WILDE FOR YOU – Jennifer Ryan
Dark Horse Dive Bar, Book 2
Avon
ISBN: 978-0063319769
March 26, 2024
Contemporary Romance

Wyoming – Present Day

After being betrayed by her husband and his subsequent suicide death, landscape artist Layla Brock only wants to find tranquility to paint. Her manager has set her up to stay for several weeks on a remote Wyoming resort ranch. On Layla’s arrival, she is introduced to one of the ranch’s owners, cowboy Jax Wilde. There is an instant spark of interest between them. While Layla didn’t come to Wyoming to have a fling with a hot sexy cowboy, she is not averse to the idea. Jax is friendly and accommodating. They soon hit it off and are seeing a lot of each other. Has Layla found the perfect way to mend her broken heart? Will she be thinking about staying on longer at the ranch?

Layla once thought she had a good life. Christopher was a loving husband and though they went through losing a baby, she was slowly healing. Then she discovered he was leading a double life with another woman and their baby. Shattered, Layla left him, but while he apologized for what he did, his ultimate response was to kill himself. Christopher’s brother, Michael, fought hard for a bigger share of the estate and isn’t happy that he ended up with nothing per a clause in the will. Michael has been hounding Layla for money, which is one reason why she needed to get away. Wyoming turns out to be a good place. It brought her to Jax.

Midway through WILDE FOR YOU, things begin happening in Layla’s life. Her home in California is broken into. Michael keeps texting/calling her. Her car tires are slashed. Is Michael responsible? Whatever is going on and whoever is doing it, it only makes Jax more protective of Layla. They are now in love, and he will do anything to keep her safe. Much of this tale is about Jax and Layla getting to know each other and growing closer. Readers will enjoy their interaction and seeing both find happiness. While much is not said about Jax’s romantic past, we soon learn that he was burned by a woman and why. Layla will quickly have him changing his feelings about love.

WILDE FOR YOU is a bit of a whodunit with the mysterious things happening to Layla, but it is mostly a good-feel romance between two people who once were burned by love. Second chances are earned, and love is given. Will Layla and Jax find a happily-ever-after together? Don’t miss WILDE FOR YOU.

Patti Fischer
Romance Reviews Today

This was a beautiful story that I really enjoyed reading.
I loved everything about the main characters, Layla and Jax. It was fun going on their journey to heal.
The romance aspect was sweet.
There is a mystery aspect to the story that was intriguing.
Though part of a series, this can definitely be read as a stand-alone.
Thank you NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Wilde for You, Dark Horse Dive Bar book two, by Jennifer Ryan has Jax Wilde at the very center of it. This man deserves a happy ever after. He may not be working undercover like his future brother /-in-law was doing in the first book but he works the ranch, the bar, and has his family at the very center of his heart. A real hero in my eyes.

Landscape artist, Layla Brock has loved and lost, now coming to the Wilde Ranch to paint and recover. However, not everyone believes Layla should recover and live again, so danger follows her from California to Colorado. A romantic suspense story taking place in a wonderfully portrayed setting that you love along with well-developed characters that you love even more. Hard to believe but this sensitive serious story is even better than the first one in the series.

Layla & Jax sent my kindle aflame!
This book was fantastic. So many twists and turns with a wonderful romance too. The mystery was intriguing and I was kept on my toes. I was invested in what was going to happen. The writer does a good job of keeping the reader guessing!
The romance was perfectly built up. It’s instant attraction for these two but they’ve both been burned by past lovers so it takes a bit to let each other in. Once they did it was beautiful & hot. Plus I love a grumpy protective man, so Jax definitely did it for me.
This is why I love romantic suspense! The perfect blend of scorching romance and a good mystery.

Wilde for You is the second Dark Horse Dive Bar novel by Jennifer Ryan. Centered around the Dark Horse Dive Bar and the Wilde Wind ranch, both owned by the Wilde family, this story revolves around Jax Wilde, only son of the family. A single workaholic, Jax hasn’t been involved in a relationship for years, ever since his former girlfriend’s betrayal. His family is concerned about the hours Jax puts in, both on the ranch and at the bar.

Layla Brock, a Southern California widow, is a renowned artist specializing in large landscapes. Putting the trauma of her estranged husband’s death behind her, Layla travels to Blackrock Falls, Wyoming, near her patron’s getaway. Having rented one of the cabins at Wilde Wind ranch and having a structure built to house her art studio, Layla arrives with her best friend/business agent April Hendrix. Awaiting the guest’s arrival, Jax and his sister greet the new visitor. When Layla gets out of the vehicle and meets Jax’s perfect blue eyes the connection is almost palpable.

In the days and weeks to come, Layla and Jax begin something special. First, through the activities April had signed Layla up to do, then through other meetings, including dinner, drinks, and dancing at the Dark Horse. As the story unfolds, criminal acts are committed against Layla’s California home, her rented vehicle, and her new studio. Already together, these incidents bring them even closer.

This was another well written story and part of an excellent series. I did enjoy this book and I do recommend it!

Jennifer Ryan's second novel in her Dark Horse Dive Bar series is aptly titled Wilde for You, which describes perfectly the meeting of sexy but bitter rancher, Jax Wilde and world-famous California-based landscape artist, Layla Brock, who has been commissioned by a fabulously wealthy LA producer to paint a half-million dollar landscape showing the beauty of Wyoming. Her best friend and agent, Alice, found that the Wilde guest ranch was very accommodating to her needs, and her open-ended reservation, extened even to setting up the glass greenhouse studio Layla purchased and Jax helped erect at the back of her cabin. And while I'm generally not big believeer in love at first sight, in this novel it somehow worked.

Both Jax and Layla were burned and betrayed by their significant others, Jax's ex-fiance and Layla's husband, now deceased by his own hand, so in addition to this beinga love at first sight, second chance at romance, there are a number of triggers in this story, cheating, abortion, deception and betrayal, as well as stalking, and quite a dash of mystery and well-kept secrets to be revealed as well, so be forewarned.

After the unexpected death of Layla's husband, Christian, she and Christian's brother, Michael, were the beneficiaries of his estate, which wasn't all that much, since the house was bought and paid for by Layla, thanks to her very lucrative art career. However, Michael thought it should all be his, since it was no secret that Layla was planning to divorce her husband, and so Michael contested the will, losing everything in their court battle. He's bitter, grieving, and angry, and he hasn't stopped bugging Layla for what he feels is his due. Getting away from him, and getting out of California, was a way to escape his constant harassment and demands, and since he had no idea where Layla was headed, aside from texting her his demands, she was free of his constant presence, and once she got to see more of the beauty of the Wilde Ranch, and sexy rancher, Jax, her artistic juices reactivated and so did her sex life.

But, like all good novels of romantic suspense, there's trouble to come, painful secrets to be revealed, and up close and personal danger ahead. To say more would would spoil this novel for you, so I'll just state that, as usual, Ms. Ryan has written a novel with all the feels, lots of romance memorable characters, and steamy scenes, but I would have preferred a bit more suspense, and a more detailed and drawn out denouement, nevertheless this novel was still a solid and satisfying read.

I voluntarily read an advance reader copy of this novel and the opinions stated are my own.

You will fall in love with Layla and Jax!

Widowed landscape artist Layla Brock intended to use her time painting a commission piece in Wyoming to figure out her future after her husband’s suicide. But she never expected that Wyoming would be the place that she would find new love and new inspiration for her paintings.

Rancher/bar owner Jax Wilde had closed off his heart to love after his last girlfriend had shattered it but he never expected that the new guest at the ranch would open his eyes and make his realize that she was perfect for him just the way she was.

I absolutely loved Wilde for You because I wanted to keep reading and not put it down. So put it on your list to read because you will fall in love with Layla and Jax and all of the Wilde family.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from the author and NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

There's nothing like a sexy cowboy romance to get me out of a reading slump, this book was just what the doctor ordered! I loved the rural setting of the book and the way that this impacted how the character's viewed their own lives outside of this rural place. I love how the characters had to really communicate with one another and their relationship was portrayed in a realistic and unfiltered way.

Emotional, suspenseful, and romantic.

I was hooked on Jax and Layla as soon as they met. Layla is on the Wilde Wind Ranch to paint landscapes, and when she and Jax Wilde meet you could feel the connection snap into place. There was trouble following Layla and I enjoyed the suspense, emotion, and how they find their way to each other. I love the Wilde family and can’t wait to see what happens to the rest of the siblings.

There are a ton of details in this story. While it is an instant attraction story it is also on a slow burn. I love how Layla pushes through her uncomfortable-ness in letting her heart love again. I also love how she is so enthusiastic about the ranch and her surroundings. I love how she falls not only for Jax and the ranch and the area but also for his family. I love her friends. The suspense and mystery adds so much to the story. The emotions feel real. Her loyalty to her dead husband and his brother is admirable and leaves a lasting impression. The story is well told, easy to read and follow.

I really enjoyed the previous book in this series, so I wondered if Jax and Layla's story would be as good. It really was. Both had previous relationships that broke a part of them and shattered their trust in a partner, but I loved the way they were always there for each other from the beginning. Slowly building that trust between the two of them. This book was excellent and I highly recommend it. Thank you NetGalley for an advanced copy!

We are back to Wyoming for this second book. We get a landscape artist that comes to work with a client and pain the beautiful landscapes of WY and Jax the rancher falls for her hard at first sight. He moves around his busy schedule to spend time with her. Ryan does a good job with the darker subjects and more of them as we move through the story. We also get a mystery woven through this one and Mason and Jax’s family come to help them. We get more of his fun sisters as well.
Really enjoying this series! Can’t wait to see what sister is next!

Great addition to the series. Love the Wilde family and getting reacquainted with them in this book was fun. The instant attraction when Layla arrives on the ranch goes both ways, but she has a lot of baggage from her previous marriage. It's revealed throughout the story and Jax is patient and understanding. When her past collides with the present and a little mystery is introduced, it is a surprise who the culprit is.

There is love surrounding them and they've both learned from past relationships the importance of truth, commitment, and understanding. All in all a magnificent story of the resilience of true love.

Although I received a free ARC ebook from net galley and the publisher, all thoughts and opinions ate my own. Hoping book 3 reveals the mysterious man messaging Melody, Jax's sister.

4 Stars Wilde for You by Jennifer Ryan is a small town, second chance at love, instalove, cowboy romance that will give you all the warm and fuzzies 🥰

Renowned landscape artist Layla Brock arrives at the Wilde Wind Ranch in Wyoming ready to start a new life and move on from her husband's betrayal and subsequent death. Jax Wilde has been running himself ragged working at both his family's ranch and the Dark Horse Dive Bar he runs with his sisters, using both as an escape ever since his ex-girlfriend betrayed him years ago. The second Layla and Jax lock eyes, there's an immediate need for them to get to know one another better and an instant connection that feels like they've known each other forever. Jax and Layla seem like a perfect match and though everyone can see and feel it, they are both wary given their past relationships but eager to give it a try. When an unknown threat to Layla arises, Jax will do anything to keep her safe by his side.

Instalove as a trope can be a hit or a miss for me and I think Jennifer Ryan handled this one really well. As a reader, you could feel their visceral attraction to one another and the yearning to know each other at the deepest levels. I think what set this instalove story apart is that the main characters actively questioned these immediate strong feelings and whether they were real. It definitely doesn't feel so realistic when the characters in a novel dismiss the strangeness of that short of instant attraction and deep feelings. I loved Layla and Jax as a couple, especially their realness with each other. There was no holding back the truth and both were upfront with their feelings, hiding nothing from the other after the betrayals they've faced in the past. This was a beautiful story of a second chance at love for both characters and I loved the twist at the end with the mysterious threat towards Layla.

Wilde for You by Jennifer Ryan was my first experience reading this author’s work and even though I didn’t read the first book in this series, I had no problem catching on to the characters. I have to say, though, that I’m quite interested in reading about Lyric and Mason in Book #1 after getting to know them in this book! I thought the descriptive narrative of Wyoming was spectacular – I could picture in my mind the incredible views that Layla captured in her artistic creations. I’m generally not a fan of insta-love, but this one came together in a very organic and enjoyable way. As I said, getting to know Mason and Lyric and Jax’s sisters added to the enjoyment. The last third of the book really grabbed me and pulled me in – I love romantic suspense and this part of the read was really well done. I look forward to reading more from this author. I'm very grateful to have been given an opportunity to read and review an early copy of this book through NetGalley.

Wow!

I had decently high expectations for this book as I read the first book in the Dark Horse Dive Bar series and enjoyed it. This book was really fun and I’m so excited for the series to continue with the next pair of main characters.

I feel as though the story kept my attention throughout the book and I was itching to pick it back up whenever I could. Romantic suspense books are my absolute favorite and this hit most of the marks for me. I have seen a few other comments about this being sort of “insta love” when I was going into this and I would say that tracks but the suspense does help with balancing that out as the book can only be so long. I really enjoyed how open these characters were with each other and I felt Jennifer wrote such a beautiful relationship for these two.

I would pick this book up again and I would definitely recommend.

I've read a few of Jennifer Ryan's books and to be honest, this was not one of my favorites. There was potential for more, but Ryan kept the drama low despite the heavy plot lines throughout the book. Perfect for fans who want a sweet love-at-first-sight story that moves quickly and the characters are honest, telling each other all of their thoughts and feelings. No miscommunications or shy characters here. And while that's refreshing, it also made for some awkward scenes and dialogue. I did enjoy how deeply the main characters felt for each other and that the each had quite the dramatic backstory. But that said, all drama is resolved quickly and with little fanfare. If you're looking for a quick, sweet HEA, this is definitely it.

**Thank you, NetGalley and publishers, for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.**

I think my favorite thing about Jennifer Ryan books is that I will get to know these characters in a deep way that doesn't seem to happen with other novels. The emotional pull this story had on me was instantaneous, as stories of grief often do. I loved the relationship between Layla and Jax. What a perfect time for them to find each other and try and never let go. I love the Wilde Family and getting to deeply know this family as they transverse love, loss and family is special. I especially loved that we got to better understand the beauty of Wyoming through Layla's artwork. It is such a special place and I'm go happy it was showcased through this book. Though this book can be read as a standalone, do yourself a favor and read the first book and the others in this series as they are issued, you will not regret it. I appreciate Netgalley and Jennifer Ryan for giving me an advanced copy of this book.

Layla Brock is a landscape artist and has not been painting recently due to the death of her husband. It's time to move on and she is going to stay at the Wilde Ranch.
Jax Wilde runs the ranch, guest cabins and the Dark Horse Dive Bar. He works way to much and not really interested in a relationship after his last one ended.
When they first meet it seems it's love at first sight. Of course, there are a lot of twist and turns they both have been betrayed in previous relationships and need to learn to trust each other.
Layla's brother-in-law keeps harassing her about wanting his share of his brother's estate. He starts making threats and she's not sure if he is serious or not. Someone breaks into her home in California and vandalize the property. Jax is determined that no one is going to get to Layla.
The story is well written held my attention with all the other Wilde's being included in the story. Can't wait on the next story of the family.

I have just loved this series. I didn't think each book could be better than the last but this book was everything I wanted. Loved the scenes and the back stories of each character. When your finished you will just wish for more. Just loved this one! Amazing!!