The Wolf and the Wildflower by Stacy Reid caught my attention immediately upon reading the summary. I was intrigued by the main characters and was interested in seeing how Reid would pull off the romance pieces based on the character's stories.

Jules has been raised as a boy (for reasons I won't disclose) and the only other person who knows she is actually a girl is her mother. I will admit...I don't love her mother and the things she says to Jules to pressure her and push her to feel guilty about wanting a life of her own made me pretty angry considering her mother is the one that put them in the situation and her only thought was about what her husband / society would think...not of what Jules might want / need or be missing out on.

All of that said, Jules actually values her ability to be seen as a man in the world and wouldn't change her situation for anything as it has allowed her to have schooling that as a girl she never would have been able to consider. And now she has an opportunity to work right along with her father to evaluate the Duke of Wulverton who has been missing for 1o years and it's an opportunity of a lifetime. Little does she know that her meeting the Duke will change everything.

James has spent 10 years on his own just trying to survive in the wilderness. Because of that, his friends and family don't know what to make of him when he returns to the fold and has to get back into Society. He's not comfortable in his role as Duke but he knows he has a duty and he will do whatever he needs to in order to fulfill that duty. When he is introduced to Jules, he immediately figures out who / what she is and they have an immediate connection. He decides that he doesn't want Jules' father hanging around him and will only speak with Jules.

As they start to learn more about each other, their relationship shifts and they eventually become more. When that happens, they both have to decide what they want out of life. Fulfill duty and have the ability to navigate life as a man or do what makes them happy and be together.

The writing was well done here and while I thought the whole reveal of the truth to Jules' family was slightly glossed over, I enjoyed this story. It was a slightly different twist and I thought it was done well. If you're looking for a new historical romance by an established author, consider picking this one up.

Thank you to Netgalley and the author for the copy in exchange for an honest review.