Author: Nicholas Sparks
Publisher: 28th September 2021 by Hachette Australia
Pages: 387 pages
How I Read It: ARC book
Genre: romance, contemporary, women’s fiction
My Rating: 5 cups
Synopsis:
1996 was the year that changed everything for Maggie Dawes. Sent away at sixteen to live with an aunt she barely knew in Ocracoke, a remote village on North Carolina’s Outer Banks, she could think only of the friends and family she left behind . . . until she meets Bryce Trickett, one of the few teenagers on the island. Handsome, genuine, and newly admitted to West Point, Bryce gradually shows her how much there is to love about the wind-swept beach town—and introduces her to photography, a passion that will define the rest of her life.
By 2019, Maggie is a renowned travel photographer. She splits her time between running a successful gallery in New York and photographing remote locations around the world. But this year she is unexpectedly grounded over Christmas, struggling to come to terms with a sobering medical diagnosis. Increasingly dependent on a young assistant, she finds herself becoming close to him.
As they count down the last days of the season together, she begins to tell him the story of another Christmas, decades earlier—and the love that set her on a course she never could have imagined.
My Thoughts
“It’s a strange thing to know the end is so imminent,” she admitted. “It gives rise to a lot of questions. Makes a person wonder what it’s all about. Sometimes I feel that I’ve led a charmed life, but then, in the next instant, I find myself obsessing over the things I missed out on.”
How special it is to have a book sit with you not only whilst you are lost in its pages, but also during and even after the book is complete. The Wish, I would say, is vintage Nicholas Sparks and here he offers a wonderful story - so grab a cuppa and bring along some tissues … just in case ;)
Sixteen year old Maggie’s life changes when she goes to live with her aunt on a remote island off the coast of North Carolina called Ocracoke. Here she meets Bryce and together they not only become friends but he introduces her to the art of photography which will shape the rest of her life.
Skip forward 23 years and Maggie is now a famous travel photographer who has travelled to many magical locations worldwide and shares a viewing gallery in New York. Yet a devastating medical diagnosis grounds her in the US and necessitates the hiring of some extra assistance to help supervise the gallery. In the days leading up to Christmas, Maggie and the new assistant build a friendship where she regales some of her past - especially that time on the island so long ago.
This is a special story and delivers on all fronts. Yes, it is heartbreaking (this is Nicholas Sparks remember!) but it is also full of hope and love. Nicholas cleverly delivers a story format he has used in the past - dual time narrative - and it works well with this particular scenario. He writes beautifully of Maggie and, as a reader, you simply want her to savour it all, find joy where she can and with little regret - whether it be with the 16 or near 40 year old Maggie. Her story is sure to touch your heart. There are other characters that will also endear themselves to you through this emotional tale of family expectations, lives loved and lost.
I most definitely recommend this story for when you just want to lose yourself in classic Nicholas Sparks sentiment with a cup of steaming tea and tissues close by.
‘It’s important to remember that none of us is perfect. Everyone makes mistakes. All we can do is try to be the best version of ourselves as we move forward. In this case, if he asks, you can tell the truth, or you can lie. I suppose it comes down to the kind of person you want to see when you look in the mirror.’
This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.
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