Book Review: The Wish List by Michelle Major

For some families, a Christmas reunion is like a feel-good movie. For Beth Carlyle, it might be more of a disaster epic. Her ex-husband’s new girlfriend is already pregnant. Her self-absorbed, bestselling author mother recently suffered a stroke and has summoned Beth’s sisters, Freya and Trinity—neither of whom even seem to like Beth very much—back to Magnolia. Beth’s so lonely and stressed that she spills her guts to a stranger, wondering why the handsome newcomer affects her so deeply. Reality TV star Freya deliberately forged a career that would upset her mother, who’s always been as brilliant as the sun…and just as distant. Now a handsome literary agent is making Freya dream of a different life. As for Trinity, she just wants to start over after leaving an abusive relationship and make a future for her and her baby.

It’ll be a Christmas like no other in Magnolia. But the Carlyle sisters might find they have more in common than their shared past—and that the holidays are made for second chances.

There are two things I really love. A holiday story and a busy story. You get both with The Wish List. This is the story of three sisters. That's the busy part. The story of these three sisters is a pretty sad one. I will say that I have some things that bugged me about the story but the way the author handled each sister and gave them equal time is really good. Trinty's story is the only one not finished. But she gets her own story in a novella. 

First, I'll start with Beth. She said in the family's hometown with their mother while her two younger sisters took off and had their own lives. She spent most of her childhood taking care of said sisters only to be treated pretty badly by them. They took it out on her that their mother didn't really care about them. Her life isn't a great one she married and divorced, and her ex is having a baby. When her mother has a stroke and summons her sister's home, she hoping this is her chance to start a new life somewhere else. 

I loved how strong she had to be, but I felt it was kind of weird that we spent most of her romance story with her telling Declan that she was leaving town. I understand her feelings, but it took away from the romance for me. I felt at times she was a broken record. And maybe she is broken Living the way she did has to have some blowback. 

I couldn't stand Freya for most of her story. She blames everyone for her unfortunate life but herself.  She spent so much of her time hating her sister Beth for nothing and shows how much she hasn't grown up. It took me a bit of time to warm up to her, but I finally was about to. I liked her with Greer even if she didn't at first trust him. 

You get part of Trinty's story just not the whole thing. I like how worried she was about having a baby on her own. She worried that she might be like her mother and without help she was really worried. Her sisters promise to help, and she has Ash from next door to talk with. 

I was glad that as a family they talked and worked things out. I can't say I will every like May their mother and she should have gone to prison for child neglect. Those girls deserved so much more from a mother, 

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