Something Wilder is a playful adventure with a vivid Western setting, some steamy scenes, an unwavering best friendship between strong women, and a satisfying ending you may anticipate but won't mind in the least.
Lily is desperate to scrape out a living after losing the family ranch and all her life dreams that went along with it. Nowadays she uses her deceased father’s hand-drawn maps to guide tourists on fake searches for treasure through the red rock canyons of Utah.
Following in her father's scam of a career pays the bills, but it doesn’t pay enough for Lily to deal with the sight of Leo, the man she once loved, walking back into her life--with a motley crew of friends ready to hit the trails.
Leo would love to reconnect, but Lily is not interested in rekindling their flame after the way things ended. When the trip involves mishap after mishap, the travelers begin to wonder whether the legend of the treasure was fiction after all.
In the acknowledgments, the authors reference wanting to create a Romancing the Stone-type playful, fast-paced adventure, and this comparison feels fitting, as there are some outlandish moments here. Something Wilder is romance with a vivid Western setting, and while the early turns and surprises didn't always feel as though they followed logical paths, I appreciated the mystery-lite story and the satisfying ending that I knew was coming but didn't mind in the least.
With some steamy love scenes, an unfailingly loyal friendship, and a decade-long misunderstanding that is finally resolved, Something Wilder is a fast, entertaining read.
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The writing team of Christina Lauren also authored the books The Soulmate Equation, The Unhoneymooners, In a Holidaze, Love and Other Words, and Autoboyography.