Wandering Wild is for my fellow girlies who dreamed of dating a Hollywood Bad Boy, unattractive teenage photos and all. Equal parts funny, action packed, and full of pining, this is an adventure I think everyone will enjoy!

Zander Rune used to be Hollywood’s sweetheart, but a bad decision ruined his PR, destroyed a friendship, and is at risk of costing him the biggest acting role of his life. When his agent suggests a solution, he knows his only option is to agree- go on a wilderness reality show with a fan selected through a lottery.

Charlie Hart used to be Zander’s biggest fan. That is, until he made an utterly unforgivable mistake. After her best friend Ember wins the wilderness trip but is unable to go, she finds herself agreeing, even though hatred courses through her body whenever she even hears his name.

The trip should be easy. Four days in the Australian Wilderness, with an acclaimed survivalist, and a full film crew. All she has to do is pretend to be Zander’s biggest fan, he gets his career back, and life can return to normal, right? But things aren’t quite as simple as they seem, and Zander is harboring a bigger secret than anyone realizes.

Thank you so much to Blackstone and Netgalley for the e-arc! I thoroughly enjoyed this and I encourage everyone to pick Wandering Wild up on May 20th!

Review will be up on socials either Saturday or Sunday!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an early copy in exchange for an honest review.

Review: I think those who are within the target age range will love this book. It does a great job of showing how adolcenes and new adults experience very adult problems much earlier than we give them credit for. I enjoyed the wilderness aspects that's the main reason I requested this book. The writing is good, it has witty banter and lines that actually made me laugh. My only downside, is not a fair one but one I want to communicate to other potential readers, it does not translate to adult reading. This premise would make an excellent adult book as well. For YA readers this is a great and heartfelt read. If I had a teen at home I would love for them to read and experience it.

*rating is based on age group

I’d give this one a 3.5⭐️.

I'm always up for a good adventure story, so I was pretty excited to dive into this one. The whole wilderness survival vibe, especially set in Australia, totally caught my interest. I really enjoyed the thrilling parts. But when it came to Zander and Charlie, I just didn’t really feel the chemistry. There were a few sweet moments, but their chemistry felt a bit flat to me. I was kind of waiting for more tension or a stronger buildup to really believe in their relationship. The characters could’ve used a bit more depth too, in my opinion. And the twist? Honestly, it didn’t sit right with me. It felt off and kind of pulled me out of the story.

That said, it’s still an enjoyable read overall. If you're into YA contemporary romance mixed with survival themes, emotional moments, and a touch of found family, you might like this.

A wonderful read!
This novel drew me in from the very first page and kept me hooked until the end. The characters were vibrant and relatable, the writing was engaging, and the story had just the right balance of heart and humor. Highly recommend!
Many thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

What a wholesome YA romcom! On the surface it’s fun and adventurous; however, there is a depth in this wilderness survival story that explores grief and mental health with some sweet closed-door romance and amazing friendships. Was it a bit unrealistic? Sure. But I also feel like this is a great feel-good escapism story, and would deem it totally appropriate for teens to read. Overall, I enjoyed this one!

Thank you Blackstone Publishing for the ARC!

I have only read the Prison Healer series by Lynette Noni prior. Wandering Wild is such a great novel and my past teenage would have devoured this book. I loved Charlie and Zander as MCs. They grew so much individually and they both had individual trauma that ended up connecting them. I adored their banter and how they're always saving each other while trying to trek through Australia. The ending was very cute and sweet. This was such a great novel and I will always be making Lynette Noni my top YA rec when people ask!

“The books I write are intended to offer you an escape, and since reality can often get in the way of a good story (annoying!), I had no shame in bending a few truths for entertainment purposes.”

There was a point along my read of Lynette Noni’s <i>Wandering Wild</i> where I highlighted a section of the text and left a comment: And this was the moment I realized I just have to completely suspend my disbelief.

I feel like Noni’s author’s note truly encompasses a lot about how I felt while reading <i>Wandering Wild</i>. But what’s interesting about this is the fact that once I decided the book I was reading was one in which I simply needed to accept that certain rules and understandings I have of the world are just not going to apply to this one, I found I really enjoyed the vast majority of the book. Sure, many of the adventures were rather unrealistic. No, it didn’t make sense at all that Hawke, this experienced mountaineer, would suggest that the untrained people he was supervising should be the first to repel down a significantly high cliff without someone at the bottom. Yeah, the dangers that our lead characters faced were a bit excessive in number. The twist was incredibly silly, sometimes the dialogue got really cheesy, and even the book’s main premise is one that requires a bit of disbelief suspension.

But, did I care? Nah.

Honestly, as I wrap up my experience with this book, I’m genuinely left with only one final thought: if I hadn’t felt like I needed to edit the events of the ending, this probably would have gotten five stars from me. To be clear, when I say this I do not mean the goofy twist. That, ironically, I was all in on and incredibly amused by. What I mean, instead, is the timing of the kiss—<SPOILER>should’ve happened in the wild, specifically when Charlie pulled Zander up and right before they heard the helicopter; in fact, the sound of the helicopter should have been the reason the kiss ends early and the reason they don’t get to talk about it is because they need to make it back</SPOILER>—and the removal of the manufactured conflict at the end.

I genuinely do believe that this one change mentioned in my spoiler tag is more than enough to create a conflict that would have worked significantly better than the forced drama that a character had to just…make up. And I get the sense that the author sort of knew that her final piece of conflict wasn’t working, didn’t make sense—shown rather obviously in the way that this character instantly regretted the decision.

So, all in all, I’d say this was a pretty entertaining escapist novel that I had a blast reading. The opportunity to have a phenomenal ending was truly missed, but I’m not so fussed about it that I’d write off the entire book.

I really wanted to be obsessed with this one — I mean, bad boy celeb + former fangirl + wild Aussie adventure sounds like my kind of chaos — but it didn’t totally hit. I loved Zander and the way his chapters just felt so real (honestly, he carried the book for me), and the survival vibes plus all the messy emotions had some genuinely heart-pounding moments. But the plot? Kinda unhinged, kinda unrealistic, and the twist at the end left me sitting there like, seriously? I just couldn’t move past it. If you’re into YA, found family, trauma bonding romance, and don’t mind a little whiplash pacing, you’ll probably vibe way harder than I did — it’s a wild ride, just not the one I was buckled in for.

First I want to thank Blackstone publishing for the opportunity to read wandering wild early. All these thoughts are my own.
Wow! For Lynette’s first dip into YA contemporary romance she did a phenomenal job. This books still very much felt like a Lynette story with the strong friendships and found family elements she always beautifully writes. I loved Zander and Charlie so much. Each of them had their own trauma and heartache they had to work through to find themselves. The trek through the wilderness was pretty crazy and made me realize I probably would have never survived. If you love found family, mental health rep, slow burn, rivals to lovers this is the book for you!

Content Warning: near death experience, near drowning, snakes, mention of drunk driving, mention of being drugged, mention of suicide attempt, death of parents, cancer, grief

+ I’ve been really enjoying books from this author – her writing style is easy to get into and flows so well. I like how there was a lot of action in this book and moments that were filled with so much tension.

+ Zander and Charlie have been through some trauma in their lives so being on this survival adventure bonds them even more though it doesn’t start of that way. Charlie doesn’t want to be on this trip but she’s doing it for her best friend, whereas Zander really needs this to change his Hollywood bad-boy image so he can get a role he is coveting. I liked seeing the journey of the relationship even though it’s only a 4 day adventure.

+ I love the themes of friendships and even the hardships both character have experienced. I like that the both of them have their own issues and this trip really pushed them quickly to face them. In the end they are better for it, but I love that Charlie has Ember and Zander has Summer and Maddox.

+ The romance isn’t a focus, which is nice, it’s sweet.

~ It is an insta-love story, I mean Zander and Charlie only know one another for 4 days! But they go through more than what couples do in 4 days, so I do think it’s believable that they could fall for one another that fast, especially after near-death experiences with one another.

~ The twist in the story didn’t leave me feeling happy for Zander or Charlie. I thought that really sucked for them. I’m glad they could get over it quickly but it sucked, even though Zander got what he wanted. Kind of wish that wasn’t glazed over so quickly.


Final Thoughts:

I found this to be a very entertaining read especially with the survival adventure going on and Zander and Charlie needing to stay alive because of unforeseen circumstances. I thought the romance was sweet and I love the theme of friendship. I think the author did a great job with her debut into contemporary young adult fiction and look forward to reading more.

✯¸.•´*¨`*•✿ What a surprising treat this story was! This is my first time reading one of Lynette Noni’s works and I was not disappointed. It has coming-of-age, adventure, suspense, comedy and romance themes that initially started out a bit slow for a good 40% of the book but really caught my attention the longer that the story went on because of how much descriptive storytelling of the adventure unfolded. It made me feel anxious for the main characters and made me rooting for them all the way to the end of the book 🤗

✯¸.•´*¨`*•✿ A 17-year-old girl dealing with the recent loss of her mom, Charlie Hart used to be a huge Zander Rune fan until she learned of his DUI and “bad boy” reputation. Honestly, I think her intense anger and hatred for him initially was a little bit too much considering she had never met him in person or knew what the real story was. It just seemed like she didn’t want to give Zander a chance to explain his side and blindly followed what everyone else in the media said about him for a good portion of the book, which was a little upsetting. But I do feel like while her rationale for hating him was blown out of proportion, it does make sense that she would feel hurt to see her idol doing something immoral and ruining the “perfect” image she had of him in her head. Charlie deals with a lot of grief and coming to terms with her mom’s death, as does Zander, in the book and it was touched on so nicely and handled with so much care that I really enjoyed reading about ❣️

✯¸.•´*¨`*•✿ Like most people her age, Charlie can be a sarcastic and cynical teenager but also a very loyal best friend to Ember. Despite being terrified of backpacking and adventuring into the wilderness, she still goes on the trip just so Ember can live vicariously through her and not have to miss out. Charlie grows a lot throughout the story and it’s really nice to see her step out of her comfort zone. It’s a strong message to be putting out how Charlie realizes what exactly she wants to do in her near future after all the grief and loss she’s endured and how she rediscovers passion for her own life. While she doesn’t know everything that comes next, she shifts from going along with her day-to-day life just for the sake of it to actively planning to seek the world one country at a time which was some satisfying character growth 🏔️

✯¸.•´*¨`*•✿ Zander Rune is a complex YA main character living almost a double life as a Hollywood movie star and as a boy trying to repair all his troubles with his career, reputation, and friendships. It makes me frustrated to know that he had been enduring the truth of his DUI and bad reputation all on his own because he’s still so young and a rising star that just needs more guidance. He had a very interesting backstory and it would have been nice to see more about him and his birth parents and him and his adoptive parents. While he did make one questionable decision under pressure, I don’t think it warranted all the hate and alienation he experienced from everyone including the FMC especially after he reveals how the secret details that weren’t made public initially. It’s clear from his friendships and interactions with Charlie that he’s fiercely protective and supportive, even going as far as to put himself in harm’s danger for them. He’s cheeky and playful but also seriously passionate about what he does, which makes you want to root for him in getting his reputation back 🎬

✯¸.•´*¨`*•✿ I really liked Zander’s interactions with Summer and Maddox closer to the end of the book. Although their scenes together were limited, you could feel how much they had each other’s backs and how tight-knit their bonds were. I liked how Zander stood by Summer and her own share of ordeals with show business despite everyone turning their back on her. I admired Zander never failed to try to reach out to Maddox no matter what even if it hurt him that they had no contact. It would’ve been really nice to see more scenes with them as I felt they had great chemistry all together 💫

✯¸.•´*¨`*•✿ I think the biggest thing I wasn’t a big fan of was how slow the story started in the beginning. The synopsis implies that the general conflict starts quickly when Zander and Charlie become stranded and have to rely on each other to survive. However, they don’t actually become trapped with each other until more than halfway through the story. I thought it was a little bit of false advertising as Charlie and Zander are with their guide for almost 50-60% of the book before they have to scramble to survive and get help. Also I had a feeling early on what the plot twist at the end was going to be, but it didn’t mean I wasn’t upset for Charlie and Zander by the time it came around. The producers, agents, and handlers of the show completely messed around so carelessly with both Zander and Charlie’s safety and didn’t intervene sooner that it felt like it was just swept under the rug. What do you mean you have a minor and a barely legal adult fighting their way through the Australian wilderness with little to no survival skills or training? It just felt like there were no consequences to whoever was responsible for the turn of events and I didn’t feel satisfaction for all the hell that Zander and Charlie went through because no one took accountability 🧐

✯¸.•´*¨`*•✿ I liked how Zander and Charlie’s relationship developed slowly between a jaded fan and a reformed “bad boy” to acquaintances to friends and eventually to lovers. They start off as strangers who don’t know anything about the other past superficial small talk ice breakers to friends who comfort and encourage the other to keep going when they feel like they can’t anymore. It was really heartwarming to see how they opened up to each other about things they couldn’t even tell their closest friends or family and how scared they became of losing the other not just because of the rescue mission but because they had learned to care so much for each other. I think their relationship is pretty healthy as Zander and Charlie do respect each other’s wishes and dreams and don’t make the other give up their passion just to stay together. It shows a lot of maturity on their end despite how young they are in ensuring a relationship should be equal for both sides 💜

✯¸.•´*¨`*•✿ As for the adventure and survival aspects, I thought they were really well done. The descriptions of what they did—including skydiving, scaling down a mountain, and traversing across a canyon—were actually really interesting to read and it made me feel anxious and excited while reading about all their excursions. I almost feel like Zander and Charlie reminded me a bit of “The Hunger Games” where Katniss and Peeta try to keep each other alive in the arena, which I loved. I would give this a read if you like stories with high-stakes adventures, grief and coping, good character development and two main characters worth rooting for 🚁

Tropes:
- Former fan FMC x Hollywood actor MMC 🎥
- Coming of age
- Enemies-to-lovers ❣️
- Surviving in the wilderness 🌳⛰️
- Reality TV 📺
- Mental health representation: panic attacks 🧠
- Grief, trauma, and loss
- Slow burn romance 💓

Thank you to Lynette Noni, Blackstone Publishing, and NetGalley for providing me with a free eARC in exchange for my honest review!

thank you Blackstone publishing and netgalley for the arc.

Buckle up and get ready for some insane adventures with tons of trauma bonding!!!! (but it's not that bad)

first off, I'd like to say that I am not an outdoorsy girl. at all. secondly, the author's note specifically said that a lot of details were dramatized for the sake of the story. and I can understand that. was this story a little over the top? sure. but that is the point of reading fiction books and I still loved it. was that plot twist wildly uncalled for? most definitely. did I eat it up and enjoy every second? oh absolutely. the portrayal of grief and mental health was so eye-opening and I was honestly amazed at both Zander and Charlie's stories. this book was so fun to read, and I loved the characters, even if what some of them did was extremely confusing and astonishing.

4⭐️. This was cute! I wouldn’t say it’s going to change the world but it’s a fun upper YA romance between a regular girl and a heartthrob bad boy celebrity in a survival scenario. love the cover and thought it was sweet!

Lynette Noni surprised me with this contemporary YA concept for a book, and I thought it was so fun. I will admit, I was stressed out at times while reading having done some of the more adventurous things Charlie and Zander had to do, with everything being worst case scenario, but I think it was executed well. I loved the Australian Outback setting and it was described so well. Overall, I would recommend this to this standalone novel to all YA readers!

3.5 stars

This was a really cute & heartwarming YA adventure romance. The concept was cool and different from anything I’ve read before - the MC Charlie is persuaded by her bff to enter a competition to go on a televised excursion with famous actor Zander Rune, who she previously idolized but now despises for personal reasons. Zander is hoping it will improve his image after some bad publicity, but things definitely do not go as expected.

I really enjoyed following Charlie and Zander on their adventure and I was holding my breath throughout all of their perilous encounters. I found their connection to be believable & genuine even though it had only been a few days. That being said, the twist actually made me kinda mad and I didn’t understand the MCs’ reaction to it. The cute ending made up for it a little, but I also thought it was a little too convenient. Idk, I personally would have preferred for it to have gone in a different direction, but I did enjoy it overall.

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

3.5 stars. This was quite the adventure! I loved all the twists and turns in the wilderness. I love survival stories and that aspect of the plot was amazing… so many nail biting moments. Very well done!

There were a couple things that were hard for me with the characters… I had to keep reminding myself they were teenagers, which helped. But I just wish they were adults for all the things they were facing and feeling. That’s probably just a ‘me’ problem though. Between the action and the sweet ending, it redeemed a lot for me.

Thanks to netgalley and the publishers for the chance to read an advance copy.

Charlie and Ember are two teenage girls living in Australia - Zander is a Hollywood Heartthrob that they both idolized for years. However, Charlie loses her appeal for Zander after he is caught driving drunk. Zander needs to redeem his image for his fans and the sake of his career - so his team puts together a competition for one lucky fan to join him in the Australian wilderness. Ember wins the competition, but unfortunately health complications mean that she cannot participate....but she is able to transfer the win to a friend and still meet her favorite actor. Charlie is reluctant to participate, but she'll do anything for her best friend.

This story would be enjoyed by middle school or high schoolers the best, in my opinion. I think the story was cute and there was an enraging twist, but it lost my attention a bit and I was hoping for more romance.


Thank you to NetGalley & Blackstone Publishing for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Lynette Noniiiiii!! She had done it again! I absolutely loved this book. Part of me felt like I was with them on this adventure. I’m a sucker for a good adventure book and this one didn’t disappoint. Yes, there’s a small amount of romance but I would’ve loved this book even if they were just friends. Both of these characters were holding onto so much and it was exciting to see them not only overcome physical obstacles but also mental ones too. 10/10 recommend. The ending was a little rushed, but my hope is that there’s another book ;) lol thank you for sending this to me! Can’t wait to get my hands on the physical copy!

I so much loved this book , i enjoyed reading every chapter as it was exciting and exceptionally written. I would definitely recommend this beautiful book to anyone who is looking to explore and adventural read. It was a remarkable experience and I am looking forward to more books from this author.
All opinions are my own.

Current rating: 3.5 stars

The first 35% was a bit of a slog to get through, but my reading experience significantly improved from then on. The book covers some dark themes, and I definitely felt for the characters (especially during the twist which I hated for them).

My favourite part was probably just them surviving in the Australian wilderness. Unfortunately, I don't think I would be strong enough to survive without an expert and only rely on berries and leaves for food. Things do get pretty intense, with some scenes making my palms sweat. The romance wasn't gripping me until much later in the book, and even then, it was a little dramatic for my tastes.