WILDLAND by Rebecca Hodge

Rating: 4.5 / 5

I received WILDLAND by Rebecca Hodge in my adult Once Upon a Book Club book box. I had seen this one around a bit, but didn’t know a lot about it. Even so, the lure of having gifts to open along the way had me adding this one to my TBR right away!

WILDLAND follows Kat Jamison, a woman facing a difficult decision. Her breast cancer has returned and she’s not sure if she wants to go through treatment again. She’s decided to head to a remote cabin in the Blue Ridge Mountains to spend some time in peace. Her daughter wants her mother to fight and survive, showing up as Kat is settling in to emphasize this point and to drop off a rescue dog to keep Kat company in isolation.

The dog by her side isn’t the only interruption to Kat’s peace and quite. There are two young children staying in nearby cabins with their fathers who are drawn to Kat and her dog, plus Kat’s dog finds a poor abused puppy that Kat finds herself taking in. With two dogs and two kids in her care, a sudden storm pops up and lightning sparks a fire in the overly dry landscape which cuts Kat’s cabin off from the only road off the mountain. Suddenly she is fighting for her more immediate life and those of the kids in her care while their frantic fathers are doing everything possible to stage a rescue.

I started this one later at night than I probably should have because I really couldn’t tear myself away until I finished at about 2a.m. I was immediately pulled in by the author’s writing and Kat’s story. Kat has lost her husband and she’s facing a difficult battle that she isn’t sure is worth it, though she understands her daughter’s concern.

I thought that the character development was really well done with Kat and with the other characters. Each has their own challenges and scars, both literal and figurative which enter into the story. Each steps up as a hero in different ways.

The excitement and action in this one was nonstop and I really enjoyed it! If this one isn’t on your TBR, I would recommend it!

Reading Challenges:

#AroundTheYearIn52Weeks – a book with the major theme of survival