A Basket of Wishes [Mass Market Paperback]

Rebecca Paisley (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 1, 1995

The twelfth Duke of Heathcourte finds himself betrothed to a Godiva-like princess from the supernatural world, who promises him happiness and a child if only he can summon what he has never been able to feel.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

This delightful adult fairy tale takes place in the Faerie kingdom of Pillywiggin where a betrothal between the Faerie and a human called Trinity is about to be consummated. The Faerie, already of fragile ancestry, have weakened over the years. Now, to save her race from extinction, Princess Splendor must mate with Jourdian Amberville, the 12th duke of Heathcourte. Splendor has three months in which to conceive a child with Jourdian and return to Pillywiggin. Her time among the humans is not without its problems: Jourdian refuses to allow her to go about au naturel; the pet she calls "Delicious" is a shape-shifting thing that scares everyone in sight; and Splendor's fiery sister Harmony is the epitome of jealous mischief. But the most serious problem between Splendor and Jourdian is love (or rather, the lack of it), an emotion neither is capable of feeling. Paisley's latest offering (after Heartstrings) is perhaps best read alone so one doesn't have to explain having a laugh or even a bit of a cry over a fairy tale. It's a charmer loaded with imagination and sprinkled with modest bits of wisdom.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 391 pages
• Publisher: Dell Books (July 1, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0440216516
• ISBN-13: 978-0440216513
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.2 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,154,285 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of my all time favorites, May 28, 2000

By 

Tina "tinaellorascave" (United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Basket of Wishes (Mass Market Paperback)

This book has been sitting in my TBR (to-be-read) pile forever. I finally got around to reading it the other day and all I can say is WOW...it was that good.

"Basket of Wishes" has a very similar plot to Jill Barnett's "Bewitching", only Paisley's heroine was a faerie instead of a witch. Paisley's version contains the same emotional, tug-at-your-heartstrings scenes as Barnett's book as well.

But that's where the similarities end. The stories were actually quite different even though the themes of the novels were similar. And to Paisley's credit, I even found "Basket of Wishes" funnier than I did "Bewitching". (I'm a huge Barnett fan so I don't concede that easily!)

Give this book a try. It's a shame Paisley isn't more prolific because I'm already eagerly anticipating her next novel and wondering how long I'll have to wait to read it...

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastically Magical!!!!, November 27, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: A Basket of Wishes (Mass Market Paperback)

This book had me in stitches I was laughing so hard. Rebecca Paisley's faery world is wonderful! I loved it when Splendor brought the Shakesperean characters to life or when Harmony turned Joudian into a slug and he almost got eaten by a hawk. Splendor has one of the most fascinating pets ever written. Her pet, Delicious, can be what ever it wants to be. So through this delightful romp of a book, you will find a pig racing down the hallway, a rooster at a wedding, a bat at christmas, and a seal in the fountain. Not to mention much more fascinating animal shapes in various peculiar places. I had to put the book down so I could catch my breath. I won't devulge anymore magical secrets, you'll have to read it to find out. I gaurantee, that behind each turn of the page, you will be delighted and dazzled by the sheer magic of this book.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of my all-time favorite romances, April 29, 2000

By 

BarkLessWagMore (USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: A Basket of Wishes (Mass Market Paperback)

If you are looking for a pick-me-up kind of book this is the one! I absolutely loved this story about a whimsical fairy princess who is destined to marry a human in order to save her race from possible extinction.

Splendor, the fairy princess of Pillywiggin, is thrilled to learn from her Father that Jourdian, the Duke she has been admiring & watching over since childhood, is the chosen human to sire the first half human/half faery child. All Jourdian ever wanted was a plain, boring wife, one who would bear him children and cause him no trouble. Then Splendor and her magic enters his life and Jourdain's safe orderly world is suddenly turned upside down. The only hitch is that Splendor only has three months to convince Jourdian to marry her and conceive before she must return to Pillywiggin or else she may die . . . unless she convinces Jourdian to fall in love with her.

This is a magical story that put a smile on my face and had me laughing out loud. Splendor's innocence and antics are adorable, sometimes silly and always hilarious, I've never read another heroine quite like her. Anyone who loves a pure romantic fantasy, lots of humor and a sensual love story should read this ASAP.