From the best selling series, Something So comes the spin-off Series This is…ZoeWhen you grow up surrounded by hockey players you know one thing for sure, I was never going to settle down with one.Heck, I didn’t even know what icing was. I was too busy climbing the corporate ladder, becoming one of the most successful realtors in New York City.I wasn’t interested in dating or anything that got … dating or anything that got in my way.
First, he was my client and then he became my friend.
Viktor
My parents told me I skated before I walked.
When I was eighteen I was drafted into the N.H.L third overall, playing in Los Angeles—the city of dreams.
What more could I ask for? I played hard, but eventually, I partied even harder.
Five years later I was traded a week after I entered rehab.
There was no time for anything except my health and making sure I’d come out on top. I had to be better.
There wasn’t another option.
One of the rules of recovery was ‘don’t fall in love’ and I made it a top priority. She was off limits in every single way.
Until it was too late
One night, one decision, one act can derail everything.
When push comes to shove, I’m only certain that, This is Wild.
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Where to start?
I don’t know that any review I am capable of writing can honestly do justice to the story of Viktor and Zoe. It is absolutely, heartstoppingly brilliant.
Viktor is amazing in many different ways, struggling to take one day at a time but, with the support network that surrounds him since his move to New York, he is managing to follow the 12 step programme to recovery.
Zoe however is everything!
I usually come out of Natasha Madison’s novels having claimed a new BBF but this time, those plaudits have to be reserved for Zoe.
Regardless of the issues that Viktor faces daily, Zoe accepts and cherishes him for the man she has come to know and not the man he was.
She is the shining light, the chivalrous knight, the cheerleader, the warrior. All of these things she is for Viktor.
They say that behind every successful man is a kick ass woman… Zoe!
Viktor is broken but beautiful, and the reader lives every struggle with him as Natasha Madison pulls us through in a way that triples your heartbeat and almost puts you into cardiac arrest.
So with tears, triumph and a now irregular heartbeat, I award ‘This Is Wild’ 5 glorious stars.
I received an advanced copy of this book and am choosing to review it. I can’t denied that at first it feels to slow for me. But at the same time I couldn’t stop reading. The farther I was on the story I understand why it needs to be at this pace. Yes they were attracted to each other but Viktor need to accept his new live and be able to be confidence in himself before being able to be with Zoe. It was interesting seen how the relationship develop at the right moment without being rush out. At some point my heart broke for both of them. But it was glue back and strong than ever.
I just knew that Viktor’s story was going to be an emotional one, I absolutely love this story about the ups and downs of someone that is struggling with addiction. I loved how the author didn’t downplay the issue for the sake of a romance book but took you through the things that Viktor dealt with on a daily basis and it was so heartbreaking. He felt he didn’t deserve someone like Zoe and he should work solely on himself in order to even come close to deserving her. Zoe was an awesome character she fought hard for those she loved and she was sweet, funny, understanding, and always there when someone needed her. I loved how she stood by Viktor and helped him in ways like emotionally being there for him and having an ear to listen to him and I also understood why Viktor felt like he had to wait in order to be with Zoe even though it was hard to see them both fight their attraction. In the end it all worked out the way it should have and I loved the family dynamic that Zoe’s family offered Viktor since he didn’t have too many people standing in his corner. This was such a great heart wrenching emotional book that deals with tough subjects but shows that even those who don’t think they deserve love and the very ones that need it the most.
***ARC Provided by the Author***
Zoe and Viktor
Addiction is not an easy topic to tackle in any book, no matter the genre. Add in the expectations of it being in a romance, and the pressure to not only tell an authentic story but also keep you on the side of the characters is that much harder. They can be flawed, but not too flawed…it’s a romance, after all.
I thought the balance of this was handled very well. It kept the romance, it allowed you to understand why Zoe falls in love with Viktor; why he feels she is too good for him/he isn’t good enough for her; and why he got to where he is now, to where he was, and why he will never go back there again. (To this point, I loved the tiny flash forward at the end. It’s a book about addiction…but it’s also a romance, so you know there will be a “Happily Ever After” but, it was still kind of nice to see it play out, just a little bit.
There was a lot about this book that I enjoyed. The romance, the slow burn friendship while both believe (accurately, for a while I think) that they can’t have more, that he has to focus on himself, their connection, Zoe’s giving heart and how much she loves Viktor, knowing she shouldn’t and that he warned her not to.
But, the thing that really stood out to me was how well he knows himself. Yes, it’s a struggle at first as he realizes he had lost himself. But, through it all, there is a mindfulness and intentional approach to his recovery that he maintains. He believes in what he is doing, he is open and upfront about it, and he makes sure that he makes the decisions that will guide him to it. He is invested, he is all in with his recovery, and it makes it easy for the reader (and Zoe) to be drawn to him and to want him to succeed…romance and wanting Zoe and Viktor to get together aside.
I also really liked Zoe and how she fell in love with him, flaws and all. She was able to see past the addict, and his past, and see the person that he was even during the addiction that was lost, covered up, by the drugs but still hiding in the corner. I loved that she sees him, from the beginning, and that each thing he tells her, each of his struggles, each of the things she sees that are less than positive are things that he has overcome, that she is proud of him for getting past.
Yes, this is a romance, and it is a dual POV, but in a lot of ways, this is Viktor’s story. Zoe is an important part of it, and she is one of the things that helps anchor him…but, at the same time, the person who is really responsible for moving him forward is Viktor himself.
I enjoyed and recommend this title.
This is one of this books where you have to sit and think of how you’re going to put in words your review. I have never read a book by Natasha that I didn’t love. Ask her books have meaning and are always so beautifully written. I absolutely LOVED this book.
Wow so touching and heartbreaking. You could really feel for the characters. To have such a connection and still fight it as to try and protect yourself was hard. Viktor and Zoe were perfect for one another. They knew how to joke and laugh and flirt but also just be there for one another. Viktor knew he didn’t deserve her and that his past would bring her down but he could also not stay away. When they were apart you hurt just as much as them. Because you could really feel as if they had loss their other half. Loved the story. Beautiful ending.
So many wonderful things about the characters and their journey.
WOW!!! This book was beyond fabulous! From characters to storytelling, I think this is my fav of this author’s books right now.
This book. Wow. You feel every emotion throughout this book. Couldn’t wait for Viktor and Zoe book and it literally was beyond my expectations. You feel Viktors journey , his pain, his love and his loyalty. Zoe is a strong woman, I love her character. I enjoy whole series, can’t wait to read the next book. Ab-so-lute-ly must have in your library.
This book was really great. A story of two people who becomes friends, while trying to fight an attraction, and falls in love along they way. Even though the romance portion wasn’t as long as the rest, their love felt real because they spent time getting to know one another flaws and all.
Zoe and Victor were really great together as friends as well as to people in love. Victor is struggling with addiction, as the story opens when he is being discharged from rehab, so you’ll see that right away. The thing is it isn’t treated like a blip and he is miraculously fine. He actually goes through the 12 step program, NA/AA meetings, and spending time with his sponsor. Natasha Madison does not shy away from the struggles that an addict faces in their lives after starting the journey to become and stay clean.
Zoe was perfect for Victor, because she is understanding and doesn’t judge. That is exactly the type of friend and eventual partner he needs in his life. She sees him for the man he is trying to be and not the man he was before he made the huge decision to continue with his recovery.
There were a couple of small things that annoyed me such as calling contractions cramps, and now that I’m writing this I can’t remember the other and I’m not sure where my notes are. Neither is enough for me to take anything away from my star rating.
I would actually rate this a 3.5 due mostly to the many, many grammatical errors. I didn’t see nearly this many in the first book so editing needed! As for the story itself I thought the author did a good job with the subject matter of a cocaine addict working through the 12 steps, its a hard thing and I thought the author did it justice. Its a book worth the read.
Oh my heart
Such an emotional roller coaster. I’m loved Evan and Zara but I think Victor and Zoe own my heart. This series is everything!
Holy Moly!!! All the feels. I had tears streaming down my face from heartbreak, but it didn’t take long until my heat was being put back together. This was a very emotional read for me but I absolutely loved it! This Is Wild was the second book in Natasha’s This Is Series. It was a beautifully broken, sweet, and sexy read!
Zoe was concentrated on being the best at her job. She didn’t have time for men but when Viktor came along, there was more then just being his real estate agent. But would she be able handle both?
Viktor was fresh out of rehab and getting started in a new town on a new hockey team. He needed to make sure he didn’t mess up again, his career was in danger. The last thing he wanted or needed was to fall for someone but when Zoe walked into his life, fate had other plans. When a night with old friends went down the wrong path, would he loose more than just his career?
It’s hard to find exact words for this book. It gutted me, but at the same time gave me so much hope. I loved how Viktor had nothing but support from people he barely knew. I know this was fiction, but it gave me hope that there are people out there that will do what ever it takes to lift people up. Honestly, this book had my emotions all over the place, but I wouldn’t change any of it!!
This is such a realistic depiction of what a recovering addict goes through day in and day out so well done there. Viktor leaves rehab and immediately moves to New York City to a new team where he is immediately brought into the family of Stones and Grants, Hortons, Richards and of course Vivienne. He finally gets the support he needs to face his demons and win and along the way he meets Zoe Stone and despite the both of them fighting against the chemistry they fall in love.
I read and loved the “Something So” professional hockey series by Natasha Madison and was elated that she was introduced a new “This Is…” series. Zoe, the heroine in “This is Wild” is the daughter of hockey legend Cooper and Parker from “Something So Right,” and twin sister of Zara who is married to hockey player Evan, from the first book in this series, “This is Crazy.” Her brother, Matthew, the general manager of the NY Stingers, is married to Karrie, and her sister, Allison who is with Max, also a hockey player and former enemy of Matthew’s, also appear in this series.
This book is a standalone as the other characters and their relationships are explained, but I personally love revisiting them as they feel like family to me, and recommend you read their stories as well.
“This is Wild” is a difficult review for me to write because addiction is very personal to me. I am divorced because my husband became addicted to pain pills after an accident and he refused treatment (still not well after 15 years), and my son became addicted to alcohol at 15, then it became pills, then heroin at 18. The ordeal watching someone go through that is life changing and the pain and constant worry consumes you. You can’t help them, they must help themselves, and all you can do is pray and lend emotional support. In my son’s case, we do have a happy ending, but he still struggles and must live life one day at a time, just as Viktor our hero in “This is Wild” does.
This book was beautifully written, captivating, and very real. I’m not sure if the author has personal experience with addiction or did research, but it gutted me, not only because of my family background, but the way it made me empathize and become invested in Viktor. I can only imagine how tempting it would be when drugs are readily available and you have the means to buy them. We read about it in real life all the time.
Fresh out of rehab, the very talented Viktor has the chance to start over on a new team, the NY Stingers, and it is there that he is introduced to Zoe, who is a real estate agent (her brother Matthew is the one who brought him to NY because he believes in him and is the protector of the family). Their connection and chemistry is instant, but what I so admired about this book is that they didn’t act on it, at least not for a very long time. Viktor needed time to heal, to work the 12-step program, gain his confidence and footing back, and focus on reviving his career as the entire world knew of his addiction. That’s a lot of pressure and in recovery it’s recommended that you don’t become involved in a relationship for at least a year.
Viktor didn’t have it easy. His struggles were real, and you could feel his pain, both physical and emotional as he tried to remain clean one day at a time. Zoe was so wonderfully kind and supportive, never judging and always encouraging him. I love her spirit, spunk, and sassiness! And I love her relationship with her family and how open and honest, and in each other’s business that they are. I found it hilarious that she’s not a big fan of watching hockey, even though she grew up with it her entire life! Even though the subject matter is a serious one, this book also has several laugh-out-loud moments as well as many tender ones, and lots of sexy times!
Because of his job and her family connections, they were often attending the same events and became fast friends who longed for more. I so admired her compassion and forgiveness, and how she valued herself as well to know what she deserved and behavior she would not accept.
This book was very accurately written with sound advice to anyone struggling, and gave me such hope. Addiction is an illness that must be treated in order to survive and have any kind of life.
I was elated at the ending of “This is Wild” and am hoping to read more of Viktor and Zoe in future installments of this series. This book had several storylines woven throughout and a good amount of hockey for your sports lovers! It has everything…fiery passion, family drama, angst, romance, lots of laughs, tears, and will leave you begging for more.
The This Is Series is a spin off of the Something So Series, so if you’ve read the Something So Series you’ll know a lot of these characters!
It’s Zoe’s turn at love and Zoe is one of the two twin girls of Parker and Cooper (Something So Right) she’s been surrounded by hockey her entire life, her step dad, her brother basically her entire life is surrounded by hockey she’s just not interested.
Viktor has hit rock bottom he went on the ice high as a kite on cocaine, he’s getting out of rehab after ninety days and is ready to start over with his fresh start in New York. Matthew (Something So Perfect) is now the general manager and has taken a chance on Viktor. Matthew was once that kid getting the second chance and he wants to give Viktor that same chance he was once given.
Zoe ends up being Viktor’s real estate agent and is showing him all around New York, it’s most definitely a rocky start. They start off as friends but it can never really be that simple, he’s a recovering drug addict and she’s not interested in hockey players.
This romance is such a slow burn but oh so good! You feel for these two, their trials and each of them truly wanting what’s best for the other. Watching their friendship turn into more is something I really enjoyed, it’s so raw and simple, heartbreaking and one of the more memorable romances I’ve read. I loved this story beginning to end and can’t wait to see what’s next!
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This story deserves so much more than the 5 stars that are allowed, this story deserves all the stars. You have the humor that only the Stone family can bring, you had addiction and heartbreak and healing. Viktor made you feel every single emotion out there. There were extreme highs and extreme lows and everything in between. Zoe, the strong, sarcastic twin didn’t think she could fall in love with a hockey player but when she wasn’t paying attention Viktor stole her heart. This was a gorgeous story!
Wow, Wow, Wow!!! If you want a story that’s going to bring ALL the feels, this is the one.
Viktor is an amazing hockey player who ended up humiliated and lost thanks to his wild partying. Just when he thought everything was lost, Matthew Grant sees beyond the haunted man who’s hurting and trying to come on top and drafts him to his team in New York City. Is there where Viktor meets Zoe Grant, the sassy, independent, and very successful realtor who helps him find an apartment, and the sister of his boss, the man who gave him a chance when no one else would. Could Zoe be the strong woman Viktor needs to make him a better man?
This story is raw when it comes to Viktor and his fight with his demons, but as much as it is raw, it feels very real. Viktor’s battle is something that a lot of people are doing their best to win every day and was treated with respect and compassion throughout the story. Madison treated his character as a man who had a great deal of difficulty in his past, a man who made mistakes, but also a man who is doing his best to overcome the person he used to be and one who is worthy of Zoe, the woman he can’t stop thinking about. There are parts that are so incredibly sad in this book, but you have hilarious ones to go along with the sorrowful ones.
Without a doubt this book is phenomenal, one of the better ones I’ve read lately thanks to the subject matter, the humanity of it all, and the regard shown to everyone fighting with addiction every hour of every day.
A heart warming contemporary sports book. Bring on the Kleenex, as it’s a very emotional yet heartwarming HEA. This is Zoe’s book. She meets Viktor and sparks fly. Viktor comes with lots of baggage and he has to work through this before he can start a relationship. I’m looking forward to the next book Vivienne.
***4.5 Stars***
Since I started the This Is Series, I’ve been really intrigued by Zoe’s characters. She’s feisty and stubborn and everything I love in a female character. I knew this book was going to be a riot! Natasha Madison didn’t disappoint.
This Is Wild is the second book in the This Is Series by Natasha Madison and is told from both Zoe and Viktor’s point of view.
Zoe lives her life by a no strings attached method, but after watching her sister fall in love, she can’t help but wonder if she’s missing out.
Viktor lives his life one day at a time with twelve steps in his mind. Being a recovering addict, these life steps are important. He’s following all of the rules and staying on the straight and narrow. Until he meets his realator, who also happens to be his team managers little sister, Zoe Stone. Now he’s about to take the biggest risk he’s ever taken in his life. He’s about to fall in love.
My Thoughts:
After reading This Is Crazy, book 1, I knew I needed to get my hands on Viktor and Zoe’s story. What’s more intriguing than a recovering addict finally finding love with a sassy spitfire? After reading This Is Wild, I can say with all honesty, this is my favorite book in the series….so far.
Zoe is my favorite NM Character to date! She’s sassy, stubborn, and very independent. She’s also wild and uninhibited. She’s definitely a character that keeps you on your toes and hastily turning the pages. But with a character so wild and independent, she needs a man that mellows her wild out a little. I loved that about Viktor. He’s the calm to her crazy. I legit couldn’t get enough of these two.
I have to say, I wasn’t expecting This Is Wild to be such a slow burn romance, but given Viktor’s backstory, I loved this fact. I loved that this story wasn’t all about sex. These two slowly developed a connection that was unapproachable and unbreakable. I loved the chemistry that slowly developed over time also. It made for a great mixture of lust and love.
Overall, This Is Wild was a great read. Natasha Madison definitely hit reader’s square in the heart with this one. I can’t wait to read more from this series. I need all the words!
-Alecia @ The Staircase Reader