Wanderlust Wednesday Review: Wanderlost by Jen Malone

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Wanderlost by Jen Malone
Series: Standalone
Published: May 31st, 2016
Publisher: HarperTeen
352 pages (eARC)
Genre: Contemporary Young Adult
Acquired this book: Via Edelweiss in exchange for honest consideration
Warning: May contain spoilers
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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.

Since I have a never-ending case of wanderlust, I was immediately intrigued by Wanderlost. Between the beautiful cover and the European setting, I was eager to read this one, and it didn’t disappoint.

Aubree is happy with her small-town life. She has no desire to stray far from home, and no plans to travel...until an incident leaves her older sister Elizabeth in trouble and Elizabeth convinces Bree to take her spot for the summer as a European tour guide for a small group of seniors. Elizabeth prepares Bree to the best of her ability, then sends Bree off to Europe on her own. What ensues is a lot of misadventures, a sweet romance, and plenty of character growth.

I’ve been to Europe twice: once when I was about Bree’s age, and again last year. Even at the age I was last year, I would have folded under the kind of pressure Bree experienced. I was practically panicking just reading about the first incident that happened when she arrived. How she handled things felt (mostly) realistic, and I appreciated her strength and how she was (again, mostly) able to keep a cool head. It was all easy to picture, from her freak-outs to her embarrassing moments to her triumphs to her travels through all that gorgeous, history-filled countryside. It definitely stirred my wanderlust and made me itch to get back on a plane.

This book had a great cast of side characters. One of my favourite series is the Passport to Peril series by Maddy Hunter, where a woman in her thirties leads a group of seniors on European (mis)adventures, so in a way Wanderlost reminded me of the YA version of that. I liked how the seniors were up for almost anything, and their quirks were endearing and amusing. I also loved Sam; he was hilarious and adorable, and the banter between him and Bree had me giggling and swooning.

Wanderlost is a perfect summer read - light, fun, funny, and romantic. Aubree was a great main character, and her growth made me so proud. I even cried at the end because I was so proud of her. If you’re looking for a fun, swoony, low drama-and-angst read with a wonderful cast of characters and a chance to vicariously travel through Europe, I highly recommend Wanderlost.

Need a little more convincing that this is a must read? Tiff from Mostly YA Lit wrote a fantastic 4.5-star review of Wanderlost!

Have you read Wanderlost? What did you think? If you haven't read it, do you plan to? Have you been to Europe? Ever travelled solo (if so, major kudos - I couldn't do it!)? Have any fun/funny/scary stories about getting lost while travelling?

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