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A review by melissatrew
With Love from Wish & Co. by Minnie Darke
4.0
I adored this sweet little book! With Love from Wish & Co. tells the story of Marnie Fairchild, a boutique owner who specializes in custom gift-buying and gift-wrapping services. She dreams of expanding her business into a historic building nearby that her grandfather used to own, but her dreams may be dashed when she makes a mistake that could bring her entire company crashing to the ground.
"To be unseen meant freedom, but loneliness. To be seen meant connection, but vulnerability. Why was nothing easy?"
To start things off, Marnie is the first book character I've ever encountered who does my dream job, and reading about the life of a professional gift-giver brought me so much joy. The author made this career sound even more wonderful than I'd already dreamed it up in my head to be, and taking a mini-vacation from my own life to experience the world of professional gifting was utterly delightful.
"There were few things in life she loved so much as a happy ending to a gift-giving story."
Not only that, but a secondary character, Suzanne--the world's best cook, gardener, party hostess, homekeeper, mother, and grandmother--was one of the most endearing characters I've ever read about. I adored her more than I can even describe. I want to be Suzanne when I grow up, with her perfectly-planned luncheons and her beautifully-tended roses and her delightfully-coordinated kitchen appliances and her food-and-wine budget that spares no expense. The way Minnie Darke captured Suzanne's love for her family, and a crowded table, was just beautiful and so heartwarming to me. I felt so seen.
"We are fortunate to live in this beautiful house, in this lovely part of town, to have nice things. But the true blessing, for me, is in the people around this table and the relationships we all have. This is our wealth: our children, our beautiful grandchildren."
I don't typically choose books that wrap up so neat-and-tidy, like a Hallmark movie, but sometimes the mood just strikes, and this one was absolutely the right choice for when you want a feel-good story that is sweet and romantic. My only hangup was the way infidelity was treated throughout the story. I wish it could have been different. Even so, I still really loved the book!
——
A huge thank you to Minnie Darke, Ballantine, and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
"To be unseen meant freedom, but loneliness. To be seen meant connection, but vulnerability. Why was nothing easy?"
To start things off, Marnie is the first book character I've ever encountered who does my dream job, and reading about the life of a professional gift-giver brought me so much joy. The author made this career sound even more wonderful than I'd already dreamed it up in my head to be, and taking a mini-vacation from my own life to experience the world of professional gifting was utterly delightful.
"There were few things in life she loved so much as a happy ending to a gift-giving story."
Not only that, but a secondary character, Suzanne--the world's best cook, gardener, party hostess, homekeeper, mother, and grandmother--was one of the most endearing characters I've ever read about. I adored her more than I can even describe. I want to be Suzanne when I grow up, with her perfectly-planned luncheons and her beautifully-tended roses and her delightfully-coordinated kitchen appliances and her food-and-wine budget that spares no expense. The way Minnie Darke captured Suzanne's love for her family, and a crowded table, was just beautiful and so heartwarming to me. I felt so seen.
"We are fortunate to live in this beautiful house, in this lovely part of town, to have nice things. But the true blessing, for me, is in the people around this table and the relationships we all have. This is our wealth: our children, our beautiful grandchildren."
I don't typically choose books that wrap up so neat-and-tidy, like a Hallmark movie, but sometimes the mood just strikes, and this one was absolutely the right choice for when you want a feel-good story that is sweet and romantic. My only hangup was the way infidelity was treated throughout the story. I wish it could have been different. Even so, I still really loved the book!
——
A huge thank you to Minnie Darke, Ballantine, and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!