Member Reviews
Be careful what you wish for. It just might come true in unexpected ways.
When Anna makes a wish on a magic sapphire necklace to be married to the handsome enigmatic Max Barone, she wakes up in his bed on their 7th anniversary. Everyone in that timeline, including Max, is living that life. Life is good, but she has reservations. What should Anna do? Go along with it or try to get the life she wants without "cheating." What would you do?
This new episode in the Ghosted series is my favorite so far. The fairytale magic and the romantic settings are winsome and engaging. And the jewelry. . . To. Die. For.
The narration by Amanda Ronconi and Will Watt is top notch.
As with other titles in the series, for me there are too many spicy details. So, if you are not a fan of hot tamale romances, then steer clear.
Thank you to Swift & Lewis Publishing, LLC and NetGalley for an audio ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
I was lucky to get an ALC of this amazing book from Netgalley! I have never read this author before but I am so happy I did because I absolutely adored this book! I will definitely be reading/listening to more of her stories. The narration was great! Amanda Ranconi was wonderful as Anna and Will Watt was an awesome Max. If I have one complaint it would that there is not enough of Max’s POV so there’d be more of Will.
Max and Anna charmed their way into my heart so easily. I love these characters and their story so much! Max was a very pleasant surprise! The story is just so cute, and so much fun with plenty of romantic moments as well. Toss in some magic, and you have a very enchanting story. I really loved it!
Thank you to NetGalley and Swift & Lewis Publishing LLC for the ARC audiobook of Wished by Sarah Ready.
I’ve absolutely enjoyed all the books in the Ghosted series by Sarah Ready thus far, and when I was given access to Wished in advance, I was excited. This one may have been by far my favorite! Max and Anna really aren’t meant to be. Max the wealthy man who works in the jewelry making business who just asked his best friend to marry him and Anna who cleans his ask. But oh how a simple wish can change everything. For those who worry that you have to read the other books in this series, you do not. The only relevance is that you would have met Max already if you read previous books to know a bit about him. And obviously mention of some characters that you meet in other books. But easily this book can be picked up and read without the others which is great for someone is finds this one might interested. Though I’d encourage you to read all 4!!
Oh, my goodness. I love it when I read a book that has an original plot! Max and Anna find one another through wishes. I love that Max has both memories: of his life with and without Anna. I'm not sure I would have been brave enough to walk away as Anna does. Especially considering how very much Max obviously lives her. But, then again, like Anna, I would want to be sure that his love is real. I enjoyed this story so very much!
I was granted an ARC copy of Wished. I have not been paid for my review.
I loved the concept for this one and the first 25% really lived up to expectations. I found the characters endearing and couldn't wait to see how the story would unfold.
Unfortunately, I didn't feel like the rest of the book was quite as good. For me, the development of their relationship was far too quick and didn't really make sense to me. I can sometimes get on board with the insta love vibe but this one just didn't hit. I also felt like the male main character's shift in personality was so sudden and could have been done more gradually to be more believable. It felt like two different characters to me.
I also strongly disagreed with a point that was made within the first half of the book, as it came from a place of privilege and, therefore, was rather offensive to suggest it applied universally. Furthermore, the author then contradicted this big argument later in the book and it did not seem intentional.
Overall, I felt like this book had so much potential but it didn't follow through.
I just finished Wished by Sarah Ready, and wow, what a ride! This was my very first Sarah Ready book, and even though I haven’t read the previous ones in the Ghosted series, you bet I’ll be picking them up soon! 😍 I listened to the audiobook, and it was such a delight! Amanda Ronconi and Will Watt nailed their performances. Also, a huge thanks to NetGalley, Sarah Ready, and Swift & Lewis Publishing for giving me an early look at this gem! 🙌 This gem releases on October 1, 2024, and I’m so glad I got to dive into it early!
✧ Magical realism 🪄
✧ Billionaire romance 💰
✧ Opposites attract 💗
✧ Insta-love 💋
✧ Wish fulfillment ✨
✧ Dream vs. reality 🌙
✧ Sweet heroine 💕
Okay, so the premise? Anna is a cleaner at Max’s chateau, and she’s been head over heels for him, like, forever. But there’s one tiny problem... Max doesn’t even know she exists. 😅 Then, Anna stumbles upon a magical necklace, makes a wish, and BOOM—she wakes up married to Max! Sounds like a dream come true, right? Not exactly! The world flips upside down, and Anna quickly realizes that not everything she wished for is as perfect as she imagined.
I absolutely adored Anna's character! She’s sweet, hopeful, and maybe a little too quick to fall in love, but I can’t blame her—it’s Max we’re talking about! Max starts off as this cold and distant figure, but by the end? TOTAL heart-stealer. 😍 The romance had its steamy moments & it was balanced with so much heart and magical realism that kept me completely hooked.
The only reason this didn’t get a full 5 stars from me is that it does start with a bit of insta-love from Anna’s side. Even though her love for Max grows deeper and more real later on, the initial feelings felt rushed. I usually prefer a slow burn, but despite that, it didn’t take away from the charm of the book.
Overall, this was a feel-good, magical rollercoaster, and I enjoyed every minute of it! I can’t wait to dive into the earlier books, especially Fated, which introduces Max!
#Wished
#MagicalRealism
#BillionaireRomance
#OppositesAttract
#InstaLove
#WishFulfillment
I absolutely loved this!! I’m so glad we got a book for Max! Fated was my favorite in this series and I was so excited to read another book by Sarah Ready. This did not disappoint. I loved both of the main characters, The chemistry and romance was so good. I loved the twists and turns. Also I loved the narrators! Basically I loved this. I love Sarah Ready’s books. Thank you so much NetGalley.
Another cute story in the Ghosted series by Sarah Ready. This one focuses on Max, Fiona’s best friend, who we meet in the third book in the series. These can be read as stand alones, but it’s more fun to read them all. My first feelings towards Max at the beginning were pretty negative. He seemed unlikeable, but I came around. As the story progresses he opens up more and his first impression becomes more forgivable. Anna and her family are both sweet and funny. I’ll be honest though the character that stole my heart was Doreen. She’s hilarious and steals the show even though she’s a minor character. The narrators did a wonderful job. I recommend this whole series.
Thank you NetGalley & Swift & Lewis for the advance copy.
Fun, entertaining book! Sarah Ready is one of my very favorite romance authors.
Wished was a really fun book. Wishing for love that seems impossible is such a fun premise. On top of that is wishing on a very beautiful necklace. This is what dreams are made of. Max is such a jerk in this book at the beginning when it comes to dealing with Anna. Anna is invisible while cleaning for Max.
I wonder how many people we do not see because they are providing a service for us and we choose to ignore them - people picking up our trash, people that clean restrooms, etc. These people provide such an important service to us - why do we ignore them??
Sarah Ready does a great job describing homes, Paris, flowers, smells and so much more. I love that about her books. And just when you think you know what is going to happen next - well there is another twist that you did not expect.
I listened to the audiobook and the narrators did a great job - Amanda Ronconi and Will Watt. The voice for Max was perfect.
4.5 stars
This is a fun, entertaining read. Max and Anna are interesting, relatable, intriguing, complex, wounded, strong, entertaining, caring characters. These two are fun to spend time with. Their romance and the path it takes to get to their HEA is entertaining to read. The secondary characters added to the fabric of the story and my enjoyment. The story is easy to read and get into.
I enjoyed the audio version of this book and the narrators.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
4.75 stars - rounded up!!!!
This was the first book I’ve ever read from this author thanks to the ARC being available on NetGalley - thank you!
I’m so glad I decided to pick this book (ebook and audiobook) up to fully immerse in the story.
I loved the story plot and the pacing. It was very well executed and gave different sides of the initial wish. That aspect made the overall story even more intriguing.
I’m so glad that Sarah decided to give us a bit of the MMC’s POV to enhance our understanding of the story. Also, I really liked how much of a connection was made with the people in the FMC’s life. The “why” was clear and the story flowed effortlessly for me.
The audiobook voice actors (Amanda Ronconi and Will Watt) were exceptional. I enjoyed their way of portraying the story vocally.
Thank you NetGalley, Sarah Ready, and W. W. Crown Books / Swift and Lewis Publishing for allowing to review this ARC and provide my honest review.
I will be reading more books by this author. 🧚
Sarah Ready does it again!
Anyone who has seen my review of any book in this series should not be surprised that I yet again loved this book. This book series gives life to the trope I would love you in every universe and it every lifetime. On paper these two do not make sense one is a broke housekeeper and the other is an owner at a jewelry empire. And some how they find their lives intwined with each other.
The many attempts they make to get back to their timeline and their life makes for a fun read that you don't know what outcome could really happen. Finding them in love in one world and far from friends in another but with certain memories of a past life keeps you on your toes and guessing. To see the way they fall for each other and the love they had on one of the realities is sweet and inspiring. I of course will be continuing the series and I cannot wait to see what else will be in store for this author.
I dropped everything and read (listened to) this book the second I saw it, and I do mean an instant jump to the front of my TBR! I have read Sarah Ready’s books before and always enjoyed them, but I was completely addicted to this book and unable to stop reading. I would say it’s her best since Ghosted and The Space Between (both are 5 star reads for me). My recommendation? Read this book. Put it in your TBR, sandwich it between two heavier reads and never look back except to go back and read the rest of her books.
Here’s what worked: she took 2 tropes I tend to be wary of and made them work really well. I’m not big into “love at first sight” and “billionaire boss/employee” because I tend to believe in real life these are such big red flags. But Anna is so nurturing and down to earth and Max is very unexpectedly warm and down to earth and openly affectionate (I developed a soft spot for him in Fated but never could imagine these sides of him; is he my new favorite Ready MMC?! Yes!!). Throw in a sprinkle of magical realism and *poof* I’m in love (and apparently so were they!). I loved how selfless both of them were towards one another and the heat was sizzling, I could feel it coming off the page.
What didn’t work: nothing. Absolutely no complaints about this book. It gave me all of the good feels and just enough romantic conflict that I just had to know what was going to happen next.
The narrators for this audiobook were amazing. I liked that the female narrator was exceptionally clear and easy to listen to, and the male voice was just enchanting. Great selection of narrators.
Sarah Ready wrote a winner in her latest book, Wished. What a great read, even better in audiobook! A five star listen!
Wished by Sarah Ready
Wished is the latest magical romance by Sarah Ready. Anna has been working as a maid for Max Barone, secretly crushing on him, even though he doesn’t even know who she is. When she comes across a necklace while cleaning, she makes a wish, and suddenly she wakes up as Max’s wife. He has mixed memories, some of the last seven years that didn’t happen, and others about how they actually met, and how he believed she was stealing from him.
This was an extremely fun book, with Sarah once again delivering a sweet romantic story full of magic and mystery. I found myself drawn into the characters and setting, wishing that they would get their happily ever after.
Narrated by Amanda Ronconi and Will Watt, I quickly realized that I wasn’t going to sleep until I finished the story. They both added charm to the story, making it hard to stop listening.
I definitely recommend this book, as it gives such a sweet romantic feel with magic making this even better. Sarah has a talent for making magic with words, bringing charming stories to life.
I want to thank Swift & Lewis Publishing, LLC and Net Galley for a copy of the Fourth book in Sarah Reddy’s collection, Wished.
Honestly, I enjoyed the book until about 50% and then it dragged on.
If you’re interested in this book I would check of the synopsis and have a great.
3.5 ⭐
This was a fun listen! I pretty much listened to it in one sitting. Anna Benoit is a hopeless romantic who fell in love at first sight with the wealthy jewelry magnate, Max Barone...but she cleans his house, and he doesn't know she exists. One day, she wishes to be his wife, and the next morning she wakes up to her wish being her new reality.
I haven't read anything from Sarah before, so this was a fun intro to her writing. It was such an interesting premise! It was very insta-lovey, at least on Anna's part, though they do get the chance to get to know more about each other as they traverse their new life and figure out a solution. Max was definitely the grump, not wanting to ever get too close to anyone, but when he opens up...the mouth on that man!
The audio was fun, and I think Amanda Ronconi and Will Watt did a great job at narration. We only get the MMC's POV at the beginning and end, and I do wish we could have had a few moments inside his head during the story.
If you're looking for a fun, light read with a dash of magic and spice, give this one a go. I'm definitely curious about the previous books in this series and will have to check them out.
Thank you very much to Netgalley and Swift & Lewis Publishing, LLC for the advance listener copy.
💎 magical wishes
✨️ love at first sight
💎 mostly single POV
✨️ DUAL POV in prologue and epilogue
💎 Workplace romance
Anna makes a wish on a magical necklace: a wish to become the wife of her employer, Max Barone. The next morning she wakes up as Mrs Barone... have all her wishes come true?
WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD
Anna and Max's journey is filled with twists and turns. I must say, with each twist I was genuinely surprised. Lots of books are quite predictable but I couldn't ever see what was coming with each 'wish' they made. It was a very light-hearted, easy read and I read the entire thing in one sitting!
I noticed that other reviews highlighted that Anna and Max didn't know anything about one another and experienced an 'insta-love' instead. I think this is a really unfair view! Max fell for Anna because of the seven years of memories he has of her. This is something he references a lot, demonstrating how much he knows about her and the memories they shared. Anna, however, doesn't appear to know much about Max but definitely learns a lot about him throughout. Whilst her initial love-at-first-sight doesn't seem to be based on much, the seven years they 'spent together' is shown in their words, touches and the chemistry they share.
I've rated it as 4 but think 3.75 is more accurate :)
I had and amazing experience listening to this book. When you think you know how the story is going, the author gives us a curve ball, and everything turns even more interesting.
The narrators are amazing and give the book a fantastic experience.
It’s a book that will make you question the influence of your past on your decisions and being responsible for your decisions and your path.
Their passion is explosive, and the spicy scenes are strong and show the love of the characters.
And the epilogue is the sweetest thing.
Some of my favorite parts to think about:
“How could I see you if you were hiding?”
Do your experiences influence your soul or are you the same soul in every path you chose with your decisions.
“What do you do when all of your wishes come true?”
Would you give up all that you ever wanted for someone else happiness?
“Are all of our breaks what makes us beautiful?”
The story in more detail:
Max is a grumpy billionaire that doesn’t want or believe in love and despises the notion of passion.
Hannah is a dreamer that helps her mother and sister and works as a cleaner in Max’s house. Her life is not easy, her father died and her mother remarried and had her sister, then the father of the sister left them. So se is a dreamer that does not have good example of love.
Until… she finds a neckless and wishes for love, specifically Max’s love.
She goes to sleep and when se wakes up… she is living her wish..
Magic is all over the book and in their lives.
They are forced to live in this new alternative reality and star to get to know each other.
Se is a free spirit wanting the unexpected and he doesn’t like the unknown. She teaches him to embrace life. And we get to follow them through this journey.
He didn’t want love and promised to never love or have passion, but he wanted her to remind him of what could be is he allowed himself that.
Overall:
A book I would recommend if you like a sweet story that has some spice and that will definitely make you look into your live and try to find out the similarities with this character’s journey.
This book will not make you mad or overly sad, nor even laugh, it’s just thoughtful.
#Wished #NetGalley
Anna Benoit is like most of us, a hopeless romantic. She cleans for a living while daydreaming about the beautiful owner of the house she is cleaning. Love at first sight is the only way she can describe how she felt when she met Max Barone, one catch, he doesn't know her name.
Until one day she makes a wish, a whimsical fleeting wish on a beautiful necklace with an old note and everything changes.
They both wake up in a world that isn't what they think it should be, everyone around them thinks that they have been happily married for years. This is all she wished for, romance and passion. But is it?
This book was the cutest thing I have read in a long time! It warms you all over but also makes you think, if your every wish come true could you keep it? If you knew it wasn't real? It's a question of passion and love and choice.
I absolutely love that we only heard from Max a couple times as well because we only get creeps here and there building the most heart bubbling story. I feel like I listened to a Romcom from the early 2000s, a breathe of romance, happiness, and adventure.
The narrators did a lovely job of bringing me into the store, with a lovely cadence!
I was lucky enough to get the chance to listen to the audio version of this novel prior to release in order to provide an honest review! Thank you for the chance to go along with Anna and Max and follow their adventure!