Writing duo Christina Lauren (long-time writing partners and best friends Christina Hobbs and Lauren Billings) bring us a new romance that is different from their typical rom com writing. SOMETHING WILDER is more of a romantic suspense and features sadder-but-wiser characters that bring some pathos to this tale. Set in the Southwest desert around Moab, SOMETHING WILDER brings to life the stark beauty and harsh danger that the desert has to offer, and I love the vivid and evocative descriptions of the wilderness through which our intrepid characters must battle.
Lily Wilder was haphazardly raised by her crappy treasure-hunting father, who was always more interested in local outlaw treasure than raising his motherless child. Lily’s father sold their ranch out from under her feet, and she’s been laboring to earn enough money to not be destitute, dreaming of buying back the family land. Tough as nails Lily has been reduced to leading cutesy treasure hunt adventures as a sort of mobile dude ranch, using her dead father’s codebook for inspiration. Lily is tough and self-reliant, although I had some difficulty relating to her given how closed-off she started. I warmed to her as the story went on, though.
Along comes unsuspecting Leo Grady to take part in one of these week-long adventures. Leo worked on Lily’s family ranch when she was 19. Leo and Lily had a steamy romance, but Leo appeared to abandon her, leaving heartbreak on both sides. Leo has been sort of sleepwalking through his life, and while he’s a more passive hero than I would prefer, I can definitely understand where he’s coming from as well. Leo knows he’s never fallen out of love but has to convince Lily to take another gamble on him. I do so enjoy a second chance romance!
Leo and Lily’s interest sparks right back up, despite their hurt and their distrust of each other. The fake treasure hunt turns into a real one, replete with bad guys, guns, and plenty of adversity from nature. Our two lovers must overcome all sorts of hurdles to reach their Happily Ever After, but Lauren delivers that in spades. Lauren’s SOMETHING WILDER brings two star-crossed lovers together again, braving intense danger from all sides and a terrible past, to reach their newfound life together.
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.
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