Reviews with content warning for Cancer - Přání

This book hits deep as all Nicholas Sparks books seem to do. I loved Maggie’s story and, of course, cried with her. As an adoptive mom I was more invested in this than most and the relationship between Maggie and Mark was beautifully written. Still a bit salty about circumstances surrounding how Maggie left NC so less than 5 stars for that. But really a great read.

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miaromano's review against another edition

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emotional reflective sad medium-paced

4.0

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jlfaith21's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

I love a good romance and Nicholas Sparks never disappoints. You fall in love with each character just to have your heart broken. I love the different timelines and the feeling of peace despite the emotional/sad situations. I can only give 4.75/5 because I didn’t completely break down cry like some other books, but only cried a little.

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backpackingbookworm's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

What a book to start the year on! As a long-time Nicholas Sparks fan, I couldn't wait to binge The Wish over the holiday period. His books are almost like a guilty pleasure of mine, especially for someone who shuns the majority of romance novels. Although they are quite formulaic and similar in writing style, I still find myself loving each new release more than the last.

The Wish is a story about first love, life-changing decisions, and what-ifs. It makes you suddenly conscious of living and inspires you to follow your heart and do what you love before it's too late.

Narrated by Maggie, a terminally ill travel photographer living in New York, the story switches between two timelines - present-day right before Christmas and her time in Ocracoke (an isolated island she was temporarily sent to as a teenager to live with her aunt). As her final Christmas draws closer, Maggie opens up to her assistant, someone she has grown close to in recent months, and tells him the story of a year that changed everything - the year she met Bryce.

As expected, the descriptions, character building, and storytelling in The Wish were on point, bringing everything to life in the way only Nicholas Sparks can. You can't help but develop deep connections to the characters and embark on their journey with them. Even the blackest of hearts (talking from experience) will be crushed by the events in this book. I was sobbing by the end and I rarely cry at books. It was raw, tender, and tragic - three things that tick all my boxes in a romance novel.

Thank you so much to Hachette AU for sending me a copy of The Wish in exchange for an honest review.

Rating breakdown