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Jana Goes Wild
The highly acclaimed author of Accidentally Engaged delivers a delightful rom-com of one woman trying to shed her perfect image at a destination wedding with hilarious — and moving — results, perfect for fans of Abby Jimenez and Jasmine Guillory .
Jana Suleiman has never really fit in—everyone always sees her as too aloof, too cool, too perfect. The one time she stepped out of her comfort zone she ended up with a broken heart and a baby on the way. Aaaand lesson learned . Now she’s a bridesmaid for a destination wedding in Serengeti National Park, and almost everyone she knows will be there. Her five-year-old daughter. Her mom. Her friends. Even her potential new boss. And of course (because who doesn’t love surprises!) her gorgeous-but-not-to-be-trusted ex.
Fortunately, Anil Malek is a great dad, even if Jana hasn’t quite forgiven him for lying to her all those years ago. Determined to show he has no effect on her whatsoever, she and the bridesmaids concoct a go-wild list to get Jana through the week. Sing karaoke? Sure. Perform their high school dance routine in front of strangers? Okay. But the more she lets down her guard, the less protection she has against her attraction to Anil. And Jana soon realizes it’s one thing to walk on the wild side . . . and quite another to fall for her ex all over again.
Jana Suleiman has never really fit in—everyone always sees her as too aloof, too cool, too perfect. The one time she stepped out of her comfort zone she ended up with a broken heart and a baby on the way. Aaaand lesson learned . Now she’s a bridesmaid for a destination wedding in Serengeti National Park, and almost everyone she knows will be there. Her five-year-old daughter. Her mom. Her friends. Even her potential new boss. And of course (because who doesn’t love surprises!) her gorgeous-but-not-to-be-trusted ex.
Fortunately, Anil Malek is a great dad, even if Jana hasn’t quite forgiven him for lying to her all those years ago. Determined to show he has no effect on her whatsoever, she and the bridesmaids concoct a go-wild list to get Jana through the week. Sing karaoke? Sure. Perform their high school dance routine in front of strangers? Okay. But the more she lets down her guard, the less protection she has against her attraction to Anil. And Jana soon realizes it’s one thing to walk on the wild side . . . and quite another to fall for her ex all over again.
352 pages, Paperback
First published May 2, 2023
131 people are currently reading
12994 people want to read
About the author
Farah Heron
13 books1,047 followersFarah Heron is a critically acclaimed author of romantic comedies for adults and young adults filled with huge South Asian families, delectable food, and most importantly, brown people falling stupidly in love. She lives in Toronto with her husband, two children, and a rabbit named Strawberry. She recently adopted two cats, who are now in charge.
Farah’s debut, The Chai Factor was named one of the summer’s best books by The Globe and Mail, and was praised in Book Riot, Smart Bitches Trashy Books, Bustle and more. Her next release, Accidentally Engaged, was listed as a best book of 2021 in Entertainment Weekly, USA Today, NPR, CBC Books, Kobo, and more. Her young adult debut, Tahira in Bloom, was recently released, and was praised as one of the best rom-coms of the year by USA today.
Farah’s debut, The Chai Factor was named one of the summer’s best books by The Globe and Mail, and was praised in Book Riot, Smart Bitches Trashy Books, Bustle and more. Her next release, Accidentally Engaged, was listed as a best book of 2021 in Entertainment Weekly, USA Today, NPR, CBC Books, Kobo, and more. Her young adult debut, Tahira in Bloom, was recently released, and was praised as one of the best rom-coms of the year by USA today.
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May 12, 2023So we met Jana and Amir in Kamila Knows Best, an Emma variant, where Jana and Amir are in the roles of Jane, the serious one, and Frank Churchill, the dickhead who courts Emma to make Jane jealous, uncaring of the impact that has on both women. Jana always seemed cool. Amir, on the other hand, was a dick. And he is not less a dick here where we start the book learning that he's had a two week fling with Jana telling her he's divorced, then it turns out what he means is "I'm definitely going to serve my wife divorce papers when I next see her." In fairness, she had left him for another man. Still a massive lie, and one which impacts Jana far more than him because she's called a homewrecker, loses a job, gets abuse from his wife's family, and becomes a disgraced single mum (he offers to marry her and she very reasonably tells him to fuck off. I would have really liked to see that scene; I don't feel enough of the book was spent telling Amir to fuck off, although Kamila's continual hostility is soothing).
This is not a great start for Amir. Luckily the book is set five years later, when he has spent the intervening period apologising, attempting to make up for it, and being an excellent dad. All that has still not really persuaded Jana out of her resentment at how he RUINED HER LIFE and I don't blame her.
This is very much about how Jana has to let go of her very justified resentment in order to move on with her life. She's stuck, she needs to push outside her comfort zone, nourish her friendships, get a new job, move out from her judgemental mother. She is a reserved, introverted person and also licking her wounds after all the social disapproval and shaming she's been subjected to, so this isn't easy. Then Amir turns up at Kamila's two week destination wedding and Jana is shoved into his company, and things start to shift.
This is a really interesting one. I had a look at the reviews and the responses people have to the central situation are hilariously divided between "Amir is a dick" and "Jana should have let it go years ago", which pretty much confirms that the book was extremely even-handed and well-balanced in its depiction. Jana really does need to move on, and to stop letting fear of people's opinions stifle her. Does she owe Amir civility after he's spent the last five years sincerely working to make amends? I don't think she owes him anything, personally, but then I am a fully paid up member of the grudge-holding community, and it is unquestionable that if a relationship is to happen it can't be with him forever in the wrong and doing all the work.
So, yeah. this is a difficult, prickly relationship which genuinely doesn't feel like it has any chance of working for a lot of the book, but that's exactly what persuades us in the end. Jana lets go of the resentment more than I did on her behalf, but I believed in her personal growth even if I don't emulate it. We can see how Amir is exhausted by her stubborn wavering, to coin a phrase, where she won't either move forward or walk away. And it's terrific to see how, by letting go of her resentment, she is in fact choosing life, and indeed prioritising herself. I believed in Jana and Amir's happy ending, and that is damn impressive considering where they started.
The safari setting is amazing and vivid, the large cast hugely enjoyable, and the cover superb.
This is not a great start for Amir. Luckily the book is set five years later, when he has spent the intervening period apologising, attempting to make up for it, and being an excellent dad. All that has still not really persuaded Jana out of her resentment at how he RUINED HER LIFE and I don't blame her.
This is very much about how Jana has to let go of her very justified resentment in order to move on with her life. She's stuck, she needs to push outside her comfort zone, nourish her friendships, get a new job, move out from her judgemental mother. She is a reserved, introverted person and also licking her wounds after all the social disapproval and shaming she's been subjected to, so this isn't easy. Then Amir turns up at Kamila's two week destination wedding and Jana is shoved into his company, and things start to shift.
This is a really interesting one. I had a look at the reviews and the responses people have to the central situation are hilariously divided between "Amir is a dick" and "Jana should have let it go years ago", which pretty much confirms that the book was extremely even-handed and well-balanced in its depiction. Jana really does need to move on, and to stop letting fear of people's opinions stifle her. Does she owe Amir civility after he's spent the last five years sincerely working to make amends? I don't think she owes him anything, personally, but then I am a fully paid up member of the grudge-holding community, and it is unquestionable that if a relationship is to happen it can't be with him forever in the wrong and doing all the work.
So, yeah. this is a difficult, prickly relationship which genuinely doesn't feel like it has any chance of working for a lot of the book, but that's exactly what persuades us in the end. Jana lets go of the resentment more than I did on her behalf, but I believed in her personal growth even if I don't emulate it. We can see how Amir is exhausted by her stubborn wavering, to coin a phrase, where she won't either move forward or walk away. And it's terrific to see how, by letting go of her resentment, she is in fact choosing life, and indeed prioritising herself. I believed in Jana and Amir's happy ending, and that is damn impressive considering where they started.
The safari setting is amazing and vivid, the large cast hugely enjoyable, and the cover superb.
May 6, 2023
The only thing better than this cover is the book inside!!I really loved Jana Goes Wild and I think it really boils down to Farah’s writing. This is my third book by Farah, and it won’t be my last. I plan to go back and read Kamila Knows Best (a modern Emma retelling!!!) because I want to see where Jana and Anil began.
I really loved the emphasis on coparenting and thought it was such an interesting and TENSE dynamic. I do think Anil was feeling a BIT bad for himself and didn’t quite respect how hard it was for Jana to be around him, but I understand it was ultimately for the best. I just loved that they both raised their daughter equally and then had to go on a trip together like good god the forced proximity!!!
This was super slow burn but the payoff was worth the melt. Both Kamila Knows Best and Accidentally Engaged were closed door, but I’d say Jana Goes Wild had around a sex scene and a half. My favorite was the coshowering 🥵🧼
Overall, this second chance romance was so emotional and set against such a lush background. I was in all my feels at ALL times. I really loved getting a book long grovel. I wouldn’t think I’d like a book that’s basically all third act breakup but I really, really did. I teared up at the end when Jana and her mother were having their Moment and truly I’ll think about that scene for a long time.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 🌶️🌶️.5/5
ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions are honest and my own.
I really loved the emphasis on coparenting and thought it was such an interesting and TENSE dynamic. I do think Anil was feeling a BIT bad for himself and didn’t quite respect how hard it was for Jana to be around him, but I understand it was ultimately for the best. I just loved that they both raised their daughter equally and then had to go on a trip together like good god the forced proximity!!!
This was super slow burn but the payoff was worth the melt. Both Kamila Knows Best and Accidentally Engaged were closed door, but I’d say Jana Goes Wild had around a sex scene and a half. My favorite was the coshowering 🥵🧼
Overall, this second chance romance was so emotional and set against such a lush background. I was in all my feels at ALL times. I really loved getting a book long grovel. I wouldn’t think I’d like a book that’s basically all third act breakup but I really, really did. I teared up at the end when Jana and her mother were having their Moment and truly I’ll think about that scene for a long time.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 🌶️🌶️.5/5
ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions are honest and my own.
March 19, 2023
Since I really enjoyed Heron's other novel, Kamila Knows Best, I could not pass up the opportunity to read Jana Goes Wild. Sadly, Jana Goes Wild didn't meet my expectations. Truely a disappointment. More so that Jana Goes Wild is the first novel from publisher Forever (GCP) that I disliked and did not finish.
The story is supposed to be a second chance romance. But at 33% the romance aspect wasn't even in the crosshairs. Rather than focusing on the relationship between the main characters of Jana and Anil, the narrative was pretty much centered on Jana's daughter -- four year old Imani.
Not that I dislike children, but I really got turned off by the whining and fussiness of the child in this novel. I suppose it's supposed to be cute. But in my opinion, a four year old has no place in a romance novel set in a foreign country thousands of miles away from home.
Will I continue to read more from Heron? You bet. It's too bad that this latest from Heron didn't appeal to me. A DNF at 33% One unlikeable star.
I received a digital ARC from Forever (GCP) through NetGalley. The review herein is completely my own and contains my honest thoughts and opinions.
The story is supposed to be a second chance romance. But at 33% the romance aspect wasn't even in the crosshairs. Rather than focusing on the relationship between the main characters of Jana and Anil, the narrative was pretty much centered on Jana's daughter -- four year old Imani.
Not that I dislike children, but I really got turned off by the whining and fussiness of the child in this novel. I suppose it's supposed to be cute. But in my opinion, a four year old has no place in a romance novel set in a foreign country thousands of miles away from home.
Will I continue to read more from Heron? You bet. It's too bad that this latest from Heron didn't appeal to me. A DNF at 33% One unlikeable star.
I received a digital ARC from Forever (GCP) through NetGalley. The review herein is completely my own and contains my honest thoughts and opinions.
May 3, 2023
Jana Goes Wild by Farah Heron
Contemporary romance. Diverse / Own voice. Second chance troupe.
Jana falls in love but only afterwards finds out Anil Malek is already married. Jana is committed to give her daughter the best possible life so arrangements are made to evenly split custody and care. Jana does her best to never actually see Anil in the transfer between parents and it’s all working out. Both Jana and Anil are part of a destination wedding event in Tanzania, East Africa and as the karaoke and singing and parties put them together, their attraction renews and strengthens. Anil is single now all the friends and family help push them together. Resistance is futile.
Overflowing and rich with East African cultural references, local foods, dress, and traditions. The romance was a bit on-again, off-again but it was Jana coming to certain realizations that mattered and made a difference. The grand gesture was perfect.
Recipes for cheddar and potato samosas and mandazi fried donuts included at the end.
I received a copy of the from NetGalley and the publisher.
Contemporary romance. Diverse / Own voice. Second chance troupe.
Jana falls in love but only afterwards finds out Anil Malek is already married. Jana is committed to give her daughter the best possible life so arrangements are made to evenly split custody and care. Jana does her best to never actually see Anil in the transfer between parents and it’s all working out. Both Jana and Anil are part of a destination wedding event in Tanzania, East Africa and as the karaoke and singing and parties put them together, their attraction renews and strengthens. Anil is single now all the friends and family help push them together. Resistance is futile.
Overflowing and rich with East African cultural references, local foods, dress, and traditions. The romance was a bit on-again, off-again but it was Jana coming to certain realizations that mattered and made a difference. The grand gesture was perfect.
Recipes for cheddar and potato samosas and mandazi fried donuts included at the end.
I received a copy of the from NetGalley and the publisher.
April 18, 2023
There was a lot I loved about this story, but ultimately I really struggled with Jana.
Five years ago an accidental pregnancy left Jana in a bit of a scandal, even causing her to lose her job. After years of animosity and co-parenting with Anil, she unexpectedly finds herself in forced proximity with him (along with their daughter) for a two-week vacation in Tanzania to attend a wedding.
From delicious food descriptions to safari adventures, the setting was definitely my favourite part! The perfect backdrop for this second chance romance. Lots of fun drama, too!
The chemistry between Jana and Anil was palpable from the very beginning. And I cannot express how much I adored Anil. Not only would he do anything for Jana, he was a picturesque father. It's so rare to see a positive example of co-parenting in a single parent romance, so major kudos for that.
I became a bit tired of their conflict, however. Jana was incredibly resentful towards Anil, and I'm not saying it wasn't warranted, but the repetitiveness eventually made it hard to sympathize with her inability to forgive.
(heat level: a couple open-door scenes, mild details)
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own
Five years ago an accidental pregnancy left Jana in a bit of a scandal, even causing her to lose her job. After years of animosity and co-parenting with Anil, she unexpectedly finds herself in forced proximity with him (along with their daughter) for a two-week vacation in Tanzania to attend a wedding.
From delicious food descriptions to safari adventures, the setting was definitely my favourite part! The perfect backdrop for this second chance romance. Lots of fun drama, too!
The chemistry between Jana and Anil was palpable from the very beginning. And I cannot express how much I adored Anil. Not only would he do anything for Jana, he was a picturesque father. It's so rare to see a positive example of co-parenting in a single parent romance, so major kudos for that.
I became a bit tired of their conflict, however. Jana was incredibly resentful towards Anil, and I'm not saying it wasn't warranted, but the repetitiveness eventually made it hard to sympathize with her inability to forgive.
(heat level: a couple open-door scenes, mild details)
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own
July 26, 2023
Hmm, I really don’t know how to review this book. I wanted to love it but I kept getting frustrated over small things again and again and in the end got really frustrated.
I will start with what I enjoyed because there were a lot of things I enjoyed in this book - the Tanzanian/setting setting was magical, very detailed, very fun, the messy families that felt all too real, the co-parenting and whole raising a small small girl aspect was done right for me.
I was sold on the idea of Jana and Anil getting together 5 years after they were together initially. They had a lot of ground to cover and things to discuss openly and honestly before they embarked on a relationship and I felt it didn't really happen.
I liked Jana, she was an interesting character, she was trying to figure her life and how to move forward after everything (having an affair with a married man and having a child that she is raising in an amicable co-parenting relationship). She is grumpy and introverted and socially awkward and felt this should be OK but throughout the story we see her trying to be different, to step outside of comfort zone and it really bothered me.
On the one hand, I didn't like that she felt she had to act out-going and carefree just to impress her future employer. Not sure it’s a North American thing but I feel your personal life should not matter when it comes to your work. And it felt to me that no one opposed actively/strongly to this assumption that Jana had.
On the other hand, she seemed pre-occupied with the idea of stepping out of one's comfort zone and her friends kept pushing her to do. I see the need to take risks and challenge oneself but it felt too much here. I hated to constant push for someone how is quiet and introverted to be outgoing, to socialize and make small talk and be the center of attention.
My main issue was with the romantic relationship itself. There is not enough focus on it. The constant push and pull, going back and forth on what Anil and Jana wanted became repetitive towards the end and at the same time the I-love-yous felt rushed.
I was most annoyed with Jana's to some gossip related to Anil. Her reaction was to discuss it with their friends but not with him? And they all speculated about his behaviour. It was most inappropriate and made me feel both uncomfortable and angry on his behalf. And all this after they decided to try to be together. I don’t understand it. It makes no sense to me. It was even not in line with Jana who so far seemed quite private and reserved even with her friends.
I have to admit I felt more supportive of Anil. To to excuse his mistakes in the past but his behaviour in the present made much more sense to me. He liked Jana for who she was, didn't want to change her, gave her the space and time she needed to figure things out for herself. At the same time we see so little of their (romantic) relationship. There is the strong chemistry and the shared care for their daughter but they didn’t really communicate, the intimacy, the step-by-step building of a relationship was not there on page.
I liked the wide circle of friends and family we see in this story - years-long, messy and turbulent relationships, lots of second chances. At times the friends were too loud and boisterous not just for Jana but for as a reader as well. Their oversharing and meddling in other people's lives (an issue I had in the Kamila Knows Best as well) was not something I enjoyed.
In short, this book didn't quite work for me, could be personal reason, could be some author's choices. Either way, I still plan to read more by this author.
CW: death of a parent (in the past), gossip, cheating (in the past), social stigma over having a child outside marriage
I will start with what I enjoyed because there were a lot of things I enjoyed in this book - the Tanzanian/setting setting was magical, very detailed, very fun, the messy families that felt all too real, the co-parenting and whole raising a small small girl aspect was done right for me.
I was sold on the idea of Jana and Anil getting together 5 years after they were together initially. They had a lot of ground to cover and things to discuss openly and honestly before they embarked on a relationship and I felt it didn't really happen.
I liked Jana, she was an interesting character, she was trying to figure her life and how to move forward after everything (having an affair with a married man and having a child that she is raising in an amicable co-parenting relationship). She is grumpy and introverted and socially awkward and felt this should be OK but throughout the story we see her trying to be different, to step outside of comfort zone and it really bothered me.
On the one hand, I didn't like that she felt she had to act out-going and carefree just to impress her future employer. Not sure it’s a North American thing but I feel your personal life should not matter when it comes to your work. And it felt to me that no one opposed actively/strongly to this assumption that Jana had.
On the other hand, she seemed pre-occupied with the idea of stepping out of one's comfort zone and her friends kept pushing her to do. I see the need to take risks and challenge oneself but it felt too much here. I hated to constant push for someone how is quiet and introverted to be outgoing, to socialize and make small talk and be the center of attention.
My main issue was with the romantic relationship itself. There is not enough focus on it. The constant push and pull, going back and forth on what Anil and Jana wanted became repetitive towards the end and at the same time the I-love-yous felt rushed.
I was most annoyed with Jana's to some gossip related to Anil. Her reaction was to discuss it with their friends but not with him? And they all speculated about his behaviour. It was most inappropriate and made me feel both uncomfortable and angry on his behalf. And all this after they decided to try to be together. I don’t understand it. It makes no sense to me. It was even not in line with Jana who so far seemed quite private and reserved even with her friends.
I have to admit I felt more supportive of Anil. To to excuse his mistakes in the past but his behaviour in the present made much more sense to me. He liked Jana for who she was, didn't want to change her, gave her the space and time she needed to figure things out for herself. At the same time we see so little of their (romantic) relationship. There is the strong chemistry and the shared care for their daughter but they didn’t really communicate, the intimacy, the step-by-step building of a relationship was not there on page.
I liked the wide circle of friends and family we see in this story - years-long, messy and turbulent relationships, lots of second chances. At times the friends were too loud and boisterous not just for Jana but for as a reader as well. Their oversharing and meddling in other people's lives (an issue I had in the Kamila Knows Best as well) was not something I enjoyed.
In short, this book didn't quite work for me, could be personal reason, could be some author's choices. Either way, I still plan to read more by this author.
CW: death of a parent (in the past), gossip, cheating (in the past), social stigma over having a child outside marriage
May 29, 2023
Second chance romance, with a destination wedding in Tanzania??? Love to see it!!
And it was lovely to see Kamila and Rohan again, I adore their story
Although I want a dual POV book from the author now 😭😭
Content warning: sexism, death of parent (mentioned), panic attacks/anxiety
And it was lovely to see Kamila and Rohan again, I adore their story
Although I want a dual POV book from the author now 😭😭
Content warning: sexism, death of parent (mentioned), panic attacks/anxiety
April 25, 2023
Yeah, me and this book did not jive…like at all. Jana is the most annoying and unlikable character I’ve ever had the displeasure of reading about. She’s bitter, stubborn, and petty and constantly creates mountains out of molehills. The ‘conflicts’ in this book wouldn’t even exist if it wasn’t for Jana’s aforementioned character traits. Then she has the audacity to sit there and wallow in self-pity over the mess that she’s created. This girl has a PhD and somehow can’t comprehend that she’s the problem.
Even the whole ‘Jana’s a homewrecker’ conflict seemed extremely far-fetched. Surely all these companies couldn’t blacklist her over something that wasn’t even her fault? I’m no lawyer, but isn’t that highly unethical and grounds for a lawsuit? This whole scandal plot read like a 19th century historical romance novel and seemed outdated for a modern read. I understand that the author was trying to create commentary around the double-standards and sexism that unfortunately still exist in today’s society, but, it just didn’t work for me.
Don’t even get me started on the plot. Jana Goes Wild is described as a rom-com, but it is neither romantic nor comedic. The ‘goes wild’ part only makes up about one chapter of the book altogether. The majority of the plot focuses on the wedding party arriving at a hotel, mingling at said hotel, going on a safari, then travelling to the next hotel, mingling, going on safari and so on and so forth. Sprinkle in some descriptions of what everyone’s wearing and eating, and that’s basically 80% of the book. Jana Goes Wild is literally a 330 page version of the song “99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall.” I’m not joking when I tell you that the plot is that repetitive. In fact, I would rather sing the entirety of “99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall” 10X over than read this book. At least the song has a bit of flavour to it.
* I received a copy of this book from a Goodreads giveaway
Even the whole ‘Jana’s a homewrecker’ conflict seemed extremely far-fetched. Surely all these companies couldn’t blacklist her over something that wasn’t even her fault? I’m no lawyer, but isn’t that highly unethical and grounds for a lawsuit? This whole scandal plot read like a 19th century historical romance novel and seemed outdated for a modern read. I understand that the author was trying to create commentary around the double-standards and sexism that unfortunately still exist in today’s society, but, it just didn’t work for me.
Don’t even get me started on the plot. Jana Goes Wild is described as a rom-com, but it is neither romantic nor comedic. The ‘goes wild’ part only makes up about one chapter of the book altogether. The majority of the plot focuses on the wedding party arriving at a hotel, mingling at said hotel, going on a safari, then travelling to the next hotel, mingling, going on safari and so on and so forth. Sprinkle in some descriptions of what everyone’s wearing and eating, and that’s basically 80% of the book. Jana Goes Wild is literally a 330 page version of the song “99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall.” I’m not joking when I tell you that the plot is that repetitive. In fact, I would rather sing the entirety of “99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall” 10X over than read this book. At least the song has a bit of flavour to it.
* I received a copy of this book from a Goodreads giveaway
May 5, 2023
Five years ago Jana and Anil were in a two week relationship that crashed and burned after Jana found out he was still legally married and then discovered she was pregnant. She received a lot of backlash not only within her community but in her professional life as Anil's ex wife's family tried to paint her as a homewrecker. Fast-forward to present day where despite barely having to communicate in person, she and Anil will be apart of the same destination wedding.
I liked that this was a second chance romance with a child that didn't go the route of secret baby. I never find the reason for keeping the child from the father justifiable in those stories. Anil is actually present in his daughter's life and as Jana constantly tells us he is a very attentive father.
I really enjoyed the parts where they were traveling to different hotels and getting to explore Tanzania wildlife on safaris. I also enjoyed reading about the different foods and just experiencing all the aunties and uncles. The friend group was very solid despite Jana's reluctance and sometimes feeling like the odd one out.
At times the pacing was a little off and dragged for me especially towards the end. It was a very slow burn romance but there was also a lot of repetition especially with Jana commenting on how Anil is such a good father but she's mad at him for ruining her reputation. And I understand people love good gossip and scandal and it did cause her to lose a previous job but I felt she let it get to her too much. Much worse scandals happen in the corporate world every day and people move on. The back and forth got to be a little much at one point as Jana felt the need to hold onto the past.
Longer review
https://womenofcolorreadtoo.blogspot....
I liked that this was a second chance romance with a child that didn't go the route of secret baby. I never find the reason for keeping the child from the father justifiable in those stories. Anil is actually present in his daughter's life and as Jana constantly tells us he is a very attentive father.
I really enjoyed the parts where they were traveling to different hotels and getting to explore Tanzania wildlife on safaris. I also enjoyed reading about the different foods and just experiencing all the aunties and uncles. The friend group was very solid despite Jana's reluctance and sometimes feeling like the odd one out.
At times the pacing was a little off and dragged for me especially towards the end. It was a very slow burn romance but there was also a lot of repetition especially with Jana commenting on how Anil is such a good father but she's mad at him for ruining her reputation. And I understand people love good gossip and scandal and it did cause her to lose a previous job but I felt she let it get to her too much. Much worse scandals happen in the corporate world every day and people move on. The back and forth got to be a little much at one point as Jana felt the need to hold onto the past.
Longer review
https://womenofcolorreadtoo.blogspot....
May 10, 2023
This was a bit meh mixed with a bit of disappointment and I'm sitting here wondering if 3 stars is too high.
I don't remember Jana or Anil from Kamila's book, but I did enjoy Kamila and Rohan, so I was thrilled to see the plot was taking place at their destination wedding. This cast of characters is pretty big, but most of them are fun.
I struggled with Jana's inner monologue. Her thoughts were a spiraling repetition and it got old pretty fast. I wanted to empathize, but she was never happy, even when she got the outcome she wanted. I feel like Anil (and everyone else), got a bad rap since they're tempered through Jana's POV, however there was minimal growth towards the end.
Plot wise, I don't even know. They go to a resort, they ride in cars to see animals, they spend the night, they go to the next resort and repeat. There's a wedding. At no point does Jana "go wild".
Overall, I debated DNFing, I debated skipping ahead, I ended up skimming a good portion. I'm here for anything Farah writes, but this one will likely be forgotten.
**Huge thanks to the publisher for providing the arc free of charge**
I don't remember Jana or Anil from Kamila's book, but I did enjoy Kamila and Rohan, so I was thrilled to see the plot was taking place at their destination wedding. This cast of characters is pretty big, but most of them are fun.
I struggled with Jana's inner monologue. Her thoughts were a spiraling repetition and it got old pretty fast. I wanted to empathize, but she was never happy, even when she got the outcome she wanted. I feel like Anil (and everyone else), got a bad rap since they're tempered through Jana's POV, however there was minimal growth towards the end.
Plot wise, I don't even know. They go to a resort, they ride in cars to see animals, they spend the night, they go to the next resort and repeat. There's a wedding. At no point does Jana "go wild".
Overall, I debated DNFing, I debated skipping ahead, I ended up skimming a good portion. I'm here for anything Farah writes, but this one will likely be forgotten.
**Huge thanks to the publisher for providing the arc free of charge**
February 18, 2024
Thank you to the author Farah Heron, publishers Forever, and Goodreads Giveaways for an advance paperback copy of JANA GOES WILD. I found my audiobook copy on Libby. All views are mine.
Three (or more) things I loved:
1. I love separated family stories in which both parents are still good parents.
2. Heron does a good job writing the tension between Jana and Anil!
3.I love how realistically and naturally the two lead characters' relationship grows over time. It feels familiar because it is written in authentic undertones. But unfortunately, it affects pacing.
Steam: 💨 / 5
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 do not love how safaris are being kind of spit-shined in this book. Animal attractions are always best for the people who run them.
2. Heron really does not write dude's name enough. 2 pages of dialogue without it. Meanwhile, we get a dozen Jana's. I kept forgetting Anil's name in the beginning scenes of the book!
3. Who gets a hold of their ex's ex and plans a group therapy session? Like that's the last person she needs to resolve things with. It's all just kind of ridiculous like this, so over the top.
4. This book is repetitive. Scenes repeat. Fights repeat. Even lines of dialogue between the same two people repeat.
Rating: 🦓🦒.5 safari animals
Recommend? meh
Finished: Jan 27 '24
Format: Digital, Kindle, Libby; paperback, Goodreads
Read this book if you like:
💖 romance
🗣 miscommunication trope (like so much)
🐆 safari
💅 sexy single mom rep
Three (or more) things I loved:
1. I love separated family stories in which both parents are still good parents.
2. Heron does a good job writing the tension between Jana and Anil!
3.I love how realistically and naturally the two lead characters' relationship grows over time. It feels familiar because it is written in authentic undertones. But unfortunately, it affects pacing.
Steam: 💨 / 5
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 do not love how safaris are being kind of spit-shined in this book. Animal attractions are always best for the people who run them.
2. Heron really does not write dude's name enough. 2 pages of dialogue without it. Meanwhile, we get a dozen Jana's. I kept forgetting Anil's name in the beginning scenes of the book!
3. Who gets a hold of their ex's ex and plans a group therapy session? Like that's the last person she needs to resolve things with. It's all just kind of ridiculous like this, so over the top.
4. This book is repetitive. Scenes repeat. Fights repeat. Even lines of dialogue between the same two people repeat.
Rating: 🦓🦒.5 safari animals
Recommend? meh
Finished: Jan 27 '24
Format: Digital, Kindle, Libby; paperback, Goodreads
Read this book if you like:
💖 romance
🗣 miscommunication trope (like so much)
🐆 safari
💅 sexy single mom rep
April 27, 2023
The cover of 'Jana Goes Wild' may be one of my favourites of this year. Add beautiful descriptions of the Tanzanian safari and this was just a wonderful mini mental getaway. Look at it! Stunning!
This book is for you if you enjoy:
💕 Second chance romance
💕 Introvert x Extrovert
💕 Forced proximity
💕 A cute kid
💕 Chaotic friend group
💕 Bridesmaid party shenanigans
I typically don't enjoy second chance romances in contemporary fiction, but the beautiful East African backdrop and Jana and Anil having such a tense, emotional bond and parenting relationship won me over. The start to their relationship 5 years ago was perfect until it wasn't. They go onto raise their daughter Imani with shared custody for the next five years. Jana makes it her business to keep out of Anil's reach. She has no choice but to interact with him closely over two weeks when her friends get married on a beautiful getaway in Tanzania.
For me, 'Jana Goes Wild' is just as much of a self-love/acceptance story as it is a 'falling back in love with your ex' story. Jana really goes through the journey of her life on this trip as she learns to accept that despite all the bad gossip about her and her introverted nature, she is worthy of love, friendship and appreciation.
Another favourite for me was how every character in this story has such a huge personality! I genuinely laughed out loud at a few pieces of dialogue. I wasn't bored for a second with Jana's friend group and the chaos of the entire wedding party.
I saw someone describe this book as a 'third act breakup but really good' and that made me laugh because it's so true.
And now we get to the romance. I actually liked how tense Jana and Anil's relationship is throughout most of the book. They had a child out of wedlock and due to lies/misunderstandings, they've got a working co-parent relationship but not much a relationship between themselves. The back and forth of discomfort versus desire that Jana spirals through in Anil's presence felt so real. I understood her every time she felt fear that she would be disappointed again.
I wish we got to see a little more of Jana and Anil's 'before' and more of their 're-falling' in love stage. And because I am a fan of groveling - I almost wanted MORE groveling from him at some points. He was feeling a bit too sorry for himself and didn't understand why Jana was going through such a hard time being around him.
I think they had great physical chemistry of course (spicy rating 🌶🌶). I just wanted a tad more of seeing them falling in love again. Still, the payoff was good and I was really happy to just see them finally talk and work it out.
Thank you so much ForeverPub for the ARC!
This book is for you if you enjoy:
💕 Second chance romance
💕 Introvert x Extrovert
💕 Forced proximity
💕 A cute kid
💕 Chaotic friend group
💕 Bridesmaid party shenanigans
I typically don't enjoy second chance romances in contemporary fiction, but the beautiful East African backdrop and Jana and Anil having such a tense, emotional bond and parenting relationship won me over. The start to their relationship 5 years ago was perfect until it wasn't. They go onto raise their daughter Imani with shared custody for the next five years. Jana makes it her business to keep out of Anil's reach. She has no choice but to interact with him closely over two weeks when her friends get married on a beautiful getaway in Tanzania.
For me, 'Jana Goes Wild' is just as much of a self-love/acceptance story as it is a 'falling back in love with your ex' story. Jana really goes through the journey of her life on this trip as she learns to accept that despite all the bad gossip about her and her introverted nature, she is worthy of love, friendship and appreciation.
Another favourite for me was how every character in this story has such a huge personality! I genuinely laughed out loud at a few pieces of dialogue. I wasn't bored for a second with Jana's friend group and the chaos of the entire wedding party.
I saw someone describe this book as a 'third act breakup but really good' and that made me laugh because it's so true.
And now we get to the romance. I actually liked how tense Jana and Anil's relationship is throughout most of the book. They had a child out of wedlock and due to lies/misunderstandings, they've got a working co-parent relationship but not much a relationship between themselves. The back and forth of discomfort versus desire that Jana spirals through in Anil's presence felt so real. I understood her every time she felt fear that she would be disappointed again.
I wish we got to see a little more of Jana and Anil's 'before' and more of their 're-falling' in love stage. And because I am a fan of groveling - I almost wanted MORE groveling from him at some points. He was feeling a bit too sorry for himself and didn't understand why Jana was going through such a hard time being around him.
I think they had great physical chemistry of course (spicy rating 🌶🌶). I just wanted a tad more of seeing them falling in love again. Still, the payoff was good and I was really happy to just see them finally talk and work it out.
Thank you so much ForeverPub for the ARC!
April 15, 2023
2023 Spring Bingo (#SpringIntoLoveBingo🌷): Set in the Southern Hemisphere
4.5 stars
Honestly, I’m surprised that I loved this but I should’ve had more faith in Farah Heron. This couple’s origin story was covered in Emma retelling KAMILA KNOWS BEST. Jana and Anil were the Jane Fairfax/Frank Churchill ship that ended in a *horrible* way, deviating from the source material. Like Jana, I was prepared to hate Anil forever. I was shocked when the next book intended to feature their HEA.
This second chance romance worked for several reasons:
1) it’s been five years and Anil has put in the work, both in co-parenting and personal growth. No instant forgiveness. The time gap takes the edge off Jana’s pain, though she still is rightfully prickly and unwilling to move on.
2) the healthy and cooperative co-parenting arrangement. Regardless of their ugly romantic history, Jana and Anil are FANTASTIC parents and do their best to keep conflict away from Imani. There’s a really sweet scene where they sleep in the same bed next to their sick daughter.
3) I adore how Jana acknowledges that she’s bitter for irrational reasons and makes no apologies. Feelings are irrational! Let her maintain the grudge against Anil merely because he’s “likable.” Honestly, she felt so relatable with her introverted nature and South Asian Daughter perfectionist tendencies.
4) a fake relationship for a legitimate reason that doesn’t sound ridiculous?! Amazing. I didn’t think it could exist, but I’m happy to be proven wrong.
Ultimately, this was so messy and angsty and intimate… I loved it! Plus, it was nice to revisit Kamila/Rohan for their wedding safari celebrations. I couldn’t find any sequel bait, but I wouldn’t be opposed to revisiting this Toronto friend group.
Read via audio (narrated by Soneela Nankani).
Disclaimer: I received a free audiobook from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
4.5 stars
Honestly, I’m surprised that I loved this but I should’ve had more faith in Farah Heron. This couple’s origin story was covered in Emma retelling KAMILA KNOWS BEST. Jana and Anil were the Jane Fairfax/Frank Churchill ship that ended in a *horrible* way, deviating from the source material. Like Jana, I was prepared to hate Anil forever. I was shocked when the next book intended to feature their HEA.
This second chance romance worked for several reasons:
1) it’s been five years and Anil has put in the work, both in co-parenting and personal growth. No instant forgiveness. The time gap takes the edge off Jana’s pain, though she still is rightfully prickly and unwilling to move on.
2) the healthy and cooperative co-parenting arrangement. Regardless of their ugly romantic history, Jana and Anil are FANTASTIC parents and do their best to keep conflict away from Imani. There’s a really sweet scene where they sleep in the same bed next to their sick daughter.
3) I adore how Jana acknowledges that she’s bitter for irrational reasons and makes no apologies. Feelings are irrational! Let her maintain the grudge against Anil merely because he’s “likable.” Honestly, she felt so relatable with her introverted nature and South Asian Daughter perfectionist tendencies.
4) a fake relationship for a legitimate reason that doesn’t sound ridiculous?! Amazing. I didn’t think it could exist, but I’m happy to be proven wrong.
Ultimately, this was so messy and angsty and intimate… I loved it! Plus, it was nice to revisit Kamila/Rohan for their wedding safari celebrations. I couldn’t find any sequel bait, but I wouldn’t be opposed to revisiting this Toronto friend group.
Read via audio (narrated by Soneela Nankani).
Disclaimer: I received a free audiobook from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
January 17, 2023
To be completely honest, I was expecting more from this book. This book was okay.Jana and Anil had so much going into this book, but some of their interactions felt really forced. I sounds like I didn’t enjoy the story at all, but there was a lot to like as well.
ARC kindly provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
ARC kindly provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
May 20, 2023
I absolutely loved this second chance romance between Jana and Anil, two South Asian co-parents whose relationship blew up just before Jana realized she was pregnant. Five years later the two are forced to confront their past as they travel to Tanzania for a joint friends' wedding (Kamila and Rohan from Kamila knows best!) with their daughter Imani.
This book was full of heart, great South Asian culture, amazing friends and a swoony single Dad. I really related to Jana as she tries to grapple with being an introvert who has a hard time socializing and is constantly getting shamed for being a working single mom who never married (even seemingly from her own mother who tells people Jana is divorced).
The African setting was so fun! I also enjoyed getting to reconnect with other characters in this world too and was totally rooting for Jana and Anil to find their way back to one another. While there are a couple low key bedroom scenes, this is mostly a PG/fade to black book that will have you laughing and feeling all the feels.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Forever for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review. The cover is one of my favs and I can't wait to get a finished copy to stay on my forever shelves!
This book was full of heart, great South Asian culture, amazing friends and a swoony single Dad. I really related to Jana as she tries to grapple with being an introvert who has a hard time socializing and is constantly getting shamed for being a working single mom who never married (even seemingly from her own mother who tells people Jana is divorced).
The African setting was so fun! I also enjoyed getting to reconnect with other characters in this world too and was totally rooting for Jana and Anil to find their way back to one another. While there are a couple low key bedroom scenes, this is mostly a PG/fade to black book that will have you laughing and feeling all the feels.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Forever for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review. The cover is one of my favs and I can't wait to get a finished copy to stay on my forever shelves!
March 26, 2023
2.5 stars
rep: Muslim Indian-Canadian protagonist and side characters, Indian-American love interest; (South Asian-Canadian author)
finished and immediately thought "I'M FREE!!!"...tbh not this wasn't horrible horrible but so much annoyed me and I just got more irritated as time went on and the book still wasn't finished. I'll probably draft my thoughts and post when this comes out because I want to talk about the plot, so I'll just say that this book just keeps clubbing you over the head with the same three points:
1. Jana is introverted and cannot understand how people talk to each other in social settings. which is fine, I do get it, but I also didn't need to read this on every other page.
2. Jana strongly dislikes Anil after he lied to her, but you know, they share a child, so they have to be somewhat civil. but I understand, okay, you don't have to tell me this for the entire first 2/3!!
3. Jana spends the entire first third upset that her mother is telling everyone she and Anil are divorced (they were never married) and also worried about people finding out that this was a lie. why was this so much of the book.
rep: Muslim Indian-Canadian protagonist and side characters, Indian-American love interest; (South Asian-Canadian author)
finished and immediately thought "I'M FREE!!!"...tbh not this wasn't horrible horrible but so much annoyed me and I just got more irritated as time went on and the book still wasn't finished. I'll probably draft my thoughts and post when this comes out because I want to talk about the plot, so I'll just say that this book just keeps clubbing you over the head with the same three points:
1. Jana is introverted and cannot understand how people talk to each other in social settings. which is fine, I do get it, but I also didn't need to read this on every other page.
2. Jana strongly dislikes Anil after he lied to her, but you know, they share a child, so they have to be somewhat civil. but I understand, okay, you don't have to tell me this for the entire first 2/3!!
3. Jana spends the entire first third upset that her mother is telling everyone she and Anil are divorced (they were never married) and also worried about people finding out that this was a lie. why was this so much of the book.
April 24, 2023
Five years after Jana and Amil spent two whirlwind weeks together, the pair, now co-parents to a four-year-old daughter, find themselves in close proximity again for a family wedding in Tanzania. And though the setting is vibrant and beautiful, the trip ends up taking an unexpected turn due to some meddling and lingering feelings that refuse to lie.
Rating: 3.5 stars
This was my first experience with Farah Heron but imagine it won't be my last! I enjoyed her descriptive writing and hilarious character dynamics. Several moments made my heart so happy as Jana prioritized her growth and happiness. And it was wonderful to see Imani, one of the cutest kid characters ever, thrive and be the recipient of so much love.
I did struggle with Jana's character though. Though I sympathized with her position as a single mother who values her career, her insistence on viewing Anil as the villain in her story grew tiring. That man had the patience of a saint to keep going back for more battering each time he attempted to improve the distance between them. His relationship with Imani was adorable, adding it to my confusion as to why Jana refused to give him an inch for much of this book.
Thanks to NetGalley, Forever and Farah Heron for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: 3.5 stars
This was my first experience with Farah Heron but imagine it won't be my last! I enjoyed her descriptive writing and hilarious character dynamics. Several moments made my heart so happy as Jana prioritized her growth and happiness. And it was wonderful to see Imani, one of the cutest kid characters ever, thrive and be the recipient of so much love.
I did struggle with Jana's character though. Though I sympathized with her position as a single mother who values her career, her insistence on viewing Anil as the villain in her story grew tiring. That man had the patience of a saint to keep going back for more battering each time he attempted to improve the distance between them. His relationship with Imani was adorable, adding it to my confusion as to why Jana refused to give him an inch for much of this book.
Thanks to NetGalley, Forever and Farah Heron for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.
August 7, 2023
Jana Goes Wild
⭐️⭐️⭐️
Author: Farah Heron
I requested a digital advanced readers copy from NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing and providing my opinion voluntarily and unbiased.
Synopsis: Jana Suleiman has never really fit in—everyone always sees her as too aloof, too cool, too perfect. The one time she stepped out of her comfort zone she ended up with a broken heart and a baby on the way. Aaaand lesson learned . Now she’s a bridesmaid for a destination wedding in Serengeti National Park, and almost everyone she knows will be there. Her five-year-old daughter. Her mom. Her friends. Even her potential new boss. And of course (because who doesn’t love surprises!) her gorgeous-but-not-to-be-trusted ex.
Fortunately, Anil Malek is a great dad, even if Jana hasn’t quite forgiven him for lying to her all those years ago. Determined to show he has no effect on her whatsoever, she and the bridesmaids concoct a go-wild list to get Jana through the week. Sing karaoke? Sure. Perform their high school dance routine in front of strangers? Okay. But the more she lets down her guard, the less protection she has against her attraction to Anil. And Jana soon realizes it’s one thing to walk on the wild side . . . and quite another to fall for her ex all over again.
My Thoughts: We first met Jana and Anil in Kamila Knows Best. While not necessary to read, it does give you a little character history/background. This was a slow burn romance but the ending does make it worth it. The tropes of second chance romance and forced proximity are followed here and done well. Jana and Anil coparent their daughter. Then they go on a trip together as part of a designation wedding, and everything changes, they discover why they were to each other to begin with (outside of Anil being married previously). This does have some spice level, maybe a 🌶️🌶️.
The characters were well developed, with witty banter, chemistry, and creatively done. The author’s writing style was humorous, swoony, and engaging. The author does an amazing job at translating the East African culture, history, and customs to the pages, really makes you feel like you are there with them. The author also gives a very positive spin on coparenting that I can appreciate. My biggest con was the repetition of how Jana felt about Anil’s choices in the past, while definitely warranted, I think it could have been one and done, and not repeated. Less of Jana’s frustration with Anil and more focus on their budding new relationship would have made a big difference.
Overall, this was a good read and I would recommend to other readers.
⭐️⭐️⭐️
Author: Farah Heron
I requested a digital advanced readers copy from NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing and providing my opinion voluntarily and unbiased.
Synopsis: Jana Suleiman has never really fit in—everyone always sees her as too aloof, too cool, too perfect. The one time she stepped out of her comfort zone she ended up with a broken heart and a baby on the way. Aaaand lesson learned . Now she’s a bridesmaid for a destination wedding in Serengeti National Park, and almost everyone she knows will be there. Her five-year-old daughter. Her mom. Her friends. Even her potential new boss. And of course (because who doesn’t love surprises!) her gorgeous-but-not-to-be-trusted ex.
Fortunately, Anil Malek is a great dad, even if Jana hasn’t quite forgiven him for lying to her all those years ago. Determined to show he has no effect on her whatsoever, she and the bridesmaids concoct a go-wild list to get Jana through the week. Sing karaoke? Sure. Perform their high school dance routine in front of strangers? Okay. But the more she lets down her guard, the less protection she has against her attraction to Anil. And Jana soon realizes it’s one thing to walk on the wild side . . . and quite another to fall for her ex all over again.
My Thoughts: We first met Jana and Anil in Kamila Knows Best. While not necessary to read, it does give you a little character history/background. This was a slow burn romance but the ending does make it worth it. The tropes of second chance romance and forced proximity are followed here and done well. Jana and Anil coparent their daughter. Then they go on a trip together as part of a designation wedding, and everything changes, they discover why they were to each other to begin with (outside of Anil being married previously). This does have some spice level, maybe a 🌶️🌶️.
The characters were well developed, with witty banter, chemistry, and creatively done. The author’s writing style was humorous, swoony, and engaging. The author does an amazing job at translating the East African culture, history, and customs to the pages, really makes you feel like you are there with them. The author also gives a very positive spin on coparenting that I can appreciate. My biggest con was the repetition of how Jana felt about Anil’s choices in the past, while definitely warranted, I think it could have been one and done, and not repeated. Less of Jana’s frustration with Anil and more focus on their budding new relationship would have made a big difference.
Overall, this was a good read and I would recommend to other readers.
May 24, 2023
More romance retellings should focus on the side characters. This was a beautifully angsty Frank Churchill/Jane Fairfax story and I was very, very here for it. I could have maybe used one less misunderstanding, but that's a nitpick and on the whole this book doesn't deserve it.
September 17, 2023
4.25/5
My Spice Rating: 🌶🌶🍆/🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶
Farah Heron is easily one of my favorite romance writers, and as soon as I started Jana Goes Wild I knew I was going to love it. It is fun to know that she took her own experiences on safari in Tanzania and was able to bring them to life in this story. I loved the characters as well as the backdrop, and this book is loaded with animals and mouthwatering descriptions of yummy food. I didn't even realize Jana and Anil were both in Kamila Knows Best which I've already read, and now I kind of wish I would have read all her books in order one after the other. I love it when authors do things like this, and I wasn't able to fully appreciate it since it has been so long since I read Kamila.
The audiobook is also narrated by one of my favorites Soneela Nankani, and once again she did a beautiful job with the characters and the book as a whole. This is already a laugh-out-loud funny read, and Nankani just made those parts even better. There is a bit of spice to the story, but it wasn't anything too extreme and it didn't happen too often, so it was basically perfect for me on that front. The friendships both crafted and built in the storyline were heartwarming and touching, and at times provided fantastic lighter moments that specific scenes needed. Jana is a very relatable character, and even though I am not a mom or a professional of her skill level I found plenty of other things I could easily relate to. This second change romance absolutely stole my heart, and I loved all the Disney references! Read this if you enjoy a bit of steam, uncomfortable moments, and destination weddings.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
My Spice Rating: 🌶🌶🍆/🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶
Farah Heron is easily one of my favorite romance writers, and as soon as I started Jana Goes Wild I knew I was going to love it. It is fun to know that she took her own experiences on safari in Tanzania and was able to bring them to life in this story. I loved the characters as well as the backdrop, and this book is loaded with animals and mouthwatering descriptions of yummy food. I didn't even realize Jana and Anil were both in Kamila Knows Best which I've already read, and now I kind of wish I would have read all her books in order one after the other. I love it when authors do things like this, and I wasn't able to fully appreciate it since it has been so long since I read Kamila.
The audiobook is also narrated by one of my favorites Soneela Nankani, and once again she did a beautiful job with the characters and the book as a whole. This is already a laugh-out-loud funny read, and Nankani just made those parts even better. There is a bit of spice to the story, but it wasn't anything too extreme and it didn't happen too often, so it was basically perfect for me on that front. The friendships both crafted and built in the storyline were heartwarming and touching, and at times provided fantastic lighter moments that specific scenes needed. Jana is a very relatable character, and even though I am not a mom or a professional of her skill level I found plenty of other things I could easily relate to. This second change romance absolutely stole my heart, and I loved all the Disney references! Read this if you enjoy a bit of steam, uncomfortable moments, and destination weddings.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
May 30, 2023
I really, really liked this for the majority of the story. Even though it touched some very raw nerves in terms of themes with overachiever/good child feeling like a disappointment, and unfun person who doesn't really fit in. I loved seeing Jana be true to herself and work through things. But the last misunderstanding with Nadia was just too much for me on every level. Every part of this from the moment they started discussing the wedding at Jana's new job frustrated me to the point that it has completely clouded my feelings about the book as a whole. Not only was the Nadia stuff itself frustrating, but having her be the issue between them again just made it feel like the characters hadn't grown as much as they supposedly had. It makes me sad because I really did like this book a lot up until that point.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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January 7, 2023My favorite Farah Heron yet.
March 1, 2024
This second chance romance was a delight to read, even if the execution didn’t quite come through for me. Readers will be best served by reading Kamila Knows Best first, otherwise they might wonder why Jana is as bitter as she is. Because, y’all? She is completely justified in every bad thought she has toward Anil.
This starts out with Jana swooning over Anil as they get to know each other and begin to fall in love over the course of a couple of weeks. Until Jana finds out via a scathing anonymous text message that Anil is not, in fact, divorced like he said but married. She breaks up with him, heartbroken but determined to move forward, until she takes a pregnancy test and decides to continue the pregnancy.
Jana and Anil are great parents, first and foremost. Imani is well taken care of as she goes between their homes. Thanks to the magic of texting, parenting apps, and her mom taking care of the weekly handoffs, Jana rarely has to see Anil and therefore her anger has yet to abate. Because she was painted as a homewrecker by Anil’s ex-wife’s family, Jana lost her job and her standing in their community, on top of dealing with her mom’s disappointment. Plus, Anil was AWFUL to her during Kamila Knows Best—this book would have been better served by including some of that awfulness here because we don’t meet the same Anil four years later. If you haven’t read (or don’t remember) the previous book, you’ll only see how much growing up he’s done and how he’s tried to help Jana where he can and wonder why she's such a bitch to him. Even with those positive changes, it doesn’t mean Jana should give him a second chance. She was done wrong!!
I was hoping this would be a grovel novel but it’s not, nor is it really about him trying to win her back. He wants them to have a more civil relationship for Imani’s sake as she’s starting to pick up on Jana’s intense dislike of him. When they both wind up on a two week-long destination wedding in Tanzania, it’s the most time they’ve spent together in person since they originally were together. That softens some things for Jana, along with how she’s trying to get out of her comfort zone in her personal life anyway. Still, that doesn’t necessarily mean Anil should be anything more than a co-parent.
It’s a big undertaking, one that sometimes got lost in the more romcom shenanigans (blerg), instead of focusing on Jana letting her guard down and Anil showing he never stopped caring for her all these years. I didn’t begrudge him a romance with Jana but I do wish he’d made an actual case for why she should give him another chance after the way he broke her trust and the ramifications on her reputation. The burden was completely on Jana when it should have been the other way around.
I was relieved when, very far into the book, the romance finally kicked in and it seemed like things were headed in the right direction. That’s why Just let Jana and Anil start fresh!! Show me that they both really have changed and deserve this! At that point, I was ready to ship Jana straight to therapy. She would have benefited from it either way but that plot choice made her look like (react) the bad guy and that made me question whether she really was ready for this and even why Anil was still interested. He should go to therapy too, while we're at it.
It wound up not being what I was hoping for but I had a hard time putting it down. Such is Farah Heron’s gift.
Characters: Jana is a 32 year old Indian Tanzanian Candadian woman working in international development. Anil is a 38 year old bald Indian Tanzanian American man who wears glasses. They co-parent their 4 year old daughter Imani. This is set in Toronto and Tanzania.
Content notes: infidelity (MMC told FMC he was divorced when they got together but he was still married, just hadn’t been able to find his wife in order to serve the papers. His ex-wife cheated on him with a previous boyfriend., unplanned pregnancy, cultural shaming for FMC being an unwed mother (this also led to her losing her job), purity culture and slut-shaming (countered), toxic mother, workplace sexism, past homophobia from family (secondary character), past divorce (MMC), secondary characters got together when he was a professor and she was a student (much older now; they divorced and eventually got back together), past death of FMC’s father (heart attack), past shoplifting, pregnant secondary character, vomit, on page sex, alcohol, inebriation (secondary character), past marijuana (secondary character), gendered pejorative, gender essentialist language, ableist language
This starts out with Jana swooning over Anil as they get to know each other and begin to fall in love over the course of a couple of weeks. Until Jana finds out via a scathing anonymous text message that Anil is not, in fact, divorced like he said but married. She breaks up with him, heartbroken but determined to move forward, until she takes a pregnancy test and decides to continue the pregnancy.
Jana and Anil are great parents, first and foremost. Imani is well taken care of as she goes between their homes. Thanks to the magic of texting, parenting apps, and her mom taking care of the weekly handoffs, Jana rarely has to see Anil and therefore her anger has yet to abate. Because she was painted as a homewrecker by Anil’s ex-wife’s family, Jana lost her job and her standing in their community, on top of dealing with her mom’s disappointment. Plus, Anil was AWFUL to her during Kamila Knows Best—this book would have been better served by including some of that awfulness here because we don’t meet the same Anil four years later. If you haven’t read (or don’t remember) the previous book, you’ll only see how much growing up he’s done and how he’s tried to help Jana where he can and wonder why she's such a bitch to him. Even with those positive changes, it doesn’t mean Jana should give him a second chance. She was done wrong!!
I was hoping this would be a grovel novel but it’s not, nor is it really about him trying to win her back. He wants them to have a more civil relationship for Imani’s sake as she’s starting to pick up on Jana’s intense dislike of him. When they both wind up on a two week-long destination wedding in Tanzania, it’s the most time they’ve spent together in person since they originally were together. That softens some things for Jana, along with how she’s trying to get out of her comfort zone in her personal life anyway. Still, that doesn’t necessarily mean Anil should be anything more than a co-parent.
It’s a big undertaking, one that sometimes got lost in the more romcom shenanigans (blerg), instead of focusing on Jana letting her guard down and Anil showing he never stopped caring for her all these years. I didn’t begrudge him a romance with Jana but I do wish he’d made an actual case for why she should give him another chance after the way he broke her trust and the ramifications on her reputation. The burden was completely on Jana when it should have been the other way around.
I was relieved when, very far into the book, the romance finally kicked in and it seemed like things were headed in the right direction. That’s why Just let Jana and Anil start fresh!! Show me that they both really have changed and deserve this! At that point, I was ready to ship Jana straight to therapy. She would have benefited from it either way but that plot choice made her look like (react) the bad guy and that made me question whether she really was ready for this and even why Anil was still interested. He should go to therapy too, while we're at it.
It wound up not being what I was hoping for but I had a hard time putting it down. Such is Farah Heron’s gift.
Characters: Jana is a 32 year old Indian Tanzanian Candadian woman working in international development. Anil is a 38 year old bald Indian Tanzanian American man who wears glasses. They co-parent their 4 year old daughter Imani. This is set in Toronto and Tanzania.
Content notes: infidelity (MMC told FMC he was divorced when they got together but he was still married, just hadn’t been able to find his wife in order to serve the papers. His ex-wife cheated on him with a previous boyfriend., unplanned pregnancy, cultural shaming for FMC being an unwed mother (this also led to her losing her job), purity culture and slut-shaming (countered), toxic mother, workplace sexism, past homophobia from family (secondary character), past divorce (MMC), secondary characters got together when he was a professor and she was a student (much older now; they divorced and eventually got back together), past death of FMC’s father (heart attack), past shoplifting, pregnant secondary character, vomit, on page sex, alcohol, inebriation (secondary character), past marijuana (secondary character), gendered pejorative, gender essentialist language, ableist language
April 17, 2023
I’m in the minority on this book. I gave 4.5 stars to Kamila Knows Best and was really looking forward to this sequel. It’s now over five years later and Kamila is getting her dream destination wedding in Tanzania, Africa. But the focus of this story is on a two people in the wedding party. Dr. Jana Suleiman is a bridesmaid and brings her mother and almost five year old daughter Imani for the two weeks in Africa. Unbeknownst to her Anil Malek shows up as a surprise groomsman. He is Imani’s father. Jana and Anil had a magical two weeks together before she found out he wasn’t divorced as he claimed. Anil has been a good co-parent and Jana keeps her distance allowing her mother to be there for Imani’s pick ups and drop offs.
Everyone except me loves Anil. I found his initial move manipulative, he claims he wanted to surprise Imani. Later when pushed he blames her for his lying because he didn’t want her to back out of the forced time together. He pushes her boundaries again and again and then backs off. In fact every time he is pressed about why he keeps something secret he blames fearing her reaction. So he gets to lie by omission more than once and it is her fault. This is to me the definition of manipulator.
The reality of the story is that having a child out of wedlock cost Jana her job at the time and a lot of personal and professional backlash. He faced none of that. He is charming and everyone loves him. To his credit he has referred her for other jobs and gives good professional references.
Jana’s relationship with her mother is also complicated. She lives with her mother who is supportive of Imani, but falling to cultural expectations she creates a fake divorce story so there is less shame for Jana and herself. But the claim there is a divorce makes Jana feel shame because her mom can’t accept the realness of her life. And this lie makes things thorny for Jana as she has interviewed for a dream job that will allow her to be home more in Toronto. And a potential decision maker happens to be on the trip.
The best part of the story is the location. I love the descriptions of Africa, the animals, hotels and camping. Second thing I love is Kamila as the bride and her being a good friend to Jana. I found her mother very insensitive and taking little responsibility for her actions and their impact on Jana. I think the author tries to redeem her but it wasn’t enough. I did like the South Asian muslim representation. Because of my dislike towards the Anil I went back to his many appearances in Kamila’s story. After reading the “never have I ever” scene I decided he really is an a$$hat. I didn’t want him for Jana or for them to end up as a couple.
I will absolutely read the author again but this second chance romance didn’t work for me. It was forced proximity torture for the heroine who continually has to relive the worst moments of her very successful life. Thank you to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for the ARC and I’m leaving a voluntary review. (2.5 Stars)
Everyone except me loves Anil. I found his initial move manipulative, he claims he wanted to surprise Imani. Later when pushed he blames her for his lying because he didn’t want her to back out of the forced time together. He pushes her boundaries again and again and then backs off. In fact every time he is pressed about why he keeps something secret he blames fearing her reaction. So he gets to lie by omission more than once and it is her fault. This is to me the definition of manipulator.
The reality of the story is that having a child out of wedlock cost Jana her job at the time and a lot of personal and professional backlash. He faced none of that. He is charming and everyone loves him. To his credit he has referred her for other jobs and gives good professional references.
Jana’s relationship with her mother is also complicated. She lives with her mother who is supportive of Imani, but falling to cultural expectations she creates a fake divorce story so there is less shame for Jana and herself. But the claim there is a divorce makes Jana feel shame because her mom can’t accept the realness of her life. And this lie makes things thorny for Jana as she has interviewed for a dream job that will allow her to be home more in Toronto. And a potential decision maker happens to be on the trip.
The best part of the story is the location. I love the descriptions of Africa, the animals, hotels and camping. Second thing I love is Kamila as the bride and her being a good friend to Jana. I found her mother very insensitive and taking little responsibility for her actions and their impact on Jana. I think the author tries to redeem her but it wasn’t enough. I did like the South Asian muslim representation. Because of my dislike towards the Anil I went back to his many appearances in Kamila’s story. After reading the “never have I ever” scene I decided he really is an a$$hat. I didn’t want him for Jana or for them to end up as a couple.
I will absolutely read the author again but this second chance romance didn’t work for me. It was forced proximity torture for the heroine who continually has to relive the worst moments of her very successful life. Thank you to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for the ARC and I’m leaving a voluntary review. (2.5 Stars)
July 12, 2023
Is holding a 5-year grudge against one man for the sins of the patriarchy the answer? It's an answer.
I do think Heron can write well and I liked the setting and the various locations and the movement between them. I actually liked the (limited) glance we got at Anil. That man seemed to be trying his best.
The fast version of my problems:
•introversion is not the same as social anxiety.
•barely any romance. I don't hate a low romance, personal growth story, but Jana was so hard to sympathize with so the lack of romance was glaring.
•Jana. She is often described as not understanding her place in situations, but even amongst her (friends?), she always takes everything they say in the worst way possible and then is hostile towards them. I love a misunderstood heroine with a heart of gold and peeling back those layers. Jana didn't seem to have layers.
•5 YEARS IS TOO LONG TO HOLD A GRUDGE AND THEN CHANGE YOUR MIND. I wouldn't have even been mad if she said she never wanted to see him again. But just refusing to acknowledge any of it for that long just made me annoyed with her.
I do think Heron can write well and I liked the setting and the various locations and the movement between them. I actually liked the (limited) glance we got at Anil. That man seemed to be trying his best.
The fast version of my problems:
•introversion is not the same as social anxiety.
•barely any romance. I don't hate a low romance, personal growth story, but Jana was so hard to sympathize with so the lack of romance was glaring.
•Jana. She is often described as not understanding her place in situations, but even amongst her (friends?), she always takes everything they say in the worst way possible and then is hostile towards them. I love a misunderstood heroine with a heart of gold and peeling back those layers. Jana didn't seem to have layers.
•5 YEARS IS TOO LONG TO HOLD A GRUDGE AND THEN CHANGE YOUR MIND. I wouldn't have even been mad if she said she never wanted to see him again. But just refusing to acknowledge any of it for that long just made me annoyed with her.
September 14, 2023
This cover is so good! I just could not get on board with this couple at all. I absolutely could not stand Anil with his lying, cheating self. I feel sorry for Jana! If stay together for the baby was a book, it would be "Jana Goes Wild". They need to just co-parent civilly and move on from any type of romantic relationship between each other. I tried to like this book, and there were moments when I was in the groove and interested, but all in all, all I got was a headache.
November 13, 2024
In Jana Goes Wild, we meet Jana, a woman who five years earlier found herself unexpectedly pregnant after an affair with a married man, Anıl. Their history is steeped in scandal, but there’s more to it than meets the eye—a truth that both Jana and Anıl have carefully avoided sharing over the years. When they reunite at a mutual friend’s wedding in Tanzania, old feelings resurface, and it seems they might finally have the chance to confront their past. But will they be able to finally come together, or will things spiral out of control once more?
At first, the novel seemed promising with its unique setting in Tanzania, the excitement of a wedding, and the appeal of a second-chance romance. However, despite its intriguing premise, I found the story frustrating. The Tanzanian setting initially added appeal, but as the characters moved from one hotel to the next, it quickly lost its charm, feeling repetitive and underutilized. Also, considering that both Jana and Anıl work in development, I was surprised there wasn’t more reflection on the ethics of their large group’s impact on local communities. The story briefly touches on how tourism can benefit local economies, but the discussion felt shallow and more self-congratulatory than insightful.
Yet, my biggest issue with this story, ironically, was with Jana herself. Her inability to communicate and her longstanding resentment toward Anıl felt exhausting. The story leans heavily on miscommunication, which I find to be an annoyingly weak trope, especially when a simple conversation could resolve the issues. Jana’s repeated failures to communicate felt like a barrier to her growth. There was some attempt at character development as we’re told early on that she is trying to push herself out of her comfort zone. However, this aspect of her character felt forced. She didn’t seem to actually enjoy doing these things, but rather felt a societal pressure to conform which also made her feel closed off and stunted her character development. By the end of this very long journey, she didn’t seem to have evolved as a character at all. In fact, few characters experienced meaningful development, leaving the story feeling stagnant.
Additionally, a dual point of view would have enhanced the narrative, offering insight into Anıl’s character and his motivations. As it stands, Anıl’s character remains largely unexplored, making it difficult to understand his perspective or connect with him. The conflict between Jana and Anıl initially felt valid, but as the reader receives more information the point feels moot. Meanwhile, Jana’s grievances reappeared over and over, which became repetitive and tiresome. I often found myself questioning what more Jana expected from Anıl, and her constant complaints overshadowed their relationship’s potential for growth. Furthermore, for a romance, the story also fell short in developing a genuine romantic connection between Jana and Anıl. We rarely see them grow closer beyond co-parenting moments, leaving their desire and bond unconvincing. I would have loved more intimate moments to better believe in their reconciliation. In fact, I was left unconvinced for most of this story that they needed to be together at all!
One final note for any potential audiobook listeners: I’d recommend a physical copy for this one. Although I usually enjoy Soneela Nankani’s narrations, her choice to give Jana a British accent was baffling. Jana is Canadian and only briefly lived in London at one point of the story. This was an odd choice in narration which was both distracting and confusing.
Overall, this book had potential but ultimately left me unsatisfied due to repetitive conflict, underdeveloped characters, and an unconvincing romance. There were a few redeeming aspects. The side characters offered entertainment and the wedding festivities added flair. However, these positive elements were overshadowed by the story’s other flaws, leaving me more frustrated than entertained.
At first, the novel seemed promising with its unique setting in Tanzania, the excitement of a wedding, and the appeal of a second-chance romance. However, despite its intriguing premise, I found the story frustrating. The Tanzanian setting initially added appeal, but as the characters moved from one hotel to the next, it quickly lost its charm, feeling repetitive and underutilized. Also, considering that both Jana and Anıl work in development, I was surprised there wasn’t more reflection on the ethics of their large group’s impact on local communities. The story briefly touches on how tourism can benefit local economies, but the discussion felt shallow and more self-congratulatory than insightful.
Yet, my biggest issue with this story, ironically, was with Jana herself. Her inability to communicate and her longstanding resentment toward Anıl felt exhausting. The story leans heavily on miscommunication, which I find to be an annoyingly weak trope, especially when a simple conversation could resolve the issues. Jana’s repeated failures to communicate felt like a barrier to her growth. There was some attempt at character development as we’re told early on that she is trying to push herself out of her comfort zone. However, this aspect of her character felt forced. She didn’t seem to actually enjoy doing these things, but rather felt a societal pressure to conform which also made her feel closed off and stunted her character development. By the end of this very long journey, she didn’t seem to have evolved as a character at all. In fact, few characters experienced meaningful development, leaving the story feeling stagnant.
Additionally, a dual point of view would have enhanced the narrative, offering insight into Anıl’s character and his motivations. As it stands, Anıl’s character remains largely unexplored, making it difficult to understand his perspective or connect with him. The conflict between Jana and Anıl initially felt valid, but as the reader receives more information the point feels moot. Meanwhile, Jana’s grievances reappeared over and over, which became repetitive and tiresome. I often found myself questioning what more Jana expected from Anıl, and her constant complaints overshadowed their relationship’s potential for growth. Furthermore, for a romance, the story also fell short in developing a genuine romantic connection between Jana and Anıl. We rarely see them grow closer beyond co-parenting moments, leaving their desire and bond unconvincing. I would have loved more intimate moments to better believe in their reconciliation. In fact, I was left unconvinced for most of this story that they needed to be together at all!
One final note for any potential audiobook listeners: I’d recommend a physical copy for this one. Although I usually enjoy Soneela Nankani’s narrations, her choice to give Jana a British accent was baffling. Jana is Canadian and only briefly lived in London at one point of the story. This was an odd choice in narration which was both distracting and confusing.
Overall, this book had potential but ultimately left me unsatisfied due to repetitive conflict, underdeveloped characters, and an unconvincing romance. There were a few redeeming aspects. The side characters offered entertainment and the wedding festivities added flair. However, these positive elements were overshadowed by the story’s other flaws, leaving me more frustrated than entertained.
April 28, 2023
Wow this one was complicated! I think it’s one of the messiest plots I’ve ever read, but I enjoyed it so much. It has been my first book by Farah Heron but I don’t think it’ll be the last because I’ve loved her writing and how addictive it is.
This is a second chance romance with a twist since they had a kid after a fling, so even though they haven’t seen each other much, they have always been communicating because of their daughter. Jana and Amil had big bad blood between them after the reasons why their fling ended (which I’m not gonna say, obviously). When I say their relationship is complicated, it’s not an understatement. I could sympathize with Jana, but I also could do it with Amil. This is not an easy situation to pick a side. What I loved the most about this romance is that it takes them a lot of time and trial and error conversations to get to the solution. I loved that they didn’t fall into bed without at least acknowledging their problems first. The bad blood was too thick to get cleaned up soon, but they manage, and it felt very realistic.
Imani was the absolute sweetest kid. She was so funny and adorable. I love that Jana and Amil always put her first and ever since the moment she was born, they never let her suffer the consequences of their problems. Both Jana and Amil were the most amazing parents separately, so together they are a perfect team.
I picked up this book because the cover was irresistible, but the inside was just as good!
ARC provided by Forever and NetGalley. Opinions are my own!
This is a second chance romance with a twist since they had a kid after a fling, so even though they haven’t seen each other much, they have always been communicating because of their daughter. Jana and Amil had big bad blood between them after the reasons why their fling ended (which I’m not gonna say, obviously). When I say their relationship is complicated, it’s not an understatement. I could sympathize with Jana, but I also could do it with Amil. This is not an easy situation to pick a side. What I loved the most about this romance is that it takes them a lot of time and trial and error conversations to get to the solution. I loved that they didn’t fall into bed without at least acknowledging their problems first. The bad blood was too thick to get cleaned up soon, but they manage, and it felt very realistic.
Imani was the absolute sweetest kid. She was so funny and adorable. I love that Jana and Amil always put her first and ever since the moment she was born, they never let her suffer the consequences of their problems. Both Jana and Amil were the most amazing parents separately, so together they are a perfect team.
I picked up this book because the cover was irresistible, but the inside was just as good!
ARC provided by Forever and NetGalley. Opinions are my own!
July 17, 2023
Obviously I had to read this as there are so few things with my name on them. but this was... something. The MC, Jana, opens the story with a relationship she's in but the guy turns out to be married. Four years later she's had his child and they are begrudgingly co-parenting the kid. The story really starts when Jana joins a bridal party only to learn her ex is a groomsman. The whole book is about them getting back together despite their only connections being sex and their kid.
I'm all for second chance romance but this one was problematic. The only things this couple can connect on are politics, sex, and their child. Jana's story arc is her inability to "break loose" and connect with her "wild side". She also says she has trouble making friends and engaging in social situations but like EVERYONE in the book loves her (except for the token mean girl character) so this whole arc doesn't really make any difference in her life. I was turned off by how her friends are kind of trying to change her personality for the whole book. The tragic backstory scene reveals Jana was fired from her last job after her employers found out she had been with a married man and laid her off because she was a homewrecker... Somehow that's a reason you can fire someone (HR must not exist in this universe).
Anywho I wasn't impressed with this one. No stomach butterflies around the romantic scenes here.
I'm all for second chance romance but this one was problematic. The only things this couple can connect on are politics, sex, and their child. Jana's story arc is her inability to "break loose" and connect with her "wild side". She also says she has trouble making friends and engaging in social situations but like EVERYONE in the book loves her (except for the token mean girl character) so this whole arc doesn't really make any difference in her life. I was turned off by how her friends are kind of trying to change her personality for the whole book. The tragic backstory scene reveals Jana was fired from her last job after her employers found out she had been with a married man and laid her off because she was a homewrecker... Somehow that's a reason you can fire someone (HR must not exist in this universe).
Anywho I wasn't impressed with this one. No stomach butterflies around the romantic scenes here.
March 9, 2023
After a whirlwind romance that spans two weeks on two continents, Jana discovers her lover, Anil, is married. She angrily cuts ties with him only to find out weeks later that she is pregnant. Anil proves to be a great father, though, and the next 5 years they co-parent their adorable daughter, while keeping distance from each other.
That is until they are both enlisted as part of the wedding party on a lavish destination wedding in Tanzania.
The synopsis for this book, as well as the gorgeous cover, had me really excited to read it. So, I was disappointed when after the first chapter the story dragged for me. Things did pick up after the wedding festivities began but I had a hard time warming up to Jana. I think this book might have benefited from a dual POV.
I’m rating this book 3.5/5 rounded up since the last half of the book was more interesting and I’m glad I stuck with it.
Thank you to Shelf Awareness, NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for this complimentary ARC. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
That is until they are both enlisted as part of the wedding party on a lavish destination wedding in Tanzania.
The synopsis for this book, as well as the gorgeous cover, had me really excited to read it. So, I was disappointed when after the first chapter the story dragged for me. Things did pick up after the wedding festivities began but I had a hard time warming up to Jana. I think this book might have benefited from a dual POV.
I’m rating this book 3.5/5 rounded up since the last half of the book was more interesting and I’m glad I stuck with it.
Thank you to Shelf Awareness, NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for this complimentary ARC. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
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