Wish I Wasn't

by Savanna Golden

Wish I Wasn't is a feel-good, romantic comedy set in a small town, featuring a love story between lifelong frenemies, where he falls first, but she falls just as hard.
Amid a career-threatening scandal, bestselling author Winter Evergreen is forced to flee New York City to escape the spotlight. While waiting for the spectacle to die down, she heads back to her hometown of Yule, Colorado, for some much-needed rest. Unbeknownst to her, she’s not the only one returning home. The nemesis from her youth, Saint, has come back, and in a twist of fate, they find themselves sharing her family home. Can they survive living under the same roof, or will her home turn into a battleground?


What you'll find in this book...

Small Town RomanceFrenemies-to-LoversHe Falls First / She Eventually Falls Just As HardReverse Grumpy / SunshineForced Proximity

Wish I Wasn't is the first book in the Loving Yule series. Each book in the series is an interconnected standalone with a happily ever after.

200 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 2, 2025

About the author

Savanna Golden is a romance author from Missouri. She rediscovered her love of reading through BookTok and used books as an escape from the struggles of chronic illness. She began her author career to spread joy through storytelling, hoping to make a difference in someone’s life when they need it most. She writes fast-paced romance novels full of heart and happily ever afters. When not writing, she can be found reading with a book in hand or spending time with her family.

Reviews

[bookishcoffeegirlie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute little romance book, I enjoyed this one! I also loved that there was a hint of spice!

3.5 ⭐️ /🌶️

[L. Reagan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm always a fan on Savanna's work. This was another feel good story and the perfect thing to kick off my winter reading.
This book is perfect for people who like
small town romance
friends to lovers
and an overall cozy romance read.

[Jenn Norris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to the author for providing the ALC of the book! This is my honest and voluntary review! 😊🖤

Wish I Wasn’t follows FMC, Winter Evergreen, a novelist in New York City, and MMC, Saint Holland, a painter and business owner in Yule, Colorado.

Winter and Saint have a complex relationship going from childhood best friends to enemies to lovers and I absolutely love every iteration of their relationship. The banter between them is very well written. Every twist and turn of their relationship has me rooting for them and just wanting the best for them! I love that the Evergreen family have a family owned Christmas Tree Farm that they run in their hometown of Yule, Colorado and that their children’s names are Winter, Cypress, and Douglass!

I absolutely adored this story and only wanted the best for every single character! There is some spice but, not an overwhelming amount. This story is beautifully written and I cannot wait to read more in this universe and from Savanna Golden. I really enjoyed my time within this story. Definitely worth the read! 😊🖤

5 🌟/ 1.5 🌶️

[Michelle Davidson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wish I Wasn’t was a great read, especially during the winter season. It’s cozy without being over-the-top, emotional without being heavy, and honestly just really comforting to read. The town of Yule felt so vivid and welcoming that I kept wishing it was a real place I could visit.

I really appreciated the dual POV, especially getting Saint’s perspective. Seeing his thoughts and emotions made everything feel more genuine and grounded. He truly lives up to his name—he's kind and easy to root for. The frenemies-to-lovers dynamic had great tension, but it was balanced so well with humor, heart, and those quiet moments that make the connection feel real.

This was such a sweet start to the series, and I’m already looking forward to reading more!

[Katrina DeClue · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another new to me author and I’m excited to say I’m loving them!

Winter and Saint have known each other since they were very young. An incident around a bike riding event caused them to become enemies. Winter moved away and Saint had feelings for her that he never shared.

This enemies to lovers story shows teaches us that your heart can soften and allow love in. I loved their story and how supportive they were of one another.

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a very sweet read, perfect for the holiday season! I really loved the town the book was set in and obviously loved our main characters. I'm really glad it was dual POV because getting to see Saint's reasonings and feelings made it feel that much sweeter. Saint really lives up to his name and is the best lil cinnamon roll MMC. I look forward to the rest of the books in this series!

[Alyson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wish I Wasn't was the perfect start to my holiday reading (but could also totally be enjoyed all year long)! I loved the characters and family dynamics. I can't wait to read the rest of their stories in the series! It has everything you want in a frenemies to lovers book - laughs, tears and just the right amount of spice! And the beautiful setting! I WISH I WAS....visiting Yule in real life!

[British · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holiday Cheer for all to Read

What a perfect read for a cozy snowed in winter day. The characters are sweet and watching them finally admit their feelings for each other was lovely. There's an unexpected revelation that had me giggling. I'm excited to see who is featured in the next installment (I have my guess!).

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this cute holiday romance! Winter and Saint stole my heart right away and I loved seeing their rivalry turn into love. This story was very fast paced and I finished it in about 4 hours. I can't wait to read more from the Loving Yule characters!

[Amanda Chaffee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a cute small town read!! This is a new to me author and I'm not disappointed! This frenemies-to-lovers vibe was adorable. I enjoyed the flow of the writing. It was quick paced but still got all the important stuff in without being overwhelming. Characters were fun and cute!

[Meghan Fisher · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don’t typically read small town romances, but this was so cute, great holiday/Christmas vibes. So cute and nostalgic. The town and sense of cunningness great. MMC was so cute

[lily · Rating 4 out of 5]

this book is a cute romance with a mild heartbreak! this was the perfect book to read when I was in a slump!

[Lori Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it! Fun romance. Kept my attention. Thanks for the ALC. I will be following this authors work going forward. I recommend giving it a. Listen

[Tiffany Eggers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read. The. Book.

I read Wish I Wasn’t, and honestly? I really enjoyed it. The story pulled me in fast, and the characters felt real and easy to connect with. And the dad? He had me cracking up — I laughed way harder than I should have.

It’s such a cozy, feel-good Christmas read with just the right mix of humor, heart, and holiday vibes. If you’re looking for something sweet and fun for the holidays, this is a great choice.