Unlike other books I’ve written, this one didn’t come with a built-in playlist. Instead, I found perfect songs along the way – sort of like Cal and Annie found love while running around looking for their missing taxidermy goose.
“Myth” – Beach House
Baltimore dream pop band Beach House feels like such an obvious pairing with WILD GOOSE CHASE, which primarily takes place in the city. This song in particular is about the myths we construct to explain our lives to ourselves, and how sometimes we need to let go of the idealized version of the past we’ve been holding onto so we can embrace the present. It’s very much what Cal Leitner is dealing with as he tries to move on from his previous relationship and the passing of his beloved mentor.
“Ladies Don’t Play Guitar” – Tennis
The line “I can be the archetype of whatever you’re feeling” is so Annie O’Neill-coded. Pretending to be the perfect version of a woman that men want is something Annie wound up doing a lot in her twenties and has since grown tired of. Cal is the first partner she’s ever had who’s only ever known the real her, and the intimacy of that is exciting and also terrifying.
“What It Feels Like” – Teenage Dads
This song really speaks to the desire both Cal and Annie have to engage in a physical relationship despite their uncertainty where it will lead, believing the experience will give them something they’ve both desperately needed in their lives. But there’s also the problem of Annie planning to leave at the end of her time covering for her uncle at the antique store, and how it interferes with them having a frank discussion of their feelings. (And, of course, the “take flight” metaphor in the chorus is quite apropos!)
“Scary Movies” – The Rions
Cal is absolutely shocked that Annie is interested in him, since he believes she’s way out of his league, just like the narrator in this song who asks “How did I get so lucky? How did I get it right?” It’s about a sort of giddy disbelief that a person you really like has chosen you back, and both Cal and Annie are feeling that to various degrees in this book as they struggle to see themselves as worthy of love.
“Ankles” – Lucy Dacus
The first time I heard this song, I knew it would be part of the WILD GOOSE CHASE playlist. There’s a freedom to the physicality Lucy Dacus sings about here that mimics that between Cal and Annie as she encourages him to take charge despite his self-consciousness around his relative inexperience. The first part of the chorus is very reminiscent of Annie telling Cal to play out his fantasies and she’ll let him know if she wants him to stop, while the second part speaks to Cal’s impulse to continue showing his feelings for Annie in other, non-physical ways.
WILD GOOSE CHASE by Sarah Adler
An antique dealer and his inconvenient(ly irresistible) new colleague must contend with an illicit stuffed goose and their sizzling attraction, from USA Today bestselling author Sarah Adler.
Antique store owner Callahan Leitner has an illegal taxidermy goose in his living room.
Why? It’s…complicated.
But it may end his career unless he finds a legitimate way to dispose of the bird ASAP. Except, there’s an unexpected wrench in his plans—the frustrating, effervescent Annie O’Neill.
Annie is happy to fill in for her uncle at his antique store; it’s the perfect opportunity to gain more experience before opening a shop of her own, plus she’ll finally meet his handsome young business partner. Unfortunately, Cal is nothing like the charming man she expected. She’s tempted to take his apparent dislike personally, until she stumbles upon the source of his moodiness: the contraband waterfowl hidden upstairs.
When the goose goes missing, both of their professional reputations are on the line. As Cal and Annie attempt to track down the bird before it can be traced back to the store, their tentative alliance turns into something much deeper. Will the hunt for their felonious fowl lead to true love, or end in ruin?
Romance Comedy [ Berkley, On Sale: July 28, 2026, Trade Paperback / e-Book / audiobook, ISBN: 9798217187492 / eISBN: 9798217187508 ]
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About Sarah Adler
Sarah Adler writes romantic comedies about lovable weirdos finding their happily ever afters. She lives in Maryland with her husband and daughter and spends an inordinate amount of her time yelling at her mischievous cat to stop opening the kitchen cabinets.
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