Really charming book from Kerry Rea! This was my first book from the author, and I'm definitely a new fan. Lucy on the Wild Side was fun, quirky, and tender--the perfect cocktail for a tasty weekend read! I loved the characters, the playful banter, and the relationship arcs not only between our leads but between other complicated relationships in their individual lives. My favorite contemporary books are ones that have strong romance but don't skimp on character depth, and Kerry Rea did that incredibly well. Definitely recommend this one to anyone looking for a sweet read with flirting enemies, cute animals, and a heartfelt story.

“The Wedding Ringer” was one of my favorite books of 2021 and I was thrilled to read an advanced copy of “Lucy on the Wild Side”. I didn’t love it as much as “The Wedding Ringer”, but it was still a great book. She writes banter and character development so well and I loved seeing both Lucy and Kai's complicated relationships with their moms evolve. I fell in love with both Lucy and Kai's characters, they each have their own charms and light the book on fire together. This book has amazing one liners and funny pop culture references; I was laughing so much throughout, especially over the random animal facts that Kai and Lucy would throw out to each other. Lucy and Kai had really good chemistry and the side characters were awesome! I loved how passionate Lucy was about her career and working with the gorillas at the zoo. It was so special to see the bond she had with them. I also appreciate how the author did a lot of research on gorillas, and how zoos work. I actually learned a lot. The Columbus Zoo was a very interesting and cool setting for the book, along with many other fun Columbus spots. I highly recommend both books by Kerry Rea, she is quickly becoming a favorite author of mine. This book really makes me want to go and visit the zoo! I can’t wait to read what Kerry writes next. Thanks to Kerry Rea, Netgalley and Berkeley for an e-arc in exchange for my thoughts.

Included as a top pick in bimonthly September New Releases post, which highlights and promotes upcoming releases of the month (link attached)

This one isn't for me.
I am baffled how men can always be depicted in such a negative light and then all of a sudden they're perfect.
I'm not on this bandwagon.

I received a complimentary advanced copy of LUCY ON THE WILD SIDE by Kerry Rea. Thank you to Berkley Publishing and PRH Audio for the chance to provide an honest review.

LUCY ON THE WILD side follows Lucy Rourke, a young woman who works as a primatologist. She has dedicated her life to working with gorillas and is hoping to continue her work with a promotion to head keeper. She loves reality TV as a member of the audience watching on a screen, but she has a serious phobia when it comes to being on camera.

When popular Kai Bridges comes to Lucy’s zoo to film a docuseries, they are immediately at odds. He is the son of her icon, a famed gorilla specialist she has long wanted to be when she grows up, but her son is impossible to work with. When she’s informed that she must appear on film to help secure her promotion, she must find a way to overcome her phobia and her aversion to Kai.

This book is called a wildly funny romcom and it certainly has humor in it, but it is also one that will absolutely touch the heart. I really loved the unique setup in this one with the focus on the animals and the zoo. Not too often do I read a book where gorillas are central characters that touch my heart. I have always loved the zoo and animal content in general, so this was a big win for me.

This was a good read and one I would recommend!

Lucy on the Wild Side was an entertaining and often hilarious mix of romance and women's fiction. Lucy on the Wild Side, but I did feel that the enemies vibe was a little too forced in the beginning. Overall, this book was a lot of fun.

Astonishing, amusing, and intriguing, LUCY ON THE WILD SIDE, is a must read! I fell in love with kooky, khaki-loving, Lucy whose life is dedicated to caring for gorillas. She is a primatologist and works at a zoo caring for a gorilla troop. Her main goal is to be head keeper someday. In her down time she watches reality TV with no time for a boyfriend and she's happy with her life. Or is she?

Along comes hunkalicious Kai Bridges, a famous TV show host and the son of her role model. He and his production team visit the zoo to spear head a new docuseries of the gorilla troop. Only, Lucy and Kai clash big time, arguing along with snarky, sarcastic comments. However, they have to work together and they learn to accept being in close quarters, with their faults, quirks and everything in between. Lucy's fear of public speaking is paralyzing and Kai comes to the rescue. They realize that they are of the same breed, with traumatic pasts, emotional pains and discover they actually are more compatible than they first thought. Do they succumb to the wild side?

This is such a cute, likable, little bit spicy story! I was hooked from the start as LUCY ON THE WILD SIDE is a dramatically different kind of romance novel. I love stories with animals, but gorillas are a totally different kind of breed. I learned so much about them in Ms. Rea's book. I went in thinking it would be hard to read, but actually the story flows beautifully along with many nuances, witticisms, sparkly humor, and of course, a winning romance. I definitely wondered how it all would work out between Kai and Lucy. The author brilliantly paces the story, infusing tension, adding surprising subplots, and a blooming romance when you least expect it. Lucy and Kai both learn much about themselves and their pasts, as they work side by side. LUCY ON THE WILD SIDE sparkles with life like champagne. It's bubbly, whirling and shooting stars!

Synopsis:
A zookeeper always on the fringe learns to go after her wildest dreams—including a certain television star—in this charming and laugh-out-loud romantic comedy by Kerry Rea, author of The Wedding Ringer.

Lucy Rourke has two great loves in her life: the gorilla troop she cares for as a primatologist and the laundry list of reality TV shows she watches to escape the fact that her actual love life doesn’t exist. And like a reality contestant gunning for the final rose, Lucy’s laser-focused on one thing: getting promoted to head keeper. So when a wildlife docuseries hosted by hotshot TV personality Kai Bridges chooses her zoo as its summer filming location, she sees an opportunity to showcase her beloved gorillas to the world and land a starring role in her department.

When Kai and his film crew arrive, however, it's obvious to Lucy that Kai cares more about sky-high ratings than the gorillas, and he considers her a camera-averse know-it-all whose wardrobe consists entirely of khaki. But she’s surprised to discover there’s more to him than his rugged good looks and cheesy catchphrases...and that maybe a promotion isn’t the only thing she wants. But when secrets from their pasts threaten to complicate everything, Lucy discovers that happiness and success aren’t the same thing—and that finding joy just might mean getting a little wild.

Review:
I LOVE zoos. I love water zoos, also known as aquariums, and I love the chance to learn more about behind the scenes look at life behind the glass. This book was a fun look behind the curtain of how zoos work as well as an interesting look at some nature documentary building. The story between Lucy and Kai was engaging and fun to follow. It was interesting to see them fall together and trust each other and get past their inital misconceptions of who they are.

I really loved this book. I worried a little that Lucy and her fears and insecurities would be too much for me, but they were written so well and handled with a touch that made them crucial to the story, but not overwhelming. Like the Wedding Ringer, Kerry Rea writes flawed humans that see growth and find love. She creates a world that you care about and a cast of characters that you want to know and see more from. I loved the zoo setting. I love the found family. I really loved going with her journey with Kai. It's got some hard stuff, but the pay off is totally worth it.

Thank you so much for an advanced copy of Lucy on the Wild Side! This book is so good!

Star Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Pub Date: September 13, 2022

Lucy on the Wild Side is so good! This book has so many elements that make it a five star read that it is really hard to touch on them all!

For me, the animal element of the book really hit home. It's not the same as working with and supporting gorillas, but Lucy's love for the animals at the zoo reminded me of my love for my dog Bear. I don't like to be separated from Bear for long periods of time, and I've turned down opportunities/career things just so I didn't have to leave him. It's hard to explain the love I have for him to non-animal lovers, but Lucy's character felt like an instant friend to me because she got it. I felt like I had something in common with her from the first pages of the book, and that bond only grew as the story progressed. I loved her drive, her determination, and her work ethic. I identified with her so much, and I'm so glad Kerry Rea wrote a character like Lucy.

As for Kai...be still my heart. His charm combined with his confidence just a hair shy of being too much and his devotion to Lucy really did me in. I liked him from the beginning, even with his sometimes crappy attitude. I could just sense there was more to his story re: his mother, and boy, was I right (no spoilers, though). I thought his commitment to educating people about animals was really enviable, and I loved that he knew exactly what buttons to push to get the best out of Lucy.

I also loved the supporting characters and the side stories, especially Lucy's growing relationship with her sister Mia. All the side stories got their due when it came to the end of the book, and it was nice to get that closure.

While this book is full of love and swoony moments, it is also full of heartbreak. I think I cried in some capacity fore the last 10% of the book. I don't want to spoil anything, but I have included content/trigger warnings below. The heartbreak was terrible, but it made the ending of the book so much more bittersweet and poignant, I can definitely say the journey was worth the destination.



CW/TW: parental abandonment, parental emotional abuse, animal illness, animal death

I was drawn to this book by the cover, title, and premise. I thought the zoo setting was so fun. The romance was well done and believable. I appreciated that the main character had decided not to have children and finding love did not change this. As a whole, a fun romance and a quick read.

3.5*
Lucy has dedicated her life to the one single thing she loves most….gorillas. Working at a zoo in Columbus Ohio, she desperately wants the promotion to senior primatologist!

Kai Bridges, a larger than life TV personality known for his documentaries on wildlife, will be filming right here at Lucy’s zoo! Unfortunately, Lucy suffers from foot in mouth disease and is immediately at odds with Kia.

This is an enemies to lovers trope (not one of my favorites.) Initially I had a hard time warming up to Lucy, finding her character to be a bit immature. But when the romantic heat🔥 rose between the characters I completely turned my thinking around and was rooting for the couple! I even came close to shedding a tear at the end. Almost…lol!

Overall a fun, sweet romance.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing

✨“I had a very very very very fun time…and I don’t just mean the banging I mean all of it.”✨

I was so pleasantly surprised by this book!!! I’m absolutely classifying this as a romcom because I laughed so much and was so taken by the story. The com even started before the rom! My parents and I have also been watching this chimpanzee show, and while not gorillas, this felt very relevant for the moment.

✨

<b>What I loved:</b>

🦍 The while set-up of Kai being the son of Lucy’s idol was just so good. Not only was he a sexy Australian 8th wonder if the world, but their banter and fighting was electric. Sometimes enemies to lovers don’t feel like enemies but BOY howdy these two fought so well!! One of my favorite microtropes is overheard insults and this didn’t disappoint.

🌿 The steam was so unexpected!! There was a full explicit scene and one other moment, as well as a lot of talk about banging once they broke that dam. I think the spice level for the story perfectly, and definitely added a star to the rating alone. I hadn’t read anything by this author before so I really had no clue how much we were gonna get. Also Kai’s accent in bed >>>

🦍 I also really loved all of the mommy issues here. A lot of the times it’s daddy issues, but I really liked how each of their maternal relationships mirrored each other and connected them. The issues definitely added some angst, and were pretty integral to the story. I was also just fascinated by the dynamics since both mothers were celebrities and how that impacted their children.

🌿 The gorilla content was so vivid and fun to read about. Sometimes the more fringe professions of characters can get a bit boring when they become a main focal point, but I loved it here.

🦍 The Steve Irwin and Jane Goodall influence was STRONG with this one. Kai and Lucy were a blend of both amazing humans.

✨

<b>What I Didn’t Love (SPOILERS)</b>

🌿 While the third act breakup 100% made sense when viewing the book solely from Lucy’s POV, I do think Kai DEFINITELY got steamrolled here. There’s a part where he does something Lucy doesn’t like, and she totally misunderstands his intentions. It’s understandable, but she also put him behind gorillas nearly every time in this book—something his mother also did.

Kai was the one who apologized and made everything right at the end. I wanted it to be a bit more balanced since Lucy said some pretty rough things. (I did like though how she was still going to go to him until the she saw him filming. It was unexpected as I thought she was just gonna write him off from the start, so I did like that bit of growth.)

🦍 This one is pretty simple: When a book heavily revolves around a certain animal, PLEASE don’t kill the animal. I understand what the death meant to the plot, but damn I still don’t want it. Yes Lucy was way too obsessed with her job and needed to take a step back, but that shouldn’t be at the expense of the animal (in a romcom at least animal death is just too far) 😭

✨

Overall, this book was a lot of fun and the audiobook performance was absolutely fantastic!!! I recommend listening to the it when you get the chance because his accent!!! (The narrator is a consist favorite of mine.)

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 🌶🌶.75/5

Thanks so much to the publisher for an eARC via NetGalley and PRH Audio for an ALC of the audiobook.

I really loved Kerry Rea's The Wedding Ringer and couldn't wait to read her next book! Lucy on the Wild Side was an entertaining and often hilarious mix of romance and women's fiction. There are some serious topics addressed though that may be upsetting to readers, so please check the CW's below prior to reading.

A few things to look forward to:
- The tropes! Enemies to lovers, workplace romance, it's just a hookup, friends with benefits, slow burn, and forced proximity.
- I loved the zoo setting. It was very cool to get a behind the scenes look at the life of a keeper. Also, there were tons of oddball and hilarious animal facts! (pseudopenis LOL)
- The spice! I was expecting fade to black and was pleasantly surprised that it wasn't
- Lucy's character arc. She came across a bit immature in the beginning, but a lot of the book focuses on Lucy's journey to accept and forgive her past and to live a "bigger" life. It was satisfying to see her grow and change.

Overall I really enjoyed Lucy on the Wild Side, but I did feel that the enemies vibe was a little too forced in the beginning. I also was not a fan of the miscommunication and jumping to conclusions at the end. Lucy really needed to grovel in my opinion and I didn't like that Kai had to extend the olive branch more than once to get her to listen. There was also a lot of unexpected discussion about motherhood and the decision to have/not have children. It's a big topic in the novel because of Lucy's previous relationship.

I both read and listened to the audiobook of Lucy on the Wild Side and enjoyed Emily Lawrence's performance a lot. She was the perfect Lucy and her comedic timing was spot on. Unfortunately, her narration as Kai was a bit confusing. His accent seemed to change from chapter to chapter (Irish? South African? Australian?) and I'm still not sure what it was supposed to be.

Audiobook Review
Overall 4 stars
Performance 4 stars
Story 4 stars

CW: Death of gorillas (on page in the present as well as discussion/descriptions of an incident in the past involving poachers), grief, parental abandonment (past), both MC's have strained relationships with their mothers, stage fright, anxiety, panic attacks (on page)

*I voluntarily read and listened to a review copy of this book*

Having loved The Wedding Ringer last year, I was so excited to get my hands on an early copy of Rea's second book and let me tell you it did NOT disappoint. I loved it!! This one brought out all the feels. It was not only funny and sexy but so heartwarming and, at times, sad. The main character Lucy's struggles were so relatable and well fleshed out and her chemistry with Kai was just...WOWZA. I loved the exchange of weird animal trivia. The supporting characters from Lucy's family and friends to her co-workers and, of course, the gorillas themselves, added so much joy to this very special romantic comedy. I highly highly recommend this one.

I really enjoyed "Lucy in the Wild Side" by Kerry Rea. The budding romance between zookeeper Lucy, and the celebrity wildlife show host starts off as enemies to lovers which is one of my favorite tropes and has lots of snarky banter. Lucy, the main character was flawed yet loveable and quick to realize when she made mistakes. I think the story also gave a realistic behind the scenes look at working with animals and reality television. Looking forward to reading more from Kerry Rea in the future.

Lucy Rourke is focused on her career as a zookeeper in charge of gorillas and nothing else is of higher priority. She is currently gunning for the position of head keeper, and she has the science part of the job down. Where she is lacking is in interpersonal relations and publicity.

When Kai Bridges of television fame comes to make a documentary at Lucy's zoo, Lucy is paralyzed with fear which makes her even more clumsy with a tendency to babble weird animal facts than she usually is. Her past as the daughter of a television star who wanted Lucy to be just like her has created a real phobia about being on camera. She is also jealous of Kai because she believes that he has what she has always wanted: a mother who cares for him and also studies endangered gorillas.

Lucy was dropped off at her grandmother's home when she was ten by a mother who was so eager to chase fame that she abandoned her child. She filled the gap with hero worship for Kai's mother and the gorillas at the zoo.

Lucy's anger and resentment of her abandonment isn't helped by the fact that her mother has remarried, moved back to Columbus with a husband and a ten-year-old daughter, and her grandmother is determined to get all of them to be a happy family.

I didn't like Lucy at all well when the story began. I didn't understand her ability to hold a grudge. But as the story continued, I came to understand Lucy and even sympathize with her predicament. I still had trouble believing the romance part of the book since I couldn't see what Kai saw in Lucy that made her attractive to him.

Ultimately, I enjoyed this story. While I didn't ever laugh out loud, I did shed quite a few tears at some of the events in the story.

Lucy on the Wild Side is Kerry Rea's best novel to date! The two main characters are vulnerable. And the situations Rea puts them in are hilarious but poignant. Highly recommended!

I LOVED this book! It was so unique and so perfect for an animal lover like myself. I laughed, I cried, I learned lots of gross and hilarious animal factoids, and gave me dog an extremely long hug after I finished.

I never knew I needed a rom-com about a gorilla keeper from the Columbus zoo, but I absolutely did. If you like not-so-traditional rom-coms (think Something Wilder) or want romance with a lot of plot, run to grab this one!

That ending has my heart! (So much so, I almost bumped my rating up, but the first half featured a few things that took me out of the story, leaving it at a solid four.) There's so much to love and find unique to the genre: the clear love for wildlife rescue and rehabilitation, a great overarching romance, and a delightful setting.
Lucy's whole life revolves around her job and the gorillas who stole her affections as a child. Her love life and familial connections are somewhat in shambles, but a promotion to senior keeper is on the horizon. The only troubles are her severe case of stage fright and unwillingness to venture to far from the zoo. Oh, and some overhyped television personality, Kai, who won't mind his own business.
The romance is awfully sweet - and spicy - and I love the smooth transition from enemies to lovers. Lucy's character experiences the growth and room for continual improvement that I needed to see. I loved the Wedding Ringer so much and am happy to say that Kerry is officially on my auto-read for contemporary romance.
Thank you to Berkley and Netgalley for the advanced copy. All thoughts in this review are my own.