Sometimes the worst mistakes turn out to be the best…
Smoke jumper Wilder Kane once reveled in the rush from putting out dangerous wildfires. But after a tragic accident, he’s cut himself off from the world, refusing to leave his isolated cabin. When a headstrong beauty bursts in, Wilder finds himself craving the fire she ignites in him, but letting anyone near his darkness would be a mistake.
After her Hollywood life went up in smoke, Quinn Higsby decided to leave Tinseltown behind and return to Brightwater to care for her ailing father. She spends her days in a small bookstore, until her peaceful existence is up-ended by a fascinating but damaged man. Quinn is determined not to be scared off by Wilder, not once she’s experienced the heat of his passions.
But when an arsonist targets the community and Wilder is accused, he must confront the ghosts of his past. Will his desire for Quinn burn him up or will he be able to tame the wildness inside and rekindle a hope for their future?
My Review
“Now is the time to do what we want. Now is the time to live. Now is our time.”
Best Worst Mistake is the third book in the Brightwater series, but can be read as a standalone. One of the first things that drew me into the story was the cover. The snowy background totally got me and had me wanting to know more about this story.
Best Worst Mistake follows the story of Quinn and Wilder. Wilder loved his life as a smoke jumper. Nothing made him happier. That is until one day, tragedy struck and turned his life upside down. After this accident, Wilder resigned himself to living the life of a hermit. His plan of isolation was going to plan until Quinn blew into his life. Quinn wasn’t at all afraid of Wilder’s bad attitude and need for isolation. She actually is very intrigued by Wilder. For the first time, someone actually wants to get to know Wilder, instead of just giving him pity. Wilder finds himself drawn to Quinn and for the first time, he’s wanting more. What will happen when life decides to throw a few more curve-balls at Quinn and Wilder? Will their relationship be strong enough to handle the burn?
Best Worst Mistake was a such a great read. It was well-written and captivating. It had a sort of Beauty and the Beast quality to it. Wilder’s life was forever changed after the smoke jumping accident. It turned him into a different man; a scarred and damaged man. He cut himself off from everyone and wanted to just be alone. I was so intrigued by him and wanted to see this damaged man find some happiness. Quinn was such a great match for him. She wasn’t looking for love or expecting to find Wilder. But, once the two of them met, she found herself wanting to know more about this damaged, brooding man. She began seeing him for the man that he was; the man that he tried to hide from everyone else. She didn’t pity him or look at him with disgust. And even though it may not have been love at first sight, these two definitely fell in love from the moment they challenged each other.
I really enjoyed Best Worst Mistake. I loved the small-town romance and the damage alpha hero. This story was well paced and had the perfect balance of drama and romance. The characters are very like-able and the story-line is entertaining. This is probably one of my favorite books by Lia Riley to date and this story just goes to show you that sometimes, the things that you think are the worst mistake, turn out to be the very best mistake.
*I was provided an ARC copy of this book, via the publisher and Edelweiss, in exchange for an honest review*
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