Status
Available
Call number
Genres
Collection
Publication
Grand Central Publishing (2021), 401 pages
Description
"1996 was the year that changed everything for Maggie Dawes. Sent away at sixteen to live with an aunt she barely knew in Ocracoke, a remote village on North Carolina's Outer Banks, she could think only of the friends and family she left behind . . . until she meets Bryce Trickett, one of the few teenagers on the island. Handsome, genuine, and newly admitted to West Point, Bryce gradually shows her how much there is to love about the wind-swept beach town-and introduces her to photography, a passion that will define the rest of her life. By 2019, Maggie is a renowned travel photographer. She splits her time between running a successful gallery in New York and photographing remote locations around the world. But this year she is unexpectedly grounded over Christmas, struggling to come to terms with a sobering medical diagnosis. Increasingly dependent on a young assistant, she finds herself becoming close to him. As they count down the last days of the season together, she begins to tell him the story of another Christmas, decades earlier-and the love that set her on a course she never could have imagined"--… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member Twink
Get out your tissue box - Nicholas Sparks' new book, The Wish, has just released!
Do you remember your first love? Was it just a high school fling or the real thing? In 1995 for sixteen year old Maggie Dawes, Bryce Trickett was the real deal.
It's now December 2019 and Maggie finds herself grounded
The past takes us to the North Carolina island of Okracoke - a real place I would love to visit. It is here that Maggie goes to live with her aunt and finish up her school year. She's fallen behind, so Bryce is hired as her tutor... Uh huh, they become friends and more. Sparks does a great job building the relationship in a thoughtful, caring manner. And it was easy to see how the two fell in love. The setting is absolutely wonderfully drawn as well. The supporting cast on the island are people you'd want to have in your own life - Aunt Linda especially.
Sparks flips the narrative from past to present, with Maggie's story slowly coming to light. And just when you're totally caught up in either past or present, the time frame changes. A guaranteed way to keep me up late turning pages. Now, the present is not a static time. Christmas is around the corner and Maggie and Mark decorate and take in events and experiences, many of them based on Maggie's memories of Okracoke. Which made me want to start decorating already!
Now, you just know that Sparks is going to play on your emotions - and yes, I bawled my eyes out in the last few chapters. And I was pretty sure I knew what the final pages (and I was right.) But, I really enjoyed the journey there. Heartwarming and heartbreaking.
Sparks is a consummate story teller and this newest only confirms that.
Do you remember your first love? Was it just a high school fling or the real thing? In 1995 for sixteen year old Maggie Dawes, Bryce Trickett was the real deal.
It's now December 2019 and Maggie finds herself grounded
Show More
in the gallery she runs. A sobering medical diagnosis has her reliving and recounting her past to the young man who is her assistant.The past takes us to the North Carolina island of Okracoke - a real place I would love to visit. It is here that Maggie goes to live with her aunt and finish up her school year. She's fallen behind, so Bryce is hired as her tutor... Uh huh, they become friends and more. Sparks does a great job building the relationship in a thoughtful, caring manner. And it was easy to see how the two fell in love. The setting is absolutely wonderfully drawn as well. The supporting cast on the island are people you'd want to have in your own life - Aunt Linda especially.
Sparks flips the narrative from past to present, with Maggie's story slowly coming to light. And just when you're totally caught up in either past or present, the time frame changes. A guaranteed way to keep me up late turning pages. Now, the present is not a static time. Christmas is around the corner and Maggie and Mark decorate and take in events and experiences, many of them based on Maggie's memories of Okracoke. Which made me want to start decorating already!
Now, you just know that Sparks is going to play on your emotions - and yes, I bawled my eyes out in the last few chapters. And I was pretty sure I knew what the final pages (and I was right.) But, I really enjoyed the journey there. Heartwarming and heartbreaking.
Sparks is a consummate story teller and this newest only confirms that.
Show Less
LibraryThing member waldhaus1
Years ago I read notebook and one or two of his other books and then for some reason lost track of his work. Then I saw this title on the best seller lists and couldn’t resist. Somehow I’d combined notebook and bridges of Madison sounty in my mind. I gues that can happen as you get old.
Ocracoke is a place that has always fascinated me. Blackbeard the pirate spent some time there as I recall. The islands of the outer banks have always appealed to me. They used to be a great place for boardsailing - probably still are. And of sourse Kitty Hawk isn’t far away.
The story of Maggie and Bryce is a great love story and the way it is told in pieces makes it more poignant. The end wasn’t surprising. Some of the other twists were easy to guess but the story was still heart warming. It seemed particularly appropriate to read it at Christmas time.
I also enjoyed the exploration of photography. Since retiring from my real job - my calling - I have enjoyed developing my skills as a photographer. She talks about phots ultimately being an individual expression of how a photographer experiences the world and I found that well stated.
Show More
Ocracoke is a place that has always fascinated me. Blackbeard the pirate spent some time there as I recall. The islands of the outer banks have always appealed to me. They used to be a great place for boardsailing - probably still are. And of sourse Kitty Hawk isn’t far away.
The story of Maggie and Bryce is a great love story and the way it is told in pieces makes it more poignant. The end wasn’t surprising. Some of the other twists were easy to guess but the story was still heart warming. It seemed particularly appropriate to read it at Christmas time.
I also enjoyed the exploration of photography. Since retiring from my real job - my calling - I have enjoyed developing my skills as a photographer. She talks about phots ultimately being an individual expression of how a photographer experiences the world and I found that well stated.
Show Less
LibraryThing member SheriAWilkinson
The Wish by Nicholas Sparks
Maggie, a young woman with a prosperous career in photography, has comes to terms with her medical diagnosis. (She) is reminiscent of her time spent in a small seaside North Carolina town at the age of sixteen. The choices she made and how it affects her life are captured
Told through Maggie's voice from her past to present, I was drawn from the beginning until the end. I was able to connect to Maggie as if I were part of (Her) story. Once again Nicholas Sparks brings raw emotions throughout, pulling (you) in and not letting go. The Wish is a memorable heart-felt read. I highly recommend to all.
Maggie, a young woman with a prosperous career in photography, has comes to terms with her medical diagnosis. (She) is reminiscent of her time spent in a small seaside North Carolina town at the age of sixteen. The choices she made and how it affects her life are captured
Show More
in this compelling story.Told through Maggie's voice from her past to present, I was drawn from the beginning until the end. I was able to connect to Maggie as if I were part of (Her) story. Once again Nicholas Sparks brings raw emotions throughout, pulling (you) in and not letting go. The Wish is a memorable heart-felt read. I highly recommend to all.
Show Less
LibraryThing member HeatherLINC
Finally, finally, Nicholas Sparks is back doing what he does best - writing a novel with characters you can't help falling in love with and breaking your heart. I have struggled with many of his recent books but "The Wish" reminded me of his earlier, poignant works such as "A Walk to Remember",
Show More
"The Notebook", "The Guardian" and, my first ever Nicholas Sparks novel, "Message in a Bottle". Loved it! Show Less
LibraryThing member SheriAWilkinson
The Wish by Nicholas Sparks
Maggie, a young woman with a prosperous career in photography, has comes to terms with her medical diagnosis. (She) is reminiscent of her time spent in a small seaside North Carolina town at the age of sixteen. The choices she made and how it affects her life are captured
Told through Maggie's voice from her past to present, I was drawn from the beginning until the end. I was able to connect to Maggie as if I were part of (Her) story. Once again Nicholas Sparks brings raw emotions throughout, pulling (you) in and not letting go. The Wish is a memorable heart-felt read. I highly recommend to all.
Maggie, a young woman with a prosperous career in photography, has comes to terms with her medical diagnosis. (She) is reminiscent of her time spent in a small seaside North Carolina town at the age of sixteen. The choices she made and how it affects her life are captured
Show More
in this compelling story.Told through Maggie's voice from her past to present, I was drawn from the beginning until the end. I was able to connect to Maggie as if I were part of (Her) story. Once again Nicholas Sparks brings raw emotions throughout, pulling (you) in and not letting go. The Wish is a memorable heart-felt read. I highly recommend to all.
Show Less
LibraryThing member Desiree_Reads
I you've heard of Nicholas Sparks, you know it will be a tear-jerker, which it was. Like several of his other books, the storyline and pacing mean this would make a great movie.
My favorite parts of the book: The lovely descriptions of the windswept Outer Banks, NC. I also very much liked the old
Would be a great book club read to share with friends. Also, good for a late Fall read, as much if the story takes place over two Christmases.
My favorite parts of the book: The lovely descriptions of the windswept Outer Banks, NC. I also very much liked the old
Show More
school style of a character telling another character a story. The switches back and forth from 2019 to 1996 were quite well done. It's also a sweet story of first love. And how one experience can change the whole trajectory of a person's life.Would be a great book club read to share with friends. Also, good for a late Fall read, as much if the story takes place over two Christmases.
Show Less
LibraryThing member TMLbuds34
When this book arrived in the mail, I wasn't expecting to finish it as quickly as I did. That qualifies this one as a real page-turner. In typical Nicholas Sparks style, he'll wrap you into the plot and make you fall in love with the characters, and then refuse to let go until it's your turn to put
Of course, I knew Nicholas Sparks' other work and I had a general idea of what I was getting into, but all the preparation in the world won't be enough to get you ready for a story like this. His fans will know this better than anybody, and this book is no different. When this work comes out later this month, you'll be in for another fantastic story.
When I first started reading this, I thought it was a little bit too easy of a plot device to have the lead character going through her predicament, but very quickly I realized just how important it was to the overall story, as it's something to keep in the back of your head as you make your way through this journey. You'll constantly be reminding yourself of this situation with every happy moment in her life, and it keeps the entire book feeling bittersweet from the first page to the last. I'm only mildly disappointed that I correctly predicted the ending very early in the book, but I acknowledged that it wouldn't have worked as well to tell this story properly any other way. I knew what was coming, and I still wasn't ready for it. That speaks volumes to the power of this storytelling.
Nicholas Sparks fans are in for a real treat with this new book, and I'm very excited for everyone eagerly waiting to experience this wonderful story. You won't be disappointed, but bring some tissues.
Thanks to Nicholas Sparks and Grand Central Publishing for providing me with an early review copy of The Wish. This review was entirely honest and unbiased.
Show More
the book down and accept its conclusion.Of course, I knew Nicholas Sparks' other work and I had a general idea of what I was getting into, but all the preparation in the world won't be enough to get you ready for a story like this. His fans will know this better than anybody, and this book is no different. When this work comes out later this month, you'll be in for another fantastic story.
When I first started reading this, I thought it was a little bit too easy of a plot device to have the lead character going through her predicament, but very quickly I realized just how important it was to the overall story, as it's something to keep in the back of your head as you make your way through this journey. You'll constantly be reminding yourself of this situation with every happy moment in her life, and it keeps the entire book feeling bittersweet from the first page to the last. I'm only mildly disappointed that I correctly predicted the ending very early in the book, but I acknowledged that it wouldn't have worked as well to tell this story properly any other way. I knew what was coming, and I still wasn't ready for it. That speaks volumes to the power of this storytelling.
Nicholas Sparks fans are in for a real treat with this new book, and I'm very excited for everyone eagerly waiting to experience this wonderful story. You won't be disappointed, but bring some tissues.
Thanks to Nicholas Sparks and Grand Central Publishing for providing me with an early review copy of The Wish. This review was entirely honest and unbiased.
Show Less
LibraryThing member Okies
I'm only 3/12 into this audiobook - my impression is - it is a n i c e story. I did listen to The Notebook many years ago, and of course I've seen the movie many times. I remember being disappointed with the book, compared with the movie. I guess I've been a little disappointed with every Nicholas
(Later) This is a first person narration by Maggie Dawes, visiting her aunt on an island in South Carolina. It's beautifully read by Mela Lee and Will Collyer. I've heard Will Collyer a number of times, a mellow middle America voice; Mela Lee has an unusual voice - it is kinda annoying, but it is young and does suit the story, and she uses it superbly.
A touching, tear-jerker story. This is maybe a subgenre of the romance novel that could be called The Tearjerker. I've got no worries shedding a tear through an audiobook - it's usually a sign of a beautiful, well-written story. This is that too, but something about the inevitability of the sadness, the difficult path, the no-solution tragedy. Is this a Nicholas Sparks speciality?
I've read quite a few Nicholas Sparks over the years, but I believe he's written more than 120? novels. I'm sure they are all worth dipping into because he definitely can touch your heart. I've only got one other book of his listed in LibraryThing - See Me - and this was much better than that one...at least.
I won't forget these characters and that is the author's achievement and perhaps I should give this another half star. It's just something about that tearjerker element/manipulation built in to the story ... I hope it isn't just that I'm jaded...
My heart broke alongside the breaking heart of Bryce Trickett and Maggie who fell in love at 16 and 17. They decide that their love will be a beautiful dream - there is no other option. Maggie is brave and wise at 16. He is so good and pure! It's incredibly powerful. I loved the Aunt Linda character too.
Show More
Sparks book since. Insipid is too strong a word, but where is the wow factor? The Notebook movie had it.(Later) This is a first person narration by Maggie Dawes, visiting her aunt on an island in South Carolina. It's beautifully read by Mela Lee and Will Collyer. I've heard Will Collyer a number of times, a mellow middle America voice; Mela Lee has an unusual voice - it is kinda annoying, but it is young and does suit the story, and she uses it superbly.
A touching, tear-jerker story. This is maybe a subgenre of the romance novel that could be called The Tearjerker. I've got no worries shedding a tear through an audiobook - it's usually a sign of a beautiful, well-written story. This is that too, but something about the inevitability of the sadness, the difficult path, the no-solution tragedy. Is this a Nicholas Sparks speciality?
I've read quite a few Nicholas Sparks over the years, but I believe he's written more than 120? novels. I'm sure they are all worth dipping into because he definitely can touch your heart. I've only got one other book of his listed in LibraryThing - See Me - and this was much better than that one...at least.
I won't forget these characters and that is the author's achievement and perhaps I should give this another half star. It's just something about that tearjerker element/manipulation built in to the story ... I hope it isn't just that I'm jaded...
My heart broke alongside the breaking heart of Bryce Trickett and Maggie who fell in love at 16 and 17. They decide that their love will be a beautiful dream - there is no other option. Maggie is brave and wise at 16. He is so good and pure! It's incredibly powerful. I loved the Aunt Linda character too.
Show Less
LibraryThing member Baochuan
The story is well done but a bit soppy. The main character gave birth and adapted out her son due to her young age and other circumstance. Then, at the end of her life (a relative short one) that her son came back to her life (without her knowing until the end) and she relayed the story while she
Show More
was on a remote island at North Carolina to her son. Show Less
LibraryThing member JenniferRobb
A coworker got me started reading this author. I guess I've read enough of his books now to "know" there's usually a twist at the end--and I guessed this one's (though I did waver between two different characters as being the twist. I was thrown off a bit by Maggie's mom's statement.).
In one
It was nice to see a character who's an accomplished single woman.
In one
Show More
sense, I wish Bryce and Maggie had had a happier ending--though if they had, I doubt Maggie's life would have been what it was at the time of this book. It was nice to see a character who's an accomplished single woman.
Show Less
Language
Original publication date
2022