**Thank you to Netgalley & Little, Brown Book Group UK for the ARC, in exchange of an honest review**

I’ve read a couple of books by Christina Lauren, and even though this is completely different from their usual style, it still felt like I was reading CL - Fun and effortless.

Not sure what trope is your cup of tea? Don’t worry! They got a bit of everything covered in this novel: second chance, forced proximity, city boy country girl... Myself, I’m not keen on the Second chance trope, but I think it really worked out here and it was done beautifully. It’s also a dual POV, which is a personal favourite.

Our main female character, Lily Wilder, is the daughter of Duke Wilder, a well-known treasure hunter, and after her father dies, she’s forced to run an adventure retreat for tourists, even though she hates it, since she feels that Duke’s obsession with treasure hunting was the cause of all her hardships: her mother left her when she was young, the ranch she loved now belongs to someone else, and Leo, her soulmate, left without a trace. Except, 10 years later, there he is, standing in front of her, with the group she’s taking on an adventure, and all those feelings she kept locked away are now rushing back, full force.

You’re in for an action-packed great adventure, with unexpected twists, and a swoon worthy love story. The scenes are amazingly narrated, the descriptions of the scenery so vivid you feel like you’re watching a documentary (or an Indiana Jones movie!). The characters were brilliant and colourful, and I now need a spin-off with Nic and Walter!

This is absolutely perfect to read by the pool, so if you have a holiday soon, do yourself a favour and pre-order this!

Something Wilder follows the daughter of the infamous treasure hunter, Duke Wilder, and her struggle to make ends meet in the treacherous red rock desert of Utah. After losing patience with his riddles and quests when she was a child, Lily now uses his very journal and notes to guide tourists on fake treasure hunts. Then, in walks her ex with his bunch of ragtag mates, turning her world upside down, again. When their trip goes disastrously wrong, Lily learns there's more to her father's stories than she ever imagined and maybe, more to Leo too.

This is a by-the-pool easy summertime read. The treasure hunt was exciting and gave more to the story than the romance, in my opinion. It is very woman Indiana Jones-esque, which I loved. There was good communication between the couples, which I appreciated. The side characters were well developed, Walter fully has my heart. I liked Nic too, but Terry was just annoying as hell. I did think it was a tad unrealistic, after what happened in the middle, I would be panicking a hell of a lot more than the characters did. However, overall it was an enjoyable read and something a little different from most rom-coms.

4.5 stars

I've only ever read Autoboyography by Christina Lauren before, so this was my first adult romance by this author duo and it did not disappoint! Something Wilder is really more of an adventure romance than a romance romance, if that makes any sense; it took a much darker turn in parts than I was expecting it to, but I just loved the thrill of this Western, code-cracking, dangerous adventure through the desert of Utah. One thing that really stood out to me which I loved was that although there was a miscommunication between our love interests, it was solved within literally the first 20% of the book rather than dragging on as a lazy plot device like a lot of books tend to do, and that made me so happy! This is a second chance romance with two wildly opposite love interests, and I was really rooting for them throughout the book! I have to admit that my favourite part, however, was definitely the code cracking. It was so fun solving riddles and ciphers and working out where Butch Cassidy's treasure is hidden alongside the characters. Speaking of which, there is a really awesome cast in here, with characters you'll love to death, like sweet potato Walter and fierce Nicole, and other characters who you'll love to hate (but I won't spoil those for you!).
Overall, I'm so happy that this was my first ever Christina Lauren romance, and I'm so excited to pick up other books by this author duo now! I would highly recommend Something Wilder to anyone who loves a bit of romance mixed with a bit of dare and adventure! Also, if you love anything like riddles, you'll like this one!

Thank you NetGalley and Little, Brown Book Group UK for a copy of this ARC. All thoughts are my own.

As a huge fan of CLo and their novels, I was very excited to receive an ARC of Something Wilder. I knew it was going to be something different, given the synopsis, but I wasn't ready for the adventure this book would take me on.

It is fantastically written, and you can appreciate the level of research Christina Lauren have put into this world. It feels very cinematic, and I saw it all in my head as if I were snuggled in bed watching a movie as I read it. Something Wilder had all the elements to keep one invested - great characters, surprises and good plot twists along the way, a wild adventure that doesn't let up until the very end, and a second chance romance that was really beautifully weaved into this novel.

Both Lily Wilder and Leo Grady are exceptional characters. I loved learning about their past connection and how that fared upon reuniting on the trip together. Forced proximity helped bring back the natural chemistry these two had, though I did feel (and rightfully so) that Lily's defensive nature towards Leo's advances went on a little too long. I was thrilled that the authors didn't drag out the miscommunication between the pair over the reason for their sudden break up in the past. More importantly, it's maturely aired by the first third of the novel. The approach to this was dealt with so well. It was refreshing to have two people react and resolve some of their angst and tension by speaking it out and not ignoring the elephant in the room - or should I say, desert. I applaud CLo for this as it's something that many other romances drag out to the point of it becoming dry. It gave both Leo and Lily my respect, and I became more invested in them because of their mature approach.

The romance isn't at the forefront of this novel like it is in other CLo novels, but this isn't a bad thing. If you're coming into this just for the romance, you'll be a little disappointed if you're not into adventure. Whilst it isn't a subplot or thrown on the backburner in any way, the chase for the treasure and figuring out Duke Wilder's final clues is where the focus lies. That being said, when experiencing the romantic elements, the tension is perfect, the spice is tasteful and not overly detailed, and you leave this world knowing that Lily and Leo love each other and always will.

The side characters were intriguing, and I loved the adventure aspect so much. Whilst I predicted a lot that happened, I was thrown a couple of times along the way, which I was thankful for. The way the clues are done and the choices the characters make are really interesting, and as I said before, the vibe of this world is very movie-like. The world-building is overwhelmingly realistic- the sheer level of detail to their surroundings, the dangers, and how it all ties into the treasure hunt felt immersive from the get-go. I loved the legend around Butch Cassidy as well - these ladies really did their homework to make this world as in-depth as it was.

I originally gave this book 4.5 stars at the time of reading this, but it's been on my mind since I've finished it a lot. I admire the level of work Christina Lauren put into Something Wilder, so I've popped it up to a 5-star rating.

This book was so fun!

I always expect a bit of humor from a Christina Lauren book but this one was especially funny. Walter was my absolute favorite—he made me laugh pretty much every time he showed up. This is a fairly high-action, suspenseful, romance and the comic relief balanced it out really well.

All of the characters felt very fleshed out and I enjoyed reading about all of them. Lily and Leo were great POV characters and it was great watching them grapple with what they thought was real vs. what was actually real. I really appreciated the miscommunication being sorted out right at the beginning because it gave them time to work through their feelings about it and it didn’t feel rushed.

I found the treasure hunting aspect really fun. Nothing particularly surprised me reveal-wise, but, even though I figured out what was coming, the authors made the journey to get there so fun that I didn’t mind.

Christina Lauren's books just feel cozy and easy and Something Wilder was no exception. This is the perfect Summer Romance if you’re looking for something a little different.

Content warnings: Sexual harassment, gun violence, death/grieving, car accident, parental abandonment, illness, near-drowning, murder, broken bones.

Something Wilder centres Lily, daughter of notorious treasure hunter and absentee father, Duke Wilder. Lily leads a life using Duke’s hand drawn maps to guide tourists on fake treasure hunts through the red rock canyons of Utah. It pays the bills but certainly 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, Lilly would like to take Leo Grady out into the wilderness and leave him there. When the trip goes horribly wrong, Leo and Lily must confront their history and decide whether they’ll risk their lives and hearts on the adventure of a lifetime.

I love Christina Lauren books – This was instantly on my TBR, so I was thrilled to be accepted after requesting to read this one via NetGalley. Christina Lauren knows how to write such fun-loving romances. This one I felt was different to the others, I found it to be less romance and more action/adventure. There was a strong focus on the treasure hunt and uncovering a mystery.

This was a lovely comfort read, very uplifting and perfect for a cosy evening. I loved the friendship of Lily and her work colleague/ bestie Nicole – I always enjoy reading about fierce women who don’t take any nonsense, especially not from immature male guests. Luke was charming, I loved the workaholic phone addiction storyline and thought it was great that his friends organised a trip to remote Utah to get him away.

This is a unique story and not entirely what I was expecting. I enjoyed it, but I didn’t love it. There was too much focus on the treasure hunt and the I found the ‘lads’ to be irritating, which was of course intentional but difficult to continuously read when the are a large feature of the story. Why such a cute charmer like Leo was even friends with them to begin with was such a mystery.
I also felt the relationship was rushed – 10 years apart and suddenly nothings changed and they are in love again. I know it’s a story – but 10 years!!

Christina Lauren are amazing so I urge you to read this one to form your own opinion. I am excited for whatever they write next!

4 stars
The title of this novel is perfect. It really is a wild ride and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
There’s always an element in Christina Lauren books that’s a little outside the realms of reality. If you can just go with it they really do take you along on a funny, adventurous, page-turning ride.
This really came to life as I read it and felt like one of those books that plays out as a movie in your head.
The main characters are incredibly likeable and their romance is sweet and very genuine.
The side characters balanced it all out nicely and the pace was relentless.
I have been patiently waiting for this one for a while and was not disappointed.
Thanks to the publisher and netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

This one was definitely fun. It started off really well and then kind of went in a weird direction, but I still enjoyed it for sure. It's sort of a book of two halves for me.

You don't know this about me but I love outdoorsy, in the elements stories. If anything is set in the jungle, the desert etc? Love it. Something about being in danger making people fall in love I guess. But there was a LOT of walking about in this, just saying.

Now onto the most important bit, which is of course the romance. Which was really sweet. I loved the hero, Leo, especially. I really liked that he was sure about his feelings for Lily straight away and always honest about it was and really wanted to be there for her. They got rid of the miscommunication straight away as well which was a nice change. HOWEVER....

I think I'll say it like this: there was a lot of romance, but not a lot of sexual tension. For me that's important, but I know that some people aren't going to be as bothered about that. There is one sex scene and thankfully it isn't a fade to black (I'm never going to forgive them for the fade to black in the unhooneymooners, ok) but it's sort of vague and flowery, which I suppose I could have suspected.

I don't know. I liked it a lot, and it was fun. Don't think I'm ever going to reread it again, or even really think about it much again, but it was a nice way to pass the morning before work.

A wild and fun four-star read. This was one that I was so excited to read, but sadly it did feel lacking in a couple of small ways, but that may just me being picky as I have loved this author before. I really liked the beginning and the end made this so, so good, but sadly the middle left me a little wondery. The twists were well done, and if you picked the clues you could get it, but the clues of this story were well done much like Dukes treasure hunts. I am hoping that its just me that that wandered with this story as I am sure so many will love it, like I have loved the authors other works.

This is an open door romance.

I think this would be a great summer read. I was able to put down and pick up this book and was still able to follow the story line.

True to its title “Something Wilder” was indeed wild. A second chance romance filled with mystery, adventures, friendships, fun, and of course love.

🌵Adventurous
💛Second Chance Romance
💰Treasure Hunt
💔Betrayal

I was so excited when I received the news I had receive the book since it was a second chance romance(my favorite trope), from an author I really like, and it was a bit different then my normal reads.

While the book is a second chance, which is a common trope, the book couldn’t be more unique and unpredictable. It was a page turner, I got hooked from the start.

I throughly enjoyed Lily and Leo!
I loved their dynamic, their chemistry and their love. Leo is such an lovable person. Nerdy, sweet and completely gone for Lily.
Lily is tough, badass, funny, and kind.

I ADORED Walter and Nicole so much. Walter is an absolute sweetheart, and Nicole is such a badass woman!

I’m so thankful to Little, Brown Book Group UK for providing me with an ARC.

This made me want to do an escape room!
I wasn't 100% sure of the book for the first maybe 20%, but the more I read the more I ended up loving it. It has a second chance romance, a treasure hunt, some drama and twists and turns and just a really fun concept that I have never read before? It was so nice to read something unique (to me) and as much as I enjoyed the romance (Christina Laurens speciality) I kinda ended up enjoying the treasure hunt aspect of it more? It was fast paced did just hook me and I didn't want to put it down, and it was FUN, it was very much a super enjoyable journey, with cool characters, a cool setting, a cool plot, where the romance wasn't necessarily front and centre. So if you're reading this book purely for romance the you might not love it, as the chemistry between the characters didn't do it for me (which is unusual for their novels), but if you are looking for an Indiana Jones type treasure hunt with a sprinkling of romance then you will love it, if you want to go on a fun adventure but also have a bit of romance in there, you will also love it.
I think it's a bit different from their previous novels, HOWEVER, that is not a bad thing in my opinion, just go into it ready for an adventure and not the best romantic duo you've ever heard of.

I received an arc of this book in return for my honest review of the book. Thank you to Christina Lauren and Little Brown Book Group / Piatkus for giving me the opportunity to read Something Wilder before it’s release.

This book is hands down my favourite Christina Lauren book yet! I read this in one sitting and I did not put it down for a moment. The characters were brilliant, I adored their interactions and the setting made everything grander and higher stakes.

Something Wilder follows Lily Wilder after a series of tragic events which resulted in her losing her father, the ranch, and Leo. Now working as an adventure guide with her friend Nicole, the pair take tourists through the desert hunting fake treasure in order to make ends meet. When what looks to be her last tourist group arrives however, she is shocked to see Leo amongst them, especially after how their relationship ended years ago.
But not everything is as it seems, and it turns out that Duke Wilder’s maps aren’t all for show, leading the group on a perilous search for the hidden treasure and a chance to save not only the ranch Lily loves, but maybe it can salvage whats left of Lily and Leo’s past relationship.

This book just kept giving more and more, each element weaving a more intricate love story within the desert of Utah. I was not expecting the twists and turns that followed, but they were pleasant surprises and served to make the story even more gripping.

The relationship between Lily and Leo was palpable, from the moment the two locked eyes again I was rooting for them to reunite, and I certainly wasn’t disappointed. Every touch, every kiss felt magnified tenfold by the high stakes hunt for treasure, and the spice was brilliantly written and in keeping with the novel- it never once felt out of place or forced.

Honestly I’ll be getting my hands on a physical copy as soon as I can, and I would completely recommend everyone reading this does the same!

Lily's father was a treasure hunter, who died leaving her penniless after a lifetime of failed adventure. She now makes ends meet by taking thrill seeking tourists out on adventure trails, and is thrown for a loop when one of her tourists turns out to be the love of her life, who left 10 years ago and never returned.

Something Wilder wasn't very romancey, which was a surprise since that's what I was expecting. However, it was a good adventure story with some unexpected twists and I enjoyed it regardless!

I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I became a huge fan of this writing duo after reading and loving The Unhoneymooners. I loved Something Wilder, it felt like it very easily could’ve been a Nicholas Sparks novel! I loved the romance, it was cute without being too overbearing. The reunion was written super well! I did start to lose interest at one point halfway through when the story took a unbelievable turn but I still powered through and the ending was definitely worth it!

I dove straight into this book and found it an easy read. I loved the setting, and the rustic vibe made me long for a ranch visit. I really appreciated how the MC was a such tough cookie with an interesting upbringing, and how she got her second chance at love. Lily felt original, and I adored her friendship with Nicole - it was nice to see two strong women propping each other up and working at a tough business together.

The idea of buried treasure in the canyons was great fun and something a little different from these authors. I did feel the suspense elements were a tad too predictable for my liking - it sort of reminded me of a paler version of Nora Roberts romantic suspense novels in this respect. The banter usually found in Christina Lauren books wasn't as prevalent, but the love interest was likeable - a bit of an honourable white knight in my mind - and you rooted for them to be together in the end, even if I didn't always feel the spark. Walter, I have to say, was a fantastic secondary character - he made me laugh and I loved the idea of him and Nicole possibly getting together.

All in all it was a nice, easy romantic read and I'd recommend for any Christina Lauren fan - possible even for those who like a little suspense with their romance too!

Huge thanks to Netgalley for my copy!

I was pleasantly surprised by this book. I was expecting a romcom with great banters from the co-authors of course, but I didn’t expect the dark turn this book took! That was unexpected but I liked that it makes this book an unconventional romcom. The story evolves around a mystery surrounding treasures, and there are codes and riddles to solve. I enjoyed that part a lot. The romance is sweet. The main two characters, Lily and Leo, are likeable and adorable. It melt my icy heart! You will especially enjoy this if you like…
👉Second chance romance
👉Western (you can expect lots of actions!)
👉Treasure hunt

A second-chance romance with a little bit of treasure hunting adventure and a few unexpected events which add a little interest to the story - although I couldn't help feeling like I was reading the outline for a Hallmark movie! The story flicks between Lily and Leo's PoV's, so you get a bit of insight into both characters; who were nice enough in a pleasant way - no witty banter though, which I have come to love from this Author. This is an easy enough read, although I didn't especially feel the chemistry, so it didn't fully hit the mark for me - I enjoyed it, but not as much as some of Christina Lauren's other novels and I found it easy to pick up and put down. It may make a good holiday read when it comes out on 17th May. Thanks to NetGallery and Little, Brown Book Group UK for allowing me to get a copy of this book.

Anyone who knows me knows that I love Christina Lauren books and am in a frenzy to make sure I read all of their books. Let me tell you, this one is certainly a game changer. If your looking for a Christina Lauren book to blow your mind then this is the one. This book took me completely by surprise. It was not what I excited at all and dint follow any of the same sort of narrative as their books normally do. I was in complete shock at some of the plot twists and was desperate to talk to someone about what was happening but couldn't!!!

I'm unsure as to how I felt in the end with this one as it isn't your typical romcom and definitely had a more mysterious side to it that came as a surprise. Therefore I'm giving it 3 stars for now but may change my mind later.

A fast paced, epic love story that I truly adored. Christina Lauren has captured a tale of a sweeping love story amidst remote American ranch. Lily and Leo’s journey starts at the beginning of the story, 10 years prior to most of the action where everything appears rosy but fast forward and due to unfortunate events they both aren’t together as hoped. This story follows their surprise reconnection that leads to a real but lethal treasure hunt. I loved the descriptions of the landscape. It was a real page turner and I felt good connections with the characters.