It was very different from their previous books -- I have come to expect something lighthearted and fun, a good escapism romance, from them, but this was not that. The "murder" scene really threw me, and I honestly couldn't get past the fact that they just kind of left him? And went treasure hunting? It was strange, to say the least.

Lily and Leo were lovers ten years ago before disaster after disaster struck their young lives pulling them apart and misunderstanding and miscommunication kept them apart. Nowadays Lily guides would-be treasure seekers on the trail of Butch Cassidy- using the maps and puzzles and riddles her famous treasure hunter father left her. But Leo and his three friends arrive on her next trip- an awkward and unpleasant surprise for both Leo and Lily. At least at first. But now there is a glimmer of hope that one of the maps and puzzles and riddles is real. They push on. On this twisted dangerous journey Leo realizes he wants Lily back but they are going to face even more danger before they make it out alive. And in love?

Leo is a luscious character- still in love with Lily. He’s steadfast in his rediscovered feelings and is willing to work for her love. Plus, he’s a wiz at puzzles and riddles! His spoken and internal dialogue is dreamy. Lily is closed off, self protective, at least at first, but endearing. She is a wonderful strong character. Their coming together is inevitable but also convincing. And sensuous!

I look forward to recommending this book to my patrons. Thanks to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I remember being on a zoom call with Christina and Lauren last year and them talking about how excited they were for the adventure novel they were working on at the time. Fast forward to now and I was so excited to finally get to see what it was they were so pumped to share with the world…and let me tell you, it lived up to their hype.

Something Wilder is the story of Lily, daughter of notorious treasure hunter, Duke Wilder. Years after his death, Lily makes a living off of using Duke’s maps to lead tourists through fake treasure hunts around Utah. However, her real dream is to be able to afford to buy the ranch she grew up on that her father sold shortly before his death. When her latest tour brings the man she loved and hasn’t spoken to in years back into her life, Lily is not ready to see him again and makes it clear to Leo that there is no going back. But the trip goes very wrong and Leo and Lily need to work together to solve Duke’s clues to find a hidden treasure that really might exist, all while avoiding other people who are after the treasure and will do anything to get it. 

What a wild ride this one was. I love a good second chance romance, but pair it with adventure, a little mystery, and so many twists and turns and you have a real winner. I love so many of Christina Lauren’s books and this one easily falls into my top 3. The treasure hunt was so unique and filled with twists. I was constantly guessing where this adventure might lead them and what would happen next. The riddles were so smart and it was fascinating to see how those played out. Personally, I could never solve them so I really felt like I was along for the ride with Leo and Lily. I loved seeing how they fell together. The drama and danger of the treasure hunt also created the perfect amount of tension and suspense to really keep me fully engaged. I needed to know what was going to happen next and I could not stop reading.

As for the romance, I adored both Leo and Lily and was so glad they got their second chance. Lily was such a strong and badass character, and while she had a tough exterior, it was amazing to see her open up to Leo and really allow herself to love again. Leo was so caring and loyal. After all he had been through I loved that he got the opportunity to find his own happiness. Both characters had been through a lot in their time apart and I loved how the story of what really happened after the last time they saw each other slowly came out, and that they were able to resolve a really tragic miscommunication. It all ultimately led to the sweetest love story with amazing chemistry.

Overall, I adored this book and cannot wait for everyone else to read it! Thank you to Gallery Books for the advanced copy!

Christina Lauren is my favorite author duo and I will auto buy any of their books without even looking at a synopsis! Well, they are back and with such a fun adventure!

This is the story of Lily Wilder and her great treasure hunting adventures in Utah. With a broken heart she throws herself into her work and riding the coat tails of her dad's legendary maps and treasure hunting days in the Wild West. Well, when a group outing she is leading happens to have her ex, her whole world is tipped upside down and everything changes.

This book felt different from anything CLo has ever written, but also had some elements like witty one liners that to the core make them pure gold in the rom com genre.

Recommend this one to all of my fun loving, romance loving friends.

I love Christina Lauren’s books. I solely requested this book to review because I have loved all of her books.
I was so let down and had to force myself to finish this one.
The characters were not a bit interesting. They were very one dimensional with no chemistry, which is essential in a rom com such as this. I can only handle characters with as little development as these if the plot is stellar, and it wasn’t.
The reason why I had to force myself through this book was the unrealistic plot. I could have gotten over the unrealistic lack of communication for how “in love” they were if it weren’t for the difficulty I had believing that they both ended up on this tour together. Too many small unbelievable things had to line up to put them together. Add to that the silly treasure chase and it lost my interest.
This was not typical caliber of Christina Lauren. Her other books have always sucked me in, so I will still read something else she writes. However, I probably won’t suggest this book to others.

Daughter of Duke Wilder, Lily has always had a knack for horses and the ranch, and has been leading a Wild Wild West tour with fake treasure. Sort of a team building exercise for those interested in truly roughing it. Her long lost love, Leo, happens to be part of a friend group who has booked for this wild adventure. Between rekindling an old flame that happens to still be burning ten years later and going off script to find actual treasure, how will everything play out for Lily, Leo, and their friends?

Okaaay… three words: not for me. I love CLo and don’t get me wrong, they are talented and awesome human beings, but man was this story just WILD. Like, holy shish kebab, what did I just read? It was adventure and mystery with a sliver of romance (which I felt was under delivered only because I didn’t really get Lily and Leo). It was a WILD goose chase in the WILD WILD west filled with WILD unexpected turns of events. There was exquisite scenery descriptions, details to the puzzles and riddles (like actual braille and whatever ASCII coding is), which added extra life. But, some of the chapters dragged for me only because I felt like it was recapping and repeating a lot. Phew.

I recommend to fans of adventure, Indiana Jones x The Mummy x National Treasure type plot lines, and the like. I could see it as a movie though, and I do believe it would translate much better on screen!

I've read a couple other books by this writing team, and they never disappoint. This is a different environment for them and I liked the adventure story surrounding this second chance romance. There was some mystery, a treasure hunt and a bit of romance. I liked where the story went and how it ended. The only negative thing I would say about it is some of the language I didn't care for. It probably wouldn't bother most, but it just seemed a bit much for me. It's a solid story and something different from the authors, and I really enjoyed it.

This was a little change of pace for Christina Lauren and I loved it! The setting, adventure story/treasure hunt, love story, friendships -- everything! I need to order extra copies for the library asap...this will be a popular read this summer!

This was not my favorite from Christina Lauren. The romance seemed to take a back seat to the adventure plot line which would have been okay had that been a good plot. It was all over the place and made no sense. I'm disappointed because the story of the second chance romance had a lot of potential but I was left feeling like we didn't get much from them at all.

This was my first Christina Lauren book and I was so excited to get early access! It is a story of second chance love set in rural Utah with top banter, great side characters, and unexpected action! I really liked our FMC, Lily, and her life story and the journey she went on. While her life isn't something I can relate to, I found her struggles, her thoughts, and her worries to be very relatable and it kept me invested in the book from start to finish. I loved the premise of this story and was not expecting the fast-paced action that happens later in the story, but I am here for it. I'm a sucker for an emotional love story with amazing best friend side characters (Nic is amazing) and this one fits that bill perfectly. I really enjoyed this story and cannot wait to get my hands on a physical copy soon!

Lily grew up in the shadow of her semi-absent father, the renowned treasure hunter Duke Wilder. When she was 19, she fell hard in love during the summer on the ranch. Fast forward ten years and her life is far from what she had planned. Instead of living for herself, she has found herself leading guided treasure hunts similar to what her dad spent his life doing, and she spent her early life despising. On the flip side, Leo Grady and his friends have left NYC for a week-long adventure in the great wildness of Utah, where they will spend their time horseback riding, camping under the stars, and trying not to fall off sudden cliffs. When the two collide, it was the last thing either of them ever expected to happen. The group soon realizes that the legendary hidden treasure that was thought to be fake may in fact be real. Suddenly the trip takes an unexpected turn and the two find themselves in the position to have to work together and face the dangers of the wild. But it appears that not everything is at it seems...

Thank you to Netgalley and Gallery Books for early access!

What a fun book! I can't think of another second chance romance/treasure hunt/romantic suspense mashup, and this one fulfills all of those tropes and genres in a truly satisfying way. A great read!

I expect Christina Lauren books to be lighthearted and fun romances. Something Wilder Instead is full of action and adventure with twists and turns. Of course, at the heart is a story of young love lost and perhaps found again.

When Lily Wilder was little, being the daughter of a famous treasure hunter was exciting. As she grew older, however, the reality of an absentee father ended that fantasy. It didn't help that by pursuing his passions, Lily's father sacrificed hers to include the home she loved and the man who came with it. Years later, Lily gives wilderness tours to tourists when in walks the man she can't forget. What follows is an unexpected adventure, a mystery to be solved, and characters you enjoy from the first page to the last in true Christina Lauren fashion. Something Wilder is an excellent addition to the growing list of much-loved classics.

Christina Lauren never misses! A fun, treasure-hunting escape from reality. I loved the location — the desert of Utah isn’t a setting I usually read but CL did an amazing job showing how beautiful and breathtaking it is. I am obsessed with Leo and Lily and rooted for them from the beginning. This book is perfect to read under the sun!

a perfect little rom com set in the desert, full of an adventure that’s barely believable but lots of fun. I love any story that’s about reunited first loves… sigh. There’s some great scenes, part Lampoon vacation style, part Goonies… I may love Walt more than Leo?! 😂 JK.

I have always been a fan of Christina Lauren's rom coms. The characters are likable, quirky, and genuinely feel "real." This book is no different! I will admit that I do not know a whole lot about the Southwest, cowboying, Butch Cassidy, etc, but as a recent binge-watcher of Yellowstone, this book grabbed my interest almost immediately. Some of the hijinks that the characters faced during their treasure hunt were a little far-fetched, but I still enjoyed reading them and I especially loved the scenes that delved deeper into Lily and Lou's history. Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC and I cannot wait for their next book!

I can’t decide whether I loved this one or not. It was a departure from Christina Lauren’s usual fare and I thought well executed. It was just a bit jarring to me given that they usually pick more every day topics. This one had a few too many coincidences and more of a mystery/whodunit than I was expecting. It also seemed a bit improbable that they solved the mystery in the way that they did. Overall though, the story was well paced and told.

Thank you Netgalley, publisher, and authors for the ARC. I thoroughly enjoying this book! It kind of reminded me of National Treasure but with more romance. Overall a very fun read!
As always I love their books and look forward to future ones!!

This was my first Christina Lauren book and will not be my last. Lily's dad is a treasure hunter. He has been in and out of her life going on hunts and searching for Butch Cassidy's money. After her dad dies Lily is left with nothing, as her dad never found it. To make ends meet she brings people on fake treasure hunts for their vacations. This time around an old flame is on the hunt along with someone who is taking the treasure hunting a little too seriously. When someone ends up dead, and Lily realizes she is in way over her head, but did they find actual clues to find the money?

If you are looking for a great read, full of action, adventure AND romance, then this is the book for you. I always thought you could either have an action book OR a romance novel. But this is the absolute perfect combination of both. I want a sequel with more adventures of Leo and Lily!!