Wild About You

Gr 9 Up–Nineteen-year-old Natalie Hart’s parents have never been supportive of her going to college to study dramatic arts. So when her anxiety causes her to lose her scholarship, she is in a financial bind. To solve her problem, Natalie goes on a wilderness reality show for a shot to win a scholarship. Much to her dismay, she is soon partnered with Finn, who is grumpy and judgmental of Natalie, who is new to camping. They must work together to complete wilderness challenges and compete against other undergraduate students also vying for scholarships. As the competition progresses, Finn and Natalie warm up to each other, and their chemistry pulls them together into a whirlwind romance. But Natalie is learning to live with anxiety, which causes romantic strife that will leave readers wondering if they will get their happily ever after. The author’s voice is funny and charming, with many jokes peppered throughout the book. Both Finn and Natalie are likable, relatable, three-dimensional characters. The romantic build-up is well-paced, and even though the relationship experiences turbulence early on, it’s done in a very sensitive way. Natalie and Finn are white.