Thank you Netgalley and Blackstone Publishing for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Lynette Noni’s “Wandering Wild” is a YA contemporary novel that focuses on survival and emotional healing (with a touch of romance) in a gripping, high-stakes adventure. Known for her Prison Healer fantasy series, Noni brings her signature tense storytelling and heartfelt character development to this genre, crafting a story about survival—not just in the wilderness, but in the face of grief, guilt, and self-discovery. Before going into this book, be aware that the story does go into detail on the shared trauma of both characters, which includes loved ones in relation to DUIs and suicide attempts.

Zander Rune, once Hollywood’s golden boy, has seen his career plummet after a DUI scandal. Desperate to rebuild his image, he agrees to star in a survival reality show alongside a handpicked fan. The problem? His so-called “biggest fan” Charlie Hart isn’t a fan at all—she despises everything he represents. Forced into the experience by her best friend, Charlie has no interest in bonding with Zander, especially given her own painful past—her mother was killed by a drunk driver. But when the staged wilderness adventure turns into a real fight for survival, Zander and Charlie find themselves stranded without a film crew, forced to rely on each other. As they navigate the unforgiving Australian wilderness, both must confront their past traumas, their true selves, and the unexpected connection growing between them.

One of the book’s strongest elements is its vivid, immersive setting. Noni’s descriptions of the Australian wilderness bring the environment to life, making it a character in its own right. From tense, high-stakes survival sequences to quieter moments appreciating the beauty of nature, the book offers an engaging mix of action and introspection. It’s also surprisingly informative about survival skills, which adds an extra layer of realism. The dual-POV narration works particularly well, allowing you to get into both Zander and Charlie’s heads. Their emotional arcs are well-developed, and while some aspects of the story lean into melodrama, the characters’ struggles—grief, guilt, and self-worth—are handled with sincerity. The book also includes a trigger warning at the beginning for mental health and personal trauma, acknowledging its deeper themes.

Charlie is a witty, sharp protagonist, using humor and sarcasm as a shield against her pain. Her interactions with Zander range from hilarious to heart-wrenching, and their reluctant alliance-turned-romance is a compelling aspect of the story. Zander, despite his celebrity status, is a layered character whose struggles with self-image and redemption add depth beyond the typical "bad boy" trope. The book also features strong friendships, particularly with Charlie’s best friend Ember, whose presence adds warmth and a sense of found family.

While the emotional depth and survival elements shine, some aspects of the story require suspension of disbelief—particularly certain improbable moments in their survival journey. The romance, while sweet, develops fairly quickly given the circumstances, and the third-act conflict feels a bit rushed in its resolution. Additionally, while the book is marketed as a contemporary romance, the romantic elements take a backseat for much of the story, only becoming prominent near the end.

The characters, while emotionally mature and self-aware, sometimes feel more like adults than teenagers. While this makes for insightful dialogue, it can also make their voices feel slightly inauthentic. The characters were so self-aware of their emotions, which made them very open about mental health and act as wonderful examples for teen readers, but they just didn’t feel realistic. They sometimes thought/acted more like therapists rather than teenagers. Some plot twists, particularly regarding Zander’s secret, are predictable, though they don’t detract too much from the overall experience.

Overall, “Wandering Wild” is an engaging and heartfelt novel that balances adventure, emotion, and romance. While it may require some suspension of disbelief, its well-developed characters, immersive survival elements, and exploration of grief make it a compelling read. Fans of survival stories and redemption arcs will find plenty to enjoy.

Thank you Netgalley and Blackstone for the advanced copy of this book. Wandering Wild is an excellent story- I went in thinking it would be a cute YA romcom, but it ended up being much more than that. There is depth and resilience through all the trials Zander and Charlie face. The story touches on grief, anxiety, and depression in a way that is relatable and has triumph. I am a big fan of the story and characters!

A wonderful adventure that blends suspense, romance, and character growth into something deeper and more resonant than first meets the eye. I loved the arcs of the characters, the plot twists, and concept. And as always, Noni’s writing is a delight. The only part that wasn’t a full five stars for me was the ending, which somehow felt a little too sweet given the more serious themes that gave this book unexpected depth. But overall excellent.

Ahh, I loved this! I devoured it in less than two days, and it was such a cute but also thrilling adventure.

Wandering Wild follows Zander, resident Hollywood star and alleged 'bad-boy' on a wilderness adventure to rehab his image in time to keep his latest movie role, all the while being reluctantly accompanied by Charlie, who ended up on the adventure due to her scheming best friend. The story follows Charlie and Zander through wilderness obstacles, grief journeys, and a whole lot of vulnerability as they tackle a four day struggle for survival.

I absolutely loved both of the characters - Zander was the perfect mix of cocky Hollywood star from humble beginnings, and his relationship with Summer was my absolute favorite. Charlie was relatable and funny without being a total cliche 'not like the other girls,' and I was routing for them the whole time, The character growth was excellent, and I loved the exploration of their grief and mental health journeys. Creative liberties were definitely taken at times, and while the difficulty of their adventures made the story more harrowing and entertaining, it was somewhat unrealistic to think they would have survived these various obstacles, especially spoken as someone with experience in backcountry camping and hiking. This was, however, acknowledged by the author at the end of the book, and I do think was necessary to craft a good story!

Overall, I had a great time reading this YA book - if you're looking for a book about true friendship and taking a wilderness adventure to find yourself (and maybe fall in love), this is the book for you.

Thank you to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for the arc copy.

Truly enjoyed this hard-to-put-down title. “Girl hates boy” slow burn romance meets survival reality tv show, not a combo that I thought I’d enjoy, but it was a fun read. Great descriptions of the physical challenges of a survival adventure. The serious issues that the characters are dealing with were dealt with well.

ummm can i say obsessed?? so this book was everything and more! i’m not much of a YA reader but Lynette blew it out of the park with this one! the adventure, danger, high stakes, with a slow-burn, growth romance was EVERYTHING. i read this one in a day! i couldn’t put it down! i loved everything about this one! it had its deep and heartfelt moments along with its swoony and humorous ones as well! gah, i just loved it!

Looking for adrenalin rush all from the confines of your comfy couch?

Look no further than this YA romance that takes the reader rappelling from jaw dropping heights, navigating caverns swollen with water, and attempting to carefully traverse a flimsy bridge that straddles a death defying valley.

She, of the wonderful "Prison Healer" series (in my opinion, on par with Sarah Maas' ACOTAR) delivers a contemporary novel that will have the reader metaphorically present alongside the characters as they embark on an adventure.

Excellent descriptions of Zander and Charlies' physical challenges as well as the strong feels they experience as they determinedly move thru the land rife with deadly snakes, inedible plants and the ever changing landscape affected by the weather elements. This novel is told from the dual POVs. It had some twists that made this a satisfying read.


This ARC was provided by the publisher, Blackstone Publishing via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.


#WanderingWild #NetGalley

2.5 Stars.

Wandering Wild is a YA rom-com by Lynette Noni set in the Australian wilderness. It's the first book of hers I've read, and I read rave reviews about her Prison Healer fantasy series, so I was eager to try this book out. It includes dual POV from both the male and female main characters, and includes lots of facts about the wilderness and survival.

Summary: Charlie (main female character) and Zander (main male character) embark on a survival trip through the Australian wilderness together for different reasons. Charlie wants to help her best friend Ember (who is in cancer remission), and Zander (a famous actor) wants to re-build his reputation with the public. Together with some tour guides, they begin the grueling survival trip. However, they get separated from their tour guides and end up alone together trying to survive and get back to safety. Through their journey in the wilderness, they also have an emotional journey through some tough issues from their past. Will they end up journeying to each other in their forced proximity? Will they make it back to safety alive?

Impressions: I appreciated that the author took on heavier issues and a more unique story-line in Australia. However, this book wasn't for me. I'm middle-aged and enjoy some YA books such as Lynn Painter's books, but this one was much more geared to a true YA audience and I didn't connect with it. I would personally rate it 2 stars, but thought a YA audience would rate it 3 stars, so I landed on 2.5 stars.

I found the first half of the book to be very slow and not compelling. It felt like filler that should have been edited down, and then transitioned to an episode of Man vs. Wild where I'm being schooled on survival tactics. The middle of the book focused on discussions around some heavy issues, but the dialogue felt scripted, like it had correct answers only and wasn't authentic in the way kids wrestle through things. Although the characters were around age 18, much of their dialogue in the first 75% of the book didn't feel authentic to their age. It felt like they were either middle schoolers, or adult therapists.

The romance didn't really begin until the last 10% of the book, and I didn't feel any romantic tension between the couple. The majority of the book was more about friendship, forgiveness, and working through some really heavy issues. However, I personally felt like the book took on too many heavy issues at once. It felt like it didn't tackle any one sufficiently.

A younger audience might enjoy this more than me, but due to the content listed below and the comments I listed above put this book as a miss for me.

Content Considerations: Light language (includes some Biblical swears but no F-- words), light kissing only and no spice or discussion of sex, heavier LGBT content (one side character uses they/them pronouns, one male character wears eyeliner, and two side male characters are married to each other), some very heavy themes that could be spoilers if listed here.

Thank you to Blackstone Publishing and NetGalley for the complementary copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. My review is my own opinion and is in no way influenced by the author or publisher.

This was the cheesiest (and I mean this as a compliment) feel good novel I’ve read in a long while.

We get chest aching romance, adventure, an exploration of grief and overcoming sadness, and so many almost kisses you’ll find yourself screaming.

Everything I ever wanted in a YA novel. Not to mention the stunning cover.

This book was certainly for me, and I was for this book.

5 stars. No notes.

*4.5 stars*

I received a free review copy of this book through NetGalley, but all opinions are completely my own. Thank you to Blackstone Publishing for the opportunity!

I was excited to get an ARC of this book since I really enjoyed the author’s The Prison Healer series. While this story is quite different from the fantasy series, I really enjoyed it. There are some aspects of the story that are obviously stretches of reality to increase the drama, but I enjoyed reading the authors comments about this at the end of the book.

At first the book felt a little slow while the characters and their situations were being introduced. There were a lot of references to events in the past that were vague, so we don’t find out the actual details until much later. That said, I managed to puzzle some of it together with the clues that were dropped, and it gave the opportunity to learn things when the characters reveal them to each other.

I genuinely liked both of the main characters. They were likable and had depth to them, plus the chemistry between them worked well. I could really feel their emotions throughout the book. I enjoyed the variety of side characters as well, though some of the adults had me pretty frustrated with them at certain points.

Once things got moving, this book had a lot of intensity to it in multiple ways. The characters are in a survivalist show, so that introduced adventure and exhilarating experiences along with the fear when things don’t go as planned. But almost equally, there was an intensity in a mental aspect as well, with both main characters dealing with past events and the associated grief. The story really kept me on the edge of my seat and I had such a hard time putting the book down.

When I read Lynette Noni's The Prison Healer trilogy, I was impressed with how authentically and appropriately she handled some heavy topics woven through the YA fantasy story. In that sense, her first venture into contemporary YA is no different. Wandering Wild is a story that explores grief and working through the difficult things life can throw at us through the lens of a survival adventure story. This was very enjoyable with some edge-of-your-seat moments and experiences. The characters, Zander and Charlie, were likeable, and their slow build from awkwardness and animosity to friendship with fun banter to a blossoming romance felt perfectly paced. There was one moment near the end that gave me pause and I think deserved a little more time before moving passed it, but overall this was a great read! I love Lynette Noni's storytelling!

Thank you Blackstone Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC!

A bad boy actor and a former fan (and current hater), embark on an adventure in Australia in an attempt to salvage his reputation, but like all good romance novels things take a turn and romance ensues.

If a book is described as an adventure romance I’m probably going to read it, add in that this author wrote The Prison Healer, a series I throughly enjoyed and of course I needed to grab this one.

I’m not a huge fan of contemporary YA, but this was certainly a good time, and is the perfect book for those that enjoy the genre.

What’s to love…
- celebrity MMC
- found family
- heart pounding adventure
- great banter and tension
- themes of grief, loss, family and friendship
- dual POV

What’s not to love…
- the pacing was just a bit off for me, a little slow to start and a lot packed into the ending.

This was a fun little YA story but did feel very cheesy and the survival plotline was quite contrived - and a LOT of obvious plot twists.

Overall, it was very readable.

Wandering Wilderness follows Charlie, a regular teenage girl, and Zander, a movie-star heart-throb, as they embark on a four-day reality TV adventure in the Australian wilderness with a famous survivalist. The only problem is that Charlie hates him and Zander needs this trip to go well if he wants to continue acting. Their trip is off to a rocky start that takes a treacherous turn when they two are stranded and have to work together to save themselves.

This is cute contemporary romance with a fun survival twist. The setting was so well described and absolutely beautiful and terrifying. I thought the author did a phenomenal job with transporting the reader. The plot was good and entertaining, but predictable. I enjoyed all the intense moments of them trying to survive and trek across the dangerous landscape. It definitely gets really intense and intriguing in the second half.

I quite enjoyed Charlie and Zander. They both have a very heavy backstory that was explained well and made for their bond to really flourish. I enjoyed the progression of their relationship and thought the ending was really sweet.

Overall, if you love YA romances, you’ll definitely want to check this one out!

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you, Blackstone Publishing and NetGalley, for the early copy.

I really enjoyed this book so much! It’s so different from any other book by Lynette and unlike anything I’ve read before. I definitely haven’t come across an adventure book quite like this—it was exciting, full of risks, and had some truly heart-touching moments. It was a quick read, and the ending was really sweet!

Thank you for the opportunity to read the e-ARC of Wandering Wild. It was one of my most looked forward to releases of 2025 and it didn't disappoint. I loved how Noni found a way to include dragons and the heart behind both mc's backstories.

Just a few notes that I jotted down while reading:

-I loved the open communication and walls that were brought down once the mc's felt safe to.
-I got mad on Charlie's behalf when she was expected to return to work immediately after returning home. Like, after the physical things that Charlie and Zander went through no one gave either of them time to recover.
-The timing feels too soon. Charlie's mom died too recently to face all of things that she is or the expectations placed on her. I feel like the story could have been stronger if it had been 1+ years afterwards for both Charlie and Zander.
-There was off information with the shoe while Charlie was drowning. Her shoe was stuck and she was willing to undo the laces and leaving behind the shoe. Then when Zander cuts the laces, there's no mention of what happens to the shoe. They run through the jungle, without mentioning how difficult that would be with one shoe. Then based on the crossing the bridge scene, Charlie must have both shoes. I was waiting for it to be brought up again and pose an issue while crossing the bridge, but apparently the shoe wasn't left behind? It should have been.

Lynette Noni’s “Wandering Wild” is an adventure-filled romance that takes readers on a visually stunning journey through breathtaking landscapes. The novel excels in its rich, immersive descriptions of the world, making the scenery one of its most compelling aspects. Whether it’s vast open fields, rugged mountains, or secluded hideaways, Noni’s ability to paint a vivid setting is undeniably impressive.

However, when it comes to the story itself, Wandering Wild treads familiar ground. The classic “bad boy meets good girl” trope is at the heart of the narrative, and while the romance has its moments, it doesn’t bring anything particularly fresh to the genre. The characters, while likable, follow a predictable arc, and the emotional stakes never quite reach the depth that would make the story stand out.

That said, if you enjoy a romance that prioritizes atmosphere and escapism over originality, this book delivers. The journey may not be groundbreaking, but it’s still a pleasant ride—especially if you’re in the mood for a novel that transports you to stunning, faraway places.

Thank You NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for this eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

This Teen/YA Romance story follows actor Zander and female Charlie as they are unexpectedly thrust into the wilderness. The story is a cute romance filled with adventures and critters throughout. The characters are lovable (eventually) along their journey. There are some critters they come across on their adventure that I wouldn’t touch much less eat but they do anyhow. The story is deeper than a simple YA romance and touches subjects that the author smoothly navigates. Overall a good read.

#WanderingWild #NetGalley

I’m such a big Lynette Noni fan and was so excited to check out her new book which is so different from
Her fantasies, and it was fantastic! I loved the characters so so much. Their stories absolutely pulled at my heartstrings. The adventure these two went on was the adventure of a lifetime. And that ending! Sigh. So romantic.

I loved the prison healer series and could not wait to read a contemporary romance by Lynette Noni! The begging was a little slow paced for my liking but once the plot picked up I was hooked!