Book Review: Running Wild by K.A. Tucker
Check out this book review of Tucker’s latest in the Wild series, Running Wild, featuring veterinarian, Marie.
If you have loved this romance book series, you’re going to want to check out this book review of the latest to see if it’s a book I recommend you read or skip!
*Disclosure: This post may include affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Running Wild
by K.A. Tucker
Category: Contemporary Romance
Tags: Veterinarian, Widow
Published January 2022
Amazon | Goodreads
Rating: ★★★★½
Boyfriend Rating: 
Veterinarian Marie Lehr knows unrequited love all too well after pining for her best friend, only to watch him marry another woman. It’s a mistake she will never make again, especially not when she can practically hear the clock ticking on her childbearing years.
The trouble is, she can’t seem to find anyone who appeals to her even a fraction as much as that burly bush pilot did. And yet, competitive musher Tyler Brady seems to spark feelings beyond annoyance after their initial, heated meeting.
While volunteering at the Iditarod Sled Dog Race, Marie discovers that first impressions may have been false, and her attraction to Tyler is very real. But his heart belongs to someone else, leaving him with nothing to offer but friendship. Marie’s been down this road before and knows how that ends. Yet, no matter how hard she works to keep from falling for Tyler, it seems she’s doomed to follow her own trail once again.
Tucker slays me each and every time with this book series and she does it again with Running Wild.
I was completely useless to my family once I started reading this book as I could not put it down. I was a woman obsessed and could not be bothered as I sunk into this novel – wishing and hoping that Marie got a happily-ever-after that she deserved.
While this can be read as a standalone, I don’t know if I would feel so much for Marie had I not read The Simple Wild or Wild at Heart. My heart broke for this woman who was not so secretly in love with her best friend only to watch him fall (and marry) someone else.
Now she’s continually watching those around her fall in love, get engaged, and get pregnant while she’s stuck.
Let me just say there were times I all out bawled for this woman while reading this book, my heart broke so much. I don’t know how much more I could take let alone Marie.
While her heart might have gone through the wringer time and time again, she never faltered to show her strength.
She was such a wonderful character to fall for and root for because she deserves it. She’s a veterinarian, running her own practice and volunteering for a race where honesty and integrity is not always top priority for some.
I loved her passion for dogs and the care she provided, as well as her love for her parents, family and friends.
Tyler is such a lovable character too though I LOVED how their initial meeting was less than stellar. It set off the best enemies-to-lovers vibe which quickly turned steamy and yet sweet at the same time.
His backstory is heartbreaking but Tucker led them perfectly. You definitely wanted to see these two together but you could completely understand the hesitation on both sides. Gah! I felt so much!
I can only imagine the amount of research Tucker completed on dog sledding and the Iditarod Sled Dog Race but the details made me feel like I was right there with the participants and volunteers. I loved it and it brought yet another aspect of Alaska to enjoy in this series.
For those who fell for this series because of Calla and Jonah, just know that you won’t get a lot of them, but just enough as it relates to Marie and her journey. This is purely Marie’s story as it should be.
I really should rate this a 5 star read but I would have loved a bit more build up between Tyler and Marie before falling for each other. While not instalove, it was pretty fast in a short time period but I’m being super picky as I LOVED this book and the writing was fabulous.
This book made my most anticipated romance books of 2022 list for a reason and it is so deserving. Definitely one of the best of 2022 so far!
*I received an advanced reader copy but all opinions are my own.
Book Lists with this Book:
- Most Anticipated Romance Books of 2022
- Must Read January 2022 New Romance Book Releases
- Romance Book Series that Should be Made into Romance TV Shows
