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Superhero Romance Project
Wishing on a Supervillain
When a sick child's hero is a villain, can dreams still come true?
Fighting crime is great, but superheroine Nixie's dream job is helping sick kids meet or even become superheroes through her work with the Dream Granter Foundation. However, when a young boy requests to meet not a superhero, but the notorious villain Switch, this may be one dream that turns into a nightmare.
On the run since high school, Switch is now at the top of his supervillain game. Between shaking down crime bosses for their ill-gotten wealth and playing cat-and-mouse with the local superhero team, life is exactly what he wants it to be ... Until his favorite heroine to fight comes to him with an unusual offer. How can he say no to a sick kid? After all, he's a villain, not a monster.
Switch's enemies on both sides of the hero/villain divide make a simple meet and greet hazardous to both his and Nixie's health. To his chagrin, Switch finds himself admiring his new hero partner, even if her faith in the system is mind-bogglingly unwavering. As they work together, dodging villain attacks and angry phone calls from Nixie's boss, she's surprised by how "human" this particular villain is.
Just when she's beginning to think this dream could come true after all, a secret from Switch's past casts a shadow over their plans. Can Switch free himself from his demons long enough to make a kid's wish come true?
Wishing on a Supervillain is a standalone novel set in the world of the Supervillain Rehabilitation Project.
Fighting crime is great, but superheroine Nixie's dream job is helping sick kids meet or even become superheroes through her work with the Dream Granter Foundation. However, when a young boy requests to meet not a superhero, but the notorious villain Switch, this may be one dream that turns into a nightmare.
On the run since high school, Switch is now at the top of his supervillain game. Between shaking down crime bosses for their ill-gotten wealth and playing cat-and-mouse with the local superhero team, life is exactly what he wants it to be ... Until his favorite heroine to fight comes to him with an unusual offer. How can he say no to a sick kid? After all, he's a villain, not a monster.
Switch's enemies on both sides of the hero/villain divide make a simple meet and greet hazardous to both his and Nixie's health. To his chagrin, Switch finds himself admiring his new hero partner, even if her faith in the system is mind-bogglingly unwavering. As they work together, dodging villain attacks and angry phone calls from Nixie's boss, she's surprised by how "human" this particular villain is.
Just when she's beginning to think this dream could come true after all, a secret from Switch's past casts a shadow over their plans. Can Switch free himself from his demons long enough to make a kid's wish come true?
Wishing on a Supervillain is a standalone novel set in the world of the Supervillain Rehabilitation Project.
278 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 9, 2024
About the author
H.L. Burke
96 books570 followersBorn in a small town in north central Oregon, H. L. Burke spent most of her childhood around trees and farm animals and was always accompanied by a book. Growing up with epic heroes from Middle Earth and Narnia keeping her company, she also became an incurable romantic.
An addictive personality, she jumped from one fandom to another, being at times completely obsessed with various books, movies, or television series (Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, and Star Trek all took their turns), but she has grown to be what she considers a well-rounded connoisseur of geek culture.
Married to her high school crush who is now a US Marine, she has moved multiple times in her adult life but believes that home is wherever her husband, two daughters, and pets are.
She is the author of a four part fantasy/romance series entitled "The Dragon and the Scholar," the Award Winning (2016 Realm Award for Young Adult Fiction) Nyssa Glass Steampunk series, and MG/Fantasy "Cora and the Nurse Dragon," among others .
Sign up for her monthly newsletter at www.hlburkeauthor.com
http://www.amazon.com/H.-L.-Burke/e/B...
An addictive personality, she jumped from one fandom to another, being at times completely obsessed with various books, movies, or television series (Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, and Star Trek all took their turns), but she has grown to be what she considers a well-rounded connoisseur of geek culture.
Married to her high school crush who is now a US Marine, she has moved multiple times in her adult life but believes that home is wherever her husband, two daughters, and pets are.
She is the author of a four part fantasy/romance series entitled "The Dragon and the Scholar," the Award Winning (2016 Realm Award for Young Adult Fiction) Nyssa Glass Steampunk series, and MG/Fantasy "Cora and the Nurse Dragon," among others .
Sign up for her monthly newsletter at www.hlburkeauthor.com
http://www.amazon.com/H.-L.-Burke/e/B...
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
December 19, 2023
Burke's superhero/villain romance books are what I want Hallmark movies to be. All of the feels and cuteness without the awkward cheese. That's it; that's the review. 😉
It has been a good while since I read a book in a day, even a short one, but I practically couldn't put this down. Loved all of the characters, loved the tiny bit of "why this request?" mystery, loved the banter (ooooh does Burke ever do good banter that isn't actually toxic barbs), loved the sweet romance. I caught myself smiling at my phone (Kindle app) multiple times. The plot was strong and enjoyable, if a bit predictable, but again--it's like superheroes and Hallmark romances had a baby, and I don't necessarily expect either of those genres to be shockingly unpredictable. And I don't really see calling reveals and plot twists as an inherently bad thing. This was done in the perfect way, where it foreshadows well enough and through slow addition of information so you see it coming but not so heavily too early that you get annoyed waiting for the twist or reveal to happen, and then it's just satisfying. A side character was so irritatingly skeevy but was supposed to be. And as always, I love how organically and non-pushily (totally a word 😆) Burke incorporates characters having Christian faith into her books.
If you like shorter standalones, redemption arcs, really soft enemies-to-lovers vibes, superheroes, guys who are good with kids, charming romance, heartwarming happy endings, and some intensity and danger and some grittiness handled with a light touch along the way, get this one pre-ordered while it's 99c!
This one might end up being one I get a physical copy of... *Eyes shelves* ...maybe after I work through my owned print TBR and clear out some books. 😅
Also, shout-out to how funny/kind of cool it was to read Switch talking about being half Puerto Rican with a mom of probable Irish descent and not speaking Spanish, because that's also all true of my dad. 😆 (Similarities mostly end there)
Also shout out to Switch being compared to looking a bit like Diego Luna 🤌😍
I received a free advance review copy from the author but this did not influence my review.
Content: ~PG-13. Some mild cursing, kisses, superhero violence.
Trigger warnings (includes vague spoilers):
Death (of bad guys and, off-page in the past, innocents), mention of teen pregnancy and adoption, mention of teenage death by (unwilling) overdose, talk of difficult childhood and bad parents, manipulation & gaslighting & possessiveness from a creepy side character, non-graphic/drug-induced torture.
It has been a good while since I read a book in a day, even a short one, but I practically couldn't put this down. Loved all of the characters, loved the tiny bit of "why this request?" mystery, loved the banter (ooooh does Burke ever do good banter that isn't actually toxic barbs), loved the sweet romance. I caught myself smiling at my phone (Kindle app) multiple times. The plot was strong and enjoyable, if a bit predictable, but again--it's like superheroes and Hallmark romances had a baby, and I don't necessarily expect either of those genres to be shockingly unpredictable. And I don't really see calling reveals and plot twists as an inherently bad thing. This was done in the perfect way, where it foreshadows well enough and through slow addition of information so you see it coming but not so heavily too early that you get annoyed waiting for the twist or reveal to happen, and then it's just satisfying. A side character was so irritatingly skeevy but was supposed to be. And as always, I love how organically and non-pushily (totally a word 😆) Burke incorporates characters having Christian faith into her books.
If you like shorter standalones, redemption arcs, really soft enemies-to-lovers vibes, superheroes, guys who are good with kids, charming romance, heartwarming happy endings, and some intensity and danger and some grittiness handled with a light touch along the way, get this one pre-ordered while it's 99c!
This one might end up being one I get a physical copy of... *Eyes shelves* ...maybe after I work through my owned print TBR and clear out some books. 😅
Also, shout-out to how funny/kind of cool it was to read Switch talking about being half Puerto Rican with a mom of probable Irish descent and not speaking Spanish, because that's also all true of my dad. 😆 (Similarities mostly end there)
Also shout out to Switch being compared to looking a bit like Diego Luna 🤌😍
I received a free advance review copy from the author but this did not influence my review.
Content: ~PG-13. Some mild cursing, kisses, superhero violence.
Trigger warnings (includes vague spoilers):
Death (of bad guys and, off-page in the past, innocents), mention of teen pregnancy and adoption, mention of teenage death by (unwilling) overdose, talk of difficult childhood and bad parents, manipulation & gaslighting & possessiveness from a creepy side character, non-graphic/drug-induced torture.
May 9, 2024
Marvel meets Hallmark romcom was what I needed this sick-day.
December 22, 2024
****Actual Rating 4.5 Stars****
This was so cute and wholesome!!! A hero and a supervillain coming together to make a sick kid’s wish come true is just so sweet and I loved every minute of it!
Nixie is a dear with such high aspirations of how people should be that I feel a bit ashamed for being so jaded, lol, and Switch was the literal best “bad guy” who secretly has a heart of gold and I wanted to hug him so hard to make up for all the crap he’s had to deal with his whole life. Oliver was great too and I’m excited to see him again in Game On! Gotta say one of the superheroes gave me, ahem, bad vibes (if you know you know 😎) but the rest of them were solid.
The whole plot was so good and while I knew some things just from reading these books out of order (and by guessing with my excellent book spidey senses, haha) it was ultimately okay because I loved it anyways. I only docked a half star because the climax felt a bit flat but other then that this was a great book! I’m looking forward to Nixie and Switch’s continued adventures in Courting a Superhero!
‼️Content‼️
TRIGGER WARNING: characters talk about drug rings and drug dealing, how a girl died from overdose, and work to take down a drug ring; teenage pregnancy and giving up the baby for adoption; a character went to juvie for killing someone
Language: darn it; heck; crud; jackass; gosh; darn; damn; what the; craptastic; screw; dang; dammit; sucks; geez; bastard; hell; BS; frickin’; go to hell; half-ass
Violence: fighting with superpowers/weapons/hand to hand (not detailed); a guy is electrocuted in water and dies (not shown or detailed)
Sexual: a man fifteen years older then a woman is hitting on her; “you trying to get in her pants”; a girl’s called a chick; teenage pregnancy and giving up the baby for adoption; an unmarried couple sleep together (not sexually); kissing (not detailed)
Drugs/Alcohol: characters drink and go to a bar; characters talk about drug rings and drug dealing, how a girl died from overdose, and work to take down a drug ring; a character’s dad was a drunk and died in a drunken car crash; a character is given an extreme pain inducing drug
Other: superheroes/supervillains/superpowers; a character went to juvie for killing someone; death and grief; a character nearly dies of hypothermia
This was so cute and wholesome!!! A hero and a supervillain coming together to make a sick kid’s wish come true is just so sweet and I loved every minute of it!
Nixie is a dear with such high aspirations of how people should be that I feel a bit ashamed for being so jaded, lol, and Switch was the literal best “bad guy” who secretly has a heart of gold and I wanted to hug him so hard to make up for all the crap he’s had to deal with his whole life. Oliver was great too and I’m excited to see him again in Game On! Gotta say one of the superheroes gave me, ahem, bad vibes (if you know you know 😎) but the rest of them were solid.
The whole plot was so good and while I knew some things just from reading these books out of order (and by guessing with my excellent book spidey senses, haha) it was ultimately okay because I loved it anyways. I only docked a half star because the climax felt a bit flat but other then that this was a great book! I’m looking forward to Nixie and Switch’s continued adventures in Courting a Superhero!
‼️Content‼️
TRIGGER WARNING: characters talk about drug rings and drug dealing, how a girl died from overdose, and work to take down a drug ring; teenage pregnancy and giving up the baby for adoption; a character went to juvie for killing someone
Language: darn it; heck; crud; jackass; gosh; darn; damn; what the; craptastic; screw; dang; dammit; sucks; geez; bastard; hell; BS; frickin’; go to hell; half-ass
Violence: fighting with superpowers/weapons/hand to hand (not detailed); a guy is electrocuted in water and dies (not shown or detailed)
Sexual: a man fifteen years older then a woman is hitting on her; “you trying to get in her pants”; a girl’s called a chick; teenage pregnancy and giving up the baby for adoption; an unmarried couple sleep together (not sexually); kissing (not detailed)
Drugs/Alcohol: characters drink and go to a bar; characters talk about drug rings and drug dealing, how a girl died from overdose, and work to take down a drug ring; a character’s dad was a drunk and died in a drunken car crash; a character is given an extreme pain inducing drug
Other: superheroes/supervillains/superpowers; a character went to juvie for killing someone; death and grief; a character nearly dies of hypothermia
January 31, 2024
Entertaining relationship listening 🎵🎶
This kindle e-book novella is from my Kindle Unlimited account book 4 of 4.
Another series completed, book 1 March of2023.
A great ending to the series. A Superhero is helping a Super villain clean up his act. This novella is full of action, misdirection, and violence leading to a happy ending.
I would recommend this series and others by this author to readers of romantic relationships adventure mystery novels. 👒😀🎎😘
This kindle e-book novella is from my Kindle Unlimited account book 4 of 4.
Another series completed, book 1 March of2023.
A great ending to the series. A Superhero is helping a Super villain clean up his act. This novella is full of action, misdirection, and violence leading to a happy ending.
I would recommend this series and others by this author to readers of romantic relationships adventure mystery novels. 👒😀🎎😘
January 4, 2024
My first read of 2024, and I'm happy to say that I picked a good book to start on! Wishing on a Supervillain is another excellent installment in the Superhero Romance Project series. It stands alone from the others with a new cast of characters, so newcomers to the series can pick it up with no problem, but long-time fans will still be more than pleased to find pretty much all of the characteristic elements of the SVR-verse here.
Characters usually make or break a book for me, and I loved both Nixie and Switch from the start. Nixie is a good-hearted hero to her core; she's selfless and courageous — but also somewhat sheltered and maybe a bit more trusting than she should be. Switch, on the other hand, is more of a villain by circumstance — he may be on the wrong side of the law, but it's clear from our first encounter that there's more to his actions than just a desire for riches or mayhem. That becomes all the more clear once we and Nixie get to know him better.
These two are both great characters individually, and I also loved the way their relationship developed from bantering antagonism to cautious friendship to genuine love. You can see the seeds of where they'll end up even at the start, which is great.
The side characters were also excellent in their own ways. KC was especially fun, and I hope he shows up in some future stories. I'm not sure he could carry a book on his own, but I want to see him as a side character again, y'know? I also liked Oliver and his interactions with both Nixie and Switch.
Plot-wise, this book was exciting and fun, with a good balance of superhero action and cute romance. While most of the page time is spent on the romance and character drama, the action scenes are awesome enough to hold their own. It's a little trope-y at times, but in a good way, and not overwhelmingly so. I think it'll hold up well on the reread, too.
Whether you're a curious newcomer to the series or a long-time fan, I would definitely recommend Wishing on a Supervillain — reading it, that is. I suspect that if you actually wish on a supervillain, you will be disappointed. If you read this book, you won't be.
Characters usually make or break a book for me, and I loved both Nixie and Switch from the start. Nixie is a good-hearted hero to her core; she's selfless and courageous — but also somewhat sheltered and maybe a bit more trusting than she should be. Switch, on the other hand, is more of a villain by circumstance — he may be on the wrong side of the law, but it's clear from our first encounter that there's more to his actions than just a desire for riches or mayhem. That becomes all the more clear once we and Nixie get to know him better.
These two are both great characters individually, and I also loved the way their relationship developed from bantering antagonism to cautious friendship to genuine love. You can see the seeds of where they'll end up even at the start, which is great.
The side characters were also excellent in their own ways. KC was especially fun, and I hope he shows up in some future stories. I'm not sure he could carry a book on his own, but I want to see him as a side character again, y'know? I also liked Oliver and his interactions with both Nixie and Switch.
Plot-wise, this book was exciting and fun, with a good balance of superhero action and cute romance. While most of the page time is spent on the romance and character drama, the action scenes are awesome enough to hold their own. It's a little trope-y at times, but in a good way, and not overwhelmingly so. I think it'll hold up well on the reread, too.
Whether you're a curious newcomer to the series or a long-time fan, I would definitely recommend Wishing on a Supervillain — reading it, that is. I suspect that if you actually wish on a supervillain, you will be disappointed. If you read this book, you won't be.
March 11, 2024
This book is just SO ADORABLE! I've loved all of these superhero books, but this one turned out to be especially adorable!
January 9, 2024
Once again H. L. Burke has created a pair of sables (super-abled people) whose power sets work so well together! I loved the opposites attract dynamic in this latest installment in the Superhero Romance Project. I had a lot of fun following the mystery behind why a sick child would want to meet a supervillain, and it was exciting to see how Oliver affected Switch through their interactions. Nixie was an excellent character too! I loved her innocence and determination as she fought to prove herself and make a lasting difference in the world.
I was a little worried that this story would fall into a “missionary dating” situation but I think Burke handled the faith aspect very well. It helped that Switch wasn’t truly evil (most of the supervillains in this series aren’t truly lost in their villainy, they’re just stuck in their circumstances and need a second chance), and I loved watching Switch change as he grew closer to Nixie and Oliver. This novel will definitely pull on your heartstrings in all the best ways. I continue to love the SVR/DOSA Universe that Burke has created and highly recommend!
This book contains mild swearing and a few triggers for sensitive readers. It is a standalone story separate from the other three novels it's listed with, so you can jump in and try out an excellent superhero story even if you haven’t read anything else in the collection.
I received an advanced reader copy of this novel.
I was a little worried that this story would fall into a “missionary dating” situation but I think Burke handled the faith aspect very well. It helped that Switch wasn’t truly evil (most of the supervillains in this series aren’t truly lost in their villainy, they’re just stuck in their circumstances and need a second chance), and I loved watching Switch change as he grew closer to Nixie and Oliver. This novel will definitely pull on your heartstrings in all the best ways. I continue to love the SVR/DOSA Universe that Burke has created and highly recommend!
This book contains mild swearing and a few triggers for sensitive readers. It is a standalone story separate from the other three novels it's listed with, so you can jump in and try out an excellent superhero story even if you haven’t read anything else in the collection.
I received an advanced reader copy of this novel.
Read
December 3, 2023While the 18th book in my SVR universe and the 4th in the Superhero Romance Project side series, this book features two new leads and can be read as a standalone.
March 6, 2024
Another fun installment! I love the fleshing out of this world with the constant addition of new characters. I really didn't see the twist coming!
One day I'd like to own all these books.
One day I'd like to own all these books.
December 26, 2024
My favorite of the series so far! Switch's villain backstory is very convincing. I liked Nixie's wholesomeness and naivete. The two of them worked really well for me.
I loved how they got to use their powers together a couple of times. The science stuff was cool, too. Though I guessed some of the plot elements, the story had humor, action, excitement, and plenty of tension, so I didn’t have to be surprised to enjoy the ride. Oliver and his parents were genuine and believable. A fun, enjoyable read. Some cursing, references to drug use and overdose, torture by drug injection.
I loved how they got to use their powers together a couple of times. The science stuff was cool, too. Though I guessed some of the plot elements, the story had humor, action, excitement, and plenty of tension, so I didn’t have to be surprised to enjoy the ride. Oliver and his parents were genuine and believable. A fun, enjoyable read. Some cursing, references to drug use and overdose, torture by drug injection.
June 30, 2025
What do you do when the first wish you're asked to grant in your brand new Superhero wish-granting project is a wish to meet a Supervillain? What would your boss even say? Nixie decides to do it anyway. Or try to. It all depends on whether Switch will agree to take time off from villaining to help her grant a sick kid's wish.
Wishing on a Supervillain is a fun read with unexpectedly touching moments. It's part of the Romance series, so it's pretty obvious that they're going to fall for each other. But it's a very clean romance - nothing beyond a kiss - mostly because Nixie is such a goody-two-shoes church girl from a sheltered family that... this is her first everything. If Burke hadn't explicitly stated she's in her early twenties (22?), I would put her at a very naive 19 or so (I mean, she's working as a superheroine, she's probably not under-18).
Choice - and the lack of good ones - feels like a core theme in this story. Why did Switch go down the road of villainy? Why does Oliver choose to meet a supervillain when he could have his pick of superheroes to meet? Why does Nixie keep giving Switch second chances when her boss, Vibes, is adamant that villains never change? Can villains change?
Also, the name Vibes is a Choice.
All in all, a great read.
Wishing on a Supervillain is a fun read with unexpectedly touching moments. It's part of the Romance series, so it's pretty obvious that they're going to fall for each other. But it's a very clean romance - nothing beyond a kiss - mostly because Nixie is such a goody-two-shoes church girl from a sheltered family that... this is her first everything. If Burke hadn't explicitly stated she's in her early twenties (22?), I would put her at a very naive 19 or so (I mean, she's working as a superheroine, she's probably not under-18).
Choice - and the lack of good ones - feels like a core theme in this story. Why did Switch go down the road of villainy? Why does Oliver choose to meet a supervillain when he could have his pick of superheroes to meet? Why does Nixie keep giving Switch second chances when her boss, Vibes, is adamant that villains never change? Can villains change?
Also, the name Vibes is a Choice.
All in all, a great read.
March 18, 2024
I knew I was going to like this one. I just didn't know how much.
Switch is such a fun supervillain, and despite the often poorly timed humor that he exhibits, there's a level of serious and introspective to him that makes his arc incredibly believable.
And Nixie is just the sweetest thing ever. I love how Burke created a character who was extremely innocent (naive, the world might call her) and managed to portray that as a strength. The world needs more heroes like Nixie: strong because of their wide-eyed innocence.
Oliver is just the dearest bean. I love him to bits and want to hug him.
Another "super" fun romp through this world that I have grown to love visiting.
Switch is such a fun supervillain, and despite the often poorly timed humor that he exhibits, there's a level of serious and introspective to him that makes his arc incredibly believable.
And Nixie is just the sweetest thing ever. I love how Burke created a character who was extremely innocent (naive, the world might call her) and managed to portray that as a strength. The world needs more heroes like Nixie: strong because of their wide-eyed innocence.
Oliver is just the dearest bean. I love him to bits and want to hug him.
Another "super" fun romp through this world that I have grown to love visiting.
May 4, 2026
This was just pure, sweet, wholesome fun. It does touch on some serious topics but not in a way that was either overly dark or minimized the seriousness. I really enjoyed getting to visit this world and get a glimpse of the everyday lives of superheroes, I’ll probably have to check out more in the series!
January 14, 2024
Twists and Turns
I loved the various threads of conflict in this installment of supervillain and hero romance. I especially loved the way they tied up in the end.
A perfect feel-good read for a Saturday afternoon.
I loved the various threads of conflict in this installment of supervillain and hero romance. I especially loved the way they tied up in the end.
A perfect feel-good read for a Saturday afternoon.
January 19, 2024
Never has there been a better wish granted
Wishing on a Supervillain is the awesome next slam dunk story in the Superhero Romance Project. As always H.L. Burke has written an adorable clean kick butt romance.
Wishing on a Supervillain is the awesome next slam dunk story in the Superhero Romance Project. As always H.L. Burke has written an adorable clean kick butt romance.
February 21, 2024
Heroes,villains,love and hate all part of this book. Nixie connects with a wish granting program and finds out Oliver has a reason for picking a certain supervillain. Love and family bring this book together. I definitely plan to read more of this series.
September 3, 2024
I received and am reviewing an Advanced Reader Copy of Wishing On A Supervillain.
The superhero universe Burke has crafted delivers with another fun, tension-filled entry in Wishing On A Supervillain.
Nixie, AKA Kaia, and Switch, AKA Josh, coming together to fulfill a sick kid's wish, paved the way for not just wholesome moments but a dramatic story of young love, revenge, and silver linings.
I laughed out loud at points when Nixie admitted to fantasizing about a young, and very dead, Jimmy Stewart. I felt my heart constrict at Switch's back story. Overall, I finished the whole thing over the course of a couple of days and as usual enjoyed the ride along Burke provides her readers.
The superhero universe Burke has crafted delivers with another fun, tension-filled entry in Wishing On A Supervillain.
Nixie, AKA Kaia, and Switch, AKA Josh, coming together to fulfill a sick kid's wish, paved the way for not just wholesome moments but a dramatic story of young love, revenge, and silver linings.
I laughed out loud at points when Nixie admitted to fantasizing about a young, and very dead, Jimmy Stewart. I felt my heart constrict at Switch's back story. Overall, I finished the whole thing over the course of a couple of days and as usual enjoyed the ride along Burke provides her readers.
March 8, 2026
I've read this series out of order, so I decided to try to remedy that before reading Oliver's book in Burke's YA spin off. Of course, because I read it out of order, certain spoilers were not spoilers. That being said, I really enjoyed going back into time with Nixie and Switch. Nixie is such a straight laced sweetheart and Switch is such a heartbreaker that the majority of the book I just wanted to shake them and say they were perfect for one another. Also, this is the first time I read about a harasser at work and I felt like it was really well done. I feel like I totally relate to Nixie in this situation. Overall, I really liked the twists and turns this story took and enjoyed where it ended up.
February 4, 2024
I got a chance to read this before it was officially out, in 2023! I absolutely loved Switch and Nixie and Oliver. I enjoyed the twist on the "make a wish" when Nixie gets asked to help a little boy meet his super... villain... It was so fun. I loved watching things unfold, and the entire moment of Nixie having a "what happened last night?!" convo had me rolling with laughter. I can't wait to reread it / read it "for real" now that I have my paperwork copy AND my kindle version!!
January 10, 2024
I loved it! The story is brilliant and the perfect mix of hallmark romance and superhero story. I love how genuine Nixie is, and I really felt for Switch's struggles. Oliver is such a great kid, and his parents are so understanding (I have to wonder if they suspected the reason that he wanted to meet Switch for his wish). The last few chapters had me crying multiple times.
Also, shout out to KC for being a fun side character! His lawyer disguise would not have gotten past me! Lol.
Also, shout out to KC for being a fun side character! His lawyer disguise would not have gotten past me! Lol.
September 7, 2024
Content:
Language: Moderate. There was quite a bit of swearing, so much that I stopped counting at a dozen. They are what I believe is considered milder swears: etc.
Violence: High mild to very low moderate. There are some fights portrayed with powers, and one death. There is torture on screen. specifically: one character gets given a drug that causes intense almost unbearable pain for hours
Sexual: High mild to low moderate. There are not any sex scenes. There is talk of sleeping with people, and while sex isn't glazed over, though it's also not talked about in a vulgar way either. There is kissing, but not steamy. Sexual Intimacy is considered normal both in and outside of marriage in the series in general.
Triggers: Troubled teens, Juvenile hall, terminally ill children, teen pregnancy, teen drug use and overdosing. There is a fair amount of alcohol drinking in this, though nobody gets drunk. Rough home life with alcoholic parent and abandonment of parents. Betrayal, and some workplace *almost* sexual harassment.
I told myself I wasn't going to read another book in this series, but somehow my brain just went...but I want superheroes.
And here we are. Reviewing another one.
So, I love redemption stories. LOVE them. Switch is a big one. He's got one heck of a horrible backstory and reason why he's on the wrong side of the law. Some people just get hammered in life, and he's one of them. My gosh, it was horrible to read about his consistently getting the raw end of every deal in life. Poor. Poor guy.
Nixie is the opposite, good home life, loving family, strong faith, and a sweet good person who had all the advantages in life. She believes the best in everyone.
This book was heavy. So many hard life things depicted here. From drug overdoses to manslaughter and everything in between. It was just...a lot. The sweet parts in it really didn't lighten it enough. Oliver was the light in it, and he wasn't there enough. And even he had a possibly terminal illness hanging over his head!
The series is good, but it's just so much of what's horrible in life depicted jam packed in there that made me just feel depressed after reading. Even though the ending is 'happy'. The swearing got kicked up a notch in this one and casual alcohol drinking made me uncomfortable. I can unequivocally now say, this is the last one. They're just too intense on the topics for me personally. That was a lot, and I feel a bit like I need to go breathe some fresh air and watch some cartoons to remind myself that life isn't just misery and hardship. Sheesh. Seriously, I need a palate cleanser for my brain.
Language: Moderate. There was quite a bit of swearing, so much that I stopped counting at a dozen. They are what I believe is considered milder swears: etc.
Violence: High mild to very low moderate. There are some fights portrayed with powers, and one death. There is torture on screen. specifically: one character gets given a drug that causes intense almost unbearable pain for hours
Sexual: High mild to low moderate. There are not any sex scenes. There is talk of sleeping with people, and while sex isn't glazed over, though it's also not talked about in a vulgar way either. There is kissing, but not steamy. Sexual Intimacy is considered normal both in and outside of marriage in the series in general.
Triggers: Troubled teens, Juvenile hall, terminally ill children, teen pregnancy, teen drug use and overdosing. There is a fair amount of alcohol drinking in this, though nobody gets drunk. Rough home life with alcoholic parent and abandonment of parents. Betrayal, and some workplace *almost* sexual harassment.
I told myself I wasn't going to read another book in this series, but somehow my brain just went...but I want superheroes.
And here we are. Reviewing another one.
So, I love redemption stories. LOVE them. Switch is a big one. He's got one heck of a horrible backstory and reason why he's on the wrong side of the law. Some people just get hammered in life, and he's one of them. My gosh, it was horrible to read about his consistently getting the raw end of every deal in life. Poor. Poor guy.
Nixie is the opposite, good home life, loving family, strong faith, and a sweet good person who had all the advantages in life. She believes the best in everyone.
This book was heavy. So many hard life things depicted here. From drug overdoses to manslaughter and everything in between. It was just...a lot. The sweet parts in it really didn't lighten it enough. Oliver was the light in it, and he wasn't there enough. And even he had a possibly terminal illness hanging over his head!
The series is good, but it's just so much of what's horrible in life depicted jam packed in there that made me just feel depressed after reading. Even though the ending is 'happy'. The swearing got kicked up a notch in this one and casual alcohol drinking made me uncomfortable. I can unequivocally now say, this is the last one. They're just too intense on the topics for me personally. That was a lot, and I feel a bit like I need to go breathe some fresh air and watch some cartoons to remind myself that life isn't just misery and hardship. Sheesh. Seriously, I need a palate cleanser for my brain.
December 21, 2023
The idea of a hero-supervillain truce to try to cheer up a sick kid is clever and original, but it also plays well to the strengths of this series: good character driven drama AND some well crafted action setpieces. This is one of my favourites for a while, as the leads including the kid are all adorable and interesting in different ways, such that you do really want them to get together and overcome whatever obstacles, and it's just a really feelgood book. It is perhaps a little lighter on the action side than some in the series and there wasn't much time spent on character development of the "real" villains in this particular book but that's more a preference thing than a criticism.
I received a free beta copy without conditions, this review is my own.
One interesting aspect of beta reading is that my copy had no cover art and I was therefore a bit vague about how our MC Nixie/Kaia looked. The dissonance between her POV voice (where she does not consider herself attractive) versus other characters commenting otherwise actually worked quite well to delineate character. I do like the cover, it's just interesting to muse about how it can affect your perception of a character going into a book like this.
I received a free beta copy without conditions, this review is my own.
One interesting aspect of beta reading is that my copy had no cover art and I was therefore a bit vague about how our MC Nixie/Kaia looked. The dissonance between her POV voice (where she does not consider herself attractive) versus other characters commenting otherwise actually worked quite well to delineate character. I do like the cover, it's just interesting to muse about how it can affect your perception of a character going into a book like this.
December 6, 2023
Okay, this one was just absolutely perfect. So great I really can't think of anything more to say about it right now. Despite being the nth book in the series/universe it is easy to read as a standalone if you're not familiar with the SVR with no appearances by previous characters but a few mentions those familiar with the books will notice. If you have any degree of appreciation at all for either feel-good tales, superheroes/science fiction, or sweet, swoony romance this is a book you have to read.
February 17, 2024
This is a great story! I thought I knew where it was going, but it totally surprised me. I definitely recommend it! Though it's part of a series, it can stand on its own just fine, so no worries if you haven't read any of the others.
April 21, 2025
Ahhhh, so cute! 🥰🤩🤩
September 4, 2025
Funny, clean and cute.
February 22, 2024
I always love these submersions into a Marvel-esque world when I review H.L. Burke’s work, and this story is no different. While a romcom might not be the expected from a superhero world rife with political corruption and villain battles, the worldbuilding is seamlessly incorporated and pulled me deeper into the story (of course, it helps that I already love this world and am always eager to return to it).
In my experience, characters are one of Burke’s strongest areas in writing. They feel like real humans, not just plot devices. In this story, I especially loved Nixie as our main character. Her innocence is written as a neutral (if not positive) character trait, something that’s rarely seen in modern writing. While she recognizes that sometimes, it leads to undue naivete, it also doesn’t prompt her to begin a negative character arc of becoming more jaded, which was refreshing.
I loved the KC and Switch’s dynamic as partners in crime and pranking. Their friendship and how their dynamic changes by scene is usually a good indicator of the tone of the moment, and they bring out the humanity in each other. It’s relationships like these that make villains feel more real than one-dimensional antagonists.
Burke strikes the balance between humor and human, highlighting moments of irony as well. Plus, there are so many golden Gen Z-isms and references to meme culture in her books, and they never fail to make me laugh.
There were occasional moments that didn’t land as well for me, but on the whole, it was a delightful time. Burke’s books are unique and genuine while also being exciting and cinematic.
Full content and personal review at: https://bookishmusings.com/review/wis...
I received a free eARC in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own!
In my experience, characters are one of Burke’s strongest areas in writing. They feel like real humans, not just plot devices. In this story, I especially loved Nixie as our main character. Her innocence is written as a neutral (if not positive) character trait, something that’s rarely seen in modern writing. While she recognizes that sometimes, it leads to undue naivete, it also doesn’t prompt her to begin a negative character arc of becoming more jaded, which was refreshing.
I loved the KC and Switch’s dynamic as partners in crime and pranking. Their friendship and how their dynamic changes by scene is usually a good indicator of the tone of the moment, and they bring out the humanity in each other. It’s relationships like these that make villains feel more real than one-dimensional antagonists.
Burke strikes the balance between humor and human, highlighting moments of irony as well. Plus, there are so many golden Gen Z-isms and references to meme culture in her books, and they never fail to make me laugh.
There were occasional moments that didn’t land as well for me, but on the whole, it was a delightful time. Burke’s books are unique and genuine while also being exciting and cinematic.
Full content and personal review at: https://bookishmusings.com/review/wis...
I received a free eARC in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own!
January 17, 2024
Wishing on a Supervillain is the fourth book in H.L. Burke's Superhero Romance series. Not to be confused with her Supervillain romance series.
Yes, I know the title seems to suggest it should belong in one rather than the other. But Superhero Nixie is arguably the main character though Supervillain Switch does get his own POV chapters.
It's important to note that these characters are completely new and this book is a full standalone. Being number four doesn't mean you need to read the others first. This book can easily come first because none of the other characters make an appearance.
I adored this story's premise of a boy who uses is one Sick kid Wish to meet with a wanted Supervillain. Oliver is a cute kid and his pure motives for asking for this meeting will melt your heart.
Superhero Nixie is pure optimism and fully believes that anyone can change. Her character might seem too nice but she can kick butt when she needs too and I am here for this strong female hero who doesn't need to be tough or jaded to save the day
Switch is not a Supervillain. He is a smol cinnamon roll. That is all.
*The author gave me an advanced copy of this story because she is cool like that. I am leaving this review because I liked it and you need to know how awesome the book is.*
Yes, I know the title seems to suggest it should belong in one rather than the other. But Superhero Nixie is arguably the main character though Supervillain Switch does get his own POV chapters.
It's important to note that these characters are completely new and this book is a full standalone. Being number four doesn't mean you need to read the others first. This book can easily come first because none of the other characters make an appearance.
I adored this story's premise of a boy who uses is one Sick kid Wish to meet with a wanted Supervillain. Oliver is a cute kid and his pure motives for asking for this meeting will melt your heart.
Superhero Nixie is pure optimism and fully believes that anyone can change. Her character might seem too nice but she can kick butt when she needs too and I am here for this strong female hero who doesn't need to be tough or jaded to save the day
Switch is not a Supervillain. He is a smol cinnamon roll. That is all.
*The author gave me an advanced copy of this story because she is cool like that. I am leaving this review because I liked it and you need to know how awesome the book is.*
May 20, 2026
I don't typically gravitate to superhero books, but this was incredible! I love Nixie, Switch and Oliver so much. However all of the characters are great, and the romance is so sweet. The devastating scene with the bathtub always gets me teary eyed. Really so well written and easy to read.
Since the first time I read this, it's become a comfort read whenever I feel a little down. :)
Since the first time I read this, it's become a comfort read whenever I feel a little down. :)
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