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Wishful #1
To Get Me To You
Just a city girl, living in a lonely world.
Displaced Steel Magnolia Norah Burke doesn't know the meaning of failure. But when she threatens to blow the whistle on some shady business practices at her Chicago marketing firm, she gets fired fast as all get out. Licking her wounds, she heads back below the Mason-Dixon for a little home-grown Southern comfort.
Just a small town boy.
With his iron-clad Mississippi roots, Councilman Cam Crawford is a man who values tradition, preservation, and the love of a good dog. When a big box warehouse store tries to capitalize on his hometown's economic downturn, it seriously burns his biscuit. He's not about to let anyone's ambition destroy what he holds dear.
A David vs. Goliath story with a side of grits.
This unlikely pair just might be the perfect allies--in war and out. But as the battle to stop GrandGoods heats up and sparks of attraction turn to something more, will Norah's bigger-picture perspective go with Cam's "keep it as it is" attitude? Are they meant to be like biscuits and gravy? Or are they just as wrong as unsweetened tea?
Displaced Steel Magnolia Norah Burke doesn't know the meaning of failure. But when she threatens to blow the whistle on some shady business practices at her Chicago marketing firm, she gets fired fast as all get out. Licking her wounds, she heads back below the Mason-Dixon for a little home-grown Southern comfort.
Just a small town boy.
With his iron-clad Mississippi roots, Councilman Cam Crawford is a man who values tradition, preservation, and the love of a good dog. When a big box warehouse store tries to capitalize on his hometown's economic downturn, it seriously burns his biscuit. He's not about to let anyone's ambition destroy what he holds dear.
A David vs. Goliath story with a side of grits.
This unlikely pair just might be the perfect allies--in war and out. But as the battle to stop GrandGoods heats up and sparks of attraction turn to something more, will Norah's bigger-picture perspective go with Cam's "keep it as it is" attitude? Are they meant to be like biscuits and gravy? Or are they just as wrong as unsweetened tea?
688 pages, Paperback
First published December 8, 2014
2177 people are currently reading
2252 people want to read
About the author
Kait Nolan
144 books1,362 followersKait Nolan is a RITA® Award-winning Mississippi author who calls everyone sugar, honey, or darlin', and can wield a 'Bless your heart' like a Snuggie or a saber, depending on requirements. She believes in love, laughter, and that tacos are the world's most perfect food. When she's not writing, reading, working the evil day job, or wrangling family (both the two-legged and the four-), you can find her obsessively watching The Great British Bake Off.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 282 reviews
October 20, 2015
*For free on Amazon but author did alert me to the book asking if I'd review, so in full disclosure, sort of an ARC :)
Norah works in a high powered, fast paced job in the marketing field in Chicago but when she finds out that her company has been lying to her and taking advantage of her honest nature, she is crushed. She loses her job and casual boyfriend when she refuses to lose her integrity and leaves to a small town in Mississippi to lick her wounds and visit an old college friend. Cam was on the road to a successful city life when his mother got sick with cancer and he decided to ditch grad school and return home to care for her. His highly driven girlfriend couldn't handle his new life direction and ditched him, so when he meets his cousin's old college friend and starts to develop feelings for her, he is wary. However, when Norah and Cam band together to save the small town of Wishful, they find they can't fight their feelings and a small town guy and a big city gal might just work.
The first in the Wishful series, To Get Me To You, was an even paced and cozy read. The story mainly centers on Norah and Cam fighting to keep GrandGoods, a big chain company, out of Wishful as Cam feels it will ruin the integrity of the town and Norah's work experience tells her that it will. We follow along as Cam and Norah implement strategies to change the townspeople's minds. Through this we get to meet the secondary characters (townspeople and Cam's family) and what works the best in this story. There were some obvious characters that could be set up for their own books but rarely have I read a story that so cohesively integrates a plethora of characters without it feeling forced or series baiting. Each secondary character added to the story and helped to create the setting, tone, and feeling of Wishful. If looking for a small town feel and all inclusive stories, this would be a great pick.
While the overall setting was great, Norah and Cam's relationship took a hit because of this. They start off with a bit of insta-love but then separate as Norah doesn't want to confuse their working relationship and then have more of a building up romance; in a blink they're together, slowly pulled apart, and then find they simply can't resist each other. The focus on the battle to keep GrandGoods out of Wishful overtook their romance and why I would categorize this as more of a cozy romance read rather than strictly romance as the romance takes a backseat. Norah and Cam have a valuable connection, it just wasn't focused on as much as I, personally, like.
An interesting aspect of this story was the bit of role reversal from the usual romance tropes; Norah is the high powered workaholic who swoops in to save the day, while Cam was the small town guy who had a moment of overreaction when he overheard something. The character dynamics were new and fresh and added a different flavor to the story. I would have liked some of the working to keep GrandGoods out of town story to be cut, as I felt it clogged up the story at times, in favor of more Norah and Cam.
This book is currently free on Amazon for kindle right now and although, I caught a few editing mistakes, wrong word choices, the overall editing and writing is good. If you like small town focused stories with a touch of romance and a cozy women's fiction feel, you'll want to give this one a try.
Norah works in a high powered, fast paced job in the marketing field in Chicago but when she finds out that her company has been lying to her and taking advantage of her honest nature, she is crushed. She loses her job and casual boyfriend when she refuses to lose her integrity and leaves to a small town in Mississippi to lick her wounds and visit an old college friend. Cam was on the road to a successful city life when his mother got sick with cancer and he decided to ditch grad school and return home to care for her. His highly driven girlfriend couldn't handle his new life direction and ditched him, so when he meets his cousin's old college friend and starts to develop feelings for her, he is wary. However, when Norah and Cam band together to save the small town of Wishful, they find they can't fight their feelings and a small town guy and a big city gal might just work.
The first in the Wishful series, To Get Me To You, was an even paced and cozy read. The story mainly centers on Norah and Cam fighting to keep GrandGoods, a big chain company, out of Wishful as Cam feels it will ruin the integrity of the town and Norah's work experience tells her that it will. We follow along as Cam and Norah implement strategies to change the townspeople's minds. Through this we get to meet the secondary characters (townspeople and Cam's family) and what works the best in this story. There were some obvious characters that could be set up for their own books but rarely have I read a story that so cohesively integrates a plethora of characters without it feeling forced or series baiting. Each secondary character added to the story and helped to create the setting, tone, and feeling of Wishful. If looking for a small town feel and all inclusive stories, this would be a great pick.
While the overall setting was great, Norah and Cam's relationship took a hit because of this. They start off with a bit of insta-love but then separate as Norah doesn't want to confuse their working relationship and then have more of a building up romance; in a blink they're together, slowly pulled apart, and then find they simply can't resist each other. The focus on the battle to keep GrandGoods out of Wishful overtook their romance and why I would categorize this as more of a cozy romance read rather than strictly romance as the romance takes a backseat. Norah and Cam have a valuable connection, it just wasn't focused on as much as I, personally, like.
An interesting aspect of this story was the bit of role reversal from the usual romance tropes; Norah is the high powered workaholic who swoops in to save the day, while Cam was the small town guy who had a moment of overreaction when he overheard something. The character dynamics were new and fresh and added a different flavor to the story. I would have liked some of the working to keep GrandGoods out of town story to be cut, as I felt it clogged up the story at times, in favor of more Norah and Cam.
This book is currently free on Amazon for kindle right now and although, I caught a few editing mistakes, wrong word choices, the overall editing and writing is good. If you like small town focused stories with a touch of romance and a cozy women's fiction feel, you'll want to give this one a try.
Want to read
May 10, 2019🎁 FREE on Amazon today (5/10/2019)! 🎁
May 27, 2015
This romance gets a solid 4.8 out of 5 stars from me. Nolan writes in a way that draws me into the story. Even though these character experiences were far out of my realm of experience, I felt them. I believed them. And now I know the characters of Wishful, MS, and I'm ready to return to the town again and again.
It was interesting to me to start out with the male lead, Cam. I think that is more to introduce us to Wishful because it is as important to the story as any of the characters. Cam isn't the typical alpha male. He's the kind of guy girls should wish to meet and fall in love with: caring, protective, passionate, responsible. Yeah, handsome helps too.
Norah lives a life far away from my realm of experience. However, I completely relate to her family background, since my parents were divorced. She is the alpha character in this book, but finally realizes that needing someone else can be a good thing.
I don't read erotic romances, generally because I don't need to have sex scenes spelled out for me. I've got a great imagination, so focusing on the inner thoughts more than the outer happenings is my preference for these types of scenes. They were short and spread out, so I could skim and still enjoy the tension they brought to the story.
This is an excellent contemporary romance. The town and minor characters came to life for me, making the story that much more enjoyable. If you want to laugh, cry and feel like happily ever after is a real thing, this book is for you.
It was interesting to me to start out with the male lead, Cam. I think that is more to introduce us to Wishful because it is as important to the story as any of the characters. Cam isn't the typical alpha male. He's the kind of guy girls should wish to meet and fall in love with: caring, protective, passionate, responsible. Yeah, handsome helps too.
Norah lives a life far away from my realm of experience. However, I completely relate to her family background, since my parents were divorced. She is the alpha character in this book, but finally realizes that needing someone else can be a good thing.
I don't read erotic romances, generally because I don't need to have sex scenes spelled out for me. I've got a great imagination, so focusing on the inner thoughts more than the outer happenings is my preference for these types of scenes. They were short and spread out, so I could skim and still enjoy the tension they brought to the story.
This is an excellent contemporary romance. The town and minor characters came to life for me, making the story that much more enjoyable. If you want to laugh, cry and feel like happily ever after is a real thing, this book is for you.
May 24, 2025
A small town story
This was my third Kait Nolan book - the first two were Meet Cute Wishful Romances that were short and sweet and I absolutely loved. But I have to say that I was a bit disappointed in how this book turned out. I felt that the concept was great - a highly motivated, career focused heroine meets small town hero and they work together to save the town. Sign me up! Unfortunately, the story focused more on the town-saving instead of the romance, which really made the story drag on in places. Romance shouldn't take a backseat in a romance novel, but I felt that it did in To Get Me To You. The romance that was in this story was a very insta-love cross forbidden love theme and I enjoyed reading about how their relationship was growing but there was so much in the air like how they already knew so much about each other by the time they met (what??). Overall, this book needed to be less about the politics and the fight against the big-box company and more about the romance.
This was my third Kait Nolan book - the first two were Meet Cute Wishful Romances that were short and sweet and I absolutely loved. But I have to say that I was a bit disappointed in how this book turned out. I felt that the concept was great - a highly motivated, career focused heroine meets small town hero and they work together to save the town. Sign me up! Unfortunately, the story focused more on the town-saving instead of the romance, which really made the story drag on in places. Romance shouldn't take a backseat in a romance novel, but I felt that it did in To Get Me To You. The romance that was in this story was a very insta-love cross forbidden love theme and I enjoyed reading about how their relationship was growing but there was so much in the air like how they already knew so much about each other by the time they met (what??). Overall, this book needed to be less about the politics and the fight against the big-box company and more about the romance.
April 1, 2022
Nora visits her long-time friend Miranda in a small town called Wishfull. After Nora looses her Job and long-term boyfriend Pierce. The town Wishfull has a fountain where wishes come true, or at least, so is said. Nora meets Cam, one of Miranda's cousins. There is an economic downfall in Wishfull what made Cam and Nora work together to save the town, but not only that, the love for each other is growing everyday...
I absolutely love this story and I cannot wait to read/listen to the rest of the story. This was by first book from Kait Nolan.
I recommend this book to RomCom lovers!!
I absolutely love this story and I cannot wait to read/listen to the rest of the story. This was by first book from Kait Nolan.
I recommend this book to RomCom lovers!!
January 5, 2021
This book/audio has been combined into a box set in both ebook & audio formats - which is a great deal.
Kait Nolan is my go to for small town romance. Her writing is always a nice mix of fairly low angst, community charm, and a little bit of steam. This book kicks off the Wishful series, and while the sheer number of people introduced was a little overwhelming at first I definitely got to know all the family & residents and find myself looking forward to all their stories. Cam is cousin to Norah’s BFF and sparks immediately fly between the two. Norah uses her marketing skills to help save the charming town from probable devastation wrought by a big box store. I felt like the technical aspects & mundane meetings disrupted the flow of the story at times, but overall I enjoyed the book. I grew up in a small town in the South and could see so many familiar people and business in the town of Wishful.
Please tell me there is a recipe for the "Billionaire" cupcake somewhere, because that sounds amazing!
Amy McFadden does a great job of giving a unique voice to this huge cast of characters. Her voice and tone for “old Southern grandma” was especially spot on and caused me to giggle because I’m pretty sure I went to church with Mamie when I was growing up. 😉
Kait Nolan is my go to for small town romance. Her writing is always a nice mix of fairly low angst, community charm, and a little bit of steam. This book kicks off the Wishful series, and while the sheer number of people introduced was a little overwhelming at first I definitely got to know all the family & residents and find myself looking forward to all their stories. Cam is cousin to Norah’s BFF and sparks immediately fly between the two. Norah uses her marketing skills to help save the charming town from probable devastation wrought by a big box store. I felt like the technical aspects & mundane meetings disrupted the flow of the story at times, but overall I enjoyed the book. I grew up in a small town in the South and could see so many familiar people and business in the town of Wishful.
Please tell me there is a recipe for the "Billionaire" cupcake somewhere, because that sounds amazing!
Amy McFadden does a great job of giving a unique voice to this huge cast of characters. Her voice and tone for “old Southern grandma” was especially spot on and caused me to giggle because I’m pretty sure I went to church with Mamie when I was growing up. 😉
October 7, 2016
This wasn't for me. It had some promise, a small town, a quirky family and a nice hero, so I picked it up as a freebee.
The biggest miss for me was that the major element in a romance, the romance, was by far outstaged by the plot about saving the small town from the big bad megastore. It wasn't untill 10% into the book the hero and heroine met. The scene at the party was sweet and I couldn't wait for more, only to find out that those first weeks with the m baby steps in a relationship, the sneeking around to avoid family members and the awkwardness were deleted with a couple of words: three weeks later... And then page after page about the war against the big bad wolfe. I just gave up.
So I won't go into some other issues I had with the book. The rating says it all. It's a shame though. The writing has potential. If another turns up free. I'll give it a try.
The biggest miss for me was that the major element in a romance, the romance, was by far outstaged by the plot about saving the small town from the big bad megastore. It wasn't untill 10% into the book the hero and heroine met. The scene at the party was sweet and I couldn't wait for more, only to find out that those first weeks with the m baby steps in a relationship, the sneeking around to avoid family members and the awkwardness were deleted with a couple of words: three weeks later... And then page after page about the war against the big bad wolfe. I just gave up.
So I won't go into some other issues I had with the book. The rating says it all. It's a shame though. The writing has potential. If another turns up free. I'll give it a try.
June 29, 2019
Bless your heart!
Finally a book that is long enough and interesting enough to be considered a novel! Most romance novels are technically novellas. This actually had a plot. Amazing! It is not all fluff and over-graphic sex scenes. Again, thank you. I fully enjoyed every page and cried for real tears when it was needed!n
Finally a book that is long enough and interesting enough to be considered a novel! Most romance novels are technically novellas. This actually had a plot. Amazing! It is not all fluff and over-graphic sex scenes. Again, thank you. I fully enjoyed every page and cried for real tears when it was needed!n
July 30, 2020
I haven't been reading much romance recently, but this book refreshed my appetite. I enjoyed the setting and the characters and the plot. Not too much sex and male characters that are believable. Usually I would read something else before reading the next in a series but I read right through. Looking for more of K Nolan's books.
May 16, 2015
I so loved this book. And not just the main characters, although they were great too, but also all the supporting characters. I can't wait to read more in this series.
November 4, 2019
Excellent five star!
I am a first time reader of Kait Nolan's work and enjoyed this book very much. Kait has a way of making her sex scenes very real without the gross details.
I am a first time reader of Kait Nolan's work and enjoyed this book very much. Kait has a way of making her sex scenes very real without the gross details.
October 17, 2020
It’s been Campbell Crawford’s goal as City Councilman to preserve the town of Wishful, so when he learns that a local named Abe is looking to sell his piece of land by Hope Springs to an outside buyer, Cam decides to move forward with his plans to design a park on Hope Springs and restore the former character of Wishful.
Meanwhile, Norah Burke has just been fired from her job at Helios as a Vice President of Sales when she confronts her boss Philip Vargas and son, Pierce Vargas l—who’s her work partner and lover—for withholding information about a client company’s plans and manipulating her into convincing the locals of Morton, Indiana to let their client build a business there. Only to end up driving the locals business owners out of business.
With no job, she decides to pay her friend and old college roommate Miranda Campbell, a visit in Wishful.
The following night Norah and Campbell run into each other at Miranda’s New Year’s Eve party and sparks fly.
This book was beautifully written. The sense of community is so strong and the characters are warm and relatable. Highly recommend to romance lovers.
Meanwhile, Norah Burke has just been fired from her job at Helios as a Vice President of Sales when she confronts her boss Philip Vargas and son, Pierce Vargas l—who’s her work partner and lover—for withholding information about a client company’s plans and manipulating her into convincing the locals of Morton, Indiana to let their client build a business there. Only to end up driving the locals business owners out of business.
With no job, she decides to pay her friend and old college roommate Miranda Campbell, a visit in Wishful.
The following night Norah and Campbell run into each other at Miranda’s New Year’s Eve party and sparks fly.
This book was beautifully written. The sense of community is so strong and the characters are warm and relatable. Highly recommend to romance lovers.
April 28, 2020
WOW I was drawn into this one from the front cover to the end of the book.
I love small town feel books & in this one Nora comes back to lick her wounds from the city to the beautiful small town Wistful where family that wasn't hers but adopted her when she befriend Miranda in college.
When she come back she meets Miranda's cousin Cam & they both fall pretty fast but then Wistful needs saving Nora steps in to help & might have found home at the same time.
I love small town feel books & in this one Nora comes back to lick her wounds from the city to the beautiful small town Wistful where family that wasn't hers but adopted her when she befriend Miranda in college.
When she come back she meets Miranda's cousin Cam & they both fall pretty fast but then Wistful needs saving Nora steps in to help & might have found home at the same time.
October 11, 2021
I loved this small town book! I particularly loved the Southern part & family part! In this story you meet a high powered marketing expert who lives in Chicago! Eventually you see a girl that is a marketing expert but, more relaxed because, she’s living in Wishful. She still knows marketing but, uses it to help Wishful self supportive & not taken over by a Big Box store! I loved the romance between Cam & Norah . It was sweet & let’s you know how life can change! I recommend reading this book!
April 29, 2020
❤❤❤
Oh my goodness! I really enjoyed my time in Wishful! I always love going to small towns! 😊 I absolutely loved Cam and Norah! I knew once they met they were perfect for one another! This book was simply amazing! ⛲️💛
Can't wait to go back to Wishful and visit everyone soon. I'm really looking forward to Liam and Riley book! ☺
Oh my goodness! I really enjoyed my time in Wishful! I always love going to small towns! 😊 I absolutely loved Cam and Norah! I knew once they met they were perfect for one another! This book was simply amazing! ⛲️💛
Can't wait to go back to Wishful and visit everyone soon. I'm really looking forward to Liam and Riley book! ☺
Want to read
August 13, 2017KINDLE FREEBIE 6/17/17
February 14, 2017
What a promising start to a new-ish small-town series! Usually characters like Norah, the uber organized anal types drive me bonkers, but the author did such a nice job. I think that this book may have been a freebie - it was a ways back in my kindle, but I am going to hunt up the rest of the series.
July 23, 2018
If you want to read a story that will make you feel good, this one will fill the bill perfectly. Who wouldn't love Nora, Cam, and the good people of Wishful? I certainly fell under their spell.
Nora, discovering that the marketing firm she works for kept ethics violations from her, draws a line and winds up getting fired for it. She heads down to Wishful, Mississippi to lick her wounds among friends and her "adopted" family and figure out what to do next, hoping her high-powered, successful parents don't find out she lost her job.
Cam is a landscape architect and runs Wishful's garden center. He's also on the city council and a cousin of Nora's college roommate. When he and Nora meet for the first time, sparks fly. When small town Wishful is threatened by the incursion of a big box store, Nora and Cam join forces to try to save the town and keep it warm and friendly and not let it lose the small town feel that they love..
Like the town, this book is charming. The writing is clear and brings the locale and characters to life. I felt like I came to know the characters, and, honestly, I kind of wish I could be part of some of the families in the book, friends with some of the characters . . . actually, most of the characters. it was truly a joy.
I listened to the audiobook version, and thought that narrator Amy McFaddden set the southern atmosphere and offered the perfect voices for the characters. This was such an easy, rewarding listen that I didn't want it to end.
I received this book as a gift from the author. Opinions in this review express my honest reaction to the audiobook.
Nora, discovering that the marketing firm she works for kept ethics violations from her, draws a line and winds up getting fired for it. She heads down to Wishful, Mississippi to lick her wounds among friends and her "adopted" family and figure out what to do next, hoping her high-powered, successful parents don't find out she lost her job.
Cam is a landscape architect and runs Wishful's garden center. He's also on the city council and a cousin of Nora's college roommate. When he and Nora meet for the first time, sparks fly. When small town Wishful is threatened by the incursion of a big box store, Nora and Cam join forces to try to save the town and keep it warm and friendly and not let it lose the small town feel that they love..
Like the town, this book is charming. The writing is clear and brings the locale and characters to life. I felt like I came to know the characters, and, honestly, I kind of wish I could be part of some of the families in the book, friends with some of the characters . . . actually, most of the characters. it was truly a joy.
I listened to the audiobook version, and thought that narrator Amy McFaddden set the southern atmosphere and offered the perfect voices for the characters. This was such an easy, rewarding listen that I didn't want it to end.
I received this book as a gift from the author. Opinions in this review express my honest reaction to the audiobook.
May 27, 2016
Coming from a small town in South Texas this was a true-to-life representation of the best and worst parts of what residents are capable.
Cam is a man whose entire focus the last few years has been to keep his hometown of Wishful Mississippi from dying, with very little support from some of the people at times and a lot of help from others.
Norah Burke is on the other hand a small town girl whose aspirations for having a career and making a name for herself in the big city was something that kept her focused. This in turn lead to her getting on the fast track in Chicago with her marketing firm to bigger, better things until she finds out that her employer was not upfront with her on a deal she brokered.
Confrontation led to her to be fired which then had her running to her best friend who just happened to reside in Wishful, once there Norah and Cam find themselves fighting together for the town.
While the two see eye to eye on what is necessary to turn the towns sluggish economy around they miss the mark on how to best keep their burgeoning relationship from hitting rock bottom when misunderstanding leads to a rift that almost tears them apart.
Luckily by the end we have a long awaited HEA for the town as well as Cam and Norah.
With each new work that have read by author Kait Nolan my enjoyment has increased, she has a firm grasp of what mixes well for readers of all ages and walks of life.
Cam is a man whose entire focus the last few years has been to keep his hometown of Wishful Mississippi from dying, with very little support from some of the people at times and a lot of help from others.
Norah Burke is on the other hand a small town girl whose aspirations for having a career and making a name for herself in the big city was something that kept her focused. This in turn lead to her getting on the fast track in Chicago with her marketing firm to bigger, better things until she finds out that her employer was not upfront with her on a deal she brokered.
Confrontation led to her to be fired which then had her running to her best friend who just happened to reside in Wishful, once there Norah and Cam find themselves fighting together for the town.
While the two see eye to eye on what is necessary to turn the towns sluggish economy around they miss the mark on how to best keep their burgeoning relationship from hitting rock bottom when misunderstanding leads to a rift that almost tears them apart.
Luckily by the end we have a long awaited HEA for the town as well as Cam and Norah.
With each new work that have read by author Kait Nolan my enjoyment has increased, she has a firm grasp of what mixes well for readers of all ages and walks of life.
June 26, 2021
Honestly this book is so cheesy and I love it. It's insta attraction but their relationship grows and changes and it's just so sweet and I am literally in love with this man. Also in another instance of Bethany head canon-ing characters as autistic, Cam is 100% autistic - doesn't like people, picks up on changes in emotions but doesn't necessarily recognise what they are, strong sense of justice, etc.
There were a few pacing issues and some stilted dialogue at times (and like , but overall super cheesy and super enjoyable, so pick it up if you're looking for a lighthearted, small town romance read.
There were a few pacing issues and some stilted dialogue at times (and like , but overall super cheesy and super enjoyable, so pick it up if you're looking for a lighthearted, small town romance read.
January 30, 2019
What I liked was that right at the beginning of the book, the author says that the book contains swearing and premarital sex as that is what is part of today's world and if someone has a problem with it, they should not read the book.
But having said that, the book is good. All about the values we have forgotten in the rat race for progress. The heroine is strong and so is the hero. The relationship is a partnership and makes for a good story.
But having said that, the book is good. All about the values we have forgotten in the rat race for progress. The heroine is strong and so is the hero. The relationship is a partnership and makes for a good story.
October 3, 2020
This was a wonderful small town romance story! I did get a bit frustrated because Norah was a little too strong and wouldn't bend, but in the end, I loved it. It's great having a series or two that have so many townsfolk in their stories. I love Kait Nolan's style of writing and understand her books do contain sex scenes, but they are easily skimmed over if you don't need to read about it. I do recommend this book, actually, the whole series!
June 28, 2016
Great read
Caught me quickly and pulled me in. A mixture of smart moves and sexy romance. It was my "cruise book"...perfect!
Caught me quickly and pulled me in. A mixture of smart moves and sexy romance. It was my "cruise book"...perfect!
August 8, 2016
Well written and great story
The Book was very well written. I lost myself in the story and didn't want to put it down. I love the town of Wishful and can't wait to return.
The Book was very well written. I lost myself in the story and didn't want to put it down. I love the town of Wishful and can't wait to return.
July 17, 2019
2.5 stars
I struggled to get into this book. I skipped a big portion of just to "complete" it. It just wasn't for me.
I struggled to get into this book. I skipped a big portion of just to "complete" it. It just wasn't for me.
November 15, 2017
I enjoyed this book so much! I initially purchased the ebook version when it was offered for free on Amazon, and loved it so much that I ended up purchasing every book I could find in this series! The story is set in a southern small town, Wishful, and the town is as much a character in these books as any of the people. I think one of the things that makes all the books in this series so good is that while Wishful is idyllic and I DEFINITELY want to go there (wink), it’s not perfect. There are economic issues, there are less-than-perfect residents, there are challenges. It makes Wishful more real, and it digs it deeper into your heart. This book IS a small-town romance but it isn’t JUST a small-town romance…it’s a David and Goliath story and it’s a standing up for what you believe in story and it’s a small business marketing inspiration story and it’s a story of self-acceptance and recognizing when who you are at your core is good enough—this book hits on many levels! Norah is a big city marketing executive with southern roots who goes to Wishful to visit a beloved friend after her career takes an abrupt turn and hits a brick wall. Cam Crawford is a Wishful resident and city councilman with southern roots so deep he breaks out in hives when he leaves the city limits. I loved that this was a slow build, but there was a lot happening even though Cam and Norah were fighting their attraction. Norah is a strong character, and I was rooting for her to shine, and I loved her evolution through the story—she knows she’s amazing, but she doesn’t necessarily get that she can be amazing without the high powered career she always expected she’d have. Cam is strong and quietly wonderful. I loved his conviction and confidence and commitment to what he believes in. Watching them grow together was a joy. Wishful is full of lots of fascinating characters that add to the depth and completeness of the story. I so wanted to go sit and have coffee with these people—and I don’t even drink coffee!!
When I discovered there was going to be an audiobook version, I was very happy. I do a lot of driving and LOVE good audiobooks. A strong narrator can elevate a not-so-great book and a poor one can destroy a really good book. Thankfully, in this case, you have a really well written book and an excellent narrator. Amy McFadden masterfully manages a multitude of characters, keeping their voices (and personalities) distinct and consistent. I felt her choices were good for each character’s sound. One challenge with listening to an audio version of a book you’ve already read and loved is that you have their voices already in your head—if the narrator doesn’t sell it properly, you can feel disconnected—but Amy McFadden nailed her narration. Obviously the voices are different in her voice than in my head, but her narration is convincing and strong and absolutely worked for me. At almost twelve hours, this is a nice long audiobook and I found myself hearing details that I’d missed in my initial read of the book. If you haven’t read the book, you’re in for a treat. I think this audiobook is an even bigger treasure and a great way to meet the residents of Wishful.
I received an advance ARC of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review. I loved this book, both written and audio versions and HIGHLY recommend them.
When I discovered there was going to be an audiobook version, I was very happy. I do a lot of driving and LOVE good audiobooks. A strong narrator can elevate a not-so-great book and a poor one can destroy a really good book. Thankfully, in this case, you have a really well written book and an excellent narrator. Amy McFadden masterfully manages a multitude of characters, keeping their voices (and personalities) distinct and consistent. I felt her choices were good for each character’s sound. One challenge with listening to an audio version of a book you’ve already read and loved is that you have their voices already in your head—if the narrator doesn’t sell it properly, you can feel disconnected—but Amy McFadden nailed her narration. Obviously the voices are different in her voice than in my head, but her narration is convincing and strong and absolutely worked for me. At almost twelve hours, this is a nice long audiobook and I found myself hearing details that I’d missed in my initial read of the book. If you haven’t read the book, you’re in for a treat. I think this audiobook is an even bigger treasure and a great way to meet the residents of Wishful.
I received an advance ARC of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review. I loved this book, both written and audio versions and HIGHLY recommend them.
March 17, 2018
Norah Burke is a high powered marketing executive who has discovered that her firm made some very shady deals and worse, the son of the partner and her boyfriend, knew about it. She takes it personally and she knows the deal they made destroyed a small town; she drove through the ruins on her way back to Chicago. When she upbraids them about it, they fire her.
She leaves under a cloud and runs to the the small town of Wishful. It’s the home of her friend Miranda and the family that always made her feel welcome.
Norah isn’t looking for romance but Miranda’s cousin, Cameron, kisses her on New Year’s Eve and they both know there’s something there.
Cam runs the local gardening business and is on the local council with his mother as mayor.
Outside of Wishful is Hope Springs. The water from it flows into the town wishing fountain but it hasn’t run for years. Cam has big plans to renovate it and make it a parkland but the land owner just told him he’s got an offer from a big box store.
It’s bad enough that they’d build in town, but right on top of the town springs is just rude.
Norah has her past nightmares coming to town. Literally.
Together they decide to fight back.
***
The easiest and fastest way to get people to understand what that big warehouse business will do is to show them what happened to other towns where one opened up. Like the cake store she was looking for at the start. They may not understand economics but seeing a slideshow of closed down business or videos of those townspeople talking about what happened after the big store opened would work.
I’m not sure why, but these two are just not working for me. I’m not invested in them at all. I’m 55% in and I’m wandering off to find other things to read. I shouldn’t be doing that, and I’m not sure why it’s not working.
Okay… I forced myself to finish.
This is the setup novel for the rest of the series. So there are a lot of character introductions and the main story line is saving the town.
The romance falls aside for that. Maybe that’s why I’m not invested? The middle of the book is just ALL the fight to save the town; in intricate detail.
There are also story threads left for later books. Norah finds commercial support from a billionaire Gerald Peyton. Her old staff come to town. There are hints of other pairings.
In the past, Cam has driven miles, seen a situation, interpreted the worst result from it, not said a word, turned around and driven home again. He does it again.
Norah is making Cam’s decisions for him without talking to him about it. And they really don’t talk to each other when they should.
But… *whispers* it’s a bit meh as a romance. But I already own the next two books in the series. And I know Nolan can do better than this. She certainly does in a shorter format.
Scraping 3 stars
She leaves under a cloud and runs to the the small town of Wishful. It’s the home of her friend Miranda and the family that always made her feel welcome.
Norah isn’t looking for romance but Miranda’s cousin, Cameron, kisses her on New Year’s Eve and they both know there’s something there.
Cam runs the local gardening business and is on the local council with his mother as mayor.
Outside of Wishful is Hope Springs. The water from it flows into the town wishing fountain but it hasn’t run for years. Cam has big plans to renovate it and make it a parkland but the land owner just told him he’s got an offer from a big box store.
It’s bad enough that they’d build in town, but right on top of the town springs is just rude.
Norah has her past nightmares coming to town. Literally.
Together they decide to fight back.
***
The easiest and fastest way to get people to understand what that big warehouse business will do is to show them what happened to other towns where one opened up. Like the cake store she was looking for at the start. They may not understand economics but seeing a slideshow of closed down business or videos of those townspeople talking about what happened after the big store opened would work.
I’m not sure why, but these two are just not working for me. I’m not invested in them at all. I’m 55% in and I’m wandering off to find other things to read. I shouldn’t be doing that, and I’m not sure why it’s not working.
Okay… I forced myself to finish.
This is the setup novel for the rest of the series. So there are a lot of character introductions and the main story line is saving the town.
The romance falls aside for that. Maybe that’s why I’m not invested? The middle of the book is just ALL the fight to save the town; in intricate detail.
There are also story threads left for later books. Norah finds commercial support from a billionaire Gerald Peyton. Her old staff come to town. There are hints of other pairings.
In the past, Cam has driven miles, seen a situation, interpreted the worst result from it, not said a word, turned around and driven home again. He does it again.
Norah is making Cam’s decisions for him without talking to him about it. And they really don’t talk to each other when they should.
But… *whispers* it’s a bit meh as a romance. But I already own the next two books in the series. And I know Nolan can do better than this. She certainly does in a shorter format.
Scraping 3 stars
February 27, 2022
Got Me Enamoured With Small Town Life And People!
Kait Nolan is always a good read for something charming and sweet. However, this was the first time, I was reading a full novel instead of her novellas. This book had substance, wonderful characters, a lot of build up, and I got an education on city hall procedures and politics. To Get Me To You is Book #1 in the Wishful Series and I can't wait to read on!
Marketing Director Extraordinaire and Ambitious, Norah Burke has hit rock bottom the very first time in her life. She does not know what failure is, and is having a hard time processing it all in cold Chicago, IL. With her well manicured and strategic life unraveling around her, she only sees one place and person that will heal her: Wishful, Mississippi and her best friend Miranda. As she stays on to absorb and observe the town, she sees the possibilities, hope, and future for herself and this community who has welcomed her with open arms. However, she maybe in for more surprises that may lead her to love and happiness.
City Councilman and Landscape Engineer, Campbell "Cam" Crawford is very worried about the prospects of his beloved town. He is fresh out of ideas, and all his dissents during City Council meetings are not helping his propaganda about saving Wishful. His large extended family has always been on his side, but being alone, except for his dog for company, is not how Cam had pictured his life to be at this stage. Nevertheless, in his perseverance and tenacity, he comes across assistance that might change his mind and show him another path towards progress. As much as he is bowled over by the selfless offer and this new person's dedication, her heart is what may become a prize for him.
All the side characters, were such fun and added so much to the story. I am sure some are bound to make appearances in the other books, so I can't wait. There were so many details and processes that were explained with regards to marketing, rural tourism, urban revitalization, and legal aspects, that the reader knew that the authoress had done her research. All the descriptions and situations felt alive and I always had a feeling that I was in the midst of it all. Even the budding romance between Cam and Norah was shown to have heat, some issues, and a family meddling, that it had all borders of realism. There is nothing that I didn't like about this story!
If you are looking for a small town romance that is smart, with amazing scenery, has a great plot. wonderful personalities, and a lot of heart, this book is a definite must read for you!
Kait Nolan is always a good read for something charming and sweet. However, this was the first time, I was reading a full novel instead of her novellas. This book had substance, wonderful characters, a lot of build up, and I got an education on city hall procedures and politics. To Get Me To You is Book #1 in the Wishful Series and I can't wait to read on!
Marketing Director Extraordinaire and Ambitious, Norah Burke has hit rock bottom the very first time in her life. She does not know what failure is, and is having a hard time processing it all in cold Chicago, IL. With her well manicured and strategic life unraveling around her, she only sees one place and person that will heal her: Wishful, Mississippi and her best friend Miranda. As she stays on to absorb and observe the town, she sees the possibilities, hope, and future for herself and this community who has welcomed her with open arms. However, she maybe in for more surprises that may lead her to love and happiness.
City Councilman and Landscape Engineer, Campbell "Cam" Crawford is very worried about the prospects of his beloved town. He is fresh out of ideas, and all his dissents during City Council meetings are not helping his propaganda about saving Wishful. His large extended family has always been on his side, but being alone, except for his dog for company, is not how Cam had pictured his life to be at this stage. Nevertheless, in his perseverance and tenacity, he comes across assistance that might change his mind and show him another path towards progress. As much as he is bowled over by the selfless offer and this new person's dedication, her heart is what may become a prize for him.
All the side characters, were such fun and added so much to the story. I am sure some are bound to make appearances in the other books, so I can't wait. There were so many details and processes that were explained with regards to marketing, rural tourism, urban revitalization, and legal aspects, that the reader knew that the authoress had done her research. All the descriptions and situations felt alive and I always had a feeling that I was in the midst of it all. Even the budding romance between Cam and Norah was shown to have heat, some issues, and a family meddling, that it had all borders of realism. There is nothing that I didn't like about this story!
If you are looking for a small town romance that is smart, with amazing scenery, has a great plot. wonderful personalities, and a lot of heart, this book is a definite must read for you!
June 1, 2017
I've complained in the past that I hate romances where the characters have unrealistic amounts of free time because they have jobs that they never seem to actually do.
I've just encountered the opposite problem. Norah may have lost her job, but she definitely still has ambition and a calling--she just puts her real life temporarily on hold to help her best friend's family save their small Southern town from financial crisis. And Cam runs his own small business while also serving on the city council, both of which take up a large amount of time.
So while I liked the characters, the general writing style, and the perfect-match aspect of the romance, those jobs also took up a HUGE portion of the plot, to the point where I'd call this a Save The Town story with a romance subplot, instead of the other way around.
I'm not saying this is a bad book. It's not. But the pacing does suffer some from the sheer amount of technical, legal, and political minutiae that weigh down the Save The Town plot. The two leads don't even meet until about 10% in, and boy oh boy is that meeting well-written and charming, but the romance moves at an absolutely glacial pace until about halfway through the book.
And the climax of the conflict was based almost entirely on miscommunication, which is never my favorite way of putting two characters at odds. This particular version wasn't as bad as some--it was at least rooted deeply in the personalities of the two leads, and so made a kind of sense--but still, having characters nearly break up because they refuse to just talk to each other leaves a bad taste in my mouth.
On the whole, for a freebie I picked up last year on an Amazon spree, I'm impressed, and I plan to read more of Nolan's work. (I also got the second work in this series by signing up for her mailing list, and the third because it was also free at the time--I'm sure I'll be reviewing those soon.) But I do hope this isn't her best work.
I've just encountered the opposite problem. Norah may have lost her job, but she definitely still has ambition and a calling--she just puts her real life temporarily on hold to help her best friend's family save their small Southern town from financial crisis. And Cam runs his own small business while also serving on the city council, both of which take up a large amount of time.
So while I liked the characters, the general writing style, and the perfect-match aspect of the romance, those jobs also took up a HUGE portion of the plot, to the point where I'd call this a Save The Town story with a romance subplot, instead of the other way around.
I'm not saying this is a bad book. It's not. But the pacing does suffer some from the sheer amount of technical, legal, and political minutiae that weigh down the Save The Town plot. The two leads don't even meet until about 10% in, and boy oh boy is that meeting well-written and charming, but the romance moves at an absolutely glacial pace until about halfway through the book.
And the climax of the conflict was based almost entirely on miscommunication, which is never my favorite way of putting two characters at odds. This particular version wasn't as bad as some--it was at least rooted deeply in the personalities of the two leads, and so made a kind of sense--but still, having characters nearly break up because they refuse to just talk to each other leaves a bad taste in my mouth.
On the whole, for a freebie I picked up last year on an Amazon spree, I'm impressed, and I plan to read more of Nolan's work. (I also got the second work in this series by signing up for her mailing list, and the third because it was also free at the time--I'm sure I'll be reviewing those soon.) But I do hope this isn't her best work.
September 21, 2017
Norah is a high powered professional working in marketing and public relations for a company in Chicago. She is dating the owners son and on her way back from a trip, she sees what a big name company that she helped promote has done to the small town they moved into. It was everything she told the town that would not happen. She confronts her boyfriend and finds out that he knew about everything from the beginning about the deceit and so did his father. Norah is appalled that their morals are so skewed and tells them. They immediately for her. She is upset and drives to Wishful, Mississippi where her best friend Miranda Crawford lives. She is ashamed she got fired so does not tell anyone at first. Cam Crawford , who is Miranda's cousin, is a Councilman in Wishful, Mississippi and loves his town. A big box store is trying to come into Wishful and buy the land around Hope Springs to build their store and Cam is against it. The town is hurting for jobs and revenue so most people think this is a good idea. Once Cam meets Norah and she finds out what is happening, she tells Cam she will help him with a town campaign to try and stop the store from coming in.
Cam and Norah are very attracted to each other. Cam had a girlfriend in college that hated small towns and was very ambitious. When Cam's mother had cancer and Cam had to go home to help her, she didn't even come to support Cam. Miranda tells Norah about this so she doesn't hurt Cam as Norah has no plans to stay. She is in Wishful giving her time and talents to help keep the big store out. The more she is with Cam, the more she wants to stay. This is a good story with a sweet southern town. There are some mean and unscrupulous people in their small town asa well as Chicago where Norah had been working. I loved Norah and Cam together and how Cam showed Norah how to relax and be taken care of. I encourage you to read the book.
Cam and Norah are very attracted to each other. Cam had a girlfriend in college that hated small towns and was very ambitious. When Cam's mother had cancer and Cam had to go home to help her, she didn't even come to support Cam. Miranda tells Norah about this so she doesn't hurt Cam as Norah has no plans to stay. She is in Wishful giving her time and talents to help keep the big store out. The more she is with Cam, the more she wants to stay. This is a good story with a sweet southern town. There are some mean and unscrupulous people in their small town asa well as Chicago where Norah had been working. I loved Norah and Cam together and how Cam showed Norah how to relax and be taken care of. I encourage you to read the book.
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