3.0 (1 rating)
Willowbrook Wishes
Lily Harper has spent her whole life leaving before anyone gets too attached.
As a foster-care survivor turned event planner, she’s built a career on fresh starts, short stays, and never calling anywhere home. So, when she arrives in Willowbrook, Ohio in the summer of 1998 to save the town’s struggling county fair, she already knows the plan:
Fix the mess. Finish the job. Leave.
Then she meets Ethan Calloway.
Gruff, guarded, and fiercely loyal to his late father’s bookstore, Ethan wants nothing to do with Lily’s big-city ideas—or the way she somehow slips past every wall he’s built around himself. But beneath the constant bickering and undeniable chemistry, Willowbrook starts to become something dangerous for them both: home.
And for the first time in her life, Lily isn’t sure she wants to run.
The only problem?
Lily never stays.
And Ethan never lets himself fall.
Perfect for readers who love small-town romance, slow-burn tension, found family, grumpy/sunshine dynamics, and 90s nostalgia, Willowbrook Wishes is a swoony closed-door romance filled with summer magic, bookstore charm, and all the feelings of coming home.
As a foster-care survivor turned event planner, she’s built a career on fresh starts, short stays, and never calling anywhere home. So, when she arrives in Willowbrook, Ohio in the summer of 1998 to save the town’s struggling county fair, she already knows the plan:
Fix the mess. Finish the job. Leave.
Then she meets Ethan Calloway.
Gruff, guarded, and fiercely loyal to his late father’s bookstore, Ethan wants nothing to do with Lily’s big-city ideas—or the way she somehow slips past every wall he’s built around himself. But beneath the constant bickering and undeniable chemistry, Willowbrook starts to become something dangerous for them both: home.
And for the first time in her life, Lily isn’t sure she wants to run.
The only problem?
Lily never stays.
And Ethan never lets himself fall.
Perfect for readers who love small-town romance, slow-burn tension, found family, grumpy/sunshine dynamics, and 90s nostalgia, Willowbrook Wishes is a swoony closed-door romance filled with summer magic, bookstore charm, and all the feelings of coming home.
Published: May 5, 2026
Pages: 481
ISBN: 9798994508718
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Available in: Paperback
Reader Reviews
3.0
1 rating
Chelsey H.
Sep 27, 2026
Willowbrook Wishes by Kristen Reads was the coziest read — think Hallmark movie in book form, small town charm and all the feel-good vibes you could want. The storyline was genuinely enjoyable and the characters were fun to spend time with… for the most part.
My two gripes? The MMC just never fully landed for me. He felt a little forgettable and underdeveloped compared to what I was hoping for — I wanted to be swooning and instead I was just… fine with him. And honestly, this book could have been trimmed down quite a bit. It dragged in places and started to feel like it would never end, which is a shame because the story itself had so much to love!
Overall, Willowbrook Wishes is a solid small town romance that hits all the cozy beats — it just needed a tighter edit and a more memorable leading man to really stick the landing. Still a sweet read if you’re in the mood for something light and warm! 🌟🌟🌟✨
My two gripes? The MMC just never fully landed for me. He felt a little forgettable and underdeveloped compared to what I was hoping for — I wanted to be swooning and instead I was just… fine with him. And honestly, this book could have been trimmed down quite a bit. It dragged in places and started to feel like it would never end, which is a shame because the story itself had so much to love!
Overall, Willowbrook Wishes is a solid small town romance that hits all the cozy beats — it just needed a tighter edit and a more memorable leading man to really stick the landing. Still a sweet read if you’re in the mood for something light and warm! 🌟🌟🌟✨