Sometimes I have a rating in my head a few pages in; sometimes it hits midway; I often close a book with a number of stars firmly assigned. This one crept up on me, and the more I wrote and reflected, the count just kept increasing. Truly, this is a five-star romance.

The Pacific Coast Trail is the backdrop for a relationship between a nurse and data analyst (computer analyst? something with IT? I can’t remember and eGalleys are not searchable, sadly.) Recently out–and ousted–by his religious Russian family, lonely Alexei is an avid birder and on the trail to come to terms with this loss and his identity as a gay man. Exuberant Ben has just passed the NCLEX and is on the trail to cleanse his palate from toxic relationships and gain some insight before settling into a health care career in geriatrics. Their meet cute is Alexei noticing a rattlesnake just before Ben and his hiking companions walk into it, and they reconnect again off the trail on a break for food and running water (sinks!) and decide to walk together for a bit.

Their particular chemistry is a mix of banter and attraction and deep appreciation and acceptance for who the other is. There are a few secrets (like the degree of Ben’s queerness) that are early humps to get over, but when Ben asks Alexei to step off the trail for a week to attend a family birthday party and his sister’s high school graduation, he allows the time for processing and Alexei agrees. Unfortunately, he returns to the trail alone when the weight of his loss is juxtaposed with Ben’s welcoming family. The next section of the book is a combination of sent and unsent letters to one another and to friends and family which becomes an excellent device for exploring thoughts and feelings, so Ben and Alexei can rejoin paths at the conclusion of the story.

The journey is a metaphor for their own character development through the desert and into lush woodlands. While told in both viewpoints, Alexei seems to be the one who is more introspective and has more to process, and so gets more screen time (page time?). Formerly observant, Alexei remains prayerful and his spirituality is a lovely thread throughout the novel.

Flora and fauna of the PCT, natural history of the area, and details of hiking culture (trail families, trail magic, trail names, rest days or “zero” days”) make the narrative highly authentic. I’m an armchair traveler and loved the vicarious trip towards the Canadian border, even though I would never want to walk all day and not shower for a week, myself. The descriptions of the setting make the story come alive; Alexei is without camera or phone and has an encyclopedic knowledge of plants and animals that Ben wholeheartedly embraces.

This title comes with thoughtful trigger warnings; medical descriptions stem from minor injuries, self-loathing and family rejection. Kelly is a candid but sensitive writer. The sex scenes are realistic and hot, and the writing hits a few really excellent notes, in particular when Alexei writes of desire lines, the paths that people and animals naturally form around developed paths, eschewing the planned way for the instinctual and right one. The character development is very well-executed (I’ll just say I figured some things out about Alexei before they were revealed). The many literary allusions speak to a very well read writer and augment the story, and the careful construction made this a five-star book for me.

I received a free advance reader’s review copy of #SomethingWildAndWonderful from #NetGalley.

Alexei is ready for Alexei 2.0 after a falling out with his parents he embarks on a 2,600 + mile discovery in hopes of solitude and finding a way to his new self. However after a not so meet cute involving a rattle snake Alexei’s path crosses with Ben as they make a pact to journey together until they at least cross the desert.

As if I needed one more reason to want to hike the PCT, Anita Kelly gives me 300 pages worth of reasons.

This was a sweet, spicy and angst romance all while set on the ever magical Pacific Crest Trail. It had everything I could need in a romance and then some. Forced Proximity, Found Family, and a sprinkle of angsty unsent letters. This book wasn’t without its hardships and I felt my heart break, and continue to break for Alexei everytime he spoke about his parents and how unaccepting of his true self they were.

So needless to say If you want to hike the PCT and find yourself and fall in love.. count me in.

This is an absolutely delightful romance, sensitive and kind to both the characters and the readers. I loved the pace of the relationship, and the way the conflict emerged naturally and resolved in a satisfying and romantic way. Highly recommend!

This book made my heart light. I don’t even have the words. I loved it so much, Anita is a genius and makes her characters feel so real.

What an amazingly heartwarming story! I didn’t really know what to expect other than this being a queer romance novel, and it was that and so much more. Ben and Alexei felt so real! It was a joy to read them and learn about their quirks and their histories. It was truly joyous to see them slowly become friends and then fall into something neither of them expected. I loved that the third act conflict was actually them both needing space to just figure their own issues out so they could (if they wanted to) get back together to give their love another shot. My heart aches for Alexei and I’m so glad he was able to truly love himself and connect with his sister.

This is such a special story and I am so happy I was granted an advanced copy! I’m definitely going to make all of my friends read this and I am going to preorder the audiobook!

This book was amazing!! Anita Kelly's beautiful writing takes you on a journey of the PCT with Ben and Alexei who are also on their own journeys -both physically hiking and personally. You laugh with them, you cry with them, and you fall in love with them along the way. There is a lot of heavy topics in this book but Kelly writes them with so much empathy and grace and there is always a moment of levity at the end. I loved the attention to detail with the setting of the story, as someone from the PNW who spends a lot of times outdoors I felt like I was on the trail with Ben and Alexei. I highly recommend this book and I have a strong feeling it will be one of my top books of 2023.

A thoughtful and compelling romance set in a surprising setting. I've been burned out on all the work place romances lately so it was really fun to see two people meeting in a totally different way. Ben and Alexei both worked through their issues in satisfying ways, and I always appreciate the way that Anita Kelly handles sensitive topics. Great for fans for Kelly's previous books, as well as anyone looking for a lovely slow burn in a unique setting. I hate hiking, but I loved this.

there are few books that make me outright sob as I read them. This is one of the few.

the sheer emotion, the grief at loosing parents who refuse to choose you, the anxiety of being closeted most of your life and discovering your identity in your mid-twenties, the neurodivergence that spoke directly to me, it all came together in a stunning sweep of emotion that knocked me off my feet. This is a masterpiece. Anyone who has struggled to find their footing after parental rejection will understand this story in a deeply personal way.

There's just something about queer people healing in nature that gets me emotional. Do I like nature? Absolutely not. Will I read about others enjoying nature and lose my mind about it? Absolutely yes.

I loved the idea of these two people finding one another and themselves on this absolutely wild hiking journey. No part of me can imagine taking on a hike like this, but I immediately understood the appeal to and how it would be healing to Alexei and Ben.

I really enjoyed both their separate and joined journeys in this book, and my sweet, sweet, Alexei made me cry several times. While my journey isn't the same as his, parts of it hit so very close to home that I found myself crying and smiling simultaneously.

This is such a beautiful book about healing yourself for yourself, and what beautiful (and sometimes scary) things can happen when you live the life you've longed to.

Reading this book was so comforting and encouraging. Anita Kelley brings together two deeply flawed and broken people who help show one another how whole they already are. I just….it’s so…..ALEXEI. BEN.

There are so many moments that will make you swoon and blush, and they are all written with such tenderness and thoughtfulness.

“But you never wanted to change me. You were always just you. Wanting just me.”

Thank you @anitakellywrites, @netgalley and @readforeverpub for the eARC. Something Wild & Wonderful is out March 7 and I can’t wait for you to read it. Anyone wanna go for a hike?

CW: homophobia, familial estrangement, religious trauma, instant coffee

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
🌶🌶🌶/5
🦜🏕🐍📓🥾/5

'Something Wild & Wonderful' easily flew to be one of my top reads of the year from just the first few pages. Anita Kelly once again manages to write a moving story that remains both heartfelt and hopeful whilst weaving complex and utterly delightful characters throughout.

Whilst I'm not familiar with the PCT myself, this being set as the background was such an unexpected joy. To watch love blossom alongside nature and finding joy in all the little things you may not have perceived before. This was such a lovely story of finding yourself in all the people you meet along the way.

I'll admit first and foremost that Alexei was immediately my favourite character. There was something about him that immediately spoke to me and I remember writing in my notes app whilst reading "he is so much like me it hurts", and I was so glad his personality and traits shined as well as they did. I'll delve a little further with spoilers below!

Alexei Lebedev is autistic. I knew this and saw signs of this from the beginning, I saw the reflections of myself in him immediately. I was so worried this would be a case of me reading too much into it but, with one sentence towards the end of this book I felt so gratified. That yes, they will use the word autistic without shame in this book and it will not be a bad thing. It will just be. This rep was so so beautifully done and I send the author all the love in the world for writing him how they did. He, as a character, means so much to me.

But more than that the romance was entirely adorable from start to finish. They were both so in love and kind and gentle the whole way through. Their love was the guiding light to this story, the finding of themselves and seeing how the other made them both stronger and softer. Ben also!! Was a wonderful character, his ambitions and kindness and genuine joy was so sweet.

Just AHHH!!! This book was truly phenomenal and I wish I could write every word of it on my soul. Anita Kelly is a mastermind. I now desperately need a physical copy of this to annotate, 2023 cannot come soon enough <3

Thank you to NetGalley for the eARC!!

Alexei and Ben are hiking the famed Pacific Crest Trail - 2,500 miles from Mexico to Canada. Alexei, trying to spend some time alone in nature to figure out who he is after a great loss, and Ben, attempting to get some deep feelings of restlessness out of his system before he begins his nursing career. The trail keeps bringing the two together again and again, and they both begin developing feelings for one another. But as plans for the future begin to look as tumultuous as the trail ahead, Alexei and Ben wonder if this great adventure can truly last.

!!!!!! I just don't have words. I loved this book. Anita Kelly has done it again, and no surprise, I am a fan. I feel like stories told on great natural adventures are so often nonfiction, that setting a fictional love story in the middle of one of North America's biggest hikes is such a creative breath of air.

Alexei and Ben are both just so lovely and sweet. I love character-driven books, so no surprise, this was a knockout for me. Alexei's sense of contemplativeness really made me think about my own inability to sit in silence in a way that I hadn't before. The way that he and Ben are so comfortable in one another's silence felt so natural and different - not to mention important if you're literally spending every moment together while walking hundreds of miles. Both of them, for tough nearly thru-hikers, had a softness to their personality that I thought was invaluable and made me love them even more.

The story itself felt like a hug - even the few moments of angst, I felt soothed again soon after with its softness. That balance is really something that makes a good romance for me - I don't need (or really want) a super angsty, scream-fighting kind of romance novel. With Anita Kelly, you always know you're going to get the HEA you're craving for the characters you've grown to love in such a short time. Something Wild & Wonderful truly lives up to its name in every way!

3.5/5 stars

I read Love & Other Disasters last year and was thrilled to receive this book early. I was not disappointed, it was a great book. I loved Alexei and Ben and honestly adored the PCT/hiking content. And of course I loved the London and Dahlia appearances.

It is a book with heavy themes and content so readers should be aware but Kelly handled the content in a respectful manner. I really appreciated Alexei's connection to religion even after everything that happened. You rarely see LGBTQ characters who have a connection to religion (often for good reason) but it's an important part of many peoples lives.

I really loved this novel, which I thought was better than Cheryl Strayed's Wild, which Kelly credits as one of her inspirations. (To be honest, I ditched Wild partway through because I was annoyed at it, so I'm probably not a fair judge.)

I found Alexei Lebedev's spiritual and literal journey poignant and moving. I also appreciated the novel's insistence that being a completionist was a seriously unimportant element of hiking even a famous trail. Alexei's Russian family and Ben's Portuguese family were treated unsparingly and lovingly. I can imagine returning to this heartwarming novel as a comfort read, even though I also cried during it. I recommend it!

Out of all the Anita Kelly books I’ve read this one has to be one of my favorites.

I loved the characters Lex and Ben and the story was really beautiful and written so well.

This cover art is AMAZING.

Thank you so much for this ARC copy.

Oh, I so enjoyed this book! Ben and Alexei were adorable and I loved how they were so very different, yet really complemented each other. They were both hiking the PCT to try and find something different within themselves, though that thing was very different for each of them.

While this was a lovely, romantic story, there is also a lot of heaviness in it. Alexei was raised by very religious parents, and when he came out to them they disowned him. There is a lot of Alexei thinking about and talking about this, and its rather heartbreaking. He's also very lonely, even before deciding to hike the PCT, and that loneliness comes through in a lot of different ways.

One thing that I really loved about the book is that Alexei is a birder. I don't think I've ever read a book before with a character who is a birder, and it was perfect! I loved that he could identify birds by ear, and it was fun to be able to both picture the birds he was seeing/hearing, and know what their songs are (as an avid birder myself).

I just have so much love for this book. It is so good, and I highly recommend it. It also makes me want to go on a long hike somewhere. Probably not the PCT, as that is quite the time commitment, but maybe Hadrian's Wall? That one is definitely on my to do list.

From the beginning, this story drew me in. Kelly does a wonderful job of writing about people falling in love in the midst of odd situations. No regular meet cute, Alexei and Ben meet on the Pacific Crest Trail when Lex saves Ben from stepping in the paths of a snake. From there, the two keep running into another and finally decide to hike together.
I adored both characters but Lex, especially made me feel so tender hearted. He’s recently come out and it didn’t go well. He is grappling with that as he hikes. He is just the sweetest and gentlest soul, I wanted to protect him and hug him.

I appreciated the really difficult position he is in, the pull between faith/family and one’s sense of identity. Both characters are authentic and vibrant and you can understand the conflict as you see it coming.

This book made me cry and laugh and cry again. My complaint is there are similar plot points to Kelly’s first book. There’s also something that happens near the end that feels tacked on and not fully developed or nuanced but as I’ve thought about it, maybe makes sense. But those are so minor? I still give this 5 stars on feelings.

How many reading apps to you have on your phone? I jumped to add a 5th one (NetGalley Shelf) so I could read an ARC of Something Wild & Wonderful by Anita Kelly.

The cover is gorgeous and, as an occasional back-country camper, I was really interested by the premise of this one: a romance on a long distance hiking trail.

Anita Kelly is a wonderful romance author who writes memorable characters, and I loved this story. It was a great balance of beautiful setting and adventure with a tender # and sexy romance that has gut punching emotional depth. I’m so happy Ingot to read Alexei and Ben’s story.

This one releases in March 2023.

I really did enjoy this book. The characters were unique and developed throughout the story. One criticism I do have is that the beginning 1/2 was slow. which I didn't have a problem with, but the meat of the story was so rushed. the meeting the family and end bit of the book was so rushed it was all just explaining what happened in those moments and moving on.

Anita Kelly is a beautiful writer and a beautiful human being who writes stories specifically for my gay little heart and that's why all my coins go directly to her. I loved the...darker tone, I guess? The more somber nature of this one and Kellly is an autobuy!