Instant Attraction (Wilder, #1)

Jan 16, 2012 Dina rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary-romance

The first book in the trilogy about the Wilder brothers - T.J., Stone and Cameron -, Instant Attraction was an enjoyable and easy read.

Cameron Wilder is the youngest of the Wilder brothers, a former Snowboarding Olympics and X-Games champion who "lost it all" when an accident ended his career one year ago. Used to the adventurous life and the adulation that came with his fame, he's having a hard time dealing with his current situation and doesn't know what to do with his life anymore. After spen...more The first book in the trilogy about the Wilder brothers - T.J., Stone and Cameron -, Instant Attraction was an enjoyable and easy read.

Cameron Wilder is the youngest of the Wilder brothers, a former Snowboarding Olympics and X-Games champion who "lost it all" when an accident ended his career one year ago. Used to the adventurous life and the adulation that came with his fame, he's having a hard time dealing with his current situation and doesn't know what to do with his life anymore. After spending the last year wandering around the world and trying to "find himself", he's finally back home in the Sierras - but he's still pretty much wallowing in his private pity party.

Katie Kramer is also struggling with a traumatic accident - she was the sole survivor of a bridge collapse that killed thirty other people - but the way she chooses to deal with it is completely different from Cam's. While he's basically decided to shut himself to the world and hide from life, she's decided to live it to the fullest. So she quits her boring job at LA, gets into her brand-new used car, hits the freeway and, eight hours later, finds herself in the wild Sierras, where she ends up taking a temporary job at the Wilder Adventures, a local outdoor adventure and expedition compay owned by the Wilder brothers. Is there any better way to start her new adventurous life? :)

Cam and Katie are instantly attracted to each other but, unlike what's become a standard in recent releases, they don't jump into bed right away. Neither wants anything permanent - Katie's only staying in the Sierras for a month before leaving for her next "adventure" and Cam, well, he doesn't know what he wants - so they take their time trying to figure out how to deal with their feelings. They slowly fall in love with each other but don't realize it right away. Katie convinces herself that she doesn't want more than a nice fling with Cam, but he really cares for her and he's afraid he'll hurt her in the end. So they dance around each other...

Overall, I really liked this book. Cam and Katie's interactions were funny and sweet, their relationship was romantic - as much as they had the hots for each other, I never felt that lust was their main focus - and the story had a nice pace.

There were a couple of times when I wanted to smack Cam in the head - enough with the self-depreciation already! - but I cut him some slack because I believed he really loved Katie, he just didn't know how to deal with his feelings. To be fair, he'd never learned how to, because that family of his wasn't the best example to follow when it came to communicating with each other. Don't get me wrong, I loved all the Wilder clan - Cam, Stone, T.J., their aunt Annie and her husband Nick - but communication wasn't their forte.

On the bright side, Annie was just adorable. Like Cam, she was also emotionally damaged but her positive attitude towards life was engaging. She wasn't perfect either, and I thought it was very realistic to have her refusing to talk about her accident and, at the same time, "forcing" Cam to talk about his. It's human nature: sometimes it's easier to focus on other people's issues than to look inside oneself.

While Cam and Katie's romance and emotional healing was central to the story, there was also a secondary romance involving Cam's aunt Annie and her estranged husband Nick that provided some funny moments. I loved her aprons - you could always guess her mood by the saying that was printed on them - but her stubborness made me want to shake some sense into her. Hmm, smack Cam in the head, shake Annie... I sense a theme here. Maybe the Wilder family had a knack for pushing my emotional buttons, LOL. Not enough to annoy me, though. In fact, I can't wait to read Cam's brother's stories.
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Jan 25, 2009 Julie (jjmachshev) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2009-reads

Need a break from historical or paranormal romance? Like brooding, sexy heroes, humor, and spicy sex? Try "Instant Attraction" by Jill Shalvis.

Katie is the sole survivor of a horrible bridge collapse. Thirty people died, she alone survived. After her recovery, she's determined to live life 'full out'. So she gassed up her car and drove north. Now she's taken a temporary job at Wilder Adventures and Expeditions; and it comes with housing. The mountains are very different from LA and oh so beautif...more

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Feb 07, 2009 Auntee rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Fans of contemporary romance

Recommended to Auntee by: JJ

Shelves: contemporary-romance, 2009_reads, tortured-hero

Hmmn. It's going to be hard to decide what rating I want to give this book. It started out pretty promising--good girl accountant Katie Kramer has a life altering experience (being the lone survivor of a bridge collapse that killed 30 people) and now doesn't want to take life for granted. She wants to live her life "balls to the wall", as she puts it, wanting to experience things that she'd usually never consider, living one daredevil escapade after another. That's all she wants before she retur...more Hmmn. It's going to be hard to decide what rating I want to give this book. It started out pretty promising--good girl accountant Katie Kramer has a life altering experience (being the lone survivor of a bridge collapse that killed 30 people) and now doesn't want to take life for granted. She wants to live her life "balls to the wall", as she puts it, wanting to experience things that she'd usually never consider, living one daredevil escapade after another. That's all she wants before she returns to her old life, that, and some amazing sex. She hops in her car, leaving L.A. and heading for wherever the road takes her. She winds up in the tiny mountain town of Wishful, California, and takes a temporary office job working for Wilder Adventures and Expeditions. There's three Wilder brothers and an aunt and uncle, and they run a company that fulfills vacationers extreme sports fantasies. All is going well until one night, Katie wakes up to find the 'prodigal son' has returned, and he's hovering over her bed.

Cameron Wilder has not had an idyllic childhood. Illegitimate son of a mother who left the family when he was born, and a biological father he never knew, the father who raised him gave him up at the age of eight to Cam's young 18 year old aunt. Cam loved the mountain life and the winter sports, and became a champion snowboarder and Olympic medalist. But he was not as successful in his personal life, having had one girlfriend try to run him over, and having his fiancee cheat on him. While preoccupied with thoughts of his fiancee's cheating, he has an accident while snowboarding that tears up his knee, ending his career. After recuperating and bumming around Europe for a year, he finally decides to head home to California. His brothers want him to take an active part in the family business, and Cam's got nothing better to do. After all, his life as he knows it is over, right?

Then Cam meets Katie, and there's a spark. Her attitude and sunny disposition starts to get to him, and he finds himself actually 'feeling' again. He wants to be around her, and he starts enjoyong life like he hasn't done in a long time. And while the attraction is there for Katie too, she's going to be leaving soon, on to bigger and better adventures, and starting something with her would be wrong. He doesn't need anyone falling for him, he'll just end up hurting her. But Katie doesn't care if their relationship goes nowhere, she just wants the experience--no regrets. So Katie and Cam get together--and it's good. She gets her amazing sex, and then some. It's so good that Katie eventually admits to herself that she's fallen for him. Now what does she do? Could Cam possibly feel the same way? Does he even have the courage to love and let himself be loved?

Cam started out as one of the most grim, morose heroes I've read about in a while. At times his self-pitying really got to me. Did he think his snowboarding career was going to last forever? Did he even have a plan for the rest of his life? He was definitely a "glass half empty" kind of guy. And I have to say that the guy on the cover of the book fit his description perfectly--grim. And I got the feeling that his family (especially his aunt--who was featured in a subplot of her own) enabled him. They were so afraid of him running off that they didn't say to him what needed to be said. But thankfully Katie did. She called him on his attitude and didn't let him get away with it. She was the one who finally got him to open up and talk (something his whole family had trouble doing). I was just hoping that he had enough sense to see that Katie was the best thing that ever happened to him. Luckily by the end of the book he got his head out of his a** and realized that he had the rest of his life to live, and there was a special woman who he wanted to live it with.

So, Cam was not one of my favorite heroes of all time, but Katie was one of my favorite heroines. She's the reason why I continued to read, while Cam was frustrating the heck out of me. I wanted to see her get her HEA, and if she could get Cam to agree to take a chance on love and life. The ending was sweet and satisfying. And I will definitely give the other books in the series a try. Cam's older brothers seem interesting, as do the women that it looks like they'll be paired up with.

All in all a little frustrating, a little more satisfying, with an ending that gave me a smile on my face--4 stars. (less)

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May 20, 2009 Shawna rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Contemporary romance fans

Recommended to Shawna by: Kim

Shelves: contemporary-romance, jill-shalvis, 2009-reads, favorites, hero-abused-scarred-tortured-angst, heroine-i-adore, hero-bad-boy-playboy, hero-beta, sports-romance-hot-jocks, why-do-good-girls-like-bad-boys, series-wilder, favorite-romance-couple-hh-pairings, i-read-no-longer-own-sold-swapped, brothers-sisters-cousins-family, small-town-lovin, 5-stars, hh-love-commitment-marriage-phobic, a-all-time-fave-heroine, hero-brooding, hh-sweet-nice-paired-vs-gruff-cynic, hh-disfigured-injured-scarred-ill, heroine-plucky-lively-feisty-spunky, heroine-good-girl-nice

5 stars – Contemporary Romance

I didn’t know about this book until I read a couple of friends’ reviews here on GR, and I’m glad I gave it a shot because I was very pleasantly surprised by this delightful read. This is the second book that I’ve read by author Jill Shalvis, but I’m sure it won’t be the last.

“Instant Attraction” is the first book in the ‘Wilder’ series about three brothers (Cameron, Stone, and T.J. Wilder...gotta love those strong alpha names) who own Wilder Adventures and Expediti...more 5 stars – Contemporary Romance

I didn’t know about this book until I read a couple of friends’ reviews here on GR, and I’m glad I gave it a shot because I was very pleasantly surprised by this delightful read. This is the second book that I’ve read by author Jill Shalvis, but I’m sure it won’t be the last.

“Instant Attraction” is the first book in the ‘Wilder’ series about three brothers (Cameron, Stone, and T.J. Wilder...gotta love those strong alpha names) who own Wilder Adventures and Expeditions, an extreme tours/sports company, in the town of Wishful, California in the Sierra Mountains. The three sexy, rugged outdoors men and extreme sport enthusiasts also happen to be the small town’s most eligible bachelors and notorious playboys.

In “Instant Attraction”, city girl Katie Kramer leaves the congestion, stress, and monotony of her life in LA and takes a job as an office temp at Wilder Adventures, where she hopes to embark on exciting new adventures of her own. After being the sole survivor of a tragic accident, Katie has a new outlook on life and is inspired to making her life count through new experiences. Former Olympic snowboarding champion Cameron Wilder is back home after a year of wallowing and soul searching while wandering the globe following his career ending accident. Katie and Cameron feel an instant pull and combustible attraction to one another, and she makes him feel something for the first time since his accident, which scares the hell out of him, especially since he’s pretty darn content to continue with his self-pitying, poor-me routine. They’re both survivors, but their traumatic experiences have left them with polar opposite attitudes. Gradually, Katie’s positive approach to life begins to influence Cameron and helps drag him from his pity-party.

The heroine’s cheerful personality, zest for life, and upbeat attitude are positively infectious and one of the main reasons the book is so enjoyable. Katie’s a shining example of a glass-is-half-full, life’s what you make it type of person, without being overly naïve or bubbly to the point of irritation. She’s bright, honest, funny, and sarcastic without being mean...a truly lovable heroine. That being said, there were still times that she annoyed the heck out of me with her lack of caution and recklessness. Just because someone vows to make each day count and to live life to the fullest doesn’t mean they have to take unnecessary risks to prove something...that’s a little overboard and foolish in my opinion. But still, she definitely made me smile and laugh, and I cracked up at her bravado and seduction antics after one too many vodka shots! Despite the whole ‘feeling sorry for himself’ thing, I still really liked Cameron and found his insights, honesty, and self-deprecating humor amusing, especially since he’s self-aware enough to know that his attitude and behavior suck. He’s just not sure how to fix things or how to change his glass-is-half-empty tendency, which is a realistic dilemma that a lot of people face every day in life.

There's also a secondary romantic entanglement between Cam's aunt Annie and her estranged husband Nick that’s a nice touch to the story. After years of marriage, they have unresolved tension and emotional distance in their relationship that’s resulted in repeated arguments and blatant sexual frustration, and it’s honest, funny, and touching.

The dialogue is witty and well written and the banter between the H/H is hilarious. I laughed out loud several times while reading this book, especially the scene where Katie and a couple of girlfriends drink too much vodka and she says some pretty brazen and crazy things to Cam in her drunken stupor!

“Instant Attraction” is a great contemporary romance and an enjoyable read! I’m looking forward to reading T.J. and Stone’s stories when they come out later this year. 5 stars!(less)

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Jul 28, 2009 southpaw285 rated it 4 of 5 stars

Katie Kramer is the sole survivor of the tragic collapse of the Santa Monica Bridge trying to learn to live her life “balls out.” Her first adventure lands her in the beautiful Sierras in Wishful, CA working for Wilder Adventures as an office temp.

Cameron Wilder was a professional athlete until an accident that cost him his profession. He has been on a year-long trek across the world, trying to figure out how to put his life back together. He's lost it all - his lavish lifestyle, his endorsemen...more

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May 14, 2011 Saly rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: single-titles, rom-contemporary

Jill Shalvis is fast becoming an auto-read for me, her contemporaries have so real and likable characters.
Cameron Wilder was a world-famous athlete before an accident when he lost his concentration, took it all away from him a year ago. He's been lost since flitting from place to place trying to find a way to live without something that defined him. Cameron was a result of his mother's infidelity so his father was cruel to him, it was only at the age of 8 when he went to live with his young aunt...more Jill Shalvis is fast becoming an auto-read for me, her contemporaries have so real and likable characters.
Cameron Wilder was a world-famous athlete before an accident when he lost his concentration, took it all away from him a year ago. He's been lost since flitting from place to place trying to find a way to live without something that defined him. Cameron was a result of his mother's infidelity so his father was cruel to him, it was only at the age of 8 when he went to live with his young aunt Annie life became better, but the damage had been done. He believes the only thing he was good at is snow-boarding which he can't do if he is not the best. He returns to Wilder Adventures run by his two brothers Stone and TJ and his aunt and finds Katie in his bed.

Katie lived in LA and didn't live life to the fullest when a near-death experience changed it all, so she quit her accounting job to the chagrin of her parents and drove and when she saw a sign for temp office help joined Wilder Adventures.
The story also has Stone the middle, peace-maker brother and Annie and her husband Nick who despite loving each other are unable to communicate.

The book is extremely well-done. The dialogues are snappy, the characters all lovable, they are more than what they seem at the surface. There is instant attraction between Katie and Cam but they do not immediately act on it, there is lot of tension and kisses, all the time Cam decides not to do something since he is not in the right place but Katie says she wants an adventure and she is not staying.
Cam helps Katie in her adventures, he helps her get over her panic in driving and even takes her snow-boarding which helps him as well in getting back to it for the first time since the accident.

Katie and the feeling she arouses in him terrify Cam since they are so new and when he acts like he's about to run Katie shrieks at him. I loved the drunken Katie scene with the other two women. Poor Cam, when she gives him a dose on the phone and when she throws him out, with all his family right outside to watch the show.

I liked it when Cam tells Katie that he has opened up to her and not she. She has survivors guilt about the accident in which she was the only survivor hence the nightmares and the she needed to confront it.

The most hilarious part their family walks on them whenever things are about to get hot and heavy or they are about to have a conversation.

The Wilders are amazing. I can't wait to dive into the next book.(less)

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Nov 18, 2012 Paige rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: i-own, 2012-books

I really enjoyed INSTANT ATTRACTION and I can’t wait to get into more of Jill Shalvis’ work. I’ve bought nearly all of her books and it’s just a matter of time. Something tells me I won’t be disappointed.

What I really liked about INSTANT ATTRACTION was that there was so much more underneath that made your heart ache. You wanted to constantly comfort them all, but at the same time kick their butts for being complete idiots.

The sole survivor of a bridge collapse, Katie Kramer is determined to li...more

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Jul 17, 2012 Karen rated it 4 of 5 stars

Pros:
– Instant Attraction is a solid, quality contribution to contemporary romance in a time when there aren't nearly enough out there to choose from
– There were no kidnapping plots, no stalkers, and no vendettas (when you've read a million variations of those three plot points, you've pretty much exhausted yourself praying for some good old fashioned pride and prejudice)
– Neither lead character has any off-putting sex hang ups

Cons:
– The weird dialogue, and use of the word 'booty'
– The cover....more

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Oct 19, 2012 Annie the Destroyer *Leather Lust* rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: author-jill-shalvis, genre-contemporary-romance, ebooks, hot-jocks, read-in-2012, series-wilder-adventures

Posted on Under the Covers

It is no secret that I adore Jill Shalvis and her work. So I decided to pursue her backlist when I needed something to cheer me up. I stumbled upon the Wilder series and knew right off the bat that it had all that I desired in a comfort read - Charm, snark, outrageous circumstances and last, but not least, a quirky heroine and a smoking hot hero.

Cameron Wilder used to be the golden boy. As co-owner to Wilder Adventures and Expeditions and an accomplished athlete, he has...more Posted on Under the Covers

It is no secret that I adore Jill Shalvis and her work. So I decided to pursue her backlist when I needed something to cheer me up. I stumbled upon the Wilder series and knew right off the bat that it had all that I desired in a comfort read - Charm, snark, outrageous circumstances and last, but not least, a quirky heroine and a smoking hot hero.

Cameron Wilder used to be the golden boy. As co-owner to Wilder Adventures and Expeditions and an accomplished athlete, he has the means to live life to its fullest. Yet, one gut-wrenching accident on the slopes causes him to land in the hospital and end his dreams of tearing through the powder again. Added to that is the betrayal he experiences with his ex. So for one year, Cam leaves Wilder Adventures to escape his lost future and brood. When he returns, he finds an endearing woman with glasses sleeping in his bed. He isn’t too happy about this, yet despite the haze of exhaustion, he cannot deny that this little woman is a firecracker inside.

Accountant Katie Kramer survived a freak accident where her life could have easily been taken from her. As the sole survivor, Katie is still experiencing panic attacks and nightmares as a result of the accident, but she isn’t letting that stand in her way. With a renewed sense of purpose and zest for life, Katie is looking to experience adventure and freedom in the most liberating of ways. She becomes a temporary employee at Wilder Adventures and definitely reaps the benefits of working there.

INSTANT ATTRACTION is a great start to the series. I loved the way Shalvis is able to blend humor and heart in an enticing mix. There’s a good balance of it here and with both the hero and heroine experiencing traumatic events, it was nice to see how the both of them working together to keep this relationship going. It would have been easy to give up when times got hard, yet neither one was a quitter in times of uncertainty.

There’s plenty to laugh about with this book. Annie, the boy’s aunt and cook to Wilder Adventures is a trip! With her snark and larger-than-life attitude, she lit up the pages of this book. I loved reading about her struggles with her own relationship with Nick. But it’s always a little disconcerting when a character shares the same name as you AND her love interest shares the name of your ex. Whoa. Major coincidence there!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and am looking forward to reading about Stone next! Shalvis has had a spectacular year. Whether it’s a new release or a rerelease, her books always seem to make me smile, providing the perfect outlet to escape a little bit. This book was no exception. (less)

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Jun 12, 2011 Lady Valee rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: cont-romance, favorites

Maybe it was that I just needed this very type of read at this very moment but I couldn't put it down, I loved every freaking page of this book. I know I just got into a cont-romance mood because this is the 3rd book in this genre I read in a row and I still can't get enough. I guess I just needed some cheesy-sweet-corny moments right now as I'm only getting tired and frustrated from too much work... **sigh... You know? this type of reads are just PERFECT for those moments, they help you forget...more Maybe it was that I just needed this very type of read at this very moment but I couldn't put it down, I loved every freaking page of this book. I know I just got into a cont-romance mood because this is the 3rd book in this genre I read in a row and I still can't get enough. I guess I just needed some cheesy-sweet-corny moments right now as I'm only getting tired and frustrated from too much work... **sigh... You know? this type of reads are just PERFECT for those moments, they help you forget and just be able to dream for a while again. Once work gets a bit more settle and I can get some more free time again I'll come back to the pnr-romance world once more but for now I'm happy in the girly, dreamy world, LOL.

..........................................................................

In this book we get introduced to the Wilder family, a very complex family but one who cares for their own big time. The hero, Cameron Wilder, is a guy who got famous by being one of the best in snow sports but after a terrible accident could not longer compete and became a regular guy once again. Not having any idea what to do with his life if not competing he took a year off to find himself once again, he never did though and just decided to come back home once again after a whole year without writing or letting his loved ones know what had happened to him. Lost and feeling terribly lonely he will try to become whole once again with the help of those who love him. What he didn't expected though, was to find one cute blonde sleeping on his bed the very same day he came back.

Katie Kramer decided to start living her life more dangerously after a fatal accident where she was the only survivor. Her life was ordinary and a bit boring. Having been given a 2nd chance in life she just got in her car and took off in search of the next adventure life would throw in her way. She ended up working for Wilder Adventures and Expeditions, where every day was a new experience. In this place she wont only find what she was looking for but MUCH MORE.

This was a great beginning for a series and I just can't wait to read more.

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Jul 24, 2012 Cassie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: ebook, fluff, realistic, romantic

I quite liked the characters - Katie, calm and orderly but in search of adventure after surviving a traumatic car accident, and Cameron, a champion snowboarder sidelined by a spectacular crash - but I think this story would've worked better as a novella. There's very little challenging the love of the protagonists besides the fact that Katie is working at Wilder Adventures as a temp and that they both have to come to terms with their own vulnerability which caused the story to run out of steam a...more

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May 23, 2012 Susan rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-books-read, romance

Really good book. I loved Katie. After surviving a terrible accident, she is tired of living life in a safe way. So she hops in her car and heads out looking for adventure. She ends up in Wishful CA working as a temporary bookkeeper. When Cam returns after a year away, they are instantly attracted to each other. But Cam won't get involved as he is still trying to accept that his previous life in extreme sports is over. However, he sees that Katie is trying to experience as much adventure as she...more

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Mar 20, 2012 Estara rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: fans of contemporary romance set in small towns

Recommended to Estara by: DA and SBTB, some years ago

Shelves: ebook, read-in-2012

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I can see the attraction in the lovely banter in almost screwball comedy fashion at the start. The two Wilder boys we meet are competent, physically fit men who have managed to build a family with their aunt even though they've been traumatised by their father.

I loved the secondary love story with Aunt Annie and her long-time husband Nick - about rekindling the old flame you lost. At time reading this was painful - not because I'm in Annie's situation but because I totally relate to her inabilit...more I can see the attraction in the lovely banter in almost screwball comedy fashion at the start. The two Wilder boys we meet are competent, physically fit men who have managed to build a family with their aunt even though they've been traumatised by their father.

I loved the secondary love story with Aunt Annie and her long-time husband Nick - about rekindling the old flame you lost. At time reading this was painful - not because I'm in Annie's situation but because I totally relate to her inability to express herself emotionally so that the other person understands it, face to face.

Unfortunately the book had too few pages to give Nick and Annie a realistic approach back to their love, so we got a few fun/sad scenes of them interacting and suddenly Nick had gotten the message and so had Annie. The fact that main heroine Katie seemed to be the catalyst for them both figuring out how to approach their marriage anew was rather over the top, I thought.

There are these little mess-ups that lower the grade for me a bit. I could totally understand Katie, who wants to live life to the fullest after her trauma, going out and letting herself be challenged to overcome all kinds of fears, and sometimes messing up and sometimes overcoming them - but that final direct conflict between her and Cam before the big resolution? Where she is upset at him, deservedly, but totally out of character decides to leave Wilder Adventures without dressing warmly on her way up a mountain, that she had toured in SNOWSHOES before AND where a guest who was drunk had already almost taken her down the mountain with him? And then, when Cam follows her to talk it out, she turns around arguing AND slips of the side of the road? I'm sorry, but that was out of character and TSTL for me as a reader.

The rescue via Cam was cute again and everything, but it felt like a shortcut. And some of the cuteness was artificial - like Cam being stranded with a group of wilderness tourists and Katie confessing via the radio to all the group.

And how did he ever get INTO HER FLAT!! It was never mentioned that she gave him her keys - does she have a landlord who opens doors to strange men??

If I put on my analytical hat this was three stars, but I really enjoyed myself while reading so I'll give it the four stars for that.(less)

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Feb 27, 2012 Lyndi rated it 4 of 5 stars

I was kinda surprised that this was a Jill Shalvis book, because I've read a lot of romantic suspense from her and there are rarely humorous moments. But this book had me laughing all throughout. It wasn't just the banter between characters, which was good. It was the little bits like this:

“Uh-huh.” His voice was husky. Like a man completely confident in the knowledge that he was about to get lucky.

And he was. He so was…

The informal writing was a nice touch. I wouldn't go so far as to call it a...more I was kinda surprised that this was a Jill Shalvis book, because I've read a lot of romantic suspense from her and there are rarely humorous moments. But this book had me laughing all throughout. It wasn't just the banter between characters, which was good. It was the little bits like this:

“Uh-huh.” His voice was husky. Like a man completely confident in the knowledge that he was about to get lucky.

And he was. He so was…

The informal writing was a nice touch. I wouldn't go so far as to call it a comedy or stick it on a humor shelf, but it had plenty of amusing moments and I claim the informal writing had a lot to do with that.

It was a light, cushy read that used the "no-strings-attached-fling-that-turns-into-love" trope. Since there wasn't a lot of dwelling on the character convincing themselves they weren't in love, and the "coming to terms" didn't take forever, the book wasn't subject to my "people who want to be miserable" phobia.

While Shalvis uses some commonly used traits/characteristics/personalities for her characters, it feels a little like a copy+paste of bits and pieces of a dozen other characters (including those written by Jill Shalvis). I imagine she uses a cork-board covered in index cards that read "brooding", "sports star", "scarred", "special ops", "highly intelligent", "orphan", "5 sisters", "doctor", "reclusive", "animal lover", "city boy", "undercover", "bilingual", "charming", "widowed", "survivor's guilt", "amnesia", "passive-aggressive", "has evil twin", "vulnerable", "cop", "abused as child", "owns a jet", "romantic", "rich cowboy", "framed for murder", "doesn't trust women", "reluctantly romantic", "generous", "daddy issues", "fireman", "prisoner of war", "competitive", "2 brothers", "blonde", "creative", "scar on eyebrow", "scar on lip", etc. And she just throws darts at a the board until she has enough cards to complete her character. Toss in the automatic "strong, handsome, possessive, gentle but fierce, protective" traits and you've got a lead male.

Then again, all authors that pump out books faster than that lady on "20 Kids & Counting" pumps out babies will probably reuse characteristics. And I doubt anyone wants to read about the "scrawny", "weak-minded", "partially deaf", "swamp rat", "cat lover" anyway.

I would recommend this book to all my girl friends and I might remember to ask them if they've read it yet 3 months from now.

I've also worn out my quotation mark key. =((less)

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Jan 19, 2012 KatiD rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: a-review-ish

Instant Attraction by Jill Shalvis is the third book in the Dear Author/Smart Bitches "Buy a Contemporary, Save the World" campaign. I'm pleased to report I liked this book SO much more than the last installment.

Katie Kramer is determined to live her life "balls to the wall" after being the only survivor of a horrifying bridge accident in LA. To that end, she's quit her staid accounting job in LA and taken off in her new used car for the Sierras. She stopped in Wishful, CA for a cup of coffee an...more Instant Attraction by Jill Shalvis is the third book in the Dear Author/Smart Bitches "Buy a Contemporary, Save the World" campaign. I'm pleased to report I liked this book SO much more than the last installment.

Katie Kramer is determined to live her life "balls to the wall" after being the only survivor of a horrifying bridge accident in LA. To that end, she's quit her staid accounting job in LA and taken off in her new used car for the Sierras. She stopped in Wishful, CA for a cup of coffee and serendipitously saw a sign advertising for a temporary office manager for Wilder Adventures. Katie figures it's a sign and takes the job. One night she is awakened, not by her usual nightmare, but by a tough looking, gorgeous man standing in her cabin inquiring what the hell she's doing in his bed.

Cameron Wilder is finally home. Cameron is a gold medal winning snowboarder whose attention wandered one day during a race and managed to blow out his knee. He then contracted a staph infection and nearly died. Once he recovered from the multiple surgeries it took to fix his knee, he took off from home. And now, a year later, he's back. And in his cabin sleeps an adorable, really talkative blond, who he certainly didn't invite to be there.

OK, so that's the set up. What I love about this story is that it's straight romance. And the story focuses wonderfully on these two damaged and struggling people who circle around and around each other. Both know they are completely attracted to each other, but they don't just jump in the sack. Cam can tell that Katie is the "married with two babies" type, even though she insists that she's not, that's she'll be moving on from Wishful and Wilder Adventures as soon as her temp job is over. Katie is trying her darndest to heal the survivor's guilt she's carrying around, and to make a drastic lifestyle change that will help her live her life to its very fullest. Katie is sweet natured and kind, as is Cameron. I really pulled for this couple. Their interactions were genuine and the reasons they have for not jumping into things are good ones, not manufactured. And when Cameron acts like an ass, which does happen, he's genuinely sorry for it. He mans up and apologizes. He really understands how Katie is changing his life. He's not always thrilled about it, but he gets it. And he realizes that he's healing and changing for the better. This couple worked their way into my affections almost from the start. I just really loved them both.

This is the first Jill Shalvis book that I've read, and I really enjoyed it. I'm already looking forward to both of Cam's brothers, TJ and Stone's stories. Shalvis has demonstrated a wonderful, sensitive hand with romance, and it's one I can't wait to read more of.

Final grade: A(less)

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Sep 10, 2011 Sarah rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: romance

For a few years I've been an adamant reader of Smart Bitches, Trashy Books, but this is the first time I've ever taken one of their recommendations to buy a book for my library, because their review was so positive. I thought it was too good to be true, so I had to read it to see just how horrible a mistake I'd made. Luckily, the Smart Bitches were totally right once again, and I might even decide to join their campaign to save the contemporary romance.

As for the plot, Katie Kramer is completely...more

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Jul 09, 2011 Chris rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: romance

I enjoyed Instant Attraction. It is not as good as Jill Shalvis' "Simply Irresistible", but still worth the read.

Katie, the main character, is pretty neat. She basically went thru life without actually living it. After an almost deadly car accident, she has decided to "live life balls out." Each time I expected Katie to say no, quit, back down, she didn't -- she went for it, tried something new, took a chance. Great example for all of us to try.

Cameron was not as likable. He was a major snowbo...more

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Apr 29, 2011 Romancing the Book rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary, romance

Review by C.K. Laurence

Katie Cramer runs away from her dull life “balls out,” after a near fatal accident. Looking for the adventure she had never allowed herself, Katie answers an ad for a temporary office manager at Wilder Adventures in the town of Wishful. Imagine her reaction when, during the first night in her cabin she awakens to see ruggedly handsome Olympic champion Cam Wilder standing over her bed!

Wilder has returned from a year-long journey to find himself following a life shattering s...more

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Mar 14, 2011 Liz B rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporaryrealisticfiction, ebook, romance

I'm not quite sure why I didn't love this book more. It had the things that tend to add up to a great romance for me--a hero & heroine with complicated pasts, but without the too-stupid-to-live/ refuse-to-talk factor; good supporting characters; sexual tension; interesting details of setting; lots of interaction and dialogue...

And I did like it. I enjoyed it quite a lot. And I'll almost certainly buy the other books in the series. But I didn't rush out to buy them, either.

I think, possibly,...more

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Feb 11, 2011 Fedora rated it 3 of 5 stars

Good, but I didn't love it. I was trying to figure out why not, and I think it's just me--maybe I was jealous of the heroine? Sounds crazy, right? She was just a little too perfect for me and I couldn't relate--Katie's a cute, spunky person, recovering from a horrible near-death experience, so she's living "balls out" and trying to make the most of her life. She's pretty much universally well liked, and ends up relatively capable at everything she tried. Plus she's got this great positive attitu...more

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Jan 01, 2011 adventurat rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011, fiction, romance, smart-bitches-rec

What worked for me: It's a contemporary, and I like those. Interesting situation, setting, premise. There's a ton of sexual tension that starts right away and builds and builds until finally the protags and the reader are as het up and primed as can be. The protagonists were charming, and their particular neuroses meshed and complemented each other as well as their sexual appetites and tastes. The very small secondary cast - there's only a double handful of characters overall - is good, though t...more What worked for me: It's a contemporary, and I like those. Interesting situation, setting, premise. There's a ton of sexual tension that starts right away and builds and builds until finally the protags and the reader are as het up and primed as can be. The protagonists were charming, and their particular neuroses meshed and complemented each other as well as their sexual appetites and tastes. The very small secondary cast - there's only a double handful of characters overall - is good, though the female characters are better-illustrated than the mail ones; I could have done with a bit more differentiation between Cameron and his brothers. Perhaps that will come in future books; this is the first in a trilogy.

Katie Kramer is a mild-mannered accountant who, having been the only survivor of a horrific bridge collapse, has adopted a new motto for her life: Live it balls out. Cameron Wilder is a longtime champion extreme snowboarder whose career comes to a shattering end as a result of one spectacularly injurious fall while competing. They come together working at his family's wilderness adventure company, and both teach each other and learn a lot about courage, bravery, honesty, forgiveness, acceptance, and moving on.

Their attraction really is instant, and immediately recognized (individually), though slowly acknowledged, and even more slowly acted upon. The sexual tension builds steadily, and even their first couple of attempts at breaking it succeeds more in increasing it. The sex is adeptly written, without awkward euphemism or impossible feats of strength or flexibility.

The prose is easy to read, the dialogue feels realistic, and the reader gets invested in the relationships. I liked Katie, and wanted her to succeed, in overcoming her own demons, in helping Cameron find his own solutions, in finding her happy ending.

What didn't work for me: A certain lack of realism with regard to outdoor activity - clothed or naked - in the winter in the Sierra Nevada. Snowmobiling in four feet of snow without benefit of a snowmobiling suit over one's jeans? Uncomfortably cold and wet at best. Getting nekkid at thirty degrees Fahrenheit (about minus one Celsius) and shivering only from unslaked lust? Improbable to laughable.

Overall, though? I really enjoyed this book, and will look for more by this author. (less)

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Sep 28, 2010 Jane Stewart rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary-romance

The characters were interesting, but the plot was weak, mostly vague communication conflicts and fear of opening up.

TORY BRIEF:
Katie is an accountant in Los Angeles. While driving, a bridge collapsed. Everyone on the bridge died except Katie. She quits her job and drives north, hoping to find adventure to escape her feelings of survivor guilt and panic attacks. She gets hired as a temporary office manager for Wilder Adventures and Expeditions in the Sierra Mountains. The Wilder brothers take vac...more The characters were interesting, but the plot was weak, mostly vague communication conflicts and fear of opening up.

TORY BRIEF:
Katie is an accountant in Los Angeles. While driving, a bridge collapsed. Everyone on the bridge died except Katie. She quits her job and drives north, hoping to find adventure to escape her feelings of survivor guilt and panic attacks. She gets hired as a temporary office manager for Wilder Adventures and Expeditions in the Sierra Mountains. The Wilder brothers take vacationers on hiking, skiing, and similar trips in the Sierras.

Cam Wilder was a snowboarding Olympic gold medal winner. A year ago he was in a snowboarding accident which permanently damaged his knee. He won’t be able to compete again, but he can still walk and snowboard. He wandered aimlessly for a year and just now returned to his brothers to visit. He meets Katie there and is drawn to her. She is klutzy and has frequent mishaps and panic attacks. Cam helps her through them and is drawn to her attitude of trying new things and being brave even though she is afraid.

REVIEWER’S OPINION WITH SOME SPOILERS:
The plot can be summarized as follows. They are drawn to each other. He is afraid to open up. Her brave and positive outlook inspires him to be brave with his feelings. That wasn’t enough plot for me. I kept waiting for the story to get going. It was mostly about Katie wanting to have a relationship and Cam didn’t, due to his feelings of worthlessness. Later, after having sex, he wakes up in the morning and sees in her eyes that she feels strongly for him. This causes him to flee. A couple of times they have fights, but I wasn’t sure what the fights were about. They each claimed the other wasn’t opening up. In one example, early in the story, she told him she survived the bridge collapse. Later he looks up the news account of it and tells her he knows the details. She gets mad at him for some reason saying “The details don’t matter.” He says “Then why are you still dreaming about them?” She says “Fine. I didn’t tell you because this is a temp job.” He argues that she doesn’t trust him. She gets mad and stomps off. I didn’t understand anything about that conversation. I found nothing unusual about the bridge collapse that he later learned to cause her anger.

A second conversation bothered me. Serena is Cam’s former girlfriend who was unfaithful to him so he broke up with her. Now she is trying to get him back. He tells her it will never happen. Then Serena tells Cam to stay away from Katie so he won’t hurt Katie. Cam agrees and starts acting distant toward Katie. I was frustrated that he took advice from an ex-girlfriend which caused conflict with current girlfriend Katie. He and Katie had been getting along well prior to this.

A subplot involved Cam’s Aunt Annie and her husband Nick. Annie is mad that Nick doesn’t pay attention to her. She says she wants a divorce, but she really doesn’t. She tells him she wants him to really “see her.” He asks what that means but she won’t tell him. Their continuing conflicts revolve around vague communication which I didn’t enjoy.

DATA:
Story length: 302 pages. Swearing language: strong. Sexual language: mild. Number of sex scenes: 5. Total number of sex scene pages: 15. Setting: Sierra Mountains and Los Angeles, California. Copyright: 2009. Genre: contemporary romance.

OTHER BOOKS:
To date, I’ve read one other story by Jill Shalvis. I gave 4 stars to “Together Again?” copyright 2007, which appears in the anthology “Jinxed.” My 4 star review for the anthology was posted on 5/24/07.(less)

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Sep 26, 2010 Christine rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: romance

This is one of those books that mostly has good things going for it, but somehow the elements didn't come together for me. I liked Kate. I liked Cam. Each one had their own history, their own problems to deal with, their own healing to do. The writing style was light, not quite comical but approaching it (sort of tongue in cheek). The opening was great -- him walking in and finding her in his bed.

But I found myself bored by it all. I think the trouble is that the romance itself was so forced. T...more

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Jul 12, 2010 Ruth rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary-romance, all-time-favorites, series

I loved this book on so many levels. The characters were so endearing. The heroine was just superb - absolutely determined to turn a horrific experience into a new start, and clumsily normal. Some of the stuff she does and says reminded me of some of the bonkers things everyone does in their life, and it's so well written, I just cracked up. The hero came across a bit like the sort of person you'd give one glance to and think "washed-up snow-bum with a nice bod", but underneath that he was far m...more

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Feb 11, 2013 Brooke rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: romance

Meh! I'm so surprised this is the same author as the Lucky Harbor series... I liked the characters for the most part, but even the most mundane conversation was all over the place, It was hard for me to get a handle on their emotions, I mistook some actions and words as sarcastic or mean when I guess they where being genuine and heartfelt but since not a second before they where being something else, I felt like I never knew what they where going for from one min to the next...
Usually sarcasm i...more

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Apr 13, 2011 Ana rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: z-read-in-2011, contemporary-romance, small-town-romance, sports-romance

Katie is a good heroine. After a traumatic event she decided to change her life completely and do all the things she was afraid of, to live her life full of adventures. I admire her for that. She planned to spend a couple of months working at Wilder Adventures and then move on. And then she met Cameron.

Cameron is an athlete whose life changed dramatically after an accident. He can't compete anymore and has problems dealing with that. He spent the last year wandering around the world, trying to "...more

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Mar 20, 2011 Emmi rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: recco_goodreads-friend, genre-contemporary, 2011-reads

This was a sweet contemporary romance. All the elements were there for a great read, but somthing didn't click between Cam & Katie on an emotional level. It didn't feel rushed, but I didn't get that "zing awww" from either of them. I liked both of them and the secondary characters well enough but in the end it just didn't tug at my heart as I like a good contemporary romance to do. It was a nice break from the PNR, RS, erotic genre I usually read but at $8+ on the kindle the juice wasn't qui...more

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Mar 23, 2011 Christi Snow rated it 5 of 5 stars

LOVED this book! Another great book by Jill Shalvis!!!

Review reposted from my Smitten with Reading blog...

My Review:
This book is the style that makes my heart go pitter-pat. A setting high in the rugged Sierra Mtns in the middle of winter- can we say "cozying up by the fireplace?" ahhh.... Three gorgeous Wilder brothers who run a high adventure company- yes, plenty of alpha male hotness here. A strong heroine finding more strength within herself as she heads out for her new adventurous life. And...more

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Jul 13, 2012 Donna rated it 4 of 5 stars

After having read and enjoyed Ms. Shalvis’ Lucky Harbor series I had to check out her backlist. I read and enjoyed her Animal Attraction books and so I picked up Instant Attraction book 1 of the Wilder series. The Wilders are 3 brothers and a rather young Aunt who run an adventure camp in the high Sierras. Instant Attraction is Cam Wilder’s story. Cam is a former champion snow boarder. A serious accident takes him out of competition. He wanders for a year lost. Boarding defined him. Now he’s com...more

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Oct 16, 2012 Diana rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-reads, all-time-faves, awesomely-awesome-reads, banterbanterbanter, coming-home, conversations-are-love, declaration-of-love, driving-force, e-books, falling-in-love, family-is-love, favorite-couples, favorite-heroes, favorite-heroines, favorites, funny, gasp-worthy, happy-endings, hero-sports-athlete, hero-survivor, hero-struggle-with-self-worth, hero-sexy-as-hell, hero-scarred-disfigured-hurt, hero-passionate, hero-protective, hero-dark-brooding, hero-damaged-hurt, heroine-alone, heroine-cutesy-quirks, heroine-damaged-hurt, heroine-fiercely-determined, heroine-guilt-ridden, heroine-not-ave-damsel-in-distress, heroine-optimistic, heroine-scarred-disfigured-hurt, heroine-strong-willed-stubborn, heroine-survivor, heroine-taking-a-chance, heroine-wears-eyeglasses, heroines-emotionally-guarded, hidden-depths, how-do-you-not-love-the-hero, hopeless-romantic, infatuation-into-love, killer-lines-and-or-moments, laughed-my-arse-off, light-and-fluffy-fun, love-yourself, mesmerizing-images, moments-it-s-the-moments, opposites-attract, overcoming-the-past, palpable-ust, part-of-series, recommended-reads, romances-contemporary, second-chances, siblings-are-love, sigh-inducing, small-town-love, snarky, so-much-love, tender-moments-that-tug-at-your-hea, to-be-read-over-and-over-again, undeniable-attraction, unforgettable-kiss, heroine-career-accountant

Oh, this book. It's deftly written, smartly paced, humorous and hopeful, and absolutely will make you fall in love.

This time, we are in Wishful, CA, and because I've never been to the mountains nor experienced the small town pleasures such as featured here, it's making me really want to take a trip and have my own adventure.

I fell in love with the Wilder clan; I'm sure it'll be an epic adventure to read about Stone and TJ's own adventures, and the sub-plot with Annie and Nick left me achey and...more Oh, this book. It's deftly written, smartly paced, humorous and hopeful, and absolutely will make you fall in love.

This time, we are in Wishful, CA, and because I've never been to the mountains nor experienced the small town pleasures such as featured here, it's making me really want to take a trip and have my own adventure.

I fell in love with the Wilder clan; I'm sure it'll be an epic adventure to read about Stone and TJ's own adventures, and the sub-plot with Annie and Nick left me achey and angsty.

Cam, I get it and appreciate the journey he had to take in order to piece his life back together, to figure out that he is more than just the sport, that he deserves the love and that he is so very worth it. He made mistakes with Katie, and foolish/hurtful those may be, he never was malicious and in fact did his best to rectify his mistakes, to try and be a better man. Because Katie, this woman is just amazing. She is something else, this girl. She is such an effusive person, and I so admire her courage, optimism, and determination to make her life count, to change her circumstances and lead a better life, "balls out." Couldn't help it, even I fell in love with her character.

It's classic Shalvis; I probably highlighted pages upon pages - sometimes it's lines that are memorable to you, sentiments that stick out - and it's like that with her too, but it's also so much more, because I find myself fascinated with how scenes play out in her novels. It's the moments. Because Shalvis always does this to me, makes me go through the roller coaster ride of emotion (often with physical signs too) in just a few paragraphs, a couple of pages. It's all there. And then, and then it starts all over again. No wasted words, no filler scenes. All out emotions.

I have to say that there was this moment with Katie and the two local girls, Serena and Harley, that made me laugh so much. Made me think of two other trios, and their awesome relationships (Maddie, Tara, Chloe; Mal, Amy, Grace) and the ending for this? Wow. Prototype for Grace's, eh? Haha.
(less)

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Instant Attraction (Wilder #1)

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