The Wish by Heather Morris is one of the most moving books I have read. The story is powerful, sad, yet happy. You are moved to tears, but still keep smiling. Everyone who comes into fifteen-year-old Jesse’s life is changed by her resilience and her wisdom, and you, the reader, will be too.
Jesse has leukaemia. She had been in remission for two years, but the leukaemia has returned. She has watched her family hurt and fall apart as they deal with her illness.
Jesse has been offered a “Wish” and knows it is now time to activate it. With a love of interactive computer games, she plans a digital 3D recreation of her life. It will be something amazing for her family and friends to have forever, to watch and relive her life.
Jesse’s Mum, Mandy, loving and ever supportive, knows how important it is for Jesse to fulfil her final wish. Unfortunately, differing responses to Jesse’s illness have driven a wedge between her and her husband, Dean, and they now live apart.
Jesse’s dad, Dean, is worried, angry, and filled with rage at his impotence in failing to protect his family.
Jesse’s younger brother Sam has been denied a part of his childhood as their parents are so busy searching for a cure and caring for Jesse. Jesse hopes her completed wish will reunite her family.
Alex Daniels, a visionary 3D CGI Video/games designer, is approached for this project. Alex is a loner and very wary of forming emotional relationships. Threatened with the sack from his job, Alex reluctantly agrees to meet Jesse.
Jesse has wonderful support from her friends in Ward 6, Amy, Ryan, and Luke, who are on the same journey as her.
You feel every emotion with this wonderful group of characters as the story weaves around them, often leaving you in suspense with the unexpected twists and turns. The making of Jesse’s Wish does not always go to plan, with numerous hurdles along the way. Each of the characters’ lives is changed by knowing her.
This is an inspiring story of a fictional family’s struggle to deal with and accept the challenges during Jesse’s journey.
Heather Morris tells this story from her heart, drawing on her twenty years as a social worker in a large hospital. Heather has listed the charitable organisations that provide support for children with cancer and their families at the back of the book. “A Wish” can make such a difference to a child’s life and also leave memories for the family.
The story is written with honesty and compassion. The book is a wonderful read, a definite 5 stars.
A selection of our Beauty and Lace Club members are reading The Wish by Heather Morris. You can read their comments below, or add your own review.
I love to read, any book on any topic. I now love ebooks as they are easier to store, I was running out of bookshelves! My other interests are family, gardening and our beautiful King Charles spaniel dog who is my reading companion.
I have read all Heather Morris’s books and have really enjoyed them. This new title strays from her usual historical fiction books but I found it to be an emotional and very moving book.
It is a story about terminally ill Jesse who has been granted ‘a wish’ and she decides she wants to create a 3D video experience of her life as a legacy for her family and friends.
She seeks assistance through her social worker from Alex who is reclusive games designer. The friendship that develops changes both their lives.
This is not an easy read as it is both heart warming and heart breaking, so have the tissues handy. It is a story of resilience, grief, love, hope and family relationships; from the difficulties in marriage living with a child who has cancer and the effects on a younger sibling who often takes second place.
This is a story that will stay with you long after finishing it.
The Wish by New Zealand author Heather Morris is a powerful and emotional contemporary fiction novel.
After two years of remission fifteen-year-old Jesse’s Leukemia has returned. It influences not only her day-to-day experiences but also her perspective on what really matters which is her family and friends.
Jesse knows her time is limited and when offered a wish she immediately knows what she wants: a digital 3D recreation of her life for her friends and family to watch and relive when she is gone.
There is only one person who create it, Alex Daniels a 3D visual digital creator. At first Alex is reluctant to do it but eventually pours himself into the project. Through Jesse’s request, he finds his own healing and purpose from his troubled past.
One of the novel’s greatest strengths lies in its characters, who are drawn with empathy and authenticity. Their struggles feel real, their hopes relatable, and their relationships moving. Morris handles difficult subject matter with sensitivity, balancing heartbreak with moments of light and grace.
Jesse is a brave and courageous character, her cancer makes her physically fragile, but it also brings out a quiet resilience. She doesn’t give up on seeking joy, love, and connection, and thinking of others even while facing a limited future. I enjoyed the bond between Jesse and her friends Ryan, Luke and Amy in the hospital, as well as the struggles of her family to cope with her illness.
Through Jesse, the author explores how illness doesn’t just affect the person diagnosed but how it ripples through the lives of family and friends. Although for me, it wasn’t the subject matter that hurt it was the relationships between the cast of characters which broke me. The way her mum, Mandy refused to give up or give in. The way her dad, Dean fell apart. The way in which her brother, Sam missed out on so much.
Morris does not sensationalise suffering but instead honours her characters’ dignity, showing how ordinary people can leave extraordinary legacies. The book asks readers to consider not only the wishes we make for ourselves, but also the wishes we leave behind for others to fulfill
I have thoroughly enjoyed Heather Morris’s historical works, this tale being her first contemporary novel influenced by her experience working in a hospital as a social worker reaffirms, she is a skilled writer weaving fiction from real-life inspiration.
The Wish lingers after the final page reminding us that even in the darkest times, wishes, dreams, and acts of kindness can shape lives. Readers who appreciate stories of resilience, humanity, and hope will find much to admire here. I highly recommend.
Thank you, Beauty & Lace and Echo Publishing, for the opportunity to read and review.
Author Heather Morris delivers another intensely emotional contemporary fiction novel that is balanced between the depths of sadness and hope in The Wish. Teenager Jesse makes her final wish, Alex, a single lonely man is asked to help make Jesse’s wish a reality. Alex is tasked with creating a digital recreation of Jesses’s life They find friendship, connection (first time for Alex) and hope in one another and a courage and strength they never thought possible. A story and journey that could easily have been focused on the sadness and devastation of a cancer journey is so very uplifting and focused on a patient maintaining their dignity I strongly urge people who have loved ones with cancer (and those that don’t) to read this. I cried while reading this BUT
I really love Morris’s rejection of the over used term of ‘false hope’ in the book saying there is just hope and this is part of her book (and Jesse’s story) I’ll carry with me always.
Thanks to Beauty and Lace book club and Echo Publishing for the opportunity to read and review The Wish
From the moment you open this book and start reading, you feel compassion for a 15-year-old girl called Jesse who you will warm to straight away.
This really is a powerful read and knowing that Jesse does have cancer and is dying really tugs at your heart strings. She has a younger brother called Sam who she adores, and he adores her just as much, but he must miss out on a lot of things as care and time is taken up looking after Jess. She also has love for her parents but unfortunately, they are always fighting which causes stress for Sam in particular.
Majority of the storyline is in hospital where Jesse has made friends like Amy, Luke & Ryan. They are all such good friends who would do anything for each other.
Jesse loves playing computer games and from doing this, she decides on a wish that she would like granted. She wanted to create her life with a digital 3D creation of her life. A special way that her family could keep forever and always feel that she is with them.
There is a character called Alex who is a lonely soul dealing with his own demons in life. He is a video games designer and is assigned to assist Jesse with her wish.
The Nursing staff that are in the storyline really makes you know that they care about the kids in hospital and always helping.
I found myself a little teary whilst reading this book but then there are parts where I am giggling at the antics of Jesse and her friends. Even typing this out, I start to tear up thinking about the story I have just read.
It is beautifully written by the author showing us friendships, love and compassion. This book will be in my heart for a long time, and I highly recommend for anyone to read this story.
Thank you to Beauty and Lace and Echo Publishing for sending me this beautiful book to read. The cover depicts the storyline very well.
To the author Heather Morris, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this story and I also read the Tattooist of Auschwitz as well. You really capture characters so well.
Having read all of Heather’s previous books and absolutely loved them, I knew THE WISH being Heather’s first contemporary novel would be equally as good, if not better. A huge thank you to Echo Publishing and Beauty and Lace for the opportunity to read and review ‘THE WISH.’ A beautifully written heart felt story, full of sensitivity and compassion, it offers a glimpse inside the inner workings of the hospital system and in particular the social workers with their multifaceted roles, and it being definitely clear this is not Kelly’s first rodeo.
The family dynamics will resonate with readers, the emotional connections are so raw, the bonds formed with the other kids on the ward, all going through the same, but different journeys. These warriors are mature beyond their years because of the cards they’ve been dealt. The disease affects everyone it comes into contact with, the unimaginable toll it takes on the parents, and siblings is exhausting. This is a real fly-on-the-wall expose into the inner turmoil and the emotional burden and psychological trauma as daily life routines are interrupted, and they desperately try to instill some normalcy back into their lives. This story will live on in your memory long after you’ve turned the last page and closed the book. I look forward to Heather’s next offering.
Thank you Beauty and Lace for the opportunity to read The Wish by Heather Morris.
This was a beautifully written book.
It’s full of heartache, joy and beautiful moments.
Jesse is dying of cancer and she wants one wish, but she needs a tech company to do it for her and it’s not going to be easy.
This book is filled with beautiful characters, that will have you laughing and wiping tears away.
Such a wonderful story that I couldn’t put down.
Highly recommend ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Many thanks to Beauty and Lace and Echo Publishing for allowing me to read this beautiful story.
Heather Morris has written an amazing book about a teenager called Jesse, who has been fighting cancer for many years, suffered through a bone marrow transplant, given by her brother, which failed and yet still is an inspiration to everyone around her.
She meets Alex who is going to make her dying wish, which is a digital 3D recreation of her life for her family to have after she is gone.
Everyone pulls together, despite Jesse’s father’s objections, and fulfill her beautiful wish.
The characters are so lovable in this book and it was an absolute pleasure to read. Despite the sadness it also reminds you about hope. Also to love those around you and hug everyone you love.
Highly recommend this book.