Review: Jilted by Vi Keeland
Vi Keeland has written some incredible contemporary romances over the years, but Jilted might just be my new favorite. It’s heartfelt, funny, emotionally layered, and so perfectly romantic that I found myself smiling (and maybe tearing up a little) long after I finished the last page.
At the center of Jilted are Sloane and Wilder—two characters who stole my heart completely. Sloane is a writer for Bride Magazine, someone who used to believe in love and happily-ever-afters… until she was left at the altar. Since then, her job has become more painful than passionate, and her views on love have taken a cynical turn.
Wilder is the opposite in many ways—laid-back, charming, confident, and surprisingly sincere. He’s a former rugby star and now part of the family behind the magazine Sloane writes for. They meet under chaotic, bridezilla-fueled circumstances, and what begins as verbal sparring quickly shifts into something more magnetic. Their banter is electric, full of sass and sparks. But what truly got me was the depth of their emotional connection.
Wilder falls hard for Sloane, and it’s exactly the kind of sweeping devotion I love in a romance hero. He doesn’t shy away from how he feels. He’s persistent but never pushy, playful but grounded, and always respectful of Sloane’s boundaries. Watching him slowly peel back her defenses—and watching her struggle with the fear of trusting again—was beautifully done. This is a true emotional slow burn, and it’s all the more satisfying because of it.
And can we talk about the moments in this book? The coat closet scene? The cupcake kisses?? Instant favorites. Keeland nails the balance between light and emotional. There’s so much joy in the flirty, swoony scenes, but also genuine tenderness as both Sloane and Wilder navigate their respective emotional baggage.
Sloane, in particular, resonated with me. While I haven’t been jilted at the altar, I’ve felt the sting of a broken engagement and the hesitation that comes with learning to trust again. Her fear, her reluctance to let someone in, felt deeply real—and I appreciated how Vi Keeland gave her the time and space to grow.
The supporting cast also added great depth to the story—especially Will and Andrew, who practically begged for their own books. The friend and family dynamics never felt forced, and every character added something meaningful to the plot.
If you’re a fan of heartfelt, character-driven romance with flirty banter, meaningful emotional arcs, and a hero who loves hard, Jilted needs to be on your TBR. It’s everything I love in a contemporary romance and more.
A massive thank you to Bramble and NetGalley for the ARC. I can’t wait to grab my final copy in May and relive the cupcake kisses and emotional slow burn all over again.
