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Wild River #3.5
A Wild River Match
This Valentine’s Day, her perfect match might be the one man who’s off-limits…
Maddie Frazier may be single for Valentine’s Day, but she has no intention of staying that way. She’s hoping the man of her dreams awaits at Wild River’s Blind Date Ice Fishing weekend. But her chances of romance are upended when her preassigned match cancels at the last minute and she’s paired with their wilderness guide instead. Which wouldn’t be so bad if he wasn’t also Mike Toledo, her sister’s ruggedly sexy ex.
Love is most definitely in the air as the other couples cozy up in their secluded fishing huts, but for Maddie and Mike, complicated doesn’t begin to describe it—especially when the close proximity highlights only how kinda-sorta-perfect they are for each other. Surely Maddie’s not falling for her sister’s ex…right? But with more than just fishing breaking the ice between them, undeniable sparks start flying fast and furious. How can Maddie remain loyal to her sister without giving up her shot at the once-in-a-lifetime match she’s been seeking?
Maddie Frazier may be single for Valentine’s Day, but she has no intention of staying that way. She’s hoping the man of her dreams awaits at Wild River’s Blind Date Ice Fishing weekend. But her chances of romance are upended when her preassigned match cancels at the last minute and she’s paired with their wilderness guide instead. Which wouldn’t be so bad if he wasn’t also Mike Toledo, her sister’s ruggedly sexy ex.
Love is most definitely in the air as the other couples cozy up in their secluded fishing huts, but for Maddie and Mike, complicated doesn’t begin to describe it—especially when the close proximity highlights only how kinda-sorta-perfect they are for each other. Surely Maddie’s not falling for her sister’s ex…right? But with more than just fishing breaking the ice between them, undeniable sparks start flying fast and furious. How can Maddie remain loyal to her sister without giving up her shot at the once-in-a-lifetime match she’s been seeking?
67 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 1, 2021
20 people are currently reading
189 people want to read
About the author
Jennifer Snow
85 books691 followersJennifer Snow is an award-winning, USA Bestselling author. Her publishing credits include a six book small town, Brookhollow series published through Harlequin Heartwarming, her MMA sports romance series Beyond the Cage is published through Berkley/NAL Intermix, her Colorado Ice series with Grand Central and her Wild River & Wild Coast series published with HQN. She also writes thrillers under J.M. Winchester and screenplays with 13 produced rom-coms for UPTV, Hallmark, BET+, QVC+ and more. Her upcoming speculative rom-com is releasing through Canary Street Press in Sept 2024.
More information can be found at www.jennifersnowauthor.com
More information can be found at www.jennifersnowauthor.com
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
December 17, 2022
I've heard of speed dating, I've heard of singles mix 'n mingles, but I have never heard of a Blind Date Fishing Weekend. In Wild River, the outdoor tour company puts this together for Valentine's Day for singles to meet. They are paired up in an ice fishing hut for the weekend with a lot of time to fish and get to know each other. Maddie Frazier's sister has set it up for her, but what Maddie doesn't know is that her sister has something else in mind. When Maddie's assigned partner doesn't show, she is paired with paired Mike Toledo, their wilderness guide who also happens to be her sister’s ruggedly sexy ex. There are feelings, but they can't act on them, can they? I love how well matched Maddie and Mike are. They like the same things, have similar personalities and fight the attraction they feel as hard as they can. This is just business, right? She can't fall for her sister's ex. At only 67 pages, there isn't much time for a conflict, so the sister is all there is. This is a forced proximity trope in a short, sweet story that introduces a couple of characters, I would love to meet again. I enjoyed the setting of Valentine's day, a secluded fishing hut and the snow and cold. Perfect for a romance novella. A great addition to the series.
February 12, 2021
A cute and sweet little novella. Would have loved for Mike to have his own full length novel though tbh. Looking forward to what's next
August 12, 2022
I wonder why some characters only get novellas and others get full books. I liked these characters.
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January 1, 2021Categories
Contemporary Romance, Small Town & Rural Fiction, Holiday Romance
Miniseries
A Wild River Novel
Contemporary Romance, Small Town & Rural Fiction, Holiday Romance
Miniseries
A Wild River Novel
June 23, 2025
**MINOR SPOILERS**
A book that I read, Stars Over Alaska, had this short story/novella as a bonus story in it. It is part of the Wild River series but can be read as a standalone.
Mike works for a company that provides different tours and outdoor adventures in Alaska. He is asked to be the leader of a group that will be introducing several men and women to each other on a Valentine’s weekend trip to go ice fishing to see if they will make a couple. It seemed a little unrealistic to me that people who did not know each other would agree to share an ice fishing hut for a weekend as a “date”. However, that is the premise for the story between Mike and Maddie.
Maddie’s match cannot make it and Mike is supposed to share an ice hut with her for safety reasons. Oddly, there are two different sized cots in the hut and Maddie chooses the bigger one. Mike, a larger man, has to have the smaller one. Maddie’s sister dated Mike briefly and they did not click, so this is Maddie’s petty way of getting back at Mike for the negative things told to her by her sister, Jade. Jade thought that Mike did not pay enough attention to her. I did not care for the pettiness of it but the whole of the beginning of their relationship is shaded by Mike’s and Jade’s previous relationship.
Mike and Maddie have shared interest in outdoor activities and a common sense attitude towards life. Jade, on the other hand, is a high maintenance, indoors person. Mike and Maddie are attracted to each other and immediately notice that they like similar things. It was a small surprise that it did not seem to have met before during Mike’s relationship with Jade. It did not matter to the story, but it might have been interesting if they had.
Maddie had a friend who betrayed her with her boyfriend and refuses to do the same to her sister even though Jade and Mike are no longer dating. I liked her carefulness with the situation. At the end of the story, (spoiler) the situation is resolved.
If this were the only thing I had read by the author, I might have read another story to see how a full length book would go, but because I read it after Stars Over Alaska, I do not plan to do so. I did not like that story and rated it 3 stars.
A book that I read, Stars Over Alaska, had this short story/novella as a bonus story in it. It is part of the Wild River series but can be read as a standalone.
Mike works for a company that provides different tours and outdoor adventures in Alaska. He is asked to be the leader of a group that will be introducing several men and women to each other on a Valentine’s weekend trip to go ice fishing to see if they will make a couple. It seemed a little unrealistic to me that people who did not know each other would agree to share an ice fishing hut for a weekend as a “date”. However, that is the premise for the story between Mike and Maddie.
Maddie’s match cannot make it and Mike is supposed to share an ice hut with her for safety reasons. Oddly, there are two different sized cots in the hut and Maddie chooses the bigger one. Mike, a larger man, has to have the smaller one. Maddie’s sister dated Mike briefly and they did not click, so this is Maddie’s petty way of getting back at Mike for the negative things told to her by her sister, Jade. Jade thought that Mike did not pay enough attention to her. I did not care for the pettiness of it but the whole of the beginning of their relationship is shaded by Mike’s and Jade’s previous relationship.
Mike and Maddie have shared interest in outdoor activities and a common sense attitude towards life. Jade, on the other hand, is a high maintenance, indoors person. Mike and Maddie are attracted to each other and immediately notice that they like similar things. It was a small surprise that it did not seem to have met before during Mike’s relationship with Jade. It did not matter to the story, but it might have been interesting if they had.
Maddie had a friend who betrayed her with her boyfriend and refuses to do the same to her sister even though Jade and Mike are no longer dating. I liked her carefulness with the situation. At the end of the story, (spoiler) the situation is resolved.
If this were the only thing I had read by the author, I might have read another story to see how a full length book would go, but because I read it after Stars Over Alaska, I do not plan to do so. I did not like that story and rated it 3 stars.
February 10, 2021
It was time again for me to take a trip up to Wild River, Alaska. It's gotten to the point in this series where I pre-order the next book knowing I'll want to read it, and I don't really look too closely at the description. That's not the usual way I buy books, but with Jennifer Snow's Wild River series, it doesn't steer me wrong. With Wild River Match, this helped me be pleasantly surprised by the Valentine's Day theme and the predicament the two main characters found themselves in.
But this is a novella, and I'm not going to get into it much. The description will help you out with those details. What I will say is that what I've come to love about Snow's series is dripping all over this novella. The author knows how to get the reader to feel like their really up in the Alaskan wilderness, and in this case on a frozen lake. And she was also able to make ice fishing not boring (sorry to those who enjoy ice fishing. Just doesn't sound like an experience that would lead to great reading...or maybe it does. You'll have to read the novella to find out what I mean.) And no matter how many times I visit this town in a book, there's not lack of new characters to discover.
This was a very quick read. It was a great escape that's continually needed right now. And I'm looking forward to coming back to Wild River many times this year, judging from the publication schedule I peeked at.
But this is a novella, and I'm not going to get into it much. The description will help you out with those details. What I will say is that what I've come to love about Snow's series is dripping all over this novella. The author knows how to get the reader to feel like their really up in the Alaskan wilderness, and in this case on a frozen lake. And she was also able to make ice fishing not boring (sorry to those who enjoy ice fishing. Just doesn't sound like an experience that would lead to great reading...or maybe it does. You'll have to read the novella to find out what I mean.) And no matter how many times I visit this town in a book, there's not lack of new characters to discover.
This was a very quick read. It was a great escape that's continually needed right now. And I'm looking forward to coming back to Wild River many times this year, judging from the publication schedule I peeked at.
November 2, 2022
Short And Fun Valentine's Romance Novella. This is a short and fun novella where the main conflict is that our leading dude used to date our leading lady's sister, and while both are attracted to each other in this forced-proximity mishap, the sister weighs heavily on them both. Given that this is a 70 ish page novella... there isn't a lot of room for much more conflict than that, and Snow works well within the space she has allowed herself here to show a full romance, but quicker and with fewer details in certain areas and less overall conflict/ adventures. Still, yet again, for long time fans looking for a quick book to hit whatever arbitrary reading goal you have or for those new to Snow looking for a quick taste to see if you're even going to like her style of storytelling, this is a solid book for both camps and for anyone in between. Very much recommended.
April 18, 2021
Who doesn't like hiking, fishing, enjoying the out-of-doors? If the answer is no, Mike Toledo should never date such a woman, but he does and it's a disaster. Then the sister of that woman, who does like all things pertaining to the out-of-doors, signs up for a tour where he is the leader. And Maddie is horrified that the man her sister dated, with a bad outcome, is the one she's stuck with for the duration of the long weekend.
But, each of them is surprised at how much like the person of their dreams is found in each other! Who'd have guessed? And what makes it all good is that Maddie's sister is thrilled Mike and Maddie have found each other. Wonder how that will end....
But, each of them is surprised at how much like the person of their dreams is found in each other! Who'd have guessed? And what makes it all good is that Maddie's sister is thrilled Mike and Maddie have found each other. Wonder how that will end....
September 12, 2021
A Wild River Match is bonus story in STARS OVER ALASKA by Jennifer Snow. Short, sweet tale on how a Valentine’s Day fishing weekend brings two people together. The only hitch is that Mike Toledo has dated Maddie Frazier’s sister. Still, they couldn’t ignore the attraction. Now that the magical weekend is over, will Maddie turn her back on love to remain loyal to her sister?
February 10, 2022
Mike is leading his first tour for Cassie's company. Bad thing is it is a Valentine's tour to match couples. Turns out he is going to have to be there with his exes sister. She instantly dislikes him but the time they spend together she sees he is nothing like what her sister said. They part ways at the end of two days but can they stay away from each other. A sweet story.
April 22, 2021
this short story was part of the Stars over Alaska kindle edition and a very sweet match. both Mike and Maddie love the outdoors and their weekend ice fishing proved it. Thank goodness her sister set it all in motion for the two of them. Very sweet!
April 11, 2021
3.5 This was a cute short story attached to that last book in the series. We didn’t get a lot of info so I can’t rate it any higher but it was enjoyable.
June 10, 2021
Very good, sweet, short story. This would have been much better if it was longer. This book was in the paperback version of Stars Over Alaska.
September 18, 2021
Sweet couple. It makes sense why they got a novella but I really enjoyed the characters.
September 25, 2021
Quick, cute novella
October 20, 2021
3.5 stars. Cute short story set in the Wild River universe.
January 24, 2022
It was okay. Not a fast page turner though.
January 24, 2022
Ice fishing love story!! Love this
February 23, 2022
A great short story to add to the Wild River series!
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews