4.5/5 ⭐️

“I still love you,” he told her. “In hindsight, if I’d never come out here, if I hadn’t seen you again, I would have just kept moving forward with a life half-lived.”

such a unique, fun, adventure-filled story! this romance book is something different I didn’t know I needed. the plot twists!! seriously found myself gasping at times because I couldn’t believe what was happening! Something wilder is a treasure hunting second chance romance with lots of dramatic moments! It’s told in both Lily and Leo’s POV (3rd person). This book had so many good quotes I wish I had a physical copy so I could highlight and tab it all 🥺. I only shared a few because I know the book isn’t out yet and I wanted you guys to experience them when you read the book. so enjoy only a snippet of what’s to come!

Lily, daughter of a famous treasure hunter, is struggling, big time. She and a friend do treasure hunting tours for tourists and is surprised when the man she fell in love with 10 years ago is there for a tour. She can’t believe it. She’s forced to take Leo and his friends on this tour but things start going… not so good. In every sense.

4.5 stars rounded down

This writing duo does it again. I really enjoyed the female bad-assery and a second chance romance with the smart caring male character. I also loved the setting and descriptions - it definitely felt researched and authentic.

The crime debauchery… I wasn’t really sure about that all. Part of me was cringey laughing at the ridiculousness of it and part of me was thinking wait is this supposed to be taken seriously? I can also see a lot of wilderness hiker enthusiasts screaming at the book because it seems like there were some outlandish risks taken to move the plot along or maybe that was just me being not an outdoorsy person or a risk taker ha!

Either way I just went with it because it’s a book. It was a super fast read, great pace and characters! But that’s why I rounded down instead of up.

Thank you for the eARC Gallery Books and NetGalley!

as a long time reader of christina lauren it has been noce to watch their transition from spicy adult romance books to more romcom/womens fiction. theyve consistently written amazing books and i cant wait for more

What a different book from CL! The trademark high quality writing is still there, but we get a true action/adventure story on top of the normal romance. I enjoyed the plot, but I think for a romance, there was an overlay of sadness that seemed tonally out of step for what I usually expect from the genre. Still, taking that out of the equation, this is a very enjoyable treasure hunting story with some nicely developed themes around grief and loss layered in

Okay I thought this would be a cutesy love story and had no idea it would be part thriller!! It was the exact twist I didn’t know I needed - I just wish I started the book before 10pm so that I wouldn’t stay up all night reading it in one sitting. 10/10.

Do you ever read a book and know it was made for you? It speaks to your soul and will be living rent free in your mind for many moons? This book is that one for me.

A second chance romance about Lily, a wrangler from Wyoming who moved to the deserts of Utah to take dudes out in search of a long lost Wild West treasure. First of all, I lived this prequel 8 years and was INSTANTLY hooked.

Then the string of events that bring our two MCs together is next level clever and endearing. Then you make the entire plot a treasure hunt, sold! This was Uncharted meets Red Notice meets Lonesome Dove. I was captivated from the first page and loved how the characters changed and grew and all of the twists and turns. There was a perfect amount of detail and descriptions about the surroundings and really made you feel like you were in the canyons with them.

I can not say enough about how much this book spoke to me and made me feel like I was back in the saddle leading dudes and searching for my own adventures. The ending was chefs kiss on a perfect romance and I couldn’t have loved that more. If I could give it more stars I would!

This is one of those books that I had been looking forward to because Christina Lauren are basically considered the rom com queens and now that I've read a couple of their books I can see why. So when I saw this available as an ARC I jumped at the chance to read it.

As we open, we meet Lily and Leo, a couple very obviously in love, leading a life on a ranch in Utah. We learn just a limited amount in the prologue before we jump 10 years into the future and see that they are no longer together. Of course, we immediately begin to wonder what happened between them when Leo ends up on an adventure trip where Lily is leading his group on a fake treasure hunt. Lily makes it clear from day one: she is not interested in hearing what Leo has to say - why he disappeared from her life ten years earlier with no explanation. As the trip moves along, the group begins to wonder if the treasure they've been hunting isn't fake after all, and if Lily's late father, Duke Wilder, might just have left something behind.

There is so much I loved about this book, and so much I was bored by. Let me start by saying that I don't care for stories around horses and ranching and treasure hunts. There is a lot of talk in this book about finding treasure and about Butch Cassidy, and about the ranching lifestyle. So I mostly skimmed those parts.

But what I did love was the love story between Leo and Lily. And I especially loved that once Leo showed up on Lily's tour, they actually TALKED about what happened between them, rather than it being a long, drawn out source of tension throughout the whole book, like so many rom coms do. Throughout the book they had open communication and that was such a wonderful surprise to read through. Their scenes together were both hot and sweet, and I would've gladly read more into their journey as a couple. Plus, if you like the one-bed trope, you'll love this one. It's even steamier than that.

This book is fast paced and full of adventure and twists that I didn't see coming. You do have to suspend disbelief a bit a few times, as with all good rom-coms. I think fans of these authors will really enjoy this one, and fans who really love books set on adventures like this. All in all, this is a solid book from rom com favorites.

This book will be featured on episode 33 of the Reading Through Life podcast, available 4/6/2022.

Another fun romantic romp from the authors who make up Christina Lauren. This book is pretty different from the other Christina Lauren books I've read. It is a western filled with puzzles, treasure, and dastardly villains. While some of the action was over-the-top, it was still fun and a quick read. The steamy romance between Lily and Leo was a slow burn that felt like it was paced right. While it wasn't my favorite book by Christina Lauren, I really liked it and would recommend it to others who like a bit of fun and danger mixed in with their romance.

I am a big fan of Christina Lauren's books, so I was excited to see a little something different plot wise from them. It was a quick read, and I enjoyed, but I think I prefer their more traditional romance stories.

Lily and Leo had a fleeting but strongly memorable relationship in their early twenties, but time and circumstances have brought them back for an impromptu adventurous mystery. Did Lily's dad, Duke, ever discover the hidden treasure? If so, where is it now?

Not your typical Christina Lauren, but love the mystery and adventure incorporation. Loved the humor and relationships between the characters.

This book was absolutely not what I was expecting (yes, THAT part)! CLo's classic banter and chemistry are there, but this book is also meant to be a little bit over-the-top adventure/mystery/Western. There are villians (really unlikable villains at that), there's danger, there's treasure hunting. Overall it was a really enjoyable story! If you're looking for something to get your mind off of real life and into a whirlwind adventure, this would be a good book to pick up.

How can you not love a Christina Lauren book? I adore the second chance at love book that has many wild and zany mishaps in the desert. You really don't ever know what's going to happen next.

If you like puzzles, this book is full of them. And there's a lot of heart here too. The main character really resents her father, and hates her life, and has to find a way to make peace with or change a lot about her situation. Her arc is very thoughtful.

It's easy to love the two main characters because they are smart, hot, and have tons of chemistry. The steaminess is steamy, and dare I saw more fun because it happens in a tent? And there's also rainstorm steaminess, and cabin in the woods steaminess. I love that these two never give up on each other, and make each other better. If you like the outdoors and adventure, this is the book for you!

I finished this book a few days ago and have been trying to figure how to eloquently say - I freaking LOVED this book!
I've read the authors other works and they can be hit and miss for me. They always write amazing books but there have been a few I just haven't connected with. It doesn't matter though because when I do love their book, I really love it.
Something Wilder is a book about lost love, adventure, and treasure hunts. I will say it took me a few chapters to really fall into this book. There was a lot of (necessary) backstory/insight int eh beginning and I wasn't sucked in right away. I appreciate this so much because somewhere in chapter 6-8 I was hooked and didn't stop reading. Those first few chapters set up the novel perfectly and in a time when everyone wants to start page one in the depths of the action (sometimes going overboard throwing me into the story in a blur of confusion) I appreciate a slow intro to each character and the story.
I also loved the premise of this story. I love a good adventure/treasure hunt and adding romance puts this right up my alley. The romance was a perfect slow burn while acknowledging their past. The pace of the plot kept me going and going until I reached the last page.
My only complaint - I wanted to see more about Walter! I could have easily read more of this book to explore more with Walter and Nicole.
This is easily one of my favorite books by the authors and I will be pre-ordering a copy so I can re-read it once or twice.
Thanks Netgalley and publisher for a copy!

Oops, they did it again! The Christina Lauren team have another winner to add to their resume. This one is a little different than their usual rom-com but I loved it. It introduces us to Lily Wilder, daughter of Duke Wilder, famous treasure hunter. The setting is the wilderness of Utah and Lily takes us on an adventure-packed ride with twists, laughs, a little bit of darkness, a lot of great dialogue and a few bad guys along with a sweet second chance romance. It is a quick, fun read that has a hint of National Treasure and Indiana Jones mixed with a modern day love story. I loved the character of Lily's friend Nicole. I think a spin-off book about Nicole and Walter should be next on Christina Lauren's "to-do" list! Thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Something Wilder had all the makings of being a compelling romantic read with a classic Christina Lauren twist but unfortunately fell a bit flat for me.

I went into this expecting a high tension beautiful love story that Christina Lauren always delivers instead I got an adventure story with very little romance. Something Wilder could almost be classed as an adventure story with a teeny tiny bit of romance instead of a romantic adventure novel. Don’t get me wrong the story was good, if not a bit ridiculous, I just wanted more romance!

The darker tones, the added danger, the treasure, the mystery, and the strong characters were amazing and fun to read but this would’ve been a solid 5 star if we would’ve had more of Lily and Leo. Where was the backstory that showed why they were never able to move on? Where was the substance that made us fall in love with them as a couple? We were told to love Lily and Leo instead of shown and idk I’ve never been good at being told what to do.

Overall I will recommend this but as a new style Christina Lauren instead of their staple of romance and I’m undecided if that’s a good thing or bad thing.

this is outer banks meets starry eyes by jenn bennett, with a hint of dial a for aunties and national treasure

and romance with no third act breakup? all the favs

the perfect spring break read if you want to live vicariously (and on the edge) through others

this was a book full of treasure hunting, puzzles, and codebreaking, accompanied by exhilarating plot, danger & adventure, swoon-worthy second chance romance, and wholesome found family

the plot of this book was so unique and completely unlike what i anticipated. there were so many twists and turns, i had no idea what was going to happen next. such a fun read (that did have me on the edge of my seat with all the danger lmfao)

the romance between lily and leo was EVERYTHING. the moment when they reunited after ten years… 😭😭😭. never once did they doubt their love for each other, they just needed to figure out how they could make a future happen. epitome of “i loved you and i never stopped”. christina lauren are queens of second chance romance. truly. [also i love how they didn’t wait til the end to reveal the reason behind the original breakup. they cut to the chase here and i’m glad bc lily and leo def had bigger fish to fry lmao{

i can’t help but note how even though he was never physically present, duke wilder felt larger than life. the authors did such a good job bringing him into the story as a treasure hunter and lily’s father

overall, definitely recommend if you want a fun and adventurous read!

cw: death, kidnapping, violence, gun violence

In true Christian Lauren fashion I absolutely loved this one and swallowed it up. Cannot wait to have a physical copy for my home library

I really enjoyed this one! Got lucky to get an early copy. The focus was more on the adventure side, but there were definitely some cute romance moments.

Review available on GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4570952782

Genuinely, I was starting to get worried that I would never fall in love with another Christina Lauren book the way that I’d fallen in love with Love and Other Words and Josh and Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating.

But this book?? THIS BOOK?

Oh. My. God.

It took so many different and sharp turns and had me laughing out loud and dropping my jaw. The love story was so sweet, the characters were so FUN, the adventure was movie adaptation-worthy (seriously, would watch this over and over again).

You can tell how much fun CL had writing this book. It’s palpable. I have read everything they’ve written short of their first series together, and this one has a life in it unlike any of their previous work. This was a BLAST to read.

Thank you so much to Gallery Books and NetGalley for this Advanced Readers Copy. Thank you to Christina Lauren for spinning such a fun story.

Christina Lauren does not disappoint in this second chance romance adventure. I must admit when I first heard about this book being a bit like "Romancing the Stone" with adventure mixed into the romance I was unsure if I would like it, but I really enjoyed this book. It's the perfect balance of adventure and romance. Lily Wilder, the daughter of a treasure hunter is resourceful, smart, and not in the mood for long term love. Enter Leo Grady, the boy who broke her heart walking out years ago and never heard from again. Lily never expected to see Leo again, and yet here he is on one of her adventures. With many twists and turns, this book takes you on a wild ride with romance weaved in at every turn. It's a light, enjoyable read for anyone looking to escape into a book for a few hours.