Wild Ride

Wild Ride follows Mary Alice Brannigan, a restoration expert who returns to her hometown to work on Dreamland, an old amusement park. Her arrival coincides with strange occurrences at the park, leading her to discover supernatural forces at work beneath its cheerful facade. The story combines elements of romance and paranormal fantasy as Mab (Mary Alice) becomes entangled with a mysterious group of people connected to Dreamland. Her work restoring the park's intricate artwork and architecture reveals layers of secrets about both the property and her own past. Through demons, romance, and family revelations, the narrative explores themes of belonging and identity. The book's blend of supernatural danger and workplace dynamics creates an unconventional take on both romance and fantasy genres.

Readers found Wild Ride dissimilar from Jennifer Crusie's previous romantic comedies, noting its darker supernatural themes and horror elements. The book received a 3.4/5 rating on Goodreads from over 4,000 readers. What readers liked: - Fast-paced dialogue - Demon-based mythology - Chemistry between main characters - Humor mixed with horror What readers disliked: - Too many characters and plotlines - Confusing demon mythology - Less romance than expected from Crusie - Abrupt ending One reader on Amazon noted "The banter between characters kept me reading, but the convoluted plot lost me halfway through." Several Goodreads reviews mentioned difficulty keeping track of multiple demon characters and their roles. Ratings across platforms: Goodreads: 3.4/5 (4,200+ ratings) Amazon: 3.5/5 (120+ ratings) Barnes & Noble: 3.3/5 (50+ ratings) The book maintains a core following among urban fantasy fans but disappointed some of Crusie's romance readers.

The Bromance Book Club by Lyssa Kay Adams A professional baseball player joins a secret romance book club to win back his wife, blending romance with humor and personal growth.

Happy All the Time by Laurie Colwin Two couples navigate relationships in New York City through misunderstandings, witty banter, and unconventional approaches to love.

It Had to Be You by Susan Elizabeth Phillips A woman inherits her late husband's professional football team and must prove herself in a male-dominated industry while finding unexpected romance.

The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren Two enemies pose as newlyweds on a Hawaiian honeymoon after the intended couple falls ill, leading to complications and revelations.

Fix Her Up by Tessa Bailey A former baseball player and a party planner enter a fake relationship to rehabilitate his image and boost her business reputation.

🎠 "Wild Ride" combines elements of demons, carnivals, and romance - a significant departure from Jennifer Crusie's typical contemporary romantic comedies. 🎪 The book was co-written with Bob Mayer, making it one of several successful collaborations between Crusie and Mayer, who brings his military thriller expertise to their joint projects. 🎡 The story's setting, Dreamland Amusement Park, was inspired by real-life abandoned amusement parks, including Ohio's infamous Chippewa Lake Park. 👻 The novel explores the urban legend of "dark rides" - amusement park attractions that historically served as both entertainment and venues for actual supernatural occurrences. 🌟 Jennifer Crusie began her writing career as a literary critic, earning a Ph.D. in feminist literary criticism before becoming a bestselling romance novelist.