I'm not sure but I think that this is the last book in the Wild Wynchester series. Vivian fits right in with all of her knowledge and skills. Truthfully she probably could have solved her cousins kidnapping on her own if the ransom notes were sent to her and not the Wynchesters. I love how she stands up for herself and isn't willing to settle.

3.25 stars

I received this as an advanced copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Starting a series with the 6th book was not my best move. I should have read all the books previous (and I think I will do so), before giving this one a read, since that would have eased my confusion. That said, that is fully my own fault, so I took my time reading this so that I could give it a fair rating.

The Wynchesters a family with some notoriety. I liken them to a family of Sherlock Holmes, if Holmes could deign to work well in a varied group of talented individuals. Adopted by a baron, the Wynchesters were a group of orphans who now have the protection of a title and good social standing. Each person in the family has various skills and expertise, and altogether they work to help society solve problems in ways that would be impossible traditionally (aka through the police.) Each character of the Wynchester family is interesting in their own right, and that makes me want to go back and read them all!

This story focuses on Viv, an incredible woman that can do it all, a governess, a housekeeper, a cook, a playwright, and most of all, a guardian to her younger cousin Quentin. As a former slave, she knows intimately disadvantages of both race and gender. Part of that is why she is so protective of Quentin, who wants nothing more than to emulate his heroes, the Wynchesters. Unfortunately, when Quentin goes missing, she has no one else to go to but the Wynchesters for help. There, she meets Jacob, a prickly man who likes his solitude.

I really enjoyed this book because of its characters. Erica Ridley writes characters extremely well. They are not necessarily likeable - because they don't have to be. A real person is not endlessly likeable. But a real person has dreams, motivations, fears, and can be encouraged to grow and mature. Ridley provides that for her characters, and both Viv and Jacob undergo journeys of personal growth while solving the mystery that is Quentin's disappearance. The story itself was fun, though a bit rote. Sometimes cheesy and occasionally predictable, A Waltz on the Wild Side is what can be expected of the genre. But Ridley writes her characters with relish, and tackles issues like race and suffrage which is rare in a historical romance, and that made it a fresh perspective. I will go back and read the rest!

Overall, I found this book enjoyable. However, I have a complicated impression of the main characters. I’m not sure if I really liked them or not. Kudos to the author for making me question my love or strong dislike for fictional characters.

Vivian thought she had the Wynchesters pegged and was self-righteous about it. She continuously thought the siblings were putting others in harm’s way for their own gain only to be wrong, every time. It was infuriating and it made me not a huge fan of her character. What I did respect about Vivian’s character is she was unashamedly her true self. She refused to be persuaded to lessen herself or hide her identity in order to be successful.

As for Jacob’s character, he was possibly supposed to exhibit quiet strength but he really seemed the opposite. His quieter persona made him more likable, compared to Vivian, but he seemed a little timid when he could have shown strength. Also, he was disconnected from being black in a society that was not far removed from slavery, which was extremely bothersome.

The privilege of the Wynchesters was blinding Vivian’s perspective; however, that same privilege seemed to make Jacob’s character appear clueless at times when he should have been understanding. Both characters had their frustrating moments in this book.

In spite of my thoughts on Vivian and Jacob as individuals, I recognize and appreciate that they provided to each other what the other was missing. Vivian’s direct, at times brash comments, and her strength and confidence to proudly be herself was exactly what Jacob was lacking and ultimately what he needed to come out of the shadows. Jacob’s interests helped to soften Vivian’s hardness and force her to see him differently which in turn allowed him to help her to better understand how she can work “societal norms” to her benefit and achieve success. Her tough exterior compared to his tenderness made for a well matched couple. By the end, Vivian’s character redeemed herself through her strong character development. It was sweet that Jacob’s love for Vivian allowed her to experience relaxation, rest and safety, which is something she never had.

If you like an enemies to lovers (the enemy portion might be a little one-sided) trope with an undertone mimicking Pride and Prejudice then you will enjoy this book.

I found it very hard to like Miss Vivian Henry; even knowing her backstory, she seldom had moments where she was appealing . She was just too hard headed, judgemental and opinionated from my taste. The Wynchesters are always entertaining and I have been waiting for a story about Jacob and his menagerie, so I was excited to read this one. I would have preferred that he be attracted to someone more likeable than Viv, but this was still an interesting story to read. It seems that the Wynchesters have taken on more cases than they can handle but as luck would have it, a few cases overlap and Vivian turns out to be quite helpful.

Tons of fun, in typical Wynchester fashion. I’ve been curious about Jacob throughout the previous five books, and who his love interest might be. And I think Vivian was a tremendous addition to the group (and Quentin’s awestruck fanboy-ing of the family made me laugh. Bravo! Thanks to Forever for the ARC.

I’m sad to see the end of the Wynchesters! Every book is so fun. I adore that we keep seeing the characters after their own novel. I was super excited to see secretive poet Jacob meet his match and take the lead on a mission! The story was exciting and contained tons of social commentary of the time period. And the happy ending was a chef's kiss. Maybe we’ll get a spin-off series?

I loved this book as a conclusion (?) to the Wild Wynchesters series (or at least of the original Wynchester siblings). One of the strongest parts of the series overall is how every member of the family stands up for and stands beside the others, and that was on full display here. I also loved that as the Wynchesters have increasingly found success on their missions, that side of life has gotten out of control. Every Wynchester is overwhelmed and overscheduled, to the point where these seemingly infallible characters are definitely dropping balls left and right. (No spoilers but I found the solution to that particular problem to be elegant and satisfying.) This book focuses on Jacob, who has been a quiet and steady presence throughout the series as the family's animal trainer and as a poet. Jacob immediately recognizes that he has met his match in playwright Miss Vivian Henry, who reluctantly comes to the family for help finding her missing cousin. Naturally, plenty of hijinks ensue and twists and turns abound before the case is solved.

If I have one criticism of this book, it's that I feel like the mistakes were evenly distributed but the groveling was largely one-sided. Jacob is constantly apologizing for his mistakes, and he does it sincerely and without repeating the same mistakes twice. He recognizes that he has hurt Viv, acknowledges his understanding of her perspective, and clearly works hard to make up for everything. He's really an ideal romance hero in that regard. On Viv's part, however, it felt like she barely acknowledged -- let alone apologized for -- her fundamental assumptions about and resentment for the Wynchester family as a whole and Jacob in particular. The Wynchesters' collective easy acceptance of her, flaws and all, seems in keeping with their actions throughout the series, but it fell a little flat to me that Viv didn't really reckon with the way her assumptions might be harmful to Jacob or the rest of the family.

This is my first book of Ridley's I have read, which is important in that dropping into the middle of the series was not the best move. The Wynchesters are a large and varied group, and because I was new, they were at times very overwhelming and hard to track.

Vivian and Jacob were a very cute couple, and I enjoyed the two writers pushing each other as they grew closer, as well as Vivian's challenge to the Wynchesters' privilege in their society.

My biggest wish for this book was that the stakes felt a little higher. At most moments of the case, Jacob would often undercut how serious the situation was by suggesting that the missing person would simply come back on their own, and were in no danger. Because the book is written with a very cute tone, I found myself wishing that the danger felt more real and present throughout the investigation.

Overall a fun read, but a little confusing because of the large cast of characters. If interested, I would suggest starting with the first in the series.

I was extremely fortunate to receive an ARC of A Waltz On The Wild Side written by the amazing Erica Ridley. This may be my favorite of her books so far. She has done, both directly and indirectly, an extraordinary job tackling social issues, gender and racial issues, as well as our personal struggles that we deal with and strengths that make us who we are as humans. Outstanding work! Vivian Henry is a playwright with dreams of her plays being performed on stage. She has character and the know-how that she can do whatever may come her way without aid from others. Yet when her cousin goes missing, she realizes that she has to ask the law-breaking Wynchesters to help find him. Jacob Wynchester, animal trainer extraordinaire, hopes to be a recognized poet, yet he too hides secrets, even from his family. Together, Jacob and Vivian, learn how to accept their shortcomings and recognize that it's okay to ask for assistance, and work alongside each other to locate her cousin.  An absolutely must read story.

Ms Vivian "Viv" Henry doesn't live a life a prividlege, she cooks, cares for her cousins, and despises the carefree poet Jacob Wynchester.

Jacob Wynchester has a chip on his shoulder, living in a full household then watching his siblings meet and marry. Jacob is an untitled, black man who feels he has little hope...until Viv riles him up.

Viv's cousin Quentin goes missing, much to her dismay only Jacob the poet can help her.

If you enjoyed Bridgerton season 2 you’ll enjoy this book. I enjoyed the banter, chemistry, and tension . As a POC girlie I did not enjoy the constant mentions of skin colour (unnecessary and kind of weird)

I just love this series. The Wild Wynchesters are just wonderful. They are hard to predict and love by the philosophy "the ends justify the means", at least in respect to what is morally right.

This book was the story of the final single Wynchester, Jacob. Jacob is their animal training brother who can get his menagerie to do almost anything. He is also a poet who wants to make a name for himself with his poetry.

In this book, he has met his match in Miss Vivian Henry. Miss Henry is a playwright whose plays are repeatedly rejected by theater owners without even being read. She is also an advice columnist who gives practical advice. Additionally she is the guardian/housekeeper/cook/etc to her 18 year old cousin who is obsessed with the heroic actions of The Wynchesters. Miss Vivian does not share that high regard for them. She believes them to be reckless and bad influences.

Anyway, when her beloved cousin fails to return home after a quarrel, one guess who she had no choice to turn to.

Overall, this was a book I very much enjoyed reading. Ms. Ridley has created intriguing, compelling characters who i just want to read more about. The premise of the book series is the story of how each of the Wynchesters met their perfect match and by the end, I was convinced that they truly did.

You can get enjoyment from reading each book, including this one, individually and in any order however, it would make you want to read all the rest of the series. You can't help loving the uniqueness of the Wild Wynchesters and wanting to know what they will do next.

I love a good mystery romance combo and this was done so well! Vivian and Jacob were so cute and seeing them work together to find Vivian’s cousin was alot of fun. I highly recommend this one!

I really enjoyed this book. I didn't realize it was a series and had other books to read before this one, I wish I had started from the beginning to all of the different adventures, but it was still a great standalone book as well.

There was mystery and a touch of romance in this novel. I would absolutely recommend this book.

Thank you NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for an advanced reading copy.

The book cover is unique, very pretty and eye-catching! In fact, I was drawn to this book because of its cover.
This is the first book I read of Erica Ridley's Wild Wynchesters series. Since this is book #6 of these series, I was worried that I will not be able to follow the storyline when the other characters from the other series were going to be introduced, but there was no confusion at all as there were short details of who they were. Moreover, there was a good balance of politics, humour, action, and romance. I love Vivian and Jacob's character. They really bring out the best in each other! There is so much to love and enjoy in this book!
If there is one thing that puts me off while reading this book is the repetition of the lustful POVs of Vivian and Jacob towards each other, which I believe was unnecessary as I understood that there was already burning and undeniable physical tension/attraction during their first encounter. However, if you fancy these type of POVs, then what are you waiting for? Happy reading!

We sadly say goodbye to the Wynchesters but gosh was this good!

Ridley weaves a historical romance that is both filled with mystery and slow burn romance. We get the classic Wynchesters but this time we focus on Jacob. He's such a sweetheart, I absolutely fell hard for him. He meets Vivian who impressive in her own right. She's a former slave whose now a outspoken, talented writer. Vivian is searching for her cousin and needs the help of the Wynchesters.

The romance here is a wonderful slow burn between opposites. I really liked the dynamic between Jacob and Vivian. I liked that they seemed different but actually had a lot in common. They learn to prejudices aside and accept each other. I would also classify this as a class difference romance too. The steam is mid level but the intimacy and pining is there which made this very romantic.

The plot is exciting and kept my interest. I also found this to be fast paced.

Can be read as a standalone. Would recommend!

A fun and light hearted read, it's cute and low steaks perfect for a small break between other books or series

I received an ARC from NetGalley and I'm willingly leaving a review
Vivian is rude, a knows-it-all, and insufferable. Jacob is polite, smart, humble, and useful. I didn't see any chemistry between Vivian and Jacob, only that Vivian kept insulting, and Jacob took it all in, and apparently fell in love with her because of that (???). Many details, too gory for a book like this, about plantations, the owners, and how slaves were treated and how they tried to get out of there - darkest Regency Historical Romance ever! A couple of times, Vivian got mad at Jacob, while he never implied whatever she was thinking he said (but didn't). Plainly, skin color was necessary as it came to differentiate people 69 times (I might have missed some) - THAT got old fast because the author did the same with Kuni's story. The two best parts was when Stephen was crying over the fact that he could have made a machine instead of him being the motor/muscles for something.

The witty, wild, whimsical, and completely wonderful Wynchester’s are back in another romantic and mysterious novel. This book features quite possibly my favorite Wynchester: Jacob. He is a secret poet and an animal trainer. He’s smitten when Miss Vivian Henry comes to ask his family to help find her younger cousin Quentin. Vivian is from Dememera and was once a slave. She’s outspoken, a talented writer, and has a prickly personality. She’s also very prejudiced against the pampered and privileged Wynchester family. Jacob knows that winning her love won’t be easy, but it will be worth it. The spice level is midrange, with mostly kisses and one bedroom scene; which feels appropriate because her cousin has been kidnapped. I loved the character development and romance in this novel. Jacob and Vivian challenge each other to be the best versions of themselves and not to hide who they are to be accepted by others. You don’t have to know all the Wynchester stories to enjoy this latest caper.

This one’s a total delight; think snarky banter meets heartfelt teamwork with a dash of slow-burn romance that sneaks up and knocks you off your feet. Vivian’s sharp, no-nonsense attitude paired with Jacob’s quiet, poetic soul makes for a dynamic duo that’s impossible not to root for. Their constant verbal sparring is so much fun, but underneath it all, you can feel the genuine respect and chemistry building in every scene. The story shines not just in the witty back-and-forth but in how it explores identity and trust. It’s clever, fast-paced, and packed with moments that made me laugh out loud and others that pulled at my heartstrings. The vibe is equal parts action-packed and emotionally satisfying, blending the thrill of a rescue mission with the tenderness of two people slowly realising they might just be perfect together, even if it starts with a whole lot of sass and eye-rolling. Definitely one of my top favourite of the year already,