Wild About You by Kaitlyn Hill
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Web ID: 18496926Cute Romance, But Takes Time to Get There
Aspiring actress Natalie was one of the lucky few selected to be part of “Wild Adventures” college season. The winner gets $100k in scholarships, something she desperately needs since her parents do not support her career path. Although her extroverted and bubbly theater personality might be great for TV, her teammate for the show thinks otherwise. Natalie happened to be paired with grouchy Finn. At least he has great wilderness knowledge. As the competition progresses, though, they start to become closer… I’m conflicted about this book. I struggled to really fall deep into these characters until the last quarter. Even though there were sprinkles of romance, it didn’t feel real until they finally took the leap. I will admit the first kiss scene was really adorable. Natalie and Finn connect over their dark pasts. These conversations did feel a little forced or scripted at times. Maybe I just feel that way because I can’t relate to these character’s personal struggles, but the amount of times these conversations popped up was really starting to detract from my reading experience. Something that did really bother me was how the biggest conflict in the book happens because Natalie is on her period. Firstly, it just feels lazy, but more importantly it’s relying on a tired stereotype that women are hormonal irrational creatures when on their periods. Natalie can even recognize she’s taking things too hard, maybe not being forgiving enough towards others, yet ignores her own self-reflection and stands her ground that she is the real victim. That was just super disappointing to see. I was teetering between 2 or 3 stars, but the ending romance scenes greatly improved my reading experience so I decided to bump it up. Thank you NetGalley and Random House Children’s for an eARC. I’m voluntarily leaving an honest review.
Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Survivor for College Kids!
When you need money, you'll go to just about any extreme to get it. That's why Natalie Hart signs up for the reality TV show, Wild Adventures. But when her sunshine is paired with grumpy Finn Marcum, she's sure she's chosen wrong. Through their adventures, they grow close, and from the forced proximity a friendship, and more, evolves. But can they ultimately win the money, and each other's hearts? I love a good YA romance. They are clean and fun and the tension between the characters is fun to watch. I was prepared for a slow burn from this one but the love interest actually took off sooner than I thought it would. Either way it was fun to watch the two main characters have their adventures. Natalie started off as a high maintenance girl. She fills her backpack with all types of skin care products she refuses to leave behind. And, being a drama major with the hopes of becoming an actress, she talks up the cameras a lot. At first it turned me off a bit. But then she slowly transforms into more than just what you see on the outside. She has so many nuances to her character. Hill did a great job in helping her evolve and develop. It was fun to watch her learn. Finn, on the other hand, is Mr. Grumpy, and I was not a fan of his at first. He was very standoffish and definitely erected a wall between himself and Natalie. But she slowly wears that wall away, and helps him find more of his own sunshine. I wasn't all in for the chemistry with these two. I think this was mostly because it was told in first person from only Natalies point of view. For me, romances work so much better in dual point of view. It seemed to me the author was more interested in telling Natalie's story than Finn's but at the same time, I don't feel like I truly go to know Finn. Natalie's personality and character overshadowed him. The plot was fun. I love a good survivor type show and this one gave me those feels. It was also nice to see the history of the Appalachian Trail worked into the story line. I enjoyed learning the tidbits the author chose to share. I don't know much about Kentucky or Tennessee so it was fun to learn that a bit. I especially liked that the author chose to incorporate Natalie's anxiety into the plot line. This is such a wide spread mental illness that so many do not even know they have. The author took good care to show the spirals that happen with anxiety and also giving the audience information on how such things can be handled: therapy, medications, meditation, etc. I felt like the side characters were fun but would have liked to see a bit more of them. I feel like the only character I understood anything about was the female enemy. We got what she was all about right away. Overall the characters were relatable and real. I can see how people would easily see themselves in these characters. The pacing was good with this book. I wasn't truly hooked until the romance took off, to be honest, which seemed to be about half way through the story. I enjoyed watching the banter between this unlikely couple. Overall, I really enjoyed this story. It was cute. This was my first Hill book and it seems her books are connected through her characters. But you can definitely read this one as a stand alone. I think readers who enjoy Lynn Painter, Kasie West, and Stephanie Perkins will enjoy books by this author.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
What fun!
Wild About You was a fun, very easy to read young adult adventure style novel with two completely likable main characters. Kaitlynn Hill did a very good job at contrasting her easy breezy style of writing with some real-life problems such as anxiety, panic attacks, and parental issues. The game show format made it easy for the reader to connect to all of the cast of characters while at the same time rooting for our favorite main character duo. There were several things I liked about Wild About You. These young characters had real-life issues that a reader could easily identify with, the growth of Natalie and Finn’s relationship was steady and sweet, and the competition. Actually that last thing was probably my favorite because I’m a reality show competition fan. All of these things made this story interesting, light, but with a bit of depth- adding character to the right parts of the story. I thought it was very well done!
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Fabulous Adventure!
I thoroughly enjoyed this story. It was so entertaining, full of many laugh out loud moments, making new friends, learning new skills, and falling hard for each other along the way. Their adventures and competitions are taxing from day to day but as they grow more dependent upon each other their feelings for each other grow. There is so much more to this sunshine/ grumpy trope than I thought there would be going in on my first book by Kaitlyn Hill and I fell hard for these two opposites. This is Natalie and Finn’s story Natalie and Finn are paired up together by finding the same color backpacks on the first day of the Wild Co-EdVentures reality show. They will have to make their way along a 170 mile stretch of the Appalachian Trail, competing each day for a chance to win $100,000 in scholarship money for each partner of the winning pair. I could totally relate to Natalie and her lack of any experience in the great outdoors. But I felt that to be 19 years old and to be trying to help her situation by going on this competition was so brave, especially with anxiety and without any support system at home except for her friends. Meeting handsome, grumpy, Finn is her savior in this competition. He had it going on with most of the challenges and his outdoor experience saved them for sure. But it was the banter between them and their communication that really made me swoon for Finn. “It’s a kiss that shows everyone else what we already knew—that we won long before we got to the finish line.” There was no room for anything but good vibes inside me, while I read this story. It was so full of happiness, desire, attraction, relief, all bubbling together. From them climbing trees, coming face to face with a black bear, crossing a string bridge, it was their ability to bring out the best in each other. If you are a fan of camping or not, you will love this fabulous adventure! I Loved This!!! Get your copy now! I received an early copy and this is my honest review!
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Survivor-esque romance!
This is one I was excited to read, I had wanted to read another book by this author, and this was perfect with some of the other “survivor” type of books I’d been reading at this same time. When I started, at first I was unsure if I would be able to connect to Natalie as she talked about bringing all her makeup with her. However her insecurities and the way she kind of babbled when she was nervous at times did remind me so much of myself that I quickly connected with the rest of her. Also Finn at first seemed like someone I might not be able to get to like as his dislike of her seemed a little over the top at first. The author turned it all around though as the two of them had such hilarious banter and we were soon given a new enemy named Alli, or Enemi as Natalie called her in her head. As the adventure progressed along the Appalachian Trail, we got to know more and more about both Natalie and Finn, and the enemies to lovers romance trope was completely perfectly done. The different tasks they had to compete in were so much fun, so original at times, and some so hard I know I could not have done them! The other contestants also either grew on me as I read, or the enemy status was cemented again and again. I love how the author showed the growth of Natalie through the trip, and how her growth not only affected Finn, but how he was a big part of her learning more about herself and being able to accept things she’d panicked over before. The relationship between the two and how it developed was so realistic in my opinion. Not just perfect all of a sudden everything is okay. So many more awkward moments, I mean they’re hiking in the wilderness for goodness sake. But also a lot of sweet moments that totally won me completely over to Finn by the end. I mean at one point he had one of the best lines: “I accept your lack of apology.” He knew how to deal with Natalie’s dramatic personality, and give the sarcasm and snark right back, in a good way! The ending of the competition was so satisfying, even with its ups and downs. And I like that while some problems may have been solved or at least figured out how to deal with, it wasn’t like all of a sudden Natalie’s whole life was perfect. Her anxiety was still there, she’d just learned that she had to deal with it and ask for help. She still didn’t have the perfect parents. And she had to figure out a long distance relationship. But hey, she did figure out how to handle a black bear, and oh my gosh, that was one of my favorite parts of the story! I hope to read more by this author in the future, and really hope I get a chance to go back and at least read the one I wanted to before, Love From Scratch.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Wild adventure
Desperate times calls for desperate measures. Natalie Is not your typical outdoorsy adventure girl but with her student loans and needing to pay for the next semester of school, she did the only thing she could. She signed up for a Wild adventure reality TV show. If she could win, the prize was $100,000. So with her mega cosmetic bag and a pair of hiking shoes she was off. She is paired with a total stranger by the name of Finn and they were at odds from the very beginning. I thought the storyline was good and I enjoyed the banter and the excursion of the adventure. I did eventually come to appreciate the characters and their differences. I liked how they were able to find ways to encourage and sustain each other through some difficult times. Overall, I thought it was a fairly enjoyable read. It is touted as a young adult book, 12 to 17 years old. In my opinion there was far too much foul language. but I appreciate that there were no illicit scenes. Some cuddling and kissing with suggested sleeping arrangements. It can be read as a standalone story. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Cute Adventure/Romance Story
This was an OK read for me. Sweet Teen/YA about Natalie and Finn who meet and are paired as partners on a reality show to win college scholarships and filmed along the Appalachian Trail. She’s a definite extrovert (annoying for me at times) with some anxiety and family issues. He’s a bit subdued and dealing with a tragic loss in his life. Along the trail they learn there’s more to the other than originally thought, and they learn how to survive as partners. And I would also add that I was happy to see Natalie’s character mature a little more along the way. Cute with a few deeper moments. My thanks to the author, NetGalley and Random House Children’s/Delacorte Romance for providing the free early arc of Wild About You for review. The opinions are strictly my own.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Wild About This Book
I was already a fan after Not Here to Stay Friends, but Wild About You is Kaitlyn Hill's best book so far. 🏕Grumpy x Sunshine 🏕Forced Proximity/Partners 🏕Only One Tent 🏕Backpack Adjusting - in which MMC adjusts FMC's backpack. (Possibly one of my new fave micro tropes) The relationship was so cute and REAL. Natalie and Finn had a rough journey, literally and figuratively, but they faced their challenges and learned a lot about each other. With all the swoony and sweet moments along the trail! There were heavier tones of anxiety and grief, both of which were represented well, but it was still a light-hearted read. It was a perfect balance with the romance and humor. I laughed a lot and cried only a little. Like Natalie, I am an uncooked s'more. Read this book to find out if you are too. It has all the camping vibes and belongs on everyone's summer TBR this year. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Customer review from barnesandnoble.com