I always enjoy Karin Kallmaker books. This was my second or third listen to the audiobook on Everand (Scribd) that was brilliantly narrated by Abby Craden. The story includes some homophobia, politics and a hot and steamy romance that is complicated by Catholic parents who are completely ruled by their faith’s rules. I really loved this book.

This book is special to me. Karin Kallmaker is one of the first lesfic authors I ever read, and this specific book is the first lesbian romance I translated. I don’t remember reading it since, and listening to this story so many years later, masterfully narrated by Abby Craden, was a whole new and captivating experience.

Faith Fitzgerald is a respected and dedicated historian. She’s a good Catholic girl – despite not being a girl anymore since she’s in her thirties –, still living at home with her parents and her brother, a naval officer who got hurt in the course of duty. She’s dating Eric Van Allen, a nice and sweet architect, whom she really loves, albeit in a mostly platonic way. When Eric introduces her to his sister, all of Faith’s well-constructed persona fails her. Sydney is everything she loves: smart, dedicated, strong. All the feelings Faith has been struggling with for years come back, and as hard as she fights them, she can’t resist nor can she repent. The attraction is mutual but unsettles Sydney just as much. As a recovering alcoholic, she doesn’t want to give in to temptation, worried it might lead her back to her drink of choice, Glenfiddich. And she’s afraid of hurting her brother.

I am not a Catholic, I am not a religious person either, though I’m no stranger to spirituality. I grew up in a non-religious Jewish family, where being Jewish is more culture than religion. I nevertheless find faith fascinating, the way it helps people who believe, the way it can sometimes lift them up. To me, faith isn’t necessarily linked to organized religion, it’s personal, something that’s between you and you, or you and your god(s). I love the way Karin Kallmaker describes the impact faith has on Faith (that name…) and how different it is from the impact the church has on her, and her journey to accepting herself as she is. Watching her become herself is beautiful. Sydney’s character growth is of another kind but no less impressive, as she learns to trust herself and to let go in healthy ways.

Wild Things was first published a long time ago, in 1996, but is still oh so relevant. The only hints that it actually takes place in the nineties are the mentions of pop culture and the absence of cell phones. Nothing in this book feels dated, and I loved rediscovering Faith and Sydney’s feelings. Abby Craden’s narration was wonderful as usual, if a tad slow at times. I especially loved her voice for Faith in the dialogues and her voice for Faith’s sister Meg. I won a code for the audiobook from Karin Kallmaker’s blog (if you don’t already know it, you should), and fate couldn’t have done things better.

Excellent, really enjoyable read.

I just wish there had been more, you cover an awful lot of ground in quite a short space of time.

This is my first read (or rather listen) to Karin Kallmaker and I’ll be definitely seeking out more by this author.
I was invested in the main characters: Sydney Van Allen, the would-be politician and Faith Fitzgerald the devout catholic historian, and her potential fiancee Eric who happens to be Sydney’s brother. Full of angst, drama and an overwhelming magnetism between the MCs this was quite unlike any other lesfic I’ve read. I was actually fascinated by the historical elements of Faith’s research and the parallels between how women have to fight for what they want and be true to themselves in life and love, and challenge this man’s world. Admittedly this is a book from pre 2000 and things are thankfully a little different now.

a lovely slow burn story, I enjoyed very much, read in one setting.

*Maybe a slight spoiler. Just in case I have marked it as such*
Wow!! Coming from a religious background and KNOWING Faith’s struggle and point blank
epiphany… I was speechless. I felt her struggle and tears filled my eyes. My parents reacted how I thought they would (disowned me) but I was/am true to me. No matter how much it would hurt. The book may not have been my voice but it is the voice of so many before and after. This work has so many truths.
If I could I would thank the author personally.
Faith…great name

An intense read, as any book that delves into the naughty pair of religion and sexuality usually kicks me in my non-existent balls. It is such a touchy subject, highly emotional, and can involve broken family dynamics and re-invention like no other subject. And Ms. Kallmaker didn't hold back. 

I realize this was published in the 90s so totally went with that flow, the wardrobes, the described decor, the having to walk to pay phones to call cabs....the nostalgia was real! I found I could relate to MC Faith's struggle with finding her voice and identity. jesus christ was Faith's family awful.....judgmental, hypocritical and downright abusive. Holy SHIT. It floors me that there can be people out there spouting "god's word" and faithfulness and living by the all supposed loving scripture while at the same time punching their daughters. What the actual fuck. 

The story was good, albeit had some info dumps that I just couldn't get into at times. Some over the top language, eye-rolling, the quick U-Haul moving into together moment, but hey, this was an early lesfic so I'll let it slide. It is not one I will soon forget, but also one I won't re-visit.

This book was written in the mid-90s, so although it's slightly dated, it holds up well and is certainly worth it if you like the Toaster Oven trope. And it's narrated by Abby Craden - so 'nuf said there. (Everyone that reads my reviews knows that I'm in love with that woman's voice and incredible talent.) Interestingly, this one deals quite a bit with the struggle of reconciling your sexuality with your Catholic faith. That might help people still dealing with something similar. What was also unique is one of the MCs, Faith Fitzgerald, is a brilliant historical fiction writer/college professor doing research to write a book about Eleanor of Aquitaine, so you get some bonus history about her too. Faith is in her mid-30s and dating a wonderful guy, but they've done little more than kiss and she is quite content with that. But then she meets his sister, Sydney Van Allen, an attorney being courted to run for public office. The attraction is immediate for both and Faith wants to do much more than kiss her. So not only is Faith struggling with her, well, FAITH, she's also falling for her incredibly kind boyfriend's sister! And Sydney doesn't want to hurt her brother either. They're very close. What to do, what to do? :-) It's a quick listen at 5 hours and 45 minutes, so just perfect to enjoy between longer books. It's got some subplots going on as well that added nicely to the story. I liked it.

This is a bit of a throwback from 1996, so when you read it, read it with Nineties eyes (if you can). Reading it with a modern eye, you might think it's a bit preachy and cliched. It isn't, it's educational for the time of publication. These days, it is completely normal in my day job to get a CV through from a woman listing their wife as next of kin or a man listing their husband. This book helps us remember how far we have come in a lot of places in the world when it comes to gay rights. Obviously there are some places where this book will still hit very close to the core. I provides a sense of hope and message of love. The story itself is good, I like reading strong female characters, however Syd is not as much of the ice queen she is portrayed. I've read far icier characters. Still the power dynamics are fun. To me, this felt like a feel good story that is relatable to a lot of people. Step back down memory lane, give it a go.

If Radclyffe is the king of lesbian romance novels, Karin Kallmaker is the queen, and Wild Things is one of her classics. You do have to get past a hideous font, a bad cover design, and a rather plain writing style, but the reward is a wonderfully feel-good story. Professor Faith Fitzgerald lives at home with her oppressive Polish Catholic family and is deeper in the closet than the dust balls. She’s engaged to a super nice guy, but things get complicated when she meets his sister, Sydney. Sydney Van Allen is a wealthy and charismatic lawyer with political ambitions. She’s an out lesbian -- but one with inner demons. The two women are irresistibly attracted and can’t help but stray from their well laid paths into the wild (literally in one scene). Amidst a lot of angst about being gay (appropriate to the period), delicious sexual tension of the “Oh, we mustn’t”, “Oh, but we must” variety, and such fun scenes as an historical masquerade ball, the likeable characters fumble towards ecstasy.

This book is about a Catholic woman named Faith who is a history professor/writer coming to terms with her sexuality as she falls for her boyfriend Eric's sister Sydney, a recovering alcoholic who is on the verge of running for the Senate as the democratic candidate. It's set in the mid 90's in Chicago. On Faith's side there's devout Catholic parents, a brother who was in the navy and survived an engine room fire with 30% of his body burned, a younger sister who is suddenly a 22 year old widow with a 9 month old half Jewish son who needs to move home. On Sydney's side, there's a supportive, incredible, sweet, slightly older, very successful brother, nice parents, and very celebrated and successful in their own right extended family. Sydney's family is ridiculously rich but her and her brother work hard at their chosen professions. They are not the idle rich which they could easily be. Besides the obstacle of Eric and their developing feelings for each other, Sydney is weary of dating because she doesn't want her sexuality to be the center of her campaign. Will these two crazy kids work it out and live happily ever after? Read it and find out! This book is a simply written, enjoyable page turner.

My first lesbian book ! Love it!