I loved it. I wasn't surprised to find that the case, as since discovering Christina Lauren this year I have been binging and loving all of their books!

What I liked about Something Wilder was that it was so different from any of their others, yes it still had the same wonderful writing style and substance, but the storyline - so unexpected!

I loved all the characters, in particular Lily and Leo. Their relationship was amazing!

I'm also a big fan of a douchey characters getting what they deserve! Even if it was pretty extreme in this case!

I will continue to read, enjoy and rave about all Christina Lauren books until the day I die.

Thank you for the advanced copy, I really appreciated it!

NB: My GoodReads and Bookstagram review will be posted after publication, once I've got a physical copy. I will make mention of the advanced copy in that review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Piaktus for sending me an ARC of this book!

Christina Lauren can do no wrong it seems! This is the fifth book of theirs I've read and it just makes me want more.

Something Wilder is a bit more...wild...than their previous books. At the beginning, I wasn't so sure. It seemed to lack that classic CLo humour and there was one character who was absolutely cringey he was so terrible.

And then shit went crazy. Like crazy crazy. Yes, there's the second chance romance which I loved. Leo and Lily are great characters and you can really tell they've loved each other. The banter between them really brings in that classic CLo humour that was missing at first. But aside from the romance, the plot of this one is just absolutely insane.

Things go horribly horribly wrong on their fake treasure hunt adventure, which leads to a potentially real treasure hunt. People get hurt, both physically and emotionally. There's danger out in the desert that even Lily Wilder couldn't have predicted. I didn't think my jaw could drop any further after the first few twists, but the last twist absolutely blew my mind and broke my heart.

I'm actually torn on my rating. 4.5 is probably around where I'm at. The first half of the book is 4, the second is closer to 5. Like all of their books, I couldn't put it down and I devoured it.

Something Wilder is not just a punny title. This is absolutely something wilder than you'd ever expect from this writing duo, and I need everyone to read it and scream about it with me.

Headlines:
Romancing the stone vibe
Second chances in the desert
Riddles and challenges

This book was so utterly different to any Christina Lauren book I've read and I've read almost all of them and yet it had similarities in style. The author notes at the end explain these differences well. If you are aware of the 1980s/1990s films in the Romancing the Stone series or even Raiders of the Lost Ark, this book captures some of that kind of feel. There were some twists, unexpected happenings, chases, near-death experiences and of course romance. It made for an utterly fun read.

At the heart of this story was a bitter split between young lovers 10 years ago and their meeting again in the now. Lily and Leo were an interesting pair but I could totally see why they had originally fit together and also why they separated. I did cheer for them.

The side characters in this story were crucial, they were on a trail through the desert, guided by Lily (for fun...) but there was some nastiness plotting in the background. I did not expect a lot of where this story went. The romance was there but on the backburner and I guess I didn't get the feels quite as much for this particular story, but I did enjoy the read overall.

3.5 stars, rounded up

Thank you to Piatkus books for the finished copy for review.

Leo and Lily haven't seen each other in 10 years, when they bump into each other on a treasure guide, him and his friends are taking, and Lily and her best friend Nicole are there guides. But after the trip goes terribly wrong, they wonder if Lily's father Buck Wilder was right all along, was there real treasure to be found after all?
I have mixed feelings about this book. I did not feel the chemistry between Leo and Lily at all, which makes me so sad. One thing I was glad was that the misunderstanding was addressed at the beginning and didn't get dragged on. I did enjoy the adventure aspect, but at times found it predictable. I feel like it was a mix between Lara Croft and Indianna Jones, with a sprinkle of romance.
This was a second chance romance, so I thought there was going to be so much more between Lily and Leo. Lastly, I feel like not all loose ends were tied up at the end.
I still do recommend this book as it was a fun and easy read.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨

Christina Lauren, once again proving that they are the queens of second chance romance! I trust CL with my life and always go into their books knowing that I am going to love it as they haven’t ever let me down, and oh my god, this was no exception. I ADORED this book.

So many of my favourite tropes were in here; second chance romance, semi-hate to lovers, one bed (tent), as well as being dual POV?! I mean come on! 😍
The banter between Lily and Leo was SO GOOD, and these characters actually COMMUNICATED?! There was no miscommunication trope to be found, which I appreciated so much! Also the friendships that these two write? Always perfect.

There were so many twists and turns which left me shocked and speechless at times, but also just as many moments which left me looking like the “🥹” emoji while kicking my legs in the air.

If you are looking for a completely unique romance and like adventure, or are a fan of films like National Treasure or The Lost City, you will LOVE this! I read this at a time where I needed fun and laughter, so I am so thankful for this author duo!

(Thank you so much to Little, Brown Book Group / Piatkus for the E-ARC!)

💙

I loved this book!!

Thank you so much to Little Brown Book Group and Netgalley for ensuring i read this book asap. Wow Lily and Leo omg the crazy need to bang their heads together is overwhelming. The love they had that Christina Lauren describes is just epic. I had a lump in my throat when they both described their current feelings of hurt and love. It was obvious something had happened that Lily did not know about, i had my ideas and kept asking Leo to sit her down and just tell her (literally telling Leo via my book) But he doesn't know, that she doesn't know.

But no no no this is not just a romance...no we have things to do before we know what Lily and Leo will do. Time to get the feels again.. maybe! Loved this horrific change in direction. I could not stop reading. I needed to know. The story is genius and while we all know what's going to happen next. We need it happen now. Loved it...I now also want to visit the desert. I am intrigued.

Oh my a romance of genius by Christina Lauren, I was in it from the prologue and sadly it ended. I didn't want it to end.
This will be a big hit in 2022, that's no secret. Anyone reading reviews to decide if they need to read it. Well they don't need to decide just get it.

A beautifully anxiety ridden (for the reader) journey on horseback, love is high, feelings are high, events are shocking!!!.... its a no brainer summer 2022 read.

#SomethingWilder #ChristinaLauren #Netgalley #NewReads2022 #RomanceBooks #5StarReads

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a free eARC in exchange for an honest review!

I really loved reading this book. It was different from other Christina Lauren books I have read previously. I loved how this was set on the backdrop of the canyonlands. I found the descriptions of the settings to be rich! I loved how thought out the whole adventure part of this book was. All of the riddle and puzzle-solving parts were really interesting. It is clear how much research was put into this book.
I couldn't put this book down, as I just HAD to know about the treasure hunt. I haven't read a book like this before and I loved every minute of it.
Also, it has a second chance romance trope that was written soooooo well. I loved both Leo and Lili. I felt having both of their perspectives really added to the story.
I would definitely recommend this to anyone who loves a bit of adventure and treasure hunting, and two unbelievably cute main characters!!

I own so many Christina Lauren books because of TikTok but all still are on my TBR bookshelf. So this is my first experience with Christina Lauren's work and oh my stars I can see why she is so popular. I was fully ready for a young love reconnection plot and what she delivered was so much more.

I loved the treasure hunt and the connection between Lily and Leo. I'm glad the miscommunication trope wasn't dragged out in the book and it was soon discovered and we got to read how they moved on from it within the rest of the book. Sex scenes were okay but I actually loved the playful teasing and flirting more.

Would have loved to have seen some more romance between Nic and Walter. They are so sweet and adorable and great side characters.

There was so much action and plot twists and I was just loving every word and wanting to know what happens next. Some of the plot was so shocking I actually put my e-book down and went ... that didn't just happen.. did that just happen?!?! After reading the book it makes me want to learn more about Butch Cassidy and the Sundance kid and language of codes.

This was such a fun read and the characters are loveable and well written. It is a refreshing difference from the typical ranch style novels and definitely one to add to your to read list!

It’s no secret Christina Lauren is on my list of auto-buy authors. I see their name, I want it.

I went into Something Wilder with high expectations and this was so so good.

I absolutely loved the setting and the plot and the adventure and the swooning! It was a breath of fresh air that made me want to go out and explore the world.

It felt quite a bit different from any other books they’ve written before, in my opinion, but they make it work no matter what. Still a fan of theirs.

And their characters and their relationships are still too die for.

Would 100% recommend.

Afternoon of reading had been lovely.

Thank you @netgalley for allowing me to read @christinalauren book #somethingwilderbook ARC.

After just finishing The unhoneymooner this romantic book was just what I needed I really enjoy.
Follow the story of Lilly Wilder she is a tough, independent, fiery, stubborn, caring, western Lara Croft.

This is a fun summer read and another smash, no spoilers from me this book is out next week so get it on your TBR list this summer!!

This is the 4th Christina Lauren book I've read so I thought I had somewhat of an idea what to expect. I was very wrong. And I loved it! Second chance romance meets adventure, mystery and puzzles. What more could you want?

If anyone ever questions why I love second chance romance, this book is the definition. The love lily and Leo hold for each other after all their time apart, is the most beautiful thing, that means you're draw to rooting for them and their connection straight away.

The way this book is written along with the dry, witty, sarcastic humor is my favourite thing and had me laughing throughout and made me warm to the characters even more.

I loved the communication between the characters, the plot twists that kept coming and the puzzles and riddles that kept me trying to solve them with the characters

Ultimately, this is one of those books that I could not put down and now that I've finished it, I'm not sure I'm ever going to forget. And that is more than OK with me.

Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for giving me an ARC in exchange for an honest review

This was a book that I couldn't put down because I wanted to see what's next. I loved the plot being about Wild West and treasure hunting (maybe because of a certain famous video game) and I could get attach to the characters because they were sweet. I enjoyed 'traveling' in the canyons to find the clues that led to the treasure. I don't think I've read a book before that was taking place in the canyons.
It's definitely a good reading because of its romance, plot twist and the bits of action due to the treasure hunting.

This👏was👏WILD👏

This was not what I was expecting but in the absolute best way! I’ve previously read The Unhoneymooners and was expecting another chick-lit, rom-com (which I was more than happy about).

However, the book took a turn (no spoilers ) and evolved into something I’ve never read before but I know I want more of! There are definite, mystery/suspense as well as romance vibes, which I’m here for!

Lily and Leo meet at her Dad’s Ranch in Wyoming and it’s definitely young love. Fast forward 10 years and Lily is running her own adventure company and Leo is in New York, back to his city life. What went wrong and why aren’t they together anymore? A ‘chance’ meeting might just give us all the answers we need!

There was an element of predictability about this and I could see where it was going. However, there were a couple of surprises along the way and one twist I definitely did not see coming!

Do you want to go on a WILD ADVENTURE??

Pub Date: 17th May

*thanks to NetGalley for giving me a proof copy in return for a fair and honest review.

thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the arc (spoilers near the end pls be aware)

honestly i don’t even know what to think right now other than the fact that this book had me completely enraptured and it’s been a while since i stayed up until 1am to finish reading

first of all, the rekindled love between leo and lily is the absolute purest, sweetest, most heartwarming relationship i’ve ever read and i’m genuinely obsessed with them both

lily is incredibly strong and fiercely independent, and leo is the biggest marshmallow who loves her so deeply it actually makes my heart ache and i adored watching them fall for one another again

i genuinely didn’t know what to expect with the adventure aspect of this - it’s unlike any book that i’ve read before and it’s so well written, from the descriptions of the scenery to the riddles and puzzles that are all SO well thought out and ridiculously smart. honestly, you can tell a lot of thought went into this book and i respect that massively

i loved the side characters (looking at you nicole and walter) and the difficult relationship between lily and duke all leading up to that final point was just. ugh. beautifully written

i couldn’t get over THAT betrayal and genuinely felt leo’s anguish that i had to stop reading for a minute like i was fucking PISSED holy shit. which leads me onto the main thing i disliked:

maybe it’s me expecting something different going into this book, but that first unexpected drama (to put it lightly) really threw me, especially with how bradley reacted (which kind of makes sense by the end of it but at that moment in time it’s like what the fuck) and i just wasn’t a fan of the dark turn it kind of took, with the guys following them on the hunt and everything else that happened from then on

like, i frickin loved reading about the challenges they faced in the canyon with near deaths and chapters that literally have you on the edge of your seat when faced with the wrath of Mother Nature. but when it’s asshole humans involved it just makes my blood boil, and i’d have rather that whole aspect of it was different, because it sometimes felt like unnecessary trauma and a lot of frantic guns being waved about. but that’s just me being fussy, probably

overall, i have a lot of thoughts about this book and i know it won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, but i was utterly enchanted from start to finish, and it’s one hell of a well written ride.

I absolutely love Christina Lauren books and so I was really excited to get my hands on an early copy of this one. I absolutely breezed through it in a couple of days, and found it a compelling and twisty read. In lots of ways it was an unexpected read, and I would say very different from the rest of the books written by these two authors.

While I could see the comparisons to things like The Lost City, Indiana Jones and Romancing the Stone being apt thanks to the high stakes adventure and all the breathless action I was surprised to find I felt a bit disappointed by the romance aspect. I think that might be because in the comps being made here there is always friction between the protagonists, and more of an enemies-to-lovers trope. In Something Wilder this is not the case and while I found elements of the romance very sweet, for me personally it ended up feeling a little flat.

That being said, as a thriller/adventure novel I think it succeeded brilliantly - the stakes were so high, there were so many twists and turns, the setting was wonderfully drawn and felt really fresh and original.

This was a great read. Lots of exciting action with a well written plot that held my attention throughout. Would recommend as a welcome escape from the depressing world we live in. Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for giving me access to an early copy.

Buckle your seat belts and get ready for a book full of adventure.

Lily is leading tours in the wild, in remote places along the canyons that held a special place in her younger years, her dad spend his life looking for the treasure that is hidden there and now she is helping small groups navigate the area.

Leo and his friends go to an annual vacation and spend a few days of the grid. The last thing we expected for this year's trip is to meet the one that got away ten years.

Lily and Leo had a whimsical romance that ended with both of them heartbroken, this trip is their second chance. A week in the wild without any guidance at to what comes next.

The tension between them was burning hotter than the fire at the camp and that says a lot. I was rooting for them to talk things out and have everything out in the open. Their relationship went through a lot of stages and I was there for all of them.

The plot is full of excitement and adventure, I was swept away in it and didn't wanted to end.

* I received an ARC and this is my honest opinion.

Thank you for the opportunity to review this new novel.

I read it two weeks ago but I needed to think about a review for it... Some of Christina Lauren's books I have loved, like The Unhoneymooners, but I'm actually not a fan of Something Wilder. It felt like a solid romance with complications turned into a middle grade novel when he was killed/fell. The story took a turn I didn't appreciate with the wild chase after a treasure.

I will read their next book and hope for a jackpot :)

Something Wilder sees duo Christina Hobbs and Lauren Billings craft a sun-soaked, desert-dry adventure with all of the chemistry-filled romance and loveable side characters they’re so known and loved for.

The stakes in this story felt both strangely surreal and not like anything I’d ever read from Christina Lauren before. I will shout from the rooftops that their books deal with plenty of heavy themes (caring for a parent/grandparent, acting as guardian to a young sibling, dementia, cancer etc.) that people who dismiss these as ‘romance’ (with some disdain for the entire genre) wouldn’t know at first glance, but never before has death felt like a very real possibility on-page for the main characters. This is a testament to how remote and rural Lily and Leo find themselves, on a ‘get back to nature’ sort of adventure holiday, deep in the Canyonlands, Utah, where a wrong step on a slightly slippery rock could lead to disaster, and (no spoilers but) does. This added a strand of tension to the book that ran alongside the clear tension lingering heavily between the two leads whose summer romance of years past certainly isn’t confined to their memories of the past.

Unsurprisingly, I really liked Leo. There are very few Christina Lauren leading men that I don’t like, to be perfectly honest. But he was smart, good with his hands, and had wilderness skills despite feeling trapped in his boring office job back in New York, so, really, what other reaction is possible? But I liked that he was still in-love with Lily, but that he didn’t push her to feel the same, even though he was so insistent to let her know he was there, and he wasn’t planning on leaving again, if she did feel the same as she once had. Lily’s reaction to this, to trying to not let herself get her hopes up or to let her life be ever again dictated by a man made her a typical strong female character but she actually proves to be more than just the simple trope of it. She doesn’t fall easily, doesn’t let herself give into the feelings she remembers about Leo and how he made her feel, because having control over her life, her finances, and her work is more important to her than anything else. Given how we see her in the prologue, poised to take over the beloved family ranch, only to skip forward decades in the first chapter and see that the hazy dream of youth didn’t pan out quite like that, this element of the story felt especially important to linger on and I’m glad that this was a slow-burn in that way, even if the actual events of the book take place only over a series of (admittedly intense) days in the desert.

What emerges is a second-chance romance that didn’t quite have the same feel for me as much of Christina Lauren’s other work - whether that was because of the rural, isolated atmosphere of most of the story, or because of the puzzle-filled treasure hunt that Lily’s late father Duke leads them on. Though the journey through increasingly challenging and uninhabited territory is the focus, the more ‘accessible’ and universal themes so often present in Christina Lauren’s work are again present here - themes of familial dynamics, both traditional and untraditional; love and its different stages/ages throughout life; firm friendships; characters trapped by circumstance or by how their life has somehow turned out, seemingly through no deliberate decision-making of their own; and the idea that you can take back control of what you want your present and your future to look like, instead of living in the past and ‘what could have been’. But the real star of the show is the palpable and visceral atmosphere and environment of the story - especially as the chracters journey deeper and deeper into the literal Maze and metaphorical one, on the hunt for the maybe hidden and unclaimed treasure of outlaws like Butch Cassidy, as well as uncovering the truth of the fraught relationship between father and daughter Duke and Lily Wilder.

This is completely new territory for CL and I wasn't too sure it would work for me but DAMN IT WAS SO GOOD!
Part romance-part adventure story, this novel is completely unique and refreshing and I devoured it. It was heavier on the action than I normally like in a romance but the story and characters were so well crafted that I was just happy to be along for the ride - 5 Stars!