Twenty Wishes

Debbie Macomber's latest book Twenty Wishes continues her Blossom Street Series. This time the lead character is book store owner, Anne Marie, who is recovering from her husband's death. She gathers together a group of friends who all happen to be widows, for a Valentine's party. After a few drinks and laughs, she comes up with the idea of making a list of twenty wishes - something to hope for and dream about - just like when you were kids. It is not necessarily a "to do" list, but a wish list. The other gals like the idea, and to Anne Marie's surprise, they start taking the idea seriously.

Some of the wishes are fairly simple like - wanting red cowboy boots. But some are harder for Anne Marie to put down on paper. She has been very unsure of herself since her husband died. Their relationship was not the best when it ended and she has been wrapped in her sorrows for a while. This list making is offering her a chance to leave her grief behind. As part of a wish, Anne Marie volunteers to work at a school as a lunch buddy, and becomes involved with the life of her new young friend, Ellen.

Macomber's characters are always interesting - but you wish you had more time with some of them. She starts out with four, and really only focuses on three of them. Perhaps another book? But she does a great job with plotting, and bringing unconventional twists to their lives. The women are all recovering from their losses, and it is interesting to see the individual perspectives on their former marriages, their twenty wishes and dreams for the future. A fun read. And a neat idea...hmmm - twenty wishes...