Release Reviews: The Wish Collector: Mia Sheridan
The Wish Collector
Mia Sheridan
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Release Day November 26, 2018
New Orleans, a city of mystery and magic, of secrets and dreams, and a history drenched in both love and the deepest of heartache.
When ballet dancer Clara Campbell arrives in New Orleans, lonely and homesick, she is immediately captivated by the story of Windisle Plantation and the tragic tale that is said to have transpired beyond its gate. Legend has it that it is abandoned by all living souls, but to Clara’s great surprise, it is not a ghost she hears through the stone wall surrounding the property, but a flesh and blood man. A scarred stranger with a pain deeper and darker than the churning waters of the Mississippi river that flows beside his self-imposed prison.
The ruined man behind the wall hides himself from the world. The last thing he expects is to find a friend in the selfless girl who speaks to him through the cracks in the rock. The girl who keeps returning week after week. The girl who makes him wish for things he has long since given up on. The girl who strikes both fear and hope within his wounded heart. But there can be no future for them, no life beyond Windisle, for no one knows better than him that monsters only live in the dark.
The Wish Collector is the story of shame and triumph, of loneliness and love, and the miracle of two hearts connecting despite the strongest of barriers between them.
This book has left me with a huge hangover! It is a bit of Beauty and the Beast mixed with Phantom of the Opera and embraces the voodoo and magic of New Orleans as well. But at the core of it are not one, but two love stories...one from the distant past and one in the present. And this entire story is layered beautifully.
Clara Campbell has recently moved to New Orleans for ballet. She is lonely and is going through some personal issues that make her sad. When she is intrigued by an old tale, she ends up at the Weeping Wall at Windisle Plantation. She leaves a wish like many others do, but she also unexpectedly finds someone even lonelier than herself.
Jonah Chamberlain has spent the past eight years as a hermit in the plantation. He isolates himself and cannot bear facing the judgment of the outside world. He was involved in a situation that cost him dearly, leaving him with physical and emotional reminders. He is bitter, sarcastic, lonely, stubborn, and just existing.
They are two lost souls that connect blindly with a wall between them both literally and figuratively. Jonah feels unworthy and hopeless. Clara brings hope and light to his dark world as she shows him grace, compassion, and understanding. The ideas of finding peace, forgiveness, love, friendship, soul mates and destiny just fill your heart as you are caught up in this beautiful and heartfelt story. The secrets of the distant past and also Jonah's personal history are gradually revealed adding depth, mystery, and surprises to the story.
Clara is determined to solve the mystery of a love lost one hundred and fifty years ago. But she is also trying to bring Jonah into the light and show him what love can be. He is a man who needs to find purpose, forgiveness, acceptance, self worth, and redemption. But he will have to find faith in himself and the courage to face the world on his own before he will ever allow himself more with her.
This is a gorgeous, intriguing, intricately woven story where tragedy and heartbreak eventually lead to the sweet promise of hope, healing, and a chance of redemption. Jonah and Clara had such a deep, soulful connection that resonated in every scene. The characters had such opportunities for growth as they also faced personal challenges, fears, and insecurities.
These characters buried themselves into my heart and I felt so strongly for them. Clara was so compassionate, kind, and tenacious. Jonah could be frustrating, but he was a man hiding behind so many walls and was so vulnerable and broken underneath them that he required special care. The side characters were colorful and interesting. The whole setting of the plantation, New Orleans, and its rich history along with the idea of curses, wishes, magic, and even fairy tale charm make this story stand out even more.
I was mesmerized throughout despite its longer length and the fact it is more of a slow burn with a gradual unraveling of mysteries. It is a complex journey of self discovery, acceptance, and forgiveness that takes time and patience. But this is also inspirational and makes you want to look harder to see the beauty in life and live life to the fullest. Definitely one of my very fave books of 2018!
I received this book for free from the author in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
This book has left me with a huge hangover! It is a bit of Beauty and the Beast mixed with Phantom of the Opera and embraces the voodoo and magic of New Orleans as well. But at the core of it are not one, but two love stories...one from the distant past and one in the present. And this entire story is layered beautifully.Clara Campbell has recently moved to New Orleans for ballet. She is lonely and is going through some personal issues that make her sad. When she is intrigued by an old tale, she ends up at the Weeping Wall at Windisle Plantation. She leaves a wish like many others do, but she also unexpectedly finds someone even lonelier than herself.
Jonah Chamberlain has spent the past eight years as a hermit in the plantation. He isolates himself and cannot bear facing the judgment of the outside world. He was involved in a situation that cost him dearly, leaving him with physical and emotional reminders. He is bitter, sarcastic, lonely, stubborn, and just existing.
They are two lost souls that connect blindly with a wall between them both literally and figuratively. Jonah feels unworthy and hopeless. Clara brings hope and light to his dark world as she shows him grace, compassion, and understanding. The ideas of finding peace, forgiveness, love, friendship, soul mates and destiny just fill your heart as you are caught up in this beautiful and heartfelt story. The secrets of the distant past and also Jonah's personal history are gradually revealed adding depth, mystery, and surprises to the story.
Clara is determined to solve the mystery of a love lost one hundred and fifty years ago. But she is also trying to bring Jonah into the light and show him what love can be. He is a man who needs to find purpose, forgiveness, acceptance, self worth, and redemption. But he will have to find faith in himself and the courage to face the world on his own before he will ever allow himself more with her.
This is a gorgeous, intriguing, intricately woven story where tragedy and heartbreak eventually lead to the sweet promise of hope, healing, and a chance of redemption. Jonah and Clara had such a deep, soulful connection that resonated in every scene. The characters had such opportunities for growth as they also faced personal challenges, fears, and insecurities.
These characters buried themselves into my heart and I felt so strongly for them. Clara was so compassionate, kind, and tenacious. Jonah could be frustrating, but he was a man hiding behind so many walls and was so vulnerable and broken underneath them that he required special care. The side characters were colorful and interesting. The whole setting of the plantation, New Orleans, and its rich history along with the idea of curses, wishes, magic, and even fairy tale charm make this story stand out even more.
I was mesmerized throughout despite its longer length and the fact it is more of a slow burn with a gradual unraveling of mysteries. It is a complex journey of self discovery, acceptance, and forgiveness that takes time and patience. But this is also inspirational and makes you want to look harder to see the beauty in life and live life to the fullest. Definitely one of my very fave books of 2018!
Clara Campbell is drawn to New Orleans by more than just her new appointment to the New Orleans Ballet Company. But though she is living her dreams, she feels alone and disconnected from everyone around her. In interest in a local legend finds her approaching the Weeping Wall at Windisle Plantation, an abandoned property with a ghost story attached. But as she places her wish in the wall, it is not a ghost that she hears beyond the walls.
Jonah Chamberlain hasn’t left the walls of Windisle in 8 years, long enough that the locals all believe the property abandoned. The walls are all he needs to keep himself apart from the judgement of the public, who watched his decisions lead to a tragedy for which he paid dearly.
Their interactions are separated by a wall, but connected by the story of the lost lovers from so long ago. The ghost story is a safe topic for Jonah, and though he isn’t sure why he is suddenly talking to one of the many visitors to the wall, he finds it impossible to ignore the woman who won’t let him hide any longer.
These two are both so lonely that it doesn’t take much of a connection for them to find further intrigue. But what they find as Clara digs deeper into the plantation’s past keeps her coming back for more, as Jonah debates the merits of letting someone in to his safe-place. Both Clara and Jonah have personal character journeys to face over the course of the book, and for as much as the plot is tied to the past, it is also directly tied to these two characters growing and learning.
The Wish Collector combines contemporary with magic and the past. The historical thread isn’t enough to fully call this a split timeline, but the glimpses of the past are the perfect tie between the history and the present of Windisle Plantation. The legend of ghosts in the assumed abandoned building is intriguing as Clara does what she can to solve the century old mystery.
There were so many pieces to this story that I was still thinking of the connections and bits of magic days after finishing. Part Beauty & the Beast, part Phantom of the Opera, part New Orleans magic, this book is a fantastic mix of elements that inspires and enchants. Once again, Mia Sheridan has crafted a tale that takes my expectations and soars far beyond what I could have imagined.
I received this book for free from the author in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Jonah Chamberlain hasn’t left the walls of Windisle in 8 years, long enough that the locals all believe the property abandoned. The walls are all he needs to keep himself apart from the judgement of the public, who watched his decisions lead to a tragedy for which he paid dearly.
Their interactions are separated by a wall, but connected by the story of the lost lovers from so long ago. The ghost story is a safe topic for Jonah, and though he isn’t sure why he is suddenly talking to one of the many visitors to the wall, he finds it impossible to ignore the woman who won’t let him hide any longer.
These two are both so lonely that it doesn’t take much of a connection for them to find further intrigue. But what they find as Clara digs deeper into the plantation’s past keeps her coming back for more, as Jonah debates the merits of letting someone in to his safe-place. Both Clara and Jonah have personal character journeys to face over the course of the book, and for as much as the plot is tied to the past, it is also directly tied to these two characters growing and learning.
The Wish Collector combines contemporary with magic and the past. The historical thread isn’t enough to fully call this a split timeline, but the glimpses of the past are the perfect tie between the history and the present of Windisle Plantation. The legend of ghosts in the assumed abandoned building is intriguing as Clara does what she can to solve the century old mystery.
There were so many pieces to this story that I was still thinking of the connections and bits of magic days after finishing. Part Beauty & the Beast, part Phantom of the Opera, part New Orleans magic, this book is a fantastic mix of elements that inspires and enchants. Once again, Mia Sheridan has crafted a tale that takes my expectations and soars far beyond what I could have imagined.
I received this book for free from the author in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Mia Sheridan is a New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal Bestselling author. Her passion is weaving true love stories about people destined to be together. Mia lives in Cincinnati, Ohio with her husband. They have four children here on earth and one in heaven.
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