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4.31 AVERAGE
4.31 AVERAGE
4 stars - It was really good
Well this was a wonderful and sweet story! When Alexei Lebedev came out to his parents it went poorly so he decided to use the solitude of hiking the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) to figure out what he wants to do next with his life. Along the way he meets charismatic and outgoing Ben Caravalho and finds himself unable to say no when he offers to be his trail partner.
Alexei and Ben had such a sweet and wonderful story. Alexei is a shy, quiet soul who struggles in social situations but thrives being outdoors. He is struggling to deal with his parents disowning him for being gay and with his religion’s part in that. I really enjoyed seeing Alexei open up to Ben and start trying to make changes with his life. He still makes mistakes, like always running away from emotional situations, but by the end he realizes what he wants from life and seeks therapy to help with that. I loved how much growth we see in Alexei in this one, but I did get a bit annoyed by him running from situations.
"Alexei was a butterfly, just emerging from his chrysalis, and he was showing Ben his wings."
Ben was a sweetheart who really brought Alexei out of his shell. Ben is struggling with his self worth because he is just now finding out what he wants to do with his life. His toxic relationships have made him feel like he isn’t worthy but we see him start to let go of that in this. Ben was just a sweet man who loved to take care of people and Alexei fit him perfectly.
This book was beautifully written and I loved how it was broken down into different parts of their journey and time apart. I found the chapter written in just letters to be so emotional and heartbreaking, but also very healthy for both Alexei and Ben. I loved that we get to see them voice their emotions that they would have probably hid if they had been together. One of the best things about this book for me was that Alexei shows you don’t have to forgive your family for their actions, but you do have to move on. It isn’t healthy to expect them to change so seek help and move on with your life.
Overall, this was another amazing novel from Anita Kelly. I really enjoy their writing and they really know how to create an emotional story with great characters.
Trigger Warnings: Alexei was disowned by his parents when he came out as gay; strict religions upbringing discussed; anxiety; on page alcohol usage; homophobic language (Ch. 16); family member with Alzheimer’s and their care discussed; brief references to past toxic relationships;
*ARC provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.*
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Religious bigotry
Minor: Toxic relationship, Dementia
adventurous
challenging
emotional
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I was so excited to have the opportunity to read this. I saw Anita Kelly at a book launch last year, and when they described the premise for this book, I was completely sold. It's set on the Pacific Crest Trail with a journey toward the Pacific Northwest. It has Cheryl Strayed's Wild vibes, but make it a fictional romance.
Alexei is looking to find himself on the trail and come to terms with his family's awful reaction to him coming out to them. Ben is on the trail because he wants to follow through with a goal and be more mature before starting a new career in nursing.
The book highlights family and what that can look like. It tackles so many hard topics and does so thoroughly and well. It made me cry, as it resonated so deeply. And the journey on the trail was an amazing metaphor for the depth of character growth we see.
Parts were difficult to read, but overall, this book felt like a warm hug. I fell so hard for both Alexei and Ben, and I absolutely loved their journeys. It was great to revisit London and Dahlia, but this can be read as a stand alone.
Thank you to Forever and NetGalley for the advanced reader copy. These opinions are my own.
CW: homophobia
Alexei is looking to find himself on the trail and come to terms with his family's awful reaction to him coming out to them. Ben is on the trail because he wants to follow through with a goal and be more mature before starting a new career in nursing.
The book highlights family and what that can look like. It tackles so many hard topics and does so thoroughly and well. It made me cry, as it resonated so deeply. And the journey on the trail was an amazing metaphor for the depth of character growth we see.
Parts were difficult to read, but overall, this book felt like a warm hug. I fell so hard for both Alexei and Ben, and I absolutely loved their journeys. It was great to revisit London and Dahlia, but this can be read as a stand alone.
Thank you to Forever and NetGalley for the advanced reader copy. These opinions are my own.
CW: homophobia
adventurous
emotional
funny
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I love Anita Kelly’s writing. Her debut novel, Love & Other Disasters was one of my favorite reads last year and I truly think she is one of the best voices in the adult LGBTQ+ literature world. Something Wild & Wonderful is a bit deeper than her debut, but still has some beautiful lighthearted moments. I struggled with the setting, the Pacific Crest Trail, as I have no experience with or interest in hiking/the wilderness. Obviously, this is a “me issue”, but my level of personal enjoyment is the reason why I ultimately rated it four-stars instead of five.
(PUB DATE: 03/07/2023)
(I received a digital copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed above are my own.)
(I received a digital copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed above are my own.)
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I’m here to yell and scream about Something Wild & Wonderful. It’s my first 5-star read of 2023 and I fear my brain chemistry has been permanently altered by this book (in the best possible way). I don’t think any review will do this book justice, but I’m going to give it a whirl.
Something Wild & Wonderful tells the story of Alexei, a gay man who has been cut off by his conservative parents after coming out. Alexei’s personality appears to be shy and reserved (possibly repressed?) and he is undoubtably battling trauma related to his extremely religious upbringing and the subsequent rejection of his parents. Alexei decides to hike the Pacific Crest Trail in a cathartic attempt to start a new life as “Alexei 2.0”. It’s on the PCT that he meets the handsome and charismatic Ben. The two are completely captivated with one another from the beginning, and set off to hike the trail together, as friends. Through their arduous 700 miles in the desert, Ben shows Alexei what it’s like to be loved for exactly who you are, something he’s never experienced before. And unbeknownst to Ben at the time, Alexei does the same thing for him.
Friends to lovers enthusiasts rejoice because this 👏🏼 is 👏🏼 how 👏🏼 it’s 👏🏼 done. This book tugged at every single one of my emotions in the most beautiful way. There’s a section of this book written in letter format and oh. my. god. Your girl is not a crier but I was boohoo sobbing during these letters. They are such a powerful, beautiful, and poetic communication method for this story. I also have to commend Anita Kelly on the diversity in this book. I loved the Russian and Portuguese MCs as well the amount of queer representation.
Look for Something Wild & Wonderful on March 7, 2023!
Thank you to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Something Wild & Wonderful tells the story of Alexei, a gay man who has been cut off by his conservative parents after coming out. Alexei’s personality appears to be shy and reserved (possibly repressed?) and he is undoubtably battling trauma related to his extremely religious upbringing and the subsequent rejection of his parents. Alexei decides to hike the Pacific Crest Trail in a cathartic attempt to start a new life as “Alexei 2.0”. It’s on the PCT that he meets the handsome and charismatic Ben. The two are completely captivated with one another from the beginning, and set off to hike the trail together, as friends. Through their arduous 700 miles in the desert, Ben shows Alexei what it’s like to be loved for exactly who you are, something he’s never experienced before. And unbeknownst to Ben at the time, Alexei does the same thing for him.
Friends to lovers enthusiasts rejoice because this 👏🏼 is 👏🏼 how 👏🏼 it’s 👏🏼 done. This book tugged at every single one of my emotions in the most beautiful way. There’s a section of this book written in letter format and oh. my. god. Your girl is not a crier but I was boohoo sobbing during these letters. They are such a powerful, beautiful, and poetic communication method for this story. I also have to commend Anita Kelly on the diversity in this book. I loved the Russian and Portuguese MCs as well the amount of queer representation.
Look for Something Wild & Wonderful on March 7, 2023!
Thank you to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
adventurous
emotional
funny
medium-paced
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This was super cute! Ben and Alexei are adorable and I had such a fun time with this book. It is a bit heavier than I expected though. Alexei is dealing with a decent amount of religious trauma from his parents and I fully understand. He is learning how to truly be himself and I love that.
I received an arc through netgalley.
I received an arc through netgalley.
adventurous
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Don't be fooled by the cute blurb - this deals with some pretty heavy stuff.
I had originally rated this as 3⭐ but think it deserves to be rounded up to 4⭐ because as I've had some time to collect my thoughts, I have to say, it's been niggling at me for a couple of weeks now. Something Wild & Wonderful is the loveliest of slow burns as you journey with Alexei as he trek along the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT). For Alexei, this is "a chance to say good-bye to his old life...to find a bit of peace before he started over." Unfortunately (or not), a chance encounter with the enigmatic Ben throws his plans off the cliff and Alexei finds much more than peace during his months-long journey on the PCT.
While the narrative shifts POVs between the two male leads, this is very much Alexei's story, and it is a story fraught with homophobia, abandonment, grief, & insecurities. I found the trauma of his religious upbringing was handled exceedingly well and it was heartbreaking.
"You raised me to believe that family and faith were everything. How can you take that away from me and not expect me to crumble?
[Y]ou might have been the one to bring me to church, Dad. But I got to know faith on my own. And your interpretation of God is a tragedy."
Each mile gained along the PCT expands Alexei's character and it was lovely to journey alongside him as he developed a tender, sweet relationship with Ben. "Alexei was a butterfly, just emerging from his chrysalis, and he was showing Ben his wings. Ben couldn't turn away from that." That's not to say that Ben is overlooked - he's also on the PCT for personal reasons as he closes in on 30 and is looking to become a more grounded, responsible person.
The setting itself is like another character and I loved the details about the PCT, the hiking community, and birding - things I'm completely unaware of but found really interesting based on the level of detail and care as they were presented with. It was a perfect backdrop to the tumultuous lived experiences & growth that both Alexei & Ben go through.
The last 20% was really unique for a romance novel. It's not a typical third-act conflict, but I don't want to get too spoilery in my review, so I'll just say that it's a heartbreaking and realistic turn of events and adding the epistolary choice of narrative was a deft touch.
All in all, if you love a slow-burn, feelings-filled romance with found family elements - this is the book for you.
Thank you Netgalley and the publishers for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
I had originally rated this as 3⭐ but think it deserves to be rounded up to 4⭐ because as I've had some time to collect my thoughts, I have to say, it's been niggling at me for a couple of weeks now. Something Wild & Wonderful is the loveliest of slow burns as you journey with Alexei as he trek along the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT). For Alexei, this is "a chance to say good-bye to his old life...to find a bit of peace before he started over." Unfortunately (or not), a chance encounter with the enigmatic Ben throws his plans off the cliff and Alexei finds much more than peace during his months-long journey on the PCT.
While the narrative shifts POVs between the two male leads, this is very much Alexei's story, and it is a story fraught with homophobia, abandonment, grief, & insecurities. I found the trauma of his religious upbringing was handled exceedingly well and it was heartbreaking.
"You raised me to believe that family and faith were everything. How can you take that away from me and not expect me to crumble?
[Y]ou might have been the one to bring me to church, Dad. But I got to know faith on my own. And your interpretation of God is a tragedy."
Each mile gained along the PCT expands Alexei's character and it was lovely to journey alongside him as he developed a tender, sweet relationship with Ben. "Alexei was a butterfly, just emerging from his chrysalis, and he was showing Ben his wings. Ben couldn't turn away from that." That's not to say that Ben is overlooked - he's also on the PCT for personal reasons as he closes in on 30 and is looking to become a more grounded, responsible person.
The setting itself is like another character and I loved the details about the PCT, the hiking community, and birding - things I'm completely unaware of but found really interesting based on the level of detail and care as they were presented with. It was a perfect backdrop to the tumultuous lived experiences & growth that both Alexei & Ben go through.
The last 20% was really unique for a romance novel. It's not a typical third-act conflict, but I don't want to get too spoilery in my review, so I'll just say that it's a heartbreaking and realistic turn of events and adding the epistolary choice of narrative was a deft touch.
All in all, if you love a slow-burn, feelings-filled romance with found family elements - this is the book for you.
Thank you Netgalley and the publishers for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Sexual content
Moderate: Bullying, Cursing, Panic attacks/disorders, Grief, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
fast-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.
Something Wild & Wonderful is a wonderful follow-up to last year’s Love & Other Disasters. It’s set in the same world, although it follows new characters and works as a standalone, with London and Dahlia from the prior book appearing briefly in supporting roles. While it’s somewhat of a different book, with a nature/wilderness focus, the heart of the story around queer joy largely remains the same.
Alexei is definitely the standout character here. He’s the product of a home environment that is unaccepting of his queer identity, due to religious reasons. A large theme of his arc of the book is him disentangling his trauma and dealing with the rejection from his parents for simply being himself. In spite of the homophobia he’s faced from those closest to him, I love how he never once feels pressured to conform to their expectations or to “pray away the gay.” He’s content in his identity, even if he has to reckon with the loss of his family and others who may not accept him.
And Ben…he’s very much the opposite, being carefree and chaotic where Alexei is more guarded. But that’s what makes them work. Ben is an openhearted source of support for Alexei, and his friends (which include London and Dahlia) and family are more than prepared to accept Alexei as well.
The trajectory of their relationship is an interesting one, because while there’s pretty much instant attraction, maybe even love, there’s still a slow burn to their romance too. They have some lovely moments together initially, but Alexei’s baggage means that they still have hurdles to navigate. I liked the choice to have the story switch to epistolary format for a while in order to accomplish this, with the letters, both sent and unsent, conveying all their complex emotions.
I had mixed feelings about the pacing choices. There were some occasions in the middle where the pacing plodded, a side effect of the somewhat remote nature setting. The letters, despite being such a stylistic shift, were the turning point for me from “this book is just fine” to “I really like this,” because that’s when I felt the emotional impact.
Even with my issues, I still enjoyed this book a lot. If you enjoy queer contemporary romances, I recommend checking this one out, especially if you’re looking for one with a nature theme!