I think this might be where the author and I part ways. I read until the end but had a really hard time with the female main character and her insecurities. I kept yelling please go to therapy. I also really don't like young children in book so all in all this was not the book for me at all.

Heron’s latest is a delight from cover to cover. I loved the Tanzania’s setting and how supportive the #Bridal Brigade was of Jana and each other. #Girl Power I read this before Kamila Knows Best, so I didn’t have any of the “expectations” of that book, which turned out to be a good thing. (I’m going back and reading that one now, so it is interesting to see the character changes.) This is a must read for anyone who has ever felt like they don’t quite fit.
4.5 Stars

Jana Goes Wild is the fourth book I’ve read from Farah Heron. Jana Suleiman,attends a destination wedding in Serengeti National Park, where she encounters her charming ex and father of her child, Anil Malek. As she completes a go-wild list with her bridesmaid friends to prove she's moved on, Jana realizes that letting her guard down might lead to falling for Anil once more. I was captivated by the vivid descriptions of Tanzania and delighted to see Kamila and Rohan from Kamila Knows Best as supporting characters. However, I struggled to connect with Jana's character and felt that Anil's personality was underdeveloped. I would've appreciated more insight into their chemistry and relationship outside of their shared parenting responsibilities, gossip/rumors, and the quick summary of their past. Exploring each of their perspectives or contrasting past and present chapters could have added depth to the story. I also would've enjoyed seeing more positive interactions with their child. Overall, I had mixed feelings about this book and second chance romances usually don't resonate with me.

This was my first Farah Heron book.

The beginning was very slow in my opinion. I felt like it dragged on with how much Jana and Anil's past relationship had failed, it was too much. I also started to get annoyed with Jana and how much she beat herself up and wouldn't listen to people when they told her she was fun.

The second half of the book picked up and kept me engaged a lot more than the first half. The #bridalbrigade was probably lying my favorite part of this book, I wish my bridal party was as fun as they were!

Overall, 3.5 stars

This book is eleven and a half hour of Jana being hot and cold, and going woe is me on pretty much every other page. It is too long and and absolutely nothing happens as Jana's thoughts keep circling around the same thoughts of inadequacy and how Anil ruined her life.

Jana was with Anil 5 years years ago for TWO WEEKS and their fling resulted in a daughter - Imani. A TWO WEEK fling where Jana and Anil both somehow fell madly in love. Anil, however, lied about his relation status - his wife had left him but he was still technically married, something he didn't tell Jana. When everything imploded, Anil's wife's parents painted Jana as a home-wrecker to save face. This is traumatizing and Jana is understandably pissed off but not once did she do anything to stand up for herself and set the story straight.

The absolute inaction from Jana as she moans and bitches about her life inside her mind was excruciating as a reader. I did not want to spend another minute reading this book but pushed through. She is just not the kind of character whose head I wanted to be in for an entire book's length.

Also - in Jana and Anil's first appeared in Kamila Knows Best, ANIL CALLED JANA A HOME-WRECKER TOO, THIS ABSOLUTE SHITHOLE OF A MAN. We're supposed to forgive him because apparently he was just frustrated??? Nuhuh.

3.5⭐️

TW: death of parent, infidelity, sexism, panic attacks

I really enjoyed the author’s previous novel, Kamila Knows Best so I was excited to read this second chance romance about co-parents, Jana and Anil.

It started off well with an open door scene and I thought a story about co-parenting would be unique. However, I feel like I enjoyed the last 25% of the book more than the first 75%.

The majority of the story was set at a destination wedding in Tanzania; however, I struggled with this part because it felt repetitive and at times, I found myself bored especially during the constant push and pull between Anil and Jana and her stubbornness to not give him a second chance was making me feel frustrated.

Once they returned to Toronto, after they finally resolved their sexual tension towards the end of the Tanzania trip, is when I started enjoying the story more.

There are so many things I need to say about this book I need to just get it all out there so sorry if it's a bit of a mess. The cover of this book is to die for! One of the prettiest covers I have ever seen. The fact that there is a child in this book and she acts like an actual child. I really don't like stories where children are painted as these perfect mythical creatures, Imani behaves well, but she whines, gets sick, is a picky eater and gets tired just like a normal 4 year old. It humanizes the characters and helps you relate to them more. The background of Tanzania makes it all that much more magical, the country was its own character. One of my other reasons for picking up the book. Now on to the second chance romance part.

Anil and Jana seemed destined from the start, until the input of society and our own cultures. For me, I related more to that aspect of the book. Trying to let go of the things from the past and from past generation's. When it comes to being a child of immigrants you sort of live in between 2 separate cultures. You live in the more modern one and the old one, and it's up to you to choose which one you want to move forward in, in order to make yourself happy.

Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review as always all words are my own.

Jana has always felt a little out of place. She's a little too quiet, a little too focused, and so on. And then there was the time she fell for the guy and ended up pregnant...and didn't know he was married. Oh he claimed it was "complicated" but the damage was done and people looked at Jana as "the other woman." She couldn't forgive him for that - - she still can't - - even as they continue to co-parent their five-year old daughter.

Now, Jana finds herself on a trip for her best friend's wedding with her mother and daughter and many other people, including her daughter's father, Anil who seems determined to foster a friendship with her. But is it just a friendship he's trying to encourage or is Anil hoping for something more? Does Jana want it to become more? She sees a side of Anil on this trip that she's never been present for. She sees how interacts with their daughter and he's wonderful. It just might be a game changer. Also, there might be more to his claim about his previous marriage breakup being "complicated." But Jana's been burned before and the repercussions were hurtful and damaging the first time around. She definitely doesn't want to risk it again.

This was a really fun second chance romance. Anil was a great book boyfriend but also a wonderful father. I really liked how the author focused heavily on his dedication to his daughter no matter what. The fact that they were both solid parents was a winning point for me. I also found the assertion that women are viewed on a totally different scale when it comes to parenthood to be so true. Things are just expected of women whereas if a man does the same thing as a parent, he's praised as if he walked on water. There were a few times where I wish Jana and Anil would have just taken the time to talk and they could have avoided a lot of the issues, but Jana was insecure and at the end of the day, so was Anil is some ways. Yet, Anil does keep trying and does some really sweet things. He keeps trying...until he can't anymore.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. I voluntarily chose to review it and the opinions contained within are my own.

Not sure why it took me so long to get around to starting this book—it was a delight!

This book was interesting from the first chapter! Jana is immediately in this whirlwind relationship with Anil who she thinks might be her soulmate…just to find out he’s still married and she’s pregnant—talk about a fast paced start to a story! Now several years later they’re both in the same bridal party at a destination wedding. This is such a fun take on second chances, a slow burn, and forced proximity. It helps that both characters are dynamic and interesting and overall just people you would root for! Sometimes I wanted Anil to be more sympathetic to Jana’s feelings, but his heart was in the right place.

Although there is no shortage of available romances or romcoms, this book incorporates groups and details that I don’t typically see in North American women’s lit. I love the storyline of the single mom, the emphasis on coparenting, and found it really cool that Heron included characters with roots in SE Asia and Tanzania. The cultural element that came to play with that was also a fun addition to the story.

I definitely would be interested to read more by this author! Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for giving me access to this ARC.

I generally enjoy Farah Heron books - I’ve read most of them. I like to support Canadian authors, and especially API (she’s Indian heritage)… I was looking forward to the follow up of Kamila Knows Best and the wedding in Tanzania, with the story about two of the wedding party… but this one just… sorry! It had too many things to be able to rate it higher or recommend it.

I really tried to get past my dislike of the trope and bond with the characters, but they never redeemed themselves. They never got themselves out of the cheating hole that was dug in the very first chapter. Cheating is the biggest no-no in my world and my reading will generally have none in it. I finished the book because I had an ARC, but I would have left the book at the beginning when discovering it was all about cheating (literally the whole book centers around cheating). If that’s a no-go for you as a reader like it is for me, do not pick up this book. Getting to the “explanation” well over halfway through - it’s still not enough to redeem the whole story.

Jana also did not get very wild, unless you count dancing to a Bollywood song and singing Karaoke and giving a second chances to lying, cheating exes.

Tropes: cheating, accidental pregnancy, second chance, single parent, travel adventure, wedding party. CAPI author. Second book in a series.

I received an advance copy from NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing), and this is my honest opinion.

Jana Suleiman has exited her comfort zone exactly one time and she ended up with a broken heart and a baby on the way. Whoops. It’s five years later and Jana is now at a destination wedding with basically everyone she knows - her mother, her daughter, her friends, her potential new boss…and her ex. Thankfully, Anil is a great dad and they are able to coparent peacefully. But as Jana (with the help of the other bridesmaids) lets loose a little bit, she has to navigate lies told by her mother, her tumultuous past with Anil, and…falling for him all over again? Yikes.

There is no world in which I’m going to hear about a story about a single mother (to a daughter!) having to interact with her ex and not want to read it. Though my situation is vastly different from Jana’s, that actually made me feel more like she was a kindred spirit. Jana and Anil’s story and their coparenting relationship provides a beacon of hope to those of us who are on the struggle bus when it comes to coparenting or even just single parenting.

One of the best things about this story is that it doesn’t rely on the tension between Jana and Anil to move the story along. Yes, their relationship is a major part of the story, but so are Jana’s relationships with her friends, her relationship with her mother, even her relationship with her mother’s friends (which includes her potential future boss). The way in which her friends rally around her without question (and within 30 minutes?!) reminds you that it is way more important to have four quarters than a hundred pennies - quality over quantity. (Hello Mandy's Penny Theory.)

Speaking of relationships, Jana and Anil’s story starts in Kamila Knows Best, but Heron is able to write the story in a way that you don’t have to have read that in order to understand this. The history between Jana and Anil, as well as their history with their friends, is presented in a way that moves the story forward without feeling like excessive exposition, allowing for old and new readers to enjoy the book as a whole.

The depiction of Jana’s anxiety and panic attacks were so relatable that I wanted to reach through the pages and soothe her. And not only are we able to see Jana go through these episodes, but the people around her also model behavior that can help people get to the other side of an episode. We need more of both of this kind of representation because it will benefit those who live with anxiety and those who love someone with anxiety.

It’s a romance so we know we’re heading toward a happily ever after, but I think the journey to get there was more satisfying than the actual ending. Don’t get me wrong, the resolution of the book and the end of Jana and Anil’s story is sweet and done immaculately. But as a single parent, being able to watch these two people find their way back to each other warmed my heart in a way that other romances haven’t done before.

I freaking love Farah Heron's writing!! And she most definitely delivered with this book. Anil and Jana has such a great connection OMG I ate this story up! I can't wait to read more books by Farah Heron.

DNF at 20% I love her writing but this one was rough. The main character was so angry, her child was a brat, and if I read “hashtag bridal brigade” one more time I would lose it.

I enjoyed the setting immensely and the cultural references considering I don't believe I've ever read a romance story like this with the 'wild' journey and many destinations. As an introvert myself, many of Jana's experiences among others were very realistic and relatable so I did feel a connection with her. I understood her anxiety and discomfort and her reasoning behind her frustrations and breakdowns. I was also able to relate to her when she started to step out of her comfort zone and realize things are not too bad once you face them and get through them.

What I didn't like: The miscommunication- I usually don't mind when there's miscommunication between characters since I feel as if it contributes to the tension and drama in the story. This time however, it felt dragged on too much. Insecurities absolutely played a part but it just felt as if that was the reason every single time and I just wanted the miscommunication to end already.

The story did end on a good note and I was very happy it did, The ex-wife aspect did throw me in a loop but it felt necessary for Jana so she could finally understand everything about Anil and all the questionable things in her life.

Shoutout to the Bridal Brigade! They are the kind of ride or die friends that we all need and they were a blast to get to know and read about.

JANA GOES WILD - FARAH HERON

4⭐

PLOT - Jana Suleiman had an aloof personality and tries to be the perfect single mother to her 5yr daughter. She is a bridesmaid at a destination wedding in Serengeti National Park which includes her close family and friends and ofcourse her ex Anil who is actually a great father and wants to get together with Jana to make a family but Jana still hasn't forgiven him for lying in the past.
Can she fall for her ex all over again?

MY THOUGHTS -
This second chance romance had a while different and exciting setting of African National park and wildlife which was unique and fun.
Jana was this really strong character who was misunderstood a lot by everyone and we finally see her letting herself loose in Africa.
I enjoyed reading this one and can be read as a standalone though there are some recurring characters from Kamilla Knows best her previous book and for a better reading experience would definitely recommend read both these books.
Thank you @netgalley and @forever publishers for this arc in exchange for my honest review.

A fun read about redefining yourself and taking chances. Jana is on a destination wedding trip with her daughter and mother, only to find out her ex is joining. The cast of supporting characters in this story had me non stop chuckling and laughing. Africa as a back drop and the details of each location and setting, felt as I was walking alongside Jana. I am here for second chance romances, do it happen in this story? I am not telling! Thank you to NetGalley and Forever Pub for an advanced copy! All thoughts and opinions are my own!

Here's the thing, this is a 2nd Chance romance between two main characters that I low-key hated.

Anil and Jana got surprise pregnant after a months long relationship 5 years back and then had a terrible break-up. They have successfully co-parented their daughter since and now a wedding has forced them into close proximity again.

Here's the issue. The break up was caused by Anil sleeping with Jana while he was lying about being divorced. Some readers will accept the explanation of why he lied once they hear the back story. I DID NOT. I don't care WHY you couldn't serve your wife with divorce papers, if you haven't served her with divorce papers, had those papers signed by both parties, and had a judge declare you divorced....YOU ARE STILL MARRIED and you have to disclose that, not lie and say you are already divorced so you can bang a woman you're interested in.

As for Jana, she spent the entirety of the book being bitter as hell. Then, after getting drunk she sleeps with Anil.

This is just not a romance I was rooting for. At all. I don't like these characters and I don't like drunk sex in romance novels where constant is cloudy at best.

𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚: ⭐️
𝗦𝗧𝗘𝗔𝗠 𝗟𝗘𝗩𝗘𝗟: Rated R / 2-4 descriptive sex scenes, may have harsh language.
𝗧𝗥𝗜𝗚𝗚𝗘𝗥𝗦: cheating, cheating ex, unexpected pregnancy, workplace sexism
𝗙𝗘𝗘𝗟𝗦: 2/5 - A bit of drama, but still a pretty light read.

Looking for a second chance romance to repeatedly hit you right in the feels? “Jana Goes Wild” by Farah Heron will do just that. Jana is practical, predictable, the good girl. Until she finds out the man she has been sleeping with isn’t quite as single as he made himself out to be. Icing on the cake? Jana is pregnant. Now years later, Jana and Anil are both invited to be in a wedding party. Jana promises she won’t let Anil get her down and is determined to live a little more wildly, but watching Anil interact with their five year old daughter might be bringing back some old feelings…

This book was such a fun read! I love a good destination wedding as a book setting, but this safari escape was so neat to read through. I lowkey want to go on safari now…

ANYWAY- I personally found Jana to be a great character and relatable (where are my perfect people pleasers at?). It was fun to watch her lighten up and let herself relax. It was also interesting to watch her walk through her feelings about the past and decide what to do with them in the present.

Overall, this book was a good, cozy 4 star read for me. I loved the plot and the characters and it made me realize I definitely need to go back and read some of Heron’s backlist because I have been missing out!

Thanks to Forever Pub and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review. “Jana Goes Wild” is out now!!

The setting for this book was SO good. It felt immersive. The description of the landscape, wildlife and food was great. This was definitely my favorite part of the book.

The friendships between the #BridalBrigade was so much fun and added a lot to the story. The jokes and banter kept it lighthearted when needed.

The cover is totally dreamy and would immediately draw me to it when I saw it at a bookstore.

I loved the idea of the plot but it ended up falling a bit flat for me. There was too much back and forth between the love interests and their lack of communication was really irritating. Jana's issues with Anil felt a little overdone as well. I totally understand her issues with him but it was just harped on too much for me. At times it felt a bit slow and I found myself skimming pages. Overall, I liked the second chance romance aspect but I just feel like it could have been shorter.

This was a cute story with lots of elements I did enjoy, but it also had a few major aspects I did struggle with.

Jana has a fling with a married man, Anil, (whom she thought was divorced) and ends up unexpectedly pregnant. Scandalized and disgraced she even loses her job because of it. Fast forward 5 years and the story begins. Jana now is forced to spend time with Anil at a family destination wedding set in Tanzania, but she is still very bitter towards Anil even though they have amicably co-parented their daughter Imani since her birth 5 years earlier.

Things I enjoyed:
▪️The beautiful African settings with all the descriptive scenery and safari adventures. My favorite part!
▪️The cultural aspect of this book with all its traditions and specialty cuisine.
▪️Jana’s family who was fun and entertaining. I loved all their drama.
▪️Anil. I really liked him a lot. He was a dotting father and so sweet. He did everything he could to please both his daughter and Jana.

This that I didn’t enjoy:
▪️That initial time jump of 5 years. I felt like we missed all the important details. We missed the entire pregnancy journey. All the things I wanted to read about were skipped right over.

▪️Jana. She was extremely frustrating. She flat out refused to forgive Anil, yet she couldn’t stop pining after him. At first it was understandable because of his deception years prior, but her stubbornness to forgive him dragged on just a little too long for my liking and ultimately dragged down the entire book because of it.

I’m going to sum this up by say this was was just okay for me.