January 26, 2025 – My Sanctuary

A Mother’s Last Wish By Jo Bartlett

Two sisters, one heartbreaking promise…

To everyone who knows them, Louisa and Tom are the perfect couple. They have two beautiful kids, Stan and Flo, and are about to celebrate ten years of happy marriage. Life is perfect. But when Lou is dealt devastating news, that perfect life is turned upside down and Lou and Tom must reevaluate the very foundations on which their marriage is built.

Lou’s greatest concern is who will look after her children if she’s not there to care for them? Will anyone be able to love them like she does?

Holly can’t face the news that Lou is so sick, and as twins they’ve always been together. Older by twenty minutes, Holly has always tried to protect her little sister. So she’ll do anything, promise anything, to make Lou feel happy and safe. Holly loves Stan and Flo fiercely, but with no children of her own can she ever be the mother her sister wants for her children?

Determined to make the most of every precious moment, Lou’s final wish for her family is to show them what it really means to live and love. And as Tom and Holly try to navigate their own pain, all they want is to shower Flo and Stan with love and help them make the most of the time they have left with the mother who adores them.

For as long as she can remember, Everly Aprile has been obsessed with the Monterran royals, especially Queen Kat: elegant, self-possessed, and living a fairy-tale romance. As for Everly, her career as an event planner has stalled—and so has her love life. Then a wealthy new client wants a sweet-sixteen party that’s fit for an American princess. Practicing her “What Would Kat Do” mantra, Everly offers to bring it to life by immersing herself in everything Monterra.

Call it intervento divino when she meets dizzyingly handsome and charismatic Max Colby, who’s relocated stateside from the Monterran kingdom of her dreams. If Everly promises to be his New York City guide, he’ll teach her the customs and culture of Monterra so her party gets a boost of authenticity. Deal. As their friendship grows, Everly starts falling—but for what? Another unattainable obsession? Max is such a dreamboat that surely he sees her as just a friend.

Her royal to-do list is in order. She’s revamping her life and learning to believe in herself. Maybe, just maybe, there’s a chance for fate to bring Everly her happily ever after after all.

About The Author

My Review

This is a sweet romance with a touch of royal fairytale. Everly, kind-hearted and vulnerable from her past, never imagined someone like Max, charismatic and sexy, would fall for her. Working as an assistant to a cold boss at an event management company, Everly deserves a promotion. Her chance comes with a big presentation she nails, but she needs information on Monterran culture for the theme. She meets Max, a handsome Monterran man, at a bar, and he’s kind and caring despite being out of her league. Everly is talented but plagued by insecurities. Her supportive roommate Vella helps her see her worth. Max, a perfect boyfriend, also has secrets that almost ruin everything. In the end, Everly faces life boldly, and Max shows his love in meaningful ways. The fictional Monterran element and Everly’s crush on her boss felt unnecessary and slowed the story’s pace.

My Rating