The Beloved Wild

by Melissa Ostrom

Harriet Winter is the eldest daughter in a farming family in New Hampshire, 1807. Her neighbour is Daniel Long, who runs his family's farm on his own after the death of his parents. Harriet's mother sees Daniel as a good match, but Harriet isn't so sure she wants someone else to choose her path - in love and in life.

When her brother decides to strike out for the Genesee Valley in western New York, Harriet decides to go with him - disguised as a boy. Their journey includes sickness, uninvited guests, and difficult emotional terrain as Harriet comes of age, realizes what she wants, and accepts who she's loved all along.

• ISBN10: 1250132797
• ISBN13: 9781250132796
• Publish Date: 1 April 2018
• Publish Status: Active
• Out of Print: 4 April 2022
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: St Martin's Press
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 320
• Language: English

Reviews

[lizarodz]

Quite the Novel Idea https://quitethenovelidea.com https://quitethenovelidea.com/blog-tour-and-review-the-beloved-wild-by-melissa-ostrom/

• I love historical romances and Ostrom's The Beloved Wild has a Jane Austen vibe that I adore.


• Harriet is a strong character, she sees the unfairness of the way men treat women and she's vocal about it.  Too bad that back then (1800s?)  society was not ready for it.  I did love that through her adventure with her brother, she was able to find herself and find friendship and love to boot.


• The writing was sublime.  So good, historically accurate, and insightful.


• The plot is slow to start, going about the life a typical farmers in New Hampshire, but then turns into an adventure.


• Characterization!  Phineas is a hoot, Rachel is a good friend, Marian is a strong female character too. LOVE!


• Daniel is a sweetheart and good to the chore!  I'm so glad for his perseverance :)

• Not enough romance!  There wasn't a lot of Harriet - Daniel time.


• Harriet was sometimes irrational and was a bit prejudiced, snobbish and jealous.


• The ending was not very definite, which makes me think there must be another book and this is a series.

I really enjoyed The Beloved Wild.  I love that Harriet was a strong character and that took matters into her own hands.  I can't wait to read more!This review was originally posted on Quite the Novel Idea

[shannonmiz]

You can find the full review and all the fancy and/or randomness that accompanies it at It Starts at Midnight

First, I have no idea why I thought that this was a fantasy, but spoiler alert, it isn't. Oops? This is what happens when I don't read blurbs, but that is okay! I actually liked it better this way, so it's a win. Anyway. I found this to be an enjoyable and quick book! Most of my thoughts are positive, and as always, we'll start with those.

The Good:

• There's an enormous focus on family in this book. I love that the family relationships are complicated. Some of the relationships are super close and loving, and some frankly aren't, which seems incredibly realistic.


• I really enjoyed Harriet as a main character. She has tons of strengths, but also tons of flaws. I especially loved that she was willing to accept her flaws, acknowledged when she was wrong, and tried to do better. She was also not okay with the time period's nonsense way of treating women, which... I feel you, girl. It's still nonsense, but in Harriet's day... well, obviously it was an even hotter mess. And she wasn't here for it.


• There was adventure and pioneer trips! I love a trek through the wilderness, especially in pre-automotive eras. It's all so... daunting and perilous! And in Harriet's case, clearly this is all new to her.


• Even though I did have a minor qualm with the relationship (see below) it really was super cute. I liked that the love interest liked Harriet for who she was, and not some ideal of who he wanted her to be. 
  

  "'Oh, no. That's just it. He loves you because of your nature.' She sighed. 'Rare thing, that.'"

  
  


• Speaking of relationships, there were some fabulous friendships that formed along the way. I became really invested in all the characters, even the more minor ones. And they added a lot of humor and fun to the story.


• Loved the historical and rural setting! If you've ever been in the Batavia, New York area... well, I was having fun imagining it as more rural back in the day.

The Not As Good:

• The plot did feel a bit predictable at times. Which wasn't terrible even, in this case, since I was mostly here for the history and relationships anyway!


• I don't really understand what made Harriet start liking Daniel after wanting to be rid of him. I didn't really buy it, she was just apathetic until she wasn't, but... Idk, didn't feel super authentic. However, I did like it a lot after I got over that bit!

Bottom Line: I definitely enjoyed this historical fiction novel with an incredibly heartwarming cast of characters, and a lot of love shared among them!

*Quote taken from uncorrected proof, subject to change
**Copy provided for review