A few pages in and I knew this'll leave a permanent mark on my reading soul.
Wish You Were Here is a deeply emotional second chance romance that ticked all the boxes for me and then some. Be prepared for major emotions right off the start to the very last page: from angst, despair, heartbreak, to longing, pining, hope, love - soooo much love!

I didn't know I needed to read about grown-ass men going to therapy, supporting each other while openly embracing all their messy, vulnerable feelings, and also diving deep into romance novels and applying some of their learnings to real life.

Tropes:
- Second chance
- Found Family
- Cowboy
- Redemption/ healing
- Pining/ groveling
- Small town
- Forced proximity

Publication date: Out now

This was my very first by Jess K Hardy and I'll now dive into their other stories. Gosh, this was a spectacular read.

Please note:
- This book is part of a series but can definitely be read as a standalone.
- Content warning: substance abuse, child neglect, trauma, grief

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this book ahead of the publication date.

This book was good, but after reading the other two in the series, this just didn’t have the same special quality the others did. Maybe it is because the author usually write romances for 40-year-old main characters, but I just didn’t feel attached to Davis and Kev. I liked them both as individuals, and I enjoyed their connection and them sharing their backstories, but the chemistry just wasn’t there for more. Additionally, the emotional scenes had good content, but there was this great build up to them, but the scene just didn’t feel emotional to me. It also just fizzled out and didn’t feel like the peak it should be. The conclusion is as sweet, but I still don’t really know what Davis is doing here her career or how they are possibly making a living. Major life details just felt skimmed over in favor of a HEA. Overall, the story is still good and I still like Davis and Kev, I just didn’t feel their connections as strongly as the other Bluebird Basin couples. 3.25⭐️, 2🌶

I've been looking forward to their book and it was so good. Obviously Kev messed up and he has a lot to prove to Davis before she will ever take him back. This is a good story and I loved the growth in it. Kev had to realize that he had to do things for himself or he was never going to get better. He found a purpose in life that wasn't just being there for Davis. He is so good with the horses and I love that for him.

I received an arc through netgalley.

*Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.*

I knew this instalment in the Bluebird Basin series would make me cry, that was a given. I was 100% correct, I cried multiple times throughout. It is an uplifting romance with some heavy topics, and if you're unsure after reading the blurb I would suggest looking up the trigger warnings. If you've read the other books in the series, you know what you're in for. Well, with the addition of horses.
I think Hardy did a really good job writing from both the perspective of Kev (recovering drug addict who just got back out of rehab after a relapse) and Davis (who loves Kev and witnessed the aftermath of said relapse). You get inside both of their heads, and you understand why they're both acting the way they are. It was great joining Kev on his recovery and self-enlightenment journey (don't worry it never feels preachy). We get to see a bit more of Ashley and much more of Madigan (he made me cry just as much as Kev). And there are some new guys in the Little Timber crew who we get to know better as well. I really enjoyed reading this book. It was well written and really felt like we were just returning to the lives of these characters.

5 ⭐ 2 🌶️

Jess does it again. This story was absolutely incredible. I'm having trouble finding words to explain just how emotional Kev and Davis' relationship was. It was hard, beautiful, broken and wonderful and really just all the things. These two had me in a puddle time and time again and I loved it so much.

Kev. My sweet, sweet Kev. His past was so heartbreaking and his relapse made me so sad... But watching him come back from the brink of destruction and turn his life back around was the best. He and Davis had me close to tears by the end, especially in the epilogue.

I was really hoping we were getting Jen and Scott's story as we got to know Jen more and I was so excited to hear it's next. Jess has become a must read author for me and I can't wait for more.

Having read the other titles in this series, I was happy to return to Bluebird Basin for Davis and Kev's story, who had both feathered in the previous books (and had a really tough time in book two). The previous main characters all make appearances in this book, and you really have to have read these books in order to understand where Davis and Kev are coming from. This is a second chance romance, and I liked seeing how Kev and Davis worked to get to a point where they could again build up trust in each other,
Pick this series up if you love all the angst and trauma and seeing the characters go through very real struggles before they get to their HEA. And make sure to check the trigger warnings, as there are quite a few! 3.5 stars from me, rounded up to 4 on here.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶️🌶️.5

Soooo many emotions. This story will stay with me for a while. Big journey of heartbreak, but the love stayed throughout the book and I loved seeing that big teddy bear pirate Madigan get emotional. I did read his and Ashley’s book, so it was great to “hear” from them again.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Readers like myself who found themselves vibing with the 40- and 50-something main characters of the first two Bluebird Basin novels (Come As You Are and Lips Like Sugar) get to return to Little Timber and Bluebird Basin to see the fallout from “the Big Event” at the end of Lips Like Sugar on the community, and our core couple in Wish You Were Here, Kev and Davis.

Delving into themes of abandonment, isolation, self-care, recovery, and second chances, Wish You Were Here is the story of how Kev and Davis learn to be themselves after Kev’s return to Little Timber from rehab. They’ve missed each other, but their struggles to figure out their own issues as well as communicate their hurts and issues to themselves, their friends, therapists, and, eventually, each other.

When Jess announced this book on Threads, slowly teasing the main couple, quotes, and the emotional world it’s continuing from the previous two installments of the series, I commented that Kev & Davis were gonna break me.

I was right; they absolutely did. But their efforts tot work on themselves AND find their way back to each other reminded me of Japanese kintsugi - a means of mending pottery using urushi lacquer that’s been blended with powdered gold or platinum. The cracks are then highlighted rather than disguised or otherwise hidden, allowing everyone to see the repair as something beautiful and restorative, rather than something destroyed and ugly.

Kev’s backstory is heart-rending, but his foray into Jen’s equine therapy program, and the work he puts into gaining the trust of a wild mustang mare, parallel his work to regain Davis’s trust while rebuilding his own sense of self.

Davis, on the other hand, is at her own crossroads. She’s struggling to forgive her father for his sabotage attempts in Come As You Are; her Masters advisor reaches out with a new research project and lab tech position; training for a 50-mile bike race; and she finds herself drawn to helping the guys from Little Timber’s latest cohort work on self-improvement, like earning their high school diplomas.

Both of these damaged 20-somethings learn the work of repentance and repair on their way back to each other.

Poignant, funny, and tearful, Wish You Were Here is an amazing installment in the Bluebird Basin series … oh, and don’t skip the epilogue or the bonus scene, both of which will make you giggle before your heart melts into a puddle of goo.

A really great love story with very important subject matter! Trigger: drug use

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this arc in exchange for an honest review!

I’m sorry that my review for this is after the publication date. With life and everything I wasn’t able to finish it before the 22nd, but let me just say It was so good! Kev and Davis’ story was so beautifully told. This book was so emotional and beautiful and you could feel their love through the pages.

I have loved the whole Blue Basin series immensely and yet this one is something special. The way that addiction is handled in the story as well as what being a community looks like is absolutely beautiful. No one in this story is perfect but they are a family and they support each other. I particularly loved the focus on men learning to develop deep friendships and what that means.

I was rooting for Kev and Davis from the go. I don't think any reader could fail to be drawn in by their connection. It is very clear they each lost not only someone they were in love with but their very best friend. Going through any traumatic experience is difficult but it becomes doubly hard when the one person in the world you want to talk to isn't available to you.

This is undoubtably an emotional read but also one that is not to be missed. There are so many stories about love conquering all but this is a story a people conquering things for love which to me felt more real. I would love to see more stories set in this community! If I could move there and volunteer I would do that too.

I liked the book a lot 💙 the road to recovery, the angst, the hurt, the longing, it was all amazing 🥹 it's a good thing that Kev took his recovery seriously, and it's good that Davis had such support around her. I'm glad that they both communicated amd sorted things out between them and got their happily ever after that they wanted with each other 💙 the epilogue was sooooo cuuuute 😭💙💙💙

I felt so many emotions while reading 'Wish You Were Here', and I loved every second of it. I read the first three books of the Bluebird Basin series in a row while I was on vacation, and I enjoyed how each of the stories was connected. Davis and Kev's story was so heartfelt and raw and deep.

Kev and Davis met while he was working at her family's ski resort. Kev is a recovering addict, and when he has a relapse, it deeply affects Davis. While Kev is in rehab, Davis struggles with how to move on without him while contending with the pain that he caused her as well. As Kev returns, he has to determine how things go with Davis.

Initially, she tries to keep her distance from Kev, but Davis discovers that this is impossible. Kev grovels and pines for Davis, and he seeks redemption from his mistakes. Both Kev and Davis go on a journey to figure out who they want to be as individuals and as a couple. They write letters to each other, and the letters made me cry. I felt them on a such a deep level.

Davis and Kev's story is unlike anything that I've ever read before, and it touched my heart in such a deep way.

Jess Hardy is one of my favorite romance writers. Her latest, Wish You Were Here might just be my new favorite.

Jess K Hardy really knows how to get to the emotional truths of her characters. This was such a deeply moving story about redemption and second chances. It's also about addiction and how it also impacts on loved ones and their tender spots. I adored Davis and Kev, and the tiny steps they needed to take to find their way back to each other, but also for Kev to build himself a steady foundation to enable him to remain sober. I must confess that I was much more drawn towards Kev's chapters more than Davis's, I think because he had such a journey to work on himself after a traumatic childhood. The relationships he has with Madigan and the other men was just beautiful. I loved how they all worked on supporting each other and moving past toxic traits seen as what men should be.

Be warned, the epilogue may cause rain in your eyes.

Thanks to Victory Editing Co-op and NetGalley for the ARC.

Thanks to NetGalley and The publisher for providing me an arc copy of this book with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.

I had the two other books in the series in my TVR list and jumped at the opportunity to review this book. I realize I put the baby before the bathwater as the relationship of the MCs was previously introduced in the other books. However I would say you would be safe reading this as a standalone.

This is Kev and Davis's love story. Kev has just gotten finished a rehab program after he relapsed on drugs and Od'd. Davis was there when he was saved with narcan and found another woman snuggled against him on the bed.

Davis is traumatized and is trying to let Kev go from her life. She thought he was a her best friend and her forever before the incident but feels betrayed by him relapsing and thinking he was with someone else.

Kev wants her back and thinks he may have a chance when he's moved to a recovery program in the same small town she's in.

Davis isn't so sure she can forgive him and go back to the way things were.

Will they restart their relationship again and heal? I would recommend reading to find out.

I found this book to be really angsty and engaging. I really related to Dacis's hesitation . Keve's healing journey and different avenues of therapy such as equine therapy was really well described.

I was really excited when I received the email saying I got this ARC! This is the third book in the series, but it can definitely be read as a standalone, which I appreciated.

One of the things that really spoke to me while reading was how imperfect the characters are. Their flaws made them feel so real—and honestly, it made me love them even more. I could relate to them on a deeper level because of that. The banter, sarcasm, and wit between the characters had me smiling constantly. It gave the story so much personality and charm.

I also really appreciated the representation of mental health and addiction. The author handled these sensitive topics with so much care and respect—it never felt preachy or forced. It added a layer of depth to the story that made it even more compelling.

The book was hard to put down. Between the engaging plot and the lovable, complex characters, I was completely hooked.

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I was thrilled to get an opportunity to read an ARC of Wish You Were Here. This book WRECKED me. I’ve been waiting to read Kev and Davis’ story, and it was even more emotionally devastating than I anticipated. Kev relapses, completes rehab and is determined to change and make things right. He has been through many struggles and the reader feels his pain as he confronts his demons. Davis and Kev love each other deeply, but have been hurt in many ways. This book is life-affirming and healing as the reader watches both Kev and Davis transform and move forward in their lives. I loved both Kev and Davis’ determination to meet their goals. The equine therapy that Kev completes is a beautiful addition to the story. This is a story about growth and redemption as much as romance. I recommend reading the first two books in the Bluebird Basin series before Wish You Were Here, and have tissues close by while reading. Wish You Were Here is a beautiful, gut-wrenching book, and the epilogue is the best of the series.

Wow. This book broke my heart and put it back together in a beautiful way. Kev and Davis (MMC and FMC, respectively) put in the WORK and chose each other over and over. Read this book for pining, yearning, mooning over someone, and other synonyms for being down bad but feeling like you can't have/don't deserve the object of your affection.

Kev is coming back to his sober living house, where Davis lives with her family who runs it, after a relapse. He's ashamed but determined to prove to Davis that she can trust him again. She's terrified because she believes in some ways she caused his relapse and she's also really hurt that he seemed to have chosen drugs over her. There are some additional misunderstandings that I'll let the reader discover.

This book is heavy, and I definitely cried multiple times, but that's what makes this genre so amazing. I knew Kev and Davis would find their way back to each other and figure it out, and they had the most amazing support systems that provided comic relief and comfort. Their internal dialogues are also genuinely funny considering the circumstances. "'Can you belief we actually saw a moose?' he asked, because what else do you ask someone you just saw a moose with while fighting an erection?" Like come on, lol.

The other men in the sober living house, Madigan who runs the place, and Davis' mom and grandmother are all rooting for them and it's such a warm, funny found family.

I didn't read the first two books in this series, but I am definitely going to go back, and I can't wait to see how Jen's story is handled.

We’re back at Bluebird Basin, where it’s time for Davis and Kev’s much-awaited second chance at love! Unlike the first two books in the series, this features MCs in their 20s - Davis is the daughter of Ashley from book one and Kev is back for the program after a relapse and rehab.

Both Davis and Kev have a lot of work to do on themselves before they are ready to start over, and trust needs to be rebuilt. Jess handles their angsty love story with love and care, and I was rooting for them and the future they deserved. I received an advanced reading copy, receipt of which did not impact my review.