The Simple Wild: A Novel

Oh, my heart – The Simple Wild will pierce your heart and linger in your thoughts. I’m going to sound completely cliche in my adoration of The Simple Wild although I am not going to go into plot details (seriously just read it). The Simple Wild deals with a lot of issues and the emotions associated with them. Family is the foundation of the story and the base with which each individual builds their perception of the world on top of. It shows how parents are human and therefore fallible but also how those flaws and failures affect the children within that circle. Perception is the keyword at the beginning of The Simple Wild. How a child’s impression of a situation is only one facet of the circumstances, yet can have a lifelong effect on the relationships they have and to some degree their self-esteem. Yet, you have to remember there are always two sides to any story and both sides need to be explored in order to gain true understanding. I loved the way in which Calla developed through the narrative, from shallow city girl to a well-balanced mix of both her mother and father. The beautiful descriptions and knowledge that has gone into the Alaskan setting brings the country alive within the pages and proves that reading really does allow you to travel without leaving the comfort of your sofa 😉 It also helps understand other cultures and their way of life even if it is so completely different from our own, building empathy in the process 💞 The characters within The Simple Wild are truly fantastic and very diverse; above all else, they appear extremely self-aware and as such allow the reader to reflect on their own attributes (both good and bad). The inclusion of psychology (and the amazing Simon) add to the ability to self-reflect while immersing yourself in the story. Prepare yourself before you enter the book, bring tissues, possibly chocolate and above all else get ready to lose a piece of your heart forever.

***5 Stars*** I went into this one expecting fireworks, a bit of angst and frustration, a few laughs and being able to relate ~ at least in my head ~ to some of the issues Calla would face in Alaska and I got that, but also so much more. I got the feels with this, big ones (I caught the teary sniffles). From the first page I was hooked and couldn’t put the book down. I felt like if I put the book down I’d miss something and I just couldn’t let that happen so I “multitasked” and ate up every moment. Calla was an interesting one for me. Overall, I honestly liked the girl and there were quite a few times when I was totally on board with her reactions, TOTALLY, but then there were those other moments where I groaned and thought “Oh God. You’re one of THOSE people.” because she was. It wasn’t a bad thing in my book, just fact But there is a lot more to her that even she doesn’t realize and I really enjoyed watching her evolve and become more. As for Jonah. I loved him. I did. I mean I bounced between wanting to hug him, climb him like a spider monkey and Gibbs smacking him. He was a mix of blunt, brutal honesty and blind compassion and it made him absolutely lethal on so many levels. Calla and Jonah’s journey is filled with a lot of head butting, A LOT. They have a lot of assumptions about a lot things and it was fun watching as they battled it out, only to find that they fit each other in that whole opposites attract way. And though their future at the end of the book is a bit up in the air, I can only see good things for both them. This was simply a great read. The characters, ALL of the characters were well written and brought so much to the story that it felt real. That these people could, and in some cases, should exist in this world because it would make it a better place. Agnes and Simon are definitely my favs, but Wren, Mabel and Susan are not far behind. And then there is Alaska. Alaska became a character unto itself with all it’s moody unpredictability. Did this book make me want to drop everything and check out the bush? Ummm...no. But it definitely gave me a deep appreciation of the land itself and those who call it home. So, if you’re looking for that book that is more than just a romance, filled with amazing characters and will fill you up with feels, then this is a definite must read! ~ Copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley & voluntarily reviewed ~

I got hooked, it's a very touching story that's so vivid, I could picture everything. Although the ending was great, I wished there was a little more...