Book Club Read October: Unwanted by Mia Sheridan

October is here, and we're leaving behind the flirty text messages and baby goats of September for something on the dark side.

Our October HEA Book Club pick is Unwanted by Mia Sheridan, the first book in the Men and Monsters series.

Part romance, part mystery and part psychological suspense, this month's read takes us deep into the Montana wilderness and introduces us to a man who has supposedly lived alone in the forest since he was a child.

The question is...

Is he a victim, a killer, or something in between?

Wilderness guide Harper Ward is called to the sheriff's office in the small town of Helena Springs, Montana, to assist with an unusual case.

There's been a double murder.

And the police have a suspect.

His name is Lucas, or at least, that's what he's being called. Dressed in animal skins, unkempt and seemingly unfamiliar with the world around him, Lucas has been described as a "savage." Even more unbelievable is the claim that he has survived alone in the forest since he was a small child.

But when Harper watches him through the station's surveillance cameras, she begins to see something the others don't.

There's intelligence behind his eyes.

Sensitivity.

And a story that doesn't quite add up.

The more Harper learns about Lucas, the more questions she has.

Who is he? How did a child end up alone in the wilderness? And, most importantly, did he actually commit the murders he's suspected of?

As Harper begins searching for answers, she discovers that Lucas may only be one piece of something far more disturbing. And getting closer to the truth also means getting closer to him.

October felt like the perfect month to choose something with a slightly darker edge.

Unwanted combines romance, murder mystery, suspense and secrets with what sounds like a fascinating central relationship between Harper and Lucas.

There's also something immediately intriguing about Lucas himself.

A man who has supposedly grown up isolated from society. A murder investigation. A wilderness guide trying to work out who he really is. And the possibility that there's much more happening beneath the surface than anyone initially realises.

I have questions.

And that's exactly what I want from a book club read.

Mia Sheridan is also the author of the hugely popular Archer's Voice, so I'm particularly interested to see what she does with a romance wrapped inside a much darker and more mysterious story.

September's Let's Get Textual gave us wrong numbers, nerdy flirting, ridiculous banter and an adorable baby goat.

October?

We've got murder.

While romance is still at the heart of Unwanted, this one promises a much more suspenseful reading experience. We're heading into secrets, danger, questions about Lucas's past and a mystery that appears to get bigger the further Harper digs.

Basically, it's giving us exactly the kind of slightly creepy, atmospheric reading we need for October.

Whether you're a regular HEA Book Club reader or you've been waiting for something a little darker to join us, October could be your month.

Grab yourself a copy of Unwanted by Mia Sheridan, get comfortable and prepare to head into the Montana wilderness with us.

And when you've finished, we want to know:

What did you think of Lucas?

Because I have a feeling he's going to give us plenty to talk about.

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