When You Wish upon a Star

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Summary: Reviewed by Denise's Pieces - mystery, thriller, love story!
Review: "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 she flees from an abusive husband with their daughter Becky. The scent of blood is in their car - Paige's blood soaked clothing - and her shock is such that she can barely remember 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 a strong, good 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.

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Summary: "Wow! What a great story!"
Review: "When You Wish upon a Star," by gifted storyteller Nancy Marie, is such a great story! I was pulled into the scheme of things right from the first chapter and literally glued to my seat during the entire read of the story. The characters are so true to real life it was amazing. The dialogue well-written, and the plot had me on the edge of the seat that I was glued to from cover to cover while reading the book. The story was real enough without being predictable and kept me guessing from one scene to the next. I thought Ms. Marie did an admirable job on this book and I look forward to reading more of her books in the very near future. (HIGHLY RECOMMENDED NOVEL!)

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Summary: A must read for the summer!!
Review: Nancy Marie has done a wonderful job of breathing life into her characters and taking the reader into their world. You will meet Paige and her two daughters as they struggle to find a safe place to rest and regain a life that is worth living. Her daughters Becky and Jess had never know the tender touch of a loving father and the joy that can be found in family. All of their lives had been filled with stress, pain and the fear of a man who was incapable of love. Until the day Paige decided she had suffered her last beating. She was then determined to change her life and save the future for her girls.
Paige was born into a dysfunctional family and couldn't seek her parents' home as a safe place for refuge. Paige and the girls had to escape Justin's abuse. They had to go alone. But Justin would soon be on their trail with thoughts of ending everything.
You need to read this novel to find out how God works in Paige's life to give her the happiness that has always been out of her reach. Meet the man who lives deep in the mountains of Estes Park who waltzes into Paige's life just when she thinks all is over. Love soon surrounds her daughters and Paige through a man named Lance. A rancher who thought he would never again have a family.
I recommend this story to all who love to read. Nancy Marie is a gifted story teller.
This novel would be a good source of hope to those who are trapped in the world of abuse. Although the story may be fiction, the truth of escape and finding happiness from a life of torment is true. I was once a victim who made it to the other side.