ARC Review: Lucy on the Wild Side by Kerry Rea

Lucy on the Wild Side
Author: Kerry Rea
Publication: Berkley (September 13, 2022)

Description: A zookeeper always on the fringe learns to go after her wildest dreams—including a certain television star—in this charming and laugh-out-loud romantic comedy by Kerry Rea, author of The Wedding Ringer.

Lucy Rourke has two great loves in her life: the gorilla troop she cares for as a primatologist and the laundry list of reality TV shows she watches to escape the fact that her actual love life doesn’t exist. And like a reality contestant gunning for the final rose, Lucy’s laser-focused on one thing: getting promoted to head keeper. So when a wildlife docuseries hosted by hotshot TV personality Kai Bridges chooses her zoo as its summer filming location, she sees an opportunity to showcase her beloved gorillas to the world and land a starring role in her department.

When Kai and his film crew arrive, however, it's obvious to Lucy that Kai cares more about sky-high ratings than the gorillas, and he considers her a camera-averse know-it-all whose wardrobe consists entirely of khaki. But she’s surprised to discover there’s more to him than his rugged good looks and cheesy catchphrases...and that maybe a promotion isn’t the only thing she wants. But when secrets from their pasts threaten to complicate everything, Lucy discovers that happiness and success aren’t the same thing—and that finding joy just might mean getting a little wild.

My Thoughts: Lucy Rourke is focused on her career as a zookeeper in charge of gorillas and nothing else is of higher priority. She is currently gunning for the position of head keeper, and she has the science part of the job down. Where she is lacking is in interpersonal relations and publicity. 

When Kai Bridges of television fame comes to make a documentary at Lucy's zoo, Lucy is paralyzed with fear which makes her even more clumsy with a tendency to babble weird animal facts than she usually is. Her past as the daughter of a television star who wanted Lucy to be just like her has created a real phobia about being on camera. She is also jealous of Kai because she believes that he has what she has always wanted: a mother who cares for him and also studies endangered gorillas.

Lucy was dropped off at her grandmother's home when she was ten by a mother who was so eager to chase fame that she abandoned her child. She filled the gap with hero worship for Kai's mother and the gorillas at the zoo. 

Lucy's anger and resentment of her abandonment isn't helped by the fact that her mother has remarried, moved back to Columbus with a husband and a ten-year-old daughter, and her grandmother is determined to get all of them to be a happy family.

I didn't like Lucy at all well when the story began. I didn't understand her ability to hold a grudge. But as the story continued, I came to understand Lucy and even sympathize with her predicament. I still had trouble believing the romance part of the book since I couldn't see what Kai saw in Lucy that made her attractive to him.

Ultimately, I enjoyed this story. While I didn't ever laugh out loud, I did shed quite a few tears at some of the events in the story. 

Favorite Quote:

Karina taught me there's no commitment that can't be broken, and Nick showed me that making one only ends in misery. I don't want to let the baby down before they're even born by making promises I can't deliver.

I received this one in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. You can buy your copy here.