This is a classic romantic comedy, with laugh out loud moments that will have you nodding your head along in solidarity. The character of Flo is a little of all of us; what I loved about her was how real she was, wearing comfy shoes instead of killer heels, not only satisfied by her job in a book shop, but thriving in it. 

The romantic story was, although predictable, just what you would expect from a book like this and if you enjoy cheesy love stories with humour mixed in, you'll love this book. 

*Trigger warning* I was a little disappointed by the need, at the end, to hint at babies, followed by the excerpt from another book in which the very first line is a character doing a pregnancy test (as an involuntarily childless woman actively seeking characters like me in fiction, this was a blow because up until that point I felt that babies wouldn't be a factor in this book).

Overall, a great feel good story about understanding love and getting to know yourself.

Florence Fairfax, thirty something, has never had a boyfriend and for the most part that suits her just fine. Living with her two half sisters Ruby and Mia, this quirky character loves routine. Her never changing daily lunch of a cheese and tomato sandwich plus her compulsion to count (odd numbers and passing the wrong colour car definitely mean she’s in for a bad day) makes her instantly likeable. Many of us have our own coping mechanisms to deal with the chaos of life and Florence’s need to count stems from losing her mother at a very young age. Working in Chelsea bookshop Frisbee and going home to beloved cat Marmalade,spending her evenings in bed with a good book keeps Florence firmly within her comfort zone. However, meddling stepmother Patricia has other ideas. With Mia’s impending marriage to the oh so boring golf playing Hugo, Patricia believes Florence is overdue her own chance of love and happiness so wastes  no time in booking the help of esteemed love coach Gwendolyn.  Florence reluctantly does at least humour her stepmother by visiting the Harley Street magic maker with encounters that are hilarious and completely bonkers. Can drawing up a wish list of attributes that Florence will find desirable in a man be the answer to falling in love?? 
It’s immediately after her first session with Gwendolyn that miraculously Florence crosses paths with Rory the Tory and she embarks on her first romantic relationship. Can falling in love really be that easy and follow such a specific list or is falling in love more complicated and messy?? 

There are two strands running through this novel; how to save and increase the profile of the bookshop and the discovery that love may not be found amongst a long list of likes and dislikes, rather there needs to be that elusive magic ingredient in a relationship to make you fall head over heels. Both kept me entertained from start to finish.

This is such an uncomplicated,delightful,easy to read piece of escapism that is guaranteed to make you laugh. There’s also great friendship, a few touching moments and of course a dash of romance. I loved every single character from the Fairfax family en masse to Jaz and Dunc from the Nomad group, the utterly bonkers love coach Gwendolyn and even Rory the Tory! The bookstore staff comprising Norris and Eugene are the perfect colleagues for Florence, so accepting of her little foibles and of course there’s Zach, a fine example of a romantic hero. What’s not to like???

Reading The Wish List was a joy, another first class offering from this author who has found the winning combination with an endearing lead character who also happens to work  in a bookshop. Just thinking of days spent amongst the bookshelves made me feel  quite envious of Florence as that would be my idea of heaven. The narrative is upbeat, funny and full of frivolity. Every page is infused with sunshine so I couldn’t find fault with the storyline at all and by the end I felt like I’d been injected with a much needed dose of happiness. I practically inhaled every word.

It’s unusual for me to give a 5 star review for a book of this genre but on this occasion it’s totally deserved. I felt immeasurably happier having welcomed these characters into my life for a few hours.  Note to author: I would love a follow up to this novel as I think there’s more mileage left in the lives of the Fairfax family!! My thanks as always to the publisher and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read. This novel truly brightened my day.

I received a copy of this book to review from Netgalley. Thank you for the opportunity.
This book is a lovely summer read. It had quirky characters such as Flo and a sweet romance running through the book. The writing is good and I enjoyed the humorous quips on modern life. Flo was a relatable characters which most readers could identify with e.g. With her insecurities. The imagery was fantastic, really evoking the reality and sometimes awkwardness of a scene. 
The book was a bit predictable in terms of love interest. The reader found themselves waiting for Flo and her love interest to realise their feelings for each other which made the scenes beforehand stretch out. The chapters were quite long.
On the whole a good book.

This book didn’t have the most promising of starts, I found it a bit too predictable and boring.  Girl feels ugly and frumpy compared to glamorous sisters.  Girl struggles to find boy (unlike glamorous sisters). I struggled to read about her boring dress and her boring life and her hang-ups.

However, about 15% of the way through, I found myself enjoying it. I chuckled at the cringe-worthy sex scenes with boyfriend, Rory.  I knew that he wasn’t the one for her and waited for the obvious love interest (Zach) to come through.

There won’t anything special or different about this book, it is a typical light, humorous romance, perfect for the beach or when you don’t want to have to think or concentrate.  But it is a solid, enjoyable 3⭐️ read.

Many thanks to Netgalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Looking forward to the summer publication of a Sophia Money-Coutts novel has now become a bit of a tradition for me - and that is coming from a reader who usually doesn't touch these kinds of books with a barge pole.

And lord knows, given the weirdness of late, reading this novel has been even more of a welcome distraction than the previous two years.

I can't pretend that I didn't guess exactly what would happen in The Wish List almost from the very beginning, because I did. However, as in her previous two novels, Money-Coutts writes with warmth and charm and develops endearing characters for whom you always root, so you're more than happy to go along for the ride.

My only criticism is that the list of the title and the main character's visits to the love coach, despite seemingly being the premise of the novel, feel a little bit bolted on and you forget about them until one of the characters mentions them. 

If nothing else this novel reminds us of a time, not so long ago when you could got to weddings, get into cabs, jump on a plane, or even go to work and not think twice about it. And that feels like a very long time ago.

This was my first book by this author and whilst the initial description and premise of the book grabbed my attention, I wasn’t really sure what I was going to get. However, I needn’t of worried, after just a few chapters I was drawn in and Florence had grabbed my attention and I really wanted to see her story play out.

There were so many funny moments, a lot quite tongue n cheek - especially the visit to Rorys parents. Flo was a relatable character, drawn to what she thought she wanted, then almost trapped as scared of losing it, even when she wasn’t truly happy, and then the lightbulb moment seeing what we as readers had seen for a while, the cue the mad dash to the airport. 

The story flowed easily and I found I devoured the book fairly quickly. A great light hearted read with love, family and friendship at the core.

The Wish List by @sophiamcoutts published by @hqstories 
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This is the third book by Sophia Money- Coutts that I have read. I just loved her last two books- ‘What’s happens Now’ & ‘The Plus One’ 
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She is fast becoming one of the great romantic comedy writers of the century.
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The Wish List is set in a bookshop ( the best place on Earth in my humble opinion lol)
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We are introduced to Florence who works in the bookshop and she has been single for what feels like a lifetime. It doesn’t really feel like Mr Right is going to come anytime soon.
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Suddenly unbeknownst to her- her step mother has booked her an appointment with Gwendolyn who is a love coach. She is asked to write a wish list of things she likes in a man.
Her once organised, quiet life is turned upside down.
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Florence appears to be the odd one out within her family as her two sister seem to have their lives in order.
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Question is what does Florence really want???
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This book did not disappoint and it made me giggle. I must admit I would be mortified if someone made an appointment with a love coach for me!!! 
Florence is quite restrained about it.
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Writing flows well, characters are both crazy and funny. Sophia has a talent to make a rom-com book funny yet mushy too.
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Thank you @hqstories , @netgalley for gifting me this book and thank you @sophiamcoutts for writing it.
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Out tomorrow 6th Aug 2020
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#thewishlist #sophiamoneycoutts #bookstagram #bookreview #bookcommunity #bookreviewersofinstagram #bookreader #booklover #booknerd #reading #readersofinstagram #forthoveofreading

This review is being posted as part of the Blogger Day for Harper Collins and through them I was lucky enough to recieve an e-book copy of The Wish List to review.

The premise of this book is fairly simple: Florence hasn’t had much luck in her love life so when her step-mum sets her up an appointment with a love coach she goes just to please her. Only this love coach had the idea that if Florence writes a list of what she wants in a guy – this guy will then appear in her life. And low and behold she meets Rory in the book shop where she works. But is he really all she wants or is this only the start of her romantic journey.

I’m going to start by saying that I’m not quite sure what to categorise this book as. Is it chick-lit or a romance novel or a bit both? My end thoughts are it’s a bit of both as it’s essentially a chick-lit novel with smut in it. Not entirely my cup of tea but because of the chick-lit elements you do get a look into her family relationships, work and friendships as well as her romantic life which I loved. This book had so many loveable characters and I loved getting the glimpses into their lives and that the dickheads got their just desserts in the end.

However, it was a little slow to start with. The first two chapters feel simultaneously too slow and also like nothing happens. And it’s only the first 10% of the book. So I wasn’t sure what I was getting in for. I’m glad I did stick it out as the book does get better after that and Florence does have some seriously random adventures. But it wasn’t necessarily a favourite for me.

I also want to add that this book should include a warning for pet death. If this isn’t the type of thing to upset you then fine. But there is a scene where a pet has to be put down and I personally wish that I could have been warned. It was easy to skip over without missing anything but it did cause a little upset so I wanted to warn others.

Overall though? This was an enjoyable chick-lit/romance novel that is exactly what it says on the tin. If you’re looking for something fun and a little quirky then this novel could definitely be the next book for you.

"You want me to write a list? Like a shopping list?'
Gwendolyn nodded. 'Exactly. But for what you want from a man, not ASDA."

32-year-old Florence Fairfax has never had a boyfriend or been in love. But she's sure it will happen one day. After all, even Hitler had a girlfriend. When her stepmother books her an appointment with a love coach Florence is mortified. But after the coach instructs her to write a wish list of what she wants in a man, she meets Rory, a handsome man who ticks everything on her list. But is he the right man for Florence? Is there such a thing as the perfect man? Or is love to be found in the place you didn't expect, with the one who's differences balance you out? 

This was a funny, lighthearted and entertaining read. I loved the author's last novel, so I couldn't wait to read this one. Again the author has crafted a book that has that great mix of wit, romance and sauciness, making it an ideal book for summer.

Our protagonist, Florence, is unlucky-in-love but tells herself she's fine without a man. But deep down she wants nothing more than to be loved and to be in love. I really liked her. She's sweet, awkward, self-deprecating and a little weird. She keeps her life unvaried and ordered to avoid anything bad happening and doesn't do well with change. When she meets Rory she must learn to navigate the nuances of a relationship while trying to find confidence in herself. I enjoyed her journey and was rooting for her to find a happy ending. 

The author is great at writing entertaining characters and filled the story with a great cast of secondary characters. I particularly liked Ruby, Mia and Zach, but had mixed feelings about Rory. He was well written and the scenes with his snobby family and friends were perfectly cringey. 

The thing that I loved most about this book was the humour. This is definitely a book I'd recommend picking up if you need a good laugh; I laughed out loud so many times and will never be able to hear the word cowabunga again without a smile and thinking of this book! 

The Wish List is a quirky, fun, feel-good read with heart. It is predictable in places, but for me that was part of its charm. If you're looking for a book to brighten a summer day, then this is the book for you.

A bookshop and a cat meant I was sold on this book already. Add to that a protagonist who like me is quite happy with just those in her life, then throw in a dysfunctional family, a love coach and some witty and cutting remarks and it’s like an ice cream sundae with not only a cherry on top but chocolate sprinkles too.

This is an easy light hearted book with not only fun characters and plot but some great one liners and literary references. I loved it when Florence described herself as wanting to be as alluring as Scarlett O’Hara with the sassy intelligence of Jo March and the porcelain delicacy of Daisy Buchanan but in reality was more like Miss Havisham.

As a lover of cheesy Hallmark movies this had the expected plot lines of one of their good rom coms and I definitely pictured Lacey Chabert as Florence sat at the table counting her chips.

Do you believe in the perfect man of your dreams or the one with faults but that balances you?
This is the story of Florence Fairfax, she has never had a boyfriend, some flings, but not a date or a long term relation, that’s why her mother decides to “help” her with some personal therapy to find the perfect partner. The problem? Something in paper, no matter how good it seems is not always the perfect thing for you… Florence will have to choose between fairy tales and reality, who do you think will win?
Florence is a special character, the shy and innocent girl we all have inside, who only wants someone that loves and takes care of her. I would have liked to know a little bit more of her weird family and how her two sister’s lives continue, or maybe there will be another book with the story of them? (Fingers crossed!). But this had been a happy read, with charming friends, funny situations and love; not only a passion love but a family and friends love too, because without love our lives will be dull and boring, don’t you think?
When Florence meets the man she has described on her wish list she can’t believe how lucky she is, but while she is enchanted by the brightness of her prince charming she will miss all the small details that make a relation to work; support, friendship and being there on the moments of need. I thought that this was a way to show the reader that sometimes we search for perfectness while the perfect thing we are looking is on our side without our knowledge. I am not only talking about a partner but for the things we need, a change or a dream, we can always ask for help, but the last word is always on us as well as the possibility of a change.
The Wish List is a happy and bright read, full of love and friendship, it will enchant you since the first page. Ready?

I wouldn't be at all suprised if Richard Curtis is reading this book right now and planning his next screenplay. The Wish List reads like a classic British rom-com - it's Bridget Jones meets Notting Hill, except this time maybe Mark Darcy isn't all he's cracked up to be. All of the character stereotypes are in there; the hilariously snobbish and overbearing (step)mother, the theatrical gay best friend, the eccentric therapist and the bridezilla to name but a few, who together make for a wonderful supporting cast. Florence herself is the most relatable, and realistic, character - the quiet bookish type whose carefully ordered world is about to be turned upside down. I really liked Florence and thoroughly enjoyed her journey as she overcame her anxieties and followed her heart. The plot is a little predictable, but this is no bad thing. Knowing where the story was heading meant I could enjoy it all the more. 

The Wish List is a fun, feel-good read full of humour and heart. Check out all the other lovely book bloggers listed below for more content on this brilliant book!

I’ve never read anything by this author before, and was pleasantly surprised by what an entertaining and engaging read it was. Florence was a likeable, flawed and engaging main character and it was lovely to see her grow over the course of the book. I also really enjoyed the bookshop setting! 

The secondary characters were also likeable and well-rounded, especially Zach and Florence’s sisters Ruby and Mia. Rory was well-drawn and half loved him, half hated him. The story moved along at a good pace, but possibly one of the best things about the book was the wit and humour. I laughed out loud a lot, and could often be found snorting to myself in a corner somewhere while reading it...

Looking forward to reading other books by Sophia Money-Coutts.

I adored this so much. Loved the humour , the relatable characters, the author makes you care so much for them. Obviously I loved Marmalade .I found once I picked this up I could not put it down. This book made me emotional in a good way. Looking forward to reading more by this author. A heartwarming read, full of humour and emotion, definitely recommended for an escape this summer.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

I am absolutely gutted that I didn't enjoy this book. On paper it sounded perfect but I just could not get into the story no matter how hard I tried. I couldn't connect with the main character or the storyline. 

Unfortunately I did have to DNF this book but please don't let my thoughts influence you reading this book. A lot of people love and enjoy this story, sadly it just wasn't for me.

I wasn't sure how I'd feel about this. I tend to like romcoms over straight up romance, and although there are some very funny passages in this, it didn't feel like a romcom. However, I'm glad I stuck with it, because it really is very good.

I skimmed the sex - not the interesting part as far as I'm concerned, but if you like it, more power to you. There's a fair amount but it's all quite well flagged.

I didn't think too much of Flo at first. She seemed judgy and unwilling to bend. As I read on, though, either she unbent or I got used to her. By a certain Christmasy scene I found I was laughing as I read.

WARNING, though;
Flo has an elderly cat, and halfway through she has to have him put down. It's a difficult scene to read if you're a cat person, as I am.


Overall, I very much enjoyed this. I loved watching Flo's relationships deepen and become more meaningful, I loved a certain event centred around her sisters near the end, I loved her slow realisation that she'd had all these friends all along, she just hadn't realised it. As a bookseller, I loved that she was a bookseller; it's not a very glamourous or sexy job, so it's not often shown, but I recognised several of our regular customers in the regulars here and it was great to see.

One thing that did catch me; while this is of course fiction, in real life finding a boyfriend or girlfriend is not a cure for OCD, which Flo seems to have. I'm lucky enough not to have it and can't say anything about it's depiction here, but it did just seem a bit strange in an otherwise really lovely ending.

I'd read another novel by Sophia in the future, or even a continuation of this one. I'd love to know what happened next and I think there's plenty more story in these characters.

Florence Fairfax is perfectly happy being single, thank you. Her days are more than taken up with the job that she loves at a tiny bookshop in Chelsea, and at night...well she can always cuddle up to her favourite gentleman, Marmalade the cat.

But when Florence's younger half-sister announces that she is getting married to the incredibly dull Hugo, her singledom becomes a matter for debate among her family and they arrange for her to pay a visit to the eccentric love guru Gwendolyn.

Gwendolyn gets Florence to write a list of everything she is looking for in a man, and after some hastily mumbled incantations, she sends her out into the world with the assurance that she will now be able to find love.

Lo and behold, an eligible bachelor drops into Florence's lap later that same week, in the form of the handsome, and frightfully posh, aspiring politician, Rory, - who appears to have all the attributes she has written on her wish list. But is he really 'The One', or has she been looking in all the wrong places...and for the wrong sort of 'Mr Right'?

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I love Sophia Money-Coutts' books. They never fail to make me laugh and cry in equal measure, with just the right amount of 'hot under the collar' naughtiness thrown in! So I was really looking forward to immersing myself in Sophia's third rom-com, The Wish List, and what an absolute joy it was!

Florence Fairfax makes for a winning heroine, with insecurities that make you want to pick her up and give her a big hug. After losing her mother at a young age and being saddled with a social climbing step-mother, and two half-sisters who are very close to each other, she has always felt a bit of an outsider. Florence relies on routine and her counting habit for reassurance, and this might make her seem a bit weird to those who don't know her well, but she has her heart firmly in the right place, and although she is not desperate to have a man in her life, she is not averse to meeting Mr Right as it might be rather nice to finally have a boyfriend.

Forced to confront her single state, Florence finds herself with love on the horizon, in the form of a man who seems to tick all the boxes on her wish list, but is is not as easy negotiating a relationship as she thought, even if the sex is a revelation, when she is barely coping with the impending wedding of the year, trying to save the beloved bookshop where she works, and juggling friends and family. How can she tell if Rory is really the man she has been looking for, or even the man she actually needs?

Well, suffice to say, Florence's search for true love does not run smooth, and to be honest the other parts of her life are a bit chaotic too, but it was absolutely lovely to be along for the ride as all the threads of the story work out to their various hilarious, romantic and 'fist-pumpingingly' gorgeous conclusions.

This is another winner from the pen of Sophia Money-Coutts, with a fabulous cast of characters drawn from the posher parts of society, mixed deftly in with us more ordinary mortals, in the way that she has made her own. I am always seeing Sophia vaunted as the new Jilly Cooper, but for me, her books are so much more heart-felt and funny, which makes them such a tonic for the soul.

Don't be shy now, get yourself  copy of The Wish List and brighten up your summer days!

Review going live as part of the blogger day on 5th August.

Florence has to make a list of the qualities she wants in a man and then she finds someone who fits the bill but surely it can't be that simple. She's never really had a boyfriend before and was happy with her life but maybe she's found the one or is it just too good to be true. 

Oh this is such a cute story and so funny too. Okay yes I figured out the ending but I enjoyed the ride to it. The plot is steady and builds to an expected but well written ending. I loved the scene at the wedding and I'm so glad it went the way it did. I loved Flo and I have to admit the part with her cat had me in tears. The story is sweet and real. Plus hilarious and relatable in many ways. If that wasn't enough she works in a bookshop which I loved. The characters are well written especially her sisters who I grew to love by the end. Zach is brilliant too and of course where would this be without Eugene and Jaz. A brilliant fun read.

The Wish List was a really enjoyable rom-com - predictable in a kind of satisfying way, with a great mix of genuine warmth and mockery of everything from cliched Tory parties to sage cleansing.

Florence is an odd-ball character, working in a bookshop, always the Cinderella to her more glamorous half-sisters.  She’s forced into making a wish list for her perfect man...and then meets him.

While there’s lots about romance(including some ‘open door’ sex scenes), what I actually enjoyed most was the portrayal of friendship and family, and Florence’s realisation that she’s not really alone after all.

I'm pleased to share my review for The Wish List today. Thank you to HQ for providing a digital review copy via NetGalley - my thoughts are my own and not influenced by the gift.

I enjoyed this romantic fiction book - a much needed break from anxiety inducing news and some darker novels I've read recently. The story is set partly in a bookshop, one which needs to move forward into the modern day and encourage people to visit it more. Florence also needs to move forward with her life - or so her family insist.

The wish list is what she comes up with after being sent to see a 'love coach' and then Rory arrives, who seems to tick many of the boxes - or does he? This is fun romantic book with some sad topics covered. An uplifting read for the summer of 2020.