"...WISHES is one of the best books I've ever read. ...Fans of Nicholas Sparks will want to read this unforgettable tale. - N. N. Light's Book Heaven Review
"...Blending romance and psychological drama, WISHES ...successfully captures the different stages of grief...and - most importantly-hope." - IndieReader Review
"Samuelson's latest novel is... [an] entertaining novel of romance, renewal, and healing from past trauma. ...with a deepening awareness that what truly matters in life is worth the effort." - BookLife Review
Can a woman broken by tragedy and heartbreak journey through her own past to reclaim her future? WISHES is a poignant exploration of the power of love and hope, resilience and redemption against human suffering.
Callie Ward's wishes and dreams have crumbled under the weight of life-long trauma and grief. It's safer for her to hide from the world than face more loss and betrayal. Help comes from places and people unknown, unexpected, and mysterious, but she's reluctant to accept it.
At twenty-eight, amidst life and wedding crises, a box of wishes arrives from her past to help nurture and heal her with loving guidance, requests, and tangible, material support. But they mean facing her past from which she recoils at having to dredge up traumatic events, fearful of unrecoverable heartbreak.
Her escape into solitude spirals into entanglements with others who have their own wounds and secrets. She's encouraged by meeting caring, helpful women, but fearful of men who challenge her guarded heart-one who's hidden his true feelings, another is a wounded hero recovering from trauma, and a third is an intelligent charmer who seems too good to be true. Battling flashbacks and anxiety, Callie must choose to confront, or run from, the wishes and her traumas and men who could either shatter or heal her. Will it be fate or her own decisions that determine who she is and the rest of her life?
Callie's journey through broken lives from charming New England to the Florida coasts, to the majestic Grand Canyon will either save or devastate her. Join Callie as she navigates the treacherous terrain of the heart in a fight for her future.
About the Author :
Who better to write stories of resilient women enduring losses in life and love, tragedies, and triumphs than someone who's lived through them herself? Personal experiences, travel through 44 states and having lived in 15 cities in 9 states, along with two careers in corporate marketing and graphic design, have inspired the diverse characters, settings, and storylines of Christine's novels. Her stories are authentic and relatable, written in a unique voice to express the tragic and magic, the joys and mysteries of life.
Christine loves dabbling in the mystical side of life, exploring new ways of fathoming the craziness and inexplicability of it. She discovered that the path to learning--the questioning and discovering--can be more fascinating than the answers.
Living in coastal South Carolina, she enjoys beach, sunsets, walks, great books, movies, festivals, and luscious southern cuisine. The land, sea and people are constant sources of inspiration. Reading her books can inspire you to view life and love through a different lens and realize that no matter your circumstances, we all share the same story, we have the same heart.
Review :
1.) "...WISHES is one of the best books I've ever read. Not since Nicholas Sparks, have I read a story that
tore my heart out, in the best possible way. It is a beautiful literary fiction I couldn't put down. N. Christine Samuelson infuses the narration with emotion, grief, healing, and rebirth. Each scene is poignantly described so the reader becomes a part of the story. But it's the characters that make Wishes an unforgettable read. - N.N. Light's Book Heaven. 2.) "...Blending romance and psychological drama, WISHES focuses on Callie's emotional journey and personal growth. While the romantic elements are significant, they're secondary to her internal transformation. Samuelson shows how Callie slowly and painfully pieces herself back together ... with deep psychological realism. ...WISHES also successfully captures the different stages of grief moving through denial, anger, bargaining, depression, acceptance, and -- most importantly--hope." - IndieReader Review.
3.) "Samuelson's latest novel is, first and foremost, a story of healing ... [an] entertaining novel of romance, renewal, and healing from past trauma. ... Callie's ultimate realization... also comes with a deepening awareness that what truly matters in life is worth the effort." - BookLife Review.
