Something Wild (Avon Light Contemporary Romances) [Mass Market Paperback]

Mike, a widower for 6 years & now the manager of Sam's ranch (and still a minister), has no intention of ever getting married again. Charity, out to prove to the world that showgirls can indeed be virtuous, has no intention of getting involved with any man. These good intentions are quickly put to the test with the help of Satan. But this Satan is a mustang bent on spiriting away two beautiful & quite expensive horses Jack planned on giving Sam as a gift. Mike is adamant about catching and taming Satan;Charity is just as adamant that some wild things should never be tamed. What ensues is a battle of wills and desire. Mike and Charity develop deep feelings for one another, yet neither is willing to take the final step and make the ultimate show of trust and sacrfice.

SOMETHING WILD is a great follow-up to BORN TO BE WILD. The plot is fresh and very much believable; the characters are endearing and sympathetic. There's humor laced with poignancy as the hero and heroine battle their own personal demons as well as one four-legged one. The book left me eagerly anticipating the next one, Logan Wolfe's story. (Logan is Charity's friend in Vegas).

For Valentine's Day, treat yourself to SOMETHING WILD.

The characters are believable with understandable frailties -- nothing too extreme or exotic -- and the author manages to craft a story that's not, in the words of my good friend, "too cartoony." The story reprises some characters from the books Wife for a Day and Stuck on You, but this particular story somehow achieves a more realistic and sensitive story, although it does contain its share of whimsy.

The story concerns Chastity Wilde, Vegas showgirl, and Mike Flynn, a "cowboy preacher" whom she meets whilon a visit with her brother at his in-laws' ranch in Wyoming. Of course, the story itself is a classic case of "opposites attract," with the aforementioned twist of (gasp!) religious values as well as (ack!) a woman who has more on her mind than hooking up with a great guy. The character of Chastity in particular is well-drawn, moving gracefully through an (*passing out*) impressive learning curve as all good round characters should.

I removed one star simply because I find Mike Flynn's personal crisis slightly -- just slightly -- over the top. He's mourning his first wife and dealing with some irrational sense of responsibility for her death. He's a sensitive man, of course, but he's also intelligent, and I found it hard to imagine that someone would carry around such a load of unjustified guilt for such a long time without figuring out what a waste of energy it is.

While this book has prequels, I think it stands fine on its own. I enjoyed it more than I did its predecessors, and anyone yearning for a sweet story and (finally!) a couple who waits for holy matrimony really ought to check it out.

If you're a fan of contemporary fiction, of any sort, don't miss this read!
Miss Berg delivers a story line that will leave your heart sighing, and you wanting more. And if you're like me, and just don't know if you could see this story line working, don't make the mistake of not giving it a shot. You'll miss some wonderful reading moments!!