Customer Reviews

When You Wish Upon A Star

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Paige Brookhart was an abused child and then an abused wife, but in the beginning of this novel she is making her desperate escape in a battered old car with her two little girls. Soon her car breaks down, things look more hopeless than ever, but she is rescued by a friendly rancher, Lance Parrish. Of course it's a love story, but the romance doesn't go smoothly. The story spins wildly ahead with emotional highs and lows building to a frantic and deadly climax. "Couldn't put it down" is a cliche, but in this case, totally true. The author is brilliant at depicting emotional states and it is truly rewarding to watch the growth and development of the characters. The author's deep Christian faith is a beautiful yet unobtrusive subtext to this story of redemption, courage, growth and learning to love. I can't recommend this book too highly!

"Starlight, star bright, first star I see tonight, I wish I may, I wish I might, have the wish I wish tonight." That is Paige Brookheart's quiet whisper of hope as this touching and troubling story of an abused woman begins. Far from being a stereotypical romance, Nancy Marie has made it into much more with her distinctive writing style.

As Paige escapes a violent husband with their daughter, Becky, the scent of blood permeates their battered vehicle. Paige sees her blood soaked clothing, and her numbed mind barely recalls the violence they narrowly escaped alive. When her car breaks down on an isolated mountain road, the kindly seeming Lance Parrish comes to their rescue. Lance has secret sorrows of his own, hiding just beneath his calm appearing surface. The sight of the badly beaten Paige and her four year old daughter touches him in ways nothing has reached him in a long, long time. He's drawn to her quiet pride, her trembling vulnerability, and wonders what kind of life she must have lead up to the point they meet.

I loved this book. Nancy Marie has created a portrait of the cowardice and courage that lives within abusive marriages. Paige has far more courage than she imagines, despite her insecurity and mistrust of all things male. The horror of her past life does not end with the chance meeting of the strong, decent Lance and his extended family. Nor does she fall easily into love with this fine man. When her ex-husband is driven to revenge by his insanity, the reader will fear for everyone, including Paige and her daughter, the family dog, Lance, and anyone he loves.

This was a mystery, a thriller, and a love story rolled into one. Pulling it together and making it work was accomplished by an author who knows a thing or two about effective writing. This is a wonderful first novel by a gifted writer.

Paige Brookhart and her two daughters, Becky and Jess, are running from a nightmare of abuse. Paige's husband, Justin, has made their lives a living hell for too long. Paige seeks peace, but she's brought some of her own demons with her. When her car breaks down, a man stops to see if he can help. Paige is instantly drawn to the handsome rancher, Lance Parish. She and her daughters go back to Lance's ranch and are offered a job and a place to live. But, Paige's fears force her to say no. Instead, she and the girls end up in a women's shelter in Denver. Her experience there starts her healing process. She also discovers something she never knew. Justin married someone else before Paige. Her marriage to him isn't legal. Her growth at the shelter, her parents' rejection, and the knowledge that Justin no longer has a claim on her, brings her a sense of freedom. She contacts Lance and accepts the job as his housekeeper. She and the girls move out to his ranch in Estes Park. Lance and Paige begin to have deep feelings for each other, but ghosts from both their pasts whisper words of warning to them that keep them tied in knots of fear.

Although Paige prays that her life with Justin is over, Justin is not so forgiving. He is searching for her - with the goal of exacting revenge. When he finally finds Paige and the girls, the story climbs to a harrowing climax that ends with a final and fatal finish.

WHEN YOU WISH UPON A STAR is a beautiful and moving story about the pain of abuse and the hope of recovery. Its characters are well defined and real. I found myself yelling out loud when Paige and Lance faced Justin's deadly anger on the mountain where life and death met in a breathless confrontation.

This complex and intriguing novel is one of the best I've ever read. Nancy Marie is an accomplished author with an important story to tell. I recommend it highly.

This is one of the best books I've ever read. The topic is serious and important - domestic abuse. Nancy Marie handles the subject with hope and inspiration!

Page Brookhart wonders if her life will ever be the same. She's left an abusive marriage and is trying to start over with her two young daughters. As her ex-husband follows her, with thoughts of revenge, she meets a man who will change her life.

I loved Nancy Marie's writing style. She is incredibly talented and the story is deep and personally involving.

Anyone who doesn't enjoy this book must not know how to read!

Do yourself a favor and buy this book!

In her novel, "When You Wish Upon A Star," Nancy Marie paints word pictures for her readers of the hatred and obsessiveness that foster abuse. Using authentic dialogue and realistic action the author also paints word pictures of what true love is and should be. Nancy Marie displays her superb talent as a writer as she leads readers through a gamut of emotions from horror and fear to laughter and love. Her insight into the emotions that keep the abused with their abuser until that ultimate final burst of courage that allows them to "get out" as well as her insight into the mindset of the abuser makes "When You Wish Upon A Star" a powerful narrative. Readers will easily identify with the mental and emotional turmoil of the abused as she strives to turn her life around and struggles to discover and experience true love.
Beverly J Scott author of Righteous Revenge

I read for almost a whole day and couldnt put this book down . I am 65 years young and love reading . Sometimes I find it is hard to keep my interest when I first start a book. But not with this one I was hooked from the start.
Every Man Woman and child should read this book.
I will read anything Nancy Marie wants to write.
Wilma Webster

"When You Wish Upon a Star" draws you in from the first paragraph. The suspenseful plot is set as a counterpoint to the warm, believable characters. Although you know the outcome of the book is inevitable, Nancy Marie keeps you intrigued with plot twists, and entertained with the developments in the lives of Paige, Lance and even Justin. I highly recommend this book.

The reader is quickly drawn into a well-written story of believable characters and situations. "When You Wish Upon a Star" is inspirational and touching.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! It is a well-written story that will pull you in, right from the first page.

Paige Brookhart decides to break away after years of cowering from an abusive husband. The need to protect her children outweighed the fear of her husband. This is a timely subject that unfortunately, many women can relate to. It is a story of courage, faith, perseverance and love. I could easily feel Paige's pain and desperation and I quietly cheered for her safety.

I highly recommend this book for readers that love a good romance/mystery.

Paige Brookhart has suffered years of abuse at her husband Justin's hands. But when she sees that he really means to kill her she flees with her two daughters. Finding herself on a lonely road in Denver with car problems she's not sure what to do. Enter Lance Parrish, a rancher who has some deep hurts of his own. When he sees her black and blue marks he offers to help Paige but time has taught her the fear of men. She finally agrees to let Lance bring her and the girls back to his ranch. There she meets Maggie (Lance's housekeeper/second mother) and the other ranch hands. They are all very kind to her and she feels drawn to stay. But even after Lance offers her a job (so Maggie can take an extended vacation) she turns him down and asks to go to a woman's shelter. There she meets Carolanne who helps her through a lot of her feelings and emotions. After several weeks of not finding work she decides to give the ranch job a try. She starts to settle in and feel like she belongs. Her girls are finally beginning to bloom from the freedom they're experiencing. Lance and Paige are beginning to have feelings for one another. Can Lance get past his loss and return those feelings? Meanwhile Paige's husband is killing mad and will stop at nothing to find her and make her pay for her disobedience. Will he be able to fine her? Will Paige find the strength to fight the man who has inflicted so much terror in her life and the life of her girls? Will she learn what real love is?

This was good story. The characters were very well drawn. You felt Paige's fear and apprehension. Justin was the consummate evil villain. He was a scary guy. Lance was a great hero. Strong and tender. The ranch had were great too. I loved the secondary character of Maggie. Her personality shined brightly off the pages. This was a new author to me but her writing reminded somewhat of Dee Henderson.