I really liked this book... for the first 60%. It became something else after awhile, with very little dialogue between the characters, too much angsty internal dialogue for the fmc, and a LOT OF HEAVY CONVERSATIONS around TW topics like abortion, toxic parents, toxic workplaces, etc. The romance developing at the beginning of the book gave me those 5 star butterflies, but they disappear around the time of the [nearly?] 3rd act breakup, which occurs at the 60% mark. After the conflict, there was little building of the relationship, even after the resolution.

The nitty gritty things: I hated that it took the FMC 2-3 cities on her prize vacation to apologize to the MMC. We missed seeing their adventures in a lot of the cities. There are 2-3 REALLY GOOD EXAMPLES of the adventures the two main characters went on and the things they worked through to grow closer together. Then, when the tension hits, we get an example of their excursion with the tension, but weeks go by without it being resolved and then suddenly they're together but they don't really talk to each other?

I loved when they climbed the bridge in Sydney together. I loved when Dylan helped Jack make a list for his future. I loved Dylan's apology when it happened, eventually, and her grand gesture. I just feel like I read two halves of different novels a bit. Plus there was a lot of righteous beliefs in there, which showed some really tough conversations (re: emails, tweets, more emails, etc.) that didn't empower the way I think they could have. As an early-30-something, I might draft an email, but a lot of particularly Dylan's behavior felt like she thought she was always right and therefore she had a *right* to behave the way she did. From my own experiences navigating challenging adult relationships with my parents, yes, it is frustrating and yes, I'd love to write a heartbreaking email, and yes, it's okay to feel the way you feel, but you also need to acknowledge that there are differences in generations and sometimes you want people to love you in exactly the way you want them to love you, but that's just not possible. So if anything, this book is a reminder to please, be gracious with people. Get frustrated, but teach them to be better. You can't harbor negative feelings for years and expect them to just GET BETTER RANDOMLY. It takes work.

Anywhoooo... this book gets... 3 stars? from me. I liked some parts more than others.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for advanced access to this one! These are my honest thoughts.

Wanderlust is my kind of book! Traveling city to city and experiencing different cultures, while figuring out your own life! The love story along the way was the cherry on the top! The execution could've been better, but it was a solid story! I would recommend! 3.5 stars rounded up.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

🧐 my thoughts:
I was super excited to read this since reading that it was being compared to The People We Meet on Vacation. I really enjoyed the concept of that book, so I knew this was one that I had to read!

👌🏻what i liked:
I really did enjoy all of the travel despite it being quick stops in each place. I felt like I was along for the ride with them on this wild adventure. The banter in this book was top notch, very enjoyable! Even the banter between the side characters was great! I loved the character growth between Dylan and Jack.

🙃 what i didn’t like:
I really thought that the description of the places that Dylan and Jack travelled to could’ve been more. It was hard at times to paint that picture of where they were at. I also felt like they moved from place to place too quickly. They only stayed in one spot for a couple chapters before it was on to the next stop. I feel like this could’ve been so much more than it was.

🥰 special thanks
Thank you to NetGalley, Elle Everhart, and Penguin Group Putnam/G.P. Putnam’s Sons for granting me this e-ARC in exchange for my honest review!

This was cute and fun and a great summer read. I love the idea of meeting someone when on a trip like that. So ideal!

Dylan was having a bad day when she grabbed her headphones and decided to listen to the radio. And it was that same irritated mood that caused her to grab her phone when they introduced an actual radio contest, where the tenth caller won an epic trip around the world. But when they told their winner that they would be forcing them to go on the trip with a random contact from their phone, they declined the trip. The deejay said they would start over again, and the tenth caller would win. Dylan’s mood lifted when she became that tenth caller.

Dylan writes for a magazine, hoping to one day turn her pop quizzes and short pieces into a column. She can’t help but wonder if writing about a two-month trip to amazing locations could get her social media engagement numbers up enough for her boss to actually come through with that monthly column. So as she travels to the radio station, she’s thinking about how she could turn this into the job of her dreams.

At the station, they download her phone contacts into a program that will choose one at random. The name that pops up is Jack the Posho. They call him and tell him about the trip, offer him a chance t travel with Dylan for two months. As they talk to him, the memories start to come back to Dylan. She had met him on a night out, and they’d had an amazing connection, despite her teasing him about his posh accent. He gave her his number and waited for her to call. But he didn’t know that her life melted down the next day, so their night of drinking and kissing was lost to her drama. But now, he’s on the phone with the radio station, and he’s saying yes to the trip.

After a couple of weeks of preparation, Dylan and Jack are ready to leave London to head to their first destination, Sydney. And almost immediately, Dylan is filled with regrets. Jack is an uptight traveler, rigid about being early, a fastidious packer, incredibly organized. Dylan is full of eye rolls, showing up on time, tossing her clothes into her suitcase (and on the floor of the hotel room, at times, when they arrive), and wanting to take it easy on the airplane. But after she sees Jack battle his fear of heights on Sydney Harbour Bridge, she eases up on him. And when she insists he sit out next time his anxiety is so extreme, he lets his guard down some.

As the days roll by and the cities show them their beauty—Tokyo, Mumbai, Marrakech, Cape Town, and New York City, just to name a few—Dylan and Jack find themselves opening up to each other. They share drunken nights and family issues, meaningful experiences and inside jokes, Dylan’s writing and Jack’s photos, and they find themselves moving closer to each other. But when Dylan lets down her defenses and shares a little too openly about their flirtation, Jack feels betrayed. Can they find a way past that, or will the rest of the trip be as cold as that glacier in Reykjavik?

Wanderlust is the debut rom com from Elle Everhart, and it is quite the trip. It’s smart and sweet, with a slow burn romance that starts them out as opposites, then they become friends, and then they almost lose it all. The travel destinations lend an exciting backdrop to the story of these characters, and it creates some fun scenes for us all to experience with Dylan and Jack.

However, this book is not just travel and romance and fluff. There are some difficult topics in this book also. Dylan had written an article about a very personal decision, and there were those on social media who had bullied and doxxed her for that. There are family struggles for both main characters. There is homophobia and talk about an abortion. Anyone sensitive to those issues may want to skip this one.

Personally, I wasn’t bothered by any of that. My biggest complaint about the book was that I wanted more of the story to take place in these exciting places. For example, there is a vibrant scene set in Tokyo at a restaurant with a Robot Cabaret, but we didn’t hear all that much about some of the other cities. I could have used less airport and hotel scenes, and more excursions. But I still loved this book. I loved these characters and the journeys they went on, both physically and emotionally. And I can’t wait to see where Everhart takes us next.

Egalleys for Wanderlust were provided by G.P. Putnam’s Sons through NetGalley, with many thanks.

Dylan Coughlan is given an unforgettable opportunity when she wins a trip around the world. The only catch is that her traveling companion will be chosen at random from her phone contacts.

Wanderlust is an opposites attract, second chance contemporary romance. I never know what to expect with a debut novel but this one is a delight. It has such a fun, unique premise. The storyline flows smoothly and the author’s sense of humor shines throughout her writing. While Dylan has a sensitive backstory, the author handles it in a realistic but thoughtful way.

Content/Trigger warnings including: abortion, bullying, online harassment

I hope to read more from Elle Everhart in the future.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam (G.P. Putnam’s Sons)!

What to expect
🧳second chance romance
🧳forced proximity
🧳dream vacation
🧳Bi rep 🌈

💭My Thoughts
I thought this was more Just My Type for the journalism vibes than it was PWMOV by Emily Henry.

It had a strong start. I was invested with the radio contest playing phone contact roulette to pick Dylan’s travel buddy, and I cringed so hard when the “winner” was a guy she drunkenly made out with and ghosted! But as conflict rose, the drama started making less sense to me. Not sharing spoilers, but I was asking, “Who DOES that??” Then Dylan and Jack resolve all the issues, but we were still only 85% in. That last 15% dragged and I think it could have ended there and been fine. I’d recommend giving this book a try if you loved Just My Type AND the Unhoneymooners—I did not care for The Unhoneymooners so consider that when deciding if this book is for you.

I really enjoyed this book. Part romance, part travel book, part finding a new self.

Dylan is a writer for a magazine called Buxom. She's been working hard to have her own column.

So when she wins a trip around the world in a radio contest she thinks it will be a great series that will help her at work. Catch is she'll be going with someone else, someone the station picks from her phone.

Enter Josh. A "posh" (that's snob or rich right?) Guy she honestly can't remember at first. He agrees to go on the trip.

These two can't be more different! It was interesting to see these two mostly strangers navigate their way.

There's pressures from work and family that Dylan has to contend with. (And Jack too!) Also a past article has made Dylan a more known figure. And since the article was about a very, very decisive topic it made her life pretty bad. This book shows an examples of how cool online can be, and how dangerous also. I understand Jack's fears about the future, that hit home.

I really enjoyed Dylan and Jack. The travel part was really cool. And how they grew from each other.

Thank you to NetGalley and Putnam for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

CW: doxing, internet bullying for discussing past abortion, biphobia, toxic workplace, family tensions

This was a really interesting story regarding the impacts of the internet how it can help make your career but also the harms of it too.

Steam: 3

This was such a feel good story for me. A once in a lifetime trip with someone randomly selected from phone contacts? Yes please. I loved the slow build romance, and the way both characters grew so much over the course of the book.

"A surprise reunion on a romantic holiday? This is gold."

✈ Rom-Com
✈ Around the World Travel
✈ Forced Proximity
✈ Second Chance
✈ Opposites Attract
✈ LGBTQ Rep
✈ Social Media
⚠ Abortion

3.5 ⭐️/ 1 🌶️

Dylan has won a 6 week trip around the world from a radio contest. The only catch? The radio station has to choose a random contact in her phone to go with her. That person ends up being "Jack the Posho," a bar hookup from a few months back that she never called. What could possibly go wrong?

I was pretty excited to read about this book! A free trip of a lifetime?! Sign me up! The premise sounded so good but the execution fell a bit flat for me. I liked both of the main characters but wanted a little more out of their interactions with each other. I loved the lead up banter and their initial interactions. Jack seemed so sweet and you couldn't help but root for him and Dylan. The trip around the world seemed like it was such fun! Some of descriptions of the locations and activities made you feel like you were actually there with them: climbing the Sydney Harbor Bridge, attending a robot cabaret, and climbing a glacier! How fun! I do wish we got more descriptions and activities from all of the locations but quite enjoyed the ones we got.

This book does hit on some abortion issues, so mind the trigger warning.
Overall this was a cute debut novel and I enjoyed reading it!

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for the arc!

Wanderlust by Elle Everhart is the perfect summer read, offering an abundance of enemies-to-lovers tension and captivating travel descriptions that transport you on a whirlwind vacation.

This was a cute, simple romcom for people who love to travel! It was so fun following Dylan and Jack around the world. The book did tackle some tough subjects such as homophobia and abortion (prior to the start of the book), and I think it was done well. I don’t think the plot was the most unique or life-changing, but it did make for a rather easy read. I think this book could have benefitted from dual POV as I feel we did not truly get to know Jack throughout the book. Overall it was a sweet, fun romcom with a few heavier moments, and I would recommend for quick, easy read.

Elle, Elle, Elle. Sit down. *pats couch* Let's talk.

Just a little chat. That's it.

About how, at one point, I screamed so loud at my Kindle I scared the bejesus out of my doggos. No, really.

For a debut novel, this had my heart on the floor. This is a slow, slow, slow burn for spice. Nearly 85K in before the whisper of anything more than a kiss but man oh man was it worth it.

Dylan is so incredibly relatable, and the experiences she had with the backlash of social media in telling her truth are so important to share. Poignant, terrifying, and so true. Thank you for making her a fierce believer in bodily autonomy and so unapologetically herself.

Now, Jack. Jack, my boy. Jack-a-rino. What are we going to do with him? Seriously. He is both several people I know and also my next book boyfriend. Stick up the butt? Absolutely. With good reason? Fo sho. Obviously in love with Dylan from the get go? Also a yes. But was totally here for it.

Thanks so much for sharing their story with us - I'm so excited to see what you do next.

Thank you to Elle and Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was cute, and exactly what you'd expect from reading the cover. I read this at a busy time during school, so the traveling was a great escape from my reality :). The writing was good, the characters were interesting, and I believed the romance between our two main characters. Definitely a solid debut!

📖Review
4🌟🌟🌟
📖Book 66/100
🎧📲📚Wanderlust
💫Genre: Romance
✍️Zelle Everhart

📝Synopsis 📝
Dylan wins a trip and has to choose one person to go with. She decides to take Jack the posho 😆

💭My Thoughts 💭
This was such a fun read with a hint of romance but best of all a great friendship. I enjoyed traveling all around the work with this duo. The banter was awesome 🤩

✨Thank you @netgalley & @penguinrandomhouse for a copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
📌Publication Date:
July 4, 2023
✨✨✨✨
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I liked the premise of this book, because it's something you think about doing but never actually do (at least in my case). Winning a trip around the world feels like such a fulfilling life journey and then to be stuck on it with someone you don't know is the stuff of nightmares.

Overall, I enjoyed the journey that Dylan went through physically (trip) and mentally (her job and what made her happy). I do think she was ridiculous petulant at times to Jack and I don't know how he was able to travel with her at times. I'm glad Jack started making moves to make himself happy and that Dylan began to understand him more.

I enjoyed this second chance travel romance but it was definitely heavier than I was expecting, tackling social media doxing and abortion shaming. Two British characters find themselves going on a free world travel vacation and getting another chance at love. Good on audio and recommended for fans of Mhairi McFarlane or Beth O'Leary. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!

Perfect book to read coming back from an overseas trip when I'm feeling all the wanderlust myself! I loved the concept of this book, and I think the author did a good job with it. Plus now I want to travel to all of these places!

Imagine you win a radio contest for the trip of a lifetime, a trip around the world…but with one condition. The radio station you won the trip from gets to pick your travel companion by random draw from the contacts in your phone. That’s what happens to Dylan in Wanderlust. Dylan is a writer who has had a rough go of it after facing outlast and doxxing by online trolls after a controversial article she wrote about having an abortion (TW). The companion picked to travel with her is a guy she got the number of on a night out, Jack. The two are strangers and now forced into close proximity by this trip.

I thought this book was nice. It took on some hard issues especially surrounding how toxic and awful the internet can be. I liked the travel aspect and the story overall but this is a SLOW burn romance. There were so many other issues focused on in this book, the romance kind of took a backseat.