Every Wild Heart: A Novel by Meg Donohue

(Thank you to the publisher and TLC Book Tours for providing me with a copy of this book!)

about book:

From USA Today bestselling author Meg Donohue comes a mystery, a love story, and a mother-daughter tale about two women on a precarious journey to uncover their true selves.

Passionate and funny, radio personality Gail Gideon is a true original. Nine years ago when Gail’s husband announced that he wanted a divorce, her ensuing on-air rant propelled her local radio show into the national spotlight. Now, “The Gail Gideon Show” is beloved by millions of single women who tune-in for her advice on the power of self-reinvention. But fame comes at a price. After all, what does a woman who has staked her career on being single do when she finds herself falling in love? And is the person who is harassing her in increasingly troubling ways a misguided fan or a true danger to Gail and her daughter, Nic?

Fourteen-year-old Nic has always felt that she pales in comparison to her vibrant, outgoing mother. Plagued by a fear of social situations, she is most comfortable at the stable where she spends her afternoons. But when a riding accident lands Nic in the hospital, she awakens from her coma changed. Suddenly, she has no fear at all and her disconcerting behavior lands her in one risky situation after another. And no one, least of all her mother, can guess what she will do next…

my thoughts:

I love mother-daughter stories! They are my absolute favorite. I even wrote a dissertation about the mother-daughter relationships - that is how much I love this topic.  So, when I read the blurb for Every Wild Heart by Meg Donohue, I jumped at the chance to read this book.  And let me just say, I'm so happy I did.  Every Wild Heart is a book with heart that I won't forget.  I absolutely LOVED it!

Gail is a popular radio show host.  She is outgoing and confident.  Her fourteen year old daughter, Nic, is the complete opposite - shy and quiet.  She's especially nervous about starting high school - the horror, the horror.  The only place Nic feels comfortable is at the horse stables.  Unfortunately, she winds up falling off of a horse and injuring her head.  Guess what happens!? Nic undergoes a personality change.  No longer shy and reserved, she's now outgoing and a bit of a dare devil.  Say what?! Yep, Nic is not Nic.  And, Gail doesn't know what to do or how to handle this new person who is her daughter.  Talk about family drama! Oh, and if dealing with the new Nic isn't already taking up plenty of her time, Gail also has to deal with a stalker - Yikes!  Plus, there is a bit of romance on the horizon for the single mom.  Yep, A LOT is happening in Every Wild Heart, but Donohue manages to tackle it all in an entertaining, and heartwarming way that makes reading this book so much fun.

I just LOVED reading this book! This mother-daughter duo is relatable and realistic.  Their problems are definitely their own, but these two are honest, personal, and brave when facing them head-on.  I really enjoyed getting to know them.  I loved that Donohue wrote this book using alternating perspectives for each chapter - meaning that we got to find out what Gail and Nic were really thinking about everything happening to them and around them.  The story had me hooked from start to finish. I loved the writing, characters, and story lines - they all made for such a great book!

I would happily recommend Every Wild Heart to fans of Donohue and anyone looking for their next great read - you will LOVE this book!!

Here's the link to the TLC Book Tour schedule for: Every Wild Heart

Thank you to the publisher and TLC Book Tours for providing me with a copy of this book!