Reviews with content warning for Sexism - Something Wilder

I've been meaning to read Something Wilder ever since it was published last year, but somehow it had slipped between the cracks of my TBR mountain until now. I tend to enjoy the books this author duo writes, and I've been looking forward to this story with its promise of a treasure hunt and adventure... And I couldn't have picked it up at a better time! This turned out to be the perfect story to read during our vacation, and this might just be one of my favorite Christina Lauren stories to date. I absolutely loved the setting and the descriptions really made it come alive for me. The focus on horses, nature and the treasure hunt is without doubt the highlight of the story for me, and I loved the puzzles and hunt for clues. The second-chance romance was sweet, and I enjoyed getting to know Leo and Lily better... There was some steam involved, but as a whole Something Wilder turned out to be surprisingly light on the romance and the spotlight was on the treasure hunt. Danger lurks around every corner, and it makes you want to keep turning page after page to discover if they will find the treasure and make it out alive. I would have definitely read it in one setting if I wouldn't have been on vacation! All in all Something Wilder turned out to be highly engaging, suspenseful and packed with adventure, and without doubt worth the ride.

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thatswhatshanread's review

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adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.75

Talk about a book living up to its name… THIS WAS INDEED “SOMETHING WILDER”!!! In every definition. Something wild as in reminiscent and inspired by the old western times of Butch Cassidy. Something wild as in holy plot twists! Something wild as in something completely different and thrilling from my fave writer duo CLo!

Don’t get me wrong—this is miles from CLo’s usual romcom. This is like Indiana Jones meets The Goonies, interlaced with their signature flirty banter and heartwarming compassion. It is definitely not your typical romcom. But personally, I loved the genres blurring together.

As a SUPER FAN of Indiana Jones, I ate the adventure of this story entirely up. The Utah terrain setting (um hello The Last Crusade), the promise of long lost treasure, the dangers of the journey. A trip gone terribly… wild. God, this novel was SO much fun to read!! I loved the characters and the ins and outs of their relationships with each other, and I didn’t even mind how convenient Lily and Leo’s love story pieced together. I always melt for a second-chance romance, forced proximity, one bed, a decade of longing, the whole shebang. Throw in some crazy high stakes and I’m beyond sold.

I wish a few of the characters had been there for more than just very specific plot points, but otherwise? LOVED. THIS. BOOK.

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mroth's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional funny lighthearted fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

This was just cute. Nothing revelatory but a fun, fast, engaging romance—with some mystery and adventure built in

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avidreaderandgeekgirl's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional funny hopeful mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

This is 1 part funny, 1 part romance, and 1 part mystery/thriller/adventure, which was a weird mix. It was still mostly enjoyable, but just when you were in a comfortable rom-com part bam you got a mystery/thriller/adventure element, which I didn't care for. I also would have liked more spice in the current times, not just the flashbacks. But the MCs were good people and I loved the ending and her father's redemption.

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iamamyyyyy's review against another edition

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adventurous medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.5

I am torn on the stars I gave this because it's easy to imagine someone loving this. If you are looking for an over the top adventure story with a dash of romance this is it. If you are looking for a romance with a dash of adventure it's probably not for you. I think it's as advertised so it's my own fault. For me it was just outrageously over the top at times and the love story was in the backseat. Disappointing because it contains the forced proximity/one bed trope which is one I usually enjoy.

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emjen16's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

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kelly_e's review against another edition

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adventurous lighthearted mysterious fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.75

Title: Something Wilder
Author: Christina Lauren
Genre: Romance
Rating: 2.75
Pub Date: May 17, 2022

T H R E E • W O R D S

Adventurous • Outrageous • Disappointing

📖 S Y N O P S I S

Ten years ago, Lily Wilder and Leo Grady had a whirl-wind romance when he was employed on her family ranch in Wyoming. When his mother was injured, Leo returned to New York without a word and Lily never heard from him again.

Now living in Utah, Lily is barely making ends meet with her adventure guide company that leads tourists on fake treasure hunts. When Leo and some friends show up as Lily's next adventure group, she means business. For his part, Leo wants nothing more than to reconnect with his first love.

When the trip goes horribly wrong, the group begins to wonder if maybe the legend of the hidden treasure wasn't a gimmick after all. Leo and Lily will be forced to work together and face their past.

💭 T H O U G H T S

This author duo's last few releases were flops for me, so I'd sworn off falling victim to the hype, however, when I read the synopsis for Something Wilder I knew I wanted to pick it up. Unfortunately, it wasn't a hit.

What I like:
• the treasure hunt and the puzzles. I'm a huge fan of treasure hunts, strategy board games, escape rooms, etc. and so I absolutely adored this aspect of the novel. It just felt like such a clever idea.
• the setting. I loved the rural, outdoorsy backdrop. As a country girl myself, it's not often the wilderness plays such a huge role in a book and I was here for it.
• Nicole. Everyone needs a best friend like her.
• Lily's relationship with her dad. I've come to learn that I love romance novels that involve more relationships than just the romance itself. I really appreciated how Duke's love was revealed in puzzles.

What I didn't like:
• over the topness. It felt like the authors were going for shock value and tried to come up with the most outlandish of plot twists. It felt unrealistic, and the book completely went off the rails from that point. This book didn't need to do what it did in order to be successful.
• the character development. Aside from Lily and Leo, the rest of the characters felt flat. It's there story, but the secondary characters could have been fleshed out better/more.
• poor execution. The idea behind Something Wilder had so much potential, yet this one felt like they were in a hurry to get the book finished and not executed to its potential.

At the end of the day, Something Wilder was an escape, but it just didn't pan out for me. It would come as no surprise this was written during the pandemic and in my mind it would have made a better movie than book. This is probably a sign that this writer duo is not for me.

📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• Christina Lauren devotees
• fans of over-the-top plots

🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S

"He was always so calm, always adaptable. She realized, watching him, that he met challenges as if they were an expected part of his path. By contrast, she resented every tiny roadblock."

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samchase112's review against another edition

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adventurous lighthearted tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.25

Fun, unique, romantic — this may be one of my favorite second chance lovers :)

Full RTC!

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