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.

Pub date: May 21, 2024

Read if you like:
-YA fiction
-best friends to lovers
-beach towns
-camping
-prom nights
-Taylor Swift
-art
-senior year shenanigans
-short chapters
-dual POVs
-queer side characters

Rep:
-Latina FMC
-nonbinary
-queer
-anxiety
-addiction recovery

The cover of I Wish You Would is honestly what grabbed my attention. It’s absolutely beautiful. I went into this completely blind and I’m so glad that I did. Please be aware that this book goes hard on the miscommunication trope. However, please do not let it deter you. Eva wrote it so well and it makes sense in the end. Please give Ethan and Natalia a chance because their story is worth sticking it out for!

If you like the series To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before, YOU. HAVE. TO. READ. THIS. It’s one of my all time favorite YA series! I also saw that it’s also for fans of You’ve Reached Sam, but I haven’t read that one. So, if you’ve read both of these then add this one to your TBR!

This one was adorable, hilarious, emotional, and sweet. I completely immersed myself in this book with these characters. It’s not super long and the writing is fantastic, so it’s easy to block out the rest of the world while reading. It kept my attention from the get go.

Ethan and Natalia will stick with me forever. I love how close they were even through everything they went through. Don’t get me wrong… It wasn’t easy in the slightest. Reading this book was nostalgic because I felt like I was back in high school with my friend group. Their story is so special and I’m happy that it ended the way that it did.

Trigger warnings: divorce, cheating, SA, manipulation, disrespect of someone’s pronouns—they/them, slut-shaming, bullying

Thank you to Eva Des Lauriers, Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group, NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for a honest voluntary review!

#ButHowAreYouReally #NetGalley

The book takes place over the course of one short school trip, where tradition is for everyone to write a private letter to themselves answering the question “what would you do if you were braver?” For Natalia and Ethan, long-time best friends whose friendship is on the rocks after nearly hooking up in the name of a backup pact two months ago, the letter is the only place they’ve let themselves write down their true feelings.

When a burst of wind suddenly scatters several letters — which may or may not include Natalia and Ethan’s — the two are forced to work together to stop the secrets from getting out, while having to deal with their hearts in the process.

I had absolutely zero reason to worry about the short time frame of the story because from the very first page I was captivated. The book did such an amazing job setting up the backstory with what happened with Ethan and Natalia as well as their individual personalities and lives, showing how their relationship dynamic was and currently is, and then giving us a fantastic emotional ups and downs over the course of the school trip. Getting both Natalia and Ethan’s point of view meant I was truly able to empathize with both characters as they each dealt with their own issues. I feel like I absolutely know their dreams, their habits, their fears — and the side characters are personalized really well.

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for an ARC of Eva Des Lauriers's I Wish You Would in exchange for my honest review of the book. This book blew me away. Let me begin by saying that I am in my upper 40s so I am not the target audience, however, I do have a child who is in high school who faced many of the challenges some of the children in this book face so I do feel the book is somewhat relatable.

This book follows two main characters, Ethan and Natalia, who come from different sides of the tracks, so to speak, and who both have secrets from each other. After one awkward situation after prom, both begin to avoid each other for the summer until "Senior Sunrise", where rising seniors spend 24 hours together at the beach bonding before the start of the new year. Enter all the high school drama and sit down for an enjoyable ride.

I found the jealousy of both Ethan and Natalia to be honest and relatable to what two people with feelings would feel. The guilt and worry each has for the other. They need to protect the other, no matter how estranged they may be. Once they learn of the other's secret they support each other despite the hurt they feel.

I found both characters grew within the book by receiving the strength they needed from the other to face the struggles dealing with. I read this one in about 36 hours. Highly recommend it.

Where to begin? This book has everything. It's SO swoony and has the big emotions that I think of when I remember being a teenager. Des Lauriers captures teen angst so well, all while having gorgeous writing and plenty of hilarious moments to keep you feeling the feels throughout the whole book.

Ethan is DREAMY-especially his obsession with facts and how much he knows Natalia deeply. Natalia is incredibly relatable with her struggle with toxic perfectionism and her desire to move beyond what's expected of her. An engaging and loveable group of secondary characters clinches this as a truly un-put-downable romance. I CANNOT state how much everyone will fall in love with Prashant and want a whole book about him after this!

Louis, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful backlist...

This book was adorable!! I loved Natalia and Ethan, and especially their group of friends. The writing was clear and relatable, the characters were done to perfection, and the ending was muy perfecto! Great story and I had a great time reading it. Who needs sleep, right? Amazing story from a fantastic author!

Anyone who knows me knows that I had to read a book with a title inspired by Taylor Swift! This book reminded me of The Summer I Turned Pretty series, and it felt so summery and fun. It was exciting and enjoyable, and I appreciated how the insecurities of the main characters were explored with so much carefulness in the story.

Typically a book with this much of the miscommunication trope would drive me crazy, BUT I tend to forgive it more in a YA setting and honestly, I would have forgiven Natalia and Ethan literally anything. I absolutely loved both of them so much. I really related to Natalia’s people pleasing tendencies and her anxiety and I loved the way Ethan was trying to figure out who to be amid his new found popularity. Together, these two were absolutely electric, but I liked how well developed they were as separate people also. I also loved Rainn, Sienna and Mason. They were such great side characters. This book is pure YA, which I love, but if teenagers being teenagers isn’t your thing, you’ve been warned. I enjoyed the heck out of it though. It was sweet and vulnerable and made me kick my feet in the air several times.
CW: anxiety, panic attacks, infidelity, mentions of addiction, adult minor relationship, bullying, gender queer phobia, violence

Thank you to NetGalley and Henry Holt & Co for an advanced digital reader’s copy in exchange for an honest review.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ absolutely loved this. It’s so adorable and obviously I, as a swiftie, had to read it. I don’t normally go for YA, but honestly this might just get me into them. The story was so sweet.

This is supposed to be a mix of To All the Boys and You’ve Reached Sam. I agree with the comparison with To All the Boy. But it’s nothing like You’ve Reached Sam at all. It just two teens pining over each other when they’re basically right in front of each other. The miscommunication is strong in this story and made it hard for me to want the MCs to become a couple. All the side characters feel flat as if they’re only there to inject friction. I had a hard time believing that the MC’s friend group was real seeing as they didn’t confide in each other at all. The letters were the only point of interest for me as the romance never felt like anything more than lust. I had no clue why they liked each other. I wasn’t a huge fan of the book but clearly most people enjoyed it. I would urge everyone check out the book and see if it’s for you.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc.

Thank you to NetGalley, Henry Holt and Co., and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for this advanced copy! You can pick up I Wish You Would on May 21, 2024.

The easiest five stars I've given in a WHILE. This might be one of the best YA romances I've ever read, with fully fleshed-out characters I care about, a compelling plot, and incredible interpersonal relationships. I finished the first quarter of the book within an hour or two, staying up until 2 a.m. because I couldn't put it down. I felt like I KNEW these characters, and the way Eva tied all of the plotlines and character arcs together was truly masterful.

I'll be thinking about this book for a while, and I'm already looking forward to a reread closer to release. If you're a fan of friends-to-lovers, found family, and "The Summer I Turned Pretty" vibes, THIS IS YOUR BOOK.

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this novel in advance!

I have to admit, I don't typically read YA contemporary romance, but the description and the cover grabbed me, and I hit request. It was beautifully written and is an ode to a time in many of our lives when we are trying to find ourselves and, for many, falling in love or being brave for the first time. The main characters took me back to being younger, and the author is so adept at grabbing the reader with emotion.

It helps that I love the friends to lovers trope!

This book was SO GOOD! Ethan and Natalia stole my heart from page one and held it tight in their hands until the very end. The writing was so beautiful and I loved all the Swiftie Easter eggs. This swoony story is an absolute must-read, and I know we’ll all feel a lot braver after reading Eva’s words.

“Pauses and says, ‘You’re my best friend.’ And you knew what it was, he is in love.”

Writing? Exquisite. Plot? Compelling. Characters? Intoxicating, frustrating, enchanting.

In Eva Des Lauriers’ YA Debut, I WISH YOU WOULD, readers follow Ethan and Talia over the course of 24 hours where secrets are exposed, hearts are put on the line, and futures are determined all under the pretense of a Senior Sunrise tradition.

“But the story of us looks a lot like a tragedy now. And we’re not speaking.”

In a subtle nod to the romances and stories of Taylor Swift, our author crafts a time and space reflective of the most devastating of heartbreaks: the best friend break up. Ethan and Talia have an inexplicable connection and fate keeps drawing them closer into each other’s orbit. But when Prom Night goes disastrously wrong, the two spend a summer not speaking. It’s all very “Story of Us” where they’re not speaking, and dying to know what the other is thinking. The miscommunication is off the charts, but Des Laurier handles the trope well with plausible scenarios and anxieties that keep our tongues tied.

“I wish we could go back, and remember what we were fighting for.”

There’s a LOT going on in this novel, but the writing is so crystal clear and cinematic that I never felt lost, just in a rush to get to the next page!

I hope Ethan and Talia are still painting each other golden, wherever they are.

Thanks to Henry Holt and Net Galley for this advanced copy.

I loved this book! It captures all the nuances of teenage friendships and relationships without being cliche. The Lion Letters was a beautiful unique concept, and I loved the execution. This book is messy and mercurial, the same way teenagers on the edge of their futures are, and it was just a joy to witness Natalia and Ethan’s own joy in discovering how rewarding authenticity can be. Also I lovedddd the subtle nods to Taylor Swift throughout.

I Wish You Would is a good fit for those seeking a heartwarming and relatable story about friendships, miscommunication, and the courage to express one's true feelings, with a touch of drama and romance.

Why do people insist on making adaptations on the shittiest books out there when we could be getting the most stunning adaptation of coming of age EVER with this?!

Half a star knocked down because I hate the miscommunication trope and kids are so stupid I want to strangle them but god damn if this wasn’t one of the realist, most beautiful things I’ve ever read. Probably because kids are so stupid and I really get it.

Do not skip this wholesome, wonderful, incredible book.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me a copy of this book to review.

I Wish You Would is a sweet, will-they-won't-they story of friends who love one another and need to figure it out.

Natalia and Ethan are on their overnight senior sunrise camping trip after having not spoken all summer due to a miscommunication. As the day and night unfold, will they be able to figure it out?

Positives:
- Alternating viewpoints and short chapters made this really hard to put down. I read it in two sittings, about 80% in one night!
- #ownvoices story of a girl who is Latinx and white and presents white and feels conflicted about it
- Great chemistry between the main characters
- Diverse cast of supporting characters we can all relate to
- Depiction of some anxiety issues and family problems

Negatives:
- Whole book would be non-existent if these two would just have a darn conversation. If you hate miscommunication tropes, this is not for you.

A sweet story that I enjoyed reading but I'm not sure will have a lot of staying power in my brain space, and the constant interrupted conversations and miscommunications drove me a little nuts. Maybe that's because I am an adult reading YA, but maybe not.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!
'I Wish You Would' is an adorable YA romance. Something I really enjoyed about this book was that it felt a little more grown up than other YA romances, but still fits in the YA category. The characters faced a wide variety of problems that I could relate to my high school experience. Especially the mean girls, lol. The angst and dialogue between Ethan and Natalia, the way they thought about the situations they were in, it felt real and I appreciated that. The way the kids at Senior Sunrise reacted about the letters.. I was like "damn they should be more understanding" but I think that's what makes this book so great. Teenagers are frustrating, lol, and the author portrayed them accurately. There were also real and serious issues throughout the book, which I thought were all handled well except one. One of the students is revealed to have hooked up with a 20+ year old former teacher, and I think the characters should've been more sympathetic about the fact that she was a victim. Natalia does mention she was a victim but it didn't feel like other students understood that. Overall I really liked this book!