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The Secret Life of Wishful Thinking
“The ring you found…it belongs to your future husband…”
A humiliating incident four years ago cost Kenzie Armstrong her pride and her marketing career, but now she’s making her way back at a run-down racetrack where she’s charged with increasing attendance. After a chance encounter with a storefront psychic, Kenzie begins secretly wishing that the fortune teller’s far-fetched prediction will come true.
Her best friend, Gemma, an outspoken extrovert and dreamer, has her own secret wish—finding the true identify of her biological father. But is it worth the risk? And at what cost?
Brynne is a powerful and bossy horse owner at the racetrack, with a seemingly perfect family and Bel-Air mansion to match. But her world is full of dark secrets, many of which threaten everything she has.
Sarita, a track coordinator by day and Goth singer by night, bristles under the expectations of her traditional Indian family. Underneath it all, she secretly longs for their approval and acceptance of her chosen life.
The Secret Life of Wishful Thinking is a warm and humorous tale about four women who forge an unlikely and supportive bond—and have the audacity to dream.
A humiliating incident four years ago cost Kenzie Armstrong her pride and her marketing career, but now she’s making her way back at a run-down racetrack where she’s charged with increasing attendance. After a chance encounter with a storefront psychic, Kenzie begins secretly wishing that the fortune teller’s far-fetched prediction will come true.
Her best friend, Gemma, an outspoken extrovert and dreamer, has her own secret wish—finding the true identify of her biological father. But is it worth the risk? And at what cost?
Brynne is a powerful and bossy horse owner at the racetrack, with a seemingly perfect family and Bel-Air mansion to match. But her world is full of dark secrets, many of which threaten everything she has.
Sarita, a track coordinator by day and Goth singer by night, bristles under the expectations of her traditional Indian family. Underneath it all, she secretly longs for their approval and acceptance of her chosen life.
The Secret Life of Wishful Thinking is a warm and humorous tale about four women who forge an unlikely and supportive bond—and have the audacity to dream.
304 pages, Paperback
First published February 10, 2015
117 people are currently reading
690 people want to read
About the author
Lindy DeKoven
2 books11 followersLindy was born in Chicago, Illinois. When she was a teenager her family moved to Los Angeles, but soon after her father passed away. This devastating incident forced her to work part-time while still in high school.
Lindy developed excellent typing skills which, upon college graduation, earned her numerous clerical positions in the entertainment field where she spent most of her career, eventually rising from secretary to executive vice president of NBC. Later she was appointed to several boards, including the California Commission on the Status of Women and the California Film Commission.
But in 2010, she was finally able to pursue her dream of becoming a writer. Something she wanted since high school. She wrote her first novel, PRIMETIME PRINCESS and just completed her second, THE SECRET LIFE OF WISHFUL THINKING. She's currently at work on her third.
Lindy lives in Los Angeles with her husband and two crazy border collies. She continues to believe that anything is possible.
Lindy developed excellent typing skills which, upon college graduation, earned her numerous clerical positions in the entertainment field where she spent most of her career, eventually rising from secretary to executive vice president of NBC. Later she was appointed to several boards, including the California Commission on the Status of Women and the California Film Commission.
But in 2010, she was finally able to pursue her dream of becoming a writer. Something she wanted since high school. She wrote her first novel, PRIMETIME PRINCESS and just completed her second, THE SECRET LIFE OF WISHFUL THINKING. She's currently at work on her third.
Lindy lives in Los Angeles with her husband and two crazy border collies. She continues to believe that anything is possible.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews
January 11, 2015
Actual Stars: 2.0
Reminded me of: Saturday afternoon movies.
3 words to describe it: Bland, feminist and happy.
Favorite part: Thong swinging.
This novel follows several women who are involved with a horse racing track and the twists and turns their lives take. First off, I'd like to say it was decently paced and written and the cover? It's rather pretty.
My dislike of the novel comes from the fact that it reads like watching a cheesy Saturday afternoon movie. You know that everyone is going to learn a lesson and have a happy ending in one way or another. Not that that can be a bad thing, I just didn't get invested or attached to any of the characters and felt near the end when they all did a speech about what they'd learned that it was cringe worthy.
It was all very predictable and girl power. However, I can easily see this becoming a movie some time in the future.
July 26, 2017
Kenzie Armstrong, an marketing and advertising woman, her BFF Gemma Haskins, her co-worker Sarita Mahajan and her nemesis Brynne Tomlinson all have obstacles in this book to overcome. Each of them is involved in "Wishful Thinking" about a life they want or think they want. The chapters in this book are narrated alternately by the four characters. Brynne suffered a humiliating experience as the youngest executive at Victory Studios in Hollywood. She disappears from the scene and reappears four years later just promoted from hot walker at a down and out racetrack, to Director of Marketing. Can she pull off the marketing and resurrect the track? Can she find someone to love? Will the ring be involved in her decisions? Gemma was raised by her mother and has never known her father. Recently she has found some documents letting her know who her father is. She seeks him out and insinuates herself into his family with the hope of revealing herself to them and being accepted with open arms. Will she finally have the family she has always dreamed of? Brynne Tomlinson has been married for 19 years. She is well off financially and looks down on others. She also feels that her life as a wife and mother is superior to working women's lives. She tries her best to get her demoted and/or fired. When Brynne's husband is seen kissing another woman, she has some decisions to make. Where will she turn? What is going to happen to her marriage? Sarita is stubborn and rebellious. Her father is a very traditional Hindu man and wants his daughter to become a wife and mother, based upon his choices. He is also very stubborn, and set in his ways. Sarita has just landed her first job as the social media person at the track and works with Kenzie. Sarita has been living a secret life as a goth singer and when her parents find out about it and her boyfriend, Sarita is forced to make a decision. When she does not want to marry the man her father has chosen, she is kicked out of the house. Will Sarita give in to her parent's demands? Will she embrace who she really is and move on with her singing career and the goth scene?
The Secret Life of Wishful Thinking follows these four women as they are forced to make life choices. They have many ups and downs along the way, but are finally able to realize that what they wish for and want may be within their reach after all. There were times in the story that I was angry with one or more of these women. They did not realize how much inner strength they had and seemed somewhat wishy washy at times. Then there were situations where they showed their backbone and strength. This is very typical with women and made me root for them along the way. The plot was relatively quick but did have some slower moments. Overall, I enjoyed the book. It is a story of self-affirmation and strength for women and girls.
The Secret Life of Wishful Thinking follows these four women as they are forced to make life choices. They have many ups and downs along the way, but are finally able to realize that what they wish for and want may be within their reach after all. There were times in the story that I was angry with one or more of these women. They did not realize how much inner strength they had and seemed somewhat wishy washy at times. Then there were situations where they showed their backbone and strength. This is very typical with women and made me root for them along the way. The plot was relatively quick but did have some slower moments. Overall, I enjoyed the book. It is a story of self-affirmation and strength for women and girls.
January 12, 2015
“The Secret Life of Wishful Thinking,” published by Lake Union Publishing,” is Lindy DeKoven’s second novel. She is the bestselling author of “Primetime Princess.”
Can a woman be more than just a job description? Kenzie Armstrong is forced to find out who she truly is, inside and out, after a humiliating experience as an up-and-coming Hollywood studio executive. She escapes the rat race and tries to be build a simpler life as a marketing pro for a small horse racing track. After she finds a beautiful ring on the shore, a fortune teller predicts that the ring belongs to Kenzie’s future husband, and then the mystery woman dies.
What Kenzie finds is that she is much better than she ever expected. Her three closest friends discover the same thing. Emotional strength builds from the inside out, and that growth can bring unexpected results.
ARC provided by Netgalley
Can a woman be more than just a job description? Kenzie Armstrong is forced to find out who she truly is, inside and out, after a humiliating experience as an up-and-coming Hollywood studio executive. She escapes the rat race and tries to be build a simpler life as a marketing pro for a small horse racing track. After she finds a beautiful ring on the shore, a fortune teller predicts that the ring belongs to Kenzie’s future husband, and then the mystery woman dies.
What Kenzie finds is that she is much better than she ever expected. Her three closest friends discover the same thing. Emotional strength builds from the inside out, and that growth can bring unexpected results.
ARC provided by Netgalley
January 19, 2015
This book is a phoenix story. After a humiliating incident, Kenzie retreats to a broken down race-track to redeem herself and recover from both the death of her mother and the death of her career. The plot is entirely predictable, including the romance with the hunky trainer. What is special about this book is the theme of redemption that runs clearly through almost every character. All three of the women start in one place and end up somewhere better. I like this book for the unexpected friendships that flourish between the women. It encourages all of us to look further past the facades of our acquaintances.
January 24, 2015
I loved this book! It's a thoroughly enjoyable, entertaining read with likable, interesting characters (that, if they were real, I'd love to know.)THE SECRET LIFE OF WISHFUL THINKING is a fun, engaging, hard-to-put-down book...and though it's a fast read (I read it in a day and a half) the characters--and how they each learn to find strength when facing their individual challenges-- will be with me for a long time.
January 27, 2015
I loved this book! It is enjoyable read with relatable, likeable characters. I could not put it down as I wanted to see where the story took the four women. The book is a fun, engaging quick read that leaves you with wanting to know more about each of the women.
February 6, 2015
I just finished reading The Secret Life of Wishful Thinking by Lindy DeKoven is a sweet novel. It is about four woman who are letting wishful thinking getting in the way of living their lives or facing reality.
Kenzie Armstrong is the youngest executive at Victory Studio in Hollywood and she is at the top of her career. She is about to give a speech in New York in front a very large audience. Kenzie goes to the restroom before heading onto the stage (just wait and you will see why this is important). She is giving her speech when the audience starts laughing. After a few minutes a stage manager comes and up and whispers in her ear that her skirt is tucked into her pink thong. Kenzie freezes up and walks off the stage. She later discovered that she suffered a panic attack. Kenzie had lost her mother recently and had never taken the time to grieve.
Four years later Kenzie is working at Grayson Downs Racetrack. She just received a promotion. Kenzie has been walking the horses after training for the last four years and is now Director of Marketing for the track. The track needs more exposure to get better attendance and more people using their facilities during the off season. Kenzie receives a prediction from Gemma's psychic. The ring that Kenzie found on the beach (it is a suffragette ring and just lovely) will belong to her future husband and that this future husband will come into her life within the next six months (according to the psychic, Annalisa, who then drops dead). This prediction will affect Kenzie's life in negative ways as she lets it rule her relationships.
Gemma Haskins is Kenzie's best friend. Gemma was raised by her mother and she has never known her father. Until recently Gemma thought her father was a sperm donor until she found paperwork in her mother's closest. Her father had signed an agreement with Gemma's mother. He would pay expenses for Gemma until she was 18 as long as there was no contact. Gemma is determined to find her father and connect with him. (You just know that this is not gong to go well). Gemma sets out to meet her father and his family (he is married with two kids). Gemma believes that when he will embrace her and be happy to see her.
Brynne Tomlinson has been married for 19 years and has twin daughters. Brynne thinks she is superior to other people. She has wealth, a big house, lovely daughters, and a husband who loves her. Brynne owns several horses that she keeps at the track. Brynne does not have any close friends and does not believe that woman friends can be close and help one another. Brynne's life is going to change drastically as well as her perceptions.
Sarita Mahajan is stubborn and rebellious. Her father is very traditional, stubborn, and set in his ways. Sarita has just returned from college and has gotten her first job. She is the social media person at the track and works with Kenzie. Sarita is into the goth scene and wants to be a singer. She has been hiding this from her parents until one night they catch her on the front porch kissing her boyfriend, Damien. Her father wants her to marry and be a housewife (very old-fashioned). What will it take for Sarita to embrace who she is as a person as well as her heritage?
The Secret Life of Wishful Thinking is a lovely book with a very good ending. It is interesting to see the changes that happen to each character and how they come together in the end. I give The Secret Life of Wishful Thinking 4 out of 5 stars. Happy Reading!
I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
http://bibliophileandavidreader.blogs...
Kenzie Armstrong is the youngest executive at Victory Studio in Hollywood and she is at the top of her career. She is about to give a speech in New York in front a very large audience. Kenzie goes to the restroom before heading onto the stage (just wait and you will see why this is important). She is giving her speech when the audience starts laughing. After a few minutes a stage manager comes and up and whispers in her ear that her skirt is tucked into her pink thong. Kenzie freezes up and walks off the stage. She later discovered that she suffered a panic attack. Kenzie had lost her mother recently and had never taken the time to grieve.
Four years later Kenzie is working at Grayson Downs Racetrack. She just received a promotion. Kenzie has been walking the horses after training for the last four years and is now Director of Marketing for the track. The track needs more exposure to get better attendance and more people using their facilities during the off season. Kenzie receives a prediction from Gemma's psychic. The ring that Kenzie found on the beach (it is a suffragette ring and just lovely) will belong to her future husband and that this future husband will come into her life within the next six months (according to the psychic, Annalisa, who then drops dead). This prediction will affect Kenzie's life in negative ways as she lets it rule her relationships.
Gemma Haskins is Kenzie's best friend. Gemma was raised by her mother and she has never known her father. Until recently Gemma thought her father was a sperm donor until she found paperwork in her mother's closest. Her father had signed an agreement with Gemma's mother. He would pay expenses for Gemma until she was 18 as long as there was no contact. Gemma is determined to find her father and connect with him. (You just know that this is not gong to go well). Gemma sets out to meet her father and his family (he is married with two kids). Gemma believes that when he will embrace her and be happy to see her.
Brynne Tomlinson has been married for 19 years and has twin daughters. Brynne thinks she is superior to other people. She has wealth, a big house, lovely daughters, and a husband who loves her. Brynne owns several horses that she keeps at the track. Brynne does not have any close friends and does not believe that woman friends can be close and help one another. Brynne's life is going to change drastically as well as her perceptions.
Sarita Mahajan is stubborn and rebellious. Her father is very traditional, stubborn, and set in his ways. Sarita has just returned from college and has gotten her first job. She is the social media person at the track and works with Kenzie. Sarita is into the goth scene and wants to be a singer. She has been hiding this from her parents until one night they catch her on the front porch kissing her boyfriend, Damien. Her father wants her to marry and be a housewife (very old-fashioned). What will it take for Sarita to embrace who she is as a person as well as her heritage?
The Secret Life of Wishful Thinking is a lovely book with a very good ending. It is interesting to see the changes that happen to each character and how they come together in the end. I give The Secret Life of Wishful Thinking 4 out of 5 stars. Happy Reading!
I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
http://bibliophileandavidreader.blogs...
February 4, 2015
This review can also be found on my blog - https://toomanybooksnotenoughtime.wor...
At first I thought that this book would be a story of rivalry and bitchiness, but I should have known from the quote at the very beginning of the book that this would be a different story. What I got instead was a story of four women, all struggling with aspects of their lives, who come together to support each other instead of tearing each other apart.
I loved this book and I loved the women in it. Kenzie, her best friend Gemma, Sarita who works with Kenzie, and Brynne who is trying to get Kenzie fired from her job. They are the type of women I’d want to spend a spa day with and then follow-up with a fun girls night-out. They’re the ones you want at your back and the ones that always have an ear to lend when things go pear-shaped.
I could identify with what each of the women was going through, not because I’d had their specific problem, but because, in one way or another, we all go through the same thing – fear of the unknown. Each of the women were dealing with how to take a leap of faith and do something that scared the crap out of them. I was impressed with the growth of each of the characters, but especially Brynne, who I started out not liking particularly.
The story was well structured and it moved along at a good pace with no boring bits. The characters were well developed and we learnt enough of their back stories to understand where they were coming from without being burdened by unnecessary detail. I enjoyed the humour of the book and there were parts where my heart clenched a little at what the women were going through.
I came away from this book feeling uplifted by the relationships between the women. I think it goes to prove that you can write a book about women without the stereotypes and it can be done successfully. Treat yourself and give this a read. You’ll feel better for it.
Happy reading.
Complementary copy provided by the author/publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
At first I thought that this book would be a story of rivalry and bitchiness, but I should have known from the quote at the very beginning of the book that this would be a different story. What I got instead was a story of four women, all struggling with aspects of their lives, who come together to support each other instead of tearing each other apart.
I loved this book and I loved the women in it. Kenzie, her best friend Gemma, Sarita who works with Kenzie, and Brynne who is trying to get Kenzie fired from her job. They are the type of women I’d want to spend a spa day with and then follow-up with a fun girls night-out. They’re the ones you want at your back and the ones that always have an ear to lend when things go pear-shaped.
I could identify with what each of the women was going through, not because I’d had their specific problem, but because, in one way or another, we all go through the same thing – fear of the unknown. Each of the women were dealing with how to take a leap of faith and do something that scared the crap out of them. I was impressed with the growth of each of the characters, but especially Brynne, who I started out not liking particularly.
The story was well structured and it moved along at a good pace with no boring bits. The characters were well developed and we learnt enough of their back stories to understand where they were coming from without being burdened by unnecessary detail. I enjoyed the humour of the book and there were parts where my heart clenched a little at what the women were going through.
I came away from this book feeling uplifted by the relationships between the women. I think it goes to prove that you can write a book about women without the stereotypes and it can be done successfully. Treat yourself and give this a read. You’ll feel better for it.
Happy reading.
Complementary copy provided by the author/publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
March 31, 2015
I wasn't particularly a fan of this book; the writing was quite simplistic, the plot very predictable and the characters either unlike-able or forgettable. I felt as though for the majority of the novel, the characters were waiting for their issues to sort themselves out.
None of the characters seem to take a proactive role in their future with the possible exception of Sarita, pursuing her dream of being a vocalist. Kenzie, who appeared fairly with it to begin with, spent the majority of the novel wondering if every attractive male she encountered was the owner of her ring. Gemma, came across as a bit of idiot to begin with and quickly devolved into somewhat of a stalker, thankfully she managed to re-deem herself by the end. Brynne was arrogant and prideful the entire way through the novel, she rubbed me the wrong way from the beginning.
The plotline was simultaneously predictable and unbelievable, I can recall only two or three moments were I was genuinely happy with how the story was progressing. With all that being said, the book's saving grace what a breeze is was to read, fast, easy and not requiring too much thought to be devoted to it. The writing was nicely paced but did suffer a bit with too much going on, you could have easily just seen Brynne story through the other girls perspectives and not lost too much at all.
It could just be that I was not in the right headspace for this when I read it and would enjoy greatly at another time when I was interested in a fun, fluffy, feminist, contemporary novel...
I received a free copy of this book through Netgalley in an exchange for a fair and honest review.
None of the characters seem to take a proactive role in their future with the possible exception of Sarita, pursuing her dream of being a vocalist. Kenzie, who appeared fairly with it to begin with, spent the majority of the novel wondering if every attractive male she encountered was the owner of her ring. Gemma, came across as a bit of idiot to begin with and quickly devolved into somewhat of a stalker, thankfully she managed to re-deem herself by the end. Brynne was arrogant and prideful the entire way through the novel, she rubbed me the wrong way from the beginning.
The plotline was simultaneously predictable and unbelievable, I can recall only two or three moments were I was genuinely happy with how the story was progressing. With all that being said, the book's saving grace what a breeze is was to read, fast, easy and not requiring too much thought to be devoted to it. The writing was nicely paced but did suffer a bit with too much going on, you could have easily just seen Brynne story through the other girls perspectives and not lost too much at all.
It could just be that I was not in the right headspace for this when I read it and would enjoy greatly at another time when I was interested in a fun, fluffy, feminist, contemporary novel...
I received a free copy of this book through Netgalley in an exchange for a fair and honest review.
January 9, 2015
I received this book through NetGalley
“The ring you found…it belongs to your future husband…”
Kenzie is recovering from an embarrassing moment in her career from four years ago.
Gemma is Kenzie's best friend and has finally learned the true identity of her father.
Sarita struggles with how to deal with what she wants out of her life vs what her Indian family wants for her.
Brynne is the bossy owner of the racetrack that Kenzie works at.
There is too much going on here. Kenzie finds this ring and a psychic tells her that it belongs to her future husband. However, there's also her career, and the embarrassment that happened years before. On top of all of that, the other three characters have multiple things happening in their lives. Through in several minor characters, and you've got a novel that goes in a million different directions. I wish there would have been more to the main characters. I did not connect to any of them. I think I might have liked Gemma the most, but I am not sure since it was impossible to get a good sense of any of them with so much happening at once. The ring plot took a back seat, and I forgot about it during most of the book. While there is a lot happening, there is not a part of the plot that just grabs you and pulls you into the story. I'll admit, I was disappoint. There was potential for the characters to be likable and the story to be more than it was, but this book did not live up to that potential.
link: Reviewed on Julie Reads a Book
“The ring you found…it belongs to your future husband…”
Kenzie is recovering from an embarrassing moment in her career from four years ago.
Gemma is Kenzie's best friend and has finally learned the true identity of her father.
Sarita struggles with how to deal with what she wants out of her life vs what her Indian family wants for her.
Brynne is the bossy owner of the racetrack that Kenzie works at.
There is too much going on here. Kenzie finds this ring and a psychic tells her that it belongs to her future husband. However, there's also her career, and the embarrassment that happened years before. On top of all of that, the other three characters have multiple things happening in their lives. Through in several minor characters, and you've got a novel that goes in a million different directions. I wish there would have been more to the main characters. I did not connect to any of them. I think I might have liked Gemma the most, but I am not sure since it was impossible to get a good sense of any of them with so much happening at once. The ring plot took a back seat, and I forgot about it during most of the book. While there is a lot happening, there is not a part of the plot that just grabs you and pulls you into the story. I'll admit, I was disappoint. There was potential for the characters to be likable and the story to be more than it was, but this book did not live up to that potential.
link: Reviewed on Julie Reads a Book
March 16, 2015
I absolutely adore the title of the book and, in fact, my NetGalley request was basically based on the fact that I loved it so much. Yet, after reading the book, I am still puzzling over what this title has to do with the story. I didn't get it, just didn't. What has the secret life of wishful thinking to do with the plot, with the way the story went? Oh well... The premise of this book sounded also so fresh and original, and you know me, I so adore stories about women that are connected together thanks to circumstances, right? So I just hit request button and some time ago finally came to reading the story.
Kenzie used to be the youngest executive at the film studio, powerful but still human girl, concentrating on her career. After a very humiliating incident, Kenzie pulls out of public life and we meet her again four years later, at a race - track, where she walks the horses. She still can't come to terms with the death of her career and still misses her mother, who passed away. One day her boss offers her promotion - she should work on promoting the race - track. Unfortunately, Brynne, a very rich Hollywood wife, who keeps her horses at the track and, in fact, provide for the track, is against Kenzie working there - is the young girl going to convince Brynne to her and her work?
Apart of Kenzie and Brynne the story features Gemma and Sarita. Gemma is Kenzie's best friend and Sarita started to work with Kenzie. They both had their own problems - how are they going to cope with them?
This book is about these four women, but as much as I love stories about strong women, you know, girl power etc., I haven't seen any connection between the girls. I mean, they knew each other, they either worked with one another or were friends, but I've been missing some linking, some unity, something they could share. Also, I had a lot of trouble to warm and like the characters, as they all felt so unrealistic, the way they have spoken and behaved didn't feel true at all. Next, they couldn't have spoken or behaved in a more predictable, clichéd way.
Kenzie, I could understand that she was still recovering from the most embarrassing moment in her life ever, even four years later. I guess you can't really forget such incident. Curious what's happened? Ha, not going to tell you, you must read it yourself :) What I admired in her was that she wasn't afraid to start from the beginning, to forget about her powerful job and not be afraid of walking the horses on the race - track. I mean, there couldn't be biggest difference between those two jobs, right? But in the end she is a hard character to describe, I personally feel as if I don't know her, even after reading the book, and it is the first time I think!
Gemma is Kenzie's best friend (though, to be honest, I haven't seen anything that would point to that that those two are besties). She was raised by her mother only, believing her father was a sperm donor, until one day she finds out it's not true, and she VERY EASILY tracks her real father down. Very easily. And she's determined to make new family with him and his family, planning in her head that they're going to welcome her with open arms. I personally would be scared with her stalking my daughter, and this sub - plot was, in some ways, like a fairy tale, you know? The good ones win, the bad ones loses, and the way how fast she came to terms with this whole situation... I don't know, I can't put my finger on this, but it felt so forced, so pushy.
Then we have Sarita Mahajan, and oh my gosh, please don't let me start on this sub - plot, which I didn't like. At all. You can't write more clichéd story about Indian girl and her traditional father.
And last but not least, Brynne Tomlison, who starts as a bad witch and ends as a Snow White. Who at the beginning is concocted to be the one we should hate and at the end we should love and admire, such big is the change in her.
So the book is told through at least four points of view, but it is easy to keep track. Every chapter is titled with the name of the woman, so we know who's speaking. It could be a brilliant story, what with all the women being from so different backgrounds and what with them having their own experiences and problems, but - sadly - it wasn't, it was too predictable there was nothing new or fresh to the plot. There was emphasis neither on the characters nor on the plot, the book didn't concentrate on anything in fact, so I also didn't know what should I concentrate on.
I also had some issues with the writing style, which was not as fluent and smooth as I would like it. It sounded a little too wooden and I had problems to get into the story. But of course, what I liked in the story was the fact that all the women end up in a better place, somewhere better, standing firmly on their own feet.
I am guessing where the author was coming from. She wanted to write about women who overcome all the problems, constraints, traditions and follow their dreams, and while I am always for such stories, this one was SO flat and there was nothing, absolutely nothing new! The story couldn't be more clichéd even if you wished.
It is a story about actually forgetting about the past, looking into the future, face your demons and it had a big potential, and it pains me to say that I didn't like it as much as I hoped I'm going to like it. Reading it was like chewing a gum, long and soon without any taste to it, it was predictable so much that I got a headache and it somehow felt like "The Bold and the Beautiful" soap opera. You somehow know that all the characters are going to learn their lesson and live happily ever after, but before this happens some twists and turns are supposed to make their lives difficult. My problem was that the twists and turns didn't catch my attention and I haven't found anything new or fresh in this novel. Also, I couldn't warm to the characters, they were all missing on depth, they were not characters that I am used to in the books I'm reading - sometimes bubbly, sometimes irritating but lively and vivid. Here - sadly - they were too flat for my liking and there was nothing that made them in some ways outstanding.
I appreciate the efforts of the author to add some mystery here and there, like with the ring, or trying to complicate the characters' lives, or making the psychic drop dead just after making the prediction (huh???), I really appreciate it, but in the end it all sounded just too wooden and too forced.
So very sadly, but it was not a book for me. I struggled to get to the end and more than once sighed with irritation and desperation. Nevertheless, as there was a potential to the story, I would love to try Lindy DeKoven in the future.
Copy received from publisher in exchange for a review.
Kenzie used to be the youngest executive at the film studio, powerful but still human girl, concentrating on her career. After a very humiliating incident, Kenzie pulls out of public life and we meet her again four years later, at a race - track, where she walks the horses. She still can't come to terms with the death of her career and still misses her mother, who passed away. One day her boss offers her promotion - she should work on promoting the race - track. Unfortunately, Brynne, a very rich Hollywood wife, who keeps her horses at the track and, in fact, provide for the track, is against Kenzie working there - is the young girl going to convince Brynne to her and her work?
Apart of Kenzie and Brynne the story features Gemma and Sarita. Gemma is Kenzie's best friend and Sarita started to work with Kenzie. They both had their own problems - how are they going to cope with them?
This book is about these four women, but as much as I love stories about strong women, you know, girl power etc., I haven't seen any connection between the girls. I mean, they knew each other, they either worked with one another or were friends, but I've been missing some linking, some unity, something they could share. Also, I had a lot of trouble to warm and like the characters, as they all felt so unrealistic, the way they have spoken and behaved didn't feel true at all. Next, they couldn't have spoken or behaved in a more predictable, clichéd way.
Kenzie, I could understand that she was still recovering from the most embarrassing moment in her life ever, even four years later. I guess you can't really forget such incident. Curious what's happened? Ha, not going to tell you, you must read it yourself :) What I admired in her was that she wasn't afraid to start from the beginning, to forget about her powerful job and not be afraid of walking the horses on the race - track. I mean, there couldn't be biggest difference between those two jobs, right? But in the end she is a hard character to describe, I personally feel as if I don't know her, even after reading the book, and it is the first time I think!
Gemma is Kenzie's best friend (though, to be honest, I haven't seen anything that would point to that that those two are besties). She was raised by her mother only, believing her father was a sperm donor, until one day she finds out it's not true, and she VERY EASILY tracks her real father down. Very easily. And she's determined to make new family with him and his family, planning in her head that they're going to welcome her with open arms. I personally would be scared with her stalking my daughter, and this sub - plot was, in some ways, like a fairy tale, you know? The good ones win, the bad ones loses, and the way how fast she came to terms with this whole situation... I don't know, I can't put my finger on this, but it felt so forced, so pushy.
Then we have Sarita Mahajan, and oh my gosh, please don't let me start on this sub - plot, which I didn't like. At all. You can't write more clichéd story about Indian girl and her traditional father.
And last but not least, Brynne Tomlison, who starts as a bad witch and ends as a Snow White. Who at the beginning is concocted to be the one we should hate and at the end we should love and admire, such big is the change in her.
So the book is told through at least four points of view, but it is easy to keep track. Every chapter is titled with the name of the woman, so we know who's speaking. It could be a brilliant story, what with all the women being from so different backgrounds and what with them having their own experiences and problems, but - sadly - it wasn't, it was too predictable there was nothing new or fresh to the plot. There was emphasis neither on the characters nor on the plot, the book didn't concentrate on anything in fact, so I also didn't know what should I concentrate on.
I also had some issues with the writing style, which was not as fluent and smooth as I would like it. It sounded a little too wooden and I had problems to get into the story. But of course, what I liked in the story was the fact that all the women end up in a better place, somewhere better, standing firmly on their own feet.
I am guessing where the author was coming from. She wanted to write about women who overcome all the problems, constraints, traditions and follow their dreams, and while I am always for such stories, this one was SO flat and there was nothing, absolutely nothing new! The story couldn't be more clichéd even if you wished.
It is a story about actually forgetting about the past, looking into the future, face your demons and it had a big potential, and it pains me to say that I didn't like it as much as I hoped I'm going to like it. Reading it was like chewing a gum, long and soon without any taste to it, it was predictable so much that I got a headache and it somehow felt like "The Bold and the Beautiful" soap opera. You somehow know that all the characters are going to learn their lesson and live happily ever after, but before this happens some twists and turns are supposed to make their lives difficult. My problem was that the twists and turns didn't catch my attention and I haven't found anything new or fresh in this novel. Also, I couldn't warm to the characters, they were all missing on depth, they were not characters that I am used to in the books I'm reading - sometimes bubbly, sometimes irritating but lively and vivid. Here - sadly - they were too flat for my liking and there was nothing that made them in some ways outstanding.
I appreciate the efforts of the author to add some mystery here and there, like with the ring, or trying to complicate the characters' lives, or making the psychic drop dead just after making the prediction (huh???), I really appreciate it, but in the end it all sounded just too wooden and too forced.
So very sadly, but it was not a book for me. I struggled to get to the end and more than once sighed with irritation and desperation. Nevertheless, as there was a potential to the story, I would love to try Lindy DeKoven in the future.
Copy received from publisher in exchange for a review.
April 30, 2018
Finding power in the bond of female friendship
An interesting story of four women whose lives seem to fall off the path each thought she would follow come to find by the mystery of fate they become intertwined together where they will grow and develop a special bond over time.
All four women are connected through loss, through not at the same time and not the same kind of loss. Each one keeps wishing for something better, for strength to stand-up for who she is, for love from a parent, spouse, child..., to conquer her weakness, to find that which seems lost.... oddly the main character claims not to believe in the myths of fortune telling, but gets so hung up on the prediction she lets it control her actions and thoughts until she finally sees the "addiction" for what it is and make a decision that puts her life back on track...in the end a way to your it back in arises...
Wanted to keep reading to see whet each woman's story brought her...well defined characters who all showed emotional, intellectual, and personal growth.
An interesting story of four women whose lives seem to fall off the path each thought she would follow come to find by the mystery of fate they become intertwined together where they will grow and develop a special bond over time.
All four women are connected through loss, through not at the same time and not the same kind of loss. Each one keeps wishing for something better, for strength to stand-up for who she is, for love from a parent, spouse, child..., to conquer her weakness, to find that which seems lost.... oddly the main character claims not to believe in the myths of fortune telling, but gets so hung up on the prediction she lets it control her actions and thoughts until she finally sees the "addiction" for what it is and make a decision that puts her life back on track...in the end a way to your it back in arises...
Wanted to keep reading to see whet each woman's story brought her...well defined characters who all showed emotional, intellectual, and personal growth.
June 29, 2017
Even though this was sometimes very predictable it was like a lifetime movie in a book. Easy to read, likeable characters, a message in each POV. It was a very enjoyable book to need on a long car ride. I loved all the feminist aspects in this book it made me so happy.
February 10, 2015
I received an ARC ebook from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
The Secret Life of Wishful Thinking revolves around four women, Kenzie, Gemma, Sarita, and Brynne. The four of them are all connected in some way.
Kenzie had a good life with an amazing career until a humiliating incident ruined everything. Four years later and now she works at a horse track called Grayson Downs as the director of marketing. She has to come up with an idea to get more people to show up to opening day in order for the race track to stay open and not get shut down.
Gemma is Kenzie's best friend. All Gemma wants is to find out who her father is. Her mother tells her that he wanted nothing to do with Gemma and never wanted to be in her life. She's been stalking him. Finding out where he lives, and following him wherever he goes. She's even befriended her half sister, Scarlett. As she gets closer to her father and his family, Gemma decides that it's time to tell him who she really is, and it's not the reaction that she was hoping for.
Sarita works along side Kenzie at Grayson Downs. She's just trying to live her own life, but her Indian family has other plans for her. While Sarita wants to work and save up money to move out, and also sing in her gothic band at night clubs, her father wants her to get married and have kids just like her sisters did. When her father finds out about her secret life, he kicks her out, and when he becomes very ill, Sarita helps him understand that she needs to be her own person, and follow her own dreams.
Brynne Tomlinson has horses at Grayson Downs, and she also helps Kenzie come up with some ideas for opening day. Brynne has everything she could ever want. That is until she finds her husband cheating on her, and then he tells her that they basically have no money left. She has officially hit rock bottom. Living in a motel and working at Macy's. As time goes on she realizes that life goes on, and she picks herself back up. She eventually gets her own place and works her way up at her job.
I really really liked this book. I loved that each chapter was a different point of view. I liked reading about these four women and the struggles that they overcome.
The Secret Life of Wishful Thinking revolves around four women, Kenzie, Gemma, Sarita, and Brynne. The four of them are all connected in some way.
Kenzie had a good life with an amazing career until a humiliating incident ruined everything. Four years later and now she works at a horse track called Grayson Downs as the director of marketing. She has to come up with an idea to get more people to show up to opening day in order for the race track to stay open and not get shut down.
Gemma is Kenzie's best friend. All Gemma wants is to find out who her father is. Her mother tells her that he wanted nothing to do with Gemma and never wanted to be in her life. She's been stalking him. Finding out where he lives, and following him wherever he goes. She's even befriended her half sister, Scarlett. As she gets closer to her father and his family, Gemma decides that it's time to tell him who she really is, and it's not the reaction that she was hoping for.
Sarita works along side Kenzie at Grayson Downs. She's just trying to live her own life, but her Indian family has other plans for her. While Sarita wants to work and save up money to move out, and also sing in her gothic band at night clubs, her father wants her to get married and have kids just like her sisters did. When her father finds out about her secret life, he kicks her out, and when he becomes very ill, Sarita helps him understand that she needs to be her own person, and follow her own dreams.
Brynne Tomlinson has horses at Grayson Downs, and she also helps Kenzie come up with some ideas for opening day. Brynne has everything she could ever want. That is until she finds her husband cheating on her, and then he tells her that they basically have no money left. She has officially hit rock bottom. Living in a motel and working at Macy's. As time goes on she realizes that life goes on, and she picks herself back up. She eventually gets her own place and works her way up at her job.
I really really liked this book. I loved that each chapter was a different point of view. I liked reading about these four women and the struggles that they overcome.
February 23, 2015
**I received a copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review**
Not bad...not great, either. It's a fine story that would probably be classified as Women's Fiction. There is some romance here, but mostly we are dealing with Kenzie's healing from an humiliating experience early on in her career and her mother's death. Her best friend Gemma is trying to reconnect with her birth father. And there is a small story line with Kenzie's employee, Sarita and the biggest customer of the Track, Brynne.
Sarita is into the Goth scene and wants to sing, also she doesn't want to get married. Her father is not down with any of this. Brynne is very old fashioned. She went to a southern college, married well and never looked back. But did she make the right choices?
We follow these women, and it is interesting. I will say I had a hard time putting it down. It was a good story, fairly well written with decent flow.
I guess my only downside is that it was pretty vanilla. Nothing that happened was a surprise and it all wrapped up as expected. I would say it's a good beach read. Not too demanding of the reader. The one thing that really, really bugged me was the number of times the author took a short cut on her sentences. Skipping the "I" or "I'm" that generally makes a complete sentence and starting right with the verb. "Happy you showed up." "Excited to start this project." Not exact quotes but after a few hundred pages, this was driving me insane. Not enough to stop reading, but come on girl! Complete sentences in a book! People might text like that, but we haven't started talking like that, have we?
Not bad...not great, either. It's a fine story that would probably be classified as Women's Fiction. There is some romance here, but mostly we are dealing with Kenzie's healing from an humiliating experience early on in her career and her mother's death. Her best friend Gemma is trying to reconnect with her birth father. And there is a small story line with Kenzie's employee, Sarita and the biggest customer of the Track, Brynne.
Sarita is into the Goth scene and wants to sing, also she doesn't want to get married. Her father is not down with any of this. Brynne is very old fashioned. She went to a southern college, married well and never looked back. But did she make the right choices?
We follow these women, and it is interesting. I will say I had a hard time putting it down. It was a good story, fairly well written with decent flow.
I guess my only downside is that it was pretty vanilla. Nothing that happened was a surprise and it all wrapped up as expected. I would say it's a good beach read. Not too demanding of the reader. The one thing that really, really bugged me was the number of times the author took a short cut on her sentences. Skipping the "I" or "I'm" that generally makes a complete sentence and starting right with the verb. "Happy you showed up." "Excited to start this project." Not exact quotes but after a few hundred pages, this was driving me insane. Not enough to stop reading, but come on girl! Complete sentences in a book! People might text like that, but we haven't started talking like that, have we?
February 26, 2015
Good for leisure reading
This is the kind of book you would take with you to the beach to read or while spending an afternoon relaxing. There isn't a deep plot or storyline to it; it's just about four different women and the big problems in their lives they have to deal with.
Once you get used to the multiple point of views throughout the book, it wasn't too hard to follow along. The four women each had very different backgrounds, so it kept my interest while reading. I thought it was a little odd that all four women seemed to have pretty major issues to deal with, but they all seem to be able to work through it fairly well.
I felt like the description was a little misleading; I expected to read more about a romance, but that was a very minor part of this book. So, it just wasn't what I expected. If you keep that in mind and know that it's about women finding solutions to their problems, then you won't be disappointed with it.
I received this book through GoodReads First Reads and wanted to leave my opinion about it.
This is the kind of book you would take with you to the beach to read or while spending an afternoon relaxing. There isn't a deep plot or storyline to it; it's just about four different women and the big problems in their lives they have to deal with.
Once you get used to the multiple point of views throughout the book, it wasn't too hard to follow along. The four women each had very different backgrounds, so it kept my interest while reading. I thought it was a little odd that all four women seemed to have pretty major issues to deal with, but they all seem to be able to work through it fairly well.
I felt like the description was a little misleading; I expected to read more about a romance, but that was a very minor part of this book. So, it just wasn't what I expected. If you keep that in mind and know that it's about women finding solutions to their problems, then you won't be disappointed with it.
I received this book through GoodReads First Reads and wanted to leave my opinion about it.
February 8, 2015
This was a quick and easy read, just what I needed for a long journey back from France.
It's not the sort of book I'd usually go for, nor will I be sending all my pals out to buy a copy. I found the actions and reactions of some the characters a little over the top and out of the blue and was rather frustrated by a handful of opinions and decisions. It was a little bit...shallow.
That said, I read it instead of napping on the plane (I always nap on the plane) and finished it this afternoon when there were other things I could have been (should have been) doing instead so you know, make of that what you will.
It's not the sort of book I'd usually go for, nor will I be sending all my pals out to buy a copy. I found the actions and reactions of some the characters a little over the top and out of the blue and was rather frustrated by a handful of opinions and decisions. It was a little bit...shallow.
That said, I read it instead of napping on the plane (I always nap on the plane) and finished it this afternoon when there were other things I could have been (should have been) doing instead so you know, make of that what you will.
May 3, 2015
A book that is highly recommended for women who value friendship amongst their gender. The book focuses on the lives of four women: two have been friends from the start; two were just coworkers; two were indifferent to each other, almost enemies. May I go on with my two's.... Two points of view were presented here: from the bottom and from the top. Only one way to go from either points, and the way down is the more painful.
I didn't find anything amiss in this book, and though the plot is simple, I like that the story espouses good values and shuns bitchiness. For these reasons, I think it's worth more than a mid-range score.
I didn't find anything amiss in this book, and though the plot is simple, I like that the story espouses good values and shuns bitchiness. For these reasons, I think it's worth more than a mid-range score.
February 22, 2015
I wanted to like this. I just didn't. People don't actually talk the way the dialogue is written here and the strong friendships that she talks about - where did they come from? I don't think they were developed well. I thought there was some potential with Sarita's storyline but then it was cheesified like the rest. I only finished it because by the time I decided I didn't like it at all I was only about 2 hours away from finishing so I thought why not, that way I'd get credit for my reading goal for the year.
February 26, 2015
I classified it as chick-lit rather than contemporary fiction, since after all it is a happily ever after book. We meet four women in different stages of their lives, from different backgrounds. They all are trying to reconcile with their parents while trying to come to terms with who they really are. They all come through at the end (obviously) as strong independent women that have dealt with all their issues, embark on brilliant careers and form a perfectly bonded group of girl friends that will be there for each other always. Not real life obviously, but a pleasant and quick read.
March 14, 2015
A bubblegum novel
There isn't anything really terrible about this story, but neither is there anything really wonderful. I kept reading because I had the expectation that something interesting and unique was just a few pages away. It's not. There are some good elements of the story, like Kenzie's disastrous speech or Brynne's "fairytale" marriage but every single conflict, large and small, is methodically and predictably wrapped up. This novel seems like a college writing project that got published by mistake.
There isn't anything really terrible about this story, but neither is there anything really wonderful. I kept reading because I had the expectation that something interesting and unique was just a few pages away. It's not. There are some good elements of the story, like Kenzie's disastrous speech or Brynne's "fairytale" marriage but every single conflict, large and small, is methodically and predictably wrapped up. This novel seems like a college writing project that got published by mistake.
January 22, 2015
I enjoyed this one. I liked following the 4 friends and getting to read each of their stories from their POV. I felt that there were some moments that were forced or overdone, but this didn't keep me from enjoying the ride. I thought that Brynne's sudden turnaround into an almost completely different kind of woman was really implausible, but I certainly liked her a lot better after it happened! After it was over, I wanted to hear more about these women!
April 4, 2015
A light read, telling the story of four women and their separate quests for happiness, together with their growing connection as friends. It was a pleasant read, although I didn't feel that any of the characters was sufficiently fleshed out to warm to, and the dialogue was a bit odd at times, and not how real people speak. Apart from that it was a perfectly good 'chick lit' book, but didn't inspire me to read more by this author.
Reviewed in exchange for a digital preview copy.
Reviewed in exchange for a digital preview copy.
September 6, 2016
It was a pretty good read, and it really makes you think about wishful thinking. People such as Gemma who wants to be accepted by her dad and his family, without them knowing that she is his daughter. Gemma wishes that her dad would accept her after he did not want to see her when she was born. Sarita, is a goth chick who keeps her second identity hidden as her Hindi dad would not approve of her being a goth chick and having a boyfriend who wears a mohawk.
February 15, 2015
great read
This is an engaging, entertaining and humorous book. The characters are enthralling and their stories make you want to know what happens to them. Any woman would be able to relate to each character as a part of herself or a friend who she knows. Love the setting and how the stories are well intertwined. Really a good read.
This is an engaging, entertaining and humorous book. The characters are enthralling and their stories make you want to know what happens to them. Any woman would be able to relate to each character as a part of herself or a friend who she knows. Love the setting and how the stories are well intertwined. Really a good read.
February 18, 2015
,Wonderful book
Loved the story of the women, each so different from the other, dealing with life An intertwining of strong female characters, Learning to adapt and support each other and become survivors. With just the right touch of humor, romance and heartache. I'll be watching for more from Linda DeKoven.
Loved the story of the women, each so different from the other, dealing with life An intertwining of strong female characters, Learning to adapt and support each other and become survivors. With just the right touch of humor, romance and heartache. I'll be watching for more from Linda DeKoven.
January 5, 2016
Amanda Gibson's review
I found this book to be a very light read. I chose this rating because, while yes I enjoyed the book, it wasn't very captivating. It did not live yoyo the expectation of it powerful title.
It wasn't fully enjoyable. I would recommend it as a book for some one who wants to get b Dan into reading.
While the ending was cute yes, it was predictable.
I found this book to be a very light read. I chose this rating because, while yes I enjoyed the book, it wasn't very captivating. It did not live yoyo the expectation of it powerful title.
It wasn't fully enjoyable. I would recommend it as a book for some one who wants to get b Dan into reading.
While the ending was cute yes, it was predictable.
July 30, 2015
This wasn't as good as Primetime Princess (perhaps because that time around, I was expecting so much less), but it was good with a different message. I loved its focus on female friendships, particularly among females of different age groups. It was fun to read, and all around enjoyable. By no means is this book brilliant fiction, but it was the ideal vacation read.
April 21, 2015
Lindy DeKoven did it again! Another fun, engaging book filled with likeable characters, a good story line and "can't seem to put it down" style that keeps the readers engrossed to the end. I had a smile on my face through the entire book. I highly recommend this book!
January 20, 2015
Wayyy too much was happening in this book. I would have liked it better if she focused on two of the women, instead of four. The storyline about the ring was unnecessary. I liked Sarita's storyline the best.
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