Thank you so much to the publishers and Netgalley for sending me an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review! I later bough myself a copy of the finished book.
Growing up the daughter of notorious treasure hunter and absentee father Duke Wilder left Lily without much patience for the profession… or much money in the bank. But Lily is nothing if not resourceful, and now uses Duke’s coveted hand-drawn maps to guide tourists on fake treasure hunts through the red rock canyons of Utah. It pays the bills but doesn’t leave enough to fulfill her dream of buying back the beloved ranch her father sold years ago, and definitely not enough to deal with the sight of the man she once loved walking back into her life with a motley crew of friends ready to hit the trails. Frankly, Lily would like to take him out into the wilderness—and leave him there.
Leo Grady knew mirages were a thing in the desert, but they’d barely left civilization when the silhouette of his greatest regret comes into focus in the flickering light of the campfire. Ready to leave the past behind him, Leo wants nothing more than to reconnect with his first and only love. Unfortunately, Lily Wilder is all business, drawing a clear line in the sand: it’s never going to happen.
But when the trip goes horribly and hilariously wrong, the group wonders if maybe the legend of the hidden treasure wasn’t a gimmick after all.
Christina Lauren is a writing duo that I always feelI can trust to provide me with a good read. That is why I was beyond excited to read Something Wilder whilst I was on holiday. I knew it was something a little different for the pair but I didn’t realise to what extent. Let me tell you, this book blew my mind! It is unconventional and unique and it is truly exciting to devour.
This book is very different from any of the other books that they have released and it deserves a lot of love. It is an action-packed western meets mystery. It has an angsty and heart-warming love story, lot of comedic moments and a whole lot of adventure. I’ve never seen this mix of genres before and at first I was worried. I didn’t need to be though, as the genres blended perfectly!
I don’t want to give anything away about the story and the adventure but just know that it gets wild about 30% in. At one point I gasped so loudly I woke my fiancé up who was on the sun lounger next to me. I loved how the riddles, puzzles and codes are developed throughout the book and had fun trying to figure them out. I thought I had figured things out and I was completely wrong. It truly is a wild ride.
I loved Lily and Leo with their second-chance romance storyline. Lily is such a determined, fiery, stubborn and caring main character and I loved watching how she dealt with things. Lily definitely takes no messing and I thoroughly enjoyed reading about her. Leo is such a sweet love interest. He clearly cares so much for Lily and others around him. He is excellent and I loved him. I loved the tension we see the first time they see each other again. Their romance storyline is heart-warming and the love radiated off the page.
The secondary characters in this book are also excellent. All of them are unique and a lot of fun. Two who I feel deserve a special mention are Nicole and Walter. Pair Nicole’s toughness with Walter’s shyness and they make an interesting duo to see throughout the book. I loved watching all the characters interact with each other and how fun it was to read the dynamic between them.
Personally, I would say that for me, this is Christina Lauren’s best book I’ve read. It is so unique, fun and truly thrilling. I’m glad they decided to step out of their comfort zone and give something unique a go. It worked amazingly and exceeded all my expectations.
Overall, Something Wilder is a truly unique, thrilling, heart-warming and amazing book to devour in a few sittings. I cannot recommend this one enough. Expect the unexpected with this one and let yourself be drawn into the story.
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