Wild Card (North Ridge Book 1)

Loved this book! I recently found this author and have read everything I can put my hands on. Totally got me from the first page and finished it in one day. If you are looking for a good romance, go here!

Another wonderful book by Karina Halle. Loved this beautiful second chance romance. Great characters and a great story, just enough dramatic elements to keep you on your toes. Can't wait for the brother's books!

Shane & Rachel were amazing! Shane was the man most women dream of, the length he went through for Rachel & when she needed him most, oh, the vulnerability!! Rachel was a strong yet broken woman that you can't help but root for. I am on pins & needles for Fox & Maverick's stories....Come on release time!

Loved this book! I recently found this author and have read everything I can put my hands on. Totally got me from the first page and finished it in one day. If you are looking for a good romance, go here!

Another wonderful book by Karina Halle. Loved this beautiful second chance romance. Great characters and a great story, just enough dramatic elements to keep you on your toes. Can't wait for the brother's books!

Shane & Rachel were amazing! Shane was the man most women dream of, the length he went through for Rachel & when she needed him most, oh, the vulnerability!! Rachel was a strong yet broken woman that you can't help but root for. I am on pins & needles for Fox & Maverick's stories....Come on release time!

A beautiful story of love and loss. And love again. Love the descriptiveness of the scenery and the well rounded characters. Some angst - enough to give the story depth but not enough to make me need to stop reading. Really looking forward to more books in this series (focusing on other characters).

This book just became a top favorite by Karina Halle. All the feels and in love with Shane and Rachel, North Ridge, and all the characters in this amazing story. I must admit I am not a fan of farm, cowboys and that type of stories but this definitely goes way beyond that aspect. It is a beautiful love story, that spans years. A solid second chance romance and through the past chapters we get to see and live how Shane and Rachel met and fell in love. There are some traumatic awful things that happened in their past. Rachel is a survivor and I could really related to her in that capacity. Karina Halle can describe the setting in a book with such perfection that you always feel you are right in the scene breathing the same air. I was even more intrigued by this when I read what inspired the author to write Wild Card: "I really wanted to showcase the wilderness of my home province of British Columbia, and the rough and rugged men who try and tame the land. I wanted to write about three brothers, all strong alpha males who have very dangerous jobs." I love books based on families, we have the father, the grandfather, and the Nelson brothers. Overall, I just simply loved this book and can't wait to read about Maverick and Fox in the future.

Keeps you alert waiting on next paragraph, then next page. Smiles when you should, tears out of no where. Fresh, delicious, love is in the air.
Will she grow up or will she lose it all? And don't forget the bear!

When you read certain types of books or particular authors on a regular basis, you tend to feel as if the books can be interchangeable and there is not much that is unique about them. BUT, Karina Halle proves again and again that she can write about any subject matter in any genre and it will be a refreshing, feel new and different and so very well written. Wild Card is no exception! And her dang prologues always pull you right in and tend to rip you apart a bit.
Wild Card is the first book to come out in the North Ridge trilogy. The Nelson brothers have a lot going on and will melt our heart and light up our world. Shane Nelson is up first. He is the Cowboy we all want fighting for us in our corner. He is passionate, wild and loves fiercely. But what happens when he lets the love of his life go? Rachel Waters left her small town home with a broken heart and without anyone that loved her. She has been living a life being successful and working her way up in Toronto. She has a life there, but when her mother falls ill, she decides to help her and return home to where she feels she isn't wanted by anyone.
This is a second chance romance that is told in dual POV with bits and pieces from the past thrown in there so we can understand what happened 6 years ago to make Shane and Rachel no longer a couple. And boy is it a doozy. Not everything is what it's cracked up to be. But is it ever?!
"I wasn't drowning in the memories - I was dying in them."
The friendship and the beauty of family and love between Rachel and Shane and the Nelsons and the Waters is what captured my heart and rendered me hopeful. Love, pain, angst, history, beauty in the words not spoken. It all came together seamlessly. To capture the love between a couple that didn't know what to do with that love and to keep the history relevant without overstepping what was currently happening made this book special. With second chance romances there is a history and it was sweet and sad to see what happened to the younger characters to get them to their current places. It always breaks my heart a little bit when something doesn't work out, but with second chances, you know there is something that will make them turn the corner. And man does Shane do EVERYTHING in his power to get his woman. And to make her see that his feelings never changed.
"I always dreamed about you. Every night. Under every moon. For the last six years. The moon would always be changing but my dreams never did."
This story is about coming together. About fighting a past together. About family and loving them through all the lies. About love in it's truest and most raw form. Small town and cowboys have won my heart in this one. You love each other and you fight each other's battles for one another. You give someone your heart and you give it selflessly (Shane). You grow and learn to love yourself through distance (Rachel). Family is number one. HOld on tight because this ride isn't all beautiful. It's slow and painful and beautiful and sexy. Giddy up!
"What feeds your soul?...What gets you up in the mornings? What makes you want to be a better version of yourself, to keep on growing? What makes you feel alive? More than that, what makes you want to be alive forever, finding the lust and the joy for it day by day?"
If you want
4.5 steamy slow build second chance stars for these Wild Characters!

***5 ‘Wishbone’ Stars***

I want more.

It’s really that simple. This book had it all for me. A second chance at love story that was filled with sweet and smexy moments that melted my heart and panties, as well as just enough angst that it kept things interesting. And it was filled with well written secondary characters that I want to spend more time with and get to know better.

Shane and Rachel. These two. It was hard not to like them. Shane is that good ‘ole boy. He’s that guy that will stop and offer help if you’re stranded on the side of the road. He loves his family and his job and simply wants to be happy. Rachel is still searching for her happiness, but isn’t afraid to test the waters to achieve it. She’s been through hell, but she’s come out of it with a pretty good head on her shoulders and a heart that is bruised, but not broken.

Their journey to their HEA was absolutely heart melting and well as heartbreaking. If two people were ever meant to be together, it would be Rachel and Shane. We get to experience their beginning through flashbacks and it was just apparent that there was something special between them. The honesty between them, even in the more angsty moments, was refreshing and I just really liked how they worked things out between them and where they were at in the end.

I simply enjoyed Wild Card. It was an engaging read that I simply got lost in and didn’t want it to end. The first person dual POV’s were done very well as were the flashbacks. The secondary characters were all well written, Dick is hands down my favorite with Del a very close second, I’m totally looking forward to getting to know Mav and Fox, Shane’s brothers, a lot better. There are some triggers in this book, but they are important to the storyline and not presented in a gratuitous manner. So, if you’re a second chance romance lover you definitely need to give this one a go!

~ Copy provided by Social Butterfly PR & voluntarily reviewed ~

*Arc provided in exchange for an honest review*

I'm a sucker for Second Chance Romances and this book was no exception.
The story is focused on Shane and Rachel,who have been friends since the age of 8.
A friendship that,in time,became so much more.
Shane Nelson is the perfect gentleman. A cowboy who has the right amount of sexy,wild and bold. But six years ago,he had to make a decision that torn his life upside down. He had to push away the woman he loved the most.
Rachel Waters left North Ridge with a a shattered heart and feeling unworthy of love.
She moved to Toronto where she built a new life. A successful career,new friends...
Now,six years after her heartbreak,she has to come back home to take care of her mother who fell ill.
Crossing paths with him again,she has to decide is she's willing to let her past go and believe again.
Will Shane find the chance to redeem himself?
Will they be able to move on and find their HEA?

Forgiveness,second chances,romance...this book has it all! It's sexy,gritty and emotional. The characters are perfectly written. They are not perfect,they have flaws,they are hurt. Their lives are not all roses.

Wild Card is book one in the North Ridge series and it's set on the Canadian mountains. It's written in dual POV and gives us a perfect background story to know them better.

Even if this is not your go-to genre, don't hesitate and take the jump.
This book is perfect proof that I can blindly trust Karina no matter what she writes because she never stops surprising.
My first cowboy story and I absolutely loved every bit of it.

When you read certain types of books or particular authors on a regular basis, you tend to feel as if the books can be interchangeable and there is not much that is unique about them. BUT, Karina Halle proves again and again that she can write about any subject matter in any genre and it will be a refreshing, feel new and different and so very well written. Wild Card is no exception! And her dang prologues always pull you right in and tend to rip you apart a bit.
Wild Card is the first book to come out in the North Ridge trilogy. The Nelson brothers have a lot going on and will melt our heart and light up our world. Shane Nelson is up first. He is the Cowboy we all want fighting for us in our corner. He is passionate, wild and loves fiercely. But what happens when he lets the love of his life go? Rachel Waters left her small town home with a broken heart and without anyone that loved her. She has been living a life being successful and working her way up in Toronto. She has a life there, but when her mother falls ill, she decides to help her and return home to where she feels she isn't wanted by anyone.
This is a second chance romance that is told in dual POV with bits and pieces from the past thrown in there so we can understand what happened 6 years ago to make Shane and Rachel no longer a couple. And boy is it a doozy. Not everything is what it's cracked up to be. But is it ever?!
"I wasn't drowning in the memories - I was dying in them."
The friendship and the beauty of family and love between Rachel and Shane and the Nelsons and the Waters is what captured my heart and rendered me hopeful. Love, pain, angst, history, beauty in the words not spoken. It all came together seamlessly. To capture the love between a couple that didn't know what to do with that love and to keep the history relevant without overstepping what was currently happening made this book special. With second chance romances there is a history and it was sweet and sad to see what happened to the younger characters to get them to their current places. It always breaks my heart a little bit when something doesn't work out, but with second chances, you know there is something that will make them turn the corner. And man does Shane do EVERYTHING in his power to get his woman. And to make her see that his feelings never changed.
"I always dreamed about you. Every night. Under every moon. For the last six years. The moon would always be changing but my dreams never did."
This story is about coming together. About fighting a past together. About family and loving them through all the lies. About love in it's truest and most raw form. Small town and cowboys have won my heart in this one. You love each other and you fight each other's battles for one another. You give someone your heart and you give it selflessly (Shane). You grow and learn to love yourself through distance (Rachel). Family is number one. HOld on tight because this ride isn't all beautiful. It's slow and painful and beautiful and sexy. Giddy up!
"What feeds your soul?...What gets you up in the mornings? What makes you want to be a better version of yourself, to keep on growing? What makes you feel alive? More than that, what makes you want to be alive forever, finding the lust and the joy for it day by day?"
If you want
4.5 steamy slow build second chance stars for these Wild Characters!

***5 ‘Wishbone’ Stars***

I want more.

It’s really that simple. This book had it all for me. A second chance at love story that was filled with sweet and smexy moments that melted my heart and panties, as well as just enough angst that it kept things interesting. And it was filled with well written secondary characters that I want to spend more time with and get to know better.

Shane and Rachel. These two. It was hard not to like them. Shane is that good ‘ole boy. He’s that guy that will stop and offer help if you’re stranded on the side of the road. He loves his family and his job and simply wants to be happy. Rachel is still searching for her happiness, but isn’t afraid to test the waters to achieve it. She’s been through hell, but she’s come out of it with a pretty good head on her shoulders and a heart that is bruised, but not broken.

Their journey to their HEA was absolutely heart melting and well as heartbreaking. If two people were ever meant to be together, it would be Rachel and Shane. We get to experience their beginning through flashbacks and it was just apparent that there was something special between them. The honesty between them, even in the more angsty moments, was refreshing and I just really liked how they worked things out between them and where they were at in the end.

I simply enjoyed Wild Card. It was an engaging read that I simply got lost in and didn’t want it to end. The first person dual POV’s were done very well as were the flashbacks. The secondary characters were all well written, Dick is hands down my favorite with Del a very close second, I’m totally looking forward to getting to know Mav and Fox, Shane’s brothers, a lot better. There are some triggers in this book, but they are important to the storyline and not presented in a gratuitous manner. So, if you’re a second chance romance lover you definitely need to give this one a go!

~ Copy provided by Social Butterfly PR & voluntarily reviewed ~

*Arc provided in exchange for an honest review*

I'm a sucker for Second Chance Romances and this book was no exception.
The story is focused on Shane and Rachel,who have been friends since the age of 8.
A friendship that,in time,became so much more.
Shane Nelson is the perfect gentleman. A cowboy who has the right amount of sexy,wild and bold. But six years ago,he had to make a decision that torn his life upside down. He had to push away the woman he loved the most.
Rachel Waters left North Ridge with a a shattered heart and feeling unworthy of love.
She moved to Toronto where she built a new life. A successful career,new friends...
Now,six years after her heartbreak,she has to come back home to take care of her mother who fell ill.
Crossing paths with him again,she has to decide is she's willing to let her past go and believe again.
Will Shane find the chance to redeem himself?
Will they be able to move on and find their HEA?

Forgiveness,second chances,romance...this book has it all! It's sexy,gritty and emotional. The characters are perfectly written. They are not perfect,they have flaws,they are hurt. Their lives are not all roses.

Wild Card is book one in the North Ridge series and it's set on the Canadian mountains. It's written in dual POV and gives us a perfect background story to know them better.

Even if this is not your go-to genre, don't hesitate and take the jump.
This book is perfect proof that I can blindly trust Karina no matter what she writes because she never stops surprising.
My first cowboy story and I absolutely loved every bit of it.