Short Fiction: Review (Barbara Freethy)

dear readers,

(I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review)

A SECRET WISH

(Wish: Book 1 -novella)

Written by Barbara Freethy

genre: contemporary romance

3 STARS

It is the birthday of...Liz who is turning 30 years old and is still looking for love...Angie who is turning 35 years old and wants to be a mother...Carol who is turning 40 years old and is wondering where her life has gone.
Liz has been dumped by her longterm boyfriend, Kyle and is single again among her coupled friends.  She makes a wish to find someone to love her...and then meets a mysterious man on the roof of the hospital who takes her on an adventure.
Angie wants a quiet evening but comes home to a large surprise party thrown by her mother.  She has a great husband and job but is unable to have a child. When Colin says he does not want to try anymore Angie leaves her own party to think about her future. Her wish is to have a child and then she is mugged.
Carol has left her small town life and has been married to Blake for almost 20 years.  As she watched her politician husband flirt with another woman she leaves her own party.  She visits her mother whom she has not seen for 10 years. Carol wishes she was not alone...and is reunited with her ex-fiance.
I am not a big fan of novellas but have enjoyed past Freethy books so thought I would give it a shot when I see it on NetGalley.  It is only a 100+ pages but there is so much emotion packed into this short fiction.

JUST A WISH AWAY

(Wish: Book 2 - novella)

Written by Barbara Freethy
genre: contemporary romance

3 STARS

Braden and Alexa met the summer they were 10 and fell in love soon after. Before either could tell the other Alexa's parents divorce and her mother takes her from Sand Harbor and moves to the East coast. 15 years later...Bradon has come home from serving in the Army (after being injured in combat) and is trying to get over a divorce and what he will do next. Alexa has also returned when her Aunt Phoebe is attacked in her shop. Alexa and Bradon get together to investigate who attacked Phoebe and their own past.
Book 2 in the wish series is quite different then the first book. The only thing that ties them together is the theme of making wishes. This novel is about one couple and not just their journey for love and life but also a mystery. They try and find out who attacked Alexa's aunt and soon are drawn into the past and other mystery. I liked that when I finished this novella I was satisfied. It was only 100+ pages and yet I think it was well done. I will definitely read the third book slated for Summer 2013.

love,
kris