Wild Man (Dream Man, #2) by Kristen Ashley
Romance Contemporary
Paperback, 483 pages
Forever
October 29, 2013
Reviewed by Tori
Note: This book was originally self published in 2011. It is now being rereleased through a publisher, and available in print on 10/29.
Favorite Quote: “Is this sinking in that maybe I’m trying to move on in a variety of ways including moving on from Jake Knox slash Brock Lucas?”
Tessa O’Hara thought she had found her happily ever after but when she discovers that he’s actually an undercover DEA agent, and he’s been using her to get to her shady ex husband, Tessa is heartbroken and walks away.
DEA agent Brock Lucas may have started out viewing Tessa as a job but after four months of pure bliss in and out of her bed, he’s positive she’s the woman for him. When his cover is blown, he is forced to leave her but forces a promise from her to let him explain. But life doesn’t always give us what we want and Tessa freezes him out.
Brock cajoles his way back into Tessa’s life and bed but nothing worth having is ever easy and soon Tessa and Brock find themselves struggle to build a life together while dealing with family, friends, and ghosts from the past that refuses to stay in the past.
We first met Brock Lucas in book one of the Dream Man series-Mystery Man. Working undercover to break up a huge drug ring, he is unable to break his cover to help the heroine when she is kidnapped. We learn in here that Brock is known to get really close to his targets…especially if they are women. *tongue in cheek* Brock’s new victim, errr, I mean assignment, is bakery owner Tessa O’Hare. Tessa owns a little bakery and is trying to live her life as simply as possible. Divorced from an abusive man who we learn hasn’t been upfront and honest with Tessa, the last thing she needs is another liar. When Tessa is pulled in for questioning over her ex husband’s activities, her heart breaks when she sees Brock in the police station, badge in hand. Feeling like a fool for believing a man like him could love someone like her, she refuses to have anything to do with him.
Brock lets her be while he cleans up his case and begins to separate himself from the DEA. After three months, he goes after Tessa, hoping he can explain and she will give him another chance. He busts into her home and proceeds to roar through all her objections and fears, letting her know in no uncertain terms that while he may have lied about his name and occupation…he never once lied about his feelings for her.
“I held back takin’ us there, Tess, I didn’t want us to go there until the shit with Heller was done and you were cleared and we were good to move on. But your goddamned glasses and that cute fuckin’ look you’d get on your face every time I kissed you that made you look like you just experienced a fuckin’ miracle, shit.”
His hand tensed on my head. “Shit, baby, you got to me and I couldn’t hold back.” His thumb swept my cheekbone, his eyes went from warm to hot and his voice went deep when he told me something but he said it like he was talking to himself, “That look gets way fuckin’ better after you come.”
Brock gets Tessa back in his life and then the real trouble begins. Both Brock and Tessa carry some serious baggage and it’s only after they start their real relationship does the preverbal shite hit the fan. We have a dysfunctional family that is off the charts, a vindictive and VERY insane ex wife, a dying father, and an ex husband who is in bed with the Colombians.
Let the games begin!
I originally read this is 2012 and honestly I wasn’t that enamored of Brock. I found his personality to be abrasive and dismissive. If someone wasn’t telling him what he wanted to hear, he ignored it or brushed it off. He does this numerous times with Tessa, her friends, and his family. I also had issues with how he handled Tessa in the beginning. I know it was his job but I couldn’t just “get over it” like Tessa did. I would have had to have nailed him a few times in the taco. Teach that boy a lesson! He broke so many rules it wasn’t funny. And his apology summed up in a nutshell was, “Crap happens, time to get over it.”
Ummm.
No.
Tessa disappointed me in some ways too. She was wishy when it came to Brock. She puts up a token protest but secretly, this chick is so codependent, it isn’t even funny. She wants so bad to have her happily ever after, she overlooks her issues with Brock. She’s a giver. Not to say she’s a doormat because she’s not all the time-only with Brock. I know the premise is she champions those around her so he will be her champion but I didn’t buy it one hundred percent.
The chemistry between Tessa and Brock is very steamy and a tiny bit raunchy (in a good way). In bed they seem more on equal footing and there are some very nice scenes that give us all the naughty details. Neither are shy about what they want and that does spill over into their everyday lives. If I appreciated one thing about this couple, it was their honesty. Neither played games and each gave 100 percent.
“Now, let’s go back to me bein’ like chocolate that melts in your mouth.”
“That isn’t exactly what I meant,” I told him, his arms went around me and he rolled to his back, taking me with him. Then his hand sifted into my hair, fisted gently and my head came up.
“I would hope not, darlin’, seein’ as every time you take me in your mouth, the last thing I do is melt.”
Regardless of my issues with the characterization of the protagonists, I did enjoy the story and the multiple plot lines. Brock’s family and Tessa’s friends are hilarious busy bodies who will get all up in your business at 9 am and spill it to the world by 10 am. Martha, Tessa’s best friend is a trip and though she initially hates Brock, he eventually grows on her.
“Hey, honey,” I greeted. “What’s up?”
“His filthy, rusted, beat up, in desperate need of a trade up truck is still in front of your house, that’s what’s up,”
Characters from other stories crossover and get into the action (Hawk, Elvira, and some of the Hot Bunch) so we see old friends and meet new ones whose stories are still to come.
The story engages the reader even with the predictable over the top behavior and situations. If there is one aspect I love about Ms. Ashley’s writing is the drama and details she adds to her stories. Nothing is presented and then dropped. Nothing escapes with only minor detailing. No one is forgotten. It’s very easy to get invested in her characters lives and share in their triumphs and disappointments in their everyday activities. I do think I would have enjoyed more conflict between Tessa and Brock. As I stated earlier, Tessa forgives to easily and they are essentially a solid couple 15 minutes after he reentered her life.
Wild Man is a rambunctious roller coaster ride that requires some suspension of reality but nether less offers a wonderful escape.
Rating: C+
Recent Reviews:
Mayse’s Book Blog– C+
Aesta’s Book Blog– B+
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Hmm no, I think not for me. A hero who just ignores others opinions and such, nope. Can’t stomach that. If you told me the heroine slapped him, threw him out, made him see the light, perhaps. But accepting this behaviour? no way.
Well, she does freeze him out fr three months and he has to hunt her down but yes, she forgives him pretty easily.
This is probably my least favorite KA book although I have reread it and don’t despise it, but that’s because I’m really entranced by the family dynamics — the H and h? Not so much. Also, I don’t like loads of frosting on my cupcakes so constantly reading “mountainous swirls of frosting” made me cringe. ;)
I really loved “Law Man” which is next in the series although several reviewers have said the heroine is too OTT down on herself for the 1st half of the book and that’s probably a valid criticism.
I liked Law Man. Yes, the heroine had a low self esteem but unlike Tessa, didn’t come off as a victim.
I don’t know that I will try this author for another book. I’ve read one book by her and didn’t really like it at all so I’m not sure I should read this. Plus if the heroine forgives right away then that is not really a story worth reading.
Thanks for the great review!
Mystery Man is my favorite of the 4 in the series. Love me some Hawk. But he too is/was not perfect. All the male leads in KA’s books and this series in particular have a definite listening problem. I like alpha males, but a couple of them were a little too alpha even for me.
I hated Mystery Man but only because I just couldn’t wrap my head around being on someone’s sex roster. lol I think Motorcycle Man is my all time favorite. Tack had the alpha mentality in spades but Tyra gave it right back to him. She always gave him just enough rope to hang himself. lol They are one of the few Ashley h/Hs I feel were equally matched.
Motorcycle Man was the KA book that actually hooked me. I found it since I am a huge SOA fan and I went looking for a book that kind of reminded me of that. In all honesty it was a toss up between Tack and Hawk, because Tack’s way with his kids did make me melt, BUT the physical description of Hawk was right up my alley. TALL= yes, DARK=yes, HANDSOME=yes and that little something extra Native America or Latino = uh, hell yes!!!!! HAHAHA.