What do you think?
Rate this book
Dirty Universe #8
Wild War
As soon as I saw him, it was war.
I thought at first it would be between me and him.
Cade was cold and hard and didn’t want anything to do with the headmaster’s daughter.
I was off-limits.
He didn’t need that kind of trouble.
I didn’t need that kind of trouble, either. And since I did my best to avoid any kind of trouble, that should have been the end of it.
But when I saw him, he also saw me.
All of me.
The lonely parts. The dark parts.
The secret parts.
He became my ally.
I lost the battle with myself and fell in love despite the risk.
But the war isn’t over for either of us.
Not as long as my father is alive.
Book two of three in the final trilogy in the Dirty Universe.
I thought at first it would be between me and him.
Cade was cold and hard and didn’t want anything to do with the headmaster’s daughter.
I was off-limits.
He didn’t need that kind of trouble.
I didn’t need that kind of trouble, either. And since I did my best to avoid any kind of trouble, that should have been the end of it.
But when I saw him, he also saw me.
All of me.
The lonely parts. The dark parts.
The secret parts.
He became my ally.
I lost the battle with myself and fell in love despite the risk.
But the war isn’t over for either of us.
Not as long as my father is alive.
Book two of three in the final trilogy in the Dirty Universe.
199 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 29, 2021
297 people are currently reading
1044 people want to read
About the author
Laurelin Paige
113 books15.8k followersLaurelin Paige is the NYT, WSJ, USA Today Bestselling Author of the international sensation, The Fixed Trilogy. She's also written other popular books in the Fixed Universe as well as the Dirty Universe and has cowritten with both Kayti McGee and Sierra Simone.
Are you looking for a romantic comedy or something hot and angsty? Here's Laurelin's list of books broken down by trope and reading order.
Sign up for Laurelin's newsletter to make sure you know all the latest info on her projects and to get a free book every month from a bestselling author.
FULL LIST OF BOOKS:
Series:
Are you looking for a romantic comedy or something hot and angsty? Here's Laurelin's list of books broken down by trope and reading order.
Sign up for Laurelin's newsletter to make sure you know all the latest info on her projects and to get a free book every month from a bestselling author.
FULL LIST OF BOOKS:
Series:
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 278 reviews
June 30, 2021
I don't know what I was expecting, but I sure wasn't expecting this! Book two is mostly the telling of Cade and Jolie's messed up family life. It explained so much about these two but I gotta say, some of it was really hard to read. With abuse like this, I have a hard time because I just want to scream at the characters to get out or do something to get the villain caught. I'm having a hard time that they never went back after becoming adults and making sure this guy didn't get put down. I'm really hoping we will see that in book 3. I need to see that man get his just rewards. And that cliffhanger! I had an inkling what the secret was but now I have even more questions. Like why did that make her turn her back on Cade when she finally turned 18. So many questions.
July 2, 2021
I was so ready for this book. Tip for readers, make sure you remember the main points of the plot from Wild Rebel. This book geek writes notes in a journal because I can’t put spoilers in a book review and otherwise I would forget.
Jolie and Cade arrive together, back at Wallingford and the home they shared once upon a time. The place where they faced the evil that was her father and they fell in love. The place where Jolie did something that Cade has never forgiven or forgotten.
The story takes us back in time to young Cade Warren meeting his new step father, Langdon Stark and his new step sister Julianna. You may have thought Stark was evil, prepare to realise, he is way worse than that.
Wild War made me rage with anger, not at Laurelin, she’s stellar, but at the way human beings treat other human beings. I know Cade and Jolie aren’t real, they are just book characters but I felt every emotion with them. It’s a testament to the way Laurelin writes. She shows you how her characters are feeling so you can’t help but be there with them, to feel the love, to feel the passion, to feel the pain, to feel the anguish of decisions they make.
There was a shock plot reveal at the end of Wild Rebel (I guessed it). There’s another at the end of Wild War. Follow the clues that Laurelin leaves like Hansel and Gretel follow the stones to find their way home.
Can’t wait for the finalé because I’m hoping someone is going to get exactly what they deserve. I have utmost faith in Laurelin to deliver a perfect ending and justice will be done.
Jolie and Cade arrive together, back at Wallingford and the home they shared once upon a time. The place where they faced the evil that was her father and they fell in love. The place where Jolie did something that Cade has never forgiven or forgotten.
The story takes us back in time to young Cade Warren meeting his new step father, Langdon Stark and his new step sister Julianna. You may have thought Stark was evil, prepare to realise, he is way worse than that.
Wild War made me rage with anger, not at Laurelin, she’s stellar, but at the way human beings treat other human beings. I know Cade and Jolie aren’t real, they are just book characters but I felt every emotion with them. It’s a testament to the way Laurelin writes. She shows you how her characters are feeling so you can’t help but be there with them, to feel the love, to feel the passion, to feel the pain, to feel the anguish of decisions they make.
There was a shock plot reveal at the end of Wild Rebel (I guessed it). There’s another at the end of Wild War. Follow the clues that Laurelin leaves like Hansel and Gretel follow the stones to find their way home.
Can’t wait for the finalé because I’m hoping someone is going to get exactly what they deserve. I have utmost faith in Laurelin to deliver a perfect ending and justice will be done.
June 29, 2021
Perfectly imperfect!
Holy mother of all cliffhangers!
The last line of the last page was a whopper of a cliffhanger!
Really?
If it wasn’t because I know this author’s writing style, where throwing in a cliffhanger doozie is her jam, I’d be so upset. Except, my experience reading this author has led me to affirm that all will be explained seamlessly…so book 3 can’t arrive fast enough.
This book was chuck full of emotional goodness! Including some gasps and almost slamming the kindle. The writing was so strong and so vivid I felt I was there with Cade and Jolie.
This installment picks up after book 1, so make sure you read in order. However, when this installment begins, the author changed things up and took us on a heartwrenching journey told in dual POV, past and present. This offered me the framework of how their story began and how it developed.
The build up, how Cade and Jolie aka Juliana’s story evolved, the suspense, the passion, the secrets and then more secrets!
Indeed, it was gut wrenching and bittersweet what these 2 characters went through, their unbridled connection and then…their disconnection!
What happened?
I somehow suspected “the” spoiler, but the way it was executed was perfect. I only wished there was more development of the present part of the story than the past so I could have learned at least a little about what the outcome of their journey was🤐
Nevertheless, it didn’t take away from totally enjoying this story and wanting more!
Start reading this series and you’ll understand what I mean!
Holy mother of all cliffhangers!
The last line of the last page was a whopper of a cliffhanger!
Really?
If it wasn’t because I know this author’s writing style, where throwing in a cliffhanger doozie is her jam, I’d be so upset. Except, my experience reading this author has led me to affirm that all will be explained seamlessly…so book 3 can’t arrive fast enough.
This book was chuck full of emotional goodness! Including some gasps and almost slamming the kindle. The writing was so strong and so vivid I felt I was there with Cade and Jolie.
This installment picks up after book 1, so make sure you read in order. However, when this installment begins, the author changed things up and took us on a heartwrenching journey told in dual POV, past and present. This offered me the framework of how their story began and how it developed.
The build up, how Cade and Jolie aka Juliana’s story evolved, the suspense, the passion, the secrets and then more secrets!
Indeed, it was gut wrenching and bittersweet what these 2 characters went through, their unbridled connection and then…their disconnection!
What happened?
I somehow suspected “the” spoiler, but the way it was executed was perfect. I only wished there was more development of the present part of the story than the past so I could have learned at least a little about what the outcome of their journey was🤐
Nevertheless, it didn’t take away from totally enjoying this story and wanting more!
Start reading this series and you’ll understand what I mean!
July 6, 2021
A question to mysefl: have I read to many books already that the plots become clear to me from the beginning or is this just one book so predictable?
Still good, just predictable.
After some thought, I'm giving this 3 stars instead of 4. There's nothing that pisses me off more than *spoiler alert* a hidden kid. Be a fucking grown up, talk to you partner and give this kid both parents because everyone involve deserve to know the fuck is going on.
My review from first book still stands, I hate this fucking girl, Cade deserves better. He did and suffer so much shit for her in one year just for her to hide his own kid for 17 years?! Yeah, fuck her.
Still good, just predictable.
After some thought, I'm giving this 3 stars instead of 4. There's nothing that pisses me off more than *spoiler alert* a hidden kid. Be a fucking grown up, talk to you partner and give this kid both parents because everyone involve deserve to know the fuck is going on.
My review from first book still stands, I hate this fucking girl, Cade deserves better. He did and suffer so much shit for her in one year just for her to hide his own kid for 17 years?! Yeah, fuck her.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 31, 2021
𝗪𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗪𝗮𝗿 by Laurelin Paige is part two of the 𝗗𝗶𝗿𝘁𝘆 𝗪𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗧𝗿𝗶𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘆 where we find out more answers about Cade and Jolie’s relationship from 17 years ago. We slowly discover clues as to why Jolie decided not to meet up with Cade that day.
Throughout the series you realize Jolie is keeping a secret. It was quite predictable and I actually had the inclination this may have occurred in book one.
𝗪𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗥𝗲𝗯𝗲𝗹 focused on the present while 𝗪𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗪𝗮𝗿 went back and forth between the past and the present. I HATE this in novels. I’m sorry and feel bad saying this but I kind of despised this book. Laurelin Page has written a favorite series of mine (Slay), however this series and the second book specifically irked by nerves. The past/present thing is a pet peeve of mine and so is another aspect of this book. Having two pet peeves, and a mean heroine was just aggravating.
Jolie is a terrible person, and I can’t see myself ever forgiving her in the end of this series, but we’ll see. Cade is much nicer and forgiving than I would be.
The book focuses mainly on the past. We are only briefly in the present. We’re transported to the beginning. How Jolie and Cade met, how their dynamic used to be, how they grew to become lovers.
Cade and Jolie share a painful past which was described in book two. Every detail was explained, however I personally wanted something different out of this book. I couldn’t connect with Jolie and Cade in this book as there wasn’t a focus on their love. It was more about events that occurred to both of them. Hey, I’m not the author and I respect everyone’s right to tell a story how they prefer however for me, this wasn’t one that I enjoyed.
Reading this left me with feelings of unfairness, hatred towards the heroine and felt it was dragged on for what the plot was about. I feel that two books would have been more than enough for these two.
I am so grateful to have received an ARC and am leaving my review voluntarily.
Throughout the series you realize Jolie is keeping a secret. It was quite predictable and I actually had the inclination this may have occurred in book one.
𝗪𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗥𝗲𝗯𝗲𝗹 focused on the present while 𝗪𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗪𝗮𝗿 went back and forth between the past and the present. I HATE this in novels. I’m sorry and feel bad saying this but I kind of despised this book. Laurelin Page has written a favorite series of mine (Slay), however this series and the second book specifically irked by nerves. The past/present thing is a pet peeve of mine and so is another aspect of this book. Having two pet peeves, and a mean heroine was just aggravating.
Jolie is a terrible person, and I can’t see myself ever forgiving her in the end of this series, but we’ll see. Cade is much nicer and forgiving than I would be.
The book focuses mainly on the past. We are only briefly in the present. We’re transported to the beginning. How Jolie and Cade met, how their dynamic used to be, how they grew to become lovers.
Cade and Jolie share a painful past which was described in book two. Every detail was explained, however I personally wanted something different out of this book. I couldn’t connect with Jolie and Cade in this book as there wasn’t a focus on their love. It was more about events that occurred to both of them. Hey, I’m not the author and I respect everyone’s right to tell a story how they prefer however for me, this wasn’t one that I enjoyed.
Reading this left me with feelings of unfairness, hatred towards the heroine and felt it was dragged on for what the plot was about. I feel that two books would have been more than enough for these two.
I am so grateful to have received an ARC and am leaving my review voluntarily.
June 29, 2021
Two words…THAT ENDING!! I am so here for where this story is going!!! Counting the days until Wild Heart❤️
I absolutely love how Laurelin weaves the past and the present together so we see how Cade & Jolie have grown.
Love this scene!! It’s so emotional & honest.
“What do you want from me?” “I want you to love me!”“I do,” I growled, unable to hold back the truth. “I already fucking do.”
I absolutely love how Laurelin weaves the past and the present together so we see how Cade & Jolie have grown.
Love this scene!! It’s so emotional & honest.
“What do you want from me?” “I want you to love me!”“I do,” I growled, unable to hold back the truth. “I already fucking do.”
June 21, 2021
4.7 stars
This story has been on my mind almost every day since I finished the first book. The way that it had ended left me trying to figure out what possibly could come from this book. I imagined every possible scenario as to where this story could go, or at least I thought I did. I was way off, much to my dismay, but in a good way.
This book gave me the answers that I was needing after the way that the first book left off. However, even saying that, did not in any way prepare me for the horrors that Cade and Jolie experienced. This book delved into the backstory of their relationship and, in more ways than some, it was surprising. It put a lot of the unanswered questions in the right place and moved the story along in a way that surpassed my expectations. Even though the story was mainly told from the past, I found that I was lost in the story that I forgot that the purpose of the story being told in the past was to shed light on the reasons that Jolie's request for Cade's assistance seemed out of the norm. The story was that involved and good.
If I loved the characters before this new insight made me love them even more. They were true warriors for what they endured. I make no bones about the fact that Cade has had my devotion and attention since he was first introduced but this time he really had it. Everything that this story exposed made me understand his characteristics in the present and explained why he appeared aloof and untrusting. I found myself drawn into the magic of Jolie as well. Her connection and feelings for Cade were a testament to her strength. This was especially true with the way that this book ended. At one scene, in particular, I was questioning why she made the decision that she did, and with the whopper of a cliffhanger, it all made sense. When I say whopper, I mean even more so than the first book. I wanted to throw my kindle when I saw that there were no more pages to be turned.
I have loved all the books that have been interconnected in this world. However, none of them even come close to surpassing this trilogy. There was a depth to this story that wasn't there to the extent that Jolie and Cade's story has taken. This trilogy (or these first two books anyway) is consuming me. I dream of these characters and that doesn't happen very often. It is the mark of a gifted author when she has the ability to do that.
I sure hope after this whopper of a cliffhanger that the next book isn't months away. I am not sure I can sleep peacefully until I know what will happen. This trilogy will be one of my favorite things of 2021.
This story has been on my mind almost every day since I finished the first book. The way that it had ended left me trying to figure out what possibly could come from this book. I imagined every possible scenario as to where this story could go, or at least I thought I did. I was way off, much to my dismay, but in a good way.
This book gave me the answers that I was needing after the way that the first book left off. However, even saying that, did not in any way prepare me for the horrors that Cade and Jolie experienced. This book delved into the backstory of their relationship and, in more ways than some, it was surprising. It put a lot of the unanswered questions in the right place and moved the story along in a way that surpassed my expectations. Even though the story was mainly told from the past, I found that I was lost in the story that I forgot that the purpose of the story being told in the past was to shed light on the reasons that Jolie's request for Cade's assistance seemed out of the norm. The story was that involved and good.
If I loved the characters before this new insight made me love them even more. They were true warriors for what they endured. I make no bones about the fact that Cade has had my devotion and attention since he was first introduced but this time he really had it. Everything that this story exposed made me understand his characteristics in the present and explained why he appeared aloof and untrusting. I found myself drawn into the magic of Jolie as well. Her connection and feelings for Cade were a testament to her strength. This was especially true with the way that this book ended. At one scene, in particular, I was questioning why she made the decision that she did, and with the whopper of a cliffhanger, it all made sense. When I say whopper, I mean even more so than the first book. I wanted to throw my kindle when I saw that there were no more pages to be turned.
I have loved all the books that have been interconnected in this world. However, none of them even come close to surpassing this trilogy. There was a depth to this story that wasn't there to the extent that Jolie and Cade's story has taken. This trilogy (or these first two books anyway) is consuming me. I dream of these characters and that doesn't happen very often. It is the mark of a gifted author when she has the ability to do that.
I sure hope after this whopper of a cliffhanger that the next book isn't months away. I am not sure I can sleep peacefully until I know what will happen. This trilogy will be one of my favorite things of 2021.
June 29, 2021
Cade and Jolie‘s story continues to hold me captivated. There’s so much to grasp as to these characters’ past history with all that they went through as kids. As the story develops and looking more in depth into how things came to be really started to fill in a lot of the emotional aspects to each of these characters. Jolie’s way of coping with her situation as a teenager particularly struck a chord with me.
I could tell there was more to come and I guessed at what came to be I think, in the end of this book. I can’t wait to know what happens next!
I could tell there was more to come and I guessed at what came to be I think, in the end of this book. I can’t wait to know what happens next!
July 10, 2021
After the way things left off in book one, I was desperate for book two, even though WILD WAR went in a totally different direction than I thought it would.
On one hand, I’m so happy we got more of the history between Jolie and Cade, no matter how painful and hard to stomach it was at times. On the other hand, I was equally desperate for Cade and Jolie to make progress in the present, reconciling, reconnecting, strategizing, revenging, which they only did to a certain extent given that this book spends about 85% or more in the past.
These flashbacks were needed though, explaining their dynamics and the reason why present Cade is ready to forgive Jolie so easily. And let me just say, their teenage years were not pretty. I can handle some dark shit in my reading, but the abuse these two suffered really pushed my limits. I wanted to scream and shout, felt sick to my stomach on more than one occasion. No, it wasn’t pretty. At all.
But there’s also light in this story, and that comes from the blooming connection and relationship between a young Jolie and a young Cade. What they share is complex, deep and flawed, yet absolutely perfect. The beauty of their treasured stolen moments in seclusion. How they stood up for one another, when they were aware of the repercussions they would be dealt. I wanted to shield them. Hug them. Bring them far, far away from all the cruelty.
And that cliffhanger … I saw it coming a mile away, though that doesn’t mean I’m not left with countless more questions than I had before. I’m ready for book three. I need reactions, explanations and the much-needed retribution!
On one hand, I’m so happy we got more of the history between Jolie and Cade, no matter how painful and hard to stomach it was at times. On the other hand, I was equally desperate for Cade and Jolie to make progress in the present, reconciling, reconnecting, strategizing, revenging, which they only did to a certain extent given that this book spends about 85% or more in the past.
These flashbacks were needed though, explaining their dynamics and the reason why present Cade is ready to forgive Jolie so easily. And let me just say, their teenage years were not pretty. I can handle some dark shit in my reading, but the abuse these two suffered really pushed my limits. I wanted to scream and shout, felt sick to my stomach on more than one occasion. No, it wasn’t pretty. At all.
But there’s also light in this story, and that comes from the blooming connection and relationship between a young Jolie and a young Cade. What they share is complex, deep and flawed, yet absolutely perfect. The beauty of their treasured stolen moments in seclusion. How they stood up for one another, when they were aware of the repercussions they would be dealt. I wanted to shield them. Hug them. Bring them far, far away from all the cruelty.
And that cliffhanger … I saw it coming a mile away, though that doesn’t mean I’m not left with countless more questions than I had before. I’m ready for book three. I need reactions, explanations and the much-needed retribution!
July 2, 2021
I did love him. So much that I would let him go.
Laurelin blew my ever-loving mind with all she delivered in Wild Rebel, so much so that between the months of finishing that novel and waiting for this one, I've literally had nothing but theory after theory racing through my mind about what could possibly happen next for Cade and Jolie. Literally so many theories went through my mind that I was sure I would be ready for whatever Laurelin would deliver next. But Wild War gave me the one thing I wasn't ready for whatsoever: the past.
Of course, we got a couple of chapters told in the pasts' perspective back in Wild Rebel, but nothing like what was delivered here in Wild War.
This sequel is told primarily in the pasts' perspective, with only a handful of chapters told in the present. So, for about 85% of this novel we're following seventeen-year-olds Cade and Julianna as they meet for the very first time and, over the course of their hellish senior year, start falling in love despite knowing they shouldn't whilst both are still within the reach of Julianna's father, Langdon Stark. Then for the rest of this novel, we follow the older Cade and Jolie as they've returned to Jolie's family home - a house that brings nothing but unpleasant memories for both - as they work to find what they need in order to move their plan forward to bring down Langdon Stark for good.
I kissed her like we had forever.
I kissed her like it was goodbye.
It's honestly been a loooooong time now since I've flown through a book as fast as I did Wild War. Despite the fact that it pushed me out of my comfort zone more times than I can count, and despite the fact that it could be a (very) hard romance to read, Laurelin - with her wicked way with words and vivid storytelling - just made it impossible for me to put this novel down from the moment I picked it up. She held nothing back when it came to giving us Cade and Jolie's past, and even though she brought tears to my eyes time and time again and kept my heart breaking having to see all that Cade and Julianna had to endure at seventeen, she also made sure to deliver some humorous and sexy and adorable scenes for them to bring the biggest of smiles to my face and leave me breathless.
But as much as this story gave me all I ever crave to see in a Laurelin Paige romance, I just felt as though it didn't give me what I wanted for Cade and Jolie. More so, I just felt as though being in the past for as long as we were did absolutely nothing to further the present timeline of this story.
This is just my own opinion, but as a fan of dual timelines in romances - especially in second-chance romances - I just can't help but feel as though we were too stuck in the past to give the present timeline the attention it deserved. And given that the entirety of this story takes place in a house that defined Cade and Jolie's past, and they're currently in that house in the present... I just... I... It's hard to explain in words how superior this story could've been had both timelines been more equal and better woven together, rather than having the one just completely overshadowing the other.
"Be with me. Be with me always. Whether it's heaven or hell, whether we sink or swim, be with me, Jolie. Say you'll be with me."
So, it's because of that that I rated this novel three stars. I can understand why Laurelin focused this story so heavily on the past, as it made understanding Cade and Jolie's history - especially Cade's pain at Jolie's betrayal of not running away with him - all the more clearer. But I just felt like there could've been more to it than what was delivered. But that's just me.
However, if after devouring Wild Rebel you want nothing more than to be completely immersed into the past of Cade Warren and Julianna Stark, then you will absolutely love all that Laurelin delivers here for them in Wild War. I personally didn't care much for the plot itself, but I did find myself loving these characters and all that they brought to the story. I definitely preferred younger Cade to older Cade in this book, and even though he's why my heart broke so many times over the course of this novel - with his pain, his strength, his fears, his love - he also is the reason why my heart kept racing thanks to his undeniable chemistry with his star-crossed lover.
And speaking of Jolie... WE FINALLY GOT TO BE INSIDE HER HEAD!! That's all I wanted after reading Wild Rebel, and WE FINALLY GOT HER POV!! Not that being inside her head did anything to divulge us of her secrets, but it definitely had me better understanding her and what her motives may now be to take down her father after all this time, especially after reading that ending that I'm proud to say I did manage to guess back in Wild Rebel (just one of my many, many, and I mean MANY theories that I had), but it's one that still blew my mind enough to now leave me reeling and desperate for the final book of this trilogy to be in my hands, ASAP.
"What do you want from me?"
"I want you to love me!"
"I do," I growled, unable to hold back the truth. "I already fucking do."
So yeah. Wild War isn't a favourite read for me, but it definitely delivered enough to keep me hooked from start to finish regardless of its flaws. I felt like it answered a couple of the questions that I had after finishing Wild Rebel, but it's now left me with many, many more that I'm hoping will be answered in Wild Heart. It's an overall gripping read that I truly could not put down whatsoever, and I'm now very excited to see what it is Laurelin delivers next in the final book of this trilogy.
TW:
ARC provided by author for honest review
Laurelin blew my ever-loving mind with all she delivered in Wild Rebel, so much so that between the months of finishing that novel and waiting for this one, I've literally had nothing but theory after theory racing through my mind about what could possibly happen next for Cade and Jolie. Literally so many theories went through my mind that I was sure I would be ready for whatever Laurelin would deliver next. But Wild War gave me the one thing I wasn't ready for whatsoever: the past.
Of course, we got a couple of chapters told in the pasts' perspective back in Wild Rebel, but nothing like what was delivered here in Wild War.
This sequel is told primarily in the pasts' perspective, with only a handful of chapters told in the present. So, for about 85% of this novel we're following seventeen-year-olds Cade and Julianna as they meet for the very first time and, over the course of their hellish senior year, start falling in love despite knowing they shouldn't whilst both are still within the reach of Julianna's father, Langdon Stark. Then for the rest of this novel, we follow the older Cade and Jolie as they've returned to Jolie's family home - a house that brings nothing but unpleasant memories for both - as they work to find what they need in order to move their plan forward to bring down Langdon Stark for good.
I kissed her like we had forever.
I kissed her like it was goodbye.
It's honestly been a loooooong time now since I've flown through a book as fast as I did Wild War. Despite the fact that it pushed me out of my comfort zone more times than I can count, and despite the fact that it could be a (very) hard romance to read, Laurelin - with her wicked way with words and vivid storytelling - just made it impossible for me to put this novel down from the moment I picked it up. She held nothing back when it came to giving us Cade and Jolie's past, and even though she brought tears to my eyes time and time again and kept my heart breaking having to see all that Cade and Julianna had to endure at seventeen, she also made sure to deliver some humorous and sexy and adorable scenes for them to bring the biggest of smiles to my face and leave me breathless.
But as much as this story gave me all I ever crave to see in a Laurelin Paige romance, I just felt as though it didn't give me what I wanted for Cade and Jolie. More so, I just felt as though being in the past for as long as we were did absolutely nothing to further the present timeline of this story.
This is just my own opinion, but as a fan of dual timelines in romances - especially in second-chance romances - I just can't help but feel as though we were too stuck in the past to give the present timeline the attention it deserved. And given that the entirety of this story takes place in a house that defined Cade and Jolie's past, and they're currently in that house in the present... I just... I... It's hard to explain in words how superior this story could've been had both timelines been more equal and better woven together, rather than having the one just completely overshadowing the other.
"Be with me. Be with me always. Whether it's heaven or hell, whether we sink or swim, be with me, Jolie. Say you'll be with me."
So, it's because of that that I rated this novel three stars. I can understand why Laurelin focused this story so heavily on the past, as it made understanding Cade and Jolie's history - especially Cade's pain at Jolie's betrayal of not running away with him - all the more clearer. But I just felt like there could've been more to it than what was delivered. But that's just me.
However, if after devouring Wild Rebel you want nothing more than to be completely immersed into the past of Cade Warren and Julianna Stark, then you will absolutely love all that Laurelin delivers here for them in Wild War. I personally didn't care much for the plot itself, but I did find myself loving these characters and all that they brought to the story. I definitely preferred younger Cade to older Cade in this book, and even though he's why my heart broke so many times over the course of this novel - with his pain, his strength, his fears, his love - he also is the reason why my heart kept racing thanks to his undeniable chemistry with his star-crossed lover.
And speaking of Jolie... WE FINALLY GOT TO BE INSIDE HER HEAD!! That's all I wanted after reading Wild Rebel, and WE FINALLY GOT HER POV!! Not that being inside her head did anything to divulge us of her secrets, but it definitely had me better understanding her and what her motives may now be to take down her father after all this time, especially after reading that ending that I'm proud to say I did manage to guess back in Wild Rebel (just one of my many, many, and I mean MANY theories that I had), but it's one that still blew my mind enough to now leave me reeling and desperate for the final book of this trilogy to be in my hands, ASAP.
"What do you want from me?"
"I want you to love me!"
"I do," I growled, unable to hold back the truth. "I already fucking do."
So yeah. Wild War isn't a favourite read for me, but it definitely delivered enough to keep me hooked from start to finish regardless of its flaws. I felt like it answered a couple of the questions that I had after finishing Wild Rebel, but it's now left me with many, many more that I'm hoping will be answered in Wild Heart. It's an overall gripping read that I truly could not put down whatsoever, and I'm now very excited to see what it is Laurelin delivers next in the final book of this trilogy.
TW:
ARC provided by author for honest review
June 24, 2021
Wow just wow. You get Jolie and Cade’s back story in this book. This is the second book in the Dirty Wild Series and needs to be read in order. Love all the twist and turns that happens in this book. The ending is left on a cliffhanger that will leave you wanting the next book now.
March 15, 2022
Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆ Heat: 🔥🔥🔥
Angst: 💣💣💣 Plot: 📚📚📚📚
Do I recommend? Yes! You have to read Wild Rebel first.
Trigger Warnings: BEWARE!
Tropes: dark romantic suspense, second chance, enemies-to-lovers
Wild War picks up where Wild Rebel left off. Cade Warren and Jolie Stark have returned back to where they first met. Cade and Jolie fell in love in high school. Her father’s family owned Stark Academy, where he was Headmaster. Mr. Stark was evil incarnate and from the moment Cade started at the Academy, he tried to torture him into following his rules. He did his best to keep Cade and Jolie apart. We get some expected and unexpected answers in this book but when it comes to Stark, more answers lie in the shadows. The majority of this story is told about the past, explaining how the couple met and the events surrounding why Jolie never met Cade so they could runaway together. I’m really looking forward to reading how the author will bring their story to a close with the last book. I listened to this audiobook and unlike the first book, this one is told in dual perspectives. The narrators did an incredible job. This is my honest opinion, freely given.
Angst: 💣💣💣 Plot: 📚📚📚📚
Do I recommend? Yes! You have to read Wild Rebel first.
Trigger Warnings: BEWARE!
Tropes: dark romantic suspense, second chance, enemies-to-lovers
Wild War picks up where Wild Rebel left off. Cade Warren and Jolie Stark have returned back to where they first met. Cade and Jolie fell in love in high school. Her father’s family owned Stark Academy, where he was Headmaster. Mr. Stark was evil incarnate and from the moment Cade started at the Academy, he tried to torture him into following his rules. He did his best to keep Cade and Jolie apart. We get some expected and unexpected answers in this book but when it comes to Stark, more answers lie in the shadows. The majority of this story is told about the past, explaining how the couple met and the events surrounding why Jolie never met Cade so they could runaway together. I’m really looking forward to reading how the author will bring their story to a close with the last book. I listened to this audiobook and unlike the first book, this one is told in dual perspectives. The narrators did an incredible job. This is my honest opinion, freely given.
September 26, 2021
WILD WAR is the second instalment in Laurelin Paige’s contemporary, adult DIRTY WILD erotic, dark romance trilogy focusing on thirty-five year old, businessman and ad executive Cade Warren , and grade school teacher Julianna ‘Jolie’ Stark’s story line. WILD WAR and the Dirty Wild trilogy is the final trilogy in Laurelin Paige’s Dirty Universe which includes The Dirty Duet, and Dirty Games Duet. Some of the premise in Wild War crosses over with some of the events of the aforementioned duets. WILD WAR should not be read as a stand alone as it picks up immediately after the events and cliff hanger of book one WILD REBEL.
NOTE: Due to the nature of the story line premise, there may be triggers for more sensitive readers.
Told from dual first person perspectives (Cade and Jolie) using present day and memories from the past, WILD WAR picks up after the events of book one Wild Rebel in which thirty five year old Cade Warren and Julianna Stark seek revenge against the man who destroyed their lives. Seventeen years had passed since Cade and Julianna were torn apart, having lived as step-siblings for less than a year, but Julianna aka Jolie is desperate to take down the man that ruined their lives, and in this, she needed Cade’s help to enact her revenge. Having both barely survived the torment and abuse of their pasts, Jolie keeps secret some of the reasons for vengeance, a reason Cade is about to discover at the very last moment.
WILD WAR reveals some of the horrific events and abuse endured by our story line couple at the hands of the Stark Academy headmaster, Julianna’s father, Langdon Stark. A vicious and sadistic man whose legacy continues, is about to be exposed but a legacy that may be more dangerous and deadlier than anyone could have ever imagined. As Cade works with Donovan Kincaid (Dirty Duet series) behind the scenes in an effort to gather the information and proof, our hero is unable to withstand the pull towards the woman he once loved.
The relationship between Cade and Jolie continues to be acrimonious as Cade is completely unaware of some of the past events. Cade barely survived his last encounter with his step-father, and Jolie has been paying the price all of her life. Jolie has secrets that are about to be exposed, and in this, it is Cade’s mother who knows more than she is willing to reveal. The $ex scenes are intimate and passionate.
WILD WAR is a chilling and emotional story of abuse and terror, power, control and vengeance. The premise is dark and twisted; the characters are desperate and lost; the romance struggles in the face of secrets, lies and a need for revenge.
www.thereadingcafe.com
NOTE: Due to the nature of the story line premise, there may be triggers for more sensitive readers.
Told from dual first person perspectives (Cade and Jolie) using present day and memories from the past, WILD WAR picks up after the events of book one Wild Rebel in which thirty five year old Cade Warren and Julianna Stark seek revenge against the man who destroyed their lives. Seventeen years had passed since Cade and Julianna were torn apart, having lived as step-siblings for less than a year, but Julianna aka Jolie is desperate to take down the man that ruined their lives, and in this, she needed Cade’s help to enact her revenge. Having both barely survived the torment and abuse of their pasts, Jolie keeps secret some of the reasons for vengeance, a reason Cade is about to discover at the very last moment.
WILD WAR reveals some of the horrific events and abuse endured by our story line couple at the hands of the Stark Academy headmaster, Julianna’s father, Langdon Stark. A vicious and sadistic man whose legacy continues, is about to be exposed but a legacy that may be more dangerous and deadlier than anyone could have ever imagined. As Cade works with Donovan Kincaid (Dirty Duet series) behind the scenes in an effort to gather the information and proof, our hero is unable to withstand the pull towards the woman he once loved.
The relationship between Cade and Jolie continues to be acrimonious as Cade is completely unaware of some of the past events. Cade barely survived his last encounter with his step-father, and Jolie has been paying the price all of her life. Jolie has secrets that are about to be exposed, and in this, it is Cade’s mother who knows more than she is willing to reveal. The $ex scenes are intimate and passionate.
WILD WAR is a chilling and emotional story of abuse and terror, power, control and vengeance. The premise is dark and twisted; the characters are desperate and lost; the romance struggles in the face of secrets, lies and a need for revenge.
www.thereadingcafe.com
June 21, 2021
After that shocking ending in Wild Rebel, I didn't know what to expect in Wild War by Laurelin Paige. This story was a heartbreaking journey taking me to darkest places of humanity. It was angsty. It was a rollercoaster ride. And I know the worst torture is yet to come.
This book is the second book of a trilogy and must be read in order. This was narrated in dual POV so we get to see more from Jolie's side. At the end of Wild Rebel, we came to know that they are stepsiblings. Cade's mother remarried to Julianna aka Jolie's father. A major part of this story is in the past where I witnessed gut wrenching tale of two young souls getting abused and hurt by their evil father. I got to experience how they became forbidden soulmates. And how the Jolie's plan to take revenge on her father makes sense...untill you reach that nuclear bomb explosion like ending.
I had questions after Wild Rebel and many of them got answered but new questions were born. Only Laurelin Paige can keep you on the edge like this. I felt the animosity and hatred and bitterness between Cade and Jolie. I also get to feel all the brutal moments those created this unique bond. The bond was formed through pain and heartbreak and desperate need to have someone in darkness. If I loved Cade in first book, I loved him even more in this one. He has always been the protector that comes at high cost. And if I admired Jolie in first book, I am in awe of her strength. She was in a dark place herself but that didn't stop her from helping and loving Cade. Young love is wonderful but their love was full of heartaching crippling pain. I was getting angry and upset and feeling raw with their painful trials. This story is almost exclusively set in past and crucial for understanding the dynamics of Cade and Jolie. And the most shocking part is yet to come. They are facing demons of past and it's stirring intense reactions in both of them. They have a lot to forget and forgive. Their chemistry and connection has been rekindled though Cade is still sceptical and Jolie is hiding secrets. But the future is looking very sinister to me.
Wild War by Laurelin Paige was emotional chaos at best and at worst. And I am counting days till the final book.
I reviewed an early copy voluntarily
This book is the second book of a trilogy and must be read in order. This was narrated in dual POV so we get to see more from Jolie's side. At the end of Wild Rebel, we came to know that they are stepsiblings. Cade's mother remarried to Julianna aka Jolie's father. A major part of this story is in the past where I witnessed gut wrenching tale of two young souls getting abused and hurt by their evil father. I got to experience how they became forbidden soulmates. And how the Jolie's plan to take revenge on her father makes sense...untill you reach that nuclear bomb explosion like ending.
I had questions after Wild Rebel and many of them got answered but new questions were born. Only Laurelin Paige can keep you on the edge like this. I felt the animosity and hatred and bitterness between Cade and Jolie. I also get to feel all the brutal moments those created this unique bond. The bond was formed through pain and heartbreak and desperate need to have someone in darkness. If I loved Cade in first book, I loved him even more in this one. He has always been the protector that comes at high cost. And if I admired Jolie in first book, I am in awe of her strength. She was in a dark place herself but that didn't stop her from helping and loving Cade. Young love is wonderful but their love was full of heartaching crippling pain. I was getting angry and upset and feeling raw with their painful trials. This story is almost exclusively set in past and crucial for understanding the dynamics of Cade and Jolie. And the most shocking part is yet to come. They are facing demons of past and it's stirring intense reactions in both of them. They have a lot to forget and forgive. Their chemistry and connection has been rekindled though Cade is still sceptical and Jolie is hiding secrets. But the future is looking very sinister to me.
Wild War by Laurelin Paige was emotional chaos at best and at worst. And I am counting days till the final book.
I reviewed an early copy voluntarily
June 23, 2021
After the ba bada BOOM!! finish in the first book Wild Rebel I couldn't wait to start this book, and I was not disappointed !!
No one does it for me like this author, we get right back into the lives of Cade and Jolie, and OMG !!
So many questions get answers and my emotions were utterly torn to shreds!!
Having agreed to help Jolie in the last book, now we get to know the reasons why he would even have entertained her idea !! After all she broke his heart, a he lost a love he thought would last forever, a love he's never really got over.
Brilliantly written, we get their pasts, pasts that have both moulded them to the people they are now, and my heart broke for them both !!
I wasn't totally sure of Jolie in the first book, but when their traumatic past becomes clear my heart cracked open even wider !!
My feelings from the first book were totally turned upside down, where i felt Jolie was a bit of "cold potato" her emotions locked away and was using the fact that Cade's soft spot would get her what she wanted, and now i understand why !!!
Old hurts, old and new emotions, chemistry off the charts, and both so guarded, I kid you not, i was ready to combust the sexual tension gahhh !!!
This couple so deserved the vengeance and retribution they were seeking and I happily cheered them on. I relished in it !!!
We do end in a cliff hanger, and I'm literally salivating at what is to come next!!
This author never disappoints, and this book has yet again surpassed all my expectations, definitely must reads !! I dare you to enter this Dirty World !!! You will not be disappointed !!!
No one does it for me like this author, we get right back into the lives of Cade and Jolie, and OMG !!
So many questions get answers and my emotions were utterly torn to shreds!!
Having agreed to help Jolie in the last book, now we get to know the reasons why he would even have entertained her idea !! After all she broke his heart, a he lost a love he thought would last forever, a love he's never really got over.
Brilliantly written, we get their pasts, pasts that have both moulded them to the people they are now, and my heart broke for them both !!
I wasn't totally sure of Jolie in the first book, but when their traumatic past becomes clear my heart cracked open even wider !!
My feelings from the first book were totally turned upside down, where i felt Jolie was a bit of "cold potato" her emotions locked away and was using the fact that Cade's soft spot would get her what she wanted, and now i understand why !!!
Old hurts, old and new emotions, chemistry off the charts, and both so guarded, I kid you not, i was ready to combust the sexual tension gahhh !!!
This couple so deserved the vengeance and retribution they were seeking and I happily cheered them on. I relished in it !!!
We do end in a cliff hanger, and I'm literally salivating at what is to come next!!
This author never disappoints, and this book has yet again surpassed all my expectations, definitely must reads !! I dare you to enter this Dirty World !!! You will not be disappointed !!!
June 23, 2021
Well, I needed 24 hours to absorb this book when I finished. So intense. So action-packed. So emotional. I near about lost my heart more than once throughout this book! And that ending? OMG!!!!! To be honest, I saw it coming, but I was NOT prepared! I'm still kind of kicking the possibilities around in my head if what I was left thinking happened or if it was something else, much, much darker. I mean, it's definitely possible considering this story. I'm in desperate need of Book #3 now! I have to say that after reading Wild War, I'm still not quite liking Juliette/Jolie. I didn't care much for her in Book #1 and Book #2 didn't do a whole lot to endear me to her either. I do feel I understand her a bit more, but not enough for me to heap lots of empathy in her direction. However, Cade Warren is a different story. I enjoyed his Alpha-ness in Wild Rebel, Book #1. Wild War, Book #2 gave me the backstory I needed to completely lose myself to him. He ran away with my heart. I want so badly for him to get everything his heart desires, although I'm not sure he's 100% certain exactly what that is, yet. The tension is building so strongly in this story, I'm sure it's just a matter of time before it literally explodes. There have already been a few minor tremors, but I just know the big, bad quake of all-time is coming! YES! I can't wait to read it all! Wild Heart, Book #3, can't get here soon enough. You do not want to miss Cade and all his Alpha goodness! Grab him and enjoy!
June 20, 2021
Wild War
(Dirty Wild #2)
Written by: Laurelin Paige
History. History sometimes repeats itself; in this case history opens the doors to the past where a monster has taken control.
We left Wild Rebel walking back into the house where Cade and Jolie have spent half a lifetime refusing to return to.
We learn so much more about Cade’s childhood but most especially his arrival at Stark Academy. Control, it became the word that defined his life. His life and Jolie’s life, she knew about control. It was new to Cade. It was something he would never forget and maybe it made him what he is today.
Don’t worry Cade would never thank the person that showed him what control could do, the harm it could cause the dreams that make you wake up in the middle of the night. Instead he would ruin that person, but ruin takes time and Cade was willing now to take the time and use it well.
Laurelin Paige is the Queen of “surprise” yet you never seem prepared when it appears. She writes characters who we love and who we love to hate. She a wordsmith extraordinaire, she plays games with her characters and through them with readers and we love it! Every single time we love it.
But you now know the end of this ride is going to be EXPLOSIVE.
(Dirty Wild #2)
Written by: Laurelin Paige
History. History sometimes repeats itself; in this case history opens the doors to the past where a monster has taken control.
We left Wild Rebel walking back into the house where Cade and Jolie have spent half a lifetime refusing to return to.
We learn so much more about Cade’s childhood but most especially his arrival at Stark Academy. Control, it became the word that defined his life. His life and Jolie’s life, she knew about control. It was new to Cade. It was something he would never forget and maybe it made him what he is today.
Don’t worry Cade would never thank the person that showed him what control could do, the harm it could cause the dreams that make you wake up in the middle of the night. Instead he would ruin that person, but ruin takes time and Cade was willing now to take the time and use it well.
Laurelin Paige is the Queen of “surprise” yet you never seem prepared when it appears. She writes characters who we love and who we love to hate. She a wordsmith extraordinaire, she plays games with her characters and through them with readers and we love it! Every single time we love it.
But you now know the end of this ride is going to be EXPLOSIVE.
June 23, 2021
When I first met Jolie and Cade in Wild rebel I have to admit I felt a little meh about them. They didn't grab my attention in a way I wanted them to and I'm not sure I even liked them but their story and what a story more than grabbed my attention. Heartbreaking and that ending......wow!!!
Wild War begins in the past when Cade goes to live with his mother Carla, her newish husband Langdon Stark otherwise known as VPS (vile piece of shit and that's the tame description), and his daughter Julianna. Family life in the Stark household can only be described as a battlefield and the abusive behaviour that takes place there and at school only serves to bring Cade and Jolie closer together. Present-day finds them hatching a plan to get Langdon Stark his just deserts. They will have their revenge and it's going to be epic when they do. Now and again during their story, you get a hint that Jolie is hiding something, and could that something be the reason she didn't run away with Cade after graduation? I have to say that by the end of chapter one these two had sucked me in 100%. I take back what I said earlier and admit I've fallen for them. Their back story won me over. I find that Laurelin Paige has a habit of making me fall for characters that I never thought I would and at the risk of repeating myself that ending......WOW!!!!
Wild War begins in the past when Cade goes to live with his mother Carla, her newish husband Langdon Stark otherwise known as VPS (vile piece of shit and that's the tame description), and his daughter Julianna. Family life in the Stark household can only be described as a battlefield and the abusive behaviour that takes place there and at school only serves to bring Cade and Jolie closer together. Present-day finds them hatching a plan to get Langdon Stark his just deserts. They will have their revenge and it's going to be epic when they do. Now and again during their story, you get a hint that Jolie is hiding something, and could that something be the reason she didn't run away with Cade after graduation? I have to say that by the end of chapter one these two had sucked me in 100%. I take back what I said earlier and admit I've fallen for them. Their back story won me over. I find that Laurelin Paige has a habit of making me fall for characters that I never thought I would and at the risk of repeating myself that ending......WOW!!!!
June 29, 2021
4.5 Star Review of Wild War (Dirty Wild #2) by Laurelin Paige
Book two in the Dirty Wild trilogy from Laurelin Paige and to say I was riveted from the first to the last chapter is an understatement. If you haven’t read Wild Rebel, then you need to STOP as this trilogy must be read in order.
As I have come to expect from Laurelin Paige, this was a well written story that will draw you in with characters whose story you cannot help but become invested in. This story is told in flashbacks as secrets are revealed and more will be revealed in the third book which cannot release soon enough for me.
As the story unfolds we learn more about why Jolie didn't turn up to meet Cade as they agreed and what she has had to endure. I was on the edge of my seat whilst reading this as I knew that there was more to come and was fearful of what would be revealed.
Jolie has become a strong woman, a woman who has confirmed her past and is determined that it not rule her future. However Cade is struggling, not only with the past but also the present. If you thought that Wild Rebel ended on a cliff hanger then you won’t believe the cliff hanger that ends Wild War.
Book two in the Dirty Wild trilogy from Laurelin Paige and to say I was riveted from the first to the last chapter is an understatement. If you haven’t read Wild Rebel, then you need to STOP as this trilogy must be read in order.
As I have come to expect from Laurelin Paige, this was a well written story that will draw you in with characters whose story you cannot help but become invested in. This story is told in flashbacks as secrets are revealed and more will be revealed in the third book which cannot release soon enough for me.
As the story unfolds we learn more about why Jolie didn't turn up to meet Cade as they agreed and what she has had to endure. I was on the edge of my seat whilst reading this as I knew that there was more to come and was fearful of what would be revealed.
Jolie has become a strong woman, a woman who has confirmed her past and is determined that it not rule her future. However Cade is struggling, not only with the past but also the present. If you thought that Wild Rebel ended on a cliff hanger then you won’t believe the cliff hanger that ends Wild War.
June 22, 2021
Wild War (Dirty Wild #2) is so damn good! I wasn’t expecting this book to have so much angst. Cade and Jolie continue their quest for vengeance and my goodness, they took me through a huge roller coaster of emotions. They’re great and easy to love characters who stole my heart and given everything they’ve gone through, you can’t help but root for them. Their story is all consuming, full of depth and I really like that it’s written in the past and present. This gives a lot of insight and details on how Cade and Jolie’s relationship began. And Laurelin Paige is the master at creating vile and evil villains and Jolie’s father, Langford Stark takes the cake. He’s utterly despicable.
This book is excellent, engaging, well written and there’s an unexpected twist at the end that completely floored me. I’m heavily invested in this trilogy and I can’t wait to read Wild Heart.
This book is excellent, engaging, well written and there’s an unexpected twist at the end that completely floored me. I’m heavily invested in this trilogy and I can’t wait to read Wild Heart.
June 30, 2021
This story is getting more and more in-depth and interesting after every page. It’s all starting to become a little clearer and then Laurelin Paige throws us another whopper of a cliffhanger.
Brace yourself for a build up that will blow your mind. Cade and Jolie’s story continues but this time in the past, and with it comes more of an understanding about who they are today until it doesn’t. The plot thickens and then at the end of this book your left with your mouth gapping open and thinking to yourself “OMG get out of town”.
This book for me has bought new light to Cade and Jolie’s story and I’m really excited to see what Laurelin Paige has in store for us in Wild Heart.
Brace yourself for a build up that will blow your mind. Cade and Jolie’s story continues but this time in the past, and with it comes more of an understanding about who they are today until it doesn’t. The plot thickens and then at the end of this book your left with your mouth gapping open and thinking to yourself “OMG get out of town”.
This book for me has bought new light to Cade and Jolie’s story and I’m really excited to see what Laurelin Paige has in store for us in Wild Heart.
June 24, 2021
“Wild War” is an integral part of the trilogy because it is finally revealed how Cade and Jolie first met and the role his mother played in their dramatic story. As a teenager, Jolie was deathly afraid of her father and when Cade appeared on the scene, her sorry excuse for a father had someone else to pick on. Cade rarely did anything against the school rules, but he suffered the consequences anyway. Jolie’s father hated Cade and everytime he punished him, I could feel Cade’s pain and agony. He never complained and took it like a man. The bond that developed between Cade and Jolie was based on surviving the wrath of her father and planning their escape so they could finally be free of their evil tormentor.
We also learn more about Cade’s upbringing and what led him to the short time he spent as a prisoner with Jolie in the house of nightmares. They disliked each other at first, but to survive they became friends and allies, then eventually fell in love. But was it really love or was it desperation that brought them together each night, whispering about their plans for the future? I could picture them in the dark, holding hands, dreaming of a life away from the darkness where the sun was warm and the sky was blue.
“Wild War” takes us back in time so we can understand the importance of what Cade and Jolie needed to do to finally rid the world of her father. Cade wasn’t sure that Jolie was his future, but what did know was that he would do anything to save her. The secrets her father holds would finally be shared with the world and he would be banished from their lives forever.
We also learn more about Cade’s upbringing and what led him to the short time he spent as a prisoner with Jolie in the house of nightmares. They disliked each other at first, but to survive they became friends and allies, then eventually fell in love. But was it really love or was it desperation that brought them together each night, whispering about their plans for the future? I could picture them in the dark, holding hands, dreaming of a life away from the darkness where the sun was warm and the sky was blue.
“Wild War” takes us back in time so we can understand the importance of what Cade and Jolie needed to do to finally rid the world of her father. Cade wasn’t sure that Jolie was his future, but what did know was that he would do anything to save her. The secrets her father holds would finally be shared with the world and he would be banished from their lives forever.
June 22, 2021
Laurelin sure knows how to end a book. She had me on the edge of my seat in Wild Rebel and Wild War was no different.
We get a lot of backstory with Cade and Jolie in Wild War. There were a few times I almost gasped out loud due to the circumstances of what Jolie and Cade suffered through. There is a special place in hell for Jolie’s father and Cade’s mother.
My heart hurt for Jolie and Cade so many times. I hated the way Jolie felt about herself before Cade helped her see things could be different. I loved seeing how Cade felt about her. And why he has been holding so much anger inside.
Jolie has been harboring some secrets and something is revealed at the end that had me gasping out loud yet again. I am waiting not so anxiously for Wild Heart for everything to come to light.
We get a lot of backstory with Cade and Jolie in Wild War. There were a few times I almost gasped out loud due to the circumstances of what Jolie and Cade suffered through. There is a special place in hell for Jolie’s father and Cade’s mother.
My heart hurt for Jolie and Cade so many times. I hated the way Jolie felt about herself before Cade helped her see things could be different. I loved seeing how Cade felt about her. And why he has been holding so much anger inside.
Jolie has been harboring some secrets and something is revealed at the end that had me gasping out loud yet again. I am waiting not so anxiously for Wild Heart for everything to come to light.
June 22, 2021
Unputdownable as the story continues to unfold with Jolie and Cade!! Lana~White Hot Reads
This book is mostly told as flashback which gives you the insight as to what Cade and Jolie went through together before their world was turned upside down. In between the flashback, we get the pieces of the current story and realize Jolie is still keeping secrets from Cade in which he finally wants to know. The biggest shock is the cliffhanger at the end and it makes you wondering what in the world. I can't wait for the final conclusion to see where this goes.
This book is mostly told as flashback which gives you the insight as to what Cade and Jolie went through together before their world was turned upside down. In between the flashback, we get the pieces of the current story and realize Jolie is still keeping secrets from Cade in which he finally wants to know. The biggest shock is the cliffhanger at the end and it makes you wondering what in the world. I can't wait for the final conclusion to see where this goes.
September 10, 2021
All right. No spoilers here. This is a trilogy you will need to read in order to process. Some really dark things have happened with Jolie and Cade. They are going to face their demons head on. Little surprise twist in this one that I kind of suspected was coming.
Looking forward to the last book and seeing how these characters resolve and put to rest their pain.
*Complimentary copy provided for an honest review.
Looking forward to the last book and seeing how these characters resolve and put to rest their pain.
*Complimentary copy provided for an honest review.
June 18, 2021
Omg! I never read a forbidden romance so heartbreaking like this book!
I should have known Laurelin Paige would shattered my heart so unaplogeticly.
This book two slayed me, i hurt, i cried, i fall in love, i'm trembling with anger, pain, fear and heart broken in every page of the book.
And that ending! I knew it! But still, the way Laurelin Paige told her story make my jaw drop.
On of the best cliffy evvvah!
I should have known Laurelin Paige would shattered my heart so unaplogeticly.
This book two slayed me, i hurt, i cried, i fall in love, i'm trembling with anger, pain, fear and heart broken in every page of the book.
And that ending! I knew it! But still, the way Laurelin Paige told her story make my jaw drop.
On of the best cliffy evvvah!
June 19, 2021
The cliffie was sublime but I find myself wishing there was a bit more tension between past and present. The deep dive into Cade and Jolie's past was shocking and heartbreaking, unrelentingly so. Unfortunately, the honing of the emotional arc came at a cost to the pacing of the story. I found myself wishing for more present day Jolie, and especially Cade, to break up the horrors they suffered in the past. But knowing Ms. Paige, we better buckle up because Wild Heart will be a high octane journey careening to an HEA Cade and Jolie have more than earned.
July 8, 2021
This second book of the series gives us so many answers about Cade and Jolie's family ties. And Laurelin Paige brought out all the feels with this one. We get more of Cade's backstory and my heart literally hurt for him. As for Jolie, I definitely understand her actions now that some secrets are revealed. I love how strong minded she is, and how she healed after everything that happened in the past. The book ends with yet another jaw dropping cliffhanger that raises a new series of questions in my head. Can't wait for the next installment!
July 7, 2021
Laurelin you have done it again! I thought Wild Rebel was good damn Wild War left me speechless. I had to get myself together before I could attempt to write a review. I’m glad you told the background about Cade and Jolie. I had questions and you damn sure answered them. This book had me understanding some things and questioning others. This book is everything. Hell I really need to what happens next. This book is more than 5 stars! Ever man that owns the agency has a story but damn this is awesome. September can’t get here fast enough.
July 17, 2021
REVENGE WILL BE A DISH BEST SERVED COLD
“We’re going to destroy him, Jolie. I promise. We’ll get him.”
The cliffy shocker in previous book Wild Rebel was a jawdropper that left me desperate for answers in this riveting trilogy. Laurelin Paige has been a fave author of mine since The Fixed Trilogy, which remains my top two romance series of all time. She’s got an addictive knack for unfolding complex romances that draw in a reader with layered surprises, and clever twists. The tragedy, heartbreak, secrets, and betrayal of forbidden love for MCs Cade and Jolie are no different in this romance. How could something so right, go so wrong? Revenge will be a dish best served cold.
Wild War is all about tragically shattered “first love”, reconciliation, and festering revenge. I was glued to the couple’s contentious reunion and past history of teen romance. It was passionate, angst-ridden, and filled with shocking secrets. Cade is changed by it and can’t forgive broken trust. What’s left are sizzling chemistry and a shared plan of revenge, but what ties Cade, Jolie and her evil father together that demands revenge in the present?
Wild War is a wild ride of the present colliding with a past that left me reeling with one revelation after another. The unfolding drama kept stirring the pot with mystery and questions about the pair’s forbidden teen love that still holds secrets, lies, and heartache now that they are twice as old as when they parted BADLY. What happened to them and caused the break-up that fueled Cade’s seething hatred? Can he get past it and ever forgive Jolie? It’s no simple love story or breakup, and WW dives into it all. I was rooting for the revenge scheme, as well the couple. Along with Cade, I needed explanations from Jolie. Her out of the blue appearance in Cade’s life after all this time, his hatred of her, and her big request for his help just stirred the pot some more. Along the way, LP delivered some unexpected “Easter eggs” that were gut-wrenching.
There was so much unresolved tension in this reunited couple, and Jolie remains cryptic about her betrayal of Cade. The pair paid a heavy price for their love, but revenge alone brings them together. All that unresolved baggage was center stage, along with resentment and memories of Jolie’s dad (headmaster of the private school the lovers attended) -- one of the most despicable villains I've read. It all left me reeling and unprepared for yet another cliffy bombshell. Much is yet unresolved about the past and any possibility of a future for the couple, but a showdown is about to explode. How far will this pair go to exact revenge, and have all the surprises been exposed? Can't wait for conclusive WILD HEART.
“I was sure that he could see all of me. All the lonely parts. All the dark parts. All the secret parts. If only he knew how tortured I’d been then. How tortured I was now. How tortured I’d been all the years we’d spent apart, and I’d fantasized of only him.”
“We’re going to destroy him, Jolie. I promise. We’ll get him.”
The cliffy shocker in previous book Wild Rebel was a jawdropper that left me desperate for answers in this riveting trilogy. Laurelin Paige has been a fave author of mine since The Fixed Trilogy, which remains my top two romance series of all time. She’s got an addictive knack for unfolding complex romances that draw in a reader with layered surprises, and clever twists. The tragedy, heartbreak, secrets, and betrayal of forbidden love for MCs Cade and Jolie are no different in this romance. How could something so right, go so wrong? Revenge will be a dish best served cold.
Wild War is all about tragically shattered “first love”, reconciliation, and festering revenge. I was glued to the couple’s contentious reunion and past history of teen romance. It was passionate, angst-ridden, and filled with shocking secrets. Cade is changed by it and can’t forgive broken trust. What’s left are sizzling chemistry and a shared plan of revenge, but what ties Cade, Jolie and her evil father together that demands revenge in the present?
Wild War is a wild ride of the present colliding with a past that left me reeling with one revelation after another. The unfolding drama kept stirring the pot with mystery and questions about the pair’s forbidden teen love that still holds secrets, lies, and heartache now that they are twice as old as when they parted BADLY. What happened to them and caused the break-up that fueled Cade’s seething hatred? Can he get past it and ever forgive Jolie? It’s no simple love story or breakup, and WW dives into it all. I was rooting for the revenge scheme, as well the couple. Along with Cade, I needed explanations from Jolie. Her out of the blue appearance in Cade’s life after all this time, his hatred of her, and her big request for his help just stirred the pot some more. Along the way, LP delivered some unexpected “Easter eggs” that were gut-wrenching.
There was so much unresolved tension in this reunited couple, and Jolie remains cryptic about her betrayal of Cade. The pair paid a heavy price for their love, but revenge alone brings them together. All that unresolved baggage was center stage, along with resentment and memories of Jolie’s dad (headmaster of the private school the lovers attended) -- one of the most despicable villains I've read. It all left me reeling and unprepared for yet another cliffy bombshell. Much is yet unresolved about the past and any possibility of a future for the couple, but a showdown is about to explode. How far will this pair go to exact revenge, and have all the surprises been exposed? Can't wait for conclusive WILD HEART.
“I was sure that he could see all of me. All the lonely parts. All the dark parts. All the secret parts. If only he knew how tortured I’d been then. How tortured I was now. How tortured I’d been all the years we’d spent apart, and I’d fantasized of only him.”
Displaying 1 - 30 of 278 reviews