The Wish Lists

by J.M. Spade

Fly-by-the-Seat-of-Her-Pants Ellie has been living off her father’s fortune for years. Learning he has cancer pushes her into a career change despite being in her thirties. When her first night shift on the palliative care floor ends in disaster, she finds herself alone and feeling lost. Will meeting the love of her life change this?

As she starts over, her patients help her find her purpose and Asher helps her find herself again. Will the secrets she keeps destroy it all?

** This stand alone book will leave you feeling uplifted and help restore faith in people! A little bit of romance and a lot of chick-lit!**

Genres: Romance

335 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 19, 2019

About the author

JM is a mother, a wife, a nurse, a pit bull owner, and an author. She loves Michigan Football, traveling, spending time with her family, and listening to audiobooks! Reading and reviewing books are things she enjoys in her spare time, when she isn't writing the next hit novel.

She loves to write about nursing because it's the type of books she would like to read. Writing has always been a passion of her's but writing medical fiction is exhilarating!


Check out her Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/thisreadingn...

Reviews

[Coco.V]

🎁 FREE on Amazon today (10/29/2019)! 🎁

[J.M. Spade · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book, but I'm bias. It's perfect for nurses or anyone who wants a feel-good romance!

[Crystal Luckey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book touched me in so many ways. This was the story of Ellie Arthur. A woman who was able to travel the world right out of high school. Eventually she returned home.and got a job. When her boss died, she needed something else to do. Than the unthinkable happened with her dad and this helped her with her career choice. In Ellie's new career she struggled at first and then she finally got the hang of it. She meet Asher and their love story began. This book shows that when you are their for people doing the most difficult time, you will see how that one little thing impacts their family. I loved the stories in this abook and how Ellie touched each and everyone one of their lives. This was an exc6read and I cant for more.from this author!!!!

[Nati · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ellie is in her thirties and she now knows what to do with her life. After enjoying life thanks to her father fortune, she has become a nurse. She works in a paliative care center and she connects with all her patients needs and wishes. Can she find love and happiness and help people die in peace? The audiobook is great

[Mary G · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW! I love this Wish List! ❤❤❤❤❤

Ellie and Asher were both born with money, but both lived regular lives. In fact, they met in a grocery store. Asher asked Ellie out and she accepted. From there, their relationship grew. Ellie was working in a Hospice, which could have been a depressing subject matter, but JM Spade did a wonderful job not making it that way. I don't want to give the story away, but I highly recommend you read this book for yourself. It's well worth the time! I really enjoyed! ❤❤❤❤❤

[Deni · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like it so much that I read it a couple of times! If you get the chance to read this book don't pass it up.

[Elizabeth Cole · Rating 5 out of 5]

Original review can be found at: http://www.nerdprobs.com/books/book-r...

**A copy of this book was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.**

When my co-editor saw that a mutual friend from high school had written a book, we both agreed that we wanted to review it for our website. I volunteered to read it because I am the resident romance reader and it was medically related which is right up my alley. I couldn’t wait to read the book. I started it the very night that I got my copy.

The story starts out with Ellie remembering her youth. Hopping the world on her Daddy’s dime until he put the end to that. She got a job as a secretary for a local lawyers office until she found him dead in his office one day. It wasn’t until her dad started suffering from cancer that she found her one true calling….nursing. She enrolls in nursing school and passes with flying colors. Her father dies in his sleep one day and she is left alone in the world. Her mother abandoned her when she was only 5.

I loved the story line from the very beginning. Having worked in the medical industry for 10+ years until my first child was born I could understand having a passion. I worked everything from Cardiology to Trauma Care. I loved that the interchange between patient and nursing staff is one that can’t be replicated anywhere. You are there for their every need. Pain medicine, serving their lunch, holding a hand if they needed it. This same feeling and dedication was all represented in The Wish Lists. The details are accurate and realistic, which makes this an easy read.

Ellie was in Palliative/End of Life Care. That is something that I gave her kudos for. The stories that Ellie told of all of her patients made me laugh and shake my head remembering my similar experiences. Some of the stories had me gasping in surprise. The whole wish list thing that Ellie did for her patient left a warm fuzzy feeling. She found a way to use the money that she had for good and for helping out those in need. This book will definitely be in my top ten round up that I will do at end of year. It gave you romance that was clean. The story line gave me a happy feeling that in this day and age is tough to find. Anyone who has a history in the medical field or loves stories that tie in the medical field and loves a little romance will devour The Wish Lists.

[Elizabeth E · Rating 4 out of 5]

rmat: Kindle Edition
I really enjoyed this book, it focuses on well to do Ellie Grant who decides to become a Nurse after helping care for her dad when he is diagnosed with cancer. On her first ever shift as a Nurse Ellie has such a trying day that she immediately starts to wonder if she really is suited to Nursing. In a professional & personal spiral she also starts to yearn to meet someone to spend her life with. Enter stage right Asher! Asher is a charming & handsome fellow who Ellie quickly falls in love with & the feeling is mutual, the only problem is that Ellie has a family mystery that’s she is worried will ruin her relationship with Asher.
I really enjoyed this book which is surprising purely because I normally read crime books, but there is a mystery element to this book that appealed to me & held my interest. I found The wish lists to be a charming & upbeat read with a likeable main protagonist and a really quite unique setting of a hospice/palliative care centre. I really enjoyed the in depth Nursing details given in this book, as I myself am a Nurse & therefore so much of this book resonated with me. It’s actually very unusual to find a book that is so nursing focused & showed a positive & uplifting portrayal of the job & it’s inner workings. I was also impressed that the Nurses in this book were not seen merely as sexy sirens or the doctor’s handmaidens! I found the mystery element of this book to be gentle & well crafted & with the details about the hospital , a lay person could also enjoy this. This book was accessible, thought provoking & charming. I did figure out the mystery element mid way through the book but it certainly didn’t spoil my enjoyment of this book.

[Maryann Larucci-Troche · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent!!!! A must read if you have a Heart!!!

I was asked if I'd take the time to read and review "The Wish List" by this new inspiring author on my Facebook page (Once Upon a Time Book Club). I was informed that this book was a romantic novel regarding a nurse in a medical setting. I am personally not one to read romance novels: however, the medical setting intrigued me having thirty years of medical experience myself. Let me tell you, this is why I shall never turn an author away: if I had let the word romance influence me, I would have missed the opportunity on a fantastic, heart-wrenching, inspiring, beautiful story! The medical terminology wasn't too much where someone with no medical experience couldn't get past. The story had me wanting to reach through and choke a character myself - she was unbelievable!!! Koodles to the author for creating this personality so strongly. There was definitely romance but it was not overbearing at all. It was really quite beautiful to read. This book is very realistic and genuine! There was even a mystery going on. Many areas I thought I had figured out to find, to my surprise, a totally different outcome. Wow! This is an excellent novel and I can't wait to read more of J.M. Spider's future books. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to read your awesome book. I already have it going out to nurses as gifts!

[Kera’s Always Reading · Rating 4 out of 5]

A truly inspiring story

What an interesting story! We have Ellie, a privileged only child, raised by a single father who is the owner of a Fortune 500 company. After traveling the world on daddy’s dime, she is told that she needs to join the real world and get a job. Thus her journey begins. A couple of brushes with sickness and mortality, she decides that nursing is what she wants to do with her life. When she finds herself the sole recipient of her father’s fortune, she decides to spend her time fulfilling the final wishes of her dying patients.
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The ONLY thing that I had issues with in this book was the absolute clinical-ness. It was very based around the occupational hazards of nursing, and I completely understand that it is a personal issue with myself, and NOT with the writing! That is always been one profession I would never be able to handle and I commend all the wonderful individuals who give their time to taking such incredible care of people like this.
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The ending of this book made me cry. From beginning to end, this book is so filled with heart. And real life! While not everyone is born with the films of wealth our Ellie was born with, this book, in no way, seemed outlandish or unrealistic.
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I am so happy to have read this book! I would recommend it to anyone who is looking for a story about people looking for a chance to do better!

[Tina · Rating 3 out of 5]

The main character, Ellie, is an empathetic and insightful individual who is like an anonymous fairy godmother. The author tries to create a little suspense with this “mystery man” but ultimately I don’t think it was really worth being part of the plot. Working in healthcare made this book relatable, from the details about giving report to obtaining pain medication for patients. I would consider this book less romance, and more about finding oneself versus a day in the life of a palliative nurse. Being a dog lover, I didn’t appreciate her lack of love for the one dog scene thrown in. The romance setting seemed a bit too story book perfect considering how realistic the patients were described as. Overall an easy read with some sentimental moments. Of note, there were multiple grammatical errors in the kindle version of this book. Would consider reading other books by this author to see how she grows as a writer.
I received the kindle book through Goodreads First Reads giveaway.

[Skye Yanovsky · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful story. Absolutely loved it.

I really enjoyed The Wish Lists by @jmspadewrites. It is part really sweet romance and part real-life story of a nurse in a hospice center. And while I enjoyed the romance aspect between Ellie and Asher (it was sweet, romantic and slow burn), I really enjoyed seeing Ellie as a nurse and the stories of all the people she cared for and helped. Those stories touched my heart so much, especially because my grandmother was in a nursing home for the last 8 years of her life because she had dementia. ⁣
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The Wish Lists was heartwarming and soul comforting to read how the nurses care for the patients and their families. This story is beautifully written with every emotion from both the perspective of a caregiver and a family member dealing with losing someone. I highly recommend this book.⁣

[Booksandcoffeemx · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Some people beleive in karma, I beleive in miracles.”
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Ellie has been living off her father’s fortune for years. When she finds out he has cancer she decides to become a nurse, and starts working in a palliative care home, where her patients help her find her purpose.
The Wish Lists is a sweet and touching romance, I loved the stories of each patient Ellie cared for, it was easy to read and I ended up with a happy feeling after reading it.
Thank you @jmspadewrites for giving me the opportunity to read and review your book.
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“I went into nursing to make a difference and to take care of people. I was doing just that.”
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“Some people avoid death, but something about it was reassuring to me. I’d already dealt with enough loss, but helping others through it gave me hope.”
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http://www.instagram.com/booksandcoff...

[Mia · Rating 3 out of 5]

An inspirational and empowering novel that is so real, you won’t believe it’s fictional.

‘The Wish List’ by JM Spade was the first read from this author to me, and it was intense, real and touching.
I can say that it was a romance but unlike most romance books, this novel focused more on true-life stories, on touching you with the simplest of things and still making you fall in love with these characters.

Ellie is an empathic and strong woman who loves to travel, experience new things and to feel wholeheartedly. She goes on a journey to find herself on this book, a self-discovering journey that will put her in endless situations she will have to figure her way out, a journey that will change her and her view of the world, a journey that will put her where she is supposed to be and present her to her future.
She is a funny, intelligent and talented new nurse who would go above and beyond for her patients.
Ellie is a strong and confident woman, a fearless goddess and a hard worker ready to put the work in to make a life for herself.

Asher is a hilarious and iconic character, he is unique and quirky, romantic and sweet.
He, of course, is very handsome but it has got nothing on his incredible personality.
Asher is loving and caring, attentive and a true gentleman that will steal your heart from the first encounter, with his cheeky pick-up lines, his crazy ideas and lovable personality.

Their relationship is a slow burn that takes place mostly in the background, leaving the main stage to Ellie and her incredible journey in becoming the best nurse possible.

This novel is not only sweet and realistic, but it also has a couple of hints of mystery that will leave you searching for more.

This is a very touching and inspiring novel, especially for me because I was raised by a nurse so I saw how affecting this line of work can be on people. It is sweet and romantic but it focuses on being realistic and almost instructive in the best way possible.

If you want a read that will shake up your mind, inspire you and empower you then this is your read.

[Christine Hunter · Rating 4 out of 5]

First, I want to commend the narrator, Sharmila Devar, who did an outstanding job with this book. She made each character come alive and her ability with accents is truly top of her field.

The book, itself, for the most part, is well written. I was a little confused in places. There were parts where Asher is living with her but she comes home and goes right to bed, but doesn't say anything about Asher. Was he there? Was he away? If he's living with her, why wouldn't he come home and question why she was already in bed? It just didn't make sense. There were a couple of other confusing areas, but keep reading and they are eventually cleared up.

I really enjoyed the whole idea of the anonymous gifts given to the families of Ellie's patients. It's something I always wished I could do but have always been on the short end of the financial stick.

I definitely can recommend the book, whether the Audible version or the read it yourself kind. It's a feel-good story.

[Inger Gray · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another hard to put down read. The main character loves her job, and its not an easy one. A woman with a heart of gold that cannot help but want to make things better for those around her when she comes into a fortune. Ellie does everything that we wished we could! I was satisfied with the ending in this one, will have to read twice!

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Roger · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Wish Lists (Nursing Diaries, #1), my first read from author J.M. Spade. Well-written & enjoyable medical fiction, the first in a series. I was been given an Audible copy of this book & am voluntarily reading & reviewing it. Sharmila Devar ’s talented narration adds to the book's enjoyment. I look forward to reading more in this series, the next being Surgical Complications: A Sweet Nursing Novella (Nursing Diaries, #2). (RIP Marley January 20, 2014 - July 24, 2018).

[HeatherS · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was provided a digital copy of this book from the author herself in exchange for an honest review - all thoughts are my own.

The premise of this one is good – Ellie, who has been living off her father’s fortune for years, finally finds her passion to be a nurse after her father is diagnosed with cancer.
The books starts at the point where she has just become a nurse, gets a job in a hospice facility and feels so touched by her patients that she wants to help them outside of just providing them nursing care. I loved that Ellie was so motivated to help people and change their lives through the great wealth of her family! And, as Ellie begins to find her way in her job she also finds a sweet new romantic interest.
I found the situations Ellie was in as a nurse both entertaining at times and at other times downright awful. I can only imagine what it would be like to be a nurse at all, never mind being a nurse in a hospice facility.
There was definitely a lot of good stuff going on in this book, but overall I found that there was just a bit too much crammed in it. There were so many patient’s stories as well as the romantic story and a bit of old family drama from Ellie’s past that were dealt with in the book. I still did enjoyed this book though - it was a sweet and uplifting read.

[Katy McCollom · Rating 4 out of 5]

A feel good story that was hard to put down.

[Victoria McClelland · Rating 4 out of 5]

It took me a couple of chapters to get into this book, but once I did I quickly fell for the characters and kept turning the pages quickly for more!!

[Trish · Rating 5 out of 5]

being a former hospice nurse, the book brought back memories. was well written and an enjoyable read. what struck me the most was the compassion shown, first to the patient and then to the families.

[Karen (kmo.reads) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ellie grew up rich and using her family money to her advantage by travelling the world before deciding on a career. She chose to become a nurse and help people as she had her own father. The story goes through multiple real life patient scenarios that occurred at the Hospice facility where Ellie worked. The patients were receiving last wishes from someone unbeknownst to them. While this is going on, Ellie is dating a new guy and we are told what their relationship is like.

I liked the general story line of the book, but I struggled with what felt like the boyfriend part was just stuck in there. I also struggled a bit with the back and forth settings - one paragraph she was at work, the next she was at home, but no Chapter change or separation so you could figure that out. It didn't flow. Perhaps part of that was because it was an ARC.

Overall, it is a decent read.

Thank you to JM Spades for the free copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Amy Stauffer · Rating 4 out of 5]

While this book felt like someone was reading from a journal, instead of having us be a fly on the wall during the events, I do find myself drawn to stories regarding personal growth. I liked the story well enough to wish I could've experienced the events through page instead of informed about them. This is the second book, by this author, I have listened to, and I still stand by my first assessment of them. The author shows a lot of potential for future books, and I look forward to reading them.

[Momma Says: To Read or Not to Read · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars
The Wish Lists was a bit different than what I expected, but that's not a bad thing. I expected a romance with a nurse at its center, but it's more a story about a nurse, and the romance feels more like a subplot. The story is told from Ellie's perspective, and she is definitely an intriguing character. Most of the book deals with Ellie's nursing career, which she came to in her 30's, and for her, it's not about needing to work, it's about finding a purpose.
As far as the romance - well, I really never got that vibe from this book. We're told that Asher and Ellie love each other, and he does some truly romantic things, but I felt like I was told more than shown. I just didn't see that chemistry between them. They talk, but too often it's more like an outline to tell the reader what they talked about rather than any real get to know you type of conversations. Speaking of Asher, he is likable, but he's a little bit too perfect. He trusts completely, to the point of blind trust even when he should be asking questions, and he seems perfectly okay with Ellie only giving half-answers and putting off giving the information. Granted, her secrets don't really affect the relationship, but the morsels he gets as the story moves along would make me ask more questions, not less.
Romantic relationship aside, this story was more about Ellie's growth and generosity as she finds her purpose, and that is a truly heartwarming tale. It's also what I liked best about this one. Ellie's interactions with her patients were a mix of humor and heartbreak. There were a few parts that were a little more detailed than I needed when it came to patient care, particularly a couple of scenes concerning bodily functions, but what I did like was the conversations with the patients. Ellie took the time to get to know her patients, even the ones who were harder to deal with than others, and those scenes gave insight into the character.
All in all, The Wish Lists is more medical drama than romance, but this one has a different kind of love story, one of a woman learning about herself as she shows compassion and generosity to patients at the end of their lives. There are a few grammatical errors and typos, and while they were noticeable, they didn't diminish the overall uplifting feel of this story. It's a solid mix of the bad and the good of working in the medical field, and it's one of those stories that leaves you with a warm feeling in your chest.

[J · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this read. I wouldn't categorize this as a romance read but oh - this one pulled at my heart strings. Ellie is a great character, one written so that regardless of our lives we can all somehow relate to in some way - and that is a testament to what a great writer Spade is! The narration while good was stilted in places and could have been a bit smoother but still I enjoyed the tone she was able to give to Ellie. I loved the twists, mystery man was a great surprise I didn't see coming and I absolutely am in love with Archer who is beyond trusting, understanding and loving! I love the names that Ellie has for her patients and loved each of their stories...a wonderful read that I guarantee will pull at anyone's heart!

This book was given to me for free at my request and I provided this voluntary review.
*this review is based on the audio version of this read

[Ashlee Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book. I am having a hard time putting it into words a bit. It warms your heart but at times pisses you off, a very few times but its there. You follow the story of Ellie a young woman who starts out wild and becomes such a great person, a miracle worker of some sorts. 😉 She works as a nurse and I absolutely love that there was real nursing added into the story, because guess what?! Jm Spade is a real-life nurse. I love that nursing is involved into a story because it is really rare to see it in a romance. I loved the relationship between Asher and Ellie. It should make anyone melt at how cute they are. I did not expect the mystery man to be who he was, I won’t tell you so you can have that surprise. All in all, this story was a great read.

[Lee Cooper · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good story, it’s true to life nursing.....as a nurse myself I really enjoyed that.

[Jamie Bee · Rating 1 out of 5]

I am a nurse myself, so I am always drawn to books at my favorite book review site that have characters in my profession, or even better, are written by a nurse. This book has both elements, so I thought it would be a good read. The author did an excellent job portraying what it is to be a nurse in a hospital and how it can be overwhelming at times for a new nurse. (Although certainly a few things were different than my experience—if only I were given two patients for my first week! I had five by the end of my first.)

I thought the book started really slowly. First, there was page after page of information dump telling us about the main character. I much prefer it when an author can we weave that kind of backstory into the story proper. It didn't improve once the author finished the data dump. Instead, she moved on to what just seemed to be random incidents of the main character at work. They didn't point towards anything or lead anywhere. So many parts of this book felt like a day in the life of a nurse rather than a tight story with an actual plot.

The book delivered was not the book stated in the book description. The blurb makes it seem like the romance is going to be front and center. It isn't. It's more the story of the heroine finding her way into her life through nursing and her experiences with that. (I did think it was a little odd, too, that given how wealthy her father was and the size of the empire that he was supposed to have headed, that he wouldn't have groomed her from a young age to at least be a part of his company or at the head of it one day. It was not discussed in those information dumps mentioned why that wasn't the case.) The romance almost seems tacked on. Everything seemed to happen too easily and too quickly with it, and we are often told things that happen between the couple rather than being shown what happens with them. In general, I don't like it when books tell, not show, and I think it's particularly bad in a book that billed as a romance because we want to see that relationship build and evolve over the course of the novel. The hero, while a nice guy, seemed two dimensional, especially compared to the heroine. The author might have done better billing this as chick lit rather than as a romance. So while I'm delighted to see nursing shown more realistically than most novels, I was ultimately disappointed in the book.

I received a free copy of this book, but that did not affect my review.

[Jacqueline · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received a copy of this audiobook from the author on Story Origin in exchange for an honest review.

When I first started listening to this book I was actually quite bored. I was annoyed with the narrator's voice and found the book to be quite slow in the beginning. I kept with it because of the review process.

I have to admit, I'm glad I stuck with it. I didn't fall in love with the book, but I grew to like it a bit. I won't be continuing the series, but this one ended quite nicely. This book is written from Ellie's point of view and the narrator never changes her voice to match other characters. This book is less about the romance - although there is one, but it's not something the reader/listener actually gets involved too much in. Truthfully, I don't actually feel like Ellie loved Archer all that much. If it wasn't for the fact that she keeps saying she loves him, I would have thought it wouldn't go as far as it does. The book instead was mostly centered around the daily activites of Ellie's life as a nurse and what she does to help those who are dying.

This isn't a book I would recommend to my friends and family, but if you're interested in nursing books then you might be interested in this. Just don't expect too much from it.

I wasn't too thrilled with the narration. I don't blame the narrator since she only has the author's words to work with, but I felt like it was very bland. I was quite annoyed with her. Other books I have listened to, the narrator tends to change their voices in subtle ways to make the characters their own, but not this narrator. It all was heard in Ellie's voice. I didn't enjoy that.

[Hope · Rating 1 out of 5]

Was looking forward to this story but was highly dissatisfied. I just could not get into the story as it was more of a self narrative where you didn't feel as part of it just told about things dispassionately.