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The Summer of Lost Wishes
When sixteen-year-old Piper Davenport's mom packs up their lives and heads to the coastal Florida town of Coral Sands, Piper doesn't care much for the view...until she catches a glimpse at Rooks Carter.
Her mom's "look but don't touch" policy regarding the boy next door is all but impossible to maintain, especially since he's helping his dad restore Piper's new home, the Calloway Cottage. A gorgeous, shirtless boy makes this boring little town a bit more exciting.
But after Piper and Rooks discover a secret in the walls of the cottage, they have a chance to unravel the biggest mystery in Coral Sands history - unless someone unravels them first.
(This book was previously published under the pen name Jessa Gabrielle.)
Her mom's "look but don't touch" policy regarding the boy next door is all but impossible to maintain, especially since he's helping his dad restore Piper's new home, the Calloway Cottage. A gorgeous, shirtless boy makes this boring little town a bit more exciting.
But after Piper and Rooks discover a secret in the walls of the cottage, they have a chance to unravel the biggest mystery in Coral Sands history - unless someone unravels them first.
(This book was previously published under the pen name Jessa Gabrielle.)
186 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 13, 2016
2 people are currently reading
345 people want to read
About the author
Nikki Chartier
26 books614 followersNikki Chartier is a young adult/new adult author. She writes everything from beach reads about surfers to witchy reads for Halloween lovers. She is an avid surf fan (who always wants Gabriel Medina to win), a dream-chaser, and a collector of crystals. She lives in the southern USA with her family.
I do not hang out on Goodreads often, so please see my website (http://www.nikkichartierbooks.com) for all updates and true links to my backlist.
I do not hang out on Goodreads often, so please see my website (http://www.nikkichartierbooks.com) for all updates and true links to my backlist.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
April 19, 2017
The Summer of Lost Wishes by Jessa Gabrielle is the perfect beach read and one that I highly recommend. The plot moved smoothly and I really enjoyed the characters. The mystery was fun and the suspense wasn't campy at all. I highly recommend, especially this summer!
My Rating: 5 stars
My Rating: 5 stars
June 7, 2017
This book was the PERFECT summer read. A perfect mix of young romance and mystery. The plot kept me guessing and I loved the atmosphere (to the point I wish I could visit Coral Sands). Make this your next beach book!
July 16, 2016
Let me start off by saying I went into this one with very high hopes...I mean it's YA and it's a mystery! I read a lot of YA and a lot of mystery but hardly any that are both. I'll end your suspense...I LOVED The Summer of Lost Wishes!! This will be one of those books that I will recommend to everyone. It had so many opportunities to take the cliched route as far as the characters and plot went but the author took none of them. It's so refreshing and exciting to read a book like this one where I find the characters and the plot so intriguing and original.
Pretty early on in the story Piper, our main character, spots Rooks...the cute boy next door. Piper's mom warns her not to get involved with him as he might be "trouble". This is the point where it would be easy for an author to write a girl next door meets bad boy and falls in love even though she knows she shouldn't...kind of story. But Jessa Gabrielle's characters are complex and realistic. Piper and Rooks are characters that teenagers could easily relate to and I say this not because I'm a teenager, far from it! But I found myself reading passages and being reminded of how I felt at that age.
Now aside from the amazing characters my favorite thing about The Summer of Lost Wishes is the mystery!! I read a lot of mysteries, they are my favorite. So, sometimes it's hard for me to be surprised by an ending. As I was reading this I got completely drawn into the mystery and the romance of it. I don't want to give away anything so I'll just say that when I got to the obvious climax of the story I was thinking I knew exactly where it was going....I was worried that the ending would be predictable. Then I kept reading and there was a lot of me yelling "WHAT?!" and "I DID NOT SEE THAT COMING" I love that I was surprised by the ending...in soo many ways! Yet it all still came together and made sense.
I can't say enough wonderful things about this book. It has something in it for everyone to love and I know I'll be recommending it to anyone asking me what they should read next. I will also be eagerly awaiting the next book published by Jessa Gabrielle.
**I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review**
Pretty early on in the story Piper, our main character, spots Rooks...the cute boy next door. Piper's mom warns her not to get involved with him as he might be "trouble". This is the point where it would be easy for an author to write a girl next door meets bad boy and falls in love even though she knows she shouldn't...kind of story. But Jessa Gabrielle's characters are complex and realistic. Piper and Rooks are characters that teenagers could easily relate to and I say this not because I'm a teenager, far from it! But I found myself reading passages and being reminded of how I felt at that age.
Now aside from the amazing characters my favorite thing about The Summer of Lost Wishes is the mystery!! I read a lot of mysteries, they are my favorite. So, sometimes it's hard for me to be surprised by an ending. As I was reading this I got completely drawn into the mystery and the romance of it. I don't want to give away anything so I'll just say that when I got to the obvious climax of the story I was thinking I knew exactly where it was going....I was worried that the ending would be predictable. Then I kept reading and there was a lot of me yelling "WHAT?!" and "I DID NOT SEE THAT COMING" I love that I was surprised by the ending...in soo many ways! Yet it all still came together and made sense.
I can't say enough wonderful things about this book. It has something in it for everyone to love and I know I'll be recommending it to anyone asking me what they should read next. I will also be eagerly awaiting the next book published by Jessa Gabrielle.
**I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review**
March 22, 2018
I loved this novel! It had a sweet romance and a mystery all set in a small town in Florida. It was cute and hard to put down.
September 7, 2017
This is such a beautiful book-full of life from the young teeneagers who are the main characters as well as all of the supporting characters, dead and alive. I know that sounds odd to say a dead character brings life to the story, however in this case it is true in more than one way.
Coral Sands is a small Florida town that has become famous because of a tragic accident fifty years ago when five teenagers lost their lives in a storm and being attacked by sharks. The island where it happened has been closed off and locals now refer to it as Shark Island. Two of those teenagers were set to marry in a few weeks after graduation. The girl's family had a beach cottage built for them, and after the horrific deaths, the cottage stood empty for 50 years.
Piper Davenport and her mother (who is an interior decorator) are moving into the cottage-Piper's mother bought it knowing full good and well the story behind the cottage. It creeps Piper out when she finds out, but fortunately, the man who is going to do the work lives next door with his son, Rooks. And a 16 year old boy never looked so good to Piper when she first saw him next door with his shirt off. They establish an easy friendship and the first day of work on the house, Piper and Rooks tear down a wall to make a larger closet in Piper's bedroom. Behind the old wall they discover a cache of letters wrapped in a 1965 newspaper. The summer progresses as does the renovations on the house and the friendship between Piper and Rooks strengthens. They spend the summer immersed in the mystery found in the house. It isn't until a 50th year anniversary party that everything becomes clear to the young couple.
This beautiful story is the author's debut novel, and a treasure to read. It is listed as YA, but invokes memories of being younger when read by a more mature reader. Definitely not a book to be missed by anyone who loves Florida-small towns-and mysteries. The really great news is, if you buy it today (9-7-17) it is free on Amazon! Don't miss this opportunity for another summer story as we go into fall...or anytime!
Coral Sands is a small Florida town that has become famous because of a tragic accident fifty years ago when five teenagers lost their lives in a storm and being attacked by sharks. The island where it happened has been closed off and locals now refer to it as Shark Island. Two of those teenagers were set to marry in a few weeks after graduation. The girl's family had a beach cottage built for them, and after the horrific deaths, the cottage stood empty for 50 years.
Piper Davenport and her mother (who is an interior decorator) are moving into the cottage-Piper's mother bought it knowing full good and well the story behind the cottage. It creeps Piper out when she finds out, but fortunately, the man who is going to do the work lives next door with his son, Rooks. And a 16 year old boy never looked so good to Piper when she first saw him next door with his shirt off. They establish an easy friendship and the first day of work on the house, Piper and Rooks tear down a wall to make a larger closet in Piper's bedroom. Behind the old wall they discover a cache of letters wrapped in a 1965 newspaper. The summer progresses as does the renovations on the house and the friendship between Piper and Rooks strengthens. They spend the summer immersed in the mystery found in the house. It isn't until a 50th year anniversary party that everything becomes clear to the young couple.
This beautiful story is the author's debut novel, and a treasure to read. It is listed as YA, but invokes memories of being younger when read by a more mature reader. Definitely not a book to be missed by anyone who loves Florida-small towns-and mysteries. The really great news is, if you buy it today (9-7-17) it is free on Amazon! Don't miss this opportunity for another summer story as we go into fall...or anytime!
September 22, 2017
This is the perfect summer read. I know it's technically Autumn now but in SC it feels like summer until around November anyway. I wish I would have read this at the beginning of summer so I could get into the summer spirit but better late than never. It is the perfect combination of mystery, romance, and summer that will put a smile on your face.
Piper and Rooks are adorable together and their romance isn't all in your face. Which is good because sometimes you just don't want an all in your face style romance. This is a sweet book that a lot of people would enjoy. I liked that Piper was different and didn't try to hide that from Rooks. She let him know that she was a Tennesse girl that liked fabric cover deer heads mounted in her room. People could learn a lot from her.
The author did a great job pulling all of the mysteries closed at the end and tying a flamingo pink bow around it. All questions were answered and I loved the way it ended. I was wondering how the mysteries were going to be brought to light but I wasn't expecting that at all.
Piper and Rooks are adorable together and their romance isn't all in your face. Which is good because sometimes you just don't want an all in your face style romance. This is a sweet book that a lot of people would enjoy. I liked that Piper was different and didn't try to hide that from Rooks. She let him know that she was a Tennesse girl that liked fabric cover deer heads mounted in her room. People could learn a lot from her.
The author did a great job pulling all of the mysteries closed at the end and tying a flamingo pink bow around it. All questions were answered and I loved the way it ended. I was wondering how the mysteries were going to be brought to light but I wasn't expecting that at all.
October 28, 2017
Nikki Godwin is one of my favorite writers, and The Summer of Lost Wishes definitely didn’t disappoint! Her vivid descriptions of settings made me feel like I was truly going through the same experiences as her characters, especially when it came to the initial mystery surrounding the cottage’s history. I loved how she let the townspeople react to a secret before Piper knew about it; it was far more interesting to watch her try and figure out their reactions before finding out the truth. The pacing of the plot as a whole is fantastic; it was intense in all the right places. Combined with the plot, the character development of Piper herself was fantastic, and her voice throughout was very clear and personable. Overall, I would highly recommend The Summer of Lost Wishes as a great coming-of-age novel for teens who are looking for a fun summer read.
April 12, 2020
I adore this author. I love her magical way of writing that make the most mundane things seem whimsical and beautiful. This story was everything I wanted it to be. Sugary sweet, with enough mystery and a little bit of adventure to keep me interested. It just reminded me of good times spent on Florida shores in little nothing beach towns. Each has a mysterious story of its own. I loved all of the little interconnected characters both big and small that created this world on the shore.
November 17, 2017
A move to a seaside little town that had a tragic history 50 years ago. It's not easy being the new kid on the block, add to that that you've moved into a house with a haunted history with hidden letters. A mystery that needs to be solved with a sweet little romance thrown in. A good read when you want something a little different.
May 8, 2025
I absolutely love this story. I like how the story is centred around the idea of the secret letters and the mystery that happened at Shark Island. And the reveal at the end was something I wasn't expecting. If you are looking for a great summer/beach read, I would definitely recommend this book.
July 18, 2016
What can I say? The Summer of Lost Wishes was the perfect book to kick off my summer. It had everything I love in a YA novel from teen angst to a hot boy next door and some mystery as Piper and her new neighbor Rooks set off to discover what really happened to the five teens who died tragically in their small beach town fifty years ago.
Jessa Gabrielle does a stunning job at weaving the perfect beach setting, with incredible summery descriptions that really let me experience the small town of Coral Sands. The sweet, budding romance between Piper and Rooks had me smiling at nearly every page. There aren’t enough smiley heart-eye emojis in the world to describe how adorable every moment between the two of them was. Their summer love story was really well done.
I also loved how some letters from the past were speckled throughout the novel to give us a glimpse at the teens’ lives from 1965 before the tragedy occurred. It set up the mystery of the story perfectly.
I highly recommend this story for those who like young adult contemporary novels, beach reads, beautiful settings, and an all around cute romance.
Jessa Gabrielle does a stunning job at weaving the perfect beach setting, with incredible summery descriptions that really let me experience the small town of Coral Sands. The sweet, budding romance between Piper and Rooks had me smiling at nearly every page. There aren’t enough smiley heart-eye emojis in the world to describe how adorable every moment between the two of them was. Their summer love story was really well done.
I also loved how some letters from the past were speckled throughout the novel to give us a glimpse at the teens’ lives from 1965 before the tragedy occurred. It set up the mystery of the story perfectly.
I highly recommend this story for those who like young adult contemporary novels, beach reads, beautiful settings, and an all around cute romance.
June 19, 2016
Could not put it down! Finished at 2:25 am with a series of DM'S sent to author on twitter lol.
**I received a free copy of this e-book in exchange for a review**
I'm not great at reviews, but here goes lol.
I love this book. It kept my attention throughout a car ride home from Brooklyn to Long Island, when Hamilton was playing through the aux cord. It was one of those books that kept my attention so well that I blocked out everything around me (including the Hamilton soundtrack.) I then fcontonued to read because I knew I would not be able to sleep until I found out everything, and went to sleep around 3 am lol.
This book was unpredictable (everything I predicted was wrong lol), mysterious, surprising (in the best way), and made me want to fall in love with a boy next door (too bad the only boy next door to me is older than my own father lmao).
You will want to see the color Iceberg Blue by the end of this book, and you'll want to try Rosa's chips. You'll want to explore Shark Island yourself, and maybe have your own summer romance.
"It'll be our summer of lost wishes."
10/10, would recommend to anyone.
**I received a free copy of this e-book in exchange for a review**
I'm not great at reviews, but here goes lol.
I love this book. It kept my attention throughout a car ride home from Brooklyn to Long Island, when Hamilton was playing through the aux cord. It was one of those books that kept my attention so well that I blocked out everything around me (including the Hamilton soundtrack.) I then fcontonued to read because I knew I would not be able to sleep until I found out everything, and went to sleep around 3 am lol.
This book was unpredictable (everything I predicted was wrong lol), mysterious, surprising (in the best way), and made me want to fall in love with a boy next door (too bad the only boy next door to me is older than my own father lmao).
You will want to see the color Iceberg Blue by the end of this book, and you'll want to try Rosa's chips. You'll want to explore Shark Island yourself, and maybe have your own summer romance.
"It'll be our summer of lost wishes."
10/10, would recommend to anyone.
June 14, 2016
Beautiful story
The story catches you right away with a mysterious old house with a tragic story behind it. It takes you on a journey with Piper and Rooks to figure out what really happened that night fifty years ago when 5 teens died. The way it's written is just beautiful.
"It’s like the falling stars are sparkling around me – finally – and all of those lost wishes have been recovered from the well and given a second breath of life." <- my favorite line of the story and the summer of lost wishes is themed throughout bringing Piper's story and the fifty year old story together. The title is very fitting, I love it. This is the perfect standalone feel good summertime read. It's got mystery, history, romance, suspense, and humor.
I can't wait to see what else comes from this author :)
The story catches you right away with a mysterious old house with a tragic story behind it. It takes you on a journey with Piper and Rooks to figure out what really happened that night fifty years ago when 5 teens died. The way it's written is just beautiful.
"It’s like the falling stars are sparkling around me – finally – and all of those lost wishes have been recovered from the well and given a second breath of life." <- my favorite line of the story and the summer of lost wishes is themed throughout bringing Piper's story and the fifty year old story together. The title is very fitting, I love it. This is the perfect standalone feel good summertime read. It's got mystery, history, romance, suspense, and humor.
I can't wait to see what else comes from this author :)
January 23, 2018
The Summer of Lost wishes is a story about Piper, she moves to her mom's old hometown. Into a beach cottage, her mom had to have. Turns out her mom didn’t tell her everything about this house. It’s a little bit of a mystery, that I felt was interesting. I really wanted to love the story, it sounded really good and intriguing.
Unfortunately, I didn’t really connect with Piper on an emotional level. That’s what I really look for in a story. It was good though and I think it would be great for the younger young adult crowd. It was written well. Just didn’t really grab and hold on to me all the way through.
Overall, Three Boundless Stars
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Unfortunately, I didn’t really connect with Piper on an emotional level. That’s what I really look for in a story. It was good though and I think it would be great for the younger young adult crowd. It was written well. Just didn’t really grab and hold on to me all the way through.
Overall, Three Boundless Stars
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November 19, 2017**3 Boundless Stars** Full Review and Rating will be up on Boundless Book Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews