Wildwood Secrets is a brilliant second instalment in the Wildwood Meadows series. Hattie, a true crime podcaster dedicated to bringing forgotten missing women back into public consciousness, clashes wonderfully with Kip Holt, a forest-loving game warden who believes civilians have no business in investigations. The tension between them is electric, and their opposing worldviews make for a compelling and convincing romance alongside a genuinely gripping mystery.

The true crime investigation kept me on the edge of my seat, particularly towards the end when I simply could not put it down. The family WhatsApp group — gloriously named Dysfunction Junction — is an inspired touch that adds humour and heart at exactly the right moments. Every family member feels distinct and real, and I'm already looking forward to getting to know them better in future books.

A perfect blend of suspense and romance. If you enjoyed book one, this absolutely delivers.

This is the second book in the series, but I haven't read the first and followed it well. You might get more from the friends' characters if you had read the first, but I would say it's not a necessity.

I thought the characters were really well developed, and you could really step into the world they are living in and feel immersed. The story itself is twisty and gritty, and I really felt for Harper as the story progressed. That being said, it was a little slow in places for me. If you enjoy a slower burn and building tension, then this one is definitely for you.

The final 3rd of the book really had me gripped, with the story being more fast-paced and all of the story lines coming together with a satisfying end.

This was an enjoyable read. It sets up the story well and leaves us on a definite cliffhanger. Set in a world where shifters live hidden in the Wilds, a human with healing abilities lives with, but is not embraced by, the wolf pack. She has no memory of her life before being taken in by the wolves. This book gives hints about this history, and I hope future books delve into this more. I wish the end had a bit more of a wrapping up of a thread of the story, but that is my own preference. The love triangle has some serious heat potential that I'm looking forward to reading more of.

If it had realised it had such an open ending, I might have waited to read all the books together.