A review by rachratesreads
Something Wild & Wonderful by Anita Kelly

adventurous emotional hopeful 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

5.0

9/10 
 
Over the past year, Anita Kelly became one of my favorite romance authors. I have read everything they have published, and I can confidently say their writing gets better with every new work. 
 
Something Wild & Wonderful revisits the world of Love & Other Disasters, following a new cast of characters. 
 
Alexei is hiking the Pacific Coast Trail, trying to find meaning in his life after his coming out had unwarranted consequences. There, he meets the carefree and charismatic Ben, who is trying to escape a string of bad decisions and figure out what his next steps in life could be. The two men embark on an emotional journey and just happen to find love along the way. 
 
This book hit so close to home in ways I can’t explain without spoiling it. It handled sensitive topics and bigotry queer people face every day (this is not a spoiler, it is in the author’s note at the beginning of the novel). Kelly consistently writes nuanced familial relationships and queer found family in the best possible ways. This book is so heartwarming and filled me with hope as I read it. 
 
It is a fairly low-stakes romance (which is my favorite kind of romance), focusing more on the individual character’s journey of self-discovery. The romance is built around a message of self-love and that is something we need more of in the romance genre. 
 
Thank you NetGalley for sending me an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
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