For Anna, love at first sight is for real. She knew it the first time she saw Max Barone. But Anna cleans his house and he's the heir to a jewelry empire. So while she was pining for him and hopelessly in live, he didn't know she existed. Until she made a wish... And woke up married to Max and living in a world where everyone else believed she was married to Max. Now that Anna has what she wished for, is it really what she wants?

"Wished" was an enchanting story with plenty of romance and a little bit of magic. I had not read the previous books in this series, but plan to now that I have read "Wished"!

4.5 stars

Thank You to NetGalley, Sarah Ready, and Swift & Lewis Publishing for the advance copy of the audiobook of <b>Wished</b>. This book will be published October 1, 2024 and is part of a series but reads well as a stand-alone book. While there are 2 narrators (Amanda Ronconi and Will Watt), the story is mainly told from Anna’s POV.

This is my first book by this author, and I loved her fun take on the Cinderella wish fulfillment story. I especially liked the little bit of what I though was a Freaky Friday kind of feel for a portion of the story at the beginning. It’s a fun romantic comedy with several very steam scenes, akin to authors like Lucy Score or Tessa Bailey. It hits several tropes – billionaire romance and insta-love.

Things I really liked about the book: the descriptiveness. I felt like I was in France and Switzerland. I could see the chateau and the town. This type of book makes me want to see it turned into a movie or series. It is just so visual.

I have read the whole series. This book just didn't start out as strong for me. I think maybe there wasn't as much interaction between Max and Anna before the "magic" part kicked in. But once we hit the third act (so to speak), I was hit with all the emotions. That's what I was looking for!

The book starts out with Anna working for a maid service and cleaning Max's house. As is so often the case, Anna may as well have been invisible as far as the notice she got from Max. She on the other hand, has been attracted to him for about three years. Then she wakes up and finds that everyone believes that the two of them have been married for seven years. It could be a totally wonderful thing, or it could be very, very bad for Max and Anna. Ready really does hit you with all the emotions toward the end of the book and it made my heart take off.

I switched between the audio and the e-book version of Wished. The narration done by Amanda Ronconi and Will Watt was superb. It was a treat to listen to.

Thanks to the author, Swift and Lewis Publishing and NetGalley for the copies of the book. All thoughts are my own.

I've been faithfully following this Ghosted series and was excited to see another installment. Sadly, though, each book turns me off a bit more. Neither Anna nor Max really pulled me in (which was disappointed because I was so excited for Max to finally get his own story!). Their courtship seemed a little to straightforward with them just accepting what happened and where they were going. Even the paranormal element felt a bit old hat this time around.

Sarah Ready is an amazing author, and I don't want to completely put down this book. It was easy listening, the narrator was lovely, and it was well established so that the plot flowed. I guess I was just looking for a little more substance?

Overall: 3 stars (I liked it)

**Thank you to NetGalley & Swift & Lewis Publishing, LLC | Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), Members' Audiobooks for the free ALC. All opinions expressed are my own.**

I was so excited to read this book. The idea was so interesting, and I loved the concept. However, I felt a bit let down by the ending because it seemed to rush through everything. I was rooting for a different ending.

I really liked Anna as a character; she was so easily likable. Max was a little harder to connect with at first, but by the end, I found myself rooting for both of them to end up together. Being invested in the characters and their journey is important to me when reading romance books, and I’m glad I got that by the end.

The paranormal elements added a fun twist to the plot, bringing in humor and intrigue. It made the book even more enjoyable, and it was just in general a joy to see how the mix of paranormal and romance unfolded. I also really enjoy Ready's writing style and the narrator.

While the ending wasn't it for me, the characters and the humor of the story kept me entertained. I am looking forward to reading more from this author in the future.

3 stars
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I've really enjoyed reading the books in the Ghosted series, however I really struggled to connect with this one. I wasn't a fan of the premise per se and I didn't love the MCs. I don't think the female narrator did it any favors either. I don't know... both the plot and the pacing felt discombobulated. Overall, not my favorite. Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for an ARC and an ALC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Thank you to NetGalley and Swift & Lewis Publishing for the opportunity to read Wished by Sarah Ready Narrated by Amanda Ronconi and Will Watt in exchange for my honest review.

Wished follows Anna, a hopeless romantic who believes in "The One" and love at first sight. She’s been in love with Max Barone, a wealthy jewelry empire owner, even though he doesn’t even know she exists. After making a wish, Anna finds herself in an alternate reality where she and Max have been happily married for years. What follows is a whirlwind romance filled with passion, fantasy, and the fulfillment of Anna’s deepest desires.

While the premise sounds charming and fun, I found the story rushed and lacking in genuine chemistry between Anna and Max. The insta-love trope left little room for tension or meaningful character development. The instant connection between Anna and Max felt forced and unbelievable. The fact that 70% of the story takes place over just one day limits the characters, and the readers, to get to know each other.
Max felt like a cookie-cutter rich character—pining over another woman for the first third of the book. Anna, though sweet, came off as immature. Her actions and reactions felt more YA, which made things cringy when you hit the more adult themes of the story.

That said, the author’s descriptions of Geneva and Paris were beautifully written, revealing a genuine love for architecture and the cities themselves. These vivid settings added some much-needed depth to the story and transported me to these romantic locations. Additionally, the audiobook narrators, Amanda Ronconi and Will Watt, did a fantastic job bringing the characters to life. They significantly improved the reading experience, and without their performance, I may have dnf’d the book.

In the end, Wished is a light, easy read, great for a summer beach day. While I wouldn’t recommend it for readers who prefer more romantic development, fans of quick, dreamy love stories might still find it enjoyable.

“I was wrong. There weren’t two choices in love, one side calm turquoise expanse and the other a tumultuous sea. There are infinite choices in love. It’s a river of light, sparkling in millions of different variations and we get to experience each and every one of them” A wish upon an ancient necklace unfolds a dream come true. But what you wish not always is what you get. Anna and Max’s story is magical, tough, sad and happy, and so much more if they are able to really find their true.
I’ve only listened to Sarah Ready’s books and, the moment you start the story, her words, her imagination envelops you and make you feel all the feelings unraveling. Amanda Ronconi and Will Watt make an excellent job with an amazing story.

Wished is the latest installment of the Ghosted series by Sarah Ready. I very much enjoyed the previous stories and was looking forward to this one but it fell a bit flat for me. Perhaps because I am not a fan of instalove/instalust in a story - I didn't feel connected to the characters. The narrators did a great job and I'd still recommend giving this a read/listen as part of the series.. but it wasn't my favourite! Perhaps the tropes are more suited to other readers.

Thank you to Swift & Lewis Publishing, LLC | Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), Members' Audiobooks for this ALC.

3.5⭐, 2.75🌶️

Soooo, I have loved the Ghosted Series. Every book is so unique and fun, and as a girl that isn't super into fantasy and magic, these magical realism romances are so fun! Anna and Max were so fun, and entering this book, I loved how chaotic the "magic" plot is for both of the characters. I loved the premise of wishes made, and was excited to see the plot develop and how they would truly fall in love...but alas. The insta lust of this book wasn't for me. And the falling in love plot over and over was odd. I think or me we didnt get to know Anna at all before the magic kicked in, so her already loving Max felt very off. In total, I couldn't fall in love with the love because i blinked and it was there.

I greatly enjoyed the audiobook - Amanda Ronconi and Will Watt were great for the two characters! AND I had 0 cringey listening moments which was great. Overall, maybe this books tropes didn't land FOR ME, but I still enjoyed it, and this series is one I will continue to recommend!

Thank you NetGalley and Swift & Lewis Publishing, LLC for an ALC and eARC of this book in exchange for my honest and unpaid review!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the Arc of this book.

I enjoyed the premise of this book and for the most part I enjoyed the story itself. I think that it went on just a little too long. I lost interest about 75% through. But I pushed through and in the end I think the lessons that the main character learned were good.

𝓷𝓪𝓻𝓻𝓪𝓽𝓸𝓻(𝓼): Amanda Ronconi + Will Watt
𝓵𝓮𝓷𝓰𝓽𝓱: 9hrs 36min
𝓽𝓪𝓰𝓼: magical realism, cozy romance, fantasy
𝓻𝓮𝓵𝓮𝓪𝓼𝓮 𝓭𝓪𝓽𝓮: October 1, 2024
𝓻𝓪𝓽𝓲𝓷𝓰: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
𝓶𝔂 𝓽𝓱𝓸𝓾𝓰𝓱𝓽𝓼:

So I’ve seen this author around but just haven’t had time to read any of her books.
Then this one popped up on NG and I requested it and lo and behold, I got approved!
Absolutely ADORABLE.

Max Barone is a wealthy man who owns a jewelry empire and Anna Benoit is the cleaning lady of his chateau.
And she fell head over heels for the enigmatic man from the moment she saw him.
A magical necklace and a twist of fate sends this spunky woman into a new world…a world that drags Max into it as well.
Watching these two fall in love?
Absolutely swoon—worthy.
SO romantic.

The twists were unexpected and fantastic.
Such a fun and unique tell of wishes and the consequences of them.
The morality had so much depth and the love was tangible.
Definitely a FAVORITE read/listen of 2024.
I’m serious, y’all.
I’m fairly obsessed with this one!

And you bet I’m going to read more of Sarah’s books now!

𝙄 𝙧𝙚𝙘𝙚𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙙 𝙖 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙥𝙡𝙞𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙖𝙧𝙮 𝙘𝙤𝙥𝙮 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙖𝙪𝙙𝙞𝙤𝙗𝙤𝙤𝙠. 𝘼𝙡𝙡 𝙧𝙚𝙫𝙞𝙚𝙬𝙨 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙢𝙮 𝙤𝙬𝙣.

**review to be posted on Amazon and social media very soon!**

This book was not my favorite from sarah but still so adorable and i loved how they fell in love. loved this.

We are finally getting Max’s story! This one was one of my favorites in this standalone series! I don’t want to give anything away but I wasn’t sure how this was going to work out!! Sarah does it again with a great story line that keeps you intrigued until the end! I love Sarah’s magical realism stories. I hope she keeps writing in this genre! The narrators were great as well!

*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for granting early access to this book*

What started out as quite a confusing story turned into such a brilliant love story!

I was sort of half in half out with the ‘I wanted to be a genie when I grow up’ but when Anna found a wish granting necklace & wished to be married to the man who’s house she’s been cleaning for the past 3 years … and woke up married to him & the both of them being the only ones that remembered the reality… I was hooked!

I love that he had all of these memories of her from their manufactured life and they worked together to find out if they were true. Anna and Max were so sweet together and I really enjoyed Max’s character development from grumpy & not believing in passion, to someone that loves freely and openly and his relationship with Anna did that for him!

When they reverse the wish and want to know what it’s like without the ‘magic’ binding them, the twist is that Max had actually wished to know what it’s like to love without restraint… and then she went to great lengths to un-wish that as she thought it was the second part of her wish that had trapped him... and then wait do they even remember each other?!

This book will give you romance, spice, a few twists & turns & the HEA that we all love 🩷 really enjoyed it.

I love the uniqueness of each read by Sarah Ready. Wished falls in line with the other beautifully crafted stories I've read by Ready, and they always make me feel so fulfilled and satisfied at the end. Ready has a way with creating a world and building it up to where you feel like you are part of it, and then taking you through the rollercoaster of life each character faces. The storylines are always so different, and Wished did not disappoint. This was a beautifully written masterpiece, and I cannot wait to indulge in the next piece by Sarah Ready.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review. Highly, highly recommended!

In this 4th book of the "ghosted" series by Max finally gets his Happily Ever After and I couldn't be more delighted!! I squealed!
I went with the audio version and although good, I honestly think this would have been absolutely wonderful as a "duet" and not a "dual" narration.
Yet another wonderful paranormal, magical romance by this talented author.

Thank you Netgalley, author and publisher for the opportunity to read/listen to this captivating book.

A fun twist on When He Was Sleeping; charming, a little bittersweet, and incredibly romantic.
The narrators were amazing and really brought this fairytale to life!
I like how this book explored both the highs and lows of having your wildest dreams come true. Wished doesn't shy away from showing the cons and how Anna's wish being granted isn't necessarily the happily ever after she imagined for herself and those she loves.
I felt like the world building was somewhat tenuous and clunky where the magic of the wish was explained by the MC as if a fact rather than merely her speculations. Also not a big fan of the missed connections and miscommunication tropes. But overall, I had a great time listening to Wished and would recommend it for those looking for a magical, escapist romance.

3.75 out of 5 stars

I went into this book with minimal expectations, but it turned out to be a pleasant surprise. I was in the mood for something light and heart-fluttering, and this story delivered just that. The blend of fantasy and realism worked well, and the playful banter between the characters had me smiling throughout. The fast-paced romance set against detailed European backdrops, especially Paris, was easy to imagine, and the spice level was just right—steamy, but not overdone.

That said, the audiobook narration didn't quite hit the mark for me. The male narrator's exaggerated tone, especially in the prologue, felt off and didn’t suit the character, while the female narrator sounded robotic during the steamy scenes. Despite that, I enjoyed the book overall and would recommend it to anyone in the mood for a feel-good, easy read with just the right amount of romance.

I received the audiobook arc for this book, and I highly encourage listening to the audiobook. This is my third arc by Sarah Ready in this series, and this one continues to deliver. This story follows a young woman who has fallen in love at first sight and how she makes a wish for a whole different life. The male main character is a grumpy businessman who learns new things about himself as the story progresses. This story was a quick but fun listen!