4.5 Stars

What wouldn't you do for a friend that almost died and is like YOUR PERSON in this world? Would you subject yourself to an all-out adventure in an Australian national park with their celebrity crush, WHOM YOU DESPISE FOR GOOD REASON, just because they can't? Well, that is what our girl Charlie finds herself doing. She joins celebrity Zander Rune on a filmed expedition with his "number one fan" (the adventure was a grand prize) and a Bear Grylls stand-in. The problem is, this is being filmed for promo, and when the adventure takes a turn for the worst, Charlie and Zander are forced to put their differences aside and brave the wilderness to save themselves. Of course, we have the vibes of will-they-won't-they, but it's more like that glorious moment in the Hunger Games when Katniss kisses Peeta and it rips your heart out because OMG JUST ADMIT YOU LOVE EACH OTHER. The twist was interesting, and the ending was realistic and hopeful. I really enjoyed every minute!

Don't take secrets to the woods, the trees are always watching and listening.

Wandering Wild by Lynette Noni is YA contemporary novel that is filled with romance and the ultimate need to survive. She hates him. He needs her. Can they survive when all they have is each other? Zander Rune was the darling of Hollywood until he fell from glory and was labelled a problematic bad boy. His public image needs fixing—fast—or he’ll lose the role of a lifetime, and all his dreams with it. Charlie Hart is a regular teenage girl who despises everything Zander represents. But thanks to her scheming best friend and an ill-timed social media competition, Charlie finds herself pretending to be Zander’s biggest fan on a four-day reality TV adventure led by renowned survivalist Rykon Hawke. When their trip goes horribly wrong, Charlie and Zander are left stranded in the wilderness. No Rykon, no film crew, no rescue. The only way they’ll survive is if they trust each other. But in order to do so, both will have to let go of the ghosts of their pasts, and just maybe find themselves—and one another—in the process.

What I liked most about Noni's work, is the relationship between Charlie and Ember. In this, it created a unique day time/nighttime juxtaposition between their personalities. I loved how Charlie cared for her, despite the rest of the world not really being able to nor really knowing how to. I also loved the general hiking aspects of the novel, as an avid hiker, I enjoyed that unique perspective Noni presented. I think my favorite part was when the tour guide tried to get them to propel down the waterfall.

I think the most lacking part of Wandering Wild was the general lack of romance. Even though it's advertised as a contemporary romance. The only real romantic thing happened on the very last page, but even then, it was a bit lack luster. And that is where I shall leave that complaint, so I don't spoil stuff.

Regardless, I think it would be grand to have a sequel from another character's perspective. But I know Noni mentioned that this would her one and only contemporary title. So one can only hope, one day.

⭐️ 3.25 to 3.5 stars
Wandering Wild is a cute, very YA read. I loved Lynette Noni’s The Prison Healer trilogy, so I came in hoping I’d love this too, but it didn’t quite do it for me, especially in the beginning and middle. For a good portion, it felt like a solid 3-star read.

The last 40% got progressively better and I felt more engaged. Once the story focused more on just Charlie and Zander’s interactions, the banter was really cute in the midst of the wilderness. What this book definitely did was make me want to go to Australia and try rappelling and other adventures in a much safer way than they did lol.

It wasn’t my favorite read, but the latter part improved things. A solid 3.25 to 3.5 stars overall.

This book was super cute and so fun. I haven’t read YA contemporary in a very long time so this was a refreshing read. (15 year old me would have absolutely loved this book). I loved the characters in this book. The wittiness, sarcasm, and dialogue were great and natural. Parts of the book were slightly cringey but that’s to be expected (and it can also add to the plot…sometimes too realistic can be a bad thing). The story was very interesting by as well. This truly was an adventure book and it was so cool to learn about survival and different parts of the wilderness.
I thought the writing style was excellent; descriptive, but not boring and lots of dialogue to advance the plot.
The ending was super cute and I thought it tied things up nicely.
I don’t have much to critique about this novel, but when a book makes me roll my eyes with the writing, dialogue, or convenient plots, I can’t give it super high stars; this rating is heavily based just on preference. Overall I really enjoyed this book; it was super cute and a fun read.

3.5 stars.


Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC.

Thank you Blackstone and NetGalley for the E-ARC of Wandering Wild in exchange for an honest review.

I had high hopes for this one because I love and adore Lynette Noni's Prison Healer Trilogy but this one fell flat for me. I know my age group is not the intended audience for this book, but neither was I part of the intended audience for the Prison Healer series. That being said, I struggled with this one. It's nothing against Noni's writing style, character development, or plot lines. It was just the story itself. Maybe it's because I feel differently about things or that grieving has become a main theme in a lot of more recent releases that I'm getting tired of it or that contemporary YA is just not for me anymore like it used to be.

I wish I could give a higher rating than a 3 star but I just can't. Once again, thank you Blackstone and NetGalley for the E-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Wandering Wild has an irresistible setup–two teens who can’t stand each other have to rely on one another when they’re stranded in the woods. So if you like forced proximity and enemies to lovers in your books, you’ll definitely find this is one of the best books to read this summer.

I received an eARC from NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing. This is my honest review.

This book was so exciting right from the start! It had me on the edge of my seat in suspense of what was going to happen next on Zander and Charlie's journey. The many obstacles they faced on their journey, mixed with the vulnerability of confronting the current state of their lives and the budding romance between the two main characters shaped this to be a top book for me. I was hooked from page 1, and couldn't put it down until the end.

Both characters had their own issues from their past to face, and take accountability for. And even though it was a short time, their character growth was meaningful and intentional. I fell in love with both characters as the story unraveled and I got to know them both better.

Honestly whatever Lynette writes is gold! However, I wasn't sure what to think about reading a contemporary ya.... shouldn't have even questioned it! I loved Wandering Wild!!!! The dual pov was such a treat! Both Charlie and Zander are full of layers and it was so much fun watching them learn each other in the middle of a survivor episode setting!

Thank you to NetGalley, Blackstone Publishing and Lynette Noni for this advanced copy. The following is my honest review.
Okay, so Wandering Wild is a YA adventure romance about Charlie, an ordinary teenage girl who, thanks to her best friend, winds up on a reality TV adventure with a celebrity and his so-called “biggest fan.” Only thing is—Charlie isn’t actually a fan of his at all. Quite the opposite, and the reasons behind that slowly unfold as the story progresses.
There were parts of this book that really worked for me, and parts that didn’t. Let’s start with the good news!
First off, I was obsessed with the adventure aspects of this story. The wildlife scenarios, the rugged setting, the general thrill of it all—absolutely 10/10. The cover art captures the vibe perfectly. While the pacing does hold back some of these elements until the last third of the book, it still delivered an exciting payoff that I really appreciated.
Another standout for me was the emotional depth of the main characters. The way the author explored grief and mental health was beautifully portrayed and added real heart to the narrative.
Now, onto the parts that didn’t hit the mark for me. Full disclosure: I’m not the typical YA target audience, so I totally understand I’m coming at this from a slightly different perspective. That said, I think some elements could be elevated to meet the standards of other books in the genre.
The “celebrity and fan” trope—or more accurately here, the “I’m not a fan” dynamic—just didn’t work for me. It always feels a bit contrived, and in this case, it fell into the usual pattern: she’s so cool because she doesn’t care, and he’s intrigued because she’s not impressed. Meh.
The other thing that dragged the story down for me was the cyclical, repetitive thoughts. Over and over, the same information was rehashed in different ways, making the narrative feel stuck at times. I know YA can lean into explaining things more thoroughly than adult fiction, but I felt like the story didn’t give readers enough credit to pick up on the nuances without the constant reiteration.
One last thing I wasn’t a fan of was the big plot twist. I won’t spoil it here, but when you read it, you’ll know exactly what I mean. Personally, I felt the characters’ reactions were way too muted for what had just been revealed. It seemed like they should have been way more upset or at least more reactive to it.
Overall, while there were definitely parts of Wandering Wild that I loved—especially the adventure scenes and the emotional depth—there were also elements that didn’t quite work for me as a reader.

Loved the adventure and surviving in Australia! The plot moved right along and had a lot of tension. LOVE celebrity romances, so that was the highlight for me. There was some great depth in both the individual main characters and their relationship.

I wish there was more romance, and that it was an adult romance instead of 18 yr olds. Also, the main characters got over the major plot twist at the end way too fast, in my opinion.

Content: kissing

60/100 or 3.0 stars

This was a cute middle-grade adventure romance! Since I wasn't the target audience for this story, some of the dialogue and plot points were a little forced/overdone, but I think this is a great way to introduce young readers to both adventure and a little bit of romance! It is a little predictable if you are not the intended reader, but I still had a fun time with this one! I would recommend this for middle-grade/young readers who are also getting into the survival type of stories as well, since there is nothing graphic related to them being in the wild on page. There are some heavy topics discussed on page, but it is done in a respectful and realistic way. Regardless of the target audience, there is almost always some sort of miscommunication in romances, which I personally hate, but I can see why authors do it, especially for the younger audiences to create DRAMA! I would read more by Noni to see what else they have for young readers, as they also do have a good writing style that flows through the novel!

This is for sure one of the best YA books I've read recently! I loved and enjoyed every moment of this wholesome story! The high stakes ADVENTURE (as in like literally heart-pounding stakes), the banter and tension, AMAZING character development that made me obsess over Lynette Noni's writing, a sweet and wholesome bonding between the main characters, and a really good depiction of trauma and healing from dark histories that will make you feel deeply connected to Charlie and Zander and make you ache for them.

To begin with, I LOVED the premise of this book! Zander, a famous Hollywood actor and heartthrob needs to repair his recent bad boy reputation to hold onto the movie role of his dreams. Charlie, on the other hand, is an ordinary teenage girl that hates everything that Zander represents (after what he did). However, thanks to her scheming best friend, Charlie winds up on a 4-day survival reality TV adventure with Zander... to cleanse his reputation. But when things go horribly wrong, Zander and Charlie are left stranded together in the middle of the dangerous wilderness with only each other...can they trust one another enough to survive?

Right from the beginning, I knew I was going to love this book! This plot is just outstanding from start to finish. It’s fast paced, filled with danger and angst and so much emotion. You know I love a good adventure, and the way Noni added that element to a contemporary novel like this, and also it being her first time writing something that's not fantasy, I was thoroughly impressed! There is something so wonderful and lyrical about Noni’s writing that pulls me in, hence why I couldn't stop reading and finished this book in a day. She has this brilliant ability to create a story so deep and realistic, that I felt as if I was there with the characters in that moment.

I've never read a book with a mental health rep, and I really impressed by the way Noni protrayed it in this story. The moments between Zander and Charlie made me giggle in excitement and I just couldn't stop smiling throughout. I loved seeing the ice in Charlie slowly melting and her trust in zander gradually growing. There were so many moments that were raw and deep, that made me want to climb into the book and give Charlie and Zander a big hug! Because I wanted to cry. I just felt all of their emotions, and it was so wholesome seeing them connect and find themselves through each other.

Now, can we please talk about the fact this story is based in THE Blue Mountains, Australia, where they are out on a heart-pounding adventure and trying to survive at all costs?! When I said stakes are high, I mean HIGH. Near-death experiences that had me literally on the edge. It's Indiana Jones worthy! But above all, I loved the aspect of how this book is set in Australia! As an Aussie myself, it was amazing to read a story with such a beautiful depiction of this amazing and well-known attraction in the country. And although it was portrayed as super dangerous, some parts convinced me I need to go here on my next holiday!

This is the exactly what I look for when I say I want to read an adventure book or I want cozy and wholesome, entertaining feels. I hope Noni will write more books like this! If you're a lover of all things YA and you want to find your next favourite book that will make you swoon, cry, laugh, and smile endlessly, I recommend you read this!

“Because life isn't about survival - life is beautiful, and it's meant to be lived."

This was such a cute story.
Zander is an actor on the edge of losing the role of a lifetime. Charlie is a struggling teen working at an ice cream shop and dressing up for kid’s birthday parties on the weekends, while fighting through the pain of losing her mom 6 months before.
When Charlie’s best friend Ember wins a trip with Zander as part of a reality tv show led by Rykon Hawke, she convinces Charlie to take her place. Only problem is- Charlie hates Zander. And now she has to spend 4 days in the wilds of Australia with him.
I enjoyed reading this story, though I think it could have had less language.

Zander and Charlie traveling through the mountains with Rykon reminded me of watching Bear Grylls when I was younger. I’ve always loved reading about outdoor adventures and mishaps even though I definitely wouldn’t want to be a part of them myself. They had to be tough and eat things they never would have normally even considered, and when things got hard there was no quitting. They put their differences aside and worked together to survive.
I especially enjoyed the twist at the end, which I was not too surprised about but still liked.


CW: quite a bit of language, kissing, lgbtq side characters, danger, near death situations, drowning

I did not have a good time with this one. Like her friend decided her to be in this reality show then she falls in love while being secluded with a random man her friend is a fan of. Like I don't know. icky cause he was so mean.

‘Live now, not later.’

I loved The Prison Healer series so much so I was really excited to read this.
First, can we talk about the cover? I love it! I think it’s a perfect cover for this book too. 😍

Ok, here are my thoughts on this book. I can’t believe how much I enjoyed Wandering Wild. This is one of those YA books that doesn’t feel overly YA. They’re young and there’s no spice but the main characters have been through so much so they felt more mature because of that.
The main characters fighting for survival in Australia was such a fun setting. It both made me want to go and also never go to Australia 😅
I loved the way the author slowly unraveled both Charlie and Zander’s history. There isn’t a huge mystery really but it kept me turning the page. I wanted to reach through and hug them both. Zander is an angel. It’s easy to see he’s a sweet boy living a strange public life. He’s such a green flag. I really adored him. Charlie has my whole heart though. The way I wish we all could have had a Charlie as a friend in our teenage years. She’s incredible. I love her to pieces.
I kind of wish we could get more books from these characters even if it’s from a side character pov. I just really loved them all so much. They all have beautiful friendships so it would be nice to read a book seeing more of them all together.
Overall, I genuinely loved this one!

🚨There’s some heavy themes in this so please check trigger warnings if you have any.

🎧
I listened to the audiobook and loved it! Nikki Thomas and Heath Miller were really great. This was not only an emotional book because of heavy themes but also because they’re on an adventure and trying to survive. I thought the narrators did a great job bringing all those emotions to life. They changed their voice when other characters were speaking as well so it was easy to follow conversations. I very much enjoyed it and highly recommend if you like audiobooks.

What a cozy YA romance! Thank you NetGalley and Blackstone for an e-copy of this novel.

I fell in love with Lynnette Noni’s writing with the Prison Healer trilogy (and so did my kids). While this book is nothing like that series, it is such an easy and entertaining read. I read it in one sitting! I will definitely be passing this on to my romance-loving pre-teen and I just know she will love this book. It has adventure, drama, conflict with friends, and angsty teenage romance - all the good things in a YA romance. You do have to suspend your disbelief with some of this especially the end, but what good story doesn’t have some unlikely events?

Love all of Lynette Noni’s books. This was very different from the other’s, but another great read. Exciting, sweet and great banter. Highly recommend! Great narration as well. The depth, emotional range, and very human intensity of the actions throughout the book really brought their story to vibrant life for me.

I absolutely loved this book! The characters felt so real and easy to root for, and their journey was both emotional and uplifting. The writing was beautiful, and I was hooked from the very beginning.

If you love heartfelt YA with a bit of adventure and a slow-burn romance, this one’s definitely worth picking up!

I am a HUGE fan of survival books-
Hatchet, the Horizon series, and I would even include the Hunger Games and Jurassic Park.
This is so on brand with that theme, which I loved.
It’s hard to give a good description without spoiling, but I felt the characters were fully fleshed out, the plot well developed, and the setting immaculate.
There was a thing at the end that I would have absolutely flipped out about if I had been in the same situation, and Charlie and Zander kind of just let it go without much fighting back, if that makes sense.
I would NEVER have forgiven the person that did that to me
Anyways, it was cute, short, and had all the stakes if that’s what you’re looking for!

Thank you to Netgalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Zander Rune is your stereotypical, Hollywood heartthrob who had the world at his fingers before he fell from glory and was overshadowed by his past mistakes. Desperate to redeem his image and secure his future career, he agrees to embark on a four-day reality TV adventure led by the infamous survivalist Rykon Hawke along with a randomly selected top fan of Zander's. What could possibly go wrong?

Enter Charlie Hart, your very average, girl next door who is loathes everything that Zander represents. Under no circumstances would she describe herself as a fan of Zander's, but her love for her best friend leads her to begrudgingly entering, and inevitably winning, the contest to accompany Zander on said tv adventure.

When unforeseen circumstances lead to Charlie and Zander being stranded all alone in the wilderness, both are left with the difficult decision of choosing to trust one another to survive and move forward or allow their pains from their pasts to overcome them.

I enjoyed several aspects of this book. I liked the innocence between Zander and Charlie, I appreciated the selfless friendship between Charlie and her best friend, and I thought both characters' growth throughout the novel. I did feel as though the ending was a little rushed and would have liked to see a few of the side characters storylines to be wrapped up a bit more. Overall, a good, light read.

Thank you to NetGalley for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review!