3.5 rounded to 4. I need to stop picking up celebrity romances because they hardly ever completely work for me. I enjoyed Charlie and Zander as characters. They both had baggage that they bring to this story and for good reason and they both work through it. I liked the adventurous setting and moments where Zander breaks through her shell. I even liked the plot twist though I have seen critical reviews of that point. The romance was just a little fast. I think this is a common timeline in YA and it probably doesn’t bother true YA readers but it’s hard to believe where they find themselves at the end of 4 days together. I also really wanted an epilogue of where are they now.

The narrators were fantastic. Both did well accents and dialogue with opposite genders. I think that made the book more enjoyable to me.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the audiobook copy. The thoughts and opinions in this review are my own.

Content Notes: Kisses

Wandering Wild
Audio ARC

Wandering wild started off strong. I was definitely reeled in by the fun storyline. MMC, Zander Rune, famous actor turned bad boy tries to redeem his reputation by holding a contest for his fans. One lucky fan will win the opportunity to go on an adventure with Zander in hopes it will make him look good save his superstar status l. MFC, Charlie Hart, gets the opportunity but isn’t really a fan. Fun storyline! Unfortunately, the story lost steam for me after the adventure started. I wanted more fun, lighthearted laughs but got the opposite. Everything got hard, serious and emotional. Story has multiple panic attack scenes, talk of drug use, parent loss, suicidal attempts and scenes where they almost die . The plot twist was so angering and a bit unrealistic and rediculous. I would suggest eyeball reading instead of the audiobook. It’s Multiple POV. I enjoyed the female narrator but the male narrator sounded more middle aged instead of an 18 year old. I actually liked when the female narrator narrates Zander’s voice better. Gave off a younger vibe. I bought a physical copy but I’ll be taking it back because I don’t want my teens reading it. It fell flat for me.

As a teenager, I would have DEVOURED this book. Two teens go on an outdoor survival reality show- a famous bad boy and a once fan. The challenges and structure were awesome. The reactions at some points did seem a bit extreme- but also they're teenagers, so maybe that makes sense.

Though I will say, I thought the audiobook narration was really excellent. I didn't love the narrator's attempt at a south african accent, but beyond that it was great.

I really enjoyed the overall premise of the book, and it kept me entertained, but I found it too far fetched. I didn't like the fact they were doing things that should only be done by trained professionals, if anyone at all. The ending was sweet, though and I am rooting for the characters, the book just didn't need to play out in such a ruthless way to get the ending. The story line aside, I loved the narrators and found them to be very engaging.

This was really not for me. Had I not been committed to continuing the audiobook for a review, this definitely would have been on my DNF list. It was very predictable and felt unsophisticated (for lack of a better word?). All of the characters and the storyline reminded me of a Hallmark movie in book format. If someone is looking for a very lighthearted and low in emotional/energetic investment read, this could be for them. But for anyone hoping for something more sophisticated, life-changing, or meaningful, this is definitely not worth the time investment. Also was iffy on the voice narration.

I loved Lynette Noni's Prison Healer, so I was very excited when I heard about this book! It's a very different genre than her previous books, but it was just as good! This YA survival story kept me on my toes the whole time, I just always needed to know what was going to happen next.

I love the character development of the main characters, Charlie and Zander, and how their trauma helped them to understand each other and bond.

Lastly, I'm not going to get into details about it because I wouldn't be able to talk about it without giving away spoilers, but can we talk about the production team?!?!? Anyway, it was overall a very good story!

Thank you to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing Audiobooks for the ALC.

This was my first book by this author and was a nice YA read. I loved the adventure and will be buying the book when released!

Swoony YA survival story - lost in the wilderness adventure brimming with tension-filled romance

First of all - the cover? STUNNING. I went into this one blind and it felt like it didn’t really pick up until the 50% mark for me - it was my car audiobook for the week so this didn't really bother me too much. I'm not sure if I fully believed the romance and the twist at the end made me mad for both of our MCs. They handled it much better than I ever would lol. I appreciated that the ending didn’t drag on for an extended period of time. It was definitely one of the best YA stories I've read in awhile. The narrators were fantastic - the Australian accent was so good. Highly recommend the audio!

narrators: Nikki Thomas & Heath Miller

read if you like:
- romance
- YA fiction
- adventure
- Australia
- celebrity

thank you so much to Blackstone Publishing - Audiobooks for allowing me to be an early reader. All thoughts are my own!

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.

This was such an enjoyable audiobook. The story pulled me in right from the start with its mix of adventure, mystery, and heart. I loved the dynamic between the characters, and the world felt vibrant and alive.

The narrator did a fantastic job bringing everything to life—great pacing, distinct voices, and emotional delivery where it mattered most.

I’m giving it 4 stars because while I was invested in the journey, a few plot points were a bit predictable, and I would’ve liked a bit more depth in the character development. Still, it was a really fun experience overall, and I’m glad I listened to it.

I was expecting this book to be more romance and less adventure, but the adventures definitely dominated the storyline. Some things got a little too over the top/unbelievable for me, but overall I really enjoyed the characters, pacing, and plot. Read if you’re looking for a book that will fly by and keep you entertained the whole way through.

Thank you to the publisher for letting me listen to this. The narration was engaging and I could not stop listening. I really loved it and hope others love it as well. The story was engaging as well as the characters. I would recommend.

‘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.

Wandering Wild follows two people as they navigate both the rugged terrain of the wilderness and the tension between them. This story weaves heartfelt moments with raw, emotional depth, touching on sensitive topics such as loss, grief, and assault. Be sure to review any trigger warnings before diving in.

✨ALC REVIEW✨ Out Now ✨

Thank you so much to @blackstonepublishing and @lynettenoni for the advanced copy!

✨Zander Rune was hit in Hollywood. Everyone loved and adored him. Then he made a rash decision and fell from glory. Dubbed now as a bad boy, he’s worried he will lose the roll of a lifetime if he doesn’t fix his public image.
Charlie Hart is a regular teenage girl and she despises Zander with everything she’s got. Thanks to her best friend, Amber, Charlie wins a spot on a reality tv adventure with Xander where she has to pretend to be his biggest fan. Only problem is that the trip goes horribly wrong and they are now stranded from the host and the crew. The only way they will survive the wilderness is to trust each other. Can they let go of the ghosts of their pasts and find themselves, and maybe each other, in the process?

✨My thoughts: This was easily a 5 star read. Right from the start, I was intrigued. The characters are extremely likeable. Their banter was perfect. The tension and suspense was impeccable. Listening to this was probably better than reading it. At least for me because the heart-pounding moments were so intense and I don’t know that reading it would have had the same “oh my god are they going to make it?!” fear whilst holding my breath! And boy, was there a lot of those scenes. A wild ride this one was and I enjoyed it so damn much!
It’s also notable that there are several heavy themes dealt with throughout this book and they’re all dealt with with care and gentleness. I really appreciated that. The ending was perfect. I do believe we need a book 2! I personally would read more about there travels and developing love! Also, the found family trope is strong with this one. Loved that for everyone!
I’d also read a book about Maddox… wink wink, nudge nudge!
I definitely recommend this YA contemporary fiction/adventure romance!

I loved Nikki Thomas as an audiobook narrator! 10 million stars girlie. Maybe I’m just a sucker for an Australian accent, but to me you were Charlie. Heath Miller mimicking Charlie’s Australian accent as Zander…not so much.

I’m honestly glad with this book that I just jumped in without reading the description because I feel like it gives too much away. There are some interesting twists and intense moments that YA readers should find interesting, but others may guess (as I did) what the truth is behind some the adventure.

I was disappointed in the lack of character growth as it had seemed the two protagonists would learn so much, but how quickly they jumped to “love” after only 4 days together felt reminiscent to Romeo and Juliet.

Thank you NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for allowing me to read this book for an honest review.

I was glued to this audio and could not put it down. Team Zarlie all the way! OK, but honestly, I needed this book. It took me on an adventure with these characters where I felt right there with them. I wish I could say this was lighthearted, but it wasn't...parts of it were raw and emotional and so very real. Yep, I cried. There were funny moments, sad moments, happy moments, and scary ones too. I highly recommend this audio book as the narrators were absolutely wonderful!

I am thrilled to get a new book from Lyneete Noni! She did a fantastic job with the Prison Healer series and I had big expectations going into this contemporary romance ya standalone. It did NOT disappoint! I love the characters and the direction the story went. The conflicts and plot points made sense to the world, characters, and what she has built. Not once did you feel like elements of the story were purposely added to create tension or move the plot- it felt real and natural to the characters.

The romance was absolutely perfect! This is a perfect YA romance with just enough yearning and slow burn you will be squealing for hands brushing!

Thank you Netgalley and Blackstone Publishing-Audiobooks for this advanced audiobook in exchange for a review.

My first book by Lynette Noni but it won't be my last!

What a beautifully written story about grief, friendship, mental health, and the power of nature and connection to save us.

I listened to this on audio and the narrators were phenomenal! Their accents really brought the Australian setting to life. This blend of adventure and romance made this an excellent summer read. It kept me "turning pages" or rather, not wanting to set my headphones down, until I was done.

I loved Charlie's revelation about how a fantasy story saved her and gave her an escape, and I think lots of us can relate to that. Overall, I loved the pacing and adventurous spirit of this story, self discovery, and more than anything, loved how genuine the characters felt. Some novels make me feel like the character's reactions are over the top or simply unrealistic, but the whole time I read this I thought, how refreshing to read characters that seem like REAL people.

My only drawbacks were that I would've love a little more to the romance in terms of payoff (but that's a me problem) and I didn't love the plot twist at the end - it was a hard one to stomach and move on from. I thought the main characters deserved to handle that with more agency than they got.

Overall, loved this YA story and highly recommend on audio! Thanks to Netgalley for the ALC.

It was cute. Good if you want a romance with no spice. I’d prob read more from this author. Thank you.