Rating: 4🌈
I didn’t realize until later that this was a part of a much larger universe, with a preceding series (Made Marian) and connected family history to accompany it.
Lennox does give the reader a family tree with all the information and couple names at the beginning of each story to help sort out the “who’s this “ relations but sometimes it’s easier to just go through the whole story with a easy ignorance. Then if you want to learn more, chase down the other books.
All that said, Hudson’s Luck is my first book in this universe. I liked the description and the Irish setting sealed it.
Lennox does a wonderful job with her characters and setting. From the moment we met Hudson Wilde, a financial analyst for the beer business , on a plane to Ireland, we soon get a intimate glimpse into a man who has accidentally overturned his calm life. And will soon be thrust into a unknown one.
Hudson is a very well conceptualized character. From the oldest in a large family, highly responsible, the one that the younger ones could count on, Lennox brings us a man who’s life needs a lot of work and growth. And then proceeds to slowly give him the new experiences and one man who can make him change.
That’s Charlie Murray. A Irish publican, gorgeous with a bad dating history. And a uncle who’s endangered the family’s business. The entire storyline that’s set in Ireland is wonderful, sexy, funny and not nearly long enough.
But Lennox needs to switch locations again back to Hobie, Texas and Hudson’s family’s ranch. That’s where the entire Wilde family resides and the remainder of the story takes place. The Wilde siblings, Grampa and Gramps, exes, even dogs come looping into the story.
The family elements are heartwarming and believable. I felt at home with the grandparents and their dogs, and chaos on the ranch. It’s welcoming and real.
The same for the sheepdog aspect, trials , Charlie and his dog, Mama.
The romance between Charlie and Hudson? That was a bit more frustrating. Hudson though he was straight until Charlie when it became obvious he wasn’t. But the denial at home and the pain he inflicted didn’t seem true after a while. At first yes, the conflict to acknowledge something new or true and then tell family? Yes, that’s takes time and effort. But his family is primarily LGBTGIA, and the choices he made contributed greatly to hurting the people he loved.
So it felt more a narrative choice than an emotionally driven one.
The ending was a wonderful one and I think the couple, dogs and all, were off on a HEA.
I’m recommending it. And I’ll check out others in the series to see what the other siblings are doing.
Forever Wilde series:
◦ Facing West #1
◦ Felix and the Prince #2
◦ Wilde Fire #3
✓ Hudson’s Luck #4
◦ His Saint #5
◦ Wilde Love #6
◦ King Me #7
◦ NautiCal #8
◦ Forever Wilde in Aster Valley #9
Buy Link:
Hudson’s Luck: A Forever Wilde Novel
Description:
Hudson:
Don’t ever accidentally propose to your girlfriend. In front of her family. Especially if her dad is your boss. Because when you make it clear you’ve made a mistake, he’s likely to send you out of the country to get you as far away from his broken-hearted daughter as possible. It happened to me. Now I’m stuck in Ireland trying to redeem myself so I can get promoted and have the life I’ve planned for: successful career, loving wife and kids, a comfortable, financially-secure home life in Texas.
But all of that seems to evaporate the moment I walk into the historic pub and see the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen. Only, he’s not a woman.
Charlie Murray is most definitely a man—the kind of man who causes me to take a second look for the first time in my life. And a third look, and fourth. I can’t help but want to get to know him better… to get close to him, touch him, maybe even kiss him. But I’m straight. Or so I’ve always thought. Even if I’m not, how in the world could a feisty Irishman ever fit into the safe, predictable life I’ve always planned for?
Charlie:
Don’t ever accidentally fall for the straight guy. Especially when he’s trying to pry your family’s business right out from under you. I should know. Because when Hudson Wilde walks into my family’s pub and begins babbling so adorably, I can’t help but fall just a little bit in love. But I’m looking for Forever Man, and the sexy American is certainly not him. He’s so confused about what he wants, even choosing something from the dinner menu throws him into a fuddle. But those eyes… how can I resist?
So maybe I’ll give in. One steamy night before he heads home and I go back to life at the pub. We’ll never see each other again.
Until, of course, his business deal sends me to Hobie, Texas, right into the middle of Hudson’s steady life, more gay Wildes than can fit on a dance floor, and an ex-girlfriend who may or may not be content remaining an ex. But the more time I spend with Hudson, the more I think he might be my Forever Man after all. And I may be his. Is it possible we could both be so lucky?
Hudson’s Luck is the fourth book in the Forever Wilde series but can be read on its own. Beware it includes 93k words of delicious man parts touching, grandfathers meddling, neighbors nosy-ing, dogs fornicating, cats being cats, horses… ah, crunching apples? or something… and one very flirty Stevie.
Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words 