Kensington Worth had a vision for her senior year. It
involved her best friends, her posh private school in downtown Chicago and time
alone with her piano until her audition was perfected, a guaranteed ticket into
the best music programs in the world.
Instead, a nightmare took over.
It didn’t happen all at once, but her life unraveled
quickly—a tiny thread that evil somehow kept pulling until everything precious
was taken from her. She was suddenly living miles away from her old life,
trapped in an existence she didn’t choose—one determined to destroy her from
the inside, leaving only hate and anger behind. It didn’t help that her
neighbor, the one whose eyes held danger, was enjoying every second of her
fall.
Owen Harper was trouble, his heart wild and his past the
kind that’s spoken about in whispers. And somehow, his path was always
intertwined with Kensington’s, every interaction crushing her, ruining her hope
for any future better than her now. Sometimes, though, what everyone warns is
trouble, is exactly what the heart needs. Owen Harper was consumed with
darkness, and it held onto his soul for years. When Kensington looked at him,
she saw a boy who’d gotten good at taking others down when they threatened his
carefully balanced life. But the more she looked, the more she saw other things
too—good things…things to admire.
Things…to love. Things that made her want to be reckless.
And those things…they were the scariest of all.
What happens when you’re uprooted from everything that's familiar to you only to have the remaining steadfast bits of your life fall apart
in a matter of seconds? That’s exactly what happens to Kensington when her
family of three moves from Chicago to the town of Woodstock in
order for her dad to be closer to his job as a conductor and music professor in
Milwaukee. Her very first encounter with the next door neighbor leaves her feeling outraged. He’s
unfriendly and appears to be a complete jerk. So
naturally she encounters him at school too where surprise, surprise, he’s an A+ jerk there as well! Her new group of friends she meets in marching band share stories about this mysterious guy Owen, and how he’s a troubled kid from a
messed up family. Normally that info would scare someone off but Kensi’s not intimidated by
him at all.
Her new life seems to be coming along nicely aside from
that one annoyance. She's making new friends and exploring new things at school like joining the marching band. While her dad would frown upon this,
she’s actually enjoying herself. The piano has been her life for as long as she
can remember and her dad has aspirations that she continue with her classical music training. He
has no clue that Kensi would much rather play jazz but
since he controls the reigns in the household, she has to keep that to
herself. It’s one day during a spat with Owen outside her house when a secret
comes out that's so devastating, it causes irrevocable damage to her family. Kensi is shaken to her very core and Owen is the only person she literally runs to to get
away from the fallout.
Both are taken by surprise by her brash move but it’s at
this point where Owen starts to become a little kinder towards her. Hurt and confused by the betrayal, Kensi begins to lash out at her family and the status quo. Owen
is the only one who knows what’s going on. They form what is an awkward friendship in the beginning that traverses new ground for both of them. Owen has never let
anyone get close to him. While the entire book is told from Kensi's perspective,the prologue which sets a certain tone, is from Owen's and that little bit gives you a very personal insight into his young life. Keeping that in mind, you have a good idea where he's coming from. His family is treated like the town's pariahs and Owen doesn't mind adding to the gossip. It seems he enjoys living up to everyone’s assumptions
about him being trouble and a lost case. That couldn’t be farther from the
truth. In becoming friends, they both learn that appearances
are deceptive and that there’s always a story behind what people think they already know.
It's not a secret that I love Ginger Scott's writing and I eagerly anticipate each new book she produces. There's authenticity in her characters and their defining moments always feel so genuine. Even the supporting cast makes an impression on you just as with her other books. In Wild Reckless, these these two go through the wringer of joy, heartbreak and hope, as they find their way out from
the wreckage created by the people they most trusted in order to reach for what they want. They're "finding their brave" as my kids would say. When you read Wild Reckless, you'll adore Kensi and her no bs attitude, and you'll love Owen for his vulnerable heart and generous soul.
Don't forget to enter the giveaway to celebrate the release of Wild Reckless here!
Also check out the fantastic Wild Reckless Playlist here:
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