I received this book for free from the Author in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

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Ruby Rose declared me the enemy before I had a chance to defend myself.I may be an attorney, but this girl had appointed herself judge and jury.
And I’d never minded a good verbal sparring.There was a comfort in going to battle against the evil queen.Maybe it was just the recognition of one damaged soul to another.But the more we fought—the more I craved her.Until our arguing turned into a bit of a wager.One I was determined to win.One time. Sixty seconds. A secret only we would share.I’d work my magic and she’d declare me the winner.I’d gloat, she’d sulk—that was my plan.She was determined to prove me wrong.But from the minute we crossed the line, there was no turning back.She was so far under my skin I couldn’t think straight.Feeling things that I’d never felt before was one thing.But knowing the clock was ticking was another.Ruby Rose may have given me more than sixty seconds, but she wasn’t offering forever.And now my world doesn’t work without her in it.But how do I convince her to stay, when she already has one foot out the door?

Laura Pavlov is definitely one of my favorite authors. I’ve read almost every book she’s written, and I just adore her. So after reading the first book in the Magnolia Falls series, which I absolutely loved.. I knew the second book couldn’t come fast enough. So when I received an ARC of book two, Wild River, I started reading as soon as I could.

In ‘Wild River’ we read the story of River and Ruby Rose. River and Ruby met each other years ago but haven’t seen each other in years after Ruby moved to go to college. Now Ruby is returning home to take care of her father, who recently got a stroke. Ruby planned everything. She’ll come back home to take care of her dad for a few weeks, and when he gets home again and is able to take care of his bar, Ruby will return to the big city to finally start her dream job.

From the moment River and Ruby meet again, there is a lot of tension between them. River considers Ruby’s dad his friend, but Ruby is sure River gave him horrible legal advice. Add the fact that River is arrogant and way to handsome for his own good, and Ruby definitely doesn’t like him. But there is a chemistry between River and Ruby you can’t deny. And after one explosive moment, it’s clear staying away from each other is not possible. At least not until Ruby leaves again.

After reading the first book in the series, where we already briefly met River, I knew I wanted to read his story. River is this tattooed lawyer, who had a rough past. Losing his parents young, ending up in jail while he was innocent, it scarred him. Now River is all about working hard and not getting attached to woman. But right from the start Ruby is different. And she scares the hell out of him. I loved how Ruby shook River’s world up right from the start. Reading his point of their story was just so good. He totally made me swoon.

Ruby has been taking care of everyone around her for a long time. So taking care of her dad is no question at all. But she is a champ in keeping people at a distance. And the last thing she wants is to stay in her small home town. But the longer she spends in Magnolia Falls, the more she starts to like the people. Especially River, who makes her heart beat faster right from the start.

The romance between River and Ruby was so good. I loved their chemistry, and especially their banters. They made me swoon from start till finish. Add the small town of Magnolia Falls, with some very charming side characters and I was hooked. I seriously loved this book.

‘Wild River’ was a great read. If you’re into small town romance, I’d definitely recommend this one.

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About Laura Pavlov

Laura Pavlov writes sweet and sexy contemporary romance that will make you both laugh and cry. She is happily married to her college sweetheart, mom to two awesome almost-grown kids, and dog-whisperer to one temperamental yorkie and one wild bernedoodle. Laura resides in Las Vegas where she is living her own happily ever after. Be sure to sign up for updates on new releases. Laura loves to hear from readers!

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Maureen Bakker

Maureen is a mom, wife, nurse, and Ravenclaw living in the Netherlands. She spends her days juggling mom-life, reading, blogging, planning date nights with her husband and working as a nurse. Maureen also is a big Anglophile, loves cooking, Gilmore Girls, Bridgerton and Harry Potter.. Always!  Facebook | Instagram