Review: Stay Here with Me by Carrie Ann Ryan (The Wilder Brothers #5)

August 14, 2023

Note: An advance reader copy (ARC) was provided by the author via Give Me Books Promotions.

Five of the Wilder siblings--including Eliza, the only sister and married to Beckett Montgomery (Inked Obsession, book two in the Montgomery Ink: Fort Collins series)--have found love and enjoying their respective happily-ever-afters. There are two single brothers left, but one is just about to find himself entangled with a woman who will give him a run for his money. I'm talking about East Wilder, fourth among the siblings and the younger twin (I think, based on the family tree posted in Carrie Ann Ryan's website) between him and Everett, and Lark Thornbird. He's part-owner of The Wilder Retreat, and is currently in charge of construction being done to the latest addition to the property--a spa. She's an award-winning singer-songwriter and best friends with his twin, Everett's, fiancée, Bethany Cole (The Path to You, book three in The Wilder Brothers). Oh, and East and Lark may have hooked up, and while they'd agreed it would only ever be a one-time thing, it was a memory neither of them could shake. Now, Lark is back in hopes of recharging and getting her creative juices flowing in time to put together enough songs for her upcoming album. As long as they stay away from each other, there should be no problems. But with chemistry like theirs, East and Lark have their work cut out for them.

What happens when a grumpy military veteran and a famous pop star find their paths crossing constantly after they swore they would never indulge in the connection they shared one time? Welp, you get a whole lot of sexual tension plus a growlier than usual East Wilder. Resistance was futile for East and his songstress, Lark Thornbird, and the push and pull between these two had a quiet kind of intensity that belied the maelstrom of feelings of emotions swirling around and within them. I liked that they had such a strong support system in the Wilders, and while it was a built-in one for East, this family welcomed Lark in even before she and East got together. The presence of individuals from East's past brought on the suspense aspect of the story, although the villain was the one I'd suspected from the get-go. As far as their romance goes, I enjoyed seeing East lower his guard and realize his worth, and not just in terms of being with Lark but also within the family and as a military hero. Same goes for Lark standing her ground, knowing she deserved to be with someone who was all in. Stay Here with Me gets 4.5 stars.

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Read my reviews for the Wilder Brothers series: