The “reigning romance queens” (PopSugar) and New York Times bestselling authors of TheSoulmate Equation and The Unhoneymooners present a charming and laugh-out-loud funny novel filled with adventure, treasure, and, of course, love.

For years now, Christina Lauren has been an auto everything. Auto-buy, auto-request, auto-adore! I have been patiently waiting for Something Wilder to come available as an ARC, and I was super excited to get my copy last week. I’ll be brutally honest here - this book was not what I expected, and I found myself a little disappointed.

Something Wilder is a pretty significant departure from CLo’s usual style. It felt like reading a western movie in novel form, with the romance between Leo and Clara being a side aspect of the main story, which I didn’t actually have a ton of investment in. The story itself gave off distinct Holes by Louis Sachar vibes, especially with the split timeline. I also thought the code breaker stuff was actually pretty exciting and kept me a little more invested than I was.

Some concerns I had about this book:
- I didn’t feel like I knew the main character and what I did know I didn’t necessarily like
- Some parts felt very boring to me
- The split timeline took me slightly out of the story, although I don’t think a linear timeline would have necessarily been better? I just think it needed to have been done a little differently.
- A burning, pining, second chance romance is SO my jam, but this one didn’t hold up to the best of the trope
- When you finally find out that great miscommunication that led to the breakup of the MMC and the FMC, it feels far too convenient.

Conclusion:
I actually think this might make a good movie, as I’m sure the PNW’s gorgeous natural beauty would speak for itself. Overall, I can’t tell if I’m giving this 3 stars because of the story alone or because of my deep love and appreciation for Christina Lauren, but that’s as high as I can go.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Gallery Books for sharing a digital reviewer copy with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.

This was a fun read - very full of drama and twists. It was hard to root for a romantic lead with such terrible leads, and I thought the chemistry could've been a lot better in general, but I still had a fun time reading the book. I would definitely recommend this to Colleen Hoover fans who like contemporary romance with high levels of drama.

This book is far different then any of their others. But I think that is why it works so well. With so many unexpected twists and turns- it landed right where it should. Lily, Leo, and Nic kept me rooting for them the whole time, and completely captivated in the drama they were dealing with.

Thank you to the publisher and @NetGalley for the E-ARC copy of this book. The rating of this book is entirely of my own opinion.

Something Wilder is a typical CL book, in a great way!!! The characters are charming, likeable and you can't wait to hear what happens next! Will the characters find the treasure? Or is the treasure finding themselves? With some twists and turns along the way, you are sure to find out in the end!

Christina Lauren books are escalating at a wild pace. This is book is so much fun - Leo and Lily have been estranged for a decade, when Leo finds himself accidentally on a tour that Lily is leading through the dessert in Utah. While you can count on Lauren for all of the falling-in-love feels, this time they also deliver on a real adventure and treasure hunt!

I'd been waiting for a new Christina Lauren book and I was so excited to see this ARC pop up on NetGalley. Lily and Leo meet one day on her family's dude ranch in Wyoming and it's love at first sight. Lily's life is chaotic thanks to her treasure-hunting father, but Leo is the calm she needs. When bad luck and misfortune force the couple to separate, both are left wondering what happened. Ten years later the pair meet up again as Lily uses her father's reputation to lead tourists on treasure hunts in Utah, and Leo and Lily have to figure out where things went wrong for them.

<i>Something Wilder</i> is a classic Christina Lauren book. The characters are fun and thoughtful, and I liked their modern take on a cowboy story. Fans of their work are really going to like this one.

Thank you, NetGalley for the ARC of this book!

A departure from a typical Christina Lauren offering, this story is packed with adventure, romance, and surprising twists. Ready for a wild west treasure hunt with a generous side of romance? This one is for you.

Christina Laure, the reigning queens of Romance, can now add ADVENTURE to their esteemed literary accolades!
Something WIlder is the action-packed, fast-paced, treasure hunt, Wild West second-chance romance you DIDN'T KNOW YOU NEEDED!

Lily Wilder, estranged from her now-deceased father and scorned by lost love, has reached rock bottom. Nothing about her life looks or feels the way she dreamed, and she hates everything about it.

Leo Grady is barely hanging on. He's done what was expected of him and taken care of his younger sister for the past decade, but he can't shake the feeling that like in Manhattan isn't the dream it's supposed to be.

Leo and Lily's paths converge once more amidst the creosote and red dust of the uninhabited west and, to quote Garth Brooks (forgive me, y'all) the thunder rolls.

This book was quite a wild ride, pun intended. I really enjoy Christian Lauren books; they are one of my must read authors. I was honestly skeptical about this new romance infused with both suspense and adventure but in the end I really enjoyed reading it.

The only con for me is that there are some plot points where you have to majorly suspend believability in what happens and how characters respond. If you are able to not get too caught up on that, then you'll enjoy Something Wilder.

A few of the things I liked the most: I really loved the setting- it makes me want to go on a week long horseback riding trip throughout a Utah National Park. I also really enjoyed the codes and code breaking sprinkled throughout the book as well as history of some of the outlaws. I loved Lily and Leo, and throughout CL's books I find that they do a great job writing strong female characters without being too much or too little.

Finally, one of the things I love in general about romances is how I know what I can loosely expect to happen. My least favorite part is the inevitable big blow out right near the end of the book. I read a lot of romances and this conflict is usually what makes or breaks it for me- is it a realistic reason to blow up the whole relationship? Something Wilder handles this final climax in the book in a different and WAY more enjoyable way. I'll be recommending this book to my friends.

A solid 4.8 stars on this one! Thank you NetGalley and Gallery books for the ARC and the opportunity to provide an honest review.
What a great new read from Christina Lauren! Something Wilder is an adventure romcom unlike her usual romcoms and I am not upset about that. I loved the quest for treasure as well as the action that came along with it. I don't want to give anything away, but there is one point in the book that's a little unbelievable. This didn't deter me as a reader though. By that point I was wholly committed to where ever the story took me.
I absolutely loved the characters. Nic, Lili's sidekick, was a hoot. I could stand to hear more about her in another book. I want Sweet potato, aka Walter, as my friend. Leo's puzzle solving savy self and tenderness toward Lili is swoon worthy. Christina Lauren, I would read a follow up to this book in a heartbeat!
I definitely recommend adding this to your TBR.

4.5

truly are the queens of romance 🔥. the suspense! i ripped through the book in a day. and it’s very aptly named. at times the stakes were a bit higher than i prefer, though, and i’m not sure i love lily.

#netgalley

This was chaotic in a good way! I don't know what I was expecting when I heard the descriptions of cowboys and treasure hunting but I loved every single page of this. It was a great mix of adventure and romance. The connection between the two main characters was great. I love a good "missed connection" but also how it was all wrapped up and communicated. In this day and age what woman doesn't dream about a man who takes her happiness into account and makes sacrifices the way that we are expected to.
Another great novel by Christina Lauren!

The story of Leo and Lilli was definitely something wilder. The story revolved around a chase to find treasure and love. Which one would Lilli find? The story had amazing characters, thrills, shocks, love, and the Wild West! What more can you ask for!? I would highly recommend this book to any of my friends!!

I was super excited to get this book as an ARC because of the authors! This book was different than past books written by the authors, not in a bad way, just more action/suspense throughout. The great thing about these books is that the characters are relatable and tangible. You really get a feel for them and who they are, and being able to get behind a character (flawed and all) is what good writing is all about. Did not expect the twists and turns this book took and it kept surprising me, which was so a huge bonus. I would probably give this a 3.5 stars, and enjoyed this book throughout. There was a little lagging in the middle which is why I didn't rank it higher, and not sure what caused that for me, but I didn't feel the need to rush back to the story. However, overall a good read with a great cast of characters!

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

Lily has lived in the shadow of her famous father for years. Duke Wilder was a treasure hunter extraordinaire and owned a fantastic ranch in Utah. Unfortunately Duke did not leave Lily with much in the end, the ranch was sold and the money mainly spent. Lily was clever though and put together a faux treasure hunting business where she guides groups of tourists through the red rocks in Utah with her father’s hand drawn maps. One day her tour group included the last person she expected to see…a long lost old flame of her’s. She is very uncomfortable with the situation but is forced to play along and go on the tour.

I am definitely a Christina Lauren fan. This team of authors has put out some high quality work in the past, so I was excited to read their latest book…SOMETHING WILDER. I enjoyed this quick and easy read a lot. It was in line with the author’s previous books and it was just what I expected. A bit of romance and some humor thrown in as well. It was a quite entertaining read!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Gallery Books for my ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This review will be posted to my Instagram Blog (@coffee.break.book.reviews) in the near future.

All I can say about this one is YEEHAW!!! The dynamic duo has done it again with this delightful adventure! I tried to read it slowly, to savor it, and I still finished it in a day. It’s a story that’s a definite romance, but tied into an adventure that you don’t even realize you are part of all while exploring a national treasure with with power of words. Bravo! Thanks to NetGalley and Christina Lauren for the early beautiful read!

I read this NetGalley ARC in exchange for an honest review.
What an adventure! This is definitely different to other CLo books I've read. I liked that the focus wasn't on the sex/romance side of things and that Lily and Leo got a second chance at love.
What kind of threw me, was the Terry incident. I think it tarnished the treasure hunting side of things. Surely, they could of alerted authorities and then gone on? It just seemed so heartless. I know it enabled the other members of the group to be discovered, but still.
Besides that, there were a lot of positives. Nic and Lily together were amazing friends. Leo and all he did for his sister. The letter that Duke Wilder left. The ending and the outcomes. Yes, it was a pretty amazing story!

What a fun escapist romance with an utterly creative plot. Leo and Lily reconnect on a week of adventure in Utah. Lily leads dudes on adventure rides seeking adventure in Utah. A bit of a adventure, unique characters, and a bit of agood old fashion mystery searching for buried treasure make this a romance to not be missed. Perfect escapism.

I loved, loved this story! While it didn’t make me laugh out loud like The Unhoneymooners, I chuckled in spots. I loved the character development. Leo had so much on his plate at such a young age, and Lily had no idea due to a missed message. Lily is scrappy but has a soft interior. You can tell she loves big, but Leo’s leaving crushed her. Not to mention her poor relationship with her father, Duke.

My absolute favs though– Walter and Nicole. Nicole and Lily are BFF goals. Seriously, if you do not have a best friend in your corner, find one! And sweet, mushy Walter– he is the adorable friend who is in the background but so super insightful. I thought I’d like Bradley more, but his character seemed off from the beginning– a frat boy trying too hard, but yet a college professor. I’m kind of glad I disliked him though given his character arc here.

Some other reviews were put off by Leo and Lily’s reconnection, but it truly was my favorite. I’m a sucker for a second-chance romance, and I feel this one was done well! I choose Christina Lauren books because I want the escape. This one hit all the marks for me!

Added bonus– the adventure! Lily and Leo following Duke’s puzzles on a real, but dangerous, treasure hunt just really enhanced everything. The puzzles and codes in addition to the setting of the Outlaw Trail just helped pull me in to keep reading. In some ways, this story makes me think of Romancing the Stone– minus the 80s vibe. Action/Adventure romance needs more attention as a genre!

Thank you to Gallery Books and Netgalley for this digital ARC in exchange for an honest review!