I kept seeing people say this book was “Unhoneymooners” meets “People We Meet on Vacation” but it just missed the mark for me. Maybe because it was too unrealistic? I had high hopes and just don’t think it was necessarily for me but I did enjoy parts of it.

I absolutely loved Wanderlust by Elle Everhart! It’s the perfect mix of humor, heart, and adventure. The dynamic between Dylan and Jack had me hooked from the start—full of sharp banter and hilarious tension that builds into a deeper, more meaningful connection. Their enemies-to-lovers journey felt fresh and fun, with real emotional growth that made me root for them all the way.

The travel aspect adds so much vibrancy to the story, and the descriptions of each destination are so vivid, it’s like you’re traveling with them. This book gave me all the feels—romantic, funny, and uplifting. If you love a rom-com with adventure, this one’s a must-read!

Wanderlust by Elle Everhart is a delightful slow-burn rom-com that beautifully captures the essence of travel and self-discovery. The story follows Dylan, a relatable protagonist navigating her life against the backdrop of stunning international locales, which adds a vibrant flair to her journey. Everhart skillfully weaves entertaining banter and complex character backgrounds, making it an engaging read, especially for fans of the forced proximity trope. With a mix of humor and heartfelt moments, this debut novel is sure to charm readers looking for a romantic escape.

Wanderlust by Elle Everhart. Pub Date: July 4, 2023. Rating: 2 stars. The premise of this novel seemed so fun and fresh with an around the world trip provided by a radio station with the catch of they get to pick a random contact from the winner's phone to travel with that person. I think readers go into this book thinking it will be a romance, but unfortunately I felt the characters did not mesh well and honestly I thought the author added too much of a political front to this storyline as well. I also am not a huge fan of the lack of communication trope, which this book highlighted. This was a miss for me. Thanks to #netgalley and #penguingrouputnam for this e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

I had to DNF this after attempting to read it multiple times in spite of the writing and plot being good. I feel that I am not the intended audience for this story, and that others will be able to relate to the main character in a way that I was unable to.

I thought this was a really cute summery travel story! I have not read anything like it before so I liked that. It wasn’t my favorite book I’ve ever read, but it was cute!

"Wanderlust" by Elle Everhart is a charming but uneven read. It follows Cassie, a travel blogger, on her journey across Europe. The vivid descriptions of destinations are a highlight, making you feel like you're right there with her.

Cassie is a fun and spirited protagonist, and her interactions with locals and fellow travelers are heartwarming. However, the pacing is uneven, and some parts of the story drag. Cassie’s character development feels superficial, and the self-discovery aspect doesn't go deep enough.

The romance subplot is sweet but lacks depth and complexity, making it feel predictable.

Overall, "Wanderlust" is enjoyable for its beautiful settings and adventurous spirit but falls short in character development and pacing.

This was such a fun and cute premise for a story! I really enjoyed the characters and the journey we went on with all of them. I'd recommend this for a fun vacation or anytime read. Thank you for the chance to read this story!

This book is a sweet rom com, perfect for a quick and enjoyable read. The characters are likable, and the story is charming. Cute vacation read!

Thank you NetGalley and Elle Everhart!

As someone who suffers from a great deal of wanderlust, but unfortunately, cannot break the ties of my desk frequently enough, Elle Everhart's debut novel Wanderlust had a lot of appeal. Dylan, a magazine writer, wins a radio station contest for an all-expense paid trip around the world, but there's just one catch ... someone will be accompanying her on this trip. Someone who is randomly selected from the contacts in her phone.

If you are like me, forever not storing numbers, then this would not be the dire predicament that it turns out to be for Dylan. Because who is selected from her phone? Random posh guy who she once met on a night out and hasn't thought of since. "Jack the Posho," as he is so affectionately labeled in Dylan's phone, will be traveling for the next two months with her, seeing the sights and sharing meals ... and even a hotel room (two beds, of course!) If these two weren't such opposites, perhaps this wouldn't be a problem. But opposites they are, so you know they are going to butt heads throughout this trip.

When Dylan experiences a bit of a work crisis, and the two break down barriers and get to know each other a little better, they discover that traveling and new experiences is good for the soul, and that there may just be a little more behind this trip than they originally anticipated.

As promising as it seemed, Wanderlust was unfortunately only a middling read for me. Part of my frustration with the novel came in the form of Dylan and her job. Dylan was not at all an endearing character, and I found myself disliking her more and more as the novel progressed.

SPOILERS AHEAD ... One of the major conflicts that Dylan has in this story comes in the form of a prior abortion revelation in article she once wrote, which received scathing comments. This is the first instance of many in this novel that I had to suspend disbelief. Granted, while there will always be abortion naysayers, the age-old "I had an abortion" thread is not so uncommon, and while people may express their discomfort with another's abortion in the comments of an article, I had a hard time believing that Dylan's life was absolutely ruined by this admission in her article.

Furthermore, when Dylan's career as a magazine writer goes south toward the end of the book, she does a quick 180 and instantly becomes a rising influencer without struggle. Considering that I did not find her content to be even mildly compelling (frankly, it was pretty basic), it is hard to believe that she would find success so easily. And not only does Dylan make it as an influencer, but she convinces Jack to ground his future career in social media as well!

Unfortunately, these unconvincing plot points really soured my mood toward this book.

Wanderlust was a quick read perfect for summer (even though it is set in January or February) in my opinion. I enjoyed getting to know Dylan and Jack and seeing the world with them.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for my digital ARC!

This was a great beach read! It was light, romantic, and fun. This book reminded me of The Unhoneymooners. It wasn’t a super unique idea but still fun to read.

This book was not for me. I appreciate the publishers and netgalley giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

Incredible concept - I loved the travel aspect to this. But unfortunately, it just fell flat for me. I had a hard time staying interested in this one. I only finished it to give it a fair chance since this was an ARC. However, it wasn't an enjoyable read for me.

I love a good travel read and this did not disappoint. It’s a slow burn, which I love, and we watch the two main characters dance around their feeling for each other while also reading about their travel. The lack of communication isn’t my favorite and watch a FMC make decisions that she’s knows are wrong did bump this down in rating.

This read reminded me quite a bit of How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days (minus the fact that she’s not trying to lose this guy). What I loved here is that she really tried hard to do right by him. Wanting to prioritize feelings as best she could and making amends as quickly as possible when she failed.

Romance with a plot line as well as contending with real issues are always my favorites!

I unfortunately had to DNF this book. I found myself putting it down frequently and it took too much effort to pick it up again.

Thank you netgalley and publisher for the opportunity to read and review this arc honestly.

This was great for the easy travel or vacation book. It was a bit of a slow burn and I would start to lose interest but was invested enough to follow through and complete it. Overall I enjoyed it all right.

2.75?
Giving a 2 because a 3 is too high. It's not a bad 2, but it's not a fantastic 3.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for my complimentary e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

I have mixed feelings so this review will absolutely be all over the place & a complete stream of consciousness.

I started this book when I first downloaded it from NetGalley on March 13, 2023.
I also had no issue putting this down and forgetting about it. I finally marked as a soft-DNF in July 2023 at just 38%. There was nothing necessarily wrong with the book, and it definitely holds its own - I had no issue picking up from where I left off. When I finally decided to pick the book back up again a year later, I remembered the plot: The main character wins a radio contest for free around the world vacation, only catch is the radio station got to pick a random contact from her phone - who just so happens to be a random guy she met at club once and ghosted. They travel country to country together.

I tried the audiobook from 38%-45% and it just wasn't for me.

While this book had a lot of serious topics being a part of the main character's story, I don't like the serious bits were siloed into their own sections while completely ignoring the A-plot. We had pages and pages on end after the 50% mark that focused solely just on these topics. Total derailment from the fun of the traveling. Then somehow we're back at another airport.
Speaking of the traveling, we saw bits and pieces from each country before it was off to the next - I wish we saw more of each destination.

I really enjoyed the concept of this and enjoyed bits & bobs, but everytime it got good, it quickly took a dive.

By the end of this (the final 10%) I no longer cared and it took me 3 days to finish.

The perfect travel / vacation book. Reminded me a lot of People We Meet On Vacation in all my favorite ways - strangers to lovers, quick read, cheesy type of love. Definitely a slower start to the book but it picks up as you keep reading!