This review may contain spoilers, so fair warning, upon reading the review. Also my tags may have spoilers in them so be forewarned before checking out full review.

Book Evaluation:
Plot: 🎞️🎞️🎞️🎞️
World Building:🌎🌎🌎🌎
Cover:📔📔📔📔📔
Hero: 🦸🏻🦸🏻🦸🏻🦸🏻
Heroine:🦸🏻‍♀️🦸🏻‍♀️🦸🏻‍♀️🦸🏻‍♀️
Intimacy Level: 🔥🔥🔥
Relationship Building: 💒💒💒💒💒
Heart & Feels:💞💞💞💞💞
Witty/Banter/Reaction of Laughter: 😂😂😂😂
Page Turner Level:📖📖📖📖📖
Narration:🎧🎧🎧🎧
Ending:🧧🧧🧧🧧🧧
Overall View: ✨✨✨✨.5


First Impressions
Wilde Abandon is the third installment in the "Dark Horse Dive Bar" series and I actually surprisingly had this on my kindle since it came out last year but for some reason I totally forgot about this book and I am not sure why considering this author has been such a favorite of mine for many years. Wilde Abandon is a story of childhood sweethearts, second chances and a deep aching love and such sweet pining that make your toes curl. Its a story of hurts and friendship and rising above your lows to fight for what matters most in life...

First Line
Fox Bridges waited by the tree he and Melody met at each morning after they were dropped at school.

The Main Protagonists
The Hero: Fox Bridges
The Heroine: Melody Wilde

Summary
Fox and Melody were childhood friends, but Fox was a boy that was being abused by his parents constantly and his only friend....Melody was his true light. She offered him kindness in a world of violence at home. But when he was dying, Melody saved his life but in doing so betrayed his trust and she lost the boy she loved for many years. Now they are both adults, and Fox has never forgotten Melody or their friendship and she always held his heart, as she saw the good in him before anyone ever did. But now he is in Wyoming and he is going to fight for her no matter what it takes.....

What I Loved
This book was beyond heart wrenching and it melted my heart from beginning to end. Fox and Melody's book was beyond precious. From the first chapter, these two had dug deep into my heart and I never wanted to let them go. If you love romance and suspense, then I can't recommend this one enough for you. There was something so deep that this story entrenches in you as the reader. You see their friendship and connection as children and then seeing them come back together in the end was poignant and heart stopping. Literally it felt like time stopped in this moment when they both know who the other is and make a choice to fight for one another no matter what. Their story isn't easy though. They have some hurdles that they have to battle. We have Melody who will have to learn to trust in Fox and fight for him in ways she didn't imagine. And then we have Fox who is burdened by the demons of his past, he has a hard time trusting and is being twisted by those he thought he could trust. The suspense side of the story was brilliant. The way its built within the plot was just right and very Jennifer Ryan style. It breaks my heart that Avon dropped her as one of their authors and she had to go indie with this one....but her writing has stayed the same and that makes my heart so glad. And isn't the cover so beautiful???? I love that she matched it with what Avon did in the first two books.

What I Struggled With
There wasn't much I struggled with to be honest, there is some inner angst at times, but it made sense with what was happening externally in the story.

Narration
Dani California

Overall View
Wilde Abandon was heart stopping, edgy and thrilling and deeply romantic that makes your heart want to soar with tender filled moments of a majestic love....

Book Details (also in my shelves)
Sub Genre: Contemporary Romance, Romantic Suspense
Character Types: Billionaire/Mr. Moneybags, Bartender Heroine, Soft FMC, Alphamellow
Themes: Small Town, Tear Jerker, Danger/Suspense, Western, Heart/Emotionally Touching
Tropes: Reconciliation, Second Chance, Childhood Sweethearts

Book Perspective
3rd POV

Relationship Conflict vs Plot Conflict
Both but more plot than relationship

If you like these authors, I recommend This Book
Catherine Cowles
Kristen Proby
Claire Kingsley

Song This Book Inspires
Tightrope by Michelle Williams

Recommendation For Reading Order
Yes but this one can be read as a standalone if needed.

Steam/Spice Explanations

Simmering cup of tea---soft warm touches and light intimacy
Warmin' by the fire- a medium level of sexual tension, a balance of sexual and emotional intimacy, lighter on the details in the sexual moments.
Steamin' up the room -the sexual content is more explicit in the language and tone, heavier amount of sexual scenes.
Blazing fire to the building-The prime focus is the sex scenes, scorching hot, and could burn one. Less focus on the emotional intimacy to the relationship.

Narrators:
Dani California