Thank you netgalley and publisher for the opportunity to read and review this arc honestly.

This was great for the easy travel or vacation book. It was a bit of a slow burn and I would start to lose interest but was invested enough to follow through and complete it. Overall I enjoyed it all right.

2.75?
Giving a 2 because a 3 is too high. It's not a bad 2, but it's not a fantastic 3.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for my complimentary e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

I have mixed feelings so this review will absolutely be all over the place & a complete stream of consciousness.

I started this book when I first downloaded it from NetGalley on March 13, 2023.
I also had no issue putting this down and forgetting about it. I finally marked as a soft-DNF in July 2023 at just 38%. There was nothing necessarily wrong with the book, and it definitely holds its own - I had no issue picking up from where I left off. When I finally decided to pick the book back up again a year later, I remembered the plot: The main character wins a radio contest for free around the world vacation, only catch is the radio station got to pick a random contact from her phone - who just so happens to be a random guy she met at club once and ghosted. They travel country to country together.

I tried the audiobook from 38%-45% and it just wasn't for me.

While this book had a lot of serious topics being a part of the main character's story, I don't like the serious bits were siloed into their own sections while completely ignoring the A-plot. We had pages and pages on end after the 50% mark that focused solely just on these topics. Total derailment from the fun of the traveling. Then somehow we're back at another airport.
Speaking of the traveling, we saw bits and pieces from each country before it was off to the next - I wish we saw more of each destination.

I really enjoyed the concept of this and enjoyed bits & bobs, but everytime it got good, it quickly took a dive.

By the end of this (the final 10%) I no longer cared and it took me 3 days to finish.

The perfect travel / vacation book. Reminded me a lot of People We Meet On Vacation in all my favorite ways - strangers to lovers, quick read, cheesy type of love. Definitely a slower start to the book but it picks up as you keep reading!

It has refreshingly smart and functional characters (both individually and as a couple), funny witty dialogue, a, some moments that made me laugh out loud, with a writing style that just sucks you right into the story and allows you to vividly picture everything that is happening; as well as a very sweet happy ending. Loved it.

This book was a pretty good romance. I wasn't really expecting some of the heavier topics found within this story but I welcomed it to the normal fluffy fluff that is out there. I appreciate some of the themes/topics that came up but it's not for everyone.

This book is also a slow burn. This was a bit of hard part for me. But on the plus side, no 3rd act breakup. I dont need that all the time.

I thought this was an OK romance. It wasn’t even much of a romance and kind of dragged. I wanted more romance.

This cover is FIRE and I will definitely be reading more of Elle Everhart in the future. I really enjoyed this book and it reminded me so much of Christina Lauren, who I love.

Thank you Net Galley and G.P. Putnam’s Sons for this arc. I saved this to read while I was traveling abroad over the summer and it was such a great time to read it. The characters were likable and it was a fast paced read. It was a cute book.

I wanted to love this book, but unfortunately it just fell flat. I found the heroine, Dylan, to be almost cruel in her treatment of the hero and after being cyber bullied herself, she posts about him after he specifically asked her not to. Jack seemed like a nice enough guy, but he was almost too nice and I think that was because it was obvious he had feelings for Dylan from the time they’d met before their trip.

While the idea of going on an around the world trip with someone in your phone contacts list was a great set up, the travel elements felt uneven. Some places were given glowing descriptions and others barely a mention and really…you expect two people who really don’t know one another, two people of the opposite sex to share a room? Really?

Lastly I felt the ending was very unrealistic in that they both quit their jobs; sure Dylan had freelanced before and had contacts and would more than likely make enough money to get by but to encourage Jack to take up photography and become a “professional” photographer because of a few pictures he took with his cellphone was a slap in the face to professional photographers out there.

There were parts of Wanderlust that were funny, but I had to force myself to finish it.

This one just didn't hook me in, unfortunately. I liked the premise but just couldn't get into the story.

I’m not sure how I feel about this one still. I liked it while I was reading it but I found it very forgettable. I did really like the characters and the story line.

Man, I really liked the two books referenced in the description of this book so I thought this one would be a homerun. In the end, it was sort of fine. There wasn't much an explanation for the reason why the central conflict between the two characters began, just that it happened. At times, the FMC's bitterness towards the MMC felt a little overwhelming (although the reason for still being sore about it felt justified).

I really wanted to like this book because I loved the premise, but Dylan just kept bothering me. And bothering me. And while Jack was an ok co-pilot on this journey of a book, he wasn't someone that I cared much for either. I gravitated towards this book because of my love for travel and romance tropes. Was I satisfied? Barely.

Going into this one I was excited for the premise of the book. I had a hard time connecting with the characters and ultimately didn’t fully deliver what I was hoping for. That being said I would still be open to checking out another book from this author.

I liked this one so much.

The idea of the book was great, I would love to win a trip myself no matter who I have to take with me but anyways,
I enjoyed the characters and the story.

I loved the premise, but I did need some of the trigger warnings before reading this book. For that, it wasn't the book for me. Thank you for the ARC

This book was much more than just a fun travel themed romance and I really enjoyed it! I was surprised by how deep some of the topics in this story were, but I do think they were handled very well.

I was skeptical at first about the female main character, but I really grew to root for her and want nothing but the best for her. The male main character was also adorable and supportive in a very good way.

Yeah! basically I would recommend this book for people looking for a fun but kind of edgy romance, with known content warnings for discussions of abortion and familial guilt and shame.

Ah I did not think that this book would be as heavy as it is. I was expecting a light fun read. Totally misleading and needs triggering warnings!

This book was a roller coaster for me. I loved the beginning, loved that it was completely unrealistic but something I absolutely fantasize about. I loved that her name was Dylan! Loved the bisexual representation!
But I wasn’t prepared for the religious trauma, homophobia, pro-life storyline with her parents. It felt so heavy and as someone who struggles with these things, I felt blindsided by them. I also wanted to SCREAM at the main character for some choices she made.
That said, the conflict was handled beautifully between the two characters. It was so real! And they didn’t break up to deal with it! There was very little steam, and all in the same place toward the end. I feel there was some editing work that could’ve made this much smoother and less complex but it was a solid read and I enjoyed it. 3.5 stars.

"Wanderlust" by Elle Everhart takes readers on a delightful journey through Tokyo, Sydney, Mexico City, and New York City, offering a unique spin on forced proximity. Thanks to NetGalley and Putnam Brothers Publishing for providing the ARC, I thoroughly enjoyed accompanying Dylan and Jack in this well-executed rom-com. The plot is engaging, and the diverse settings add a vibrant backdrop to the story. Overall, a fun 4/5 read that leaves me eager to explore more from this talented author.