Twenty-One Wishes

by Debbie Macomber

Twenty Wishes

At thirty-eight, Anne Marie Roche is childless, a recent widow, alone. She owns a successful bookstore on Seattle’s Blossom Street, but despite her accomplishments, she struggles to find happiness. With several of her friends, she makes a list of twenty things she always wanted to do but never did.

When Anne Marie volunteers at a local school, a little girl named Ellen enters her life. It’s a relationship that becomes far more involving—and far more important—than Anne Marie had ever imagined. As Ellen helps Anne Marie complete her list, they both learn that wishes can come true…but not necessarily in the way you expect!

The Twenty-First Wish

Anne Marie and Ellen both wanted to learn to knit. Like many of their wishes, they made this come true, and now they knit practically every day. But Ellen has quietly added a twenty-first wish to her that Anne Marie will fall in love with Tim, Ellen’s birth father, who has recently entered their lives…

Genres: Romance, Fiction, Chick Lit

480 pages, Paperback

Published June 23, 2020

About the author

Debbie Macomber is a #1 New York Times bestselling author and one of today’s most popular writers with more than 200 million copies of her books in print worldwide. In her novels, Macomber brings to life compelling relationships that embrace family and enduring friendships, uplifting her readers with stories of connection and hope. Macomber’s novels have spent over 1,000 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list. Fifteen of these novels hit the number one spot.

In 2023, Macomber’s all-new hardcover publication includes Must Love Flowers (July). In addition to fiction, Macomber has also published three bestselling cookbooks, three adult coloring books, numerous inspirational and nonfiction works, and two acclaimed children’s books.

Celebrated as “the official storyteller of Christmas”, Macomber’s annual Christmas books are beloved and six have been crafted into original Hallmark Channel movies. Macomber is also the author of the bestselling Cedar Cove Series which the Hallmark Channel chose as the basis for its first dramatic scripted television series. Debuting in 2013, Debbie Macomber’s Cedar Cove was a ratings favorite for three seasons.

She serves on the Guideposts National Advisory Cabinet, is a YFC National Ambassador, and is World Vision’s international spokesperson for their Knit for Kids charity initiative. A devoted grandmother, Debbie and Wayne live in Port Orchard, Washington, the town which inspired the Cedar Cove series.

Reviews

[Katherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Debbie Macomber is one of my favorite authors when I want a story that's fun to read, has characters I can relate to, and lifts my spirit. This story is one of her best.

[Linda Smatzny · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book is set in Seattle and features Anne Marie Roche as the main character. She is a widow of three years who can't seem to move beyond her grief. She decides along with other widows to make a list of twenty wishes - things they want to do but have never done. Once she and her friends start making the wishes come true - all their lives change for the better. The book was a quick easy read as the pages just flowed.

[Cassie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute, quick read.

[Laney Poye · Rating 3 out of 5]

Getting back on track for my 2023 12-book challenge, which I sort of forgot I was doing. This book was recommended to me by a friend and was not something I'd normally pick up for myself. It's the first Debbie Macomber I've ever read, though I of COURSE have watched Hallmark movies adapted from her books. Which is honestly, what this felt like.

The book is comprised of the novel "Twenty Wishes" and then a smaller novella called "The 21st Wish". The former was sweet, predictable and enjoyable, but predictably light on plot. It very gently explored loss, widowhood, and how we get over grief. I also felt like I was maybe missing something by not getting who some of the other characters that she referenced were; it felt like it was dropped into a larger world that the reader is supposed to know, but I didn't.

The second part, the novella, was insipid and rushed. It felt like more explanation and backstory than actual story. It was an obvious attempt to tidy up and fill out Anne Marie's story with a love interest, which honestly, I felt didn't need to be done. The moral of the original story was that love comes in all different forms, including the love of her adopted daughter, Ellen. She didn't need a man for that story arc to be complete.

[Shelby · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 ⭐ There are some things I liked about this book, like Anne Marie's storylines with Ellen and her stepdaughter, and that her story didn't need to revolve around a man. I also liked that the focus of it was how the women were all healing and processing after losing their husbands and moving on from their varied relationships. Also, Lillie and Hector's romance was cute.

I'd say the biggest issue for me from this are the really odd bits of privilege or ingrained prejudice come out in small ways that make it clear that there is a reason why every woman in this book is an affluent and middle aged white woman. There's an odd and judgemental excerpt about a homeless man for a page making fun of the fact that he dared to be "picky" and say he didn’t want anchovies when offered food (homeless people are not required to praise you when you give them your dinner scraps you had literally considered trash a few lines before).

The entire conversation Lillie and Barbie have about their love interests initially is a big ick as well. Barbie's first thought upon hearing that Lillie is interested in dating Hector is to assume he is an illegal immigrant after her mothers money, and Lillie's reaction to her daughter wanting to date a man in a wheel chair is to be disappointed in her for some reason. That whole bit was just a big no.

Additionally, Mark and Barbie's relationship is not cute and quippy, it is honestly so annoying and a big drag on the rest of the book where the rest of the relationships are written well.

The extra 21st wish stuff I stopped reading after a couple. Chapters. Everyone suddenly decided they wanted to journal and things changed so abruptly between the main story and the extra bit, it really felt unnecessary.

[Kelleen Hembree · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very cute book and made me think a lot about what my life's wishes would be. It also got me interested in picking up knitting again. I must say that the only reason that I bought this book was because I loved the cute picture of the Yorkie on the front cover. I don't normally read books like this anymore because I like legal thrillers. But I am glad that I did because it brought me a much needed focus on where I want my life to go. Beautiful work and a wonderful story.

[Claudia Iannelli · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a sweet book with a nice story line - my mom and I both read it and it and made us start talking about what would be on our wish lists which I appreciated. I thought the skip from book 1 to book 2 in the "two-novel book" left some things untied that I wished has been developed further. Overall a nice light read, and nice to read with friends so you can think about your wish lists!

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am currently reading this one. I started it @ 2 AM & am halfway done it. I am actually starting the Blossom Street series after this one. This was my first Debbie Macomber novel. I am enjoying it.

[Pam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Twenty-one Wishes: Two Blossom Street Novels is by Debbie Macomber. Debbie Macomber has the ability to reach all her readers and connect them with her characters. Her characters are realistic and seem to be the type of person that you would just love to be friends with or that you would love to dislike. Her depiction of the businesses that are on Blossom Street are those you would remember from your childhood and yet are definitely up to date. With Blossom Street, she has created a community that looks out for one another and helps them when needed and yet respects their individuality. They want each establishment to succeed and help them to do just that.
Anne Marie has just lost her husband and is trying to come to grips with the fact that they had separated prior to his death and were finding their way back to each other when he suddenly died. Her step-daughter found out he had an affair just before his death and the lady was pregnant. Anne Marie has to deal with that information as well. Her friends on Blossom Street had formed a Widow’s Club and they decided to create a list of Twenty Wishes to be completed. These were things they had wanted to do or decided they wanted to do . Reluctantly, Anne Marie started her list. At the same time, she began volunteering at a local school in the Lunch Buddy Program. She was paired with a little girl who lived with her Grandmother and seemed to have no friends. Anne Marie has to get to know Ellen and try to figure out what she could do to help her. Little does she know that Ellen will help her more than she helps Ellen.
The books are fun to read and are very emotional so a box of tissues is recommended to have on hand.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

I finally finished reading Twenty One Wishes by Debbie Macomber around 12 or 1 in the morning and I absolutely adored this book!! Everything about this story was so adorable and just soooooo cute!! Especially Barbie and Mark whom were my absolute favorite in the first book because their relationship was sooooo cute and FYI I loved the enemies to lovers trope which was so fun to read about because that’s my favorite trope EVER! I thought it was so funny when Barbie first meant Mark at the movie theater which was hilarious 😆 when she spilled her pop all over him and especially her popcorn (btw Mark is in a wheelchair) I wished Debbi Macomber could just write a story just about them that would be phenomenal! Overall I highly recommend!!

[Nichole Voigt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Two great stories that go together! Twenty Wishes...I loved the story Anne Marie and how she had love with her first husband who unexpectedly passed away. She works on overcoming her loss by making a list of twenty wishes with a bunch of widowed ladies. One wish...to have a daughter. Does she fulfill that wish with Ellen (a lunch buddy)? Then in the twenty First Wish Ellen’s father Tim comes into play. Will Anne Marie find love? Will Ellen’s twenty first wish come true. A mother daughter love story. Lots of ups and downs! A couple of feel good love stories that are easy reads!

[Bev Walkling · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book contains two connected stories from the Blossom Street Series. I reccomend reading them together but you don't need to have read other books in the series to enjoy these. The premise is that a group of women whose husbands have died get together and to move out of their doldrums decide to each make a wish list (basically a bucket list)to challenge themselves to enjoy life once again. I really enjoyed the premise and might just start working on my own wish list. This was a nice upbeat book for pandemic reading.

[Heidi · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book with my sister for our bookclub. We chose it because the puppy on the cover reminded us of my dog, Wheezy.

All in all this was a quaint, predictable read. It felt like I was watching a hallmark movie, so it was comforting and cozy, but not earth shattering. My main issue with this read is how anti choice the main character came across. When she was outraged by abortion I became v over it. The subpar follow up did it absolutely no favors, but ultimately it was a cozy, paperback read.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really like this book! It was a cute quick read and I really enjoyed the story line. The only issue I had is the second half (twenty-one wishes) felt very rushed I would’ve like to have more of story line featuring the characters from the first part of the book as well. It also felt like there was a gap ( i may have missed a book between twenty-wishes and twenty-one wishes) between the two books

[Arlene Shulman/Lichtman · Rating 4 out of 5]

The finished date is wrong and will not let me change it. I really enjoyed this book. The characters were so real and felt like friends. The ending was well done too. I believe the idea of the wish list which threaded through the book was great and I even told my friends about it. I’ve read many of her prior books and enjoyed them as well.

[Megan Stout · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is just OK. The storyline between the one female character and the little girl is the best storyline in the book. One of the female characters who has a bit of a romance in the book is actually a stalker, which I found a turn off. Her whole relationship with the man in the book was just not good or romantic. The second romance in the book could’ve been developed a whole lot more.

[gabbie goober · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book, it was very cute. I do think it dragged on longer than necessary though, and towards the end the writing felt as though it lost its sincerity. I do love slow burn and tension between romances, but every couple essentially just snaps together after a bit, which wasn’t as satisfying as it could’ve been.

[Laurie Bower Lupin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This combines Twenty Wishes and the Twenty-First Wish. Although, Twenty Wishes is my second most favorite in the series (5 Stars), the Twenty-First Wish cost it a point due to predictability. Definitely a feel good read.

[Lisa · Rating 1 out of 5]

As a short follow-up to Twenty Wishes, this was a quick read and exactly what you might expect. The book is predictable and honestly just a bit too saccharine-sweet. The main character doesn’t even have to really make the ‘hard’ choice in the end - it’s made for her. This was a disappointing read.

[Tami · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some characters get cute and sappy romance, other characters learn lessons about knitting, dancing, making new friends, serving others, forgiveness, and human relationships in general. An all around good read.

[Mary Manee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Onw really can not go wrong with a Debbie Macomber story. Four very good friends navigate life with all of its ups and downs together each with their list of 21 Wishes. Can wounded hearts once again be opened to new and healing love? You will have to read to find out.

[Janet Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a great story! I didn't want to put it down. The book is about a group of widows that get together to support each other. They make lists of wishes for things they'd like to do that help them move forward with life. It's a great read.

[Leslie Hawk · Rating 3 out of 5]

There is no point in reading Twenty-one wishes unless you read Twenty wishes. Twenty-one wishes is another ending to Twenty wishes. I do recommend reading both books which are actually togther in this one.

[Emma Inman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had previously read twenty wishes by Debbie Macomber and remember loving it, but didn’t realize that twenty-one wishes was added on as a sequel. Loved this little short story and loved how everything comes together at the end.

[Tomi Alger · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a continuation of the story begun in Twenty Wishes. Ellen adds a twenty-first wish. This is the story of that wish. There are two men who are interested in Anne Marie. Who will win her affection moves the story along. This is a comfortable read.

[Melanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was finally able to find a reasonably priced copy of this book. I loved Twenty Wishes and wanted to follow up with this one. I wasn't disappointed and look forward to the next book in this series.

[Harlequin Books]

Categories
Contemporary Romance, Romance, Contemporary Women's Fiction
Miniseries
A Blossom Street Novel

[Melissa-ann Strausser · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story. Loved the characters. Funny as well.

[Courtney · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Debbie Macomber's books! Always relatable characters

[Pearline · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun book and a good read.