Series: Ghosted #4 (Standalone)
Publication Date: 01st Oct 2024
Genre: Contemporary Romance (Magic Realism)
3.7 Stars
One Liner: Entertaining!
Twenty-five-year-old Anna is a romantic at heart and longs for a happy future. Circumstances forced her to become a cleaner to support her mother and eight-year-old sister, Emme. She had been cleaning Max Barone’s house for three years and had been in love with him for almost as long.
Max Barone is a thirty-something successful jeweler, running the family business with precision. He wants things to be uncomplicated and simple. He has no idea about Anna.
One day, Anna made a wish for him to love her and for them to be married. It sounds harmless until she realizes that her wish has come true. Now, Anna and Max have been happily married for years. But is it love? Is this what she wants? What should they do?
The story comes in Anna’s first-person POV, with the prologue and epilogue in Max’s first-person POV.
My Thoughts:
This is my first book by the author. I’ve wanted to read her works for a while but the 400+ page counts were daunting. Wished is just over 300 pages, the perfect size for this genre.
With a premise like this, I was curious to see how it would play out. There are so many factors to consider! I’m pleased to inform you that the execution was fun. I won’t reveal the details as it will dampen the effect.
The prologue by Max puts the reader right in the middle of the plot. Then, we go back to the beginning and listen to Anna tell us how she ‘fell in love at first sight’ with Max and the rest of it.
Anna is really sweet. Yeah, she does sound a bit dreamy and naïve at times but it suits her personality. She’s someone who wants to be kind and do what she can to help others be happy.
I haven’t read the previous books in the series, so this is my first time meeting Max. He does take a wee bit of time to warm up to, but then I can see his side. However, I did wish the shift in his affections was a little more spaced out (or the previous one toned down). While I understand the change in viewpoints, it still feels a bit odd.
The settings are my favorite! I love the description of the house and of the various places in Paris. Even the cramped home where Anna lives gets such a visual description. As a fan of settings, I love it when I can picturize the places easily.
And yeah, this is an insta-love thingy, so it may not work for everyone. While they did have each other in their lives for three plus years, there weren’t enough interactions for a connection. So, everything happens quickly as we get into the main plot.
Still, the book manages to discuss themes like bullying, dysfunctional and toxic family, etc. I like the discussion about the change in how things have been perceived over time (Freud) and that there’s always a choice to be a better person.
The spice is quite high (seems most of my September reads decided to hit level 4). The author likes to use a lot of adjectives for descriptions. While it reads well, some of it feels excessive, especially during intense scenes.
Naturally, there is a third-act breakup. It was supposed to happen, so I was prepared for it. And yes, we get HEA with an epilogue. I do have a few teeny questions but that’s me nitpicking.
To summarize, Wished is an entertaining romance with a touch of magic realism. It needs suspension of belief. However, if you want something fluffy and spicy read, grab this one.
Thank you, NetGalley, Swift & Lewis Publishing LLC, and Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), for eARC.
#NetGalley #Wished
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