Book Review: Wild in Love by Nicole Cubba

Official Synopsis: It’s a question Sofía Martinez never imagined asking herself, but she didn’t anticipate fake dating her boss, either. When social media star Jett Parks offers her a new job—one with higher pay, flexibility, and a fancy title—she’s hard-pressed to say no. However, their friendship blurs lines she’d rather keep crisp and precise. Determined to make a strong impression, Sofía throws herself into planning a trip to Australia for Jett’s new docuseries, Wonder Down Under.

After an out-of-context video goes viral early into their adventure, leading the internet to assume they’re dating, Sofía offers to capitalize on their moment in the spotlight. Celebrities fake relationships constantly, and if it increases ticket sales and visibility for his docuseries, all the better. How was she supposed to know that each stop would only deepen the attraction between them?

There’s no employee handbook outlining the rules for PR relationships—or what to do when you accidentally fall in love. But what happens Down Under doesn’t always stay there, and Sofía must decide if what they built is real, or if it was all for show.

Sofía Martinez is waiting to get any type of guidance on her new job, working for her friend and social media star Jett Parks. If it hadn't been for the offer of more pay, she never would have left her last job, but now she is sitting in a coffee shop, drinking a subpar matcha, wondering what it will be like to work with someone she knows...and finds attractive. Jett doesn't have the strict rules and standards that her old job had, and she starts to wonder what he could possibly need her to do, she had already organized his email and social media and he seems surprised by it.

When he finally tells her his new documentary idea, to go to Australia and document the wildlife there with a crew of himself, her and two of his filming friends, plus a few days set aside for their other friends to join them, Sofía is appalled. She helps organize the trip, timing it out perfectly, getting all of the reservations and flights, and making sure there is a daily plan to keep everything on track. Jett is shocked by her ability to organize, telling her to at least add free time for 'shenanigans' in between all the things they needed for the docuseries.

As they adventure through the outback, pictures of Jett and Sofía end up on his fan pages, because of course he has fan pages, and his fans want to know who she is. Jett doesn't push Sofía into revealing her identity, but the mystery of who she is and if she is dating Jett starts to fuel sales for the docuseries premiere, giving Sofía an idea. Maybe if she and Jett keep posting each other, without revealing who she is, the teasers will keep the fans and others talking, selling even more tickets. Jett isn't sure about the PR relationship, especially since the feelings he has for Sofía are definitely not 'fake it for the camera' type.

As they continue to post pictures holding hands or watching sunsets together, Jett and Sofía start to realize their feelings not be as fake as they were both hoping. But Sofía has given up on dating after having an abusive ex and multiple bad dates, and isn't sure if dating her boss for real is great once they are back in LA, so she proposes a new idea. Jett 'fires' her for the rest of the trip, they act on their feelings for each other, and then go back to normal when they are back in LA. Except as the trip nears its end, neither of them are sure they want to give up the realest thing either of them have ever felt.

I loved the adventure aspect of this book, along with the fake dating into definitely real dating. Sofía and Jett are both really thought out characters, each of them with their own rough histories and things they are scared of. Sofía is used to having to be organized, making calculating decisions and having to be perfect, but with Jett he just wants her to be herself, even the non-perfect parts. Jett might have a lot of followers online, but is worried about not being enough, especially since he dropped out of college and has ADHD that makes it hard to concentrate and sleep at times. I liked seeing how these two characters manage to help each other and their own fears. I really enjoyed the setting of Australia and the animals involved in the story. (Also side note, cassowaries are terrifying birds, look them up). I am excited to read the first book in this interconnected series as well, I enjoyed the writing and how the characters are as a friend group.

I rated this book 4 out of 5 stars!

Wild in Love comes out July 28, 2026!

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