A bit cliche and nothing new in terms of concept. But I do love a good friends to lovers. The cover is gorgeous and the characters were okay. I wanted more from this book, the plot was all over the place and a little slow in terms of pace for most of the book. I did enjoy the last 20%. Overall, a good contemporary romance, but not my cup of tea.

long-time best friends to lovers that's full of miscommunications. "A gorgeous and uplifting romcom"? i beg to differ. there's no comedy to begin with. the mood was somber from the beginning, since Natalia and Ethan had already developed feelings for each other. the yearning is THICK in the air.

the story mainly happens during a day, which is the day of senior class camping event, with occasional flashbacks. Natalia as the student body president is the organizer of this event. but just when the event started, the chaperone teacher suggested that they write a lion letter which could contain secret confession that they wouldn't dare to tell anyone, to be put in a bottle and then burned at the closing of the event. later Natalia regretted her letter and wanted to take it back... but they're camping near the beach and it was windy, so she accidentally fumbled other letters that immediately flew everywhere. she lost some but determined to find them all before other students find them.

the good point, the setting imagery is crystal clear and beautiful. the characters were fine too. but God i couldn't stand the miscommunications false-assumptions, and jump-into-conclusions. also it's weird how Natalia couldn't find a single missing letter anywhere even though she's actively looking for them, but the bullies managed to find some. ok it was necessary for the plot but what's the odds? also Rainn deserved better!!!! poor guy was the true selfless hero:'

thankfully the ending was decent. glad they sorted it out. wouldn't reread it, tho. oh there's a lot of subtle references to Taylor Swift's songs & lyrics because apparently the author is a Swiftie haha.

📖 - I Wish You Would
✍🏻 - Eva Des Lauriers
⭐ - 4.25
🌶️ - 1

ARC book review -
Thank you, NetGalley and Bonnier Books UK, for this gifted e-ARC of I Wish You Would.

This is Eva Des Lauriers's debut book, and I have to say that I fell hard for Ethan and Natalia's love story during their journey in 'I Wish You Would'. Additionally, this book reminds me of 'All American', a TV show that is set in a school, such as the setting of this story, which is Liberty High. As a 23-year-old, I could honestly relate to what both Ethan and Natalia were going through in Eva's plot. I can wholeheartedly say that everything that transpired in this book is what teenagers and young adults go through in their lives when trying to see if a relationship with your best friend in the end could be right for you. 

Eva's writing throughout her debut book was easy to understand and flowy among her plot of the story that she was crafting in 'I Wish You Would'. Moreover, I'd say that the characters that were created by Eva in her book can be compared from the perspective of each unique way one sees them. I believe that all of them were needed in the story in order for the plot to move along and for the catalyst of the story to progress in the way that it did in the end. I'll be looking forward to reading more future books from Eva down the road from her.

You'd enjoy I Wish You Would if you like:
Best friends to lovers
Summer romance
Miscommunication
Second chance

I Wish You Would is a quick and easy YA debut set within a day. I found this to be a really fun and cute read that I finished in a day. I have to say if you do not like a miscommunication trope this is really not the book for you. I did find this book frustrating at times I overall enjoyed this and thought it made a great debut.

This book was such a fun cute read. The two main characters were very relatable and loveable. It felt quite summery as well with it being mainly based at the beach.

This story was based over the course of one day and it involved; first loves, self discovery, miscommunication, confessions, friendships and of course romance.

Overall it was a quick, enjoyable, fun read and I’d definitely look for more by this author. I highly recommend for lovers of Ann Liang, Michelle Quach and Laura Taylor Namey.

This book had me smiling from page one with the letter to the reader and the encouragement to face your fears, and honestly it was that warm fuzzy feelings right to the end. It’s been a long time since I’ve read a YA novel, with truly YA characters and storyline and I had forgotten just how beautiful it can be. The innocence and hope that the characters have, the huge feelings their experiencing, the anxiety over their futures and how much impact small decisions now could have. It truly was such a delight to read.

Our two main characters Natalia and Ethan are endearing, sweet and just a little bit frustrating (as all excellently written characters should be!). They felt real, honest and raw. Their back stories were given in such a way that I felt like we’d known them for ages. In fact the entire cast and storyline felt like it was a beautiful culmination to an entire series that had come before, but that I’d not missed a single moment of it.

The storyline itself is short and sweet, in the best way possible. It predominantly happens over the course of less than 24hrs, with a selection of flashbacks throughout the book. I consumed it in a matter of days (only delayed by leaving the book at home by accident when I was out!), it truly could be a perfect one sitting read.

I loved the message behind the storyline, the reminder that life is scary, but that everyone is fighting battles and everyone has secrets, but sometimes you just need to be brave like a lion.

I think this is a book I’ll think about for a long time to come, and recommend to anyone looking for a sweet enjoyable read that just leaves you with a smile on your face and a little tiny bit more bravery in your heart.

I really enjoyed this book, it was really close to a 5 star read for me. I loved the main character, Natalia, and I found her so relatable and of course Ethan was so loveable as well. I could feel their love for each other the whole time. I also really appreciated the LGBTQIA+ representation in this novel.
In this romance novel, we follow Natalia and Ethan over the course of one day, their Senior Sunrise. We learn about their love in the past, present and future. I think that's all you need to know because trust me, it's a delightful read that I just couldn't put down.

This was a lovely little breath of fresh air, as it was an easy going YA debut! Natalia and Ethan’s story was enjoyable throughout the short time frame in which it was set, and seeing the transition from friends to lovers is always a treat. Some moments were cliche but it’s a YA romance novel so I was more than willing to participate and they worked well within the story, and it just emphasised the love that the two of them have for each other. A truly precious romance, and a bingeable debut!

3.5

This is a cute YA romance, taking place over 24 hours, with dual POV of Natalia and Ethan. They're best friends, whose friendship completely changed 2 and a half months ago - and they haven't spoken since then, until now: Senior Sunrise, an overnight camping trip on the beach with their class, where everyone must put a message in a bottle of what they would do were they braver.

The miscommunication in here is RIFE - literally everything that happened in this book could have been resolved if they had just had a conversation. However, they are teenagers, they're awkward, they both have a lot going on in their personal lives, and so I will forgive them a bit (even if miscommunication is my least favourite trope EVER). The characters are nuanced and I liked seeing how complex they were, and this was very well-written - I was invested, I was immersed, and I deeply wanted Ethan and Natalia to end up together. It's a light, easy read and perfect for summer!

I Wish You Would Read This Story. It’s messy. Adorable. So vividly written! AND includes one of my favorite tropes: friends to lovers!

i loved this book so much and it was everything a YA romance should be!
its a perfect summer book about a second chance romance and the chaos that miscommunication can have in young friendship groups.
the book absorbs you quickly from the start with dual povs and is set over the course of a day/night (apart from the prologue & epilogue) so you're quickly engaged with the plot.
this is Eva Des Lauriers debut novel and i will definitely be reading whatever she releases next as really enjoyed her style!

This was cute and wholesome but I found myself getting so frustrated with the characters! Please just communicate with each other!

If you enjoy a low-stakes teen romance this is definitely for you but I think I ultimately needed something with a bit more substance.

Also, the painting and colour analogies were very distracting!

This is exactly what i want in a ya romance book. The tension!! I love how it spans over just one day and it’s for a school event! School events like this is exactly what I wished I had during my school years, alas covid took that away :( but this book made me feel like i was actually there with the characters. I love this book!

Ethan and Natalia are two best friends who break a pact they make during their prom night. Tension ensues and the two avoid each other all summer which eventually culminates in Senior Sunrise - a social organised by the select committee of students which Ethan and Natalia also attend, to mark the beginning of their senior year in school. The students all take a trip to the beach, are encouraged by teachers to write private letters in which they write down their fears/aspirations for the year and eventually burn these in a bonfire before daybreak the next day. It is meant as a moment of reflection; only when a mishap means 7 of the letters are released from the box where they're kept - it's a ticking time bomb for Natalia as president of the committee to try and locate them, which won't be the easiest task given the open landscape of the beach, and return them safely before other students find them! Although anonymous, the student body has it's own share of gossips - what secrets will be revealed if the letters are found and read aloud?

This book captures dilemmas which young adults can all face at some point, teens/young adults on the brink of their senior year dealing with the world as they know it changing. For some, that could be facing personal upheaval when parents are separating, for others it could be difficulty coming out to your peers, maybe working harder than most to fit into your school or the desire to pursue arts over academics and a pressure with "choosing" the latter.

The author dealt with sensitive issues beautifully, it really felt targeted towards a younger audience but every sub-plot concluded on a kind, empathetic note. Such wise words may not be forthcoming in the real world, and in those moments, this book felt like a warm hug. Young readers may feel they are being placed in difficult situations all the time in their lives, bullying n the form of toxic parenting or toxic friendships etc. This book addresses those scenarios and the ending note is a silver lining filled with promise and hope. The book strongly promotes diversity and inclusion, not forcing it with a stereotype; but as a true representation of the society we see around us today.

I found it so easy to be consumed by this story over the last few days, the writing ebbed and flowed wonderfully, there was nothing jarring or complicated about the storyline itself - the structure of revealing the contents of the letters within different stages of the book kept things interesting as a way to show the concerns faced by the main characters, each character was depicted convincingly. There could possibly have been more character development for me personally to flesh out the story further, especially towards the end, however, perhaps it is fitting for the target audience/YA read. Ethan and Natalia's chemistry/the trajectory of their tale and the moments they shared were beautiful, the side characters/friendships were equally gorgeous, special mention to Sienna (and her relationship with Letti was cute too). The emphasis on the importance of education and arts in all its various forms was *chef's kiss* - be it Natalia with her painting/sketching or Sienna with her math and Ethan with his statistics, I just loved seeing how they perceive and interpreted the world around them in their own way. Kids should never be made to feel bad about what they're good at and what language they express themselves best in.

What you can expect:

- Friends to Lovers
- dual POV
- 24 hour romance
- Miscommunication trope
- LQBTQ+ representation
- Trigger Warnings* - adultery, sexual harassment, sexual content, bullying, alcohol, gaslighting, misgendering, panic attacks.

I would rate 4 - 4.5 stars - looking forward to more from this author!

Thank you Netgalley, Bonnier Books UK and Eva Des Lauriers for the advanced copy of the book in exchange for an honest, unedited review!

This is one of the best YA romances I have read in a while. It made me cry, laugh and squeal all at the same time.

4 🌟 this was really cutee, friends to lovers, mutual pining !! and loved the dual povs!! and overall vibes was really nice too and concept of the letters! very fast paced and good storyline and characters were all likeable even the side characters! there is miscommunication which is frustrating but also that made it more realistic and it was also dealt with so it was good read overall.

I liked this book, but I could've strangled the two main characters! Ethan and Natalia were good characters, and I enjoyed their natural banter, but the miscommunication about prom night kinda annoyed me. I did like how Natalia described how she was feeling by creating paintings/drawings in her mind. That was a really nice visual I could imagine whilst reading. I did enjoy this book and thought it was quite a sweet YA once they actually talked through their feelings and problems.

tropes: Bestfriends-to-lovers, ya.

This was a really good book, it was easy to read and enjoyable. I definitely want to buy a physical copy.

This was very well written. It was fast paced, and despite the fact that it took place within twenty four hours (pretty much), it wasn't rushed - it felt very in depth and fleshed out and it allowed you to connect to the characters and the storyline was really easy to follow.

I really liked both of our main characters, they were likeable but also flawed like normal people. I also like the side characters, the friend group was really cute.

- Thankyou Net Galley and Bonnier Books UK for the eARC! -

I loved so much the premise of this book. It was such a cool concept (I wish they did cool things like this when I was in HS) I also loved that it was set over one day, some of my fave books have that setting but unfortunately I just ended up not loving this at all. I found the main female character annoying and a lot of the side characters/storylines too. I think the flow/pace of the writing style was off for me too but I will say it felt very very reminiscent of The Summer I Turned Pretty style of writing, which I didn’t love either but I know it is so popular so if you loved those books then I would definitely give this a go as I do genuinely think you’ll enjoy it a lot as there are a lot of similarities in style (not story though)

I really liked the sound of this novel; I haven’t read enough YA romance recently.
‘I Wish you Would’ explores the classic ‘best friends to lovers’ trope through the POV of both the main characters, Ethan and Natalia. I like the way Eva Des Lauriers constructed these characters- they were both convincing as troubled and vulnerable as well as being fiercely loyal and protective of what they cared about.
At times the miscommunication between the characters - and not just the two protagonists- became a little repetitive and frustrating but it still kept me engaged and invested.
I enjoyed this novel and I would recommend it to anyone wantjng a sweet, summer romance read.
Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this.