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Wish You Were Mine
From the USA Today bestselling author of The Story of Us and Fisher's Light comes a new, standalone novel---a heartwrenching story about first loves and second chances that will make you fall in love all over again....
Five years. I would've stayed away longer if I hadn't received the letter. Not a day has gone by that I haven't thought about her, haven't missed her smile, haven't wished that things were different.
The last time I saw my two best friends, I vowed to not stand in the way of their happiness, even if that meant I couldn't be a part of their lives. Cameron James and her emerald-green eyes were too much of a temptation and I couldn't stay and watch them together. Cameron deserved better than me. She deserved him.
But now that I am back, things are different. I'm not going to stand by and watch the woman I've always loved slip away again. I'm done living my life with regrets and I'm ready to tell her the truth. And I'll do whatever it takes to show her that I always wished she was mine.
Five years. I would've stayed away longer if I hadn't received the letter. Not a day has gone by that I haven't thought about her, haven't missed her smile, haven't wished that things were different.
The last time I saw my two best friends, I vowed to not stand in the way of their happiness, even if that meant I couldn't be a part of their lives. Cameron James and her emerald-green eyes were too much of a temptation and I couldn't stay and watch them together. Cameron deserved better than me. She deserved him.
But now that I am back, things are different. I'm not going to stand by and watch the woman I've always loved slip away again. I'm done living my life with regrets and I'm ready to tell her the truth. And I'll do whatever it takes to show her that I always wished she was mine.
350 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 14, 2017
332 people are currently reading
4437 people want to read
About the author
Tara Sivec
71 books10.3k followersTara Sivec is a USA Today best-selling author, wife, mother, chauffeur, maid, short-order cook, baby-sitter, and sarcasm expert. She lives in Ohio with her husband and two children and looks forward to the day when all three of them become adults and move out.
After working in the brokerage business for fourteen years, Tara decided to pick up a pen and write instead of shoving it in her eye out of boredom. She writes in a wide range of genres including Romantic Comedy, Romantic Comedy/Mystery, Romantic Suspense, New Adult Drama, Contemporary Romance and Psychological Thriller. Her novel Seduction and Snacks won first place in the Indie Romance Convention Reader's Choice Awards 2013 for Best Indie First Book and she was voted Best Indie Author in the Indie Romance Convention Reader's Choice Awards 2014.
In her spare time, Tara loves to dream about all of the baking she'll do and naps she'll take when she ever gets spare time.
After working in the brokerage business for fourteen years, Tara decided to pick up a pen and write instead of shoving it in her eye out of boredom. She writes in a wide range of genres including Romantic Comedy, Romantic Comedy/Mystery, Romantic Suspense, New Adult Drama, Contemporary Romance and Psychological Thriller. Her novel Seduction and Snacks won first place in the Indie Romance Convention Reader's Choice Awards 2013 for Best Indie First Book and she was voted Best Indie Author in the Indie Romance Convention Reader's Choice Awards 2014.
In her spare time, Tara loves to dream about all of the baking she'll do and naps she'll take when she ever gets spare time.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 400 reviews
November 13, 2017
3.5 stars
Tara Sivec is a versatile author. She can write books that make you laugh so hard you want to pee yourself, she does an amazing job with romantic suspense, and she can also write emotional reads. I love authors that can write in more than one genre and do it well, and she is definitely one of those. Wish You Were Mine falls more on the emotional side. It’s a beautiful friends to lovers/second chance romance.
Cameron and Everett (along with Aiden) have been friends since they were children. Cam’s parents run a camp and they all met there. Through all the ups and downs of growing up, becoming teenagers, then adults, these three remained thick as thieves. Then Emmett left. He went off and left the other two behind. Five years later, and a tragic event brings him back to the life he left behind. To Cam, the woman he’s always loved.
Wish You Were Mine is an emotional, sweet, and at times- angsty read. There was nothing ‘wrong’ with this book, it was enjoyable read. I just wish I felt more connected to it. I’m sure it’s a just me thing, and most readers will enjoy this friends to lovers romance!
Tara Sivec is a versatile author. She can write books that make you laugh so hard you want to pee yourself, she does an amazing job with romantic suspense, and she can also write emotional reads. I love authors that can write in more than one genre and do it well, and she is definitely one of those. Wish You Were Mine falls more on the emotional side. It’s a beautiful friends to lovers/second chance romance.
Cameron and Everett (along with Aiden) have been friends since they were children. Cam’s parents run a camp and they all met there. Through all the ups and downs of growing up, becoming teenagers, then adults, these three remained thick as thieves. Then Emmett left. He went off and left the other two behind. Five years later, and a tragic event brings him back to the life he left behind. To Cam, the woman he’s always loved.
“There has never, nor will there ever be, any other woman in this world more special to me than you.”
Wish You Were Mine is an emotional, sweet, and at times- angsty read. There was nothing ‘wrong’ with this book, it was enjoyable read. I just wish I felt more connected to it. I’m sure it’s a just me thing, and most readers will enjoy this friends to lovers romance!
“I’m never letting you go,” he tells me softly.
I close my eyes with a smile. “I wouldn’t let you, even if you tried.”
November 19, 2017
3 STARS
After absolutely LOVING The Story of Us, I was thrilled that I'd be getting more of that world with this book. Cameron James is the daughter of Shelby and Eli, and I was beyond excited when I realized this. I'm a huge fan of Tara's emotional second chance romances, and Wish You Were Mine certainly packed a good angsty punch.
Everett and Cameron grew up as best friends, and unbeknownst to each other, in love. But then life happened, teenage insecurities and family dynamics came into play and they drifted. Now Everett is back in the small town he grew up in, reeling from the death of his best friend and the letter he left him after his death, determined to finally make things right.
This was a slow paced, character driven story that was told in present and flash backs. And while I wanted to love both of these characters, I struggled. I simply couldn't connect to them or their plight. I couldn't even put my finger on what or why, but I couldn't help feeling like something was just...missing for me. Because of that, I struggled to stay connected to the story. Everett and Cameron have a slow paved road to their HEA and I found myself getting easily distracted and disengaged from the story.
The writing was wonderful, the set up was there. I think this was just a case of me and not the book. I adore Tara Sivec and can't wait for more of these stories from her, but sadly this one just didn't blow me away like her others.
ARC courtesy of author in exchange for an honest review
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I hate that I’ve missed Everett so much, that a part of me wants to forgive him for everything. I hate that seeing him again gave me butterflies and made me remember all of the feelings I used to have for him. I hate that he’ll never understand how much his disappearance from my life broke my heart, because I can never tell him. I can never tell him that he always had my heart, and he took it with him when he left, because it will just make me look like a fool. A fool who waited around for years, hoping her best friend would someday fall in love with her.
After absolutely LOVING The Story of Us, I was thrilled that I'd be getting more of that world with this book. Cameron James is the daughter of Shelby and Eli, and I was beyond excited when I realized this. I'm a huge fan of Tara's emotional second chance romances, and Wish You Were Mine certainly packed a good angsty punch.
Everett and Cameron grew up as best friends, and unbeknownst to each other, in love. But then life happened, teenage insecurities and family dynamics came into play and they drifted. Now Everett is back in the small town he grew up in, reeling from the death of his best friend and the letter he left him after his death, determined to finally make things right.
This was a slow paced, character driven story that was told in present and flash backs. And while I wanted to love both of these characters, I struggled. I simply couldn't connect to them or their plight. I couldn't even put my finger on what or why, but I couldn't help feeling like something was just...missing for me. Because of that, I struggled to stay connected to the story. Everett and Cameron have a slow paved road to their HEA and I found myself getting easily distracted and disengaged from the story.
The writing was wonderful, the set up was there. I think this was just a case of me and not the book. I adore Tara Sivec and can't wait for more of these stories from her, but sadly this one just didn't blow me away like her others.
ARC courtesy of author in exchange for an honest review
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November 12, 2017
3.5 stars <3
Wish You Were Mine was one of my most anticipated books,I couldn't wait to start reading it.It was an emotional story full of angst and even though I enjoyed most of the story I felt like something was missing.
I couldn't connect 100% with the characters and there were moments it was a little bit slow for my taste.Maybe if I read it another time I will see it differently but for now it was an ok read.
Wish You Were Mine was one of my most anticipated books,I couldn't wait to start reading it.It was an emotional story full of angst and even though I enjoyed most of the story I felt like something was missing.
I couldn't connect 100% with the characters and there were moments it was a little bit slow for my taste.Maybe if I read it another time I will see it differently but for now it was an ok read.
November 20, 2017
Oh man, this one was disappointing, and it totally sucks because this is Tara Sivec and I’m a big fan. I love both her funny and her angsty books (Fisher's Light is an all-time favorite!) but this one definitely fell short. It had a great premise, and the beginning and ending were fantastic, but the execution, especially in the middle, I don’t know what happened there.
So, here’s the deal, Cameron, Everett and Aiden have been best friend’s for many years. Cameron has always been in love with Everett and Everett with Cameron, but they constantly fail to tell each other how they felt. It’s a very complicated relationship once you add Aidan to the mix. At the point we start the story, Cameron and Everett haven’t seen each other for 4 years as Everett works as a doctor for Doctors Without Borders traveling the world. When Aiden dies far too young, Everett comes back home to face what he once left behind.
So, I really, really wanted to love this one, but I had a few issues.
-The endless inner dialogue. OMG, this was way too much. Sometimes pages upon pages of inner dialogue. Sometimes I found myself skimming because it was way too much.
-The flashbacks didn’t really add to the story. They were basically all the same, from different POVs and not that far from the current inner dialogue of the MCs. Either Cameron was in love with Everett or vice versa, but either didn’t have the balls to confess, or someone interrupted them, or miscommunication, etc. Which brings me to:
-The inability for 2 adult characters in their 30s to just TALK TO EACH OTHER! It’s really not that hard. In this book, there’s a lot of miscommunication and misunderstandings that get dragged and dragged through most of the book. It’s what I call bad angst. Not the “feels” kinda angst, it’s the really frustrating, maybe I should DNF kind of angst. The issues could easily be resolved if the MCs would just talk. Instead it drags. Until almost the end! I hoped for the conversation to happen at 20%, at 30%, at 40%, at 50%, at 60%, at 70%, until I just got tired of the lack of a real conversation between them, this ruined any chance of me to truly love this one. This was not slow burn, it was just plain annoying.
-The slut-shaming. I was super turned off by the h’s notion that everyone that dated her friends were “skanks”. There’s really zero need for that, it’s annoying to say the least. If they had other girlfriends or dates, they were immediately “skanks”. And this was not only done in flashblacks, but also in present time, the 30 something year old h and her best friends, still called any girl they found threatening a “skank”. Way too much.
I do have to say, I liked the last 20%-25% a lot, once the conversation happened and they finally hooked up, the story just got way better. There was some suspense and a hint of mystery on the mix, that I loved. Also some hotness! And the Epilogue was perfection. The last 25% improved my initial rating of the book greatly, trust me.
Overall, this is not my favorite Tara Sivec book. However, it won’t be my last, she’s definitely still a favorite. This one just didn’t quite worked for me. Now, if the things that bother me, don’t bother you at all, then you should give this one a try. If you’re new to Tara, and really want some feels, I recommend Fisher’s Light!
**An ARC was generously provided by Forever Romance in exchange for an honest review**
So, here’s the deal, Cameron, Everett and Aiden have been best friend’s for many years. Cameron has always been in love with Everett and Everett with Cameron, but they constantly fail to tell each other how they felt. It’s a very complicated relationship once you add Aidan to the mix. At the point we start the story, Cameron and Everett haven’t seen each other for 4 years as Everett works as a doctor for Doctors Without Borders traveling the world. When Aiden dies far too young, Everett comes back home to face what he once left behind.
So, I really, really wanted to love this one, but I had a few issues.
-The endless inner dialogue. OMG, this was way too much. Sometimes pages upon pages of inner dialogue. Sometimes I found myself skimming because it was way too much.
-The flashbacks didn’t really add to the story. They were basically all the same, from different POVs and not that far from the current inner dialogue of the MCs. Either Cameron was in love with Everett or vice versa, but either didn’t have the balls to confess, or someone interrupted them, or miscommunication, etc. Which brings me to:
-The inability for 2 adult characters in their 30s to just TALK TO EACH OTHER! It’s really not that hard. In this book, there’s a lot of miscommunication and misunderstandings that get dragged and dragged through most of the book. It’s what I call bad angst. Not the “feels” kinda angst, it’s the really frustrating, maybe I should DNF kind of angst. The issues could easily be resolved if the MCs would just talk. Instead it drags. Until almost the end! I hoped for the conversation to happen at 20%, at 30%, at 40%, at 50%, at 60%, at 70%, until I just got tired of the lack of a real conversation between them, this ruined any chance of me to truly love this one. This was not slow burn, it was just plain annoying.
-The slut-shaming. I was super turned off by the h’s notion that everyone that dated her friends were “skanks”. There’s really zero need for that, it’s annoying to say the least. If they had other girlfriends or dates, they were immediately “skanks”. And this was not only done in flashblacks, but also in present time, the 30 something year old h and her best friends, still called any girl they found threatening a “skank”. Way too much.
I do have to say, I liked the last 20%-25% a lot, once the conversation happened and they finally hooked up, the story just got way better. There was some suspense and a hint of mystery on the mix, that I loved. Also some hotness! And the Epilogue was perfection. The last 25% improved my initial rating of the book greatly, trust me.
Overall, this is not my favorite Tara Sivec book. However, it won’t be my last, she’s definitely still a favorite. This one just didn’t quite worked for me. Now, if the things that bother me, don’t bother you at all, then you should give this one a try. If you’re new to Tara, and really want some feels, I recommend Fisher’s Light!
**An ARC was generously provided by Forever Romance in exchange for an honest review**
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November 18, 2017***DNF at 25%***
Tapping out early on this one. Too much time jumping and a little too depressing. Don't feel connected to the characters. Their guilt is making me feel guilty because I'm struggling to sympathise with them.
I need and want to want to know more by 25%. I need and want to feel their connection. I need and want to be wishing on their star to make everything alright.
Unfortunately, the stars are hidden behind the clouds and I'm too impatient to wait for the storm to pass. I guess I wasn't in the mood for death, desperation, guilt and reminiscing about their history.
Onwards...
No rating as I didn't finish the story.
Tapping out early on this one. Too much time jumping and a little too depressing. Don't feel connected to the characters. Their guilt is making me feel guilty because I'm struggling to sympathise with them.
I need and want to want to know more by 25%. I need and want to feel their connection. I need and want to be wishing on their star to make everything alright.
Unfortunately, the stars are hidden behind the clouds and I'm too impatient to wait for the storm to pass. I guess I wasn't in the mood for death, desperation, guilt and reminiscing about their history.
Onwards...
No rating as I didn't finish the story.
November 7, 2017
Everett, Cameron and Aiden have been best friends since they were young. They do everything together but most importantly every year they each write a wish on their birthday and put it in their secret hiding place in the tree house. In their own way they are creating time capsules that they will one day be opened and they would remininsce about the hopes they had and if any of it came to fruition.
Cameron knew very early on that she was in love with one of her best friends. She desperately wanted him to know but never had the courage to say it to him. She quietly pined away on him for years until he was about to leave after college and travel overseas. She was hoping that he would somehow realise that she loved him and would decide to stay.
He felt the same way about Cameron but like her, he never voiced how he felt. Mostly because he felt that he was not good enough for her and would never live up to the expectations of her family. He also was worried about ruining their friendship trio. If only one of them had spoken up that night, things would have played out way differently over the next five years…..
When Cameron’s unrequited love returns to their hometown the reunion he envisioned in his mind does not go quite as planned. No slow motion, running into each other’s arms occurs at all. Mainly because of their inability to communicate their feelings with each other and a barrel load of hurt & anger.
However, Cameron is in a bit of a pickle with her family camp business and needs to impress a potential investor so an unexpected ‘knight in shining armour’ moment presents itself to ‘he who shall not be named in this review.’ This puts them in close proximity to each other and the desire between them begins to simmer away.
There were so many moments when I was frustrated with both of these people, only one of them had to speak up and say what they truly felt but they spent a lot of time dancing around the truth. This didn’t make me dislike the story but I was heavily invested in the truth eventually coming out. And to be honest, I kind of like a hefty dose of slow burn between a couple. It makes the ‘coupling’ all that more intense.
Also weaved into this story was a bit of a suspense storyline playing out and it kept me guessing right up until the end. However, this is very much a love story between childhood friends who one day hoped their wishes would come true.
Cameron knew very early on that she was in love with one of her best friends. She desperately wanted him to know but never had the courage to say it to him. She quietly pined away on him for years until he was about to leave after college and travel overseas. She was hoping that he would somehow realise that she loved him and would decide to stay.
He felt the same way about Cameron but like her, he never voiced how he felt. Mostly because he felt that he was not good enough for her and would never live up to the expectations of her family. He also was worried about ruining their friendship trio. If only one of them had spoken up that night, things would have played out way differently over the next five years…..
When Cameron’s unrequited love returns to their hometown the reunion he envisioned in his mind does not go quite as planned. No slow motion, running into each other’s arms occurs at all. Mainly because of their inability to communicate their feelings with each other and a barrel load of hurt & anger.
However, Cameron is in a bit of a pickle with her family camp business and needs to impress a potential investor so an unexpected ‘knight in shining armour’ moment presents itself to ‘he who shall not be named in this review.’ This puts them in close proximity to each other and the desire between them begins to simmer away.
There were so many moments when I was frustrated with both of these people, only one of them had to speak up and say what they truly felt but they spent a lot of time dancing around the truth. This didn’t make me dislike the story but I was heavily invested in the truth eventually coming out. And to be honest, I kind of like a hefty dose of slow burn between a couple. It makes the ‘coupling’ all that more intense.
Also weaved into this story was a bit of a suspense storyline playing out and it kept me guessing right up until the end. However, this is very much a love story between childhood friends who one day hoped their wishes would come true.
November 6, 2017
3.5 Stars
This was one of those “the big misunderstanding” reads. Full review coming:)
**ARC graciously provided in exchange for an honest review**
This was one of those “the big misunderstanding” reads. Full review coming:)
**ARC graciously provided in exchange for an honest review**
November 14, 2017
We already met Cameron for a few seconds in her parents' book THE STORY OF US.
Now here's her own story.
She's been best friends with Aiden and Everett since she was a baby.
Once she turned twelve, she developed feelings for Everett. But ten years later something must've happened, because Everett left to be a doctor in third world countries.
Fast forward four years and Everett receives a letter from Aiden, telling him to get back home. Things have happened and he's needed.
But Everett can't deal with what happened. Alcohol seems to be the best solution for a few months. But he has to put on his big boy panties and face Cameron sooner than later.
Cameron ... The only girl he ever loved.
What will happen with Cameron & Everett??
Will we get our happily ever after??
READ THE BOOK TO FIND OUT! ☺
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Ugh Tara! Just like with The Story of Us, I strarted crying in the prologue already!!!!!
But don't worry - it's not a sad story.
Of course there are some sad and moving moments and lots of lost chances.
But the main part is about how Everett tries to get Cameron to forgive him and fall in love with him forever ever after! ☺
It might take a while, because she's really mad at him. Of course she also never stopped loving him. But she's not making it easy!
It's an adorable & funny & very moving journey that they'll take us on!
And I loved every minute of it!
I loved the location - the camp/former plantation near Charleston. The supporting cast. The little back-in-time chapters. The wishes.
Amazing love story!
The only thing ..... grrrrr... - like with most romances ... why not talk to each other? If they had talked about stuff back when Cam was 12 - or a few years later - and even a few years after that - so many chances, but never did they talk about their feelings. They could've had their HEA ages ago! BUT, of course it always has to be that way - they have to find themselves, live through whatever they have to live through etc. ☺ I still LOVED the book!!!! But it would've/could've been only 20 pages had they not missed all those chances!!! Grrrrr. And also
I WANT TO SEE THIS MADE INTO A MOVIE!!!
WISH YOU WERE MINE was such a heartbreakingly beautiful & adorable 2nd-chance love story! Just perfect! Please run to your nearest amazon for your own Everett- this one is MINE!☺
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January 3, 2018
Emotional friends-to-more romance that has plenty of touching moments, lots of introspection, and a little suspenseful intrigue. Enjoyable and certainly teary at times!
November 14, 2017
“I refuse to let thoughts of Everett Sutherland mess with my head and my heart when I have something much more important to worry about. He’s a part of my past that I need to let go of, no matter how much it hurts. No matter how much my heart breaks that I didn’t just lose one of my best friends, I lost them both. And I’ll never get either one of them back. “
“I learned my lesson a long time ago that loving Everett did nothing but cause me pain, and I’ll be damned if I get sucked down that rabbit hole again.”
“I’m not ready for my bubble to burst. I’m not ready for the pain of crashing. He’s happier than I’ve ever seen him. He smiles easier, laughs harder, his face isn’t filled with worry lines, and he doesn’t stare off into the distance, lost in his own memories and pain. He flirts and he teases and he throws my sass right back at me without hesitation. I want that for him. I’ve always wanted that for him. I want to be the one who makes him happy, no matter the cost.”
It feels like it was only yesterday when I saw the cover for this book for the very first time. I remember seeing it and being just utterly consumed by it. From the coloring to the beautiful picture itself, I just knew that the story that would accompany this cover, would be truly epic and boy was I ever right….
Wish You Were Mine is brilliant, smartly written and 100% consuming. This is the kind of story that once you pick it up, you may as well cancel your plans for the day. You will become addicted and you won’t be able to put it down. Wish You Were Mine takes you on the most incredibly journey that will have your heart feeling a million emotions all at one time. Cameron and Everett’s story is incredibly powerful and timeless story of pain, loss, friendship and love.
Cameron and Everett are perfectly imperfect. Their friendship was one for the books and was the kind that you just always knew would develop into more, if only they could move past their fears and take a leap. However, with Cameron and Everett, the timing was always off. There were so many missed opportunities, so many chances that they both let slip away….It would be years before Cameron and Everett would be reunited again. Years that have changed both of characters deeply, but the one thing that remains the same is the undeniable love they have always shared for each other. Life is presenting them with a second chance, and only time will tell if they have the strength to take it.
There are no words to describe my feelings for Wish You Were Mine. This story is so much more than I ever expected and I loved every minute of it. From pain & heartache to loss & forgiveness. To the smallest of misunderstandings and the impact they will forever hold. To a love that stands the test of time and is worth fighting for. And a push & pull that keeps you begging for more. Wish You Were Mine is sure to become everything and will leave you utterly breathless. It will consume you and give you all the feels. And in the end, you will have experienced such a unique and special love story, that will remain with you for a long time to come….
*I was provided an ARC copy of this book via the publisher & NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review*
“I learned my lesson a long time ago that loving Everett did nothing but cause me pain, and I’ll be damned if I get sucked down that rabbit hole again.”
“I’m not ready for my bubble to burst. I’m not ready for the pain of crashing. He’s happier than I’ve ever seen him. He smiles easier, laughs harder, his face isn’t filled with worry lines, and he doesn’t stare off into the distance, lost in his own memories and pain. He flirts and he teases and he throws my sass right back at me without hesitation. I want that for him. I’ve always wanted that for him. I want to be the one who makes him happy, no matter the cost.”
It feels like it was only yesterday when I saw the cover for this book for the very first time. I remember seeing it and being just utterly consumed by it. From the coloring to the beautiful picture itself, I just knew that the story that would accompany this cover, would be truly epic and boy was I ever right….
Wish You Were Mine is brilliant, smartly written and 100% consuming. This is the kind of story that once you pick it up, you may as well cancel your plans for the day. You will become addicted and you won’t be able to put it down. Wish You Were Mine takes you on the most incredibly journey that will have your heart feeling a million emotions all at one time. Cameron and Everett’s story is incredibly powerful and timeless story of pain, loss, friendship and love.
Cameron and Everett are perfectly imperfect. Their friendship was one for the books and was the kind that you just always knew would develop into more, if only they could move past their fears and take a leap. However, with Cameron and Everett, the timing was always off. There were so many missed opportunities, so many chances that they both let slip away….It would be years before Cameron and Everett would be reunited again. Years that have changed both of characters deeply, but the one thing that remains the same is the undeniable love they have always shared for each other. Life is presenting them with a second chance, and only time will tell if they have the strength to take it.
There are no words to describe my feelings for Wish You Were Mine. This story is so much more than I ever expected and I loved every minute of it. From pain & heartache to loss & forgiveness. To the smallest of misunderstandings and the impact they will forever hold. To a love that stands the test of time and is worth fighting for. And a push & pull that keeps you begging for more. Wish You Were Mine is sure to become everything and will leave you utterly breathless. It will consume you and give you all the feels. And in the end, you will have experienced such a unique and special love story, that will remain with you for a long time to come….
*I was provided an ARC copy of this book via the publisher & NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review*
November 23, 2017
The pretty cover of Wish You Were Mine immediately reeled me in. Unfortunately, this just wasn't the book for me. I found the story to be incredibly cheesy, but what was worse was the amount of slut-shaming in the story that completely ruined the book for me.
Wish You Were Mine opened up with an emotional letter written by Aiden to his friend, Everett, after his passing. It was devastating, and broke my heart, but it also built up my hopes that this book would be profound and amazing. While there certainly were moments of those throughout the book, especially through some of the flashback scenes of the three characters as children, the occasional slut-shaming in the book and the story veering into Nicholas Spark cheese tainted my experience. I can't exactly say that I cared for either of the main characters. They were difficult in my opinion, a little immature, and needed to learn to communicate. Everett and Cameron were melodramatic characters, in my opinion, and made mountains out of molehills. Their emotions and angst came across as incredibly forced to me, and I felt like their relationship with each other totally defined them as characters. I wanted to see more of their personalities beyond the surface level that was explored here.
The romance between the two had the potential to be an amazing second chance romance, but again the forced angst, and the cheesy moments peppered here and there. Everett and Cameron needed to communicate with each other, but that was entirely missing from the story until the very end. There were some scenes that I liked between the two, especially the ones that involved the camp owned by Cameron's parents, but beyond that, the two of them just weren't as memorable for me. And like I said, I hated how Cameron viewed every girl who was interested in either Aiden or Everett as a "skank". It was demeaning, and uncalled for! It's ridiculous that slut-shaming is still prevalent in romance novels.
Simply put, Wish You Were Mine had too many tropes that I didn't care for. If the summary seems like a story that might be for you, go for it!
October 26, 2017
Release Date: November 14, 2017
Genre: Contemporary Romance. Friends to Lovers
Tara Sivec is a talented author. She can write books with the type of humor that will make you giggle snort and pee as well as books with so much heart that your chest swells. In this case, Wish You Were Mine is a heartfelt and emotional read. It's a beautiful story about missed opportunities and second chances. But most of all, it's a book about taking a chance on love and finally going after what you have always wanted. Had I not already been a fan of Tara I would have instantly become one with this novel. Many readers will agree with me on this one.
Best friends who over twenty years, Cameron and Everett reconnect after a period of silence. Not because neither loved their friend, but because sometimes life had other plans. In Everett's case, it was the duty to heal those who needed it the most. For Cameron, well, she was the one "left behind". But when a death of a dear friend shatters their world, the two are forced to one again come together. Making up for lost time won't be easy for either one. They have demons to overcome. But when they do? It shows that fate does work in mysterious ways.
As I mentioned, Tara Sivec is an amazing and talented author. I devour every book she writes because I know that I will always get an amazing story to sink into. This is not different with Wish You Were Mine and I commend her once again, for bringing us a book with so much heart that I nearly wept with joy.
Highly Recommended
Purchase the book on amazon: http://amzn.to/2i7SDFT
Genre: Contemporary Romance. Friends to Lovers
Tara Sivec is a talented author. She can write books with the type of humor that will make you giggle snort and pee as well as books with so much heart that your chest swells. In this case, Wish You Were Mine is a heartfelt and emotional read. It's a beautiful story about missed opportunities and second chances. But most of all, it's a book about taking a chance on love and finally going after what you have always wanted. Had I not already been a fan of Tara I would have instantly become one with this novel. Many readers will agree with me on this one.
Best friends who over twenty years, Cameron and Everett reconnect after a period of silence. Not because neither loved their friend, but because sometimes life had other plans. In Everett's case, it was the duty to heal those who needed it the most. For Cameron, well, she was the one "left behind". But when a death of a dear friend shatters their world, the two are forced to one again come together. Making up for lost time won't be easy for either one. They have demons to overcome. But when they do? It shows that fate does work in mysterious ways.
As I mentioned, Tara Sivec is an amazing and talented author. I devour every book she writes because I know that I will always get an amazing story to sink into. This is not different with Wish You Were Mine and I commend her once again, for bringing us a book with so much heart that I nearly wept with joy.
Highly Recommended
Purchase the book on amazon: http://amzn.to/2i7SDFT
November 13, 2017
Wish You Were Mine by Tara Sivec ~ 4.5 Stars
Oh man! Tara makes me cry buckets again. Wish You Were Mine is another emotional, angsty and heartfelt friends-to-lovers romance. The story is about three childhood best friends Cameron, Aiden and Everett growing up and sharing every moment together. They were inseparable until Everett left town to pursue his dreams, not realizing he left a shattered heart behind.
Five years has past and their lives have changed drastically. Everett received a letter from Aiden and he realized it is finally time to come home after years of traveling with Doctors Without Borders saving the world. Aiden had died of pancreatic cancer and Everett felt he failed to save his best friend. Everett could not deal with the guilt and regrets so he buried his sorrow with alcohol. It took Everett nearly died from alcohol intoxication for him to know he has to face reality, get his life back on track before facing Cameron again.
Cameron is broken-hearted having lost both Everett and Aiden. She is left to grief all alone. Cameron is tough but her heart is fragile. What happen when she finds out Everett (her one true love) has been home for 9 months without so much as a “hello old friend” or a glance her way? Cameron is angry so when Everett showed up at her youth camp out of the blue, Cameron is less than friendly … oh man! Cameron is one feisty heroine. She will not make it easy on Everett. Loved it!
I love the relationship development between Cameron and Everett. They were best friends but have been secretly in love with each other for years. They were just so young and stupid to admit their true feelings to each other. I enjoyed the angst, the slow burn, and the roller coaster relationship. Even as adults, they were still too stubborn to give their hearts a chance. It was frustrating at times - I just want to wring their necks through my kindle LOL :) Over all, I enjoy the story-line – a bit heart-breaking at the beginning, but all passion and hearts at the end.
Oh man! Tara makes me cry buckets again. Wish You Were Mine is another emotional, angsty and heartfelt friends-to-lovers romance. The story is about three childhood best friends Cameron, Aiden and Everett growing up and sharing every moment together. They were inseparable until Everett left town to pursue his dreams, not realizing he left a shattered heart behind.
Five years has past and their lives have changed drastically. Everett received a letter from Aiden and he realized it is finally time to come home after years of traveling with Doctors Without Borders saving the world. Aiden had died of pancreatic cancer and Everett felt he failed to save his best friend. Everett could not deal with the guilt and regrets so he buried his sorrow with alcohol. It took Everett nearly died from alcohol intoxication for him to know he has to face reality, get his life back on track before facing Cameron again.
Cameron is broken-hearted having lost both Everett and Aiden. She is left to grief all alone. Cameron is tough but her heart is fragile. What happen when she finds out Everett (her one true love) has been home for 9 months without so much as a “hello old friend” or a glance her way? Cameron is angry so when Everett showed up at her youth camp out of the blue, Cameron is less than friendly … oh man! Cameron is one feisty heroine. She will not make it easy on Everett. Loved it!
I love the relationship development between Cameron and Everett. They were best friends but have been secretly in love with each other for years. They were just so young and stupid to admit their true feelings to each other. I enjoyed the angst, the slow burn, and the roller coaster relationship. Even as adults, they were still too stubborn to give their hearts a chance. It was frustrating at times - I just want to wring their necks through my kindle LOL :) Over all, I enjoy the story-line – a bit heart-breaking at the beginning, but all passion and hearts at the end.
October 22, 2017
4 stars!
An emotional, angsty and heartfelt friends-to-lovers story as childhood best friends finally get their chance at first love.
Cameron, Everett and Aiden met as children and became instant best friends when they met at the summer camp run by Cameron’s parents. (In a gorgeous twist, Cameron is the daughter of Shelby and Eli from The Story of Us. You don’t need to have read that book first, but it is a great little tie in for fans of that book to see what became of them and their family). Through the years they shared their hopes, dreams and wishes, but though their bond was unbreakable, things changed and Everett left to live his dreams and leave his best friends to live out theirs.
Five years later and everything has changed. Aiden is gone and Everett has been left a broken shell of the man he once was. Years of travelling with Doctors Without Borders meant he has experienced horrific circumstances, but worst of all he couldn’t save his best friend. That, and he’s been pining for the love of his life. He was always close to Cameron, but he knew he loved her when he was 16 years old. He left her to what he thought was the happy life that she wanted, but he knows he’s done the wrong thing by staying away for so long, and now he’s back to make amends.
Cameron has survived the loss of her two best friends, and the five year absence of the man she has loved since she was only 12 years old by throwing herself into running her family’s camp. She has tried to move on emotionally, but she’s never recovered from the loss of Everett, so when he walks back into her life, it shakes her to the core.
These two best friends have a lot to sort through. They kept their feelings for each other a secret, both of them too afraid to risk their relationship, and after years of misunderstandings and missed opportunities, there is a lot of complicated emotion between them. But the love they always had for each other is still very much alive, and we get to see it in their heated glances, slight but meaningful touches, and fun, teasing and heated moments. They just need to work through it all and find the courage to finally open their hearts to each other.
This is such a gorgeous love story. You can feel all of the tumultuous emotion between Cameron and Everett, and their chemistry absolutely sizzles off the page. There is so much love there, and though it’s shadowed by pain, guilt and anger, their feelings for each other shine through as they begin to realise that they can’t hold back any longer.
And when they finally take those brave steps, it’s with a sense of relief for the reader, as well as excitement and joy (and a whole lot of hotness).
It’s angsty and dramatic, and there’s a lot for Cameron and Everett to work through, which doesn’t end once they finally take that step. But as much as I enjoy a good build-up, I feel like I needed something a bit more from these two… . But the book ends really beautifully, and the story gives us an emotionally intense read that I couldn’t put down.
I loved it. 4 stars.
An Advanced Review Copy was generously provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
An emotional, angsty and heartfelt friends-to-lovers story as childhood best friends finally get their chance at first love.
Cameron, Everett and Aiden met as children and became instant best friends when they met at the summer camp run by Cameron’s parents. (In a gorgeous twist, Cameron is the daughter of Shelby and Eli from The Story of Us. You don’t need to have read that book first, but it is a great little tie in for fans of that book to see what became of them and their family). Through the years they shared their hopes, dreams and wishes, but though their bond was unbreakable, things changed and Everett left to live his dreams and leave his best friends to live out theirs.
Five years later and everything has changed. Aiden is gone and Everett has been left a broken shell of the man he once was. Years of travelling with Doctors Without Borders meant he has experienced horrific circumstances, but worst of all he couldn’t save his best friend. That, and he’s been pining for the love of his life. He was always close to Cameron, but he knew he loved her when he was 16 years old. He left her to what he thought was the happy life that she wanted, but he knows he’s done the wrong thing by staying away for so long, and now he’s back to make amends.
I’m so desperately in love with her I can’t think straight. But it’s not good enough, and it never will be.
Cameron has survived the loss of her two best friends, and the five year absence of the man she has loved since she was only 12 years old by throwing herself into running her family’s camp. She has tried to move on emotionally, but she’s never recovered from the loss of Everett, so when he walks back into her life, it shakes her to the core.
I hate that I’ve missed Everett so much, that a part of me wants to forgive him for everything. I hate that seeing him again gave me butterflies and made me remember all of the feelings I used to have for him. I hate that he’ll never understand how much his disappearance from my life broke my heart, because I can never tell him. I can never tell him that he always had my heart, and he took it with him when he left, because it will just make me look like a fool. A fool who waited around for years, hoping her best friend would someday fall in love with her.
These two best friends have a lot to sort through. They kept their feelings for each other a secret, both of them too afraid to risk their relationship, and after years of misunderstandings and missed opportunities, there is a lot of complicated emotion between them. But the love they always had for each other is still very much alive, and we get to see it in their heated glances, slight but meaningful touches, and fun, teasing and heated moments. They just need to work through it all and find the courage to finally open their hearts to each other.
“Everything was wrong when you were gone. Nothing made sense without you here. I didn’t know how to be happy without you. I didn’t know how to live without you.”
This is such a gorgeous love story. You can feel all of the tumultuous emotion between Cameron and Everett, and their chemistry absolutely sizzles off the page. There is so much love there, and though it’s shadowed by pain, guilt and anger, their feelings for each other shine through as they begin to realise that they can’t hold back any longer.
“You’re the only thing I’ve ever wished for.”
And when they finally take those brave steps, it’s with a sense of relief for the reader, as well as excitement and joy (and a whole lot of hotness).
Everett was wrong when he said nothing will change between us. This moment, right here…it changes everything.
And it’s about damn time.
It’s angsty and dramatic, and there’s a lot for Cameron and Everett to work through, which doesn’t end once they finally take that step. But as much as I enjoy a good build-up, I feel like I needed something a bit more from these two… . But the book ends really beautifully, and the story gives us an emotionally intense read that I couldn’t put down.
Life’s too short to do something that doesn’t make you happy, and to spend your time with someone who isn’t your entire world.
I loved it. 4 stars.
An Advanced Review Copy was generously provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
November 2, 2017
3.5 Stars
Wish You Were Mine is a 'sweetsy' second-chance type romance. The story of the 'Three Musketeers'- Aiden, Everett, and Cameron- turned into two. The book flip flops from the past years (childhood, teens) to present and what transpired to break up the three close friends. Always vowing to be there for each other, life happened, actions misconstrued, years pass without communication. Until they're reunited. Can they bury the past and clear up the false impressions that have kept each other apart for far too long? Or is it too late?
This book ebbed and flowed for me. Sometimes I felt it was a bit slow to progress and it caused me to struggle staying tuned in. Also, the reason Everett chooses to come home and reconnect with Cameron was just...interesting- not believable and a bit eye-rolling. All in all, it felt average in plot development, character likability, and overall flow. Not my favorite by Tara Sivec but I didn't give up on it either...
Advanced copy received by publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
Wish You Were Mine is a 'sweetsy' second-chance type romance. The story of the 'Three Musketeers'- Aiden, Everett, and Cameron- turned into two. The book flip flops from the past years (childhood, teens) to present and what transpired to break up the three close friends. Always vowing to be there for each other, life happened, actions misconstrued, years pass without communication. Until they're reunited. Can they bury the past and clear up the false impressions that have kept each other apart for far too long? Or is it too late?
This book ebbed and flowed for me. Sometimes I felt it was a bit slow to progress and it caused me to struggle staying tuned in. Also, the reason Everett chooses to come home and reconnect with Cameron was just...interesting- not believable and a bit eye-rolling. All in all, it felt average in plot development, character likability, and overall flow. Not my favorite by Tara Sivec but I didn't give up on it either...
Advanced copy received by publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
November 3, 2017
Try as I might, I find it difficult to go into each book by a favorite author without expectations. With Tara Sivec, whose book Fisher’s Light is one of my all time favorites (and her Playing With Fire series is a favorite series), the bar is high. Really high. But it happens, so when I don’t connect well with a favorite author’s book, the disappointment is also high. Really high…
Before I begin what will probably look like me ripping this book to shreds, I want to say that had this been a book by another author, I may not have been so harsh in my opinion. I don’t NOT like this story, but there were so many things that rubbed me wrong and kept me from really enjoying the story of Cameron and Emerson.
The first issue is that I wouldn’t classify this as second-chance romance, because our hero and heroine never had a first romance. This is friends-to-lovers, which is a trope I find tiresome. The whole “our friendship will be ruined” and “he/she deserves someone better” just makes me so frustrated. (I still would have read Wish You Were Mine, I just would have managed my expectations better.) It isn’t until 76 percent in the book that the couple finally gets their crap together and declares their love. So we got a whole bunch of “I wish he loved me the way I love him” and “there’s no way she’ll ever feel about me the way I feel about her, I'm not good enough” blah, blah, BLAH. The inner monologue was so tiresome. GAH! Have a conversation already!!!
This is particularly frustrating in light of the fact that their other best friend died at the age of 33 from cancer. When I lost a good friend to cancer at 46 - who didn’t get to see her oldest graduate from college, who won't see her children get married, whose husband won’t get to get take anymore trips to amazing places with the love of his life - it made me rethink things. I don’t put things off, I tell people how I feel. You would think at least one of them here would say, “Life's too short not to be honest about what I think, how I feel.” These people were in their 30s but still acted like young adults. I can tolerate YA behavior from characters who are actually YA. But if you’re out of your twenties? Grow the hell up!
(And while I’m getting all my complaints out about this book...what’s with calling all the other women skanks? I’m all for calling a spade and spade. But none of the women who were referred to in such a derogatory way had done anything other than go out with the other men. I find the whole double standard (it’s okay for the guys to sleep around but NOT the woman) to be hypocritical. Sorry, rant over.)
The second big issue I had with this book is the time-hop storytelling - which I don’t usually like because the drama is drawn out, and pulled out, and milked for every last page. However, I know Tara Sivec is capable of weaving together past and present in a seamless way - she did it beautifully in Fisher’s Light. But this time, it frustrated me and didn’t ever reveal anything different in the past part of their story. First, Cameron is going to tell Emerson how she feels, but then something comes up and she doesn’t. Then Emerson is going to, but doesn’t. It was one giant angst-fest. And guess what...I’m not a fan of long, drawn out angst either.
So what did I like about Wish You Were Mine? The side-characters of Amelia and Jason were great. I loved them! And Tara Sivec always does a great job with dialogue - with all her characters. Once Cameron and Emerson did finally get together, I enjoyed the book a whole lot more - but that left only a quarter of the book that I liked reading. The actual writing in this book is very good. I just didn’t happen to care for the main characters or the pacing of the plot.
I readily admit this book had two strikes against it simply because of my personal reading preferences. I can’t think of any friends-to-lovers books I’ve really liked, and there’s only a couple of timehop ones that I really enjoyed (Fisher’s Light, and Worth the Wait by Claudia Connor are two off the top of my head). Throw in my unintentional high expectations, and this book was in for an uphill climb. Which is exactly what reading this book felt like. Hopefully, I’ll connect better with Ms. Sivec’s next book!
* thank you to NetGalley and Forever Yours (Grand Central Publishing) for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review
Before I begin what will probably look like me ripping this book to shreds, I want to say that had this been a book by another author, I may not have been so harsh in my opinion. I don’t NOT like this story, but there were so many things that rubbed me wrong and kept me from really enjoying the story of Cameron and Emerson.
The first issue is that I wouldn’t classify this as second-chance romance, because our hero and heroine never had a first romance. This is friends-to-lovers, which is a trope I find tiresome. The whole “our friendship will be ruined” and “he/she deserves someone better” just makes me so frustrated. (I still would have read Wish You Were Mine, I just would have managed my expectations better.) It isn’t until 76 percent in the book that the couple finally gets their crap together and declares their love. So we got a whole bunch of “I wish he loved me the way I love him” and “there’s no way she’ll ever feel about me the way I feel about her, I'm not good enough” blah, blah, BLAH. The inner monologue was so tiresome. GAH! Have a conversation already!!!
This is particularly frustrating in light of the fact that their other best friend died at the age of 33 from cancer. When I lost a good friend to cancer at 46 - who didn’t get to see her oldest graduate from college, who won't see her children get married, whose husband won’t get to get take anymore trips to amazing places with the love of his life - it made me rethink things. I don’t put things off, I tell people how I feel. You would think at least one of them here would say, “Life's too short not to be honest about what I think, how I feel.” These people were in their 30s but still acted like young adults. I can tolerate YA behavior from characters who are actually YA. But if you’re out of your twenties? Grow the hell up!
(And while I’m getting all my complaints out about this book...what’s with calling all the other women skanks? I’m all for calling a spade and spade. But none of the women who were referred to in such a derogatory way had done anything other than go out with the other men. I find the whole double standard (it’s okay for the guys to sleep around but NOT the woman) to be hypocritical. Sorry, rant over.)
The second big issue I had with this book is the time-hop storytelling - which I don’t usually like because the drama is drawn out, and pulled out, and milked for every last page. However, I know Tara Sivec is capable of weaving together past and present in a seamless way - she did it beautifully in Fisher’s Light. But this time, it frustrated me and didn’t ever reveal anything different in the past part of their story. First, Cameron is going to tell Emerson how she feels, but then something comes up and she doesn’t. Then Emerson is going to, but doesn’t. It was one giant angst-fest. And guess what...I’m not a fan of long, drawn out angst either.
So what did I like about Wish You Were Mine? The side-characters of Amelia and Jason were great. I loved them! And Tara Sivec always does a great job with dialogue - with all her characters. Once Cameron and Emerson did finally get together, I enjoyed the book a whole lot more - but that left only a quarter of the book that I liked reading. The actual writing in this book is very good. I just didn’t happen to care for the main characters or the pacing of the plot.
I readily admit this book had two strikes against it simply because of my personal reading preferences. I can’t think of any friends-to-lovers books I’ve really liked, and there’s only a couple of timehop ones that I really enjoyed (Fisher’s Light, and Worth the Wait by Claudia Connor are two off the top of my head). Throw in my unintentional high expectations, and this book was in for an uphill climb. Which is exactly what reading this book felt like. Hopefully, I’ll connect better with Ms. Sivec’s next book!
* thank you to NetGalley and Forever Yours (Grand Central Publishing) for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review
November 11, 2017
Three best friends until a misunderstanding had one making the decision to follow his dreams.
I loved that is it was a second chance love story with your first love but I really wanted to smack some sense into Everett!! He felt something for Cameron the first time he saw her and yes even though Aiden had a crush on her Everett never acted on it.
Fast forward a couple of years and seeing how everyone tells Everett that Cameron and Aiden are perfect for each other he chooses to stay quiet and not profess his love for her. Well, fast forward a couple of years and we see how choosing to stay quiet rather than speak up works out for Everett...not well because the damage is already done.
Everett has done everything in his power to forget about Cameron and Aiden yet the letter he receives has him coming home, there is no welcoming parade just silence and regrets.
Cameron was proud that Everett was able to follow his dreams, after all she followed hers and is now running the camp her parents have had for years. Her sadness and guilt remind her everyday that she has no one now.
Cameron & Everett's reunion had me rooting for Cameron because she was not going to act like they were still BFF when in the end Everett choose to leave her without any explanation.
There was plenty of angst and soooo many misunderstandings that I had hoped that they would ask before assuming what the other one was thinking or wanting. I loved Cameron and Everett towards the end but they really tested my patience.
It's still a beautiful story about love, forgiveness and a shot at second chances. ~Kara, 4 Stars
I loved that is it was a second chance love story with your first love but I really wanted to smack some sense into Everett!! He felt something for Cameron the first time he saw her and yes even though Aiden had a crush on her Everett never acted on it.
Fast forward a couple of years and seeing how everyone tells Everett that Cameron and Aiden are perfect for each other he chooses to stay quiet and not profess his love for her. Well, fast forward a couple of years and we see how choosing to stay quiet rather than speak up works out for Everett...not well because the damage is already done.
Everett has done everything in his power to forget about Cameron and Aiden yet the letter he receives has him coming home, there is no welcoming parade just silence and regrets.
Cameron was proud that Everett was able to follow his dreams, after all she followed hers and is now running the camp her parents have had for years. Her sadness and guilt remind her everyday that she has no one now.
Cameron & Everett's reunion had me rooting for Cameron because she was not going to act like they were still BFF when in the end Everett choose to leave her without any explanation.
There was plenty of angst and soooo many misunderstandings that I had hoped that they would ask before assuming what the other one was thinking or wanting. I loved Cameron and Everett towards the end but they really tested my patience.
It's still a beautiful story about love, forgiveness and a shot at second chances. ~Kara, 4 Stars
November 1, 2017
4.5 stars
Everett, Aiden,and Cameron have been friend since they were kids. The two boys were 3 years older than their tomboy counterpart, Cameron, but they swore to be best friends forever...and they were for many years.
As young adults, Everett Southerland made a choice...to follow his dreams of becoming an international Doctor, but he left his friends behind with only sporadic contact with Aiden and cutting off the girl he could never have. He had loved her for years, but never felt good enough and timing was never on their side.
Cameron James now runs her family's youth camp and has fond memories of growing up there with her two best friends. But she always had a secret crush on Everett, the broken, bad boy she wanted to fix. But she never thought he saw her anything but a kid sister.
Hidden feelings, miscommunication, missed opportunities, distance, and avoidance tore them apart and left them both with a void that could not be filled.
But years later, when Everett gets a letter from their best friend, Aiden begging him to come home because things are going to drastically change, he can't stay away anymore. But he has a lot of guilt, fear, and loss to face even before he can face Cameron again. And she has had years to develop an outer shield built by hurt and pain that his abandonment caused.
But she needs help and he sees an opportunity and plans to be there whether she wants him there or not. So now they are back in each other's lives and have to spend time together. But there is a lot of heartache and loss to deal with. And Everett not only has to face his own demons, but also the wrath and sadness of the girl he left behind. They cycle from rage, hurt, annoyance, passion, and push each other. But they are feeling more excitement in their lives than they have in years.
This time will they be able to admit their feelings and try to chase their own HEA? Admitting their feelings might be one of their biggest battles, and not everything is always as it appears. I seriously wanted to lock them in room in the camp and force them to get everything out in the open.
Cameron was sassy, stubborn, guarded, and had been hurt by their past. Everett was affected not only be his inaction and loss, but also the things he had seen and dealt with overseas. They were a hot mess but shared so much history and a bond that might bend, but could not really break completely. And they also have outside situations that they are dealing with as well adding drama.
This is an antagonistic, passionate, heartbreaking story of friends, lovers, and second chances. It had some mysteries and surprises. It is told in Everett and Cameron's points of view in present and flashbacks with some input from Aiden as well. It took me a bit to realize that Cameron is the daughter of Eli and Shelby from The Story of Us, but then it all came rushing back. It was nice to touch base with them in the future and see the camp come to fruition. I liked the side characters of her friend, Amelia, and his brother, Jason as well.
I was gifted a copy in exchange for an honest review.
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Everett, Aiden,and Cameron have been friend since they were kids. The two boys were 3 years older than their tomboy counterpart, Cameron, but they swore to be best friends forever...and they were for many years.
As young adults, Everett Southerland made a choice...to follow his dreams of becoming an international Doctor, but he left his friends behind with only sporadic contact with Aiden and cutting off the girl he could never have. He had loved her for years, but never felt good enough and timing was never on their side.
Cameron James now runs her family's youth camp and has fond memories of growing up there with her two best friends. But she always had a secret crush on Everett, the broken, bad boy she wanted to fix. But she never thought he saw her anything but a kid sister.
Hidden feelings, miscommunication, missed opportunities, distance, and avoidance tore them apart and left them both with a void that could not be filled.
But years later, when Everett gets a letter from their best friend, Aiden begging him to come home because things are going to drastically change, he can't stay away anymore. But he has a lot of guilt, fear, and loss to face even before he can face Cameron again. And she has had years to develop an outer shield built by hurt and pain that his abandonment caused.
But she needs help and he sees an opportunity and plans to be there whether she wants him there or not. So now they are back in each other's lives and have to spend time together. But there is a lot of heartache and loss to deal with. And Everett not only has to face his own demons, but also the wrath and sadness of the girl he left behind. They cycle from rage, hurt, annoyance, passion, and push each other. But they are feeling more excitement in their lives than they have in years.
This time will they be able to admit their feelings and try to chase their own HEA? Admitting their feelings might be one of their biggest battles, and not everything is always as it appears. I seriously wanted to lock them in room in the camp and force them to get everything out in the open.
Cameron was sassy, stubborn, guarded, and had been hurt by their past. Everett was affected not only be his inaction and loss, but also the things he had seen and dealt with overseas. They were a hot mess but shared so much history and a bond that might bend, but could not really break completely. And they also have outside situations that they are dealing with as well adding drama.
This is an antagonistic, passionate, heartbreaking story of friends, lovers, and second chances. It had some mysteries and surprises. It is told in Everett and Cameron's points of view in present and flashbacks with some input from Aiden as well. It took me a bit to realize that Cameron is the daughter of Eli and Shelby from The Story of Us, but then it all came rushing back. It was nice to touch base with them in the future and see the camp come to fruition. I liked the side characters of her friend, Amelia, and his brother, Jason as well.
I was gifted a copy in exchange for an honest review.
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November 4, 2017
We already met Cameron for a few seconds in her parents' book THE STORY OF US.
Now here's her own story.
She's been best friends with Aiden and Everett since she was a baby.
Once she turned twelve, she developed feelings for Everett. But ten years later something must've happened, because Everett left to be a doctor in third world countries.
Fast forward four years and Everett receives a letter from Aiden, telling him to get back home. Things have happened and he's needed.
But Everett can't deal with what happened. Alcohol seems to be the best solution for a few months. But he has to put on his big boy panties and face Cameron sooner than later.
Cameron ... The only girl he ever loved.
What will happen with Cameron & Everett??
Will we get our happily ever after??
READ THE BOOK TO FIND OUT! ☺
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Ugh Tara! Just like with The Story of Us, I strarted crying in the prologue already!!!!!
But don't worry - it's not a sad story.
Of course there are some sad and moving moments and lots of lost chances.
But the main part is about how Everett tries to get Cameron to forgive him and fall in love with him forever ever after! ☺
It might take a while, because she's really mad at him. Of course she also never stopped loving him. But she's not making it easy!
It's an adorable & funny & very moving journey that they'll take us on!
And I loved every minute of it!
I loved the location - the camp/former plantation near Charleston. The supporting cast. The little back-in-time chapters. The wishes.
Amazing love story!
The only thing ..... grrrrr... - like with most romances ... why not talk to each other? If they had talked about stuff back when Cam was 12 - or a few years later - and even a few years after that - so many chances, but never did they talk about their feelings. They could've had their HEA ages ago! BUT, of course it always has to be that way - they have to find themselves, live through whatever they have to live through etc. ☺ I still LOVED the book!!!! But it would've/could've been only 20 pages had they not missed all those chances!!! Grrrrr. And also
I WANT TO SEE THIS MADE INTO A MOVIE!!!
WISH YOU WERE MINE was such a heartbreakingly beautiful & adorable 2nd-chance love story! Just perfect! Please run to your nearest amazon for your own Everett- this one is MINE!☺
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November 14, 2017
Believe it or not, I have never read a Tara Sivec novel until now. I have seen so many good things about her books, so when I had the chance to review her newest release, I knew it was my time to finally pick one up!
Everett has been gone for five years. And for five years, he hasn't spoken one word to Cameron James, the girl who stole his heart when they first met as kids, but also the girl he knows he can never be good enough for. Cameron is angry. For five years, she hasn't seen or heard from Everett and he struts into her camp like no time has passed at all. But Cameron finds herself needing Everett to save their camp for military families and kids and she'll do anything to save the place that was her entire childhood and future.
Wow, from the moment this book starts, you are hit with an immense amount of emotions. Everett and Cameron's best friend to their trio since they were kids has passed away and both of them are trying to recover. Everett has been gone for five years, though, and doesn't know how to reinsert himself into Cameron's life. I was in love with Cameron and Everett and was rooting for them so hard to make it work and get together. Both of them, though, are so broken at the beginning of this book and it's heartbreaking watching them try to learn to trust each other and get over the fears that have been plaguing them their whole lives.
I will say, the ending was pretty predictable and I was just waiting for the predictable stuff to happen when the rest of the story kind of slowed down a bit. Other than that, though, I really loved this book and the little quirks that made Everett and Cameron's relationship so special. I loved their connection to their friend that had died and their long, heartbreaking history together. And talk about a slow burn romance! There was so much chemistry between them but also so much history that made them resistant to that chemistry.
While this was my first Tara Sivec book, this is definitely not going to be my last! She delivered so much emotion, heartache, and strong physical attraction that I could not put this book down. I was obsessed with Everett and Cameron for about 80% of the book until things slowed down and got a little predictable. Other than that, though, this book was amazing and such a sweet romance!
Everett has been gone for five years. And for five years, he hasn't spoken one word to Cameron James, the girl who stole his heart when they first met as kids, but also the girl he knows he can never be good enough for. Cameron is angry. For five years, she hasn't seen or heard from Everett and he struts into her camp like no time has passed at all. But Cameron finds herself needing Everett to save their camp for military families and kids and she'll do anything to save the place that was her entire childhood and future.
Wow, from the moment this book starts, you are hit with an immense amount of emotions. Everett and Cameron's best friend to their trio since they were kids has passed away and both of them are trying to recover. Everett has been gone for five years, though, and doesn't know how to reinsert himself into Cameron's life. I was in love with Cameron and Everett and was rooting for them so hard to make it work and get together. Both of them, though, are so broken at the beginning of this book and it's heartbreaking watching them try to learn to trust each other and get over the fears that have been plaguing them their whole lives.
I will say, the ending was pretty predictable and I was just waiting for the predictable stuff to happen when the rest of the story kind of slowed down a bit. Other than that, though, I really loved this book and the little quirks that made Everett and Cameron's relationship so special. I loved their connection to their friend that had died and their long, heartbreaking history together. And talk about a slow burn romance! There was so much chemistry between them but also so much history that made them resistant to that chemistry.
While this was my first Tara Sivec book, this is definitely not going to be my last! She delivered so much emotion, heartache, and strong physical attraction that I could not put this book down. I was obsessed with Everett and Cameron for about 80% of the book until things slowed down and got a little predictable. Other than that, though, this book was amazing and such a sweet romance!
November 14, 2017
4.5 stars
When I saw a new release from Tara Sivec, I jumped all over it. I was all set for a hilarious romp complete with sex toys, inappropriate t-shirts and ridiculous situations. I got none of these, but I’m far from disappointed. Instead of the utter absurdity of her Chocoholic series, I saw the more tender and serious side to Tara Sivec’s writing. I saw characters that broke my heart, frustrated the crap out of me, and ultimately made me adore them.
Wish You Were Mine contains one of my favorite themes, a “friends to lovers” story where two people who know each other inside and out finally admit their feelings. Yet this one had a twist…they always admitted the feelings to themselves, just never to the other. It was sweet to watch the love grow between Cameron and Everett, and heartbreaking and completely frustrating to watch them lose so much time as a result of fear and feelings of unworthiness.
Tara Sivec manages to take a simple storyline and turn it into something beautiful and tender and real. I felt Cameron’s frustration with Everett for leaving her behind. I felt Everett’s jealousy and understood his reasons for protecting his heart. And I loved Aiden, for his utter over-the-top confidence and ridiculousness.
This entire story was full of slow burning anticipation. It was foreplay, leading up to the ultimate culmination of a relationship decades in the making. It was gentle and romantic and frankly everything the Chocoholics series was NOT, and yet it was just as sweet a treat to devour.
October 12, 2019
2 3/4 "Say what you mean to say." Stars!
Wow! Did these two frustrate me! My goodness, every single decision both these main characters made was based in fear. I seriously wanted to knock their heads together and tell them to, "Just talk! Say what's in your heart! Please." Because as frustrating as they both were, I also loved them both and desperately wanted them to FINALLY be together. They loved each other so much.
If you like high angst based all on lack and miscommunication, but with very likable characters, go for this one. Happy reading!
Wow! Did these two frustrate me! My goodness, every single decision both these main characters made was based in fear. I seriously wanted to knock their heads together and tell them to, "Just talk! Say what's in your heart! Please." Because as frustrating as they both were, I also loved them both and desperately wanted them to FINALLY be together. They loved each other so much.
If you like high angst based all on lack and miscommunication, but with very likable characters, go for this one. Happy reading!
November 14, 2017
I think Cam and Everett are now on my top list of favorite book couples! Holy moly, these two. The love is strong. The angst is thick. The attraction is heavy.
I fell right into this book from the first page. I definitely did not expect all of the angst and sexual frustration. And let me tell you, it had me in knots. I found myself right in the book with these characters. I wanted for them what they were afraid to achieve.
If you are a Tara Sivec fan, please know this isn't one of her funny books. Although, I giggled a few times. This story is heavy. This story is raw and real. Tara was able to tap into not just these characters' minds as adults, but she hit the nail on the head when delving into their teenage selves. She couldn't have written their love, jealousy and angst any better.
Overall, this is book is emotional and steamy. It is definitely one of my top reads of the year. Kudos Tara!
I fell right into this book from the first page. I definitely did not expect all of the angst and sexual frustration. And let me tell you, it had me in knots. I found myself right in the book with these characters. I wanted for them what they were afraid to achieve.
If you are a Tara Sivec fan, please know this isn't one of her funny books. Although, I giggled a few times. This story is heavy. This story is raw and real. Tara was able to tap into not just these characters' minds as adults, but she hit the nail on the head when delving into their teenage selves. She couldn't have written their love, jealousy and angst any better.
Overall, this is book is emotional and steamy. It is definitely one of my top reads of the year. Kudos Tara!
not-interested
November 21, 2017Taking in consideration the age: 30 years old
Miscommunication, slut shaming, adults incapable of talking. Just enough for me.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
And again the slut shaming
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Miscommunication, slut shaming, adults incapable of talking. Just enough for me.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
And again the slut shaming
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
May 20, 2020
4.5 Stars.
Wish You Were Mine by Tara Sivec is the story of Everett returning home and reconnecting with Cameron after the death of their mutual best friend, Aiden. (Please read the synopsis because I’m not actually doing this book justice.)
My favorite tropes are friends to lovers, second chance romances, and fake relationships so I felt like this book was made for me.
I love messy characters who don’t have their shit together and struggle with communication so I loved seeing Cameron and Everett mutually pining for each other throughout the book. Getting glimpses of their childhood, birthday rituals, and wishes was so cute. After the prologue, I felt for Aiden so much and wish he could’ve had his own HEA.
The only thing I wasn’t in love with was the side storyline/final conflict that played out because I thought that there was enough going on without it.
If you don’t like characters who won’t openly communicate their feelings or shifting timelines then this book is not for you.
Thanks to Forever for my gifted copy.
Narration: I enjoyed the male narrator more than the female narrator. They aren’t amazing, but definitely good enough to get through the audiobook.
Content Warning:
Wish You Were Mine by Tara Sivec is the story of Everett returning home and reconnecting with Cameron after the death of their mutual best friend, Aiden. (Please read the synopsis because I’m not actually doing this book justice.)
My favorite tropes are friends to lovers, second chance romances, and fake relationships so I felt like this book was made for me.
I love messy characters who don’t have their shit together and struggle with communication so I loved seeing Cameron and Everett mutually pining for each other throughout the book. Getting glimpses of their childhood, birthday rituals, and wishes was so cute. After the prologue, I felt for Aiden so much and wish he could’ve had his own HEA.
The only thing I wasn’t in love with was the side storyline/final conflict that played out because I thought that there was enough going on without it.
If you don’t like characters who won’t openly communicate their feelings or shifting timelines then this book is not for you.
Thanks to Forever for my gifted copy.
Narration: I enjoyed the male narrator more than the female narrator. They aren’t amazing, but definitely good enough to get through the audiobook.
Content Warning:
November 1, 2017
Wish You Were Mine will leave an impact on your heart. It's heart breaking, angst ridden and full of those heart stopping moments.
Tara Sivec continues to leave her impression on me and it started with The Story of Us and continues with Wish You Were Mine.
Everett and Cameron, best friends that shared a lifetime together but are separated only to be brought back together by circumstances that know one wants to have to experience. From the very beginning of this story I could tell that I would experience those feels. Sadness, a bit of anger if I'm honest, mixed in with some laughter and that warmness that spreads watching these two reunite.
The road is a bit bumpy but nothing is ever smooth and their journey will wrap itself around your heart and not let go. One of those epic romances that you day dream about except this one has some unforgettable moments that will hit you in your gut and might make you hold your breath in anticipation.
The perfect book to sit in front of a fire and wrap yourself up with a warm blanket and a hot beverage.
Tara Sivec continues to leave her impression on me and it started with The Story of Us and continues with Wish You Were Mine.
Everett and Cameron, best friends that shared a lifetime together but are separated only to be brought back together by circumstances that know one wants to have to experience. From the very beginning of this story I could tell that I would experience those feels. Sadness, a bit of anger if I'm honest, mixed in with some laughter and that warmness that spreads watching these two reunite.
The road is a bit bumpy but nothing is ever smooth and their journey will wrap itself around your heart and not let go. One of those epic romances that you day dream about except this one has some unforgettable moments that will hit you in your gut and might make you hold your breath in anticipation.
The perfect book to sit in front of a fire and wrap yourself up with a warm blanket and a hot beverage.
October 13, 2017
I really cannot say enough about Wish You Were Mine. This book is EVERYTHING and I’ll never forget it. Five stars are not nearly enough for the journey Tara Sivec took me on.
The bond between Everett, Cameron and Aiden was magical. Friends for life that are put into a situation which they never could have even imagined.
I absolutely want to delve into every single piece of this book, but you need to be as surprised, heartbroken and in love as I was. I was destroyed, all my pieces were put back together, I cried and I laughed. I felt every single emotion in this book and loved every single character.
This is, in my opinion, THE book of 2017. Wish You Were Mine was an absolutely amazing story...one I will never forget.
The bond between Everett, Cameron and Aiden was magical. Friends for life that are put into a situation which they never could have even imagined.
I absolutely want to delve into every single piece of this book, but you need to be as surprised, heartbroken and in love as I was. I was destroyed, all my pieces were put back together, I cried and I laughed. I felt every single emotion in this book and loved every single character.
This is, in my opinion, THE book of 2017. Wish You Were Mine was an absolutely amazing story...one I will never forget.
November 14, 2017
I thought the Story of Us by Tara Sivec slayed me and pulled me in from the beginning and kept me a beautiful emotional mess but the story of Everett and Cameron took the crown there. From the prologue letter from Aiden that will have you in tears. Like balling beautiful messy fat tears to the first thoughts of Everett and how he is struggling you are captured heart and soul by the characters and their story and the writing of Tara Sivec
Everett and Cameron bring you on an emotional angst filled love story that just absolutely enraptures you and cocoons you in their love,warmth and struggles. You see Everett put his life back together after a very tear jerking response from his sweet brother Jason. You watch him go back to Cameron and get his friendship back with her. See him heal and have his guilt lessen. See him become whole again. You watch Everett find himself and his courage to let go and find the strength to show his love to Cameron. You see the misunderstandings between these two but also the chemistry hits you like a ton of bricks. The looks and searing heat you feel through the words of Tara Sivec between Everett and Cameron set the book aflame but you also get frustrated at how they question their feelings and have so many missed moments and misunderstandings. You see Cameron, strong and capable Cameron finally break and show her pain. Watch her be wary and let her anger go. Watch her slowly learn about Everett again and let him be there for her. You watch them fall more in love and gain back the years they lost.
their story will break you and heal you. It is one of strength, courage and misunderstanding. One where friends who have always loved one another let go and you see that this time apart really was needed so they can become who they are meant to be. So they can become stronger versions of themselves and appreciate one another more. You see them struggle with real life problems and support one another. You see their insecurities and fear shine through and how they mess up but also find a way back to one another and work things out.
We get glimpses of moments in their past that are adorable and precious. The star wishes and birthday tradition of grape crush, fritos and little debbie tears at your heartstrings. Seeing how Everett was always so protective with her and respected her from the beginning warms you up inside. Watching him doubt himself and take words from others to heart and walk away for so long slays you. Seeing when he comes back his struggle and pain just has you want to hold him tight and never let go. But watching him fight back and show Cameron all of himself and not letting go was so beautifully written and emotionally heartwarming you cannot put the story down. Seeing Cameron learn about Everett the man and fall more in love with him is endearing but frustrating as well for they both have fears that do hold them back at times. Seeing their thoughts from their POV's is beautiful emotional and so worth the ride for you truly see them broken and mending. His gesture of showing his love will have you melt into a pile of goo.
In the end Everett and Cameron get the happy ending to a very emotional love that spans over thirty years and hopefully continues forever for them. It isn’t an easy road to their happy ever after but so worth the emotional roller coaster of a ride and one you will not want to jump off of.
Everett and Cameron bring you on an emotional angst filled love story that just absolutely enraptures you and cocoons you in their love,warmth and struggles. You see Everett put his life back together after a very tear jerking response from his sweet brother Jason. You watch him go back to Cameron and get his friendship back with her. See him heal and have his guilt lessen. See him become whole again. You watch Everett find himself and his courage to let go and find the strength to show his love to Cameron. You see the misunderstandings between these two but also the chemistry hits you like a ton of bricks. The looks and searing heat you feel through the words of Tara Sivec between Everett and Cameron set the book aflame but you also get frustrated at how they question their feelings and have so many missed moments and misunderstandings. You see Cameron, strong and capable Cameron finally break and show her pain. Watch her be wary and let her anger go. Watch her slowly learn about Everett again and let him be there for her. You watch them fall more in love and gain back the years they lost.
their story will break you and heal you. It is one of strength, courage and misunderstanding. One where friends who have always loved one another let go and you see that this time apart really was needed so they can become who they are meant to be. So they can become stronger versions of themselves and appreciate one another more. You see them struggle with real life problems and support one another. You see their insecurities and fear shine through and how they mess up but also find a way back to one another and work things out.
We get glimpses of moments in their past that are adorable and precious. The star wishes and birthday tradition of grape crush, fritos and little debbie tears at your heartstrings. Seeing how Everett was always so protective with her and respected her from the beginning warms you up inside. Watching him doubt himself and take words from others to heart and walk away for so long slays you. Seeing when he comes back his struggle and pain just has you want to hold him tight and never let go. But watching him fight back and show Cameron all of himself and not letting go was so beautifully written and emotionally heartwarming you cannot put the story down. Seeing Cameron learn about Everett the man and fall more in love with him is endearing but frustrating as well for they both have fears that do hold them back at times. Seeing their thoughts from their POV's is beautiful emotional and so worth the ride for you truly see them broken and mending. His gesture of showing his love will have you melt into a pile of goo.
In the end Everett and Cameron get the happy ending to a very emotional love that spans over thirty years and hopefully continues forever for them. It isn’t an easy road to their happy ever after but so worth the emotional roller coaster of a ride and one you will not want to jump off of.
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