The Queen of Wishful Thinking

by Milly Johnson

When Lewis Harley has a health scare in his early forties, he takes it as a wake-up call. So he and his wife Charlotte leave behind life in the fast lane and Lewis opens the antique shop he has dreamed of. Bonnie Brookland was brought up in the antiques trade and now works for the man who bought out her father’s business, but she isn’t happy there. So when she walks into Lew’s shop, she knows this is the place for her.

As Bonnie and Lew start to work together, they soon realise that there is more to their relationship than either thought. But Bonnie is trapped in an unhappy marriage, and Lew and Charlotte have more problems than they care to admit. Each has secrets in their past which are about to be uncovered. Can they find the happiness they both deserve?

Genres: Romance, Chick Lit, Fiction, Contemporary, Audiobook, Contemporary Romance, Womens Fiction

496 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2017

About the author

Milly Johnson was born in Barnsley, raised in Barnsley and still lives in Barnsley. She writes about strong women, often having a renaissance, all ages and has just released her 22nd novel Same Time Next Week. Do check out her website for up to date news and appearance dates.

As well as a novelist she is a professional joke writer, performance poet, newspaper and magazine columnist and also after dinner/motivational speaker.

She is on insta as @themillyjohnson, facebook as @millyjohnsonauthor, Twitter as @millyjohnson and a ridiculous presence on TikTok @millyjohnsonauthor. Do give her a follow - even if it's just out of sympathy!

Reviews

[Rachel Gilbey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simply indescribable just how much I enjoyed this book, and how brilliant it is. This is Milly Johnson at her very best, weaving a story that will want you wanting more. I was hooked from the beginning, in this heartwarming story of friendship, family, doing the right thing, a couple of very different marriages and the most colourful cast of antique dealers you can imagine.

The first thing I want to say is that I found myself laughing out loud quite a bit during the book, not necessarily at what Lew and Bonnie are up to, but more the short articles that crop up from time to time from the local Daily Trumpet newspaper, how have a great habit of misspelling vital words radically changing the meaning of what is being said. These just really matched my sense of humour and I have to believe that Milly Johnson probably enjoyed coming up with them.

Bonnie is trapped in a loveless marriage, where every day is exactly the same. It is like she has become old before her time and she is desperate for escape. Her life starts to change when she loses her job with a hideous boss, and somehow gets a new one elsewhere in the same sort of field, in a much nicer shop.

Pot of Gold is an antiques shop, that Lewis opened after is life changing heart attack two years ago. Before that he had a high powered job, but his wife still thinks he earns that level of money. He believes it is fate that brought Bonnie into his shop and she really does change the fortunes of the place.

I thought the whole community of antique dealers was incredibly colourful and they all had brilliant nicknames, that usually described the sort of thing they were interested in. They have all known Bonnie for many years and will do anything for her, and there are a few touching moments when they prove it.

Stephen is a character I had nothing but disdain for, he is Bonnie's husband, and is a cold hearted controlling sort of man. He managed to blackmail Bonnie into staying with him once before, and is convinced it will work again. He is an incredibly nasty piece of work, and I was just shocked how much I disliked him.

Both Lew and Bonnie go on a rollercoaster ride of emotion in their personal lives . There are some elements that mirror in each of them, but on the whole they are quite different.

I felt incredibly sorry for Bonnie for most of the second half of the book, and can't believe the amount of years she stayed with her manipulative husband. I loved the way she decided to earn herself some extra money, while feeling gutted at the nature of her biggest secret, which as a result of it being revealed, causes her to have an awful time.

The Queen of Wishful Thinking is vintage Milly Johnson, it is incredibly comforting to read, I felt right at home with the writing style and characters, I love how the story was weaved together, and built from the start. There weren't any particularly slow bits and I felt that everything in the book had been well honed to become the gripping story that it was.

[Bookworman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading Milly Johnson is fun, heartwarming, romantic, sometimes laugh-out-loud funny, and very satisfying.

One of the highlights was definitely the local newspaper typos and apologies; each one made me burst out laughing.

[Justkeepreading · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not my favourite book of Milly Johnson's by far. But it was ok. It was just utterly predictable and it lost her usual sparkle for me.

[Hannah Symonds · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was so happy to finally get my hands on this book not just because I love reading Milly Johnson's books but because I am incredibly lucky to be on the back of this book. I was over the moon. I really loved this book and I have to say I think this is Milly's best one yet. It was lovely to see the antique dealers all coming together for each other and some of their nicknames were pretty funny. The story is set in the same location as The Teashop on the Corner so it gave the story a bit of familiarity. There is sadness in the book and I did really feel sorry for Lewis, but I loved Bonnie and how strong willed she is and how she fought to change her life. If I was ever in her situation I would love to be as strong as her. Brilliantly written story, one I will not forget.

[Sharon · Rating 5 out of 5]

If I could give this book 10 stars I would! Absolutely brilliant book. All the characters were wonderful with great names for all the antiques dealers.
I loved the dedication to Teddy at the start & the mentions throughout the book of the big red dog ❤️.
I would love to read more about all the characters. For me, this book was the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow 🌈

[Agi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh yes, it was the perfect - and highest! - time to dive into the new Milly Johnson's book, "The Queen of Wishful Thinking". It is already a long time since I've read last Milly's book - it's the lack of time's fault! - so I was incredibly giddy with excitement to receive my review copy and started to read it almost on the spot. And my verdict is - it was gorgeous! It was so great to be back with Milly Johnson's brilliant writing and storytelling, to get to know the new fantastic characters. So I can tell you right at the beginning of my review, whatever you do, guys, just drop it and make sure you have this book on your list - it is warm, uplifting and incredibly genuine. This is for sure Milly Johnson at her best. I think that if you gave me the book without telling who the author is, I'd guess it immediately - Ms Johnson's writing style is one of the most recognisable and inimitable. It's lovely, it's warm, it's inviting and it is so very easy to feel part of the story. She has again delivered a brilliant novel full of friendship, loyalty, finding courage and starting new.

There is probably the greatest bunch of characters in this book, and I mean not only the main characters but the colourful group of antique dealers who are always there when Bonnie needs them. They all had their own stories and they were all full of love, friendship, broken hearts and happy endings - though not always, but they were always warm and uplifting. Also, they all had lovely nicknames that usually described what they were most interested in, and they all knew Bonnie since she was a child and they for sure knew what the word loyalty means, and I applauded them for it so very much.
All the characters are so different, and their lives are different as well. The story shows how some of them has changed because of the money went straight into their heads and how some of them must live, trying to keep their heads above water, and the contrast was so huge and greatly portrayed.
I loved Bonnie, simple as that. Yes, there were moments that I felt desperate with her, felt sorry for her living a life so manipulated but they quickly passed away - the more I got to know her, the more I understood her and I really could get where she was coming from and why she was so scared. She was a woman with a heart in the right place and she was always looking for good in people, even if they didn't deserve it. Kind, polite and creative and even though she lived with a secret that overwhelmed her, she'd rather live like this than betray the memory of the person.
Stephen is a character that you start to dislike at the very beginning. Bonnie's manipulative and controlling husband and to say that he was cold - hearted would be an understatement. Blackmailing his wife to stay with him, even though he didn't love her, he just needed someone to boss around. I also think that there was something wrong with the mental state of his. While Lewis was, of course, a very different story! The owner of the antique shop Pot of Gold where Bonnie finds her second job, he was a lovely, fair kind of man - unfortunately married to a very awful woman who so didn't deserve him!

I love when the stories in the book interweave together and in this novel it proceeds seamlessly. I also loved the antiques thread in it and I love the descriptions of the items that were for sale or were bought and how this works. This book is written in the best way possible - you feel immediately at home with the story, you immediately fell for the characters, you keep your fingers crossed for them or want to punch them in their faces. It is light and easy to follow and it flows effortlessly, from one scene to another and there is not a moment of confusion or a single moment flat. Yes, it is a long story and actually the most things happened in the last part, and it was then that I was literally glued to the pages and shooed off all those that wanted to disturb me my reading, but even if the rest of the story was slower there were enough things and information to keep us hooked, and yes, the author took her time to reveal the secret and then the consequences that followed but she has done it in a perfect way. You know, sometimes the authors mention a secret almost on every page and when it comes to revealing it you are so tired of it that no matter how life - changing or twisty it may be it just doesn't sweep you off your feet, which was absolutely NOT the case here. We knew something happened, we knew Stephen has something in his hand to keep Bonnie with him but there were so many other important things and subplots that the waiting for it to be told didn't drag on. But back to the writing itself - there were moments that the story made me feel sad but there were also many moments to make me laugh out loud, especially at the (in)famous articles from the local magazine Daily Trumpet. Milly Johnson's sense of humour just wonderfully match my own.

Really, guys, it's hard to do this book justice in a review, as it was SO good. Feel - good and totally honest and genuine, full of colourful characters that you root for, I won't hesitate to say that "The Queen of Wishful Thinking" is a must - read this spring and I will be recommending it to all my friends.

Copy provided by the publisher in return for an honest review.

[Lee at ReadWriteWish · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the first Johnson book I read, Afternoon Tea at the Sunflower Cafe, and I was keen when I saw this book offered on Net Galley.

Our female lead character is Bonnie. Bonnie has had a hard few years and personal dramas have taken their toll, meaning she tolerates her husband's, Stephen, deplorable behaviour. Stephen is an OCD tight-fisted manipulative character who has no redeeming qualities.

Bonnie’s boss doesn't help matters. She works in an antique store which was once owned by her father and his partner. The two old men have both passed away, and Bonnie's circumstances have meant her father’s partner’s son has taken over the business. He treats Bonnie like a low class citizen and shows her zero respect.

I don’t think it’s any big spoiler to say that Bonnie soon leaves and takes up a job with a rival antiques store, one owned by Lew.

Lew has had a couple of his own tragedies of late. Lew's marriage is shadowed by the tragedy of his wife's, Charlotte, miscarriage. He is also lucky to be alive after suffering a heart attack. The heart attack became a wake up call for him. He resigned from his well paid banking job in the city and bought a village antique shop.

Johnson has a gift for making even the most mundane occupations seem exciting. In Afternoon Tea... it was cleaning, this time we get a glimpse into the antique business. I suppose it might be that Australia has far less antiques to peddle and therefore, I’m quite clueless, but I was surprised and quite fascinated by the way these shops work and enjoyed all the scenes set there. There is a huge cast of supporting characters at the shop and they add a bit of colour and fun to the book (The Leo the lion story is so mad, I assume it’s true.)

There is less fun with the main storylines of Lew and Bonnie.

Stephen was so creepy that at times I thought I was reading a psychological thriller. And not only is Lew’s wife horrid, I would run a mile from his entire friend group!

There are a few topical issues the book touches on such as domestic violence, depression and mental health. There is also a focus on assisted suicide which is an understandably touchy subject. Johnson manages to weave them all into the story seamlessly and quite respectfully.

Lew is a lovely character. I adored him. Bonnie was also nice enough but I must say that the title of the book didn’t suit her at all. I got rather frustrated by her intense pessimism in fact. Perhaps a better title would be Negative Nelly.

This book has a lot of traits I adored in Afternoon Tea… Despite being around 500 pages long, it was a fast easy read; for the most the characters were ordinary people who you could imagine live down the road; the setting was cute and typically English; the characters too were very English; and I appreciate the fact they were older.

The book lost me a little by concentrating perhaps too much on the breakdown of Bonnie and Lew’s respective marriages. Yes, it needed to be explained and we needed to believe they were both doing the right thing by leaving their spouses, but I would have liked a bit less of Stephen and Charlotte and more of Lew and Bonnie.

4 out of 5

[Rebekah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bonnie took them from him and felt a fizzy thrill zip around inside her. She’d done it. She’d actually done what she had wished she could do. These were not only keys for the doors of a little house, they were keys to a new life, a life without Stephen. Her freedom. She wouldn’t be going back to him, whatever he said, whatever he did. A Queen of Wishful Thinking would only ever move forwards.

I’m one of those idiots that didn’t think I’d be really happy without possessions.’ He locked eyes with a startled Gemma and went on in a voice that was raw with feeling, ‘But I was so wrong. Things don’t make you happy, people do. Which is why I am walking out of this door now and leaving.’…Look after yourself, Pat,’ said Lew. ‘I will. And you. Life’s too short to struggle on when you know you’re in the wrong place. See you around. Keep in touch with me. Please.’ And before Lew could say that of course he would, Patrick, like a hirsute Elvis, had left the building.

Milly Johnson has a great gift. She has a way of making the reader (me, at least) of not just disliking or not approving of the adversaries to the sympathetic central characters but hating them with a passion. Usually, these are bad spouses and that is the case in The Queen of Wishful Thinking. It is the journey two nice people who are meant for each other but who have to lose their spouses from hell first. But it is also about a woman finding fulfillment in a career and life outside of any romance. It is set in the fascinating world of antiques-So much more interesting than ice cream shops or tea shops! And this world, both in and out of the antique “emporium”, is full of complex and fully rounded secondary characters both funny and sad.

Character development is another of Milly’s great gifts. In this one, Milly largely avoids writing our heroine, Bonnie, as a complete and utter victim. Yes, she is victimized and victimized horribly, but she is a woman with a plan. That said though, some of her decisions later in the book, were still very disappointing. I appreciate that the author tried to explain how Bonnie got herself in such untenable situations and was trying throughout the book to get herself out. That hasn’t always been the case with Milly Johnson and it often has tempted me to throw my Kindle across the room. If it had been a paper book, I probably would have!

Her hero, Lew, is also in a very unsatisfactory marriage. The reader understands much more than he does throughout much of the book how very unsatisfactory it is. Once he gets the whole picture, he acts with strength and decisiveness. It is such a relief when his wife is fully exposed and Lew sees the light.

So once again, I'll add this novel to the long list of Milly Johnson home runs. Full of humor, tears, great interesting characters, loads of tension and suspense, and a fully realized happy ending to sigh over. Milly Johnson is not for the faint of heart, but The greater your storm, The brighter your rainbow.

[Leona · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very well done. This is definitely not a light read.

There are some serious topics in this book, but Johnson manages to work credibly through them with just the right touch while still giving us a very credible HEA.

I have only one small complaint. I would have liked to have a bit more "on screen" time with Bonnie and Lew before jumping into the ever so satisfying epilogue.

[Love Fool · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Lewis Cawthorne has a heart attack in his early forties, he takes it as a wake-up call. So he and his wife Charlotte leave behind life in the fast lane and Lew opens the antique shop he has dreamed of since he was a little boy.
Bonnie Brookland was brought up in the antiques trade and now works for the man who bought out her father’s business, but she isn’t happy there. So when she walks into Lew’s shop, she knows this is the place for her.
As Bonnie and Lew start to work together, they soon realise that there is more to their relationship than either thought. But Bonnie is trapped in an unhappy marriage, and Lew and Charlotte have more problems than they care to admit. Each has secrets in their past which are about to be uncovered. Can they find the happiness they both deserve…?

Milly Johnson really knows how to make you root for someone. She also knows how to make a character so sad and tragic that your heart breaks for them. This book was so good I couldn't stop reading it. I kept wanting to see my characters succeed.

I highly recommend this book. First, I love Milly and never read a bad book of hers. This one was truly amazing. Milly is so talented. Bonnie and Lew are two character you are screaming for to win in life.

[Mela · Rating 5 out of 5]

From now on, Milly Johnson is one of my favourite authors. It was only my second by her, but I have no doubts. Her novels are a lotion for our (mostly women's) wounds, a message that 'we can!'. They give hope. Although there is a sadness in them, as a whole - it is a pure warming joy and happiness.

I could copy here my review of A Spring Affair - only switching names of characters.

Again, we have a heroine that was going through a difficult period of her life. She hadn't an easy life but she stayed herself and in the end she won her right to be happy (mostly by herself, with a bit of help from friends).

I like that Milly Johnson characters aren't young adults but rather people around forties, with many crucial decisions behind. We can see that it doesn't mean you have to stay in the same shoes for the rest of your life. You can always change your mind - it is your right.

Additionally, the case of Alma is so much up-to-date. I believe, we (as humans) must make a few steps further considering this issue.

[Nessa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Started to listen to this on audiobook but then half way through audio stopped working so had to finish the story via paperback book.

First book of Milly Johnson I've read but oh my gods it won't be my last. I'm already looking forward to reading her other books.

Everything about this story was great, so many emotions go through you whilst experiencing some of the scenes in the book.

It was wonderfully well written and the characters were well developed and completely believable. Some of them were great, loved getting to know them and then others you just hated from the get go, which is the authors intention.

I absolutely loved it from start to finish.

[Jessica (Jess Hearts Books) · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of Milly's best yet!

[Disha Mann · Rating 4 out of 5]

I absolutely LOVED the book!
It took me on a beautiful, colourful and yet moving journey with pleasant plot twists and simple yet delightful characters (well except a couple) that appealed to me more than the complex personalities I am generally used to. The composition and writing style is beyond wonderful.
The story line touches a fair amount of underlying themes. I personally loved the author's way of bringing to light the fact that there is a part of each of us, wanting to escape mundane routines that make up the most of our lives. The part that yearns to swap the fast race for a breather and an opportunity to realise dreams that bring out natural joy.

I am thoroughly impressed by Johnson's ability to spin thrill and suspense elements in a story far from that genre. It definitely makes reading unstoppable, which is a strong basic quality of good composition. On more occasions than one, I found myself entirely absorbed in the book!
In addition to that, I enjoyed the alternate chapter format of the book that equally follows up on both parallel story lines, keeping the thrill intact, till they naturally blend into one towards the last chapters of the book.
I grew to love the characters in the book and even though the actions of some characters can make you cringe hard, they feel more than justified for that character. This facilitates the depiction of an incredible human nature diversity brought out in the story.

After reading it, I had definitely formed my opinion about the book and this was my first Milly Johnson read. Going through a lot of other reviews, a M. Johnson fan might find parts of the composition a little predictable at times. Still, the book is definitely great first choice.

As a whole, the narration is lovely and touching but also has the power to influence and alter the reader's ideas about second chances in life, loyalty and love. This, in my experience, is a tricky thing to pull off through a fiction story. So no matter what could be going on in your life, this book would leave you feeling happier and lighter (maybe even more appreciative towards life in general!). Read it for a little sprinkling of rainbow in your life.

[Suze · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bonnie is trapped in an unhappy marriage. Stephen is possessive, lazy and uncaring. Bonnie is only there to do chores for him and they sleep in separate bedrooms. Stephen keeps telling her he knows what's best and Bonnie needs to follow his instructions. She's done with it though and no matter what the consequences will be, she's planning on choosing happiness this time. She's working in an antiques shop and when her boss tries to rob an old lady she prevents it and loses her position. Fortunately a new business has just opened and the owner, Lew, is looking for a capable assistant. Will working for him bring Bonnie some joy and color in her empty life?

Lew almost died and it made him realize he needed to make some changes in his life. He quit his job in London and opened an antiques shop instead. Lew is well-off, but his wife Charlotte spends the money a lot faster than he can earn it. Lew always assumed his marriage was happy and he was content with his life at home, but now that he's working together with Bonnie there are certain questions he starts asking himself. Is there a chance Lew and Bonnie find happiness together or are their problems so big they can't find their way out of them?

The Queen of Wishful Thinking is one of the most wonderful romantic stories I've read in a very long time. Bonnie is a sweetheart and despite being married to a cheap killjoy she has a lively spirit and brings cheerfulness wherever she goes. Lew is a kindhearted and gentle man. He's a good friend, he does everything he can to make the people he loves as happy as possible and he's attentive and caring. Bonnie and Lew have a lot in common and I liked how amazing their personalities are. Reading about them put a big smile on my face. They're the most loving main characters I've ever read about and I was instantly attracted to their generosity and beautiful personalities.

Lew owns an antiques shop and this setting is fantastic. Milly Johnson clearly knows what she's writing about and it makes the shop, the customers and the colleagues come to life in a terrific way. It's the little details, like the funny fitting nicknames the people in the antique business have for each other, that are making her setting so special. I loved the descriptions of the store itself, the antiques that are being sold and the warm and welcoming atmosphere of Lew's shop. It's the perfect setting for a story about two people who are lovely and good and I couldn't turn the pages fast enough to find out what would happen to them. I was completely spellbound by the magic of the antiques business and the fascinating people who are part of it.

The Queen of Wishful Thinking is a beautiful story. Stephen and Charlotte are lousy spouses and their dark characters are a stark contrast to the lightness of Bonnie and Lew. They are each other's complete opposites and I loved that angle of the story. Every new chapter of Milly Johnson's novel managed to surprise me. She writes about the most diverse topics and they all have their natural place in her story. She's incredibly skilled at building up tension and making her readers part of the atmosphere she's created. I absolutely loved The Queen of Wishful Thinking and highly recommend this brilliant book.

[Fabulous Book Fiend · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a fabulous book to be absorbed in over a weekend and definitely one to banish those rainy springtime blues. Milly Johnson has a great gift of being able to weave serious issues and humour together with the help of characters you can easily relate to and relationships you can easily fall in love with and this book is a great example of that. This is a great book for die-hard Milly fans but also fabulous if this is your first foray into the wonderfully Yorkshire world that this author creates!

I was definitely hooked on this story right from the word go and found it really difficult to put down once I had picked it up. The story surrounds two people who are going through a great deal of changes in their lives and they each get a chapter at a time to deal with their own personal stories and then sometimes their tales overlap and we get to see the way they react to each other as well as the way they deal with their issues on their own, I loved this structure and it made for a very easy read.

This book also deals with the antiques business and a little bit with the law, both of which I have limited knowledge of, but this wasn't a problem, as I was afraid it might be. I came away from the book feeling like a knew a little bit more about both and I really do look at the antiques industry in a completely different light now. I think if you have any interest in the business of antiques then this is definitely a must-read for you, but if you are new to that whole aspect of life, Milly will guide you through it, don't you worry.

The issues of domestic violence, divorce, miscarriage and starting again from scratch are all covered in this book and yet you don't feel like this is a book about 'issues' and those things aren't forced down your throat at any point. Because this book has such strong main characters, these things are happening but are just a part of their lives and you get to deal with them alongside the characters so nothing seems to heavy or unnecessarily dramatic.

Speaking of those characters, I loved those two main characters. Bonnie is a woman who is stronger than she realises and it was wonderful watching her grow and develop over the course of the book. She doesn't appreciate the sunshine that she brings into the lives of those around her and it is great seeing how she affects her friends and colleagues. Lew also doesn't seem to realise how strong he is. I loved how laid back he was throughout the whole of the book. I would love to have a boss like him and I really enjoyed seeing his transformation as the book went on.

There were some seriously funny moments in this bit, particularly the misprinted newspaper headlines and captions that are interspersed throughout the pages. There were also a few moments when this book made me cry, sometimes through happiness and sometimes through sadness, but being able to laugh and cry at the same read is the sign of a truly good book and that's just what this is. I love how typically Yorkshire some of the phrases are and they were just the icing on the cake for me in what was a fantastic read and another win for Milly Johnson.

[Adele · Rating 5 out of 5]

Milly Johnson has a knack of creating characters you instantly warm to and want to champion. This is how I felt about Lewis and Bonnie, the two main characters in The Queen of Wishful Thinking. Lewis Harley and Bonnie Brookland haven’t had an easy life; what with Lewis’ sudden heart attack two years ago which made him take stock of his job in London and Bonnie’s grief for the losses she has incurred in the past and also the despair of living in a loveless marriage. Bonnie was in desperate need of a new job and approached Lewis, the owner of the new antique shop, Pot of Gold, for a possible vacancy. Fate has played a big part in putting these two people together, like two pieces of a missing jigsaw. The Pot of Gold was such a warm, friendly antique shop and working in the shop was giving Bonnie a new hope for the future and she was feeling the strength to make big decisions about her personal life.

Lewis’ own personal life takes a dramatic turn and the shop with Bonnie and her quirky friends turn Pot of Gold into a lifesaving haven for many that set foot in it’s door.

Bonnie’s husband is not happy with the changes she makes and he takes up drastic action himself which leads to a series of secrets and revelations being unearthed that could rock Bonnie’s future.

Emotions are running high for both Lewis and Bonnie and the future is looking very unsettled.

This was such a wonderful heartfelt story. The characters were written with such warmth and personality. I particularly liked the array of eccentric sub-characters. As always Milly sets her stories in her beloved Yorkshire, with it’s wonderful backdrop of moorlands and little villages. I particularly love this about Milly’s novels the location and dialect of the characters are very relatable and charming and you can hear the characters come to life in your head. I was surprised but thrilled with the twists and turns in this tale which left me turning the pages to find out what happens next. A gorgeous story that had me hooked from start to finish.

[Megan Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lewis Harley has a health scare in his early forties and sees it as a wake-up call. Him and his wife, Charlotte leave the fast lane and Lewis opens the antique shop he has dreamed of. Bonnie Brookland was brought up in the antiques trade and now works for the man who bought her late father's business. But she is not happy there and when she walk into Lew's shop she knows she belongs there. Bonnie and Lew become close but both have problems. Bonnie is trapped in a loveless marriage but cannot escape due to a big secret. Whilst Lew and Charlotte have more problems than they would care to admit. Can they both find happiness? 
I thoroughly enjoyed this novel but it has not left a lasting impression on me that I want to rave about. The plot is entertaining, especially around the dealers that come into the antiques shop, they provide a lot of laughs. I do have to say that everything that happens is obvious, there were no surprises for me, even the big secret reveal was not a surprise but one that I saw coming. I am not saying it ruined the novel as like I say I still enjoyed it but it would have improved the novel to have something that made me shocked. 
What does save 'The Queen of Wishful Thinking' is Bonnie's plot about her now deceased mother-in-law, Alma. I will not spoil it for future readers but it adds some much needed grit and depth to the novel and helps to make everything feel a bit more real. I did overall enjoy reading this novel but I wish there was something in it to make me get really excited.
The characters, of course, are wonderfully written and developed, typical of Johnson and I adored being in their world for a short period of time. Both Lew and Bonnie go through some major changes in the course of this novel and I thought Johnson wrote it beautifully but maybe a little rushed at times. 
'The Queen of Wishful Thinking' is a thoroughly entertaining read that made me laugh and I loved being in that world for a few hours. If only there was something in it to shock me.

[Kerry Lloyd · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Queen of Wishful Thinking was absolutely brilliant!

Bonnie Brookland works at "Harry Grimshaws" antiques, that used to be her dads and Harrys dads shop.Bonnie was brought up in the antiques trade. In a twist of events Bonnie loses her job at Grimshaws but on the same day gets a job at "Pot of Gold". Is Bonnies luck changing....
Bonnies life is incredibly sad and heartbreaking, she is in a loveless, lonely marriage and a slave to her obnoxious husband Stephen. shes been carrying a secret around frightened to tell anybody because of the control and blackmail off Stephen. Will she ever have the courage to leave Stephen's grip...a question she asks herself on a daily basis....

Stephen Brookland is a nasty, manipulative person, who cold heartedly controlled and blackmailed poor Bonnie into staying with him once and is convinced she will never try and leave him again. He really made my blood boil!

Lewis (Lew) Harley, the owner of "Pot of Gold" thinks he's the luckiest man alive...especially after his lucky escape. Lew has his own business with a new trust worthy assistant , beautiful wife (Charlotte), own house, nice car. But that is all about to change in ways he never dreamt of...

Lew and Bonnies lives go on a rollercoaster journey together, taking twists and turns neither expected. Will they both find happiness and peace.....

The whole antiques community were brilliant with their quirky names, funny life stories. But in all that mix they all truly lived and cared about Bonnie, and would do anything to make sure she was happy and safe.

what can I say, the book was written brilliantly. The author wove the story in a way that left you wanting more...i was totally hooked from the first to last page, it was so easy to slip into the characters. it was full of laughter, sadness, happiness and even some bitchiness. The community of people thrown together in a story full of hopes and dreams.

A lovely recommended read. I found myself laughing out loud to some of the stories and goings on.

[Ritika Sarkar · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m writing this appreciation post with a heart full of emotions. This is my first read by Milly Johnson, and I started with no preconceived expectations. I can confidently say this is a 5-star read. The way she conveys emotions through her characters is truly remarkable—raw, genuine, and deeply moving. The depth of character development makes them feel incredibly real.

What makes it even more captivating is the theme of self-discovery, beautifully woven into the narrative, with romance as a subtle yet compelling subplot. It adds another layer of depth, making the story even more engaging. I’m absolutely loving this journey!

[AdiTurbo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Things tend to set themselves right a little too easily in this novel, but the characters are wonderful and you would like to see them get their happy ending/ comeuppance. Light but not stupid, warm-hearted and comforting, all in all a quick and enjoyable summer read.

[Lisbeth Sørensen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hold op hvor kan Milly Johnson skrive hjertevarme feel goods bøger.
Endnu en medrivende og velskreven roman af Milly Johnson om Kærlighed, venskab og loyalitet. Jeg håber rigtig meget, at der snart udkommer flere bøger af Milly Johnson på dansk.

[Sammy Loves books · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it

[Yvonne · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Queen of Wishful Thinking is such a fabulous story. It is all about Bonnie Brookland and the people in her life, be them old friends or new ones, she is surrounded by such a myriad of wonderful characters… well mostly she is!

Bonnie works in an antique… no that’s not quite right… she worked in an antique shop that is now more of a junk shop. Sadly the death of Bonnie’s father saw a change in ownership and the shops demise soon followed. The new owner is odious and is the opposite of Bonnie’s standards and her sense of what is right and fair. Bonnie’s moral compass points her to a new job.

Lew is the owner of “Pot of Gold” and after meeting Bonnie and discovering her knowledge of the antique business he decides she is right for the job. Not only does she have a great knowledge she also has a list of contacts… no scrub that… she has the most flamboyant, amazing, eccentric and superb group of friends a girl could ever want to have in her life. The nicknames are an absolute readers dream, they just fit them all to a tee. Just you wait till you meet them!

Bonnie and Lew are just a great match for the Pot of Gold. I should mention that they are not an item, they are both married to other people. Over the course of the story I had found a sense of something untoward that turned into something a little dark. It caught me unawares to a point, it was unsettling and had me avidly turning pages. I did try on a couple of ocassions to put the book down so I could go to bed. I did that “I’ll just read one more chapter” thing, well that kept going on until I ran out of chapters just before 2am.

If like me you have not had the pleasure of picking up and reading a Milly Johnson book, then I seriously urge you to do so. I wasn’t quite sure what to expect, well I suppose I expected romance, a touch of humour and what I got what an amazing story that completely drew me in and kept me engrossed from start to finish. The book is 478 mpages long and I read it in one go… yes in one go until 2am in the morning for goodness sake!

The story is one about people, families, taking a chance in life and I suppose taking a chance on life. There is such a mix of emotions that cover dearth and grief it is humourous and also a dark and nasty turn of events. This author has got a wicked sense of humour and it comes across in many different ways, the characters names, newpaper snippets. The newspaper items had me sniggering and snorting in such an ungainly manner!

This is a fabulous story that I would highly recommend

[Sarah Houchen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great summer read, Milly Johnson has done it again.

[Leonie Hinch · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've loved Milly Johnson's novels since I picked up a sample of Its Raining Men in Waterstones, Meadowhall a few years ago. I was really excited to receive my copy of The Queen of Wishful Thinking from the publishers Simon & Schuster in exchange for an honest review.

As usual I really enjoyed the book. This one deals with a lot of sensitive issues, as is expected with the romance/chic-lit genre it focuses on two people who are unhappy and find happiness with each other. But it also deals with the more serious issues of infertility, abortion, infidelity and euthanasia. I also love that there are funny anecdotes at the beginning of several chapters which are extracts from The Daily Trumpet as usual posting hilarious misprints. Being a Yorkshire lass myself I found the one about a 12 year old called Beyoncé-Jane particularly funny, because I know for a fact that there's probably kids called that in S.Yorks.

Anyway, back to the storyline; Bonnie is in a loveless marriage with Stephen who controls everything about their lives, to top it off she's also unhappy in her job, until she unexpectedly lands a job at a new antique store called Pot of Gold and gets more than she bargained for when she falls for her boss Lew. Lew is having problems of his own with his golddigger wife who is fast becoming unrecognisable. Having just recovered from a heart attack, Lew just wants a quiet life. And his feelings for Bonnie are developing as well.


Alongside the love story, as aforementioned there are lots of other issues going on, but it all comes together very nicely. Milly has a skill of putting together novels which make you equal parts laugh along with the characters and fall apart with them as their world comes crashing down around them and they struggle to pick the pieces up. But friends are on hand, support is there and these friends go to outrageous lengths to protect their own.


And of course in the end they all get to live happily ever after which is the best part about all of Milly's novels!

[Kate’s Book Spot · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm a big fan of Milly Johnson and I had heard lots of great things about this novel so I was excited to get reading.

I just have to quickly mention the beautiful dedication - I absolutely 'get it' Milly, our dog likes to sit on my feet too and I cannot imagine a day without him. This had me in tears before I'd even started!

As I began to read I quickly noticed the familiar location and a few of the characters, I love it when authors connect their books in this way. It was also wonderful to see the return of the Daily Trumpet, its regular mistakes were a constant source of amusement for me.

Bonnie's marriage wasn't exactly full of love and light, her husband Stephen sounded awful - controlling, cheap and totally unaffectionate. I couldn't figure out why Bonnie put up with it until a later in the storyline. I felt sad for her, she was such a lovely character.

To begin with, Lew and his wife seemed happy enough if not a little mismatched. He was a down-to-earth character, she was stuck up, spoilt and mean so I had a feeling that this would eventually cause problems between them.

I quickly became caught up in the daily details of life in the little antiques shop, the traders were larger than life and each of them captivating in their own way.

Bonnie had a secret and it wasn't until I got about halfway through the book that I had an inkling as to what it could be. There were more secrets to be discovered though, the revelations were spread across the pages and led to a series of dramatic scenes that left me wide-eyed with shock. Basically, just as I thought everything was pottering along quite nicely the author turned up and created some serious chaos.

The complexities of marriage and relationships were written in such a raw and honest way, the giggles were an added bonus making it an all round fabulous read. Classic Milly Johnson!

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this story being set around an antique shop. Not something I have come across before and loved the hustle and bustle of customers and traders as there were so many different characters.

Bonnie and Lewis are both married, of which it soon becomes quite apparent that things are not all rosy on the home front with their other halves. Luckily for Lewis, with his new assistant Bonnie, business is looking on the up.

This story has all the trade marks of the authors other books. A novel that as soon as you pick up, you are instantly drawn into the characters worlds, of which holds some unexpected surprises for the reader. Lewis and Bonnie are lovely characters and you are really routing that everything turns out good for them by the end.

The Queen of Wishful Thinking is a wonderfully heart warming and endearing read that I literally devoured. The author has a wonderful skill of drawing the reader straight in and never wanting to leave. Another fabulous read.

[Jeanette · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this book by Milly Johnson. I couldn’t put it down! Such a lovely feel good story full of hope, happiness and love. Was looking for a book that I could wind-down with and this fitted the bill perfectly! Lots of comical and light hearted parts which balance out the more emotional and serious parts of the story. Refreshing to read about characters who are a little older (40s), finding joy and love in life too!

[Certified Book Addicts · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Queen of Wishful Thinking brings sunshine to a rainy day!

The Queen of Wishful thinking is the latest release by Milly Johnson. Milly is one of those authors I will immediately buy without knowing what the book is about because they are always a sure thing. The covers are adorable, giving a little insight to the narrative and the title aptly chosen. Despite its outwardly cheery cover, Milly deals with a lot of issues within this book. Emotional abuse is a big theme and to a lesser extent, physical abuse. ‘Keeping up with the Joneses’ is also explored and the devastating effects it has on marriage and friendship. Assisted suicide is sensitively dealt with but on the lighter side, second chances play a big role for many people in the book as does forgiveness.


All the drama takes place in Spring Hill, England. I liked the name Spring Hill when I first came across it but the more I read the more I fell in love with the carefully chosen names of places and people! Pot of Gold is the name of an antique store where the star of the show, Bonnie Brookland, works after leaving the suitably named Grimshaws. Bonnie is a smart, resourceful woman in her early 40s trapped in an unhappy marriage due to circumstances beyond her control. I loved Bonnie because despite her marriage, she finds joy where she can. From her love of antiques to her colourful clothes, she brings a positive energy with her. She also brings her old friends in the antique business to Pot of Gold. With names like Stickalampinit, Uncle Funky, Starstruck and Jackpot how could I not have a smile on my face? Her boss, Lewis Hartley, is the other star of the show who benefits from Bonnie’s presence in his life. He has turned to the simple life after a heart attack but it seems that the same cannot be said for his wife or friends who are obsessed with wanting more. The cracks start to appear and he learns who he can really trust. Kudos to Lewis and Bonnie because they are both moral characters who resist the attraction to each other while they are married. This made their happily ever after all the sweeter when it finally comes along.


With the quote ‘Wish. Think. Do.’ The Queen of Wishful Thinking left me feeling happy and positive about life!