What You Wish For

I felt that this book had so many unrealistic things in it that I couldn't wait to finish and get on to a better book. I felt that the dialogue was not quite real, so many flaws to me with this book, I mean a dog that can buckle himself and another dog into the car? Driving down a snowy interstate and coming across the two men at about the same spot, one that you love and one that you are desperately trying to flee from? Spousal abuse is a serious matter but I feel that too many things in this book were unrealistic, which spoiled it for me.

What You Wish For by Fern Michaels
This book starts out with Helan and she's married to Daniel. Everything is perfect in their life if you consider him beating her everytime he wants her to do something. She finally has had enough when he tosses the dog and she's a breath away from being dead.
She is able to defend herself and runs into the street where a passerby takes her to the local vet. He takes her in, cares for the dog and gets a woman to take care of her injuries. She moves them into a woman's shelter and trains her how to take care of herself as she heals.
When she is through with the program they relocate her and with her studies and volunteer time she takes on a job and gets on with her life. She meets with an online counselor show more at nights and Boots knows she is on her way to recovery. Her job is to keep the husband away from her.
Her new business takes off and she meets a man who also has a dog and the dogs take up with one another. The story is terrifying as we learn of what Helen has gone through and what she has to endure, along with others.
She tells her sponsors of her love life and she breaks away from them and she knows her husband is on her trail so she leaves with the dogs to head back to CA where it all started. Love how the story plays out...
Love the strong things Helen does along with the travel. Very few characters and they are easy to keep track of.
I received this book from The Kennsington Books in exchange for my honest review show less

Very uneven story. Some parts are jumping, going forward quickly skipping over things. Other parts just drag. I didn't like how Sam just bulldozed his way into Helen's life.

Audiobook: Narrated by Laurel Merlington

Impression so far: extremely cliched and full of pathos! Not sure I'll make it to the end of this audio...

Narration - very flat tones.

I'm DNFing this one (did not finish). I'm just not interested in Helen Stanley aka Helen Ward aka Nancy BlingBong (or whatever it is)... Because I've given up at 1/3 of the way through, I'm doing the courteous thing and not rating this book a 1 star.

FROM AMAZON: Everything she lost: If her abusive husband hadn't tried to kill her and her beloved dog Lucie, Helen Ward might never have left her million-dollar home and run far away. Now Helen's changed her identity and moved across the country, hopeful that she can be safe, happy, maybe even loved. And when she meets college professor Sam Tolliver, she begins to believe fairytales do come true.

Gave her everything she ever wanted: But even with love blossoming and her new online business venture taking off, Helen knows that the past is catching up with her...and her fear is growing. Wanting to flee, desperate to get away for good, she'll soon face the biggest decision of her life, a decision that will determine her future and her very show more identity. show less

FROM AMAZON: Everything she lost: If her abusive husband hadn't tried to kill her and her beloved dog Lucie, Helen Ward might never have left her million-dollar home and run far away. Now Helen's changed her identity and moved across the country, hopeful that she can be safe, happy, maybe even loved. And when she meets college professor Sam Tolliver, she begins to believe fairytales do come true.

Gave her everything she ever wanted: But even with love blossoming and her new online business venture taking off, Helen knows that the past is catching up with her...and her fear is growing. Wanting to flee, desperate to get away for good, she'll soon face the biggest decision of her life, a decision that will determine her future and her very show more identity. show less

Kate Starr had "doll House" life. Hubby hated it. Vietnam tour, missing in action. Returned. She was wealthy from crafts.