Thank you Netgalley for a digital arc in exchange for an honest review!

I really enjoyed this book. I loved the Indiana Jones-esqueness of the book and the physical treasure hunting journey the characters went on. I loved the connection and the strength the main two characters gave each other. I also really enjoyed the supporting characters (there are two that I wish were getting their own book). The Soulmate Equation and the Unhoneymooners are still my favorite, but not by much.

This is my favorite Christina Lauren since Unhoneymooners! I always love their stories but this is so new and fresh for them. Lily and Leo's second chance romance was filled with adventure and mystery as circumstances drove them to follow a dangerous treasure hunt. I have to say I couldn't put it down, and once the action picks up it doesn't stop! But of course CLo found time for romance and joy amidst the twists and turns. This was a treat - I'd love to see more like it!

Christina (&) Lauren can do no wrong- they are an immediate read/purchase for me, that I continually recommend to friends. I loved this adventure and found myself rooting for Lily and Leo immediately. I was drawn into their relationship and into Lily’s with her father, Duke. The incredible setting and twists along the plot trail make this romance different and compelling!

Christina Lauren books are always something special, but THIS one made me want to drop everything and go on an adventure myself. To me nothing means a book was amazing more than wanting to make that title a part of your own life, and for someone who has never really had the urge to drop everything to head out on a treasure hunt in the desert, this one did something that no other book has done for me.

I came for the writing style I've come to love, know and expect from CLo, but was blown away by how unique this story was, and how much I loved the second-chance romance in SOMETHING WILDER. Lily and Leo are written so beautifully, every scene created was so vivid from the setting itself to the romance between them. The love between them after all this time, and how it's xx between them throughout the book was just so wonderfully done.

What starts as an epic trip between friends quickly changes to an intense journey that takes them on a treasure hunt left behind by Lily's father, putting Lily and Leo in close proximity and a dangerous situation. Full of tension and delectable chemistry, I could not have loved their romance more. I can't recall ever reading a story with so much action in a love story, and I hope there are many more like it in the future.

Thank you Gallery Books for the chance to read and review this highly anticipated title prior to publication day, it certainly exceeded my expectations!

I have only read a few books by this author duo but I enjoyed them. This one is a bit different and from the others I read. It combines a second chance at love with adventure and treasure hunting with a bit of suspense thrown in for fun. Lily Wilder is trying to keep herself afloat by leading trips on horseback into the wilderness of Utah while trying to figure out how to buy back the ranch she loved as a child. She is the daughter of Duke Wilder, a treasure hunter who recently died and left her nothing but his journal. Hijinks ensue when a group of men show up for their trip and one of them is someone she thought would be her forever love. Overall, I enjoyed the story and liked that it wasn't just about the romance. It took me a bit to shift my expectations to appreciate the story based on the other books I read by the duo. There were some laugh out loud moments and despite knowing where the tale was going it still held my interest. Another good one from the authors.

This is hands down my FAVORITE Christina Lauren book I have ever read! (And I have read a lot of them) This writing duo always does a great job at pulling on your heart strings and coming up with a unique story. Something Wilder has those elements and more!

This was a Romantic Adventure book, I don't know how else to categorize it. One plot didn't outweigh or dominate the other. It was such perfect balance of 'Lily and Leo giving me all the feels' and 'What is gonna happen next on this journey?!'

I am not going to try to summarize the story for you because I don't want to spoil anything, because I think the surprises along the way are some of the best parts of the story!

It grabbed me from the first chapter, I was hooked and the book just kept surprising me all the way to the end. There was romance, adventure, twists and turns, clues and puzzles, it was just PHENOMENAL! The writers did their homework when they researched this book and it really shows in the whole book. It is very well done.

This was such a fun, can't put it down, adrenaline-filled, surprising, refreshing read. And I HIGHLY recommend picking it up. If you need a book to shake you out of your regular routine - This is the book you should read!

Lily Wilder had her whole life planned out, run the family ranch and live with the man she loved for the rest of her life. But things don’t always turn out according to plan, especially when you're only nineteen years old. Her father, Duke Wilder, a modern day Indiana Jones and local legend, has dreams of his own, including finding the long lost fortune of Butch Cassidy. When he sells the ranch, and the man Lily loves returns to New York, Lily finds her life completely upended.

Ten years later, Lily is giving fake treasure hunts through the canyons of Utah to make ends meet, with her dreams of buying back her families ranch always out of reach. Her world is turned upside down once again when the latest adventure group arrives and with them Leo Grady.

Something Wilder was the first book I’ve read by literary duo Christina Lauren, and I have to say that I’m impressed. It was one wild ride from beginning to end, and just when you thought you’d figured out every twist that they could throw at you, another one comes with a turn of the page. Definitely a must read book for those who enjoy reading books with hidden treasure and second chances.

✨Book Review✨
4⭐️
If this book doesn’t become a movie… imma cry. I have never read a book that I pictured as a movie so much! This one is so different from anything I’ve read before, and I highly recommend it!!

Think Indiana Jones but with a female lead. Think second chance romance. Think The Goonies… but with older frat boys. Mix it all together…. And you get this book.

What I Liked:
- It was such an adventure of a story!! Literally think action packed treasure hunt but make it a romance.
- I loved reading about the different character’s strengths when solving puzzles and how every character was so different!
- I loved learning about Lily’s dad, the famous treasure hunter.
- The setting out west with the horses sounded beautiful.
- I loved the idea of Lily’s wilderness adventure business. It was so fun to read about!
- I’m not a huge second chance romance lover, but this one was really cute!
- Includes a few twists!

Meh:
- Definitely some cheesiness, but still a fun read
- I like that there were twists involved, but I anticipated them pretty easily. However, I let my sister read it after me and she was shocked!!!

Thank you so much Netgalley for giving me this ARC in order for honest feedback.

I'm gonna be honest, the setting and plot of this book isn't exactly something I usually gravitate to. In fact, when I first started it.. I definitely didn't think i'd enjoy it all that much. But I was very wrong. This took me by surprise and it was very different and a super fun read. It was a wild ride if I do say so myself. I liked that it had romance, mystery, and adventure... plus second chance romance? immediately yes. also banter... again, yes.

This wasn't my favorite Christina Lauren book, that spot is reserved for 'Love and Other Words' but I still had a good time.

Something Wilder is set in the west. Lily Wilder is the daughter of a famous explorer and treasure hunter. Duke Wilder, an absentee dad, was off chasing the hidden treasure. After his death, he left little for his daughter except a distaste for the adventure that called to him. Barely able to provide for herself by leading tourist on adventures based on her dad's maps and journals.

Leo Grady crosses path with Lily for the second time on a trip with three of his friends. Unbeknownst to him, Lily is the owner and operator of the adventure trip that he is going to take.

The writing duo Christina Lauren has written a book that is definitely a deviation from what they typically write. I enjoyed learning about a part of the country that I have not visited and would very much like to see after reading this book.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for a review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thank you NetGalley, Gallery Books, and the authors for the opportunity to read an ARC of Something Wilder. An honest review was requested but not required.

This is one of those books where the less you know about the specific plot points, the better. Instead, be prepared to be taken for a WILD ride (pun, intended). I definitely picked up on the National Treasure and Goonies influences the authors mentioned, but what this book really reminded me of is the movie Sahara, with Penelope Cruz and Matthew McConaughey. That nonstop action, beautiful (but deadly) scenery, and half-genius, half-crazy hunt for mystical treasure was SPOT ON the exact same feeling I got from this book. (Gorgeous main characters making eyes at each other is also a certain plot element, if you know what I mean.)

The setting is its own character: harshly beautiful Utah desert and canyonlands. That sort of landscape is a gorgeous place to visit although I wouldn't want to live there (I like GREEN). I could tell the authors put in quite a bit of time on research regarding the landscape and nature of that part of Utah, not to mention the hardships of life in such a remote, inhospitable area. I felt the trail riding portion to be pretty authentic as well - I loved that the authors understood that horses aren't just interchangeable moving beasts of burden, but have to be matched by personality to riders for the best results, etc.

Character-wise, I could have done with a little more background and depth from Leo. And it's possible that IRL the issues between them would not have been rectified so quickly; Leo was completely correct that their two lives were like Venn diagrams that don't intersect at all. That sort of problem isn't easily fixed. But whatever. I mean, all that stuff happens in the plot, and a RELATIONSHIP problem is the part I question? Yeah, right. Lol.

Anyways. I've already recommended this to several people ahead of its release date. It's a super fun ride and makes one of dryest, brownest places on earth sound almost... magical. It would make an absolutely amazing movie. 🌟🌟🌟🌟

The adventure and mystery aspect of Something Wilder was different than what Christina Lauren typically write. That made it different and fun, I did miss the sexy factor they usually have more of in their books.

What a Wild ride!! See what I did there? 😉 Christina Lauren is an auto buy author for me. When I found out they were coming out with a new book I was so excited, unfortunately I didn’t love it. I have loved all their books, with the exception of In a Holidaze. This one has a little bit of everything: romance, adventure, and mystery. I feel it’s completely different than anything they have ever written before. I was expecting a lot more romance especially since it’s a second chance trope, but I feel the romance was lacking. I felt it was much more of an adventure book than a romance one. It also reminded me a little bit of Love and Other Words due to the second chance trope. Did I hate it? No. Did I like it enough to finish it? Yes. Will I continue to read their books? Absolutely!!

Thank you NetGalley and Gallery Books for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Christina Lauren's Something Wilder is a romance that is sure to stick with you. The two main characters, Lily and Leo are on a wilderness expedition and are stuck together after not seeing each other since Leo left suddenly many years ago. Lily doesn't know how to interpret him leaving, so she decides to hate him instead. This second chance romance is one that won't be forgotten. The setting of the book is one I'm not usually drawn to, but Christina Lauren does an amazing job of writing the story in a beautify way. I have read many books by this author before, and I must say this one is a favorite. I feel like this book takes the lightheartedness of a romance and interweaves it with reality. I highly recommend this book, especially if you love a good romance!

Something Wilder follows Lily Wilder, daughter of the famous treasure hunter Duke Wilder, who left her in financial ruins. Decidedly down on her luck, Lily runs a treasure hunting retreat for tourists in the wilds of Utah with her best friend Nicole. Together, they lead groups of fake treasure hunting tours and “rough it” in the wild, which turns out to be a big hit with corporate tourists. Ready to leave the sham and her father’s legacy behind for good, Lily’s final tour finds her reuniting with none other than Leo Grady, the man who broke her heart years ago and left her in the dust. When their fake treasure hunt unexpectedly turns into a real one, Lily and Leo will have to work together to survive the dangers of the wild—and humanity’s greed.

Something Wilder is escapism at its finest and we love to see it. Christina Lauren said that this book was written to escape from the real world during this pandemic and woo boy, did they deliver.

The switching POVs in this book worked wonders. On the one hand, we have Lily Wilder who’s tough as nails and deals with a lot of resentment for her father whose treasure hunting antics have not only defined her life but have thrown one too many wrenches into her aspirations for the future. Then we have Leo Grady, the man who was her escape from all of it until he abruptly left with seemingly no attempts to contact her after his love-drunk summer with her on her farm. Now, Leo is a staple in the corporate world but really, feels like he’s been an involuntarily responsible adult for way too long. When those two collide and old feelings resurface, so do a lot of questions about what really happened all those years ago. It keeps not only the characters but you as the reader guessing what will happen when all is revealed. Also, Leo is an absolute simp for Lily and that made him such a strong romantic hero because while Lily is trying her hardest to stay on course—meaning that romance is not in the cards for her until she’s got her life back together—Leo’s genuine love and admiration for her are sure to leave readers swooning and silently begging Lily to give the guy another chance. Leo and Lily rekindling their romance with all the odds stacked against them makes for an incredibly emotional reading experience.

What I loved most about Something Wilder is that it is unlike anything Christina Lauren have ever written and yet foregoes none of the elements that make their stories so enjoyable. This duo is known for their lovable characters—fierce heroines heading them—and the witty dialogue you can’t help but smile at.

Now, on top of that, we get a truly fast-paced adventure, a mystery that will frustrate and compel you in equal measure, all set in a vivid, dangerous landscape that heightens the stakes simply by placing man against nature. It just made for such a fun reading experience. You get an edge of darkness thanks to Leo’s friends who have different motives for dragging Leo on this trip and get to exploring just how far people are willing to go—what they are willing to sacrifice—to get what they want just made the whole book that more intense. The romance plot and the adventure plot play off each other perfectly, one heightening the experience of the other. Honestly, you could just really tell that the authors had a great time writing it because even the over-the-top moments that left me gasping out loud because how is this really happening??? were so fun that you couldn’t help but be riveted by it all.

While I don’t want to talk a lot about the plot because I feel like this is one of those books where you should go in with as little information as possible to get the full escapism treatment, I will say that this story has—quite like the cover—a heart of gold in the middle of it. There are discussions of grieving for someone who is still around, losing someone versus thinking you’ve been left behind, the greed of men and the choice to overcome obstacles or let yourself be taken down by them and they all enrichen Something Wilder in the best of ways. If you’re looking for something out of the box that will make you excited about romance (again), you won’t want to miss out on this one, folks.

Christina Lauren manage to throw a curveball at their readers and still hit a homerun with Something Wilder. With unexpected twists and undeniable chemistry between the leads, Something Wilder is a second chance romance that is unlike any other book this author duo has written yet still encompasses what they do best— gifting us unputdownable stories with a heart of gold.

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

𝘼 𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙢𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙡𝙖𝙪𝙜𝙝-𝙤𝙪𝙩-𝙡𝙤𝙪𝙙 𝙛𝙪𝙣𝙣𝙮 𝙣𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙡 𝙛𝙞𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙙 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙖𝙙𝙫𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙚, 𝙩𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙪𝙧𝙚, 𝙖𝙣𝙙, 𝙤𝙛 𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙨𝙚, 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚.

💰I kind of went into this not knowing much… I know that’s probably not the best decision but it’s Christina Lauren. I am auto-approved by Gallery Books on NetGalley so I knew I had to get my hands on this before it releases. Let me just say this isn’t your typical romance story. It’s so unique and completely different from anything I read. You do need to go into this with an open mind.

💎 I love this duo’s writing style so much, it’s so lyrical and captivating. The story was fun and I enjoyed these characters. It reminded me of National Treasure, but of course with more romance. I personally am not a fan of the second chance trope, but I think it worked so well here.

💰I do think this was a super fun romance with likable characters. It was something different than the typical romances. Also, the wilderness aspect was so interesting. My only concern was that this book focused too much on the treasure hunt rather than the romance itself. I was wanting a bit more and the chemistry between the two characters was a bit lack lusting. I also didn’t care about the mystery element. This definitely isn’t something I would pick up, but it may be for others.

✨Thank you @netgalley and @gallerybooks for an e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.✨

When they were young, Lily Wilder and Leo Grady had a grand romance. And they had plans. But those plans were gone in the blink of an eye when Leo had to go back to New York to take care of his family. A series of missed messages meant that each of them thought the other had moved on. A decade later, Leo's best friend has signed them up for a boys' trip that puts him right back in Lily's orbit.
I was impressed that the two of them got together quickly and figured out the misunderstanding. They talked! But, there has to be more drama. And... I didn't like the way it all kicked off. It was so unexpected in a Christina Lauren book (I haven't read their whole backlist but I have read a bunch of them) that it took me out of it for the whole rest of the book. Which is too bad because I did like the treasure hunting and the codes were an interesting addition but it got old with Leo solving almost all of them even though the clues were left for Lily. This book reminded me a lot of some Elizabeth Lowell's from the nineties.

Three and a half stars
This book comes out May 17, 2022
ARC kindly provided by Gallery Books and NetGalley
Opinions are my own

I have always loved me a CLau book... but this one-didn't do it for me. Yes, there was adventure out in the great wide somewhere and adequate banter but closed door romance and death for shock value just struck me as odd and then the rest of the story felt contrived and blocky.

I love CLo’s books and this one did not disappoint. I loved the whole treasure hunt happening through the whole book. I was so invested and was praying that they find it and that all the clues were meant for her (you’ll understand when you read it). I love how these 2 amazing ladies write together. They work so well together and I hope they never stop writing. Their books take you to different adventures every time and I love it. The end of this book was the best part for me. I cried through the whole last chapter. LOVED IT!

Lily Wilder was the daughter of Duke Wilde. He was a treasure hunter, he was so obsessed with it, that Lily thought she meant nothing to him. He passed away about 7 years ago and now Lily and her friend Nicole run a treasure hunting retreat to be able to pay the bills, she lives paycheck to paycheck and on the off season she works at a bar in town. Lily knows she cannot do this forever, and has decided she will do one more tour. Turns out that one person on this tour is the love of her life Leo Grady. The boy that had broken her heart 10 years ago.

Leo Grady lived in New York. Just lives his life day by day, he wasn’t happy and he knew it. He and his 2 friends from college go on a trip every year and this year was his friend Bradley’s turn to pick the location. And this year it was a secret, he had no idea where he was going until they landed in Utah and was told they were doing a treasure hunting tour. He didn’t know that the company his friend chose was owned by the love of his life Lily Wilder. The day he saw her again was the day he realized he was not living. Just one look and he felt alive. He started feeling everything, things that he thought he would never feel again. She was the last girl he felt them with, but she looks mad at him. Why was she mad? She’s the one that never called him back. He lost her once he wasn’t going to allow it to happen again.

He will do anything to stay with her and make her fall in love with him again. He never stopped loving her. She will do everything she can to stay away from him. He broke her once, she cannot go through that again. Can they figure it out and move on from their past? Could they finally love each other without anything in between?

Received this ARC for my honest review and opinion. Must read!

Thank you Netgalley for the advanced reading copy! This was just the adventure romance that I needed in my life right now. Christina Lauren are truly masters of romance and fun stories, and Something Wilder did not disappoint. These best-friend authors adeptly blend a good time with second chance romance in this delightful book. Lily and Leo meet on a horse ranch out West when they’re younger, but life circumstances pull them apart. They find themselves reconnected 10 years later, while Leo is on a trip with friends, and Lily as an adventure tour guide. But due to a lot of mishaps and chaos, Lily and Leo end up on a treasure hunt, but will they find the money and sustain their re-found love connection? I don’t always like second chance romance, but this was done perfectly, with the longing and love really well balanced with the fun adventure of actual treasure hunting in the desert. They also combine it with some fun Butch Cassidy history and a great cast of side characters. This book was perfect, but honestly, it was perfect for a light and fun and swoony weekend read! I will be shocked if this is not turned into a movie soon. Overall, I recommend this book for lovers of contemporary romance, second chance, and adventure.