The Bali Bucket List: From Good Girl to Whole Woman

by Ava Wilde

After HR's favorite good girl, Jasmine, gets dumped three months before her wedding, she escapes solo to Bali with a bucket list of everything she's been too scared to try.

Caught between three irresistible men and a hostel crew of beautiful disasters, she starts writing her way through heartbreak, lust, and self-destruction—one filthy blog post at a time.

When her anonymous sex blog goes viral and threatens to expose her, Jasmine has no choice but to confront the woman she’s become. Because sometimes, finding yourself is the only way to find the love you've been searching for.

Tropes: Blogger/Writer FMC, Paradise Setting, Good Girl Gone Wild, Spiritual Healing Journey, Starting Over, Travel Romance, Grumpy/Sunshine, Second Chance, Enemies to Lovers, Choose Your Own Adventure, Found Family, Female Friendship.

Steam Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

Genres: Romance

460 pages, Paperback

Published July 21, 2025

About the author

If you’re looking for slow burns wrapped in 400 pages of polite tension, bless your heart but that’s not me.

Check out my books in the Amazon link above.

Reviews

[Frida Hemborg · Rating 4 out of 5]

That was probably the spiciest romance book I’ve read in a LONG time. But also, the most soulsearching romance book I’ve EVER read. Like the author herself wrote in her thank you letter at the end, ”therapy through smut”, is a pretty damn good way of describing this book. We follow Jasmine, as she navigates her life and trying to find herself in Bali, after being dumped three months prior to her wedding. Who is she without her fiancé? Can she learn to live for herself, and not for someone else? She sets up a bucket list (or a f**** it list) to help her stay on track. What follows is a self discovering journey through the jungles, monasteries, hostles, nightclubs, motorcycle rides and so much more. In many ways it’s the journey, and not the destination, that’s the goal. And Jasmine truly fumbles a lot during this journey, makes many mistakes, but also learns from it. The thing is, that everyone else around the world is also following along on this journey, since she decided to blog about her experiences. And it gets detailed, very detailed. We get to read her blog posts, as well as the comments. Who you can imagine is very fifty fifty about women empowerment, and sexual freedom. We’ve all stumbled upon several incels online. This book is riddled with beautiful writing, humor and realizations, and gorgeous sceneries from the beautiful country of Bali. And most important, friendship. The friends she has and gains throughout this story, are for life. Beautifully written.

If you’re looking for a book that doesn’t excuse itself, that has swearing, sex, female liberation, a book that truly says ”F**k it”. Then this book is for you 👏🏼

[Jessica DiResto · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m blushing 🤭 maybe read alone? 🤣 very fun and cute book!

[Victoria Fellers · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve been trying to avoid using some of the more overused book buzzwords but there’s no getting around it. This book is absolutely unhinged in the best, most emotionally consuming way. I was so deeply immersed in Jazz’s journey that I felt every single emotion right along with her. The writing is magnetic, the tension is electric, and the spice? On a completely different level. I’ve read a fair share of romance but this was next level in terms of intimacy, vulnerability, and emotional impact.

This wasn’t just a love story. It was a story about heartbreak, healing, self destruction, and self discovery. It made me laugh, it made me ache, and it made me want to highlight entire pages because the writing hit that hard.

Ava Wilde was actually the first indie author who ever popped up on my feed. I read her two novellas in a single day because I was instantly hooked by her voice. So when she dropped her debut full length novel I didn’t even hesitate. I added it to my TBR immediately. I went in with no expectations and somehow it still managed to exceed everything I could have hoped for.

And her dedication? “Did I just get therapy through smut?”

Yes Ava. Yes I absolutely did.

If you are questioning whether or not, you should read this book don’t I promise it’s worth it 🖤

[Louisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.6🌟

[Nyahthebookreader · Rating 4 out of 5]

Would recommend!

At the beginning I was skeptical about the depth of the story, thinking it would only be romance and nothing more. Boy could I be more wrong. What seemed as just spice was just a wrapping for self discovery. Jasmine faces her fears and fights to become a person she can be proud off.
The characters seemed superficial but the more you read, the more complicated they become.
The blog factor put an extra pinch of tension and mystery into it.
The ending surprised me a little. There were two possible endings I would be fine with and this was one of them. I honestly don’t know if I would have preferred the other one.

Overall:
If you are a quiet person who wants to discover being themselves

[Sivan Kish · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Bali Bucket List is an intoxicating mix of heartbreak, self-discovery, and sizzling romance. Jasmine’s journey from “good girl” to bold adventurer is raw, magnetic, and impossible to put down. The writing is beautiful, the emotions cut deep, and the friendships she forms along the way grow into a true found family—the kind of chosen family built through love, loyalty, and shared experiences.
With its blend of spice, humor, healing, and heart, The Bali Bucket List is a powerful story that lingers long after the last page.

[Trista Ricketts · Rating 4 out of 5]

My review

This was definitely an interesting read for sure. I enjoyed the theme of finding yourself and empowerment for Jas. The modern writing style did throw me a little with the commentary on her blog posts and such. Be ready to stretch the boundaries of believability. The overall story and theme of the book was good and I’m glad she ended up with who she did. The one who saw her. I just wished the word slick hadn’t been used quite so many times.

[Lisa Albright · Rating 4 out of 5]

This contemporary romance has an Eat, Pray, Love vibe that takes us on Jasmine's journey of enlightenment through new experiences, new friends, and lots of very spicy times. After her engagement is broken off by her former fiancé, Jazz uses the vacation time she saved for the honeymoon and heads to Bali to heal and to understand herself. What she finds is chemistry with a variety of partners that each reveal a little more about who she is and what she's looking for.

I enjoyed the cultural and visual descriptions of Bali and learning more about the laid back lifestyle there. The characters are all interesting in their own way and I liked the found family Jazz created with her new friends and the way they ended up being so supportive of each other. I was uncomfortable with how she treated the men that wanted to be a part of her life and felt like they deserved better, but they chose to be there so maybe it was part of their growth process.

The disaster that her Bali Bucket List blog became was a bit scary, but it led to an amazing opportunity for Jazz and her story may inspire others to commit to self-discovery and exploring an authentic life and more meaningful relationships. Overall, it's a fascinating deep dive into one person's desire to radically change their situation to bring about the transformation needed to become who they really want to be.

I received a gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Gwendolene Juarez · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book swept me away! Jasmine’s journey from heartbreak to self discovery in the lush setting of Bali was everything I wanted and more, raw, messy, funny, and deeply empowering. The mix of steamy romance, found family, and personal growth kept me hooked from start to finish. I loved the way the sex blog added an edgy twist and raised the stakes, while the emotional healing made it feel authentic and heartfelt. It’s a perfect balance of spice and soul. Ava Wilde nailed it, this is more than a romance, it’s a whole adventure. Highly recommend!

[Julian Hartfield · Rating 4 out of 5]

A bold, spicy & beautiful journey of self discovery in bali

The Bali Bucket List is a bold, emotional, and wildly entertaining journey of heartbreak, healing, and self-discovery. Jasmine’s adventures in Bali—full of laughter, friendship, spice, and raw vulnerability—make this more than just a romance. It’s messy, beautiful, and unforgettable, reminding readers that finding yourself is the greatest love story.

[Jill Jemmett · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very spicy romance about discovering your true self. Jasmine travels to Bali after an unexpected break up with her fiancé of eight years. She decides to document her wild sexual experiences in an online blog. However, there are some consequences to her actions and her posts online. This was probably the spiciest book I’ve ever read. Check the content warnings before reading.

The Bali Bucket List is a spicy romance!

[Gillian Kohr · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked this up expecting a fun travel romance with some spice. What I got was a genuine exploration of what it means to rebuild yourself after everything you thought you wanted falls apart.

Yes, there's spice. A LOT of spice. But every encounter means something. Every experience teaches Jasmine something about who she's becoming.

Beautiful, filthy, unexpectedly moving.

[Darleen Mcwhirter · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Bali setting is gorgeous and immersive. The hostel crew feels like friends I've actually had. The blog structure adds a layer of meta-commentary that elevates the whole thing.

The spice is VERY spicy.

But what stays with me is the emotional core: the radical act of choosing yourself, even when it's scary, even when it disappoints others.

I've already bought copies for three friends.

[Burnett Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love that this wasn’t just about romance it was about Jasmine finding her voice again. The sex blog twist? Genius. The writing felt so raw and unfiltered. I laughed, I blushed, I rooted for her the whole time. Perfect beach read with a deeper message.

[Alana Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was way more emotional than I expected in a good way! Jasmine’s growth hit hard. I loved the mix of chaos and clarity as she crossed off her bucket list. And the men? Chef’s kiss. Steamy but heartfelt. One of my fave romance reads this year.

[Kendra Joe · Rating 5 out of 5]

I went in thinking this would be just a spicy escape story but it had so much more depth. Jasmine’s internal battles were just as powerful as her romantic ones. Her blog posts added such a fun layer. Totally recommend if you like bold, grown-woman energy.

[Rodney Casen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is perfect for anyone who’s ever wanted to run away and figure it all out. Jasmine’s mistakes felt so real, and the way she handled everything made me proud of her. The romance was hot, but her self-love arc? Even hotter. Loved it.

[Kerri Ramos · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book! It’s not a typical romance it’s honest, emotional, and full of female self-discovery. Jasmine’s journey of starting over in Bali felt empowering and real. The mix of romance, friendship, and healing made it an engaging read from start to finish.

[Winged Creature · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was precisely what I wanted. Fun and smutty. I had a great time reading it and reccomend it to anyone looking for the same.

[Sixto Villalba · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jasmine is such a badass, independent woman, and her journey of finding herself and owning her life is honestly so empowering.

[Kimberly]

Amazing!

Loved this book! Absolutely amazing. Was not was I expecting at all, and in the best way ever. Was very glad it ended the way it did.

[Maren]

eat pray love but make it SPICYYYYY and unhinged in the best way

reading this literally felt like watching a chaotic 90s romcom, with ALL the vibes