A new heart-pounding, suspenseful, and supremely romantic novel from New York Times bestseller, Mia Sheridan. When wilderness guide, Harper Ward, is summoned to the small town sheriff’s office in Helena Springs, Montana, to provide assistance on a case, she is shocked to find that their only suspect in the double murder investigation is a man described as a savage.But the longer she watches the … longer she watches the man known only as Lucas, on the station surveillance camera, the more intrigued she becomes. He certainly looks primitive with his unkempt appearance and animal skin attire, but she also sees intelligence in his eyes, sensitivity in his expression. Who is he? And how is it possible that he’s lived alone in the forest since he was a small child?
As secrets begin to emerge, Harper is thrust into something bigger and more diabolical than she ever could have imagined. And standing right at the center of it all, is Lucas. But is he truly the wild man he appears to be? A cold blooded killer? An innocent victim? Or a perplexing mix of all three?
Harper must find out the answers to these questions because the more time she spends with him, the more she risks losing her heart.
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I know this is not the first time I’ve said this, but I love it when a story takes me by surprise. A first read for me by this author, Savaged by Mia Sheridan with its complex, multi layered plot line and amazing twists and turns surprised the heck out of me. It’s tragic but beautiful at the same time, a love story unlike any other I’ve read. I don’t necessarily like to ugly cry when reading but I do like to feel the emotions and with this book Ms Sheridan had me feeling more of those emotions than I know how to express in words.
With it’s wonderful imagery and fantastic narration I was taken on a suspenseful and intense journey, which at times was not only heartbreaking but heartwarming. As I became immersed I realised there were moments when I was holding my breath and when certain revelations were made, my jaw literally dropped. Heart wrenching and gripping, you need to experience the intensity for yourself, which is why I have not talked about the plot at all.
Savaged is heavy on the suspense and intrigue and some may say this is not a romance. I would disagree. Romance is something which takes a relationship past the point of friendship, it’s a strong attraction towards another, a courtship, a connection. Whilst certainly unconventional, I would say for me Jak and Harper’s story has, and is, all that and more. Their story may start out serendipitously, but their bond is visceral and so strong, these two were ultimately destined to be together. If, like me, you enjoy the unexpected and the unusual, to be stunned and astounded and left open mouthed, then this is the book for you.
A top read for 2019 and just in time for mandatory summer reading!
Exceptional!
Emotional, chilling and suspenseful, this unique hefty book was totally unputdownable.
Told in past and present perspective, the build up, the discoveries and the development of the story was remarkable!
When I began to read this story I suspected it was going in one direction but nooo! This read had me on the edge of my seat wondering what direction the story was taking!
Additionally, this author is a creative genius in creating perfectly imperfect characters that jump out of the pages and make you fall in love with them!
A double murder in a small town in the middle of nowhere, sets the tone for a bigger mystery affecting 2 strangers, Lucas and Harper. Assisting in the mysterious murder, Harper discovers that she and Lucas share an “eerie” connection.
What happens between Lucas and Harper as their story unfolds is a journey of heart wrenching revelations, and self discovery.
Flawlessly written, even the woods became characters creating a chilling and sinister tone to this thrilling murder/mystery story of love, family and second chances!
This book is worthy of 10 stars!
If someone would have asked me before I read this story what was my most memorable story out of the thousands of books I’ve read. Without a doubt, Archer’s Voice. Is it faith or coincidence? I think it’s Mia’s writing. Savaged took this spot by being my most memorable read of all times. There aren’t enough stars in the sky to rate this story.
This story is so captivating that I did nothing but read until I saw the end. It’s highly suspenseful and addicting. Above all it’s a love story. The pure and unconditional one. From the first page read until the end, there were twists and turns. The level of writing is phenomenal. I was held captive the entire time. The characters latched themselves to my entire being and made me feel so many different emotions. The storyline is unique and beautifully executed. Bottomline this is a MUST read. My new all time favourite.
Standalone told in the third person with an HEA. I STRONGLY recommend this story. All of this authors previous stories are all worth the readers precious time and money.
What can I say? I am still sitting here shaking my head. Many have read a book and asked about the voices in an author’s head. This one definitely has me saying, I just didn’t know, I was not prepared! Mia you totally blew me away with Savaged!
I was curious how the title would play into the story. No, I had read no teasers so as I said earlier, I was not prepared! Of course if I had read the teasers I am sure I still would not have been prepared.
How does one find the depth of character to describe two people who are so raw, so damaged, so hidden within themselves? How does one make such a cohesive story out of such a situation, let alone keep you enthralled throughout? I will warn, this story is not what you think. It is so much more, with so many unexpected ??. Shocks from beginning to end, and warmth adjacent to each incident.
Savaged in on an entirely different plane. This is a story you have not read before, nor will it be one you will soon forget. The details are amazing, yet with each page you are a part of the story and watch it as if it were a movie. We always talk about there are two types of authors, those that tell stories and those that are storytellers. Mia, you are a storyteller. Vivid with depth, color to the touch of your soul, and light at the end of a dark tunnel with promise on the tails of each ray of light. Just an amazing manuscript. This one is the next movie of the week and it will have everyone riveted.
I cannot begin to pass on all the props that should go with this, but I can say, Savaged left me as the title is named, savaged with the heat of a unique story that needs to be told even if the subject leaves you a little shocked. Five 5-stars is not enough for this book. Congrats Mia, a job very much so well done.
I love when a romance is wrapped in a really good story. Great characters, consistent character motivation, interesting story line. Another great Mia Sheridan book!
Mia Sheridan brings us a unique standalone love story that is straightforward and beautiful. Savaged has complex plot twists with touch of mystery and suspense.
“Nature can be beautiful but cruel.”
Harper Ward is called to help with a murder investigation. Her knowledge as a wilderness guide in the vast landscape surrounding the small town of Helena Springs, Montana is exactly what is needed. The only suspect – a man who has lived alone in the forest since he was a small child who they are calling a “savage.”
“So, you’ve been living out here how long?”
“Fifteen winters.” So many. So much cold. So much hunger. So much loneliness.
Jak is the “savage” man. He is so complex and filled with such a beautiful and pure innocence. The angst is strong as Jak struggles with loneliness and the constant need to survive. The way Jak thinks, the way he survives, the way he interprets things/situations are written in such a creative way. One of my favorite parts of Jak’s story is the unique animal references/parallels that he uses to figure things out. Especially when he is finally around people.
“Survive or die.”
Jak and Harper are two souls that connect on so many levels. Harper is compassionate and caring. They share similar backgrounds which produce many of the same emotions; anger, sadness, fear and lack of trust.
“Everyone gave me away. No one kept me.”
…“I’ll keep you.”
Mia Sheridan has once again proven to be such a versatile writer. She wowed me with More Than Words and has once again with Savaged as she brings us a completely different story. I loved Jak and Harper’s story! It is not as romantic or steamy as some of the ‘Sign of Love’ books but equally as enjoyable!
4.5 stars
#AuthorMiaSheridan #Savaged #JakAndHarper #Romance #1Click #Love #AlphaMale #StrongFemale
Love Jak
I love this book so much!
Even if my favourite book by the author remains Archer’s Voice, this book comes very close if not on the same step.
A heartbreaking story about two lives forced to live by other’s people rules but reunited after many years. I must admit that I’ve shared some tears because we can’t never know the person next to us and what they hide.
Same great writing that will keep you not wanting to put the book down, wonderful main characters and interesting story. I just love everything about this book.
Mia Sheridan has written yet another five star read! I absolutely love Mia’s work and when she releases a book, I drop everything to read it. Savaged is no different in that regard. I loved it! However, it feels like a departure from Sheridan’s signature style and I’m 100% here for it. This book was so layered, told from multiple POVs, and as each chapter unfolded, another piece to the puzzle clicked together. I couldn’t put it down! I refuse to give anything away but just know going in, you’re about to get another fantastic story by Mia. Intrigue, mystery, so much heart, perseverance and hope…this book really has it all!
“That was all!”
Once again Mia Sheridan has floored me with the beauty and emotion of her writing, this story is so different from anything I’ve read before, I couldn’t put it down even when tears were running down my face, my heart was breaking or my cheeks were hurting from smiling so huge. Phenomenal! I fell in love with Jak on page one, I grew up with him, I learned with him, I smiled with him and my heart broke right along with his as he was forced to live a life in isolation learning to survive. Harper was the perfect heroine and everything I would wish for for Jak, and in the end they found healing together. I also enjoyed the parental roles Mark and Laurie took on in Harper and Jaks lives, after living without affection for so long, it was beautiful to see them both embrace it in the end. As always with Mia’s writing, I never wanted it to end, yet I rushed to the conclusion because I couldn’t stop. A million stars if I could.
5+ stars…spoiler free review
Mia Sheridan continues to surprise me in the best of ways and manages to pull me into her worlds no matter the subject matter. This story is unique and fresh. The world building is detailed and so vivid that I felt like I was right there. The story line is layered over a web of mystery, lies, secrets, and manipulation. It is such a unique plot that it could have come off as unrealistic or more campy. But Mia made me believe that every single thing good and bad that happened in this book was real. That a child could be left in the elements and be forced to survive on his own merits.
Jak has a strong will, intelligence, and survival instincts. He has lived through situations against all odds. He has been deceived and isolated and has been lonely, but he is ultimately a survivor. But he is not sure what he is even still surviving for.
Harper is a wilderness guide that lost everything at a young age and had to survive a different kind of hell. She is still a bit lost and trying to find an anchor, but is also strong and caring. But she has also felt alone her whole life.
These two meet under unusual circumstances. And as they spend more time together, a connection builds. The wild man and the nature guide…she can both admire his survival skills and appreciate the goodness in him despite his circumstances. Their lonely hearts connect. Their chemistry is strong. Whispers of fate or soul mates filled my head.
But this story is so much more than an unlikely love story. It has murder, mystery, secrets, lies, and manipulation. The situation is so much bigger than they could ever imagine, and with the help of a field agent, Mark, they start to try to unravel the mystery. But Jak also seems to be right in the middle of the investigation. There are so many questions and so many possibilities. It is hard to know what to believe and who to trust.
This book is a beautiful romance, but it is not like anything I have ever read before. The prologue shocked and gutted me. Parts of it broke my heart and some made me cringe. There are some funny, sweet, tender, and sexy moments. There are strong emotions and deep hidden feelings and fears. There is suspense, danger, and mystery.
The romance is done very well, and I adored Jake and Harper together. His adaptability and thirst for knowledge coupled with his social awkwardness, inexperience, and rough edges make him even more likable. He is man undergoing so much change and has already overcome so much and is facing still more. And due to Harper’s own background, I think she could see more than others might.
I kept trying to figure out some of they mysteries and though I had kind of figured out some things, there were a couple of twists that took me by total surprise. One in particular had me shouting expletives and bouncing in my seat, but in a good way. There are so many little connections and layers to this intricate story that kept me completely captivated. It was already a five star read until the last part, and then she hit me with something that I never saw coming and that took this story up another level. I love it when authors can just blow me away like that.
I loved the positive themes of survival, patience, hope, family, love, fate, and destiny that are ultimately more important than the negative ones based on manipulation and lies. It’s a look at nature versus nurture, good versus evil, and civilization versus wilderness. It makes you wonder if there are other forces at work bringing people together…if fate, destiny, or even miracles do exist. I feel like I have been on an intense, emotional, shocking, and unforgettable journey, but my heart is so full right now.
I received this book for free from the author in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Do you ever read a book and, as you turn the pages, find yourself wondering how its author conceived of the characters and plot? That was me, from start to finish with Savaged. How did Mia Sheridan think of this? How did she first imagine Lucas? His story? Harper’s background?
Regardless of how she did it, the important thing is that she did, indeed, write this book. Mia Sheridan grabs you by the throat on the first page and does not let go until you read the last. And even then, her characters have burrowed so deeply into you that you will never let them go.
Lucas, dear readers, is a hero for the ages. He is kind and good and innocent in a way you hope will never be breached. You so dearly want him to find his peace and contentment, yet you also want him to remain true to himself. Just as Harper does, you worry that he will be changed by what happens to him and that he will lose the essence of who he is.
Harper perhaps surprises herself most of all with her strength and determination. She wants Lucas to help Lucas find his answers almost as much as she wants to find her own. More, even.
This story compels you to keep reading. You need to know what happened to Lucas and Harper, and you need to know what will happen. You also want to stay with them, to keep spending time with them. Be prepared for your heart to break. Be prepared to cry so hard that you can’t read Mia Sheridan’s words.
What makes a savage? Is it where they live? How they live? Or is it what is in their hearts? Mia Sheridan asks this question, and then she takes you on a perilous journey to answer it.
4.5/ 5 stars
Mia Sheridan knows how to write emotional books. Savaged is a little different from her usual books because there is a big mystery aspect to the story. But romance is still definitely the focus. I really enjoyed how seamlessly the mystery was woven into the book.
The story takes place in Helena Springs, Montana. The main character is Harper. She is a wilderness guide in her early twenties.
A double murder is discovered and Agent Mark Gallagher is working the case. Lucas is a person of interest. He is described as a savage.
The book is divided into two parts and has multiple 3rd person POVs.
The main narrators are Harper, Mark (agent in this 50s), Lucas (the savage), and Jak (a young boy). Jak’s chapters are taking place some time in the past.
I was very intrigued by both Harper and Lucas. They both had fascinating backstories and I was very invested in them. I thought that the case was very interesting. I think that the chapters with the young boy were my least favorite part of the story. At first I was a bit unsure when his part of the story was taking place. But I figured things out pretty quickly. His part of the book was definitely necessary to the overall story. But I preferred the present.
I was satisfied with the outcome of the mystery. But was a bit shocked at the things that occurred afterwards. At first I wasn’t sure how I felt about the extra stuff. But it worked for the story. The epilogue was very good. And overall the story kept my interest throughout.
The romance in this book is very strong. It’s hard to explain how powerful the love story is in this book. This is a mystery. But it is also a romance. This story is heartbreaking and beautiful. And I really enjoyed the mystery!
Mia Sheridan has created yet another masterpiece. I think Jak and Archer must be related in some way.
Jak has been living a harsh life. He has been trapped by circumstances beyond his control. Harper is entrusted to guide a member of law enforcement into the wilderness and this is where the guts of this thriller begins.
We are given thrill after thrill , mystery after mystery and one of the sweetest love stories I have ever read. Like I said earlier Jak and Archer ( you know the Archer I mean) must be related. These characters are some of the best Mia has ever written. This story is everything! I feel a horrible book hangover coming and I love it!!! 5 amazing thrilling stars.