Zoey Fong is Chinese Canadian and her life plan is to not only be a doctor but to find a cure for cancer. Only thing is she really doesn’t love the research part of her career. She literally bumps into Davy Hsieh’s and a precious research slide ends up with him. Davy is Taiwanese Canadian and is reclusive after years in the spotlight as a boy band member. They end up on his private island looking for the sample that has been misplaced in his shipping boxes.

There is a lot of comedic mayhem and shenanigans. If you enjoy farcical happenings this book will work for you. Some scenes were a far stretch for me but I decided to embrace the plot. This is open door with steamy times, where the pair are definitely compatible. Both are trying to make career and life plans decisions. And Davy's anxiety is taken seriously. The bulk of the story takes place in a few intense days together. The story is fun and the plot is easy to follow. Nice for a quick, escapism read. Thank you to Harlequin for the ARC via NetGalley and I am leaving a voluntary review. (3.5 Stars)

This was a really solid debut - great diversity, character development, and voice. Some plot points maybe weren't as flushed out as they could be, but not enough to take away from my enjoyment of this book. I will absolutely be looking for more from this author in the future.

The premise of Wild Life sounded right up my alley, and while there were a lot of funny and steamy moments between Zoey and Davy, I struggled to get into and stay connected to their story.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.
I’ve wanted to read more from Ruby Lang since I read a story from her in an anthology a while back, and while that hasn’t happened, I was excited to hear she was releasing something new under another pen name, Opal Wei. Wild Life Is the perfect balance of somewhat out-there romcom and a heartfelt journey of self-discovery and exploration of deep themes.
On the surface, Zoey and Davy seem like opposites, with her being very Type-A and work-driven, and him living a fairly carefree lifestyle. But each is very much at the point in their lives where they’re trying to reprioritize and figure out what they want out of life. Zoey got into medicine to find a cure for cancer, after it nearly took her sister’s life, but is struggling with myriad stressors within her doctoral program, which have brought her to the point of burnout, Davy, meanwhile, is fairly wealthy and a former K-Pop star, but he also deals with social anxiety and addiction, and is now trying to figure out whether he still wants to make music, while also focusing on his current goal of opening an animal sanctuary.
I really liked how they came to relate to each other in their respective journeys, and slowly came to defend and fight for each other. And while some of their desires did seem a little convoluted and bog down the book a little, it didn’t feel inconsistent or unbelievable.
And all this was perfectly balanced with the fun vibe from the animals. The cougar, Baby, is an absolute delight, and steals the show every time. And the other antics on the island between the bouts of soul-searching are pretty fun too.
This was a solid read, and I look forward to reading more from Ruby Lang/Opal Wei in the future. If you enjoy fun contemporary romcoms, I’d recommend checking this out!

DNS

The Email I got with a widget didn't mention the trigger warnings at all but luckily they were in the start of the book. It features one of my really hard no's of mistreatment of animals so I am not going to read this. It sounds fun but please be aware that it features some heavy triggers.

It's like someone took all my fears and anxieties as the oldest daughter and made a romance novel to heal my inner child.. complete with marshmallow boyfriends, adventures, and big.. cats!

As a high-functioning anxiety-ridden overachiever - life can be really... boring. A feeling our heroine Zoey Fong knows all too well as a medical school graduate turned cancer researcher. So when the opportunity for adventure comes after a lifetime of following 'The Plan' - she jumps on it - even though it might throw her life into a little (i.e major) tailspin.

What follows is the unraveling of a lifetime of self-recriminations and finding what true love and contentment really means! And Davy? One of the sweetest, most down-to-earth portrayals of social anxiety in men I've ever read. So cute and a great read if you're looking for the softer side of a hero!

NOTES:
- Asian literature
- Women in STEM lit!
- CWs: severe childhood illness
- Spice Level: There are some open-door sexy moments - but overall, this just felt incredibly charming!
- Overall Rating: 3.5/5 (Rounded up to 4) - I think this was cute and would be a great audiobook/gift basket book if you need a quick and easy romance! The cover is adorable, and I'm definitely putting it in a couple of goodie bags for the summer!

**Thank you to Harlequin & NetGalley for the advanced reader copy. I received this book for free, but all thoughts are my own. – SLR 🖤

This book had the most amazing plot, and the funniest moments, I laughed out loud with Zoey, she was too funny, and even her roommate. I loved Davy and I had this feeling it was going to be one of those sweet and fun romances, he was really shy and I loved them together. The scenes were really steamy, but the plot fell so short for me. by 64% of the book I was already over it, the story kept going in circles, and of course we know that Davy lives in a remote island, with wild life around him, and we find out he used to be in a boyband, ok ANDDDDDD????? I wish I had loved it more, it had potential though.

Sometimes I felt like this book couldn't make up its mind on whether it wanted to be a fun, romantic, screwball comedy, a la Bringing Up Baby, or a serious romance addressing mental health challenges and changing direction in your life.

Initially serious, steady, dependable cancer researcher Zoey meets seemingly happy-g0-lucky, surface-dwelling Davy. He accidentally makes off with a critical research slide, and she decides she needs to do whatever she can to retrieve it. Ultimately, due to a series of unlikely events, she ends up staying with him on his private island off the BC coast and the reader is thinking this is a rom-com farce.

At this point, however, the script flips and these two characters seemingly trade places and personalities. The screwball comedy elements continue on the island but the deeper currents are revealed. Davy is the responsible one, dealing with anxiety as best as he knows how while Zoey wants nothing more than to ditch her life's "Plan" and change directions. The reader gets the sense that the only way that will happen, though, is if she gets herself embroiled in a completely unlikely situation. Ultimately, both characters find some resolution to their problems, both separately and together.

I think it's best to just accept the comedic elements and not expect them to make much sense, so I enjoyed the book on that level. My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions in this review are my own.

As a big fan of Bringing Up Baby, I was so excited to pick this one up but it never really gelled for me. It was a totally fine rom-com but there was just something missing for me.

Format - E ARC (Netgalley)

Rating- ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Spice- 🌶 🌶

Series- NA

Troupes- forest proximity, opposites attract,

Representation- Anxiety, drug addition,

CW- mentions of drug addiction and recovery, on page panic attack, mentions of childhood cancer.

It’s really hard to believe this is a debut novel from Wei, this book is well written has dynamic characters and great plot pacing!

This book gave me all the best Asian rom com Drama Vibes! And Not just cause the characters are Asian. Zoey is an over achieving doctorate student wanting to study childhood bone cancer because of her little sister. Davy is ex boy band member who has had enough trauma for 3 life times and now just wants to live on his sustainably responsible private island/ wild life sanctuary. Their meet cute is so random and ends with him in possession of someone precious to her. They end up on his Island and things get very interesting!

There is a bit of a slapstick comedy in there to, her mad dash though the city on her bike and a scramble in a dark house while she was ogling him. It gives major Kdrama guys!

There are also some nice medium spicy scenes in there I mean what else are they to do on a deserted island while its storming??

Wei was a fun and easy to read writing style, and with this great debut I would love to read her again!

Thank you Opal Wei, Harlequin and NetGalley for this advanced copy, in exchange for my honest opinion!

Zoey has always been the reliable one, the one who was there for her sister’s cancer treatments, and now the one who will finally find a cure for the disease. Davy comes from wealth and does not know the feeling of a true hard day’s work. One day, fate brings these two unlikely companions together under an ever more ridiculous set of circumstances, and they begin to see the allure of a life different from their own. As they find themselves drawn to one another, the sparks begin to fly, and the two must re-examine their goals and determine whether being together is more important than the plans they had made.

This meet-cute romantic comedy is predictable in many ways, but its delivery is endearing and unique, which helps it to resonate with readers. The narrative is presented in the third person, permitting the focus to shift from Davy to Zoey and back without much trouble. Within this setting, the tone of the narrative is one of a dry, tongue-in-cheek kind of humor, which will appeal to fans of more sarcastic storytelling. Steamy romance scenes amplify the connection between the characters as the story progresses, as well. Though the chapters are somewhat long and the font is small, the story is interesting enough to be compelling.

Readers who enjoy romance stories where the protagonists find themselves meeting in the middle will appreciate the journey this book takes from strangers to lovers. It is convenient that Davy is wealthy and that Zoey has the freedom to leave her life behind, but readers can set these facts aside for the sake of the romantic component of the book. There are moments of slowness peppered throughout the narrative, and readers may struggle to fully connect with the characters because of the distanced approach to the storytelling, but it is overall an enjoyable romantic comedy. Best for mature young adults and adult readers due to the incorporation of strong language and sexual elements, this is a lighthearted story that is well suited to be enjoyed during periods of travel and leisure.

Let me just start by saying that I don’t know if this author is publicizing their pen name so I’m not going to share it. While this isn’t her debut, this is her first book written as Opal Wei so in a way, it does feel like a debut.

With that being said, Wild Life follows Zoey Fong who has a run-in with Davy Hsieh at her office. It seems harmless until she finds out that Davy accidentally took her tissue sample with him and she has to track him down. From there, it’s truly a romp around Canada for these two as everything in the world goes wrong.

From going to a meat market to Davy’s grandmother to a boat, these two end up everywhere but in the meantime, they end up falling for each other and opening. Zoey is dealing with some unresolved feelings due to her sister having childhood cancer and feeling like she had to grow up too fast. Davy is dealing with anxiety and has had substance issues in the past so these two have a lot of baggage.

Regardless, it’s clear from the jump that these two have a connection. It all solidified when they got to the island where Davy was starting an animal sanctuary. From there, it’s forced proximity and lots of sexy moments between these two. The chemistry between them starts with a little spark and then it’s a bang before you know it.

In addition, it’s a book set in Canada which I feel is rare and I just liked this one. I also felt like Wild Life had such random moments that I was obsessed with. I mean Davy used to be a boybander which I absolutely loved?! Plus Zoey collects mugs which is awesome. In addition, the cast is filled out by Zoey’s sister and her best friend along with Davy’s surrogate mother and his grandmother which made for such a fun dynamic between all of them.

The only complaint I have is that the third-act conflict was incredibly frustrating. I know that the author had to add some tension in there, but it annoyed me. Then again, that’s just a personal problem and not a fault of the book. I think if you’re looking for a book to start 2024 with, you can’t go wrong in grabbing a copy of Wild Life by Opal Wei.

The was a case of loving a cover and requesting the book without really knowing what the book was about. I liked the premise in theory. I thought I was getting a woman in STEM gets stranded on island with sexy billionaire. But instead it had some of that but Zoey was a little all over place. She didn't seem to like her job but she felt like she had to do it. She spends 90% of the book going back and forth on if she wants to be a cancer researcher or not and I never heard her really say what she really wanted to do.
Davy wasn't much better. A former K pop star, a recluse with anxiety that wants to have an animal sanctuary, but still wants to make music but also want to run an Inn in a small town. He felt like he was all over the place with what he wanted to do. I felt like I was reading characters that were super young instead of people in their mid-twenties.
I am a major sucker for a forced proximity trope and this book had the perfect setting. The island and the house that Davy and Zoey are in for the first part of the book is so good. I really enjoyed this part of the book. I loved how they were learning about each other and falling in love. Davy was a little over the top protective and the geese scene literally had me laughing out loud. I thought we were getting wild scary big cat but instead it was Geese! LOL.
The ending where they go back to the little town with the B&B and George who was a great side character almost felt like a separate book. I am a huge sucker for a small-town romance with quirky character, but it felt like it came out of nowhere. We went from remote island to small town.
Overall, it was quirky and cute, and I would recommend o those that want an adorable romance with a fun setting and some really laugh out loud moments.

I loved the romantic pairing in Wild Life by Opal Wei.

Zoey is a prickly high-achieving heroine who has taken on huge plans for a career in cancer research without taking the time to think about whether she wants to actually live out her plan. I loved being in her POV and seeing how her perspectives on Davy changed through this story, from being a handsome idiot to someone so special to her.

Davy is a former boyband member whose anxiety and drug use as a teen sent his life off the rails. Although he is so people-oriented, he turned himself essentially into a hermit, living on a private island and quietly rescuing wildlife, to avoid hurting or embarrassing anyone important to him. He is so worried about messing things up for Zoey.

This book had a fantastic Canadian setting, great supporting characters, and the prettiest cover. It comes out in January 2024. Thank you to Harlequin and NetGalley for the ARC copy. Opinion is my own.

What happens when a burnt out, high strung cancer researcher runs into an anxious, handsome, recovering boy bander with a private island and a elderly cougar? Shenanigans, wild animal attacks, a massive storm, run-ins with the law, and the complete abandonment of The Plan.

Zoey Fong already has an M.D., but she is in a prestigious doctoral program to be a cancer researcher so she can cure cancer in kids like her sister. She hates her program, her lab mate, and the mug collection she didn’t ask for, but what can she do? She has a Plan.

Davy Hsieh has come to the university for an appointment, but he gets lost, finds Zoey, and never makes it to his meeting.

“He took in her snapping dark eyes and the soft body under the crisp shirt. She was fluffy and angry, like a delicious cake that would give him violent heartburn. He still wanted a bite.

He turned on his best smile.

“Why do cis men think I’m the happy helper booth around here? Tell me this? I mean, I’m working. I’ve got a microscope. I’ve got this whole-” she waved her arms at the empty hall “-I’ve got this whole setup. And these men, these men are forever wandering in asking me for things”

I love a good rant. Zoey and Davy have multiple good rants in them. I also love it when the sunshine one loves the prickliness of the grumpy one. Zoey accidentally gives an important slide to Davy, and the two spend time together trying to locate and recover it. They very quickly fall into like, lust, and love. Davey, though, isn’t quite the sunshiney handsome that Zoey initially takes him for. The two of them take on more responsibility than they should, and because they do it themselves, they recognize it in each other. They give each other permission to let go of the tight grip they have on themselves.

I enjoyed this so much. Opal Wei beautifully balances the madcap with the heartfelt. I’m going to need a physical copy of this one on my shelf.

The author provides a content warning: Some readers may find topics discussed in this book difficult. These include cancer and terminal illness, anxiety and mental illness, flawed family relationships, and the mistreatment of animals. Neither the cancer nor the mistreatment of animals happens on page.

I received this as an advance reader copy from Harlequin and NetGalley. My opinions are my own, freely and honestly given.

The premise drew me in, but something about this book did not interest me. I think the book could have been written a little differently. The book's pacing was very slow, and I was surprised I could finish it. Both main characters were not very interesting, and felt like they were not developed well. Overall, this book had potential, but it missed the mark.

Thank you to NetGalley and to Harlequin Publishing for giving me a copy of the book.

Baby the cat is the star of this book. Overall, the romance and the chemistry between Zoey and Davy was super cute and swoon worthy. I loved their interactions and I love how much they love each other. But their relationship wasn't believable. I feel like the book needed a few more chapters, in order to flesh out the romance between Zoey and Davy and really amp up the electricity between them.

I liked the characters & the backdrop, but I just couldn’t get into the main storyline. It just wasn’t very believable. Some funny bits and definitely some steamy scenes. It just sort of fell flat for me overall.

Such a very cute story with spice. Zoey Fong has The Plan for her career even though she has been hating it. Davy Hsieh is trying to get a wildlife sanctuary started on his island off Vancouver, BC. They meet when Davy is looking for a professor at Zoey’s lab. In a mixup he ends up with Zoey’s precious slide and the craziness, fun, and love begin. Anxiety is a part of the story and it is dealt with well.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Wild Life by Opal Wei is a celebration of spontaneity featuring two spontaneity-resistant main characters. Sometimes The Plan Zoey Fong lives by doesn’t feel exactly how she envisioned. Perhaps it’s even suffocating her. Davy Hsieh is in self-imposed (heavily-influenced by his father) exile as he works to protect animals. Davy and Zoey have an instant connection and their relationship develops over a short period of time. Their conversation styles don’t match and things get messy as they navigate big life decisions. Thinking about changing your own version of “The Plan”? Check this one out!