Book Review
Jana Goes Wild
Farah Heron

Canadian Author AND Canadian content ( I see you Toronto) sign me up!!

Food plays a role in each of Herons books and this one is no different. You will be craving samosas and mandazi by the end of this book.

What Its Got
Second chance romance
Single parent
Weddings/bride brigade/groom platoon
A safari complete with Lions and elephants and giraffes oh my
Arm chair travel - Tanzania
Overbearing and Meddling family
Aunties and Uncles to spare
Food and more food

I love it when former secondary characters take the stage in a leading role in a series but for me this one fell flat. The setting, the storyline, the friends, Imani- all great but the MC’s? Just not a fan of their personalities I guess? A bit of a let down for me as this was one of my more highly anticipated reads for 2023. While this read was a miss for me it may be a hit with you.

Thank you to @netgalley and @readforeverpub for my digital ARC in return for an honest review. Opinions expressed are my own.

Wow. This was my first Farah Heron read and she took me for a ride. This book started off with a bang. The main character Jana seeming happily in love with Anil her partner. But then swiftly changes when we found out that he's married. The book is focused around them trying to get pass the indiscretions she had to deal with after not only breaking things off but finding out she was pregnant. This book was good read, it focused alot on growth, the shame of having children out of wedlock and forgiveness. Worth the read.

"Jana Goes Wild" is a pure delight!

Farah Heron's take on co-parenting and the one that got away is unique in today's rom-com scene. Despite the subject matter being an opportunity to go either super dark or too optimistic, Heron's characters acknowledge their faults and both have relatively light-hearted backstories and have actually grown since their relationship.

Anil's previous relationship and what caused the demise of him and Jana isn't too bleak and is easily written away as a miscommunication. Similarly, Jana and Anil's relationship with their daughter and their co-parenting situation is written realistically with just enough fairytale optimism to make it appropriate for a romance novel.

The trip around Africa and Heron's mention of specific sights to see and different countries make the reader want to go on this trip and will expose readers to a perspective of Africa that many would not think of.

I can't wait to read others' takes on this, especially as it becomes a summer beach read for the masses.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

What a fun read!! I loved knew as soon as I started Jana Goes Wild by Farah Heron I would loved it.

This book starts with Jana and Anil in a relationship. One thing leads to another and then they are exes on destination wedding in the Serengeti. They are both in the wedding party of their friends without the other knowing it. This turns out to be interesting to read about. I loved how the secondary characters were involved in their adventure in Africa and were so important in how the story ended. I had thought I knew how the story was going to end but there was a bump in the road along the way.

I don’t want to give too much away but if you loved grumpy/sunshine (I won’t say who is who in the book) and second chance romances this is one for you! Also if you love traveling the this is a book for you. The description of Africa was amazing, it’s one place I would love to see and even more after reading this book.

Thank you @netgalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for my copy!

I just love, love, loved this book so, so, so much! It's an amazing forced-proximity/second-chance romance between two co-parents (Jana and Anil) who had a daughter years before as the result of a relationship in which Anil deceived Jana about a bunch of aspects of his life. The two are forced together with their adorable daughter (who they have managed to maturely co-parent, through Jana being a truly unsung hero of quiet, underappreciated maturity) at the wedding of two mutual friends (Kamila and Rohan from Kamila Knows Best) in Tanzania.

The book is such a really great exploration of what it takes for two people who have undeniable chemistry to really be together when the world is complicated (and again, one of them made a LOT of mistakes in the past) and the other needs really needs to be appreciated and seen such much more than she is. And it's done against the fun back drop of wedding when a fabulous support case of genuine and interesting and fun and special characters.

It's so super well done and I absolutely loved it and totally recommend.

Starting with what made me read the book, the COVER. I absolutely love it.

I liked the story too, portraits how fear of judgement can interfere with your happiness and how culture and society have a lot to do with it.

Jana and Anil 🫶🏻

This book takes place five years after Kamila Knows Best- if you haven't read that, go back and read it first- with many of the same characters. Jana is "stuck" on a two-week trip for her friends' Tanzanian destination wedding with her ex/father of her daughter, Anil. Jana is still deeply hurt by her brief relationship with Anil and is determined to use the trip to finally get over him.

Overall, I thought this was a fun cute read. Come for the second chance romance and stay for the dik-dik pics! The #bridalbrigade and their antics was a highlight of this book for me. While there are several hilarious moments, it also deals with how we view ourselves and how we allow others’ views/opinions of us affect our decisions.

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever for the opportunity to read this eArc in exchange for my honest review.

CW: extramarital affair, unplanned pregnancy, divorce, queermisia, death of a parent (recounted)

I would like to thank NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for providing me with a free e-ARC of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

After a series of unplanned events, Jana Suleiman finds herself face-to-face with her untrustworthy but good-natured ex and father of her child, Anil Malek, while being a bridesmaid for her best friend’s destination wedding. Complicating matters even more are Jana’s potential boss on the guest list and Jana’s mother giving false stories of Jana and Anil’s history, Jana decides to use this trip to step outside of her comfort zone again. Though, Jana wonders if getting outside her comfort zone will bring her closer to Anil.

Jana Goes Wild is a bit more on the complex side of feelings I have towards rom-coms. I know that sounds a bit odd, but there were parts of the book that I didn’t necessarily agree with. Mainly, my disagreements are focused on Anil.

In Jana Goes Wild, Anil and Jana had met five years prior to the events of the book and had a brief relationship. Unbeknownst to Jana, this relationship led to her almost being blacklisted in her career and among her family due to the fact that Anil lied to Jana about still being married to his ex-wife and Jana later went on to have his child.

To sum up, I really had a hard time trying to like Anil since I personally think that he’s a major jerk. Sure, there are reasons that Henron gives to explain Anil better and I do feel for him in some way. Yet, I don’t know why he would drag Jana into his own issues and then barely face any repercussions for his actions. Going back to the book, he goes on and on about how he and Jana should be a “family” for Imani and asking Jana why she hates him. Like, I know that there are rom-coms where you have to suspend belief in order to enjoy the book. But I could not do that with Anil. At the very least, I am appreciative to Henron for having Anil feel some remorse and try to do things to make it right for Jana.

As for Jana, she was the main reason I stayed around with this book. She was a likable MC and I enjoyed seeing her perspective throughout the book alongside an eclectic ensemble of characters. However, I just felt sorry for her with all the backlash for a scandal she wasn’t even aware she was getting involved with.

Overall, while I like Jana and Henron’s writing style in Jana Goes Wild, I couldn’t stand Anil and that didn’t really make me enjoy the book as much. If it wasn’t for Anil, I would have given this book a solid 4/5 stars. That being said, I just don’t think this book is for me.

A lot to love in this story!!

-Second chance
-Fascinating and fun setting and premise
-Single Parent(s)
-Wedding Shenanigans
-Spinoff with beloved characters
-Fake...divorce?!

This one was great. Jana wants to be wild and wholly unaffected by her ex, but she simply cannot and their chemistry and affection wins the day. This book is a lovely escape.

Thanks to Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and NetGalley for the advanced readers copy.

Jana and Anil have an amazing two weeks together. They fall madly in love, until Jana gets a call that shocks her. Anil is married, not divorced like he claimed. Fast forward a few years and Jana is going to Africa for a friend's wedding with her Mom and her daughter. The daughter she shared with Anil. She still hasn't forgiven him and keeps rigid boundaries while still co-parenting with him. Anil surprises Jana by coming to the wedding too. He shows her what a great dad he is and how much he still care for her. Jana eventually decides that she can let the complications of that past go for her HEA.

Infidelity isn't a plot I'll ever enjoy. Anil's infidelity isn't as straight forward but it isn't fully explained until around 30% of the book. He also seems to be upset with Jana for not trusting him when he has repeatedly lied to her about major life circumstances. The writing was good and the story will probably be a hit for many. I'm was not a fan.

Jana Goes Wild by Farah Heron was so much fun to read.
This is a true romcom. And I absolutely adored it.
I fell in love with this story. And enjoyed everything about it.
From the first chapter- I was hooked.
The characters are relatable and fun.
Farah Heron’s writing is engaging and I love how she pulls the reader in and makes them feel like they are apart of it.
This book was so so so cute. I laughed out loud, I swooned, and I smiled the entire time whilereading it.

"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."

Thank You Netgalley and Forever for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this eARC!.

This book! A slower read for me, but a beautiful story with an even more beautiful setting.

Minor spoilers below:
5 years after a whirlwind romance leaves Jana, our main character, heartbroken and pregnant, she finds herself feeling isolated, hard to like, and just in a rut. Over a weeks long wedding, she's forced to face her ex and her feelings of inadequacy.

I related to Jana so much in regards to her feeling lost in her role as a mother and how the dad always has it easy. Honestly, her journey of "letting loose" and self love was the highlight of this book for me. Anil was bonus. I got teary at the end when Sam Uncle came clean about being in the know. I'm just so happy for Jana!

"Jana Goes Wild" is not the kind of book I normally read, but I enjoyed it! I really liked Jane as a character and thought it was an easy read in the best kind of way.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

I adored this book. It really sealed it for me that second chance romance is the best trope in the romance world. I really love everything about this book. The scenes in Tanzania are just beautiful written and you actually felt you were there.
And Anil and Jana are just too lovable. I love how Jana was portrayed. You really felt for all the hurt she has experienced and how woman deal with the fall out of a relationship different than men. I cannot recommend this book enough!

Dr.Jana Suleiman is a highly educated woman with a challenging job and is a single mother to an adorable 4-year-old daughter. She is also introverted, a perfectionist, and deeply concerned about how she is perceived by others. Her daughter is the result of a 2 week fling and drives the plot. After the initial backstory, we find Jana is a bridesmaid at a destination wedding in Tanzania. At the wedding, she will be socializing with the father of her child, her mother, numerous longtime friends, and her potential new boss. Things don’t all go as planned, and the novel is a delightful safari ride to self-awareness and growth. The reader willingly believes all the coincidences and examples of how small a world we live in. The romance is hot, the conversations between friends laugh-out-loud-funny, and the descriptions of Tanzania divine. This book was definitely not-put-downable.

Thank you to Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and NetGalley of allowing me to read this ARC

Farah Heron has once again written fantastic novel in Jana Goes Wild, a second chance, opposites attract, fake relationship romance. Once again brilliant storyline, realistic and relatable characters and a beautiful writing style.

Jana and Anil have a short term whirlwind romance which leaves Jana pregnant. They agree on custody and end up raising Imani together but very much apart. Five years into parenthood they are invited to a celebration in East Africa and they are forced together, with their families for an extended period of time. How will a trip to Tanzania go?

Read Jana Goes Wild to see if Jana comes out of her rigid, reserved shell and gives Anil a second chance at love and whether that second chance burns deep or fizzles out flat (again).

A side note to add that the culture brought into this book is perfect and incredibly beautiful. Thank you for the education on the culture, food, and religion of East Africa ( or at least a little part of it).

Farah Heron has a way with words and articulating complex emotions in a way that we can all resonate with. Farah Heron presented a wonderful narrative that was full of life and complex and imperfect characters. I'm glad I got the chance to read this.

Thank you to the publisher for kindly providing me with an ARC via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

I think the description of this book does it a disservice. This is not a book about a character trying to lose their inhibitions and shed their perfect image. Jana, in fact, would very much like to viewed as perfect. She does go out of her comfort zone a few times but they were quick episodes that I cannot say she learned much from. Instead, this is a book about being stuck on a trip with her ex and going over their breakup and its effects on her life over and over again. She thinks about it constantly. She talks to him about it. She talks to everyone else about it. It is all she ever talks about so it doesn’t leave room for character development for her or Anil or growth in their relationship. I am impressed that he stuck around to see where she landed because I was quickly over it.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Jana Suleiman fell very hard in love with Anil Malek, they spent two delirious weeks together, until she learned that he was married. Devastated by this betrayal, she broke up with him, didn’t want to hear any explanations and moved away. Later, when she learned that she was pregnant, she rejected his offer of marriage, and instead had an iron-clad co-parenting agreement authored by a family lawyer. She was generous in that she gave Anil equal time with their daughter and didn’t take any pension. What she also did was evade any further contact, keeping their communications limited to a co-parenting app that aligned their schedules. They were both very busy, both working in their specialties, both related to the development of personal tools in needy people.

When they are invited to the wedding of two close friends and participate in what they call the #bridebrigade and the #groomsplatoon, Jana’s life turned completely crazy. The wedding involved safaris around game reservations in East Africa, where their parents came from, very special to both. It also involved being close to Anil, after five years of separation.

Jana is an introvert, clumsy and uncomfortable with people she doesn’t know, and in big groups. With this bunch, she can deal because she’s known them for a long time and yet still had a hard time. On top of the festivities and frequent trips, she has to deal with a very helpful Anil and a very judgmental mother. She was also dealing with her personality and her inability to “let loose” and enjoy the moment.

I loved reading about Jana’s conflicts. She was torn because she hadn’t resolved her feelings about Anil. I felt that Anil wanted a reconciliation, you could tell he still loved Jana but was very considerate of her feelings. He was a devoted father to Imani, handsome and extrovert to Jana’s introvert. He was all kindness in contrast to Jana’s grumpiness. The chemistry was strong between these too, same as Jana’s doubts! I could tell that Jana didn’t know her own mind, she was being stubbornly blind, and was genuinely suffering.

Apart from the beautiful second chance love story, we get a through lesson in East Africa and Muslim traditions. This part of the story went into a lot of detail and I felt that it dragged the story. The wedding festivities took two weeks and even I was tired of all the events, in spite of not being there. The culture lesson was awesome but the detail was too much. Even so, I loved Anil and Imani, their friends, aunties and uncles. Jana’s mother was too dedicated to appearances and Jana was too conflicted. When she’s with the bride brigade, she was a lovely person, with Anil she turned into a grump, and stubborn too! I understood her but wanted to smack her into reason!

Entertaining if a little long winded, beautiful culture and beautiful country, and a lovely love story! Now I’m off to try all the delicious dishes portrayed in the book!

After reading and really enjoying Kamila Knows Best in 2021 (and again when I re-read it before picking this one up), I knew I was excited for this one and to see how Jana's story played out. Plus, I am a sucker for second-chance romances so I knew I would be invested.

Jana and Anil had a 2-week whirlwind romance that ended when Jana found out Anil was still married...😬. She was ready to leave him behind forever, until she found out she was pregnant. Fast forward 5 years: Jana and Anil are respectful co=parents who rarely ever see each other, at least as long as Jana can help it. But both of them are in the bridal party for friends that includes a two-week trip to Tanzania. So some forced proximity, in-person co-parenting, family & friend meddling, and some space to finally confront their past...is it enough to lead to a real future for Jana and Anil?

This is a sloooww burn, with a lot of angst and some frustration along the way. There were moments where I just wanted Jana to stay and listen to Anil, but I did enjoy seeing these two really talk and open up to each other again! I do wish we could have seen a little more of them all together at the end, since it was SUCH a journey to get there. Overall. this was a solid second-chance romance with the most fun setting! Who wants to come on a Tanzanian safari with me??