This book was just so well done. I loved the take on this., it kind of reminded me of to Win a Date with Ted Hamilton but make it she hates him. I loved the mental health representation in the book. It was so well done and just made me happy to see that. This book had me laughing one minute then crying another. I really enjoyed this and think this book was so well done and people should 100% read it. I thought that the depiction of the outback was well done, and I was able to picture where they were going. All in all, this is a must read for an unique cute romance book!

The audio was narrated by Nikki Thomas and Heath Miller, and it was so well done. Nikki Thomas did such a good job brining Charlie to life. both of the narrators brought the characters to life as well as brought the chemistry off the page and into the audio. Very well done audio!

Thank you NetGalley for this ALC in exchange for my honest review.

This YA romance was so adorable! I was surprised at how much I enjoyed it, especially the audio! I loved both of the MCs and the POVs switching between them. Adding in the adventure and survivalist plot (which made for great entertainment), and I finished this book extremely fast. While the book is technically YA, it doesn’t read like the characters are very young, and therefore not off-putting for readers that aren’t YAs themselves. At the same time, there’s not anything that makes it inappropriate for teens, either. (No spicy scenes, etc.)

𝑾𝒉𝒐 𝑰'𝒅 𝑹𝒆𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒐:
Any romance lovers (that don’t mind a lack of spice)

𝑨 𝒏𝒐𝒕𝒆 𝒐𝒏 𝒏𝒂𝒓𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏:
I loved both of the narrators for this! I appreciated they didn’t seem very young - which I’ve noticed sometimes happens with the audios for this genre - so I didn’t feel too old myself 😅

4.5/5 rounded up

This was a sweet and suspenseful romantic adventure (YA). It also had a lot of depth concerning mental health issues and death of a parent. The audiobook especially was nice to get the contrast between the two characters (American and Australian). There were a few events in the story that needed a bit of suspension of belief (like why our two MCs would be sent off on the rescue mission, while it should have been the camera man with more survival experience), but the forced-proximity, alone-in-the-wilderness, falling-for-you-in-a-crisis wouldn't have worked otherwise. I did find the romance believable, even after a few short days. I also loved the portrayal of both MCs supportive friendships and even though they were just a small part of the storyline, they made a big impact.
I wouldn't say I loved this as much as Noni's Prison Healer series, but still a fun and enjoyable story.

Charlie’s best friend Ember signs up for a contest to spend 4 days in the wild with Zander, a Hollywood it boy who has fallen into a bad boy image. Ember wins and SURPRISE has Charlie go for her. Charlie hates Zander because of his DUI. We have a fun adventure that ensues when they get stranded and have to learn to trust each other and let down their walls in order to survive. This was a duet audio that was really well done! Sweet YA novel that I think anyone would appreciate and like!
I really liked that Zander was the one to fall first and we got yearning from his POV and Charlie was the grumpy in the grumpy/sunshine esque trope! This dealt with real issues that added a level of depth to the story that is missing from some YA romances.

Brilliant Storytelling, Outstanding Performances

Wandering Wild is a beautifully crafted blend of humor, heart, and emotional depth. Lynette Noni delivers a story that feels both tender and tense, with sharp banter and sweet moments woven throughout. It’s a different vibe from her other books—but just as compelling.

What truly elevates the experience is the narration. Nikki Thomas and Heath Miller are phenomenal as Charlie and Zander, bringing incredible emotional range and authenticity. Their performances, along with their skillful portrayal of a diverse cast of characters, brought the story vividly to life.

Highly recommend for both the story and the stellar audio performance!

I received a complimentary copy of this book for review. All opinions are my own.

This book was such a fun adventure! If you're looking for a romance book with a lot of adventure added in, this is the book for you!

Overall Rating: 3 / 5 stars

Lynette Noni is well known for her YA fantasy series, the Prison Healer trilogy, which has been on my TBR for a while. As an adult in my 30’s, I don’t typically gravitate towards YA stories, but I was eager for the opportunity to try out this author’s writing style!

Synopsis -

Wandering Wild in a contemporary romance and survival story set in the Australian wilderness. Disgraced Hollywood star, Zander Rune, joins a reality TV survival show to repair his image. Through a twist of fate, Charlie Hart, a grieving teen who initially dislikes Zander, becomes his reluctant partner.

Things go awry when a big storm derails the excursion, and Zander and Charlie find themselves alone and isolated in the wild. The two must navigate new and challenging situations, relying solely on each other to survive.

What worked -

The romantic plot was cute, sweet, and appropriate for the age and experience of the characters. Themes of grief and loss were handled sensitively and added depth to the story. The audio production was well-done, with alternating dual POV narration.

What didn’t –

Challenges encountered were severe, and the solution to them was extremely out of the realm of possibility, which removed me a bit from the story. Overall, the plot was predictable.

I’d recommend this to younger readers looking for an age-appropriate romance story with lots of action.

Thanks to Blackstone Publishing for providing an ALC for review! All opinions are my own.

3.5 stars. Thank you to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing Audio for this advanced copy. You can pick up Wandering Wild now.

Lynette Noni's writing is as bingeable as ever, with a quick-moving plot and characters we get to know quickly. From the beginning, I really enjoyed Charlie and Ember's dynamic, as two best friends turned sisters who would do anything for each other. Similarly, I was intrigued by Zander's story as a celebrity bad boy trying to recreate his image.

When we got to the Australian wilderness, however, the story lost me a bit. As I listened, it almost felt more like I was watching a survival documentary than connecting with the characters and their plight. The book fell into a kind of repetitive rhythm with 1. perilous activity outside of Charlie or Zander's comfort zone, 2 they survive said perilous activity, 3, they camp for the night and instantly share vulnerable stories.

The romance also felt a bit stilted to me. Like, I appreciated the connection they were trying to make, but towards the end of the book, there was no way I could believe that either 1. Charlie was still angry at him and connected him to her mother's death or 2. She would get over it that quickly after he shared his story.

As for the ending... I saw it coming a mile away and still couldn't believe that's what happened. I know the author said some things were a bit outlandish in this book, but for me, it was too far-fetched to take seriously.

If you enjoy watching people get into and out of dangerous situations and falling in love at the same time, this might be the book for you.

Tropes: Dating a celebrity, Outdoor survival adventure, Contest winner, strong opinionated FMC, carefree celebrity MMC, reality TV show.

Overall, I enjoyed this book, it was a nice cosy teen outdoor adventure book with lots of Man vs Wild action!

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!

Ok wait, this was SO cute and SO damn emotional... like my gosh these poor kids! I just wanted to give them a hug throughout this whole story!! Both Zander and Charlie have gone through SO much in their short life and while this adventure was actually bananas (a tad too unrealistic IMO), the immense growth they both showed was truly amazing. So much healing and found love in this story!! I shouldn't be surprised as Lynette Noni always writes amazing characters and plots that suck you right in and keep you seated!

I was able to read the book before getting the audiobook and loved it. The ending was a little bit of a turn for me and I wasn't thrilled with it. But overall I love this story. Finding yourself, pushing yourself, over coming obstacles and even your past in an adventure setting was great! I had a lot of fun with it.

The narrators did such a great job bringing the characters to life. They sounded exactly have I imagined in my head! Nothing felt forced, it followed perfectly.

The storytelling in Wandering Wild is a well-crafted balance of humor and pathos, tenderness and tension. Nikki Thomas and Heath Miller turn out dynamite performances as Charlie and Zander (and an impressively diverse array of other characters). The depth, emotional range, and very human intensity of the performances throughout brought their story to vibrant life for me.

This was just so lovely. I loved Zander and Charlie, and while I saw the twists coming, I didn't care because they were darling together.

This story was gripping and fresh! Great pacing, lots of twists and turns. It tugged at the heartstrings with sweet moments and definitely made my gut pitch a few times with surprises.

The audio production was fantastic! The narrator’s both embodied these characters so well. I especially loved Charlie’s accent!

Book Review – Wandering Wild
by Lynette Noni

I really enjoyed Wandering Wild! It was a fun and fast-paced YA survival romance with a unique setting in the Australian wilderness. I loved the premise of a reality show gone wrong and the forced proximity between Zander and Charlie. Their chemistry and banter were so entertaining, and I liked how their relationship slowly developed. Both characters had good emotional depth, and it was interesting seeing them open up and trust each other. The tension and adventure kept me hooked throughout most of the story. However, the ending didn’t quite land for me, it felt a bit rushed and went in a direction I wasn’t expecting. Some of the survival parts were also a little unrealistic. Still, the story had heart, and the narrators did a great job bringing it to life. Overall, this was an enjoyable read that I think YA readers will especially love.

Let me preface by saying I enjoyed this book. For me to finish a book in 2 days it has to be engaging, and this had me hooked and wanting to know more through every page. I really loved the beginning of this book. It had such a good premise and I liked the dynamic between the characters along with the build up to their mis-adventure.

For me, the part where this book went down hill was towards the end. Anyone who reads this book will get to the ‘huh?!’ moment. And some might like it, but for me it unfortunately didn’t land. I also must admit that my expectations for this book were unfairly high😅 (I feel like the parent that puts pressure on their kid to get an A and the kid comes back with a B)

That being said, there’s still a lot of fun to be had with this book, along with some really beautiful emotional scenes. I think it also reads better for the intended target audience (YA) which sadly I am no longer not😩

The ending was also a little rushed. Ultimately I would have loved this book more if it had gone in the direction I thought it would. But I still love Lynette’s writing and the banter was so cute🥰

Thank you blackstone for the gifted ALC!

4⭐️

I really enjoyed this book! The setting and plot were super unique to me and kept me very entertained while they navigated the wilderness!

Zander and Charlie were such wonderful characters with so much depth. I could not get over the tension between the two of them! The heightened emotions as they try to survive in the wild while battling their feelings for each other had me cruising through this book!

Loved the audio of this one, perfect for YA/NA audiences.

Zander has to go on a reality wilderness show to help prove to producers that he is the right guy for his dream role. After receiving a DUI he needed to overhaul his image.

Charlie is a girl who just recently lost her mother, is terrified to loose her friend to cancer and will do anything to make her life easier. But she has a big reason to hate Zander, and this trip will help them both talk through their trauma.

Enemies to lovers
Wildlife Reality show
Trauma (death of family members, drugs, sexual abuse, suicide)

I received an advance review copy audio version. Thank you to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing, for the opportunity to listen to this book. Nikki Thomas and Heath Miller did an amazing job narrating this audiobook.

Thank you @NetGalley and @ BlackstonePublishing for the ALC. This is a must for all libraries. A new YA novel about finding yourself and learning to trust others. I enjoyed this book so much.