ARC Review: Wanderlost by Jen Malone



Title: Wanderlost
Author: Jen Malone
Series: N/A, Standalone
Genre: Young Adult, Romance, Contemporary
Publisher: HarperTeen
Publication Date: May 31st, 2016
Pages: Kindle, 352
My Rating: 4 Stars
Not all those who wander are lost, but Aubree Sadler most definitely is on this novel’s whirlwind trip through Europe. A romantic and charming YA debut perfect for fans of Stephanie Perkins and Jenny Han.

Aubree can’t think of a better place to be than in perfectly boring Ohio, and she’s ready for a relaxing summer. But when her older sister, Elizabeth, gets into real trouble, Aubree is talked into taking over Elizabeth’s summer job, leading a group of senior citizens on a bus tour through Europe.

Aubree doesn’t even make it to the first stop in Amsterdam before their perfect plan unravels, leaving her with no phone, no carefully prepared binder full of helpful facts, and an unexpected guest: the tour company owner’s son, Sam. Considering she’s pretending to be Elizabeth, she absolutely shouldn’t fall for him, but she can’t help it, especially with the most romantic European cities as the backdrop for their love story.

But her relationship with Sam is threatening to ruin her relationship with her sister, and she feels like she’s letting both of them down. Aubree knows this trip may show her who she really is—she just hopes she likes where she ends up.

  I was given an ARC by the publisher through Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. 

I'm a sucker for light, yet meaning contemporary romance novels, and this one is just that! There are a lot of heavy-issue contemporary romance out there that are amazing, but after a while, it gets tiring, and I crave for a good, light romance. And it being summer, this was just the perfect book to read at this time!

I don’t have the best of luck with road trip novels because I tend to find them boring, but I must say that this is the best one yet! It was so good, in fact, that I didn’t think much of it as a road trip book. Aubree took a wonderful journey as a tour guide to six senior citizens across Europe, and I was so glad to be a part of their journey because I can imagine being there myself. A story of finding oneself, How It Feels to Fly follows Aubree as a tour guide to six senior citizens across Europe. At first I never knew how Aubree could cope with everything that was happening, but as the novel progressed, Aubree became more responsible, independent and mature.

What’s amazing about this book is how the author managed to take me from Asia all the way to Europe because of the descriptive narratives, while still not being overly wordy. I also really connected to the main character because oftentimes, I am irresponsible and I usually don’t know what to do in unfamiliar situations. Which is why I was so inspired by Aubree to try new things, since I am also usually scared of doing so. Of course, the cute romance between Aubree and Sam is an added bonus. Ah, I just love their relationship because it’s serious, but fun as well. They often tease each other, and they just know how to have a good time.

Wanderlost is just an fun, entertaining and light read, but at the same time managed to be meaningful. I really enjoyed reading this, and I would look forward to reading more of Jen Malone’s works. I definitely recommend this for those looking for light contemporaries.


4 cuteness-overload stars


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