Christina Lauren's rom com Something Wilder is aptly named. And not just because it echoes heroine Lily Wilder, is set in the modern-day Wild West, and mentions the word "wild" so many times it made my pun-loving heart gallop. No, the biggest reason is that this novel is "something wilder" than those that Lauren penned previously. And that's because it's brimming with, not just romance, but romantic adventure.
Four city slickers take a boys' trip to a Utah ranch in search of fun and fabled treasure. Studly but sensitive math whiz Leo is the one we care about. Because the treasure hunt is led by none other than Lily Wilder, the girl he fell for ten years ago but left behind. The reunion is a surprise to them both and the first of many twists on a trip that quickly goes from carefree to deadly. Yet if the danger is disturbing, then the intrigue of the treasure more than makes up for it. As it turns out, there may be real gold buried out there in the desert, and along with it, Wilder family secrets. Lily and Leo must decide if they can put aside old hurts to find it.
It's a wild ride alright, ripe with riddles and revelations. The Southwestern setting heightens the drama, touching everything with its eerie charm. You know I heart a desert scape escape, so this story -- and fever dream of a cover -- fit the Buffalo Bill. Best of all, the mystery kept me on my toes until the trail's end. Full of all the feels and cinematic scenes, Something Wilder has the makings of something bigger -- like a blockbuster movie.
What a way to ride off into the sunset.
