Something Wilder by Christina Lauren: Audiobook Review

Something Wilder is an adventurous romance story of second chances. Set in the rock canyons of Utah, a group sets out on the treasure hunt of a lifetime. I enjoyed it.

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From The Publisher:

Growing up the daughter of notorious treasure hunter and absentee father Duke Wilder left Lily without much patience for the profession…or much money in the bank. But Lily is nothing if not resourceful, and now uses Duke’s coveted hand-drawn maps to guide tourists on fake treasure hunts through the red rock canyons of Utah. It pays the bills but doesn’t leave enough to fulfill her dream of buying back the beloved ranch her father sold years ago, and definitely not enough to deal with the sight of the man she once loved walking back into her life with a motley crew of friends ready to hit the trails. Frankly, Lily would like to take him out into the wilderness—and leave him there.

Leo Grady knew mirages were a thing in the desert, but they’d barely left civilization when the silhouette of his greatest regret comes into focus in the flickering light of the campfire. Ready to leave the past behind him, Leo wants nothing more than to reconnect with his first and only love. Unfortunately, Lily Wilder is all business, drawing a clear line in the sand: it’s never going to happen.

But when the trip goes horribly and hilariously wrong, the group wonders if maybe the legend of the hidden treasure wasn’t a gimmick after all. There’s a chance to right the wrongs—of Duke’s past and their own—but only if Leo and Lily can confront their history and work together. Alone under the stars in the isolated and dangerous mazes of the Canyonlands, Leo and Lily must decide whether they’ll risk their lives and hearts on the adventure of a lifetime.

My Thoughts:

Let me start this review by saying this book has a different feel than the books I’ve come to expect from this writing duo. Something Wilder is more an adventure with a bit of romance versus the romantic comedies I’ve come to love from their books. The authors travelled to this area in preparation for writing this book and this is clearly reflected in their descriptions of the geography.

The story is told in the dual narrative of Lily and Leo. Lily Wilder is a strong female who along with her friend runs an adventure tourism group. She runs a tourism company which escorts small groups on the quest to find hidden treasures. Something that was left behind by her late father Duke.

Leo Grady is on Lily’s excursion with a small group of his friends. They have a romantic past that ended abruptly and Lily avoids Leo as much as she can as the week begins. It soon becomes obvious that Leo doesn’t know this group of friends as much as he thought he did as the real adventure begins.

I enjoyed the romance that rekindles as the week progresses and the two depend on each other for their own survival. There is also an element of mystery to the book which I will not give away. I recommend this book to readers who enjoy romance elements of adventure and mystery.

I listened to the audiobook version of Something Wilder which was performed by Patti Murin and Jon Root who give excellent performances. I loved the enthusiasm and sense of adventure the narrators provided and would recommend this version of the book to those who enjoy this format.

What I Liked:

• The adventure and mystery elements to the book
• The use of a dual narrative for different points of view
• The descriptions of the geography of the setting

Acknowledgments:

Thank you to my local library for bringing in this audiobook.

Similar Books I’ve Reviewed:

The Soulmate Equation by Christina Lauren

In a Holidaze by Christina Lauren

The Honey-Don’t List by Christina Lauren