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Wish Upon a Star

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Grandma always said dying is the the easy part; it’s the living that’s hard. I’ve been fighting to live since I was seven years old, and now the doctors say I’m gonna lose that battle soon. I’ve crossed off just about everything on my bucket list—I’ve seen the Eiffel Tower and the Coliseum and I’ve been swimming in the Caribbean; I’ve lived like I’m dying, because I am.

There’s just one thing left on my I want to be a bride. I want to wear white and have my dad walk me down the aisle. I want a first dance and cake and a night to feel like a princess…and I want it with Westley Britton.

The perfect guy. Musician, actor, and every girl’s dream man. My dream man. Only, he doesn’t even know I exist.

It’s the start of a strange, improbable fairy tale. When you’re talking about terminal leukemia, happily ever after seems impossible, but when your celebrity crush and the man of your dreams shows up out of the blue and proposes to you, it makes you feel like anything is possible. Even that hardest living.

416 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 14, 2021

55 people are currently reading
601 people want to read

About the author

Jasinda Wilder

156 books12k followers
Jasinda Wilder is a New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author of more than 100 titles including the #1 Amazon bestseller Falling Into You, the Audie Award-winning (best audiobook) Alpha, and the beloved, 17-book Badd Brothers series. She and her husband Jack Wilder have sold more than 7 million copies and have been translated into more than 20 languages worldwide. You can find them at their fairy tale cottage by a lake somewhere in Michigan with their 6 kids, 5 dogs, 2 cats, 2 bunnies, and way too many ducks and chickens.

Sign up for Jasinda's newsletter at http://eepurl.com/qW87T

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 112 reviews
Profile Image for ❥ KAT ❥ Kitty Kats Crazy About Books.
2,623 reviews10.9k followers
October 14, 2021
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📚'WISH UPON A STAR' 📚 Is a full length stand-alone romance book, spoken in 'dual perspectives.'

Insta feels, insta love, insta emotional, this was one super sweet read which pulled out all the stops, like a yo-yo I felt everything I was mean't to feel. Inhaled at an insane speed engulfing me in such an emotional state dreading the end, hoping for the best.

I have to mention the cover too because it's simply gorgeous!!

Straight away the 'Prologue' throws out those emotional sad feels, Jolene's fifteen sitting in the oncology ward which is the norm for her, fighting Leukemia. It's here when she sees a guy on line singing which takes her fancy. A star in the making. She knows he's going to make it big. He already has a huge following her being one of them.

Now at nineteen her time is spent following her secret crush, musician-actor Westley Britton one of the most famous eligible bachelors in the world; as she sits watching his utube videos its the only bright spot in her days.

She knows her days are numbered, the doctors have given up hope, she has not one but two bucket lists. One where she wants to see as much of the world as she can the other one she secretly keeps to herself but it includes; fall in love, kiss a boy and not to die a virgin, and at the very bottom of that list is 'Marry Westley Britton.'

Knowing she has nothing to lose she posts a video on line never believing Westley would ever see it, but what happens when he does? And what if wishes did come true?

                  
Profile Image for Katie.
711 reviews19 followers
October 16, 2021
3.5 stars

This is what an adult fairytale looks like. You suspend your disbelief, hope for the unexpected and wish for the almost impossible.

The h has been fighting Leukaemia since she was 8. She went into remission a few times but as a 19 year old, it’s back and it’s stage 4. End game stuff.

4 years ago she saw a star being born when the H was pulled out of the audience to sing on stage with a live streamed band. She fell in love.

The h decides she doesn’t want to die without being kissed, doesn’t want to stay a virgin and unmarried so with the help of her friend, puts together a montage that she sings over to ask the H to marry her. She posts it online.

The H is a mega movie star but isn’t interested in dating any co stars or other stars his agent keeps trying to set him up with. He just doesn’t feel the chemistry and that is very important to him. He’d rather focus on his singing career than his movie career, but his agent continues to suggest he do both while the options are there.

The video has gone viral. The H hears about and watches it and feels the connection he’s been missing. He drives through the night to meet the h to see if she’s joking or whether she means it.

He says yes to her proposal and says it doesn’t matter how much time they have left but he would like to spend it with her.

It is a sweet love story. The HEA is a miracle beyond miracles. But that’s what fairytales are all about.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for KDRBCK.
7,381 reviews67 followers
October 10, 2021
Wish Upon A Star by J. Wilder is a stand-alone. An emotional read that had me in knots, gave me all the feels.
Jolene is a girl with a terminal illness. She's traveled the world but now her time is near. And she wants to meet her idol so so bad.
Westley is an up and coming star, busy busy with singing, acting et al.
When Jolene posts a video he can't not react.
A heartfelt story with a hard earned hea- 4.5 beautiful stars
Profile Image for PP's Bookshelf.
2,792 reviews400 followers
October 15, 2021
Wish Upon A Star by Jasinda Wilder is all about miracle of love. You can look at this story from two sides. The dark, painful and heartbreaking story of the young girl dying. And the bright, colourful, inspiring and riveting story of the same girl fulfilling her dreams and living to the fullest. It was a tumultuous journey for sure. And I can tell you that it is nothing you are expecting.
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Jolene Park forever had a crush on musician-actor Westley Britton. Since the day she watched him on YouTube becoming a star overnight. She has been fighting Leukemia since childhood and she is nineteen now. And the doctors have left all hope. She has been living every day like it's her last and she has one last item in her bucket list. She wants to marry Westley. And she posts a tiktok video with the question. Westley sees it and it does something epic in his heart. But happily ever after isn't really looking so good.
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I expected this story to be a lot more angsty. Like crying out loud and tearing my heart apart kind. But it was not so much heartbreaking. Yes there were moments those were difficult and too hard to read but overall it's like a fairytale. The ultimate wish fulfillment. So I recalibrated my mind and looked at it with a new perspective. This story concentrates on Jolene's resilience and survival and how she tackles her grim life. She isn't sad or dejected all the time. Rather she loves to travel, to create music and to enjoy every single good day. Her soul is really beautiful. Obviously she can be vulnerable and bitter when her body gives up from time to time but she is still so positive. Witty. Kind. Stubborn. She has missed so much in life but she is determined to experience it all before she has to leave this world. And that's what attracted Westley. He isn't the typical celebrity with issues. He is absolutely understanding and compassionate and caring. Dealing with Jolene's sickness isn't an easy part. He gets angry and confused but his good heart put her wellbeing at the most. He is an amazing hero. This story is deeply emotional but the good kind. The kind of story that makes you hopeful and makes you believe in true miracles.

I reviewed an early copy voluntarily
Profile Image for Jeeves Reads Romance.
1,683 reviews797 followers
October 15, 2021
What I wanted: An emotional story like The Cabin to wreck me

What I got: Teenage sex ed class and sugary sweet love at first sight

Those are two very different things, and I definitely had to recalibrate my expectations once I got a feel for the vibe. Unfortunately, I felt a little pervy reading about a 19-year-old discovering how male body parts work (it squirts!) and a 21-year-old celebrity falling for an emaciated teenager at first sight. Literally. Our heroine spends the entire book in bed - she's either sick or fooling around on pretty much every page, so that didn't leave a lot of time to develop an emotional connection or *actually* fall in love. At a certain point, I ended up skimming through a lot of the steam and sickness, and there wasn't much else to it, let me say that. As someone who absolutely adored The Cabin, I struggle to believe that this was written by the same person.

The story follows Jolene, a young woman who has been fighting for her life for years. She has stage four cancer and her life could end any time now, but there's still so much she wants to experience - including love and sex. There's one guy who has gotten her through years in the hospital, and that's YouTube star turned singer and actor, Westley. Jolene has watched his rise to stardom from afar, and she's definitely smitten. When Jolene puts out a video of her own - asking Westley to marry her - she never expects anyone to see it. But the video soon goes viral, and it reaches the man himself. Something about Jolene draws Westley to her, and he finds himself wanting to say yes. It's crazy, they both know it, but it feels a lot like love. As the two get closer, Westley and Jolene experience the highs and lows of love.

So let's talk about the elephant in the room: Jolene is dying. Yes, she is. So is this a romance? Yes, it is. You're going to need to suspend your disbelief A LOT throughout the entire book, that's all I'll say about that. Obviously, this didn't end up being a great read for me, so I'm probably not the best person to go there, lol. I will say that The Cabin devastated me and then put me back together, but I didn't even come close to tearing up while reading this. Not once. And that's what ultimately dropped the rating for me. I felt zero connection to the characters because we don't actually witness them fall in love. They meet, they're together, they bang. That's it. I wanted to see how it would all work out, that's why I stuck around - that and because I know Wilder has the talent to pull this kind of story off. This one though? Total miss for me, unfortunately. But Westley was super sweet.
Profile Image for Valeen Robertson (Live Thru Books Blog).
5,877 reviews213 followers
October 15, 2021


Amazon / Amazon Worldwide / Apple Books / Nook / Kobo / Google Play

Jolene's been living her life as if she's about to die, because she is. Her terminal illness has the doctors giving up hope, and now she knows she's not much longer for this world. She has one more wish on her bucket list, though - to marry gorgeous star, Westley Britton. A TikTok proposal brings him into her life, but to what end? How can a terminal girl and the guy she's crazy about possibly have a happily ever after?

Wish Upon a Star is a sweet fairytale-like read. Jolene is the real star here with her bright, mostly positive outlook, her sweet soul, and her crush on equally sweet Wes. Though I did shed a few tears, this is much less tear-inducing than I had been expecting, and I definitely liked that about it. Don't make the mistake of thinking it's a fluffy Cinderella story, though, because it's not. It is a sweet story with emotional scenes, and all the heart you can imagine. Definitely an uplifting, engaging story that I am really glad I got to read.



ARC via Social Butterfly PR for an honest review.

Review / Release Blitz: Live Through Books Blog.

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1,706 reviews13 followers
October 16, 2021
An emotional journey that will give you all the feels. Jolene is dying and posts a video on Tik tok that she doesn’t believe anyone, especially Westly, will see. She is probably one of the strongest characters I have read in a long time. When a person is told they don’t have long to life, they take risks that they normally would not take. Being a young woman, she wants the chance to know what it is like to be kissed and more.
Wes is her dream man, but so far away from attainable. I loved how he knew he had to see her and wouldn’t let anyone stop him. He could have been a flake, but he was the farthest thing from that. He truly supported her and wanted her to live so they could have more time together.
This book was hard for me read at times, because I have someone in my life who didn’t survive their battle with cancer. Jo wanted to live, but was realistic enough to believe what the doctors told her. Their love story was fast, poignant and emotional. I cried more times than I should admit to.
A book about hope, family, love and wishing. Two people who would never, normally, meet do just that and it changes both of their lives forever. Wes was sweet, understanding and just a little crazy, but boy did he step up when needed. Jo’s grandma was great. I wish there would have been some closure with his family and I would love to see his sister get her HEA. Jasinda always provides a wonderful story and this was no different.
I highly recommend this book. I received an ARC in exchange for an honest, voluntary review.
Profile Image for lowkeyreader.
5,552 reviews52 followers
October 14, 2021
Wow, what an emotional and beautiful journey that was Jo and Wes' story. An absolute must-read!

I always try to avoid this kind of book, tbh. One that talks about illness and dying characters. You know it will break your heart over and over again. You know you're going to have lots of hope for them. And that's what happened with this one. You just keep wishing for them to get what they wished for.

I think the title really suits Jo and Wes' story. I loved how strong and resilient Jo was no matter what she's facing. She lives her life to the fullest. That's what I admired so much about her. Then there's Wes. A patient, caring, and understanding man that just wants to explore the connection they have. He is equally admirable for understanding Jo's life and illness and still be by her side.
Profile Image for Sylviane BM.
358 reviews5 followers
October 15, 2021
Je remercie Social Butterfly et Jasinda Wilder pour ce service presse en anglais.

Jasinda Wilder n'est pas une auteure inconnue, vous avez du lire ces livres et cela faisait longtemps que je n'en avais pas lu un.

Il y a peu j'ai découvert cette magnifique couverture et je l'ai demandé en service presse.

Le résumé m'a tout de suite donné envie de le lire. Et je n'ai pas du tout été déçue.

Il y a toujours beaucoup d'émotions dans chacun de ce livre et ce livre n'est pas en reste.

Wish upon a star raconte l'histoire de Jolène en phase terminale, elle a une leucémie. Depuis qu'elle est jeune, elle a connu les hôpitaux, les rémissions, mais maintenant la leucémie veut remporter ce combat. Alors Jolène veut ce qu'elle a toujours désiré: ne plus être vierge, se marier. Et elle fait la chose la plus dingue de sa vie: enregistrer une vidéo sur TikTok dans laquelle elle chante et demande à son idole Wesley de l'épouser.

Wesley est une star montante de la chanson. Il a tout pour lui. Il chante bien, il joue bien. Sa vie est dictée par son agent et son manager. Or cette vidéo est inattendue, surprenante. Il ressent quelque chose qu'il ne comprend pas. Bien sur il se sent flatté, il pourrait juste répondre en disant "merci, je prierai pour toi", ou envoyer des cadeaux, mais à la place il décide de faire le voyage pour la rencontrer.

Jolène ne s'attendait pas à se retrouver face à son crush et elle ne s'attendait pas non plus à ce qu'il accepte.

Jolène est mure, elle a muri trop vite et elle veut que Wes comprenne ce qui l'attend. Il y aura des bons jours mais des mauvais moments. Elle ne lui en voudra pas de partir. Ses parents aussi ont du mal à se faire à cette idée. Elle ne serait pas à leur côté s'il arrive quoi que ce soit, elle sera à Los Angeles. Il faut se mettre à leur place. Ils ont tout fait pour elle, ils ont essayé de lui rendre la vie plus facile. Elle sait qu'elle pourrait toujours compter sur eux, mais cette fois-ci elle veut faire quelque chose pour elle par elle-même.

Wes va devoir faire face à la maladie. Il sera perdu, il sera inquiet, mais il sera là quoi qu'il arrive. Quelque chose s'est passé lors de ce visionnage. Appelez ça un coup de foudre numérique. Peu importe. Il a vu quelque chose que personne n'a vu chez Jolène. Ce n'est pas qu'une fille leucémique, elle est plus que cela. Bien sur il va devoir jongler avec son rôle d'acteur et sa vie avec elle. Alors qu'il a toujours fait passer sa carrière en premier, il va changer sa vie pour elle. Chose qu'elle va refuser. Et c'est là toute la maturité de cette jeune femme.

Il faut qu'il pense à lui. Il faut qu'il continue ce qu'il doit faire. Lorsqu'elle ne sera plus là, il devra le faire. Alors mettre sa carrière en péril pour elle il n'en est pas question.

Cette romance va vous bouleverser, vous ne lâcheriez rien. Et vous vous demanderez comment tout cela va-t-il se terminer?
Profile Image for Melissa Miller-Mattern.
600 reviews11 followers
October 24, 2021
Reviewed for A Wanton Book Lover Blog

Wish Upon a Star is a sweet young adult romance novel from Jasinda Wilder. The premise of the story if that 19 year old Jolone or Jo, has had Leukemia all her life. She has gone into remission a couple of times only to have it come back. This time the cancer is aggressive and the doctor's are unable to do anything to stop it. A wild idea strikes Jo and she gets her best-friend to tape her singing to her celebrity crush-Westly. She reaches out to Wes in the video asking for one of her last dying wishes: to marry her. Little does Jo know that Wes not only sees the video, he is on his way to meet the memorizing girl in the video. Once Jo and Wes meet, they have an instance attraction/chemistry and Jo decides then and there to through caution to the wind and leave with Wes to go back to LA.

This story was sweet and romance. I don't honestly know if this is something even fathomable in the real-life but it didn't change the fact that I enjoyed Jasinda's book and story of how Wes and Jo spent their time together.
Profile Image for Anne OK.
4,103 reviews552 followers
November 22, 2021

This one teeters at times on that slippery slope of far-fetched. It's a "movie star new adult romance" so if you can truly suspend believability on several levels and just enjoy the Hollywood feature, this is a beautiful love story that centers on believing in miracles with lots of angst, tears and emotional drama. It also includes some religious vibes, along with a heavy dose of spicey sex education. The writing is well above average. I’ve always had a hot/cold feel for books by Wilder, but I certainly can appreciate her talent as a wordsmith.
Profile Image for Adriana.
793 reviews14 followers
October 15, 2021
I’m a sobbing, snotty, red-faced, puffy face, swollen and bloodshot eyes, tissues everywhere mess. What a book! I’m very thankful. Extremely thankful for this plot. Truly beautiful.
Profile Image for Shari.
5 reviews
October 27, 2021
BEST HAPPILY EVER AFTER book I have ever read.

God, what an amazing book. This has to be the BEST HAPPILY EVER AFTER book I have ever read. Thank you Miss Wilder🥰🥰
Profile Image for Sara.
226 reviews9 followers
October 15, 2021
This book was AAA-MAZING!

Sometimes before reading a book, I get this feeling that I'm going to really love every single thing about it. And that's how it was with this book. It was everything I expected it to be, but better. Jasinda's writing is as I remembered; stunning and beautiful. She brings the emotion and feelings, she makes you laugh and feel (kinda) embarrassed for these characters, and she manages to make you shed some tears (if not bawling).
This story was absolutely fantastic! I mean..I devoured it in a day.

Wish Upon a Star is a story about a girl named Jolene Park. She has terminal cancer, and there's nothing they can do for her anymore. She decides to live as best as she can for her remaining days. Her parents take her on a tour around the world, and help her finish her bucket list. But there is still a thing or two she wants to do before she dies; a bucket list her parents don't know off. One of those is marrying her long-time celebrity crush Westley Britton. So she decides to ask him, because really what does she have to lose.... And everything from that point on is a whirlwind of adventure, and quite possibly love.

This book is perfect for readers who enjoyed The Cabin. But while that was more angsty and emotional, this one is more toned down. But still as exceptional.
I would highly recommend this.
5+ stars

I recieved an ADVANCED READERS COPY and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Profile Image for Erica Rogers.
647 reviews16 followers
October 14, 2021
“You’ll make the stars themselves weep.”

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.75
Jolene “Jo” & Westley “Wes”

Wes is a Hollywood star. He sings, dances, acts and is good looking and has a heart of gold. His rise to fame was sudden and it seems he remained humble though it all.

Jo has been battling with leukemia most her life. She has this bucket list to travel with world with her parents, and most checked off. But, she also has a secret bucket list, one that involves Westley Britton.

Their meeting is unconventional and blooms into an soul connection. These two, without a doubt, are written in the stars. Their journey has it’s amazing ups and incredibly low lows. It’s joyful and emotional.

I fully knew what I was walking into with this book and knowing it was going to make me feel. I felt more deeply than I even though I could in a book. Tears flowed, multiple times. Some of those times were just the feel good emotional tears, others were the beautifully heartbreaking tears.

ARC review
11 reviews
October 22, 2021
This was a short rea- filled with insta-love and a miracle, however I really enjoyed this book.

The characters felt well developed and their relationship felt organic for their situation. It wasn't the typical "boy meets girl, both feel instant lust and two seconds later their doing the devils tango like its going out of fashion".

Wes as a character was beautifully written. He was honest with Jo regarding his feelings and motives as well as understanding and compassionate about Jo's feelings/boundaries. They both communicated really well with each other, and I think that's why the insta-love trope really worked for this one.

Im not too ashamed to admit that my heart hurt during the tense moments and I nearly cried for their pain, however it was very much worth it.

Fantastic read for when you need quick angst and serotonin but only have 30 minutes.
Profile Image for Ann.
740 reviews
October 14, 2021
Wish Upon a Star
By Jasinda Wilder
Main Characters: Wesley and Jolene
I voluntarily and honestly reviewed this book without bias or persuasion from the author.
5 out of 5 stars
OMG, started this book off crying from the get-go. This is a big departure from any of the other books I have read by Jasinda Wilder but it is a great one. The feels in this story are all over the map. I wanted so badly to skip over to see the ending and for the first time so happy I did not. Now I am left wondering what prompted her to write this story. I always my whole life have wondered why about so many things and I usually search diligently to seek the answer. I Hope Jasinda will enlighten us at some point in the near future. I implore you, readers, to get this book because you won't be sorry.
8 reviews
October 22, 2021
This Girl is on Fire! Spoiler Alert!

Thank you Jasinda. I now have a book hangover! I think I need a day to recover!
If you are new to Jasinda Wilder, Im jealous! You get to read her amazing stories for the first time. This book is great! No one can spin a story like Jasinda! When I first started it I was afraid it would be predictable, but she made it have an element of surprise. I expected "A Star Is Born" ending with Wes singing their song in sorrow so it made me happy to see her turn in a different direction. I loved all the characters and the personalities she gave them. Dinah should be a spin off book! Love her spunk! Looking forward to her next endeavor! Thank you Jasinda!
Profile Image for Elizabeth Edwards.
5,548 reviews9 followers
October 23, 2021
the Wilder's have been busy lately ...i was so blessed to receive this book in for an honest review. i love their writing. they really know how to skip out and do different genres ... i was so lucky to see this on my kindle and i was so surprised. thank you to you the Wilders. this is an emotional roller coaster of a ride. i mean i don't wanna do that over and over. but every once in a while. it is great to read a book that will knock your tears out ... lol!! i mean get ready with the tissues. u will so need them. for sure. if Jasinda is new to you ...please check out them out.
2,395 reviews59 followers
October 19, 2021
Wish Upon A Star is an emotional instalove celebrity/ordinary girl story, compounded by the fact that Jo is literally dying of leukemia. Suspend belief for a moment and jump into a world where a dying girl with literally nothing to lose posts a marriage proposal on TikTok to her celebrity crush and he then knocks on her door to accept. There is an immediate connection, marred by her bad days outnumbering her good ones, but Wes and Jo's sweet, intense romance had me flipping page after page, hoping that these two would have more than just the here and now.

I really felt for Jo, and her desire to have just a few weeks of an ordinary life. She and Wes both knew that their relationship was insane, but it felt so right to them and that's all that mattered at the end of the day. Wish Upon A Star is every bit a fairytale come true --- but will Jo and Wes get a miracle or are they living on borrowed time?

I received an advanced copy and voluntarily left a review.
Profile Image for Laura ( Latteandbookz ).
1,385 reviews12 followers
October 28, 2021
This was a beautiful fairytale.
Jolene has been fighting cancer since she was eight, she was in remission a few times. Now at nineteen its returned. She sets out to travel the world and her one wish is to be able to meet her idol, she posts a video on Tik Tok that she hopes he sees. Joline’s mom, dad, grandma, her best friend and now Wes (dream man) have been there for her and been a great support for her. Wes is a phenomenal guy always being there for her he’s a true prince charming. The moment that Jolene and Wes meet there is an instant attraction it was beautiful to read, at times I was smiling and then on the verge of tears the next. Its one of the things that I love about Jasinda’s writing.
Profile Image for Shirin Rasheed.
2,819 reviews41 followers
October 22, 2021
When you pick up Jasinda Wilder books you can expect an emotional, angsty, Unforgettable story and she delivers it. Wish upon a Star is a beautiful read.

I Absolutely enjoyed it. I Cannot Recommend it enough. One Click this book now.
Profile Image for EpicRomanceReviews.
768 reviews142 followers
October 26, 2021
❤~🌟~❤ 4 LOVE-SICK STARS! ❤~🌟~❤

I can’t resist a romantic tearjerker that celebrates the miraculous power of love, and WISH UPON A STAR by Jasinda Wilder, which revolves around a dying young woman who has one last wish to fulfill, really struck a chord!

PREMISE:
Nineteen-year-old Jolene Parker has been battling leukemia since childhood. But although her illness has stolen a lot from her, she hasn’t let it dim her spirit. And with her future so uncertain, she’s packed a lot into her short life, including traveling the world. But now the cancer has come back with a vengeance and this time the prognosis is grim. Her doctors have lost all hope of a cure, predicting she may only have a few weeks left to live. But before her time runs out, she has one last item to cross off her secret bucket list. She wants to marry Musician-actor superstar Westley Brenton.

Joleen has harbored a hopeless crush on Wes since she was 15, when he became a YouTube sensation virtually overnight. And even though they’ve never met, her fantasies of him have seen her through her darkest hours. So, now that she knows her days are likely numbered, she takes a leap of faith and sings out her heart to the man of her dreams in a TikTok video. And while she knows that the odds of her celebrity crush ever seeing her “crazy ass” marriage proposal are NOT in her favor, it doesn’t deter the lovesick cancer patient from reaching for the stars! And as luck would have it, when her “Marry Me” music montage goes viral, Wes not only watches it but is so enamored he pulls out all the stops to make all her wishes come true! Against all odds, can “Cancer Girl” and her besotted Hollywood heartthrob find the once in a lifetime love they both yearn for? Or will time tragically run out before they say I do?

MY MUSINGS:
Jasinda Wilder is a new to me author but after reading the goosebump-inducing blurb, I was DYING to read this book! And while it turned out to be much more whimsical than I expected, I ended up loving the authors fanciful spin on this traditionally weepy trope. And make no mistake… it has oodles of heart, and gave me all the feels! WISH UPON A STAR Is a sweet, sexy, uplifting story about fate and destiny. Hope and faith. Finding true love amid seemingly impossible odds. And, at its core, it celebrates the incredible resilience of the human heart!

I have always been a sucker for romantic fairytales but the premise of this particular story really resonated with me because of the perilous stakes that our prince and princess find themselves embroiled in. And I was not only instantly hooked by this refreshingly unique, surprisingly upbeat love story, but I absolutely treasured this heroine! For despite the challenges Jo continues to face as she battles a terminal illness, she’s a delightful ray of pure sunshine! She’s so sweet and bubbly, warm and witty, and possesses a joy de vivre that’s oh so inspiring. In short? She’s a revelation! For no matter how short-lived her future may be, or how much debilitating pain she must be solider through, Jo has such a positive outlook on the world and has truly done everything she can to live life to the fullest. And now with the clock ticking she vows to surround herself in her remaining days with things she loves most in the world. Family. Friends. Travel. Music. And most of all… love. What she does NOT want to do is to never know the wonder of a first kiss, or die a virgin…or be deprived of the pure bliss of having her father walk her down the aisle .

Which is where our sweet, sexy, chivalrous hero comes in!

Gah talk about the perfect Prince Charming in this fairytale . Unlike many slick, self-entitled Hollywood A-listers, Wes doesn’t have a pompous or superficial bone in his body. He’s humble and kind, patient and empathetic, and so tender and gentle-hearted it made me melt! And did I mention he’s drop dead gorgeous too? I just loved how effortlessly he falls under Jolene’s spell. When he first showed up unannounced on her doorstep to pop the question after watching her showstopping TikTok video, the busy, career-focused celebrity had no idea what fate had in store for him and his number one fan. But all he DID know was from the moment her beautiful green gaze locked with his, he was a goner!

And SWOON alert! Because although physically she is frail and understandably self-conscious about her appearance, in Wes’s eyes his bride to be is a freaking goddess . And as such, he does everything in his power to soothe away her self-doubts and insecurities and help her see herself just as he does. As a brave, talented stunningly beautiful young woman whose smile lights up his whole world.

But even though dealing with her illness is far from easy, and downright daunting at times, Wes never stops praying for a miracle. And no matter what the future holds, it becomes his mission in life to make all her dreams come true, even at the expense of his own. I love how Westley vows to be there for the good days, the bad days and everything in between. And it’s so deeply touching how he makes Jo feel beautiful and cherished even in her weakest, most vulnerable moments and how this kind, courageous, joyful heroine transforms his life in unmeasurable ways. To the outside world their whirlwind courtship may be wild and crazy, reckless and impulsive, but deep down Jo and Wes know the truth. That they make each other’s lives complete and that their love was written in the stars! And holy moly on her “good days’ these two sure burn up the sheets together! Of course, that’s not to say their romance is all sunshine and roses. There are huge, possibly insurmountable obstacles to overcome— but in my opinion, it’s the fragility of their love, the beautifully broken yet infinitely hopeful state of their pure hearts, which makes them so worth rooting for.

As with all captivating love stories, this one is bolstered by a superb set of secondary characters. I adored Jo’s "tribe", especially her doting mom, dad and grandma, and her bestie, Bethany, who have always been there to love and support her through thick and thin!

Now I know the big question you may be wondering is how does this fairytale end? Do Westley and Jolene ride off into the sunset together or does their love saga end in tragedy? Sorry, my lips are sealed, but just trust that this gloriously talented author does these enchanting characters’ journey supreme justice!

BOTTOM LINE:
WISH UPON A STAR, is a magical, life affirming love story that completely swept me off my feet! It’s brimming with love and passion , rich poignant emotion, and served as a beautiful reminder of the healing power of love.
Profile Image for Phyl.
1,595 reviews19 followers
July 6, 2022
This book was brought to my attention through a book box, the other two books in the collection were epic so I knew I had to put this on my TBR list. The blurb is one of those that is never going to happen, little did I know. Of course when you are told you have limited time on this earth due to your illness you need a bucket list and why not dream big.
Life works in mysterious ways.
She’s a beautiful human being and this is why he was attracted to her. He just a stand up good guy with a good head on his shoulder.
They can not describe their chemistry. It’s truly unexplainable. No rhyme or reason.
Infectious joy
Impossible love
Unlikely romance
Profile Image for Comfy Couch Book Reviews.
633 reviews47 followers
October 16, 2021
Jasinda is an incredibly talented and versatile writer who can switch seamlessly from hot and sexy to romantic comedy and then to stories that will break your heart. Wish Upon a Star is in this third category so make sure you have lots of tissues at hand!

I can't think of another story where I was dreading the end so much, there just didn't seem to be a way out for Jolene who was dying from cancer and it was so unfair for this spirited girl who loved life to be struck down so young. When she posts a video online asking her all time crush actor and singer Westley Britton to marry her and her turns up on her doorstep I was almost in tears as Jolene deserved to meet her idol so much and he took time out of his busy career to meet this dying girl.

This is not a fairytale romance though as riding off into the sunset never seemed to be an option for them as Jolene is getting close to the end and we get a glimpse of her suffering. Even while dealing with her failing body Jolene is also dealing with the relationship insecurities that many young girls have. Is Westley is really attracted to her and will he be put off by her lack of experience.

Westley turns out to be much more than just a star in Hollywood, he is ready to jump in and make Jolene's last days everything that she has dreamed of while selflessly putting his career on hold and risking his own heart in the process. It's no wonder Jolene falls in love with the guy behind the facade, he truly has a big heart.

If you are ready to take this emotional but uplifting journey with Jolene and Westley then I highly recommend this book, you will not be disappointed in Jasinda's beautiful writing.
Profile Image for Nina EL.
102 reviews3 followers
October 17, 2021
Let me just say a couple of things. I read the book so ... about 4 days. I stretched it for 4 days. For me, it is direct and meaningless. Only in this case, it was necessary. Jo and Wes are the young heroes of this book in which we learn about an invincible disease that we don't know everything about. A disease that few overcome. These are the guardian angels of big hearts and strong souls. Jo is one of them.During those four days of reading, I asked myself, what do I need this for? Why am I torturing my soul with such difficult things that are woven into the beautiful words of this author? Then I couldn't take it anymore. I left the book and said I could not continue reading. So it was. At least for a few hours. But don't lie to the devil, I went back right into the arms of tears and sobs.

If we ignore that, the book is wonderful whose story dominates the whole course. We can't wait for the end because he is the top of this story where prayer, faith, hope and love win invincibly. Only if we believe.

There, so much from me for this book.
Profile Image for LeslecturesdeMylene.
5,723 reviews85 followers
October 18, 2021
17/20 - https://www.leslecturesdemylene.com/2...

je savais en commençant ce roman qu'il s'agissait d'une romance et donc d'une fin heureuse..... et si ça n'avait pas été le cas, je ne pense pas que je serai arrivée au bout (traumatisée par un autre roman où ça ne se termine pas bien du tout....). Jolene a une leucémie et elle ne lui laisse que quelques mois au mieux à vivre. Elle tente le tout pour le tout et va faire une vidéo sur tiktok pour son crush, Westley Britton, un chanteur et acteur qu'elle adore. Sauf qu'il va se présenter à sa porte et c'est alors le début d'une magnifique histoire, certes on pleure un certain nombre de fois mais il y a tellement d'espoir et de résilience dans les mots de Jolene que j'ai adoré ma lecture d'un bout à l'autre. Bien évidemment il est difficile de croire à certains miracles mais l'autrice ici nous livre une fin heureuse et magnifique, certes avec quelques petits tracs mais qui nous laisse avec un immense sourire aux lèvres ! J'ai adoré malgré les larmes, il faut dire que l'espoir est bien présent !!
Profile Image for Jamanda.
409 reviews5 followers
October 17, 2021
Emotionally challenging

Queue the tissues and strap yourself in for one hell of an emotional roller-coaster ride.

Jo has been sick from a very young age. When she is 15 and having treatment she is watching YouTube where she discover Westley. A 15 year old boy, a star in the making. She instantly has a crush and follows his career.

When she is 19 she is told she won't make it to 20. After witnessing a romantic on one her bucket list holidays, she comes with with the epic idea.

Together with her bestie they create a video for Westley and post it on tiktok thinking no one will see. After a few days Westley does see it. That's how this emotionally charged romance begins.

Their love is instant and fast burn. Having limited time together they make the most of it. There's ups and downs with the effects of Jo's treatment that test their relationship.

It's beautiful, emotional, heartbreaking, steamy and gripping.

It's a story I won't forget in a hurry.
Profile Image for Debbie.
857 reviews5 followers
October 19, 2021
I don't know where to even start with this review. Talk about an emotional journey. My heart was in my throat and I just couldn't stop reading. Jolene was such an inspiration. Her unbelievable strength. Her love for life and the people in it. Her unfathomable ability to see what could possibly be even with an end date constantly lurking. Fighting a battle to come back again and again. And then taking a one in a million chance to tick one more thing off her bucket list. Not realizing that one crazy spur of the moment act just might give her more than she could imagine, even in her darkest hours.
I'm at a loss for words when I try to encompass everything this book is and truly give it justice. All I can say is...just read it.
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