One wish can change everything.This year when Jessica Martinson-Canton blows out eleven candles on her homemade vegan cake, she makes the same wish she’s made for as many birthdays as she can remember: she wants a mother.Jessica’s father Phil has worked his entire life to create a more stable childhood for his daughter than he had with his unwed teenaged mother. When his wife left him and their … left him and their newborn daughter in their most vulnerable hour, Phil pledged to give his baby everything. His parents have reunited and are working hard to create a supportive extended family, but rainbow pancakes and princess murals can’t heal the dark void left in Phil’s heart which he won’t even admit is there.
Mallory O’Connell leaves her dream job in a big city to return home to help her fiercely independent mother recover from tragedy. After forming a unique bond with Jessica—and a friendship with Jessica’s hot father—Mallory finds that in coming back to Stonehill she might just have found a way to make all of her dreams come true. But as their families push Phil and Mallory together, old insecurities and Phil’s worst fears threaten to break up the happy trio and catch Jessica in the emotional crossfire.
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Jessica Martinson-Canton is celebrating her eleventh birthday, and has only one wish. Jessica was born with Down Syndrome, and her mother left when she was an infant. Although, her grandmother, Kara, has been in her life, it’s not the same as all the other girls who have moms.
Phil Martinson-Canton, who is Jessica’s father, has no plans for the immediate future to be involved with anyone. He doesn’t want to bring just anyone into their lives, he wants to make sure the woman will love Jessica; as much as him. Phil grew up without a father, and when his wife left, it opened a wound wider. When his mother, points out that Jessica is a preteen and needs someone other than him to connect with.
Mallory O’Connell, a graphic designer, moves back to Stonehill from California. Her mother, Annie was injured, and Mallory decided to come home to help with her mother’s real estate business and take care of her mother. Mallory, also grew up without a father, who left before she was born.
When Phil and Mallory start to hang out as friends, there is something there between them. Kara and Annie are overjoyed at the prospect of their children becoming more than friends. Things don’t go as planned, when Phil has a change of heart and deeply hurts not just Mallory, but Jessica too.
I enjoyed this story, the characters are likeable, and I found myself rooting for the two to overcome their differences.
I received an ARC from Netgalley via Pink Sand Press and I voluntarily reviewed this book.
This was a fantastic heartwarming story about a little girl longing for a mother. Mallory goes back home to help and be closer to her mom and step dad. While there she reconnects with Jessica and her father Phil. Jessica’s Wish is filled with family, friendship, longing, passion, romance, laughter, and love. This is a captivating must read that readers will fall in love with and won’t want to put down.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
He would do anything for his daughter and he will give his young daughter the life he never had. His wife left them behind and he will not let anyone spoil it. She has to go home to help her mother when she meets the daughter and they get on well. Will they fall in love? Will he let her into his heart? See what will happen
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This is a moving story about Mallory and Phil, father of an 11 year old girl Jessica who was born with Down’s syndrome. The interaction between Mallory and Jessica was fun to read, and the secondary characters were interesting with unique personalities. My only complaint is that the inner dialogue is a bit too much. But overall it’s a great read!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This was a great book that had well developed and engaging characters that grabbed your attention while easing you through the storyline.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
The fourth installment of the Stonehill series starts the title of the book, a wish made by Phil’s daughter, Jessica, for a mother. Jessica has grown up since the first book in the series; she is now eleven. She has never known her biological mother, who left them when she was a baby because the woman couldn’t handle having a Down syndrome child.
If you read the first book in the Stonehill series, you are familiar with Phil and Jessica as well as with Phil’s mother, Kara. Part of the enjoyment of this book came from seeing Kara and Harry’s new life together as a married couple up close. They are deeply in love and are trying to care for an infant of a mother who has nearly abandoned her to them.
Mallory has come back to the area. While in San Diego, she couldn’t stop thinking of her mother, Annie, and all that Marcus was doing to support her. So she quit her job and moved back so she could help her mother and the man whom she sees as a father figure. Mallory becomes reacquainted with Jessica and Phil, and soon Kara thinks that Mallory could be the perfect woman for Phil and a mothering influence for Jessica as she approaches her teen years.
What will Annie and Marcus think about Mallory’s return to town? What about Mallory’s career? Will romantic sparks fly between Mallory and Phil? Will Jessica get her wish?
I enjoyed having a more in-depth story that focused on Phil. He was an interesting character in his mother’s story (book one of the series), but you knew he had to have one, too, since he has such a complex backstory as well as a challenging present as a single father raising a special needs child. He and Mallory share similarities in their pasts; neither had a father in their life growing up. The characters are very supportive of each other, and Phil helps Mallory understand the difficulties she is having adjusting to the changes in her mother’s life. I liked, too, that seeing Phil through Mallory’s eyes gives us a completely different perspective than the first book where we only see Phil through his own thoughts and actions. Phil is a man who has struggled and continues to struggle with his relationship with his mother as he sees himself as being so different from her. At times when reading about him—both in this book and in the first one—I have felt frustrated with his lack of understanding and compassion for his mother, who did her best to raise him under challenging circumstances. But through Mallory’s eyes, we can see that he has inherited compassion and kindness from his mother, whether he would own it or not!
As this book deals very closely with characters and events from books one and three of the series, I would not consider it to be a standalone book. But all the books in the series are incredible, so I would recommend them all anyway, whether needed for this story or not. Once again, Marcy Bolden has delivered a story that packs an emotional punch. These characters suffer and struggle in ways that are easy to understand and empathize with. I love the way this tight-knit group supports each other. I hope there is much more in store for the people in Stonehill.
This is a sweetly emotional, heartwarming and engaging journey for two charters that find what could be forever when they were busy dealing with everything else life has given them lately. A very enjoyable read from beginning to end that is both entertaining and engaging. Great reading.
Oh, Jessica and her wishes. What a heartwarming and loving story. We get Phil’s story with Mallory. Phil hasn’t gotten past a lot of his childhood and issues with his upbringing and that hinders his blossoming relationship with Mallory. I loved getting to read their story and Jessica’s fun and insightful way of making her feelings known. I loved that there was an epilogue with another one of Jessica’s wishes. I hope we get to see another glimpse of their future sometime. Can’t wait for the next book in this series.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
As soon as I started reading, I became totally immersed in all that was happening in this touching and emotional Stonehill series drama. I fell in love with sweet and sensitive Jessica, an eleven-year-old with Down syndrome who desperately wants a mother, and enjoyed her dynamic with the other characters especially the unique bond she formed with Mallory O’Connell who shares her love of art and introduces her to the world of comics. It was so realistic, there were times I wanted to shake some sense into Jessica’s dad, Phil.
This is a must-read for anyone who enjoys well-crafted, tender and emotional contemporary romance. I received an advance reader copy of Jessica’s Wish from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving my honest review. I also purchased a copy of this book.
**I voluntarily read an early copy of this title courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review**
Jessica’s Wish is a great story about realizing that while love can be difficult at times, it is also the thing that can mean the most in life.
Jessica is the eleven year old daughter of Phil Martinson-Canton. She has Down syndrome and has lived her entire life without her mother, as she chose to walk away from Phil and her daughter when she was a tiny baby. Until now, Jessica hasn’t seemed to be phased by not having a mother in her life, but she’s gotten to an age where she does understand and she really wants a mother of her own. And, she’s not afraid to make that known! Phil has always wanted to do what is best for his daughter, but while finding her a mother figure might be what is best, he’s not sure he’s willing to open them both up to going through the kind of hurt they could should another woman choose to come into their life and then leave.
Mallory O’Connell has been living in California for the past several years, but she’s now returned to her hometown to help take care of her mother following a debilitating accident. When Mallory meets Jessica, the two hit it off immediately. They have drawing and painting in common and Mallory introduces Jess to the world of comics. Mallory also thinks Phil is pretty great, err hot, as well.
As Mallory and Phil grow closer, insecurities and fears from the past begin to rear their ugly head. Will these two be able to move past the hurt they both carry from earlier on in their lives to make a go of it or are they destined to let something that could be amazing pass them by?
Another great book by Marci Bolden and one that I think many will enjoy!