Rounded up from 3.5 ⭐️

Every Wish Way was a funny, enchanting, and emotional book that I read quickly. I just wish Mr. Darcy had been written the way I see him, even adapted for modern society.

I liked the two main characters, Iza and Beckett. Their chemistry was good, and the banter was also entertaining. The only thing I found strange about Beckett, given what we know about him, is his piercing. I’ll leave it there. But, as his layers were peeled back, he became more and more likable.

On the whole, I like Iza’s character. I’ve never seen that nickname before, but her personal development and growth was well-done. I enjoyed seeing her creative side emerge as she struggled against the rigidity of her upbringing and current life.

The side characters were also funny, and I enjoyed reading about their antics.

As a big Jane Austen and Pride & Prejudice fan, I didn’t love the book’s take on Mr. Darcy. So, if you’re also a big Darcy fan, go into this one knowing that.

But, overall, I enjoyed the read, the magical elements, and the time and universe travel. If you like retellings of Pride and Prejudice and Aladdin that are a little goofy with a lot of heart, this should be right for you.

Thanks to NetGalley and Alcove Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I have some awfully mixed feelings about this one, but overall I really did enjoy it!

I absolutely adored the first 75 percent of this story. Beckett and Iza had great chemistry, the banter and humor was hilarious, and the little doses of magic add a really fun and unique layer to the story. I enjoyed the parallels with Pride & Prejudice, I felt impacted by Beckett's struggles as a wish granter, and I was SO glad when Iza stood up for herself to her mother.

It's really the last 25% where things got absurdly messy. The timelines and universes got confusing, Iza started making rash decisions with what felt like very little evidence for why they would or would not work, and sprinkled throughout there were very long and metaphor filled declarations of love and life lessons. Usually I like this kind of thing, but it felt way too overdone and pretentious at points, and it felt like it was being used as a tool to draw attention away from how messy the plot had gotten.

All this said, I'm giving this 3.5 stars rounded up. I know this is a debut rom-com for this author, and there was a ton about the writing style that I still adored, and can imagine her being able to avoid and improve upon the relative messiness of the end of this story. I will definitely give her future releases a chance, and I still would recommend this to rom-com lovers who enjoy a little dose of magic, just don't get too terribly bogged down with the logistics come the end if you can help it.

Thank you to Shannon Bright, Alcove Press & NetGalley for the eArc of this one!

"Every Wish Way" by Shannon Bright is a whimsical and enchanting novel that swept me away on a delightful journey. This book is a charming escape into a world where wishes come true and magic abounds, and I found myself utterly captivated by its spell.

Bright's writing style is infused with magic and imagination, creating a narrative that is both captivating and evocative. The characters are endearing and relatable, and their adventures are filled with wonder and surprise.

At the heart of the story is a heartwarming exploration of dreams, friendship, and the power of believing in the extraordinary. The main characters' quests to fulfill their wishes are portrayed with a mix of humor, heart, and a touch of whimsy.

"Every Wish Way" is a testament to the beauty of imagination and the joy of discovery. The world-building is rich and vivid, inviting readers to step into a realm where the boundaries between reality and enchantment blur.

In summary, "Every Wish Way" is a delightful read that invites you to embrace the magic of the unexpected. If you're looking for a book that sparks your imagination and leaves you with a sense of wonder, this novel is a delightful choice that will transport you to a world where wishes really do come true.

I did not like this book at all. I hated it from the first chapter. Probably the worst romance book I have ever read.

Rated Up. My Rating is 3.5.

I need to start this one with a confession. I cannot honestly say I have ever read Pride and Prejudice. However, the outrage I have seen in other reviews of Shannon Bright's depiction of perhaps the novel's most famous character has more or less cemented that I probably will never read it. I'm just giggling about how "Every Wish Way" seems to ruffle the feathers of fans of Mr. Darcy successfully. 

Although romance isn't my go-to, I occasionally trade in my spooky scary skeletons for a little lovey-dovey.  I was surprised to find myself eager to turn each page of "Every Wish Way." 

The story arc and romance are predictable but witty and charming. The latter attributes made it easy to speed through. 

I think you should give this book a go. It's humorous with likable characters. 

I am big on cover art. I love the purple and the glittery font; however, I'm not fond of cartoon people on book covers.

I really enjoyed this light-hearted romance. It had a fun cast of characters and is loosely based on Aladdin and Pride and Prejudice.

What I liked most about this book was how the main characters grow and change throughout the story. It was a quick read and the further I got the more I didn’t want to put the book down.

There were great themes and messages in the book as well, learning not to judge people on first impressions, taking ownership of your own happiness and dreams, and not trying to please all those around you.

Thank you Alcove Press for the eARC.

Pride and Prejudice is a beloved novel. Not only does this book overdo what so many books have done by recreating it, it didn't even do it justice.

This was so fun! I will admit that it was the cover that got my attention, but I really liked the premise of it. And then of course, I absolutely loved every minute of this debut as well! There's some alternate universe hopping, some genie granting three wishes going on and there's a whole lot of Pride and Prejudice expectations that make "Every Wish Way" a fun read. If it wasn't for adult responsibilities, this would have been the only thing I did all day. Iza's struggles with life, wanting to make sense of the chaos in her head, the relationship she has with her mother and everything in between was relatable and easy to understand. I enjoyed watching her make a mess of things and pick herself back up, but do it all over again till she was really able to wrap her head around the situation she finds herself in. For all his flirty and innuendo filled dialogue, I also really loved Beckett. He brought so much levity and fun and excitement to the story as well.

Another author I am looking forward to reading more from!

4/5 Stars

Every Wish Way follows the trials of Iza as she attempts to do the impossible - the impossible being, find a man that her mother will approve of. This book is what I imagine Aladdin and Pride and Prejudice's lovechild would be...

On the surface our female MC has everything going for her, however, she seems dissatisfied with her life because she yearns for a romantic relationship, the likes of you read in novels... Her mother, on the other hand, thinks men are a waste of time and, to Iza, seems almost gleeful every time one of Iza's relationships fail. It was interesting to see how much Iza moved away from what she wanted (and how she kept making the most important requirement for said relationship to be about her mother) until her life was shaken up by the arrival of Beckett.

Beckett is not a character you can take seriously, at first glance. When Iza decides to wish into being THE romantic hero (Mr F Darcy eqs.), it appears that Beckett will be fulfilling the role of P&Ps nefarious philanderer, Mr Wickham, but you learn that Beckett - like so many - use disinterestness as a defence mechanism. I really enjoyed reading a romance where both MCs had emotional issues, as I find these more relatable and realistic than when one person (in a romantic pairing) is perfectly put together.

A lot of the story is about Iza learning that she tends to make incorrect assumptions about people and then decide that they're true; the story-arc of her and Kaylan's relationship was a great example of this. Given the P&P element of this story, it was great to have the narrative told through who, in my opinion, was the real Mr Darcy character all along.

Overall, I thought the story was a little slow to get started but, once it did, it was brilliant. There were highs and lows (and some tears) and it serves as a great reminder to live in the now, instead of try to micro-organise everything, and that you can be the rescuer in your own story,

Read if you like Aladdin/genie romance style stories, happy endings, self discovery and self empowerment.

The beginning of the book really drew me in to the story. The mother and daughter dynamic at the beginning is hilarious and the author did an amazing job laying the scene out. I could really see it happening and I was laughing out loud. I loved it!
When we meet Beckett in the book is when the book fell flat with me. The relationship between Beckett and Iza just felt like they were being forced together when I didn't feel or see any real chemistry. I tried really hard to force myself to finish reading the book but it did not keep my attention much further.

Falling in love with the genie from your bottle seems unrealistic when you've wished for him to create you the perfect Mr. Darcy love interest. But being Elizabeth Bennett is HARD and Darcy is EXACTLY as difficult as he seems. So maybe the party-hard, snarky, judgy, kind and sweet guy who's trapped into wish-granting isn't such a bad idea? Cute premise and utterly escapist.

This book was warm cosy magic with an adorable love story! I need myself a wish-granter, why isn't that real!?

Every Wish Way SPARKLES! This entire story was fun from the very first page. Iza has a tumultuous relationship with her mother. She desperately wants to find love, be the career woman, and live up to her mother’s expectations…if only. That’s where one magical man comes into play…

I couldn’t get enough of this story. I love that Iza’s story is set in St. Louis. I was simultaneously swept away by the premise and on edge as I wondered if Iza would ever get the HEA that rings the truest in her heart. I can say with satisfaction that the ending is superb.

Shannon Bright has a playful and whimsical way of storytelling. Her characters are vibrant, and the romance is the perfect slow burn with just enough tease, angst, and swoon at the end.

This was adorable! I'm a very big fan of paranormal romcoms and there are not enough of them out there. I will say I had a little bit of a hard time getting into it initially (there's something about the beginning chapters that didn't quite grab me), but after that it was a fun ride! I could related to the MC quite a bit, and that's probably why I enjoyed it more than I thought I would. I find this to be a solid debut!

This book was not interesting to me. The first chapter I just wasn’t hooked.
I am choosing to not read the rest of this book because I just wasn’t feeling it.
I am leaving three stars because I don’t want to bomb a book I didn’t finish.
Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for a copy of this read.

A very cute rom-com, there’s lots of banter and adorable side characters to fall in love with. I wasn’t a huge fan of how the modern day Darcy was portrayed or described but I guess it made sense for the book. The ending was pretty predictable and it took us a whillle to get there.

I loved reading this one. I just love this kind of books.
4 stars read for me. I love this author snd her writing style.
Thanks to netgally for this arc.

Every Wish Way by Shannon Bright was a fun and delightful read. The novel is loosely based on Aladdin and Pride and Prejudice, with its own spin. Spending the past few days with these characters felt like watching an early 2000’s rom-com. You know, the ones that starred Kate Hudson or JLo, began by happenstance, and featured hilarious challenges that we all wished we had the pleasure of facing.

Iza is such a sweet character who just wants to love and be loved, and she absolutely deserved it. And Beckett is so cute and funny right from the start, I love how he forces Iza to be honest with herself in what she wants and what she deserves. Iza's mother was not my fav, she was toxic and manipulative, and there were parts of the story that pointed that out so well! The conclusion of the story between Iza and her mother though left me a little unfulfilled and there's no way to explain why without spoiling the whole plot.

Overall an enjoyable read which I finished in two sittings.

This was super cute and gave me vibes of some early 2000s movies, like Just My Luck. The magical elements complimented the romance nicely and had me smiling from ear to ear. A great read for the summer !

Essentially this book is a woman so desperate to please her mother she ignores everything that would make herself happy.

I have no idea what Beckett "don’t-call-me-Beck" has to do with the storyline. He has no redeeming qualities. To the point that his story of how he became a genie just seems like a poor attempt of making Iza feel sorry for him.