I have loved my journey with the 3 Spark sisters. Harley is the youngest and unlike her sisters, she isn’t as business savvy but she loves working with her sisters at Spark House. Her real passion is working with children. She had pulled away from being a nanny after she got too attached to her last client, Gavin. But when Gavin and Peyton return to the area, she finds herself falling into helping with the transition and becoming a comforting person for Peyton. Gavin’s world flipped when he lost his wife the day he gained his daughter. His mother-in-law has been a strong influence but he is working to assert his independence to build the life he needs and wants for him and Peyton. When he runs into Harley, he’s appreciative of her willingness to spend time with them. He struggles with his attraction to her since she has a boyfriend. Harley is at a crossroads, realizing she has lost sight of her dreams and settled to ensure she spends time with her sisters. Having Gavin back and spending time with Peyton becomes the catalyst she needs to find her confidence again and fight for her dreams. I loved how this unfolded as they both had to stand up for what they wanted to build the future they truly wanted. I enjoyed this couple and the challenges they faced to embrace the love that they deserved. I voluntarily read an ARC of this book and this is my honest review.

I mean who doesn’t love a single dad romance?! I couldn’t wait to get Harley’s story after meeting her in the first two Spark Sister’s books. This one was more emotional for me than the previous two and honestly there were times where I was pissed at the MMC, her sisters and of course the MIL. I wish Gavin would have acknowledged how painful that him abruptly leaving was on Harley as a maternal figure to Peyton. She practically raised the baby for 18 months, went on family trips, lived there and that is never discussed, but them leaving the MIL when she is 10 is. Helena as usual made the story come together and right any wrongs I felt. I have loved this series and Harley’s heartfelt journey to finding love that she had lost in both a partner and a child was the send off the series needed. The only mystery remains is if the fountain ever got restored.

I have really enjoyed the Spark House series and I think Harley and Gavin’s story is my favorite. Harley nannied for Gavin when his daughter Peyton was an infant. After a year and a half they moved away and Harley thought it was because of something she did.

Fast forward 7 years, Gavin and Peyton have moved back and they run into Harley, I loved these characters and the chemistry they all had with each other. Peyton stole my heart.

This book has angst, humor, and some steam. It gave me all the feels I love in a book, i ever teared up a time or two. I enjoyed it very much!

Thank you SMP, Social Butterfly and Helena Hunting for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion!

This story... Harley was my favorite of the Spark sisters and Helena Hunting as usual does not disappoint!

We finally get to see Harley fall in love with a former client she used to nanny for, and watch as she navigates his unique family dynamics.

Gavin is a delicious lead, and an excellent father. This story will give you all the feel good vibes.

The beginning of the book sucked me in. The single/widowed dad part of the story was instantly heartbreaking and I loved how caring Harper was, but as the story continued I struggled to continue my excitement, until the very end when the waterworks happened. All of the struggle was totally worthwhile.

Gavin's MIL, frankly I wanted to strangle her and it wasn't just her that was blindly awful, it was also how Gavin shut down and allowed his MIL to walk all over Harper. While I can understand how Gavin's guilt and grief over losing his wife weighed on his shoulders, it was also stunting his ability to move forward and living his life. It was also keeping him from telling his MIL off when she was blatantly meddling in his personal life.

Gavin's daughter, Peyton, is adorable and super sweet and most of the reason to read this wonderful tale. The relationship between father and daughter is special, but the relationship between Harper and Peyton is magical. Harper was attending school for an education degree when she was a nanny for Peyton and she just has that spark when it comes to engaging with children. However, it wasn't long after Gavin left years ago that Harper was pulled into her family's business and her degree was put on hold, but with the Spark House making big changes and Harper's role in flux she isn't exactly sure what her future will hold. Her uncertainty in her career and in her personal life seems to be tied together once again with Gavin's reappearance in her life, but that is just a coincidence, but it does respark her desire to seek out more and I love that Harper begins to find her passion again.

Even if this book had its moments where I wanted to smack both Gavin and Harper into action, getting to the end where the tears fell, that made it all worthwhile.

What a beautiful, touching, and at times heart rending story!! The perfect book to round out this wonderful series! The prologue had me stopping to grab a coffee and a snack (knowing I wasn’t going to be able to stop at just a couple chapters).
Oh, and that epilogue!!! It’s so beautifully poignant and equally heartwarming that by the end of it I had tears cascading down my face. Trust me…you will remember it!!

Both Gavin and Harley are not strangers to loss. Harley lost both her parents as a child. Gavin, a single parent (to daughter Peyton) lost his wife during childbirth. Once upon a time years ago their worlds connected when Harley was Peyton’s nanny. Gavin and Peyton move away abruptly and Harley doesn’t think she’ll ever see them again. Eight years later destiny intervenes.

Harley exudes sunshine and happiness. She’s a kid magnet because she’s a kid at heart. She loves entertaining and creating, so she is the perfect person to host a clients birthday party at Spark House (the hotel and event center she runs with her sisters). It’s at this princess party she sees Gavin and Peyton again.

Make a Wish is my favorite of the Spark house series!! So beautifully done. You’ll laugh during this book, cry, be frustrated too in several parts. Most of all you will feel deeply for these characters. It’s a tender and heartwarming romance about living through grief and learning to love after loss. Just a beautiful book. 4.5/ 5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 Releases 1-24-23

I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Make a Wish is book 3 of the Spark House series by author Helena Hunting. It is a standalone contemporary romance, told from both POV with a HEA.

WHAT TO EXPECT:
✔️ sing father
✔️ love after loss
✔️ age gap
✔️ slow burn

Harley loves kids & used to be a nanny but has been working with her sisters at Spark House for the past seven years helping organize events. The last person she expected to see at one of said events was Gavin and Peyton Rhodes, her last infant charge and her widowed father.

Now that they’re back though, Gavin doesn’t hesitate to reach out to ask for her help with Peyton and Harley is more than eager to spend time with both of them, going as far as ignoring her totally wrong for her boyfriend.

As she spends time with both Gavin and Peyton, she realizes that the connection between them. But even after breaking up with her boyfriend, navigating the delicate waters of dealing with Gavin’s grief over his wife and his overbearing in-laws proves to be more than they can handle.

Make a Wish had a lot of heart and emphasis in family and friends, particularly Harley and her sisters and it felt more like a women’s lit vs. a romance. Harley & Gavin's relationship is a slow burn and almost all of their interactions revolve around Gavin's daughter. Because of this, there wasn’t a lot of steam or romance, yet it was a very sweet story with lots of feels.

The narration by Stella Bloom and Jason Clarke was good. She does a great job with all the different voices including the male ones and I enjoyed Jason’s deep voice very much.

By the numbers review:
★ Hero: 👤👤👤👤
★ Heroine: 👤👤👤👤
★ Plot: 📚📚📚📚
★ Romance: 💕💕
★ Sexiness: 🔥🔥🔥

I want to start this review off by saying I absolutely adore Helena Hunting's writing. I have never disliked one of her books, but I really struggled with this one.

The characters are not very likeable, with the exception of Peyton, who I liked mainly because she was a child. The rest of the characters weren't very likable either, especially Gavin. I have so many issues with Gavin, he is pretty much everything you don't want in an MMC, the first of which is how long it took him to stand up for Harley to Karen. And maybe it's because we got less in his POV but it didn't seem like he really liked Harley past sleeping with her, let alone loved her. It's also weird that he had a whole relationship for 7 months and never loved her? And she stayed even with Karen constantly interfering? Just doesn't really make sense. Him not standing up to Karen and just letting her treat Harley poorly made me really dislike him. There is no excuse for it. The first time she said anything he should have immediately corrected the behavior in front of everyone.

I have issues with Harley as well, the biggest being her emotionally cheating and London giving her pass for it. Also supposedly Harley is super mature and responsible but you don't really see that at all. Yes she was a nanny in her late teens and early 20s but nothing screamed her being super mature. In fact her sisters taking responsibility away from her shows she is the opposite. The fact she was so upset about everything at Spark House but sisters were completely oblivious but they were so close?

I don't think I even need to get into how obnoxious Karen is, she definitely stands up to her name. I get her daughter died and that is the worst pain imaginable, but that doesn't mean she gets to dictate her daughter's widower forever.

I so badly wanted to like this book, but it just fell flat for me.

I was provided this book in exchange for an honest review, all opinions are my own.

🅰🆄🅳🅸🅾🅱🅾🅾🅺 🆁🅴🆅🅸🅴🆆

I simply loved this book! I was fortunate enough to get an early listener's copy of Make Wish ( thank you, Helena and SMP!)

Harley's story is one I've been waiting on, even knowing this is the end of the series. Series ending books are always bittersweet for me because I've become invested in their fictional lives and never want the stories to end!
The Spark sisters are truly special and so tight-knit. Their love for each other shines throughout the series.

Book starts off with a prologue of Harley at 20 yrs old and a nanny for sweet baby Peyton and her recently widowed father, Gavin. One night, Harley is trying to comfort Gavin, and things get awkward. The next thing she knows he's moving back home to raise Peyton with his inlaws, and she questions her life choices.
Fast forward to present day, and Spark House is growing by leaps and bounds, which leaves Harley feeling unnecessary.

While hosting a birthday party at SH, she reconnects with Gavin and 9 yr old, Petyon. There's an instant connection for them all. However, not everything is glitter paint and cupcakes!

Helena chose the right voices for these characters! Jason Clarke as Gavin was perfect with his gravely voice, especially during those scenes that were so full of emotions. Stella Bloom, with her sweet and young sounding voice, who not only gave voice to Hayley but to Peyton as well.

Prepare your hearts for some tear jerking chapters, laughs, personal growth for all the main characters, and the best ending to the book and series.

Here we are at the final book of the Spark Sisters series by Helena Hunting. This final book follows Harley who was a nanny to a single dad and his daughter many years ago but after almost kissing him one night they move away leaving Harley in shock. Years later, they emerge again in her life and she’s left dealing with the feelings she felt back then.
As a new mom, I found so many parts of this book relatable and I think that alone is a huge reason why I enjoyed this book so much. This was definitely a slow burn / friends to lovers read which isn’t usually my preferred trope, but I really enjoyed this one. I knew I would because I loved the previous other two, but Harley and Gavin (and Peyton’s) story was so special. I loved seeing Harley and Gavin fall in love with one another, but I loved reading about Harley and Peyton so much more. Their relationship was so sweet and I loved seeing Harley grow as another figure to Peyton. It definitely got me in my feels as a mom and it made me think of my son a lot.
Like I mentioned the romance was more friends to lovers and what I always enjoy about that trope is the moment when they realize that they have feelings for one another. And how from there there’s a clear shift and then you get to see them work at their relationship.
All in all, it was another solid read by Helena. There’s a lovely romance but what’s really great is seeing how it connects to the other stories (and her Shacking Up series). The Spark Sisters relationship is at the heart of it all and it was so nice to see the final sister get her HEA but also find her place at Spark House 🥰 if you loved the previous two in the series, you’ll love this one and how it all wraps up. If you haven’t read Helena before, I think this is great series to start with and I would definitely recommend!
Disclaimer: I received an arc in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Whenever I read a book by Helena Hunting, I know I will never be disappointed. Her combination of humor, romance, sometimes sorrow and everything in between. Her characters are full of life. Harley is a character that always makes you feel good. From her fairy godmother outfits and tutus to her glitter crafts. She is everything to what Peyton needs. Harley understands what losing a parent means. Although Peyton never knew her mother, they still share that loss. Even though she is no longer her nanny, Harley tries to help Peyton. Their interactions and special bond are exactly what Peyton needs.
Even though it has been almost nine years since they have seen each other their bond is still there. Gavin and Harley also shared a special bond when she was Peyton’s nanny. But at the time he was grieving the loss of his wife and Harley was barely twenty years old. Now that he is back, and she is a mature woman he sees her differently. He wasn’t ready nine years ago but perhaps he is ready now to move on.
I enjoyed this book so much, but especially the important role Peyton played. Could Gavin move on from the loss of his wife and open his heart to love again. Also, in the back of his mind was how it would affect Peyton. How would she be if things did not work out between him and Harley. His decisions not only affected him but Peyton as well.
A very enjoyable read and a little girl who loved princesses and lots of glitter and who you could not help but fall in love with.

Harley is hands down my favorite Spark sister. She is the youngest of her siblings and the one who isn’t embracing all the change as easily. She is still trying to truly find herself within their business and trying to find what makes her happy. Gavin is a single dad, a widow, struggle to balance everything in his life. However, he is also still stuck with the guilt of his past.
Harley and Gavin have a history. She used to be the nanny for his baby girl, Peyton. Now, Gavin is back in the town he once lived in and crosses paths with Harley. From the moment they reconnect there is a connection between them, there is chemistry. Not just with Gavin and Harley, but also Harley and Peyton. They are like two peas in a pod. I adored their relationship and how it developed throughout the story.
Gavin and Harley’s relationship was a rollercoaster. There is a lot of ups and downs and they definitely mess with all your emotions along the way. However, I loved seeing them both grow together and also grows as individuals throughout the story.
If you’re looking for a single dad, age gap, boss/nanny romance this is one to check out.

Highlights: age gap, single dad, second-chance romance, slow burn.

Make a Wish is a second-chance romance full of angst, and it reads more like a family drama than a romance. The romance between the two main protagonists, Gavin and Harley, isn't the main focus until the later part of the book. In the beginning, the main focus is the relationship between Gavin's daughter, Payton, and Harley, who happens to be Payton's former nanny.

I liked both Gavin and Harley, but sometimes I felt like Harley was invested more in the relationship than Gavin, who appeared (to me) to use Harley as a caregiver for his daughter rather than his love interest. I wanted more from him. Make a Wish is an emotional story that deals with some heavy topics: the death of a loved one (maternal mortality), grief, and guilt. This book may make you cry. Overall, I enjoyed Make a Wish and recommend it to readers who love emotional family dramas and romance.

I’m a dang sobbing mess right now! You did it again Helena! You wrote a book that has me in my feels! I didn’t expect this book to pack the punch it did because boy it’s a big one!

Make A Wish is more than a love story between two people! It’s about healing, it’s about finding your place and fighting for what you deserve! Harley has got to be one of my favorite heroines! She is strong and even though life has not always been kind, she’s still full of light and love. She is glitter and rainbows and I love everything about her! Gavin and her talkative, but adorable daughter compliment Harley so well! They just work and how easy their friendship and foundation was built showed you that these two could be “it” !

But pain and unresolved trauma can creep up on you! That’s the part of the book I really just connected with! As someone with her own set of traumas and a someone who put healing off. I can say that the way Hunting wrote about it all was so realistic so cathartic for me that I found some healing in this story!

I couldn’t picture a better book to start 2023 off with and even if it’s not the first it should be a MUST!

Make a Wish by Helena Hunting is book 3 in the Spark House series. It is about Harley and her quest to find her place at Spark House, and in herself and her future. It’s a story about love, family and second chances.
Harley had a love of children, and is a child at heart. She was a nanny for Gavin after his wife passed away and she fell in love with caring for Peyton.
Years later they meet again and fall back into each others lives. There was a spark between them again just like years ago.
Gavin has never truly healed from losing his wife. He has gone through the motions for Peyton but hasn’t found happiness again.
Harley brought so much into their lives. It wasn’t without obstacles but she is worth it.
Harley was amazing with Peyton and it makes you fall in love with them. She was everything Gavin needed to heal.
I just loved this series, these characters and the 3 stories.
Another winner from Helena Hunting!

I have been waiting for Harley’s story to finish out the Spark sisters journey and it did not disappoint.

This was definitely my favorite of the series, and I loved Harley. She’s so sweet and loving and really just wants to find her place in the world and in Spark House. I loved watching her find what that place is and stick up for herself. Her and Peyton’s relationship is just so sweet.

Gavin, he had a little bit of growth he needed to do in order to be with Harley or the best parent for Peyton. I loved watching him grow and understand. You really just rooted for him to be everything Harley needed even if it took him a minute to get there.

If you’ve read the other two Spark sisters stories, I really recommend picking this one up. It’s out 1/24 and the perfect conclusion to this series!
I received an advance copy of this book. All thoughts are my own.

The Spark sisters are amazing. It feels like coming home when I step into their world at Spark House in Colorado Springs.

This book is about youngest sister, Harley, who is trying to find her place in the family business with all its changes. In walks a man from her past, Gavin and his 9 year old daughter, Peyton. Harley was Peyton's nanny for the first year and half of her life before Gavin up and moved across the state, and Harley, never expected to hear from them again. He comes back and a friendship is rekindled, and then more. But there are inevitable hurdles.

Helena Hunting is a solid 3.5/4 star read for me. This one fell a bit on the 3.5 side mostly because I felt conversations were awkward and flow of dialogue was stilted. There were some phrases too that took me out of the story just because I didn't feel like the were the right ones. I dunno. Peyton is the star of the show, and honestly, I kept picturing Gavin as my husband so that helped a lot too.

The most true thing I can think of in this book was the 9 year old cock blocker comment. As a mom of 3, I constantly get cock blocked by my own kids so it made me chuckle. Only a parent could write that.

Thanks NetGalley and st. Martins press for the early copy. I enjoyed it.

I really enjoyed the story of Harley and Evan although it lent itself as women's fiction vs romance. Having said that it was warm and fabulous read with a delightful HEA. Thank you for the opportunity to read this ARC.

Fairy good!

The following ratings are out of 5:
Romance: 💙🤎🖤❤️💜
Steam: 🔥🔥🔥
Story/Plot: 📕📗📙📘
World building: 🌏🌍🌏🌎
Character development: 😍😚😉🙂🥰

The heroine: Harley Spark - She works for her family’s hotel and event facility with her two sisters. When Harley was twenty, she used to be a nanny for Peyton Rhodes when Peyton was a baby, she fell for Gavin who was Peyton’s widowed father. Harley lost her parents when she was twelve and had been through so much, she felt older than a lot of her peers and was happy to help Gavin and practically raise Peyton but Gavin was filled with pain and guilt and when she tried to kiss him one night, he pushes her away and soon moves away.

The Hero: Gavin Rhodes - After leaving town, he moved closer to his in-laws so they could get to know Peyton. While he worked, his mother-in-law babysat and he would pick Peyton up after work. Now that she is a bit older, he moved back to town to take over for his father who is getting ready to retire. He has never forgotten Harley and thought she was easy to be around.

The Story: Harley has been working for Spark House for years. She does the social media for the hotel and has taken over the running of children’s birthday parties. She dresses as a fairy and helps the children with the activities and crafts. She is surprised to see Peyton is one of the guests and breaks out in hives when she sees Gavin again.

I love Helena Hunting’s writing style and how her books focus more on relationships than on side storylines, though there are side storylines about work, family and other things they are more about the people and the supporting characters in her books are always terrific. This one has Harley’s sisters, Gavin’s friends and parents as well as his in-laws and Harley even has a boyfriend in the beginning of the book.

I was a bit surprised that there wasn’t as much humor in this one as in some of Helena’s sports romance books, like the Pucked series. Though it was still good and I plan to read anything she puts out there. I have read a ton of her books and really liked every one of them.

I voluntarily read & reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts & opinions are my own.

Last year I read Bitter Sweet Heart by Helena Hunting and I fell so hard for it. It’s a story I embraced from start to end. So when the opportunity to read this arc opened, I immediately jumped at the chance. I went in open minded and open armed, looking to embrace another fantastic book.

I’m disheartened to say, the embrace left me feeling rather lukewarm.

》The Good《

I still believe in Helena Hunting’s writing.

She has a terrific skill in giving unique voices to every character, bringing scenery to life, and making a story feel like you’re immersed alongside the leads. Her characters arrive fully formed and layered.

I appreciate that a lot, and it allows me to remain a fan of her work as I look forward to discovering all her books.

》The Leads《

Harley and Gavin are definitely fleshed out characters who feel real and tangible, but I unfortunately struggled to like them. Especially Gavin, who I felt needed to stand up sooner for Harley against the literal Karen in the book. Harley was a nice character overall, but her naivety fell short in an otherwise well developed character. I am not sure why she needed other characters to tell her that her relationship with Gavin and her boyfriend were at complete odds in terms of the time dedicated to both. I couldn’t commit to that willful ignorance.

Nevertheless, I did enjoy how these two felt unique, felt complicated, felt real. Their voices were head loud and clear in my head, but I simply found, I didn’t quite like what I heard. And sometimes, that’s okay. Just like in real life, we don’t have to like everyone we meet.

》The Romance《

The love story is one of the main reasons I didn’t take well to the book, for reasons I’ll detail below (minor spoilers to follow):

The story of her leads starts at a rather uncomfortable moment. Harley is the nanny of baby Peyton whose mother died in childbirth and Gavin is the grieving father. Harley has nannied for a year and a half, starting when she’s 19. One night she and a grieving Gavin almost share a kiss. They don’t see each other until 7 years later, where Harley finds herself in that nanny position again just far too quickly.

The beginning begins in the past and made me cringe, but I kept going because it felt like it was supposed to feel awkward. Like the right person, but wrong timing kind of situation. We go forward into present time to an older Harley who is understandably mortified of that night of the almost kiss. It’s not meant to be a romantic scene, but it’s a kiss they clearly will finish in the future. So I buckled in to get started in the ‘real’ romance, only to feel dismayed at seeing Harley informally retake her position as a nanny to Peyton. I wanted to root for said romance, but I has trouble with it, especially because so much of their relationship/bonding involved Peyton. The family dynamic overtook the romance. More so than this, there was a deep lack of chemistry. The lingering initial cringe remained in me throughout their entire journey. It took too long for Harley to be moved from a nanny figure to romantic interest. I didn’t enjoy the romance, but I really wanted to. I truly did, and I wish I did.

》The Ick Factor《

Now on to the main reason I did not fully warm up to this story. I am very open-minded when it comes to romances, I’ll dive into taboos, including age gaps and power dynamics that in real life I’d turn my nose up towards, but there are also certain limits I have, as I’ve come to recently discover.

One is spending 40% of a book where one of the leads in a relationship with a supporting character while clearing falling for the other lead. It doesn’t need to turn physical to be considered cheating and/or an affair in my book.Harley was absolutely emotionally cheating on her boyfriend. I have no idea why a few books I’ve read over the last months have had leads in similar positions, all I know is that this is just an immediate turn off.

Now, unlike those other books, Hunting calls it what it is: an emotional affair. There's quite a lot of self-awareness in this narrative, which I do appreciate. However, in this instance, that awareness is fleeting as the narrative quickly lets Harley off the hook. It’s swept under the rug, because hey, true love trumps all!

It’s an ick factor that I struggle to find anything romantic about. It took almost half the book to resolve, and once it did, I found myself simply not caring about the romance.

》It’s me, not you《

One thing I do need to make clear: the main problem in why I didn’t engage well with the book is me. I struggled because of personal limits I have in reading, as well as personal interpretations not all may share. It’s personal, but doesn’t mean it will apply to all. Perhaps you will warm up greatly to this love story. Perhaps you’ll see what I didn’t. I hope you do. It feels like an acquired taste. I’m sorry it’s one I didn’t digest one, but I hope it’s one you’ll find positively delicious.

Thank you Helena Hunting, NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing me an arc in exchange for an honest review.