If you’re looking to add a little high octane thrill-seeking to your romance reading, Wilder by Rebecca Yarros is the perfect book for you.

While sports romance is a genre with which I am very familiar, extreme sports romance is a new thing entirely. Novels about hockey, football, and even soccer players have a slight edge since being a college-level or professional athlete requires the individual to push their body to the limits. They take risks every time they step out on the field or ice. Injuries, both minor and life-altering, are a risk-factor for just about any sport.

Extreme sports, like those on full display in Wilder are an entirely different animal altogether. Paxton Wilder isn’t just taking risks, he’s defying death. He may take every precaution possible to do these stunts with some regard to safety, but there’s only so much you can do when you’re base jumping off a building, sky-diving onto a narrow landing site, or trying to land that much desired triple flip.

About ‘Wilder’

He’s Paxton Wilder.

Twenty-two-year-old, tattooed, smoking-hot leader of the Renegades.

Five time X Games medalist.

The world is his playground—especially this year—and for the next nine months I’m stuck as his tutor on the Study at Sea program.

He’s too busy staging worldwide stunts for his documentary to get to class.

But if I can’t get him to take academics seriously, I’ll lose my scholarship… if I don’t lose my heart first.

Six unlikely friends on a nine-month cruise with the Study at Sea program will learn that chemistry is more than a subject and the best lessons aren’t taught in the classroom… but in the heart.

‘Wilder’ book review

Leah and Wilder’s story will pull you in and refuse to let you go until you’ve read the final pages and breathed a sigh of relief. Maybe it’s because Wilder is an extreme sports junkie who lives off the high between stunts. Maybe it’s because Leah is as averse to risk taking as is possible, but with very good reasons. It’s definitely because watching the two of them together trying to navigate their feelings and reactions to each other is mesmerizing.

Wilder is the first book in the Renegades series, AKA that New Adult series currently sitting at the top of my “I’m-anxiously-waiting-for-the-next-book” list alongside series from Jay Crownover, Cora Carmack, Erin Watt, Lauren Layne and so many more. You will quickly find yourself interested in learning how each and every member of the Renegades ticks, and wondering all about the history between them. I am looking forward to reading books from Nova, Rebel, and hopefully even Nitro (crossing my fingers) before the Renegades series wraps up.

Despite being populated by a bunch of incredibly interesting characters, the focus of Wilder never shifts from it’s main pair, Paxton and Leah. They have unbelievable chemistry and while there may be some secrets kept between them, you just know that sharing those secrets will eventually bring them closer together. You hope. You hope very much. These two have been through the ringer in their lives, both in very different situations, but they’ve both managed to come out the other side still able to connect to others and, ultimately, fall in love.

This was the first book I’ve read by Rebecca Yarros, but definitely not the last. I am eager to find her previous books at my local library, and will anxiously await the release of the next Renegades novel.

There’s a lot of story left to tell at the end of Wilder, and it has me excited to learn more about all the people that Wilder has in his life, and how their decisions have made the Renegades what they are. There’s no doubt in my mind that every book in this series will shock and rattle me, even if its just reading what stunt is coming next. Extreme sports stunts are heart-stoppingly intense and usually have your nerves zinging with anticipation, much like this very good book.

Wilder is available now wherever books are sold. Get your copy on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or at an indie bookstore near you!