The verdict: A classic Kallmaker slow burn with real forbidden-romance stakes: a woman engaged to a man falls for his sister—an openly lesbian Senate candidate who can’t afford a scandal. It’s emotionally charged, beautifully written, and a comfort-read staple of sapphic romance.
Best for: Readers who love forbidden love, a coming-out journey, political tension, and a tender-but-simmering slow burn from a genre legend.
Goodreads: 3.92★ (1,100+ ratings) | Heat: 🌶🌶🌶 (moderate) | Trope: Forbidden love · coming out · slow burn
Wild Things by Karin Kallmaker is exactly the kind of book that made Kallmaker a cornerstone of lesbian romance. It takes a delicious forbidden-love setup—falling for the sister of the man you’re supposed to marry—and layers in a coming-out arc, political ambition, and years of pent-up longing. If you want a heartfelt slow burn with genuine emotional stakes and a satisfying payoff, this one delivers.
What Is Wild Things About?
Faith Fitzgerald is a respected scholar and award-winning author with a life that looks perfect on paper: a wealthy, charming suitor named Eric who adores her, and a family thrilled about the impending match. She has every reason to feel happy—and yet her feelings for Eric are safe, predictable, and quietly hollow.
Everything shifts the moment she meets Eric’s sister, Sydney Van Allen. Openly lesbian and running for the U.S. Senate, Sydney has spent years working to live down a wild reputation. Winning means keeping her nose clean—absolutely no liaisons—least of all with the alluring woman on her brother’s arm who looks back at her with confusion and undeniable desire.
What follows is a charged, forbidden pull between two women who each have everything to lose. For Faith, it means questioning a future she thought she wanted; for Sydney, it means risking a campaign she’s sacrificed years to build. The result is a romance about honesty, courage, and refusing to settle for a shadow of what love could be.
What Makes This Sapphic Romance Work
Kallmaker is a master of longing, and Wild Things plays to all her strengths. Here’s what stands out:
- ✓ High-stakes forbidden love. Faith is dating Sydney’s brother, and Sydney’s political future hangs in the balance—every stolen glance carries real weight.
- ✓ A tender coming-out journey. Faith’s dawning self-awareness is handled with warmth and patience rather than melodrama.
- ✓ A confident, layered love interest. Sydney is ambitious and guarded, with a wild past she’s trying to outrun—a compelling contrast to Faith’s careful world.
- ✓ Signature slow-burn tension. The pull between the leads simmers for the long haul, making the payoff genuinely satisfying.
- ✓ Polished, emotional prose. Kallmaker’s writing is smooth and heartfelt, the comfort-read quality that keeps readers coming back.
Tropes & Themes at a Glance
| Element | In This Book |
|---|---|
| Central trope | Forbidden love — falling for her boyfriend’s sister |
| Heat level | Moderate — sensual but not graphic |
| Pace | Slow burn, tension-driven |
| Setting | Contemporary; wealth, family, and a Senate campaign |
| Big themes | Coming out, honesty, ambition vs. desire, self-discovery |
| Leads | Careful scholar × guarded political candidate |
| Ending | Satisfying, hopeful HEA |
How Spicy Is Wild Things?
Heat rating: 🌶🌶🌶 out of five. Wild Things lands in the moderate range. The tension between Faith and Sydney smolders for much of the book, and when the leads finally come together, the intimate scenes are sensual and emotionally charged without being explicit or graphic. It’s a satisfying middle ground—more heat than a closed-door romance, but the focus stays on feeling and connection.
Who Should Read This Book?
You’ll love it if…
- ✓ You love a forbidden-love setup with real stakes.
- ✓ Coming-out and self-discovery arcs move you.
- ✓ You enjoy classic, polished lesbian romance from a genre legend.
- ✓ A slow burn with a payoff that feels earned is your ideal.
You might skip it if…
- ✓ You want high heat or explicit, graphic scenes.
- ✓ You prefer fast, plot-driven action over emotional simmer.
- ✓ Love triangles involving a sibling feel uncomfortable to you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Wild Things a standalone novel?
Yes. Wild Things is a standalone romance, so you can read it without any prior books. It tells Faith and Sydney’s complete story from meeting to resolution.
Does Wild Things have a happy ending?
It does. Like most of Karin Kallmaker’s work, the book delivers a satisfying, hopeful happily-ever-after for its leads after plenty of forbidden-love tension along the way.
How explicit is Wild Things?
It’s moderate—around three chili peppers out of five. The intimacy is sensual and emotionally driven rather than graphic, making it a good fit for readers who want warmth and chemistry without heavy explicit content.
Do I need to have read other Kallmaker books first?
Not at all. Wild Things stands entirely on its own. It’s also a great entry point if you’re new to Karin Kallmaker and want to see why she’s considered a pillar of the genre.
What is the main trope in Wild Things?
The core trope is forbidden love with a coming-out arc: Faith is involved with a man when she falls for his sister, Sydney, whose Senate campaign makes any relationship dangerously risky. It blends slow-burn tension with real emotional stakes.
If You Loved Wild Things, Read These Next
For more slow-burn, high-stakes sapphic romance, explore these curated collections:
- ✓ Slow-burn lesbian romance recommendations — for more simmering, tension-driven love stories.
- ✓ Lesbian forced-proximity romances — when circumstance keeps two women close.
- ✓ Sapphic workplace romances — ambition, chemistry, and career-high stakes.
- ✓ Enemies-to-lovers lesbian romances — for guarded leads and combustible tension.
- ✓ Sapphic roommates & forced-proximity romances — cozy, close-quarters swoon.
The bottom line: Wild Things is vintage Kallmaker—a forbidden-love slow burn with genuine stakes, a tender coming-out journey, and a payoff worth the wait. If you love classic lesbian romance done with heart and craft, this belongs on your shelf.
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