I think the description of this book does it a disservice. This is not a book about a character trying to lose their inhibitions and shed their perfect image. Jana, in fact, would very much like to viewed as perfect. She does go out of her comfort zone a few times but they were quick episodes that I cannot say she learned much from. Instead, this is a book about being stuck on a trip with her ex and going over their breakup and its effects on her life over and over again. She thinks about it constantly. She talks to him about it. She talks to everyone else about it. It is all she ever talks about so it doesn’t leave room for character development for her or Anil or growth in their relationship. I am impressed that he stuck around to see where she landed because I was quickly over it.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Jana Suleiman fell very hard in love with Anil Malek, they spent two delirious weeks together, until she learned that he was married. Devastated by this betrayal, she broke up with him, didn’t want to hear any explanations and moved away. Later, when she learned that she was pregnant, she rejected his offer of marriage, and instead had an iron-clad co-parenting agreement authored by a family lawyer. She was generous in that she gave Anil equal time with their daughter and didn’t take any pension. What she also did was evade any further contact, keeping their communications limited to a co-parenting app that aligned their schedules. They were both very busy, both working in their specialties, both related to the development of personal tools in needy people.

When they are invited to the wedding of two close friends and participate in what they call the #bridebrigade and the #groomsplatoon, Jana’s life turned completely crazy. The wedding involved safaris around game reservations in East Africa, where their parents came from, very special to both. It also involved being close to Anil, after five years of separation.

Jana is an introvert, clumsy and uncomfortable with people she doesn’t know, and in big groups. With this bunch, she can deal because she’s known them for a long time and yet still had a hard time. On top of the festivities and frequent trips, she has to deal with a very helpful Anil and a very judgmental mother. She was also dealing with her personality and her inability to “let loose” and enjoy the moment.

I loved reading about Jana’s conflicts. She was torn because she hadn’t resolved her feelings about Anil. I felt that Anil wanted a reconciliation, you could tell he still loved Jana but was very considerate of her feelings. He was a devoted father to Imani, handsome and extrovert to Jana’s introvert. He was all kindness in contrast to Jana’s grumpiness. The chemistry was strong between these too, same as Jana’s doubts! I could tell that Jana didn’t know her own mind, she was being stubbornly blind, and was genuinely suffering.

Apart from the beautiful second chance love story, we get a through lesson in East Africa and Muslim traditions. This part of the story went into a lot of detail and I felt that it dragged the story. The wedding festivities took two weeks and even I was tired of all the events, in spite of not being there. The culture lesson was awesome but the detail was too much. Even so, I loved Anil and Imani, their friends, aunties and uncles. Jana’s mother was too dedicated to appearances and Jana was too conflicted. When she’s with the bride brigade, she was a lovely person, with Anil she turned into a grump, and stubborn too! I understood her but wanted to smack her into reason!

Entertaining if a little long winded, beautiful culture and beautiful country, and a lovely love story! Now I’m off to try all the delicious dishes portrayed in the book!

After reading and really enjoying Kamila Knows Best in 2021 (and again when I re-read it before picking this one up), I knew I was excited for this one and to see how Jana's story played out. Plus, I am a sucker for second-chance romances so I knew I would be invested.

Jana and Anil had a 2-week whirlwind romance that ended when Jana found out Anil was still married...😬. She was ready to leave him behind forever, until she found out she was pregnant. Fast forward 5 years: Jana and Anil are respectful co=parents who rarely ever see each other, at least as long as Jana can help it. But both of them are in the bridal party for friends that includes a two-week trip to Tanzania. So some forced proximity, in-person co-parenting, family & friend meddling, and some space to finally confront their past...is it enough to lead to a real future for Jana and Anil?

This is a sloooww burn, with a lot of angst and some frustration along the way. There were moments where I just wanted Jana to stay and listen to Anil, but I did enjoy seeing these two really talk and open up to each other again! I do wish we could have seen a little more of them all together at the end, since it was SUCH a journey to get there. Overall. this was a solid second-chance romance with the most fun setting! Who wants to come on a Tanzanian safari with me??

I absolutely love Farah Heron’s novels. Every single one of her books has been a five star read for me and when I heard she was writing about my favourite secondary character from KAMILA KNOWS BEST, I was counting down the days until I could read it.

Jana Suleiman has always had a hard time loosening up. Maybe because the one time she trusted her heart instead of her head, she wound up pregnant and alone. Five years later, having given up on love and shifting her focus to her daughter and her career, Jana finds herself a bridesmaid in a destination wedding. The only problem is Anil, the father of her child and the man who broke her heart, is also part of the wedding party and she knows it will take everything she’s got for Jana to get through the next two weeks.

This second chance romance made me feel all the feels, especially when Jana allowed herself to be vulnerable and we got a true sense of her. The setting is a character in itself, with Tanzania and the Serengeti adding so much to the story. I have long dreamed about taking a safari and Heron made me feel like I was actually there alongside Jana, Anil, Kamila and all the others.

Heron’s sharp and witty writing pulls you into the story and makes you feel like you are part of the wedding party. I loved JANA GOES WILD and you should definitely put it on your list for when it releases on May 2.

Thanks to Forever (Grand Central) Publishing for the advance reading copy.

I really enjoyed this. Most of the story takes place during a 2-week wedding holiday in Tanzania and I absolutely loved all of those details. I'm jealous of a trip like that, although I'm sure I'd like to travel with so many people.
Jana was an interesting character and I liked how she grew, especially how she confronted her mother and how it wasn't a confrontation but still effective.
I also liked the romance, although I thought Jana jumped to conclusions a little too easily, even towards the end of the book. Anil was a great guy and while I understood where Jana was coming from, her hot-cold behaviour was a little exhausting.
But those negatives didn't stop me at all from enjoying this book.

Oh my god, I loved this so much.
Farah’s writing never disappoints. This is my second book by Farah Heron and you bet it will not be my last. Her books are always so fun and enjoyable to read.

Overall, I want to say you should go into this without knowing much about it because I did and I was so surprised to have liked this more than I thought. This is essentially a second chance romance with a lot emotional parts and the setting of the story was so beautifully written. I cried and i laughed. And of course I loved it.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

Jana Goes Wild was a great follow up to Accidentally Engaged. It was cute and a slow burn romance so be in it for the long haul! Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this arc ebook in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

This literary work was slow paced and difficult to discern the true feelings of the main characters. Jana wanted to shed her good girl persona despite the scandal surrounding her previous relationship with Anil, but had a difficult time following through consistently. Her friend's destination wedding should have been the perfect back drop for the new her, but then Anil showed up. The push/pull between them was frustrating at times and Jana' indecisiveness was not endearing. I felt that her mother was also a negative influence and should probably have played a smaller role in the book. Jana's plethora of friends were a boost, though she couldn't see it until much later. While Anil had done wrong initially, he was an incredibly patient person that seemed perfectly suited to Jana' s contrariness. This book was interesting in the way it included the different cultures and how it all got interwoven between the characters and is an okay read when you have time on your hands..

Jana Goes Wild is a second chance, opposites attract, fake relationship romance set against the lush backdrop of a destination wedding in Tanzania. It’s slow burn, worth the wait spiciness that also handles serious topics like co-parenting, misogyny, double standards, and grief.

Farah Heron writes romances that are full of sharp and witty banter, delicious food descriptions, and characters that draw you in and have you rooting for their HEA from the beginning. I love the close friend groups and communities complete with meddling aunties that she creates. Jana Goes Wild has all of those and more.

I related so hard to Jana - a socially awkward introvert who appears aloof. I loved watching her slowly let down her barriers and step out of her comfort zone. I loved how Kamilah and the bridesmaids supported Jana - having her back always.

I lost my dad a few years ago so I understood how Jana still missed her father and how that grief impacted her relationship with her mom

The depiction of co-parenting was great. I loved how Jana and Anil consistently put their daughter’s needs above their own and doing what was in her best interest.

A destination wedding with safari trips was the perfect setting. I loved learning more about
Tanzania and its culture, especially the food! The Serenget National Park sounds awe-inspiring. The experience of seeing animals like elephants in their habitat instead of at a zoo sounds incredible.

While Jana Goes Wild takes place with characters from Kamilah Knows Best you can read it as a standalone.

Thank you netgalley for this e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

If you're looking for a spicy slow burn romance, this is it! Such a sweet read, highly recommend to any fans of Mariana Zapata for that intense slow burn.

4/5 ⭐
2/5 🌶️

3.5 stars rounded up. I should include the fact that I haven’t read the other book in the series so I might have enjoyed it more had I known more of the backstory. I found the first half of the book really slow and had a hard time getting into it. I understood why Jana would be guarded, but it felt like I was hearing the same things over and over. I did eventually get more into the story though and overall enjoyed the book. The descriptions of Africa added to my enjoyment.

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I was so happy for the opportunity to read an ARC of Jana Goes Wild through NetGalley. Jana was my favourite character in Kamila Knows Best, where she filled the ‘Jane Fairfax’ role in that Emma retelling. I was dying to get into her head and couldn’t wait until the book releases on May 1st.

This book kept me up way too late reading and had me feeling lots of feelings.
As a reserved introvert, I think this story did a really wonderful job capturing the joy that very introverted and reserved people feel when they meet someone they effortlessly click with. It feels like magic. And then the devastation from realizing that person was hiding very important information about their marital status. Oof. Plus social and career fallout from that lie of omission. Ouch. Well done. The hero, Anil, had his work cut out to fix this.

This is a second chance romance, told only from Jana’s POV. I love the tension and angst that came from that narrative choice. The Tanzanian destination wedding setting and the supporting characters were great. A really fulfilling read all around for me.

You’ll get enough context in the first few chapters to read this as a standalone, but I was so excited to discover that this was the same Jana we first met in Kamila Knows Best! I love spin-off/series books and this was such a fun read - thanks to NetGalley for the ARC! Coming 5/2/2023, it kicks off with some serious chemistry, and uptight-introverted-Jana is so relatable to me. I’m still not sure what the ethical implications of tourism are in Tanzania, but wow did this make me want to go!!! A second-chance romance at its core, this make me tear up in all the right moments and really feel for Jana and Anil. I was really glad that this was a slower-paced relationship as it made it feel more realistic, but still an entertaining and enjoyable read!

5/5!

I was stoked for Farah Heron’s newest novel. I adored Accidentally Engaged. I enjoyed the Chai Factor. However, this is easily my favourite of hers.

Farah’s fresh approach to storylines are what I love most about her novels. The plotlines are new, unlike others in this genre.

Her writing was so descriptive of the safaris, animals, the food, the wedding. It felt as if you had a seat at Jana’s friend’s wedding.

This novel was fun, charming, and so relatable. As an introvert, I felt for Jana. So many thoughts Jana had were similar to my experiences. Having said that, the main characters were so thoughtful, fun, and ultimately, you want to have these folks as your friends.

I hope Farah continues to write these types of stories: original and always a fresh take on relationships. I am thrilled she is a Canadian author writing these stories. Always have to do a shout out to mentioning Tim Hortons anything.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, Farah Heron for providing me an advanced reader’s copy of Jana Goes Wild - in exchange for an honest review.

I am a HUGE fan of romcoms and this one did NOT disappoint. What a cute, fun, and easy read. I wish I could read it again for the first time! Maybe I'll "forget" it until May when it's published and then read it again! Great read, highly recommended!

I’m a marketing and publicity intern at Forever Publishing, so I am reading this for work! Aaaaaaand there's a character limit on reviews here are some more words

Heron's characters are characters are vibrant and layered as is her setting. The secondary cast of characters are well-developed and diverse—they are just as memorable and completely worthy of their page time. And can we just take a moment to appreciate how she writes about food?

Fans of hers will be delighted at the cameos. Congratulations, Farah, on another fabulous book!

I loved this. It was such a good romcom that it had literally put me out of reading slump. I really liked the tropes in this one and the romance was top notch. Also the main characters were interesting and adorable enough too!!

Ok, can we get a big applause for this beautiful cover but also this beautiful story that is inside this book!! I loved the picturesque description of the travels throughout Africa and the characters’ Indian Culture. This book also includes a dream wedding that happens in the middle of the Serengeti!! I can’t even imagine a wedding with giraffes and elephants roaming nearby. I have Tanzania on my travel bucket list now. This is a second chance romance novel. Jana is one of the main characters who finds her self needing to push herself out of her comfort zone. She creates a “let loose” list to try new things and become more vibrant. Over the course of the trip in Africa and upon returning home she realizes that one doesn’t need to change oneself to fit in. They can be themselves and still be loved for who they are. Jana's journey made me feel all the feels. It's full of angst and heartache, but also the search for joy and happiness. Jana and Anil really needed to learn to communicate better to express their feelings. These two have amazing chemistry. I loved the topic of co-parenting and how it was dealt with in the book. This is such a hard topic and experience for so many parents. There was humor in the boom, love, heartache and safari animals. Loved reading Jana and Anil’s story. Many thanks to Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and NetGalley for the digital review copy of this novel. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

You can dance, you can jive and poor Jana is trying to have the time of her life!

This was my first (but certainly not my last) book from Farah Heron. I definitely will be going back and reading Kamila Knows Best (to be honest, if I had known this was a sequel, I would have read it first!). From my perspective, the representation of South Asian cultures from the food to the wedding traditions/customs was so strong. I’m excited to try some of the recipes included at the end of the book. The amazing backdrop of Tanzania & the Serengeti for most of the tale was so rich and beautiful! Safe to say, East Africa is on my bucket list!

It was quite the emotional roller coaster for both Jana & myself! The novel did a great job giving Jana the opportunity to to actually go on a journey of self-actualization and we got to go along for the ride. On this trip, she has to balance being a parent to a small child in Africa, being a part of the bridal party for wedding celebrations in Africa, her meddling mother, the man who just interviewed her for a job is also in Africa AND the forced proximity to her ex!

A few of the tropes that found their way in:
-Second-Chance
-Slow Burn
-Forced Proximity
-Only One Bed

I absolutely adored the focus on Jana & Anil’s co-parenting and their abilities to put her needs ahead of their own. I do feel like there was a significant lack of therapy, which would have been good for all parties involved! But when Jana & Anil FINALLY get the chance to talk, the conversations felt so real. They were both just so relatable in those moments. I cried for both of them more than once. I’m typically not a fan of miscommunication but with the circumstances and history around them and how it played out, I was definitely okay with it, more so than other romances I’ve read. The book was an interesting setup as we got him groveling for most of the book, but then her executing the grand gesture. Great little twist!

AND ABBA! I can’t forget ABBA! It’s like Farah Heron knew EXACTLY what I needed when she put MULTIPLE ABBA songs in!

I figured from the title there would be quite a bit of self-realization happening, but not a lot else. I adored this book, start to finish. I can’t wait to own my own physical copy on May 2, 2023!

TW/CW: Infidelity (Unknowingly), Loss of Parent (Off-Screen), References to sexism & homophobia.

ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions are honest and my own.