The Wild Woman's Guide to Traveling the World

Confession: I picked up this book because of the title alone. I was in the mood for something light and fun, and the title/cover suggested at this. Besides that, I knew nothing of the plot; didn't read the summary. And wow, I fell in love with this book. The characters were wonderfully refreshing. Sophie made sense. Her decisions, her emotions, her reactions, her everything all left me nodding along. Never did I have a "Come on, Sophie" moment, where I felt like she was doing something absurd just to keep the plot exciting. And Carson was wonderfully deep. He wasn't just a pretty face in the book (though, I did picture him as Chad Michael Murray the whole time, and swooned). The end made me smile. This book made me smile, and I'd definitely recommend it!

I have been so excited to read this book ever since I heard the premise! Like narrator Sophie, I once lived in New York, working at one of those high pressure and high prestige jobs, while nursing an incurable case of wanderlust. The way Sophie struggled with herself over whether to stick to her career goals and five-year plan or to pursue an unpredictable life full of adventure felt so familiar to me, and so authentic. Of course, Sophie's decision also involves a romance factor -- the nomadic artist Carson, who is a perfect foil to Sophie's Type-A go-getter. This was such a fun (and sexy!) read, and I definitely recommend it to anyone who has ever fantasized about chucking it all to follow their dreams (and isn't that everyone?).

I loved this book, with its unique premise and zippy style. The story deftly merges fun adventures with poignant questions about life, dreams, and love. The sensory details made me feel like I traveling Southeast Asia right along with Sophie, and the love story felt authentic, with real obstacles conjuring relatable questions about how we balance our ambitions with the desire to love and loved. Kristin Rockaway nails what it means to be a dreamer in a goal and status-oriented world.

This book is exactly the kind of WF I love. I need smart, fun heroines seeking adventure. I need light books that don't make me think too hard. And I loved everything about this book.

I received an ARC of this novel from Netgalley in exchange for my review. When Sophie, a consultant who travels the world, is finally able to squeeze in a "working" vacation trip to Hong Kong with a good friend, it should be a good thing. Right? But when her friend uses her frequent flyer miles to go with and then bails after landing in Hong Kong, it could be a recipe for disaster. But Sophie isn't afraid to strike out on her own, after all she has created a travel itinerary with every minute of the day planned to see as much as possible. Then she meets Carson. Carson has been traveling for months without a single moment planned. When these opposites meet, will it be a case of opposites attract? Or will their differences be too much to overcome?

I really liked this story! I love to travel so that part of the book was really exciting for me. I really liked the contrast of Sophie and Carson as well. I felt the Kristin Rockaway gave an honest portrayal of two very different people with completely opposing views of what is important in life. This is a must read!

This novel delivered (and then some!) on exactly what I hoped it would - hot romance, well-developed characters, authentic settings, and a very satisfying plot.

The main character, Sophie, struggles with an issue that many of us encounter...whether the goals we've set for ourselves truly make us happy. While on a rare vacation in Hong Kong, Sophie meets Carson - a free-spirited artist who eschews society's conception of "success." The more time Sophie spends with Carson (and, oh boy, is this time together fun!!), the more she begins to question how satisfied she is with her high-stress lifestyle. You'll root for Sophie to find the courage to admit the truth, no matter how much it may go against everything she's previously believed.

Rockaway excels in painting a scene - you can almost smell the food on the Hong Kong streets and the NYC German restaurant that Sophie frequents. Likewise, her characters and their motivations are believable and well-rounded.

I tore through this book but didn't want it to end because I loved the characters so much! An incredible debut. I look forward to reading more from Rockaway.

I've chosen this book to represent "a book involving travel" on my Reading Challenge 2017. It was a very fun, light and inspiring read. I didn't know Kristin Rockaway's work before, but I really enjoyed her writing style. I'm only giving it 3 stars because it's a little too predictable, but not bad at all.

Travel, love, happiness, dreams and real life.
Sophie did everything right, college, career, savings, her plan set and followed. She works at one of the top businesses in NY and gets to travel, her dream. She take a semi vacation with a childhood friend where everything starts crumbling in her oh so ordered and controlled life. She is dumped, found and released for some deep soul searching and adventures that will lead her to a HEA ? yes there is one, this is not a downer read.
I enjoy my wanderlust and I love reading about other's travels nearly as much as my own. This novel was so well written it read almost like a travel memoir in parts it was so vivid and alive in the descriptions. I was surprised to find it held a message, a lesson for living a wonderful life. The romance was toe curling, the jerks were class A jerks, the side characters all well developed. I admit to be a bit disappointed int he beginning by some choices being made, but, well read it for the but, you'll see. Overall a really enjoyable read, a great summer vacation book.

This book really & truly surprised me! Once I started it, I couldn't put it down. I absolutely loved it!!! It was perfect. I keep a log of all the books I've read & this is the best one I've read this year. The only thing I didn't like is that this is her only book! Waaaahhh! I need her to get cracking on more books. She's awesome!

Sophie loves to travel and has a job that flies her all over the world. Unfortunately, work does not allow for leisurely visits to the places she travels. Sophie hits the highlights of the places she goes by making itineraries and checking places of interest off her list. On her first vacation in years, she decides to have a girls getaway with her best friend to Hong Kong. Her friend ends up abandoning her but Sophie finds romance, Carson.

Carson is the complete opposite of Sophie. He does not live by lists or even by a schedule. He challenges her to try things outside of her normal boundaries. Over the course of the novel, Sophie discovers who she is rather than who her family (grandmother) told her she should be. I think a lot of people can identify with this. So many times a person's family has ideas locked in their minds about who they are to the point that they don't even realize the person has grown and changed into someone completely different than their idea of them. Sophie makes a lot of changes in her life and discovers her true work passion which makes her happier all around.

This was a light and fast read. I read it in one day. It was a fun read. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read an advanced copy.

Sophie Bruno is a very accomplished business woman working for a very important consultation company based in New York who travels around the globe at the drop of a hat. Only problem is, she isn’t very happy with her oh so perfect life. She had dreams when she was a teenager that are unfulfilled. But Sophie is chased by inner demons and an over protective and involved grandmother and is too afraid to even think about what might make her truly happy.

When we meet Sophie she is being stood up by her friend Elena who has flown to Honk Kong for a rare holiday with Sophie (on Sophie’s dime) with her friend going back to the States the next morning because she can’t bear to be apart from her on again off again, currently on again boyfriend Roddy for even a week. To say Sophie is upset is an understatement. In a fit of temper she stalks off loosing Elena in the crowd and takes herself off to the nightclub area of Hong Kong to have some fun and maybe even score. Sophie doesn’t really do long term relationships, but she is into one night stands, and she is ripe for the picking after Elena’s bombshell announcement.

Which is where she meets Carson Greene. A fellow American, he is traveling the world as it pleases him, living on a trust fund that his deceased parents left him. He is an artist and a wanderer, which is squarely opposite what Sophie is. But there is something undeniable about the instant attraction they both feel for one another. It’s from here that we see the ups and downs of a relationship and what it can potentially do to a person’s good judgement.

This is a fun little novel that looks at themes of love, reality and the expectations of relationships both familial and romantic. The characters are well drawn and we understand Sophie’s decisions (both the good and the not so good) as she is swept away into a first real love situation. We get to live the fantasy and the reality of living life as a back packing traveller and as a person with serious financial commitments. It also looks at what makes a good relationship and the concessions one has to make in a relationship, and not just a fling. It is a little unrealistic about taking a chance and turning your life around as the path Sophie takes comes a little too easily. But that’s what a novel of this sort is and that’s what you read it for. It’s a fun and frothy look on life that always has a positive spin.

This is fun and fuels the desire in all of us to live life on our own terms, doing what makes us truly happy. It’s not going to change the world, but that’s not why you read this kind of story. It is pure entertainment and it’s just lovely.

The u,timate summer holiday read. A love story littered with descriptions of beautiful scenery. The main character is loveable and her love interest more so.

This book is tons of fun, filled with amazing descriptions of New York City and other places... that made me feel like I was right there in the story... seeing it as they did.

OH and the love story was hot and sexy! Couldn't forget to add that. ;)

If you're looking for a story to take you on an adventure and doing what takes to make you happy... this is the book for you!!!!

4 stars from me.

A fantastic summer holiday read. Really enjoyable. Everything the character did made sense and it was very easy to follow. I'd love to read another book by Kristin.