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Wilder #2
Instant Gratification
In Instant Attraction, Jill Shalvis introduced Cameron, Stone, and T.J.; the sexy, daredevil brothers who run Wilder Adventures. And for Stone Wilder, the thrill of a lifetime is about to arrive in a surprising package. . .
The Doctor Is In Deep
Wishful, California, is 3000 miles from Dr. Emma Sinclair's last job in a New York City ER. It may as well be another galaxy. Here, running her father's clinic for a summer, Emma treats bee stings, stomach flu, and the occasional pet cat. Plus, she has to contend with patients like Stone Wilder: gorgeous, laid-back, and irritating beyond belief. The man laughs at her. A lot. And Emma loathes him. All except that tiny part of her that wants to throw him on her examining table and break every doctor-patient rule in the book. . .
When Stone tries to help Emma learn to loosen up a bit, he pictures white-water rafting or scenic mountain hikes. Not a mind-blowing affair that shakes them both to the core. Emma's sure she has no place in a town like Wishful, but Stone knows different. Emma belongs here - in this town, in his life. And convincing this strong-minded, stubborn, sexy woman of that fact will be a challenge no Wilder man could resist. . .
277 pages, Paperback
First published June 19, 2009
680 people are currently reading
2493 people want to read
About the author
Jill Shalvis
386 books13.8k followersJill Shalvis is a NYT, USA Today, and Amazon Top 100 bestselling author of small-town romance and romcoms, known for big feels, found family, and plenty of shenanigans.
If you love small-town chaos, meddling friends and neighbors, sizzling chemistry, and heroes who fall hard for the one woman they absolutely did not plan on, you’re in the right place. Jill’s books blend laugh-out-loud moments with emotional gut punches, slow-burn tension, and deeply earned happily ever afters.
She writes the stories she loves to read: small-town romance and romantic comedies packed with heart, heat, second chances, grumpy/sunshine sparks, and the kind of found-family vibes that make you want to move right into the pages. Many of her series are perfect for binge-reading, and a number of her books are available in Kindle Unlimited and at major retailers.
When she’s not writing, she’s probably plotting new ways to torture her characters, avoiding laundry, or daydreaming about fictional men and the strong, complicated women who bring them to their knees—and then making them work for it.
You can follow Jill here on Goodreads to keep up with new releases, add her books to your shelves, and discover which small town you want to get lost in next.
If you love small-town chaos, meddling friends and neighbors, sizzling chemistry, and heroes who fall hard for the one woman they absolutely did not plan on, you’re in the right place. Jill’s books blend laugh-out-loud moments with emotional gut punches, slow-burn tension, and deeply earned happily ever afters.
She writes the stories she loves to read: small-town romance and romantic comedies packed with heart, heat, second chances, grumpy/sunshine sparks, and the kind of found-family vibes that make you want to move right into the pages. Many of her series are perfect for binge-reading, and a number of her books are available in Kindle Unlimited and at major retailers.
When she’s not writing, she’s probably plotting new ways to torture her characters, avoiding laundry, or daydreaming about fictional men and the strong, complicated women who bring them to their knees—and then making them work for it.
You can follow Jill here on Goodreads to keep up with new releases, add her books to your shelves, and discover which small town you want to get lost in next.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 447 reviews
May 8, 2017
3 Dr. Evil Stars
*Spoilers*
“By teaching you how to smell the roses. I’m a giver that way. Come on, Emma. Unless you’re too chicken?”
“Kiss me, Stone. Take what you want.”
Instant Gratification is the second book in the Wilder series, and it's all about the middle brother Stone finding love. While this book was a Okay read it wasn't great for me. The heroine Emma drove me crazy. I didn't out right hate her, but I didn't like her either, and the things she did made me wanna shake her. Hard!!
Emma:
I don't even know where to start with all the reasons why I disliked Emma so I guess I will just take it from the top. Emma is a uppity, uptight bitch!!! I thought she was selfish, and rude to her dad even after learning everything she thought bad about her dad was wrong. She was so hot and cold with poor Stone I am shocked he didn't have whiplash. She would be ripping clothes off because she wanted to him so bad then the second the sex was done she was running for the hills. OMG and don't even get me started on how disrespectful it was that she had her guy friend /sex buddy not only staying with her in her home while she was seeing/kinda dating Stone (what ever you wanna call what they had) but that she let him kiss her twice after she started something with Stone. I mean COME ON she kissed another guy I don't give a shit if it was to see if there are any sparks. I wanted to slam my head into a wall when Stone caught her kissing the other guy and just took her excuse and then slept with her! PFFFF!
“You’re right. I’m looking for an excuse to blame you when the truth is, I’m so grateful that you were there that day that I don’t even care why you didn’t tell me. I’m picking a fight because because I’m a coward.”
“Don’t make up an excuse to run away. I don’t need a pretty lie.”
Stone:
Stone is the only saving grace in this book. He was fun, laid back and sweet. He has a big heart and took care of everyone. Some of the things that came out his mouth OMG is Stone sweet. He works so hard to get Emma to loosen up. I really thought he could do so much better than Emma. Just saying!
“Well, here’s a memo for you, life isn’t easy.” “No,” he agreed, sweeping a hand up her back, his smile gone. “Life sure as hell isn’t. But you make of it what you can, and you do your best to enjoy the hell out of it, because it’s the only life you get.”
“Because you were feeling pretty damn relaxed until about two seconds ago, when you realized you were hugging me for all you were worth. That’s when you got all uptight again.”
I didn't really care for Emma and Stone as a couple because I feel like Stone was always working so damn hard just to get her to loosen up and spend a little time with him. She was just like a bitchy wet blanket. I did love the T.J Stone brother moments and I loved the Annie, Nick news. I would have liked to see Katie and Cam again. I missed them a lot in this book. Over all this book was ok but not a great read. It's hard to love a book when you can't stand half of the main couple. Oh well I am on to T.J.'s book.
“You. You offering your heart and soul to everything you do. It changed me. You changed me.”
http://jessicasoverthetopbookobsessio...
*Spoilers*
“By teaching you how to smell the roses. I’m a giver that way. Come on, Emma. Unless you’re too chicken?”
“Kiss me, Stone. Take what you want.”
Instant Gratification is the second book in the Wilder series, and it's all about the middle brother Stone finding love. While this book was a Okay read it wasn't great for me. The heroine Emma drove me crazy. I didn't out right hate her, but I didn't like her either, and the things she did made me wanna shake her. Hard!!
Emma:
I don't even know where to start with all the reasons why I disliked Emma so I guess I will just take it from the top. Emma is a uppity, uptight bitch!!! I thought she was selfish, and rude to her dad even after learning everything she thought bad about her dad was wrong. She was so hot and cold with poor Stone I am shocked he didn't have whiplash. She would be ripping clothes off because she wanted to him so bad then the second the sex was done she was running for the hills. OMG and don't even get me started on how disrespectful it was that she had her guy friend /sex buddy not only staying with her in her home while she was seeing/kinda dating Stone (what ever you wanna call what they had) but that she let him kiss her twice after she started something with Stone. I mean COME ON she kissed another guy I don't give a shit if it was to see if there are any sparks. I wanted to slam my head into a wall when Stone caught her kissing the other guy and just took her excuse and then slept with her! PFFFF!
“You’re right. I’m looking for an excuse to blame you when the truth is, I’m so grateful that you were there that day that I don’t even care why you didn’t tell me. I’m picking a fight because because I’m a coward.”
“Don’t make up an excuse to run away. I don’t need a pretty lie.”
Stone:
Stone is the only saving grace in this book. He was fun, laid back and sweet. He has a big heart and took care of everyone. Some of the things that came out his mouth OMG is Stone sweet. He works so hard to get Emma to loosen up. I really thought he could do so much better than Emma. Just saying!
“Well, here’s a memo for you, life isn’t easy.” “No,” he agreed, sweeping a hand up her back, his smile gone. “Life sure as hell isn’t. But you make of it what you can, and you do your best to enjoy the hell out of it, because it’s the only life you get.”
“Because you were feeling pretty damn relaxed until about two seconds ago, when you realized you were hugging me for all you were worth. That’s when you got all uptight again.”
I didn't really care for Emma and Stone as a couple because I feel like Stone was always working so damn hard just to get her to loosen up and spend a little time with him. She was just like a bitchy wet blanket. I did love the T.J Stone brother moments and I loved the Annie, Nick news. I would have liked to see Katie and Cam again. I missed them a lot in this book. Over all this book was ok but not a great read. It's hard to love a book when you can't stand half of the main couple. Oh well I am on to T.J.'s book.
“You. You offering your heart and soul to everything you do. It changed me. You changed me.”
http://jessicasoverthetopbookobsessio...
August 29, 2015
First, let me get this out of the way: What is with the covers on these books? They are horrendous and do an incredible disservice the stories. First we had
with the very angry looking man sitting on a rock waiting to kick some puppies, and now we have this one. He may look happier than his ‘brother’, but there is something seriously weird and just plain wrong with his freaky black eyes (you probably need to see the full-size to really appreciate this) – creepy.
This series is definitely a prime example of why the old adage “Don’t judge a book by its cover” was created. The covers might be awful, but the stories within are really great and a lot of fun.
We first met the three Wilder brothers in Instant Attraction, and while it’s not strictly necessary to read that one first, I would strongly encourage you to do so, because that’s a great book too and each of the Wilder boys are definitely worth spending time with. Jill Shalvis sure can write a perfect hero. These guys are rugged, manly, funny and genuine – in short, closer to someone you might find in real life that the heroes of most romance novels.
Stone, the middle brother, is the one who takes care of everything that needs looking after – the family, the family business, troubled teens, search and rescue. You name it, he’ll do it. But all this looking after everything and everyone else’s needs doesn’t leave much time for Stone to do things for himself – not that he’s complaining. He loves his family and he loves that his job allows him to work outdoors in the majestic Sierras. It’s just that he wants something that is just for him.
Emma Sinclair is complaining. Her father is recovering from a heart-attack, so she is 3000 miles away from the New York City ER running his small-town clinic for him, and she wants nothing more than to get back there. Stat. Yes, this does sound a little bitchy, and there actually is an element of that in Emma, but her relationship (or lack thereof) with her father is very complicated.
Where Emma is uptight and prickly, Stone is laid-back and friendly. Emma is determined not to find out if opposites attract, while Stone is determined to help Emma loosen up and get the stick out of her arse (BTW, that is almost a direct quote, so if it offends, don’t read this book).
I’m sure if I was so inclined, I could find things to criticise in this story, but I love the way Jill Shalvis writes, especially the humour and dialogue, and I was enjoying myself too much to care if Emma took a while to warm up or that Stone was bordering on being too good to be true and Emma didn’t deserve him.
The Wilder series is that very elusive straight contemporary romance that is not chick lit and is actually really good. I’m glad I found this author and I’m looking forward to reading more from her once I finish TJ’s story in
(with another appalling cover).
with the very angry looking man sitting on a rock waiting to kick some puppies, and now we have this one. He may look happier than his ‘brother’, but there is something seriously weird and just plain wrong with his freaky black eyes (you probably need to see the full-size to really appreciate this) – creepy.This series is definitely a prime example of why the old adage “Don’t judge a book by its cover” was created. The covers might be awful, but the stories within are really great and a lot of fun.
We first met the three Wilder brothers in Instant Attraction, and while it’s not strictly necessary to read that one first, I would strongly encourage you to do so, because that’s a great book too and each of the Wilder boys are definitely worth spending time with. Jill Shalvis sure can write a perfect hero. These guys are rugged, manly, funny and genuine – in short, closer to someone you might find in real life that the heroes of most romance novels.
Stone, the middle brother, is the one who takes care of everything that needs looking after – the family, the family business, troubled teens, search and rescue. You name it, he’ll do it. But all this looking after everything and everyone else’s needs doesn’t leave much time for Stone to do things for himself – not that he’s complaining. He loves his family and he loves that his job allows him to work outdoors in the majestic Sierras. It’s just that he wants something that is just for him.
Emma Sinclair is complaining. Her father is recovering from a heart-attack, so she is 3000 miles away from the New York City ER running his small-town clinic for him, and she wants nothing more than to get back there. Stat. Yes, this does sound a little bitchy, and there actually is an element of that in Emma, but her relationship (or lack thereof) with her father is very complicated.
Where Emma is uptight and prickly, Stone is laid-back and friendly. Emma is determined not to find out if opposites attract, while Stone is determined to help Emma loosen up and get the stick out of her arse (BTW, that is almost a direct quote, so if it offends, don’t read this book).
I’m sure if I was so inclined, I could find things to criticise in this story, but I love the way Jill Shalvis writes, especially the humour and dialogue, and I was enjoying myself too much to care if Emma took a while to warm up or that Stone was bordering on being too good to be true and Emma didn’t deserve him.
The Wilder series is that very elusive straight contemporary romance that is not chick lit and is actually really good. I’m glad I found this author and I’m looking forward to reading more from her once I finish TJ’s story in
(with another appalling cover).
January 7, 2015
4 stars – Contemporary Romance
Instant Gratification is the second book in Shalvis’s Wilder series about three brothers (Cameron, Stone, and T.J.) who own/run Wilder Adventures and Expeditions, an extreme tours/sports adventure company, in the town of Wishful, California in the Sierra Mountains. The three sexy, rugged outdoorsmen, extreme sport enthusiasts, and playful mountain bums also happen to be the small town’s most eligible bachelors and notorious playboys.
Stone, the middle brother, is the family peacekeeper, the glue that holds the Wilder business together, and the all around good guy. He puts his own dream of restoring historical buildings on hold to manage the family business, volunteers with the local search and rescue team, and mentors foster kids. He’s a total dream beta hero: sweet, fun, flirtatious, caring, sensitive, loyal, and sexy as all get out! Stone is flat-out the best thing about the book, and it’s too bad that the heroine is an anal, uptight, frigid, and whiny Miss Prissy Pants who pushes him away and treats him like dirt most of the time.
Emma is a powerhouse ER doctor from New York who comes back to her hometown of Wishful to run her estranged father’s emergency clinic while he recovers from a heart attack and is unable to carry on as the town’s good ole’ Doc. Of course, she resents every minute of it and can’t seem to adjust to the small town way of life...patients who pay for their services in casseroles and gossip...outrageous! Emma longs to get back to her fast paced job and important big city life, complete with Starbucks and Thai take-out. There were some aspects of this story that reminded me a little of Robyn Carr’s Virgin River, but it’s not nearly as good.
I’m a fan of author Jill Shalvis and loved the first book, Instant Attraction, in the Wilder series, so I had high hopes and expectations for this one. Although it’s a pleasant enough read and a nice, steamy contemporary romance with a super dreamboat hero, it just didn’t have quite the same zing or humor as the previous book. I think the main reason I didn’t like it as much is that I spent almost the entire book wanting to slap some serious sense into Emma (or for her to just get lost in the woods or take a 'hike' so that Stone could find someone who actually appreciated what an amazing man he is). I just couldn’t fathom his attraction and heartfelt devotion to her, but I guess sometimes in real life there are hot, practically-near-perfect guys who date/marry frosty cold b*tches that leave us befuddled as to what they see in them and wondering how the hell they wound up together. And Emma does warm and wise up towards the end, but for me, it was a little too late.
Overall, it’s a good contemporary romance and an enjoyable read with a very yummy, “gratifying” beta hero. I’ll definitely read the next book, Instant Temptation, which is T.J.’s story and set for release April’2010. 4 stars!
Instant Gratification is the second book in Shalvis’s Wilder series about three brothers (Cameron, Stone, and T.J.) who own/run Wilder Adventures and Expeditions, an extreme tours/sports adventure company, in the town of Wishful, California in the Sierra Mountains. The three sexy, rugged outdoorsmen, extreme sport enthusiasts, and playful mountain bums also happen to be the small town’s most eligible bachelors and notorious playboys.
Stone, the middle brother, is the family peacekeeper, the glue that holds the Wilder business together, and the all around good guy. He puts his own dream of restoring historical buildings on hold to manage the family business, volunteers with the local search and rescue team, and mentors foster kids. He’s a total dream beta hero: sweet, fun, flirtatious, caring, sensitive, loyal, and sexy as all get out! Stone is flat-out the best thing about the book, and it’s too bad that the heroine is an anal, uptight, frigid, and whiny Miss Prissy Pants who pushes him away and treats him like dirt most of the time.
Emma is a powerhouse ER doctor from New York who comes back to her hometown of Wishful to run her estranged father’s emergency clinic while he recovers from a heart attack and is unable to carry on as the town’s good ole’ Doc. Of course, she resents every minute of it and can’t seem to adjust to the small town way of life...patients who pay for their services in casseroles and gossip...outrageous! Emma longs to get back to her fast paced job and important big city life, complete with Starbucks and Thai take-out. There were some aspects of this story that reminded me a little of Robyn Carr’s Virgin River, but it’s not nearly as good.
I’m a fan of author Jill Shalvis and loved the first book, Instant Attraction, in the Wilder series, so I had high hopes and expectations for this one. Although it’s a pleasant enough read and a nice, steamy contemporary romance with a super dreamboat hero, it just didn’t have quite the same zing or humor as the previous book. I think the main reason I didn’t like it as much is that I spent almost the entire book wanting to slap some serious sense into Emma (or for her to just get lost in the woods or take a 'hike' so that Stone could find someone who actually appreciated what an amazing man he is). I just couldn’t fathom his attraction and heartfelt devotion to her, but I guess sometimes in real life there are hot, practically-near-perfect guys who date/marry frosty cold b*tches that leave us befuddled as to what they see in them and wondering how the hell they wound up together. And Emma does warm and wise up towards the end, but for me, it was a little too late.
Overall, it’s a good contemporary romance and an enjoyable read with a very yummy, “gratifying” beta hero. I’ll definitely read the next book, Instant Temptation, which is T.J.’s story and set for release April’2010. 4 stars!
July 31, 2009
So the guy on the cover looks like he is saying, “Come here, baby, I’ve got a secret”. It took me a while to block him out of my head and replace him with my mental image of the hero. The guy on the cover of the first in this series, Instant Gratification, looked angry and constipated. I don’t know what they are going for, but it’s not working for me. However, cover model exasperation aside, this is a good series!
Stone is my favorite Beta man. Ahhh, Stone, that is one of the sexiest hero names I’ve come across in awhile. He’s the middle brother of three that run a wilderness adventure lodge. He’s the organized brother. He keeps everything running smoothly. However, recently he’s realizing this isn’t enough for him. His true passion is remodeling and flipping real-estate. He keeps this to himself (of course), because he’s got to run the family business.
Emma is a NYC doctor that has come to the small town in the Sierras to run her doctor fathers’ clinic while he recuperates from a heart attack. She is very trying on This Reader’s patience. She’s a classic Ice Queen. She is all business and quite honestly a mean bitch. Stone describes early on as Dr. Evil. I’d agree with him. She hates being in the small town, she resents her father for her having to come here, she’s pissed at herself because she is attracted to Stone and he is not her type. For some reason Stone likes her and tries to get her to loosen up and this is not an easy task. Emma tries to keep herself closed off because she practically has one foot out the door. She’s antsy to get back to her life. More than once, after they have some kind of intimacy, she gets up, and dresses and stomps off and leaves him because she can’t handle feelings. I was thinking she’s like the female version of that Alpha that I don’t really like, but the woman always softens him up. In this one Stone does attempts the softening.
Will Stone realize his dream of remodeling old buildings? Will Emma stay? Will Stone leave with her? Will she flat out dump him? You’ve got to read it to see. I really like Ms. Shalvis' humor and I can't wait for the third book!
Stone is my favorite Beta man. Ahhh, Stone, that is one of the sexiest hero names I’ve come across in awhile. He’s the middle brother of three that run a wilderness adventure lodge. He’s the organized brother. He keeps everything running smoothly. However, recently he’s realizing this isn’t enough for him. His true passion is remodeling and flipping real-estate. He keeps this to himself (of course), because he’s got to run the family business.
Emma is a NYC doctor that has come to the small town in the Sierras to run her doctor fathers’ clinic while he recuperates from a heart attack. She is very trying on This Reader’s patience. She’s a classic Ice Queen. She is all business and quite honestly a mean bitch. Stone describes early on as Dr. Evil. I’d agree with him. She hates being in the small town, she resents her father for her having to come here, she’s pissed at herself because she is attracted to Stone and he is not her type. For some reason Stone likes her and tries to get her to loosen up and this is not an easy task. Emma tries to keep herself closed off because she practically has one foot out the door. She’s antsy to get back to her life. More than once, after they have some kind of intimacy, she gets up, and dresses and stomps off and leaves him because she can’t handle feelings. I was thinking she’s like the female version of that Alpha that I don’t really like, but the woman always softens him up. In this one Stone does attempts the softening.
Will Stone realize his dream of remodeling old buildings? Will Emma stay? Will Stone leave with her? Will she flat out dump him? You’ve got to read it to see. I really like Ms. Shalvis' humor and I can't wait for the third book!
May 15, 2011
You’re easy enough to hold on to, Emma.” Evidenced by the way he was holding onto her. “You just get restless and anal and uptight, and scare them all off.”
Emma Sinclair is defined by the above words. She likes being in control and has her whole life structured. She grew up in New York and only came back because her dad the town doc needs her to run his place until he gets better but things are not always what they seem. Emma has always considered herself a city-girl and at first she is confounded by small town living, how people pay her off with food and how everyone looks at her not as a doctor but her father's baby. She in annoyed by it but slowly she changes. When Stone asks her what she misses about NY as she constantly says she has to go back she can't come up with anything. Her entire life things have come easy to her even med school and she is competitive but she slowly starts seeing her follies, how her bedside manner sucks, how scared she is of getting in deeper in relationships and how wrong she was about her father. He never abandoned her and instead fought for her, but it was her mother that stood in the way. Seeing all her pre-conceived notions blow away was great.
Stone is the middle Wilder, the peace-maker. Emma thinks he is very laid-back at first and then realizes how much more there is to him. He is there for people, be it his family or the orphans he tries to mentor, he not a mountain-bum at all. It was hilarious to see how scared Stone was of needles and the family interactions were great as well. Emma's friend Spencer comes to town as well and falls for Serena(she is Cam's ex). Annie and Nick are having a baby as well.
One of the best scenes was when Stone is trying to make Emma relax and both are in the water about to get hot and heavy and in walks TJ.
I love this series totally.
Emma Sinclair is defined by the above words. She likes being in control and has her whole life structured. She grew up in New York and only came back because her dad the town doc needs her to run his place until he gets better but things are not always what they seem. Emma has always considered herself a city-girl and at first she is confounded by small town living, how people pay her off with food and how everyone looks at her not as a doctor but her father's baby. She in annoyed by it but slowly she changes. When Stone asks her what she misses about NY as she constantly says she has to go back she can't come up with anything. Her entire life things have come easy to her even med school and she is competitive but she slowly starts seeing her follies, how her bedside manner sucks, how scared she is of getting in deeper in relationships and how wrong she was about her father. He never abandoned her and instead fought for her, but it was her mother that stood in the way. Seeing all her pre-conceived notions blow away was great.
Stone is the middle Wilder, the peace-maker. Emma thinks he is very laid-back at first and then realizes how much more there is to him. He is there for people, be it his family or the orphans he tries to mentor, he not a mountain-bum at all. It was hilarious to see how scared Stone was of needles and the family interactions were great as well. Emma's friend Spencer comes to town as well and falls for Serena(she is Cam's ex). Annie and Nick are having a baby as well.
One of the best scenes was when Stone is trying to make Emma relax and both are in the water about to get hot and heavy and in walks TJ.
I love this series totally.
October 14, 2010
Awe Stone! How cute are you. Such the middle child trying to pacify everyone, even the woman you meet who you don't think you like (but you do... it'll just take you some time to realize it). If the cover-you wasn't so odd looking (computer generated?) I would have a huge crush on ya.
October 12, 2020
2.5 stars really
After having a bad run in reading contemporary romance novels before this one, I was actually quite relieved to find myself enjoying the first 5 chapters of this book. Unfortunately, after chapter 5, the book went down for me.
Sorry for the spoilers, but I have to include them to fully express why I didn’t like this book.
What I liked about the book – a great hero and heroine
In fairness, I really love the heroine (Emma). I really empathized with Emma and admired her resilience and strength despite the difficulty of growing up with parents who were very incompatible, ie a bossy, strong, very ambitious, city-girl Mom and a laid back, disorganised, outdoorsy type of Dad. I loved how she still cared for her Dad even though he was an absentee father for most of her life, and stayed loyal to her Mom despite all the “negative” stuff she learned about her.
Stone, meanwhile, was a hero worth swooning over too.
I loved the circumstances on how these two met and really laughed when Stone had to help Emma deliver a baby out on a wilderness trail. I was really ready to enjoy this book for a change, but then the next chapters became a bit too painful. Well, maybe not all the chapters... the sexy bits were kind of hot...
What I didn’t like about this book – the curse of the evil big city strikes again
Overall, what I really didn’t like about the book is that it’s another one of those romances set in a small town where again another author gives a very polarising/black and white view about the small town lifestyle/culture versus living in the big city. Basically, it’s like this:
Big city living and big city folk = BAD
Small town living and small town folk = GOOD
I am really getting sick of this polarising set-up for romance stories, particularly since I have lived and visited in both settings, and the reality is that there are both good and bad sides to both. It is kind of annoying that authors like Jill Shalvis only show the idyllic/good side of a small town like Wishful. Granted, she tried balancing it with the harsh weather/climate conditions which partially drove Emma’s Mom to leave and head back to NYC, but even so, given that Emma’s Mom was portrayed more as the “bad parent” (and she kind of represented the Big City life/folk in this book), you can clearly see the author’s bias against living in the big city.
The one-dimensional portrayal of Emma’s parents is an example of this polarising. All throughout the book, the small town folk only viewed Emma’s Mom as the “evil parent”, ie 1) she left Emma’s Dad and took Emma with her; 2) she made sure Emma’s Dad had little contact with Emma; 3) she hated Emma’s Dad for his lack of ambition; 4) she asked Emma’s Dad to pay for Emma’s medical studies tuition but didn’t bother telling Emma about this, and also because of this act, her Dad didn’t have any money left for his retirement and had to take out a second mortgage.
But so far no one in the town seemed to understand that: 1) Emma’s Mom had been willing to give up her life in the city for several years to be with Emma’s Dad whom she fell in love with at 19. However, no one noticed that the Dad didn’t even try doing the same, giving up his life for a while in Wishful and live with his wife and daughter in the city; 2) The mother had to work long hours as a registered nurse to support herself and her daughter. Note it wasn’t very clearly established that the Dad was providing child support; 3) She was a “tiger Mom” to Emma because she wanted to ensure she becomes a doctor. Was that so bad given that in the end even Emma’s Dad was proud that she too went into the same profession? Given his propensity to be so laid back, I greatly wonder if Emma would have pursued medicine if he raised her; 4) For a woman who wanted to independently raise her daughter, it must have been difficult to ask help from her ex-husband to pay the tuition for Emma’s medical studies. However, as a father mostly absent and not even providing child support, surely he does kind of owe Emma that support. I even question why the Dad didn’t even try saving early or setting up a trust for his only daughter to ensure she would be able to go to med school or any other college studies in the future... But I suppose if you are so laid back, happy to accept casseroles as payment for medical services without thinking that you have a family or at least just a daughter to support, it is unlikely you will be planning for your daughter’s future needs at all; 5) She may have barred her ex from seeing his daughter, but wait, did he try fighting this behaviour through the courts or by trying to be assertive? Nope. When Emma became more of an adult and her Mom died, did he make any attempts to be closer? Nope.
Overall, despite his shortcomings, it is the Dad who is always shown to be the “martyr” parent for most of the book. I can’t help but wonder if the Dad relishes this role. I mean, he seems ok with letting people in the town know about his marital problems, financial and even health problems, but he can’t seem to say anything to his daughter, so in the end the daughter ends up looking like the “ungrateful” daughter to the town folk (along with her “bitchy” mother).
It wasn’t just the contrast between parents that brought home the “evil big city versus good small town” vibe of this book, but what really pissed me off was that the author even contrasted medical doctors working in small towns versus those working in the city. Towards the end of the book when Emma realised the value of practicing as a medical doctor in a small town, the author made Emma state something about how being a doctor in the big city meant she was just “a dime in a dozen”, compared to a doctor in the small town being “irreplaceable”. Wow! It seems that in the author’s attempt to vindicate the important work/contribution a small town doctor does, it was necessary for her to give such an insulting remark about doctors working in the city. Perhaps I am biased because I have a brother, relatives and many friends who had worked long shifts as doctors in the city, but I thought making such a statement is sooo uncalled for! What is the author trying to imply? Because city doctors have replacements, their work is negligible? That they are not as important/valuable as a small town doctor? (Actually, when I see how long these doctors work in the city and the volume sometimes of patients they have to attend to, I wish there were dozens of them so that patients are given better care and that the doctors themselves can have a life.) I also question whether a doctor like Emma would even make such a statement. Surely, as a real doctor, she would actually appreciate the higher volumes of patients in the city as it would give her the opportunity to sharpen her skills, increase her medical knowledge and be a better doctor for other patients. (I mean wouldn’t you be more confident with a pilot with more flight time and more experience? So similarly, you’d feel the same way about a doctor with skills sharpened due to treating a wider variety and great number of patients.)
While the author did portray Emma’s Dad as a good caring doctor who genuinely cares for the folks in the town, I do question his medical skills and experience given the limited number of cases he looks at and I really wonder if he even was trying to upgrade his skills (I think I recall that in his clinic, his equipment weren’t all that upgraded).
Another cliché, but questionable HEA
I know a lot of readers won’t agree with me, but why is it always necessary for romances like these to end with the heroine giving up their lives or the career they built up to be with their man, even if the hero (like Stone) was willing to give up his life and follow her anyway? Honestly, I am not particularly that convinced Emma will be happy living in Wishful in the long term. Why?
For starters, for all his “martyric facade”, I thought the Dad was as manipulative as Emma’s Mom in bringing her there and actually making her feel guilty for not staying (initially). I also question his assertion that that Emma “was losing her soul/joy” in the city because of the work she had there. On what basis is he making this assertion? And how could he even assert this when he had not made the effort to know her in the past? The way I see it, Emma’s depressed/lonely/unhappy/”unwilling to give” state is more the product of being caught in between two incompatible parents. She didn’t have to be an ER doctor for the rest of her life and work long hours. She could have chosen a specialisation in medicine that was “less” stressful, where she could dictate the hours or have more time for herself even if she lived in the city (my cousin doctors are living examples of this as are other real doctors). But she didn’t do this, and it’s quite obvious she continued working the long hours, because she had no family (again Dad made no effort even after her Mom died) or made the effort to make friends. If she ended up having a meaningful relationship with Spencer or if Stone resided in New York, can one still conclude it is her job or the city “crushing her soul”? Honestly, when the endorphins for Stone had faded a bit, I wonder -- would she be like her Mom and want to move back to NYC? For all we know, the ending of this book could simply be like the story of Emma’s Mom when she had just moved into Wishful to be with Emma’s Dad.
Townfolks that ain’t so nice and the mystery of that Thai dish
Finally, what’s so great about the small town folk of Wishful? Emma takes over her Dad’s practice, but no one seems to respect her in the beginning. They resent her for charging, but hey they’re very much aware of her Dad’s financial problems. If they are really “nice” as opposed to be just plain “nosy”, surely they should be making the effort to pay him because you can’t run a business or pay mortgage by just accepting casseroles! (And as shown, some of them actually have the ability to pay but don’t anyway!)
Lastly, how did one of the senior patients (Missy) actually manage to make a tom yum soup (casserole?) for Emma? Do they have an Asian store in Wishful? I actually come from Southeast Asia and since I know the ingredients for tom yum soup, I know they’re not exactly the easiest to come by if you don’t have an Asian store that’s well stocked. I really wonder how she made it and what she used to make that Thai dish. Of course, I could be wrong, but Wishful didn’t strike me as a town with a big Asian population to make it viable for an Asian store to be open there.
Will I read another Jill Shalvis or recommend this book?
I’m currently reading another book which is part of another series by her. But I’m not sure if I’ll recommend this book. I’m biased though. I’m really not a big fan of these “small town vs big city” type of romances and the negative remark about city doctors just annoyed me!
After having a bad run in reading contemporary romance novels before this one, I was actually quite relieved to find myself enjoying the first 5 chapters of this book. Unfortunately, after chapter 5, the book went down for me.
Sorry for the spoilers, but I have to include them to fully express why I didn’t like this book.
What I liked about the book – a great hero and heroine
In fairness, I really love the heroine (Emma). I really empathized with Emma and admired her resilience and strength despite the difficulty of growing up with parents who were very incompatible, ie a bossy, strong, very ambitious, city-girl Mom and a laid back, disorganised, outdoorsy type of Dad. I loved how she still cared for her Dad even though he was an absentee father for most of her life, and stayed loyal to her Mom despite all the “negative” stuff she learned about her.
Stone, meanwhile, was a hero worth swooning over too.
I loved the circumstances on how these two met and really laughed when Stone had to help Emma deliver a baby out on a wilderness trail. I was really ready to enjoy this book for a change, but then the next chapters became a bit too painful. Well, maybe not all the chapters... the sexy bits were kind of hot...
What I didn’t like about this book – the curse of the evil big city strikes again
Overall, what I really didn’t like about the book is that it’s another one of those romances set in a small town where again another author gives a very polarising/black and white view about the small town lifestyle/culture versus living in the big city. Basically, it’s like this:
Big city living and big city folk = BAD
Small town living and small town folk = GOOD
I am really getting sick of this polarising set-up for romance stories, particularly since I have lived and visited in both settings, and the reality is that there are both good and bad sides to both. It is kind of annoying that authors like Jill Shalvis only show the idyllic/good side of a small town like Wishful. Granted, she tried balancing it with the harsh weather/climate conditions which partially drove Emma’s Mom to leave and head back to NYC, but even so, given that Emma’s Mom was portrayed more as the “bad parent” (and she kind of represented the Big City life/folk in this book), you can clearly see the author’s bias against living in the big city.
The one-dimensional portrayal of Emma’s parents is an example of this polarising. All throughout the book, the small town folk only viewed Emma’s Mom as the “evil parent”, ie 1) she left Emma’s Dad and took Emma with her; 2) she made sure Emma’s Dad had little contact with Emma; 3) she hated Emma’s Dad for his lack of ambition; 4) she asked Emma’s Dad to pay for Emma’s medical studies tuition but didn’t bother telling Emma about this, and also because of this act, her Dad didn’t have any money left for his retirement and had to take out a second mortgage.
But so far no one in the town seemed to understand that: 1) Emma’s Mom had been willing to give up her life in the city for several years to be with Emma’s Dad whom she fell in love with at 19. However, no one noticed that the Dad didn’t even try doing the same, giving up his life for a while in Wishful and live with his wife and daughter in the city; 2) The mother had to work long hours as a registered nurse to support herself and her daughter. Note it wasn’t very clearly established that the Dad was providing child support; 3) She was a “tiger Mom” to Emma because she wanted to ensure she becomes a doctor. Was that so bad given that in the end even Emma’s Dad was proud that she too went into the same profession? Given his propensity to be so laid back, I greatly wonder if Emma would have pursued medicine if he raised her; 4) For a woman who wanted to independently raise her daughter, it must have been difficult to ask help from her ex-husband to pay the tuition for Emma’s medical studies. However, as a father mostly absent and not even providing child support, surely he does kind of owe Emma that support. I even question why the Dad didn’t even try saving early or setting up a trust for his only daughter to ensure she would be able to go to med school or any other college studies in the future... But I suppose if you are so laid back, happy to accept casseroles as payment for medical services without thinking that you have a family or at least just a daughter to support, it is unlikely you will be planning for your daughter’s future needs at all; 5) She may have barred her ex from seeing his daughter, but wait, did he try fighting this behaviour through the courts or by trying to be assertive? Nope. When Emma became more of an adult and her Mom died, did he make any attempts to be closer? Nope.
Overall, despite his shortcomings, it is the Dad who is always shown to be the “martyr” parent for most of the book. I can’t help but wonder if the Dad relishes this role. I mean, he seems ok with letting people in the town know about his marital problems, financial and even health problems, but he can’t seem to say anything to his daughter, so in the end the daughter ends up looking like the “ungrateful” daughter to the town folk (along with her “bitchy” mother).
It wasn’t just the contrast between parents that brought home the “evil big city versus good small town” vibe of this book, but what really pissed me off was that the author even contrasted medical doctors working in small towns versus those working in the city. Towards the end of the book when Emma realised the value of practicing as a medical doctor in a small town, the author made Emma state something about how being a doctor in the big city meant she was just “a dime in a dozen”, compared to a doctor in the small town being “irreplaceable”. Wow! It seems that in the author’s attempt to vindicate the important work/contribution a small town doctor does, it was necessary for her to give such an insulting remark about doctors working in the city. Perhaps I am biased because I have a brother, relatives and many friends who had worked long shifts as doctors in the city, but I thought making such a statement is sooo uncalled for! What is the author trying to imply? Because city doctors have replacements, their work is negligible? That they are not as important/valuable as a small town doctor? (Actually, when I see how long these doctors work in the city and the volume sometimes of patients they have to attend to, I wish there were dozens of them so that patients are given better care and that the doctors themselves can have a life.) I also question whether a doctor like Emma would even make such a statement. Surely, as a real doctor, she would actually appreciate the higher volumes of patients in the city as it would give her the opportunity to sharpen her skills, increase her medical knowledge and be a better doctor for other patients. (I mean wouldn’t you be more confident with a pilot with more flight time and more experience? So similarly, you’d feel the same way about a doctor with skills sharpened due to treating a wider variety and great number of patients.)
While the author did portray Emma’s Dad as a good caring doctor who genuinely cares for the folks in the town, I do question his medical skills and experience given the limited number of cases he looks at and I really wonder if he even was trying to upgrade his skills (I think I recall that in his clinic, his equipment weren’t all that upgraded).
Another cliché, but questionable HEA
I know a lot of readers won’t agree with me, but why is it always necessary for romances like these to end with the heroine giving up their lives or the career they built up to be with their man, even if the hero (like Stone) was willing to give up his life and follow her anyway? Honestly, I am not particularly that convinced Emma will be happy living in Wishful in the long term. Why?
For starters, for all his “martyric facade”, I thought the Dad was as manipulative as Emma’s Mom in bringing her there and actually making her feel guilty for not staying (initially). I also question his assertion that that Emma “was losing her soul/joy” in the city because of the work she had there. On what basis is he making this assertion? And how could he even assert this when he had not made the effort to know her in the past? The way I see it, Emma’s depressed/lonely/unhappy/”unwilling to give” state is more the product of being caught in between two incompatible parents. She didn’t have to be an ER doctor for the rest of her life and work long hours. She could have chosen a specialisation in medicine that was “less” stressful, where she could dictate the hours or have more time for herself even if she lived in the city (my cousin doctors are living examples of this as are other real doctors). But she didn’t do this, and it’s quite obvious she continued working the long hours, because she had no family (again Dad made no effort even after her Mom died) or made the effort to make friends. If she ended up having a meaningful relationship with Spencer or if Stone resided in New York, can one still conclude it is her job or the city “crushing her soul”? Honestly, when the endorphins for Stone had faded a bit, I wonder -- would she be like her Mom and want to move back to NYC? For all we know, the ending of this book could simply be like the story of Emma’s Mom when she had just moved into Wishful to be with Emma’s Dad.
Townfolks that ain’t so nice and the mystery of that Thai dish
Finally, what’s so great about the small town folk of Wishful? Emma takes over her Dad’s practice, but no one seems to respect her in the beginning. They resent her for charging, but hey they’re very much aware of her Dad’s financial problems. If they are really “nice” as opposed to be just plain “nosy”, surely they should be making the effort to pay him because you can’t run a business or pay mortgage by just accepting casseroles! (And as shown, some of them actually have the ability to pay but don’t anyway!)
Lastly, how did one of the senior patients (Missy) actually manage to make a tom yum soup (casserole?) for Emma? Do they have an Asian store in Wishful? I actually come from Southeast Asia and since I know the ingredients for tom yum soup, I know they’re not exactly the easiest to come by if you don’t have an Asian store that’s well stocked. I really wonder how she made it and what she used to make that Thai dish. Of course, I could be wrong, but Wishful didn’t strike me as a town with a big Asian population to make it viable for an Asian store to be open there.
Will I read another Jill Shalvis or recommend this book?
I’m currently reading another book which is part of another series by her. But I’m not sure if I’ll recommend this book. I’m biased though. I’m really not a big fan of these “small town vs big city” type of romances and the negative remark about city doctors just annoyed me!
August 30, 2018
Looking forward to TJ's story next :)
December 19, 2014
Originally posted at The Book Nympho
INSTANT GRATIFICATION is the second book in Jill Shalvis' Wilder series about three brothers that share the same last name. This time around we get middle brother, Stone's story.
Dr. Emma is uptight and only in Wishful for a short time (so she thinks) to run her father's practice while he recovers from a heart attack. Emma is use to running an ER in New York and the very slow pace of Wishful is driving her nuts. But not as nuts as the sexy Stone.
Stone is the glue that keeps the Wilder family together. He's the peace keeper, the one that does all the things the others don't want to do like the paperwork for Wilder Adventures and he's sexy as hell. And he can't wait to get Dr. Emma to loosen up and see what kind of fun they could have together.
Emma and Stone dance around each other for a while but once they start dancing together they really heat of the "pages" of INSTANT GRATIFICATION. If you're looking for a romance where the guy is an alpha outdoorsman and the gal is a city girl who needs a little dirtying up then you need to check out INSTANT GRATIFICATION by Jill Shalvis.
Narration:
Liisa Ivary's narration is growing on me. Liisa does an excellent job with the male voices and she manages to change her voice for the females characters where her non-dialogue voice is different, instead of it being the same as the heroine's which it is nice. I still think that Liisa's voice sounds a little too mature for these younger couples but that's something I'm willing to over look. I can't wait to listen to the next book, INSTANT TEMPTATION.
INSTANT GRATIFICATION is the second book in Jill Shalvis' Wilder series about three brothers that share the same last name. This time around we get middle brother, Stone's story.Dr. Emma is uptight and only in Wishful for a short time (so she thinks) to run her father's practice while he recovers from a heart attack. Emma is use to running an ER in New York and the very slow pace of Wishful is driving her nuts. But not as nuts as the sexy Stone.
Stone is the glue that keeps the Wilder family together. He's the peace keeper, the one that does all the things the others don't want to do like the paperwork for Wilder Adventures and he's sexy as hell. And he can't wait to get Dr. Emma to loosen up and see what kind of fun they could have together.
Emma and Stone dance around each other for a while but once they start dancing together they really heat of the "pages" of INSTANT GRATIFICATION. If you're looking for a romance where the guy is an alpha outdoorsman and the gal is a city girl who needs a little dirtying up then you need to check out INSTANT GRATIFICATION by Jill Shalvis.
Narration:
Liisa Ivary's narration is growing on me. Liisa does an excellent job with the male voices and she manages to change her voice for the females characters where her non-dialogue voice is different, instead of it being the same as the heroine's which it is nice. I still think that Liisa's voice sounds a little too mature for these younger couples but that's something I'm willing to over look. I can't wait to listen to the next book, INSTANT TEMPTATION.
August 31, 2018
3.5
Two months ago, Dr. Emma Sinclair came to Wishful, California ,to temporarily run her father's clinic, while he recover from a heart attack. They aren't close. In fact, she didn't see him often growing up. But when he called, she answered. It's certainly a big change of pace from her stressful life, but still, she can't wait to be back in New York. But that was before one of the Wilder brothers helped her pass the time, always ending up injured. What is it about him that she find so attractive when she doesn't even like laid-back and wild men ?
Stone Wilder may be an easygoing kind of guy, but he's also the middle child, the one who kept the family glued. Raised by an aunt that wasn't that much older than them, the Wilder sometimes took different path, but they're now working together at their expedition company that offer outdoor adventures. When he meet the cute but prickly and uptight new doctor, he decide it's his job to make her loosen up and to make her see he's not the mountain bum she think he is.
If this keeps up, by the end of the year, I will have reread all the Jill Shalvis :) Can't help myself, her books bring me so much joy, fun and satisfaction. This one is not one of my fav, but even her "not best work" is great. It's probably due to the heroine attitude's of hard work, no play and that she was too judgmental at first. It's sad that I couldn't appreciated more her closed off personality because I can relate to this more than the sweet heroines but isn't it great anyway to see this kind of characters learn to open their heart :p
Once again, I can't finish this review without saying how much I love these new covers !
Two months ago, Dr. Emma Sinclair came to Wishful, California ,to temporarily run her father's clinic, while he recover from a heart attack. They aren't close. In fact, she didn't see him often growing up. But when he called, she answered. It's certainly a big change of pace from her stressful life, but still, she can't wait to be back in New York. But that was before one of the Wilder brothers helped her pass the time, always ending up injured. What is it about him that she find so attractive when she doesn't even like laid-back and wild men ?
Stone Wilder may be an easygoing kind of guy, but he's also the middle child, the one who kept the family glued. Raised by an aunt that wasn't that much older than them, the Wilder sometimes took different path, but they're now working together at their expedition company that offer outdoor adventures. When he meet the cute but prickly and uptight new doctor, he decide it's his job to make her loosen up and to make her see he's not the mountain bum she think he is.
If this keeps up, by the end of the year, I will have reread all the Jill Shalvis :) Can't help myself, her books bring me so much joy, fun and satisfaction. This one is not one of my fav, but even her "not best work" is great. It's probably due to the heroine attitude's of hard work, no play and that she was too judgmental at first. It's sad that I couldn't appreciated more her closed off personality because I can relate to this more than the sweet heroines but isn't it great anyway to see this kind of characters learn to open their heart :p
Once again, I can't finish this review without saying how much I love these new covers !
July 28, 2016
I liked this so much more than the first book in the series! Which I wasn't completely expecting, because book 3 is the one I've been looking forward to, but this was very good.
I love how uncomplicated Stone is and that for once, it wasn't the guy who had reservations about starting a relationship/realising he has feelings that go deeper than basic attraction. I loved that it was Emma who was unsure here, and honestly had no idea what to do with her feelings given that she was always going to leave and go back to her life. They're both great characters - not to mention the excellent cast of supporting characters, but I already loved those in book 1, that was never the problem - but really, Stone is what made me enjoy this so much.
Here's hoping TJ and Harley's book will grab me just as much.
I love how uncomplicated Stone is and that for once, it wasn't the guy who had reservations about starting a relationship/realising he has feelings that go deeper than basic attraction. I loved that it was Emma who was unsure here, and honestly had no idea what to do with her feelings given that she was always going to leave and go back to her life. They're both great characters - not to mention the excellent cast of supporting characters, but I already loved those in book 1, that was never the problem - but really, Stone is what made me enjoy this so much.
Here's hoping TJ and Harley's book will grab me just as much.
March 22, 2020
These are such cute, feel good books. Be aware, it is on the spicy side in places.
December 9, 2012
Posted on Under the Covers
I haz a new boyfriend and his name is Stone Wilder! Jill Shalvis really needs to stop writing these awesome heroes. I literally have no space left to list them in my harem. It’s really no wonder why I get errors every time I try to add and save a new entry in my harem, it’s gotten way too long and it seems that a substantial amount are Jill Shalvis’s men. Stone Wilder is a dream! With his athletic bod and that killer charm, I’m completely helpless to his easy-going ways.
In contrast, Shalvis introduces readers to a heroine who likes to have her life on a tight leash. Dr. Emma Sinclair is stuck in Wishful, California taking over her father’s clinic for the summer. Not the type to rock the muddy boots and hit the trails, Emma is more comfortable in her high heels with a cup of Starbucks in her hand. But unfortunately, for the time being, she needs to be here in Wishful, dealing with one of the Wilder brothers who seems to keep getting injured because of his stubborn ways.
INSTANT GRATIFICATION opens with a very cute scene where Stone has been hurt while “being attacked at a bar by three ladies”. TJ, the youngest Wilder brother hauls Stone to se Dr. Emma to get patched up. Naturally, Shalvis’ comedic tendencies shine through in every way. Humor fills the dialogue and just nine pages into this book, she had me laughing out loud and grinning from ear-to-ear.
There is explosive chemistry between Stone and Emma, but because of Emma’s personality, it takes awhile to really see her let loose. I believe some of the romance stalled because of Emma’s non-trusting ways, but as I said, Stone is a dream and he chips away at her until he can see the warm, liquid center beneath the hard shell. Emma kind of reminds me of Tara from The Sweetest Thing a bit.
All in all, Shalvis did a great job of building a relationship even when Emma wasn’t ready for one. It just shows how love can happen when you least expect it. I think it’s a perfect Christmas gift for anyone who enjoys small-town romances, a little adventure and lots of humor and heart.
*Review Copy provided by publisher
I haz a new boyfriend and his name is Stone Wilder! Jill Shalvis really needs to stop writing these awesome heroes. I literally have no space left to list them in my harem. It’s really no wonder why I get errors every time I try to add and save a new entry in my harem, it’s gotten way too long and it seems that a substantial amount are Jill Shalvis’s men. Stone Wilder is a dream! With his athletic bod and that killer charm, I’m completely helpless to his easy-going ways.
In contrast, Shalvis introduces readers to a heroine who likes to have her life on a tight leash. Dr. Emma Sinclair is stuck in Wishful, California taking over her father’s clinic for the summer. Not the type to rock the muddy boots and hit the trails, Emma is more comfortable in her high heels with a cup of Starbucks in her hand. But unfortunately, for the time being, she needs to be here in Wishful, dealing with one of the Wilder brothers who seems to keep getting injured because of his stubborn ways.
INSTANT GRATIFICATION opens with a very cute scene where Stone has been hurt while “being attacked at a bar by three ladies”. TJ, the youngest Wilder brother hauls Stone to se Dr. Emma to get patched up. Naturally, Shalvis’ comedic tendencies shine through in every way. Humor fills the dialogue and just nine pages into this book, she had me laughing out loud and grinning from ear-to-ear.
There is explosive chemistry between Stone and Emma, but because of Emma’s personality, it takes awhile to really see her let loose. I believe some of the romance stalled because of Emma’s non-trusting ways, but as I said, Stone is a dream and he chips away at her until he can see the warm, liquid center beneath the hard shell. Emma kind of reminds me of Tara from The Sweetest Thing a bit.
All in all, Shalvis did a great job of building a relationship even when Emma wasn’t ready for one. It just shows how love can happen when you least expect it. I think it’s a perfect Christmas gift for anyone who enjoys small-town romances, a little adventure and lots of humor and heart.
*Review Copy provided by publisher
November 26, 2015
Oh, gosh, I LOVED ♥ this -- definitely better than the first book. Shalvis' charm was all there for me to read and soak into.
I thought Stone and Emma were perfect -- and Stone definitely entered my (virtual) list of favorite Shalvis' men. Stone didn't suffer any of the 'guilt', 'woe-is-me', 'relationship-challenged' case. I loved his loyalty to his family, I loved that he was the middle-child who was the glue for all the Wilder family members, and he was just perfect. Emma was excellent too! She was good at what she did, and nothing wrong with being competitive once in awhile. I loved the banters between them, their first Meet Cute alone was DELIGHTFUL. I was feeling all the way happy when I was reading this.
One more thing ... Sometimes, in a case of small-town romances where the heroine came from the city, I can get annoyed with the "big city is bad, small town is good" message written by the author. Hey, I love big city! I am a big city girl through and through. I like being able to walk where nobody knows my name. I like being able to be myself and avoid all those nosy people (and really, I know nosy, Indonesian culture of the people is pretty much strive with nosiness).
In here, I didn't think Shalvis tried to say that. Emma just needed to be in Wishful, realizing that her father was actually wonderful, then making friends with the Wishful people, especially Wilder's family, to know that she might fit with the small-town life better. In contrast, Shalvis added a 'slight' secondary romantic relationship, where Serena (one of Cam's exes from book #1) went to New York because she would strive better there in the bustling city, with Emma's good friend, Spencer.
So yep, I loved the second book -- now see if book #3 can top it :)
I thought Stone and Emma were perfect -- and Stone definitely entered my (virtual) list of favorite Shalvis' men. Stone didn't suffer any of the 'guilt', 'woe-is-me', 'relationship-challenged' case. I loved his loyalty to his family, I loved that he was the middle-child who was the glue for all the Wilder family members, and he was just perfect. Emma was excellent too! She was good at what she did, and nothing wrong with being competitive once in awhile. I loved the banters between them, their first Meet Cute alone was DELIGHTFUL. I was feeling all the way happy when I was reading this.
One more thing ... Sometimes, in a case of small-town romances where the heroine came from the city, I can get annoyed with the "big city is bad, small town is good" message written by the author. Hey, I love big city! I am a big city girl through and through. I like being able to walk where nobody knows my name. I like being able to be myself and avoid all those nosy people (and really, I know nosy, Indonesian culture of the people is pretty much strive with nosiness).
In here, I didn't think Shalvis tried to say that. Emma just needed to be in Wishful, realizing that her father was actually wonderful, then making friends with the Wishful people, especially Wilder's family, to know that she might fit with the small-town life better. In contrast, Shalvis added a 'slight' secondary romantic relationship, where Serena (one of Cam's exes from book #1) went to New York because she would strive better there in the bustling city, with Emma's good friend, Spencer.
So yep, I loved the second book -- now see if book #3 can top it :)
March 4, 2012
I'm officially a fan. I can never find anything wrong with a Jill Shalvis book. Her heroes are yummy, sometimes ultra alpha, sometimes not. But they always end with a great romance - super sweet, super hot, and just what I need.
Stone is the middle Wilder brother, a little more laid back than the other two. He's not a chest beater, and has no qualms about letting Emma know that he wants her. The natural progression of the relationship, in his opinion, is simply what happens when you are with someone you enjoy being with. He's always had a lot of women around but never kept them because he just never wanted one bad enough. This all changes with Dr. Emma Sinclair. She's icy to his warm, and before long, he knows he wants to be the one to warm her up. To Emma, Stone is exactly what she doesn't want in a man. She's a big city girl, used to dating rich men who have professional careers and wear suits. Stone 'plays' for a living, and doesn't even shave every day. (gasp!) Soon enough, though, Emma begins to wonder if Stone's way of life could be the answer to her big life questions.
"She swallowed hard against the ball of emotion suddenly in her throat, because wasn't that the truth. All her anxiety, her rush, her need to be so driven, it all came down to what she needed, and she knew what that was now. This. Him."
Like all Jill Shalvis books that I've read so far, this wasn't some multifaceted 600 page clunker. This was simply romance. There are a few other people involved, but the focus of the story is the relationship between Emma and Stone. It was exactly what I expected. A fabulous contemporary romance.
Stone is the middle Wilder brother, a little more laid back than the other two. He's not a chest beater, and has no qualms about letting Emma know that he wants her. The natural progression of the relationship, in his opinion, is simply what happens when you are with someone you enjoy being with. He's always had a lot of women around but never kept them because he just never wanted one bad enough. This all changes with Dr. Emma Sinclair. She's icy to his warm, and before long, he knows he wants to be the one to warm her up. To Emma, Stone is exactly what she doesn't want in a man. She's a big city girl, used to dating rich men who have professional careers and wear suits. Stone 'plays' for a living, and doesn't even shave every day. (gasp!) Soon enough, though, Emma begins to wonder if Stone's way of life could be the answer to her big life questions.
"She swallowed hard against the ball of emotion suddenly in her throat, because wasn't that the truth. All her anxiety, her rush, her need to be so driven, it all came down to what she needed, and she knew what that was now. This. Him."
Like all Jill Shalvis books that I've read so far, this wasn't some multifaceted 600 page clunker. This was simply romance. There are a few other people involved, but the focus of the story is the relationship between Emma and Stone. It was exactly what I expected. A fabulous contemporary romance.
August 15, 2009
This is the 2nd book in Jill Shalvis' Wilder series. I loved this book's hero, Stone (the middle Wilder brother), more than his younger brother, Cam, from the previous book, Instant Attraction. Stone is more responsible and grounded, essentially running the family's wilderness adventure business while his 2 brothers go on most of the adventures with their customers. He falls in love with a city girl, Emma. She is a doctor from NYC who came out to the California Sierras to run her father's medical practice while he recovers from a heart attack. Pretty much a tightly wound perfectionist, she must keep busy, busy, busy and working at her father's practice in a tiny town is not something she enjoys doing. Stone spends most of the book trying to teach Emma how to relax and Emma spends most of the book fighting him.
Stone was pretty darn closed to the perfect hero for me. Emma was, well, honestly, she was too bitchy for too long (pretty much to the last pages of the book). She treated her father badly (although in her defense she thought she had good reasons) and pushed Stone away every chance she got. She wasn't really a heroine I like much, which is what pulled the book down from a 5 star level for me. There was also a secondary romance that was not well fleshed out at all. I'm not opposed to secondary romances, but this one was very abrupt and I have difficulty believing it will last. If you're going to have a secondary romance, then at least devote enough time to it to make it believable.
Altogether a solid 4 1/2 stars.
Stone was pretty darn closed to the perfect hero for me. Emma was, well, honestly, she was too bitchy for too long (pretty much to the last pages of the book). She treated her father badly (although in her defense she thought she had good reasons) and pushed Stone away every chance she got. She wasn't really a heroine I like much, which is what pulled the book down from a 5 star level for me. There was also a secondary romance that was not well fleshed out at all. I'm not opposed to secondary romances, but this one was very abrupt and I have difficulty believing it will last. If you're going to have a secondary romance, then at least devote enough time to it to make it believable.
Altogether a solid 4 1/2 stars.
March 25, 2015
This book lacked the humor and good nature of the first book in the series. It was rather stale which is so disappointing.
Emma grated me to no end. She just did not let go, not even for a minute. Her defense mechanism was made of adamantium at the very least. I never connected with her and to be honest, I didn’t feel she lowered those walls until the last minute. And by last minute I mean the 90% mark. Grrr.
Stone made the book for me. My favorite beta hero ever. Oh my goodness, he is just so damn perfect. Sweet, funny, kind, caring, and hot as hell. Total dreamboat. I related so much to his burden as the middle child. Trying to keep his family happy and together while sacrificing his own dreams hit me hard. BB STONE DESERVES ALL THEM GOOD THINGS.
Ironically, I preferred Serena and was more invested in her happiness than Emma’s.
Overall, it was an ok read. Nothing remarkable. *shrug*
Emma grated me to no end. She just did not let go, not even for a minute. Her defense mechanism was made of adamantium at the very least. I never connected with her and to be honest, I didn’t feel she lowered those walls until the last minute. And by last minute I mean the 90% mark. Grrr.
Stone made the book for me. My favorite beta hero ever. Oh my goodness, he is just so damn perfect. Sweet, funny, kind, caring, and hot as hell. Total dreamboat. I related so much to his burden as the middle child. Trying to keep his family happy and together while sacrificing his own dreams hit me hard. BB STONE DESERVES ALL THEM GOOD THINGS.
Ironically, I preferred Serena and was more invested in her happiness than Emma’s.
Overall, it was an ok read. Nothing remarkable. *shrug*
March 28, 2019
2.5 stars, which is really unfortunate because I LOVE Jill Shalvis
January 28, 2014
Another fluffy, sexy and funny romance. Even though I really liked Stone I preferred book 1.
May 24, 2019
It was so nice to be back in Wishful, California. I get homesick for my home town of Big Bear Lake every time I read Jill's small town books.
June 14, 2011
4.5 STARS
First of all, whats up with the guy of the cover? I constantly tried not to stare at him every time I picked up the book because I got scared as sh*t. I hate the model so much...
That said, I want to mention that I have found another amazing author to follow. I just can't wait to read more from Jill Shalvis. Her style is amazing and different from what I have read in this genre. This installment was a bit similar to the first, I probably should have read something else in between to forget a bit about book 1, still this was a terrific read in its own and I had an amazing time reading it. I just couldn't put it down, I even stayed up until 3 am because I wanted to finish it.
Stone was amazing. I loved him and his story was great. The heroine was a nice addition to the series as well. I preferred book 1 though, maybe because it went a bit deeper in what feelings are concerned and faced some major traumas. Still, this was a wonderful sweet story and I definitely would recommend it. I can't wait to read more in this series but I'll wait a bit before starting book 3 because I'm afraid I wont be able to rate it as high as it deserves because I still have this 2 previous books too fresh in my mind.
First of all, whats up with the guy of the cover? I constantly tried not to stare at him every time I picked up the book because I got scared as sh*t. I hate the model so much...
That said, I want to mention that I have found another amazing author to follow. I just can't wait to read more from Jill Shalvis. Her style is amazing and different from what I have read in this genre. This installment was a bit similar to the first, I probably should have read something else in between to forget a bit about book 1, still this was a terrific read in its own and I had an amazing time reading it. I just couldn't put it down, I even stayed up until 3 am because I wanted to finish it.
Stone was amazing. I loved him and his story was great. The heroine was a nice addition to the series as well. I preferred book 1 though, maybe because it went a bit deeper in what feelings are concerned and faced some major traumas. Still, this was a wonderful sweet story and I definitely would recommend it. I can't wait to read more in this series but I'll wait a bit before starting book 3 because I'm afraid I wont be able to rate it as high as it deserves because I still have this 2 previous books too fresh in my mind.
January 29, 2014
I loved Stone but I'm seriously excited about TJ's book, "what's it like knowing she's seen your junk, and not from your best angle?" Stone craned his neck and gave him a death stare." Stone and afterbirth is just not a good thing, "Stone instinctively looked. He saw... Oh, Jesus. He saw blood and gore, and female parts stretched to limits that boggled his mind and made him want to bed for forgiveness for his entire race." Stone doesn't have a filter and I think the boy likes embarrassing Emma, "he eyed her cart with wry amusement. "You either have a lot of very little flashlights, or a busy vibrator." He's nice to look at "his jeans were low-slung and loose enough that they pulled away from him, leaving a tantalizing gap that a woman could stick her entire hand down and - "Your turn," he said, pausing from his stripping down." Emma she knows hot to make Stone want to forget things, "she smiled and rocked against his most impressive morning erection. "Should we go back to bed?"
May 30, 2023
This is Stone's, the middle Wilder brother's story. He is the glue that holds them together. With TJ and Cam, he helps run Wilder Adventures. While he enjoys what he does, his true joy is in renovating historic properties; something he no longer has time for. Emma is in town to run her father's practice while he recovers from a MI. Growing up, she had minimal contact with him and is a bit resentful that she is in the small town of Wishful. She looks forward to returning to her life in NYC and her busy ER.
Both Stone and Emma compliment each other. Both are stubborn in their own ways and had moments where I wanted to slap them. I also wanted her dad to just say what he wanted and meant instead of giving vague non-answers. An honest conversation was too much to ask apparently. At the end of the day, I liked the secondary love story with Spence (Emma's friend) and Serena (Cam's ex) much better than the main one.
Both Stone and Emma compliment each other. Both are stubborn in their own ways and had moments where I wanted to slap them. I also wanted her dad to just say what he wanted and meant instead of giving vague non-answers. An honest conversation was too much to ask apparently. At the end of the day, I liked the secondary love story with Spence (Emma's friend) and Serena (Cam's ex) much better than the main one.
November 19, 2018
4.75 stars
I finished this book today and it was such a delight and just what I needed. Instant Gratification is the second book in the Wilder Brothers series by Jill Shalvis and it was such a cozy, heart-warming romance set amidst the rugged Sierra Nevada Mountain Range in Northern California, in the sweet town of Wishful. Each book features a different Wilder Brother and tells their tale. I just love these stories and characters so much because they demonstrate that life is never easy for anyone, everyone has troubles, struggles and trials, but despite that, love can always win. Not only are they the perfect escape, but really, I want to live in this world.
I finished this book today and it was such a delight and just what I needed. Instant Gratification is the second book in the Wilder Brothers series by Jill Shalvis and it was such a cozy, heart-warming romance set amidst the rugged Sierra Nevada Mountain Range in Northern California, in the sweet town of Wishful. Each book features a different Wilder Brother and tells their tale. I just love these stories and characters so much because they demonstrate that life is never easy for anyone, everyone has troubles, struggles and trials, but despite that, love can always win. Not only are they the perfect escape, but really, I want to live in this world.
March 7, 2020
2,5* - Nederlandse vertaling : Stoer!
January 20, 2022
4.5 Stars
November 26, 2018
Wishful, California may only be 3,000 miles away from New York City, but for Dr. Emma Sinclair, Wishful, with its small town atmosphere, lack of Thai takeout, and bears she’s sure are waiting to attack, it might as well be a million miles away. After her father suffers a heart attack, Emma takes a temporary leave from her busy life at a NYC ER to run her father’s clinic in Wishful and the change couldn’t have made her crazier. Urgent Care in Wishful means treating bee stings, the occasional broken arm, and the ever-irritating Stone Wilder. The laid-back mountain bum drives Emma mad…when she isn’t dreaming about him naked, that is. Yet even as Emma counts down the days until she can leave Wishful, she can’t help but notice Stone seems to have set his eyes on her. What’s more, the more she gets to know Stone, the more she realizes he’s more complex than she ever could have imagined. But can Emma let go long enough to give into her desire for Stone, knowing she’s not in Wishful to stay?
Jill Shalvis ups the ante in this second Wilder brothers book. Instant Gratification is even better than its predecessor, Instant Attraction. Stone and Emma lock horns, then limbs, giving Instant Gratification a pulsing energy that I loved. Stone is a hero anyone would fall for. While he looks like the mountain bum Emma first takes him for, beneath the laid-back exterior is a hard-working, deeply caring man who easily won my heart. Though she wasn’t as easily won as I, I flat-out adored Emma as a heroine. She’s brilliant but uptight, masking a vulnerability garnered by past hurts. I loved watching Stone help her learn to relax and to let herself care. These two were a perfect match in every way and I read Instant Gratification late into the night, unable to put the book down.
While Instant Gratification is the second Wilder book, each story stands on its own. Still, the Wilder family is very much involved in each other’s lives and I loved watching them interact with one another. Furthermore, in Instant Gratification Ms. Shalvis teases with the friction between the third Wilder brother, TJ, and the woman who is sure to be his heroine. I finished Instant Gratification eager for TJ’s book, Instant Temptation and, yes, gratified by the story of Emma and Stone’s romance.
Reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed.
FTC Disclosure: I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Jill Shalvis ups the ante in this second Wilder brothers book. Instant Gratification is even better than its predecessor, Instant Attraction. Stone and Emma lock horns, then limbs, giving Instant Gratification a pulsing energy that I loved. Stone is a hero anyone would fall for. While he looks like the mountain bum Emma first takes him for, beneath the laid-back exterior is a hard-working, deeply caring man who easily won my heart. Though she wasn’t as easily won as I, I flat-out adored Emma as a heroine. She’s brilliant but uptight, masking a vulnerability garnered by past hurts. I loved watching Stone help her learn to relax and to let herself care. These two were a perfect match in every way and I read Instant Gratification late into the night, unable to put the book down.
While Instant Gratification is the second Wilder book, each story stands on its own. Still, the Wilder family is very much involved in each other’s lives and I loved watching them interact with one another. Furthermore, in Instant Gratification Ms. Shalvis teases with the friction between the third Wilder brother, TJ, and the woman who is sure to be his heroine. I finished Instant Gratification eager for TJ’s book, Instant Temptation and, yes, gratified by the story of Emma and Stone’s romance.
Reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed.
FTC Disclosure: I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
November 12, 2009
An awesome follow up to "Instant Attraction". "Instant Gratification" which is book 2 in the Wilder series focuses on Stone Wilder, the middle of three very rugged, outdoorsy, adventurous brothers who own Wilder Adventures, a lodge that also leads guests on mountain expeditions.
As the middle brother, Stone is very much the peacemaker. He is just as tough and manly as his brothers, Cam, which we met in "Instant Attraction" and TJ, who is the oldest. But Stone is the glue that holds his family together, the one to step in and divert everyone's attention to something more lighthearted when tensions get high.
Stone meets the new doc in town, Emma Sinclair, who comes to Wishful, California from New York City, to run her father's practice, after he has a heart attack. The attraction is immediately undeniable for both of them. Stone is a much more willing participant in seeing where the attraction goes. Like with everything else about her time in Wishful, Emma is leery and very resistant to her feelings for Stone.
I loved being able to continue to get to know the characters who were also in "Instant Attraction", and I just adored Stone. Although he was a supporting character in "Instant Attraction" we weren't able to really get to know him. As I read "Instant Gratification" I found myself CRAVING my own Stone Wilder, that's how much I loved his character! And Emma was definitely a good fit for Stone, I hope we'll get the chance to see where things go for them in the third Wilder novel.
As the middle brother, Stone is very much the peacemaker. He is just as tough and manly as his brothers, Cam, which we met in "Instant Attraction" and TJ, who is the oldest. But Stone is the glue that holds his family together, the one to step in and divert everyone's attention to something more lighthearted when tensions get high.
Stone meets the new doc in town, Emma Sinclair, who comes to Wishful, California from New York City, to run her father's practice, after he has a heart attack. The attraction is immediately undeniable for both of them. Stone is a much more willing participant in seeing where the attraction goes. Like with everything else about her time in Wishful, Emma is leery and very resistant to her feelings for Stone.
I loved being able to continue to get to know the characters who were also in "Instant Attraction", and I just adored Stone. Although he was a supporting character in "Instant Attraction" we weren't able to really get to know him. As I read "Instant Gratification" I found myself CRAVING my own Stone Wilder, that's how much I loved his character! And Emma was definitely a good fit for Stone, I hope we'll get the chance to see where things go for them in the third Wilder novel.
September 26, 2011
Like her Lucky Harbor series, this book hit the second book slump for me, and I think I figured out what she does so well in her first books but misses in her second. Much like what happens in,
, there's a great set up for these characters, which were secondary in the first book that had been full of laughs and establishing all these relationships, but then in the second book it becomes ALL about the couple. All of a sudden all the great characters that had been so vital in the first book are all off doing stuff, being happy in the second one, so we're bombarded with hero trying to save girl through sex. He's so in love, she smells so good, she's all "I can't! I have to LEAVE even though I don't want to" and it became a, "Damn, I wish I knew what Nick and Annie were up to." Emma exhausted me. Stone spent the whole book trying to relax her, which amounted to making out in the wilderness, but there was none of the zing! that had been so abundant in the first between Katie and Cam. I hate in romance when I get bored of the sex because I've lost interest in the leads. "Oh, look. He's got his hands on her hips again. And she's gonna fight him off halfheartedly, and yeah, there go the pants."
Was it awful? No. It was all the things one expects in a mediocre romance. But with how high she sets the bar in the first books, it's a kick to the heart that the seconds haven't come to bat.
, there's a great set up for these characters, which were secondary in the first book that had been full of laughs and establishing all these relationships, but then in the second book it becomes ALL about the couple. All of a sudden all the great characters that had been so vital in the first book are all off doing stuff, being happy in the second one, so we're bombarded with hero trying to save girl through sex. He's so in love, she smells so good, she's all "I can't! I have to LEAVE even though I don't want to" and it became a, "Damn, I wish I knew what Nick and Annie were up to." Emma exhausted me. Stone spent the whole book trying to relax her, which amounted to making out in the wilderness, but there was none of the zing! that had been so abundant in the first between Katie and Cam. I hate in romance when I get bored of the sex because I've lost interest in the leads. "Oh, look. He's got his hands on her hips again. And she's gonna fight him off halfheartedly, and yeah, there go the pants."Was it awful? No. It was all the things one expects in a mediocre romance. But with how high she sets the bar in the first books, it's a kick to the heart that the seconds haven't come to bat.
February 8, 2023
Instant Gratification by Jill Shalvis
Emma St. Clair is the doctor in the emergency care in Wishfull, CA. This family saga is about Stone. His other brothers, The Wilder brothers operate the lodge and offer extreme sports tours. They each have their own book.
Everybody had a bear story but she was yet to see one. She has temporarily taken over her father's practice. They were opposites.
Victorian house is converted so she can live where she works. Stone arrives and thinks he just needs a band aid. Cam and TJ, his brothers, spent time out of town.
She is a city girl and is very bored. They run the outdoor adventure business. He just wants the band-aid and she needs to stitch him back together.
We also get to catch up with his brothers and their love interests. Stone and Emma each are physically attracted to one another and know they are off limits-no hands, ever.
Stone takes her up the mountain to help deliver the baby...Spence, a doctor friend of Emma's is there for a bit of relaxation and he ends up finding a love interest but he lives in NY and she is in town.
Lot of hot sex scenes and innuendo. Over time she learns about her real father and how her mother kept her away from him. She also learns more about the work Stone does, orphaned children that he
takes on climbs, etc. Her father informs her of his health and that he might want to just sell the practice...
She also learns who paid for her college years and thinks she may have to confront them about the money... She has so many choices and options to choose from...
Loved the hiking and nature.
Emma St. Clair is the doctor in the emergency care in Wishfull, CA. This family saga is about Stone. His other brothers, The Wilder brothers operate the lodge and offer extreme sports tours. They each have their own book.
Everybody had a bear story but she was yet to see one. She has temporarily taken over her father's practice. They were opposites.
Victorian house is converted so she can live where she works. Stone arrives and thinks he just needs a band aid. Cam and TJ, his brothers, spent time out of town.
She is a city girl and is very bored. They run the outdoor adventure business. He just wants the band-aid and she needs to stitch him back together.
We also get to catch up with his brothers and their love interests. Stone and Emma each are physically attracted to one another and know they are off limits-no hands, ever.
Stone takes her up the mountain to help deliver the baby...Spence, a doctor friend of Emma's is there for a bit of relaxation and he ends up finding a love interest but he lives in NY and she is in town.
Lot of hot sex scenes and innuendo. Over time she learns about her real father and how her mother kept her away from him. She also learns more about the work Stone does, orphaned children that he
takes on climbs, etc. Her father informs her of his health and that he might want to just sell the practice...
She also learns who paid for her college years and thinks she may have to confront them about the money... She has so many choices and options to choose from...
Loved the hiking and nature.
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