⋆ ˚｡⋆ ୨୧ ˚┊#ARCREVIEW : Wished by Sarah Ready .┊

3.5 ✰’s

The premise of this book was absolutely enchanting and the characters added such a whimsical element to it. I absolutely adored the charm that both the characters and the plot had within this book.

I haven’t read a book with magical realism in a bit but I loved the way that the author included it in this book. The writing had me intrigued from the beginning right to the last page.

However, while I did really enjoy this book there were some aspects that I didn’t love. First I didn’t love the beginning of this book. The whole situation with the necklace and Max had just made me feel icky and uneasy. Then I really didn’t like Max as a love interest for a bit. He did grow on me I just wasn’t obsessed.

The romance between our mc’s also was a little weird in some spots. I didn’t love the aspect of insta-love that was included. Then to how quickly the romance developed. I just felt that there could’ve been more depth and connection between the characters and there wasn’t. It could’ve added an emotional impact to the book.

Then my final complaint was that the ending felt kind of messy. The way in which the story is wrapped up just feels rushed and it just doesn’t flow well.

Besides these issues this was a very sweet and charming read. I loved the magical realism within this book. If you need a palette cleanser read I’d recommend this one 🤍.

Thank you to netgalley, Sarah Ready, and Swift & Lewis Publishing for providing me with an ARC. As always, all thoughts are my own and are in no way influenced by early access to this title.


Quotes I loved:

’That’s what it means to be a genie. You grant other people’s wishes. I never thought about the fact that genies don’t have their own wishes come true. I don’t know if genies even have wishes.’

“Maybe that’s what I’m doing wrong. I’m a petunia when I should’ve been an orchid. People notice orchids. They don’t notice petunias.”

‘“All these years, you were an essential part of my life, and I didn’t even know it. You were wrapped in every part of my day and I didn’t even know your name. It’s not funny at all.” He brushes a kiss across the top of my head and I relax against the solid wall of his chest. “All those years I thought I was alone, and all along, there you were, making sure I ate well, saving my books from neglect, leaving bookmarks and flowers and scents to make sure I had a good night’s sleep. I thought I was alone, but I never was. Not for a minute.” I bury my face against the leather of Max’s jacket, breathing in the soft scent, feeling the rise and fall of his chest. His hand tangles in my hair, scraping against the back of my neck. A warm thrumming hums through me like the awakening of the soil in spring. I feel as if I’m ready to bloom under the sunshine of Max’s words.’

‘The rivière necklace is twenty-six sapphires, broken and cut gemstones wound together in a river of light. I wonder, is that what people are like? Are the breaks what make us beautiful? Has all of this been worth it even though it’s going to break me?’

“Where we are seems inevitable. Like a diamond formed millions of years ago. It was always there, hiding in the earth. We just had to uncover it.”

“Wished,” he agrees. “You wished that we were married and in love, and I wished the same.”

Omg I absolutely adore this book so much!!!!😭💜 thankyou to netgalley, the author and the publisher for this wonderful arc inechange for an honest review! full review coming soon in my booksta: @fadhee.reads

*I received a free copy of this ARC from the publisher; the review is my own.*

Although I enjoyed this book, I didn't find it quite as good as the previous three. I can't quite figure out what it was that prevented me from liking it as much. Perhaps I didn't connect with the characters as much, or maybe it was the wish. Maybe I'll figure it out by the end of this review.

For the record, I don't have a problem with the insta-love trope. (I fell for my husband pretty quickly, and we've now been married 19 years.) But Anna's (25) feelings for Max (35, based on Fated) seemed more like infatuation and obsession than love. She believed she was in love after meeting him one time, then spent the next three years learning about him and his habits while she cleaned his house. She researched jewelry so that she would understand his career. She watched his crime dramas. She sprayed his sheets with chamomile and left homemade dinners in his refrigerator. And all the while, he had no idea who she was--they had exactly one interaction (not even a real conversation) prior to the start of the book. Then when she found the necklace and the note about wishes, she wished he would love her and they'd be married. Now that I have that written down, it even seems a little stalker-ish.

I think I just figured out why I didn't enjoy this book as much.

That's not to say Anna didn't have good qualities--she did. She was honest deep down, not just when others might see. And she had a good, kind heart. It's just that her "love" for Max was . . . off. It reminded me of fans who learn everything about their favorite celebrities and think they're in love, despite never meeting or truly knowing them.

The Max in this book felt different from the Max in Fated. I don't know if he was so reserved in the other book because he had convinced himself he didn't want a passionate love or if he was just written differently in this book; either way, it all felt a bit disconnected. He was a good man either way, but I never found myself enchanted by him. And even though the wishes were supposedly real, he just didn't seem like himself.

In the end, I did like how things turned out. Even though I found parts of their journey to be a bit odd, Max and Anna were a good fit. The bonus epilogue on Sarah Ready's website was a fun little follow-up, as well.

Note: I don't think there was any language. But this book had a lot more open-door sex than any of the others in the series.

A different story but one that I really enjoyed, the narration is incredible. I think it was a great closing to this book series.

Wished is the next installment in Sarah Ready's Ghosted series. Anna Benoit is a financially struggling housecleaner in Geneva. She is employed by her neighbor and has been cleaning the home of Max Barone, whom we have met in a previous book, for years. Anna fell in love with Max at first sight. One day while she is cleaning, she comes upon a necklace sitting on his desk that claims to grant her her greatest wish. Anna wishes to be married to Max. The next thing morning, Anna finds herself in a world where everyone believes she and Max have been married for years. The only one also confused Is Max.
I really enjoy Sarah's writing. She brings the reader in and has well developed story lines. I happened to like Fated better than this one, but I still enjoyed the fantastical experience and the developing love story between Anna and Max. I will continue to read Sarah's books. They put a smiale on my face; I know I am in for a feel good ride. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book.

Wished is the fourth book in the Ghosted series but it can be read as a standalone.

This is my first book by Sarah Ready and it was a fun, lighthearted, cozy romance with a dash of magic. The premise is unique with a single wish creating an alternate reality for Anna and Max. I am not a fan of insta love so I did feel Anna's initial feelings for Max to be a bit rushed but it still made for a charming story.

@sarahreadyauthor 's writing is engaging and filled with heart, making it a joy to read. I loved seeing how Anna and Max's relationship blossomed when Anna's wish came true and the way everything plays out between them was truly magical.

All the chapters were narrated from Anna's perspective except the prologue and epilogue that were narrated from Max's Pov and I thought that was a lovely way to start and wrap things up leaving me with a nice warm feeling afterwards.

If you are in the mood for magical realism this fall, put this book on your list.

This book actually had a strong concept, but the execution missed the mark. Yes the wishing magic was kinda silly and a bit flimsy at times, but I personally am happy to suspend my disbelief in a whimsical romance like this; bear in mind though that this might not be for you if you need a strong magic system in your reads.

Anna is a cleaner for the wealthy eligible bachelor, Maximilian Barone, a man she fell hopelessly in love with the first time they met, and who doesn’t even know her name. After three years of unrequited love, she makes a wish to be Mrs Barone and her wish is granted, but there’s a hitch; Max and Anna each have different memories of their ‘7 years together’. Together they need to work out what is in their heads, and what is in their hearts.

I really enjoyed the narrative arc of the story. It was well paced (if a little slow before the wish kicked in), and it kept me on my toes, twisting in a few unexpected directions along the way. It took a route that prompted reflection on how our choices impact our path in life, and whether different versions of yourself on different life courses are fundamentally the same person or not; that added an extra layer of depth to an otherwise surface level read.

When I first picked this up, I missed the fact it was 4 books deep into a companion series and I’m not sure whether these characters were fleshed out much in earlier books so if I’ve done them an injustice by reading Wished as a standalone then I can only apologise. I say this because Max in particular felt one dimensional to me; maybe two dimensional at best. I felt like I didn’t know much about him as an individual, outside of his relationship with Anna.

In terms of the romance itself, I’m conflicted. At times, I really enjoyed this pair together, though that was mostly when they were just chatting, getting to know each other. The steamy sections were not for me, and these two were constantly horny. Then the super lovey stuff was also too much. It was a sickly sweet sappy kind of romance that didn’t feel real (even at the points in the story when it was meant to).

My last niggly issue is with the writing. It wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t great either. It went from being too simple to too flowery in a heartbeat, and the same phrases and metaphors seemed to show up a lot. I think the intention was for it to weave a clever thread through the book, but instead it just ended up feeling a little limp and overworked.

Having said all that, I read this very quickly and I enjoyed it enough that I would consider reading from this author again. I might even see if I can get my hands on any of the others in the series because the magical twist was definitely fun!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Im giving this book 4⭐ this one was alot better then the last one the characters and the story was really good and ihad a really good time with this book ☺️

I've read all of the books in the series so far and they've all been really good as long as you can suspend your disbelief and just follow along for the ride. I thought that the relationship in this developed so organically and I really liked how everything played out between them. I was initially a bit skeptical because the promise seemed a little far-fetched for my logical mind, but I ultimately really enjoyed it. The premise is very unique and the characters were very entertaining and relatable. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and Swift & Lewis Publishing, LLC | Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), for this book for review. This is the 4th book in the Ghosted series and I have read them all! You do not have to read them in order as they are loosely based on connected characters but are stand-alone books and can be enjoyed in any order. I really enjoyed this book as Anna is the cleaner in a chateau and is secretly in love with the owner, Max and then she wakes up married to him. It has a little magic like all the rest of the books and a little spice, so it is fun and a very easy read. I will continue to read these books as they are fun and light-hearted.

4.5⭐️ read!

I enjoyed this book so much! I had a smile on my face the ENTIRE time.

I really liked how descriptive of the space en environment it was. Although I’m unable to imagine scenes in my head like most people, I still felt transported to Geneva and Paris.

Heartwarming, fun, witty, the kind of book that makes you want to be in love.

I can totally see this being a movie adaptation or even a short series.

I got the ebook arc from NetGalley however I decided to get the audiobook and it was such a gem!

Thank you so, so much to NetGalley for this advance copy!

I loooooved the premise of this story. This felt so refreshing - light fantasy/fairytale meets rich guy romance - and I'm here for it.

I appreciated the attention to detail at the beginning of the book, because it really set the scene for us. I really loved the way that we saw a story with the same conclusion build from both the FMC and MMC's points of view, because I don't feel like enough authors have that approach to plot building. So refreshing.

I enjoyed the spice level of this book a lot, too. :)

Highly recommend!

It was a charming and fun read. The characters were adorable and I really liked the idea for the plot. I felt a few things along the way could have been left out while other parts needed a bit more to keep me interested.
Overall, I really liked this story and would recommend it to a friend.

Wished is my first book by Sarah Ready but won't be my last! I "wish" I hadn't read/listened to this book first since it's last in this series but I'm definitely going to go back and to the beginning and get Ghosted, Switched and Fated cause this was just too much fun! Anna and Max are amazing together but is their love real?! You'll need to grab a copy of this to find out!

The narrator, Amanda Ronconi, did a wonderful job.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review. All opinions are my own.

Publication date: 20 October 2024

Max and Anna. Anna and Max.
Well, I think they are my fave 2024 couple. Yeah, I know! Bold claim. And this book just backs it up completely.
Max - maker of all things shiny (aka, jewellery) - has a magic necklace that grants your wishes.
Anna - former cleaner of Max - makes a wish in said necklace for Max to love her and marry her.
Badabing badaboom. Wish comes true!
Unfortunately, or fortunately? Both Max and Anna know the reality and the wish. Everyone around them just thinks the wish is reality.
So they have to work out how to go back to reality, where Max doesn’t love Anna. But Anna does love Max.
Will they remember the wish when they get back to reality?
Only time will tell….

Honestly, I love Sarah and her writing! I don’t think I can express into words how much I love her and her books. I need every single one on my shelf yesterday!
She’s witty and cute. Along with her characters, who have all been so loveable in their own way. I cannot fault her. At all.

——————

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC.

Wished is the fourth installment in the Ghosted series.

I loved the first three books in this series, however, sadly this one just did not have the "magic" I found in previous reads.

Can't put my finger on why, but it just didn't hit the mark for me 😭

2 stars ⭐⭐

Special thanks to Netgalley for providing me with this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

I was hesitant going into this book since dual-reality stories usually aren't my cup of tea, but it hooked me from the very first chapter. What made it stand out was having the MMC aware of the alternate reality, rather than being kept in the dark, which added an intriguing twist.

Anna is torn between two worlds--her reality of working for Max, and the false memories of being married to him for seven years. She's forced to make an impossible choice: pursue her own happiness or let Max go so he can have his.

I often found myself holding my breath with every decision Anna made. Wished is a beautifully magical story that will leave you believing in the power of true love.

Thank you to NetGalley and Swift & Lewis Publishing LLC for the Advanced Reader Copy, in exchange for my honest review.

This is the fourth book in the Ghosted series. And it was exactly what I expected. The story vaguely connects some of the characters from previous books, but not in a linear way.

The story of Anna a former housekeeper to Max (who was in previous books). Anna comes across a magical necklace and makes a wish to be married to Max. The trouble is, Max is not exactly on board.

I love this series because it is comfortable and the kind of rom-com book that you need sometimes. I also love the touch of magic involved. I will keep looking for Sarah Ready books, because they are the cozy read that feels good.

4 Stars.

My Rating: ❤️❤️❤️❤️.25

Disclaimer: I received a review copy for free and am leaving this review voluntarily. Thanks to the author and NetGalley.

Reading Order: This is the fourth in an interconnected standalone series. I jumped in here, and I wasn't lost at all. I always think reading in order is great, but you can jump in here no problem.

General Thoughts: This is my first Sarah Ready book. I've been wanting to read her for awhile, but I never got around to it until now. Sarah Ready's books are cute, cozy, fun, lighthearted, with a touch of the magical. I would classify this as a contemporary with magical realism. That can be hard to do well, but I thought the author did a great job with it here. I flew through this one. It was like snuggling up with a good cozy blanket. I enjoyed this one and will definitely read more by the author.

Spice Meter: ❤️‍🔥. Spice is there, but light and not very detailed.

Romantic Tropes/reps
-single first-person POV (with a few dual scenes)
-magical realism
-love at first sight (trust me it works out okay here)
-opposites attract
-not so meet cute
-cozy

You can read more of my reviews on Insta @mylastromancenovel.

This was absolutely adorable. This book is like old time rom-coms with a good dash of steam. I liked the characters, the story was really cute. Imagine one day you wake up and all your grand wishes come true. Would you take them even if you knew others involved wouldn't want it? Anna has been in love with Max for years. She works as a cleaner in his house only to one day wake up as his wife. I read this in one day, absolutely adorable.