This is one of those "can't put down" books and I loved the story. What a super idea and a great life lesson. I would highly recommend this book but only if you have time read it, all day and take it to bed with you until you are finished. Fun and entertaining but so true!

I have read all of the blossom street stories and have enjoyed 'meeting' all of the people, and following their lives. This story is good, not as emotional as some of the others, but a good story and I am waiting for the next one!!

After a good mystery, or heart-tugging stories by Jodi Picoult, it's nice to read Debbie Macomber's comfortable style. Debbie's characters are real and likeable and when finished, I'm never ready for the story to end. I enjoyed Twenty Wishes and think many will find themselves writing their own twenty wishes shortly after this inspiring story ends.

I have enjoyed all the Blossom Street books but this is the first one that has given me something to take away besides a lovely story. I want to start my own book of 20 wishes and am going to borrow some of my list from the characters!

But back to the story. The book started out a little slower for me than others in the series, partially because of a number of new characters (or characters who were primarily in the background) and that familiar characters from previous books are very much in the background. But once I got into it, I really enjoyed it.

I enjoy books about women friends and how they support each other and make changes in their lives. I definitely recommend this book.

What an outstanding book. No, it isn't a classic that is deep and riveting. It is a cozy book about women and overcoming our limitations that the mind has set. After 4 widows meet on Valentine's Day, they agree it would be fun to make a list of 20 wishes. Things they were longing to do, NOT had to do.

Each chapter has a different person's point of view and their thinking of their wish list. The characters are so personable, you feel like if you saw them on the street that you could hug them -- like bumping into an old friend. That is how well Debbie writes.

I wish more Blossom Street series books were coming out SOON! One can only hope!

I found this book to be another great one in the Blossom Street series. Now waiting for No. 5! Hopefully there will be one and very soon. I love the way the author brings in new characters, along with all the old ones from each previous book in the series. Definitely could read each book all on it's own but oh so much more enjoyable when you read the whole series.

I also share these women's and the author's passion for yarn and knitting. I only wish they were real and the A Good Yarn Shop was real and located near my home in a very small town in Maine so I could join them.
Keep up the good work, Ms. Macomber!!

This book was highly recommended by one of amazon.com's top reviewers and although I wasn't "bowled over", I am glad that I read it - it was a charming tale of what can happen when likeminded people - although bonded by grief come together and make plans to change their lives for the better.

Anne Marie is a thirty-eight year old widow finding it difficult to escape the depression brought upon by her husband's death, and the knowledge that he cheated on her - add poignancy to the fact that shortly before his death, they had decided to try and re-unite. Having never had children because of her husband's wishes, Anne Marie finds herself alone, except for the faithful companionship of her beloved dog, Baxter.

She finds pride in running her bookshop on Blossom Street - apparently the place-to-be in a Debbie Macomber series. This is the first book of hers that I've read and I found her story well paced and the characters interesting but her writing style is just a little too "pat" for my tastes, although judging by Macomber's huge following - I think it will be okay if I take a pass on future stories. Despite these reservations, this was a clear, fast paced read and I especially enjoyed the character of Ellen - a little girl that Anne Marie is paired up with in a "Lunch Buddies" program. This was just one piece of advice given to Anne Marie at the "widows" meetings that she and the other widows familiar with Blossom Street attend. She's told that one way to help lessen her depression might be to get out there and do something good for someone else. Anne Marie is a little hesitant to get too involved in the quiet, shy little girl's life, but finds that her heart opens to the small girl and that she does find a way to take solace in her problems in light of focusing on helping Ellen.

Anne Marie gets a chance to face one particular "demon" head-on when dealing with her step-daughter, Melissa, now a troubled young woman that needs her help. Anne-Marie can't help but mistrust Melissa's motives when all of their past dealings have been disastrous - in this way the two come together to heal some of the bad blood that exists between them and they find their way to heal after Anne Marie's husband's death.

I do find the idea of keeping a list of "wishes" - all of your hearts' delight - and I think it's a great way to make improvements in your 0life. Anne Marie finds that in chronicling and updating her wishes as she makes them come true, she is able to find what she's wanted most and the novel ends with her about to achieve another heartfelt wish and she has someone she loves to share it with.

The cover art on this book is lovely and gives readers a glimpse of the bookshop and Anne Marie's buddy Baxter and makes you "wish" for a well padded arm chair and rows and rows of good "friends" - your own favorite books.

I loved the concept but I felt it unnecessary to have so many characters. The ending was a little predictable, but the book was in general. Still, a nice read that makes you think about making your own list.

Curl up on the couch a rainy day, or in a beach chair at the shore, or in front of the fireplace, because this book will transport you to a very pleasant place: Blossom Street in Seattle. If you've read any of Debbie's recent books, you may recognize some of the familiar characters from Blossom Street. But this novel can definitely stand on its own. Anne Marie is a thirtysomething widow and owner of Blossom Street Books. She and some friends get together one day, and each person decides to make a list of twenty things they would like to do someday. It's fun to see how many of the wishes are fulfilled, though often not in the way the person expected. A perfect choice for relaxing and enjoyable reading.

Courtesy of CK2S Kwips and Kritiques

Anne Marie Roche is floundering. After the recent loss of her estranged husband, she has no family except her beloved dog. She owns a successful book store on Blossom Street, but even so, feels something is missing in her life. The highlight of her life is the bond she developed with several other widowed women who frequent her book store.

Now, on Valentine's day, Anne Marie and her friends Lillie Higgins and her daughter Barbie Foster, and Elise Beaumont make a pact. Each will compile a list of Twenty Wishes for things they want to but have never done. One of the items on Anne Marie's list, to do good for someone else, leads her into a relationship with a third-grade girl, Ellen, and a new life she never imagined. Sometimes, wishes really do come true in the most unlikely of ways.

Twenty Wishes is a heart-warming story about finding your greatest desire in the last place you'd ever expect to find it. Anne is in a funk and while resistant at first, being drawn into the lunch buddy program at a local school makes a world of difference. Ellen is a delightful girl who is in an unfortunate situation. Anne Marie's relationship with Ellen changes Anne Marie in so many ways when circumstances thrust Ellen into her life more fully than Anne Marie wanted. Yet with time, Anne Marie learns to open her heart once more and gradually blossoms into the woman she is meant to be, all because of young Ellen.

Elise does not play a very large part in the story, her role being more about encouraging Anne Marie to step out of her sheltered life. However, it was wonderful to get to visit with Elise and see how she's fared since her husband Maverick died. (See A Good Yarn.) Lillie and Barbie though each get their own story. Lillie and Barbie have always been close but losing their husbands at the same time in the same accident forms an even stronger bond as they helped each other deal with the grief. Both are ready to love again and they each find it in the one place they never would have imagined.

Lillie and Barbie have their own challenges to face. Lillie finds herself falling for a kindly gentleman who just happens to be the salesman who sold her the brand new red sports car she had on her own wish list. The differences in their social classes causes Lillie to fear what the other high-society women she knows would think about her affair with a lowly working class man. Barbie finds herself inexplicably attracted to a surly wheelchair bound man she meets at the movie theater. Her own challenges involve getting him to come out of his shell and let go of the bitterness that has engulfed him since he became physically impaired. These two romantic relationships cause friction between Lillie and Barbie, forcing them to re-evaluate their lives to determine what truly matters to them in the end.

What can I say? Debbie Macomber pulled me into her world less than a year ago with one book and now I can't get enough! Twenty Wishes, a part of the Knitting series, brings us back to the lovely little street of Blossom Street, and all its wonderful residents. However, while knitting does come into play a little bit, the focus here is Anne Marie's book store rather than A Good Yarn. I did miss visiting with Lydia though she does make an appearance here, but I enjoyed getting to know Anne Marie and company immensely. I had to wonder while reading, just how many other women who read Twenty Wishes, will be inspired to develop their own wish lists and change their lives. I know I started thinking of what my own twenty wishes would be. It is absolutely impossible not to be moved by any story Debbie Macomber writes and Twenty Wishes just reinforces my belief that she is one of the most amazingly talented authors I have ever had the pleasure of encountering.

© Kelley A. Hartsell, June 2008. All rights reserved.

The Blossom Street books are Macombers best in my opinion, and this book did not disappoint me. I had myself making my own list of 20 wishes well before the end of the book. It was nice to have the characters from the other books in the series 'pop in', and equally nice to have new ones to boot. This is the perfect summer read.

The widows who meet together as a book club are all interesting characters, that all of us can relate to. After all, who can predict the unexpected twists that life can bring? It is nice to be able to think about that, and think about what we might really wish to have happen or to do in our own lives.

One of *my* twenty wishes would be to interview all of the people who bought copies of this book, making it a NYTimes Bestseller. I'd really love to know 1) Why they bought it, 2) What they really thought of it after reading it, and 3) What other fiction they read. As a writer, I'm utterly fascinated at how there can be such a chasm between this, and say, a 'literary fiction' award winner. As I was reading it...strictly for research purposes...I was shaking my head in wonder. Because this is exactly the sort of writing that all writing instructors teach people NOT to produce. In fact, it could be the basis of a great course: 'How Not to Write'.

Facile.
Predictable.
Ham-fisted.
Without grace.

Don't get me wrong: the underlying themes here are valid. But Macomber writes like an earnest high schooler, explaining everything, telegraphing everything, so clearly wanting to tell a particular story and announcing to the reader exactly what that story is all along...

Let's put it this way: if this had been a movie, everyone would have walked out. Everywhere. It would make a 'Hallmark' movie-of-the-week seem like high-art.

But yes, I did cry. I'm a romantic at heart, so there were passages that triggered emotional reactions in me. However, those reactions were not due to any craft, any dexterity, any deftness of touch on the author's part. She could have been executing stick-people cartoons and I might have cried.

I'm happy that so many people got so much out of this novel. A further wish of mine would be to read this as it might have been done by a writer of greater abilities. Even Nicholas Sparks would have taken it to a better place, offering up nuance, subtlety, a chance for the reader to actively participate in the process, instead of being so utterly spoon-fed, with Pablum all over their clothes in the end.

I'm glad there's a market for Macomber's work. Every writer deserves an audience. Clearly, she's found hers. Another wish granted.

I loved this book! I found all the characters interesting and believeable. I especially enjoyed the adoption story line, as I am an adoptive parent.

Wonderful Book...If you are not a fan of Debbie Macomber you will be after reading this book...I would however, recommend you start from the beginning by reading The Shop on Blossom Street first and continue through the Blossom Street series until you get to Twenty Wishes...they are all great books.

I just loved this book. I couldn't put it down from the moment I started to read it. I just loved the 20 wishes and could wait to find out what happend to all of the women. It makes me want to write my own list. Blossom St sound like a wonderful place to live, I would move there in a minute if it exsited. It made me feel your never to old for a new beginning.
I recommend this book to any one who needs a reason to feel good.

This is my first review so please bear with me! I am a new Debbie Macomber fan and have just recently gotten into her Blossom Street books! They take me back to a time where everyone knew everyone in your neighborhood, kids could play outside and not be hurt, and the little shopping area in your town.


"Twenty Wishes" is the 4th installment of the series and she is doing great keeping up with all the characters. Usually in series books they don't keep up with other characters when they try to concentrate on one.

The list idea reminds me of "The Bucket List"-and it has inspired me to create my own.

I highly recommend this book-especially if you want to find out what is going on in Lillie and Barbie's lives at the moment. A good and quick read.

Debbie Macomber doesn't write heavy Russian novels with tragic heroines and deep, multi-layered plots. She writes novels that appeal to millions of ordinary women. So why do I think this simply delightful book could change your life? It's because she compels you to do one tiny little thing---make a list of twenty things you want to do in life. She invites you to celebrate hope, to fill that nagging void in your life, and to tell your brain the secrets of your heart.

Anne Marie Roche, the widowed owner of Blossom Street Books, invites three other widows to celebrate with her what could have been a sad Valentine's Day for all four. At thirty-eight, Anne Marie still longs for the child she never had. Her husband Robert already had a family when she married him and he had no desire to start another and be mistaken for his child's grandfather.

The other widows are Barbie Foster, forty-something mother of twin boys, who lost both her husband and father in the same fatal plane crash; her mother, Lillie Higgins, a sixtyish society matron; and Elise Beaumont, a retired librarian who'd reconnected with her husband after thirty years apart, only to lose him again after three.

While Lillie and Barbie set about accomplishing their lists with gusto, Anne Marie moves a bit slower and needs the guiding hand of Elise to steer her on a quest to find one good thing about her life. A Lunch Buddy program at the local school leads her to Ellen, a shy eight-year-old, and to a surprisingly rewarding life that includes knitting, dancing in the rain, and the trip to Paris she has always wanted to take. Anne Marie's life fills with happiness and love, not in the way she imagined it would, but in a way that will leave the reader deeply satisfied. (You'll probably also fall in love with Baxter, her tail-wagging Yorkshire terrier pictured on the cover and charming from beginning to end).

What these four women learn about love and life, but mostly about themselves, will have you turning the pages and cheering for them. Most of all, it will set your brain spinning about the things you want to accomplish in your own life. Don't be surprised to find that by the time you finish the book you'll have your own list of twenty wishes.

One can always count on Debbie Macomber's books to make you feel good. She is the only romance writer whom I read (and only her knitting books) and I always feel so content when I finish one. I love the setting in Seattle, even though I have never been there - she makes me feel like I have. Her characters are realistic and well described too. Looking forward to the next already!

Thirty-eight-year old Anne Marie Roche's husband Robert died less than a year ago, while the couple was in the midst of reconciling from a painful separation. During her marriage, Anne Marie dreamed of becoming a mother. But Robert, who had been married before and had a daughter and son by his first wife, wanted no part of her dream of motherhood. Now, Anne Marie not only mourns the loss of her spouse, she also grieves for the child they never had together.

As the owner of the popular and successful Blossom Street Books, her days are filled meeting her customers' needs, spoiling Baxter, her beloved Yorkie, and spending time with her friends. Yet she yearns for happiness and desperately feels the need to do something more with her life.

On Valentine's Day, Anne Marie and several of her widowed friends get together to celebrate their friendship and console one another over lost loves. They also begin to make lists of 20 things they've always wanted to do but never pulled off. The lists of 20 wishes are as varied as the women writing them down. Lillie wants to "fall in love with an honorable man." At the top of Anne Marie's list is "Find one good thing about life."

When a friend mentions the satisfaction she receives from being a "Lunch Buddy" for a student at a local school, Anne Marie decides to volunteer for the program herself. Her previous relationship as a stepmother to her stepdaughter Melissa wasn't a pleasant experience, so she's not quite sure how to act around Ellen, the eight-year-old girl she is paired with for lunch. After sharing a meal with Ellen in the school cafeteria, Anne Marie realizes that volunteering to be a friend to this child is quite rewarding and uplifting.

But when Anne Marie returns home, she receives a message from her troubled stepdaughter telling her they need to talk. Later, after receiving distressing news about Robert from Melissa, Anne Marie begins to doubt if she will ever be able to find one good thing about life at all.

Debbie Macomber knows how to connect with her readers. In TWENTY WISHES she has created a novel with sympathetic and realistic characters who care deeply about others and have a zest for life. It is a feel-good story about forgiveness, love and new beginnings.

--- Reviewed by Donna Volkenannt

Debbie Macomber writes a feel good story revolving on Blossom Street. It's easy to read and enjoyable.

The Blossom Street series is one of my favorite series by this author. She brings women together with one common thread. Literally! and again and again teaches the gift of friendship. This novel is based on a wonderful idea of 20 Wishes and brings joy and love to women who have each suffered unbearable sorrow.

I just love reading Debbie McComber's books on Blossom Street. This was one of the greatest written. I like how she inter-twines the charaters. I have read most all the her books.

There are a few things that I know when I settle into my favorite chair to read one of Debbie Macomber's books: sleep is overrated, popcorn is considered a dinner delicacy in some circles and finally, I know this book's gonna be great!

With Twenty Wishes - A Blossom Street Book, Macomber does it again, creating a heartwarming story about four widows: Anne Marie Roche, Elise Beaumont, and the mother/daughter duo of Lillie Higgins and Barbie Foster. Together these four choose to celebrate Valentine's Day embracing their friendship, and end up leaving with a new way to look at life, with a list of twenty wishes.

As the women dance on packing bubbles, eat chocolate and drink champagne, they begin tossing out ideas on what they could do to get out of the slump they've all been feeling since the loss of their loved ones. Soon the idea of twenty wishes takes flight, and for Anne Marie means, "Twenty dreams written down. Twenty possibilities that would give her a reason to look toward the future instead of staying mired in her grief."

Finding one good thing about life tops the list for Anne Marie. So at the urging of Elise, Anne Marie accepts an invitation to volunteer as a lunch buddy at a local elementary school and befriends little eight-year-old Ellen. As the friendship blossoms, Anne Marie shares with Ellen the idea behind her wish book and Ellen creates her own wish list. Soon they are venturing into uncharted waters, daring to dream dreams and realizing that sometimes wishes do come true.

What I love about Twenty Wishes is the hope-inspired feeling that resonates through each character. From beginning to end, I am uplifted, encouraged and positively charged with the notion that life has so much good to offer. I love how Macomber prompts us to believe that even if we've been through horrible heartaches such as in losing a loved one, that we too can make a change in ourselves and in the lives around us to create a new and brighter future with just one wish.

Armchair Interviews says: Debbie Macomber does it again-with great style!

I enjoyed this book, however it wasn't one of my favorites by Debbie Macomber. I enjoy the positive endings to all of her books, they give you a cozy feel. I feel like I have walked the streets of Seattle (even though I've never been). Her descriptions give you plenty to go on as far as setting is concerned. I gave this one a 3 because as much as I like Debbie's writing, this book was a bit too breezy for me. I like a little bit of grit and this book just didn't have it. Its worth reading, its just not the page turner I'm used to from Debbie Macomber.

I really, truly enjoy this series and this installment continues that tradition. It is very light reading, but a lot of fun at the same time. I read the book in a 24-hour period and couldn't put it down. The characters are people you find you care about and the story is good (plus this one actually makes you think). The concept of 20 wishes is intriging and I assume that many, many readers will adopt this concept and make it their own. It would be very interesting to know just how many people pursue a wish as a result of reading this book.

If you enjoy the Mitford series, Phil Gulley's books or the Miss Julia books and are looking for other authors to try, this would be a good choice for you.

If you haven't read any of the books in this series, I would recommend you start at the beginning because I think that would be most enjoyable. However, you could pick this one up and read it independently of the others since it does stand alone. I would also recommend "Suzanna's Garden" even though it isn't considered one of this series, I view it as one of them.

Relax, get on your porch swing or hammock and settle in for a pleasant read !

I have all of Debbie Macombers Books and love the ladies. The twenty wishes is very good makes you want to make a list. This book is for all ages but especially creative folks.What she is doing is making you think about your life and that is a good way to start.The knitting series was the first books I got started with. So give this book a read well worth it. Bonnie from Waynesville North Carolina

Anne Marie Roche has invited 3 other widows to join her for a special Valentine's Day party. The women offer one another support and they come up with an idea which will focus their attention on possibilities for their future rather than on losses of the past. They each begin a list of 20 wishes which they feel would put fun, excitement, and fulfillment into their empty lives. Although each of them has something that they are seeking, they are all surprised by how their wishes turn out. Before long, the endings to each woman's story become pretty predictable, but getting there will be fun and enjoyable for readers.

This is terribly light even for a summer read. The only reason it gets 2 stars is because of its happy ending.

I really liked this book. It made me realize that no matter what happens you shouldn't give up hope or stop wishing.

I like the fact that Debbie Macomber is able to weave characters that have flaws and problems just like the rest of us but they aren't so over the top that you don't believe them.

She also gives you updates about characters in previous Bloomsom Street books and works them into the story. It was like hanging out with old friends and making new ones.

Debbie McComber writes books that you become a part of. Her characters are people you can relate to in everyday life, you know some of them, yours just have different names. Her wrting style is descriptive, humorous, surprising & well thought out. It's always fun to welcome her "new friends" to the neighborhood while catching up with the old ones over knitting & goodies from the bakery. Join us for a cup of tea won't you, good friends are the staples of life on Blossom Street.

I read all of debbies books , and this was one of the best yet!

I've read several of Debbie Macomber's books, and especially love the Blossom Street series. I've been to Seattle several times and feel like I'm revisiting every time I pick up one of these books.

The idea of wish-fulfillment intrigues me...and as another reviewer put it, it's kind of like a "Bucket List". But in the book, the wishes were realistic enough that they could be fulfilled. They were not outside the realm of possibility. But the interesting part was how the wish fulfillment had a slight twist. For example, a wish for "love" turned into something totally unpredictable. Love takes many forms and sometimes it isn't romantic love we get when we make this wish.

I was reading this book during my visit to LA to attend Book Expo America and actually saw Debbie Macomber signing her books! Her line was too long and I had to get ready to sign my own book, so I only met her "from afar".

Kudos, Debbie!

The book was as wonderful as the service in getting it to me. Thank you.

This book was yet another example of how well Debbie knows about people's lives, and the good and bad times we all go through, she shows us how to get pass them, she is a real genius about writing about rural areas, I read this book in 4 days!! GREAT READ!!!

joyce Latona

I can't say enough about Debbie Macomber! What a wonderful story. One of her best books yet. Her characters could be your best friend or neighbor...she brings them to life and you wish the story wouldn't end. I really enjoyed this book and look forward to the next one!

Anne Marie Roche, the owner of a bookstore on Blossom Street, has been widowed for nine months and is mourning for the things she never had while married, like a child. Now she is close to turning forty and sees no chance to have a child of her own. At a support group for widows, she comes up with a plan that changes everything.

Anne Marie comes up with the idea to write down a list of twenty wishes to focus on. Her list includes things like volunteering at the local elementary school and dancing in the rain barefoot. When she goes to volunteer at the school, she is unprepared to meet the shy Ellen.

Between a shocking revelation about her dead husband and Ellen's grandmother becoming ill, Anne Marie's life gets a little chaotic. Sometimes the best answers to wishes come from unexpected places.

Twenty Wishes is everything I have come to expect from Debbie Macomber. She writes characters that feel like everyday friends and they have everyday worries. This was another great book in the Blossom Street series. The romance between Barbie and Mark is hilarious and while the main character does not have a romance in this book, there are several issues from her marriage that are resolved.

Tori
reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed

I recently read Twenty Wishes, and I didn't want to put it down. I also shared this book with my girlfriend and my daughter, and they felt the same way.

With all the violence and misery on the airwaves, it is just refreshing to un-plug for a little while, and get lost in a book that just makes you feel good, no matter what the characters are going through.

I truly applaud Ms. Macomber's latest effort, and I look forward to reading more of her books.

This book is NOT a waste of time or money. It will delight you and all the people you choose to share it with. Get ready to go to bed with a smile on your face, and wake up with a smile too!

Sincerely, Linda H aka L A Jewel

As always Debbie writes a terrific book. I look forward to everyone of her stories. Keep up the good work girl.

Another great book! She can't write them fast enough, everything this lady writes is excellent. Her storylines are so real that her readers can identify with them. I'm looking forward to her next one, no matter which series I read them all and I've always been equally pleased. I'm a huge fan and look forward to adding to my collection of her books.

YOU DEBBIE MACOMBER FANS WON'T BE DISSAPPOINTED. . . .AS USUAL, ANOTHER GEM!
FINISHED IT OFF IN TWO DAYS WAITING FOR BOOK 2 AND 3 OF THE DAKOTA SERIES TO COME FROM AMAZON.

I've read almost all of Debbie's books and I believe this to be the very best. It has all of the heart and soul you've come to expect in a Debbie Macomber book, and if you've liked her books in the past, you will love this one. I absolutely recommend it to every woman who reads to feel uplifted and just a little bit better about life. If you read it, I bet you'll be making your own wish list as soon as you finish the last page.

The widows of Blossom Street are not dying, but they decide to make up what movie goers would now call a Bucket List, but they call them wish lists. Each one is to compose twenty wishes that they have always wanted to do and fulfill them. Whether it's bowling, learning to knit, to read Jane Austen, or have a child, each one sets out on her mission, often with unexpected results. For example, Barbie proves she is not as shallow as her name might imply in her choice of who to fall in love with, though the object of her affection is very challenging to love. Anne Marie's journey is the one most fraught with personal battles. First, she's confronted by the fact that her late husband betrayed her, in multiple ways. And now, she wants to have the child long denied her, but is it too late?

**** This is a book that will make you look at your own life and perhaps inspire you as well to compose your own list. The ladies involved prove you don't need to be dying to have one, just a desire to live more fully. ****

Amanda Killgore

I love all of Debbie Macomber's Blossom Street books. Such touching stories about believable characters.

I have read just about all of Debbie Macomber's books and I can't think of one book that has disappointed me, and again Twenty Wishes was not a disappointment.

Debbie Macomber created a wonderful story around a group of widows that meet on Valentine's Day and start a list of Twenty Wishes. The list includes those wishes that each always wanted to do. For example, Lillie wants to find a good and decent man that she may fall in love with. Anne Marie needs a child, etc. There have been numerous synopses of the book so I won't go into detail, except to add that the author does an excellent portrayal of that beautiful city of Seattle. This is "feel good" story so relax, and enjoy this wonderful book.

Another warm and tender story that I have read is the novel Gathering of Cans by Robert L. Saunders. This is stunning story about 50 year old Zoie Baker, a woman dedicated to building a swimming pool by gathering aluminum cans along the country roads. It was such a loving story that I almost cried when I finished the last page. Check it out you won't be disappointed. So Long.

This is a sweet, delightful, feel good story. I really enjoyed it. And even though nobody was getting shot or killed, it truly was a page turner. I felt like I was a member of their little club and couldn't wait to hear the latest about each and every one of them. I read it with a constant smile on my face.
I live in Seattle area and also enjoyed all the references to our beautiful city. The people here are awesome. This book is written as if it were a true story. And perhaps it might be--someone, somewhere who can identify with at least one of the characters.
I agree that the "Twenty Wishes" is an excellent idea to do---as well as taking up knitting, going to Paris and, of course, dacing barefoot in the rain.
Relax, enjoy and be ready to feel good when you read this delightful story.

I received this as a gift & read it in 2 days...to me,Debbie Macomber's books are "feel good reads"..I enjoy each & every one of her books...keep them coming !

Every spring I look forward to the new Debbie Macomber hardcover, and this is her best one in the series yet. I loved this book, and Debbie Macomber hit the jackpot on this book. It was a fun read, and I look forward to more of her books in this series. I hope the character of Anne Marie (in the future) meets the man of her dreams!
Thanks for a great read Debbie.

When you pick up A Debbie Macomber book, you pick up a hug.She writes such wonderful books that keep you coming back for more. Thanks Ms. Macomber!

I just finished reading this book after 2 days. I loved it and couldn't wait to see what happened next. I moved from Seattle 10 months ago and after reading this book I told my husband we are moving back I miss it so, much and Debbie makes me feel that I am right there with the people on Blossom Street. Even Thou Blossom Street is not real, Debbie does a good job of showing how Seattle opens its heart and arms to people in need and I can't wait for the next book. I have started my own list of Twenty Wishes with Number one being I moving back to Seattle and dancing in the rain like Anne Marie.

As usual, Debbie Macomber has given us the wonderful gift of a great read. A sad little group of widows meet on Valentine's Day and start lists of Twenty Wishes. These are things they've always wanted to do. Most of them have trouble putting down more than one or two wishes, but as time passes, they are able to add to their lists. Lillie wants to find an honorable man to love. Anne Marie is desperate for a child. Lillie's daughter Barbie, and Elise Beaumont from the earlier books, have wishes too. Each of them find a way to make their wishes come true and the premise is that they will all live happily ever after. But I felt that isn't realistic. Anne Marie reconciles with her stepdaughter in a matter of months, which usually doesn't happen. Her stepdaughter's hatred of her took years to build and wouldn't just go away overnight. Anne Marie is eventually able to adopt a child, but again, that happens very quickly. Too quickly to be believable. What about the red flags and tons of paperwork that most adoptive parents have to sift through? And the child she adopts, an eight year old girl, is apparently free from major problems even though she has spent years in foster care. Barbie falls in love with a disabled man; the accident that put him in a wheelchair is never explained, nor are his limitations as a paraplegic touched on. I enjoyed the book but missed the familiar yarn shop of the earlier books.