Big Wild Love Adventure by Julianna Keyes
Contemporary Romance
Originally published June 20, 2022- Reissued May 31, 2024
Self-Published

Review by Angela

So, this was fun. Not even going to lie- I was lured in by the promise of reality show adventure and romance. While I’m not one to watch reality shows on television, I do love me some reality show shenanigans in my romance.

Emmy Shaw is a food truck baker who has fallen on hard times, and that is before she wrecks her food truck, gets lambasted on social media for failing to provide baked goods to an influencer’s wedding, and ends up sleeping in her parents’ basement. After a drunken night with her assistant laughing and filling out applications for a dating reality show, she’s shocked to find out she has been accepted as a contestant on Big Wild Love Adventure. She’s not in it to find love though, she needs the prize money to get back on her feet financially.

And that starts the adventure of a lifetime where she’ll meet lifelong friends, rediscover herself, and maybe, just maybe fall in love.

This was a quick, easy read. Low stakes, fun challenges, a group of contestants that turn out to be friends, and a sweet romance. If you are looking for super angsty drama, this book isn’t for you. It’s not hot and heavy, there is only one closed door love scene, but the romance is delightful. It’s easy to root for Emmy, she’s kind and thoughtful with a dry, sarcastic sense of humor that shines through even in trying circumstances. I really enjoyed her relationships with the other contestants, and that they all quickly and easily formed this friends’ group that supported and encouraged each other.

The romance is quiet, yet you feel her and Wes’s chemistry. There is a HFN ending, and I was satisfied with the way this author left this couple. This is the perfect summer beach read. If you are looking for something quick, fun this maybe just what you need.

Grade- B-