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Wild Life
They're walking on the wild side…
The Plan was simple: find a cure for the cancer that nearly took her sister’s life. But for Zoey Fong, something about The Plan isn’t working anymore. Maybe it’s her unsuccessful research, maybe it’s burnout. But when a crucial tissue sample accidentally winds up in the hands of a very distracting—and disarmingly handsome—visitor, Zoey jumps at the chance to follow him home to retrieve it.
Davy Hsieh’s rugged island estate is no manicured suburban park. His plan is simple: establish a legitimate animal sanctuary and embrace life as a hermit to make up for a sketchy past. Zoey invading his fortress of solitude should not, under any circumstances, be a romantic development.
And yet it’s the single most invigorating week of their lives…when they're able to set their many differences aside and embrace it. Stranded amid all manner of flora and fauna—including a semidomesticated cougar called Baby—Davy and Zoey first have to survive the island. Then they'll need to take a leap of faith, maybe even trusting in each other, to save it.
The Plan was simple: find a cure for the cancer that nearly took her sister’s life. But for Zoey Fong, something about The Plan isn’t working anymore. Maybe it’s her unsuccessful research, maybe it’s burnout. But when a crucial tissue sample accidentally winds up in the hands of a very distracting—and disarmingly handsome—visitor, Zoey jumps at the chance to follow him home to retrieve it.
Davy Hsieh’s rugged island estate is no manicured suburban park. His plan is simple: establish a legitimate animal sanctuary and embrace life as a hermit to make up for a sketchy past. Zoey invading his fortress of solitude should not, under any circumstances, be a romantic development.
And yet it’s the single most invigorating week of their lives…when they're able to set their many differences aside and embrace it. Stranded amid all manner of flora and fauna—including a semidomesticated cougar called Baby—Davy and Zoey first have to survive the island. Then they'll need to take a leap of faith, maybe even trusting in each other, to save it.
304 pages, Paperback
First published January 23, 2024
76 people are currently reading
11530 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 240 reviews
January 23, 2024
First of all, the cover of this book is beautiful!! It's so bright and fun and it drew me in and made me want to read it. Wild Life was an adorable, fun, romance!! This storyline of this was very original and creative. I love that Davy lived on a private island and was protecting Baby, the cougar. The 2 main characters are such opposites and such an unlikely couple, but they work so well and brought the chemistry!! This book does have a spicy factor to it! Overall, an entertaining read!
Thank you, Harlequin Publishers, and Netgalley, for an advanced read copy in return for my honest review.
Thank you, Harlequin Publishers, and Netgalley, for an advanced read copy in return for my honest review.
January 22, 2024
Wonky, sexy romp featuring a beleaguered Cancer researcher student, a former boy band shirtless bad boy turned animal rehab island owner, and a yowling, screeching cougar named Baby.
Zoey Fong and Davy Hsieh crash into each other at Zoey's lab, causing her to misplace her precious slide she needs for her research, and ending up with her on Davy's private island searching for the slide amidst his many crates of essentials he needs to survive mostly alone in solitude out there. What follows is a sexy romp as both Zoey and Davy immediately are attracted to one another and find themselves defending the other's quirks to everyone else they encounter. I had a blast reading this, and i hope you all do too!
Thank you to the publisher for the arc
Content notes: set in Canada, Zoey is Chinese-Canadian; Davy is Tawainese Canadian. Zoey's sister had cancer as a kid (she survives, is the reason Zoey decides to try to be a cancer researcher). Davy has social anxiety and was addicted to prescription pills (in recovery)
Zoey Fong and Davy Hsieh crash into each other at Zoey's lab, causing her to misplace her precious slide she needs for her research, and ending up with her on Davy's private island searching for the slide amidst his many crates of essentials he needs to survive mostly alone in solitude out there. What follows is a sexy romp as both Zoey and Davy immediately are attracted to one another and find themselves defending the other's quirks to everyone else they encounter. I had a blast reading this, and i hope you all do too!
Thank you to the publisher for the arc
Content notes: set in Canada, Zoey is Chinese-Canadian; Davy is Tawainese Canadian. Zoey's sister had cancer as a kid (she survives, is the reason Zoey decides to try to be a cancer researcher). Davy has social anxiety and was addicted to prescription pills (in recovery)
January 24, 2024
Thank you to the author Opal Wei, publishers Harlequin, and NetGalley for an advance digital copy of WILD LIFE. All views are mine.
Three (or more) things I loved:
1. I got a great feeling about this book immediately, right from the introduction written by the author. She includes content warnings, which I slways value. I have ptsd and I appreciate the opportunity to prepare myself for triggers in books. She also includes a few lines of my favorite poem, "Wild Geese" from Mary Oliver. I had very high expectations going, because of the front matter.
2. I really love all the animals in the book. The pissed off hawk was a pretty great description!
3. The steamy scenes in this one are extremely intimate and well-written. I'm usually so serious when I read steamy scenes, but I had this goofy smile on my face while I read these ones!
4. Cute ending; good character development.
Three (or less) things I didn't love:
This section isn't only for criticisms. It's merely for items that I felt something for other than "love" or some interpretation thereof.
1. I didn't really appreciate the author's diminution and infantalization of her fmc in the opening lines of the book. This was a huge disappointment for me.
2. The narrative in this one is a little wiggly, but still en example for the genre.
Rating: 🐆🐆🐆.5 / 5 big cats
Spice: 🌶🌶
Recommend? Yes
Finished: Jan 23 '24
Format: Digital arc, Kindle, NetGalley
Read this book if you like:
💖 romance
🚪 open door romance
🏘 small town life
🏝 island life
👥️ forced proximity trope
🦁 animals
Three (or more) things I loved:
1. I got a great feeling about this book immediately, right from the introduction written by the author. She includes content warnings, which I slways value. I have ptsd and I appreciate the opportunity to prepare myself for triggers in books. She also includes a few lines of my favorite poem, "Wild Geese" from Mary Oliver. I had very high expectations going, because of the front matter.
2. I really love all the animals in the book. The pissed off hawk was a pretty great description!
3. The steamy scenes in this one are extremely intimate and well-written. I'm usually so serious when I read steamy scenes, but I had this goofy smile on my face while I read these ones!
4. Cute ending; good character development.
Three (or less) things I didn't love:
This section isn't only for criticisms. It's merely for items that I felt something for other than "love" or some interpretation thereof.
1. I didn't really appreciate the author's diminution and infantalization of her fmc in the opening lines of the book. This was a huge disappointment for me.
2. The narrative in this one is a little wiggly, but still en example for the genre.
Rating: 🐆🐆🐆.5 / 5 big cats
Spice: 🌶🌶
Recommend? Yes
Finished: Jan 23 '24
Format: Digital arc, Kindle, NetGalley
Read this book if you like:
💖 romance
🚪 open door romance
🏘 small town life
🏝 island life
👥️ forced proximity trope
🦁 animals
September 30, 2023
Firstly I would like to say I love the cover and the premise/setting of this book. A burnt out graduate student plus private island turned wildlife sanctuary seems like a fun time!
Unfortunately this book did not work for me for various reasons (mild spoilers ahead):
The writing style- I can’t quite put my finger on it, but something about the sentence structure and dialogue felt completely off to me and kept pulling me out of the story. There were a lot of sentences starting with “but” and just odd language in general that interrupted the flow of the narrative. A lot of of the dialogue (both internal and external) felt completely different than what a typical person would say/think, which made it hard to immerse myself in the story. Here are a few sentences I annotated that had me scratching my head:
“Zoey felt the impatience build up like steam behind her eyeballs.”
“Her emotions should have been tired from all the swooping and plummeting they'd done in the last hour, day, week. But all she could feel was energy bubbling up everywhere.”
The plot- Much of the plot did not make sense to me. Their initial meet cute comes when he stumbles upon her working in a medical research lab while he is trying to find a wildlife expert that works on the same campus. As someone who works in a research lab- there is no way this would happen, especially with someone looking for a person in a completely different department? He then accidentally steals and important slide (how? good question, I’m not sure either) and it ends up packed in a crate being sent to his island. Instead of allowing it to be mailed back like a normal person, Zoey embarks on a journey to his island to find it in the crates herself. The slide then spends the rest of the book getting absolutely mistreated (she stores it in her bra??), and (the most infuriating part to me), at the end of the book she mails it back to her advisor. This whole set up aside, the author introduces a completely unnecessary villain in the third act, plus multiple side plots/characters that do not have time to be explored in any depth within such a short book. The result is a slightly convoluted plot with rushed pacing that really takes away from the romance. Which brings me to:
The romance- These two characters really meet and fall in instalove, but internally have reasons that don’t really make sense for why they can’t be together (he’s wealthy and she’s not!). They work through some issues, and then he is moving to the mainland to be with her and she is dropping out of her PhD program (with no plan) to be with him. This is all within days of meeting, along with a full “I love you” confession.
The comedy- There were parts of this that really felt they were trying to pull off the comedy part of a rom-com, but mostly consisted of characters acting like complete weirdos. This I found completely unfunny and I wish this book would have tried less hard to be comedic.
Overall I did not enjoy reading this and I definitely would have DNFed if this was not an arc. I do hope this works for other readers though who maybe have different taste!
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with an arc to review.
Unfortunately this book did not work for me for various reasons (mild spoilers ahead):
The writing style- I can’t quite put my finger on it, but something about the sentence structure and dialogue felt completely off to me and kept pulling me out of the story. There were a lot of sentences starting with “but” and just odd language in general that interrupted the flow of the narrative. A lot of of the dialogue (both internal and external) felt completely different than what a typical person would say/think, which made it hard to immerse myself in the story. Here are a few sentences I annotated that had me scratching my head:
“Zoey felt the impatience build up like steam behind her eyeballs.”
“Her emotions should have been tired from all the swooping and plummeting they'd done in the last hour, day, week. But all she could feel was energy bubbling up everywhere.”
The plot- Much of the plot did not make sense to me. Their initial meet cute comes when he stumbles upon her working in a medical research lab while he is trying to find a wildlife expert that works on the same campus. As someone who works in a research lab- there is no way this would happen, especially with someone looking for a person in a completely different department? He then accidentally steals and important slide (how? good question, I’m not sure either) and it ends up packed in a crate being sent to his island. Instead of allowing it to be mailed back like a normal person, Zoey embarks on a journey to his island to find it in the crates herself. The slide then spends the rest of the book getting absolutely mistreated (she stores it in her bra??), and (the most infuriating part to me), at the end of the book she mails it back to her advisor. This whole set up aside, the author introduces a completely unnecessary villain in the third act, plus multiple side plots/characters that do not have time to be explored in any depth within such a short book. The result is a slightly convoluted plot with rushed pacing that really takes away from the romance. Which brings me to:
The romance- These two characters really meet and fall in instalove, but internally have reasons that don’t really make sense for why they can’t be together (he’s wealthy and she’s not!). They work through some issues, and then he is moving to the mainland to be with her and she is dropping out of her PhD program (with no plan) to be with him. This is all within days of meeting, along with a full “I love you” confession.
The comedy- There were parts of this that really felt they were trying to pull off the comedy part of a rom-com, but mostly consisted of characters acting like complete weirdos. This I found completely unfunny and I wish this book would have tried less hard to be comedic.
Overall I did not enjoy reading this and I definitely would have DNFed if this was not an arc. I do hope this works for other readers though who maybe have different taste!
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with an arc to review.
January 1, 2024
Zoey Fong is Chinese Canadian and her life plan is to not only be a doctor but to find a cure for cancer. Only thing is she really doesn’t love the research part of her career. She literally bumps into Davy Hsieh’s and a precious research slide ends up with him. Davy is Taiwanese Canadian and is reclusive after years in the spotlight as a boy band member. They end up on his private island looking for the sample that has been misplaced in his shipping boxes.
There is a lot of comedic mayhem and shenanigans. If you enjoy farcical happenings this book will work for you. Some scenes were a far stretch for me but I decided to embrace the plot. This is open door with steamy times, where the pair are definitely compatible. Both are trying to make career and life plans decisions. And Davy's anxiety is taken seriously. The bulk of the story takes place in a few intense days together. The story is fun and the plot is easy to follow. Nice for a quick, escapism read. Thank you to Harlequin for the ARC via NetGalley and I am leaving a voluntary review. (3.5 Stars)
There is a lot of comedic mayhem and shenanigans. If you enjoy farcical happenings this book will work for you. Some scenes were a far stretch for me but I decided to embrace the plot. This is open door with steamy times, where the pair are definitely compatible. Both are trying to make career and life plans decisions. And Davy's anxiety is taken seriously. The bulk of the story takes place in a few intense days together. The story is fun and the plot is easy to follow. Nice for a quick, escapism read. Thank you to Harlequin for the ARC via NetGalley and I am leaving a voluntary review. (3.5 Stars)
March 12, 2024
Davy and Zoey have a meet cute where Davy steps inside Zoey's lab and asks for help to find a professor. Zoey was rushing to meet her boss and accidently handed Davy a very important slide for her research. Long story short, the slide that Zoey needed back was being literally crated by a ship to Davy's home that is a remote island. Zoey decides to go with Davy and retrieve the slide, but ends up falling for Davy.
I really liked their relationship and how well they balanced one another. Little did they know how well they could help out one another professionally as well as personally! Davy's character was very raw sharing on mental illness and addiction, issues with family, and issues with celebrity fame at a young age. It was nice to see his character grow and heal with the love and reassurance from Zoey.
I really liked their relationship and how well they balanced one another. Little did they know how well they could help out one another professionally as well as personally! Davy's character was very raw sharing on mental illness and addiction, issues with family, and issues with celebrity fame at a young age. It was nice to see his character grow and heal with the love and reassurance from Zoey.
May 20, 2025
Ehhhh...
I mean, it's a unique concept, but I just felt like it was poorly written. Characters are flat and mostly annoying. The chemistry wasn't really there. There's a really forced evil rich guy plot because there's not enough conflict without that.
Also I had to pause when our main character says she wanted the male LI to erotically suck on her belly button. Girl what. Do you have an outtie??? Do authors even know how sex works anymore? Lately it's been feeling like romance authors somehow make sex sound like the most unappealing thing ever.
I liked the set-up but there just wasn't enough substance here to keep me interested.
I mean, it's a unique concept, but I just felt like it was poorly written. Characters are flat and mostly annoying. The chemistry wasn't really there. There's a really forced evil rich guy plot because there's not enough conflict without that.
Also I had to pause when our main character says she wanted the male LI to erotically suck on her belly button. Girl what. Do you have an outtie??? Do authors even know how sex works anymore? Lately it's been feeling like romance authors somehow make sex sound like the most unappealing thing ever.
I liked the set-up but there just wasn't enough substance here to keep me interested.
January 28, 2024
Oh my goodness, Wild Life by @ruby.lang was SO fun. While it is ostensibly a romcom, it's also sensitive, heartfelt, and just so sweet, I loved every minute. Zooey is SO relatable, Davy is adorable, and the whole premise is so wild and wacky - and yet also totally made me want to jet off the the Pacific Northwest to hang out on a scenic island.
The premise of this story is honestly kind of hilarious. Davey accidentally ends up with a very important lab sample slide of Zooey's, and she then proceeds to upend her life following him around trying to get it back. The slide is clearly a bit of a metaphor for Zooey's dissatisfaction with her life, and I love how it ends up being the catalyst for her making big changes for herself. Meanwhile, Davey has been hiding on his island to keep his anxiety at bay, but I loved the frank discussion of mental health that ends up prompting.
Zooey is so driven, a high achiever and perfectionist who is so devoted to her "Plan" that she cannot see anything beyond it. Davy is the perfect match for her - he's a little more steady (despite his issues with anxiety) and seems to have a knack for actually getting her to slow down. There is definitely an element of instalust going on in this book, but the chemistry is so palpable from the moment they meet that I found it totally believable. And I mean, you throw any two people with some level of attraction together onto a remote island and sparks are going to fly. I loved that despite the intensity of their connection, the actual spice was slow to develop. There are lots of loaded looks and subtle touches beforehand - oh gosh, I loved it. And I always love depictions of imperfect, yet very realistic sex - it just makes the story seem more real.
If you are looking for a fast-paced, funny yet deep romcom, definitely check this one out. The writing is beautiful, there characters are so real, and I couldn't put it down. Thanks to Ruby Lang (writing as Opal Wei), @netgalley, and @harlequinbooks for allowing me the opportunity to read this one early!
The premise of this story is honestly kind of hilarious. Davey accidentally ends up with a very important lab sample slide of Zooey's, and she then proceeds to upend her life following him around trying to get it back. The slide is clearly a bit of a metaphor for Zooey's dissatisfaction with her life, and I love how it ends up being the catalyst for her making big changes for herself. Meanwhile, Davey has been hiding on his island to keep his anxiety at bay, but I loved the frank discussion of mental health that ends up prompting.
Zooey is so driven, a high achiever and perfectionist who is so devoted to her "Plan" that she cannot see anything beyond it. Davy is the perfect match for her - he's a little more steady (despite his issues with anxiety) and seems to have a knack for actually getting her to slow down. There is definitely an element of instalust going on in this book, but the chemistry is so palpable from the moment they meet that I found it totally believable. And I mean, you throw any two people with some level of attraction together onto a remote island and sparks are going to fly. I loved that despite the intensity of their connection, the actual spice was slow to develop. There are lots of loaded looks and subtle touches beforehand - oh gosh, I loved it. And I always love depictions of imperfect, yet very realistic sex - it just makes the story seem more real.
If you are looking for a fast-paced, funny yet deep romcom, definitely check this one out. The writing is beautiful, there characters are so real, and I couldn't put it down. Thanks to Ruby Lang (writing as Opal Wei), @netgalley, and @harlequinbooks for allowing me the opportunity to read this one early!
January 23, 2024
I love romance with a conceit and Wei delivers in Wild Life, setting up a contrast between “wild” and “tame”, wilderness and urban landscape. For her main characters, it translates into an analogy of either a working-out of life untethered, or a life controlled. As we get to know them, these opposites turn out not so opposite after all. Because living the either/or life doesn’t make it a good one.
I’m making Wild Life sound humourless and sombre in a way it isn’t: it’s witty, funny, and an homage to one of the great screwball comedies, Bringing Up Baby. “Baby” is a reflection of Wei’s duelling themes: an elderly cougar (hey, it’s Canada: we have cougars, not leopards), declawed, and rehabilitated by the hero on his remote, “wild” aspiring animal sanctuary. Baby is as “declawed” as the narrative is of any problematic aspects to the film. (Heck, these days, romance is “declawed”…not that that isn’t a good thing in places.) A quick read of the publisher’s blurb fills in further details:
The Plan was simple: find a cure for the cancer that nearly took her sister’s life. But for Zoey Fong, something about The Plan isn’t working anymore. Maybe it’s her unsuccessful research, maybe it’s burnout. But when a crucial tissue sample accidentally winds up in the hands of a very distracting—and disarmingly handsome—visitor, Zoey jumps at the chance to follow him home to retrieve it.
Davy Hsieh’s rugged island estate is no manicured suburban park. His plan is simple: establish a legitimate animal sanctuary and embrace life as a hermit to make up for a sketchy past. Zoey invading his fortress of solitude should not, under any circumstances, be a romantic development.
And yet it’s the single most invigorating week of their lives…when they’re able to set their many differences aside and embrace it. Stranded amid all manner of flora and fauna—including a semidomesticated cougar called Baby—Davy and Zoey first have to survive the island. Then they’ll need to take a leap of faith, maybe even trusting in each other, to save it.
Wei pays homage to the Hollywood meet-cute in the opening scene. Davy is wandering Musqueam University in search of a professor he has an appointment with in hopes he’ll advise him on establishing his animal sanctuary. Instead, he stumbles into Zoey’s lab:
She pulled out her phone. “Shit, shit, shit. I am so late.” In an unexpected move, she ran to the sink and began scrubbing out mugs. “I’m sorry,” Davy said again, because it was an appropriate thing to say in Canada for all occasions. “It’s not your fault,” she muttered…Besides, he had no idea what this woman was going to ask him next. It was invigorating.
Zoey’s frenetic washing, Davy’s wide-eyed cluelessness are a hoot…and then you add a nod to our anglo-Canadian propensity to apologize for everything. (May I note for readers, especially my American friends, franco-Canadians don’t apologize. I hope someone writes an anglo-franco opposites attract romance. Kind of Bon Cop, Bad Cop, but with romance.) This gives you a good sense of Zoey and Davy: she’s go-go-go and he’s slow and steady; both, however, are working to atone: Zoey makes up for her sister’s childhood cancer (who’s fine and studying in uni and having a great ole time) and Davy, for being addicted to prescription drugs when he was in a boy-band and had to deal with his anxiety to perform. They’re good people with a unreasonably heightened sense of responsibility, not so opposite, definitely worthy.
Despite the serious underpinnings to Zoey and Davy, Wei keeps the tone light, the antics zany, and the banter droll. Her narrative only bogs down when Zoey and Davy get mushy about their families, their seeming failures, and fear of letting anyone “down”. As I said, they’re good people, but Wei’s humour made up for Zoey and Davy’s uber-earnestness. For example, when Davy tried to give Zoey a tour of his island, their encounter with wild geese was priceless. Examples of what makes Wei’s romance a great read: humour, banter, wit:
“Are you some kind of loner survivalist?” Zoey asked him. “No. I really am not.” Or was he? He paused to consider. “I mean, I like society, and I really don’t like writing manifestos.”
“I heard the longing in your voice. What’s your poison: straight-up Broadway, old-school MGM? Oh, wait, Disney movie musicals.” She was in trouble now, and judging by the look in Davy’s eye, he knew it. Still, she wasn’t a quitter. She tried to feign nonchalance, as if he hadn’t seen into her secret soul. “How do you figure?” “You’re pink-cheeked, like a doll. Like a princess who can sing with the birds.”
And the goose encounter can give Hollywood a run for screwball zaniness and its wit is Canadian, sorry!:
“Why don’t we both turn and run?” “That’s what I said earlier. Then you were all like, I’m the goose whisperer.” “I changed my mind. I’m not the goose whisperer. Although once we’re out of their territory–” “Everything is their territory. They’re Canada geese. As far as goose names go, it’s a pretty imperialist one.”
I snort-guffawed many times reading Wei’s Wild Life.
If I have a critique, it’s my uncertainty about the romance. Zoey and Davy are compatible, mature, capable of love and being love. Like most recent romance, however, Wei follows the new? newish formula: Zoey and Davy must, in confessing to each other and other people important to them, heal their broken selves. While enacting this important self-actualization, Zoey and Davy appreciate each other’s best qualities and boost each other up to be able to do that self-healing. It’s worthy and “good for you” romance, like eating your fruit and veg. It’s not romantic though. I mean the sex is great, the banter is funny, but there’s not much of romantic in the romance. It’s Weetabix and I want a buttery croissant slathered with jam and a hunk of Brie. *shrug* Still, it’s funny and zany and well-written and likely to be one of the best romances I read this year. Miss Austen agrees, Wild Life offers “real comfort,” Emma.
Opal Wei’s Wild Life is published by Harlequin. It releases today, January 23rd. I received an e-galley, from Harlequin, via Netgalley. This does not impede the free expression of my opinion. Moreover, no part of this review was written with any use of AI.
I’m making Wild Life sound humourless and sombre in a way it isn’t: it’s witty, funny, and an homage to one of the great screwball comedies, Bringing Up Baby. “Baby” is a reflection of Wei’s duelling themes: an elderly cougar (hey, it’s Canada: we have cougars, not leopards), declawed, and rehabilitated by the hero on his remote, “wild” aspiring animal sanctuary. Baby is as “declawed” as the narrative is of any problematic aspects to the film. (Heck, these days, romance is “declawed”…not that that isn’t a good thing in places.) A quick read of the publisher’s blurb fills in further details:
The Plan was simple: find a cure for the cancer that nearly took her sister’s life. But for Zoey Fong, something about The Plan isn’t working anymore. Maybe it’s her unsuccessful research, maybe it’s burnout. But when a crucial tissue sample accidentally winds up in the hands of a very distracting—and disarmingly handsome—visitor, Zoey jumps at the chance to follow him home to retrieve it.
Davy Hsieh’s rugged island estate is no manicured suburban park. His plan is simple: establish a legitimate animal sanctuary and embrace life as a hermit to make up for a sketchy past. Zoey invading his fortress of solitude should not, under any circumstances, be a romantic development.
And yet it’s the single most invigorating week of their lives…when they’re able to set their many differences aside and embrace it. Stranded amid all manner of flora and fauna—including a semidomesticated cougar called Baby—Davy and Zoey first have to survive the island. Then they’ll need to take a leap of faith, maybe even trusting in each other, to save it.
Wei pays homage to the Hollywood meet-cute in the opening scene. Davy is wandering Musqueam University in search of a professor he has an appointment with in hopes he’ll advise him on establishing his animal sanctuary. Instead, he stumbles into Zoey’s lab:
She pulled out her phone. “Shit, shit, shit. I am so late.” In an unexpected move, she ran to the sink and began scrubbing out mugs. “I’m sorry,” Davy said again, because it was an appropriate thing to say in Canada for all occasions. “It’s not your fault,” she muttered…Besides, he had no idea what this woman was going to ask him next. It was invigorating.
Zoey’s frenetic washing, Davy’s wide-eyed cluelessness are a hoot…and then you add a nod to our anglo-Canadian propensity to apologize for everything. (May I note for readers, especially my American friends, franco-Canadians don’t apologize. I hope someone writes an anglo-franco opposites attract romance. Kind of Bon Cop, Bad Cop, but with romance.) This gives you a good sense of Zoey and Davy: she’s go-go-go and he’s slow and steady; both, however, are working to atone: Zoey makes up for her sister’s childhood cancer (who’s fine and studying in uni and having a great ole time) and Davy, for being addicted to prescription drugs when he was in a boy-band and had to deal with his anxiety to perform. They’re good people with a unreasonably heightened sense of responsibility, not so opposite, definitely worthy.
Despite the serious underpinnings to Zoey and Davy, Wei keeps the tone light, the antics zany, and the banter droll. Her narrative only bogs down when Zoey and Davy get mushy about their families, their seeming failures, and fear of letting anyone “down”. As I said, they’re good people, but Wei’s humour made up for Zoey and Davy’s uber-earnestness. For example, when Davy tried to give Zoey a tour of his island, their encounter with wild geese was priceless. Examples of what makes Wei’s romance a great read: humour, banter, wit:
“Are you some kind of loner survivalist?” Zoey asked him. “No. I really am not.” Or was he? He paused to consider. “I mean, I like society, and I really don’t like writing manifestos.”
“I heard the longing in your voice. What’s your poison: straight-up Broadway, old-school MGM? Oh, wait, Disney movie musicals.” She was in trouble now, and judging by the look in Davy’s eye, he knew it. Still, she wasn’t a quitter. She tried to feign nonchalance, as if he hadn’t seen into her secret soul. “How do you figure?” “You’re pink-cheeked, like a doll. Like a princess who can sing with the birds.”
And the goose encounter can give Hollywood a run for screwball zaniness and its wit is Canadian, sorry!:
“Why don’t we both turn and run?” “That’s what I said earlier. Then you were all like, I’m the goose whisperer.” “I changed my mind. I’m not the goose whisperer. Although once we’re out of their territory–” “Everything is their territory. They’re Canada geese. As far as goose names go, it’s a pretty imperialist one.”
I snort-guffawed many times reading Wei’s Wild Life.
If I have a critique, it’s my uncertainty about the romance. Zoey and Davy are compatible, mature, capable of love and being love. Like most recent romance, however, Wei follows the new? newish formula: Zoey and Davy must, in confessing to each other and other people important to them, heal their broken selves. While enacting this important self-actualization, Zoey and Davy appreciate each other’s best qualities and boost each other up to be able to do that self-healing. It’s worthy and “good for you” romance, like eating your fruit and veg. It’s not romantic though. I mean the sex is great, the banter is funny, but there’s not much of romantic in the romance. It’s Weetabix and I want a buttery croissant slathered with jam and a hunk of Brie. *shrug* Still, it’s funny and zany and well-written and likely to be one of the best romances I read this year. Miss Austen agrees, Wild Life offers “real comfort,” Emma.
Opal Wei’s Wild Life is published by Harlequin. It releases today, January 23rd. I received an e-galley, from Harlequin, via Netgalley. This does not impede the free expression of my opinion. Moreover, no part of this review was written with any use of AI.
January 1, 2024
This was a really solid debut - great diversity, character development, and voice. Some plot points maybe weren't as flushed out as they could be, but not enough to take away from my enjoyment of this book. I will absolutely be looking for more from this author in the future.
January 29, 2024
Quick Summary: Contemporary fiction
My Review: Wild Life by Opal Wei is a Harlequin Feature romance. It follows the relationship between a cancer survivor and an ex C-Pop artist with an anxiety disorder.
About the Book: After a weirdly amusing meet-cute, a grad student and a former boy band member escape to an island. He's there to care for his animal rescues, and she is there to locate a priceless slide. While there, they each deal with the things that have been holding them back.
My Final Say: This was an ok read. It respectfully addressed anxiety. The characters were conflicted, but likable. It was funny and sweet. I loved that it ended on a good note.
Rating: 2.5/5
Recommend: Yes
Audience: A
Status/Level: ⏳
Thank you to the author, to the publisher (HARLEQUIN, Harlequin Feature), and to NetGalley for granting access to this title in exchange for an honest review.
My Review: Wild Life by Opal Wei is a Harlequin Feature romance. It follows the relationship between a cancer survivor and an ex C-Pop artist with an anxiety disorder.
About the Book: After a weirdly amusing meet-cute, a grad student and a former boy band member escape to an island. He's there to care for his animal rescues, and she is there to locate a priceless slide. While there, they each deal with the things that have been holding them back.
My Final Say: This was an ok read. It respectfully addressed anxiety. The characters were conflicted, but likable. It was funny and sweet. I loved that it ended on a good note.
Rating: 2.5/5
Recommend: Yes
Audience: A
Status/Level: ⏳
Thank you to the author, to the publisher (HARLEQUIN, Harlequin Feature), and to NetGalley for granting access to this title in exchange for an honest review.
January 26, 2024
They're walking on the wild side…
-
This was such a fun and quirky romance. Zoey is such a mess but in a brilliant phD candidate, clumsy way. She runs into Davy who is hot and all her plans go away.
She ends up on his private island cause he has a piece of her research which honestly seems very slippery cause it just kept getting lost, I think it was a sign she didn't want it.
They had a slow burn romance and he suffered from anxiety and just wanted to be a hermit because of experiences from his past.
I would totally watch this if it was a romcom. It was funny, had an elderly Jaguar, a Scooby doo neighbor trying to cause trouble and all the feels.
Thank you harlequinpublicityteam and harlequinbooks for my gifted copy.
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This was such a fun and quirky romance. Zoey is such a mess but in a brilliant phD candidate, clumsy way. She runs into Davy who is hot and all her plans go away.
She ends up on his private island cause he has a piece of her research which honestly seems very slippery cause it just kept getting lost, I think it was a sign she didn't want it.
They had a slow burn romance and he suffered from anxiety and just wanted to be a hermit because of experiences from his past.
I would totally watch this if it was a romcom. It was funny, had an elderly Jaguar, a Scooby doo neighbor trying to cause trouble and all the feels.
Thank you harlequinpublicityteam and harlequinbooks for my gifted copy.
March 2, 2024
This was a cute and kind of quirky book. For the most part, it was enjoyable, but at times,it felt a bit rushed. The main characters were likable and sweet together, but most of the side characters lacked development.
I would have liked more of everything, especially the wild animals. I think more time spent on the island with them would have been great! Overall, Wild Life was a light and quick read with some fun moments.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.
I would have liked more of everything, especially the wild animals. I think more time spent on the island with them would have been great! Overall, Wild Life was a light and quick read with some fun moments.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.
July 30, 2024
Dnf on the 2nd page.
Honestly this probably doesn’t even deserve a rating and to be put on my Dnf shelf since I only made it to pace 2. The female character is already spewing “cis white male” crap. Yes to representation, no to feminist books.
Honestly this probably doesn’t even deserve a rating and to be put on my Dnf shelf since I only made it to pace 2. The female character is already spewing “cis white male” crap. Yes to representation, no to feminist books.
December 4, 2023
I liked the characters & the backdrop, but I just couldn’t get into the main storyline. It just wasn’t very believable. Some funny bits and definitely some steamy scenes. It just sort of fell flat for me overall.
April 24, 2024
3.5
Did I buy this book solely for the cover? Yes. But it was good, I liked it!
Did I buy this book solely for the cover? Yes. But it was good, I liked it!
January 8, 2024
What a fabulous story!
I loved how Zoey and Davy’s characters so totally pulled me into their lives without any hesitation.
A lovely combination of humor, all the feels, and just the right amount of mystery.
I’m so hooked by Opal Wei’s writing style now and can’t wait for more stories in the future!
Five stars and so much more!! I highly recommend!!
I received an arc of this book from NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving my review
I loved how Zoey and Davy’s characters so totally pulled me into their lives without any hesitation.
A lovely combination of humor, all the feels, and just the right amount of mystery.
I’m so hooked by Opal Wei’s writing style now and can’t wait for more stories in the future!
Five stars and so much more!! I highly recommend!!
I received an arc of this book from NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving my review
June 5, 2024
Sometimes your faves disappoint you.
I think the heart of Ruby Lang's writing is great (this is her new penname), but this book had so many things and gimmicks happening that the emotional centers of all the major beats in the book didn't land, and I found it an overall frustrating and forgettable reading experience.
I think the heart of Ruby Lang's writing is great (this is her new penname), but this book had so many things and gimmicks happening that the emotional centers of all the major beats in the book didn't land, and I found it an overall frustrating and forgettable reading experience.
January 27, 2024
Wild Life is utter chaos in the best way possible. It is funny, a bit unpredictable, and highly relatable (assuming you are a type A person who realized at some point burnout exists).
I related to Zoey ALOT. I am currently a graduate student and while I ultimately decided to stick with my program there were a lot of moments where I doubted myself. I also made my plan when I was very young and didn't completely realize that being in school for that many years is exhausting. I had a moment reading this where I thought she's being crazy who would do that to avoid work and then I thought about all the things I did over the years and was like oh well maybe in that situation I would have done that too.
I also liked Davy and how his character was handled. He struggles with anxiety and makes some extreme decisions (like living on an island alone) to avoid things that trigger his anxiety. While most people don't have these type of resources, I think most people might make that decision if they had anxiety and an island.
I recommend this book for anyone who enjoys a romcom, particularly to my fellow academic overachievers with anxiety. This book is for us!
🌶️🌶️ - This book has one or two open-door steamy scenes. They aren't hugely descriptive.
🎧🎧🎧🎧 - I listened to the audiobook version of this title and really enjoyed it. I thought Natalie Naudus did a great job! Romance readers may recognize her from One Last Stop. I will note that this story is dual pov and single narrator.
I related to Zoey ALOT. I am currently a graduate student and while I ultimately decided to stick with my program there were a lot of moments where I doubted myself. I also made my plan when I was very young and didn't completely realize that being in school for that many years is exhausting. I had a moment reading this where I thought she's being crazy who would do that to avoid work and then I thought about all the things I did over the years and was like oh well maybe in that situation I would have done that too.
I also liked Davy and how his character was handled. He struggles with anxiety and makes some extreme decisions (like living on an island alone) to avoid things that trigger his anxiety. While most people don't have these type of resources, I think most people might make that decision if they had anxiety and an island.
I recommend this book for anyone who enjoys a romcom, particularly to my fellow academic overachievers with anxiety. This book is for us!
🌶️🌶️ - This book has one or two open-door steamy scenes. They aren't hugely descriptive.
🎧🎧🎧🎧 - I listened to the audiobook version of this title and really enjoyed it. I thought Natalie Naudus did a great job! Romance readers may recognize her from One Last Stop. I will note that this story is dual pov and single narrator.
January 22, 2024
I really liked this fun romance! Zoey Fong has a Plan. She’s going to become a medical researcher to find a cure for the bone cancer that afflicted her younger sister. Her sister is fine now, but Zoey can’t abandon The Plan or she’ll be a failure. She holds on to a tissue slide as a talisman.
One day, a guy named Davy who’s a former K-pop band member comes to the lab. He lives on an island refuge with an elderly declawed cougar, and wants to adď more unwanted animals in the future.
Zoey spends the day with him and they’re attracted to each other but she loses the slide in boxes going to the remote island. When they get there, a huge storm keeps them inside where they take their relationship to another level.
Can Zoey figure out what she wants to do with her career? Can Davy keep the island as a sanctuary while managing his anxiety? I liked how the author addressed the mental health challenges, 4 stars.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed as in this review are completely my own.
One day, a guy named Davy who’s a former K-pop band member comes to the lab. He lives on an island refuge with an elderly declawed cougar, and wants to adď more unwanted animals in the future.
Zoey spends the day with him and they’re attracted to each other but she loses the slide in boxes going to the remote island. When they get there, a huge storm keeps them inside where they take their relationship to another level.
Can Zoey figure out what she wants to do with her career? Can Davy keep the island as a sanctuary while managing his anxiety? I liked how the author addressed the mental health challenges, 4 stars.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed as in this review are completely my own.
April 11, 2024
Fun for the most part, fast, and interesting.
I did not like the heroine. I didn't hate her. She just was SO judgemental about money about what she THOUGHT of someone before they even got a chance to show their character. And that irked me.
Our hero was sweet and charming but he was a little too easy. Like he was SO nice that even the anxiety thing didn't seem as big of a deal as it should've been.
I think I read the back a little wrong? Or maybe it gave a different vibe than actuality. I went in thinking this was almost like an indiana jones, crocodile dundee, blue lagoon, romancing the stone type vibe. Like I thought they were gonna be stranded and relying on each other. It was more like coming to someone's rich house getting distracted and a couple of storms KINDA happen. I would have preferred they stayed at the house on the island for a little while longer.
Regardless, I liked it. And I liked these two together. Type A and Type B, but both kinda similar in ways as well. She needed someone to take care of her because she was always taking care of other people and he needed someone to care for because people made it seem like he couldnt.
Thought the family would have more screen time.
I did not like the heroine. I didn't hate her. She just was SO judgemental about money about what she THOUGHT of someone before they even got a chance to show their character. And that irked me.
Our hero was sweet and charming but he was a little too easy. Like he was SO nice that even the anxiety thing didn't seem as big of a deal as it should've been.
I think I read the back a little wrong? Or maybe it gave a different vibe than actuality. I went in thinking this was almost like an indiana jones, crocodile dundee, blue lagoon, romancing the stone type vibe. Like I thought they were gonna be stranded and relying on each other. It was more like coming to someone's rich house getting distracted and a couple of storms KINDA happen. I would have preferred they stayed at the house on the island for a little while longer.
Regardless, I liked it. And I liked these two together. Type A and Type B, but both kinda similar in ways as well. She needed someone to take care of her because she was always taking care of other people and he needed someone to care for because people made it seem like he couldnt.
Thought the family would have more screen time.
March 26, 2024
Cute!! The premise was so fun and, truly, wild. There were lots of twists that I absolutely did not see coming. I loved how Zoey and Davy brought out the best in each other, and helped each other navigate their struggles with what they wanted to do with their lives. Sometimes there was a little bit too much internal monologing, but that kind of comes with the territory when much of the book is set on a remote island. I oscillated back and forth between giving this a 3.5 or a 4 while writing this review, but I do love that Wei crafts a message that follows with the meaning of the Mary Oliver poem she starts the book with: you do not have to be perfect or do what you think you should do. Your life should be yours. As Oliver says, "you do not have to be good. You do not have to walk on your knees for a hundred miles through the desert repenting. You only have to let the soft animal of your body love what it loves."
January 29, 2024
Zoey is frantic when an important slide goes missing from her research lab and she has no one to blame but herself. She jumps at the opportunity to retrieve it when Davy, the handsome, tells her he has it. Only it's hidden amongst his crates of belongings headed to his private and secluded island.
There was a lot to like about this book but most especially from Davy and his backstory. He was so interesting and the way that his mental health journey was written was so well done. It was such a fun plot and I love that it was set in Canada. (More non-US set romances, please!)
Thank you to Harlequin for the gifted copy. All thoughts are my own.
Why it wasn't a five star: I wanted more time with Davy and Zoey. The short period that the book encapsulates just seemed to whiz by so fast and felt rushed.
There was a lot to like about this book but most especially from Davy and his backstory. He was so interesting and the way that his mental health journey was written was so well done. It was such a fun plot and I love that it was set in Canada. (More non-US set romances, please!)
Thank you to Harlequin for the gifted copy. All thoughts are my own.
Why it wasn't a five star: I wanted more time with Davy and Zoey. The short period that the book encapsulates just seemed to whiz by so fast and felt rushed.
February 7, 2024
I received an eARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
3.5, rounded up. This is cute and fluffy and full of shenanigans, but I also enjoyed seeing Zoey and Davy's feelings for one another grow. Their faults and anxieties are also realistic (despite the outlandish setting), which I appreciated.
3.5, rounded up. This is cute and fluffy and full of shenanigans, but I also enjoyed seeing Zoey and Davy's feelings for one another grow. Their faults and anxieties are also realistic (despite the outlandish setting), which I appreciated.
February 28, 2024
3.5 stars rounded up! The cover of this book drew me in. It’s the kind of book to put on display in the summer :) this book was fast paced which is unique for a romance novel. One minute they’re strangers, the next they’re strangers on a remote island!😆 as long as you leave realistic at the door, this book is enjoyable. Cheesy funny and an ending that you can’t immediately guess even if you know it’s going to be happy! I wasn’t super attached to these characters, but I liked them enough to wish them a happy ending. I think all the side characters were annoying, so there’s that.
October 15, 2023
More like 3.5. Adorable characters. Great pining. The plot is a little thin but the plot didn't feel like the point. I loved that it kept reminding me of Bringing Up Baby but not really because a cougar is a cougar. Davy and Zoey were great. I would definitely recommend this romcom to someone with a free weekend.
February 5, 2024
not a lot of plot here (which is on par for a screwball!) but I enjoyed the crazy romp. the chemistry is real even if the circumstances are bizarre, and although I could’ve appreciated a bit more convincing as to why the pacing was what it was, overall a fun read!
February 6, 2024
Very cute, it read like a movie in the best way possible! The romance and humor were so on point and entertaining, and it was just a fun read. Absolutely delightful!
Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
March 10, 2024
The book started off interesting, but it became far-fetched quickly. The few characters introduced were caricatures. There was no subtlety or finesse in the writing. It dragged on and on, and I just wanted the book to end.
January 26, 2024
No puedo decir que fue lo que no me gustó del libro. Se que algo no funcionó para mí, pero no sé si fue la historia, los personajes, la escritura o una combinación de todo.
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