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Wishing For You
What happens when you agree to fake date the guy you hate?
Watching my twin brother fall in love over the last year has been hard. I want what he has, but every date I’ve been on has been a total bust. Then my friend offers to set me up with her cousin.
What I don’t expect is her cousin to be Anders Cunningham - my twin’s best friend and the one guy I loathe. As if the date couldn’t get worse, we run into his parents and they think we’re a couple. Before I know it, I’m agreeing to be his fake girlfriend.
The more time I spend with him the more I realize he’s not the guy I thought he was. He might be everything I’ve always wished for.
Until I find out the truth behind the blind date and our current fake dating dilemma.
I’m not sure if there’s a future for us.
Tropes: Fake dating, secret billionaire, brother’s best friend.
Watching my twin brother fall in love over the last year has been hard. I want what he has, but every date I’ve been on has been a total bust. Then my friend offers to set me up with her cousin.
What I don’t expect is her cousin to be Anders Cunningham - my twin’s best friend and the one guy I loathe. As if the date couldn’t get worse, we run into his parents and they think we’re a couple. Before I know it, I’m agreeing to be his fake girlfriend.
The more time I spend with him the more I realize he’s not the guy I thought he was. He might be everything I’ve always wished for.
Until I find out the truth behind the blind date and our current fake dating dilemma.
I’m not sure if there’s a future for us.
Tropes: Fake dating, secret billionaire, brother’s best friend.
128 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 6, 2024
39 people are currently reading
131 people want to read
About the author
Marissa James
7 books46 followersMarissa is a contemporary romance author who loves writing relatable characters and happily ever afters. An avid hockey fan you can usually find her in front of the TV during the season cheering on her favorite NHL team. When not watching hockey you can find her in her garden, reading a novel, watching reruns of Seinfeld or completing a puzzle.
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January 8, 2025I think this could've used a bit more content; like, this should be around 250+ pages or so. There were some things that should've been explored, but that didn't really happen, and a lot got brushed aside to move their relationship along. They went from 0 to 100 in a matter of days. I get that this is a novella, but these two have been around each other for years, so their history could've been cool to dive into and explore.
Apparently, Anders (37) has been pining for Caroline (37) for years now, not sure when that all began. Unfortunately, on one of their holiday parties, she partially overheard Anders "saying" awful things about her. But, she was unaware that Anders was recalling the negative remarks her ex had made about her job. She thought he was just a stuck-up judgmental jerk, so she decided to dislike him and stuck with that idea for years.
But now that they're older, Anders finally decides to take a chance and show her a different side of himself. So, he reached out to his cousin, who's also friends with Caroline, to help set him up on a blind date with her.
The blind date happened, and it turned into this whole fake dating situation. Of course, with time spent together, they were able to clear things up. Then all of a sudden, within a few days, Caroline said she was falling for him. Like, how does that even happen??? That just didn't make any sense at all. The whole falling-in-love thing feels more real with Anders, since he's been crushing hard for years. But for Caroline? No way I'm buying that crap.
Then she found out that he was the one who arranged the blind date and blew things out of proportion. She made it look like he did a morally gray thing by setting it up! For someone in her late 30s, I thought she'd be able to handle things better, but instead, she just threw a fit and ended it all without giving him a chance to explain himself. She was acting like a petulant teenager, and man, I almost DNF right then and there.
Of course, Anders is the ever-perfect and wonderful guy. He tells her he's sorry about setting up the blind date and goes out of his way to show her he's sincere. She tried to hold on to her anger for two days, but in the end she realized she loved him. So, she let him off the hook for lying, and voila, HEA.
All in all, at the end of the day, I just want to say that Anders can do sooooo much better than Caroline. She absolutely did not deserve him, not at all. I just don't understand why he chose her when there were so many better options available. 😑
Book info:
- Novella
- Holiday themed
- Brother's best friend
- Fake dating
- Billionaire romance
- No cheating, OPD
- No V
- Open door
- Separation (days)
- HEA (mos later, living together and pregnant)
- Bonus epilogue (5 yrs later, wedding anniversary)
Apparently, Anders (37) has been pining for Caroline (37) for years now, not sure when that all began. Unfortunately, on one of their holiday parties, she partially overheard Anders "saying" awful things about her. But, she was unaware that Anders was recalling the negative remarks her ex had made about her job. She thought he was just a stuck-up judgmental jerk, so she decided to dislike him and stuck with that idea for years.
But now that they're older, Anders finally decides to take a chance and show her a different side of himself. So, he reached out to his cousin, who's also friends with Caroline, to help set him up on a blind date with her.
The blind date happened, and it turned into this whole fake dating situation. Of course, with time spent together, they were able to clear things up. Then all of a sudden, within a few days, Caroline said she was falling for him. Like, how does that even happen??? That just didn't make any sense at all. The whole falling-in-love thing feels more real with Anders, since he's been crushing hard for years. But for Caroline? No way I'm buying that crap.
Then she found out that he was the one who arranged the blind date and blew things out of proportion. She made it look like he did a morally gray thing by setting it up! For someone in her late 30s, I thought she'd be able to handle things better, but instead, she just threw a fit and ended it all without giving him a chance to explain himself. She was acting like a petulant teenager, and man, I almost DNF right then and there.
Of course, Anders is the ever-perfect and wonderful guy. He tells her he's sorry about setting up the blind date and goes out of his way to show her he's sincere. She tried to hold on to her anger for two days, but in the end she realized she loved him. So, she let him off the hook for lying, and voila, HEA.
All in all, at the end of the day, I just want to say that Anders can do sooooo much better than Caroline. She absolutely did not deserve him, not at all. I just don't understand why he chose her when there were so many better options available. 😑
Book info:
- Novella
- Holiday themed
- Brother's best friend
- Fake dating
- Billionaire romance
- No cheating, OPD
- No V
- Open door
- Separation (days)
- HEA (mos later, living together and pregnant)
- Bonus epilogue (5 yrs later, wedding anniversary)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 31, 2024
I think I would’ve really liked this as a full length novel! Cute and spicy novella
November 25, 2024
ARC Review
After reading Falling For You earlier this month, I was really excited to get an ARC copy for Wishing For You. I knew there was tension between Caroline and Anders that needed to be sorted out! I mean the MMC is rich, handsome, and a genuine good guy until he proves he’s just a normal person and can make a mistake. The whole guy falls first and dotes on the FMC gets me every time. Both books are standalone but I feel like they are even better when read close together! Definitely recommend.
After reading Falling For You earlier this month, I was really excited to get an ARC copy for Wishing For You. I knew there was tension between Caroline and Anders that needed to be sorted out! I mean the MMC is rich, handsome, and a genuine good guy until he proves he’s just a normal person and can make a mistake. The whole guy falls first and dotes on the FMC gets me every time. Both books are standalone but I feel like they are even better when read close together! Definitely recommend.
December 28, 2024
Finished in 1 Day
So cute and adorable along with good Spicy 🌶️ and Characters.
I liked how the whole book was not they hold the secret of why she dislikes him and still some drama to make it entertaining and good pacing.
So cute and adorable along with good Spicy 🌶️ and Characters.
I liked how the whole book was not they hold the secret of why she dislikes him and still some drama to make it entertaining and good pacing.
December 31, 2025
Would have been ok but ended with my least favorite trope
December 3, 2024
I am admittingly not a fan of christmas/holiday novellas, so I was delighted to receive a copy of a New Year's story! And it was so much fun to read, I loved that Christmas wasn't being forced down my throat. Instead of cheesy puns, ice skating dates and Christmas tree revelations, James gave us an enemies to lovers, fake dating, secret billionaire, brother's best friend little bundle of joy that I devoured with a huge smile on my face.
Anders was everything you want in MMC when the tropes are my favorite. I loved the novella vibe because there wasn't any over the top craziness or confusion, just a guy who fell for his best friend's sister and has been too nervous to ask her out for years. His golden retriever vibes and desire to take care of her had me squealing in delight and in instalove with him.
Caroline was a delight; she had valid reasons for her hatred in the beginning but I liked how the lust was still underlying in its wake. The (minor) miscommunication made sense for the origin of the characters and just added to the addiction this little story delight packed. I loved her and I love them!
Overall, so much fun to read and a perfect little (non Christmas) holiday novella!! 10/10!
Anders was everything you want in MMC when the tropes are my favorite. I loved the novella vibe because there wasn't any over the top craziness or confusion, just a guy who fell for his best friend's sister and has been too nervous to ask her out for years. His golden retriever vibes and desire to take care of her had me squealing in delight and in instalove with him.
Caroline was a delight; she had valid reasons for her hatred in the beginning but I liked how the lust was still underlying in its wake. The (minor) miscommunication made sense for the origin of the characters and just added to the addiction this little story delight packed. I loved her and I love them!
Overall, so much fun to read and a perfect little (non Christmas) holiday novella!! 10/10!
December 31, 2024
I really enjoyed this one at the start, but unfortunately it lost me part way through.
⭐️: 2.5/5
🌶️: open door, a few scenes
💭 overall thoughts:
The premise was great, the tropes, etc, but the execution wasn’t there for me.
I loved that Anders was secretly pining for Caroline for years.
When he’s so cute spiraling at what to wear for their date 🥹
A lot of the story just doesn’t make sense, and the pacing felt off.
It’s also being marketed as a New Year’s novella, but that’s basically a few pages near the end of the book, so I don’t get that vibe at all.
Tropes:
💙 brother’s best friend
🫣 blind date to fake dating
💰 secret billionaire
😠 loathe to love
💙 he falls first
💚 MCs in their late 30s
💞 dual 1st person pov
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⭐️: 2.5/5
🌶️: open door, a few scenes
💭 overall thoughts:
The premise was great, the tropes, etc, but the execution wasn’t there for me.
I loved that Anders was secretly pining for Caroline for years.
When he’s so cute spiraling at what to wear for their date 🥹
A lot of the story just doesn’t make sense, and the pacing felt off.
It’s also being marketed as a New Year’s novella, but that’s basically a few pages near the end of the book, so I don’t get that vibe at all.
Tropes:
💙 brother’s best friend
🫣 blind date to fake dating
💰 secret billionaire
😠 loathe to love
💙 he falls first
💚 MCs in their late 30s
💞 dual 1st person pov
*Connect with Me*
🤍 Instagram 🤍 Blog 🤍
January 1, 2026
“We kiss like were starving. Like we’ve both been waiting for this moment for years. Maybe, somehow, we have been. I know I sure have.”
✔️new year’s eve novella
✔️fake dating
✔️brother’s best friend
✔️secret billionaire
✔️she loathes him
3.5⭐️
This novella starts out so promising, and I enjoyed a good bit of it, but then I just sort of lost interest, which is not ideal for a novella (or any book for that matter, honestly). Pair that with an over the top third act breakup and grovel (that is really just him throwing money around so she can’t forget that he is there and wants them to be okay) that takes back all of the FMC’s (limited) character development and it just kind of ended on a “meh” note for me. I like the MCs, the spice is fine, and the epilogue is cute, but it just fell kind of flat overall.
✔️new year’s eve novella
✔️fake dating
✔️brother’s best friend
✔️secret billionaire
✔️she loathes him
3.5⭐️
This novella starts out so promising, and I enjoyed a good bit of it, but then I just sort of lost interest, which is not ideal for a novella (or any book for that matter, honestly). Pair that with an over the top third act breakup and grovel (that is really just him throwing money around so she can’t forget that he is there and wants them to be okay) that takes back all of the FMC’s (limited) character development and it just kind of ended on a “meh” note for me. I like the MCs, the spice is fine, and the epilogue is cute, but it just fell kind of flat overall.
November 28, 2024
I really enjoyed Wishing For You! It is a novella so it moves fairly quickly but there is a nice build up. I love Anders (MMC) golden retriever vibe. He was so sweet! I’m a sucker for billionaire and fake dating tropes and this one hit all the marks. I’ll be adding more Marissa James books to my TBR.
December 7, 2024
Wishing for You is a magical holiday novella. Anders and Caroline had such a fun story, and I personally loved that they were in their 30s like me! It was a one sitting read for me and had just enough spice. I also enjoyed that we got both character’s points of view!
Tropes:
Brother’s Best Friend
Secret Billionaire
Fake Dating
Open Door Romance
Tropes:
Brother’s Best Friend
Secret Billionaire
Fake Dating
Open Door Romance
December 28, 2024
Not a terrible novella, but the conflict was rather trite.
And as with many novellas, character development and plot lacked a bit because there simply wasn't enough material.
And as with many novellas, character development and plot lacked a bit because there simply wasn't enough material.
December 2, 2024
4.5 stars.
After watching her twin brother, Thatcher, fall in love over the past year, Caroline wants what he has, but every date she’s been on has been a flop. Her friend Mary offers to set her up with her cousin. Caroline doesn’t expect Anders Cunningham, her twin’s best friend and the man she loathes, to be her friend’s cousin. As if the date couldn’t get any worse, Caroline and Anders run into his parents and they think they’re a couple…and before Caroline knows it, she’s agreeing to be his fake girlfriend. The more time she spends with him, the more she realizes that Anders is not the guy she thought he was…and he might be everything she wished for.
I read this author’s Thanksgiving novella Falling for You earlier this fall and have been beyond excited awaiting my chance to read Anders and Caroline’s story after having met them in the previously mentioned novella.
I am a sucker for a fake dating romance so I was already invested from the get go. Caroline and Anders are so sweet, and their romance is swoon worthy!
For a novella ringing in at 130 pages, the pacing is well done. But I will say that I would have absolutely adored having a full-length novel about these characters. I love that WISHING FOR YOU is told in dual POV, alternating between Anders and Caroline’s perspectives, making it easy to connect with both characters. There’s some spicy scenes and they are well placed and well written.
Lastly, Caroline and Anders are characters that are in their mid-30s and I absolutely loved that. It’s so refreshing to see characters in this age range and also much appreciated.
A cute New Year’s Eve novella!
I would like to thank the author, Marissa James, of this advanced digital copy for the opportunity to read this novella in exchange for an honest review! All opinions expressed are my own.
After watching her twin brother, Thatcher, fall in love over the past year, Caroline wants what he has, but every date she’s been on has been a flop. Her friend Mary offers to set her up with her cousin. Caroline doesn’t expect Anders Cunningham, her twin’s best friend and the man she loathes, to be her friend’s cousin. As if the date couldn’t get any worse, Caroline and Anders run into his parents and they think they’re a couple…and before Caroline knows it, she’s agreeing to be his fake girlfriend. The more time she spends with him, the more she realizes that Anders is not the guy she thought he was…and he might be everything she wished for.
I read this author’s Thanksgiving novella Falling for You earlier this fall and have been beyond excited awaiting my chance to read Anders and Caroline’s story after having met them in the previously mentioned novella.
I am a sucker for a fake dating romance so I was already invested from the get go. Caroline and Anders are so sweet, and their romance is swoon worthy!
For a novella ringing in at 130 pages, the pacing is well done. But I will say that I would have absolutely adored having a full-length novel about these characters. I love that WISHING FOR YOU is told in dual POV, alternating between Anders and Caroline’s perspectives, making it easy to connect with both characters. There’s some spicy scenes and they are well placed and well written.
Lastly, Caroline and Anders are characters that are in their mid-30s and I absolutely loved that. It’s so refreshing to see characters in this age range and also much appreciated.
A cute New Year’s Eve novella!
I would like to thank the author, Marissa James, of this advanced digital copy for the opportunity to read this novella in exchange for an honest review! All opinions expressed are my own.
November 29, 2024
𝙄 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙛𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝘼𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙧𝙨 𝘾𝙪𝙣𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙝𝙖𝙢. 𝙅𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙗𝙚𝙘𝙖𝙪𝙨𝙚 𝙝𝙚’𝙨 𝙖 𝙜𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙡𝙚𝙢𝙖𝙣, 𝙙𝙧𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙨 𝙢𝙮 𝙙𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙢 𝙘𝙖𝙧, 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙄’𝙢 𝙩𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙄 𝙬𝙚𝙖𝙧 𝙝𝙚𝙚𝙡𝙨, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙡𝙤𝙤𝙠𝙨 𝙜𝙤𝙤𝙙 𝙞𝙣 𝙖 𝙨𝙪𝙞𝙩 𝙙𝙤𝙚𝙨 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙢𝙚𝙖𝙣 𝙄 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙛𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙝𝙞𝙢. 𝙉𝙤 𝙬𝙖𝙮 𝙞𝙣 𝙝𝙚𝙡𝙡.
I just finished this book and OH. MY. GOD. I am absolutely obsessed! This novella is packed with all the things I love: 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘳𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳’𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘧𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘦, 𝘧𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘥𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘢 𝘴𝘦𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘵 𝘣𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘪𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘸𝘪𝘴𝘵, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘴𝘸𝘰𝘰𝘯-𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘩𝘺 𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘥𝘢𝘺 𝘮𝘢𝘨𝘪𝘤 𝘴𝘦𝘵 𝘰𝘯 𝘕𝘦𝘸 𝘠𝘦𝘢𝘳’𝘴 𝘌𝘷𝘦. The dual POV made it so easy to connect with both characters, and their chemistry? Off the charts spicy!
“𝙄 𝙖𝙢 𝙨𝙤𝙧𝙧𝙮. 𝙔𝙤𝙪’𝙧𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙗𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩’𝙨 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙥𝙚𝙣𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙢𝙚. 𝙄 𝙢𝙖𝙮 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙜𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙖𝙗𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙞𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙗𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝙬𝙖𝙮, 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙗𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙚𝙫𝙚 𝙢𝙚, 𝙄 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙖 𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙮𝙤𝙪. 𝙔𝙤𝙪’𝙧𝙚 𝙞𝙩 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙢𝙚. 𝙀𝙫𝙚𝙣 𝙞𝙛 𝙄 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙨𝙥𝙚𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝙤𝙛 𝙢𝙮 𝙡𝙞𝙛𝙚 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙫𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙮𝙤𝙪.”
I also loved that the main characters are in their mid-30s—it was so refreshing to read about characters at this stage in life. And let me just say, the epilogue completely wrecked me in the best way. It was so heart-meltingly sweet that I actually cried. I’m not usually one to tear up, but this one hit all the feels.
𝗔 𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗜 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝗜 𝘄𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝘁𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗜 𝗱𝗶𝗱𝗻’𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝗜’𝗱 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗴𝗲𝘁. 𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗲𝘀 𝗱𝗼 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗲, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲.
Now, I’m convinced I need to read everything Marissa James has ever written. Her storytelling is addictive, and I can already tell she’s going to be one of my favorite authors. If you’re looking for a quick, emotional, and steamy read, 𝙒𝙞𝙨𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙁𝙤𝙧 𝙔𝙤𝙪 is a must!
I just finished this book and OH. MY. GOD. I am absolutely obsessed! This novella is packed with all the things I love: 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘳𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳’𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘧𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘦, 𝘧𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘥𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘢 𝘴𝘦𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘵 𝘣𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘪𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘸𝘪𝘴𝘵, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘴𝘸𝘰𝘰𝘯-𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘩𝘺 𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘥𝘢𝘺 𝘮𝘢𝘨𝘪𝘤 𝘴𝘦𝘵 𝘰𝘯 𝘕𝘦𝘸 𝘠𝘦𝘢𝘳’𝘴 𝘌𝘷𝘦. The dual POV made it so easy to connect with both characters, and their chemistry? Off the charts spicy!
“𝙄 𝙖𝙢 𝙨𝙤𝙧𝙧𝙮. 𝙔𝙤𝙪’𝙧𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙗𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩’𝙨 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙥𝙚𝙣𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙢𝙚. 𝙄 𝙢𝙖𝙮 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙜𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙖𝙗𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙞𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙗𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝙬𝙖𝙮, 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙗𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙚𝙫𝙚 𝙢𝙚, 𝙄 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙖 𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙮𝙤𝙪. 𝙔𝙤𝙪’𝙧𝙚 𝙞𝙩 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙢𝙚. 𝙀𝙫𝙚𝙣 𝙞𝙛 𝙄 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙨𝙥𝙚𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝙤𝙛 𝙢𝙮 𝙡𝙞𝙛𝙚 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙫𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙮𝙤𝙪.”
I also loved that the main characters are in their mid-30s—it was so refreshing to read about characters at this stage in life. And let me just say, the epilogue completely wrecked me in the best way. It was so heart-meltingly sweet that I actually cried. I’m not usually one to tear up, but this one hit all the feels.
𝗔 𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗜 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝗜 𝘄𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝘁𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗜 𝗱𝗶𝗱𝗻’𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝗜’𝗱 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗴𝗲𝘁. 𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗲𝘀 𝗱𝗼 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗲, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲.
Now, I’m convinced I need to read everything Marissa James has ever written. Her storytelling is addictive, and I can already tell she’s going to be one of my favorite authors. If you’re looking for a quick, emotional, and steamy read, 𝙒𝙞𝙨𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙁𝙤𝙧 𝙔𝙤𝙪 is a must!
November 30, 2024
🥂🎆🚙⌚️🍽😘 𝘈𝘙𝘊 𝘙𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸 𝘰𝘧 𝘞𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘍𝘰𝘳 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘣𝘺 𝘔𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘴𝘢 𝘑𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘴 😘🍽⌚️🚙🎆🥂
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
🌶.5/5
If you're looking for a quick and satisfying holiday read, Wishing For You is the perfect choice! This novella packs a lot of story into its pages, making it a delightful escape.
Anders, a favorite of mine from Falling For You, truly shines in this story. His unwavering determination to win over Caroline, even when he fumbles along the way, is both heartwarming and endearing. I loved seeing his efforts to make her see him in a new light—it’s hard not to root for him!
Want to know if Anders manages to win Caroline’s heart? And does it all lead to a magical New Year's kiss? You’ll have to dive in to find out!
"I voluntarily reviewed a free advance copy of this book provided by the author. The opinions expressed are my own."
Wishing For You: A New Year's Novella is out on December 6!!
What To Expect:
🌶 Brothers Best Friend
⌚️ Secret Billionaire
🎆 Enemies To Lovers
🍽 Fake Dating
🥂 New Year's Novella
#WishingForYou
#MarissaJamesAuthor
#HolidayRomance #NewYearsNovella #HolidayReads
#Enemiestolovers #ARCReview #ARCReader #BookReview #ARCReads #EarlyReviewer #BrothersBestFriend
#FakeDatingTrope
#SecretBillionaire
#ForbiddenLove
#RomanceTropes
#NewYearsRomance #HolidayLoveStory
#CountdownToLove
#NewYearNewRomance
#HolidayNovella #RomanceReaders #BookLoversParadise #RomanceReads #SteamyRomance
#BooksWorthReading
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
🌶.5/5
If you're looking for a quick and satisfying holiday read, Wishing For You is the perfect choice! This novella packs a lot of story into its pages, making it a delightful escape.
Anders, a favorite of mine from Falling For You, truly shines in this story. His unwavering determination to win over Caroline, even when he fumbles along the way, is both heartwarming and endearing. I loved seeing his efforts to make her see him in a new light—it’s hard not to root for him!
Want to know if Anders manages to win Caroline’s heart? And does it all lead to a magical New Year's kiss? You’ll have to dive in to find out!
"I voluntarily reviewed a free advance copy of this book provided by the author. The opinions expressed are my own."
Wishing For You: A New Year's Novella is out on December 6!!
What To Expect:
🌶 Brothers Best Friend
⌚️ Secret Billionaire
🎆 Enemies To Lovers
🍽 Fake Dating
🥂 New Year's Novella
#WishingForYou
#MarissaJamesAuthor
#HolidayRomance #NewYearsNovella #HolidayReads
#Enemiestolovers #ARCReview #ARCReader #BookReview #ARCReads #EarlyReviewer #BrothersBestFriend
#FakeDatingTrope
#SecretBillionaire
#ForbiddenLove
#RomanceTropes
#NewYearsRomance #HolidayLoveStory
#CountdownToLove
#NewYearNewRomance
#HolidayNovella #RomanceReaders #BookLoversParadise #RomanceReads #SteamyRomance
#BooksWorthReading
December 5, 2024
𝙒𝙞𝙨𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙔𝙤𝙪 (𝘼𝙍𝘾 𝙍𝙚𝙫𝙞𝙚𝙬) // 𝙈𝙖𝙧𝙞𝙨𝙨𝙖 𝙅𝙖𝙢𝙚𝙨
- Brother's best friend
- Fake dating
- Enemies to lovers-ish
- Secret billionaire
- He falls first
- New Years Eve novella
Can I just say how obsessed I am with this holiday novella era Marissa is in right now?? Packed with the goodness we all love from novellas, combined with actual substance and plot?? *chefs kiss* 🤌🏼
We know from Falling for You that Caroline absolutely despises her brother's best friend, Anders. But when her friend Mary sets her up on a blind date right before Christmas, and none other than Anders Cunningham shows up... Well. The enemy may just consider herself a lover.
This man has been goneeee for Caroline for as long as he can remember, and now that he has a chance with her, fake or not- he's going to take it. Ugh, he is so incredibly sweet to her even before finding out why she dislikes him so much.
This packed a punch through the timeline of a few short weeks, and their romance read exactly as intended - a whirlwind 🥰
I loved the relatability of Caroline, just being one of us normal people struggling to get by. Meanwhile, she ends up dating someone who is loaded and has a love language of gift giving. Glimpses of Thatch and Avery were also a bonus!! I can't wait to see where the rest of this series goes!
- Brother's best friend
- Fake dating
- Enemies to lovers-ish
- Secret billionaire
- He falls first
- New Years Eve novella
Can I just say how obsessed I am with this holiday novella era Marissa is in right now?? Packed with the goodness we all love from novellas, combined with actual substance and plot?? *chefs kiss* 🤌🏼
We know from Falling for You that Caroline absolutely despises her brother's best friend, Anders. But when her friend Mary sets her up on a blind date right before Christmas, and none other than Anders Cunningham shows up... Well. The enemy may just consider herself a lover.
This man has been goneeee for Caroline for as long as he can remember, and now that he has a chance with her, fake or not- he's going to take it. Ugh, he is so incredibly sweet to her even before finding out why she dislikes him so much.
This packed a punch through the timeline of a few short weeks, and their romance read exactly as intended - a whirlwind 🥰
I loved the relatability of Caroline, just being one of us normal people struggling to get by. Meanwhile, she ends up dating someone who is loaded and has a love language of gift giving. Glimpses of Thatch and Avery were also a bonus!! I can't wait to see where the rest of this series goes!
December 9, 2024
✨️eARC Review✨️
5/5 ⭐️
2/5 🌶
*While not necessary to read Falling For You (a Thanksgiving novella) first, characters from that novella are now the MCs in Wishing For You*
Caroline is feeling left out after watching her best friend and twin brother fall in love. She quit dating apps after too many failed attempts and finally agrees to a blind date. Once her twin brother's best friend walks in, she's ready to walk out, but he convinces her to fake date to get his parents off his back. The man she thought she hated turns into someone she's falling for, but will one secret bring all those old emotions back and end them before they get started?
I first found Marissa through her Orlando Storm hockey series, but I'm loving these little holiday novellas she's been writing! I like that she still found small ways to tie the Orlando Storm into them. Brother's best friend and fake dating are 2 of my favorite tropes, and I had a feeling after Falling For You, Caroline was going to be the next FMC. While Anders didn't go into the situation with complete, honestly, he meant well and learned his lesson. He most certainly made up for all the time they missed out due to some miscommunication and wasn't missing his chance with Caroline. Is it too early to request a novella for every holiday in 2025?
Tropes:
✔️ Holiday Romance (New Year's Eve)
✔️ Brother's Best Friend
✔️ Fake Dating
✔️ Secret Billionaire
✔️ He Falls First
✔️ MCs in their mid-30s
5/5 ⭐️
2/5 🌶
*While not necessary to read Falling For You (a Thanksgiving novella) first, characters from that novella are now the MCs in Wishing For You*
Caroline is feeling left out after watching her best friend and twin brother fall in love. She quit dating apps after too many failed attempts and finally agrees to a blind date. Once her twin brother's best friend walks in, she's ready to walk out, but he convinces her to fake date to get his parents off his back. The man she thought she hated turns into someone she's falling for, but will one secret bring all those old emotions back and end them before they get started?
I first found Marissa through her Orlando Storm hockey series, but I'm loving these little holiday novellas she's been writing! I like that she still found small ways to tie the Orlando Storm into them. Brother's best friend and fake dating are 2 of my favorite tropes, and I had a feeling after Falling For You, Caroline was going to be the next FMC. While Anders didn't go into the situation with complete, honestly, he meant well and learned his lesson. He most certainly made up for all the time they missed out due to some miscommunication and wasn't missing his chance with Caroline. Is it too early to request a novella for every holiday in 2025?
Tropes:
✔️ Holiday Romance (New Year's Eve)
✔️ Brother's Best Friend
✔️ Fake Dating
✔️ Secret Billionaire
✔️ He Falls First
✔️ MCs in their mid-30s
December 5, 2024
Wishing for You by Marissa James is so good! It’s a quick easy novella to read to help get you into the New Year’s Spirit. Anders and Caroline have known each other for years, but they’ve never really gotten along. Anders never understood why Caroline didn’t like him. As a result, when they’re both in their 30s, Anders gets his cousin to set up a partial blind date between the two of them at the restaurant she’s always wanted to go to but could never afford. They’re both attracted to each other early on and agree to be in a fake relationship after running into his parent’s at dinner. They set a few rules, but I love how they wound up doing their own thing anyway. When things get rocky, we get some Avery and Thatcher action (Falling for You) which I love them sticking by Caroline. I loved every part of this book, but I especially loved the epilogue, and I would love a bonus epilogue about a year down the line or so.
December 4, 2024
Wishing for You
Marissa James
🖤 Fake Dating
🩶 Brothers best friend
🖤 He falls first
🩶 Holiday Novella
Wishing for You delivers a delightful mix of the enemies-to-lovers and fake dating tropes, blending humor, tension, and heartfelt moments. When Caroline unexpectedly fake-dates her twin brother’s best friend, Anders Cunningham—the one guy she can’t stand—she discovers he’s not who she thought he was. As sparks fly and walls come down, their pretend relationship begins to feel real, but a shocking truth threatens to upend everything. This story explores love, personal growth, and the messy beauty of second chances, making it a compelling read for fans of slow-burn romance with emotional depth. This was just as great as Falling For You that I read in October. I loved reading Caroline and Anders story!
Marissa James
🖤 Fake Dating
🩶 Brothers best friend
🖤 He falls first
🩶 Holiday Novella
Wishing for You delivers a delightful mix of the enemies-to-lovers and fake dating tropes, blending humor, tension, and heartfelt moments. When Caroline unexpectedly fake-dates her twin brother’s best friend, Anders Cunningham—the one guy she can’t stand—she discovers he’s not who she thought he was. As sparks fly and walls come down, their pretend relationship begins to feel real, but a shocking truth threatens to upend everything. This story explores love, personal growth, and the messy beauty of second chances, making it a compelling read for fans of slow-burn romance with emotional depth. This was just as great as Falling For You that I read in October. I loved reading Caroline and Anders story!
November 23, 2024
WISHING FOR YOU
(eARC)
I loved being back in this world that Marissa created. Caroline is the twin sister of Thatch from Falling For You and Anders is his best friend.
Caroline has hated Anders for a few years now but when he shows up as her blind date, she agrees to be his fake girlfriend to get his parents off his back.
Hate to love and fake dating? My kryptonite
4.5⭐️
2.5🌶️
This was such a fun quick story. I read it in one sitting (a little over 100 pages). Their relationship was so cute to watch unfold and see them truly fall for each other.
I hope Marissa plans to write more non traditional holiday novellas in this series!
I received this ARC in exchange for a review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
(eARC)
I loved being back in this world that Marissa created. Caroline is the twin sister of Thatch from Falling For You and Anders is his best friend.
Caroline has hated Anders for a few years now but when he shows up as her blind date, she agrees to be his fake girlfriend to get his parents off his back.
Hate to love and fake dating? My kryptonite
4.5⭐️
2.5🌶️
This was such a fun quick story. I read it in one sitting (a little over 100 pages). Their relationship was so cute to watch unfold and see them truly fall for each other.
I hope Marissa plans to write more non traditional holiday novellas in this series!
I received this ARC in exchange for a review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
November 24, 2024
Marissa James is back with another cute holiday novella. I think this would be a great read to finish out the year since it starts a little before Christmas and ends at New Years.
Thank you to the author for a #gifted copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
You should read this one if you like:
🥂enemies-to-lovers
⌚️brother’s best friend
🥂secret billionaire
⌚️blind date turned fake dating
Caro and Anders were fun to read about! I am always down for these tropes. Like always and it was fun to see these two figure it out. You could tell how much Anders paid attention to Caro.
This out is out Dec 6 and can be read as a standalone. Its book 2 in a novella series but it’s always more fun to read them in order🤗
Thank you to the author for a #gifted copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
You should read this one if you like:
🥂enemies-to-lovers
⌚️brother’s best friend
🥂secret billionaire
⌚️blind date turned fake dating
Caro and Anders were fun to read about! I am always down for these tropes. Like always and it was fun to see these two figure it out. You could tell how much Anders paid attention to Caro.
This out is out Dec 6 and can be read as a standalone. Its book 2 in a novella series but it’s always more fun to read them in order🤗
December 17, 2024
Anders is Caroline’s twin brother’s best friend. She’s hated him for years after she overheard him saying nasty things about her. Her friend from yoga sets her up on a blind date and surprise! It’s Anders! She’s angry at first but it’s a restaurant she’s really wanted to try so she stays for a bit until they run into Anders’s parents who think that she’s the girlfriend he’s been telling them about (just to get them off his back) now can she put up with pretending to be the girlfriend of someone she hates?
This was such a cute enemies to lovers new years novella. Great spice and cute relationship development. Really quick read and just enough to get really into the holiday spirit. I’m going back to read the Thanksgiving novella now too!
This was such a cute enemies to lovers new years novella. Great spice and cute relationship development. Really quick read and just enough to get really into the holiday spirit. I’m going back to read the Thanksgiving novella now too!
December 30, 2024
This was my first New Year’s Eve novella and book by Marissa James, and I really enjoyed it. It was such a cute read. Marissa is a great author and one I’ll definitely read again.
All the characters were great, and I loved finding out that many of the side characters have their own books (I’ve already downloaded one of them!). Anders, the MMC, was so yummy. He is that great mix of sexy confidence and golden retriever… just delicious. Caroline was just the type of FMC that I love reading about. She is independent, strong, and knows what she wants—I love that.
The pace of the story was great. Although it was short, I read it in one setting because I didn’t want to put it down.
The spice hit just right, too.🔥
Thank you, Marissa, for a fab read 🎆
All the characters were great, and I loved finding out that many of the side characters have their own books (I’ve already downloaded one of them!). Anders, the MMC, was so yummy. He is that great mix of sexy confidence and golden retriever… just delicious. Caroline was just the type of FMC that I love reading about. She is independent, strong, and knows what she wants—I love that.
The pace of the story was great. Although it was short, I read it in one setting because I didn’t want to put it down.
The spice hit just right, too.🔥
Thank you, Marissa, for a fab read 🎆
December 6, 2024
Loved it & couldn't put it down!
Wishing For You
By @marissajamesauthor
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️
A blind date just before Christmas and he turns out to be your twin brother's jerk best friend. The one you can't stand. Before Caroline knows it she's agreeing to fake date Anders in a mutually beneficial arrangement. Their shared history thanks to Caroline's twin, Thatcher, provides depth to their relationship.
I really enjoyed this book and couldn't put it down. I love it when the MMC falls first and has been pining for years. Throw in some fake dating and a bit of spice and it doesn't disappoint!
Wishing For You
By @marissajamesauthor
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️
A blind date just before Christmas and he turns out to be your twin brother's jerk best friend. The one you can't stand. Before Caroline knows it she's agreeing to fake date Anders in a mutually beneficial arrangement. Their shared history thanks to Caroline's twin, Thatcher, provides depth to their relationship.
I really enjoyed this book and couldn't put it down. I love it when the MMC falls first and has been pining for years. Throw in some fake dating and a bit of spice and it doesn't disappoint!
December 6, 2024
I loved how this was an interconnected novella and also based around the holiday time. I really enjoyed the first novella BUTTTT I think I liked this was more.
There’s just something about the enemies to lovers trope that gets me every time. Probably says a lot about me but who cares!🤪
Anders being brothers best friend too is like the cherry on top and even though this is a novella it was very much packed with everything you’d want in a romance book that’s 400 pages.
Also I will say do yourself a favor and download the bonus content at the end cause you do not want to miss out on that I absolutely adored the ending!🥰
There’s just something about the enemies to lovers trope that gets me every time. Probably says a lot about me but who cares!🤪
Anders being brothers best friend too is like the cherry on top and even though this is a novella it was very much packed with everything you’d want in a romance book that’s 400 pages.
Also I will say do yourself a favor and download the bonus content at the end cause you do not want to miss out on that I absolutely adored the ending!🥰
December 15, 2024
I loved this book so much! We met the characters in a previous book and I was hoping they would get their own book and they did!
Introducing Anders and Caroline's book! Yay!
I loved the way these characters story developed. Caro can't stand her twin brothers best friend, Anders, but when she finds herself on a blind date with him things start to fire up! The fake dating was great (happens to be one ofy favorite tropes). It was the perfect twist for their story since she didn't "like" him at the beginning.
I also liked how much we got to see Thatcher (her twin brother) and Avery her past roommate and best friend.
Introducing Anders and Caroline's book! Yay!
I loved the way these characters story developed. Caro can't stand her twin brothers best friend, Anders, but when she finds herself on a blind date with him things start to fire up! The fake dating was great (happens to be one ofy favorite tropes). It was the perfect twist for their story since she didn't "like" him at the beginning.
I also liked how much we got to see Thatcher (her twin brother) and Avery her past roommate and best friend.
December 31, 2025
Tropes:
Fake Dating
Brother’s Best Friend
Secret Billionaire
New Year’s Eve Romance
This was such a cute and feel-good novella! Wishing For You delivers everything I want in a short romance—banter, forced proximity, emotional growth, and a satisfying happily-ever-after.
The Caroline's frustration with dating and longing for what her twin brother has felt authentic, and pairing her with her brother’s best friend made the fake dating setup even more delicious. Anders completely surprised me in the best way, and I loved watching the Caroline slowly realize that he might actually be everything she’s been wishing for.
It’s fast-paced, romantic, and perfect for a cozy binge—especially around New Year’s Eve.
Fake Dating
Brother’s Best Friend
Secret Billionaire
New Year’s Eve Romance
This was such a cute and feel-good novella! Wishing For You delivers everything I want in a short romance—banter, forced proximity, emotional growth, and a satisfying happily-ever-after.
The Caroline's frustration with dating and longing for what her twin brother has felt authentic, and pairing her with her brother’s best friend made the fake dating setup even more delicious. Anders completely surprised me in the best way, and I loved watching the Caroline slowly realize that he might actually be everything she’s been wishing for.
It’s fast-paced, romantic, and perfect for a cozy binge—especially around New Year’s Eve.
November 22, 2024
🥂ᗩᖇᑕ ᖇEᐯIEᗯ🥂
4.5/5⭐️
This is a super cute quick read!
What happens when you get set up for a blind date and it ends up being your brother’s best friend who you hate…..
Well your about to find out😝
Caroline doesn’t like Anders and he honestly doesn’t know the real reason…
When she tells him and he gives her all the information she realizes what happened and then feels really really bad…
He has had a crush of her for a long time and he finally gets his chance…… But when Caroline learns something, things go down hill…
Will be win his girl back or will she completely walk away?
4.5/5⭐️
This is a super cute quick read!
What happens when you get set up for a blind date and it ends up being your brother’s best friend who you hate…..
Well your about to find out😝
Caroline doesn’t like Anders and he honestly doesn’t know the real reason…
When she tells him and he gives her all the information she realizes what happened and then feels really really bad…
He has had a crush of her for a long time and he finally gets his chance…… But when Caroline learns something, things go down hill…
Will be win his girl back or will she completely walk away?
November 29, 2024
✨ARC Review✨ Marissa has a talent for getting a reader hooked within a chapter or two. After reading her first novella ~ Falling for You ~ which introduced these two characters I knew I couldn’t wait for Thatcher and Carolina’s story. This novella was short but so so good - a brother’s best friend who’s been yearning for years and a sister who’s finally letting her guard down around him. What could be better than that? 😏
I recommend this to anyone who wants to read a short, but sweet story during the holidays. I absolutely devoured it and loved every second of it.
I recommend this to anyone who wants to read a short, but sweet story during the holidays. I absolutely devoured it and loved every second of it.
December 2, 2024
I honestly thought this book had a nice plot. I feel like it felt rushed, but it is a novella, so I feel like that comes with the territory sometimes especially since this was a New Year’s Eve novella. Some of the behaviors felt a little intense for such a short timeline because of that as well, and I didn’t feel the chemistry between the characters as much as I should have. Despite that, I really liked this book and the characters because they were like teenagers in love hahah. I also love the idea of the brother’s best friend trope, so I still really liked this!
December 6, 2024
After meeting Caroline and Anders in Falling for You, I was so excited to see them get their own story in Wishing for You.
Anders has been wishing for a chance with Caroline for years and a “blind date” is finally his chance. Caroline has “hated” Anders for years but the more she gets to know him, the more she questions what she thought she knew. Throw in a fake dating arrangement and a secret billionaire and you’ve got this sweet and slightly-spicy story. 🥂😍
Available on Kindle Unlimited!
Anders has been wishing for a chance with Caroline for years and a “blind date” is finally his chance. Caroline has “hated” Anders for years but the more she gets to know him, the more she questions what she thought she knew. Throw in a fake dating arrangement and a secret billionaire and you’ve got this sweet and slightly-spicy story. 🥂😍
Available on Kindle Unlimited!
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