ONE WISH by Robyn Carr

Publisher:   Mira

Published:   February 24, 2015

ISBN:  978-0778317722

Genre:  Contemporary Romance, Women’s Fiction

Format:  Print – ARC

Obtained via:  Publisher through Publicist

Reviewed by name and email address:  Gina Gina@loveromancesandmorereviews.com

FIVE HEARTS

A decade or so ago Grace Dillon walked away from her life.  No, she didn’t actually change her identity and she wasn’t really in hiding.  Rather she gave up the trapping of being a famous figure skater.  The world knew her as the famous champion skater Izzy Banks.  Now she has a modest little flower shop in Thunder Point, Oregon where she has a world she only dreamt of.  She leads a quiet life, living above her shop making friends and living a pretty decent life.  Falling in love would be nice, but she’s not pounding the pavement looking for the love of her life.

Troy Headly is sort of kind of on the rebound.  For a long time he believed himself in love with Iris McKinley, a guidance counsellor at Thunder Point High where he teaches, but Iris recently married the man of her dreams, Seth Sileski.  Now he’s going along, enjoying his life and saving for his next trip to dive, ski or engage in whatever sport is available to him.  He met Grace a few times when she’d been hanging out with Iris.  Suddenly he finds himself enjoying Grace’s company more and more.  Given how serious Grace is, working pretty much 24/7 on her shop he appoints himself her “fun coach.”  But Troy soon finds it is Grace who is giving him so much more than a buddy to hang out and do things with.  He finds helping her with the shop, delivering flowers and just being with her makes him happy.  Just plain happy and content.  And then one day she has a delivery that could forever change their relationship.

When Grace’s mother appears on the scene she brings more than furs and champagne.  What Winnie brings to the table isn’t physical or tangible—it is something that could forever change Grace’s life.  With that change, will there be room for Troy?  And does Troy want to be part of that life.

I have enjoyed Robyn Carr’s Thunder Point series from the very first book, THE WANDERER and each one after.  When too long goes by without another book in the series I feel like I’m missing some long time, good friends.  Carr writes such wonderful complex and dynamic characters.  They are your basic, friendly, local type people.  People who could be your neighbours and you’d like to have as your friend.  They have their secrets and stories and could be the same stories your friends have.  In this most recent Thunder Point book, ONE WISH, Carr opens up a subject that we all will face in some form or other in our lives.  What happens with Winnie and how Grace reacts will give you pause on how you might handle the same situation—whether you are in Grace or Winnie’s position.  It is heart-breaking yet at the same time so filled with the kind of hope and resolution I’ve found in all of Carr’s books. 

There are laughs and tears.  There are a few memorable quips such as when Iris says “I guess we know what we were all doing the first week of April.” 

As much as I enjoyed the earlier books in this series, I think ONE WISH is by far the best – and that is saying a lot because they are all so good.  This is one you do not want to miss. t go back through the story to implement it. 

This is an objective review and not an endorsement of this book.