There was a lot going on in this little book and while some of it felt unnecessary, the main romance plot was solid. I liked both characters and rooted for them to finally get together. I am hesitant to share this with students because of the sex pact but otherwise the feelings ring true.

There were many aspects of this book that I enjoyed. I enjoyed the setting, the characters & the premise. It kept me entertained & I was emotionally invested in what would happen.

Thank you to Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for a review!

3.75

this was a very short but cute read. i loved the vibes in and the concept of the letters. also, i’ve coincidentally been consuming a lot of content with similar characteristics as the main female character in this book that are also relatable to me ? really strange and specific traits, but yeah.

i was also tempted by the taylor swift title like many other people who plan on reading this book <3 + i just felt like some things were lacking from this book, maybe from the length but i’m not really sure.

thank you to netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC of this lovely little book !

Despite occasionally feeling like I'm losing my mind, I genuinely adored this book. The YA romance was an absolute delight, perfect for lazy summer days. This story managed to surprise me. Was I frustrated for a good portion of the book? Absolutely. But simultaneously, I was utterly engrossed and couldn't put it down. The pacing was swift, the romance was adorable, AND it even pays homage to a Taylor Swift title, making it a must-read in my book. The plot had me hooked from the get-go. It was both heartfelt and exasperatingly entertaining. Ethan and Natalia's inability to communicate effectively was frustrating yet strangely realistic for teenagers. However, as their motivations become apparent, their actions become more understandable. And that ending—utterly adorable. Oh my stars! This book perfectly captured the mutual longing and heartache of best friends. From the very first page, I was ensnared, with the backstory expertly laid out, offering insights into Ethan and Natalia's dynamic and personal struggles. The emotional rollercoaster of their journey during the school trip was riveting, ensuring there was never a dull moment. The characterizations were superb, with Ethan and Natalia's dreams, fears, and quirks fleshed out beautifully. Moreover, the book's maturity was commendable, seamlessly blending teenage drama with more profound reflections on family and the future. In summary, "I Wish You Would" is an enchanting read that reignited my love for love stories.

“I'm so in love with you. It's like... I do nothing but love you.”

*ﾟ⁀➴Summary

I Wish You Would is a young adult novel about best friends Natalia and Ethan, who, after disastrous events on prom night, meet again at their senior sunrise after avoiding each other all summer. After Natalia makes a bad decision that turns into something even worse, Ethan is tossed in the mix and they both have to see through the damage she caused together. But how are they going to fix things for senior sunrise when they can't even fix things between themselves?

*ﾟ⁀➴Theme

The heart wants what the heart wants.

*ﾟ⁀➴Characters

Natalia🌷
I liked her! She had drive, intelligence, and I enjoyed reading in her pov. Sometimes, she did things that made me think she was just after attention, but maybe those rare moments were just in my head. The only thing I will say that made absolutely no sense and frustrated me beyond belief was when she painted... in her head. It's one thing to have Synesthesia, but it's a whole different thing when you paint a whole picture in your head. I don't really know how to explain it, but the whole painting in her head thing made me want to pull my hair out.

“He's a lighthouse in this storm, his presence my safe harbor.”

“It almost hurts, how much I love him.”

Ethan🌹
Ethan was such a sweet and nerdy mmc! I looked forward to reading chapters in his pov and I was extremely grateful he didn't paint in his head or something equally concerning when he was feeling such strong emotions. It's obvious to see how deeply he feels for everything around him: Natalia, his friends, his family, and even his dad.

“Hey, you.”

“I love her. Holy shit, I love her.”

Rainn🍄
Somethings Rainn did were very infuriating, and the fact that he was so calm while he did infuriating things infuriated me more.
So yeah, I love him.

“I can't get mad at the ocean for making waves, dude. I'm a surfer.”

Sabrina🌻
She had me cracking up so much! She wasn't very present, but I enjoyed all the scenes she was in. It made me happy to read about her and I'm glad she got the happy ending she deserved.

Janelle & Claire🖕🏼
Oh boy. These guys.
I don't think I've actually loathed a character in a book this much. And to add to that... THERE WAS TWO OF THEM!! Both of these bitches just ran around causing chaos and upending lives. I'm surprised nobody in this book jumped these two because they really, really deserved it. Janelle might have gotten a bit better by the end, but that doesn't make me hate her any less! And honestly, Claire just existing made me mad from the very beginning, before she even fucked everyone up.

“For someone so pretty, you have the ugliest personality.” ~Natalia
I can't lie, she kinda ate you up with that one.

*ﾟ⁀➴Plot

I think I had the wrong idea of this book going into it. I expected it to take place all at night, and I expected Ethan and Natalia to bond by themselves, mending everything broken between them, while trying to fix Natalia's mistake. But instead, we got a group of bitchy high school students chilling on a beach all afternoon, and only about 5 or so chapters actually took place during the night. And during the afternoon, Ethan and Natalia barely even talked; they just glared at each other from across the beach while thinking about how much they love each other. I don't know, I guess I just wanted something more passionate and faster-paced. It just wasn't what I was expecting, and it caught me off guard a bit. I still really enjoyed it though!

*ﾟ⁀➴Ending

Surprisingly, I really, really loved the ending. I don't think it was too rushed or too stretched out. It made perfect sense and it made me feel happy to read it. And, we got an epilogue, so points!

*ﾟ⁀➴Quotes

💐“I am my truest, best self with him.”

💐“I'm only me when I'm with her.”

💐“We kiss like we're running out of time. I guess we are.”

💐“I hate you,” she says quietly. “You love me.”

💐“What if we don't work?”
“What if we do?”

💐“I smack him, but my heart isn't in it. I love this nerd so much”

💐“If I keep running every time I'm scared, I'll be running forever.”

💐“All of it. You. Me. This sky... Our beginning.”

💐“For now, all we do is hold each other and breathe. Because we've waited so long for this. We've waited so long for us.”

*ﾟ⁀➴Rating

Characters: 4/5⭐

Plot: 3/5⭐

Ending: 5/5⭐

Quotes: 5/5⭐

Overall: 5/5🌟

“By turning every risk into a chance. Every kiss into a promise. Every ending into a beginning.”

.｡*ﾟ+.*.｡ ﾟ+..｡*ﾟ+.｡*ﾟ+.*.｡ ﾟ+..｡*ﾟ+.｡*ﾟ+.*.｡ ﾟ+..｡*ﾟ+

"I Wish You Would" is a perfect book. It has all the elements of an amazing YA romance, brings out the feelings of being young, and in general has a great story line. I really enjoyed reading this and will be recommending it to my friends.

Senior Sunrise is the legendary event before senior year where the entire class gathers on the beach. There they will write their Lion Letters, confessing their deepest secrets and what they would do if they were braver. Ethan and Natalia have been best friends from the beginning, but lately their relationship has been strained. When some of the letters go missing and are later revealed, the entire Senior Sunrise is in jeopardy. Can Senior Sunrise help Natalie and Ethan find their way back to each other?

Ethan and Natalia were such a sweet couple both as best friends and something more. They are always there for each other, no matter what else they’re going through. Both of them have been dealing with big events in their lives that come to a head at Senior Sunrise. I enjoyed the ensemble cast of characters that help and inspire Ethan and Natalia. Natalia is obsessed with perfection, only to realize that not everything can be perfect and some things are better that way. Meanwhile, Ethan realizes that sometimes he needs to take the leap even when he’s uncertain.

I Wish You Would is such a delightful YA romance. This book has so many good tropes and excellent pacing. I Wish You Would is perfect for readers looking for Taylor Swift vibes, best friends to lovers, and sweet romance. Readers who enjoy Kristin Dwyer will absolutely adore this book. I loved Eva Des Lauriers’ debut and I look forward to seeing what she writes next!

Thank you to Eva Des Lauriers, Henry Holt and Co., and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

For publisher: My review will be posted on Goodreads, Instagram, Storygraph, Amazon, Barnes & Noble etc.

I am obsessed with best friends romance novels. This YA book has so much high school nostalgia and angst and yearning. It brought me right back to being young again. It was such a beautiful coming of age story and reminded me why I truly love the YA genre. I had always desired a best friend that I was in love with and who was in love with me too. It’s always been one of my favorite tropes. 🤍 thank you so much to netgalley and Eva Des Lauriers for this eARC!

4.5 Stars 🤍Thank you @netgalley for the earc of the YA Romance🤍

This book was just the most addictive and fun read! From page one I was hooked and I binged it in two days.

The angst was perfect! Bring on all the high school drama, I’m so here for it. It added perfectly to the romance and plot.

The coming-of-age themes were also great! It’s a messy time in life, characters trying to figure out their plans for the future, while also figuring out who they want to be as human beings.

I will definitely read more from this author.

Read if you love:
• best friends
• second chance
• vulnerable letters on the loose
• friendship
• camping

★ ★ ★ ★ ☆/5
Steam: make outs
TW: some strong language, mean characters
Out May 21st

I Wish You Would

Natalia and Ethan used to be best friends until a prom kiss went wrong. After avoiding each other for the entire summer before their senior year, Natalia and Ethan are on shakier ground than ever. At the Senior Sunrise camping trip, both Natalia and Ethan follow the tradition of writing private letters to themselves. When Natalia gets cold feet and wants her letter back, the letters scatter across the beach and threaten to spill everyone’s deepest secrets.

This was a fun YA romance! I really enjoyed the setting of the Senior Sunrise trip and the missing letters. It was a fun adventure to go on! The friends to lovers romance between Ethan and Natalia was very sweet.

Ethan’s dad is the worst. He’s mostly offscreen but everything we learn about him is awful. It was shocking that Ethan was such a sweetheart given his dad being how he was. I was glad to see Ethan stand up against his actions at the end.

Recommended if you enjoy YA romance in the vein of Lynn Painter and KL Walther!

Thank you net galley for the advance reader copy of this novel. This was a ya novel and was ok but predictable. The main characters both like each other and don't want to ruin the friendship.

Honestly, I picked up this book solely because the premise sounded cute and the title was the same as a Taylor Swift lyric, but I ended up finding a novel that was so much more. Sure, this does have romance elements but it is such a vulnerable coming-of-age YA novel that shines through way more than just some sweet romance scenes. That is precisely why I dug it so much; it wasn't just trope-after-trope a way to get Natalia and Ethan to their HEA. It was the journey they took as individuals to be braver, be their authentic selves and follow their own hearts. That authenticity and vulnerability of the two main characters (and the author's compelling writing and language) is what won me over wholeheartedly. And I'm serious when I say Eva Des Lauriers has a compelling writing style because, dang, was I HOOKED on this book -- on every single page. Like, honestly I was so beyond curious to discover what would happen next. And for someone in a bit of a reading slump, this book BROKE it. Period.

CW: Panic Attacks/Anxiety, Children of Divorce

4.5 - This is a heartfelt, YA, best friends, second chance romance with just the right amount of tension and drama. Natalia and Ethan are both great characters and each going through their own issues as their senior year is about to start. The story is set over 24 hours which I think is so hard to get right - the author either errs on the side of way too little going on, or else jam packs so much stuff in that the day would need to have 48 hours with no sleep on the schedule to actually happen. This one is just right without being too slow. It’s sweet and endearing and you can’t help but root for the main characters, and their friends.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a digital copy and a chance to read this early. All opinions are my own.

This little story gave me all the feels. Ugh.

There's definitely the "To All the Boys..." element that's undeniable, but in general I just spent the whole (VERY FAST) read rooting for these two to figure it out and get their happily ever after. The dual POV storyline was a nice way to see the events play out--and to give some insight into how they got to that point. Many classic high school characters, the importance of tradition and senior year, and being an adult vs having adults around- it's all just very spot on for the high school experience, and this is a book that will draw in any reader. So so cute.

Overall: 5 stars (I LOVED it)

I'll tell my students about: language, LGBT+, sex (mentioned), alcohol,

**Thank you to NetGalley & Macmillan Children's Publishing Group | Henry Holt and Co. (BYR) for the free ARC. All opinions expressed are my own.**

Perfect YA romance. Set on the beach at “Senior Sunrise” this book had all you want from a YA book! We have friendship, drama, mean girls with a redemption arc, iconic traditions, a gorgeous setting and a lovely friends to lovers romance. Mostly clean, two very closed door moments. A quick fun read, I read it in one sitting.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are mine alone.

Loved this book!! It has a bit of the same feel as Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist, where everything takes place over a short span of time. I loved all the characters and seeing how their stories intertwined as they really discovered themselves and what they wanted in their life. A great read for anyone but especially teens!

This is a wonderful high school aged story touching on a lot of the issues that teens face today and is part of their everyday life. I liked that it dealt with different genders and social partnering (he/she/they; LGBTQ). The story is relayed via 2 POV and over the course of a day. The day before their senior year of high school begins and the senior class gets together with two faculty advisors for Senior Sunrise. It all boils down communication being key in so many ways in so many relationships. Working up the courage to bare your soul is a daunting task for anyone; but, when you are still in high school and at the mercy of the entire senior class, what then? At least all the soul baring and searching is anonymous and no one knows what gets written down in their private letters to themselves. That is until Natalia freaks out and tries to retrieve her letter and chaos ensues.
Natalia and Ethan are life-long best friends until the night of Junior Prom when everything changes. Now, after spending the summer apart and having "ghosted" each other; they are awkward in each others company and don't know how to find their way back to one another. Can they find a comfortable footing again? Hopefully with the help of Fate and some very good friends they can reconnect and find the special bond they shared once again.

I Wish You Would by Eva Des Lauriers is probably one of the best YA contemporary romance novel I’ve read here recently!
Natalia and Ethan were so relatable and such a fun and loving couple.
Eva Des Lauriers writes with such an unbelievably earnest voice that is impossible to not root for all of the characters. She brings relationships to life in a way that feels so carefully constructed and satisfying.
Overall, this was an incredible book, so easy to read that I flew through it in a few days, with great characters and plotlines. I highly, highly recommend!

Thank You NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

4.5

I read this at the end of last year to finish up my reading goal. It was a super quick read and disgustingly cute, which is always a bonus.

I thought that the plot line with the secrets was interesting and it definitely drew me into the book.

Thank you to Net Galley and Eva Des Lauriers for providing me with an ARC!

I Wish You Would is exactly as it's described, filled with drama and love.

The author did a nice job fitting everything into a twenty-four hour period. It felt very natural, since the characters already had a background and friendship that we're shown throughout their story. Their chemistry and all the little details they knew about each other was so well done.

The book is very much like a rollercoaster. The constant misunderstandings, assumptions, miscommunications reached the point where it became infuriating as a reader. Granted, the characters were dealing with their own insecurities and anxieties, so it's understandable to an extent...but it was just too much.

I'm so glad I stayed on the ride though, because the last few chapters were where the book especially shined (no pun intended). It was so satisfying when they finally had a real conversation. That was one of the best parts of the book. It was also fun to guess who wrote what letters and have them revealed in the end to see if I was right.

And Prashant! That boy has my heart.

Overall, it was a cute, pleasant read with a beautiful ending.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.