Jana Goes Wild was such a hit for me! The cover is stunning, the story is heartfelt, and this book sells Tanzania! You'll definitely be planning an African safari after reading!

This book opens with a quick peek into Jana and Anil's two week relationship, that promptly fell apart and produced their adorable daughter, Imani. Fast forward 5 years and they are co-parenting Imani and attending a wedding of friends in Tanzania. They are continuously thrown together and must deal with the issues that have been between them the past few years. Can they get over past hurts and make a future together?

First, the sense of place in this book is off the charts. As I read, I googled and made notes of all the amazing places in Tanzania that I am now dying to visit. Next, the story is so good. Jana's journey made me feel all the feels. It's full of angst and heartache, but also the search for joy and happiness. I loved the look at Jana dealing with extroverted friends as an introvert and learning to be a little more outgoing herself. Jana and Anil had great chemistry, but definitely needed to learn to communicate more. They both showed a lot of growth throughout the book.

If I had one negative, it would be that this book isn't marketed as a series. There are several stories here that began in the author's previous book. I would have loved to see some sort of indication that this book is part of a universe. It didn't negatively impact my experience, but at times I did feel like I was missing a bit of backstory.

I will definitely continue reading Farah Heron. She writes smart, fun, well-developed romance novels. I'm a fan!

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever Publishing for the advanced e-book in exchange for my honest review!

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. Like any of Farah Heron’s books, this one will make you want to wear the clothes, eat all the food, and, particularly for this story, travel to where it’s set. It’s lush and evocative and she always makes it part of the adventures. I will say this story isn’t for me. It prominently features a four-year-old child, and they are not my thing. I’m also not big on high angst or characters who strike me as needing a good therapist more than they need a love interest. But I know plenty of people for whom all of those things are their catnip. I will say the later scenes with Jana and her mother were very sweetly done. And I do appreciate that none of the bigger issues were presented as magically fixed like a magic wand was waved.

Lots of reviewers seemed to really love this book. While overall I did like it, I found myself skimming a bit at times too. Jane has an affair with a married man, gets pregnant, and 4 years later they meet up in Africa for a wedding in Tanzania. Lots of angst, lots of misunderstandings too. Would recommend, although not one of my favorites.

Thank you netgalley for allowing me to read this book. This book was so different and I loved how easy and fun it was to read! It was interesting to read about the culture and the vacation they took but I more so enjoyed how different Jana and Anil’s personalities were but how cohesive the parenting seemed. These characters felt so real. I can’t connect as well to Jana because I’m an extrovert but it really put it into perspective and made me think about how introverts might feel in group settings. Jana isn’t the most likable character she was very negative a lot of the time but I liked how different of a character she was. Some of the characters infuriated me at times but I enjoyed that there really was no bad guy in this whole situation just misunderstandings. I love that the roles felt reversed in this book in the sense where she was the grumpy and he was the sunshine plus she ended up making the grand gesture! Love the mamma Mia reference! ❤️

4.25 ⭐️
1 🌶️

Thank you to the Publisher and NetGalley for a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

This is a second chance romance with a couple they had a fling that ended pretty horrifically and the FMC ends up pregnant so they are coparenting their daughter but do not have a friendship or communicate outside of a parenting app

They both end up at a friends wedding in Tanzania and are forced to fake as a divorced couple due to the FMCs mom trying to save face for her daughter having a baby out of wedlock. There ends up being some humor and the infusion of culture and the Tanzanian background we get a very vivid story.

The angst is high with this one and I have to admit I got frustrated that sometimes this couple wouldn’t just communicate.

CW: infidelity, “slut shaming” , parent death off page

• Single Parent Romance
• Second Chance Romance
• Forced Proximity
• Wedding Celebrations
• Travel: Tanzania


This was one of those stories where I found myself swept up and away – it had a wonderful cast of characters (with cameos from old friends for those who read Kamila), a unexpected but delightful setting, and a really compelling take on the tropes present.
One thing I love about romance reads is I know what I’m signing up for: banter, tension, connection, tropes and a happily ever after. The ones that always stand out for me, are those stories that manage to surprise me. Yes, they use tried and true elements, but they do so in a unique way or in such a way that it feels fresh. Which was definitely my experience in reading Jana Goes Wild.
For one, I loved that this story was a large family destination wedding trip – have I seen that before? Yes. Have I seen it set in Tanzania? Nope, completely new setting for me. Have I seen it with the ex? Yes, but the ex is the father of your child and co-parent and oh wait, everyone thinks you are good friends and you have a potential employer on the trip with you? No, again, definitely haven’t seen this and was surprised. I was really intrigued by the elements at play and loved seeing the exploration of co-parenting.
I enjoyed so many parts of this story and the characters. I want to point out that another thing that really stood out (for me) was the author’s ability to write the FMC (Jana), who I met in a prior book and didn’t get the best impression of, as true to herself and still made me feel for her and like her.
Overall, this story was just really fun for me to read – I honestly read it super quickly, it just flowed for me and I wanted to know what would happen next. Definitely one I will be adding to my physical book collection and I honestly can’t wait to see what Farah Heron writes next.

Thank you to Netgalley and Forever / Grand Central Publishing for the opportunity to read an early copy. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own and freely offered.

Oh, this book was fun! This was a quick and heartwarming read set primarily in Africa. This story follows Jana, a young single mom who unexpectedly ends up at a wedding in Africa with the father of her child.

I really enjoyed the author's character development, as well as her descriptions of the wildlife and landscapes of Tanzania. About half way through, I found myself thinking it was going to be a pretty predictable second half, and was pleasantly surprised by a few twists I didn't see coming.

This was an entertaining and enjoyable story and I look forward to seeing what this author writes next!

Thank you to the publisher for my gifted copy to read and review.

Taking place 5 years after the events in Kamila Knows Best, Kamila and Rohan are getting married in a destination wedding in Tanzania. Jana Suleiman is taking part in the #BridalBrigade, not feeling quite like part of the friend group but eager for a vacation with her mother and daughter as well. What she doesn't expect is to run into Anil Malek, her former lover and her daughter's father, en route to the wedding. While Jana and Anil have been able to co-parent Imani amicably, Jana still hasn't quite forgiven Anil for what happened to break them apart. But Anil is determined to find a way forward...

This second-chance romance really shows the hard work, struggle, and miscommunication that characterizes a genuine attempt to heal the rift between two people meant for each other. Jana has a lot of baggage to unpack over being the "good girl" who became a scandal -- baggage that made it more difficult for her to see Anil clearly. Anil shines as a devoted dad who also wants to do what's right for Jana but often trips over his own insecurity and inability to find the right words with her. There's a messy push-pull between them that creates some awkward moments during the trip, but it felt realistic that it took them a good deal of times (and bumps) to find their way back to each other.

I also appreciated the time given to allow Jana to inch her way out of her own comfort zone and to develop a new social confidence. The friend group offered her so much support, too, and I enjoyed their discussions and laughter. (Rohan's groomsmen seemed to offer the same for Anil, though much less of that appeared on page.)

Thank you, Forever/Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley, for providing an eARC of this book. Opinions expressed here are solely my own.

*ARC Review*

What a sweet story!

Jana Goes Wild by Farah Heron is a vivid account of an introverted woman's adventures in a Tanzanian wedding. She is ready for a two week reset when she learns in the airport that the father of her child is unexpectedly coming along. The novel follows Jana reconnecting with her ex Anil all while being a great parent to their daughter Imani.

The book is fun, the plot about the trip in Tanzania is great (I loved reading about all the animals), and the characters are a trip. It is a quick and easy read that matches the beautiful cover.

Highly recommend!

I don’t always love second chance romances, but I really enjoyed this. I loved reading about Tanzania. I loved the Bridal Brigade and all of the aunties and uncles. Imani was a cute kid and very loved. Jana and A Anil had a lot of baggage and resentment to work through and communication issues to deal with. I liked how everything came together, and the recipes in the back of the book were a nice surprise!

Farah Heron does it again! I loved Kamila Knows Best and now a couple supporting characters get to have their second chance love story. Jana has worked tirelessly as a single mom and is now stuck with her ex and daughter’s father Anil. They are stuck together for two weeks in Tanzania to celebrate Kamila and Rohan’s wedding. Jana and Anil haven’t spent this much time together since their daughter was conceived. At first Jana and Anil act as the single parents they are, but soon the magic of Tanzania and learning about each other all over again brings back strong feelings from the past. Can Jana and Anil learn to forgive each other for their past mistakes and move on, maybe as the family they were meant to be? I connected with Jana a lot being an introvert and feeling awkward in social situations and group settings. The topic of social and cultural norms was was very prominent and makes the reader really think about what is and isn’t acceptable and what societal expectations need to be challenged. The second chance romance, Tanzania setting and deep personalities make this a fabulous book and a favorite read of 2023 for me. Even if the year has just begun, this is a special one!

I had SO much fun reading this book! The setting? Phenomenal. The cast of characters? Incredible. And I loved going along with Jana on her journey of discovery and re-discovery with Anil. She grows so much over the course of the book while remaining herself and every second of it was a treat. Thank you to Netgalley and Forever for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Definitely chose this one based on the cover. It's gorgeous! The story did not disappoint either.

Like all of Farah's books I've read so far, the food descriptions left me starving and wanting to try everything described throughout. The scenery sounded incredible and now I need to see Tanzania at some point in my life. The romance and relationship between Jana and Anil was genuine, and their love for their daughter was felt throughout as they tried to figure out what was next for them.

Definitely recommend!

A great second romance read. The main character, Jana, does experience growth in the story and self-realisation - which I loved. What I enjoyed most about the story, I admit, was the descriptions of the safaris and the animals. This is a vacation that is on my bucket list and I travelled via her descriptions. What an amazing sight to see all those animals in the wild.

I loved the premise of this book and overall it was charming and a fun red about family, love and misunderstandings that get in the way. I felt like Jana made things ways more complicated for herself than necessary, she's a bundle of stress and a bit too angsty at times. I also had a hard time visualizing how Jana and Anil managed to raise a daughter together and not have contact with each other until the destination wedding. I liked Anil and I enjoyed the crazy family dynamics of loving people with good intentions that manage to complicate things more than necessary. It's very relatable.

This book is more than just a second chance romance. I loved the characters and the story. It included an amazing look at co-parenting, love, family, loss, stepping out of one comfort zone, and finding one’s own way. All of this take place with the amazing back drop of Tanzania. I loved the banter between Jana and Anil. And on top of all this I am obsessed with this cover.

Thank you NetGalley, Forever publishing, and Farah Heron for an arc in exchange for my honest review.

I was provided an eARC by the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

I enjoyed this book for a variety of reasons. I loved learning about a different culture and different customs, and I appreciated the complexity of the main characters and their relationship (or lack thereof). This book deals with heavy themes, and I feel the author did a great job navigating those in a way that did them justice.

This book does include the miscommunication trope, but it may be the first time I was not annoyed by it. It didn’t feel like it was thrown in just to add conflict. It felt very natural as a result of the history between the two main characters. The author did a nice job of demonstrating how we can know so much about someone and simultaneously know so little.

The setting was very well written. The author took similar trips with her family, and it really shines through with her imagery. Bonus: there is a recipe at the end for something yummy mentioned throughout the book. I won’t ruin the surprise, but I’ll definitely be trying!

Why 4 stars instead of 5? Certain parts of the book felt choppy - not the story, but the prose itself. There were also portions that felt like the author was speaking in first person even though it’s written in third person, and that was a little grating. All that being said, it wasn’t enough to turn me off from the book. I still devoured it in under two days and would recommend to anyone wanting a cute read, with forced proximity, and a little more depth.

I’ve been really enjoying Farah Heron books. They are snappy, romantic, and they promise a good time. Jana and Anil have so much going for them in this book, they worked well together.Overall I thought this was a fun, delightful read and would definitely read more from this author.

ARC kindly provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Having first met Jana in <i>Kamila Knows Best</i>, I was excited to see where Farah Heron would take her. I loved where this story went.

I really appreciated that there were several years (timeline wise) that passed between Kamila's book and Jana's. Had this taken place immediately after the other ended, it would have felt unrealistic and rushed. But having an almost 5 year time jump made this seem much more realistic.

This is a second chance romance that has a lot of emotion and heart. It has a lot of focus on coparenting which I liked to see. I also loved the banter between Jana and Amil - it never felt forced.

Also, the cover is amazing. It immediately draws people in. Plus, loved the Bridal Brigade!

Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for making this available via a "Read Now Weekend" in exchange for my honest review.

I loved the setting of this book. It was fun to be in Africa with Jana and go on Safaris. I love a second chance romance. I did feel like it was dragging on at the beg/middle, and it felt like a co-parenting book. It also felt a little unrealistic to me that Jana and Anil would co-parent 50/50 but have had minimum interaction over 5 years. It feels like they would have to have more conversations and make decisions together as she grows. The conflict at the end was blah. I did think the MCs were sweet though and was rooting for them.