Author: J. Rose

Series: Briar Valley

First Published: 20 October 2023

“Then believe in yourself. It’s the same thing. Believe in the fact that you’ll get through this because you have to.”  

I will start by saying that I was given an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review. Thank so much J. Rose and the team over Valentine PR for sending a copy my way!

Also, this is a sequel; I will try and keep my review as spoiler free as possible but just be wary if you haven’t read the first book, Where Broken Wings Fly.

We were lost until Briar Valley offered us a home. Love. Safety. Protection. But it came at a cost.

I ran to protect my family.
Now, it’s time to return.

When tragedy strikes, I’m forced to retrace my steps, back into the arms of the men whose hearts I broke.

I’ve spent my entire life running. No more. The past is finally catching up to me and my secrets won’t stay buried as trouble looms on the horizon.

I must face the monster who spent a decade torturing me. For myself. My daughter. The countless other victims that he silenced with his brutality.

This town gave me everything. I have to protect it, or I’ll lose the ones I love forever.

We’ll fight to survive as a family.
Together.

Wow, I was not expecting the emotional punches Where Wild Things Grow was consistently throwing my way. Willow’s ex-husband, Mr. Sanchez, was not giving up. He did not want to leave Willow and Ari to enjoy their newfound freedom. Honestly, I had no idea how they were going to escape him. The twists and turns in the book were intense. It felt like every time Willow and her guys found peace, Mr. Sanchez came in to cause havoc and destroy it. I was not sure my heart could make it, but it did, and the suspense made the HEA much sweeter.

This story picks up months after the cliffhanger ending of the first book, Where Broken Wings Fly. The real focal point is Willow finding the strength to stand up to her ex and fight for the new life she is building with Killian, Zach and Micah. The romantic suspense elements kept me on my toes. Willow makes some tough decisions and agrees to assist Sabre Security with their investigation of her ex-husband, Mr. Sanchez, and his associates to take down an international human trafficking ring. The pacing was spot on. Investigations are a long process. I enjoyed that we skip ahead in time and only see the relevant scenes – whether that is for the investigation or those scenes that highlight growth in Willow, Killian, Zach and Micha’s relationship.

The character development here was just perfect and one element that makes Where Wild Things Grow a 5-star read. I am in awe of Willow’s strength. At the start, she is willing to sacrifice any scrap of happiness to keep Ari and herself hidden away from Mr. Sanchez’s looming threat. Slowly Willow realises that this is no life to lead, especially not for her 7-year-old daughter, and that hiding away only gives her ex more power. In the end, we see Willow standing up and helping with the investigation, even though that put a target on her back. We do get some setbacks along the way, which is to be expected and makes Willow feel like a real person.

Killian, Zach and Micah are all struggling with the fallout of book one. They are in a dark place and don’t have the energy to help each other through it. I am most in awe of their character development. Each guy, in their own way, is an overprotective Alpha. As the events fold, we see them slowly fighting against their protective instincts as they know it will just end up pushing Willow away. This growth is most suspiring for Killian, who gives the most mountain man, lumberjack vibes. I adored watching them slowly realise that they cannot fight Willow’s battle for her and that she needs to be part of this investigation, even though it will make her relive some of the worst days of her life. Wrapping her up in bubble wrap and hiding away in Briar Valley isn’t going to make this all go away, so seeing them learn to take a step back and support her was my favourite thing about this novel.

The way Willow, Killian, Zach and Micah all grow and support each other through their demons helps strengthen their relationship. Honestly, I believe this relationship is endgame. There is no way Willow is not with her guys in Briar Valley forever. Like always with J. Rose, we get several spicy scenes. Shout out to the group scene at the hotel after the twins’ birthday. That was seriously hot!

Where Wild Things Grow is a perfect conclusion to this duet. Even as a hardcore city girl, this series makes me want to pack up and move to the Welsh mountains. After reading this duet, J. Rose has become an auto-buy author for me. I cannot wait to see what she does next.

Trigger/content warnings: self-harm, death of a loved one, alcoholism, miscarriage (historic/ mentioned), SA, abuse and human trafficking (all the past but still dealing with the trauma)