The Wish Collector

“𝘓𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘯’𝘵 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩, 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘪𝘵, 𝘑𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘩? 𝘌𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘪𝘧 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘣𝘰𝘥𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘶𝘴𝘵, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘸𝘦 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭 𝘮𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘨𝘰 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦.”

What a rare gem of a story! With an almost dreamlike, fairy-tale quality to her every word, Mia Sheridan weaves a hauntingly beautiful tapestry of darkness and light, love and loss, pain and atonement, with a tale that transports the reader to a place where true love never dies, and where a spark of hope can find its way through even the smallest of cracks in an old, stone wall. Set against the vivid background of the mystical city of New Orleans, this is the story of two lonely hearts who find safe harbour in each other’s arms, but as they work together to unlock a mystery from the past, they begin to discover that the greatest battles sometimes lie within us, and that is where they must be fought. As always, Mia Sheridan’s storytelling is exquisite, transcendent, soulful, and just stunning.

𝘊𝘭𝘢𝘳𝘢 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘱𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘥—𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘴 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘢 𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦 𝘰𝘣𝘴𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘥—𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘣𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘬 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘰𝘤𝘤𝘶𝘳𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘢 𝘩𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘧𝘪𝘧𝘵𝘺 𝘺𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦.

Shortly after moving to New Orleans to pursue a career in ballet, Clara Campbell finds herself awash in loneliness and uncertainty, the company of an elderly neighbour becoming her only respite from the melancholy that threatens to overwhelm her daily. And it is during one of her visits to her elderly friend that Clara learns of a century-and-a-half-old legend held within the beautiful, broken structures of Windisle Plantation. From the moment Clara hears the story of a beautiful young slave who fell for a handsome southern soldier, and whose spirits are said to be still trapped in the very place where their love affair ended so tragically, she begins to feel a strange pull to Windisle, beckoning her to explore the secrets held within its shadows. But instead of finding ghosts there, Clara meets a mysterious stranger hiding behind its walls.

𝘍𝘰𝘳 𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘢 𝘣𝘰𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢 𝘨𝘪𝘳𝘭, 𝘴𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘪𝘵𝘦 𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘢 𝘸𝘢𝘭𝘭, 𝘢 𝘭𝘢𝘺𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘬 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘴 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘯𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘯𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴. 𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘯𝘰𝘸, 𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘦𝘯𝘫𝘰𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘩𝘢𝘥.

Jonah Chamberlain hasn’t stepped outside his old, crumbling family estate in eight long, grief-filled years. Holding himself responsible for the tragic events that led to his own scarred appearance, Jonah spends his days drowning in sorrow and loneliness, but from the moment he hears a young woman’s selfless wish whispered through the cracks in an old, stone wall, he becomes bewitched by her. They continue to meet week after week, spending time just talking, and sharing their innermost thoughts and fears with one another, even though that stone wall continues to stand between them.

“𝘐 𝘳𝘦𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘵. 𝘐 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘵. 𝘐’𝘷𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘥𝘦 𝘢 𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘧 𝘪𝘵, 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦, 𝘣𝘦𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘢𝘭𝘭.”

As they slowly begin to piece the past together, getting closer and closer to setting the star-crossed lovers free from the curse trapping them at Windisle, Clara and Jonah also begin to fall in love. But it soon becomes clear to Clara that her velvet-voiced ‘wish collector’ might be living in a cage of his own making—never too far, but always far enough to be out of reach to her, their reality in so many ways echoing the very curse they are trying to break.

𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘸𝘧𝘶𝘭, 𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘰𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘵𝘰 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘮𝘢𝘥𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘴𝘸𝘦𝘭𝘭 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘣𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦, 𝘴𝘰 𝘤𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘦, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘺𝘦𝘵 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘦𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘶𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘭𝘺 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩. 𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘸𝘰𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘪𝘧 𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘣𝘦 𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰𝘰.

The depth of emotion that Mia Sheridan is able to conjure on the page is breathtaking, her nuanced prose brimming with symbolism and sensuality, but her true gift lies in creating complex, fractured characters that have been bruised by life, but who find unexpected glimmers of hope and grace when they least expect it. The novel builds slowly with absolutely gorgeous language and setting, and with a dual timeline structure that sways gently from past to present, braiding the narratives together little by little, we unravel the past at the same time as the future unfolds before us. Both beautiful and tragic, this is the kind of story that sticks with you long after the final page.

“𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦’𝘴 𝘢 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘶𝘴, 𝘈𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘢. 𝘚𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘥𝘦, 𝘸𝘪𝘥𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥. 𝘋𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘮𝘦?”

New Orleans, a city of mystery and magic, of secrets and dreams, and a history drenched in both love and the deepest of heartache.

When ballet dancer Clara Campbell arrives in New Orleans, lonely and homesick, she is immediately captivated by the story of Windisle Plantation and the tragic tale that is said to have transpired beyond its gate. Legend has it that it is abandoned by all living souls, but to Clara’s great surprise, it is not a ghost she hears through the stone wall surrounding the property, but a flesh and blood man. A scarred stranger with a pain deeper and darker than the churning waters of the Mississippi river that flows beside his self-imposed prison.

The ruined man behind the wall hides himself from the world. The last thing he expects is to find a friend in the selfless girl who speaks to him through the cracks in the rock. The girl who keeps returning week after week. The girl who makes him wish for things he has long since given up on. The girl who strikes both fear and hope within his wounded heart. But there can be no future for them, no life beyond Windisle, for no one knows better than him that monsters only live in the dark.

The Wish Collector is the story of shame and triumph, of loneliness and love, and the miracle of two hearts connecting despite the strongest of barriers between them. Once again another fantastic book by Mia Sheridan. This story was flawlessly written and heartfelt. It will take you on an emotional roller coaster in the best possible way. A must read

Clara Campbell is drawn to New Orleans by more than just her new appointment to the New Orleans Ballet Company. But though she is living her dreams, she feels alone and disconnected from everyone around her. In interest in a local legend finds her approaching the Weeping Wall at Windisle Plantation, an abandoned property with a ghost story attached. But as she places her wish in the wall, it is not a ghost that she hears beyond the walls.

Jonah Chamberlain hasn’t left the walls of Windisle in 8 years, long enough that the locals all believe the property abandoned. The walls are all he needs to keep himself apart from the judgement of the public, who watched his decisions lead to a tragedy for which he paid dearly.

Their interactions are separated by a wall, but connected by the story of the lost lovers from so long ago. The ghost story is a safe topic for Jonah, and though he isn’t sure why he is suddenly talking to one of the many visitors to the wall, he finds it impossible to ignore the woman who won’t let him hide any longer.

These two are both so lonely that it doesn’t take much of a connection for them to find further intrigue. But what they find as Clara digs deeper into the plantation’s past keeps her coming back for more, as Jonah debates the merits of letting someone in to his safe-place. Both Clara and Jonah have personal character journeys to face over the course of the book, and for as much as the plot is tied to the past, it is also directly tied to these two characters growing and learning.

The Wish Collector combines contemporary with magic and the past. The historical thread isn’t enough to fully call this a split timeline, but the glimpses of the past are the perfect tie between the history and the present of Windisle Plantation. The legend of ghosts in the assumed abandoned building is intriguing as Clara does what she can to solve the century old mystery.

There were so many pieces to this story that I was still thinking of the connections and bits of magic days after finishing. Part Beauty & the Beast, part Phantom of the Opera, part New Orleans magic, this book is a fantastic mix of elements that inspires and enchants. Once again, Mia Sheridan has crafted a tale that takes my expectations and soars far beyond what I could have imagined.

★¸¸.•¨•★Minor spoilers alert★•¨•.¸¸★

What I enjoyed most about this contemporary novel…Mysterious / Entertaining / Wonderful characters / Original / Page-turner / Romantic / Twisted / Tragic / Flashbacks to 19th century North America / Clara nicknaming Jonah her wish collector, aww! ❤ / HEA

•¨• ‘She didn’t want him to leave. She didn’t want a war—especially one the South might win. She just wanted to love him and feel loved in return. Why was that too much to ask? Why must the color of one’s skin determine destiny? Determine wars. Separation. How did the color of one’s skin create such distinction when no one asked to be born what he or she was? Surely God on High hadn’t intended that. Had He?’ 👀😕

•¨• My Top Favorite Scene was: “Love can’t just disappear when this life is through, can it, Jonah? Even if our bodies turn to dust, the love we feel must go somewhere.” ಌ ಌ ಌ I so hope Clara is right. 👀 🙏

•¨• Dual format owned / read: Kindle e-book & Audible audiobook

•¨• Writing style: Third person omniscient

•¨• Location: Windisle Plantation – New Orleans, Louisiana •¨• Characters: Clara – heroine Jonah – hero Justin – Jonah’s brother Myrtle and Cecil –paired property caretakers of Windisle, Jonah’s inherited home Eddie – suicidal young man Jonah talks out of ending his life and joing the Brass Angels (a good gang that patrols the neighborhood) Marco – male dancer in Clara’s dance troupe Angelina – historical heroine and a bi-racial slave John – historical hero and Angelina’s love interest Astrid – John’s fiancée Mrs. Chamberlain – the witchy (you'll discover what name I really wanted to call her, ugh!) slave owner of Angelina

•¨• Story ★★★★★ What a whimsical and completely charming dual contemporary and historical romance this was, wow!

It was interesting how the legend of tragic 19th century lovers Angelina and John inspired Clara to dig deep and unveil the mystery surrounding their tragic love story. She needed something outside of the drama at her dance troupe, her loneliness at being new to the dance company and to New Orleans, in addition to her pending loss of her father (due to Alzheimer’s disease) to focus on.

Her wish and subsequent goal to free the haunted 19th century spirits led her to Jonah. He tried to resist her innate appeal and her encouragement to move on with his life in a healthier manner to no avail. Fortunately, he eventually believed her that his past and his physical disfigurement could be overcome with self-forgiveness and romantic love.

Quite simply, I loved it! Bravo yet again, Mia Sheridan!

Fantasy is not my normal genre but this was a very entertaining story. It had history, it had romance, it had art and theater, social justice, evil and profound goodness. I thought the writer did an excellent job with character development and pace. She set the scenes vividly. It is a bit of a cross between Phantom of the Opera and Beauty and the Beast but with so much more. I'm glad I gave this a try.

This was a beautiful modern day re-telling of Beauty and the Beast set in an old plantation homestead in New Orleans.

Jonah is a hotshot lawyer who was climbing his way to top when a case he was involved in led to a tragedy that ended his life as he knew it. He now lives a lonely life in his family home, the Windisle Plantation. This is a heritage building with a tragic tale behind it.

Clara moves to New Orleans when she is selected for the prestigious ballet company there. She hears about the Windisle Plantation and the mystery behind the ‘weeping wall’ and seems to get fixated on finding out the truth of the love story behind it.

After researching as much as she can, Clara turns up at the weeping wall with a wish. It is rumoured that if you write a wish and poke it into the wall it may be granted. However, Clara’s wish is like no other before her and she is shocked to discover that there is a person living behind the wall.

Jonah has never interacted with anyone who visits his wall but Clara’s wish stands out. His quiet life has been interrupted by this exquisite, beautiful girl who seems hell bent on getting to know him. There may be a big wall between them but over time a beautiful friendship forms between them, one that seems to overcome the physical barriers. Jonah begins to realise just how lonely he has been.

Clara enlists Jonah to help her solve the mystery behind the weeping wall. In doing so she is also trying to encourage him to come back into the light, rather than hiding away in the dark. Jonah finds himself saying and doing things he never thought he would do again. Clara’s persistence and determination is changing things for him.

I absolutely loved getting caught up in this fairy tale filled with mystery, trepidation and a beautiful friendship between a beast and his beauty ☺

The Wish Collector is a tale of heartbreak and misery. It takes place in New Orleans where legends and Voodoo curses are often used. Locals like to talk about Windisle a place known for it weeping wall where locals make wishes. When Clara stands before the wall she gets more than her wish granted. … Jonah is a man scarred by his mistakes. He lived behind the weeping walls. When Clara visits his home he finds a woman who is curious about the past. … Mia Sheridan’s passion for this storyline unfortunately was not mine. The writing is enchanting and beautiful. I guess I’m not the intended audience for this tale dating back to 1860. Three timeline: the legend of John and Angelina in 1860, a tragic accident from eight years ago which left Jonah living as a recluse, and the present is a modern day Beauty and the Beast between a young ballerina and a man punishing himself for his choices. … Do you ever know within the first few chapters a book that a story will be a middle of the road read? In your mind you’re thinking this is a three star read with the potential of becoming a five star read. Most often I can tell early on when a book is at best not going to be more than average. Unfortunately, that’s how I’m feeling about The Wish Collector. I had high hopes and expectations for this book. I even invested in both the audiobook and ebook. I’ve read quite a few books by Mia Sheridan. This one was on my back list. Some times when authors write from multiple genres I find where I’m stuck on liking some more than others. … I hate to say this about Zachary Webber, as the voice of Jonah, didn’t hit its mark. It wasn’t the voice I imagined of Jonah a man living in New Orleans. He grew up in New Orleans and I would imagine he would’ve taken on an accent. Virginia Rose was the voice of Clara. This is my first time experiencing this narrators performance I enjoyed it. I listened using the audible app. Anytime I can get both the ebook and audiobook together for a great deal I’m going to get both. I’m an eyes and ears person who benefits greatly from the written word and sound of words together to enhance my experience.