Do you ever wonder about those that you were close to, after you drift apart? What if they left little messages every year? Michelle Adams explores both of these questions in her heartbreaking new book, Little Wishes.
First of all, I love the idea of leaving little notes for the other to find as that’s super cute and I’d love that myself! Secondly, would you investigate when they stop all of a sudden? I absolutely would! I love this premise so much and I wish more books had this.
Whilst those little notes (or wishes) were tender, we also have heartbreak where Elizabeth finds that Tom is terminally ill. This actually made me cry. Elizabeth is headstrong, but also cares tremendously and is willing to grant all the wishes Tom left for her. With the flashbacks, we see Tom as a young and fragile man who saved Elizabeth’s mum from drowning in water. This is where Elizabeth meets Tom and has had an attraction to him since, despite being engaged.
The story swung between the past and present in a way that made sense logically and story-wise, and it made me feel a connection to the story that may have not been there otherwise. The writing was well suited to the tone of the book, and it matched the imperfect events and characters, even though they are near realistic, and I do love that in a good contemporary. I also really enjoyed the full suite of emotions that were used, and it really felt like this one was written from Adams’ heart!
I enjoyed the double trope presented in this book, both the fate/star-crossed lovers trope as well as the missed/second chance trope. Both were executed really well, and it didn’t make the book feel cheesy at all! I was also really glad the tropes weren’t presented as cheesy because it would’ve taken the meaning away from the book. It also kind of felt a little bit like Romeo and Juliet, with the parents not liking Tom and Elizabeth hanging out with each other.
Both Tom and Elizabeth were both found to be likeable characters to me, in their own special ways. Tom wasn’t giving up on his love for Elizabeth, which is admirable; whereas Elizabeth was more nurturing and showed her heartbrokenness after Tom left. May I add, that 49 years of wishes sent from Tom shows determination and a willingness to connect, and I seriously cannot believe that Elizabeth snubbed him for that long! Speaking of characters, seeing the characters’ lives collide was fantastic with Alice (Tom’s daughter) slowly warming up to Elizabeth, even though most of what she knew was from Tom’s tales. I also enjoyed reading about Elizabeth’s daughter, and how they all interconnect. It was great to see all of the characters in the book end up questing to make up for lost time, and dare I say, they all have been given a second chance!
One of my favourite things about this book was that it was easy to follow through the different time points, and how the characters felt, making it one of the easiest contemporaries I’ve read recently. The characters were likeable, and the storyline was definitely one that evoked many emotions, but that also made me cry at times! This is book that is for anyone who’s looking for a sweet missed/second chance romance contemporary, but just be sure to have tissues with you when you read this one!
Little Wishes is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore, as of November 17th 2020.
Will you be picking up Little Wishes? Tell us in the comments below!
Synopsis | Goodreads
“A story of love long postponed but never forgotten, Little Wishes is a tale to be treasured. Michelle’s Adam’s lovely, luminous writing is a beacon that draws readers closer and brings them home to the lasting truths about life and love.” —Marie Bostwick, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of The Restoration of Celia Fairchild
For anyone who loves One Day in December and Me Before You, a sweeping love story, written with tenderness, warmth, and a generosity of spirit, about first love and second chances, a lifelong dream and finding the courage to follow your heart.
On her favorite day of the year, Elizabeth Davenport awakens in her cottage on the wild and windy Cornish coast, opens her front door, and discovers a precious gift: the small blue crocus and a note that begins I Wish . . . They are not signed, but she knows they’ve been left by her first and truest love, Tom Hale. Each of these precious missives convey a simple wish for something they had missed, and the life they might have shared. She has kept them all.
But on this day, what should have been the fiftieth anniversary of their falling in love, the gift fails to arrive. Could something have happened to Tom? Elizabeth has always been plagued by thoughts of “what if?”. Propelled by worry and decades of pent up longing, Elizabeth packs a little suitcase, leaves Porthsennenon, and journeys to London . . . to find the love of her life once again, years after circumstances forced them apart.
Finding him, Elizabeth is faced with the desperate knowledge that any time they might have now is running out. Never before had she thought that she might truly lose time—forever. And now, knowing that life is too short, Elizabeth vows to fulfill as many of Tom’s wishes as she can. Yet she fears that her efforts may expose the shameful secret that, until now, has kept them apart.
Can she continue to hide the truth, or will she have the courage to reveal herself completely and finally make their dreams come true—before it’s too late?
