City girl Calla Fletcher attempts to reconnect with her estranged father, and unwittingly finds herself torn between her desire to return to the bustle of Toronto and a budding relationship with a rugged Alaskan pilot in this masterful new romance from acclaimed author K.A. Tucker. Calla Fletcher was two when her mother took her and fled the Alaskan wild, unable to handle the isolation of the … isolation of the extreme, rural lifestyle, leaving behind Calla’s father, Wren Fletcher, in the process. Calla never looked back, and at twenty-six, a busy life in Toronto is all she knows. But when her father reaches out to inform her that his days are numbered, Calla knows that it’s time to make the long trip back to the remote frontier town where she was born.
She braves the roaming wildlife, the odd daylight hours, the exorbitant prices, and even the occasional–dear God–outhouse, all for the chance to connect with her father: a man who, despite his many faults, she can’t help but care for. While she struggles to adjust to this new subarctic environment, Jonah–the quiet, brooding, and proud Alaskan pilot who keeps her father’s charter plane company operational–can’t imagine calling anywhere else home. And he’s clearly waiting with one hand on the throttle to fly this city girl back to where she belongs, convinced that she’s too pampered to handle the wild.
Jonah is probably right, but Calla is determined to prove him wrong. As time passes, she unexpectedly finds herself forming a bond with the burly pilot. As his undercurrent of disapproval dwindles, it’s replaced by friendship–or perhaps something deeper? But Calla is not in Alaska to stay and Jonah will never leave. It would be foolish of her to kindle a romance, to take the same path her parents tried–and failed at–years ago.
It’s a simple truth that turns out to be not so simple after all.
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OMG Y’all. I’m a blubbering mess! THIS BOOK HIT ONE OF MY FAVS OF 2018!
Last night when I went to bed, I stopped at a good part, because my eyes wouldn’t continue. Well, guess what? 4.5 hours must have been enough sleep because I woke up at 4 am just to finish the last 100 pages!
I’ve NEVER had a book made cry with a river of tears running down my cheeks! I’ve had some that came close, but NEVER full on tears! The last 50 pages were so hard to read, because I had to stop and let out my emotions. Reading the acknowledgements K.A. Tucker basically said the same thing!
Let me tell you it has been at least 2 years since I’ve read a KA book (even though I have her recent 2 on my tbr) and I went in this one blind. Reading the blurb we knew what to expect, but I didn’t know how emotional it was going to get for me.
Jonah and Calla, if you love a really good banter and enemies to lovers, this book has it well throughout its entirety.
Wow, and what can I saw about Wren and Susan….
Gosh their love was ALWAYS there after all this time, and Wren got the closure he needed. I’m leaving it at that because I don’t want any spoilers, but you will also know what I’m talking about.
KA also describes Alaska very thorough that make you feel like you’re actually there.
I’m pretty sure this is a standalone, BUT I don’t want to let go of these characters. I would love to revisit these characters again and or maybe a PREQUEL of Wren and Susan’s story of how they met.
Everyone needs to drop what they’re reading and READ. THIS. BOOK.
Words can’t express how much I loved this book. This is KA Tucker at her best. I loved everything about this book.
Calla was born in Alaska but moved to Canada with her mom at a young age. She has been perfectly content with her life until things start to fall apart. After a phone call about her dad she decides to go back to Alaska. She hasn’t spoken to him in years but she knows she needs to go.
When Calla arrives in Alaska she meets Jonah a pilot who is going to take her to her dad. To say they got along is an understatement. Jonah thought she was spoiled and should have came to visit her father sooner. I loved Jonah and the banter between these two characters.
This was a story about forgiveness and second chances. Everything about this book was perfect and just so much! The Simple Wild has made it to my top favorites list for 2018. This is a must read you don’t want to miss!
Let me start this by saying that I NEVER cry reading books and with this book I had big crocodile tears running down my face. I had to stop reading to grab the box of tissues and get myself under control so I could see the words on the pages again. I felt so emotionally invested in these characters and this story that when the end was nearing, I really couldn’t help but cry. The character build up was on point and the slow burn of the chemistry was done so that I was falling in love with Calla and Jonah at the same time. This story will stay with me for a long time, there is no doubt about that! It combined my love of slow burn romance with my obsession of the amazing life of Alaska Bush Pilots (I might have been obsessed with watching the TV show Flying Wild Alaska).
When we first meet Calla, she has just gotten fired from her job, which is just the start of several blows to her current easy life. She is pretty self absorbed and spoiled by the life her Mom and Step Dad have afforded her, so when a stranger calls to tell her that her absentee Dad has cancer and that she should visit him in Alaska, she only thinks of the impacts to her life the visit would have. The journey see takes to forgiving her Dad while visiting him in Alaska is a rocky road for sure. But I absolutely loved watching her transform into someone she could be proud of. The transition she makes isn’t easy, especially since she is basically pushed into facing her fears by her fathers right hand man, an angry yeti of man, Jonah, the risk taking, sky cowboy, Alaska bush pilot.
Jonah has had his far share of regrets in his life that he wants to make sure Calla doesn’t repeat. While he might not go about helping Calla in the most gentle ways, his methods are effective. Watching the chemistry and tension build between these two until these two collide was so satisfying, I got goosebumps reading about the first time they kissed. And despite is tough exterior, Jonah really was a big sweetheart underneath that big beard, taking care of and supporting Calla through everything life could throw her way.
This book has become my favorite read of the year! 6 Stars!
The Simple Wild has left me breathless. This superbly-written story is quite possibly K.A. Tucker’s most moving book to date as it is much more than just your typical romance. It is truly a soul-searching journey for Calla Fletcher and both the man she is about to lose and the man she has just found.
What I find so damn extraordinary time and again is how the Author masterfully eases me into her words right from the start. With a heartbreaking prologue, I was beyond intrigued to see how the actions of Susan and Wren Fletcher would affect their daughter 24 years in the future. Calla is a feisty if albeit a bit spoiled 26 year old, and her decision about visiting her absent father in the wilds of Alaska is quite a shock to both her and those who love her. But her mother Susan and the ever-patient stepfather in Simon provide our heroine with the guidance and support she needs to face her past in order to realize her future.
The sky cowboy and the fashion instagrammer. Oh my. Despite their very rocky first impressions of one another, there was this definitive spark between Calla and Jonah, her father’s right-hand man. You could just tell something was there between them despite his penchant for calling her Barbie and she referring to him as a Yeti. Talk about a fish out of water. Calla was not in her element being in the oft-times barren part of Alaska. But I admired her willingness to try for Wren. To ‘suffer’ through being without the comforts of her life back in Toronto. Despite it being tough for her, she proved she truly was her father’s daughter and could handle most that came her way.
The Author gives us a birds-eye view of a part of the world we don’t often see. Getting to witness through Calla’s eyes, the beauty that is Alaska was a true added bonus for me. The wilderness backdrop to both Wren’s deterioration and the burgeoning romance between Calla and Jonah could not have been more perfect. Calla was truly reborn in her native land in spite of herself and as she flew in the small planes that are part of her father’s company, Alaska Wild, you could feel her spirit soar just as high.
This glorious story took me through a myriad of emotions. The wickedly subtle humor that is evident on almost every page was sharp and kept me smiling through the tougher scenes. The heart-wrenching last quarter of the book had me in tears more than once as realizations come to the forefront and old wounds are finally healed. My soul was full, though, as secondary characters, particularly Aggie and Mabel and the always caring Simon, continued to be the strength Calla needed as Wren continued to fade. The people of these small villages in ‘the middle of the middle of nowhere’ showed such hope in the face of adversity I couldn’t help but admire them. Much like Calla finally realized after her time there.
K.A. Tucker continues to give us stories that are unique, well-researched and full of heart. The road to one’s happiness is never what one might seem and with The Simple Wild, Calla proves that time and again. Her desire for happy in the world she left looks much different in the world she discovers and I’m quite pleased at how it all concluded. Her journey to self-discovery is quite simply beautiful and I am over the moon at having the chance to experience it.
The Simple Wild is a jewel of a read and one I will happily recommend. This is a definitely a 5+ star book and a story I will revisit often.
The Simple Wild is billed as a romance novel, but I felt like the romance in this novel played second fiddle to the more powerful story of Calla finding herself and figuring out what was truly important to her in life. I’d definitely qualify this book as women’s fiction, rather than romance.
Calla was an insipid child when this book first started; I found her superficial, immature, and irresponsible. Despite living with her mother and step-father, having a good job for four years, and basically having no bills, she was still reliant on her step-father to buy her a plane ticket. She was more obsessed with her shoes and getting an insta-worthy photo than she was other human beings. In short, she was self-absorbed and materialistic. Throughout the novel Calla grew, so much, she learned more about herself, the world, and all different types of love than she could have anticipated when she decided to visit her father. Her growth arc in this book was everything. Calla, much like her Instagram posts, evolved from a thing of shallow frivolity to a person more concerned with substance, interpersonal connections, and true happiness.
As much as I didn’t feel like the romantic element of was the focal point of The Simple Wild, it did play a vital role in helping Calla grow. Jonah was instrumental in making her see the world as more than just the sum of its parts; he forced her to see the humanity behind the masses. He pushed her so far out of her comfort-zone she had no choice but to recalibrate her life and find a new outlook. And while he was doing all that, he was also helping her come to terms with the pending loss of the father she was barely getting to know. Her journey to Alaska was her catalyst to change, but Jonah was one of the major reactants that stimulated her rebirth.
I quite enjoyed the plot of The Simple Wild. It was intriguing and unlike anything I’ve read in recent memory; it was also wholly dependent on the location of the novel. Though I’ve never visited Alaska – it’s a bucket list item for me – I felt like I was there with Calla, Jonah, and the crew. I especially appreciated the juxtaposition of the well-dressed, appearance-obsessed, city girl against the simplicity and grittiness of the Alaskan tundra. In truth, Alaska was just as much a character in this book as the people were and it contributed in so many ways to move this book forward. The Simple Wild gave me a glimpse of a different, slower, simpler way of life and it felt almost like a balm to my soul to know there is still a world independent of the hustle and bustle of the instant gratification of the digital lives to which we are all so accustomed.
I’ve read a handful of KA Tucker books and always find them fascinating in ways I haven’t anticipated. I’m not sure how she’s so capable of taking a concept and turning it on its head, but she consistently makes me think I’m going into a particular type of story then, when I come out the other side, I find I have experienced something unexpected and entirely new. Her prose has a phenomenal way of drawing you in and holding you captive to her words with single-minded obsession; it’s as if nothing exists but the world she’s created. I’m in awe of Ms. Tucker’s story-telling skills and love that she continually writes fresh, captivating books that deliver more to her readers than just a simple story.
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.
Lately, some of my usual go-to authors haven’t been hitting the mark for me. I was a bit apprehensive going into this one because I didn’t want to chance that happening with Tucker too. Alas, that did not happen. This book definitely did not disappoint.
This book isn’t just about a girl thrown into a life and place she is unfamiliar with. It’s more about relationships, and not just the slow burn of a relationship that Calla ends up finding herself in.
Every character in this book is as important as the next. Each character has a relationship, or budding relationship, with another character. Each one is unique and essential to this story. While the story centers around Calla, Jonah, and Calla’s dad, the supporting characters hold each other up in ways I hadn’t imagined.
I love a good story of self discovery. This one is definitely a great example of that. Each character learns so much about themselves in this book, which helps them grow as people and in their relationships.
This book is full of an array of emotions. I found mine all over the place throughout this book. From sadness, to emptiness, to happiness, to despair. I was a big ball of raw emotion from start to finish.
This book was everything I didn’t even know I wanted.
Seriously.
It was everything.
I was sucked in immediately by Ms. Tucker’s engaging brand of storytelling and ultimately found that this was one of the rare books that I never wanted to end. I didn’t count down my percentage to the ending. I didn’t start anticipating the next book I was going to lose myself in, I was rooted deeply in Bangor, Alaska, with this authentic and heart-stealing cast of misfits and I never wanted to leave.
The Simple Wild is so much more than a romance. It’s a love story, through and through, but that love extended far beyond Calla and Jonah. There are many layers here and all of them are emotional. I mean, make no mistake, this book is heartbreaking. I had some sniffily, hiccuppy, sobby tears over the course of the story. However, despite that admission, I do not think I would call it an ugly cry book. I did not feel like it preyed upon my emotions. In fact, I think it was balanced with a lot of playfulness, humor, and sweet emotion.
The heat level is low here, but the chemistry still snapped and sparked and held my heart captive for nearly the entire book. This is a slow burn – my impulse is to call it a “sweet slow burn”, but that would not be entirely accurate. There’s an enemies-to-lovers component here that takes a while to warm up, but I enjoyed every minute of their journey toward each other. I loved them together.
If I have a complaint, it’s that I wanted more. I’ve already said I wasn’t ready for it to end. I would have liked an epilogue. I would have liked a glimpse into the future. I would have liked just a little more time with Calla and Jonah because my heart wasn’t ready to let them go, and because my brain just plain wanted to know what happened next.
That said, I will still shout from the rooftops that you need to read this book! I know that this story will stay with me for a long time. I was touched by it, and I fell completely and hopelessly in love with it. Definitely – 100% – do not miss it! ~ 4.5 Stars
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 more pages, Katheleen, only a few more pages….
5/5 stars
I think KA Tucker has proven once again she can write anything. This is like women’s fic meets contemporary romance. It has a little bit of everything. A little drama, a little action, a bit of romance (hello #yummyyeti), humor, and family. There’s SO much heart in this book I think it will stay with you for a very long time. Definitely one of the best books I’ve read in a really long time.
With every single one of Tucker´s releases, I was highly anticipating this one and it didn´t disappoint. I´ll start with the main characters; Calla was a city girl who, although she was high maintenance, that did not make her vain or whining, on the contrary she was fun, nice and down to heart, I liked that she tried to live an Alaskan and a simpler life. Jonah, oh my god, I want a Jonah in my life and I need him right now! Despite the fact that, at the beginning he was an annoying person and horrible with Calla, I liked him a lot because that wasn´t him at all. On the contrary, he was a super nice person, tender, loyal, honest, and hardworking and with a heart of gold, I could not stop drooling for him and laughing with everything he did. The secondary characters were very good; each one had something to contribute to the story and that make it even better, also they were quite fun and entertaining to read.
I enjoyed a lot how the author developed this story, it was not predictable or full of cliché, but had its fair balance of romance, fun, drama and sadness that fill me with emotions and made me enjoy this book even more. I absolutely loved how she incorporated the the flora and fauna of Alaska, as well as the way of living there and the folklore of the natives, I feel that made it something more real and gave it an extra touch that, in my opinion, made it stand out from other stories
I loved how little by little the love story developed; I feel that if it had been otherwise it would not have had the effect that was needed. It was very funny and tender to see how the protagonists went through each situation and see how that made them grow into something more, the dialogues between them were very good and I enjoyed them a lot.
But when it was time for the sad moment, it came and it made me cried a lot, I really thought that it would not happen to me because we already know that there is something there according to what the blurb says, but K.A. Tucker created an environment full of feelings that I could not escape, and it was very sad! And I insist; this also gave it something extra to the story, which I think although it was something that could be seen coming was not at all predictable or expected.
As you may have already noticed, I loved this story! And of course I want more of these characters that I feel there are more of them to tell and that I think it would be something as good as this one. I highly recommend this story if you want a beautiful and well written love story, that has funny and sad things, and has great characters, definitely a must read.
This is a great enemies to lovers plot line about the outdoors in Alaska. Calla is a very strong character that she is someone that I would totally want to be friends with. Even though Jonah is convinced that Calla is out of her depth, she really tries to learn about the man (her father) that she has always wondered about. Jonah is, of course, the rugged hero that you always wanted. He and Calla have a great connections and both grow throughout the story. You will feel like you are in the Great Frontier and be so happy you read this book. This book is very close to pushing Ten Tiny Breaths out as my all-time Tucker favorite! Her writing is amazing in this installment and I really felt like I was feeling the emotions of all of these wonderful characters!
I have yet to read a K.A. Tucker book that I haven’t enjoyed and The Simple Wild was no exception. In fact, I’d dare say that The Simple Wild may be my favorite read of 2018 so far!
There was not one single thing that I didn’t love about this read!
Calla though born in Alaska, has lived her whole life in Canada since her parents separated when she was two years old. When she’s suddenly contacted by a woman claiming that her father is ill, she decides to travel back to the Alaskan frontier to try to reconnect, make peace or perhaps just say farewell to the father she barely knows. Calla is a main character that is very easy to like and I loved following her journey.
The picture Tucker paints of life in a remote Alaskan town is beyond fascinating and makes a wonderful backdrop to the story she tells. So much of both Wren and Jonah’s characters are informed by the wilderness in which they thrive. And as Calla starts to understand and appreciate this lifestyle so she also starts to understand and appreciate these two very similar men.
Wren’s character is so simple yet so complicated at the same time that I had a hard time making my peace with him. Tucker’s amazing writing can be credited with the fact that by the end of the novel, I had forgiven him completely. There is a valuable lesson to be learned here about human nature and the power and peace of forgiveness both given and received.
Jonah and Calla were electric! And though I knew I perhaps should not have been rooting for them from day one…I could not help myself. I got sucked in along for the ride and quite a ride it was. From supporting characters to secondary plot lines to scenes of life on the frontier…The Simple Wild was a spectacular read that kept me alternately laughing, huffing in aggravation and crying throughout.
Don’t miss out on this one, I promise you’ll love it.
Oh my! K.A. Tucker has several books waiting on my TBR and even a few I’ve picked up on my shelves…waiting. Even though it’s not my first purchase of a K.A. Tucker book, The Simple Wild is my first to read. I can’t imagine starting on any other.
The Simple Wild will have you reacting from the very first page. It’s funny how we judge things, people, and situations. It’s incredibly clear in this story.
The uppity city chick….
The sky cowboy…
The diva princess…
The yeti…
Just know if you can’t handle the cold, get out of Alaska! (Or read this book since you won’t actually feel the cold!) The humor in these pages will have you snorting and breaking out into raucous laughter. Let me just say, revenge is a dish best served cold. Out cold! [Giggles like a maniac]
From the snarky comebacks to the wild revenge plots, The Simple Wild will keep you entertained while slowly and surely making you fall in love. Not just with a rogue sky cowboy, but with a landscape most of us could never handle.
As much I don’t consider myself a city girl, I know that I would never make it in Bangor…Anchorage okay. Bangor…not so much.
Being brave and hearty aren’t enough in the Bush country, but this taste of that life will have you volunteering to pack a bag (or two over sized pieces of luggage). Hold onto your hat and your heart because The Simple Wild is a bit bumpy. Watch out for heartache, anger, and rocks.
But when you are watching out and trying to protect yourself, I want you to remember you will never regret falling.
Also…“Two go out, two come back, right?”
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!
Wow. What a beautifully written masterpiece. I adored The Simple Wild, it brought all the feels. Do yourself a favor, go in blind you’ll appreciate it so much more.
“I’m not just gonna give up without a fight and spend the rest of my life pining over you.”
WOW! My heart is overflowing with so many emotions! I was captivated from the very first page! This beautiful, heart-wrenching, emotional, and powerful story made me FEEL SO MUCH! From the moment I read the blurb, I just KNEW that K.A. Tucker was going to once again…blow my mind with the raw and incredible emotion she puts into every single word.
Calla and Jonah were unforgettable characters, as were the supporting cast. They were relatable, genuine, and good even if some of their actions would lead you to believe otherwise. Everything in The Simple Wild felt believable to me. It just felt so real. I wanted to throw myself into this story and give them hugs and maybe a verbal lashing when they needed it. The tension was there. It was a soft kind of tension, but it WAS there. The antagonistic banter was so fun and entertaining and just made me smile just at the right times. I laughed. I cried. I sobbed and I swooned. This book made me feel such a myriad of emotions.
Tucker has penned something truly beautiful here. She is known for her incredible writing and her unbelievable literary range and this book, The Simple Wild, will show you EXACTLY why. I loved it! I lived it! I will definitely NEVER forget it. I have a lot of these by this author, but I think this might be one of my absolute favorites of hers. The Simple Wild is so much more than a love story. It’s a gorgeous journey about family. It’s about never giving up on them and being grateful for the time you have with them. It’s a story of love and hope and heart. It’s a story that you MUST read!
K.A. Tucker gives new meaning to the word yeti.
After Calla receives a call about her father, whom she hasn’t seen since she was two, she makes her way to the Alaskan wilderness to get to know him. What she doesn’t expect to find is an angry yeti bush pilot to butt heads with. Will the simple wild be to much for the city girl to handle?
The Simple Wild has got to be up there in my list of favorite romance novels and one of my favorite K.A. Tucker books. She managed to take two totally different characters and perfectly form it into a realistic romance. I love how the simple wild sticks out from the same repetitive themes. I rarely see romance novels about bush pilots and its great to see a different theme that stuck out. This novel really has everything. Humor, heartache and romance all put together in a hard to put down and irresistible story. It makes you question what is out there and what you could be missing.
Complimentary copy provided by the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
“This man who I don’t even know still wounds me so deeply.”
What a beautiful story. So emotional. The Simple Wild takes you on a journey. A journey of hope, healing, love, sadness and humor. The Alaska setting is a beautiful background. The pace is steady. My heart grew fuller with each chapter.
Calla is a city girl. Some would say high maintenance. Hair, nails, clothing. All are done to perfection. She enjoys fashion, social media and being with her friends. Her busy city life comes to an abrupt halt after receiving a phone call from her dad’s friend asking her to come for a visit. Her dad has lung cancer and the prognosis is not good. Calla Fletcher hasn’t seen her dad since she was 2 years old. Her mom was unable to handle the conditions of rural Alaska so she packed her up and headed home to Toronto.
“Just… prepare yourself. Life out there is different. Harder. And yet simpler, if that makes any sense.”
Jonah is an Alaskan bush pilot who works for Wren, Calla’s dad. He arrives to fly Calla to Bangor, the small Alaskan town where her father lives and owns the Alaska Wild charter company. Jonah is direct. And he tells Calla exactly what he thinks of her….
“You’re dramatic, entitled, and judgmental. You like attention and you’re used to getting it.”
So many things are set in motion. As Calla tries to get to know her dad she discovers that not everything is as it seem. Regrets are heavy for both of them. Add in the Jonah factor and things just got real interesting. There is a push and pull between them along with some animosity or is it chemistry?
Calla experiences so many things. Culture shock comes to mind. At first she seems selfish and snobby. But as she begins to understand the Alaskan way of life she becomes more attuned and adaptive. The story has so many beautiful people who are part of the community. Friends and neighbors who pull together to survive the rugged environment which is rural Alaska.
The story is beautifully written. I enjoyed the humor that was laced in between the serious situations that were occurring. There are so many layers to this story. I just could not imagine how it would all come together. KA Tucker does an amazing job of completing Calla’s journey and bringing it all together in a beautiful way. There are lots of surprises at the end as well…. Take your time and enjoy!
“Life will keep moving and changing, whether we want it to or not, Calla.”
4 stars
#Alaska #romance #KATucker #CallaAndJonah #yeti #SkyCowboys #ContemporaryRomance #AlphaMale #TheSimpleWild
This was not a story or a book that I just read. It was an adventure I lived through and enjoyed immensely. This 6 star story made me feel so much for these amazing characters.
Calla gets a phone call she never expected. At the age of 2, her mother left Alaska with her to never return. Leaving a father rooted to the Alaskan wilderness. Now at 26 she must decide if she goes back to see her father. Her mother left because she wasn’t meant to live that life. Now Calla needs to decide if she’s like her mother.
I literally felt like I was living through these amazing characters that made me fall in love with. The bantering and camaraderie between Calla and Jonah had me laughing out loud quite a bit. They made this adventure so much more fun in the light of the heartbreaking events. There was never, I mean NEVER a dull moment. It was highly captivating an addicting.
A lot of effort seems to have been put into creating this amazing adventure. The details, the scenes were impeccable. I felt like I was there, like a movie playing in my mind. An original storyline that captured my undivided attention. Bottomline is this a MUST read.
Standalone told in Calla POV only, but I felt everything from the other characters in this story. It does come with an HEA. I strongly recommend this story.