and a couple of brothers I can’t wait to learn more about.

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This was a fantastic read. Ryan's characters are in a challenging place in their lives and she beautifully shows them working through that - recognizing their commitment to each other and their future. A great book with fantastic suspense building throughout. And the end!!! Whew - what a ride!

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This is a very intense story. There are moments of joy that shine through, plus an HEA and a lot of reconciliations throughout. But it’s still very intense and will gut-punch you more than once.

You don’t have to read any of this author’s other books to fully immerse yourself in this one, but Chase Wilde showed up in the last book of the Wild Rose Ranch series, Tough Talking Cowboy. Again, you don’t have to read that book, but it’s my belief that it will give you a lot more understanding of Chase and the things he’s been through. He was by no means a main character in that story, but his part was very important. That being said…

Shelby and Chase are so good for each other. Shelby is a wonderful friend, mom, and overall human being. She had a rough life, never feeling that she belonged and not willing to open herself up to the world because of the cruelty she knew was out there. Even her grandparents, who raised her, made her feel as though she was a mistake and not worth loving. It’s amazing that she turned out to be the empathetic and thoughtful person she came to be. Too bad she still, even now as an adult and a mom and a successful physical therapist, has a huge chip on her shoulder and doesn’t feel she’s good enough for Chase.

Funny, because Chase feels he will drag Shelby down. He loves her and has always had deep and intense feeling for her since their one-night stand. If he hadn’t been in the military and left the morning after they came together, he would have pursued a romantic relationship from the start. But she left before he could get her number and didn’t hear from her again until she found out she was pregnant. In the meantime, he’s estranged from his father and brothers because of helping his mom die in peace years before, he survived some extreme situations overseas which resulted in the end of his military career and extraordinary pain, which led to him becoming an addict.

I love that this is not a secret baby story. Shelby was always completely up front about the baby and wanted Chase to be involved if that was what he wanted. Other than putting her foot down during times that he was struggling with his addiction (which she should have!) she has been very open with the custody situation and open to co-parenting.

Now that Chase has cleaned up his act and finally had it out with his family, can Shelby and Chase find a way to be a real family? It’s interesting to watch them both deal with and overcome their insecurities. No matter how much “at home” they felt with the other, they just couldn’t imagine it was really reciprocal. This story isn’t so much about the characters not talking to each other, rather it’s about them not really hearing each other.

There’s much more to this story with Chase’s PTSD, Shelby’s biological father, and the Wilde family as a whole. All of it entertaining, some of it extreme, all of it engrossing. I’m not a huge fan of Chase’s family, although they came a long way during this story. Since this author rarely disappoints, I’m sure I’ll end up loving them all.

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I started off really enjoying this story about Chase Wilde, who has deep PTSD from two tours in the military. What has kept him going is his long-distance connection to the woman with whom he has an adorable little girl after a one-night stand. Shelby is a truly good-hearted woman who is doing all she can to help Chase have a relationship with their baby by sharing the baby monitor videos with him so he can check in to watch his little girl sleep while he’s over in a war zone. She has her own traumas since she is the product of a vicious rape of her mother who then committed suicide. The whole town knows her story and she’s felt unwanted and a scandal since she was little. But now she has her child and the chance to build a relationship with Chase. I liked that plot, but it got rather tedious after a while as the book became rather repetitive. Chase and Shelby come together pretty quickly and then we have all sorts of moments when Chase has flashbacks and worries that he’s not good enough for Shelby or she feels she’s not worthy of him because of her background. That sort of scene just repeated too many times and I found myself skimming after a while.

I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book that I received from Netgalley; however, the opinions are my own and I did not receive any compensation for my review.

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Excellent book, fairly typical romance with some thriller thrown in for good measure. The topic of PTSD and drug recovery were both handled very well and not merely glossed over. The characters were engaging and the storyline was very good.

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A wounded Wilde comes home to Wyoming to rebuild his life. He has a lot to slog through, but there’s Shelby. One night together that Produced a daughter, Shelby. There’s a lot of character growth with Chase and his family. At first, I thought Shelby was depicted as martyr like which was annoying, but she grew on me. I did get a little tired of one story line that was brought up constantly.
It’s a sizzling searing romance between two people who’s souls are striving for each other.

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This start to a new series was okay, but it was a little too heavy on the suspense and not much on the romance. Plus, it seemed to drag (about 10 chapters too long, to be honest). We don't get to see Chase and Shelby fall in love. They were already in love before the book even began, although they hadn't been "together" since that fateful night except as parents to Eliza (when Chase was sober/not drugged up). So we miss out on the meeting and falling in love aspect of a romance. The book was also depressing at times as we see what all Chase is going through. I think because of that heaviness, we really needed more romance to lighten things up when things became too emotionally overwhelming.

There is romance, but it's already established and it doesn't seem like there's much angst between them as a couple. There is drama and uncertainty when it comes to outside influences, like Chase's family and Kyle, Shelby's bio dad. But there's not much drama between the couple. Shelby is awesome and an amazing mother. Plus, she loves Chase and believes in him despite his PTSD and past drug and alcohol problems. She even buys him a house before he gets out of rehab! She certainly had a lot of faith in Chase and I admired that about her.

Chase was definitely a damaged hero. He suffered from PTSD after serving in the military and became addicted to painkillers. That's kept him in and out of his young daughter's life, but he's determined to make things right with Shelby and be the best dad he can be to Eliza. I appreciated the author being raw and honest about Chase's demons and what it took to get back to the place he needed to be in order to live a semi-normal life and have a relationship with those he loved. The author certainly didn't hold anything back.

The big reveal at the end with Kyle was honestly 100% predictable. In fact, I predicted that in the first scene with Kyle and his parents. So there was no shock factor there at all :-/

Overall, a decent book ... a bit too heavy on the negative emotions evoked and lacking in the romantic build-up needed to offset that negativity.

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I liked this book but this is not a feel good romance and deals with harder issues such as ptsd after war, drug abuse and sexual abuse/assault

Chase comes home from war not the same person he was as he went . He has trouble with his family and trouble with the mother of his child.
He goes to rehab to help with the drug issues he was using to cope. He has a lot of survivors guilt and is trying to cope with that .
His family is angry that he helped his mother end her life when she had enough with the cancer.
To keep the ranch afloat he enlists and sends money home .
During one of his leaves he meets somebody and they have what is a one night stand but that turns into a baby nobody expected.

She is a wonderful person and named the baby after his mother which he is thankful for. They grow closer as he is overseas and the baby is close too due to a vid cam he is able to connect to the baby with.

There is an unexpected turn no one expects from Shelby’s past. Her father is not a good man . He kidnapped and raped her mother . He is delusional and won’t give up.

Shelby didn’t have a good upbringing and always felt unwanted . He grandparents didn’t want her because of what she represented and her mother committed suicide and tried to kill her too because of the painful memories

This book has a good portrayal of the steps veterans deal with returning from war and was a good learning experience.

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I always forget how intense Jennifer Ryan's books are. I go into them expecting something lighter and end up turning pages on a suspenseful and steamy story with some real personal struggles included. Chase and Shelby's past and present are filled with complications, but their connection is strong enough to keep them together through both. While the suspense and story were both engaging, the personal struggles and constant conversation about it did lead to a little bit of a slow down at times.

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This is a great beginning to a new series about the Wilde brothers of Wyoming. Chase is the oldest and does what it takes to save his family farm by joining the military and ended up going through some harrowing missions where he suffered several injuries and is now suffering from PTSD. After completing rehab he winds up suffering a set back after trying to save a friend. Chase is really having a hard time trying to get his life back on track. His family has given up on him. But the mother of his baby girl gives him a lifeline that he is desperately trying to hold on to.

Shelby Payne has a sordid past that she wants to forget. On the night that both she and Chase are stuck in lost moments they join in a passionate night to help them both forget. That one night together connects them with an unbreakable bond. While deployed Shelby gives Chase the will and hope to hold on and survive.

Both Chase and Shelby have some obstacles to overcome and will do everything to make it.

Once again Jennifer Ryan writes a wonderful story about overcoming obstacles and having strong support when you really need it.

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This was a very interesting and well written book. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. I will be adding this author to my reading list. I will. be recommending this author to my friends and family going forward.

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Chase Wilde Comes Home is the first of a brand new series by Jennifer Ryan. Somewhere I read that Chase was mentioned in another series but I had not read that one. Well, no worry if you haven’t either. He will make his mark on your heart in this story. Shelby Payne was never able to forget Chase and not only because of their little girl but because this wounded soul is unforgettable.

Far from perfect he is still a protector, no matter the scars and wounds he carries from his time in service to his country. He now has his head on straight, wanting to be a part of his daughter’s life as well as part of Shelby’s. I like how Shelby is not a pushover but makes her decisions based on what is best for her daughter. I also like how Chase respects that, going on to prove that he can be that man now. Danger shows up making this a blend of romance and suspense that keeps you reading.

A veteran/cowboy, a strong loving woman, a darling child, a little danger, and a romance all rolled into one great story. Recommend to all.

The publisher through Net Galley provided a digital ARC. I have voluntarily decided to read and review, giving my personal opinions and thoughts.

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Chase Wilde Comes Home is the first novel in Jennifer Ryan's Wyoming Wilde series, and to say it really hit me where I live is putting it mildly, and it was as good a serious, sweet, sexy, angst- and danger-filled, heartbreaking novel of romantic suspense as I've read. It gets 5 stars from this reader.

On his last night of an unsatisfying 10-day leave home from the military, one which saw him at odds with his father and two brothers, Chase finds himself at a local bar and strikes up a short conversation with the pretty girl named Shelby, seated on the bar stool next to him. The two are immediately drawn to one another, they spend the night together, and not long after that, with Chase back overseas, he learns that he's going to be a father, and he even gets to watch his daughter, Eliza, being born via laptop, and spends his free time for the next 2 years, watching his daughter grow up, and chatting with her. He hasn't forgotten his night with Shelby, and wants to be a good father to his daughter, certainly a better father than his own dad was to him.

The Chase Wilde who returns home has been gravely wounded, physically and mentally. His physical pain causes him to abuse alcohol and prescription pain killers and eventually lands him in rehab, where, just as he's about to be released, the unthinkable happens, setting his recovery back for yet more time in rehab. But a healed body is only part of his problem, because the emotional scars he carries are a nightmare of PTSD flashbacks and trigger. Yet, after all this, Shelby waits, and Chase's motivation to get better for her and his daughter is heart-wrenching.

Since Chase and Shelby didn't spend much time talking the night they met, what he doesn't know about her is a lot, and it's some time before she tells him that she is a product of her mother's kidnapping, torture, and rape. What happened to her mom was unthinkable, and it broke her so badly that she not only tried to kill herself, she also tried to kill Shelby, who was a constant reminder of her trauma. Shelby lived, her mother didn't, and Shelby was raised by her grandparents who didn't want her as a constant reminder of why and how they lost their only child, Shelby's mom. It didn't help that Shelby, an innocent in all this horror, was treated poorly and gossiped about all through school, and even now, as an adult and a mom, the townspeople are still continuing to point fingers at her.

As if that wasn't enough, the man who raped Shelby's mom, Kyle, has served his prison sentence and has been released. He's as delusional and dangerous as can be, and part of that delusion is that he wants to be a father to Shelby, and a grandfather to adorable, 2-year-old Eliza, stalking them both, and when Shelby finally confides in Chase, it brings out every protective instinct he possesses.

What follows is a both a sweet, slow-growing, romantic relationship in which these two broken souls try to heal one another, combined with a suspenseful and terrifying threat to all of them from a deranged, violent, and delusional stalker. While this novel isn't all sweetness and light, it is nonetheless a heartfelt look at the results of war on those who are called to serve, and the long-range effects of sexual violence, and while it is sometimes hard to take the reality of what these characters have and are experiencing, it is also well-written and well worth reading for it's honest portrayal of the aftermath of war and sexual violence. Quite simply, it was an excellent read, and I'm eager to follow this series as it progresses.

I voluntarily read an advance reader copy of this novel. The opinions expressed are my own.

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I have to confess that this is not an easy book to read and one I still have mixed feelings about.
That said, it was well written and thought provoking.
Chase Wilde and Shelby Payne had a one night stand that ended up with a pregnancy and a little girl that Chase absolutely loves. Thanks to Shelby, he has a relationship with the child.
But Chase has demons . War , PTSD , addiction to painkillers and a family that has basically turned their backs to him, make his recovery that much more difficult. But through it all, Shelby is there to support him, and truth be told , love him.
As danger seems to come into their lives, will they be able to overcome it all? Will they find they are stronger together? Will they be able to get their HEA? Will Chase reconcile with his family?
Though I am still not sure how I feel about the book, it was very well written and for that I have given it a higher rating and also because it’s a reminder of how war affects the troops that are willing to risk their lives to keep us safe.
I was entrusted a copy of this book by Netgalley. The opinions expressed are solely my own.

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Chase Wilde is finally home after going through some of the hardest years of his life. He gave his life to his country and his heart to Shelby and their daughter Eliza. While serving overseas he endured a lot of physical and emotional trauma and became addicted to pain medications, but now he's back and ready to put that part of this past behind him. Shelby is one of the most beautiful, understanding characters that I've ever read. Growing up, she's always been an outcast because of her parents. Chase is the only one who's been able to break down her walls and support her the way she deserves even knowing her history. His family is less than accepting of her and I love how Chase is all in and will put them first above all else. There is a few surprises that pop up throughout while the storyline kept me flipping page after page. Each of these characters come so far in their story and their development was beautiful. The world created with the Wild family has me excited to see the secondary characters get stories!

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The first in a new series by Jennifer Ryan hit it out of the ballpark for me. Chase is a recovering addict , former soldier, and suffers from sever PTSD.

Shelby is a hard-working, single mom, whose birth was the result of a rape. Her mother committed suicide and attempted to murder her too when young. This stigma has shaped her whole life.

After a one night stand pregnancy resulted, and she's been raising their daughter Eliza on her own. She's kept in touch and provided access to Chase, until his addiction became too much to handle. Given an ultimatum by Shelby he entered rehab and she meets him upon his release.

It's a vibrant story involving redemption, true love, trust and honesty. Finding love in the most unlikely of places and protecting the family you make with your life. It deals with the issues if abuse, rape, and PTSD with compassion and empathy. A great read and now I can't wait for Hunt's story!

I received a free ARC eBook from Net Galley and the publisher in exchange for my honest opinions.

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Chase Wilde Comes Home by Jennifer Ryan begins her new series, Wyoming Wilde. This is a story about Case Wilde's return from deployment after several times being wounded and thus has PTSD yet he is determined to be the best father he can be. Shelby Payne is Eliza's mother and the heroine of this story. Chase and Shelby have a tough path to a HEA but I was so glad they made it. This was an emotional, satisfying read for me. I enjoyed meeting the characters. Toddler Eliza is a real cutie,spaghetti sauce face and all.

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This is such a fantastic book, I was hooked from page one. It’s an emotional journey for Chase. Luckily Shelby gives him another chance, she’s so good for him and seems to know what he needs to heal. I also felt for her as she’s never felt good enough. I didn’t care for his family at first but loved how they made repairs with him and Shelby and her daughter Eliza. The story also keeps us on edge wondering just how safe Shelby and Eliza are. It’s a very heartwarming story and I loved their happy ever after. I voluntarily read an advanced readers copy and I highly recommend this book.

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