A review by kelly_e
Something Wilder by Christina Lauren
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."
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."
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Sexual content, Gun violence, Death, and Violence
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Sexism, and Kidnapping
Minor: Death of parent and Grief