Thanks to NetGalley and The publisher for providing me an arc copy of this book with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.

I had the two other books in the series in my TVR list and jumped at the opportunity to review this book. I realize I put the baby before the bathwater as the relationship of the MCs was previously introduced in the other books. However I would say you would be safe reading this as a standalone.

This is Kev and Davis's love story. Kev has just gotten finished a rehab program after he relapsed on drugs and Od'd. Davis was there when he was saved with narcan and found another woman snuggled against him on the bed.

Davis is traumatized and is trying to let Kev go from her life. She thought he was a her best friend and her forever before the incident but feels betrayed by him relapsing and thinking he was with someone else.

Kev wants her back and thinks he may have a chance when he's moved to a recovery program in the same small town she's in.

Davis isn't so sure she can forgive him and go back to the way things were.

Will they restart their relationship again and heal? I would recommend reading to find out.

I found this book to be really angsty and engaging. I really related to Dacis's hesitation . Keve's healing journey and different avenues of therapy such as equine therapy was really well described.

I was really excited when I received the email saying I got this ARC! This is the third book in the series, but it can definitely be read as a standalone, which I appreciated.

One of the things that really spoke to me while reading was how imperfect the characters are. Their flaws made them feel so real—and honestly, it made me love them even more. I could relate to them on a deeper level because of that. The banter, sarcasm, and wit between the characters had me smiling constantly. It gave the story so much personality and charm.

I also really appreciated the representation of mental health and addiction. The author handled these sensitive topics with so much care and respect—it never felt preachy or forced. It added a layer of depth to the story that made it even more compelling.

The book was hard to put down. Between the engaging plot and the lovable, complex characters, I was completely hooked.

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I was thrilled to get an opportunity to read an ARC of Wish You Were Here. This book WRECKED me. I’ve been waiting to read Kev and Davis’ story, and it was even more emotionally devastating than I anticipated. Kev relapses, completes rehab and is determined to change and make things right. He has been through many struggles and the reader feels his pain as he confronts his demons. Davis and Kev love each other deeply, but have been hurt in many ways. This book is life-affirming and healing as the reader watches both Kev and Davis transform and move forward in their lives. I loved both Kev and Davis’ determination to meet their goals. The equine therapy that Kev completes is a beautiful addition to the story. This is a story about growth and redemption as much as romance. I recommend reading the first two books in the Bluebird Basin series before Wish You Were Here, and have tissues close by while reading. Wish You Were Here is a beautiful, gut-wrenching book, and the epilogue is the best of the series.

Wow. This book broke my heart and put it back together in a beautiful way. Kev and Davis (MMC and FMC, respectively) put in the WORK and chose each other over and over. Read this book for pining, yearning, mooning over someone, and other synonyms for being down bad but feeling like you can't have/don't deserve the object of your affection.

Kev is coming back to his sober living house, where Davis lives with her family who runs it, after a relapse. He's ashamed but determined to prove to Davis that she can trust him again. She's terrified because she believes in some ways she caused his relapse and she's also really hurt that he seemed to have chosen drugs over her. There are some additional misunderstandings that I'll let the reader discover.

This book is heavy, and I definitely cried multiple times, but that's what makes this genre so amazing. I knew Kev and Davis would find their way back to each other and figure it out, and they had the most amazing support systems that provided comic relief and comfort. Their internal dialogues are also genuinely funny considering the circumstances. "'Can you belief we actually saw a moose?' he asked, because what else do you ask someone you just saw a moose with while fighting an erection?" Like come on, lol.

The other men in the sober living house, Madigan who runs the place, and Davis' mom and grandmother are all rooting for them and it's such a warm, funny found family.

I didn't read the first two books in this series, but I am definitely going to go back, and I can't wait to see how Jen's story is handled.

We’re back at Bluebird Basin, where it’s time for Davis and Kev’s much-awaited second chance at love! Unlike the first two books in the series, this features MCs in their 20s - Davis is the daughter of Ashley from book one and Kev is back for the program after a relapse and rehab.

Both Davis and Kev have a lot of work to do on themselves before they are ready to start over, and trust needs to be rebuilt. Jess handles their angsty love story with love and care, and I was rooting for them and the future they deserved. I received an advanced reading copy, receipt of which did not impact my review.

𝘛𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘴:
✰ 𝘴𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦
✰ 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘫𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘺
✰ 𝘤𝘰𝘸𝘣𝘰𝘺 𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦
✰ 𝘮𝘶𝘵𝘶𝘢𝘭 𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨
✰ 𝘳𝘦𝘥𝘦𝘮𝘱𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘳𝘤

What an emotional heartwarming story!
Wish you were here is a book about healing, redemption, personal growth and support. Kev and Davis broke my heart and pulled it back together.
Seeing them go from being pretty much strangers after his relapse to them slowly finding each other again was beautiful.
This is a cowboy romance but definetely an original one. Being set in a recovery for addicts was something I haven't read in a romance before. I also found the relationship between the men to be endearing and supportive. How it should be really.
Unlike a lot of the books I have recommended lately, this is definetely emotional and deals with a heavy subject matter and I felt like that was handled with such care. And I appreciated that too.
Which is why I highly recommend this book.

*arc kindly provided in exchange of an honest review

𝘛𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘴:
✰ 𝘴𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦
✰ 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘫𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘺
✰ 𝘤𝘰𝘸𝘣𝘰𝘺 𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦
✰ 𝘮𝘶𝘵𝘶𝘢𝘭 𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨
✰ 𝘳𝘦𝘥𝘦𝘮𝘱𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘳𝘤

What an emotional heartwarming story!
Wish you were here is a book about healing, redemption, personal growth and support. Kev and Davis broke my heart and pulled it back together.
Seeing them go from being pretty much strangers after his relapse to them slowly finding each other again was beautiful.
This is a cowboy romance but definetely an original one. Being set in a recovery for addicts was something I haven't read in a romance before. I also found the relationship between the men to be endearing and supportive. How it should be really.
Unlike a lot of the books I have recommended lately, this is definetely emotional and deals with a heavy subject matter and I felt like that was handled with such care. And I appreciated that too.
Which is why I highly recommend this book.

*arc kindly provided in exchange of an honest review

Jess K Hardy can do no wrong.
I've loved every book in this series and couldn't wait for Kev and Davis' story.

If you're looking for a story of self-discovery and mutual discovery, one that can rip your heart out with angst, pain, and longing, this has it all.
I'm glad we got a glimpse into their lives after having them be side characters in the previous two books.

This story takes you on a rollercoaster of emotions, and it's one that you will be thankful for, even if you hurt. It's the best kind of book/story when it impacts you so strongly.

Thank you, Jess, for these novels.

Angsty books usually aren’t at the top of my reading list, but there was no way I could pass up this one up. It’s an emotional read that can’t help but have you rooting for both Kev and Davis.

This is a story, of anger, healing, forgiveness, and self-discovery the Author did a fabulous job conveying to the reader.

ARC received for my unbiased review.

This is a good second chance book! It was heartwarming to see the growth and love the characters had for each other and for other people in their life!

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!