The blurb is what instantly drew me into this story, and while I did overall find With Love from Wish & Co to be a super easy and lighthearted read, I struggled a bit with connecting to the characters and with the pacing.

Overall was cute and easy, but just wasn't for me

Wealthy people often pay for services that they would rather not do... yard-mowing, house cleaning.... gift buying? I'm not going to lie, the thought of having the perfect gift sent to my loved ones on time is a little appealing! Marnie has found a way to make a living doing just that, even if her clients' lives are a little complicated. When a mistake she makes while distracted threatens to wreck her whole business, she knows she needs to make things right - but how?

This is a Hallmark movie in book form - warm, thoughtful, and I absolutely enjoyed it. All the characters end up being likeable, and you cheer for them to have a happy ending. A pleasure to read.

I would never think to hire someone to shop, wrap and send gifts for me, but that is exactly what this main character does for a living.

Marnie Fairchild has her entire business centered around this and is doing well. Until the day she finds out that her grandfather's old shop, the one she has dreamt about is going up for auction. That day, distracted, she makes a terrible mistake that could scuttle all her dreams.

I enjoyed getting to know the characters and the idea was intriguing to me, I'm a throw a gift in a bag with some tissue kind of person. I liked Marnie and was irritated with Luke, but in the end I loved how everything came together.

This is the first book I have read by Minnie Darke and it won't be the last. This would be a perfect beach/ pool read!

I would like to thank Netgalley and RHPG- Ballentine for the opportunity to read and review this book.

With Love from Wish & Co is my first novel by Minnie Darke, but it will not be my last. There was a nice lightness and ease to the story where it was enjoyable yet not overly complex. For me, this novel is a nice balance to some of the heavier stories that I sometimes read. This story follows Marnie Fairchild, who runs the personal shopper/gift-giving shop Wish & Co. in Australia. As the description of the story states, things for Marnie go awry when she is tasked with buying a gift for Suzanne, her client Brian Charlesworth’s wife, and another gift for his mistress, Leanna, and the two gifts get switched.

After Brian finds out, Marnie sets out to make things right with the support of Brian and Suzanne’s son, Luke. Brian is a very influential client, and his sway can make or break Marnie’s business, so she ends up agreeing to help Brian fix his marriage. This sets three stories, where Marnie is trying to save her business, the Charlesworth family drama and secrets, and the blooming romance between Luke and Marnie. As Brian and Suzanne attempt to repair their marriage, it is interesting to learn more about their past, present, and potential future. There are a lot of emotions and feelings that run deep with both, and it is interesting to see if they will ultimately reconcile.

The story is very descriptive, so it was not difficult to picture the setting for the characters. There are multiple POVs in this story, but they all remain distinct enough for the reader to know who they are following at any given moment. It is mainly a character-driven story with each character dealing with their own issues. While there are a lot of descriptions in the story, I would have liked a little more focus on Luke and Marnie’s relationship. While I could feel their chemistry, there are a few issues between them that I felt needed more time and exploration before they could potentially be resolved. Overall, this was a lovely escape read that is perfect for the beach, a café, or a cozy night at home.

**I give a special thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this entertaining novel. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.**

This book was cute and had a good story, even if it did feel a little bit slow at times. However, I did have a problem with the main character's occupation. My problems with it are discussed during the book between her and another character, so I won't go into detail, but the whole concept of a gift buyer just seems weird to me. Overall though, I would recommend this book. Especially to anyone who wants a lighthearted story with a happy ending.

4.5 stars!

I’m surprised by this one! The first few pages had me doubting my choice to give this one a chance, the writing felt dense and I wasn’t sure about Marnie. But as the pages kept turning, I was more and more drawn in to all these peoples lives. We not only follow Marnie, but Luke as well as his parents. Each person has different things going on and Marnie has her hands in all of it.

This had so much heart, I had a hard time putting it down and found myself smiling multiple times. This doesn’t feel like a traditional romance, more women’s fiction, but I loved it all the same.

Do I wish it had a little spice? Yes, but that is the kind of story I’ve been gravitating towards recently and I can’t fault the book for being what it is. Heartwarming, sweet, charming.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the opportunity to read this lovely book in exchange for an honest review.

Marnie is a gift buyer for rich men with complicated lives. What happens when she messes up an anniversary gift for the wife and a birthday gift for the girlfriend, then becomes embroiled in the family’s lives while trying to fix the mistake?
I really liked this concept. I think the story was well thought out and written well. I liked Marnie and Luke and I thought they worked well together, even though the problems that arose were pretty predictable.
My problems arose with Suzanne and Brian. I wish that would have played out a bit differently.
All in all, this book was cute and sweet and I could definitely see it as a Hallmark movie plot!
Thanks to NetGalley and Dell Publishing for an eARC of With Love From Wish & Co in exchange for my honest review!

I enjoyed reading With Love From Wish & Co.

It is very heartwarming, but maybe a bit controversial for those who have a strong opinion about infidelity. What could go wrong; 2 gifts meant for 2 different women sent by the same man. Of course, they get switched and who is at fault? The man who is cheating on his wife? Or the gift buyer who has been buying gifts for him all these years?

I enjoyed all the characters and the emotions they cycled through before finally accepting their fate. I am sure this sort of scenario happens more often than we would care to admit.

I felt like Luke came down a bit hard on Marnie. His words were very harsh, and I am glad she did not back down. The world is not always black and white, sometimes you need to accept the gray areas.

I really felt for Suzanne, she had a very tough decision to make. Her decision and thought process was well thought out and not rushed in any way.

For some reason I thought this was sent in England. I only figured out at the end it was set in Australia when I finally looked up Ute. I enjoyed the photos and recipes.



Thank you to Net Galley and Penguin Random House/Ballantine for my eArc. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Minnie Darke’s “With Love from Wish & Co.” is a cute, heart-warming romance perfect for readers who are looking for a light, easy read.

I really enjoyed the characters in the story—especially Marnie. I appreciate her ambition and that she’s a rule-follower and someone who is always trying her best. She is that wonderful example that no one is perfect, though, and that we all make mistakes.

Darke’s writing style took me a bit to get used to—with ultra detailed descriptions and the story told through multiple character’s points of view. I did like the casual, humorous style though and it made it feel like I was in on everything and that the book wasn’t taking itself too seriously. Once I settled into Darke’s style it was easy to get lost in the charm of the story. I also enjoyed the chapter titles (a lost art these days), the recipes and the photo of the building that was Fairchild & Sons inspiration. Little details like that always add another level of charm.

I do think the book was too long with the middle dragging a bit. I understand it adds to the trope and exaggerates the romantic tension between Luke and Marnie but I was still bored at a few spots.

Overall though, this is a sweet, Hallmark movie feel book that was enjoyable and fun. It’s a great option for anyone looking for a chick lit, “PG” feel romance.

Synopsis:
Marnie owns a gift giving business. She is detail oriented and does all she can to find the perfect gift for each of her customers. One day she makes the biggest mistake of her life when she mixes up two gifts for her biggest client. Marnie must do everything she can to fix this mistake or lose out on her dream of owning the building her grandfather once owned. What Marnie does not expect is to find romance and a chance at true happiness.

This book was a breath of fresh air. It was easy to connect with the main characters. The book unfolds naturally and it was easy to root for Marnie.

Cute humorous romance story with a lovely love story.
Overall, a nice book to relax and decompress with.
Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Thank you to Penguin Random House for the gifted ARC!

What do we give in the name of love? What do we give up?

Marnie is a professional gift giver. She uses her people skills and powers of intuition (and, okay, some light cyber-stalking) to learn the preferences of her clientele's loved ones, swooping in with the perfect gift for every occasion. But when her own heart is caught between a life-long dream and a chance at love, Marnie's got the ultimate dilemma. Can she have her cake and eat it too?

With Love from Wish & Co. is classic Minnie Darke: charming, intriguing, with romance, art, and a bit of suspense. Her evocative descriptions of settings transport the reader, and every character is lovably-rendered, with cheer-for-me qualities and rueful bad habits that only endear them all the more. I love reading Minnie Darke because of the feel-good tone of her books: even if I'm not sure how everything will work out, I know that it will. Sometimes that assurance of a happy ending is the most important way to start a story.

Minnie Darke has become an instant-read for me. Already looking out for book #4!

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

"With Love from Wish & Co." is like the book version of cotton candy, it's sweet and pretty but you pretty quickly realize it doesn't have much in the way of complexity or substance.

I was able to read an early copy of "With Love from Wish & Co." by Minnie Darke on NetGalley. And I was glad I did. I loved this book. The main character Marnie was well developed, as were all the other characters. I did feel like the mix up with her business was something that was easy to anticipate occurring, but that didn't take away from the story. I would definitely read more books from Darke!

Great summer beach read. This is a clean, family-friendly book that kept my interest. It was a quick, enjoyable read.

I went back and forth on whether to read this book and in the end I wish I hadn’t. I will be very transparent that the subject matter was very personal to me so any review I could leave would be biased. I thought the book would be more about Marnie and Luke and did not realize Brian and Suzanne’s story would have such a large presence. I disagree, not with the outcome itself, but the reasons for the outcome in the end. Without spoilers all I can say is she deserved better and for anyone reading this, alone is not a terrible place to be.

A first-time reader of Minnie Darke with this book, I'm excited to see what else she has written!

With Love from Wish & Co. tells the story of multiple characters all woven together through Marnie's gift shopping business and a delivery gone wrong. I loved the characters (even Brian grew on me by the end!) and seeing their development throughout the course of the book, as each came out wiser than they had been at the beginning.

A highly enjoyable light romance that was an easy read! Wholeheartedly recommend!

Thank you to the author and publisher for an ARC through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review!

I absolutely loved this book! Minnie Darke kills it again with romance! I loved the characters a lot in this novel but the love line was the absolute best! The perfect summer read, I may have to re-read it again! I love gift giving and to read about the main character's profession as a gift giver was so fascinating -- the thought and work she puts into making sure to get the best gift.

This is a perfect “Hallmark” type romance to get you through the summer months until Hallmark movies are back in full swing in a couple of months.

Sometimes you can be a mess. Mistakes can be made. But guess what?! It’s all going to be okay if you keep moving forward. This book was sweet, light, and a bit funny. Perfect beach read!

Thank you NetGalley for this advanced copy in exchange for review!

Marnie Fairchild is a boutique owner who specializes in custom gift-buying and gift-wrapping services. She is saving every penny she can to expend her business into a historic building nearby that her grandfather used to own, but her dreams may be dashed when she makes a mistake that could bring her entire company crashing to the ground.

The novel takes place in Australia and I loved learning just a little more about life there I loved that the author included recipes and a photo of the building the book was based off. The relationships between the characters are well connected and thoughtful. Marnie is very easy to like and I could relate to her drive to succeed. I thought the book was a little longer than I thought it needed to be but I still really enjoyed it.

This was a charming story. It’s a quick and light read with a cute romance and great relationships. I read it after a particularly heavy book, and it was the sweet, light read that I needed. I think readers who enjoy contemporary romance or rom-coms will enjoy the book.

Many thanks to Penguin Random House and NetGalley for allowing me to read this advanced copy before it's release date of August 16, 2022.