A Wild Ride

3.75 stars

I'm sad to see this series about the Thompsons end but it went out with a bang! <br /><br />Troy has been a constant in the other Thompson &amp; Sons books and I was really looking forward to reading his story. I really loved him and the way he went for what he wanted. I also really liked Nicole. Though in the beginning I wasn't too keen on Nicole's family and their dismissal and disapproval of Troy and Nic's relationship with him. I really hate it when secondary character family members are like that and I don't think there was enough on-page grovel from them towards Troy. <br /><br />I've loved Vivian Arend's writing from the very first book of hers I read and now, several books and series further that love has only grown stronger and stronger. Her writing is uncomplicated, her characters are easy to relate to and she has the ability to combine this all in books that just make you feel good during and after reading them. I look forward to every new book or venture she releases and hope there will be a worthy successor to this series.<br /><br />Favorite Quote:<br />“I want you. Fine, I’m a f*cking rainbow. It’s how I show love, and I’ll probably keep being one because that’s who I am. But even rainbows need the sunshine to bring out their magic, and that’s you, baby. You’re the one who makes me shine.” ~Troy to Nicole<br />

Vivian Arend has become one of my favorite authors, and this book did not disappoint. I always look forward to her new releases. This book was sweet and sexy and romantic. I loved it!

4.25

Troy has always been seen as the happy-go-lucky type just rolling through life and not serious about much of anything, even to his own family. His secret fling with his best friend's sister is no different until it suddenly is...and he wants forever. Nicole wants to get more serious about life and get on what she feels is the right track into adulthood. She feels Troy was a great time, but not long-term quality material. She goes into dating Troy never expecting that he could end up being perfect for her, but Troy has unexpected depths to him that truly make him everything she has always dreamed.<br /><br />I enjoyed this one, but I wasn't blown away by it either. These two have plenty of chemistry, but I think the characters lacked sufficient development to really allow me to connect with them fully. I was expecting more from Troy's secrets, and we don't really get to know much about Nicole at all beyond her wanting what her sister's have and that she went to college. I just wanted more I guess. It wasn't a bad read, and it was quite steamy and sweet. I love how this series weaves into the Rocky Mountain House and Six Pack Ranch series, so maybe these characters will make an appearance in the future so we can see what happens. I kind of figured since she was so baby hungry that we'd find out she was pregnant by the end, but alas we were left with that lingering. It seemed kind of central to the plot, so I was a bit surprised by that. Anyhoo, overall definitely a book worth reading to wrap up the series with a bow and I did enjoy it despite a few issues I had. I really do hope we get to revisit these guys down the road though.<br /><br />*I received a review copy from the author/publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.*<br /><br />Check out this and more of my reviews on my blog <a href="http://blendingperspectivesbookreviews.blogspot.com/" rel="nofollow noopener">Blending Perspectives Book Reviews</a>

These Thompson boys, man oh man, they are quite the package - good looks, sensitive emotions, kind, caring and super-duper sexy!!!<br /><br />This is baby boy Troy's story, and while Clay and Mitch were out there for the whole world to see, and their dad at least saw what was running deep for Len and Katy, nobody seemed to, even still, know and see Troy. He takes it all in stride and buries it all, giving a good face to family and friends. He breaks my heart because he hides to protect everyone, and they don't see it at all. He is truly under appreciated and misunderstood<br /><br />Nicole sees what he presents, and that matches her completely, for fun. Then she is miserable when she tries to find something serious, and after Troy refuses to give up, gives him a chance. He tries to be what she wants, but that doesn't work, so they both are just themselves. That is when Nicole notices that Troy is hiding, again, my poor heart broke for her and him. She takes control and brings him out, and blocks everyone else out but him, and that is where they find their happiness<br /><br />It was sweet, beautiful and a whole lot of fun, and I am so sad to see all the Thompson boys, and girl, paired off, but caught wind of a few guys for those wayward Coleman ladies, and met the girl for Rafe, and possibly some circumstances, for their book

I've been a fan of this series ever since I read the first book, they're perfect for when I'm in the mood for a humourous, small town romance with a great cast of characters, brilliant chemistry and a lot of laughs on the way to a happily ever after. <b>Vivian Arend</b> is an autoread author for me, she has an extensive back list so I'm still not caught up with all of her books (I'll get there one day!) but she never lets me down whether it's with her contemporaries, paranormal romances or even romantic suspense.<br /><br />Although this story does work well as a stand alone I think you'll enjoy it even more if you read the series in order because each of the previous couples make ongoing appearances before and after their own book. If you've read the other stories you'll already be familiar with Troy, the youngest of the Thompson brothers. He has always been shown as someone who doesn't take life too seriously, he likes to have fun and he's in no rush to settle down. He isn't particularly a player but he doesn't really go for serious relationships either. What we haven't really seen until now is how much he really adores his family and how many quiet little things he does in the background to make everyone else's lives better. I always liked his character but I fell for him even more when I started to realise how he is the glue that ties the Thompson family together and that everything he does has had a lot of thought put into it.<br /><br />Nicole has been seeing Troy for a few months, he's her older brother's best friend and roommate so they've kept things secret but they've shared a lot of very passionate encounters when nobody was around to see them. She's known all along that Troy isn't the man she'll settle down with but their friends with benefits relationship was just what she needed at the time. Now though she finds herself thinking about the future, she wants to get serious and find the man who is going to be her partner in life so it's time to end things with Troy and start dating guys who are interested in settling down. It isn't until Nicole tries to walk away that Troy realises how important she has become to him but how can he convince her that he's changed enough to want a serious relationship when she only thinks of him as someone who is happy to sail through life without making any plans for the future?<br /><br />I have to admit that Nicole took a little while to grow on me, in the beginning she was so determined to date other guys and I was annoyed with the way she refused to listen to Troy and talk things through properly. Thankfully that doesn't last long though and at least her attempts at dating were disastrous enough to be amusing. I loved Troy from the very beginning though, he's just such a great guy and I enjoyed seeing all the little ways he tried to make life better for the people around him. I ended up getting really annoyed with his family for not noticing how much he looked out for them but it was nice to see Nicole wise up and have his back when he really needed her. They make a brilliant couple, the chemistry between them was smoking, and I think this was probably the hottest book of the series but that wasn't all there was to their relationship. They had fun together both in and out of the bedroom and I loved that Troy was able to show Nicole that settling down and planning a future together didn't mean they had to stop enjoying life and messing around sometimes.<br /><br />This book was pretty much perfect from beginning to end and I'm kind of hoping that <b>Vivian Arend</b> can pull out a few long lost Thompson siblings (or perhaps cousins?) so that the series doesn't have to end here. I guess since this series is loosely linked to her Six Pack Ranch series I now have a perfect excuse to buy more of her books in the meantime though and I'm hoping the characters we met here will at least start to appear in those books if nothing else.

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date April 19, 2016<br /><br />He’s the golden boy with a secret past <br /><br />When Nicole Adams abruptly cancels their secret fling, Troy Thompson is stunned. The sex between them is sizzling, but she’s ready to move on—find a reliable guy, settle down, pop out a few babies. The thought of Nic in another man’s arms is maddening. And while her agenda freaks him out, Troy knows there’s no one in town nearly good enough for her. No one, that is, except him. <br /><br />She’s his redemption and his future <br /><br />Nicole doesn’t regret her sexual romp with Troy, but when he insists on taking the next step with her—marriage and parenthood—she figures he’s out of his mind. Troy? Husband and daddy material? Oh, he’s sexy beyond belief, with the ability to melt her panties with a single command, but the man’s not known for being responsible. Trying for forever with Mr. Frivolous? Everyone thinks it’s a fool’s game- everyone except Troy, who’s determined to make Nicole see the real him under the shiny exterior.<br /><br />••••••••••••<br /><br />REVIEW: A WILD RIDE is the fourth (and final ?) installment in Vivian Arend’s contemporary, adult THOMPSON AND SONS erotic, romance series focusing on the four Thompson brothers-a spin off from Vivian’s Rocky Mountain House Series (Six Pack Ranch). This is mechanic Troy Thompson, and Nicole Adams’s story line- a friends to lovers/forbidden romance story that follows our couple from friends with benefits to lovers and more. A WILD RIDE can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story lines is revealed where necessary.<br /><br />Told from dual third person perspectives (Troy and Nicole) A WILD RIDE follows Nicole and Troy from sex partners to being in a committed relationship. For six months our couple has kept secret their ‘liaisons’ from family and friends, including Troy’s best friend/roommate-Mike-Nicole’s older brother and a man who has decreed his sister off limits for the likes of Troy. Troy has always been the good-time Thompson brother, and his reputation with the ladies; his laid back attitude; and his apparent lack of motivation have not endured our story line hero to his or Nicole’s extended family. What ensues is the building of a more permanent relationship while our couple struggle for approval from family and friends.<br /><br />A WILD RIDE looks at first impressions, family, secrets and truth. Troy is a man who keeps secret the events of the past, and in this, revealing the truth to the woman he loves keeps everything in perspective and shows Nicole that there is more to the story than everyone thought. Troy is a great story line hero; a man who knows what he wants, and is determined to keep Nicole in his life. Nicole’s family is not impressed with her choice of mate, yet our heroine never struggles with her love for Troy. Her family’s constant disregard for the man that Nicole loves finds Nicole on the offensive more times than not.<br /><br />All of the previous story line couples and characters play secondary and supporting roles throughout the story. We get up close and personal with the growing families, their plans for the future, and Troy and Nicole’s growing love for one another. We are introduced to Nicole’s extended family, and there are some issues with regard to their acceptance of Troy, and his undeserved reputation.<br /><br /><br />A WILD RIDE has moments of humor and fun; heartbreak and pain; letting go of the past and moving forward. The $ex scenes are intimate, intense and seductive. The premise is entertaining, sexy and fun; the characters are charismatic and colorful; the romance is a well deserved happily ever after. A WILD RIDE is worth the price of admission.<br /><br />Copy supplied by the publisher through Netgalley<br /><br /><a target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow" href="http://www.thereadingcafe.com">www.thereadingcafe.com</a>

Troy has a way with words, “damn straight. Unless you want me to eff you right here in the parking lot.” Troy could be an animal at times and it was pretty sexy, "a wave of satisfaction and relief hit nearly as hard as his climax had. “No arguments from me. Unless you’re p****d I made you wait and then lost it against the side of a damn barn.” I really liked this book, the story moved naturally and the characters were likable.

Final book in this series and I must say the second half saved this story for me.<br />Unusual for me to not be happy reading a book by this author but I just didn’t like the start of this book.<br />Troy acting like such a sleaze, his attitude was just off for me. Remembering having threesomes with his friend Mike, seriously checking out another woman’s backside, even if it was Nicole, he didn’t know that at the time. It just felt off.<br />Nicole states she wants to settle down, get serious about someone and go the marriage and baby route but then has sex with him, then seems to go on a date with every guy she meets as fast as possible. She came across as desperate.<br />After that start, I couldn’t say I was invested in these two. Too many things annoyed me. I only went on to finish the book as it is one of the few I haven’t read before and I do love all the other characters.<br />Glad I did as the second half was more what I expect from this author.<br />Troy was deeper than his family knew but I just wished he had stood up for himself. That would defeat the how he was wired though and I was glad he was going to finally go in a direction that suited him.<br />Nicole also came through eventually and put her family in their place over their attitude but only when Troy was in trouble. Letting their attitude give her doubts was weak but sort of understandable.<br />Connection, family and life’s ups and downs but not repairable enough to erase my first half impressions.<br />Still find it annoying that Keith, the father, dived into alcohol after Meg’s death, when he had FIVE children to raise. His attitude in the last two books has made me want to slap him silly.<br />Explains a lot about the family dynamics. <br />