There’s a reason they call me Wylde and it’s not just because it’s my last name. I might be one of the newest players on the Arizona Vengeance team, but I’m no stranger to the celebrity that goes along with being a professional hockey player. Whether it’s a fan seeking an autograph or a puck bunny looking for more, I’ve grown used to the attention. I not only thrive on it; I use it to my … thrive on it; I use it to my advantage. Let’s just say my bed is rarely empty.
When a quirky redhead at the local bookstore stops me dead in my tracks, I decide to pop in and turn on the trusty Wylde magic. As smart and strong-willed as she is beautiful, Clarke Webber isn’t swayed by my witty banter or charming good looks. And when she realizes who I am and the fame that comes along with it, she likes me even less. Thankfully, I’m always up for a challenge. The more I get to know about her, the more I know my playboy days are behind me.
If I’m going to capture Clarke’s heart, it’s time to be a lot less Wylde, and a lot more Aaron.
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Aaron Wylde is the most notorious playboy in the league and now, a cup champion, he is in higher demand with the fans and puck bunnies. While on a morning run, Aaron passes a bookstore where he notices a beautiful redhead that stops him in his tracks. Clarke sees Aaron walk into her store and is not swayed by his wit and charm. Once she realizes he’s famous, she does not want anything to do with him. Aaron bets her to be his date to his teammates’ weddings and when he wins the bet he becomes determined he is going to make her realized he is not like every other famous male. Aaron and Clarke’s connection and chemistry was amazing and I loved how Clarke was welcomed into the Vengeance family by the other players and their wives. Wylde is a fun-loving, opposites attract story about the team playboy falling in love with the girl completely opposite of his normal conquest with an unexpected tear-jerking twist that will have your heart in your throat. The Arizona Vengeance are my favourite books by Sawyer Bennett, a must-read series, I can not wait for more and hope they never end.
*ARC was generously provided in exchange for my honest review*
Wylde is the seventh book in the Arizona Vengeance series. For fans of the series, you already know Aaron Wylde. If you haven’t read any of the series, you can read this book as a stand alone but I would not recommend it if you plan on reading the earlier books in the series. The author does a wonderful job of catching us up on what is happening with the other guys in the team and you will have major spoilers if you go back to read the other books.
I love Clarke Webber. She is such an unexpected character and to see her “grow” just added to the story. Aaron is so not what I was expecting him to be from knowing how he is such a player but he has such a great heart. I listened to this book in one day as I found it very difficult to turn off. The narrarators did a wonderful job of really bringing Aaron and Clarke to life. I really felt like I was there in the story with them and there were times when I wanted to shout at them for their actions. You could really feel the emotions and visualize the scenes. Catching up with the other characters added even more to the story. These guys are a family and it was very evident. I can’t wait for the next book in the series as there are a couple characters we got glimes of that I wonder which one will be next.
Fantastic Story & Narration Amazing Sports Romance!
Wylde
Arizona Vengeance, Book 7
By: Sawyer Bennett
Narrated by: Teddy Hamilton, CJ Bloom
I loved this book, I was swept into the story right from the start and it held me captive straight to the end. Sawyer Bennett is a gifted author, she has a wonderful writing style, she has a great ability to bring her readers and/or listeners right along side the characters, giving them inside views of what they are thinking, seeing and going thru. Her storylines and characters are realistic and easy to relate to. This book is Aaron Wylde story, a fairly new team member of the “Arizona Vengeance”, a self proclaimed player on and off the ice, he loves the attention and the women aka puck bunnies that come his way. Other team members look up to him for his way with the women. The season is over and he has some down time, jogging along the street past a book store when someone inside captures his attention, a gorgeous woman with red hair and glasses. He continued to jog but was drawn back and had to go check her out. Woman usually recognize him and fall at his feet but not Clarke Webber, the owner of Clarke’s Corner and the woman who captured Wylde’s interest. She is immune to his charm and good looks, but he is determined to win her over and I love the way he gets that first and second date. Wylde schools the book nerd, LOL! There is chemistry between them but Clarke has history with fame and it is not a good one which makes her resistance to get involved even more. I loved how everything plays out in this book, the story is beautifully plotted with plenty of drama, a touch of angst, humor, some heartfelt moments and some hot romance. I love the camaraderie amongst the team members, as well as their women. It was great to see and catch up with characters from earlier books too. Sawyer Bennett, thank you for another awesome story and this awesome series.
I listened to the Audible edition, Teddy Hamilton and CJ Bloom are fabulous narrators and voice artists. Perfectly casted to portray the characters and bring them and their story to life. They sounded just as I pictured the characters to sound, capturing all their emotions and projecting them into their performance. They are entertaining storytellers and a pleasure to listen to. Thank you for another awesome listen
Aaron and Clarke are quite the opposites, but I just love how Aaron became smitten. Aaron has quite the reputation, but enter a bookstore owner and everything changes. They are adorable together! There are some really great moments with the rest of the Vengeance family too. I love seeing how this family continues to grow and how much they care about one another.
I love this entire series!!!
I have to say this one was ok. Clarke (h) nerd girl bookworm / bookstore owner was too basic and sometimes the things she did made me eyeroll. Her being on a reality dating show seemed too unbelievable. The ending seemed abrupt that I had to go back and see if I missed anything. I guess not all books need epilogues but I was like “thats it?!” Wylde and Clarke sure are opposites, but what I was surprised in Wylde was what his dad did for a living. I just think for me nothing substantial happened needless to say it was a quick listen.
Narrators Teddy Hamilton and CJ Bloom were perfect for their characters though.
I received this audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this unbiased review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
This wasn’t what I expected. I loved the change in venue, the story and the characters. It seemed a little lighter than previous ones. I really like Clarke. She is smart and doesn’t give in to Wylde’s tactics. She really made him chase her. She does have a little something in her past that caused her humiliation so she is very cautious going forward with him. Sadly for Wylde…he hits all of her “Stay away” buttons. He really needs to dig deep and become something he has never been before…a serious dater if he wants to pursue something with her. I did love how he got her to go with him on a couple dates. Very smart! I could really see the growth in his character as the story moves along.
I loved seeing all the guys and their wives. Especially Tracker and Nora. I enjoy seeing all of them get their happy ever after! I did listen to this on audio. Teddy Hamilton is such a joy to listen to with the men on this team. CJ Bloom does great as well. Always so enthusiastic.
I loved this book! Wylde was the last single guy in the front line of the Arizona Vengeance hockey team. His close friends all had gone into domestic bliss and he was now leading the young ones of the team, partying after games at The Sneaky Saguaro and picking up puck bunnies. He was solid in his position that he would remain single during his playing days and settle down after he was done with hockey. Meanwhile, he was enjoying being the playboy and living up to his name Wylde. How the mighty are fallen!
After their cup win, and after ten days of booze and junk food, Wylde decides to start to exercise and eat well for the next season. During his jog around town, he was deviated by an accident and went past a bookstore and wham! He saw this gorgeous woman who impressed him to the point he left his run and went into the store. She was unimpressed and he had to coerce her with a bet to convince her to go out with him. Her plan was to comply with her obligation and never see him again. So, Wylde had to bring out the big guns. He started visiting the bookstore, buying books, discussing said books, and keep at it for a while until she overcame her obstacles and accepted to date.
Clarke had a bad experience related to a prominent man who later humiliated her, so she has a thing against Wylde’s celebrity. She has a natural mistrust, product of her past experience but Wylde is nothing but resourceful. For a man who was such a playboy, Wylde really turned a new leaf with Clarke. It was cute how he suddenly realized that he’d been a week without hanging out with the puck bunnies or interested in partying. The quiet life of dating, romantic dinners, hanging out at Clarke’s bookstore and helping out was his new jam.
I loved reading about Clarke! There’s a lovely scene where she and the partners of the other hockey players shared their stories of how they met and fell in love; Clarke compared all their stories with tropes in a romance book. I thought that was so cute and relatable.
This was a charming story of opposites, a playboy and a reticent bookworm. In spite of their differences, Clarke is fascinating to Wylde. She didn’t know who he was, and after she learned who he was, instead of falling all over him, she was even more reticent and unwilling to be with him. He had to work hard to get his woman and he loved doing the work. I loved the sweetness, the steam and the family comprised of friends and team members. I loved the support of the whole group when one of the team has problems. This is one of those feel-good books that you just inhale and and then exhale with happiness when finished.
Wylde and Clarke have a really sweet connection, and I loved that Clarke made him work for her affections some. Clarke had some not so great things happen in the past, so she is very concerned with Wylde being in the limelight as a pro on the Arizona Vengeance hockey team. He keeps turning on that Wylde charm, so Clarke can’t help but fall for him. Wylde isn’t used to putting so much effort into getting female attention, but he’s realizing women of quality are worth the extra effort. It’s nice to see Wylde changing his ways for the better. Clarke is a good fit for him; I like that she knows her worth and uses her brain. It’s also great to see all the happiness going on in this book! It’s fun to see how the rest of the guys and ladies are doing. I would’ve liked a bit more drama; not too much, but things just seemed a bit too easy at times. Still an entertaining, sexy read! I listened to the audio on Audible, which was great. Both narrators do an excellent job and I’d recommend listening! They fit the characters well and they both gave quality performances.
Audio Review
I love this series. I’m not really a sports fan and even though this is a series about hockey it isn’t focused on the sport but on the great bunch of men that are part of the team. They each have their own troubles and pains and together they get through whatever comes up. They are more than just a team, they are family and all of the characters have been wonderful to get to know.
This book is about Aaron Wylde who is labeled as the “Wylde” man where women are concerned. The quintessential playboy using not only his fame as a hockey player but his charm and good looks to get with the ladies. He definitely isn’t looking for love but when he passes the little book store and sees Clarke for the first time he is awe struck and finds himself doing things he has never done before.
Clarke isn’t looking for love and especially with someone famous. Been there done that and not repeating but Aaron is persistent and she finds there is more to this handsome man than just his looks and fame and she likes what she is seeing.
I keep thinking there isn’t any way for the author to keep this series going but oh she does and I am pulled further and further in to their world. I love these characters with all their flaws and love and drama they have to work through. These can be read as a stand alone as each book tells the story of a specific player and his love but the entire series is so good I recommend you read/listen to each book. They have all been 5 stars for me.
Great story, well written, gives you plenty of “feels”, and then you add the talents of Teddy Hamilton and CJ Bloom to narrate it and it’s a win win. Loved listening to them tell Aaron and Clarke’s story.
I hope you enjoy this book and series as much as I have.
Read: 5/13/2020
Wylde was the seventh book in the Arizona Vengeance series by Sawyer Bennett.
Aaron Wylde was a first line defenseman for the NHL team the Arizona Vengeance. He was famous, gorgeous and lived up to his last name well.
Clarke Webber was a bookstore owner. She was beautiful in a non-traditional, conservative, academic way. She also had an aversion to celebrities and definitely wouldn’t date one, so it was easy to keep brushing Aaron off.
Bennett took us through the meet and the initial chase; which was both cute and fun. Bennett also began unraveling the layers to Clarke and her commitment to staying away from the rich and famous. It was enlightening and frankly, potentially realistic. And I loved how Aaron treated Clarke, it’s hard to describe, but it fit the story well. In the end, Wylde was a journey of trust, friendship and love – a good combination of sweet and sexy. But I can’t overlook the emotional times – there were those as well, but no spoilers here.
True to form, Bennett included our previous favorites with some special events, but she also introduced several new team members that will be carrying the flag forward. Hopefully we’ll here more from Baden, but next up is a friend to lovers saga in Kane.
Great story of two people determined to be in a relationship. Aaron Wylde of the Arizona Vengeance is known for his hit it and quit it. Women swarm him giving him his pick each night. All of his friends have fallen in love, but Wylde swears it won’t happen to him. Then he spots a woman in a window while running.
Clarke likes her life. she owns a bookstore. She stays safe by only dating betas. She won’t let herself fall into another situation that crushes her. She denies Aaron but he won’t give up. Who knew a silly bet would lead to so much.
Get ready to laugh. Get ready to cry. Get read to scream. Get ready to dance. Wylde will rock your world with the emotions and inner turmoil the characters go through. Thankfully the Vengeance family is there to give them a hand or tell them when they are making a mistake.
Wylde is book #7 of the Arizona Vengeance series by Sawyer Bennett. If you wanted you could read it as a standalone, but of course it is better to read the series in order. Wylde is Tacker best friend so we have already met him, but we get to know the man behind the playboy persona. Clarke is a shy bookshop owner and has no interest in fame, but Aaron is out to convince her otherwise. Another great book in this hockey series!
#MSBB
I loved Wylde and Clarke! I love how the book nerd and the celebrity hockey player find each other. I loved how this series continues to grow and brings back all the old characters and provides updates!! Aaron Wylde gets tamed, and it’s amazing! This story is filled with sass, love, romance, and off the charts chemistry!
I was hooked right from the beginning and read this one overnight in a bout of insomnia. We met Wylde a couple books ago when he was traded to the Vengeance and he is a devout playboy and revels in that role and now after winning the championship and after a few days of slacking he needs to get back to a routine. That means he sets off on a run and while glancing into shops he sees a woman. Intrigued…yeah…so much so he has to go in and blunders his way through buying gifts and when he has nothing left asks her out on a date. She turns him down. He resorts to a bet and his knowledge of literature to win (who knew) and she is stuck. This is the summer of weddings! This is a slow burn for Clarke and Wylde but well worth the wait! They have fantastic chemistry and she fits in with the women of the Vengeance and better yet she fits with Aaron. This series has been great and even if you have not read the other books you can pick this one up and not be lost.
Wylde
Arizona Vengeance, Book 7
By: Sawyer Bennett
Narrated by: Teddy Hamilton, CJ Bloom
Each book in this series has me falling head over heels for the hero, and each time I think this is my favorite. Then Sawyer Bennett gives me another and I find myself once again, finding my new favorite! Aaron Wylde is a playboy. A hockey player with a reputation for one night stands, he finds himself intrigued with bookstore owner Clarke. She is not your ordinary woman. She is smart, beautiful, and doesn’t look for the celebrity in him. When he tricks her into a date, she is wary, but why? Could it be his reputation? Will he be able to win her over? Are her reasons valid for her uncertainty? Bennett has made me fall in love with this couple. Aaron proves to be quite the man. He is warm, loving and will to do whatever it takes. Clarke is different than his normal hookup. She is hesitant, and we get to watch her bloom with Aaron. Plus we get to be with all the team and their significant others which for me is always so much fun. It’s the familiar feeling of friends and family as love grows. Bennett stole my heart and I am sure she will be aiming for it again!
The narrator choices are spot on for this listen. Aaron needs to have a warm, sensual voice and Teddy Hamilton has it in spades. He can make anyone feel comfortable with his easy timbre and mellow tones. CJ Bloom’s voice is exactly as I would have pictured Clarke to sound. She has a slight vulnerability at some points, and extreme confidence in others. These two storytellers are the perfect fit for this listen.
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What a great story! Wylde is the story of another Arizona Vengeance hockey player, just after winning Sir Stanleys cup. The story starts with a wild bachelor, and in a weird twist of fate, a contestant from a tv show, the Celebrity Proposal (similar to the bachelor). Aaron Wylde is the total package; amazing athlete, good looking, kind, intelligent, etc.. Clarke is a mystery; beautiful, smart, uninterested, etc. Running a different route one day, a beautiful woman in a bookstore captures his eye, so much that he goes in to meet her. Something about this bookstore owner has captivated this hockey player… Their meeting is sweet… Their story could be any of us… You cant help but fall in love with Sawyer Bennetts characters! Clarke learns to trust, Wylde learns patience, and as Clarke is adjusting to Aaron’s celebrity, he is also having to adjust his temper in protecting Clarke…and together they learn to love! As Clarke and Aaron’s story unfolds, you get to catch up with many of the Vengeance players, as there are many weddings that take place during their story. It is a great read, could not put it down!
So good!
This spin-off series has brought so many great stories to this hockey world! Each one seems to overcome the last as my new favourite and this one raced to the top so easily…
Their first meet up was perfection with Wylde’s charm and perseverance winning the day. I soon realized why Clarke was so wary, rightfully so, yet she could only cave under his gentle yet passionate persuasion. Their courtship flourished and floundered under the watchful, humorous and always supportive eye of Wylde’s hockey family. No one was more shocked than him about his relationship with Clarke (well, maybe Tracker) and maybe Clarke herself… One step forward, two steps back but each was a dance that included heat and love that couldn’t be denied…
They were funny and sweet, witty and charming, their courtship offering surprise after surprise. Some good, some heartbreaking, their happy ending didn’t mean it was all over. Kane, I have my eye on you…
*Reviewed for 1-Click Addict Support Group
I Love Sawyer & literally every one of her books…
Wylde is no different!
Super awesome read…
Sports romance… Love in unexpected places… Broken down heroine tales….
I very much enjoyed this Aaron & Clarke story!
Phenomenally written. Well developed. Great characters!
Highly recommend!
Sawyer Bennett is on a winning streak with book seven in the Arizona Vengeance series, Wylde. In this novel, NHL player, Aaron Wylde, is intrigued by bookstore owner, Clarke Webber, the moment, he sets eyes on her. It is a good thing he is competitive because winning her over proves to be a challenge. This sports romance is suitable for adult readers.
I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. I loved Aaron’s determination to win Clark over. Their banter and bets were amusing. I love how they got to know one another and grew to appreciate each other. I enjoyed how the preceding characters in the book tied into this story. I also appreciated how this story overlapped with previous stories in the series. It was fun reading about the same timeframe from a different viewpoint.
Sawyer Bennett continues to do an amazing job with this series. The characters are dynamic and relatable. Wylde could be read as a standalone, but I suggest reading the series. Each story is skillfully written and adds to the enjoyment of later books in the series. I recommend this story to people who enjoy hockey romances. I am looking forward to Kane’s story next. I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book.