"Something Wilder" by Christina Lauren
Release Date: 5.17.2022

Lily Wilder uses her father's hand drawn maps to guide tourists on fake treasure hunts. It pays the bills, but it doesn't fulfill her dreams to work the ranch her father sold. It also brings back the memories of losing her love.

Leo Grady was shocked that he sees his old love, Lily, on a treasure hunt. He wants to rekindle the relationship, while Lily is all business.

When everything that can go wrong on the trip goes wrong, Leo and Lily must confront their past. They need to decide if they'll risk it all.

#christinalauren #somethingwilder #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #netgalley #netgalleyreads

Lily Wilder’s dad, Duke, was a treasure hunter. He loved his life in pursuit of something yet unknown and traveled the world. Unfortunately, after his death, Lily isn’t left with much. Her father sold their ranch before he died and now she’s working as an adventure guide in the Canyonlands. Using her father’s old treasure hunting journal, she takes tourist groups on a hunt for Buddy Cassidy’s stolen money in the wild west.
Where’s the romance, you ask? Well one day, Lily’s ex boyfriend shows up for the adventure. Leo and a group of his friends are ready to do something different. They want an escape from their polished jobs in New York City. If they find some treasure, that would be great, too. Leo and Lily haven’t spoken since Leo left the ranch ten years ago. Is this adventure going to be an awkward mistake or will they end up finding more than treasure along the way?

I really enjoyed this one because there was a lot of action and mystery to it as well as romance. The romance was cute, but the treasure hunt and suspense were better. The twists kept coming and there was a very shocking event right about a third of the way through that made my jaw drop! It was kind of predictable, but also really enjoyable. As always, Christina Lauren did a fantastic job writing realistic and witty dialogue. The romance as believable and sweet. I absolutely loved the Western atmosphere and I felt like I was really there in the Canyonlands. While the riddles went over my head, they were a really fun to read. This romance was definitely different from any others in the genre, and I was really glad!

Romancing the Stone meets The River Wild in this story full of adventure, lost love (and treasure!) and the Wild West.

This book is definitely different than the more recent Christina Lauren books but I really appreciate that they tried something different and a little unexpected. The love & relationship storyline we come to expect from their books is still there, it is just more of the B story this time. If you love the second chance romance trope, this would be a great pick.

This story is action packed and you have to suspend your disbelief a bit while reading but you're swept away with the story and mystery that I found it easy to just jump right in and get lost in the desert.


Many thanks to Gallery Books and Netgalley for the ARC.

This book is so different than any other I've read from this author duo, but that's certainly not a bad thing. It has adventure, drama, and romance all packed into this page-turning novel.

Lily is the daughter of the notorious adventure-seeking, treasure-hunting Duke Wilder, but Lily doesn't share the same interests as her dad. She's perfectly content with living life on the ranch with her boyfriend Leo and taking care of her horses. After a turn of events, Leo leaves the ranch to go to New York and Lily does not see him or hear from him in almost a decade.

Lily and Nicole take tour groups out on camping trips seeking "fake" treasure. Lily doesn't know if her father has ever found treasure during any of his escapades. All she has left after his passing is his journal filled with riddles and codes and hints. Those that know about the journal and are convinced Duke did find treasure will do whatever it takes to get their hands on it.

There are some very likable characters in this novel and a few that are very much unlikable. You can pretty much figure out who I'm talking about within the first few chapters. I adored Leo, Lily, Walter and Nicole. I will read every book these authors publish and I will recommend this one to all of my girlfriends. I can't wait to see what the authors are working on for next year.

Special thanks to the author, NetGalley and Gallery Books for an arc of this book in exchange for my honest review.

A fresh, unique setting with multi-dimensional characters-- Christina Lauren delivers yet again! I've heard this book described as "a City Slickers meets National Treasure book" and that perfectly encapsulates the characters and action in this fun adventure read. I loved the strong female character of Lily and seeing all the trials she faced with her parents, love life and finances. Still, she has kept moving towards her dreams. I enjoyed watching the story of Lily and Leo's second chance romance unfold. Simply put- this book was FUN!





Thank you to Gallery Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC.

This was an interesting read from the well-beloved writing duo Christina Lauren. I found this book to be reminiscent of a western and I was not too sure how I felt about it. The relationships in this story were not too fleshed out and felt a bit superficial.

This was not my favorite book by them but I did enjoy the mystery element of the story. I would not read this if you have not yet read anything by this duo yet as I do not feel that it is their strongest work.

As a devoted Christina Lauren fan, I knew going into this that I was going to have a good time and I was not disappointed! This book is so much fun and I can see why it's a book that they chose to write during these pandemic times. I mean, almost the entire book takes place outdoors! It's full of adventure, action, wild twists, and a truly swoony romance. If you're a fan of adventures moves like Indian Jones, Tomb Raider, and The Mummy, AND you like romance, you're going to want to pick up this book.

So here's what you need to know, with the caveat that I don't think summaries are particularly helpful in reviews, I always want to know the tropes and whether or not the relationship is really satisfying. (Spoiler: it is.)

Tropes:
Second chance romance -Lily and Leo (lovesick city boy!) fell in love young on Lily's family ranch and were separated by life circumstances and have come back together by chance 10 years later.
Treasure hunting -This is a real deal treasure hunting in the desert book! The group is looking for Butch Cassidy's haul which was the lifelong passion of Lily's father, the famous Duke Wilder.
Fated Mates -If a contemporary fated mates book exists, this is definitely it. These two were meant for each other and the idea that either of them could find happiness with other people is laughable.
Only one sleeping bag -Anyone else an avowed Fated Mates podcast listener and think immediately of Jen when they read this scene? Anyways, it's delicious.

My one critique of this book would be that I wish it was sexier. The tension between Lily and Leo is palpable and while there are a few sex(y) scenes in the book, I wanted more from them. It seems to be that the trend lately in contemporaries is to tone down the sex and it's a trend I hate. Don't get me wrong, the lack of sex doesn't detract from the book -the story is compelling, the action is fun, and the whole thing is compulsively readable. I finished it in two sittings and was laughing and gasping out loud the whole way. It's a rollicking good time. I just think that longer/steamier sex scenes would have added to it, especially because the chemistry between Lily and Leo is so intense. Don't just tell me how dedicated Leo is to her pleasure, show me!

Regardless, this was a delightful ride of a book and I would definitely recommend it to any romance lover and I would say it's probably a good book to give someone who's only just starting to read romance or who maybe has trepidations about the genre. Not all romance has a strong external plot and that can make the genre difficult for people who aren't used to it, but that's not the case with Something Wilder. So if someone you know really loves and Indiana Jones movie and wants a book rec, this could be a good way to go!

Christina Lauren is one of my "must read" authors: her (their) books aren't perfect, but they often raise questions about the nature of relationships, modern romance, gender roles, etc. (THE SOULMATE EQUATION provoked rich discussions when I assigned and taught it in my Romance Literature course). But SOMETHING WILDER seems to avoid more interesting issues, settling for lust, murder, and mystery. Some readers will love that -- but I found the book to be disappointing on many levels and had to push to finish it. As much mystery as romance, this novel is Lily and Leo's story. She's the daughter of an eccentric western wilderness guide, an absent father who speaks in riddles and is obsessed with the lost treasure of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. Leo is the City Boy who fell for Lily years ago, but Fate Thwarted Them (I don't have a lot of patience for the "and then the message wasn't delivered and both thought they'd been ignored" trope).

They meet again when Lily and her friend Nicole are leading tours for City Slickers, and Leo joins with his buddies (who are flat, stereotypical characters: a fat nice guy, a misogynist creep, and a manipulative murderer). There are zip ties and guns, searches and chases down slot caverns, riddles to solve, and Life On The Line. The problem is that emotional chemistry and more serious issues seem to have been left behind in a focus on the plot.

Worse are the implications of Lily and Leo's actions: Who leaves a dead body behind (no matter how creepy the dude) to spend a few days searching for treasure? Ugh. Won't be reading this again or assigning it.

This book is different from anything I have read from Christina Lauren before. I enjoyed Something Wilder way more than I expected to. In the beginning of the story I could not get over the fact that they were in the wilderness without showers or clean clothes, but once the story got going I was hooked. The surprise twists had me racing to know how it ends. I thought Lily and Leo were cute and I was rooting for them to reconnect.

You just can't go wrong with a Christina Lauren novel! This one is a little different, with a mystery, suspense vibe, but it still had the foundation of a solid love story. I stayed up too late finishing this one and now I can't wait for the next!
Thank you, Net Galley, for an advanced copy of this novel!

Something wilder

<b>”Bradley laughed softly. “You are so whipped, Leo.” “You don’t know the half of it.” Leo pushed his hair off his head and leaned closer to the paper again.” </b>

Woooboy! This was like The Goonies meets Indian Jones. (Plays Raiders of the Lost Ark soundtrack). Adventure is out there!

Leo Grady. SWOON. Lovesick City Boy. Definitely part of the mathletes. 🤓
Something Wilder is giving me BIG The Inheritances Games vibes but make it adult. I really enjoyed it! A little mystery. A little romance. Leo & Lily forever!! Give it a whirl, Cowboy!

…Alright. Let’s chant it together: Walter and Nicole. Water and Nicole.

✨ THINGS AND STUFF ✨
-second chance romance
-there’s one one tent with only one sleeping bag
-oh no, you’re wounded! Hurt/comfort.
-Lily’s spiced hot chocolate
-action, adventure, & mystery
-codes & ciphers & riddles
-twist & turns
-treasure
-Butch Cassidy, Jesse James, & Buffalo Bill
-#IsThisAKissingBook: open door. There’s a lot of grabbing her face and pulling her in for a kiss and just returned from war kisses. And I’m here for it!!

Big thanks to Gallery Books for an advanced copy!

Song: Go You Own Way by Fleetwood Mac

Something Wilder is another solid entry in Christina Lauren's string of stand-alone romances, and the perfect adventure story to kick off your summer. All the treasure hunting antics can occasionally get in the way of focusing on the central couple, but this works well in the context of the story.

Lily Wilder is the daughter of notorious treasure hunter Duke Wilder, and has the heavy emotional baggage to show for it. In her twenty-nine years of life, she's endured a distant relationship with her capricious absentee father, a wild summer romance with Leo Grady, a severe broken heart as Leo left her at the same time as she lost ownership of her family's ranch, and depression as she cared for her father after he had a stroke, all before settling into the persistent state of apathy she lives with now. It's easy to understand why Lily has distanced herself from emotion. After being raised on the dream of owning her father's ranch, she found herself having to sell it when he got sick. Now that Duke is gone, Lily makes money by leading amateur adventures around the canyons of Utah on a” quest" to find Butch Cassidy's hidden treasure Duke once sought. For a girl who only ever wanted her own slice of land and hated the scavenger hunts and puzzles her father made her do, this existence is like one of Dante's circles of hell.

Just as she's starting to contemplate throwing in the towel and changing things up - though it's not like an office job would be any better for her - a very unusual tour group shows up. Lily and her friend Nicole find themselves leading a group of four old friends into the canyons, one of whom Lily is shocked to realize is her old flame, Leo. After promising her forever, Leo left her on a visit home and then fell off the map. As his departure coincided with her father's stroke and the abrupt breakdown of her life plan, Lily has never really gotten over him.

Leo, for his part, is a very sympathetic guy who had his own reasons for losing touch. He flew home to find his mother had been in an accident, and after the haze cleared following her death, he couldn't find a way to get back to Lily. Timing and miscommunication got in the way of their young romance, but after having it out on the trail, it's clear they still both care deeply about each other. While Lily is skeptical, Leo embarks on a quest of his own to convince her that they're worth a second chance.

Unfortunately, it's just as Leo is coming to this conclusion that things start to go awry. Since part of the fun is the surprise of what unfolds, I won't say too much about the turns the story takes. Suffice it to say that the authors are skilled at developing multi-layered secondary characters who keep you guessing, and that there's a sort of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory vibe as all those secondary characters are stripped away until it's just Lily and Leo.

As I mentioned at the beginning, this book seems to be a little more focused on the adventure than on the love story - at least, more than you might expect for a romance novel. However the authors have planned well by positioning Lily and Leo as long-lost lovers, so it feels natural for them to jump straight into a romance rather than taking a lot of time to build up affection and get to know each other. I also have to applaud the pacing of the book as another method of maintaining balance between the romance and adventure storylines. There's a natural shift in focus as the story goes on, first developing things between Lily and Leo when they meet on the trail, then focusing on the adventure, then back to Lily and Leo. It keeps you on the edge of your seat and prevents either storyline from stagnating while you wait for progress - no easy feat!

While I wouldn't pick up Something Wilder if you want lots of angsty romance and longing looks à la Wuthering Heights, it should be a satisfying read in just about any other scenario. Adventure, intrigue, and great chemistry between the leads have made it one of my best reads in 2022 so far.

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After devouring The Soulmate Equation by these romance divas, I was itching to read their next release. I loved reading and listening to Something Wilder which was totally wilder, very unique and unconventional!

Lily and Leo’s unresolved feelings for each other after so many years was very palpable! This book was a adventurous romantic ride with treasure hunt, plot twists, and lots of romance and steam!

I always enjoy when I can switch between an audiobook and ebook. Narrater Patti Murin and Jon Root did total justice to Lilys and Leo’s characters. The narration and the pace was very enjoyable to listen to!

Thank you Simon.audio Gallery books, simonandschuster and NetGalley for the complimentary audiobook and digital galley. This highly anticipated romantic thriller will be available on May 17, 2022

While this wasn't quite what I was expecting, Something Wilder is such a fun escape from reality. An adventurous second chance romance set in Central Utah, this follows Lily Wilder, the down-on-her-luck daughter of famous treasure hunter Duke Wilder, and Leo Grady, her first love. One thing that Christina Lauren does super well is relationships, and not just spicy romantic relationships. I adored Lily and her feisty best friend Nicole. They're so incredibly supportive of each other.
The adventure here was a total blast and made a great setting for the romance to grow in. This was a pretty unbelievable story but altogether, a really wonderful escape into the world of slot canyons, treasure hunting and love.

Content: multiple open door scenes, strong language, and death of a side character

Thank you to NetGalley for my e-arc of this book. All opinions here are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this copy in exchange for an honest review.

This is the newest romance novel from my one of my favorite author duos, Christina Lauren, but it's so much more than your typical romcom. I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of adventure and tension that occurred in this book. There were even some points where it felt like a suspense, thriller, or even a Western novel, but it's not; It's still a lovely, mostly-light Christina Lauren novel at its core.

I think many of you will love the cast of characters in this one. We have our main couple, Lily and Leo, who are, against all odds, getting another chance at love a decade after they first fell for each other. We have Leo's group of buddies, which includes sweet Walt, frat boy Bradley, and awful Terry (who nearly brought out a Dolores Umbridge level of disdain from me). We can't forget Lily's badass business partner Nicole, or Nic, who is tough, loyal, and someone I'd want to be my friend. After a series of coincidences, they end up on a hiking adventure/treasure hunt together, and chaos ensues.

You definitely have to suspend disbelief a bit for portions of this one, but I really didn't mind. It's probably not my favorite Christina Lauren, but they've all been five stars for me, so I don't know if that says anything. I'll read anything these two write together. I highly recommend getting your hands on a copy of this one.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

I always really enjoy a Christina Lauren book and Something Wilder was another fabulous read.

Lily Wilder, daughter of a renowned treasure hunter, Duke Wilder, is giving tours in Utah to those who enjoy adventure and treasure hunting. Using her father’s hand-drawn maps, Lily leads tours, but ends up on a journey to find what her father may have left her; she desperately hopes it will be enough money to buy back their family ranch.

Much to Lily’s surprise, her first and only love, Leo Grady, unknowingly shows up for one of her tours with his three friends. While journeying through the red rocks of Utah, Lily and Leo find a way to reconnect while searching for Duke’s nest egg.

A great story, lots of adventure and a bit of suspense, 5 stars!

I haven't had the greatest luck with this author duo's recent releases, but I am happy to say that this one was such a good read for me. It was more than just a second chance romance for Leo and Lily. It was a treasure hunt with a touch of suspense. I can see it as a movie!

Leo Grady and Lily Wilder were together for five months ten years ago living on her ranch in Laramie, Wyoming. He had to go back to New York when his mother was injured, and she never heard from again.

Now, ten years later, she is living in Utah leading tourists on fake treasure hunts and barely making ends meet. Duke Wilder, her famous treasure-hunting, puzzle/riddle-loving father, sold their ranch soon after Leo left. She meets Leo again when he and four other men are on their annual boys' trip.

I have to admit I inwardly groaned at the reason Leo and Lily haven't spoken in ten years. Miscommunication! Ugh. Imagine that. But, then, Leo and Lily talked once their cover was blown that they did know each other and I got past it. Ten years is a long time to carry a torch for your first love and it seemed that the love never left Leo and Lily.

I loved the adventure and suspense of this story. I went into this book blind, so it was an unexpected joy for me. There were some twists and surprises that I didn't see coming at the end, too! The authors' note in the beginning was perfect, too. They wrote this book to be a fun escape from the real world.

Thank you for the advance readers copy to Gallery Books and NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

LOVE LOVE LOVE Christina Lauren! This duo's books never disappoint. Exciting in so many ways. I'm always looking forward to more

Christina Lauren is one of, if not my favorite author duo out there and I will continue to read any and every thing they put out!

Something Wilder was a bit different from what they normally write content wise. I feel like it was a grown up, more dangerous version of the Goonies and I was HERE FOR IT.

Quick synopsis: Lily Wilder grew up on a ranch with her treasure hunting father Duke who loved puzzles and riddles and searching for Butch Cassidy's rumored treasure. Now all grown up, Lily takes tourists on treasure hunting adventures through the desert/canyons of Utah hunting for Butch Cassidy's treasure. One day one of her guide groups happens to have her great love/heartbreak who she hasn't seen or spoken to in years...

There's some steam, there's some danger, there's some romance, there's some death, there's a whole lot of adventure and it was a great read from start to finish. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy.

Another great slow burn from the dynamic due of Christina Lauren! At first, a few parts seemed rushed through and I wish we’d had more time, but by the end of the book ALL my questions and worries had been answered. This as a great example of if you are meant to be with someone, you will end up back with them and boy was I glad they found each other again ❤️