Wild Darling
My review of Wild Darling by Alexandra Moody — nemesis hockey romance with secret training sessions, and a strict coach dad
BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS
9/12/20262 min read
Wild Darling Alexandra Moody review
5⭐️ | 0🌶️ (young adult)
Parker got kicked out of his dream hockey camp years ago after kissing a girl on the ice, a girl he still blames for ruining everything. Now he's on a new team, fighting to prove himself and earn the captaincy. There's just one problem: his new head coach? Her dad. And the coach's daughter, Mackenzie, wants absolutely nothing to do with him. The feeling is mutual. Until the team's goalie goes down with an injury, every replacement is a disaster, and Parker remembers that the girl who ruined his life also happened to be a total baddie in the net.
My thoughts
Another Darling book, another five stars 🩷🏒
Let's talk about these two, because the animosity between Parker and Mackenzie might be my favorite setup in the entire series. It's not manufactured drama. It's not a silly misunderstanding. These two have real, layered reasons to dislike each other, or at least so they think.
Parker blames Mackenzie for getting him sent home from hockey camp. That kiss on the ice cost him everything, and he's carried that grudge ever since. Fair enough, right?
Except here's what he doesn't know. That kiss? It was the last time Mackenzie was allowed to play hockey. Period. Her father—and now Parker's head coach—saw it happen and decided she clearly wasn't serious enough about the sport. So he pulled her off the ice. For good. So clearly she has more reason to dislike him, than he has to dislike her (or at least, I think so).
While Parker tries to balance the fact that his new coach hates him, their goalie gets injured and everyone who tries out is a disaster, utterly useless. Gladly Parker remembers that Mackenzie was a total baddie back at camp all those years ago, little does he know she hasn't played since. So he convinces her to try out, after all, as long as her dad doesn't know she's her, what harm could be done, right?
Only, she makes the team, and her father gives her 3 games to prove herself, to earn her place on the team, with no coaching from him or the other team coaches (very unfair if you ask me), which Parker can't stand by. So despite the fact that Mackenzie's dad threatened Parker to stay away from his daughter, Parker starts putting in early morning practices with Mackenzie, helping her to get in shape, to hold her own on the ice, and the resutls are trickling in.
I adore Parker's dedication to his team, to the sport, to his goal of becoming team captain, and for seeing the skill in Mackenzie before anyone else! Also, anyone else adores the racoon he draws? That was sooooo cute (IYKYK) 😍
And Mackenzie? Wow. It's hard enough to break norms when you have the support of the people you love. But having your dad and head coach rather not have you on the ice? Ouch, that hurt.
Their romance is slow and building, in the best way 💛
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© 2026 Vendy Emberfield. All rights reserved.
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