Common Sense Media Review
By Victoria Quistgaard
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Witty banter, exciting hockey drama in fun teen romance.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 13+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
In WILD DARLING, Parker is finally center stage with his older brothers off at college, and he's ready to win it all for the new hockey season, including team captain. But his dreams are doused in cold water when the new coach turns out to be someone from his past who doesn't like him. Mackenzie Foster has wanted nothing more than to play hockey for as long as she can remember, but her father, Coach Foster, has expressly forbid it. She had one chance freshman year, but it got ruined at hockey camp when she was caught kissing a boy on the ice. Now that mistake is back to taunt her in the form of Parker Darling after she moves to Ransom with her family. But when the Ransom Devils' star goalie gets taken off the ice, and the backup goalie can't stop a goal with glue in his gloves, Mackenzie finally gets the chance to prove to her dad that she's a skilled goalie—with the help of Parker. Hate turns to sparks as they work together to create a team that's good enough to crush their rivals and prove to Coach Foster that they can work together to win.
Is It Any Good?
Exciting and hilarious, this third book in the hit series The Darling Devils is by far the best! Wild Darling is a classic enemies to lovers tale coupled with hockey, and author Alexandra Moody gets all the teasing, pranks, and banter between the main characters just right. There's more hockey action in this book, too, which adds to the excitement. It's a fun, easy read for series and sports romance fans.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the challenges and triumphs of teamwork. Why was it important for Parker to realize his mistakes during the first two games? How did realizing those mistakes help make the team better?
Mackenzie had a lot of challenges to face physically and mentally playing on an all-boys hockey team. What helped her through the transition?
Coach Foster was adamant about Kenzie not playing hockey, but was forced to let her play in the end. However, he refused to treat her like a player. Was this behavior helpful for the team? Why or why not?
Book Details
- Author :
- Genre : Romance
- Topics : School ( High School ) , Sports ( Hockey )
- Character Strengths : Courage , Integrity , Perseverance , Teamwork
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Avon a
- Publication date : April 7, 2026
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 14 - 18
- Number of pages : 368
- Available on : Paperback, Nook, Apple Books, Kindle
- Last updated : April 8, 2026
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