Wanderlust was pleasantly surprising. It’s a UK romcom about a girl (Dylan) that wins a radio call trip around the world. Her travel partner has to be a random person selected from her phone. It ends up being a random guy she met at a club. They travel from London to Australia, Tokyo, Bangkok, Cape Town, Iceland, New York, and Mexico. The trip starts out rocky as they are both keeping secrets from one another. Dylan is writing a column for her work about the trip, but is supposed to put a romantic spin on it. Jack isn’t sure if leaving his job and disappointing his family for the trip is a good idea. As they travel they quickly begin to feel a bond. Will this unlikely acquaintanceship turn romance?

This was incredibly delightful and such a trip! I immediately requested it from the library, so that I could read it again.

Bored with her job as a magazine writer, Dylan enters a radio contest on a whim. She's shocked when she wins a six-week trip with Jack, a virtual stranger. She hopes that writing about their adventure for the magazine will lead to her own column. But how will she manage to endure tight quarters with a sullen man who's her complete opposite?

This book is more women's fiction than romance, with the focus on Dylan's job more than on her relationship with Jack. We don't get Jack's point of view at all in this book, so he can be difficult to understand for much of the book. I found him fascinating, so I was sorry we didn't get more of a window into his character.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

This was adorable. I love a travel romance, and I love even more when the book addresses how things might change outside of vacation. While I was here for the romance, the travel descriptions were an amazing bonus. They were so lush and evocative, and gave me the same warm and fuzzies I get from actually being on vacation.

Additionally, I appreciated that abortion was part of Dylan's story. Abortion stories deserve more places in romance literature. On top of that, Wanderlust did consent wonderfully.

I do think that the waiting for the shoe to drop while one character withholds information from the other character trope is a liiiiiiiitle tired. It always makes me a little anxious, but maybe other people like the tension.

If you liked Unhoneymooners and People We Meet on Vacation, this one's for you.

3.5 ⭐

Thank you to NetGalley and G.P. Putnam's Sons for the eARC. All opinions are my own.

I was honestly just kind of bored and gave up. The summary sounded so cute but once I started reading it felt like a chore. I didn't enjoy the story and I really didn't enjoy the characters.

I wanted Dylan to be this super fun go with the flow kind of girl but instead I got someone who, it seems, is mad at the world. She just wanted to be famous for an article she wrote once upon a time. And Jack just seemed to be there.

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for an ARC of this book. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

What I liked the most is the premise for the plot: a trip around the world with someone from your life’s periphery.
Dylan grated on my nerves for most of the book. She betrayed Jack’s trust wholesale even after he asked her not to include him online for reasons he explains AFTER she misleads him and does it anyway.
I would have left her at the nearest airport but the book isn’t about me.
The ending is positive but I wouldn’t bet on them remaining a couple because I think Dylan is very self centered.

I am a sucker for travel and for a missed connection story, so this was right up my alley!! The story takes place over a 6 week vacation and I loved mentally traveling to all the different countries and tagging along on their adventures. A truly great summer/beach read and definitely something to pick up if you're feeling some wanderlust yourself!!

Wanderlust takes us on an a journey around the world with Dylan, a writer who won a radio contest for a long holiday with just one catch - she must take someone picked randomly out of her phone contacts. They just so happen to pick Jack, a guy she hit it off with while out one night months ago.

I enjoyed the setting of this book, the constant travel and all the places they visited along the way. It was written in a familiar quirky, British way that I find charming and the premise had potential. Unfortunately, I had trouble connecting with the narrator and main character, Dylan. She made a lot of assumptions about Jack and acted pretty horribly for the first half or so of the book. We also didn't get to see a lot of dialogue between the two, but only got Dylan's perspective or description of their interactions. This did get better as the book went on and I would have loved to get more of Jack's POV.

3.5 stars
Wanderlust is a promising debut by Elle Everhart for lovers of travel and travel romance. I found myself fully into the first third of the book and loved the premise. Dylan magically wins a once in a lifetime trip around the world, but the catch is that the radio station gets to pick her travel companion out of her contacts in her phone. They randomly choose Jack who Dylan met out one night at a club and never followed up with or called. As these two awkwardly reunite, I was so ready for the banter, forced proximity, and lack of space from one another. A but if a slowburn, the tension begins mounting as Dylan and Jack must share a room and sleep inches away from one another. To be honest, I thought they would get together quite a bit sooner, but Dylan does something that she knows is a bit of a dealbreaker to Jack and her guilt prevents her from acting to quickly on her feelings. As swiftly as this book began, I felt it deflate a little once it hits the main character conflict. Things go from hot to cold so quickly (which is believable), but once the conflict is remedied, it’s as if nothing ever happened to cause distrust between them. I think this kept me from feeling like the romance between Dylan and Jack was as authentic as they would have me believe. The way Dylan “fixes” her problem (I can’t describe because SPOILERS) is a bit genius and I appreciated how she handled it with Jack, but again he seems to quickly forgive her.
Perhaps the issue is with the pacing of travel time. When things cool off in Reykjavik, it seems like no time before Jack and Dylan are ready to jump into bed with one another. I think there was a bit of a missed opportunity to play up the travel more, but found that there were several other conflicts the characters had to deal with involving their parents instead. Wanderlust should come with a content warning for anyone that feels triggered by talk of abortion and doxxing—neither bothered me, but these are some issues that take up a fair amount of the story and could prove problematic for some. I’m not sure how necessary they were to the storytelling except to cause strife between the MCs and their parents. It brings a bit of a downer to a book that could have been a little more fun. On the flip side, the bedroom scene (there’s only one) between the MCs is well written and I would love to see more writing like this from the author.
Thank you to NetGalley and Putnam for this advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

I really wanted to like this one, but unfortunately it wasn’t for me. I personally found the FMC, Dylan, very unlikable. The fact that she has trauma doesn’t excuse the fact that she is kind of a jerk to the MMC. At the start she doesn’t care about his feelings, belittles his fear of heights, and ignores the anxiety that comes with being late because it’s not a big deal to HER. She takes very little responsibility for her actions and decisions until after she hurts someone. Just could not get behind the romance!

In summary:

Dylan's boss: write this article with the angle of reuniting with a one night fling it'll drive readership up
Dylan: okay
Dylan when it blows up in her face: I was manipulated by my boss

Thankful to NetGalley and Penguin Group for the chance to review in exchange for an honest review.

An impulsive call to a radio station contest changes the lives of both Dylan and Jack. She's frustrated at work- she wants her own column at the magazine- and the opportunity to travel the world, even with someone she only met once seems like a chance to maybe, just maybe do that. Turns out that she and Jack are opposites (he's neat and obsessed with being on time and she's, well, not) but that isn't an impediment to their relationship which suffers only when she breaks one promise. But don't lose faith; this is rom com territory so you know things will look up. Everhart takes on the impact of doxxing and social media. I gotta admit that were I Chantal, I'd be really tired of Dylan (I was tired of her focus on that column). I wish these two had spent more time on what they did and ate and saw at their various stops (there's too much at the Japanese bar and not enough once we move on from there) and less time with Dylan fussing with photos etc. Thanks to the publisher for the ARC. A nice debut.

*3.5

This was cute but I feel like it was boring. They were traveling around the world but I don't think we really got enough information about what they were doing. I kind of wish it was dual pov, it would have made it more interesting and given a bit more depth to Jack's character.

I received an arc through netgalley.

the comp titles of the unhoneymooners and people we meet on vacation are a little obvious and on the nose, but i found the relationship between dylan and jack really charming

This was a pretty fun story of a sort of forced proximity travel romance. The concept was interesting, and it was an enjoyable read. I liked the banter and chemistry between Dylan and Jack a lot. I would have loved to see a little more about their actual travels, with more descriptions of their destinations.

*I received a copy of this for review. Thanks to Netgalley and GP Putnam. This review is my own opinion.*

I wasn't sure what to expect going into this book; I feel that the blurb is sort of intentionally vague. Dylan is a writer stuck in her job at a Cosmopolitan-esque magazine, hoping for more. But after an article she wrote went viral, she got death threats and was doxxed. When she wins a contest for a trip with the caveat that her companion has to be randomly chosen from her phone, both she and Jack, a random dude she met at a club on the night her imploded, agree. What follows is a SIX WEEK LONG TRIP (wtf I want to win THAT contest too) with a guy she ghosted whom she thinks is a tosser. I actually really hated how she treated him at first based off a thirty second phone conversation, but she gets better quickly-- he's supposed to come across as an asshole but Dylan sprung a lot on him at the last minute. It's kind of understandable. Plus they barely knew each other. ANYWAY. Eventually they grow closer, with Dylan easing up on her annoyance of him (except he enjoys it) and him coming out of his shell.

I loved the various settings of their trip, and I really enjoyed reading their shenanigans. One thing about this is that there are few other characters with much on-page presence; the other characters are *mostly* seen through text chains, so if you like a broad cast, this may not be for you! I don't mind, and I enjoyed it!

There is mention (past, not discussed on page except for saying it happened) of abortion, doxxing, death threats, and general online assholery, so do be aware of that going into it.

Wanderlust follows Dylan, a writer for a magazine who is trying to get her own column with the magazine she currently works for. She ends up winning a radio contest to travel around the world, but the catch is that the station gets to choose one person at random from her contacts to go with her. This could have been anyone, but it ends up being Jack, a guy she labeled as "posh" and ghosted. We follow the two of them as they travel around the world and bond together through exploration and social media posts.

I generally liked this story. I liked that each MC had their own problems that needed resolving. It was also nice to see their relationship grow through travel. I would have really liked to get more descriptions of the places that visited, but I understand that that might not have been explored more for length purposes. It took a really long time to get to the spice. So long that I actually thought it might be closed door. Additionally, I would have liked more open communication between Dylan and Jack. Overall, this was an okay read. If you like travel and some sweet romance I think this will be perfect for you.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for this opportunity

Wanderlust | Elle Everhart
fast paced + forced proximity + world tour

Dylan Coughlan just needs a break: a break from family, a break from writing nonsense quizzes, a break from the ins and outs of daily disappointments. She is desperate to break this depressing cycle, exasperated by her boss dangling the column of her dreams in front of her like a carrot. A stroke of luck lands her a trip around the world (and more promises of her own column) with only one catch – she must take the all-expense-paid trip with a random contact in her phone chosen by the radio station. Jack “the Posho” Hunton is a stranger from a club that she never bothered to call back. Unsure if her travel partner is out for revenge or just generally despises her, they set off as tension builds, morphing into something much more thrilling (and spicier than a vibrant Indian marketplace).

Having spent a lot of time at home, I LOVED living vicariously through Dylan and Jack as they hopped all around the world - the contrasting destinations really set the tone and pace of the novel adding spice and variety to every leg. The spicy market in India was the perfect storm of tension and adventure and Mexico provided a brilliant blend of settled relaxation along with a sense of awe toward their journey reflecting the wonder of the ancient temple itself.

An adventurous trip around the world combined with the spice and electric chemistry between Dylan and Jake provides the perfect summer escape, even if you’re sticking close to home. After finishing this book, I immediately went searching for Elle Everhart’s catalog and was surprised to find that this is her debut novel! This was brilliant and I’m definitely looking forward to whatever stories come next.

4/5 stars and an incredible escape
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for the ARC for review!

Rating: 3.5/5

I loved the premise of this book! In reading, I wanted more - more information on the locations they traveled to, more romance, more character depth.

This was a cute, easy read but could have been better.

I picked this one up because of the tagline "People We Meet on Vacation meets The Unhoneymooners." Unfortunately this one completely missed the mark.

Dylan calls a radio station and wins the trip of a lifetime, however there's a catch. The radio host will choose a random person in her phone to travel with her. The person he chooses? An old one night fling. If that isn't awkward enough, she doesn't even remember who he is.

This premise sounded adorable, but where the author went wrong was here-- Dylan chooses to use this trip as an opportunity to hopefully snag a permanent column in the magazine she writes for, but this sudden spike in popularity, reminds her readers of a viral article she wrote about her abortion a few years back.

I understand the author was trying to be relevant and bring up the very important topic of women's rights, but it was incredibly overdone...to the point where it felt like she was preaching to us. There was one conversation, in particular, that went on for SO long i was totally pulled out of the book.

I liked the travel aspects, but I feel like the atmospheric opportunities were missed. I found myself forgetting they were supposed to be traveling, so i think we needed a little more details about the locations they traveled to since this book was literally about people traveling the world. Because the synopsis compares itself to People We Meet on Vacation, (one of my favorite romance books of all time) I couldn't help but also compare the two, and Wanderlust didn't meet those expectations.

There were parts that were sweet, and i did appreciate that the spice was there, but not smutty. I also really loved Dylans relationship with her brother and thought the end was sweet. Overall I think it's a solid two star. I would consider reading another of her books because the idea of this one was fantastic. I just hope the next one is cleaned up a bit. :)

Summer vacation plans? Open your bag, lovingly place Wanderlust inside (we cannot have this beautiful cover get besmirched by any delicious yet messy snacks), arrive at your destination and READ THIS BOOK!

I cannot believe this is a debut novel. Wanderlust is fantastic and aptly described as People We Meet on Vacation meets The Unhoneymooners. Our heroine Dylan is a magazine writer struggling to get her own column when she randomly calls the radio station and discovers she has won a six-week trip around the world. The only catch? The radio station gets to randomly choose her travel partner from the contacts in her phone. When they land on Jack the Posho, Dylan vaguely remembers someone she met in a bar on one of the worst nights in her life. While Dylan is excited about the random opportunity that has presented itself, Jack seems less than impressed with his new travel companion, yet can you really avoid bonding with someone when you are sharing a hotel room?...
The chemistry between Dylan and Jack was pure perfection and reading this, I actually saw them fall in love and not just be told they did. Dylan was a fantastic heroine who was unashamed to be herself and also built other people up while knowing her own boundaries. While this book features an amazing trip and exotic locations, it is also realistic and everything is not always kittens and unicorns. Elle Everhart tackles the topics of cyberbullying, emotional abandonment, and abortion with a deft hand and I will gladly read anything she writes in the future…right after I purchase a physical copy of Wanderlust, out July 4.

Thank you to Netgally and G.P. Putnam’s Sons for providing an e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.