Wish

Westbrook Elite #3

by Cambria Hebert

For me, choice might as well be a wish.
My parents died in a fiery car crash when I was barely sixteen.
I’m gay.
I’m also totally in love with my brother.
I didn’t choose any of that. In fact, I’ve tried like hell to deny it. But here I am in all my gay, brother-loving, no-parentals glory.
Technically, Max isn’t my brother. Not by blood anyway. That should make it less ick, right?
Considering he calls my parents mom and dad, probably not.
Also, did I mention he’s straight?
So that’s me: the freestyle swimmer doing my best to keep my sexuality on the down-low while simultaneously wishing my feelings for Max will evaporate into thin air.
Too bad he acts like he’s my keeper and my heart shakes every time his eyebrow ring glints in the sun or he levels his opaque stare on me with an intensity matched by nothing else.
My desire to keep my personal life personal drowns at the bottom of the pool when a fellow Elite lets everyone in on my business, which throws Max into macho protective mode all over again.
Enough is enough, though. I’m forcing myself to move on.
Maybe the best way to forget about my forbidden crush is to find a new one.
I have options. More than I realized.
Unfortunately, none of them are leather-wearing, tattoo-sporting, motorcycle-riding grumpholes.
So here I am wishing for Max while someone else wishes for me.
Someone who decides if they can’t have me…
No one will.

Please note that WISH contains homophobia. There is also mention of off-page child abuse and parental death. This book also contains a male/male sibling-esque relationship and mentions of male assault. Some readers may find these things uncomfortable.

Genres: M M Romance, Sports, Romance, College, Sports Romance, Friends To Lovers, Contemporary

480 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 10, 2023

About the author

Cambria Hebert is a bestselling novelist of more than fifty titles. She went to college for a bachelor’s degree, couldn’t pick a major, and ended up with a degree in cosmetology. So rest assured her characters will always have good hair.
Besides writing, Cambria loves a pumpkin spice latte, staying up late, sleeping in, and watching K drama until her eyes won’t stay open. She considers math human torture and has an irrational fear of chickens (yes, chickens). You can often find her running on the treadmill (she’d rather be eating a donut), painting her toenails (because she bites her fingernails), or walking her chihuahuas (the real bosses of the house).
Cambria has written in many genres, including new adult, sports romance, male/male romance, sci-fi, thriller, suspense, contemporary romance, and young adult. Many of her titles have been translated into foreign languages and have been the recipients of multiple awards.

Awards Cambria has received include:

Author of the Year 2016 (UtopiaCon2016)
The Hashtag Series: Best Contemporary Series of 2015 (UtopiaCon 2015)
#Nerd: Best Contemporary Book Cover of 2015 (UtopiaCon 2015)
Romeo from the Hashtag Series: Best Contemporary Lead (UtopiaCon 2015)
#Nerd: Top 50 Summer Reads (Buzzfeed.com 2015)
The Hashtag Series: Best Contemporary Series of 2016 (UtopiaCon 2016)
#NERD Book Trailer: Best Book Trailer of 2016 (UtopiaCon 2016)
#Nerd Book Trailer: Top 50 Most Cinematic Book Trailers of All Time (film-14.com)
#Nerd: Book Most Wanted to be Adapted to Screen: (2018)
Amnesia: Mystery Book of the Year (2018)

Cambria Hebert owns and operates Cambria Hebert Books, LLC.
You can find out more about Cambria and her titles by visiting her website:
http://www.cambriahebert.com

Email: cambriahebert@rocketmail.com
Facebook: http://smarturl.co/CambriaHebertFanpage
Twitter: https://twitter.com/cambriahebert
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Amazon: http://tinyurl.com/amazoncambria
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Share Squad sign up: http://bit.ly/sharesquad

Reviews

[~✡~Dαni(ela) ♥ ♂♂ love & semi-colons~✡~ · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF, but I feel I read enough to rate.

I'm itching to give this book zero stars. I couldn't make it past 30%, skimmed a bit, and then read the last couple chapters.

I'm not even remotely surprised that this is an M/F author because this book is the reason I stopped reading M/F many moons ago and never looked back.

There's high drama and college angst for days. Both MCs are dude bros. All the characters sound the same.

And we get an extra scoop of homophobia, potential blackmail, and girls being catty and bitchy just because ... why not?

I had flashbacks to M/M romance from a decade ago when homophobia had to be included as a first course; I mean why else write about two men in love, right? Gotta get in on some juicy homophobic action. /S

Ridiculous & offensive.

[lila · Rating 4 out of 5]

— 4.5 stars ☆

🤭 not me giggling and blushing throughout this book-

i adored them so much, your highness. the PINING? the LONGING? the hurt-comfort and protectiveness? say no more, i was there for it. wesmax were just so cute and fluffy and perfectly adorable, but this book also had a tinge of angstiness which i'd not anticipated. it actually worked, tho 🥰.

❝I will never deny you. I will never be ashamed of you. I will never downplay what you are to me no matter who is in the room. I'm gonna hold your hand in public. Grab your fine ass. Kiss your face. Hell, I'll tongue-fuck you if I'm so inclined. And if anyone, anyone at all, has a problem with it, they can step to me, and I'll put them on their ass.❞
❝Really?❞ he whispered, and God, I was pretty sure I heard the sound of his heart.
It was the only sound capable of bringing me to my knees.

this truly SERVED the "i'll protect you forever" trope. it gave me the warm and fuzzies 🥺 the way Max was always protecting Wes, even from himself (which i was a lil mad about, but then the tension and pining wouldn't be the same, now would it?).

the way Max and Wes were just so absolutely vulnerable with each other and yet there was so much levity within the friend group was 🤌. never got boring, istg. and jamiemadison? ✨ i don't particularly feel the need to read their story, but gosh i already know Jamie would've stolen the show for me. he cracked me up with his one-liners, istg. ryanrory were also cutee, but my fave for now is wesmax - they were too adorable and emotional. 💞

Max was such a soft asshole, it made my heart hurt lol. the way his dad used to beat him up, how he got beaten up purposefully FOR WES, it was too much 😭 in the best way. and the stupid tattoo of nemo 🥰 iykyk. so cutee.

Glancing at the marker, I picked it up. ❝You gonna let me mark you?❞
❝It's pink,❞ he said grumpily.
❝A little color won't kill you,❞ I said.
He made a face like he smelled something bad.
❝Please?❞
He relented instantly, all his hard edges melting, softness shining in his eyes. ❝Of course you can, baby.❞

if you can't guess, i was melting 🥰.

Wes was an absolute sweetheart, he just wanted Max to love him and that atmosphere was absolutely fluffy but also emotional 🥺. i loved the progression of their relationship so so much! the vibess were everything.

it might have been too ott and melodramatic, but i don't give a fuck - this was perfect for me, almost (even tho i do realise that thing with Veronica was a lil too overly much lmao). and i might have rounded this up a lil too much, but idc - it was just the escape i needed for a while.

basically, this was so addictive i could've devoured it within one sitting if i didn't have anything else to do - i swear it was that good for me 💞. i have no idea why i thought this might drag a little, prolly bc it's 450 pages, but it really didn't and every moment was so meaningful. now i'm off to check out the rest of this author's backlist bc I LOVE HER WRITING STYLE <3

also Win and Lars?! 👀 roommates to lovers, possibly?

basically tldr, read if you like:
❁ mm stepbrother romance
❁ "i'll protect you"
❁ sports romance
❁ angsty but with a lot of fluffiness
❁ so many lol moments but also emotional af

p.s. - let's hope this streak with good books for me continues 🤞

[Meags · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Stars

Wes and Max. Max and Wes…

Brother. Brother’s best friend. Guardian. Secret crush. Wet dream. Headache. Heartache. Wish. Max had been so many things to me over the years. But what he was now was my favorite. Boyfriend.

Like most fans of the Westbrook Elite new adult series, I have been chomping at the bit to get to this story—a story about chosen family, Wes and Max, who have been suppressing their hearts greatest desire for a love that goes way beyond that of a brotherly bond.

Both young men know loss and heartache, having experienced the grief of losing their parents as teenagers, but through all the challenges and traumas life has thrown at them—and they’ve been through quite a bit at 19 and 22, respectively—they’ve always made it through the other side stronger because they always had each other, alongside Wes’s biological older brother and Max’s BFF for life, Win.

I’d never really understood love until they showed it to me. They took me in and made me theirs, proving love isn’t in your DNA. It is a bond formed by effort and loyalty.

This fantastic family unit of three was enough to keep my interest glued to the page, but throw in some epic romantic pining for your off limits “brother” and some classic Hebert hurt-comfort drama, and this quickly became an obsessive kind of read—the kind I lost sleep over, reading way late into the night in rapt addiction.

“When you came out to me and Win, the first thing I thought was, So there’s a chance.”

In terms of romantic content, these two made my heart and soul burn.

“If we do this,” I said around a ragged breath, “I can’t go back to being your brother. I won’t be able to be that ever again.” If you tell me in the morning this was a mistake, it will break me beyond repair.

“Ah, baby.” His voice was soft, the term of endearment punctuated by his lips brushing across my forehead. As he braced all his weight on an elbow beside my head, his eyes turned into a caress. “How about you be my heart instead?”

I love some good pining and some serious IT’S ALWAYS BEEN YOU vibes; I LOVE hurt-comfort themes; I adore a good best friends brother, semi-forbidden (but mostly just in your own damn minds) angst; I am HERE for all the first-time sexiness and passionate claimings; and I am an absolute whore for Hebert’s special brand of possessive, growly, NO ONE CAN TOUCH YOU BUT ME, mine, mine, mine heroes, like bad boy Max (and Ryan and Jamie before him).

Shooting forward, I caught his chin, forcing his head to the side. “What the fuck is this?”
His eyes slid to me. “What?”
“You have a lip print on your cheek.”
He shrugged. He fucking shrugged.
Pulling his face around, I drilled my stare into him. “You let some other man kiss you. Put marks on you.”
A spark of anger lit his eyes. “So?”
“So you are mine.”
“Since when?”
“Since right the fuck now.”

Honestly, so many things that happen in my favourite Hebert romances (MF and MM alike) should be questionable AF, but she manages to write these characters and these situations in a way that makes me throw logic and good reason out the window, preferring instead to squirm around in my chair in delight, wanting more of everything she’s offering up. It’s often OTT and melodramatic, I’ll admit, but I’m fucking obsessed and never want it to end!

In keeping with the previous Westbrook Elite stories, there’s yet another crazy whackadoodle stalker on the scene and beautiful, sweet-hearted Wes is the target, making Max go into double time with his protective duties, which thankfully plays a hand in getting these two guys to finally admit their BIG LOVE for each other, damn the consequences. I always enjoy these stalker side plots, although I will admit that the stakes here didn’t feel as high as when Rory and Madison were being tormented in books one and two. Then again, the relationship here meant a lot more to me, so my focus was elsewhere anyway.

Once again, it was great to be immersed in this college world, with these loveable characters and the loyal-for-life friendships between the Elite boys (and their partners). As always, Jamie stole all the scenes, which is okay by me because I live for the moments his character is on page, being all charming and hilarious and bro-tastic AF.

“You ever tried with a dude?” I asked, thinking maybe I’d make my point.
Jamie sighed dramatically. “Ryan wouldn’t have me. Crushed my heart.”
Ryan laughed. “Fuck off.”

I did fear that this would end at a trilogy, but hot damn, Hebert has introduced us to so many great secondary characters that it would be a crime against humanity not to write ALL the potential stories in the world of the Westbrook Elite. And if I haven’t made it clear, I’m here for every single moment of it, please and thank you!

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! 🌈🔥💦❤️🙌

[Imme [trying to crawl out of hiatus] van Gorp · Rating 4 out of 5]

|| 3.5 stars ||

This wasn’t really what I expected it to be, and I mean that in a good as well as in a bad way: The writing was a lot more flowery and dragged-out than I was expecting (bad), but it did make their love story feel more pure than I thought it would be (good). The whole thing was also quite over-the-top, but that was actually something I was already expecting.

The idea of Max and Wes intrigued me immediately. The fact that Max was not only super protective and possessive, but he was also Wes’s pseudo-brother resulted in a great mix: It gave their relationship a swoon-worthy dynamic, but it also made it filled with plenty of angst and depth.
Max would literally drop everything at the drop of a hat if Wes so much as made a peep; he would do anything for him because Wes was his whole damn universe. He would snarl and bark at everyone else, but for Wes he could be incredibly soft.

However, I did get a little bit annoyed at how much Max kept denying his feelings at the start. At least he never denied he cared deeply, but I wish he didn’t so steadfastly refuse to give in to his romantic feelings or that at least Wes would have pushed back against him some more.
Later on, when they did get together, the love-bombing actually became a bit too much though. It was cute, do not get me wrong, but it was also slightly repetitive and eventually I was kind of over it. Keep in mind, this book is really really long, so the romance does drag quite a bit.
I also wasn’t a big fan of their sexual dynamic; Max was too bossy and the praise kink wasn’t for me. I’m sure a lot of people would like this though. The scenes were just too long for me personally and also not really my style. Then again, I’m not much of a smut fan in general, so take my opinion with a pinch of salt here.

Now, I want to take a little moment to talk about the side characters because I LOVED THEM!
Ryan and Jamie were such amazing friends and the way they always had Wes’ back made my heart so happy! Jamie was generally just hilarious and he cracked me up on multiple occasions.
Rory and Madison were honestly just sweethearts and I loved how these girls always showed up for Wes. I thought their own relationships with their boyfriends (Ryan and Jamie) were also very cute! I almost want to go back and read the previous books!
Win was an awesome brother to Wes and Max, and he constantly put a smile on my face. He fit in effortlessly with everyone and he was always there for his baby bro. I definitely might check out his book with Lars when it comes out.
Anyway, all these characters had so many hilarious or sweet interactions with either Wes, Max or each other, and I adored it each time.
This is definitely one of those found family series that really succeeds in making you see that the group cares about and loves each other deeply, but also seems like they would be so much fun to be around.

[moonlight ☾ [semi-hiatus] · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars ☆

“You're mine. Mine to love. Mine to fuck. Mine to protect.”
~ whenever characters say shit like this, i literally melt. 😭

✧ i loved Wes and Max together!! ott possessiveness/jealousy is my weakness so give me a couple with this dynamic and i'll eat it up. this was the definition of Wes and Max (honestly, it's how Cambria Hebert characters are and i aint complaining 😌). i loved how, the moment they confessed and things were official between them, they stayed together until the end. no unnecessary or annoying break ups took place and i was so happy for that. ngl though, i also loved the moments Max got jealous before they were officially together, bc it felt satisfying after seeing Wes' pining.

“I wasn't fighting your battle,” Ryan said quietly. “But I will always show up for your war.”

✧ THE SIDE CHARACTERS!! THE FRIENDSHIPS!! i've read a bunch of CH books at this point and i always love her side characters and the found family dynamic within her characters. this was no different. Jamie, Ryan and Wes had such a cute friendship and i loved the moment when Max finally tried to get along with them for Wes' sake. <3

“You love him, right?” Win asked point blank.
I felt the muscles in Max's stomach stiffen at my back, but I kept focused on Win. “Yes,” I answered, completely confident. “I love him. I always have.”
Win nodded once. “Then, yeah. I'm okay with it.”
“I mean I love him as more than a brother.” I pressed, making sure he understood.
He made a rude sound. “You have a big hickey on your neck. I get it.”

✧ speaking of side characters i loved, Win is definitely on top of that list in this book. i loved how chill and easygoing he was, but also the way he was so supportive of Wes and Max. 🥹 the way he didn't even bat an eye when Wes told him about them. if anyone deserves a story, it's him. really hoping it'll be with his roommate. 👀

story arcs:
✧ the whole stalking story line... although i predicted who it was, the events that happened towards the end had me like wtf. at least it kept me on my toes, i guess? 😭
✧ idk how to feel about how the arc with Max's biological dad ended. it felt rushed and unresolved, even though they kinda had their "goodbye" moment but idk.

[hope · Rating 5 out of 5]

***4.5 stars***

“I will never deny you. I will never be ashamed of you. I will never downplay what you are to me no matter who is in the room. I’m gonna hold your hand in public. Grab your fine ass. Kiss your face. Hell, I’ll tongue-fuck you if I’m so inclined. And if anyone, anyone at all, has a problem with it, they can step to me, and I’ll put them on their ass.”

This review might be a little chaotic and be mostly me gushing about moments I loved in the story rather than an actual review…😂 but I couldn’t help myself, I had the best time. It felt like Cambria Hebert went right into my brain to find everything I love in a book and put it into this. The possessiveness and protectiveness, the neediness, and the clingy love was so so SO good. Max is carefully crafted perfection. I feel like Cambria especially took her time to make this man. I’m obsessed with characters like him. Was this book ott, kinda random at points, and some things had me like ???? Yes, but did that bother me? Not even a little bit because of how much I fell in love with wesmax.

My attention went back to Wes and how his shoulder pressed against the cold glass of the window. The sudden urge to strip off my jacket and shove it between him and the glass caught me off guard.

Umm.. I don’t know if it’s just me, but this moment had me freaking out. It was only 6% in and this display of protectiveness already – as soon as I read that I knew this book was going to be it for me. Wes was leaning against a cold window in the diner him and his friends always eat in and as soon as Max seen him, his first instinct was to put his jacket between Wes and the window because it was cold???? Like there is protectiveness and then there’s this. Y'all — I did not think it was possible to swoon that hard or that a book could literally have me by the throat that quick.

“If anything happens to him,” Max said, staring at the doctor, “there will be nowhere on this earth you can hide.”

“Wes.” The asshole who’d been touching what was mine stepped forward.
I snatched Wes into me, enclosing him with leather-covered arms. “Touch him and die,” I said, meaning every single syllable.

“You’re mine,” I grunted, scissoring him open with my fingers. “Mine to love. Mine to fuck. Mine to protect.”

Max will protective Wes with his whole being, we know this. But he literally gave “touch him and die” and “I’ll kill for you” and “I'll protective you for the rest of my life” tropes. As you read on, the more you find out about what Max has done to ensure Wes’s safety— UGH at that point I was already a puddle, a blushing giggling screaming MESS while reading this. The way Max always carried Wes around and always had him in his lap. Wes basically melted every time he was in Max's lap and it made me melt too😭

My hands fell to his hips as he turned, putting me behind him. I despised the inches between us, so I pulled him in so my chest blanketed his back.

IT'S THE LITTLE THINGS. Like please?? Can they just stop??? I seriously could not handle them. Yes, this is just something very small, but it meant EVERYTHING. I honestly don’t know why I was freaking out so much but imagine being so in love and obsessed with your partner that only a couple inches of distance between you two is too much 😭😭 That was exactly Wes and Max…and they really needed to stop because they were going to kill me (in a good way).

You have no idea how many times I’ve thought of touching you. Of dragging my fingers over every inch of your smooth skin. When you swim, the water skims over you like a silky caress, and it makes me so insanely jealous, knowing something can touch you like that but I never could.”

Yes, Max was that possessive over Wes, that he was jealous of WATER 😩 If I saw this quote before I read this, that alone would have convinced me to read this. Wes was Max’s number one priority over anything and anyone. Protecting Wes wasn’t something that he just wanted to do, it was like an instinct. I know I’ve been talking a lot about Max’s possessiveness but it was the same from Wes. Wes would put his life on the line for Max too.

The world seemed to tilt on its axis, or maybe I was just dizzy as hell, but Max didn’t just kiss. He consumed. He wrapped himself around me, somehow making me feel small, and staked his claim. There in the protection of his body, I could fall apart because he would hold me together. The fragments of me that had long since gone empty were replenished by the love I tasted on his tongue.

When these two finally came together – it was perfection. When they were in it, THEY WERE IN IT. Completely devoted to each other and there was no unnecessary third act break up, thank god. There was no way in hell Max would even let them break up anyway 😌 When they kissed and touched, they literally came apart for each other. I’m in love with their love 🥺

“It’s not your job to protect me!” he roared. “Yes, it is!” I roared back. “That’s what we do. We protect each other!”
He came at me like a linebacker ready to take me out. I didn’t run or even try and struggle when he plowed me into the wall, his hand coming up to protect the back of my head even in his fury.

This moment was sooo damn funny to me. Max is very scary, intimidating, and will scare off anyone who so much as looks at Wes the wrong way. HELL, even is someone just looked at him 💀 But no matter how angry or scary Max got, Wes was never afraid of him. So when they got into this argument and Max, even in his blinding rage, pushed him against the wall but made sure to put his hand BEHIND HIS HEAD so he didn’t hit his head????? LIKE ARE THEY KIDDING ME? Can they not be perfect for once? It’s so funny because he’d die before he let anything happen to Wes, so his attempt at this just made me laugh so hard 🤣

“The only person I’m capable of loving like this is you. You and only you.”

If you love over possessive needy love, brother's best friend, praise kink, kinda stepbrothers but not? a person who always carries their lover around and has them in their lap all the time 🥺 amazing and supportive side characters, little bit of angst, and romantic suspense with soulmates vibes to the max, you'll love this.

Spoilers so beware…

The reason why this wasn’t a full 5 star read for me was because the stuff with Max’s dad felt unresolved???

I was really mad about Max hooking up with some random girl at the bathroom in the diner just after what happened to Wes with him coming out to his swim team. It was also just random asf. Like who just grabs a random girl in a diner and brings her to the bathroom??? Wes needed him and he went and did that so I was like….okay 💔 and it got worse because further into the book because you find out that Max has known this whole time that Wes has been in love with him. So, he could have at least not done it right in front of Wes’s face. Like wtf. BUT, if when you kept reading, you found out that he didn’t actually do anything with that girl. He tried but he couldn’t. He was just trying to get out his frustrations because he wasn't able to be with Wes. So, my heart ended up being repaired and Max definitely made up for it.

[Renae Reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

*** I reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.***

So after taking a moment to collect my thoughts I have concluded that I liked parts of this story. I enjoyed the main romance between Wes and Max. Max and Wes have a forbidden romance that is understandably difficult given their particular status as "brothers."

Max and Wes love each other deeply and seeing their devotion and protectiveness towards each other was well done. Their dynamic was fun to see change and evolve as their feelings became more evident. I really enjoyed this aspect of the story.

As for the areas of this story that I was not a fan of were the subplots revolving around an obsessive stalker and a homophobic teammate. I found these elements could have worked better if one subplot was chosen, but because both were, I felt these storylines were rushed, over-the-top dramatic, and distractingly frustrating. I found these subplots thrown together when they needed more time to be fleshed out for the story to be more effective. It has been a minute since I was so puzzled by the plot points and flow of a story.

Overall I enjoyed most of this story, but those other elements were quite distracting, in an unnecessary way. Even though this was more of a mixed reaction I am still excited to see more. In particular from Wes and Max's brother Win. He was quite fun and I think he has a surprising story to tell.

[martina (the life of a chaotic reader) · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5
okay this is bad. but it’s the kind of bad that entertains me, so that’s good.
i’ll just add the random thoughts i had while reading this because i’m moving out and i honestly don’t have time to write a review.

SPOILERS BELOW

-max put a tail on his brother? so he can show up if wes needs him? fuck me that’s hot
-“We both had dark hair, but mine was blacker, just like my heart.” BE FOR REAL
-9% car accident we’re laying it thick with the drama
-plssss this is awful i love it
-shock max loves wes!!!!
-“The only thing you can hump is me. The only place you’re allowed to come is on my cock,” those words do things to a girl
-pretty sure i read a one direction fanfic like this in 2013
-this is testing me
-oh no we crossed the line between bad funny and bad kill me now
-thoughts and prayers for the guy that has to watch wes he’s okay he just has a boring job
-if crazy girl and crazy guy team up with asshole dad they might win
-omg men can be sexually assaulted too!!! this is an awakening
-NOT IN THE FRIDGE WHAT IN THE FUCKING RATATOUILLE oh it’s an ice chest
-officer said i don’t care if you’re literally freezing you’re giving me your statement now and if you die, less paperwork for me
-not the police so calmly taking statements with veronica locked in the walk in fridge i’m crying
-okay the letter was nice, it’s a shame that i can’t say that for the rest of the book tbh

[Megan [At The Cottage] · Rating 4 out of 5]

MM Romance
Friendship Set On Fire
4.5 Stars ⭐️


I fucking loved this even though I feel like I shouldn’t have due to all the crazy drama happening here but I can’t help it! I’m a whore for Max and Wes and the bond they have as friends but also as soulmates. I had never read anything by this author before this and I need to remedy that immediately by checking out their backlist. I feel like nothing I say will express how much I loved this but I’ll try.

The first 40% of this book is angsty AF. These two spend the first part of this book pining, longing, fucking yearning for each other and it hurt so good. I read this with a lump in my throat and tears blurring my eyes because these two absolutely adored each other but couldn’t act on it. The reasons Max had for not giving in felt very valid and yet early on there is a flashback to the past and as readers we are shown that this isn’t the forbidden obstacle our boys think it is which makes it even sadder. I wanted to hug both of them especially Max and let him know it was okay.

Then once Max’s resolve snaps, we learn all the things he’s done with Wes in mind for years and my heart broke 💔 I loved how they talked about everything because Wes needed that assurance so much. This felt so real and heartfelt but not in a cheesy way. The focus was never about just sex even though they were fuck hot together once they gave in but them being together finally was about just being able to hold the other, say all the things they wanted etc. The sex was just a bonus when the real prize was each other.

My favorite parts of this book had nothing to do with the sex either. I loved the nicknames, the tattoo 💗💗💗, the obsessive possessive way Max took care of Wes even when it seemed crazy, learning about their relationship in the past, Wes’s devotion and love for Max despite his darkness, the moon and the stars 🌝✨. When I worked out why this book was named “Wish”…Absolute swoon 🥰🥰

BUT for as much as I loved Max and West as a couple and their amazing friend group, this got crazy OTT near the end and while I had been expecting something to happen, what did was just too much. It was just so wacky and why I can’t rate this 5 stars despite loving the majority of this book.

Other Random Things
⭐️I feel like Max was some kind of cat shifter because he growled and purred constantly.
⭐️I somehow have 116 highlights. Like WTF.
⭐️The first two books in this series are MF so I didn’t read them and they aren’t necessary to understand this one.
⭐️It took me entirely too long to understand why Max called Wes his nickname. 🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️ DUH 🙄

[Whitney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Max + Wes 🖤
Brothers by heart turned into more | Good boy | Virgin | Bi-awakening | Mine | Touch him and die

I read the MM in this series completely out of order and this one just lacked a little for me compared to the others.

....

"If anything happens to him, there will be nowhere on this earth you can hide."

"Trust me when I tell you I have never wanted anything or anyone more than I want you."

"You taste damn good baby."

"I'm going to claim you now, Wes. You're mine and no one else's."

"You're my best boy."

....

⚠️potential spoilers below in detailed tropes and trigger warnings




Tropes:
Brothers by choice, not blood
Brother's best friend
Best friends brother
Good boy
Bi awakening
Protector
Jealousy
Possessiveness
Virgin MC
Strict roles
Hurt comfort
Face fucking
Love making
Emotional
Codependency
"Mine"
Max has a tattoo for Wes
"Nemo" aka cutest pet name ever
Touch him and die

TWs:
Crazy bitch girl
Wes gets roofied
Light sexual assault (kissing and straddling without consent - not between MCs)
Mentions of assault
Dead parents
Abusive parent
Violence
Abuse
Car accidents both on and off page
Hospital stay
Injury from car accident
Mention of surgery and brain damage

[Kati *☆･ﾟ]

***no rating***
dropped @40%


Yes, I see why so many ppl love this book and others in the series. Yes, there were moments I couldn’t contain my laughter bc of the great banter. And yes, the romance def is heartfelt and I was into both MCs.


BUT. This shit is just way too long for my taste coupled with a too slow pace. I mean, I already listened to five hours of this and there are still more than eight to go. And there hasn’t happened that much.

Maybe someday when I don’t have anything else to listen to.

[Amina · Rating 4 out of 5]

✰ 3.75 stars ✰

“Did you know I would watch the water droplets trickle over your body and wish it was my tongue?”

For a book that opened with such a promising introduction about Westbrook Elite, where it's all about how swimming was their focus - their passion - their life, I read this, hoping that Wish would actually have a little more swimming involved in the story. But, the fault is on me, that I should have re-read the blurb before continuing. I am glad I had not removed it from my phone, from where it was lying in wait since January - waiting ever so patiently for me to make time to finally read it. 👌🏻👌🏻

“God, it hurt to love him. It hurt so fucking much. But I couldn’t stop. Wasn’t sure I wanted to.

I wanted Max.

I wanted the one who didn’t want me.

The way he looked at me…

Maybe he can love me too.”

Wes is an absolute sweetheart, who's afflicted with the most painful feeling of them all - wishing. Wishing for what the heart can not have, yearning for a love he feels that cannot be given. Pining for his older brother's best friend, a brother in name and family love, Max owns his heart like nothing else. And add to that grief, when he finally comes out as gay, not everyone is openly ready to accept it. 🥺 There is a very nice gradual build-up to him - a little hard-earned - but finally being able to voice his true feelings for Max - and as much as it hurt to get there, to see his wish finally coming true, was enough to bring a smile to my face.

“You really do want me,” I said, unmasked awe filling my tone.

“Trust me when I tell you I have never wanted anything or anyone more than I want you.”

Family values over desire - responsibility over want - Max knows this all too well. Max is the 'soft asshole', one who personifies 'touch him and die' - literally! ❤️‍🔥 ❤️‍🔥 He's overly protective, tracking his every whereabouts because Wes is so very dear to him - possessive to an extreme, but obviously with good intentions, and silently wishing for him from afar. There's only so much he can cover up his feelings, with otherworldly tactics. I admired his restraint so much, when clearly all he wanted was Wes to be happy and protected and loved, and he kept fighting it off. But, the lines start to blue when Wes is in a near-fatal car accident that pushes him to the limit - when he sees him dancing a little too close for his liking in the arms of another man - does he finally remove the shackles and make Wes' wish come true. 🥹🥹

“If we do this,” I said around a ragged breath, “I can’t go back to being your brother. I won’t be able to be that ever again.”

If you tell me in the morning this was a mistake, it will break me beyond repair.

“Ah, baby.” His voice was soft, the term of endearment punctuated by his lips brushing across my forehead.

“How about you be my heart instead?”

😳💘😳💘😳

And then acting upon years of pent-up want and desire, all the intense kissing, the soft snuggling and cuddling, the temptation for more and more and more and more. For a man so aggressively firm, that little tattoo, the flame of passion that enthralled them both - trying to get closer and loser, because he was 'you were always who I wanted. My Nemo. My little fish. My everything.' 🫠🫠🫠 It would melt anyone's heart, the way that it did Wes. It was that all-knowing feeling of reassurance - that this wasn't just a sudden hit of attraction - that they both had been feeling it for years - too afraid and ashamed to act upon it. I know that feeling of wondering 'why didn't you ever say anything' and all the years lost because of it. It was then with unbridled, full-force love, did they act upon years of restrained longing - giddy with happiness that Wes and Max's wishes were one and the same. 🥲🥲

“But you still said it. And you always show up for us. We’ll do the same for you and Wes.”
I nodded. “Bro, thanks.”

“Did you just bro me?”
“You’re hearing things,” I told him and started across the parking lot.

“We just had a bro moment.”
“No, we didn’t,” I protested.

“Bro, yeah, we did.”
“Please stop.”

Wes' teammates, James and Ryan, were very loud and also very supportive - bros for life. And as annoying at times that their presence felt to me, I appreciated how hands-on and caring they were about Wes and how they called Max out, at times, for his unreasonable behavior. Wes' older brother and Max's best friend, Win, was also a great addition to the team; he offered moral comfort and rational thinking that reassured both of them of their supposed illicit relationship, and I sometimes did laugh at how brazen and bold, his candidness was with their behavior. 😀

“You aren’t his parent. You never were. And though we are family, you aren’t his brother. You just loved him. Nothing about that is weird, Max. In fact, it’s actually kinda impressive.”

“I really needed to hear that.”

Uff, and that conflict with that twist ending! It was wild and intensely insane, but brutally valid - someone who has just come out to get whiplash at such a high extent, was not only jarring, but concerning. I didn't quite expect it to go down that trajectory, but once the pieces fell into place, I kinda understood what the author was attempting to achieve. And well, I guess, it was helpful that Max was so overbearingly concerned about Wes' well-being, because it finally paid off in the end. 🤍🤍

“I wished for you,” he whispered.

“I know,” I whispered back.

I do want to critique about the convenience of the happy ending with their mother's last wishes, that even on her death bed, she was able to not only talk to Max, but write a letter, too! And, there were a couple of instances, where the writing threw me off and where the dialogue was so very rampant, it got a little too hectic for my liking. 😅 Yet, seeing the emotional journey it took for both of them to get to where they are now - that they could finally remove that little burden from their minds - made it rather impossible for me to mention it. And there were a few other minor complaints here and there, but after reading the achingly-sweet Author's Note, I can't bring myself to mention them; I would just feel so guilty if I did. 😊

“I always thought being one thing to Wes was better than being nothing at all.

But I couldn’t just be one thing to someone who was my everything. To someone who was my greatest wish.

And now?

We didn’t have to wish for each other because this wish… came true.”

[Gaby · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was really meh. I just made myself read it because I want to read about Win and his roommate.

I just couldn’t like this book. Wes was too much of a whimpering, shivering, virgin mess, and Max acted like he competed for the most toxic, red flag 🚩 LI ever.

If I liked MF more, I would probably read Jamie and Ryan’s books because the writing was not terrible, and they seemed like nice dudes, even if they said “bro” a lot, but I don’t really care enough.

I also don’t get what Rinkin’s plan actually was or how we really thought it would help him. And what’s it necessary for the random chapter with Max’s dad? Or was it just there as an excuse for them to have sex and for Max to be ultra possessive?

[Cat the bookworm (semi hiatus ish) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book doesn’t do half measures - it’s either full blown out drama, or love for all eternity.

It’s very obvious that this author usually writes MF romances. Wes is the kind of blushing virgin (he actually talks about “losing his V-card” 🙄) whom everyone either loves (his friends, and his brother), wants (guys and girls alike, because he’s so pretty), both love and want (Max, obviously) or hate (all the bad homophobes). He’s not like all the other boys, he’s a good swimmer, with a great, smooth, but hard body, stands up to his bullies (and Max), but has a very sensitive side (tearing up after his first time, and whimpering helplessly when Max gets him hot). Oh and he has a “weeping cock” and “painfully hard nipples” 🤣

Max on the other hand is a loner, has a “black diamond stare”, rides a bike (a Harley ofc), wears a leather jacket, has tattoos, has a honed, manly body (no shaved bits here), a scruff, and puts all the alphas to shame with his possessiveness (he even puts a spy app on Wes’ phone, and has “his guys” looking out for Wes). He calls his dick “my manhood” and wants to kill or maim everyone who puts a hand on his baby boy.

It’s… a bit much 🤣

But once I got in the groove, it was fun, you just need to get in the right headspace for a soap opera and enjoy the ride.

As mentioned, this book doesn’t do drama in half measures - we have abusive parents, more than one car accident, vows on the deathbed, and A LOT of pining, just to name a few.

And before I suspended my disbelief and the logical part of my mind still worked, I had questions. Like: how is Max „honed by experience and survival “? Isn’t he just 22, 3 years older than Wes?

Or another one: the switch from “I don’t care/i need to fuck it out of my system with a random hookup” to “I can’t let him out of my sight” is a bit drastic. And I really don’t like the way he tried to intimidate the hospital staff. Jesus. Get a grip. They’re only doing their job. And after YEARS of knowing him, Max has an epiphany and suddenly WANTS Wes and he’s daddy-ing him? How? Why? On the other hand - Wes behaves like a 12yo with all the shyness and curling into a tight ball, not at all like a pro college swimmer, so it probably fits.

And most of all: do swimmers really shave their balls (and between their cheeks) because of swimming? And logistically: HOW do you reach behind you with a razor? How long are their arms? 😅

Then we have the stalker. Talk about unrequited love 🙄🤣 again, no half measures.

But there’s a time and place for a soap opera, too, so if you’re in the mood for it, you’ll have a blast with this book. I’m not sure how to rate it - it’s definitely no high literature, or making you empathise because it’s so realistic. It’s a “grab a bag of popcorn and go for it” kind of book, so I guess I’ll go with 3 stars.

[yaishin · Rating 3 out of 5]

eh the ending wasn't the best for me. loved Wesley's character.

[haletostilinski · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐︎ 4.5 Stars Rounded Up! ⭐︎

I absolutely adored this and couldn't get enough of it.

As someone who didn't read the first two books in this series - I still just do not have the desire to read MF - I think I was able to catch up pretty quickly.

From references to a few events previously, I obviously missed some things that happened between Max and Wes, but it really wasn't enough to make me feel like I missed anything or that I couldn't follow their romance because of it.

So I would say, if you're like me and prefer to just read MM, then you can definitely pick this up and not be missing much. I might skim through the first two to get some more Max/Wes moments, who knows...I'd like to see the moments mentioned, at least haha.

But anyway, I was able to follow this well, regardless.

Max and Wes are practically brothers. They've known each other since Max 5, Wes 3. I mean, they've barley gone their whole lives not knowing each other. And at such young ages, I don't think they could remember time before knowing each other. Max maybe a little, but not much.

They're practically brothers because Max and Win, Wes' brother, are best friends. Have been since they were 5.

Max was born to a highly abusive home. Apparently, he's been abused by his father - while his mother just stands and watches and does nothing - since he was a toddler.

Of course, enduring that your whole life would make you hard, make it hard to trust, make you somewhat cold sometimes.

Max is all those things, except with those closest to him. Which are Win and Wes. But especially with Wes, because of course they're head over heels in love with each other.

But it's complicated, because Max is basically family. He was over at Win and Wes' all the time growing up to get away from his abusive home. He calls their parents Mom and Dad - who tragically died after a car accident almost 4 years prior in this story - and to top it all off, before their mom passed, she asked Max to be Wes' legal guardian to keep them all together, as he was 18 at the time and Win was still a few months away from being 18 at the time. Wes was still 15.

So that's complicated things, although Max has never told Wes that he was his legal guardian until he was 18. Wes was led to believe it was all Win as his legal guardian.

But Wes is 19 now, an adult, and there is no more legal guardianship or him being a minor or anything like that. They're free to be together, really.

And Max was never adopted either, for reasons the book goes into.

And it's good he wasn't too, because that would just make it all the more complicated between them. He'd legally be Wes' brother.

Thankfully, he's not.

Max just has to get past his hang ups, very understandable ones, but still, hang ups, to be with Wes.

Wes is ready and willing, although he's been pining for years at this point, and thinks it'll never happen, and that Max is straight.

But things are coming to a head when Wes gets into a car accident, and feelings long buried, can't stay buried anymore.

Their chemistry was so so good. And of course I lived for Max's super overprotective, super possessiveness.

Especially because Wes loved it, even as he halfheartedly tries to reprimand Max at times, to fight him on stuff. But that's just to be a "brat" as Max affectionally calls him. Really, Wes gets turned on by it all lol.

Max tries to stay away from Wes, but when the real possibility of Wes trying to move on and be with someone else arises, Max's ass is finally lit of fire, and he can't let that happen. He can't stand thinking of Wes with someone else, and Wes is his, so he gives into the love he clearly has for him, damn the consequences.

Even though their parents are dead, Max has been scared that loving Wes in a romantic way would have made them take their love they for him away, but he just can't not be with Wes anymore. He can't resist, especially when he might lose him.

Once they finally give in, they're all in. They're both very much "no one is ever taking me away from you" and "this is it, for life, forever" and I was ALL for it haha.

I was even digging the slightly OTT-ness with a girl who has a major crush on Wes. She was a little OTT, but I didn't mind. There are real people out there who do that horrible shit she does in this, so I didn't feel it went too far.

My only small complaint and reason for giving .5 stars off, is, honestly, just that it didn't lean into the taboo-ness enough for me.

Aside from a few people who were intentionally antagonists/villains, everyone else just accepted their relationship really easily. I know they're not actually related, and not really brothers, but still, even then, I feel like people would be shocked by it and have some negative reactions.

Win was fine with it. Hell, he knew before Max did, essentially and pushed him to give into his feelings in the first place.

Their parents were fine with it, as we find out via flashback. Their friends were all fine with it.

It was whatever for them. They all kinda knew before Max and Wes got together anyway.

It just kinda lost some of that spicey taboo nature that way and I was a little bummed. Not enough to rate this lower, because the rest of this was just so good and the chemistry was still wonderful and I absolutely adored these two together and all the other elements of this story was so good.

But still, I do wish we had gotten a few negative reactions from those closest to them. Maybe if it'd just been Win, as this was both of his brothers together in that way.

Hell, he even sees them naked, tangled together under the sheets in bed and just casually eats cereal. It didn't feel 100% realistic. A comment or two from him about one or two things feeling "weird" doesn't cut it for me. He was basically 100% cool with it.

And again, I know, Max isn't biologically their brothers and all. But he's practically grown up with them and Win definitely considers him as a brother.

I just wanted bigger reactions from at least him. Maybe Wes' friends. *shrug*

But in the end, it didn't bother be too much, so only .5 stars off for me. The rest was just too good to care too much about that aspect of this.

The extreme possessiveness by Max was one of the things that made for it, because man that boy was possessive AF and I was here for it. He even had a tracker on Wes' phone and was not sorry about it. Wes put up some fight about it, but barely. He was fully aware of Max keeping tabs on him at all times, at least. And again, secretly loving it all lol.

These two men were deeply in love and it showed and I was riveted to the pages. Even though this was fairly long and packed a lot of these two together into it, I still wanted more of them by the end, which is always a good sign.

I'm also very intrigued about Win and this Lars fellow...hopefully they're the next MM book in the series - CH at the end of this said she plans for two more MF and two more MM books in the series, so here's hoping Win and Lars are one of the MM books to come 🤞

Can't wait!

[Dani · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm really unsure about what this was trying to be.

I'm usually a huge fan of super possessive, aggressive, Mine, Mine, Mine characters BUT this just didn't work for me. It was like a really bad caricature.

I'm always a fan of stepbrothers /brother-like relations too, but this was just off somehow.

Can't even put my finger on what exactly made me dislike this one 🤷🏻‍♀️

[Kaity]

Audio: 0 stars, what the hell, those narrators are all wrong for those characters!

Book: DNF @23% aka page 103

Can be read as a standalone!

I tried to push through and figure out why so many of my goodreads friends loved this… I couldn’t understand. Also the narrators ruined this for me.

Don’t get me wrong, I loved the #Gearshark series (but haven’t reread that in years). This book felt very poorly written like, idk how to describe it but, all the characters talked like they weren’t young adults/adults… they talked younger than that which was annoying…

I think this is time for me to stop reading Cambria Herbert books, I think the same issue happened to me when I tried to read another one of her books a few years ago!

Oh well can’t win them all, glad I didn’t waste a credit on this, this book is on whysperscyn but I still wasted $7.49…. Ugh.

[Marci]

I remember now why I only read one of this author’s books lmao. Calling it quits at 10%! The weird misogyny from that one I read is also here too so yeah I’m good. Plus the writing, plot and characters are not interesting enough for me to continue with this. And I already know the pacing is going to piss me off! I just want more books like Romeo Falling by Jesse H Reign that’s why I picked this one up🫣

[peoniesandmm · Rating 5 out of 5]

well this was everything i needed and more. talk about possessive!! this is the gold standard!!

wowowowowow i loved every second of reading this 😭

[Jennifer☠Pher☠ · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5★'s – Rounded Up, Bro.

Alright.

First book, no complaints regardless of the shit that normally bugs me.

Second book, sort of the same but some of the shit kinda started bugging me.

Third book, weeellllll, I still have that same ‘I don’t care if this normally bothers me I’m having a fun time and am just going to breeze through and enjoy’ but some of it was just not that easy to get through without being bothered, annoyed or just this is too much.

Max in all his growly Alpha glory was really over the top. His back story wasn’t much of a story at all because I never really understood why his childhood and adulthood were the way they were. And Wes, well, he didn’t seem to be the same guy that we’ve met in the previous books. He seemed to fall into a sort of role here that just didn’t completely work for me.

I will also admit to being a little squirmy with the brother thing. It was just so out there. The blurb itself, if you didn’t know, might have you running for the hills. I mean, the Author stands firm that these are STANDALONES so, maybe this is the first in the series someone is picking up. It was just so in your face that they were brothers. I mean, they aren’t. It would have been just as powerful to say ‘I grew up with him, he’s my brothers best friend, he’s like a brother to me’. Like a brother to me would have worked just fine and then there wouldn’t have been squirmy feelings.

Anywhoo…None of that means I didn’t enjoy the read. I did. There is something about this series that I just dig. It is definitely for me an escape. A hot, fun and sweet romance. I dunno. I’m not going to dwell on it too much. I think that is the charm with this series. You know what you are going to get, and you just need to go along for the ride. A supremely possessive Alpha and a Damsel in Distress, or in this case, a Distressed Dude. <- I had to Google that. That’s a brand new thing to me. I like it!

Looks like Win is next. Let’s see how she ties him in to the Elite.

[lakshmi · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Sucks, doesn’t it?”
“What?”
“Knowing someone else touched what you wanted to be yours.”

one thing I’ve always loved about CH books are the found family and loyalty aspects 🌈

[EmilyReadsRomance · Rating 3 out of 5]

An unhinged Riverdale-meets-Elite/Gossip Girl fan fic with toxic possessiveness and over the top melodrama. Literally couldn’t put it down. Lol.

[⋆｡°✮ Lucy InTheSky ✮°｡⋆ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm giving Wes and Maxen's story 3.7 - 3.8⭐.

It took me about two days to read this book, because of the almost 500 pages and a little different writing that I'm used to.

🔵 Brother's best friend
🟣 Almost step-brothers
🟢 Known each other since childhood
🟡 One MC gay and virgin, one MC bisexual
🔴 Possessive, you're mine
🌶️ Good spice, a lot on-page
❗ Sexual assault, physical violence, domestic violence


I'm still not sure whether I really like this book or it's just fine.

I absolutely loved the MCs and their love story, but I think the story went so overboard on certain aspects, that it wasn't endearing or that interesting anymore.

Wes and Maxen's story is that of an early childhood special connection, them living as (almost) stepbrothers with Max being Win's best friend and seeking sanctuary at their home from his abusive parents.
Wes and Max basically grew up together and had a really special connection since the very start.

I would've appreciated a little more background, especially concerning Max and his home situation, him spending so much time together with Win and Wes' family and consequently that crucial time of 2-3 years before Wes' parents died, where Wes fell in love with Max and Max was painfully aware of it.

Not only that, he returned the feelings.

Their story starts in the middle of the on-going situation, so it took me a little time to put 2 and 2 together and sadly those parts of realizing how they feel about each other were left out .

Their feelings, once out in the open, developed naturally and put them in a really wonderful place where they already both knew each other profoundly, loved each other as family and topped it off with hot, intense chemistry.

The love story was angst-free and wonderful, it was detailed and it didn't leave anything out, and that I absolutely liked.
I love it when the author takes their time and thinks of little details, writes them down and makes you really experience everything with the MCs.

I did have some hiccups with this story and those were the reasons I couldn't rate it more, although it really had all the good tropes and they were done well;

➡️ Max's possessiveness was way too OTT. At times it was absolutely cringe and unnecessary. I felt like they never had a serene, relaxed moment as a couple, Max was constantly growling and "making rude noises" 😄, I mean, it bordered on ridiculous sometimes.

➡️ Bro, bro, bro, BRO, brooooo, like whaat?? 🙄

➡️ All the sex and romantic scenes were developed and detailed, EXCEPT the most important one , the one where they read their late mother's letter and her blessing for their relationship, where they made love afterwards.

That scene was simply skipped. 🫣😬

➡️ The conflict and the arrangement with Max's dad. There was absolutely no resolve there. It was a page filler and nothing else. I expected some conclusion out of Max still getting beaten up occasionally and him being blackmailed by his father, I mean, those were some seriously heavy things going on and they apparently went away, just like that.

I read around 500 pages of a long love story for the main problem, Max being abused, to just go away off-page? 🤨


All in all it was a satisfying, kind of forbidden love story, but it really didn't feel forbidden, since they've lived together for 3 years only and Max was never officially adopted.

I think at least something should've had that wow factor in this story, it wasn't Veronica for me at all, not even Max and Wes coming together, this book was just an excerpt from their life. I like them both, but I wasn't...thrilled or extatic when I finished the book.

This was my first time reading this author and this is the first m/m book in this series. While I haven't read the first two installments, I don't think it's necessary.

[Ro {semi-hiatus} · Rating 4 out of 5]

ahhhh, i was deep in it until the end and then it just kind of went sideways for me but this is still hovering at 4 stars for me regardless because i am nothing if not a delusional queen who willingly sacrifices realism for the sake of drama and a happy ending. i came to be entertained and i WAS.

Wes is a 19 year old Elite swimmer. after being orphaned at 15? 16? by a car accident that claimed both his parents, he was raised by his brother Win and his pseudo brother Max. i went into this expecting a stepbro situation but this was both more and less than that. he's been in love with Max for years and shoved it all down out of fear his feelings would not only be unreciprocated, but would be rejected and drive a wedge between their small family of three.

Maxen was 18 when Wes' parents died. after becoming best friends with Win, their parents made him an honorary son and he was devastated by the loss of the couple he considered his true parents since his biological parents were abusive pieces of shit. he assumes responsibility for Wes since he was old enough to take guardianship, but doesn't disclose this to Wes because of the feelings he has for him. instead, it's understood by Wes that Win was in charge despite him not being quite 18. whatever whatever. Max knows Wes is in love with him and feels the same toward him, but due to the nature of their relationship and the guilt he feels at wanting Wes in a way that potentially would have disappointed their parents, he smothers his own feelings and refuses to acknowledges Wes' at all.

things hit a breaking point when Wes is in a car accident and Max takes it upon himself to care for him in the aftermath. unable to stay away from him, he forces him to come home and even kisses him before regretting it. Win, with all the well-timed banter and compassion in the world, assures Max he already knows the two of them are hot for each other and gives his blessing. but Max, the ever tortured martyr, continues to denies himself... at least until the spurned baby bro gets even by hightailing it to a gay party where he's bumped and grinded on by someone veryyyy desperado to have the swimmer in his bed.

Max goes OTT jealous lover boy and drags Wes from the party, declaring his love and claiming Wes on some spicy dicey shit. i love that for them. but while everyone else is sagged in relief because *finally* the two knuckle heads confessed and got it over with, there are a couple villainous cretins who are not so impressed with the brothers-turned-boyfriends relationship.

Rinkin is a homophobic frog boy from the swim team and Veronica is a waitress at the diner the swimmers patron. Veronica is serving some serious unhinged vibes for gay boy Wes and when she's rejected, she lures Rinkin into her Great Value Harley Quinn scheme to trap and defile our poor baby Nemo. this is where it all goes telenova for me because as serious as female on male sexual assault is, this was such a heavily dramatized part of the plot i honestly couldn't even be tense during. it was actually quite hilarious i'm so sorry 💀

the book more or less concludes with a years old handwritten note from mommy basically giving her blessing to Max and Wes from her deathbed. it was all very sweet but the Hallmark channel energy was so real, i wanted to immediately check for cavities then lobotomize myself to forget that part of the book happened because it went from delicious drama that had an air of believability to "oh right, i'm a dumb bitch reading a romance book what did i expect?" anyways, the boys get their HEA obvi and i took the fifth star away because i'm bitter about how forced the ending had to be.

i'm glad i didn't let Wet be a one and done by this author. admittedly i don't totally appreciate the victim representation she writes, but i'm out of pocket enough to overlook it since it could undoubtedly be worse. i loved that Max was fiercely protective well before he ever became romantic and intimate with Wes and that softened the distaste when Wes sought Max's comfort after his experience. happy 4 stars from moi

[Angie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brother. Brother's best friend. Guardian. Secret crush. Wet dream. Headache. Heartache. Wish. Max had been so many things to me over the years. But what he was now was my favorite. Boyfriend.

4.5 stars!

Gah! I have been wishing and waiting for Wes and Max's book since we met them in book 1, and Cambria did not disappoint with this one! There was so much forbidden angst and secret longing that has been building for years between these two, but they both had so much to overcome--both internally and externally--before they were willing to open themselves to the idea of happiness with each other. Even though their story was a bit of a slow burn, the courtship and buildup between Wes and Max was perfectly paced and unhurried. When they finally came together, the result was ultra steamy and filled with Max's growly demands and Wes's bratty innocence. I absolutely loved their moments together, but the bromance between Ryan, Jamie, and Wes still managed to steal some scenes. I'm stoked for Win's book next as we continue on in this series♡

Tropes: forbidden love, brother's best friend, taboo/guardian romance, LGBTQ+, MM romance, hate-to-love-you, secret pining/angsty, grumpy/sunshine, opposites attract, sports romance, romantic suspense, 'who did this to you' vibes, alpha j/p hero, cinnamon roll/virgin hero, praise kink, STEAMY🔥

*ARC provided by GMB promo, and I voluntarily reviewed it*

[loverexreads · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5⭐️

Wish by Cambria Hebert is book 3 in the Westbrook Elite series and can be read as a standalone.

This was my first time reading this author and I was really excited about the blurb. So I was full of hope that this would be a book that I would enjoy and at first glance it was.

The dynamic between Wes and Max was interesting with the latter's very possessive and protective side. I also really liked the slightly forbidden nature of their relationship as the two MCs considered themselves brothers. All of this was really promising and I was looking forward to where the story would go.

I noticed that the chapters were rather long and there were often things that seemed unnecessary. For me, a lot of conversations and interactions didn't add anything to the plot. Especially when Wes was with his friends. This gradually made me feel detached from the story and kind of disinterested in some of the characters. I wish we had spent more time with Wes and Max as they were, in my humble opinion, the strongest part of the book.

When I got to the last third of the book I knew there was little chance of my opinion changing. Especially since some of the events at the end of the book seemed a bit far-fetched to me.

I think the author had some good ideas and her two MCs were engaging, but there was something about the execution that didn't work for me. If the story had been tighter it would have held my attention more.

That being said Cambria Hebert has a very nice way of writing and many readers seem to have enjoyed her book. Maybe it's just that this book wasn't for me.

[Jacqueleen the Reading Queen♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

"I'd looked at Max thousands of times. I'd seen him change from a boy into a man. It would never be enough. He was and would always be my eyes' favorite resting place."

Whoa... I wasn't expecting this book to hit me so hard in the chest. Usually Cambria Heberts books are light and funny. They always pack in the feels and focus on the romance, but I'm not used to such angst from her. This is not me complaining. Wish included many moments of the laughter and jokes and lightness I've come to expect. It also included some tough moments and such longing I even felt it in my own heart. Wes and Max's journey to their HEA was not easy. There were many obstacles to overcome. I had tears in my eyes more than once while reading this book, however both times had to do with the amazing woman who was called Mom by Wes, Win, and Max, not due to any relationship angst in case you were worried.


" I thought I would have a lot more years before I handed him over to you."


Can you blame me for my blubbering after that quote? I think not. But back to the boys. On top of loving this trio that made up their family, I also adored the found family they had. Jamie and Ryan along with their ladies were exactly what true friends should be. Wes had such a supportive group of people in his life and by extension Max did too. Win, Wes's brother, was such an amazing character too. If it wasn't for him I don't know how long Max would have silently hidden and beat himself up over how he felt about Wes. Max was right when he said that Win was their sunshine and it took Win shining some much needed light on Max for him to truly open up.


"When you were your most broken and beaten, it was him you sought. Little curly-headed Wes who slept with a nightlight just so you could find your way to him if you needed to."


This truly was such a beautiful story. It was also a pretty steamy story once Max finally pulled his head out of his ass. And the steam was HOT. I'm talking scorching and possessive, my favorite. There were also a few subplots, with one kinda OTT, but mainly the focus was on the dynamic and romance between the MCs. I'm happy the author stated that they are planning more MM in this series and this is me putting it out into the universe for this to include Win's book. I need more of that man and since MM is my jam I have my fingers crossed for a good ol bi-awakening, maybe with the mysterious Lars. Just Saying 🤷🏻‍♀️

[Lyn❤Loves❤Listening to Real Voices Only!!!!❤️&#x1f3a7;&#x1f4da; Addict ON HIATUS · Rating 1 out of 5]

Audio - I just can't...Pink Flamingo Productions owes the author an apology for the narrator casting.

Story - DNF @26%

I generally love Cambria Hebert MM romances, and I might have finished and enjoyed this one if not for the narrator selections.

The 1-star rating is for the audio.

[Valerie ❈M/M Romance Junkie❈ · Rating 2 out of 5]

I finished because of the friends. Ok, I really finished because of Jamie.

Max didn’t deserve a chance. Stalkerish, jealous, overbearing asshole 😒 Wes deserved better. I would say at least there were no piggyback rides, but i would rather have had those instead of the pseudo D/s bedroom BS that they they were calling a relationship. Don’t get me wrong. I don’t mind D/s in my romance novels, but Max’s actions came across as unhealthy as the actual stalker. Just sayin’. It sure as heck didn’t make me think he was in love, and it wasn’t hot. 😒 And why have ALL three couples had the same D/s vibe? WTF? I was rolling my eyes each time Ryan or Jamie pulled that ish in the previous books, but this book was just over the fricken top.

Sorry. This book just didn’t work for me. Or maybe I was just in the wrong mood since it apparently worked for me in the other books. I’m not trying to yuck anyone’s yum. This book just pissed me off (at least today 🙄). YMMV.

I can’t believe I’m about to say this, but I wish i’d stopped after reading the two MF books. *shudder* girl parts 😬 Maybe a break from this series is in order.