Have you ever loved a story so much that you struggle to put your thoughts into words? This is how I feel about Wish You Here by Jess K Hardy.
This story of Kev and Davis is one of love, respect, devotion, betrayal and redemption for both you and your relationship with those you love. If you have not read any of the Bluebird Basin novels yet, that’s ok, but just know that readers have gotten a glimpse of Kev and Davis’s romance in the previous two books – Come As You Are and Lips Like Sugar. Davis works alongside her mother at their family’s ski resort and Kev is a resident of Little Timber Sober Living where he works as a member of the crew assisting at the resort. The novel opens as Davis is dreaming of their relationship, it’s decline and Kev’s recent relapse and overdose. Her fear and heartbreak is palpable in Jess’s writing. I’ll stop here to say if you have experienced addiction yourself or with a loved one, this novel may be triggering. I am in the throes of it with a family member right now, and I had to take breaks between chapters.
Kev has finished rehab, and with Davis’s ok, he is returning to Little Timber and Bluebird Basin. The remainder of the novel is a beautiful story of two people who desperately love each other finding their way back together. It is not easy or pretty, but Jess presents an honest, heartbreaking and heart mending story. Every revelation Kev had about himself and his addiction had me cheering because it meant he was healing and “doing the work”. We see cameos of our favorite characters, and of course, Madigan is there as the dad we all never knew we needed.
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶️🌶️ – it is the slowest of burns, but the mutual pining is chef’s kiss and when it finally burns, it is so good!

I would say this is a 3.5, mainly because I couldn't connect with the characters. However the dedication and the first page almost had me crying. I think this just wasn't for me or maybe too much for me. This story is about a second chance romance MMC kept hitting rock bottom and FMC tried to protect herself but couldn't help but still love him.

Check your TW there are a few.

Jess K. Hardy just has a way about writing characters who are REAL. This story is both terribly sad and heartwarming. I read this one in one sitting and already want more!

With thanks to Netgalley and the author, Jess K Hardy for a copy of the eARC to read ahead of publication.

Strong 4/5

THis is Book 3 in the Bluebird Basin collection. I read this as a standalone and I do think I would have benefitted from reading Books 1 and 2 prior. That said, I was well able to orient myself to the characters and their conection to each other. The characters themselves, stood strong however, I do think I would have fallen into the plot quicker with a fuller understanding of the Bluebird Basin community.

I particularly enjoyed the themes of trust, honesty, self-knowing and admitting that the baggage (trauma) we carry is what can inform our emotional reactions. But that with the right guidance and non-judgement, we can grow and evolve.

The personal growth displayed by the main characters, Davis and Kev was delivered with pathos. This was reflected by a slow, respectful and, restrained romantic relationship. The moments of honesty and pining from Kev, along with the romantic gestures were beautifully written. I would have liked to see Davis move through more self-growth but the forgiveness she offered herself and Kev was enough to make her a thoroughly enjoyable character. But the star is certainly Kev.

I was not familiar with the idea of a sober living community, as presented in this series, and I did need to google to understand their place in the scope of rehabilitation. The life teaching and nature of the community were excellent examples of a truly supportive cast and found family. This was a brilliant example of positive, supportive male-male friendships on the page. The guidance, personal awareness and examples of emotional intelligence teaching that supported blokes to openly get “wet fingers” was something to celebrate. This sets a VERY high bar for characters actively tackling toxic masculinity and speaking from the heart for other authors.

I was impressed by the Equine Assisted Learning that was presented on the page. As a practitioner of EAL, I am cautious when I see “horse as mirror” however, the work Kev was doing for himself was so well written my fears were allayed.

A deeply emotional and beautifully written story, Wish You Were Here is one of those books that gets under your skin and stays there long after you’ve finished it. Jess K. Hardy has crafted a tale full of heartache, hope, and healing, woven together with a lyrical and raw narrative that feels both intimate and universal.

The characters are so well-drawn and real, making you feel their pain and their growth in ways that hit hard and leave you reflecting on your own experiences. The story tackles loss, love, and the delicate process of moving forward, but it does so with a quiet grace that never feels too heavy-handed.

What really stuck with me was the sense of connection—between the characters, and with the readers. It’s the kind of book that makes you want to hug it, then sit in quiet contemplation after turning the last page. Hardy has a gift for pulling you into the story and making you feel every emotion, and Wish You Were Here is a testament to that.

If you love angst, this is the book for you! I do not love angst, and it was all I could do to get through the first half. But I liked Kev and Davis in "Come As You Are" and wanted to see what became of them, so I stuck it out until things began to ease up into a sweetly touching love story. Hardy accomplishes something so few authors seem able to do: giving characters realistically messed-up backgrounds and then taking them through a complete character arc to transformation and redemption. It's not just the typical "my dad/mom left and I'll never again trust a man/woman" backstory that's easily resolved with a couple Instagram platitudes. Hardy has obviously done her research, because the therapy-speak in the characters' dialogue feels super-authentic, and their breakthroughs feel earned. I also loved that Madigan, the hero from "Come As You Are," was so essential to this story, rather than just the token cameo you get in many book series. By the end, I adored everything about these characters and their world.

I absolutely love the Bluebird Basin series and have become so invested in the characters and their journeys. Jess K. Hardy writes believable characters, flaws and all, who you really end up routing for!
Davis and Kevin's story is a second-chance romance dealing with addiction and the journey to attain and maintain sobriety after relapse. This is the third book in the series and, while it can be read as a standalone, I do re comedy reading the first two for maximum emotional impact and connection to the story. you won't be disappointed!

My gosh, for someone deep in a reading slump to devour this book quickly and be emotionally wrecked (but in a good way) is really saying something. Before starting the book, check the content warnings as they feature prominently. If you are okay with them, then delay no further! This is one of the most emotionally charged romances I have read in a long time. It struck the perfect balance between being emotionally charged with pining and self discovery, while not feeling drawn out and manufactured. The reader is immediately invested in the characters - they feel real, gritty and honest. This isn't a light and fluffy romance, but it also has some of the most delightful scenes and easy humor.

As for the "spice" - and I put that in quotes, because it feels so integral to the story and not like a separate aspect added in for bonus points - was also honest and natural. There was no exaggeration or more than was needed, each scene was perfectly timed in the overall story and character arcs. This was also exceptionally done in Come As You Are. Come As You Are was my favorite in the series, but this one may have knocked it off its pedestal. I hope for many more in this series, I am now FULLY invested in every single side character and their well-being.

Thank you to Jess K Hardy and NetGalley for a digital advanced reader copy. All opinions are my own, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This book is going to be so meaningful to so many people.

It’s about what’s possible.
It’s about the power of community.
It’s about daring to hope even when it’s scary.
It’s about getting the life so perfectly suited for you.

Tough topics are covered with such compassion, both for the characters and for the reader. I highly recommend reading the first two Bluebird Basin books before this one; all books in this series are great on their own and even better together.

Thanks to the author for the opportunity to cry through a NetGalley ARC of this book <3

4.5/5 stars

My favorite of the Bluebird Basin books for sure!

I loved the angst and the trauma and the grief and the pain - not because I wanted to see my babies in pain, but because it was real. Both Kev and Davis went THROUGH it in book 2, and Hardy didn’t shy away from showing the very real consequences and struggles of these characters.

There is a little bit of spice but it’s much more angst and plot focused, which fit my vibe perfectly - but the spice that was there was great. And there was a lot of fantasizing and yearning to fill in for the lesser spice too!

Cant recommend this series to any romance readers enough!

Thank you, NetGalley for introducing me to my new favorite series and author. After receiving this ARC I quickly realized it was actually the third book of the series. I quickly went back and read book one and two before starting this one and I’m so glad I did because this is definitely not a standalone.

Jess K. Hardy was able to pull so many emotions from me with her writing. I laughed, I cried, I swooned. I did it all. The character development that takes place over the course of this series and especially in this book was so well written. Wow, just WOW.

I think Davis and Kevin’s journey may have just made me become a fan of second chance romance. This is a story I will hold in my head and in my heart for years to come.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC

I was excited to read Wish You Were Here after a friend recommended it. It didn’t disappoint. It’s a very emotional book with a long slow burn. It’s a story about second chances and recovery.

Jess K. Hardy handled the topic of recovery with the care that it deserved in Kev’s character. I feel like we really see him evolve and heal. I love that we get to see horse therapy in action and talk about therapy and accountability but also good male friendships. We see the beauty of community and multigenerational care. I think this is so important to normalize and talk about. I also love an MMC who likes to read romance novels so that was great!

I liked Davis as a character but don’t feel like we see her evolve and grow as much as we see Kev. Although we do get to see her beautiful moments too and witness her reevaluate priorities while her community rallied behind her. We do see her grow into herself and find her path.

4/5⭐️ for me

I have never read any book like this before, and I was absolutely in pieces over it. This is an absolutely beautiful story about second chances, self-discovery, and overcoming. I have loved Kev and Davis since day one, and I thought that they would never get their own story since the author's focus seemed to be Gen X romance. So when it was announced that they would get their own book, I was elated.

Kev and Davis' story was a rollercoaster of sorts. You could feel everything - the hurt, the anger, the tension, the yearning, the healing. I cried so many times while reading, and I just know that this will be one of those books that stay with me forever. Their love was so pure and deep, and their chemistry and connection was so evident on every single page. I loved that their path to forever wasn't necessary linear, they went through so much to be together, and ended up growing and finding themselves along the way.

This is my first Jess K Hardy book and this book makes me want to go back and read book 1 and 2 in order to revisit the beginning of her other characters. The author shows the characters flaws in a beautiful and vulnerable way. Not all books handle the subjects of addiction and mental health in a delicate and caring way, but Hardy absolutely does.

Thank you to NetGalley and Jess K. Hardy for this ARC

Jess Hardy does great with romances for those in the late 40's for those that are finding love again, however this one was more of a contemporary romance to fulfill the series. I don't think this can be read as a standalone seeing as Kevin's relapse occurred during the end of the last book and this book picks up just a few months after the last book. There's a lot of backstories you miss if you don't read all of the books. There's a lot of love here on this mountain, there's so much support, and in a way, I hope it's not the end of the series because I'm going to miss the sober living house.

For me this book was about forgiveness, about loving yourself and your partner. About feeling safe enough with your partner to finally be ready to face your traumas, your fears and be vulnerable. Some people reach that place on their own, some people are lucky enough and reach that place with a partner and some people never break that curse. This was such a beautiful book I cried because their emotions you felt through the page. You felt so many of their feelings you won't want to put this book down I promise you.

Thanks to Net Galley for ARC in exchange for an honest review, as always, all words are my own

Personally for me, I loved the storyline, the characters were well written and it was an easy read for me. I went into this book blindly, and I really enjoyed it while I was trying to get out of Reading slump. It also made me smile part but also made me sad in some areas. This is a new Author for me and I really think that I'll enjoy future works that I could potentially read, there was no issue with formatting for me and would absolutely recommend this book to someone who enjoys light-hearted easy reading but also feeling different emotions throughout the story.

Jess K Hardy takes us on an epic second chance journey filled with empathy, angst, and hope. Slow burn with an intensely satisfying emotional payoff.

A compulsive read full of heart and some of the most beautifully written examples of positive masculinity I have come across.

The third book in the Bluebird Basin series, #WishYouWereHere is a slow burn story about two people who eventually give themselves and their relationship a second chance.

Kev Lowes seemed to be doing fairly well in the Little Timber sober living home before his relapse. After rehab, he’s back at Little Timber to try and stay sober, and hoping to be able to make amends to Davis Thompson, who he is still in love with.

Davis is wary about trusting Kev with her heart again after watching him almost die, and incorrectly believing that in addition to doing drugs, he betrayed her with another woman. She’s also trying to figure out her place in the world and her next step: stay at Bluebird Basin, helping her mom and grandmother; return to school and pursue her research that was interrupted by funding cuts; or some other path. Does Kev have a place in her future and if so, how?

While Davis and Kev work to better understand themselves and each other, the story touches on a number of serious issue in addition to addiction, including the death of a parent, substance abuse and child abuse. Because of this, the pacing is rather slow.

It’s worth it to go on this journey with Kev and Davis, as they discover the value of forgiveness, community and love in all its forms.

Thanks to #NetGalley for the ARC.

oh what a deeply moving love story. a lesson in learning to love not only someone else but also yourself. this book had so much more to it than a romance. and it was so different in how it showed the work that some people have to do to not only accept love, but also give it. because some people are really poorly. some people are hurting. and some people hurt others because of that hurt. and this is especially the case in addiction. the addicts behavior hardly ever follows to the true nature of that person. they are infact very poorly. they dont do drugs for joy they do drugs because of a piain tpp big on the inside it has to come out via "an outside" and this ripple out not only affecting their whole lives but those around them and can be heart punching for those who love them. but when you have the unwavering support and love from others there is truly nothing you can get through. its not easy but you must separate the two people and really see it as the ILLNESS it is. the person carries enough shame and guilt. adding to it only keeps everyone bonded to the addict circle and cycle.
this book follows Davis and Kev. Davis and Kev loved eachother. but when Kev relapses he leaves with a broken soul and leaves Davis with a broken heart. and what follows is his journey out of rehab when he has to now do the tough tough tough work of living on the outside and rebuilding himself which can feel the hardest part of all. not only that but where they live means they are constantly crossing paths. and both still obviously love each other. but both have hearts and hurts to heal. both have flaws. both have baggage.
Davis has her own things going on but also the fear and facts she believes to be true. that Kev chose drugs over her.
Kev knows he needs to keep on track. he also knows he cant bare that he lost the best thing that ever happened to him.
this book perfectly shows their journey of learning to build each other and themselves up again and learning to trust. trust in each other and trust in their love. for it is very much their. its bigger, louder and sweeter than ever and i was rooting for these two every step of the way.
the use of the others around this pair was done to perfection. that supporting role was just what is needed. the support to an addict is actually the key, the deciding factor. its not easy ,but again these people are ill and we wouldnt think twice of supporting someone with an illness when we love them so this is simply how its got to be seen with an addict.
this book handles these subjects with so much clarity, so much reality was woven throughout. it was handled with the care and sensitivity it deserves and i really appreciated that. the looking down upon wasnt shoved onto such a topic which is sadly still often the case.
i couldnt love this as a romance more. i was so emotional though it had my heart in a bind!
i cared about all the characters in this book not just the human ones.

I have really enjoyed the previous two novels in the Bluebird Basin series, Come As You Are and Lips Like Sugar - as a member of Gen X myself, it's so great to see representation of folks of similar ages and similar points in their lives. It was a bit of a surprise to realize this third outing was twenty-somethings, but I now trust Jess K. Hardy enough to roll with it!

I don't personally have experience with addiction, or have anyone in my life who is in recovery, though addiction has impacted my family through the generations. While it was hard to read sometimes, I really appreciated the insights into this world. Hardy explores these weighty topics with a lot of care and consideration, and I appreciated how reading the story from both perspectives showed what Davis and Kev were both struggling with, their efforts to get honest with themselves and others, and the difficulties of making decisions that can impact the rest of their lives. I don't miss that time in my 20's (or even 30's) where the world was so big and the choices so many that it is overwhelming to know what to do!

I particularly appreciated seeing Madigan and Ashely, and Mira and Cole again, and learning about the aftermath of Kev's relapse. The amount of emotional maturity in these characters gives me hope!