This was my first Christina Lauren read and I loved it! The genre is romance with a western vibe, but the fact that they’re treasure hunting and experiencing all sorts of trouble with a lost love connection added in, had a little bit of an action/thriller vibe. I loved all of the turns and twists, but truly loved all of the action and thrills along the read. The writing was so vivid and descriptive that I found myself able to clearly imagine the imagery of the book setting. I loved every single aspect of this book and can’t wait to read more by Christina Lauren.

a wild ride (pun intended) -- "something wilder" is the perfect summer escape. with sprawling imagery, fiery personalities and plenty of adventure, i raced through this to find the treasure at the end along with lily and leo (we love a good name pair). as far as main characters go, lily is a prime example that christina lauren knows how to write badass leading ladies. she's tough, smart, rides horses all day, and doesn't put up with any crap. she's also a little emotionally repressed, but hey, that's what the story is here for, right? so when her ex, leo, shows up for a horseback riding, treasure hunting adventure with a few of his friends, of course it's time for her to face the things she's shoved down for years. throughout the novel, readers get to be right alongside both leads as they face what happened then, and what happens now. now, though, there's a LOT going on. we've got camping, secret journals, betrayal, guns, codes, and realizing that what you've been searching for might've been with you the whole time. i loved the adventure, mystery and surprises of the story -- it was immensely satisfying and an absolute delight to read. lily and leo prove to be a great team as they let themselves get closer, and i liked them together, although the details from their first relationship ending didn't feel the most realistic or believable. however, it's easy to move on from that in favor of them opening up to each other and bickering while they try to stay alive. one of my new favorites from christina lauren, the title sums it up: it's definitely something a little wilder than their normal fare, but just as fun and flirty.

Thanks NetGalley for the ARC! Something Wilder is the story of Lily Wilder's literal and figurative journey to finding her place in the world after a series of struggles. Christian Lauren has created a story full of adventure, mystery and romance sprinkled with chuckle worthy humor and a few moments that nearly brought me to tears. The vivid setting combined with a few surprising turns kept me reading to see what happened next. All of these elements add up to a story that should be made into a movie. Hollywood take note!

I had never read a Christina Lauren book before, but let me tell you...I'm so glad NetGalley gave me this ARC to read! I had such fun reading this book! I laughed, I cried, and I gasped, gasped, gasped. This book has action, a treasure-hunt, a second chance romance, and even a setting-appropriate take on the one bed troupe. Most important of all, it's well written, with humor, emotion, and heart-rushing adventure. This book feels like the perfect summer contemporary romance read- it has a little of something for everyone!

I completely enjoyed this book! A treasure hunt, codes and a love story, what is not to love! This is the second book that I have read from these authors and I will continue to read more! Thanks to @netgalley for the ARC.

This story follows Lily through the trials she has experienced with her parents, family, love life and finances. Lily is a tough lady that has been through some hard realities but this doesn’t stop her moving toward her dreams. She grows up to become a leading lady in the rough canyonlands of Utah without taking any nonsense from anyone.

Leo is a city boy who fell in love with a horse-loving girl in Wyoming. After a death in his family, he is forced to live a life for others. Fast forward 10 years and he has rekindled a romantic relationship he lost.

This unexpected story will leave you lusting for adventure and the treasure at the end of the story.

What I liked about the book: It was different from any other rom com I have read so far. I appreciated the outdoor, adventure seeking, cowboy setting of the book. I also really enjoyed Lily. She is a strong leader of these tour groups while also being unwavering in her own wants and dreams. .I was also very surprised by the few twists and turns in the story. Not expecting a few things from rom com. I welcomed it!

What I disliked about the book: There wasn’t anything about this book that I didn’t like. I thought it was well written and a fun read. It lacked just a bit more depth that would have pushed it to a 5 star. A worthwhile rom com for sure.

Thank you Christina Lauren, Gallery Books and Netgalley for the ARC!

When I got this ARC I was beyond excited. They are my favorite writing duo. They are the queens of writing romance. Seeing how much in control the girls are and how the boys come to the town for bachelor parties really drew me in. I have never been to Utah and i know the town was fictional but it really felt like I was there. This book was amazing as all of their books are.

If you’re reading this review, you’re probably already a Christina Lauren fan and you probably already know the wild premise of the book. So I’ll just give you this: second chance romance, treasure hunt, perfection.

Something Wilder has all the charm of a regular CLo book but with added bonus of adventures and twists and turns galore (some I genuinely gasped over). I thought I knew what I was getting myself into but I actually had no idea. I just COULD NOT stop reading. There’s friendship, broken hearts, Butch Cassidy, horses. There's also, of course, some romance. Think second chance, slow burn, only one sleeping bag (even better than one bed!)

I found myself glued to the page and getting so nervous for them. I even started feeling like I had a stake in the hunt. The clues and games were so fun even though they went completely over my head.

As this fun adventure came to a close, I even found myself crying a little which completely caught me off guard. So it’s safe to say I was very invested.

If you’re looking for something new from Christina Lauren, this is it! What’s next for them? A thriller? A fantasy? I don’t care, I’ll read it.

Thank you to Gallery Books and Netgalley for my eARC in exchange for an honest review.

RATING: 4/5 STARS

SOMETHING WILDER was a super fun ride! Adventure romance is a genre I haven't read much of. Christina Lauren did an excellent job here. Loved the Utah setting, puzzles and riddles to solve, interesting side characters, and, of course, Lily and Leo's second chance romance.

This book was such a departure from what we've all come to expect from Christina Lauren - in a really great way. This duo has proven that they will not be boxed in to any particular type of romance novels & they're never afraid to mix genres a bit. I found this book to be a bit of a slow start, but around the 30% mark the dial got turned up to ten. Truly, you will not be able to put it down for the last 40%.

All in all, worth the read & I will continue to devour every single thing that CL publishes.

This had a different feel from your usual Christina Lauren book, and that's a good thing! Definitely giving off cowboy/western vibes, this was a delightful, romantic read. I love the treasure-hunting aspect of it. Want something fun to read this spring? Look no further!

Christina Lauren does it again! Her books are SO GOOD. This is of no exception. Highly recommend for a book club.

The fantastic duo of Christina Lauren does it again! This book had all of the quirky fun and serious adventure that the reader could need. The characters were well thought out and the research on the area was impeccable. I appreciated some of the twists of the story and it wasn't all predictable.

Is it the greatest and most groundbreaking book I've ever read? Absolutely not. Is it delightful, and makes me think it's the adult version of that Wild West themed Mary Kate and Ashley movie? Absolutely!

I'm a huge Christian Lauren fan and have read every book that they've written, some multiple times. Something Wilder might be one of my new favorites of theirs because of how different it felt from anything that I've read from them or other romance authors. I loved the mix of a treasure hunt and a second chance romance full of twists. I literally didn't put this book down while I was reading it.

Lily and Leo both had their own journeys to get to the point that they could be together. The pining and chemistry were beautifully done. I appreciated how they weren't just on a physical journey, but also an emotional one with each other. From rediscovering what happened to end them ten years ago to trusting each other to figuring out what they both want in life. This was full of unexpected twists that made this feel more escapist. I loved the treasure hunting aspect and how adventurous it felt, especially for someone who hasn't been on an adventure in over two years.

I can't wait to see what CLo comes up with next!

CW: parental abandonment, grief, death of a parent (past), accidental death

Thank you to Gallery Books and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

If National Treasure were a Wild West film then it would be called Something Wilder. Lily runs a fake treasure hunting business with her friend Nicole, they take city kids on the adventure of their dreams, horseback with no cell phones out in the wilds of Utah. ​

The daughter of famous treasure Hunter, Duke Wilder, Lily has a past full of adventure, but after her father’s death she is left struggling to make ends meet with her small business. When Leo shows up with a group of his friends to be her next client she is thrown back into their past reliving the hurt and love they shared. ​

What follows is a series of twists and hilarious turns that made me swoon. The rekindled love between Lily and Leo was a slow burn romance that had every inch of sweetness my heart needed. Lily is tough, rough, and doesn’t let anyone boss her around while Leo is sweet, smart and surprisingly the exact opposite of her. ​

The side characters in this story were some of my favorites. Nicole is Lily’s friend and business partner and she packs a punch, literally. Her tough and funny personality gave this story some much needed comic relief. Things get pretty intense as their fake search for treasure turns into a real life and death hunt for lost gold. ​

Duke Wilder left behind a treasure hunt that includes puzzles and codes galore. I couldn’t get enough of the mystery in this story. It was mystery adventure meets romance and I need more of it. The reveal was perfect and the unexpected love story between Lily and her father gave this book some serious heart. ​

Thank you Netgalley for the advanced copy, I already preordered my own physical copy to reread and tab. Something Wilder comes out May 17, 2022 and you need it! ​I’ll be shouting from the roof tops about this one for quite a while.

I love Westerns! I loved Lonesome Dove, 1000 White Women and many Tony Hillerman books. I don’t know if it’s reading about a life that is so different than my own here in suburbia, but I love reading about camping under the stars and imagining sagebrush, mountains and nature as far as the eye can see.

Something Wilder fulfills that desire for a beautiful Western locale. Lily and Leo were once lovers and find themselves reunited a decade later on a quest for hidden fortune. This book had so many unexpected twists and turns that had me guessing throughout. I loved how I was surprised time after time as I read.

The romance was what left me stilted. As much as I found Lily’s life so interesting and romantic, I found her character not very well developed. I just never could empathize with her feelings or decisions. Christina Lauren does an amazing job painting male leads. Leo does not disappoint. His unflinching devotion to Lily made me fall in love with him, and his character made the story develop well.

Overall this was an enjoyable read that I recommend. Different than other mystery/romances I have read!

Thank you to @netgalley, @gallerybooks and @christinalauren for my gifted copy of this ebook which publishes on May 17th.

I am a huge fan of the authors and have been for a long time. This was different from their other series and novels, but I still loved it. It had just the right amount of adventure/cowboy mixed in with missed romance from before. It also had the right amount of angst with a rancher heroine and her opposite city boy.

This book was so much different than I was expecting it to be but I really enjoyed it! It’s definitely not the typical romance story you’d expect from this duo and I loved the fresh take!
Lily Wilder’s life is not going according to plan. All she’s ever wanted is to run her own farm, but that’s not in the cards after her father, Duke, sold their family farm 10 years ago. In order to make a life for herself, she has to rely on Duke’s old stories and treasure hunting maps to lead tour groups through the red canyons of Utah. The last person she expects to see in one of her groups is her first love and first heartbreak, Leo.
This felt like Four Aunties and a Wedding meets National Treasure which probably sounds like the most random combination but it actually worked in this book. The plot took some wild turns (excuse the pun) that made for really intense yet humorous moments. The romance was definitely prominent but there was also a lot of action and thrills involved. I feel like this book was pretty much equal in the time it spent focusing on the relationship and the adventure.
The second chance romance plot line was done really well. I’m not always a huge fan of this trope but the reason for the couple not being together after their first encounter actually made sense and felt believable.
With a totally unique premise and setting for a romance, I think this book will surprise a lot of people! If you want to take an exciting trip on the Outlaw Trail, the old haunts of Butch Cassidy, without having to leave your couch you should definitely pick this up.

After Leo leaves Lily on her family’s ranch ten years ago both of their lives are not going as planned. Every year Leo and his friends plan a vacation to get them away from their mundane lives. This year Bradley plans a treasure hunt in the desert with Wilder Adventures.

Oh my god, this book! Where do I even start? Love and Other Words by Christina Lauren is one of my all-time favorite books, so when I saw they had a second chance romance coming out I knew I need to read it. I wasn’t expecting this book to be so action-packed, but I absolutely loved it. This book kept me on my toes to the point where I could not put it down. Also, there was no 3rd act breakup!! We love that!

Thank you, NetGalley and Christina Lauren for this advanced reader's copy!